Friday News And Views

Jay Petervary showed this Esker prototype on Facebook recently.

"THIS is a "Bikepack" bike. ":

So says Jay Petervary on his Facebook page on Thursday where he posted the image shown here. JP has been showing views of this bike for the past week as he ramps up to do his latest ride on the Great Divide Route which he is calling "Great Divide Unearthed". 

 Comments; I'll be honest - I did not think this was anything "new" when I first laid eyes on it. That's because JP had been on the Iditarod several years ago on a Salsa Cycles Blackborow. The "long-tailed" version of that bike, which JP had special bags made for and modified slightly. I assumed at first glance that this was an unmarked Blackborow frame set up with 29"er wheels and tires. But if you look closely at the downtube, you can barely make out the "Esker" name. So, I assumed incorrectly. This appears to be a new Esker prototype. 

The idea may have its genesis in that old Blackborow, but I am sure JP and Esker have tweaked the idea out to be what they feel is the "ultimate" bikepacking bike. I know that the long wheel base may seem weird and undesirable at first, but a route like the Great Divide doesn't call out for a bike that has to have tight cornering traits.  Comfort is king, and longer frame tube members have more inherent "flex" and therefore can absorb and dissipate more vibration energy than a shorter, stiffer frame tube will be capable of absorbing. 

Plus, just look at all that frame bag real estate! And it is all in-line with the bike. Nothing sticking out into the wind, although quartering cross winds may be an issue at times. It will be interesting to see if the bike does what Esker and JP are hoping it will do.  

State Bicycle Co All-Road Disc Calipers (Image courtesy of State Bicycle Co)

State Bicycle Co. Announces New Components & More:

Wednesday State Bicycle Co. announced a round of component and apparel offerings. I won't get into the gist of all of the stuff announced, but two items did jump out at me. 

First up we have the State Bicycle Co. All-Road Disc Calipers. These are hydraulic at the caliper, but actuated by cable. So, your older mechanical group can be used with these for (assumed) greater breaking performance. There have been other offerings similar to this like the TRP HyRd, Yokozuna, and the very similar Juin Tech models. The amazing thing about the State offering is that the All-Road Disc calipers sell for a hundred bucks per set. That's a pretty good deal.
 

The State Cargo Cage (Image courtesy of State Bicycle Co)

State also announced an interesting cargo cage, similar in vein to an Anything Cage, it can mount to those Three-Pack bosses found on many forks these days, or under a down tube, or off a rack like the Old Man Mountain Elkhorn, or similar racks. 

The State Cargo Cage is made from aircraft grade aluminum and it features a desert design which reflects State Bicycle Co's Arizona home base. 

The cage weighs in at 168 grams and can carry up to 25lbs of cargo, according to State. The cage sells for $24.99 USD. 

State offers a titanium bolt kit in three colors at an up-charge along with optional rubber straps which can be purchased separately as well. 

It's pretty interesting how what was a fixed gear/urban cycling brand has managed to diversify and stay relevant in the 2020's. (Remember the fixie craze? Woo! That was a while ago now!) So, maybe I shouldn't be all that surprised that State Bicycle Co. has branched out into these accessory and component categories with aggressive price-points and clever designs. But I have to admit, those brake calipers came out of left field for me.  

New episode!

Guitar Ted Podcast Episode #24:

You've read all about the Gravel Worlds history and the UCI vs Gravel Worlds thing this week. If you want more, or if you would rather listen than go back and read it all, hit THIS LINK. 

We also have the Gravel Amplifier which features the Limestone 66.6, Iowa Single Speed Gravel Championships. N.Y. Roll has another event as well. 

We also get into that Jay Petervary rig above, so if you want to know more of our thoughts on that, listen to the latest episode. 

We're hoping to get a post-Gravel Worlds interview with one of their principals when they are ready, maybe Jason Strobehn, who let me know he'd like to be on the podcast at some point. But we'll see who we can rustle up in a few weeks. Stay tuned on that one. Another episode is going to cover CORE4 and N.Y. Roll's experience there at Iowa's largest cycling race. 

Detail Image of a Gorilla Monsoon (Image courtesy of All City Bicycles)

All City Cycles To Be Shuttered By QBP:

Last evening news broke on social media that All City Bicycles, a Quality Bicycle Products brand, is to be phased out over the next few years. The news, apparently rumored for months amongst shop owners, was made official by "The Radavist", who published a dealer email they got a hold of from someone in the cycling industry. 

Comments: I recall first seeing the brand "All City" at Frostbike in the mid-2000's. At that time all the brand amounted to was a few chain rings and accessories for fixed gear riding, which was a phase cycling was going through at the time. (See State Bicycle Co. above)

I didn't think it would last, but to Jeff Frane's credit, the brand rose above merely being a fixed gear bike brand and it made a name for itself amongst the cycling's various niche brands. Bicycles like the Nature Boy, the Macho Man, and the Mr. Pink set the brand apart from a crowded marketplace and were always made from steel. 

They innovated as well, maybe most memorably by developing an elegant disc brake drop out which was designed by Anna Schwinn. 

The brand could be seen as an "upscale Surly" offering, but it had a personality and style which was immediately evident. Mr. Frane eventually left the company several years ago and stated Wilde Bikes, which has carried on some of the flair which marked the AC brand while he was at the helm there. 

Why the brand is being phased out is not entirely clear, but it is no secret that parent company QBP has been laying off employees and contracting its business in response to the over-stock issues within the industry and the lack of consumer demand. QBP claims that no new AC product will be developed after the 2024 model run and that it will be "several years" before the brand is completely phased out. What this means to consumers is that All City is essentially gone, effective immediately. Support for current models will be maintained for a time. 

I've thought that we'd see some contraction of brands in the marketplace and I am confident we will be seeing more before the end of the year. Time will tell if I am correct, but this development with All City will not be unique.

That's it for this week. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Jay Petervary showed this Esker prototype on Facebook recently.

"THIS is a "Bikepack" bike. ":

So says Jay Petervary on his Facebook page on Thursday where he posted the image shown here. JP has been showing views of this bike for the past week as he ramps up to do his latest ride on the Great Divide Route which he is calling "Great Divide Unearthed". 

 Comments; I'll be honest - I did not think this was anything "new" when I first laid eyes on it. That's because JP had been on the Iditarod several years ago on a Salsa Cycles Blackborow. The "long-tailed" version of that bike, which JP had special bags made for and modified slightly. I assumed at first glance that this was an unmarked Blackborow frame set up with 29"er wheels and tires. But if you look closely at the downtube, you can barely make out the "Esker" name. So, I assumed incorrectly. This appears to be a new Esker prototype. 

The idea may have its genesis in that old Blackborow, but I am sure JP and Esker have tweaked the idea out to be what they feel is the "ultimate" bikepacking bike. I know that the long wheel base may seem weird and undesirable at first, but a route like the Great Divide doesn't call out for a bike that has to have tight cornering traits.  Comfort is king, and longer frame tube members have more inherent "flex" and therefore can absorb and dissipate more vibration energy than a shorter, stiffer frame tube will be capable of absorbing. 

Plus, just look at all that frame bag real estate! And it is all in-line with the bike. Nothing sticking out into the wind, although quartering cross winds may be an issue at times. It will be interesting to see if the bike does what Esker and JP are hoping it will do.  

State Bicycle Co All-Road Disc Calipers (Image courtesy of State Bicycle Co)

State Bicycle Co. Announces New Components & More:

Wednesday State Bicycle Co. announced a round of component and apparel offerings. I won't get into the gist of all of the stuff announced, but two items did jump out at me. 

First up we have the State Bicycle Co. All-Road Disc Calipers. These are hydraulic at the caliper, but actuated by cable. So, your older mechanical group can be used with these for (assumed) greater breaking performance. There have been other offerings similar to this like the TRP HyRd, Yokozuna, and the very similar Juin Tech models. The amazing thing about the State offering is that the All-Road Disc calipers sell for a hundred bucks per set. That's a pretty good deal.
 

The State Cargo Cage (Image courtesy of State Bicycle Co)

State also announced an interesting cargo cage, similar in vein to an Anything Cage, it can mount to those Three-Pack bosses found on many forks these days, or under a down tube, or off a rack like the Old Man Mountain Elkhorn, or similar racks. 

The State Cargo Cage is made from aircraft grade aluminum and it features a desert design which reflects State Bicycle Co's Arizona home base. 

The cage weighs in at 168 grams and can carry up to 25lbs of cargo, according to State. The cage sells for $24.99 USD. 

State offers a titanium bolt kit in three colors at an up-charge along with optional rubber straps which can be purchased separately as well. 

It's pretty interesting how what was a fixed gear/urban cycling brand has managed to diversify and stay relevant in the 2020's. (Remember the fixie craze? Woo! That was a while ago now!) So, maybe I shouldn't be all that surprised that State Bicycle Co. has branched out into these accessory and component categories with aggressive price-points and clever designs. But I have to admit, those brake calipers came out of left field for me.  

New episode!

Guitar Ted Podcast Episode #24:

You've read all about the Gravel Worlds history and the UCI vs Gravel Worlds thing this week. If you want more, or if you would rather listen than go back and read it all, hit THIS LINK. 

We also have the Gravel Amplifier which features the Limestone 66.6, Iowa Single Speed Gravel Championships. N.Y. Roll has another event as well. 

We also get into that Jay Petervary rig above, so if you want to know more of our thoughts on that, listen to the latest episode. 

We're hoping to get a post-Gravel Worlds interview with one of their principals when they are ready, maybe Jason Strobehn, who let me know he'd like to be on the podcast at some point. But we'll see who we can rustle up in a few weeks. Stay tuned on that one. Another episode is going to cover CORE4 and N.Y. Roll's experience there at Iowa's largest cycling race. 

Detail Image of a Gorilla Monsoon (Image courtesy of All City Bicycles)

All City Cycles To Be Shuttered By QBP:

Last evening news broke on social media that All City Bicycles, a Quality Bicycle Products brand, is to be phased out over the next few years. The news, apparently rumored for months amongst shop owners, was made official by "The Radavist", who published a dealer email they got a hold of from someone in the cycling industry. 

Comments: I recall first seeing the brand "All City" at Frostbike in the mid-2000's. At that time all the brand amounted to was a few chain rings and accessories for fixed gear riding, which was a phase cycling was going through at the time. (See State Bicycle Co. above)

I didn't think it would last, but to Jeff Frane's credit, the brand rose above merely being a fixed gear bike brand and it made a name for itself amongst the cycling's various niche brands. Bicycles like the Nature Boy, the Macho Man, and the Mr. Pink set the brand apart from a crowded marketplace and were always made from steel. 

They innovated as well, maybe most memorably by developing an elegant disc brake drop out which was designed by Anna Schwinn. 

The brand could be seen as an "upscale Surly" offering, but it had a personality and style which was immediately evident. Mr. Frane eventually left the company several years ago and stated Wilde Bikes, which has carried on some of the flair which marked the AC brand while he was at the helm there. 

Why the brand is being phased out is not entirely clear, but it is no secret that parent company QBP has been laying off employees and contracting its business in response to the over-stock issues within the industry and the lack of consumer demand. QBP claims that no new AC product will be developed after the 2024 model run and that it will be "several years" before the brand is completely phased out. What this means to consumers is that All City is essentially gone, effective immediately. Support for current models will be maintained for a time. 

I've thought that we'd see some contraction of brands in the marketplace and I am confident we will be seeing more before the end of the year. Time will tell if I am correct, but this development with All City will not be unique.

That's it for this week. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

The new Cosmic Stallion will be available in January

New All City Cosmic Stallion:

Did I ever mention that my favorite color is purple? No? Well, it is, and since that is the case, you'd think I'd have owned a purple bike by now. I had one, but it was kinda more "eggplant" than purple. That was the old '07 El Mariachi that was Gun Koted for a "Twenty Nine Inches" review. So, that is kinda weird, I think. I cannot remember any other purple bikes I may have owned....... Nope.

So, whenever I see a good looking purple bike, I get all excited. There have been a few. I remember that Krampus from a year ago, the Vaya for 2019 in purple was killer. But I haven't seen anything I'd actually pop for until this came along. The All City Cosmic Stallion.

Now, fade paint jobs are another thing I like. AC has done several really good ones, but again- nothing I would pop for. However; this bike tics nearly all the boxes and would serve a purpose in the stable. If I were to get one, it would replace the aging Raleigh Tamland Two. Now- that bike has a lot right about it, but it is "aging out" in terms of standards, and it is getting pretty beat up. I'd like to "stop the bleeding" and preserve what is left of it due to its significance to me and to gravel grinding.

A lot of things would work for me with this AC rig, which I would change the name of, it it were mine, to "Cozstal", which is a mash-up of its weird name. But that's another story... Anyway- The AC rig has front and rear through axles, making it a perfect platform for testing wheels and tires for RidingGravel.com. It also has clearance for 700 X 47mm tires. Nice! Again, perfect for what I would need there. The head tube is also tapered, and that, unfortunately in my view, is where everything has gone, so again, a step into more current standards versus the Tamland. Rack & fender mounts also figure in to working well for what I need to do.

But like anything else, there are a couple of "not-so-good" things. The head tube angle for my size is 72.2°. Why? (sigh) I really, really think that a good gravel bike should be in the 71° range for my size and have a higher figure on the fork offset, like in the 50's of millimeters. The Tamland was in that realm, and it is nearly spot on. I would have liked to have seen a slacker head tube angle on this AC bike. I could live with that 72.2°, but it isn't the best. The other thing is the stated size for max 650B tires in the rear at 42mm. That is outright no good at all. This, more than the head angle, really cuts into the Cozstal's capabilities as a tool for Riding Gravel's uses. uggh! Too bad. Such a beautiful bike.

I still say this is something I'd pop for more so than anything else I've seen in purple for bicycles, but it juuuust misses the mark. That makes it a "maybe", and I'll keep looking for now. I still need to retire the Tamland.

The Walmer Bar from Australia's Curce Cycles

How Wide Is Too Wide?

With the rise in popularity and, therefore, money-making opportunities, in the gravel/all road/bike packing sectors, there have been a slew of specific components launched in the last several years to tickle rider's fancies. Perhaps no other component for gravel/off-roading has been so tortuously reformed and redesigned as the off-road drop bar.

There are few hits (Luxy Bar, Cowbell/Cowchipper. Midge Bar and their ilk) and more than a few misses. Some are laughably so bizarre and off target that you have to wonder how they made it off the design table. Today we are looking at another weird, flared drop, that for all I know is perfectly fine. It's the width on the one end of the scale that is a bit extreme here.

The Curve Cycles "Walmer Bar", a flared, swept drop, is available in 46cm, 50cm, 55cm, and 60cm, with the widest one being 750mm at the widest point. That's over 29 and a half inches, for you 'mercans out there. That's wide! Is that too wide? 

Well, that depends. Are you a really tall guy? Are you bike packing? Are you using these on a trail MTB bike? Then no, they are not too wide. For gravel travel for most folks? Probably far too wide, even the 46's. For reference, most flared drop bars offered on the market show 46cm as being the widest on offer.

The other thing is that these cost $189.00. yeesh! That's spendy for an aluminum bar, but I suppose they aren't a big numbers production item, need to be designed to work in a mtb-like fashion, and are from Australia, so there is all of that. Other than the really wide width though, these are not doing anything substantially different than a PRO Discover Big Flare bar, as a for instance. Those you can get for under 60 bucks. So, yeah..... Unless you have some monster handle bar roll you need to portage around on some off-the-beaten-track tour, I cannot say these move my needle all that much. But maybe for you they might. Choices are good, and this one looks pretty decent.

The Cherry Grove Community Center is on the old Almanzo course.

Spring Valley 100 To Run On Old Almanzo Course Again:

Wednesday I got an e-mail from the organizer of the "Spring Valley 100" which will use the former Almanzo course on May 30th, 2020.

This is all part of what occurred with the demise of the Almanzo name, which if you missed all that, is recapped here. Last Spring an event did occur on the former Almanzo course, but it wasn't well publicized. Originally known under the moniker "Keep Gravel Weird" it eventually landed on "Spring Valley 100" and happened out of Spring Valley with the city's blessing. While all details are not available now, this is good news for those who might miss the annual gathering in Spring Valley.

Comments: In my opinion, the demise of the Almanzo name/events is one of the biggest stories in gravel grinding from the 2019 year and maybe in the last decade. The event was often featured in publications and on websites as a prototypical gravel grinder, one that "should be on your bucket list". Even Shimano, when they were testing and doing research for their GRX group, came out to ride in the Almanzo 100. That should indicate what sort of stature this event has held in the past.

So, one cannot understate the importance of the Almanzo 100. The end game for the event was, in my opinion, regrettable, but out of the ashes we will receive two new events- The Spring Valley 100 and The Heywood Ride. One can enjoy Almanzo's past while riding the Spring Valley 100, with full support from the city, and what is promised to be a great after-party. Or one can enjoy the new event where the Almanzo was handed off to a new group eager to bring the same ethos and experiences that the Almanzo 100 once provided. Two events at the price of losing one? It might actually be a better deal.

Personally, I was very sad when the Almanzo was pulled from Spring Valley because I knew how important the Almanzo had been to the small village of Cherry Grove where, during the 2018 running of the Almanzo, I learned that the donations riders so freely gave at the Community Center provided enough funds to maintain the building for a third of the year's budget. That's impressive, and amazing when you understand that the donation bucket was not advertised in any way, and no prior mentions were ever made about it to the riders. That's the sort of thing gravel grinders are great at- charitable kindness, and these small communities thrive from the presence of gravel events either based in, or that run through, their communities.  Bravo to the folks behind the Spring Valley 100 for making a scene like that possible again in 2020!

UPDATED: 12/6/19: Marty Larson of the Heywood Ride called me to say that they were scrambling to get details out ASAP. I am supposed to be meeting with he and Ben Witt, the other Race Director, soon. I also noted on Facebook that there was an indication by Marty that all three courses would be in play out of Northfield that were used for the 2019 Almanzo. (100, 165, and 380 miles) Ben Witt also chimed in to say that "This is not a rebranded Almanzo, but an entirely new event." Stay tuned.....

 Life Time Events Purchases The Crusher In The Tushar:

The Life Time Events acquisition of gravel events is in the news again as Life Time has reportedly purchased the Crusher In The Tushar event. No details have been released as of now, nor has anything detailed on how Life time plans to handle the successful event started by former Pro roadie, Bruce Swindlehurst.

Comments: What we do know is that at the time that the Big Sugar was announced recently, Life Time events stated through one of the organizers that its intentions were to have six gravel events under its umbrella of events in a few years or so. Life Time currently owns and operates Leadville, The Lutzen 99er, Chequamegon 40, Dirty Kanza events, and the Big Sugar Gravel NWA events. Of those, the DK and Big Sugar are gravel based events. The addition of the Crusher brings them halfway to their goal, as stated recently.

So, let's think about this. The DK is at the end of May, the Crusher is mid-July, Big Sugar is October. Add in a June event, and August event, and maybe a Springtime one. Probably another West Coast based event in the SoCal region, perhaps. One on the East Coast. Maybe one South-central one. (Texas?) Six events spread across the season. Life Time sets up a points championship across age groups and single speed, fat bike, tandem. You get the idea? It makes a lot of corporate business sense to have your customers buying into an eco-system of events where expectations for each would be the same, formatting, structure, and all. The experience would be similar at each, so you get "repeat customers".


Watch to see if I'm close on this.

That's it for this week! Get out and ride if you can and I'll see you again here with new content next week.

Friday News And Views

The new Cosmic Stallion will be available in January

New All City Cosmic Stallion:

Did I ever mention that my favorite color is purple? No? Well, it is, and since that is the case, you'd think I'd have owned a purple bike by now. I had one, but it was kinda more "eggplant" than purple. That was the old '07 El Mariachi that was Gun Koted for a "Twenty Nine Inches" review. So, that is kinda weird, I think. I cannot remember any other purple bikes I may have owned....... Nope.

So, whenever I see a good looking purple bike, I get all excited. There have been a few. I remember that Krampus from a year ago, the Vaya for 2019 in purple was killer. But I haven't seen anything I'd actually pop for until this came along. The All City Cosmic Stallion.

Now, fade paint jobs are another thing I like. AC has done several really good ones, but again- nothing I would pop for. However; this bike tics nearly all the boxes and would serve a purpose in the stable. If I were to get one, it would replace the aging Raleigh Tamland Two. Now- that bike has a lot right about it, but it is "aging out" in terms of standards, and it is getting pretty beat up. I'd like to "stop the bleeding" and preserve what is left of it due to its significance to me and to gravel grinding.

A lot of things would work for me with this AC rig, which I would change the name of, it it were mine, to "Cozstal", which is a mash-up of its weird name. But that's another story... Anyway- The AC rig has front and rear through axles, making it a perfect platform for testing wheels and tires for RidingGravel.com. It also has clearance for 700 X 47mm tires. Nice! Again, perfect for what I would need there. The head tube is also tapered, and that, unfortunately in my view, is where everything has gone, so again, a step into more current standards versus the Tamland. Rack & fender mounts also figure in to working well for what I need to do.

But like anything else, there are a couple of "not-so-good" things. The head tube angle for my size is 72.2°. Why? (sigh) I really, really think that a good gravel bike should be in the 71° range for my size and have a higher figure on the fork offset, like in the 50's of millimeters. The Tamland was in that realm, and it is nearly spot on. I would have liked to have seen a slacker head tube angle on this AC bike. I could live with that 72.2°, but it isn't the best. The other thing is the stated size for max 650B tires in the rear at 42mm. That is outright no good at all. This, more than the head angle, really cuts into the Cozstal's capabilities as a tool for Riding Gravel's uses. uggh! Too bad. Such a beautiful bike.

I still say this is something I'd pop for more so than anything else I've seen in purple for bicycles, but it juuuust misses the mark. That makes it a "maybe", and I'll keep looking for now. I still need to retire the Tamland.

The Walmer Bar from Australia's Curce Cycles

How Wide Is Too Wide?

With the rise in popularity and, therefore, money-making opportunities, in the gravel/all road/bike packing sectors, there have been a slew of specific components launched in the last several years to tickle rider's fancies. Perhaps no other component for gravel/off-roading has been so tortuously reformed and redesigned as the off-road drop bar.

There are few hits (Luxy Bar, Cowbell/Cowchipper. Midge Bar and their ilk) and more than a few misses. Some are laughably so bizarre and off target that you have to wonder how they made it off the design table. Today we are looking at another weird, flared drop, that for all I know is perfectly fine. It's the width on the one end of the scale that is a bit extreme here.

The Curve Cycles "Walmer Bar", a flared, swept drop, is available in 46cm, 50cm, 55cm, and 60cm, with the widest one being 750mm at the widest point. That's over 29 and a half inches, for you 'mercans out there. That's wide! Is that too wide? 

Well, that depends. Are you a really tall guy? Are you bike packing? Are you using these on a trail MTB bike? Then no, they are not too wide. For gravel travel for most folks? Probably far too wide, even the 46's. For reference, most flared drop bars offered on the market show 46cm as being the widest on offer.

The other thing is that these cost $189.00. yeesh! That's spendy for an aluminum bar, but I suppose they aren't a big numbers production item, need to be designed to work in a mtb-like fashion, and are from Australia, so there is all of that. Other than the really wide width though, these are not doing anything substantially different than a PRO Discover Big Flare bar, as a for instance. Those you can get for under 60 bucks. So, yeah..... Unless you have some monster handle bar roll you need to portage around on some off-the-beaten-track tour, I cannot say these move my needle all that much. But maybe for you they might. Choices are good, and this one looks pretty decent.

The Cherry Grove Community Center is on the old Almanzo course.

Spring Valley 100 To Run On Old Almanzo Course Again:

Wednesday I got an e-mail from the organizer of the "Spring Valley 100" which will use the former Almanzo course on May 30th, 2020.

This is all part of what occurred with the demise of the Almanzo name, which if you missed all that, is recapped here. Last Spring an event did occur on the former Almanzo course, but it wasn't well publicized. Originally known under the moniker "Keep Gravel Weird" it eventually landed on "Spring Valley 100" and happened out of Spring Valley with the city's blessing. While all details are not available now, this is good news for those who might miss the annual gathering in Spring Valley.

Comments: In my opinion, the demise of the Almanzo name/events is one of the biggest stories in gravel grinding from the 2019 year and maybe in the last decade. The event was often featured in publications and on websites as a prototypical gravel grinder, one that "should be on your bucket list". Even Shimano, when they were testing and doing research for their GRX group, came out to ride in the Almanzo 100. That should indicate what sort of stature this event has held in the past.

So, one cannot understate the importance of the Almanzo 100. The end game for the event was, in my opinion, regrettable, but out of the ashes we will receive two new events- The Spring Valley 100 and The Heywood Ride. One can enjoy Almanzo's past while riding the Spring Valley 100, with full support from the city, and what is promised to be a great after-party. Or one can enjoy the new event where the Almanzo was handed off to a new group eager to bring the same ethos and experiences that the Almanzo 100 once provided. Two events at the price of losing one? It might actually be a better deal.

Personally, I was very sad when the Almanzo was pulled from Spring Valley because I knew how important the Almanzo had been to the small village of Cherry Grove where, during the 2018 running of the Almanzo, I learned that the donations riders so freely gave at the Community Center provided enough funds to maintain the building for a third of the year's budget. That's impressive, and amazing when you understand that the donation bucket was not advertised in any way, and no prior mentions were ever made about it to the riders. That's the sort of thing gravel grinders are great at- charitable kindness, and these small communities thrive from the presence of gravel events either based in, or that run through, their communities.  Bravo to the folks behind the Spring Valley 100 for making a scene like that possible again in 2020!

UPDATED: 12/6/19: Marty Larson of the Heywood Ride called me to say that they were scrambling to get details out ASAP. I am supposed to be meeting with he and Ben Witt, the other Race Director, soon. I also noted on Facebook that there was an indication by Marty that all three courses would be in play out of Northfield that were used for the 2019 Almanzo. (100, 165, and 380 miles) Ben Witt also chimed in to say that "This is not a rebranded Almanzo, but an entirely new event." Stay tuned.....

 Life Time Events Purchases The Crusher In The Tushar:

The Life Time Events acquisition of gravel events is in the news again as Life Time has reportedly purchased the Crusher In The Tushar event. No details have been released as of now, nor has anything detailed on how Life time plans to handle the successful event started by former Pro roadie, Bruce Swindlehurst.

Comments: What we do know is that at the time that the Big Sugar was announced recently, Life Time events stated through one of the organizers that its intentions were to have six gravel events under its umbrella of events in a few years or so. Life Time currently owns and operates Leadville, The Lutzen 99er, Chequamegon 40, Dirty Kanza events, and the Big Sugar Gravel NWA events. Of those, the DK and Big Sugar are gravel based events. The addition of the Crusher brings them halfway to their goal, as stated recently.

So, let's think about this. The DK is at the end of May, the Crusher is mid-July, Big Sugar is October. Add in a June event, and August event, and maybe a Springtime one. Probably another West Coast based event in the SoCal region, perhaps. One on the East Coast. Maybe one South-central one. (Texas?) Six events spread across the season. Life Time sets up a points championship across age groups and single speed, fat bike, tandem. You get the idea? It makes a lot of corporate business sense to have your customers buying into an eco-system of events where expectations for each would be the same, formatting, structure, and all. The experience would be similar at each, so you get "repeat customers".


Watch to see if I'm close on this.

That's it for this week! Get out and ride if you can and I'll see you again here with new content next week.

Friday News And Views

Geezer Ride 2018:

Last year I tried putting on a Geezer Ride, but it got put off by the weather twice and I finally just gave up on it due to my busy schedule in 2018. That was a bit of a regret for last year. However; this time the Geezer Ride is planned and hopefully it will go off on its date of Saturday, October 5th. 

In another change, this time the Geezer Ride goes North! During one of the past Geezer Rides, a couple of fellows came down who are affiliated with Cresco Bikes. They expressed interest in doing a Geezer Ride, but due to injuries and what not, it did not happen last year. (Another reason there were no Geezer Rides in 2018) That health issue has been overcome, seemingly, for one of the organizers, and it appears that the group out of Cresco Bikes has a great route, not very hilly, but interesting, for us to tackle this Fall.

This would not be the first time that a Geezer Ride route was not planned by me. This occurred a few years back when we had the Geezer Ride out of North English. That ride, in fact, was an inspiration for part of the last route for Trans Iowa v14. It took us through some Amish country, and we had a fantastic time. This route that is being planned by the Cresco Bikes folks is, apparently, going to have some cool stuff on it as well, so I look forward to being a part of this.

Stay tuned- I'll have more detailed information as the date draws nearer.

The Black Mountain Cycles MCD did really well- once again.

Gear Review For The Solstice 100:

The report of my wanderings in the Nebraska countryside are well detailed in my three Solstice 100 posts from earlier in the week. This little bit will be about some of the gear I used during, and before and after the event.

Of course, the Bubblegum Princess was used, (Black Mountain Cycles MCD) and it performed flawlessly. This bike is so comfortable and smooth. The shifting (Shimano) and the brakes (TRP Spyre) both were quiet and fault-free. The tires and wheels were WTB Resolute 42's on Spinergy wheels. No flats, no issues.

I wore a Twin Six Standard Wool jersey over a Bontrager base layer with liner shorts from Zoic and Showers Pass shorts. The socks were wool, Hiwassee brand, and the shoes were older Shimano MTB shoes. I wore an aero helmet from Bolle', which surprisingly was quite cool and comfortable.

One big plus in the gear department wasn't used on the ride, but it sure helped me get to the ride and back again. It was the Silca Maratona Minimo Gear Bag which I just reviewed for RidingGravel.com. You can click through to read the review if you want to. All I'll say here is that I doubt I ever forget my shoes for an event again. The bag is good. I like it.

So, gear-wise, I was not let down at all. It was a failure to be prepared on my part in terms of fitness. I also screwed up navigating, somehow, and that also contributed to my failure. But as far as gear goes, I was spot on. I wouldn't have changed a thing there.

The new version of the All City Electric Queen.

 Enough Of The "Shred-Tails" Already:

Mountain bike "fashion" has swung this way and that throughout the decades. First it was all about touring/exploration. then it was XC racing, then Free Ride, and "Long Travel", then "Enduro", and on and on. It used to be that the base MTB bike was a hard tail. You started there, and then you branched off. Hard tail MTB's were declared "dead" in the late 90's/early 00"s, but 29"ers brought them back. Somehow they persist. Yet, it could be said today that the "hard tail" is dead. The "all-purpose", go anywhere, do anything MTB has become what I call the "shred-tail". Long, slack, and low, it is a tool bent by the designers for going down. Fast.

The slack head angle on a lot of these rigs handles like a wheel barrow in tight single track. Most "younginz" have zero experience on a bike that actually shreds tight single track, and can do fire roads, and can do berms. Because the pendulum of geometry has swung so far to the "playful, down hill oriented, fast, shreddy, jumping, popping, wide open trail type of bike that it suffers on anything but groomed, buff single track with long sight lines.

Anyway, All City claims that this new fashioned rig "climbs well" and does all the "fun stuff". yeah....hmmm. I bet it does. Ya know, I recall the days of the old geometry 29"ers, and the fast, razor sharp steering and climbing abilities of my old Bontrager Race 26'er. Now those bikes climbed and were awesome in tight single track.

I'd rip my old OS Bikes Blackbuck any day in the woods here over a slack front end, long traveled, short rear ended "shred tail" that is the norm now. But I can also see where 27.5 X 2.8's on the Electric Queen could be a blast as well. I just think these shred-tail rigs are compromised in the "all arounder" category hard tails used to live in, but are seemingly extinct as far as choices go nowadays. (Or are they? Read on...)

The New Jones LWB Complete

Then Just When You Think All Is Lost:

So, are there any hard tails that aren't "shred-tails"? Why, yes there are. Here's a great example of one- The new Jones Bikes LWB Complete which was just announced recently.

I've spent some time speaking with Jeff Jones, the designer of this bike, and he would not like it if this was called a mountain bike, because in his parlance, it's just a great bicycle. Good for anything- road, gravel, mountain, touring, and....well, you get the idea. But there is no denying the fact that Jeff Jones was selling these designs as mountain bikes first, and that's probably how they are best known.

That said, Jeff Jones would also tell you that his design, unconventional as it may be, does the climbing, descending, and single track shredding all well because it was designed to excel at everything. To my way of thinking, this is a great example of what an "all-arounder" is. I'm sure there are others, but it does stand out from the herd and according to its owners, some who I know personally, the Jones Bike is just a great bicycle.

So, there you go- the hard tail lives.

That's a wrap for this week. have a great weekend and keep on riding!

Friday News And Views

Geezer Ride 2018:

Last year I tried putting on a Geezer Ride, but it got put off by the weather twice and I finally just gave up on it due to my busy schedule in 2018. That was a bit of a regret for last year. However; this time the Geezer Ride is planned and hopefully it will go off on its date of Saturday, October 5th. 

In another change, this time the Geezer Ride goes North! During one of the past Geezer Rides, a couple of fellows came down who are affiliated with Cresco Bikes. They expressed interest in doing a Geezer Ride, but due to injuries and what not, it did not happen last year. (Another reason there were no Geezer Rides in 2018) That health issue has been overcome, seemingly, for one of the organizers, and it appears that the group out of Cresco Bikes has a great route, not very hilly, but interesting, for us to tackle this Fall.

This would not be the first time that a Geezer Ride route was not planned by me. This occurred a few years back when we had the Geezer Ride out of North English. That ride, in fact, was an inspiration for part of the last route for Trans Iowa v14. It took us through some Amish country, and we had a fantastic time. This route that is being planned by the Cresco Bikes folks is, apparently, going to have some cool stuff on it as well, so I look forward to being a part of this.

Stay tuned- I'll have more detailed information as the date draws nearer.

The Black Mountain Cycles MCD did really well- once again.

Gear Review For The Solstice 100:

The report of my wanderings in the Nebraska countryside are well detailed in my three Solstice 100 posts from earlier in the week. This little bit will be about some of the gear I used during, and before and after the event.

Of course, the Bubblegum Princess was used, (Black Mountain Cycles MCD) and it performed flawlessly. This bike is so comfortable and smooth. The shifting (Shimano) and the brakes (TRP Spyre) both were quiet and fault-free. The tires and wheels were WTB Resolute 42's on Spinergy wheels. No flats, no issues.

I wore a Twin Six Standard Wool jersey over a Bontrager base layer with liner shorts from Zoic and Showers Pass shorts. The socks were wool, Hiwassee brand, and the shoes were older Shimano MTB shoes. I wore an aero helmet from Bolle', which surprisingly was quite cool and comfortable.

One big plus in the gear department wasn't used on the ride, but it sure helped me get to the ride and back again. It was the Silca Maratona Minimo Gear Bag which I just reviewed for RidingGravel.com. You can click through to read the review if you want to. All I'll say here is that I doubt I ever forget my shoes for an event again. The bag is good. I like it.

So, gear-wise, I was not let down at all. It was a failure to be prepared on my part in terms of fitness. I also screwed up navigating, somehow, and that also contributed to my failure. But as far as gear goes, I was spot on. I wouldn't have changed a thing there.

The new version of the All City Electric Queen.

 Enough Of The "Shred-Tails" Already:

Mountain bike "fashion" has swung this way and that throughout the decades. First it was all about touring/exploration. then it was XC racing, then Free Ride, and "Long Travel", then "Enduro", and on and on. It used to be that the base MTB bike was a hard tail. You started there, and then you branched off. Hard tail MTB's were declared "dead" in the late 90's/early 00"s, but 29"ers brought them back. Somehow they persist. Yet, it could be said today that the "hard tail" is dead. The "all-purpose", go anywhere, do anything MTB has become what I call the "shred-tail". Long, slack, and low, it is a tool bent by the designers for going down. Fast.

The slack head angle on a lot of these rigs handles like a wheel barrow in tight single track. Most "younginz" have zero experience on a bike that actually shreds tight single track, and can do fire roads, and can do berms. Because the pendulum of geometry has swung so far to the "playful, down hill oriented, fast, shreddy, jumping, popping, wide open trail type of bike that it suffers on anything but groomed, buff single track with long sight lines.

Anyway, All City claims that this new fashioned rig "climbs well" and does all the "fun stuff". yeah....hmmm. I bet it does. Ya know, I recall the days of the old geometry 29"ers, and the fast, razor sharp steering and climbing abilities of my old Bontrager Race 26'er. Now those bikes climbed and were awesome in tight single track.

I'd rip my old OS Bikes Blackbuck any day in the woods here over a slack front end, long traveled, short rear ended "shred tail" that is the norm now. But I can also see where 27.5 X 2.8's on the Electric Queen could be a blast as well. I just think these shred-tail rigs are compromised in the "all arounder" category hard tails used to live in, but are seemingly extinct as far as choices go nowadays. (Or are they? Read on...)

The New Jones LWB Complete

Then Just When You Think All Is Lost:

So, are there any hard tails that aren't "shred-tails"? Why, yes there are. Here's a great example of one- The new Jones Bikes LWB Complete which was just announced recently.

I've spent some time speaking with Jeff Jones, the designer of this bike, and he would not like it if this was called a mountain bike, because in his parlance, it's just a great bicycle. Good for anything- road, gravel, mountain, touring, and....well, you get the idea. But there is no denying the fact that Jeff Jones was selling these designs as mountain bikes first, and that's probably how they are best known.

That said, Jeff Jones would also tell you that his design, unconventional as it may be, does the climbing, descending, and single track shredding all well because it was designed to excel at everything. To my way of thinking, this is a great example of what an "all-arounder" is. I'm sure there are others, but it does stand out from the herd and according to its owners, some who I know personally, the Jones Bike is just a great bicycle.

So, there you go- the hard tail lives.

That's a wrap for this week. have a great weekend and keep on riding!

News From Frostbike 2018

Salsa adds carbon versions of the Woodchipper, Cowchipper, and Cowbell bars for 2018

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Carbon Bars: 

Salsa Cycles could probably lay claim to the three most popular off road/gravel/back road bars in existence now with their line up of the Woodchipper, Cowbell, and Cowchipper bars. These bars have been around for a while in two versions, a 6061 T-6 aluminum version and a 7000 series aluminum version, but curiously there were no carbon drop bars.

That's all been changed now with Frostbike's announcement that a carbon version of all three bars would now be available. All carbon models are at the same price of $215.00 each. The aluminum bar model in each version in 7050 T-6 aluminum is $75.00. So why spend $140.00 more for carbon. Well, it would save you 75 grams, so says Salsa.

They also propose that the carbon bar, while being stiffer, actually absorbs more vibrations. Hmm......I've heard that story before with carbon forks. Not buying that one. The theory of carbon absorbing "higher frequency vibrations" is just that, a theory, and in reality, carbon just passes different vibrations than steel does. It isn't a "buzz" that we are trying to damp here. Anyway, yeah....... Not buying into that theory. The bar needs to move to mitigate the constant input from gravel and a stiffer bar will move less.

Then the bar has a wider 31.8mm section for better mounting of gizmos and aero bars, or whatnot. Okay, yeah, good deal there, but for $140.00 extra bucks? Look, they will sell every one of these they can make because, carbon. But I have a hard time with saving 75 grams for a $1.86 per gram. Especially for a stiffer bar. If the bar was demonstrably more comfortable? Okay, I might bite on that.

Surly Midnight Special- image courtesy of Surly Bikes

Surly Midnight Special:

I posted about all this stuff today on Riding Gravel here, so I'll spare the deets. Let's get to the meat of my opinion here then.

This is the furthest thing from a gravel bike geometry, short of being a rando bike, I can think of . High bottom bracket and a steep head angle make the Midnight Special a non-starter for me. But hey! Don't let what I think works best keep you away. 

That said, if you read the Surly blog post on this bike carefully it is right there in front of your eyes to see that this bike is an outgrowth of the Pacer, Surly's full on roadie sled. This just takes bigger tires is all, oh......and flat mount disc brakes. 

It is notable that there are roadie things going on here like down tube shifter bosses, a lack of all those wild fork braze ons, and short-ish chain stays which point to more of a road bike usage than it does an adventure/gravel bike use. Through axle front and rear and the aforementioned flat mount disc brakes are really making this a sibling to the Pacer with modern touches. If it couldn't take great big rubber, that would be easier to see here, I think.

No single speed option makes it an odd bike for Surly, or is it really a moving on? I'm noticing more and more that the "old Surly" is fading away, and the "single speed for everything" philosophy seems to be going to the wayside. Maybe I have that wrong.........

The "Gorilla Monsoon"..........Really? -Image courtesy of All City

Oh! That Name Though!

It is kind of a tradition at Quality Bicycle Products for any bicycle they make to have a weird name. That all started with the '02 announcement of the Surly Karate Monkey. That will be a model name no company at QBP will ever live up to, in my opinion, but bless those folks- they keep trying! 

All City is no stranger to bizarrely named bicycles. The Spacehorse, Mr. Pink, The Electric Queen, and now.........drum roll, please........The Gorilla Monsoon.

Please make it stop! 

All right, besides the weirdo name, this bike is really a pretty dang cool rig. That bi-plane fork crown! Steel fork! Fade paint job in Orange? Yes!  Okay, that had my attention, but the geometry is probably as jacked as the Surly, right?

Wrong!

This bike tics most of the boxes. They made the chain stays really wide here to accept these big, mountain bike WTB tires, so the chain ring clearances suffer a bit, but otherwise, this bike is the best thing I've seen out of QBP for gravel riding since the intro of the Warbird.

And did I mention that Orange fade paint job and bi-plane fork crown? Oh......I did? Uhh.......okay. Moving on now!

I could live with this bike. It's pretty nice on paper and the images are looking great here. I'm not sure about 1X for gravel. I'd have to see about that. The crank chain ring options seem a bit limiting, and yes......I like front changers. But that said, a 1X probably is in my future because, fashion. Gotta at least try it. Whether it is this bike or something like it, I will give it a try.

So, of all the Frostbike news, which also included a slimmed down Full Suspension line up from Salsa, the (gulp) Gorilla Monsoon is the best thing I've seen here. Although I despise that name. 

Anyway.......

News From Frostbike 2018

Salsa adds carbon versions of the Woodchipper, Cowchipper, and Cowbell bars for 2018

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Carbon Bars: 

Salsa Cycles could probably lay claim to the three most popular off road/gravel/back road bars in existence now with their line up of the Woodchipper, Cowbell, and Cowchipper bars. These bars have been around for a while in two versions, a 6061 T-6 aluminum version and a 7000 series aluminum version, but curiously there were no carbon drop bars.

That's all been changed now with Frostbike's announcement that a carbon version of all three bars would now be available. All carbon models are at the same price of $215.00 each. The aluminum bar model in each version in 7050 T-6 aluminum is $75.00. So why spend $140.00 more for carbon. Well, it would save you 75 grams, so says Salsa.

They also propose that the carbon bar, while being stiffer, actually absorbs more vibrations. Hmm......I've heard that story before with carbon forks. Not buying that one. The theory of carbon absorbing "higher frequency vibrations" is just that, a theory, and in reality, carbon just passes different vibrations than steel does. It isn't a "buzz" that we are trying to damp here. Anyway, yeah....... Not buying into that theory. The bar needs to move to mitigate the constant input from gravel and a stiffer bar will move less.

Then the bar has a wider 31.8mm section for better mounting of gizmos and aero bars, or whatnot. Okay, yeah, good deal there, but for $140.00 extra bucks? Look, they will sell every one of these they can make because, carbon. But I have a hard time with saving 75 grams for a $1.86 per gram. Especially for a stiffer bar. If the bar was demonstrably more comfortable? Okay, I might bite on that.

Surly Midnight Special- image courtesy of Surly Bikes

Surly Midnight Special:

I posted about all this stuff today on Riding Gravel here, so I'll spare the deets. Let's get to the meat of my opinion here then.

This is the furthest thing from a gravel bike geometry, short of being a rando bike, I can think of . High bottom bracket and a steep head angle make the Midnight Special a non-starter for me. But hey! Don't let what I think works best keep you away. 

That said, if you read the Surly blog post on this bike carefully it is right there in front of your eyes to see that this bike is an outgrowth of the Pacer, Surly's full on roadie sled. This just takes bigger tires is all, oh......and flat mount disc brakes. 

It is notable that there are roadie things going on here like down tube shifter bosses, a lack of all those wild fork braze ons, and short-ish chain stays which point to more of a road bike usage than it does an adventure/gravel bike use. Through axle front and rear and the aforementioned flat mount disc brakes are really making this a sibling to the Pacer with modern touches. If it couldn't take great big rubber, that would be easier to see here, I think.

No single speed option makes it an odd bike for Surly, or is it really a moving on? I'm noticing more and more that the "old Surly" is fading away, and the "single speed for everything" philosophy seems to be going to the wayside. Maybe I have that wrong.........

The "Gorilla Monsoon"..........Really? -Image courtesy of All City

Oh! That Name Though!

It is kind of a tradition at Quality Bicycle Products for any bicycle they make to have a weird name. That all started with the '02 announcement of the Surly Karate Monkey. That will be a model name no company at QBP will ever live up to, in my opinion, but bless those folks- they keep trying! 

All City is no stranger to bizarrely named bicycles. The Spacehorse, Mr. Pink, The Electric Queen, and now.........drum roll, please........The Gorilla Monsoon.

Please make it stop! 

All right, besides the weirdo name, this bike is really a pretty dang cool rig. That bi-plane fork crown! Steel fork! Fade paint job in Orange? Yes!  Okay, that had my attention, but the geometry is probably as jacked as the Surly, right?

Wrong!

This bike tics most of the boxes. They made the chain stays really wide here to accept these big, mountain bike WTB tires, so the chain ring clearances suffer a bit, but otherwise, this bike is the best thing I've seen out of QBP for gravel riding since the intro of the Warbird.

And did I mention that Orange fade paint job and bi-plane fork crown? Oh......I did? Uhh.......okay. Moving on now!

I could live with this bike. It's pretty nice on paper and the images are looking great here. I'm not sure about 1X for gravel. I'd have to see about that. The crank chain ring options seem a bit limiting, and yes......I like front changers. But that said, a 1X probably is in my future because, fashion. Gotta at least try it. Whether it is this bike or something like it, I will give it a try.

So, of all the Frostbike news, which also included a slimmed down Full Suspension line up from Salsa, the (gulp) Gorilla Monsoon is the best thing I've seen here. Although I despise that name. 

Anyway.......

Bonus News And Views

Hold the presses! It's 1992 again!

All City introduces the Electric Queen:

No- it isn't an e-bike.

No- it isn't a vacuum cleaner. (Although it could Hoover all the money out of your wallet in January when it becomes available.)

No- It isn't a 1992 Park-Pre hard tail. (Although it looks like it could be from that era.)

Nope- it is the ubiquitous slack, long, and short rear ended steel hard tail that everybody and their brother is making now. Welcome to the sheep show, All City. Get to know the dozen or so like minded designers and their bikes out there.

I will say that the fade paint with splatter is dead on early 90's though. All City nailed that one. Nicely done chaps!  

Salsas does kids bikes.....again.

 Salsa Introduces Kids Bikes Again:

Back in the day, (as they say), Ross Shafer of Salsa Cycles, who started the brand,  made a serious 24" wheeled kids bike. It flopped because it cost what an adult's bike cost, and ya know......kids grow like weeds. Get them a bike that fits today and two years from now they look like a circus bear on a bike. Parents don't like making high dollar short term recreational investments. At least not in this market which I am intimately familiar with in this Mid-Western town.

That's why I am not jumping for joy about $500.00 plus kid's bikes from Salsa Cycles. I mean, yeah.......for a few folks, this is rad. But for most parents I see coming in, this is going to be a non-starter. $250.00 Trek kids bikes are one thing, doubling the money? Yeah......I don't think that's going to fly here. 

Maybe where you live it will. I don't know.  

Velocity does now indeed have fat bike wheels.

 Velocity USA Fat Bike Wheels Confirmed:

If you are a regular reader of the blog you know that a while back I came across some Velocity fat bike hubs on an online retailer's site. There had been no word from Velocity about that and I found that really odd. Plus, I wondered if Velocity would be partnering with someone to do full wheel builds.

Well, Friday Velocity announced that it will be selling wheels and hubs for fat bikes now. Huzzah! 

The rim company they partnered with is HED and they are offering the carbon and aluminum rims in a Comp and Pro build along with just hubs if you want them. Head over to Velocity USA for all the details.

I may have to see if I can lighten up my Blackborow a bit with a set of these wheels and tubeless tires.