Another Burning Question

FDNY PSA on lithium-Ion batteries.

Yesterday a story broke in "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" concerning a fire that injured 38 people in an apartment fire in New York City. The story quotes FDNY Chief Fire Marshal, Daniel Flynn, as saying,"This is close to our 200th fire this year caused by lithium ion batteries from micro mobility devices. The fire was right behind the front door, we recovered at least five bikes from the apartment, "

Are we in danger from cheap, poorly designed electrified scooter and bicycle products?

Comments: I understand that New York City is immense and densely populated, but I think it underscores a big issue looming for us all with regard to inexpensive electrically powered scooters and eBikes. HPC's (Hybrid Powered Cycles) sold at department stores and direct to consumer by import companies are not being built to the same standards that law-abiding bicycle brands are held to. This means that safety is not always first. 

It also underscores how "micro-mobility devices" are in demand, and how consumers are not always able to afford the devices which are held to higher standards. Instead, they may fall prey to designs with specious designs like the electrically powered scooters described in the article. In my opinion, many, if not most, D2C HPC bikes are also prone to being devices that skirt safety concerns when it comes not only to mechanical soundness, but in their battery protocols and design for wiring harnesses. 

The FDNY provided this image to Bicycle Retailer and Industry News

I recall when I worked at Andy's Bike Shop that we took in an electrified bike from a reputable former motorcycle brand (renamed for their HPC products) which needed a new battery and controller harness. The design required us to literally jam the loose harness wires into a cramped space with more force than you would like to see when dealing with wires. Even after installation, those wires had to have been up against the hydro-formed aluminum frame internally, and you know that those wires could vibrate and eventually scuff off their plastic insulation over time.

It was also notable, at least to my way of thinking, that this brand made a big deal about their motorcycle heritage, charged over 4K for the bike, and in my opinion, was a pretty suspect product which, by the way, wasn't adhering to the three class system as well concerning eBikes. So, will that bike be a big problem someday? Hard to say. There are so many ways that things can go wrong with these productss that it may not last long enough to be a fire hazard. 

On the other hand, I received a proposal, via e-mail, from a Chinese manufacturer of HPC bikes for a pretty low-brow, dual suspension "MTB" electric bike that they said they could make for me with my brand on it. (Note: I get these proposals all the time from various Chinese factories for all manner of things) The thing looked like a 1970's "mini-bike" crossed with dual suspension borrowed from an Unified Rear Triangle design, NEXT branded bike. It had a spindly steel frame with the signature triple-tree fork. A real boat anchor, and all with a battery and an electric hub motor. 

Mart bike electrified.

What is more, these bikes are not cheap. They can be 2k-4K pretty easily. While their parts are suspect in quality, perhaps these actually do have decent electronics. But if you dare to Google electric "mini-bike", like I did, you'll find plenty that will give you pause. And you just know these bikes are totally following every law to the letter. 

Yeah....

But let's give these a pass for now. What does alarm me are the "mart bikes" with electric motors. I am 99% sure these are equally as much "hot garbage" as their non-assisted versions are known to be. Will these cause issues with regard to being fire hazards? If I were a betting man, my money would be on the "yes" for that one. 

It has always evaded my understanding how it was that these obviously dangerous and nonviable bicycles were sold without incurring massive lawsuits. Now they've gone and slapped electric motors and Lithium-Ion batteries to them? This cannot be a good sign. 

This may be changed though. If enough property damage and injury is caused by these nefarious designs that have Lithium-Ion batteries, (cue the human sacrifices) it would be logical that the insurance industry would sound the alarm and this would begin a push-back against these cheap and dangerous toys. Obviously, the FDNY warnings are not enough to move that needle. I just hope that if/when these things get banned, the policy makers can distinguish between the good and the bad, and that the push-back won't declare all of these as being dangerous.

Another Burning Question

FDNY PSA on lithium-Ion batteries.

Yesterday a story broke in "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" concerning a fire that injured 38 people in an apartment fire in New York City. The story quotes FDNY Chief Fire Marshal, Daniel Flynn, as saying,"This is close to our 200th fire this year caused by lithium ion batteries from micro mobility devices. The fire was right behind the front door, we recovered at least five bikes from the apartment, "

Are we in danger from cheap, poorly designed electrified scooter and bicycle products?

Comments: I understand that New York City is immense and densely populated, but I think it underscores a big issue looming for us all with regard to inexpensive electrically powered scooters and eBikes. HPC's (Hybrid Powered Cycles) sold at department stores and direct to consumer by import companies are not being built to the same standards that law-abiding bicycle brands are held to. This means that safety is not always first. 

It also underscores how "micro-mobility devices" are in demand, and how consumers are not always able to afford the devices which are held to higher standards. Instead, they may fall prey to designs with specious designs like the electrically powered scooters described in the article. In my opinion, many, if not most, D2C HPC bikes are also prone to being devices that skirt safety concerns when it comes not only to mechanical soundness, but in their battery protocols and design for wiring harnesses. 

The FDNY provided this image to Bicycle Retailer and Industry News

I recall when I worked at Andy's Bike Shop that we took in an electrified bike from a reputable former motorcycle brand (renamed for their HPC products) which needed a new battery and controller harness. The design required us to literally jam the loose harness wires into a cramped space with more force than you would like to see when dealing with wires. Even after installation, those wires had to have been up against the hydro-formed aluminum frame internally, and you know that those wires could vibrate and eventually scuff off their plastic insulation over time.

It was also notable, at least to my way of thinking, that this brand made a big deal about their motorcycle heritage, charged over 4K for the bike, and in my opinion, was a pretty suspect product which, by the way, wasn't adhering to the three class system as well concerning eBikes. So, will that bike be a big problem someday? Hard to say. There are so many ways that things can go wrong with these productss that it may not last long enough to be a fire hazard. 

On the other hand, I received a proposal, via e-mail, from a Chinese manufacturer of HPC bikes for a pretty low-brow, dual suspension "MTB" electric bike that they said they could make for me with my brand on it. (Note: I get these proposals all the time from various Chinese factories for all manner of things) The thing looked like a 1970's "mini-bike" crossed with dual suspension borrowed from an Unified Rear Triangle design, NEXT branded bike. It had a spindly steel frame with the signature triple-tree fork. A real boat anchor, and all with a battery and an electric hub motor. 

Mart bike electrified.

What is more, these bikes are not cheap. They can be 2k-4K pretty easily. While their parts are suspect in quality, perhaps these actually do have decent electronics. But if you dare to Google electric "mini-bike", like I did, you'll find plenty that will give you pause. And you just know these bikes are totally following every law to the letter. 

Yeah....

But let's give these a pass for now. What does alarm me are the "mart bikes" with electric motors. I am 99% sure these are equally as much "hot garbage" as their non-assisted versions are known to be. Will these cause issues with regard to being fire hazards? If I were a betting man, my money would be on the "yes" for that one. 

It has always evaded my understanding how it was that these obviously dangerous and nonviable bicycles were sold without incurring massive lawsuits. Now they've gone and slapped electric motors and Lithium-Ion batteries to them? This cannot be a good sign. 

This may be changed though. If enough property damage and injury is caused by these nefarious designs that have Lithium-Ion batteries, (cue the human sacrifices) it would be logical that the insurance industry would sound the alarm and this would begin a push-back against these cheap and dangerous toys. Obviously, the FDNY warnings are not enough to move that needle. I just hope that if/when these things get banned, the policy makers can distinguish between the good and the bad, and that the push-back won't declare all of these as being dangerous.

Visitations

Fall color seen on my walk Sunday.

 This wasn't to be a typical weekend here for me. Andy had taken vacation and I had to tend to the shop all week long. That meant I had to work another Saturday. The week itself went better than expected. I was busier than I had anticipated I would be, which is good for business, obviously, but better for me. I really do not like standing around 'baby-sitting' a shop with nothing to work on. That drives me bonkers. 

So, having a mostly busy week was good, that is, until Friday. That was brutal! I had very few people walk in the door and a LOT of dead time to fill. I had caught up on repairs and had little else to do but clean and organize. 

So, Saturday I feared for the worst. I had worked a Saturday recently and it was pretty much like the Friday I just described. I was thinking I was going to possibly lose my mind, but a couple of surprise visitations happened which saved the day. I guess mentioning here that I would be in the shop Saturday was a good thing, because both folks who came in to see me said it was because I had mentioned I would be working that they made the effort to see me. 

So, the first individual that surprised me with a visit was someone who I hadn't seen in well over a decade. I think the last time I saw this person was at a Frostbike in 2008. So, yeah.... A LONG time had passed since I had seen this guy. I used to make mention of him a lot when this blog first began, and since that was over 15 years ago, most of you folks probably don't know or remember that.

His name is Clay. I've known him since I first was in the bicycle business back in the 90's. I used to refer to him by his nick-name here, which was Dirtram, which was a play on his surname name. Anyway, he worked at the shop where I last worked, and I think our time there overlapped maybe a few months or so, but it wasn't very long before Clay moved on and out of my reckoning. The last time I think I saw him was about five years after I saw him previously, so when he came in and visited me Saturday it was a big surprise and we had a lot of catching up to do. 

Rick Chalfant, third from left here, was the other visitor Saturday.

After a few customers came in, Clay excused himself, and then it was awhile before another surprise visitor stopped by. It was Rick, who had been up last for a GTDRI in 2016. 

He read on the blog that I would be there, and since he was up for a family function, he made some time to swing by and chat for a bit. It was great to catch up with Rick and talk about our families and riding. 

Then some more time went by and I was about an hour out from shutting the door when my wife and son dropped by and so that made the end of my day a lot nicer than I thought it was going to be. The only bummer was that I didn't get to ride my bicycle home from work. 

So, yeah......no ride out in the country. No ride in the woods, like I traditionally try to do at 'peak Fall color time', and there was another reason for that. My family has been battling head colds, with the exception of myself- so far- and so I stuck around the house to lend a hand where I could with chores and taking care of people. 

I likely missed peak Fall colors, but sometimes more important things come along, like seeing old friends and acquaintances and being there for your family when they need you to be. It ain't always all about bicycles.

Visitations

Fall color seen on my walk Sunday.

 This wasn't to be a typical weekend here for me. Andy had taken vacation and I had to tend to the shop all week long. That meant I had to work another Saturday. The week itself went better than expected. I was busier than I had anticipated I would be, which is good for business, obviously, but better for me. I really do not like standing around 'baby-sitting' a shop with nothing to work on. That drives me bonkers. 

So, having a mostly busy week was good, that is, until Friday. That was brutal! I had very few people walk in the door and a LOT of dead time to fill. I had caught up on repairs and had little else to do but clean and organize. 

So, Saturday I feared for the worst. I had worked a Saturday recently and it was pretty much like the Friday I just described. I was thinking I was going to possibly lose my mind, but a couple of surprise visitations happened which saved the day. I guess mentioning here that I would be in the shop Saturday was a good thing, because both folks who came in to see me said it was because I had mentioned I would be working that they made the effort to see me. 

So, the first individual that surprised me with a visit was someone who I hadn't seen in well over a decade. I think the last time I saw this person was at a Frostbike in 2008. So, yeah.... A LONG time had passed since I had seen this guy. I used to make mention of him a lot when this blog first began, and since that was over 15 years ago, most of you folks probably don't know or remember that.

His name is Clay. I've known him since I first was in the bicycle business back in the 90's. I used to refer to him by his nick-name here, which was Dirtram, which was a play on his surname name. Anyway, he worked at the shop where I last worked, and I think our time there overlapped maybe a few months or so, but it wasn't very long before Clay moved on and out of my reckoning. The last time I think I saw him was about five years after I saw him previously, so when he came in and visited me Saturday it was a big surprise and we had a lot of catching up to do. 

Rick Chalfant, third from left here, was the other visitor Saturday.

After a few customers came in, Clay excused himself, and then it was awhile before another surprise visitor stopped by. It was Rick, who had been up last for a GTDRI in 2016. 

He read on the blog that I would be there, and since he was up for a family function, he made some time to swing by and chat for a bit. It was great to catch up with Rick and talk about our families and riding. 

Then some more time went by and I was about an hour out from shutting the door when my wife and son dropped by and so that made the end of my day a lot nicer than I thought it was going to be. The only bummer was that I didn't get to ride my bicycle home from work. 

So, yeah......no ride out in the country. No ride in the woods, like I traditionally try to do at 'peak Fall color time', and there was another reason for that. My family has been battling head colds, with the exception of myself- so far- and so I stuck around the house to lend a hand where I could with chores and taking care of people. 

I likely missed peak Fall colors, but sometimes more important things come along, like seeing old friends and acquaintances and being there for your family when they need you to be. It ain't always all about bicycles.

American Classic Wentworth Update

American Classic Wentworth 700 X 50 (really 46)

 So, I finally got these bigger Wentworth tires on a bike here. The so-called 700 x 50's, which aren't 50's, but are 46's. I know.... Confusing! Let's just agree to call these 46's and get on with it, and we'll just forget about that hot patch on the tire for now, okay? 

Okay, with that out of the way, I will say that these seem a bit more reasonable as far as volume and profile for gravel then the so-called 40's are, which are really 38's, but are marked as 40's. (sigh) You get the picture....

I should have written 'for the gravel roads here where I ride'. Because I know that in Southeastern Minnesota, as an example, you can ride 700 X 38's all the day long and be as happy as a pig in the mud. However; try that same width tire down here where we often have big, chunky limestone laid down by the dump truck loads across the entire roadway at a depth of two inches or more and ,well.......38's are no fun. I mean, you can use that width, but it is a lot harder row to hoe than if you were to ride a wider tire. Pick yer poison.....

 So, back to these 50's.....er, 46's, and yeah. I like the volume, I like the flatter crown to the tire. I like how they set up on the Spinergy GXX wheel set I have here. They fit the MCD very nicely with a decent amount of clearance. These tires and wheels could stay on here all year, I think, and the clearances would be just fine. 

I have experienced a bit of a 'draggy' feeling with the smaller Wentworths and I expect that trend to continue with these bigger versions. I've only been able to get out for some neighborhood cruising so far, so stay tuned for a report on ride performance on gravel here soon. And......that may be a bit. See, I have been filling in for the missing Andy this week. (Note- Stay calm! He isn't really missing, I'm sure he is fine where he went on vacation) I have to fill in for him on Saturday as well, so I may not see gravel roads for a bit. 

That said, it won't be long before I find myself with a lot of extra time on my hands as the season winds down here. As long as the weather holds out I should get in several weeks of riding gravel roads until it (a) gets too dag-gone cold, or (b) it snows and the roads ice up. 

More soon....

Note: The Standard Disclaimer applies here to the tires, Spinergy Wheels, and a few things I did not mention, but that are on the bike shown here.

American Classic Wentworth Update

American Classic Wentworth 700 X 50 (really 46)

 So, I finally got these bigger Wentworth tires on a bike here. The so-called 700 x 50's, which aren't 50's, but are 46's. I know.... Confusing! Let's just agree to call these 46's and get on with it, and we'll just forget about that hot patch on the tire for now, okay? 

Okay, with that out of the way, I will say that these seem a bit more reasonable as far as volume and profile for gravel then the so-called 40's are, which are really 38's, but are marked as 40's. (sigh) You get the picture....

I should have written 'for the gravel roads here where I ride'. Because I know that in Southeastern Minnesota, as an example, you can ride 700 X 38's all the day long and be as happy as a pig in the mud. However; try that same width tire down here where we often have big, chunky limestone laid down by the dump truck loads across the entire roadway at a depth of two inches or more and ,well.......38's are no fun. I mean, you can use that width, but it is a lot harder row to hoe than if you were to ride a wider tire. Pick yer poison.....

 So, back to these 50's.....er, 46's, and yeah. I like the volume, I like the flatter crown to the tire. I like how they set up on the Spinergy GXX wheel set I have here. They fit the MCD very nicely with a decent amount of clearance. These tires and wheels could stay on here all year, I think, and the clearances would be just fine. 

I have experienced a bit of a 'draggy' feeling with the smaller Wentworths and I expect that trend to continue with these bigger versions. I've only been able to get out for some neighborhood cruising so far, so stay tuned for a report on ride performance on gravel here soon. And......that may be a bit. See, I have been filling in for the missing Andy this week. (Note- Stay calm! He isn't really missing, I'm sure he is fine where he went on vacation) I have to fill in for him on Saturday as well, so I may not see gravel roads for a bit. 

That said, it won't be long before I find myself with a lot of extra time on my hands as the season winds down here. As long as the weather holds out I should get in several weeks of riding gravel roads until it (a) gets too dag-gone cold, or (b) it snows and the roads ice up. 

More soon....

Note: The Standard Disclaimer applies here to the tires, Spinergy Wheels, and a few things I did not mention, but that are on the bike shown here.

Friday News And Views

 Great Iowa Fall Ride Slated For October:

Last year a big announcement was made to the effect that there would be a big three day ride out of Iowa Falls in the Fall of 2020. It was sort of an answer to RAGBRAI being cancelled and also another revenue stream for the RAGBRAI organization. However, restrictions due to COVID did not relax enough in time to hold that ride. Many have wondered since what, if anything, might become of this ride.

Well, earlier this week news was announced regarding the ride, but now it was going to start and end in Cumming, Iowa, a small village Southwest of Des Moines. The ride now would be a one day event, feature several bar/restaurant stops along its 37 mile loop, and feature a concert by the Iowa band, The Pork Tornadoes. 

The ride is on Sunday, October the 10th, and cost $60.00 if you beat the early-bird registration deadline. You can learn more about the Great Iowa Fall Ride here. 

Giro's new Latch shoe- Dampers for your feet. Image courtesy of Giro

Vibration Damping Idea Not For Gravel?!

The term "vibration damping" is a buzz-word in the gravel scene these days. Frames, tires, heck, even wheels claim to cut down on the buzz of crushed rock roads. So, when I see the term in someone's marketing chutzpah, I take note.

This time the product is shoes, but they are not aimed at the gravel market. The Giro Latch shoes are supposed to have a damping effect for riders of flat pedals on rough trails. They call the mid-sole material "Mute Foam". I'm surprised this has not been applied to Giro's shoes for gravel, to be honest. Well, perhaps I shouldn't be. I took a look at Giro's site and they do not have a category for 'gravel shoes'. Ha! Figures.....

Putting Andy To Work:

Once in a great while I get Andy from Andy's Bike Shop to test something for RidingGravel.com. Well, he hasn't had anything to test for about a year now, but that has changed since he has these new skins for his Twin Six Standard Rando. 

He chose to test out these new Maxxis Receptor tires. These were announced just last February and I wrote about them on an "FN&V" post here. They appealed to Andy as a tire he expects to be fast on pavement and decent on gravel. 

They certainly have that look. Smoother center, edge knobs for support. As I said in February, much like a WTB Byway, or maybe these have a passing resemblance to a Challenge Gravel Grinder model. But at any rate, they should be fast. 

As for how they mounted, I haven't heard about that yet from Andy. He'll let me know and I'll get something written up for the site soon, but hopefully they were not like the old Ramblers, which are a pain in the butt to set up tubeless. (UPDATE: Andy informed me that yes- these are just like the Ramblers and are really hard to mount tubeless. Yay!) Stay tuned for more on the Receptors soon.....

  Cycling Pros Start Red Bull Sponsored Gravel Event In Texas:

Colin Strickland and Payson McElveen have known Texas as home and want folks to get into it via a gravel event they have cooked up with their mutual sponsor, Red Bull. The event, to be known as the "Red Bull Rio Grande Gravel Event" is set to take place on November 13 with registration opening soon on September 17th. There is a 500 rider field limit for this 100 miler. The event will take place out of Marfa, Texas which is in the Big Bend region of the state. 

Comments: Marketing hype is big with this one. Keeping in mind that this race has never been run, even once, they say, " Bar none, the hardest 100-mile gravel race on the planet." Wow! But, whatever. They can say what they want to and ya know what? People that end up going to this will just believe it and no one else will care. So, there is that. Truth? Pfft! Doesn't matter anymore, I guess. 

Interesting side note: Red Bull was a sponsor of the very first modern day gravel event. I happen to know since I was there. So, Red Bull is no stranger to the gravel scene. They also prominently have sponsored other gravel events, most notably Rebecca's Private Idaho. Red Bull is into all sorts of stuff, so if you know anything about this company, it shouldn't be a surprise that they would sponsor a (soon to be big, I guess) gravel event in Texas. 

That's a wrap for this week! Have a great weekend and thanks for reading G-Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

 Great Iowa Fall Ride Slated For October:

Last year a big announcement was made to the effect that there would be a big three day ride out of Iowa Falls in the Fall of 2020. It was sort of an answer to RAGBRAI being cancelled and also another revenue stream for the RAGBRAI organization. However, restrictions due to COVID did not relax enough in time to hold that ride. Many have wondered since what, if anything, might become of this ride.

Well, earlier this week news was announced regarding the ride, but now it was going to start and end in Cumming, Iowa, a small village Southwest of Des Moines. The ride now would be a one day event, feature several bar/restaurant stops along its 37 mile loop, and feature a concert by the Iowa band, The Pork Tornadoes. 

The ride is on Sunday, October the 10th, and cost $60.00 if you beat the early-bird registration deadline. You can learn more about the Great Iowa Fall Ride here. 

Giro's new Latch shoe- Dampers for your feet. Image courtesy of Giro

Vibration Damping Idea Not For Gravel?!

The term "vibration damping" is a buzz-word in the gravel scene these days. Frames, tires, heck, even wheels claim to cut down on the buzz of crushed rock roads. So, when I see the term in someone's marketing chutzpah, I take note.

This time the product is shoes, but they are not aimed at the gravel market. The Giro Latch shoes are supposed to have a damping effect for riders of flat pedals on rough trails. They call the mid-sole material "Mute Foam". I'm surprised this has not been applied to Giro's shoes for gravel, to be honest. Well, perhaps I shouldn't be. I took a look at Giro's site and they do not have a category for 'gravel shoes'. Ha! Figures.....

Putting Andy To Work:

Once in a great while I get Andy from Andy's Bike Shop to test something for RidingGravel.com. Well, he hasn't had anything to test for about a year now, but that has changed since he has these new skins for his Twin Six Standard Rando. 

He chose to test out these new Maxxis Receptor tires. These were announced just last February and I wrote about them on an "FN&V" post here. They appealed to Andy as a tire he expects to be fast on pavement and decent on gravel. 

They certainly have that look. Smoother center, edge knobs for support. As I said in February, much like a WTB Byway, or maybe these have a passing resemblance to a Challenge Gravel Grinder model. But at any rate, they should be fast. 

As for how they mounted, I haven't heard about that yet from Andy. He'll let me know and I'll get something written up for the site soon, but hopefully they were not like the old Ramblers, which are a pain in the butt to set up tubeless. (UPDATE: Andy informed me that yes- these are just like the Ramblers and are really hard to mount tubeless. Yay!) Stay tuned for more on the Receptors soon.....

  Cycling Pros Start Red Bull Sponsored Gravel Event In Texas:

Colin Strickland and Payson McElveen have known Texas as home and want folks to get into it via a gravel event they have cooked up with their mutual sponsor, Red Bull. The event, to be known as the "Red Bull Rio Grande Gravel Event" is set to take place on November 13 with registration opening soon on September 17th. There is a 500 rider field limit for this 100 miler. The event will take place out of Marfa, Texas which is in the Big Bend region of the state. 

Comments: Marketing hype is big with this one. Keeping in mind that this race has never been run, even once, they say, " Bar none, the hardest 100-mile gravel race on the planet." Wow! But, whatever. They can say what they want to and ya know what? People that end up going to this will just believe it and no one else will care. So, there is that. Truth? Pfft! Doesn't matter anymore, I guess. 

Interesting side note: Red Bull was a sponsor of the very first modern day gravel event. I happen to know since I was there. So, Red Bull is no stranger to the gravel scene. They also prominently have sponsored other gravel events, most notably Rebecca's Private Idaho. Red Bull is into all sorts of stuff, so if you know anything about this company, it shouldn't be a surprise that they would sponsor a (soon to be big, I guess) gravel event in Texas. 

That's a wrap for this week! Have a great weekend and thanks for reading G-Ted Productions!

The Great Ragby Comes To Town

The ride in Iowa called RAGBRAI happened after a one year pause due to COVID and the route that was to be used in 2020 got used this year. Anyway, that's the story I heard. I know......you might think I'd know this stuff, but I am not at all concerned about RAGBRAI. 

I'm not against the ride. Not at all. I'm just not interested. I tried it. I rode it completely twice in two different decades. I worked as a mechanic on it two consecutive years. I've ridden a partial week. I've done single days of it on different years. So, yeah, I know all about RAGBRAI. I just don't want to ride it, nor am I all that interested in its goings on. With the exception of this year, because it may have affected my work. Usually, looking at history, that would be a reasonable expectation. However; there is one big wrench in the works this time, and that is due to the effects of the pandemic. 

There is also the fact that over the last ten years RAGBRAI participation, at least from this area, has been in a steady decline. Riders kept getting older, then either quit, or died. No new, younger riders were taking their places. At least not in numbers large enough to stave off the obvious decline in repairs, accessories sales, and new bike sales that you could directly tie to RAGBRAI. It used to be that from mid-June to RAGBRAI's start on the last full week of July, I'd be swamped with repair work, turning away jobs because I couldn't get to them, and setting hard cut-off dates to get RAGBRAI related work out the door by the time the riders would be departing. 

The last five years that hasn't happened at all. People saying they were going on RAGBRAI were more rare. Repairs were easy to keep up on. Then last year, of course, there were no RAGBRAI repairs at all. Then this year dawned, RAGBRAI was back, and we were wondering if people would be buying into doing this ride, despite COVID variants, rising numbers of new cases, and more fear-mongering by the media. 

Well, during the previous weeks leading up to RAGBRAI, we heard stories of folks bailing out on the ride. Six guys not coming from out-of-state due to uncomfortable feelings due to the pandemic. The local RAGBRAI charter was only 3/4's full, a weird thing since this club annually turned people away every year that wanted to go with them, but could not due to their buses being filled up. 

We had few RAGBRAI repairs, which wasn't a surprise to me. Then on the day they were here, well, I saw very little RAGBRAI related activity. Normally buses painted with wild schemes and emblazoned with weird team names would be seen going up and down the streets. I would catch random riders all across town. Residential areas would be peppered with camp sites in front and back lawns. It was that way last time RAGBRAI came to Waterloo, but not so much in 2021. 

I worked at Andy's Bike Shop yesterday. We had a reasonable amount of emergencies to take care of. It wasn't any more or less than I remember in that way from the years past. So, at least that part was fine. But going home, I saw very little evidence of the ride in this old city.  I caught a few riders at the dead end created by a barricade on the Sergeant Road bike trail, they seemed a bit lost, but I was in a hurry to make supper time. I didn't stop to ask questions. But I was surprised I did not see more riders out and about. 

It'll be interesting to read and hear the after-reports. I'll be curious to know if the Waterloo visit was received well, and if numbers were what was expected. I'm thinking it did not have the impact people thought it would, but we'll see. One thing is for certain, this ride does not seem to have the overwhelming effect on this city that it once did whenever it came around in years past.

The Great Ragby Comes To Town

The ride in Iowa called RAGBRAI happened after a one year pause due to COVID and the route that was to be used in 2020 got used this year. Anyway, that's the story I heard. I know......you might think I'd know this stuff, but I am not at all concerned about RAGBRAI. 

I'm not against the ride. Not at all. I'm just not interested. I tried it. I rode it completely twice in two different decades. I worked as a mechanic on it two consecutive years. I've ridden a partial week. I've done single days of it on different years. So, yeah, I know all about RAGBRAI. I just don't want to ride it, nor am I all that interested in its goings on. With the exception of this year, because it may have affected my work. Usually, looking at history, that would be a reasonable expectation. However; there is one big wrench in the works this time, and that is due to the effects of the pandemic. 

There is also the fact that over the last ten years RAGBRAI participation, at least from this area, has been in a steady decline. Riders kept getting older, then either quit, or died. No new, younger riders were taking their places. At least not in numbers large enough to stave off the obvious decline in repairs, accessories sales, and new bike sales that you could directly tie to RAGBRAI. It used to be that from mid-June to RAGBRAI's start on the last full week of July, I'd be swamped with repair work, turning away jobs because I couldn't get to them, and setting hard cut-off dates to get RAGBRAI related work out the door by the time the riders would be departing. 

The last five years that hasn't happened at all. People saying they were going on RAGBRAI were more rare. Repairs were easy to keep up on. Then last year, of course, there were no RAGBRAI repairs at all. Then this year dawned, RAGBRAI was back, and we were wondering if people would be buying into doing this ride, despite COVID variants, rising numbers of new cases, and more fear-mongering by the media. 

Well, during the previous weeks leading up to RAGBRAI, we heard stories of folks bailing out on the ride. Six guys not coming from out-of-state due to uncomfortable feelings due to the pandemic. The local RAGBRAI charter was only 3/4's full, a weird thing since this club annually turned people away every year that wanted to go with them, but could not due to their buses being filled up. 

We had few RAGBRAI repairs, which wasn't a surprise to me. Then on the day they were here, well, I saw very little RAGBRAI related activity. Normally buses painted with wild schemes and emblazoned with weird team names would be seen going up and down the streets. I would catch random riders all across town. Residential areas would be peppered with camp sites in front and back lawns. It was that way last time RAGBRAI came to Waterloo, but not so much in 2021. 

I worked at Andy's Bike Shop yesterday. We had a reasonable amount of emergencies to take care of. It wasn't any more or less than I remember in that way from the years past. So, at least that part was fine. But going home, I saw very little evidence of the ride in this old city.  I caught a few riders at the dead end created by a barricade on the Sergeant Road bike trail, they seemed a bit lost, but I was in a hurry to make supper time. I didn't stop to ask questions. But I was surprised I did not see more riders out and about. 

It'll be interesting to read and hear the after-reports. I'll be curious to know if the Waterloo visit was received well, and if numbers were what was expected. I'm thinking it did not have the impact people thought it would, but we'll see. One thing is for certain, this ride does not seem to have the overwhelming effect on this city that it once did whenever it came around in years past.

Friday News And Views

 Shimano Announces Re-opening Of Factory:

 After a full month plus of complete shutdown, and two weeks at 60% output, Shimano has reportedly re-opened their Malaysian factory components works. A factory said to be responsible for parts production from 105 road level and below, and SLX MTB level and below. The component manufacturer, already behind demand leading into the shutdown, is now further behind on making these critical components for the majority of what bike shops sell here in the U.S.A. 

The news, published by a couple of industry specific sites, is good, but with all the critical time lost, coupled with shipping and packaging issues worldwide, this situation has gone from bad to worse for consumers. Things like disc brake pads, disc brake rotors, derailleurs, and wheel components, amongst other bits, are nearly impossible to source. 

In the meantime, other manufacturers have been tapped to provide parts for brands seeking to get bicycles into dealer's and consumer's hands. Brands like Microshift, which does complete drive trains, and other lesser known companies, are trying to fill the void where Shimano was once dominant. While some bits seem well up to the task, it is apparent- to this mechanic at least - that many of these components are sub-Shimano quality and likely will not have similar performance or longevity. 

Furthermore; it has been whispered that some brands may even skip 2022 model year bikes altogether due to the paucity of parts and shipping woes. Some even say the bigger brands are pushing out the smaller brands for factory capacity to manufacture bicycles. Whatever the truth may be, it sounds a lot like 2022 will be a continuance of 2021 in regard to bicycles and parts.  

The KOM Cycling Saddle Tool Roll on my Noble Bikes GX5.

Tool Roll Wars:

Recently I was sent a KOM Cycling Saddle Tool Roll for test and review on RidingGravel.com. (Free and at no charge- I'm not being paid for this, yadda,yadda, yadda...) It's a new product for them and for me, it is another 'dreaded tool roll' deal. You see, I haven't been too impressed by this sort of storage idea in the past.

I tried a tool roll once from a company I shall not name, and the thing ended up falling off my bike at unawares after being rock solid on there for over a week and I lost all my good riding tools. Bah! 

These things are for the minimal-packing cyclist, but yet they are not all that much lighter or compact than a small under-saddle mounted bag. I should think almost any under-saddle mounted bag wouldn't just fall off your bike. So.....the whole idea of a 'tool roll' was kind of lost on me. But there is a certain romanticized view of such things coming from the road riding world, as I understand it. 

Anyway, the tool roll..... I am testing another one. This is a bit like a Silca tool roll, and I was rudely reminded of this by a commenter on an Instagram post I made about the KOM Saddle Tool Roll. "It's a rip-off...", and I'm like, am I supposed to do something about that? It may be similar, yes- probably, but 'rip-off'? So, I figured why not? I ordered up the Silca one as well. (Paid for, not asked to test, yadda, yadda, yadda....)We'll see about the similarities and compare and contrast. Fair and square, without any negativeness or name-calling. 

Tool Roll Wars. It's on! Stay tuned......

Sea Otter Australia Postponed:

While to us here in the U.S.A. it may seem as though things are all 'back to normal', the rest of the world is still grappling with the effects of COVID-19. The latest cycling related issue regarding the pandemic is the postponing of the Sea Otter event in Australia to early Fall. 

This news comes as case loads of COVID-19 are on the uptick in the U.S.A. Most agree that the Delta variant of COVID is to blame as it is much more contagious than the original COVID strain. It is not engraved in stone that we here in North America won't ever have to isolate, wear masks, or suffer cancellations of events again. This bears watching going forward and things like what we are seeing now in Australia, Japan, Malaysia, (see first entry in today's "FN&V") and elsewhere in the world remind us that despite vaccines being available, this isn't over just yet. 

Cannondale Topstone 2

Andy's Bike Shop Is Now A Cannondale Dealer!

I've known about this for a while now, but the public statement just went out this past week that Cannondale Bicycles will now be sold through Andy's Bike Shop in Cedar Falls, Iowa. (If you are unaware, I work as a mechanic at Andy's) 

 Now Andy's Bike Shop sells Kona Bikes, Cannondale, and Reid Bikes. We were pretty happy to land a Cannondale account since it is a brand that has been represented in the Cedar Valley for 30+ years now. After the shop I last worked at went out of business at the end of 2019, Cannondale bikes have been missing from this market area. Not anymore. 

Obviously bicycles are hard to come by, but by the end of this month Andy's Bike Shop should know more about exactly when the Cannondales will be rolling in. I don't know exactly what we'll be able to get, but I hope to see some Topstones and maybe.......their new Super Six Evo SE gravel bike. That'd be pretty cool. Stay tuned.........

That's a wrap for this week. have a great weekend and stay cool!

Friday News And Views

 Shimano Announces Re-opening Of Factory:

 After a full month plus of complete shutdown, and two weeks at 60% output, Shimano has reportedly re-opened their Malaysian factory components works. A factory said to be responsible for parts production from 105 road level and below, and SLX MTB level and below. The component manufacturer, already behind demand leading into the shutdown, is now further behind on making these critical components for the majority of what bike shops sell here in the U.S.A. 

The news, published by a couple of industry specific sites, is good, but with all the critical time lost, coupled with shipping and packaging issues worldwide, this situation has gone from bad to worse for consumers. Things like disc brake pads, disc brake rotors, derailleurs, and wheel components, amongst other bits, are nearly impossible to source. 

In the meantime, other manufacturers have been tapped to provide parts for brands seeking to get bicycles into dealer's and consumer's hands. Brands like Microshift, which does complete drive trains, and other lesser known companies, are trying to fill the void where Shimano was once dominant. While some bits seem well up to the task, it is apparent- to this mechanic at least - that many of these components are sub-Shimano quality and likely will not have similar performance or longevity. 

Furthermore; it has been whispered that some brands may even skip 2022 model year bikes altogether due to the paucity of parts and shipping woes. Some even say the bigger brands are pushing out the smaller brands for factory capacity to manufacture bicycles. Whatever the truth may be, it sounds a lot like 2022 will be a continuance of 2021 in regard to bicycles and parts.  

The KOM Cycling Saddle Tool Roll on my Noble Bikes GX5.

Tool Roll Wars:

Recently I was sent a KOM Cycling Saddle Tool Roll for test and review on RidingGravel.com. (Free and at no charge- I'm not being paid for this, yadda,yadda, yadda...) It's a new product for them and for me, it is another 'dreaded tool roll' deal. You see, I haven't been too impressed by this sort of storage idea in the past.

I tried a tool roll once from a company I shall not name, and the thing ended up falling off my bike at unawares after being rock solid on there for over a week and I lost all my good riding tools. Bah! 

These things are for the minimal-packing cyclist, but yet they are not all that much lighter or compact than a small under-saddle mounted bag. I should think almost any under-saddle mounted bag wouldn't just fall off your bike. So.....the whole idea of a 'tool roll' was kind of lost on me. But there is a certain romanticized view of such things coming from the road riding world, as I understand it. 

Anyway, the tool roll..... I am testing another one. This is a bit like a Silca tool roll, and I was rudely reminded of this by a commenter on an Instagram post I made about the KOM Saddle Tool Roll. "It's a rip-off...", and I'm like, am I supposed to do something about that? It may be similar, yes- probably, but 'rip-off'? So, I figured why not? I ordered up the Silca one as well. (Paid for, not asked to test, yadda, yadda, yadda....)We'll see about the similarities and compare and contrast. Fair and square, without any negativeness or name-calling. 

Tool Roll Wars. It's on! Stay tuned......

Sea Otter Australia Postponed:

While to us here in the U.S.A. it may seem as though things are all 'back to normal', the rest of the world is still grappling with the effects of COVID-19. The latest cycling related issue regarding the pandemic is the postponing of the Sea Otter event in Australia to early Fall. 

This news comes as case loads of COVID-19 are on the uptick in the U.S.A. Most agree that the Delta variant of COVID is to blame as it is much more contagious than the original COVID strain. It is not engraved in stone that we here in North America won't ever have to isolate, wear masks, or suffer cancellations of events again. This bears watching going forward and things like what we are seeing now in Australia, Japan, Malaysia, (see first entry in today's "FN&V") and elsewhere in the world remind us that despite vaccines being available, this isn't over just yet. 

Cannondale Topstone 2

Andy's Bike Shop Is Now A Cannondale Dealer!

I've known about this for a while now, but the public statement just went out this past week that Cannondale Bicycles will now be sold through Andy's Bike Shop in Cedar Falls, Iowa. (If you are unaware, I work as a mechanic at Andy's) 

 Now Andy's Bike Shop sells Kona Bikes, Cannondale, and Reid Bikes. We were pretty happy to land a Cannondale account since it is a brand that has been represented in the Cedar Valley for 30+ years now. After the shop I last worked at went out of business at the end of 2019, Cannondale bikes have been missing from this market area. Not anymore. 

Obviously bicycles are hard to come by, but by the end of this month Andy's Bike Shop should know more about exactly when the Cannondales will be rolling in. I don't know exactly what we'll be able to get, but I hope to see some Topstones and maybe.......their new Super Six Evo SE gravel bike. That'd be pretty cool. Stay tuned.........

That's a wrap for this week. have a great weekend and stay cool!

Project Wide Gravel Wheels v2: Getting Acquainted With The Machine

Practicing on my own spokes....

 In my effort to get these wheels built I have decided to take all of you readers along for the ride. So, today's post will be about the next step in my Project Wide Gravel Wheels v2. The next step was to get the spokes gathered together. 

I did a bit of a big overview concerning how to arrive at the proper data to get spoke lengths in my last update. So, I will be assuming that you either understand that, or have gotten this far. Now to choose spokes....

I had an excellent question regarding this in the comments section and it will serve to provide a general discussion here of spoke brands, types, and the nipples to go with them. Most people kind of overthink this part, in my opinion. Basically, all the minutiae that some folks sweat over when choosing wheel components is completely forgotten about and not discernible in terms of ride feel after a few weeks of riding. So- why sweat the choices when there are proven winning combinations? My take on component choices follows this philosophy. 

So, I'll list a few 'this-or-that' topics and comment appropriately....

• Butted/Bladed or Straight Gauge: I don't sweat the weight thing here as the difference in butted versus straight gauge is not all that much. You are much better off being concerned about rim and hub weights as you can realize a lot more gains from those parts than you will from 28-32 spokes. That said.... Use what makes sense for the build. Straight gauge spokes tend to be tougher, they handle more abuse in a better way- so use those in situations where you want that quality. Butted spokes can be more flexible, and they often are the 'strongest' spokes in terms of tensile strength. So, use those where those qualities make more sense. But don't go solely on weight.  
• Alloy vs Brass Spoke Nipples: You can almost never go wrong using brass nipples. Alloy nipples can be used successfully, and- of course- come in various anodized colors while brass nipples do not. Alloy is lighter, brass is tougher. Brass resists corrosion better than alloy does. Alloy requires that the builder make sure that the spoke lengths are exactly the right length to avoid nipple failures. Brass is more forgiving in that way. Again- use what makes sense for the job. If you go alloy- make sure you, or your wheel builder, knows the correct methods to attain the best outcome. 
• Brand: Stick with the following- DT Swiss, Sapim, or Wheelsmith. That's my opinion. Anything else is taking a risk, again- my opinion - that is not necessary. Period. 

Okay, one more interesting tidbit- The Spank rims require 'spoke washers', which are what they sound like- Little washers that go under the nipple head and against the inner rim well. These do-dads spread force across a wider area of the rim instead of localizing it at the spoke hole edges. Not all rim manufacturers require these, but some do. (Some builds should have them as well.) Also, Spank strongly recommends using butted spokes to get the best out of their claimed 'vertically compliant rims'. So, I am not going 100% butted, but there will be some butted spokes in this build. Spank also requires the builder use 3 cross pattern in the lacing. That's fine as that is what I would do anyway. So, these wheels will be a bit odd compared to a standard set of wheels. 

I have quite a stash of spokes from the years of wheel building. So, I often go through those to see what I have that I can 'use up' in my next wheel build. They are all Wheelsmith spokes, for the most part, with a few DT Swiss spokes thrown in for good measure. I had to source about half the spokes since I did not have the correct 295mm length. Fortunately we have a Wheel Fanatyk/Wheelsmith/Morizumi spoke cutter at Andy's Bike Shop. Actually, we just got it a couple of months ago. There are 'blank spokes'- spokes which are overly long and not threaded- which can be cut to a precise length and have threads rolled into them by the spoke machine. It is a fun, easy to do process and I cut 28 spokes in minutes for the job before I started work Tuesday. 

The next thing I have to do is to source nipples, and after that- it's wheel building time!

Project Wide Gravel Wheels v2: Getting Acquainted With The Machine

Practicing on my own spokes....

 In my effort to get these wheels built I have decided to take all of you readers along for the ride. So, today's post will be about the next step in my Project Wide Gravel Wheels v2. The next step was to get the spokes gathered together. 

I did a bit of a big overview concerning how to arrive at the proper data to get spoke lengths in my last update. So, I will be assuming that you either understand that, or have gotten this far. Now to choose spokes....

I had an excellent question regarding this in the comments section and it will serve to provide a general discussion here of spoke brands, types, and the nipples to go with them. Most people kind of overthink this part, in my opinion. Basically, all the minutiae that some folks sweat over when choosing wheel components is completely forgotten about and not discernible in terms of ride feel after a few weeks of riding. So- why sweat the choices when there are proven winning combinations? My take on component choices follows this philosophy. 

So, I'll list a few 'this-or-that' topics and comment appropriately....

• Butted/Bladed or Straight Gauge: I don't sweat the weight thing here as the difference in butted versus straight gauge is not all that much. You are much better off being concerned about rim and hub weights as you can realize a lot more gains from those parts than you will from 28-32 spokes. That said.... Use what makes sense for the build. Straight gauge spokes tend to be tougher, they handle more abuse in a better way- so use those in situations where you want that quality. Butted spokes can be more flexible, and they often are the 'strongest' spokes in terms of tensile strength. So, use those where those qualities make more sense. But don't go solely on weight.  
• Alloy vs Brass Spoke Nipples: You can almost never go wrong using brass nipples. Alloy nipples can be used successfully, and- of course- come in various anodized colors while brass nipples do not. Alloy is lighter, brass is tougher. Brass resists corrosion better than alloy does. Alloy requires that the builder make sure that the spoke lengths are exactly the right length to avoid nipple failures. Brass is more forgiving in that way. Again- use what makes sense for the job. If you go alloy- make sure you, or your wheel builder, knows the correct methods to attain the best outcome. 
• Brand: Stick with the following- DT Swiss, Sapim, or Wheelsmith. That's my opinion. Anything else is taking a risk, again- my opinion - that is not necessary. Period. 

Okay, one more interesting tidbit- The Spank rims require 'spoke washers', which are what they sound like- Little washers that go under the nipple head and against the inner rim well. These do-dads spread force across a wider area of the rim instead of localizing it at the spoke hole edges. Not all rim manufacturers require these, but some do. (Some builds should have them as well.) Also, Spank strongly recommends using butted spokes to get the best out of their claimed 'vertically compliant rims'. So, I am not going 100% butted, but there will be some butted spokes in this build. Spank also requires the builder use 3 cross pattern in the lacing. That's fine as that is what I would do anyway. So, these wheels will be a bit odd compared to a standard set of wheels. 

I have quite a stash of spokes from the years of wheel building. So, I often go through those to see what I have that I can 'use up' in my next wheel build. They are all Wheelsmith spokes, for the most part, with a few DT Swiss spokes thrown in for good measure. I had to source about half the spokes since I did not have the correct 295mm length. Fortunately we have a Wheel Fanatyk/Wheelsmith/Morizumi spoke cutter at Andy's Bike Shop. Actually, we just got it a couple of months ago. There are 'blank spokes'- spokes which are overly long and not threaded- which can be cut to a precise length and have threads rolled into them by the spoke machine. It is a fun, easy to do process and I cut 28 spokes in minutes for the job before I started work Tuesday. 

The next thing I have to do is to source nipples, and after that- it's wheel building time!

Friday News And Views

The Juiced Cross Current electrified bike. Image courtesy of Juiced

 A Recent Experience With An HPC:

 So since I work at Andy's Bike Shop, I get to see some of these electrified HPC's (Hybrid Powered Cycles) and really get to see how they are made and this time, how a particular model rode. Let me tell you- there is a big disconnect between what endemic cycling brands say and what reality is. 

So, the mainstream story on so-called 'e-bikes' is that there are three classes regulated so that anything outrageous, too fast, or anything you do not have to pedal is relegated to licensing and insurance, like a motorcycle. They call the rider-assisted type HPC's "pedelecs". Okay? So, the prevailing thought is that this whole segment is regulated and safe and orderly now. 

No, no, no! This segment is anything but well regulated. In fact, it is the wild, wild West, if it is anything. And- there is zero policing of rules anyway- so they are meaningless. Case in point- the Juiced brand model I worked on the other day. While it does have a 'pedelec' factor in that there is assist when you pedal, it has a throttle, and you don't have to pedal it. So, a hybrid of a hybrid. Anyway, this 56lb beast, (yes, that's what Juice claims, but it actually may be heavier), goes 28mph and gets to that speed in a very unnatural time. The pedal assist, while adjustable, is also very unnatural feeling- to me. 

Now, I get it- "It allows my________ (fill in the blank) to ride where otherwise....." Yes. Fine, I am onboard with all of that. Does it get 'more people out riding more often'? Maybe. I'm not convinced numbers are up around here because of HPC's, but maybe..... These people are getting the same 'work-out' as people riding 100% human powered rigs? That's a very dubious claim. After riding one of these and seeing how little effort is required? I am extremely doubtful of those statements. 

Also- This rig goes for $1600-$1700 depending upon options. That's a lot less than most 'bike shop brand' HPC's and- in my opinion- still too expensive for the general non-cycling or casual cycling public. The very people that HPC advocates are saying these cycles will appeal to. Plus- they are heavy, not very well spec'ed, and aren't serviced by many shops. Now we at Andy's do work on them, but I know most shops in the area will not touch these things. Of course, that's extremely helpful to the cause of the HPC (sarcasm alert). But this is the future. Sooner or later all shops will have to figure out how to work on these things. May as well start now.....

And that's my take on things HPC at this point.....

The HED Wheels Emporia GC3 carbon rimmed wheels. Image courtesy of HED

HED Wheels Amps Up Inner Rim Widths For Gravel:

I've opined on rim widths for gravel/back road wheels before, so I am not going to bang on about that a lot here, but HED Wheels' newest offering is another example of the 'wider is better' philosophy with its 26mm inner rim width. 

The 'other trend' this wheel set represents is that of lowering costs for carbon rimmed wheels. The mainstream brands are finally recognizing that many consumers are looking at and buying carbon rims from places like Nextie and other Far East firms which sell rims for not a lot more than what aluminum rims sell for. So, complete wheel set prices, for carbon rims, used to all be 2G+ and now we're seeing those prices float down to 1500 and in some cases, around a thousand bucks. The Spinergy GX wheels being a great example of that. 

Now, of course, you have some compromises when you spend less from the major brands. That HED wheel set is 1500+ grams, so it isn't going to wow you with incredibly easy to spin up feelings like, say a sub-1300 gram, super-expensive wheel set would. But at 1600-ish bucks? That's not bad. But you can even find less expensive wheels than that at about the same weight, like these from Bontrager, which are about 300 bucks less than the HED wheels are.  

In a time when everything is hard to get and when you do- it cost a lot more- this trend in carbon fiber rimmed wheels is nice to see. Will it last? Hard to say. My guess is that we will see things stabilize and maybe creep upwards in price, especially if places like Nextie start to move up on prices from where they are now. But if not, this competition is good for the buyer, and with all the quality options out there now, there are certainly more reasons than ever to check out a carbon wheel set for a gravel bike. 

The new Cannondale "Dave" jump bike. Image courtesy of Cannondale

Cannondale Debuts New Dirt Jump Bike:

You know that the shortages are real when a dirt jump bike with a single speed drive train and 26" wheels is 'big news' for a major brand. Usually this sort of introduction would get very little notice, but with not much else to talk about, the marketing 'paint brush' was all in on painting the picture for us in regard to the Dave and what it is for. 

But let's be honest here- Do we really need anyone to tell us about this bike? It is a 'big-person's BMX bike' and that's about all you need to go on. You know, tricks, jumping, hopping, general hooliganism. That's what Dave is all about. 

Have you heard those pundits that say "All Bikes Are Gravel Bikes"? Let's see them do a metric century on a Dave and ask them about that afterward. Ha! But the point is, this bike telegraphs its intended use quite well without any further explanations. Marketing just doesn't have a whole lot to do of late, so- you know- they have to justify their salaries and come up with something. (Again- sarcasm alert) 

I've seen bikes like these before come through my work stand. Frankly, they are nothing to get worked up about. They are tools to be used up, and most of the time, that's how they appear when I've seen such bicycles. Used up, ridden hard- put away wet. A hammer for those inclined to pound the bike park or urban landscapes with. If it is your cuppa tea, then this might be interesting. 

Oh, and by the way, Andy's Bike Shop is now a Cannondale dealer too. Full disclosure here...... 

Reminder On The Trans Iowa T-Shirt/Book Fund:

Last week I floated an idea by you all. It had to do with the series "Trans Iowa Stories" being put into a book format at some point and a way that you, the readers, could help that along a bit by buying a Trans Iowa v14 logo shirt. 

Click that link to learn more. What I wanted to do today was twofold- remind you of that opportunity to get in on the t-shirt and help out, (done), and there is one other thing I wanted to run by everybody here.

I was thinking the other day. "I'm writing this book, but I am a part of the story too. (Big part? Small part? Am I dreaming I ever was a part of it? You decide.....) I was thinking that what this project needs is a voice with no real horse in the race that could maybe ask some Trans Iowa riders and related folks what their take is on me, my part in things, and Trans Iowa in general. I do not have the proper perspective to undertake such a task. Plus, this book, if it happens, needs that angle to be interesting and complete. 

So, if you are interested in taking that on, or if you know anyone that might be interested in such a thankless task as looking into my contributions to Trans Iowa and the event itself, then comment,or contact me at g.ted.productions@gmail.com and I will discuss the idea with said individual. I cannot promise the efforts will result in anything but an experience to learn from, but you never know.... 

Okay, that's a wrap for another week. Get out and ride! Thanks for reading!