Friday News And Views

 The Final FN&V Of 2022!

Well, take a sip of that coffee and congratulate yourself for making it through another entire year of the 'FN&V", your weekly, end-of-week review of news, thoughts, and opinions here on "Guitar Ted Productions".

I've cooked up a special one for y'all today, so I hope that you enjoy this. But first, a bit of trivia concerning this staple of my blog over the years. 

This wasn't planned to be on Fridays. In fact, I think a 'news and views' type of post has appeared on every day but Sunday here on this blog since 2005. The Friday slot wasn't a weekly thing until recently, in terms of this blog, as well, which may surprise some of you. 

But now the "FN&V" has become, on average, the most read post I do every week. There are posts that get a lot more hits than my Friday missives, but on average, more of you dear readers are here today than any other day of the week. So, a tip-o-the-cup to your reading neighbors and cheers! 

New Site Seeks To Be Gravel Event Calendar Hub:

Back in 2008 I was asked by readers of this blog to start a "gravel event calendar", which I did, hosting it on the sidebar of this very blog throughout 2008. There weren't many events back then!

But things changed, I started a calendar in 2009 on a separate site, that morphed into the Riding Gravel Events Calendar in 2014, and by 2019 I had over 600 events which I had listed on the site, most of which I had researched and found out about on my own time. That's right, I would estimate that less than ten percent of those 600+ events were submitted to be on that old calendar.

As you might imagine then, I was very busy with updating that calendar throughout the year. It took probably ten hours a week to maintain it. That's on top of doing all the other stuff I did. It wasn't tenable, and when COVID came along, I took the cue to stop and that was that. Along the way I made a great resource for many for several years. I unwittingly also contributed to some other 'gravel oriented sites' calendars as well, with many of my event descriptions getting copied and pasted word for word into these other "calendar of events".

That's why when I came across this last week that I smiled. I wish this man good will and fortunes on his efforts. It won't be easy, or very sustainable, to simply rely on submissions and word of mouth to get events put on that calendar. (Ask anyone who has compiled events about that) Especially when sites like BikeReg are a de-facto event calendar with major reach and influence. That's why I'd be shocked if this "Gravel Calendar" isn't drawing dates off BikeReg,, or the massive Gran Fondo gravel calendar of events.by the way.

 The calendar is also probably getting data from its partners. The Gravel Calendar has partnered with the Gravel Cyclist website and the Pure Gravel site to "help bolster their calendars", which I take to mean that they are sharing information across their websites to gather more events. That should ease things a tiny bit.

Again- best of luck to all involved. 

Dream Engine in steel (Image courtesy of Wilde Bikes)

Wilde Bikes Introduces The "Dream Engine" In Steel, Titanium:

In case you missed this last week, Wilde Bikes debuted a new "Fargo-like" adventure bike dubbed the Dream Engine. The bike, available as a frame set or built to various spec, is going to be offered in steel and titanium. 

Interestingly, the bike uses a Cutthroat carbon fork by Salsa Cycles, further tying the comparison to the venerable Fargo, which itself is offered in steel and titanium versions. 

These Dream Engine bikes have clearance for 29" X 2.6" tires. The frames also feature stealth dropper routing, and all the accessory mounting points that you would expect on an adventure bike nowadays. Prices are $2,600.00 for the steel frame set and $4,900.00 for the titanium frame set, both coming with custom Jen Green head tube badges. 

Dream Engine in titanium (Image courtesy of Wilde Bikes)

Comments: Well, I have to admit that these are beautiful and well executed examples of a bike with the Fargo influence. They are US built, (but the presser doesn't say by whom), so the pricing is understandable. You are going to pay a premium price for what is essentially a small batch custom frame. 

My only beef with this bike's design is that it cannot be single speed due to the lack of any tensioning system being designed into the frame. (You could use an eccentric bottom bracket, I suppose.) I know, big whoop! You probably are not a single speeder. But you do not have to have a desire to be a one gear person to appreciate the ability to single speed a bike if the derailleur gets destroyed in an incident while you are miles away from anything. 

To my way of thinking, self-extraction from your situation is a prized attribute, and having that ability in a frame set which could be a single speed is a good thing to have in your back pocket, you know, just in case. You may never use that feature, but then again, you may have to. 

So, for that singular reason I would pass on this choice. You are spending a lot of coin to have a bike without a feature that, in my opinion, is a definite "must have" for an off-pavement adventure. Too bad too, it is a beautiful bike. As a gravel pounder? Yeah....I could live without that single speed thing, but not if I am going way off the beaten track. 

Big Changes In Store For Shimano Components?

 Last Thursday I noted a Tweet far down in a thread I was involved in that perked up my ears. It was written by noted cycling journalist, Carlton Reid, who is from the U.K. and has a lot of connections in the cycling business world. In that Tweet, he drops a hint that could signal big changes coming in terms of Shimano group sets in the future.

The context for this Tweet was that "model years" for bicycles are a poor idea, but Shimano, who pretty much steers the ship from behind a curtain when it comes to industry practices, dictates that a model year change shall exist. It does this by introducing new component features and new components nearly every year in March, generally speaking, although Shimano has made introductions in the Fall as well in the past. 

These announcements are years in the making. Component manufacturers and bicycle brands are privy to what is coming out, so that spec can be solidified and parts can be accumulated for production before the public knows about the "new stuff' coming. This is why Mr. Reid probably has some knowledge of what is about to be introduced in March. Someone or another passed along some rather big news along to him, which I believe Mr. Reid is hinting at in his Tweet here.

Another Piece To The Puzzle:

On Friday last week, a few news sources were showing a patent drawing filed by Shimano dated November 2022 that showed a design for a 9 tooth sprocket and lockring. Shimano currently does not support 9 tooth sprockets.  

What Could It Mean? Knowing what I know about Shimano, this has probably got something to do with a complete overhaul of either road components, mountain components, or both simultaneously. I doubt they change GRX, but..... Maybe. 

Does this signal a new standard for free hubs? I would guess that it does, but will Shimano make this compatible with MicroSpline, the newer MTB free hub format they introduced a few years ago? My inclination is that yes- All Shimano rear wheels from 2023 forward will be MicroSpline, 9 tooth cassette compatible. 

That opens up a LOT of possibilities on every front. 1X gravel, MTB, adventure wide range gearing, etc. 13 and 14 speed groups. I know Shimano has had working 14 speed prototype groups since before 2010, so it is not a pipe dream to say that we're headed in that direction.

 Shimano isn't going to produce "new-name" group sets without there being some pretty big changes in those mechanisms. GRX is a new group, relatively speaking, so it would surprise me if they rebrand that after such a short period. But if wholesale changes in either road or MTB happen I could see where that might warrant a new name(s). And Mr. Reid says "several group sets", so I expect a whole nomenclature for group-sets to be retired.

Would that mean no more Dura-Ace, or Ultegra? Or would that mean no more XT or Deore? It's hard to fathom that that sort of legacy would be retired, but reading the Tweet, I don't see any other way to interpret that. (Unless it is an additional group set, but that's not how I read the Tweet)  I guess we will find out in March, won't we? 

Well, that's a wrap on Friday News And Views for today, and for 2022! Once again, THANK YOU for reading these and I'll be back again next week with the start of another year of FN&V posts!

Friday News And Views

 The Final FN&V Of 2022!

Well, take a sip of that coffee and congratulate yourself for making it through another entire year of the 'FN&V", your weekly, end-of-week review of news, thoughts, and opinions here on "Guitar Ted Productions".

I've cooked up a special one for y'all today, so I hope that you enjoy this. But first, a bit of trivia concerning this staple of my blog over the years. 

This wasn't planned to be on Fridays. In fact, I think a 'news and views' type of post has appeared on every day but Sunday here on this blog since 2005. The Friday slot wasn't a weekly thing until recently, in terms of this blog, as well, which may surprise some of you. 

But now the "FN&V" has become, on average, the most read post I do every week. There are posts that get a lot more hits than my Friday missives, but on average, more of you dear readers are here today than any other day of the week. So, a tip-o-the-cup to your reading neighbors and cheers! 

New Site Seeks To Be Gravel Event Calendar Hub:

Back in 2008 I was asked by readers of this blog to start a "gravel event calendar", which I did, hosting it on the sidebar of this very blog throughout 2008. There weren't many events back then!

But things changed, I started a calendar in 2009 on a separate site, that morphed into the Riding Gravel Events Calendar in 2014, and by 2019 I had over 600 events which I had listed on the site, most of which I had researched and found out about on my own time. That's right, I would estimate that less than ten percent of those 600+ events were submitted to be on that old calendar.

As you might imagine then, I was very busy with updating that calendar throughout the year. It took probably ten hours a week to maintain it. That's on top of doing all the other stuff I did. It wasn't tenable, and when COVID came along, I took the cue to stop and that was that. Along the way I made a great resource for many for several years. I unwittingly also contributed to some other 'gravel oriented sites' calendars as well, with many of my event descriptions getting copied and pasted word for word into these other "calendar of events".

That's why when I came across this last week that I smiled. I wish this man good will and fortunes on his efforts. It won't be easy, or very sustainable, to simply rely on submissions and word of mouth to get events put on that calendar. (Ask anyone who has compiled events about that) Especially when sites like BikeReg are a de-facto event calendar with major reach and influence. That's why I'd be shocked if this "Gravel Calendar" isn't drawing dates off BikeReg,, or the massive Gran Fondo gravel calendar of events.by the way.

 The calendar is also probably getting data from its partners. The Gravel Calendar has partnered with the Gravel Cyclist website and the Pure Gravel site to "help bolster their calendars", which I take to mean that they are sharing information across their websites to gather more events. That should ease things a tiny bit.

Again- best of luck to all involved. 

Dream Engine in steel (Image courtesy of Wilde Bikes)

Wilde Bikes Introduces The "Dream Engine" In Steel, Titanium:

In case you missed this last week, Wilde Bikes debuted a new "Fargo-like" adventure bike dubbed the Dream Engine. The bike, available as a frame set or built to various spec, is going to be offered in steel and titanium. 

Interestingly, the bike uses a Cutthroat carbon fork by Salsa Cycles, further tying the comparison to the venerable Fargo, which itself is offered in steel and titanium versions. 

These Dream Engine bikes have clearance for 29" X 2.6" tires. The frames also feature stealth dropper routing, and all the accessory mounting points that you would expect on an adventure bike nowadays. Prices are $2,600.00 for the steel frame set and $4,900.00 for the titanium frame set, both coming with custom Jen Green head tube badges. 

Dream Engine in titanium (Image courtesy of Wilde Bikes)

Comments: Well, I have to admit that these are beautiful and well executed examples of a bike with the Fargo influence. They are US built, (but the presser doesn't say by whom), so the pricing is understandable. You are going to pay a premium price for what is essentially a small batch custom frame. 

My only beef with this bike's design is that it cannot be single speed due to the lack of any tensioning system being designed into the frame. (You could use an eccentric bottom bracket, I suppose.) I know, big whoop! You probably are not a single speeder. But you do not have to have a desire to be a one gear person to appreciate the ability to single speed a bike if the derailleur gets destroyed in an incident while you are miles away from anything. 

To my way of thinking, self-extraction from your situation is a prized attribute, and having that ability in a frame set which could be a single speed is a good thing to have in your back pocket, you know, just in case. You may never use that feature, but then again, you may have to. 

So, for that singular reason I would pass on this choice. You are spending a lot of coin to have a bike without a feature that, in my opinion, is a definite "must have" for an off-pavement adventure. Too bad too, it is a beautiful bike. As a gravel pounder? Yeah....I could live without that single speed thing, but not if I am going way off the beaten track. 

Big Changes In Store For Shimano Components?

 Last Thursday I noted a Tweet far down in a thread I was involved in that perked up my ears. It was written by noted cycling journalist, Carlton Reid, who is from the U.K. and has a lot of connections in the cycling business world. In that Tweet, he drops a hint that could signal big changes coming in terms of Shimano group sets in the future.

The context for this Tweet was that "model years" for bicycles are a poor idea, but Shimano, who pretty much steers the ship from behind a curtain when it comes to industry practices, dictates that a model year change shall exist. It does this by introducing new component features and new components nearly every year in March, generally speaking, although Shimano has made introductions in the Fall as well in the past. 

These announcements are years in the making. Component manufacturers and bicycle brands are privy to what is coming out, so that spec can be solidified and parts can be accumulated for production before the public knows about the "new stuff' coming. This is why Mr. Reid probably has some knowledge of what is about to be introduced in March. Someone or another passed along some rather big news along to him, which I believe Mr. Reid is hinting at in his Tweet here.

Another Piece To The Puzzle:

On Friday last week, a few news sources were showing a patent drawing filed by Shimano dated November 2022 that showed a design for a 9 tooth sprocket and lockring. Shimano currently does not support 9 tooth sprockets.  

What Could It Mean? Knowing what I know about Shimano, this has probably got something to do with a complete overhaul of either road components, mountain components, or both simultaneously. I doubt they change GRX, but..... Maybe. 

Does this signal a new standard for free hubs? I would guess that it does, but will Shimano make this compatible with MicroSpline, the newer MTB free hub format they introduced a few years ago? My inclination is that yes- All Shimano rear wheels from 2023 forward will be MicroSpline, 9 tooth cassette compatible. 

That opens up a LOT of possibilities on every front. 1X gravel, MTB, adventure wide range gearing, etc. 13 and 14 speed groups. I know Shimano has had working 14 speed prototype groups since before 2010, so it is not a pipe dream to say that we're headed in that direction.

 Shimano isn't going to produce "new-name" group sets without there being some pretty big changes in those mechanisms. GRX is a new group, relatively speaking, so it would surprise me if they rebrand that after such a short period. But if wholesale changes in either road or MTB happen I could see where that might warrant a new name(s). And Mr. Reid says "several group sets", so I expect a whole nomenclature for group-sets to be retired.

Would that mean no more Dura-Ace, or Ultegra? Or would that mean no more XT or Deore? It's hard to fathom that that sort of legacy would be retired, but reading the Tweet, I don't see any other way to interpret that. (Unless it is an additional group set, but that's not how I read the Tweet)  I guess we will find out in March, won't we? 

Well, that's a wrap on Friday News And Views for today, and for 2022! Once again, THANK YOU for reading these and I'll be back again next week with the start of another year of FN&V posts!

Father's Day Weekend

University Avenue construction showing the new Sergeant Road Trail underpass.

First off, if you are a father or serve as a father figure, I hope that you had a great Father's Day. Secondly, if you were here looking for reactions to the firing of Jim Cummins from the DK200 by Life Time Fitness, see the second post for Saturday over the weekend. Right now that's all I have to say about it.

Now then, over the weekend I did not go out on any long gravel rides preferring to stick close to the G-Ted Headquarters to (a) be close to shelter should it rain and (b) spend a lot of time with my family. It would kind of make sense to spend time with the humans that made you a father in the first place, yes? I think so, and I was very happy to do it. My children are very important to me.

So, adventures close to home were what I did on a bicycle over the weekend. First up was an exploration into what was going on with the new construction on University Avenue and the Sergeant Road Trail which are near to where I live. I decided to take the Ti Muk 2 since it had rained heavily on Friday evening and Saturday morning. In fact, it looked as though it might rain at any time during the day. I figured a quick look at the construction site and a tool-around the neighborhood was all in order and should be fine. So, I headed off in that direction first. While the site is all dirt, I figured that due to all the recent dry days, that the moisture dropped by the overnight storms would be absorbed quickly.

I spent about a half an hour clearing the mud off I gained from going from this spot to the paved trail.

So........yeah. I got stuck. Like really stuck! The mud was so wet and fluid in one spot that the front wheel of the Ti Muk 2 was sinking so fast I could see it happening. Like the old quick sand scenes in old time Western movies. The Ti Muk was about to become part of the muck! I had to get pretty physical with the bike- yanking and lifting- to get free of the mire and then I ended up nearly sucking my shoe off in the same mud. It was touch and go there for a few minutes!

Then it was mud clearing time. I'm always amazed at how quickly a bicycle tire can attract mud and how long it takes to get that mud off the bike. I know mud and tires do not have a magnetic attraction, but you'd swear that they do. I kept clearing off handfuls of mud, thinking I was about done, only to find several more handfuls of mud. Then I would find several more handfuls. What?! Was this mud replicating as fast as I could pull it off? It would seem that way.

After I cleared off as much mud by hand that I could, I sped off down the trail, throwing clods of dirt and mud like an old time manure spreader. I ended up running through tall grass and mud puddles alternately to clean up as much of the tires as possible. That worked and by the time I was satisfied with the cleaning operations, it started to sprinkle, so I high-tailed it back to the house and parked it for the day.

Spiffed up the Pofahl Signature. Check out that radioactive pink glow on the fence from the tape!

On Father's day proper I spent some time taking care of the Pofahl Signature rig. The Single Speed Century pretty much killed the old blue handle bar tape, and it was time to replace it. I had the option of going with red, black, or pink. I had been holding on to this Marque Cycling pink tape (out of production) for about two years waiting for inspiration to use it. Well, that happened Sunday.

I also had to address the 'knock' in the seat post. This could turn into its own blog post, but the deal is that where the post clamps is 27.0mm. Where the seat tube flares out underneath that has a larger inner diameter. The action of riding sways the seat post, with the clamp being the fulcrum point, so to speak. This allows the slightly smaller 27.0mm diameter post to hit the inner wall of the slightly larger than 27.0mm diameter inner seat tube which makes a small 'clank' when pedaling in the saddle.

I wrapped the bottom of the post with electrical tape, which damped the 'clank' until recently when the tape finally failed during the Single Speed Century. Removing the post and putting on a run of new electrical tape should solve that issue. I haven't ridden it since I serviced the post, so I'll have to wait to see if I was successful again in taking care of that or whether I may have to try it again. It is hard to get that first bit of wrapped post past the seat collar area without pushing the tape back.

I did ride the bike before this, so I didn't feel compelled to go out again after the servicing. Plus, I still need to look at the hub's innards. That Industry 9 hub has never been serviced in 14 years! I probably should get around to that. Also, the eagle eyed of you will have noticed the new Bike Bag Dude Garage Top Tube bag on here. It's a great bag, and will see duties on multiple bikes.

Well, that's about all I did with bicycles over the weekend. I had a great Father's Day, and spent a lot of time with the family. Hope your weekend was good too.

Father's Day Weekend

University Avenue construction showing the new Sergeant Road Trail underpass.

First off, if you are a father or serve as a father figure, I hope that you had a great Father's Day. Secondly, if you were here looking for reactions to the firing of Jim Cummins from the DK200 by Life Time Fitness, see the second post for Saturday over the weekend. Right now that's all I have to say about it.

Now then, over the weekend I did not go out on any long gravel rides preferring to stick close to the G-Ted Headquarters to (a) be close to shelter should it rain and (b) spend a lot of time with my family. It would kind of make sense to spend time with the humans that made you a father in the first place, yes? I think so, and I was very happy to do it. My children are very important to me.

So, adventures close to home were what I did on a bicycle over the weekend. First up was an exploration into what was going on with the new construction on University Avenue and the Sergeant Road Trail which are near to where I live. I decided to take the Ti Muk 2 since it had rained heavily on Friday evening and Saturday morning. In fact, it looked as though it might rain at any time during the day. I figured a quick look at the construction site and a tool-around the neighborhood was all in order and should be fine. So, I headed off in that direction first. While the site is all dirt, I figured that due to all the recent dry days, that the moisture dropped by the overnight storms would be absorbed quickly.

I spent about a half an hour clearing the mud off I gained from going from this spot to the paved trail.

So........yeah. I got stuck. Like really stuck! The mud was so wet and fluid in one spot that the front wheel of the Ti Muk 2 was sinking so fast I could see it happening. Like the old quick sand scenes in old time Western movies. The Ti Muk was about to become part of the muck! I had to get pretty physical with the bike- yanking and lifting- to get free of the mire and then I ended up nearly sucking my shoe off in the same mud. It was touch and go there for a few minutes!

Then it was mud clearing time. I'm always amazed at how quickly a bicycle tire can attract mud and how long it takes to get that mud off the bike. I know mud and tires do not have a magnetic attraction, but you'd swear that they do. I kept clearing off handfuls of mud, thinking I was about done, only to find several more handfuls of mud. Then I would find several more handfuls. What?! Was this mud replicating as fast as I could pull it off? It would seem that way.

After I cleared off as much mud by hand that I could, I sped off down the trail, throwing clods of dirt and mud like an old time manure spreader. I ended up running through tall grass and mud puddles alternately to clean up as much of the tires as possible. That worked and by the time I was satisfied with the cleaning operations, it started to sprinkle, so I high-tailed it back to the house and parked it for the day.

Spiffed up the Pofahl Signature. Check out that radioactive pink glow on the fence from the tape!

On Father's day proper I spent some time taking care of the Pofahl Signature rig. The Single Speed Century pretty much killed the old blue handle bar tape, and it was time to replace it. I had the option of going with red, black, or pink. I had been holding on to this Marque Cycling pink tape (out of production) for about two years waiting for inspiration to use it. Well, that happened Sunday.

I also had to address the 'knock' in the seat post. This could turn into its own blog post, but the deal is that where the post clamps is 27.0mm. Where the seat tube flares out underneath that has a larger inner diameter. The action of riding sways the seat post, with the clamp being the fulcrum point, so to speak. This allows the slightly smaller 27.0mm diameter post to hit the inner wall of the slightly larger than 27.0mm diameter inner seat tube which makes a small 'clank' when pedaling in the saddle.

I wrapped the bottom of the post with electrical tape, which damped the 'clank' until recently when the tape finally failed during the Single Speed Century. Removing the post and putting on a run of new electrical tape should solve that issue. I haven't ridden it since I serviced the post, so I'll have to wait to see if I was successful again in taking care of that or whether I may have to try it again. It is hard to get that first bit of wrapped post past the seat collar area without pushing the tape back.

I did ride the bike before this, so I didn't feel compelled to go out again after the servicing. Plus, I still need to look at the hub's innards. That Industry 9 hub has never been serviced in 14 years! I probably should get around to that. Also, the eagle eyed of you will have noticed the new Bike Bag Dude Garage Top Tube bag on here. It's a great bag, and will see duties on multiple bikes.

Well, that's about all I did with bicycles over the weekend. I had a great Father's Day, and spent a lot of time with the family. Hope your weekend was good too.

Unlooked For Adventure

 

Wednesday I wanted to go for a single speed ride in the country, but I noted that a pretty solid line of thunderstorms was moving through the state. The air was ripe with humidity, and you could tell it was going to rain in the way that the air felt. It was too iffy for me to go out and dodge potential lightning strikes. So, I waffled around and finally pulled out the Fargo Gen I as it needed to have those MSO tires ridden in some more to get the tubeless set up right.

So, I pumped up the tires, got into some riding clothes, threw on those snazzy new RX-8 Shimano gravel shoes, and headed out the door from the house to......

Yeah, where was I going? I had nothing I really was excited about, but I figured I hadn't been to George Wyth State Park for a while, so I headed over in that general direction. Along the way I hit up some good alleys. Around these parts, alleyways are everywhere and probably 98% of them are gravel. I used a bunch of these pieced together to get over to the network of bike paths, over the Cedar River, and into George Wyth. This park has been a mountain biking area for close to 30 years now. I've been around for most of that. It's a very familiar area to me.

Sure, the trails have changed, new ones added, old ones are gone, but Geo Wyth is still that twisty, mostly flat, river bottom single track that it has always been. I see now they have actually posted the names on the trails. Novel idea, that. I dove into one and went for a fair piece until I ran into lots of dead fall. We had pretty harsh winds out here last week and the leavings from the trees are still laying on the trails there, in some places to much too ride through. I cleared a little bit off, then headed in the general direction of the paved path. The thought here wasn't that I wanted to do single track. So, a little reminder was all it took to tell me I had enough of that, and now it was time to find something else to capture the mind.

That turned out to be the Canfield Access road which used to be private, but now is part of the park. It was muddy, ridden with big stretches of water, and......more of an adventure than trying to dodge a million dead branches on single track. I took this out to the boat access and then the Park road to the bike path. Then I headed back home. Along the way I actually learned a thing or two I can write about concerning the Shimano gravel shoes. Bonus. Then it was more alley ways, and eventually back home.

Bike rides are good for the soul, even if you don't know where you are going. Oh, and less than an hour after I got back it started raining. Good timing!

Unlooked For Adventure

 

Wednesday I wanted to go for a single speed ride in the country, but I noted that a pretty solid line of thunderstorms was moving through the state. The air was ripe with humidity, and you could tell it was going to rain in the way that the air felt. It was too iffy for me to go out and dodge potential lightning strikes. So, I waffled around and finally pulled out the Fargo Gen I as it needed to have those MSO tires ridden in some more to get the tubeless set up right.

So, I pumped up the tires, got into some riding clothes, threw on those snazzy new RX-8 Shimano gravel shoes, and headed out the door from the house to......

Yeah, where was I going? I had nothing I really was excited about, but I figured I hadn't been to George Wyth State Park for a while, so I headed over in that general direction. Along the way I hit up some good alleys. Around these parts, alleyways are everywhere and probably 98% of them are gravel. I used a bunch of these pieced together to get over to the network of bike paths, over the Cedar River, and into George Wyth. This park has been a mountain biking area for close to 30 years now. I've been around for most of that. It's a very familiar area to me.

Sure, the trails have changed, new ones added, old ones are gone, but Geo Wyth is still that twisty, mostly flat, river bottom single track that it has always been. I see now they have actually posted the names on the trails. Novel idea, that. I dove into one and went for a fair piece until I ran into lots of dead fall. We had pretty harsh winds out here last week and the leavings from the trees are still laying on the trails there, in some places to much too ride through. I cleared a little bit off, then headed in the general direction of the paved path. The thought here wasn't that I wanted to do single track. So, a little reminder was all it took to tell me I had enough of that, and now it was time to find something else to capture the mind.

That turned out to be the Canfield Access road which used to be private, but now is part of the park. It was muddy, ridden with big stretches of water, and......more of an adventure than trying to dodge a million dead branches on single track. I took this out to the boat access and then the Park road to the bike path. Then I headed back home. Along the way I actually learned a thing or two I can write about concerning the Shimano gravel shoes. Bonus. Then it was more alley ways, and eventually back home.

Bike rides are good for the soul, even if you don't know where you are going. Oh, and less than an hour after I got back it started raining. Good timing!

Minus Ten Review 2009-30

Jason and the Fargonauts. Image by Ben Witt

Ten years ago this week I was in Minnesota doing the second Fargo Adventure Ride*. This was one week past my 118 mile GTDRI and a week's worth of RAGBRAI madness at the shop. (Back when that was still a thing) I arrived at Lebanon Hills camping area late and didn't sleep worth a hoot in the humidity. But that all did not matter as it turned out to be one heck of a fun weekend.

The ride started out with some of the QBP guys. (In image, Left to Right: Rob Walters, Mike "Kid" Riemer, Guitar Ted, Joe Meiser, MG, Sean Mailen, Jason Boucher, and Paul Zeigle.) Then they peeled off leaving Walters, MG, Boucher, and myself. We ended up doing a loop in Leb, then the River Bottom trails where the QBP guys left us, then we went on to Murphy-Hanrahan trails, then back to Leb and the cars. It was a 57 mile jaunt!

Walters had to leave, so MG, Jason, and I went to the Chequamegon area, met up with some other guys at a fancy-pants cabin, and the next day we all rode Rock Lake Loop. I didn't get much riding in because by this time all the lack of sleep, beer, travel, and accumulated riding had me tapped out. I recall that it was super-swampy humid. The day was bright and clear. As only a day near the Big Lake can be. There is just something about Northern Wisconsin. Anyway, the guys all came back to the car and we made plans to get back to the cabin for a barbecue. Then when it came time to leave, MG decided to stay behind while Jason and I left to come back to the Twin Cities. Then I had to be picked up by my wife, and a 200 plus mile trek back to Waterloo. Burnt out! Man, but that was a good time.

The Four Fargos: (L-R) Jason's is obscured by the fence, then Walters, GT's, and MG's. Note: Walters and MG have flat bars.

*NOTE: There is some debate about whether this is the second Fargo Adventure Ride or the first. I have maintained that it was the second one based upon the fact that I had been on a ride with Jason Boucher and Mike Riemer, (At that time the heads of Salsa Cycles brand), and almost everyone on the ride were either on Fargos, or prototypes of Fargos. We rode the River Bottoms and a few extra things that day, and that was in November of 2008. To my mind, this was the "first" adventure ride on Fargos, thus, the first Fargo Adventure Ride. But others say this ride in July of '09 was the first "called" a Fargo Adventure Ride at the onset.

Whatever. It's the second Fargo Adventure Ride. (HA!)

Minus Ten Review 2009-30

Jason and the Fargonauts. Image by Ben Witt

Ten years ago this week I was in Minnesota doing the second Fargo Adventure Ride*. This was one week past my 118 mile GTDRI and a week's worth of RAGBRAI madness at the shop. (Back when that was still a thing) I arrived at Lebanon Hills camping area late and didn't sleep worth a hoot in the humidity. But that all did not matter as it turned out to be one heck of a fun weekend.

The ride started out with some of the QBP guys. (In image, Left to Right: Rob Walters, Mike "Kid" Riemer, Guitar Ted, Joe Meiser, MG, Sean Mailen, Jason Boucher, and Paul Zeigle.) Then they peeled off leaving Walters, MG, Boucher, and myself. We ended up doing a loop in Leb, then the River Bottom trails where the QBP guys left us, then we went on to Murphy-Hanrahan trails, then back to Leb and the cars. It was a 57 mile jaunt!

Walters had to leave, so MG, Jason, and I went to the Chequamegon area, met up with some other guys at a fancy-pants cabin, and the next day we all rode Rock Lake Loop. I didn't get much riding in because by this time all the lack of sleep, beer, travel, and accumulated riding had me tapped out. I recall that it was super-swampy humid. The day was bright and clear. As only a day near the Big Lake can be. There is just something about Northern Wisconsin. Anyway, the guys all came back to the car and we made plans to get back to the cabin for a barbecue. Then when it came time to leave, MG decided to stay behind while Jason and I left to come back to the Twin Cities. Then I had to be picked up by my wife, and a 200 plus mile trek back to Waterloo. Burnt out! Man, but that was a good time.

The Four Fargos: (L-R) Jason's is obscured by the fence, then Walters, GT's, and MG's. Note: Walters and MG have flat bars.

*NOTE: There is some debate about whether this is the second Fargo Adventure Ride or the first. I have maintained that it was the second one based upon the fact that I had been on a ride with Jason Boucher and Mike Riemer, (At that time the heads of Salsa Cycles brand), and almost everyone on the ride were either on Fargos, or prototypes of Fargos. We rode the River Bottoms and a few extra things that day, and that was in November of 2008. To my mind, this was the "first" adventure ride on Fargos, thus, the first Fargo Adventure Ride. But others say this ride in July of '09 was the first "called" a Fargo Adventure Ride at the onset.

Whatever. It's the second Fargo Adventure Ride. (HA!)

Solstice 100 Report: Part 3

Moving through the farmland of Nebraska on a rail trail towards....?

In the last part of this report I told you about how I got off-route and that I had found a rail trail. I decided that, wherever it went, was in the general Southward direction I needed to go. I knew the race route took us pretty much straight North of Malcom, more or less, and I also knew a rail trail was sure to come through a village or town sooner than later. Plus, with supplies running low, I also knew the easier railroad grade wouldn't force me to deplete my stores as quickly. So onward and forward.

In my mind at the time I was figuring this path would lead me back to Dwight where I had taken my leisure under the shade of the cottonwood tree. However; I noticed something before I reached the next village. The rail-trail was shadowing a road, and that road was gravel. It was down below me a bit, and there were trees and shrubbery shielding me from view of whatever was on the road that was moving in the same direction as I. It wasn't a vehicle, at least not a car. Then I made it out. A cyclist! maybe it was a random person cycling, but my first thought was that I had come upon some part of the route again. The cyclist path took him out of view again, so I focused on the task at hand and moved onward. Then I came out at a rustic trail head. Still, other than the name of the trail, there was no place name I could see. I went out onto the road, and then I suddenly recognized the place.

I had been here before. Not during the ride I was on, but several months ago. It was Gravel Worlds. The route last year took us up into some high country North of Lincoln for the very first time and it turned out to be my favorite part of the course. The near ghost town I was in was Loma. I cruised to the right, which I knew was backward on the old Gravel Worlds course. I hadn't even thought about what I was going to do when I saw two cyclists leaving the Loma Tavern, an old wooden structure of indeterminate age. A woman walking out of the door of the tavern mentioned that the burgers were good inside. I dismounted, and figured I would eat, resupply, and find out how I could get back to checkpoint #2 to announce my DNF, or perhaps I could ride back, or.... I didn't care at the moment. Food and drink were at hand!

The bar at the Loma Tavern is a throwback to a simpler time.

I walked in and as my eyes adjusted to the darkened room, I noted that the place was deep and had many tables running back to two "back rooms" of sorts. The bar was on the right side as I walked in, but a large white, porcelain beverage display cooler was the main focus of the room before the bar started on the left side. It caught my attention, and amongst the several brands of beer there, I spied a tallboy Schlitz. Then I turned to see a young family- two parents and four small children- sitting at a table, with one elderly woman behind the bar.

I sat myself at the end of the bar, closest to the cooler, and the elderly lady approached me and asked what I'd have. I asked for the can of Schlitz. I hadn't seen one in years. My grandfather used to drink the stuff. Anyway, I also replied that I had heard she had tasty burgers on sale. She replied in the affirmative, and then she said something I wasn't expecting.

"Could you come back to the kitchen with me? I need some help".

Now, just what help did this woman need that some big ol' sweaty cyclist could provide? The woman was short, certainly, and my first thought was that she might need me to reach something on a high shelf for her, but otherwise, I had no clue.

What she wanted me to do though was partake in making my own meal! She walked into one of the two "back rooms" I had seen when I walked in. It was the one on the right side, and it looked like someone's disheveled old kitchen. There was a stove like you might see in an old, old house, and some cupboards on the walls with a large table in the center of the room that was covered with stuff except for a corner that was exposed. There the woman placed a paper plate, reached into a bag of Lays potato chips and gave me a handful of the crisps. (No plastic food gloves here, by the way!) And then she plopped a hamburger bun down on the plate, saying, "Here! You can split that open. Put some pickles on it! ", as she placed a nearly empty jar of pickles on the table produced from the refrigerator. She gave me a spoon and I fished out four slices of pickles. In the mean time she put ketchup and mustard down for me to use. When I had prepared the bun, she used a spatula and gently placed a burger on my bun. "There you go!", she said. And I thanked her and walked back to my place at the bar.

That was about the best tasting burger I had ever had at that moment. And I helped make it!

The beer was cold and tasted great. The burger was satisfying and tasted wonderful. The chips were salty goodness. I felt like a million bucks after that simple meal. Meanwhile, the old woman came out and was chatting up the young family. I learned that the old woman's name was Mary. I also learned that she had owned the Loma Tavern for approximately three years. One of the young children, a girl of no more than 4-5 years old, asked how old the place was. Mary said she didn't know, but it was built before there were cars. Apparently it had always been a tavern, except during the Prohibition years, when the tavern became a community center of sorts, but I had a hard time hearing that part of the building's history.

Well, it was time to go and I asked where the best route was toward Malcom. Mary said, "Well, I don't get down that way much.", but she offered that the bike path I was on was the best, easiest way to get toward that neck of the woods. It led to Valparaiso. Perfect! I knew that town and the area between there and Malcom fairly well. Mary was a bit surprised, but I explained that Gravel Worlds was always held in that area and that's why I was familiar with the country down that way. I took my leave of Mary, the young family, and the Loma Tavern. I headed Southeastward toward Valpo on the trail.

I hadn't gone far when I got sight of a lone rider ahead of me. I considered hanging back, so as not to ruin their solitary experience on the trail, when my phone buzzed me. It was MG texting me that he had called it a day due to intestinal issues. If I needed a ride, I should let him know. I immediately stopped and told him I was headed toward Valpo, and that he should come to meet me there. Okay....so now I had a bail-out at the next town. My mind was at ease.

The ride ended at the Sinclair station in Valparaiso, Nebraska, for me at any rate.

I started riding again and didn't see the lone rider until I was almost upon her. She was off to the side of the trail doing......something, I don't know. She waved and smiled as I rode on by. Then I overtook some horses and riders. Two young girls and an older man. They trotted, galloped, and walked until they pulled up to let me pass. I respectfully dismounted and walked by the horses as I spoke with the man. They were pleasant folks. Then I ended my ride in Valpo at the convenience store.

 I purchased a tall boy can of poor domestic beer that does not deserve mentioning, and walked outside. Curiously, the lady at the counter did not place my beer in a paper sack, or even seem to care that I was obviously drinking it outside the place. A lawnmower cruised up the main street just then with a wild haired, overweight male driver aboard. Apparently, lawnmowers pass for reasonable transportation in that village. Later, a young rider, no more than six or seven, raced up on his BMX style bike, carefully parked it on the curb, and shot a brief, nervous glance my way before disappearing into the store. Just some interesting stuff as I waited for MG. Of course, he eventually collected me and we were off back to Malcom to share our stories and eat some grub.

That was pretty much the story of my Solstice 100 experience. Someone said at the start line, it may have been Corey, "Cornbread" Godfrey, that this was a true "grassroots gravel event" and I would have to agree with that assessment. It was fun- yes I had fun- despite my getting lost, DNF-ing, and not making a 100 miles. I had a great, memorable adventure. I met some interesting folks and saw some interesting stuff. Experiences. Gravel travel. Fun. Well.......that's my kind of fun anyway. 

Certainly, I need to continue to try to get into better shape endurance-wise. I need to ride more. (Weather permitting) But I am not down at all. Joe Billesbach, Rob Evans, Jamie Grandquist, and the Gibson family, plus all the volunteers and sponsors of the Solstice 100 should be proud of their efforts. I would recommend this ride to anyone- fast racer or adventurer alike. Word is the Solstice may move to a new venue next year. Hmm..... Perhaps new adventures await me wherever that is.

Thanks: MG and his family for providing lodging and great friendship. Thanks to Joe, Rob, Jamie, The Gibsons, The Volunteers, Kevin Fox, Lippy's Barbecue, The Town Of Malcom, Mary at Loma Tavern, and everyone that stopped to say hello or said hello along the way on the journey.

Solstice 100 Report: Part 3

Moving through the farmland of Nebraska on a rail trail towards....?

In the last part of this report I told you about how I got off-route and that I had found a rail trail. I decided that, wherever it went, was in the general Southward direction I needed to go. I knew the race route took us pretty much straight North of Malcom, more or less, and I also knew a rail trail was sure to come through a village or town sooner than later. Plus, with supplies running low, I also knew the easier railroad grade wouldn't force me to deplete my stores as quickly. So onward and forward.

In my mind at the time I was figuring this path would lead me back to Dwight where I had taken my leisure under the shade of the cottonwood tree. However; I noticed something before I reached the next village. The rail-trail was shadowing a road, and that road was gravel. It was down below me a bit, and there were trees and shrubbery shielding me from view of whatever was on the road that was moving in the same direction as I. It wasn't a vehicle, at least not a car. Then I made it out. A cyclist! maybe it was a random person cycling, but my first thought was that I had come upon some part of the route again. The cyclist path took him out of view again, so I focused on the task at hand and moved onward. Then I came out at a rustic trail head. Still, other than the name of the trail, there was no place name I could see. I went out onto the road, and then I suddenly recognized the place.

I had been here before. Not during the ride I was on, but several months ago. It was Gravel Worlds. The route last year took us up into some high country North of Lincoln for the very first time and it turned out to be my favorite part of the course. The near ghost town I was in was Loma. I cruised to the right, which I knew was backward on the old Gravel Worlds course. I hadn't even thought about what I was going to do when I saw two cyclists leaving the Loma Tavern, an old wooden structure of indeterminate age. A woman walking out of the door of the tavern mentioned that the burgers were good inside. I dismounted, and figured I would eat, resupply, and find out how I could get back to checkpoint #2 to announce my DNF, or perhaps I could ride back, or.... I didn't care at the moment. Food and drink were at hand!

The bar at the Loma Tavern is a throwback to a simpler time.

I walked in and as my eyes adjusted to the darkened room, I noted that the place was deep and had many tables running back to two "back rooms" of sorts. The bar was on the right side as I walked in, but a large white, porcelain beverage display cooler was the main focus of the room before the bar started on the left side. It caught my attention, and amongst the several brands of beer there, I spied a tallboy Schlitz. Then I turned to see a young family- two parents and four small children- sitting at a table, with one elderly woman behind the bar.

I sat myself at the end of the bar, closest to the cooler, and the elderly lady approached me and asked what I'd have. I asked for the can of Schlitz. I hadn't seen one in years. My grandfather used to drink the stuff. Anyway, I also replied that I had heard she had tasty burgers on sale. She replied in the affirmative, and then she said something I wasn't expecting.

"Could you come back to the kitchen with me? I need some help".

Now, just what help did this woman need that some big ol' sweaty cyclist could provide? The woman was short, certainly, and my first thought was that she might need me to reach something on a high shelf for her, but otherwise, I had no clue.

What she wanted me to do though was partake in making my own meal! She walked into one of the two "back rooms" I had seen when I walked in. It was the one on the right side, and it looked like someone's disheveled old kitchen. There was a stove like you might see in an old, old house, and some cupboards on the walls with a large table in the center of the room that was covered with stuff except for a corner that was exposed. There the woman placed a paper plate, reached into a bag of Lays potato chips and gave me a handful of the crisps. (No plastic food gloves here, by the way!) And then she plopped a hamburger bun down on the plate, saying, "Here! You can split that open. Put some pickles on it! ", as she placed a nearly empty jar of pickles on the table produced from the refrigerator. She gave me a spoon and I fished out four slices of pickles. In the mean time she put ketchup and mustard down for me to use. When I had prepared the bun, she used a spatula and gently placed a burger on my bun. "There you go!", she said. And I thanked her and walked back to my place at the bar.

That was about the best tasting burger I had ever had at that moment. And I helped make it!

The beer was cold and tasted great. The burger was satisfying and tasted wonderful. The chips were salty goodness. I felt like a million bucks after that simple meal. Meanwhile, the old woman came out and was chatting up the young family. I learned that the old woman's name was Mary. I also learned that she had owned the Loma Tavern for approximately three years. One of the young children, a girl of no more than 4-5 years old, asked how old the place was. Mary said she didn't know, but it was built before there were cars. Apparently it had always been a tavern, except during the Prohibition years, when the tavern became a community center of sorts, but I had a hard time hearing that part of the building's history.

Well, it was time to go and I asked where the best route was toward Malcom. Mary said, "Well, I don't get down that way much.", but she offered that the bike path I was on was the best, easiest way to get toward that neck of the woods. It led to Valparaiso. Perfect! I knew that town and the area between there and Malcom fairly well. Mary was a bit surprised, but I explained that Gravel Worlds was always held in that area and that's why I was familiar with the country down that way. I took my leave of Mary, the young family, and the Loma Tavern. I headed Southeastward toward Valpo on the trail.

I hadn't gone far when I got sight of a lone rider ahead of me. I considered hanging back, so as not to ruin their solitary experience on the trail, when my phone buzzed me. It was MG texting me that he had called it a day due to intestinal issues. If I needed a ride, I should let him know. I immediately stopped and told him I was headed toward Valpo, and that he should come to meet me there. Okay....so now I had a bail-out at the next town. My mind was at ease.

The ride ended at the Sinclair station in Valparaiso, Nebraska, for me at any rate.

I started riding again and didn't see the lone rider until I was almost upon her. She was off to the side of the trail doing......something, I don't know. She waved and smiled as I rode on by. Then I overtook some horses and riders. Two young girls and an older man. They trotted, galloped, and walked until they pulled up to let me pass. I respectfully dismounted and walked by the horses as I spoke with the man. They were pleasant folks. Then I ended my ride in Valpo at the convenience store.

 I purchased a tall boy can of poor domestic beer that does not deserve mentioning, and walked outside. Curiously, the lady at the counter did not place my beer in a paper sack, or even seem to care that I was obviously drinking it outside the place. A lawnmower cruised up the main street just then with a wild haired, overweight male driver aboard. Apparently, lawnmowers pass for reasonable transportation in that village. Later, a young rider, no more than six or seven, raced up on his BMX style bike, carefully parked it on the curb, and shot a brief, nervous glance my way before disappearing into the store. Just some interesting stuff as I waited for MG. Of course, he eventually collected me and we were off back to Malcom to share our stories and eat some grub.

That was pretty much the story of my Solstice 100 experience. Someone said at the start line, it may have been Corey, "Cornbread" Godfrey, that this was a true "grassroots gravel event" and I would have to agree with that assessment. It was fun- yes I had fun- despite my getting lost, DNF-ing, and not making a 100 miles. I had a great, memorable adventure. I met some interesting folks and saw some interesting stuff. Experiences. Gravel travel. Fun. Well.......that's my kind of fun anyway. 

Certainly, I need to continue to try to get into better shape endurance-wise. I need to ride more. (Weather permitting) But I am not down at all. Joe Billesbach, Rob Evans, Jamie Grandquist, and the Gibson family, plus all the volunteers and sponsors of the Solstice 100 should be proud of their efforts. I would recommend this ride to anyone- fast racer or adventurer alike. Word is the Solstice may move to a new venue next year. Hmm..... Perhaps new adventures await me wherever that is.

Thanks: MG and his family for providing lodging and great friendship. Thanks to Joe, Rob, Jamie, The Gibsons, The Volunteers, Kevin Fox, Lippy's Barbecue, The Town Of Malcom, Mary at Loma Tavern, and everyone that stopped to say hello or said hello along the way on the journey.

Another 650B Tire

The Bubblegum Princess with the new Venture tires from WTB.

The subject of tires for any bicycle generally engenders a fair amount of discussion amongst cyclists. To be honest, a lot of the banter is pretty ridiculous. There are a lot of old, not very sensible beliefs about how tires work, what sizes are "best", what tread patterns work, and which tire pressures are best. (Max pressure!)

The thing is, many of these entrenched opinions were never tested by their adherents. They were just adopted out of necessity, convenience, or trust in a "knowledgeable friend". Sometimes all three at once. That isn't a good thing, and you should strive to think for yourself. That requires effort, time, and patience. Things in short supply in the "Age Of Information". People are just too darn busy to deal with that, so they just hear something and roll with it. When they are presented with opposing facts, they fall back on the source of their knowledge, or they just get angry because now you've shown them something and they might have to think about it. Oh! The horror! 

All that to say that I have an opinion on the whole 650B gravel wheel/tire thing and that I have ridden this format enough now with enough tires that I feel pretty confident in what I think about it for my purposes. Typically, if I wasn't running tires for testing, I wouldn't be on 650B very often. There are times I feel, again for myself, that it gives an advantage. That would be for softer, wetter conditions.

Then it gives me more float and stability. It doesn't do the "pizza cutter" thing and it makes riding in poor conditions easier. That's when I see an advantage over my "normal" 700c X 43-ish millimeter tires. But when it comes to drier conditions, it isn't an advantage. It isn't bad, but it isn't an advantage to run them.

More tire testing here. 700c Donnelly EMP in this case.

 One of the things a lot of folks don't think about when they swap out to 650B wheels is how the smaller diameter changes a few things. Maybe you already realize that the bottom bracket gets closer to the ground, which can cause pedal strikes at times. But that isn't all smaller wheels do.

They also change the handling of your bike. due to the idiosyncrasies of front end geometry, smaller diameter wheels make your bike less stable. Probably not something you may have thought about. Then too, smaller wheels also affect your gear ratios. Your big ring gets "less big ring" with smaller wheels. Your granny gear gets "more granny" too. If you have  a 1X rig, this is even more important to consider.

So, why bother with 650B wheels at all? That's a really, really good question. 

Part of the hoopla is industry driven. Someone creates a new platform, or, in truth, puts a new coat of paint on an old idea, and the marketing guys go to town on it. The hope being that "it" motivates you to part with your dollars. That's how the ball keeps rolling. It's what we do, so I understand that as well. Sometimes those ideas are goofy. Sometimes they are not.

In this case it was kind of a patch to get wider tires in a road-ish frame. It's not a new idea, (see above paragraph), but in these days of "plus all the tires" it was a way to slam in some 48mm tires with a road crank/cx style format. Then some bike packing folks got a hold of the idea and started tweaking out clearances, using 1X drive trains, and squeezing in 2.1'-2.2" 650B mtb tires. Some are even doing mtb drive trains and slamming in 3" 27.5+ tires and wheels.

This then begs the question- "Why not just do a 29"er drop bar mtb?" Another great question there. Of course, many of you are already saying "Fargo" as you read this. It would seem that the industry and times have come right back around after 10 years to where the Fargo has always been. A great example of which is the Mason Cycles "In Search Of". The Breezer Bikes RADAR Expert I recently had in for review is another good example.

My Fargo, December 2008. A bike way ahead of its time.

So going back to these new 650B tires coming out in the 47mm-50mm sizes. Well, I like to think of them as a stepping stone toward what I feel is already coming around again. More "Fargo-ish" bikes that can handle big 29"er tires and wheels but could also run a 45mm tire with ease.

The benefits of swapping wheel sizes works if you are limited with sticking to a road drive train, because frame clearances are limited to be able to run those cranksets. Yes, 1X gains you a bit of breathing room, but I believe this is also a stop-gap until something that should have happened a long, long time ago finally does happen. That being when road based drive train dimensions change.

Call it "Road Boost", or just "Neu-Road", or some other fancy marketing term, but road over lock dimensions for hubs and bottom bracket widths are going to get wider. When that happens, then the 29"er with a road based crank set and capabilities to run 2.4" tires easily will be all over the place. 650B will fall to the wayside as the "fat tire" option for gravel/back road/bike packing. Big wheels just roll over stuff better and that's a fact. Give those hoops some flotation capabilities over the current 43-ish millimeter widths we are stuck with now, marry that to a wide ratio road double, and then you'll have the bike of the future for the gravel/back road/bike packing riders wanting a wider tire than 45mm. 

But, as always, don't take my word for it. Think it over for yourself. I'm probably completely bonkers.

Another 650B Tire

The Bubblegum Princess with the new Venture tires from WTB.

The subject of tires for any bicycle generally engenders a fair amount of discussion amongst cyclists. To be honest, a lot of the banter is pretty ridiculous. There are a lot of old, not very sensible beliefs about how tires work, what sizes are "best", what tread patterns work, and which tire pressures are best. (Max pressure!)

The thing is, many of these entrenched opinions were never tested by their adherents. They were just adopted out of necessity, convenience, or trust in a "knowledgeable friend". Sometimes all three at once. That isn't a good thing, and you should strive to think for yourself. That requires effort, time, and patience. Things in short supply in the "Age Of Information". People are just too darn busy to deal with that, so they just hear something and roll with it. When they are presented with opposing facts, they fall back on the source of their knowledge, or they just get angry because now you've shown them something and they might have to think about it. Oh! The horror! 

All that to say that I have an opinion on the whole 650B gravel wheel/tire thing and that I have ridden this format enough now with enough tires that I feel pretty confident in what I think about it for my purposes. Typically, if I wasn't running tires for testing, I wouldn't be on 650B very often. There are times I feel, again for myself, that it gives an advantage. That would be for softer, wetter conditions.

Then it gives me more float and stability. It doesn't do the "pizza cutter" thing and it makes riding in poor conditions easier. That's when I see an advantage over my "normal" 700c X 43-ish millimeter tires. But when it comes to drier conditions, it isn't an advantage. It isn't bad, but it isn't an advantage to run them.

More tire testing here. 700c Donnelly EMP in this case.

 One of the things a lot of folks don't think about when they swap out to 650B wheels is how the smaller diameter changes a few things. Maybe you already realize that the bottom bracket gets closer to the ground, which can cause pedal strikes at times. But that isn't all smaller wheels do.

They also change the handling of your bike. due to the idiosyncrasies of front end geometry, smaller diameter wheels make your bike less stable. Probably not something you may have thought about. Then too, smaller wheels also affect your gear ratios. Your big ring gets "less big ring" with smaller wheels. Your granny gear gets "more granny" too. If you have  a 1X rig, this is even more important to consider.

So, why bother with 650B wheels at all? That's a really, really good question. 

Part of the hoopla is industry driven. Someone creates a new platform, or, in truth, puts a new coat of paint on an old idea, and the marketing guys go to town on it. The hope being that "it" motivates you to part with your dollars. That's how the ball keeps rolling. It's what we do, so I understand that as well. Sometimes those ideas are goofy. Sometimes they are not.

In this case it was kind of a patch to get wider tires in a road-ish frame. It's not a new idea, (see above paragraph), but in these days of "plus all the tires" it was a way to slam in some 48mm tires with a road crank/cx style format. Then some bike packing folks got a hold of the idea and started tweaking out clearances, using 1X drive trains, and squeezing in 2.1'-2.2" 650B mtb tires. Some are even doing mtb drive trains and slamming in 3" 27.5+ tires and wheels.

This then begs the question- "Why not just do a 29"er drop bar mtb?" Another great question there. Of course, many of you are already saying "Fargo" as you read this. It would seem that the industry and times have come right back around after 10 years to where the Fargo has always been. A great example of which is the Mason Cycles "In Search Of". The Breezer Bikes RADAR Expert I recently had in for review is another good example.

My Fargo, December 2008. A bike way ahead of its time.

So going back to these new 650B tires coming out in the 47mm-50mm sizes. Well, I like to think of them as a stepping stone toward what I feel is already coming around again. More "Fargo-ish" bikes that can handle big 29"er tires and wheels but could also run a 45mm tire with ease.

The benefits of swapping wheel sizes works if you are limited with sticking to a road drive train, because frame clearances are limited to be able to run those cranksets. Yes, 1X gains you a bit of breathing room, but I believe this is also a stop-gap until something that should have happened a long, long time ago finally does happen. That being when road based drive train dimensions change.

Call it "Road Boost", or just "Neu-Road", or some other fancy marketing term, but road over lock dimensions for hubs and bottom bracket widths are going to get wider. When that happens, then the 29"er with a road based crank set and capabilities to run 2.4" tires easily will be all over the place. 650B will fall to the wayside as the "fat tire" option for gravel/back road/bike packing. Big wheels just roll over stuff better and that's a fact. Give those hoops some flotation capabilities over the current 43-ish millimeter widths we are stuck with now, marry that to a wide ratio road double, and then you'll have the bike of the future for the gravel/back road/bike packing riders wanting a wider tire than 45mm. 

But, as always, don't take my word for it. Think it over for yourself. I'm probably completely bonkers.