Robot Noises For (Almost) Any Bike - Part 3

The Archer Components D-1X unit on the Snow Dog

A while back I tried to ride the Snow Dog, my 2011 Salsa Cycles Mukluk, and I forgot something. I forgot that I had installed the Archer Components D-1X electronic shifting mod on it and the batteries were dead. No wonder! I had the stuff since 2020 and I had never charged the batteries! 

Well, as an update to the previous post I did back at the end of 2020, (HERE), and as a way to actually, you know, get to ride that bike again, I decided I had better learn how this recharging works. 

Frankly, I had no idea that it had been over a year since I last had written up anything on the system, but that is the case. So, here is your update- finally- and a few words about the charging aspect of the system. 

First off, these Archer D-1X's run off special batteries which are sized like AA and AAA batteries, but don't try those! The Archer batteries are a special voltage and your garden variety battery is not recommended. There are two of these batteries in the main "box" on the seat stay of my bike and one in the remote shifter. The battery hatch for the main 'box' is an easily removed - a screw off cap which is located at the front of the 'box', opposite of where the cable exits the unit. Hint: A telescoping, 'pencil' magnet tool will help you extract the batteries without trying to tip the bike oddly.

The Snow Dog set up with the Archer D-1X. You can see the main shifting 'box' on the seat stay

Okay, now to extract the single, smaller sized battery from that remote. It is behind a 'door' located on the bottom side of the remote and held on by two, small hex tool compatible bolts. No big deal, right? just remove those two bolts and grab the battery. Well, it is easy if you have a 1.5mm hex key! 

Who uses 1.5mm hex key head bolts? Archer Components, that's who!

This precipitated a search for said odd-ball tool. That led to a feng shui session in my shop. This felt great, and I was better organized than ever, but I still did not have a 1.5mm hex key! 

Who the heck uses 1.5mm hex socket bolts anyway! 2mm hex keys? I have them all day long. But 1.5mm? Really?!

Anyway, I finally found one on a Park Tool hex key set I had misplaced in another drawer. Hallelujah! Now on to getting these batteries recharged. I wondered how long that would take. 

Well, I never found out via the Archer Components website. It wasn't in the instruction manual that came with the unit. It wasn't with the instructions for the special charger either. Wow! You'd think that might be an important bit for a user of the system to know. Anyway......

The charger works great, but it is a little kludgy.

Only one way to find out how long the batteries take to charge, and that was to observe a charge cycle in real time. That's what I did, not knowing if this would be an hour or three. 

Good news was that the two larger batteries charged up in about one hour. The little battery? Wow! That battery took maybe 20 minutes to charge. And I am pretty sure all the batteries were drained. I am not sure if this adversely affects battery life, or not, but I was good to go in under two hours. 

Conclusions: I'm okay with this system but for a couple weird things that it has going on with it. One: You have to physically turn on and off the shift box or battery life is adversely affected. Two: Those dratted 1.5mm bolts on the remote shifter battery door. Why? There is no good reason for that. Give me some Phillips head screws, or 2mm bolts, but not this odd-ball size that most cyclist won't have a wrench for. 

Go read the link back for more about riding with the D-1X system. It works well, and it is easy to adjust, once you get used to it. I should note that Archer has a new, paddle shifter for flat bars now and the drop bar remote is available as well. This works with 5 speed freewheels all the way up to 11 speed cassettes. It doesn't care if you have a SRAM rear derailleur and a Campy cassette. Whatever. You can make it go, so I think it makes sense from the aspect that you can swap a single set up around to different bikes and enjoy crisp, electronic shifting with no worries about cables and housings. 

And then again, you can always just ride a single speed! 

 NOTE: Archer Components sent over the D1X shifting system to Riding Gravel for test and review at no charge. I am not being paid, nor bribed, to post this here. See the Standard Disclaimer Page.

Robot Noises For (Almost) Any Bike - Part 3

The Archer Components D-1X unit on the Snow Dog

A while back I tried to ride the Snow Dog, my 2011 Salsa Cycles Mukluk, and I forgot something. I forgot that I had installed the Archer Components D-1X electronic shifting mod on it and the batteries were dead. No wonder! I had the stuff since 2020 and I had never charged the batteries! 

Well, as an update to the previous post I did back at the end of 2020, (HERE), and as a way to actually, you know, get to ride that bike again, I decided I had better learn how this recharging works. 

Frankly, I had no idea that it had been over a year since I last had written up anything on the system, but that is the case. So, here is your update- finally- and a few words about the charging aspect of the system. 

First off, these Archer D-1X's run off special batteries which are sized like AA and AAA batteries, but don't try those! The Archer batteries are a special voltage and your garden variety battery is not recommended. There are two of these batteries in the main "box" on the seat stay of my bike and one in the remote shifter. The battery hatch for the main 'box' is an easily removed - a screw off cap which is located at the front of the 'box', opposite of where the cable exits the unit. Hint: A telescoping, 'pencil' magnet tool will help you extract the batteries without trying to tip the bike oddly.

The Snow Dog set up with the Archer D-1X. You can see the main shifting 'box' on the seat stay

Okay, now to extract the single, smaller sized battery from that remote. It is behind a 'door' located on the bottom side of the remote and held on by two, small hex tool compatible bolts. No big deal, right? just remove those two bolts and grab the battery. Well, it is easy if you have a 1.5mm hex key! 

Who uses 1.5mm hex key head bolts? Archer Components, that's who!

This precipitated a search for said odd-ball tool. That led to a feng shui session in my shop. This felt great, and I was better organized than ever, but I still did not have a 1.5mm hex key! 

Who the heck uses 1.5mm hex socket bolts anyway! 2mm hex keys? I have them all day long. But 1.5mm? Really?!

Anyway, I finally found one on a Park Tool hex key set I had misplaced in another drawer. Hallelujah! Now on to getting these batteries recharged. I wondered how long that would take. 

Well, I never found out via the Archer Components website. It wasn't in the instruction manual that came with the unit. It wasn't with the instructions for the special charger either. Wow! You'd think that might be an important bit for a user of the system to know. Anyway......

The charger works great, but it is a little kludgy.

Only one way to find out how long the batteries take to charge, and that was to observe a charge cycle in real time. That's what I did, not knowing if this would be an hour or three. 

Good news was that the two larger batteries charged up in about one hour. The little battery? Wow! That battery took maybe 20 minutes to charge. And I am pretty sure all the batteries were drained. I am not sure if this adversely affects battery life, or not, but I was good to go in under two hours. 

Conclusions: I'm okay with this system but for a couple weird things that it has going on with it. One: You have to physically turn on and off the shift box or battery life is adversely affected. Two: Those dratted 1.5mm bolts on the remote shifter battery door. Why? There is no good reason for that. Give me some Phillips head screws, or 2mm bolts, but not this odd-ball size that most cyclist won't have a wrench for. 

Go read the link back for more about riding with the D-1X system. It works well, and it is easy to adjust, once you get used to it. I should note that Archer has a new, paddle shifter for flat bars now and the drop bar remote is available as well. This works with 5 speed freewheels all the way up to 11 speed cassettes. It doesn't care if you have a SRAM rear derailleur and a Campy cassette. Whatever. You can make it go, so I think it makes sense from the aspect that you can swap a single set up around to different bikes and enjoy crisp, electronic shifting with no worries about cables and housings. 

And then again, you can always just ride a single speed! 

 NOTE: Archer Components sent over the D1X shifting system to Riding Gravel for test and review at no charge. I am not being paid, nor bribed, to post this here. See the Standard Disclaimer Page.

Friday News And Views

 Who Started This Gravel Bike Nonsense Anyway?

The "Global Cycling Network" is a site and You Tube channel that is very popular. They have a great sense of humor and their videos are always very well produced and written. More like a television production, really. Anyway, last weekend I was alerted to watch their latest (at that time) video on gravel cycling and "who is to blame for it and 'gravel bikes'". 

Well, much to my surprise and enjoyment, they mentioned Trans Iowa and had former Trans Iowa rider and winner of T.I.v5, Joe Meiser on, and he mentions me by name in the interview GCN did with him. (See the video here) The piece was done in association with Salsa Cycles, by the way, so that would account for maybe why I got mentioned, I suppose, but either way, I was pleasantly surprised to see the piece. 

Even if you don't agree about any part I had to play in things, check out the video. It's pretty well done, and the opening bit is hilarious. 

An excerpt from the latest LOOK Bicycles Press Release

LOOK, This Isn't Funny:

I heard about a weird press release a while back out of LOOK Bicycles which featured news about a gravel racing team they were going to support. I eventually must have made the cut to be on their radar as I received the same release only a day later. This was late last week when I saw this. 

So, things start out well enough with the typical marketing banter about gravel, how exciting and popular it is, and how this team is going to be at certain high profile European based gravel events and hopes to be at "....UNBOUND Gravel, the most prestigious event on the American calendar,". 

Okay, that's all fine. No harm, no foul. But then you scroll down and the team members are presented. The image shown here is the first you see- the "Team manager"? Ah........My first reaction was, "It's not April 1st, is it?" Wow! And the other three member's profiles are no better. We have Rémi Aubert, AKA "The Doctor", shown in clinical whites with a .....wait for it.....a hypodermic needle in hand! The next rider is nicknamed "The Gardener", and is shown with a gardening shovel on his shoulder with the tag line of " Legend says that the road is never the same after he has ridden it". I don't even understand that. Must be a French thing. Anyway....

I suppose this was meant to be 'funny' and somehow be genuine and 'down-to-earth', like grassroots gravel, but it sorely misses the mark. It certainly doesn't seem serious, and I still don't know if I should laugh, (it is a joke?) or what I should think of that press release. One thing is for sure- That's maybe the weirdest press release I've ever been sent! 

PRO Vibe Evo handle bar. Image courtesy of Shimano.

Isn't It About Time For Handlebars To Evolve?

For all of the evolution in design we see- from pedals, drive trains, wheels, brakes, and even the clothes we wear for cycling- handle bars seem to have been overlooked. While we get a few different shapes, and maybe a stem clamp diameter change every 20 tears or so, the basic handle bar remains pretty much as it has been for over a century. 

Well, maybe that is all about to change. In my opinion, the only reason handle bars haven't changed radically is due to the archaic way that the controls are attached to them. Especially on drop bar bikes. The ancient band clamp mechanism works, certainly, but it also limits the bar to a certain diameter and shape for much of its length on drop bars. 

The advent of electronic shifting has kind of accelerated the idea of having your shifter work, and mount, in brand new ways. Shift pods, buttons, or other triggering gizmos are going to free up how we shift. Think about the hybridization of mechanical and electronics, as with the Archer Components (scroll down page linked) system I tried last year.  That button system could be molded right into a handle bar of any shape or size. Brake lever perches could be adapted to slide along a track to accommodate different ergonomic needs. It could be pretty interesting.

Obviously 'standards' would need to be set within the industry. This is why a component giant like Shimano should be watched closely as they have the horsepower to set trends. Did you know that it was Shimano, in cahoots with Fox, that got the industry to switch from 20mm through axles to 15mm ones? And flat mount brakes? Who do you suppose started that deal? 

So, when Shimano introduces a new handlebar with integrated grips and an aero shape, it gets me to thinking, maybe something else is coming along these lines. Something for gravel with integrated vibration damping grips, remote 'pod' shifters, and who knows? Maybe even a hybridized electric/mechanical shifting set up. 

SRAM AXS Rival may have a companion gravel group soon called "XPLR".

SRAM to Counter GRX With Rumored "XPLR" Gravel Group:

Rumors are flying that SRAM is about to unleash a new wireless gravel group set of its own to compete with Shimano's GRX groups. 

Rumors have it that the group will be a 1X12 featuring a 10-42t cassette. The name for the group is said to be "XPLR", which is interesting since the tire company Donnelly uses that same name for its gravel tire range. 

Along with the 12 speed rumors scuttlebutt is that there will be a companion dropper seat post and a Rock Shox branded gravel front suspension fork. When these parts will become available, or even announced, is not yet known, but web watchers have reported that some online retailers have already posted listings for the parts, (no images), so introduction seems imminent. 

Stay tuned......
 

Gravel Promenade Tomorrow With N.Y. Roll:

Yes, you too can ride with the great N.Y. Roll! He has a little gravel soiree' lined up for ya. It's about 77 gravelly miles out in Eastern and Southern Black Hawk County. He is leaving at 8:00am sharp from Prairie Grove Park which is in South Waterloo. 

I've ridden all of this, unless he's going places out of Black Hawk County that I haven't been to, and I can vouch for the 'cool' factor here. It's a great route and you will have a good time of it if you go. You should go too, ya know. N.Y. Roll doesn't think anyone will show up, so prove him wrong, why don't-cha?
 

That's a wrap for this week! I hope that y'all get outside and enjoy a ride or two! Thanks for reading G-Ted Productions.

Friday News And Views

 Who Started This Gravel Bike Nonsense Anyway?

The "Global Cycling Network" is a site and You Tube channel that is very popular. They have a great sense of humor and their videos are always very well produced and written. More like a television production, really. Anyway, last weekend I was alerted to watch their latest (at that time) video on gravel cycling and "who is to blame for it and 'gravel bikes'". 

Well, much to my surprise and enjoyment, they mentioned Trans Iowa and had former Trans Iowa rider and winner of T.I.v5, Joe Meiser on, and he mentions me by name in the interview GCN did with him. (See the video here) The piece was done in association with Salsa Cycles, by the way, so that would account for maybe why I got mentioned, I suppose, but either way, I was pleasantly surprised to see the piece. 

Even if you don't agree about any part I had to play in things, check out the video. It's pretty well done, and the opening bit is hilarious. 

An excerpt from the latest LOOK Bicycles Press Release

LOOK, This Isn't Funny:

I heard about a weird press release a while back out of LOOK Bicycles which featured news about a gravel racing team they were going to support. I eventually must have made the cut to be on their radar as I received the same release only a day later. This was late last week when I saw this. 

So, things start out well enough with the typical marketing banter about gravel, how exciting and popular it is, and how this team is going to be at certain high profile European based gravel events and hopes to be at "....UNBOUND Gravel, the most prestigious event on the American calendar,". 

Okay, that's all fine. No harm, no foul. But then you scroll down and the team members are presented. The image shown here is the first you see- the "Team manager"? Ah........My first reaction was, "It's not April 1st, is it?" Wow! And the other three member's profiles are no better. We have Rémi Aubert, AKA "The Doctor", shown in clinical whites with a .....wait for it.....a hypodermic needle in hand! The next rider is nicknamed "The Gardener", and is shown with a gardening shovel on his shoulder with the tag line of " Legend says that the road is never the same after he has ridden it". I don't even understand that. Must be a French thing. Anyway....

I suppose this was meant to be 'funny' and somehow be genuine and 'down-to-earth', like grassroots gravel, but it sorely misses the mark. It certainly doesn't seem serious, and I still don't know if I should laugh, (it is a joke?) or what I should think of that press release. One thing is for sure- That's maybe the weirdest press release I've ever been sent! 

PRO Vibe Evo handle bar. Image courtesy of Shimano.

Isn't It About Time For Handlebars To Evolve?

For all of the evolution in design we see- from pedals, drive trains, wheels, brakes, and even the clothes we wear for cycling- handle bars seem to have been overlooked. While we get a few different shapes, and maybe a stem clamp diameter change every 20 tears or so, the basic handle bar remains pretty much as it has been for over a century. 

Well, maybe that is all about to change. In my opinion, the only reason handle bars haven't changed radically is due to the archaic way that the controls are attached to them. Especially on drop bar bikes. The ancient band clamp mechanism works, certainly, but it also limits the bar to a certain diameter and shape for much of its length on drop bars. 

The advent of electronic shifting has kind of accelerated the idea of having your shifter work, and mount, in brand new ways. Shift pods, buttons, or other triggering gizmos are going to free up how we shift. Think about the hybridization of mechanical and electronics, as with the Archer Components (scroll down page linked) system I tried last year.  That button system could be molded right into a handle bar of any shape or size. Brake lever perches could be adapted to slide along a track to accommodate different ergonomic needs. It could be pretty interesting.

Obviously 'standards' would need to be set within the industry. This is why a component giant like Shimano should be watched closely as they have the horsepower to set trends. Did you know that it was Shimano, in cahoots with Fox, that got the industry to switch from 20mm through axles to 15mm ones? And flat mount brakes? Who do you suppose started that deal? 

So, when Shimano introduces a new handlebar with integrated grips and an aero shape, it gets me to thinking, maybe something else is coming along these lines. Something for gravel with integrated vibration damping grips, remote 'pod' shifters, and who knows? Maybe even a hybridized electric/mechanical shifting set up. 

SRAM AXS Rival may have a companion gravel group soon called "XPLR".

SRAM to Counter GRX With Rumored "XPLR" Gravel Group:

Rumors are flying that SRAM is about to unleash a new wireless gravel group set of its own to compete with Shimano's GRX groups. 

Rumors have it that the group will be a 1X12 featuring a 10-42t cassette. The name for the group is said to be "XPLR", which is interesting since the tire company Donnelly uses that same name for its gravel tire range. 

Along with the 12 speed rumors scuttlebutt is that there will be a companion dropper seat post and a Rock Shox branded gravel front suspension fork. When these parts will become available, or even announced, is not yet known, but web watchers have reported that some online retailers have already posted listings for the parts, (no images), so introduction seems imminent. 

Stay tuned......
 

Gravel Promenade Tomorrow With N.Y. Roll:

Yes, you too can ride with the great N.Y. Roll! He has a little gravel soiree' lined up for ya. It's about 77 gravelly miles out in Eastern and Southern Black Hawk County. He is leaving at 8:00am sharp from Prairie Grove Park which is in South Waterloo. 

I've ridden all of this, unless he's going places out of Black Hawk County that I haven't been to, and I can vouch for the 'cool' factor here. It's a great route and you will have a good time of it if you go. You should go too, ya know. N.Y. Roll doesn't think anyone will show up, so prove him wrong, why don't-cha?
 

That's a wrap for this week! I hope that y'all get outside and enjoy a ride or two! Thanks for reading G-Ted Productions.

Friday News And Views

Brooks saddles, like the one on this bike, are made in the UK

You Cannot Get A UK Made Saddle In The UK Because Of Brexit?

In a weird twist of fate, Brooks, who have made saddles since the late 1800's (Really!) in the United Kingdom will no longer be able to sell them in their own country of manufacture, at least for the time being. This all due to Britain exiting the European Union, which became effective on New Year's Day. The story was broke by cycling journalist, Carlton Reid for Forbes online, and that article can be read HERE. 

I have been a casual observer of this whole exit of the UK from the European Union for a few years now. It seems as though, at least from this outsider's viewpoint, to have been a not very well thought through, or executed plan, and this laughingstock of a story about a UK manufactured product would seem to be evidence of this. The issue with Brooks arose out of the fact that Brooks is owned by Italian bicycle saddle manufacturer Selle Italia. The Brooks saddles are distributed out of their facility in Italy, so all production from Brooks goes to Italy, and due to the convoluted importing laws that "Brexit" has imposed upon the UK, the Selle Italia company has chosen to not import any saddles for sale to the UK, which includes Brooks saddles. 

Weird and, well......stupid. I've seen some other import nonsense concerning stuff coming into the UK from Ireland as well. Someone posted a diagram showing the requirements needed to move goods between the two countries and it was simply mind boggling. Makes me glad we don't have those sorts of trading issues within the U.S., (but if you check history, we very nearly did have those issues early on)

I've mentioned this before, but it would be hard not to imagine that the raw materials necessary to manufacture goods in the UK wouldn't be affected since those need to be imported as well. Could this mean higher prices for us outside the UK for their products, like stuff from Hope, as an example? Matched up with increased demand for cycling product and it is hard to say that we wouldn't see higher pricing on those things coming to us from the UK.  

UPDATE: A story was released on Wednesday saying that, in fact, you still could buy Brooks saddles in the UK and would be able to. I'll post more if there is a definitive answer to which way it will actually be. Right now this is pretty confusing!

Public Service Announcements:

Just a few things to share here concerning the blog/what I do. First up, another Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast dropped Monday night. It was meant to be dropped during the holidays, but oh well! Lots of ranting by yours truly on this episode. Get it at this link or wherever you get your favorite podcast feed. https://www.ridinggravel.com/podcast/episode-69/

Next I wanted to post the link to the latest "State of the Gravel Scene" opinion piece. I have been doing this along the turn of the year for the past few years now. The first was a series and so was the second, but I've cut it down to one, easier to read post for 2021. You can always find the links at the bottom of the page listed at the base of the blog header above or here is a direct link for your convenience: https://g-tedproductions.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-state-of-gravel-scene-2021.html

Finally, I wanted to post the link to the Redbubble page for G-Ted Productions merchandise. Any purchases will have part of the proceeds go to my daughter to help her out with college and just getting going in life. You'll always be able to access this link, as long as the merch is available, by looking over at the far right side-bar of this blog under the heading "My Events and Websites" - https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/62984846

Wireless, cable-less gear systems are already in development.

A Wireless Future?

A recent story published in "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" online suggests that Campagnolo, SRAM, and Shimano all are working on various ways to do things by wireless means on bicycles. The story I read focused on shifting ideas, including a couple ideas from SRAM and Campagnolo using a glove with sensors in it which then could be pinched together with the forefinger and thumb to activate a derailleur. Wild! 

Not that this would ever become a reality, as "BRAIN" noted, since one of these ideas has been in the bag for five years with no further development. It is commonplace for companies to develop, patent, and sit on ideas without any intentions of using them. This is done for two reasons: One is that these ideas form a repository of knowledge and a basis for further product development at a later time. Secondly, it keeps other companies from developing similar ideas and beating them to market. So, the electronic glove idea may never see the light of day. 

But we still should pay attention to these wild-eyed ideas because it means that other, more scalable/marketable ideas are being developed in the same vein. What wireless controls might we see in the future? It isn't out of the realm of possibilities that 'remote shifter' points could be embedded into bar tape, or grips, as an example. And then we have to think about what a wireless controller could, you know......control. Brakes? Suspension settings? Tire pressures? 

Obviously, the HPC vehicles being developed will leverage a lot of wireless tech and I can see where that will be where these ideas get implemented first. A wireless shifter in a grip would be something I could see on an electrified bicycle, as an example. Not something you need to rotate, just a pressure sensitive thing-a-ma-bob. I wrote in this segment not long ago about a bike that was shifting automatically by sensing rider pressure on pedals, so this sort of thing is already in development. 

The DBR from Archer Components. (Image courtesy of Archer Components)

 Archer Components DBR Unit Available Soon:

If you've been following the blog over the last several months or so, you probably remember the Archer Components D1X on my original Mukluk fat bike. That's the remote and shifter box which can turn any drive train into an electronically controlled one. (See the tie-in with the above points?) Well, now Archer has released pre-sales of their new DBR (Drop Bar Remote) system and we now have a few of the questions answered that I had about this idea. 

My biggest question was how in the world Archer was going to integrate a remote into a system with so many proprietary variants. How would it integrate with Shimano, SRAM, or even Campagnolo shifting? Well., as you can plainly see, Archer didn't try to kludge a remote to work with everybody else's levers. No, they partnered with TRP who have a hydraulic lever with no integrated shifter and made the DBR to integrate into it instead. Probably a smarter idea, but for consumers, it complicates things a bit versus the D1X flat bar system. 

Now you have to buy into a brake and lever system. Of course, not many people are familiar with the TRP drop bar brakes either. Are they any good? How do they feel? Well, as it happens, I've been using TRP made brakes and levers on my Tamland now for a few years. The very same brakes as what these DBR hoods are meant for. Yes, the remote is a hood replacement for the TRP Hylex brakes. (I told you it was a bit more complex than the D1X) 

Many of you will have already tuned out by now, but if you are still reading this, the TRP Hylex brakes are incredibly powerful and require very little input to bring your bike down to a halt. In fact, they require so little input that it is super-easy to lock up the brakes. At least mine have been that way. So, these are incredibly powerful brakes. WAY more power than you'd ever need on gravel. 

Of course, that means you have to buy the brakes too. At $220 a set, plus installation, that's not small potatoes. Add in the DBR ay the introductory price of $400.00 and you're talking a pretty expensive set up now. But......it may be great for your situation. If you run a 9spd set up, here you go. Even 10 speed set ups would benefit since there are hardly any 10 speed electronic groups out there to lay your hands on, and even the ones that are out there aren't being fully supported anymore. So, for the right situation? Yeah....this DBR deal from Archer might be good. 

That's a wrap for this week! Get out and ride if you can!

Friday News And Views

Brooks saddles, like the one on this bike, are made in the UK

You Cannot Get A UK Made Saddle In The UK Because Of Brexit?

In a weird twist of fate, Brooks, who have made saddles since the late 1800's (Really!) in the United Kingdom will no longer be able to sell them in their own country of manufacture, at least for the time being. This all due to Britain exiting the European Union, which became effective on New Year's Day. The story was broke by cycling journalist, Carlton Reid for Forbes online, and that article can be read HERE. 

I have been a casual observer of this whole exit of the UK from the European Union for a few years now. It seems as though, at least from this outsider's viewpoint, to have been a not very well thought through, or executed plan, and this laughingstock of a story about a UK manufactured product would seem to be evidence of this. The issue with Brooks arose out of the fact that Brooks is owned by Italian bicycle saddle manufacturer Selle Italia. The Brooks saddles are distributed out of their facility in Italy, so all production from Brooks goes to Italy, and due to the convoluted importing laws that "Brexit" has imposed upon the UK, the Selle Italia company has chosen to not import any saddles for sale to the UK, which includes Brooks saddles. 

Weird and, well......stupid. I've seen some other import nonsense concerning stuff coming into the UK from Ireland as well. Someone posted a diagram showing the requirements needed to move goods between the two countries and it was simply mind boggling. Makes me glad we don't have those sorts of trading issues within the U.S., (but if you check history, we very nearly did have those issues early on)

I've mentioned this before, but it would be hard not to imagine that the raw materials necessary to manufacture goods in the UK wouldn't be affected since those need to be imported as well. Could this mean higher prices for us outside the UK for their products, like stuff from Hope, as an example? Matched up with increased demand for cycling product and it is hard to say that we wouldn't see higher pricing on those things coming to us from the UK.  

UPDATE: A story was released on Wednesday saying that, in fact, you still could buy Brooks saddles in the UK and would be able to. I'll post more if there is a definitive answer to which way it will actually be. Right now this is pretty confusing!

Public Service Announcements:

Just a few things to share here concerning the blog/what I do. First up, another Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast dropped Monday night. It was meant to be dropped during the holidays, but oh well! Lots of ranting by yours truly on this episode. Get it at this link or wherever you get your favorite podcast feed. https://www.ridinggravel.com/podcast/episode-69/

Next I wanted to post the link to the latest "State of the Gravel Scene" opinion piece. I have been doing this along the turn of the year for the past few years now. The first was a series and so was the second, but I've cut it down to one, easier to read post for 2021. You can always find the links at the bottom of the page listed at the base of the blog header above or here is a direct link for your convenience: https://g-tedproductions.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-state-of-gravel-scene-2021.html

Finally, I wanted to post the link to the Redbubble page for G-Ted Productions merchandise. Any purchases will have part of the proceeds go to my daughter to help her out with college and just getting going in life. You'll always be able to access this link, as long as the merch is available, by looking over at the far right side-bar of this blog under the heading "My Events and Websites" - https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/62984846

Wireless, cable-less gear systems are already in development.

A Wireless Future?

A recent story published in "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" online suggests that Campagnolo, SRAM, and Shimano all are working on various ways to do things by wireless means on bicycles. The story I read focused on shifting ideas, including a couple ideas from SRAM and Campagnolo using a glove with sensors in it which then could be pinched together with the forefinger and thumb to activate a derailleur. Wild! 

Not that this would ever become a reality, as "BRAIN" noted, since one of these ideas has been in the bag for five years with no further development. It is commonplace for companies to develop, patent, and sit on ideas without any intentions of using them. This is done for two reasons: One is that these ideas form a repository of knowledge and a basis for further product development at a later time. Secondly, it keeps other companies from developing similar ideas and beating them to market. So, the electronic glove idea may never see the light of day. 

But we still should pay attention to these wild-eyed ideas because it means that other, more scalable/marketable ideas are being developed in the same vein. What wireless controls might we see in the future? It isn't out of the realm of possibilities that 'remote shifter' points could be embedded into bar tape, or grips, as an example. And then we have to think about what a wireless controller could, you know......control. Brakes? Suspension settings? Tire pressures? 

Obviously, the HPC vehicles being developed will leverage a lot of wireless tech and I can see where that will be where these ideas get implemented first. A wireless shifter in a grip would be something I could see on an electrified bicycle, as an example. Not something you need to rotate, just a pressure sensitive thing-a-ma-bob. I wrote in this segment not long ago about a bike that was shifting automatically by sensing rider pressure on pedals, so this sort of thing is already in development. 

The DBR from Archer Components. (Image courtesy of Archer Components)

 Archer Components DBR Unit Available Soon:

If you've been following the blog over the last several months or so, you probably remember the Archer Components D1X on my original Mukluk fat bike. That's the remote and shifter box which can turn any drive train into an electronically controlled one. (See the tie-in with the above points?) Well, now Archer has released pre-sales of their new DBR (Drop Bar Remote) system and we now have a few of the questions answered that I had about this idea. 

My biggest question was how in the world Archer was going to integrate a remote into a system with so many proprietary variants. How would it integrate with Shimano, SRAM, or even Campagnolo shifting? Well., as you can plainly see, Archer didn't try to kludge a remote to work with everybody else's levers. No, they partnered with TRP who have a hydraulic lever with no integrated shifter and made the DBR to integrate into it instead. Probably a smarter idea, but for consumers, it complicates things a bit versus the D1X flat bar system. 

Now you have to buy into a brake and lever system. Of course, not many people are familiar with the TRP drop bar brakes either. Are they any good? How do they feel? Well, as it happens, I've been using TRP made brakes and levers on my Tamland now for a few years. The very same brakes as what these DBR hoods are meant for. Yes, the remote is a hood replacement for the TRP Hylex brakes. (I told you it was a bit more complex than the D1X) 

Many of you will have already tuned out by now, but if you are still reading this, the TRP Hylex brakes are incredibly powerful and require very little input to bring your bike down to a halt. In fact, they require so little input that it is super-easy to lock up the brakes. At least mine have been that way. So, these are incredibly powerful brakes. WAY more power than you'd ever need on gravel. 

Of course, that means you have to buy the brakes too. At $220 a set, plus installation, that's not small potatoes. Add in the DBR ay the introductory price of $400.00 and you're talking a pretty expensive set up now. But......it may be great for your situation. If you run a 9spd set up, here you go. Even 10 speed set ups would benefit since there are hardly any 10 speed electronic groups out there to lay your hands on, and even the ones that are out there aren't being fully supported anymore. So, for the right situation? Yeah....this DBR deal from Archer might be good. 

That's a wrap for this week! Get out and ride if you can!

Robot Noises For (Almost) Any Bike - Part 2

The Snow Dog makes whirring noises now.

 Back in October I posted here about the Archer Components D1X, an electronic controller and remote which can be configured in several different ways to shift the rear of a flat bar set up bike. The system runs on rechargeable batteries and has the unique feature of being able to be 'tuned' for each individual gear shift. I wrote a bit about it already here and here.    

After running it on my 10 speed Inbred, I thought about a good challenge for this system. One that might test the capabilities of the versatility and the tune-ability of  the D1X. I finally found the bits I needed and got it all assembled on the Snow Dog. 

The main bit I was interested in getting on the bike was an old 9 speed 'cassette-extender' cog that I bought off a guy somewhere back years ago now. Back when 36T cassettes were the lowest geared cassettes you could get. This was a 42T cassette replacement cog meant to go behind a standard 9 speed cassette and which required the removal of one of the stock cassette cogs. I removed the 11T cog and slipped this replacement cog behind the standard cassette on the free hub body. These cogs were notorious for not shifting the greatest, so this would present a good challenge for the D1X. 

The other thing was getting the system reconfigured from 10 speed to 9 speed, adjusting for a worn cassette, and finally, just getting the system on a fat bike like the old Snow Dog was a challenge. The wildly bent/contoured stays did not lend themselves to an ideal chain stay mount, but what killed that in the end was an unfortunately placed cable guide.  So, I ended up sticking this on the seat stay and that turned out 'okay', if not ideal in placement. 

Adding to the weirdness was my use of a 10 speed X9 rear derailleur.

Oh, and why not make this even odder by using a 10 speed SRAM derailleur on a 9 speed cassette? Well, after fiddling around with the fiddly set up procedure using the provided app on my smart phone, I did actually get it to work pretty well. The shifts are great and even the extender cog works great. So, now the Snow Dog whirrs and clanks into gear with ease, although I could tune it even better. The system is adjustable in the field, so you can actually fine tune each gear while you are riding.

I'll probably use it like this going on into Winter and use it for commuting and maybe some gravel travel stuff, depending upon the roads. But I am fairly impressed with how adaptable the D1X is. the new drop bar set up Archer is making should be out any day now and I'll be curious how the controller will be configured for that. I'm sure the shift box will remain the same. I'd also like to see Archer clean up the interface with the app so iOS users wouldn't experience freeze ups while configuring the system. Their instructions could also stand a bit of work too. But if you can get by those things actually using the Archer D1X while riding is pretty good. 

NOTE: Archer Components sent over the D1X shifting system to Riding Gravel for test and review at no charge. I am not being paid, nor bribed, to post this here.

Robot Noises For (Almost) Any Bike - Part 2

The Snow Dog makes whirring noises now.

 Back in October I posted here about the Archer Components D1X, an electronic controller and remote which can be configured in several different ways to shift the rear of a flat bar set up bike. The system runs on rechargeable batteries and has the unique feature of being able to be 'tuned' for each individual gear shift. I wrote a bit about it already here and here.    

After running it on my 10 speed Inbred, I thought about a good challenge for this system. One that might test the capabilities of the versatility and the tune-ability of  the D1X. I finally found the bits I needed and got it all assembled on the Snow Dog. 

The main bit I was interested in getting on the bike was an old 9 speed 'cassette-extender' cog that I bought off a guy somewhere back years ago now. Back when 36T cassettes were the lowest geared cassettes you could get. This was a 42T cassette replacement cog meant to go behind a standard 9 speed cassette and which required the removal of one of the stock cassette cogs. I removed the 11T cog and slipped this replacement cog behind the standard cassette on the free hub body. These cogs were notorious for not shifting the greatest, so this would present a good challenge for the D1X. 

The other thing was getting the system reconfigured from 10 speed to 9 speed, adjusting for a worn cassette, and finally, just getting the system on a fat bike like the old Snow Dog was a challenge. The wildly bent/contoured stays did not lend themselves to an ideal chain stay mount, but what killed that in the end was an unfortunately placed cable guide.  So, I ended up sticking this on the seat stay and that turned out 'okay', if not ideal in placement. 

Adding to the weirdness was my use of a 10 speed X9 rear derailleur.

Oh, and why not make this even odder by using a 10 speed SRAM derailleur on a 9 speed cassette? Well, after fiddling around with the fiddly set up procedure using the provided app on my smart phone, I did actually get it to work pretty well. The shifts are great and even the extender cog works great. So, now the Snow Dog whirrs and clanks into gear with ease, although I could tune it even better. The system is adjustable in the field, so you can actually fine tune each gear while you are riding.

I'll probably use it like this going on into Winter and use it for commuting and maybe some gravel travel stuff, depending upon the roads. But I am fairly impressed with how adaptable the D1X is. the new drop bar set up Archer is making should be out any day now and I'll be curious how the controller will be configured for that. I'm sure the shift box will remain the same. I'd also like to see Archer clean up the interface with the app so iOS users wouldn't experience freeze ups while configuring the system. Their instructions could also stand a bit of work too. But if you can get by those things actually using the Archer D1X while riding is pretty good. 

NOTE: Archer Components sent over the D1X shifting system to Riding Gravel for test and review at no charge. I am not being paid, nor bribed, to post this here.

Has It Been That Long Already?

The Snow Dog as it has been for the last few years.

While contemplating where I might end up using the Archer Components D1x shifting system and the Whisky Milhouse bar, I had my thoughts light on the Snow Dog. Oh...... maybe you don't know about the Snow Dog? Well, if you've forgotten, or are a newer reader here, let me refresh your memory or bring you up to speed. I sometimes forget I've been at this for over 15 years and I don't remember there are new readers.......

Anyway, if you recall back previous to 2010, there was one fat bike. And you had to build it up. In fact, it wasn't even known then as a "fat bike". No, the Surly Pugsley wasn't a "fat bike" then, it was a snow bike. That's what everyone called them back then. And to be perfectly fair, there were more 'snow bikes' than the Pugsley, but they were all from small custom builders based out of Alaska or elsewhere that fat tired flotation bikes made sense. The "snow bike" scene was pretty niche and tiny back in those days when you had to build up a bike from parts. Surly made it easier by making a lot of what you'd need to do it, like offering a tire- yes, a single model only- so you could get on with Winter riding. 

So, keep this in mind. You couldn't just run down to the bike shop or department store and buy a bike and be riding an hour later. No. This was a long process of choosing parts, carefully putting them together in a way that was functional, and spending probably 2000 dollars or more in the process. All for a bike that, well back then anyway, we thought you might use for three months out of the year tops. It wasn't a slam-dunk bike to own back in those days. It may not be a particularly practical bike for most people in 2020, but for a few short years, "snow bikes/fat bikes" were all the rage. Once a big hurdle was cleared, that is.

The Snow Dog as it appeared in February 2011.

All that to paint a picture going into 2011 when we found out late in 2010 that Salsa Cycles was going to release a fully built, in the box, snow bike dubbed the Mukluk. The news spread like a Colorado wildfire and people were so excited that the first run of the bike sold out pre-release. Shops were holding parties where gear for Winter riding was being shown and the Mukluk was already being upgraded before anyone had one yet! I know this because I attended one such party at Milltown Cycles in Faribault, Minnesota where a young Ben Witt was the proprietor. Those were crazy days. 

Anyway, I ponied up for a Mukluk. This would have been ten years ago now this November. Ben, who was scrambling to find enough Mukluks to satisfy demand, called one day to ask me if he could sell the wheels off my bike when it came in! He mentioned that there already was an aftermarket hub set from Phil Wood that I could build a better wheel set with, so I gave my consent and ponied up for the new hubs. This meant that I would have to wait last in line to get my Mukluk. But.......what I didn't know was that Ben and some other friends had a plan.

And that plan was to buy my frame and fork for me for my birthday, which is in January. So, here poor ol' Ben was having to put me off, making up excuses as to why my bike was being delayed, until my birthday arrived in late January. To say that I was blown away by that gesture is a gross understatement. I still am amazed by their generosity. So, that's a long story to explain that this bike became the Snow Dog, because, well.....these things were snow bikes to begin with. 

Okay, a long winded story- sorry - but that should bring y'all up to the moment here and now on with it.....

I plan on switching that Archer Components D1x and the Milhouse Bar over to the Snow Dog. It just makes sense and I think it will also help make the ol' Snow Dog a useful rig again. But ya know...... If you've been around here long enough, you know I am full of ideas and many never get beyond this blog. So, don't hold your breath, but my plan is to get the Snow Dog out on a bit of a "Tenth Anniversary Tour" and celebrate the fat bike's tenth year of (complete availability) existence and my tenth anniversary of owning this bike, of course. 

Stay tuned........

Has It Been That Long Already?

The Snow Dog as it has been for the last few years.

While contemplating where I might end up using the Archer Components D1x shifting system and the Whisky Milhouse bar, I had my thoughts light on the Snow Dog. Oh...... maybe you don't know about the Snow Dog? Well, if you've forgotten, or are a newer reader here, let me refresh your memory or bring you up to speed. I sometimes forget I've been at this for over 15 years and I don't remember there are new readers.......

Anyway, if you recall back previous to 2010, there was one fat bike. And you had to build it up. In fact, it wasn't even known then as a "fat bike". No, the Surly Pugsley wasn't a "fat bike" then, it was a snow bike. That's what everyone called them back then. And to be perfectly fair, there were more 'snow bikes' than the Pugsley, but they were all from small custom builders based out of Alaska or elsewhere that fat tired flotation bikes made sense. The "snow bike" scene was pretty niche and tiny back in those days when you had to build up a bike from parts. Surly made it easier by making a lot of what you'd need to do it, like offering a tire- yes, a single model only- so you could get on with Winter riding. 

So, keep this in mind. You couldn't just run down to the bike shop or department store and buy a bike and be riding an hour later. No. This was a long process of choosing parts, carefully putting them together in a way that was functional, and spending probably 2000 dollars or more in the process. All for a bike that, well back then anyway, we thought you might use for three months out of the year tops. It wasn't a slam-dunk bike to own back in those days. It may not be a particularly practical bike for most people in 2020, but for a few short years, "snow bikes/fat bikes" were all the rage. Once a big hurdle was cleared, that is.

The Snow Dog as it appeared in February 2011.

All that to paint a picture going into 2011 when we found out late in 2010 that Salsa Cycles was going to release a fully built, in the box, snow bike dubbed the Mukluk. The news spread like a Colorado wildfire and people were so excited that the first run of the bike sold out pre-release. Shops were holding parties where gear for Winter riding was being shown and the Mukluk was already being upgraded before anyone had one yet! I know this because I attended one such party at Milltown Cycles in Faribault, Minnesota where a young Ben Witt was the proprietor. Those were crazy days. 

Anyway, I ponied up for a Mukluk. This would have been ten years ago now this November. Ben, who was scrambling to find enough Mukluks to satisfy demand, called one day to ask me if he could sell the wheels off my bike when it came in! He mentioned that there already was an aftermarket hub set from Phil Wood that I could build a better wheel set with, so I gave my consent and ponied up for the new hubs. This meant that I would have to wait last in line to get my Mukluk. But.......what I didn't know was that Ben and some other friends had a plan.

And that plan was to buy my frame and fork for me for my birthday, which is in January. So, here poor ol' Ben was having to put me off, making up excuses as to why my bike was being delayed, until my birthday arrived in late January. To say that I was blown away by that gesture is a gross understatement. I still am amazed by their generosity. So, that's a long story to explain that this bike became the Snow Dog, because, well.....these things were snow bikes to begin with. 

Okay, a long winded story- sorry - but that should bring y'all up to the moment here and now on with it.....

I plan on switching that Archer Components D1x and the Milhouse Bar over to the Snow Dog. It just makes sense and I think it will also help make the ol' Snow Dog a useful rig again. But ya know...... If you've been around here long enough, you know I am full of ideas and many never get beyond this blog. So, don't hold your breath, but my plan is to get the Snow Dog out on a bit of a "Tenth Anniversary Tour" and celebrate the fat bike's tenth year of (complete availability) existence and my tenth anniversary of owning this bike, of course. 

Stay tuned........

Robot Noises For (Almost) Any Bike

The D1x shifter unit.

Recently RidingGravel.com was sent a little black box. No......nothing top secret. This little black box came with some other stuff and is actually a shifter unit. An electronically controlled shifter unit. Yep. And right about now you are saying, "So what. That's nothing new for bikes." And that much is true. But- Can your Di2 be programmed to run 9 speed? Can your AXS electronic shifter shift through a 10 speed cassette? No? 

Well, the Archer Components D1x can. That's what I got to check out. While this is for a flat bar now, word is that they are working on a drop bar solution. In the meantime, I figured I'd give this gizmo a shot. It is all electronically controlled with the exception of about 4-5 inches of Bowden cable and housing back to your rear derailleur. (No front controller exists now, but y'all have been going nuts for 1X so most folks probably don't care)

Anyway, it works. It is a bit different than other electronic devices made for shifting because you have to turn it on when you first start out. Auto-shut off is adjustable from 'never' down to five minutes with a couple other choices in between of 30 or 15 minutes. That is all adjustable, along with other things, from the Archer Components app on a smart phone, either Android or iOS. 

The cool thing is that it uses what you have, is easily installed, and costs less than $400.00. Plus you can move it from bike to bike, adjust it to run 9,10.11, or 12 speed systems, and you can tune in each gear. Yep! Upon set up, you can fine tune each cog, if necessary. I didn't find that necessary, but hey! You could compensate for two or three worn cogs and still use the entire cassette. Neato! 

Anyway, I've got it, (and something top secret yet) mounted to a bike I have and I will be getting that all dirty here soon. Stay tuned to RidingGravel.com for more, and I'll mention it here too. 

NOTE: Archer Components sent over the D1X shifting system to Riding Gravel for test and review at no charge. I am not being paid, nor bribed, to post this here.

Robot Noises For (Almost) Any Bike

The D1x shifter unit.

Recently RidingGravel.com was sent a little black box. No......nothing top secret. This little black box came with some other stuff and is actually a shifter unit. An electronically controlled shifter unit. Yep. And right about now you are saying, "So what. That's nothing new for bikes." And that much is true. But- Can your Di2 be programmed to run 9 speed? Can your AXS electronic shifter shift through a 10 speed cassette? No? 

Well, the Archer Components D1x can. That's what I got to check out. While this is for a flat bar now, word is that they are working on a drop bar solution. In the meantime, I figured I'd give this gizmo a shot. It is all electronically controlled with the exception of about 4-5 inches of Bowden cable and housing back to your rear derailleur. (No front controller exists now, but y'all have been going nuts for 1X so most folks probably don't care)

Anyway, it works. It is a bit different than other electronic devices made for shifting because you have to turn it on when you first start out. Auto-shut off is adjustable from 'never' down to five minutes with a couple other choices in between of 30 or 15 minutes. That is all adjustable, along with other things, from the Archer Components app on a smart phone, either Android or iOS. 

The cool thing is that it uses what you have, is easily installed, and costs less than $400.00. Plus you can move it from bike to bike, adjust it to run 9,10.11, or 12 speed systems, and you can tune in each gear. Yep! Upon set up, you can fine tune each cog, if necessary. I didn't find that necessary, but hey! You could compensate for two or three worn cogs and still use the entire cassette. Neato! 

Anyway, I've got it, (and something top secret yet) mounted to a bike I have and I will be getting that all dirty here soon. Stay tuned to RidingGravel.com for more, and I'll mention it here too. 

NOTE: Archer Components sent over the D1X shifting system to Riding Gravel for test and review at no charge. I am not being paid, nor bribed, to post this here.