Review Briefs

 As many of you know, I get in a fair amount of stuff to review on Riding Gravel and sometimes just to give feedback on/test for others. I figured I may as well shoot a few words this way on some things being currently tested and reviewed by giving a few, brief thoughts on those items. As always, The Standard Disclaimer applies. 

Cedaero Tank Top Pack

Cedaero Tank Top Pack:

Mrs. Guitar Ted bought me a nice present when we were in Emporia last week. It is a Cedaero Tank Top Pack in a waxed canvas purple color. 

This bag can also be had in a Cordura Nylon or in what I have here which Cedaero calls a "Martexin Waxed Canvass". The waxed bags weigh a bit more, if that matters to you, and this one weighs in at 176 grams. 

The price for this was $79.99 and Mrs. Guitar Ted purchased it a Merchant Cycles (Formerly Gravel City Adventure and Supply) in Emporia KS. 

Okay, so I am replacing a Revelate "Mag Tank" bag with the magnetic closure top. I was using that bag on my Singular Gryphon Mk3 and I thought it was a bit of a kludgy bag in that is has a top that doesn't cover the interior well at times and the top magnetic closure is fiddly and doesn't hold its contents securely. 

The Cedaero bag has a proper zipper closure which is easy to use and doesn't cause you to have to use two hands to start to zip it shut. The zipper pull feels beefy without being annoying and it should be easy to find in a 'no-look' fashion while riding. That's important to me. 

There is a side mesh inner pocket, useful for trash, or smaller items, and otherwise the inner cavity is not divided nor contrasted in color. The Revelate bag has a inner contrasting color which is a bit nicer in my opinion. 

The two hook and loop straps on the bottom of the bag are not capable of being re-positioned as they are permanently sewn in. The front hook and loop strap can be re-positioned though. 

The bag was easily mounted and initial testing shows good results, so I am hopeful this passes the ride test. 

For context, the Cedaero Tank Top Pack is almost identically sized to the Revelate Mag Tank, but the Mag Tank weighs about 30 grams less and is cheaper at $59.99. These compare to my all-time favorite top tube bag, the Bike Bag Dude "Top Tube Garage", which is significantly larger and has a dual inner side pockets arrangement, contrasting inner fabric, multi-position straps, and is lighter overall. It costs about a C-note plus shipping from Australia, but these bags are totally worth the money. 

More soon......

Tifosi "Rail" Sunglasses:

Recently I received a pair (why are Sunglasses called "a pair"? Weird...) of Tifosi Rail Sunglasses with three interchangeable lenses. There is a high-light blockage "Slate Mirror" lens, a Red AC (All Conditions) lens, and a clear lens. The retail price for this model is $79.99. 

Tifosi and I go way back. Little known factoid: Tifosi sponsored the very first Trans Iowa and gave each rider a free pair of Sunglasses! (I wish I had kept mine, but they are long gone.) 

Anyway, Tifosi's "MO" is to offer the rider a set of glasses with a lot of value and high performance at a low cost. In the past I was "mostly satisfied" with their wares. I mean, you could tell that Oakleys and Spy, and Rudy Projects were superior in terms of optics, and so the resulting price differences between those brands and Tifosi made some sense. 

Is this still the case? 

Well, I think that Tifosi has upped their game since the days I was a regular user of their products. The overall optical experience with the Rail has been really good. "Oakley" good? "Spy" good? Yeah....pretty darn close to that good, for sure. 

And you get three very usable lenses. The Smoke Mirror lens is great at blocking out really bright Sun and glare. The Red AC lens is what I would call perfect. I like the ability to see contrasts and they block enough light to keep me happy while not being so dark that going under the branches of a roadside tree does not leave you in the dark. 

And clear lenses need no explanation. 

The bows of these Rail model glasses are comfy, the adjustable nose piece is on par with any high-end glasses, and the Rail does not slip, nor cause any fatigue after wearing them a long time. They do have a large "blade-like" lens that is all the rage these days, so they cover a lot of facial real estate. Keep that in mind here. 

I'll have more to say in my Riding Gravel review. 

Base Layers:

Here is something you don't see a lot of chatter about - Base layers. Those garments that go between you and the jersey. It would seem counter-intuitive for hot, humid conditions to wear one of these and a jersey, but if you know, well.....you know.

I'll spare the apologetic of base layer usage and just say that I was amazed at the difference when wearing a base layer versus not wearing one. You can decide for yourself if it is worth the trouble. Now with that said, here are two base layer tops for men that I have found to my liking. 

Twin Six T6 Base Layer:

No techy mumbo-jumbo here. I like this one because it is relatively inexpensive at $21.60 and it feels pretty darn good. I have been wearing one of these on most of my rides for several years after having used another brand at first. This top launders well and stays nice and bright white wash after wash. Plus it does what it is supposed to do- wick away sweat and keep you cooler. The fabric is supple and decently soft to the touch, even after several years of use. It has more of a tank-top cut to it, so it doesn't cover the shoulders. 

Endura Translite S/L Baselayer: 

The Endura base layer (right in the image above) is the nicest base layer I have. I only have one, but I have had it for a few years as well. It also launders well and works great on the bike. The main differences are that the Endura fabric is softer to the skin and very supple. The other difference is that it is a sleeveless design, so this one has a tighter collar, more like a t-shirt than a tank-top, and it covers the shoulders. Cost is a bit more at $39.99 but the Endura base layer is like an "Ultegra" option whereas the T6 top would be your "105" option. (Or XT vs SLX if you are a MTB person) You can check out this one HERE, but I see the website says they are out of stock at the moment. 

The bottom line is that these are both great base layer tops for hot, humid weather or any riding, really. The T6 gets my vote as the workhorse option that you will definitely get your money's worth from. The Endura one is more of a luxury item, in my view, but it is definitely a great base layer. 

That's a wrap for this edition of Review Briefs

Review Briefs

 As many of you know, I get in a fair amount of stuff to review on Riding Gravel and sometimes just to give feedback on/test for others. I figured I may as well shoot a few words this way on some things being currently tested and reviewed by giving a few, brief thoughts on those items. As always, The Standard Disclaimer applies. 

Cedaero Tank Top Pack

Cedaero Tank Top Pack:

Mrs. Guitar Ted bought me a nice present when we were in Emporia last week. It is a Cedaero Tank Top Pack in a waxed canvas purple color. 

This bag can also be had in a Cordura Nylon or in what I have here which Cedaero calls a "Martexin Waxed Canvass". The waxed bags weigh a bit more, if that matters to you, and this one weighs in at 176 grams. 

The price for this was $79.99 and Mrs. Guitar Ted purchased it a Merchant Cycles (Formerly Gravel City Adventure and Supply) in Emporia KS. 

Okay, so I am replacing a Revelate "Mag Tank" bag with the magnetic closure top. I was using that bag on my Singular Gryphon Mk3 and I thought it was a bit of a kludgy bag in that is has a top that doesn't cover the interior well at times and the top magnetic closure is fiddly and doesn't hold its contents securely. 

The Cedaero bag has a proper zipper closure which is easy to use and doesn't cause you to have to use two hands to start to zip it shut. The zipper pull feels beefy without being annoying and it should be easy to find in a 'no-look' fashion while riding. That's important to me. 

There is a side mesh inner pocket, useful for trash, or smaller items, and otherwise the inner cavity is not divided nor contrasted in color. The Revelate bag has a inner contrasting color which is a bit nicer in my opinion. 

The two hook and loop straps on the bottom of the bag are not capable of being re-positioned as they are permanently sewn in. The front hook and loop strap can be re-positioned though. 

The bag was easily mounted and initial testing shows good results, so I am hopeful this passes the ride test. 

For context, the Cedaero Tank Top Pack is almost identically sized to the Revelate Mag Tank, but the Mag Tank weighs about 30 grams less and is cheaper at $59.99. These compare to my all-time favorite top tube bag, the Bike Bag Dude "Top Tube Garage", which is significantly larger and has a dual inner side pockets arrangement, contrasting inner fabric, multi-position straps, and is lighter overall. It costs about a C-note plus shipping from Australia, but these bags are totally worth the money. 

More soon......

Tifosi "Rail" Sunglasses:

Recently I received a pair (why are Sunglasses called "a pair"? Weird...) of Tifosi Rail Sunglasses with three interchangeable lenses. There is a high-light blockage "Slate Mirror" lens, a Red AC (All Conditions) lens, and a clear lens. The retail price for this model is $79.99. 

Tifosi and I go way back. Little known factoid: Tifosi sponsored the very first Trans Iowa and gave each rider a free pair of Sunglasses! (I wish I had kept mine, but they are long gone.) 

Anyway, Tifosi's "MO" is to offer the rider a set of glasses with a lot of value and high performance at a low cost. In the past I was "mostly satisfied" with their wares. I mean, you could tell that Oakleys and Spy, and Rudy Projects were superior in terms of optics, and so the resulting price differences between those brands and Tifosi made some sense. 

Is this still the case? 

Well, I think that Tifosi has upped their game since the days I was a regular user of their products. The overall optical experience with the Rail has been really good. "Oakley" good? "Spy" good? Yeah....pretty darn close to that good, for sure. 

And you get three very usable lenses. The Smoke Mirror lens is great at blocking out really bright Sun and glare. The Red AC lens is what I would call perfect. I like the ability to see contrasts and they block enough light to keep me happy while not being so dark that going under the branches of a roadside tree does not leave you in the dark. 

And clear lenses need no explanation. 

The bows of these Rail model glasses are comfy, the adjustable nose piece is on par with any high-end glasses, and the Rail does not slip, nor cause any fatigue after wearing them a long time. They do have a large "blade-like" lens that is all the rage these days, so they cover a lot of facial real estate. Keep that in mind here. 

I'll have more to say in my Riding Gravel review. 

Base Layers:

Here is something you don't see a lot of chatter about - Base layers. Those garments that go between you and the jersey. It would seem counter-intuitive for hot, humid conditions to wear one of these and a jersey, but if you know, well.....you know.

I'll spare the apologetic of base layer usage and just say that I was amazed at the difference when wearing a base layer versus not wearing one. You can decide for yourself if it is worth the trouble. Now with that said, here are two base layer tops for men that I have found to my liking. 

Twin Six T6 Base Layer:

No techy mumbo-jumbo here. I like this one because it is relatively inexpensive at $21.60 and it feels pretty darn good. I have been wearing one of these on most of my rides for several years after having used another brand at first. This top launders well and stays nice and bright white wash after wash. Plus it does what it is supposed to do- wick away sweat and keep you cooler. The fabric is supple and decently soft to the touch, even after several years of use. It has more of a tank-top cut to it, so it doesn't cover the shoulders. 

Endura Translite S/L Baselayer: 

The Endura base layer (right in the image above) is the nicest base layer I have. I only have one, but I have had it for a few years as well. It also launders well and works great on the bike. The main differences are that the Endura fabric is softer to the skin and very supple. The other difference is that it is a sleeveless design, so this one has a tighter collar, more like a t-shirt than a tank-top, and it covers the shoulders. Cost is a bit more at $39.99 but the Endura base layer is like an "Ultegra" option whereas the T6 top would be your "105" option. (Or XT vs SLX if you are a MTB person) You can check out this one HERE, but I see the website says they are out of stock at the moment. 

The bottom line is that these are both great base layer tops for hot, humid weather or any riding, really. The T6 gets my vote as the workhorse option that you will definitely get your money's worth from. The Endura one is more of a luxury item, in my view, but it is definitely a great base layer. 

That's a wrap for this edition of Review Briefs

Here We Go! Gravel Worlds Prep On The MCD

Gotta Know Where To Go!

Okay, I had something cleared up this past weekend which was necessary to know what I was going to be doing at the upcoming Gravel Worlds event in Lincoln, Nebraska. I was going either way, it was just a question of for what purpose. That's all I'm a'gunna say 'bout that. I just mention this because I wasn't going to post about Gravel Worlds prep until I had that hurdle cleared. Now that my purpose is clear, I am going to discuss my rig here for my attempt at finishing this 150 mile beast of a ride. 

First off, you probably inferred by my "Water Carriers" posts that something was up, and this is it. Gravel Worlds! I needed to have the ability to carry enough fluids to get from place to place on the route and not be in a deficit. Well, as you know, that has been addressed. 

So, here we have the 'rest of the story', so to speak. First up is navigation. I already showed off my home made cue sheet holder, and the next order of business from a navigational point of view was to get some way to count down the miles so I could follow cue sheets. Now, yes- Gravel Worlds has downloadable GPS navigation for their courses. But the thing is- I do not own a GPS unit that allows me to follow a course. My Lezyne computer is kind of a dinosaur in that you have to have your phone linked up to it to be able to use turn-by-turn navigation, which I always thought was bogus. So, I never bothered to ever try it out. Heck, sometimes I leave my phone at home. I like it that way. So, having to tether my phone to a navigation device seemed dumb to my way of thinking. 

Anyway, so I needed to go the old school route, and thankfully Gravel Worlds does cues yet. Otherwise, honestly- I probably wouldn't go. Any event that assumes you will have an expensive piece of gear to be able to come to their event is not my kind of event. Nuff said.....  

Okay, so I have this Sigma computer on there, and it is a wireless unit, so we'll see how that goes. As long as it counts mileage, it will make my job easier. That and tell me the time, (which I don't really need now since I wear an Apple watch) - that's all I need. So, I'm good to go there once I get the cues from Gravel Worlds and print them out. Elevation gain? Who really cares? It is what it is. Ya gotta ride the course and whatever hills they put in there. Doesn't really matter now or afterward what the numbers are to me. It'll be hard, I know that!

The KOM Tube Strap

Next up we have a storage solution in the KOM Tube Strap. It is a new product for KOM Cycling which they are having me review for RidingGravel.com. I figured Gravel Worlds might make for a good testing ground. (*Standard disclaimer- I am not being paid for this mention, got the product for free, etc....) The idea came to me to try this for Gravel Worlds when I eschewed the idea of using a seat bag and found my Top Tube Garage Bag was getting a bit crowded. I realized this Tube Strap thing-a-ma jig just might clear up some space, if I could figure out where to put it. I tried the obvious- the seat post- but my thighs grazed it and that is a definite no-go with me! But hanging from the top tube? Hmm... 

I tried that and it was a winner. Now, I may not carry what I have in it now- a tube, tire lever, CO2 cartridge inflation system- but I do need to have a spare tube, the tire levers, and I think I'll be throwing on a Stan's NoTubes DART tool. That should do it there.

I could have gone with one of the three tool rolls I have on review, but for some reason I just do not want to do that for Gravel Worlds. I really wanted to keep anything off the saddle or on the seat post proper. Part of my minimizing scheme. That said, I may change my mind here. Stay tuned..... 

The Redshift Sports ShockStop Seat Post and Ravemen Tail Light.

The one and only time I finished Gravel Worlds was a time a used a shock absorbing seat post. I remember it made the wash-boarded out roads livable and it saved me from a lot of saddle fatigue. Over a 150 miles, these sorts of products pay dividends. 

Well, I have at my disposal a Redshift Sports ShockStop seat post which was reviewed for RidingGravel.com once upon a time recently. (*Insert standard disclaimer here) So, I figured, why not use it? It weighs more than the Whiskey carbon post that was in there, but as I said- this is a looooong ride. Comfort and rider freshness is king. This seat post is dialed and works really well. So, I'm using it. By the way, this bike already was fitted with a Redshift Sports ShockStop stem as well. So, I've got that benefit going for me up front also. 

I'm also going to be using one of the Ravemen tail lights, but likely not the one shown. I have one that mounts on the seat stay which is there, but not shown in the image here. The seat stay mounted one has a longer run time, a better mount, and so it won out for the job at Gravel Worlds. (*Disclaimer: I paid for these lights at a discounted rate for test and review on RidingGravel.com)

A look at things as they sit now.

Okay, so I've gotten things dialed in with a bit finer focus now, but there is still work to do. I need to get my nutrition lined up and do a dry run packing that onto the bike. I'll likely tweak out the tube strap cargo, figure out which of a myriad of multi-tools I want onboard, and maybe a few other odd-ball things here and there. But what you see here, minus the dust, is pretty much what I will be pedaling out of Lincoln Nebraska in a couple of weeks time. 

Oh, and there is one major change yet to be revealed. That would be the race-day wheel and tire set up. These wheels and tires are heavier than what I will be using, and that was planned ahead of time. I may get in a quick ride or two, but pretty soon I'll be swapping over to the other set of wheels to make sure everything is copacetic with that wheel and tire combo. 

Questions, thoughts, concerns? Leave me a comment. Otherwise, stay tuned.....

*Standard Disclaimer Page can be found under the header: To save my having to write out my disclaimer for various items and products I use, I have written a "Standard Disclaimer" and made it a page with its own description/explanation. You can access it under the header where it says "Standard Disclaimer". I will only add in disclaimers now if there is a modification, as with the Ravemen lights which I did purchase with my own money, but at a discounted rate. Thanks!

Here We Go! Gravel Worlds Prep On The MCD

Gotta Know Where To Go!

Okay, I had something cleared up this past weekend which was necessary to know what I was going to be doing at the upcoming Gravel Worlds event in Lincoln, Nebraska. I was going either way, it was just a question of for what purpose. That's all I'm a'gunna say 'bout that. I just mention this because I wasn't going to post about Gravel Worlds prep until I had that hurdle cleared. Now that my purpose is clear, I am going to discuss my rig here for my attempt at finishing this 150 mile beast of a ride. 

First off, you probably inferred by my "Water Carriers" posts that something was up, and this is it. Gravel Worlds! I needed to have the ability to carry enough fluids to get from place to place on the route and not be in a deficit. Well, as you know, that has been addressed. 

So, here we have the 'rest of the story', so to speak. First up is navigation. I already showed off my home made cue sheet holder, and the next order of business from a navigational point of view was to get some way to count down the miles so I could follow cue sheets. Now, yes- Gravel Worlds has downloadable GPS navigation for their courses. But the thing is- I do not own a GPS unit that allows me to follow a course. My Lezyne computer is kind of a dinosaur in that you have to have your phone linked up to it to be able to use turn-by-turn navigation, which I always thought was bogus. So, I never bothered to ever try it out. Heck, sometimes I leave my phone at home. I like it that way. So, having to tether my phone to a navigation device seemed dumb to my way of thinking. 

Anyway, so I needed to go the old school route, and thankfully Gravel Worlds does cues yet. Otherwise, honestly- I probably wouldn't go. Any event that assumes you will have an expensive piece of gear to be able to come to their event is not my kind of event. Nuff said.....  

Okay, so I have this Sigma computer on there, and it is a wireless unit, so we'll see how that goes. As long as it counts mileage, it will make my job easier. That and tell me the time, (which I don't really need now since I wear an Apple watch) - that's all I need. So, I'm good to go there once I get the cues from Gravel Worlds and print them out. Elevation gain? Who really cares? It is what it is. Ya gotta ride the course and whatever hills they put in there. Doesn't really matter now or afterward what the numbers are to me. It'll be hard, I know that!

The KOM Tube Strap

Next up we have a storage solution in the KOM Tube Strap. It is a new product for KOM Cycling which they are having me review for RidingGravel.com. I figured Gravel Worlds might make for a good testing ground. (*Standard disclaimer- I am not being paid for this mention, got the product for free, etc....) The idea came to me to try this for Gravel Worlds when I eschewed the idea of using a seat bag and found my Top Tube Garage Bag was getting a bit crowded. I realized this Tube Strap thing-a-ma jig just might clear up some space, if I could figure out where to put it. I tried the obvious- the seat post- but my thighs grazed it and that is a definite no-go with me! But hanging from the top tube? Hmm... 

I tried that and it was a winner. Now, I may not carry what I have in it now- a tube, tire lever, CO2 cartridge inflation system- but I do need to have a spare tube, the tire levers, and I think I'll be throwing on a Stan's NoTubes DART tool. That should do it there.

I could have gone with one of the three tool rolls I have on review, but for some reason I just do not want to do that for Gravel Worlds. I really wanted to keep anything off the saddle or on the seat post proper. Part of my minimizing scheme. That said, I may change my mind here. Stay tuned..... 

The Redshift Sports ShockStop Seat Post and Ravemen Tail Light.

The one and only time I finished Gravel Worlds was a time a used a shock absorbing seat post. I remember it made the wash-boarded out roads livable and it saved me from a lot of saddle fatigue. Over a 150 miles, these sorts of products pay dividends. 

Well, I have at my disposal a Redshift Sports ShockStop seat post which was reviewed for RidingGravel.com once upon a time recently. (*Insert standard disclaimer here) So, I figured, why not use it? It weighs more than the Whiskey carbon post that was in there, but as I said- this is a looooong ride. Comfort and rider freshness is king. This seat post is dialed and works really well. So, I'm using it. By the way, this bike already was fitted with a Redshift Sports ShockStop stem as well. So, I've got that benefit going for me up front also. 

I'm also going to be using one of the Ravemen tail lights, but likely not the one shown. I have one that mounts on the seat stay which is there, but not shown in the image here. The seat stay mounted one has a longer run time, a better mount, and so it won out for the job at Gravel Worlds. (*Disclaimer: I paid for these lights at a discounted rate for test and review on RidingGravel.com)

A look at things as they sit now.

Okay, so I've gotten things dialed in with a bit finer focus now, but there is still work to do. I need to get my nutrition lined up and do a dry run packing that onto the bike. I'll likely tweak out the tube strap cargo, figure out which of a myriad of multi-tools I want onboard, and maybe a few other odd-ball things here and there. But what you see here, minus the dust, is pretty much what I will be pedaling out of Lincoln Nebraska in a couple of weeks time. 

Oh, and there is one major change yet to be revealed. That would be the race-day wheel and tire set up. These wheels and tires are heavier than what I will be using, and that was planned ahead of time. I may get in a quick ride or two, but pretty soon I'll be swapping over to the other set of wheels to make sure everything is copacetic with that wheel and tire combo. 

Questions, thoughts, concerns? Leave me a comment. Otherwise, stay tuned.....

*Standard Disclaimer Page can be found under the header: To save my having to write out my disclaimer for various items and products I use, I have written a "Standard Disclaimer" and made it a page with its own description/explanation. You can access it under the header where it says "Standard Disclaimer". I will only add in disclaimers now if there is a modification, as with the Ravemen lights which I did purchase with my own money, but at a discounted rate. Thanks!

Water Carriers: Update #5

What it looks like post last weekend's 60 miler.

 So the big test of my water carrying system was last weekend when I rode with N.Y. Roll. My biggest concern was how the three bottles I would need to be able to access while riding would work out. 

The upper one on the down tube had been moved upward a bit, perhaps making that one harder to grab and reinstall. The Chaff Bag bottle may be tough to use as it was up against the make-shift cue sheet holder. The only way you really can find out if these sorts of things will work is to actually go on a ride and see. So, of course, that's what happened over the weekend. 

I have to say that most of my fears were unfounded. Yeah....that top bottle took a bit of a different move to get in and out, but it wasn't what I would call 'difficult'. I moved the strap on the Chaff Bag a bit which canted out the bag's top a bit to make the bottle clear the cue sheet holder. So, that worked. All in all, everything did what it was supposed to do. 

The big Jett Green bottle stayed put. The Wolf Tooth strap and B-Rad held it like a champ, and it was super easy and quick to get the bottle out and replace it again when stopped for refilling. The bottom bottle, the Jet+, was rock solid and I never noticed it while riding. I believe I have everything I need locked in with a few changes elsewhere to the set up.

One will be that I may end up using this Topeak Burrito Pack for my flat repair kit and that would go under the saddle. I have nothing there now and adding that pack would open up a bit more space in the Top Tube Garage Bag for nutritional stuff and whatnot. I'm still debating on whether or not to run two lights. I don't think I will, mainly because Gravel Worlds is only dark for about 30 minutes after the start and then whenever you roll in after - oh, say 8:00pm or so, depending on cloud cover. I might have maybe four hours max in darkness. If it is longer than that, well..... I probably am a DNF. 

Finally, the wheels and tires here are training wheels and tires. I have a lighter set up that I will race/ride on when the time comes. Stay tuned for that coming soon.....

Water Carriers: Update #5

What it looks like post last weekend's 60 miler.

 So the big test of my water carrying system was last weekend when I rode with N.Y. Roll. My biggest concern was how the three bottles I would need to be able to access while riding would work out. 

The upper one on the down tube had been moved upward a bit, perhaps making that one harder to grab and reinstall. The Chaff Bag bottle may be tough to use as it was up against the make-shift cue sheet holder. The only way you really can find out if these sorts of things will work is to actually go on a ride and see. So, of course, that's what happened over the weekend. 

I have to say that most of my fears were unfounded. Yeah....that top bottle took a bit of a different move to get in and out, but it wasn't what I would call 'difficult'. I moved the strap on the Chaff Bag a bit which canted out the bag's top a bit to make the bottle clear the cue sheet holder. So, that worked. All in all, everything did what it was supposed to do. 

The big Jett Green bottle stayed put. The Wolf Tooth strap and B-Rad held it like a champ, and it was super easy and quick to get the bottle out and replace it again when stopped for refilling. The bottom bottle, the Jet+, was rock solid and I never noticed it while riding. I believe I have everything I need locked in with a few changes elsewhere to the set up.

One will be that I may end up using this Topeak Burrito Pack for my flat repair kit and that would go under the saddle. I have nothing there now and adding that pack would open up a bit more space in the Top Tube Garage Bag for nutritional stuff and whatnot. I'm still debating on whether or not to run two lights. I don't think I will, mainly because Gravel Worlds is only dark for about 30 minutes after the start and then whenever you roll in after - oh, say 8:00pm or so, depending on cloud cover. I might have maybe four hours max in darkness. If it is longer than that, well..... I probably am a DNF. 

Finally, the wheels and tires here are training wheels and tires. I have a lighter set up that I will race/ride on when the time comes. Stay tuned for that coming soon.....

Water Carriers: Update #4

Note the position of this seat tube mounted water bottle cage.

 In my last update (seen here) I mentioned these custom made 'Popsicle Sticks' that DG machined for MJ years ago so MJ could move his water bottle cages in positions that better suited his needs. These are a precursor to the Wolf Tooth B-Rad System rails. I mentioned that I had plans for these machined bits of alloy. 

So, to the left here, you see a grainy image of a seat tube from my Raleigh Tamland Two and the water bottle cage on that tube. Notice how the bottom is higher than the front derailleur clamp? That means that any size bottle I put in that cage interferes with a top tube mounted bag like a Tangle Bag, for instance. 

I wanted to use one of the Popsicle Sticks to move the position of this seat tube mounted cage as low as possible. There are a couple of things to note here. One- I had to allow for clearance of the front derailleur clamp. Two- I had to find shorter water bottle bolts to bolt the cage to the Popsicle Stick at the bottom so the bolt would not interfere with the derailleur clamp. Fortunately, DG machined some spacers and gave them to MJ, who in turn passed them on to me, so that the spacing away of the Popsicle Stick to the seat tube was not an issue. Finding really short water bottle bolts? Could be a problem, that is unless you've been wrenching on bicycles for 20+ years and have been hoarding bits and baubles. 

You can see the special spacers that DG machined to go with the Popsicle Sticks here.

I also had to find longer bolts for the Popsicle Sticks that would find enough purchase after going through the base and spacer. The original bottle boss bolts only stuck out maybe a couple of millimeters after adding spacers. No good for holding a full 24 ounce bottle on rough gravel! So, once again thanks to my hoarding of fasteners, I had no trouble at all finding brand new stainless bolts to mount the Popsicle Stick with. 

Another nice touch here was the counter-sunk pocket DG machined into the stick to allow the mounting bolt's heads to not interfere with the water bottle cage. You can see the bolt heads peeking out in the image above, but I can assure you that they were buried into that aluminum bar once I fastened the stick on the seat tube of my Raleigh.

Here you can see the completed project. Note how the really short lower bottle cage bolt misses the front derailleur clamp.

Fortunately I found a short bolt for the lower mounting hole of the water bottle cage which barely passes through the Popsicle Stick but avoids contact with the front derailleur clamp. Good thing I decided that short bolt was worth hanging on to! 

As you might imagine, that beefy aluminum bar is not flexing at all and the cage, and therefore the water bottle, is secure for any long haul in rougher terrain. Everything clears, and all the bolts are just the right length to do their jobs. I test rode the set up and there are no issues other than that this bottle is a little harder to reach now. Hey! I have long arms! I can stretch yet......

The full view showing that now I have plenty of room for a Tangle Bag, or the equivalent.

So now instead of my cage and bottle sitting above the front derailleur clamp, the cage is lowered so that the bottom of the cage is a good two inches below the top of that clamp. This easily opens up the entire area under the top tube for a 'half-frame' bag, like a Revelate Tangle Bag or customized equivalent. That and a top tube 'tank' bag, like my Bike Bag Dude Garage Bag, and a couple of Chaff Bags and I will be set up for any super-long ride with the Tamland. 

Using one of the Chaff Bags as a water bottle holder, I now can get five bottles onboard the Tamland when originally this bike could only do two bottles. It was an oversight of mine to not advise Raleigh to put on under-the-down-tube water bottle mounts. I also am fortunate that Fyxation made this fork for quick release wheels and added bosses so that I could expand the versatility of this bike even more. In fact, I'm pretty sure that with another B-Rad 4 I could get another water bottle cage up on the down tube above the one already there. Maybe I'll do that as well someday.

So, that leaves one more Popsicle Stick. I have a plan for that one as well which I will show you all soon. Stay tuned for that...... Oh! And by the way, someone asked in the comments about my cue sheet holder and light mount for the pink BMC. I've not forgotten about that. That will get shown soon as well....

Water Carriers: Update #4

Note the position of this seat tube mounted water bottle cage.

 In my last update (seen here) I mentioned these custom made 'Popsicle Sticks' that DG machined for MJ years ago so MJ could move his water bottle cages in positions that better suited his needs. These are a precursor to the Wolf Tooth B-Rad System rails. I mentioned that I had plans for these machined bits of alloy. 

So, to the left here, you see a grainy image of a seat tube from my Raleigh Tamland Two and the water bottle cage on that tube. Notice how the bottom is higher than the front derailleur clamp? That means that any size bottle I put in that cage interferes with a top tube mounted bag like a Tangle Bag, for instance. 

I wanted to use one of the Popsicle Sticks to move the position of this seat tube mounted cage as low as possible. There are a couple of things to note here. One- I had to allow for clearance of the front derailleur clamp. Two- I had to find shorter water bottle bolts to bolt the cage to the Popsicle Stick at the bottom so the bolt would not interfere with the derailleur clamp. Fortunately, DG machined some spacers and gave them to MJ, who in turn passed them on to me, so that the spacing away of the Popsicle Stick to the seat tube was not an issue. Finding really short water bottle bolts? Could be a problem, that is unless you've been wrenching on bicycles for 20+ years and have been hoarding bits and baubles. 

You can see the special spacers that DG machined to go with the Popsicle Sticks here.

I also had to find longer bolts for the Popsicle Sticks that would find enough purchase after going through the base and spacer. The original bottle boss bolts only stuck out maybe a couple of millimeters after adding spacers. No good for holding a full 24 ounce bottle on rough gravel! So, once again thanks to my hoarding of fasteners, I had no trouble at all finding brand new stainless bolts to mount the Popsicle Stick with. 

Another nice touch here was the counter-sunk pocket DG machined into the stick to allow the mounting bolt's heads to not interfere with the water bottle cage. You can see the bolt heads peeking out in the image above, but I can assure you that they were buried into that aluminum bar once I fastened the stick on the seat tube of my Raleigh.

Here you can see the completed project. Note how the really short lower bottle cage bolt misses the front derailleur clamp.

Fortunately I found a short bolt for the lower mounting hole of the water bottle cage which barely passes through the Popsicle Stick but avoids contact with the front derailleur clamp. Good thing I decided that short bolt was worth hanging on to! 

As you might imagine, that beefy aluminum bar is not flexing at all and the cage, and therefore the water bottle, is secure for any long haul in rougher terrain. Everything clears, and all the bolts are just the right length to do their jobs. I test rode the set up and there are no issues other than that this bottle is a little harder to reach now. Hey! I have long arms! I can stretch yet......

The full view showing that now I have plenty of room for a Tangle Bag, or the equivalent.

So now instead of my cage and bottle sitting above the front derailleur clamp, the cage is lowered so that the bottom of the cage is a good two inches below the top of that clamp. This easily opens up the entire area under the top tube for a 'half-frame' bag, like a Revelate Tangle Bag or customized equivalent. That and a top tube 'tank' bag, like my Bike Bag Dude Garage Bag, and a couple of Chaff Bags and I will be set up for any super-long ride with the Tamland. 

Using one of the Chaff Bags as a water bottle holder, I now can get five bottles onboard the Tamland when originally this bike could only do two bottles. It was an oversight of mine to not advise Raleigh to put on under-the-down-tube water bottle mounts. I also am fortunate that Fyxation made this fork for quick release wheels and added bosses so that I could expand the versatility of this bike even more. In fact, I'm pretty sure that with another B-Rad 4 I could get another water bottle cage up on the down tube above the one already there. Maybe I'll do that as well someday.

So, that leaves one more Popsicle Stick. I have a plan for that one as well which I will show you all soon. Stay tuned for that...... Oh! And by the way, someone asked in the comments about my cue sheet holder and light mount for the pink BMC. I've not forgotten about that. That will get shown soon as well....

Project Gravel Bus: Update

Parts, parts, and parts.....

Welcome to another boring edition of "Project Gravel Bus"! I hope that you find this nerdy, parts-focused post somewhat enjoyable. Here's the latest stuff I have accumulated for the upcoming build of the Twin Six Standard Rando v2 in "Saffron" (yeah.....right!), or in my world- "Project Gravel Bus".

As with any bike build, you are not really doing anything effective until you get the frame and fork connected with a headset. My choice was to pull this Cane Creek "Forty" headset from the parts bin. By the way, everyone knows that it should be spelled "fourty", not forty. But our language is a jacked-up mish-mash of stolen, borrowed, and made-up marketing hoo-hah mixed in with slang and whatever the "cool kidz" are saying these daze. So......excuse me....back on track now!

Ah......yeah. Next up are brakes because "stopping is a good thing". My choice in stoppers is from TRP and I will be using their Spyre brakes adapted for the flat mount up front matched with a 'real' flat mount brake out back along with their adapter for 140-160mm rotor in the back. Whew! Adapters! Why?! I don't know. Maybe because it's a deal where One Caliper rules them all and the Nine Adapters, sometimes referred to as the "Black Frustrators", run roughshod over our idea of what "Standards" should be. But don't ask me! I'm no "Bike Wizard" with a magic horse.

And shown here also is the mighty bag of doom and destruction from the Bike Bag Dude dubbed the Garage Top Tube Bag. The Bike Bag Dude is a wizard of the night and can conjure up baggage spells to sooth whatever carrying needs ail ya. To battle!

I also have things not shown. Not that I am being secretive, just too lazy to bring them home from the shop, or upstairs from the Lab to photograph. . These include my eccentric bottom bracket insert for PF30 from Wheels Manufacturing. The Surly Single Speed Spacer Kit is there as well. In the Lab lurks a carbon wheel set from Irwin Wheels dubbed the Aon GX-35, and my stem, seat post, saddle, and cables and housing. All very exciting things which I know you all really want to see and read about. I know...... Maybe someday! (<===HA!)

So, as you can see, there is only one major missing component, really, and that is the Twin Six Standard Rando v2 in "School Bus Yellow". (My color naming description) I hear it is coming soon, maybe even tomorrow? We will see. Late June/early July is what I was told, so we are in that window. Once it hits the floor at Andy's Bike Shop the dust will get stirred up, I'll chant a few spells of bike building wizardry, and hopefully all will settle into a beautiful new single speed gravel sled.

Stay tuned......

Project Gravel Bus: Update

Parts, parts, and parts.....

Welcome to another boring edition of "Project Gravel Bus"! I hope that you find this nerdy, parts-focused post somewhat enjoyable. Here's the latest stuff I have accumulated for the upcoming build of the Twin Six Standard Rando v2 in "Saffron" (yeah.....right!), or in my world- "Project Gravel Bus".

As with any bike build, you are not really doing anything effective until you get the frame and fork connected with a headset. My choice was to pull this Cane Creek "Forty" headset from the parts bin. By the way, everyone knows that it should be spelled "fourty", not forty. But our language is a jacked-up mish-mash of stolen, borrowed, and made-up marketing hoo-hah mixed in with slang and whatever the "cool kidz" are saying these daze. So......excuse me....back on track now!

Ah......yeah. Next up are brakes because "stopping is a good thing". My choice in stoppers is from TRP and I will be using their Spyre brakes adapted for the flat mount up front matched with a 'real' flat mount brake out back along with their adapter for 140-160mm rotor in the back. Whew! Adapters! Why?! I don't know. Maybe because it's a deal where One Caliper rules them all and the Nine Adapters, sometimes referred to as the "Black Frustrators", run roughshod over our idea of what "Standards" should be. But don't ask me! I'm no "Bike Wizard" with a magic horse.

And shown here also is the mighty bag of doom and destruction from the Bike Bag Dude dubbed the Garage Top Tube Bag. The Bike Bag Dude is a wizard of the night and can conjure up baggage spells to sooth whatever carrying needs ail ya. To battle!

I also have things not shown. Not that I am being secretive, just too lazy to bring them home from the shop, or upstairs from the Lab to photograph. . These include my eccentric bottom bracket insert for PF30 from Wheels Manufacturing. The Surly Single Speed Spacer Kit is there as well. In the Lab lurks a carbon wheel set from Irwin Wheels dubbed the Aon GX-35, and my stem, seat post, saddle, and cables and housing. All very exciting things which I know you all really want to see and read about. I know...... Maybe someday! (<===HA!)

So, as you can see, there is only one major missing component, really, and that is the Twin Six Standard Rando v2 in "School Bus Yellow". (My color naming description) I hear it is coming soon, maybe even tomorrow? We will see. Late June/early July is what I was told, so we are in that window. Once it hits the floor at Andy's Bike Shop the dust will get stirred up, I'll chant a few spells of bike building wizardry, and hopefully all will settle into a beautiful new single speed gravel sled.

Stay tuned......

Friday News And Views

Bike Bag Dude strikes again! (Note: Debut of new table on G-Ted Productions)

More Top Tube Storage: 

Recently I received a couple more Top Tube Garage Bags from Bike Bag Dude in Australia. These are my third and fourth Top Tube Garage Bags from the BBD, and I have noted that these have seen some slight improvements over the original one I have had here for years.

The inside features a couple of 'side pockets' now which you could use for thin objects like credit cards, money, gels, or small wrenches and the like which would tend to get lost in the swirling mass of 'stuff' you might be putting into one of these. I also noted a nice port for wires to a GPS, battery for a light, or what have you at the lower front of these newer bags. The zipper looks improved and the structure of the bag itself seems improved, although that's hard to say when comparing my original bag, which is years old and abused, to brand new ones.

What hasn't changed is the ginormous size which I happen to love. I have one of the older ones stuffed with a Silca mini-pump, multi-tool, tubeless tire repair kit, a tube, nutrition, and I still have room for my Olympus Tough TG-5 camera. In fact, you can set one of these up with almost everything you'd put in a normal top tube bag and a seat bag, eliminating the seat bag. Cool! Plus, you needn't worry about busting one of these, as they are made tougher than rhino hide and let me tell you- I have tested the seams, zippers, and overall construction severely. There have been times I have thought, "Well, this zipper probably will blow up here.....", only to find it takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.

One of these is going on the Gravel Bus, the other will see duty on several other bikes. Stay tuned for another full review of the Top Tube Garage Bag soon.....

Typical fresh gravel in Iowa.

 What Is Gravel? 

As you all know, (unless you're completely disconnected), many cycling companies are falling all over themselves to do something in the 'gravel' category. This has resulted in some.......ah.... weird marketing, shall we say? 

And much of what is produced seems to be 'not-gravel'. Take Cannondale's latest Topstone Carbon and Neo Topstone electrified bikes. The pitch sheet showed folks using them at what looked like a pump track at a mountain bike park.

Or take any number of 'gravel' marketing campaigns where the riders are on dirt roads. Rarely- if ever - do you see actual gravel being used in the promotions of bicycles and gear deemed worth using on 'gravel', whatever that stuff is. Clearly most of these marketing departments don't know what gravel is, or cannot be arsed to find actual gravel roads to use in their marketing. I guess it is boring, or they just think it is MTB on skinnier wheels and tires with drop bars.

Don't like gravel? Fine, call it crushed rock. But if you aren't really going to use real gravel to market for crushed rock/ gravel, don't call it that. Because what I'm seeing isn't gravel at all. Not much of the time it isn't. Take a look at my image here. Now that's gravel. Hey! That gives me an idea!

Come to the Mid-West, you marketing mavens. We've got thousands of miles of this stuff all throughout the mid-sections of the country. It isn't that difficult, and, ya know......you've been flying MTB marketing campaigns to Chile and other such far-flung locations world-wide. Our destination is easy to reach, and cheaper. Tell that to your bean counters when you make your next proposal to market a gravel doohickey or widget. Or........

Quit calling what you do 'gravel'. It isn't gravel, much of the time. And we all know it out here.

Project Gravel Bus; Update- 

Parts acquisition mode enabled: I have been searching for the stuff I think I want to put on the new rig, and brakes were up on the list for consideration. The TRP Spyre mechanical disc brakes are going to be the call here.

Why mechanical disc brakes? 

Answer: Generally speaking, brakes are a lot easier to maintain and take care of if they are mechanical. Hydraulic disc brakes are good, and I have those, of course, but in terms of how this bike is going to get used, I foresee mechanical disc brakes as being the easiest to maintain type for myself. My first go-round with Sprye mechanical disc brakes started in 2014 and I have had a set in consistent usage since then. I have experienced zero issues with that model, and of course, there are no issues in terms of bleeding the system, or having to worry about brake blocks when the wheels are out. Cables are a dime a dozen, and a good housing will bring up the operating performance of Spyre brakes to an acceptable level for gravel travel. Most any hydraulic caliper is about 5 times too powerful for gravel use. Once you can lock up a wheel. any more power than that is wasted. Spyres can lock up wheels on gravel easily.

Secondly, this opens up choices for levers. I happen to like Tektro RL 520 levers quite a bit. I am pretty sure I have a hackneyed set of them somewhere that should do for this build. I just have to find them! Cables and housings are no issue either. So, with that out of the way.......

I have pretty much decided that the Gravel Bus will be a single speed. I have a crank, eccentric bottom bracket, a Surly spacer kit, and cog lined up already. All I need is a brand new chain and I am good to go on the drive train bits. By the way, the drive ring will be a 40T, so I probably am going with a 20T or 22T rear cog depending upon the wheel/tire combo. Really......I should do a 19T cog. You know- the even-odd thing I like. I'll see what I have floating around in my special "Single Speed Drawer" in my tool box.

I'm 90% sure I am swapping over the Redshift ShockStop post and stem to the Gravel Bus, and then all I need are wheels and tires, with a handle bar thrown in for good measure. I have a Ritchey VentureMax bar laying around that would be good. Hmm..... The saddle will be a WTB one already attached to that seat post, by the way. Wheels I have. I will swap around wheels on this bike quite a bit, but I think I will be starting out with 700c wheels and some 40-ish mm tires I have around.

Stay tuned for further updates....

And there will be another "Saturday News And Views" tomorrow. This one will be pretty heavy on the 'views' part! Stay tuned for that. Otherwise, have an awesome weekend. Thanks for reading!

Friday News And Views

Bike Bag Dude strikes again! (Note: Debut of new table on G-Ted Productions)

More Top Tube Storage: 

Recently I received a couple more Top Tube Garage Bags from Bike Bag Dude in Australia. These are my third and fourth Top Tube Garage Bags from the BBD, and I have noted that these have seen some slight improvements over the original one I have had here for years.

The inside features a couple of 'side pockets' now which you could use for thin objects like credit cards, money, gels, or small wrenches and the like which would tend to get lost in the swirling mass of 'stuff' you might be putting into one of these. I also noted a nice port for wires to a GPS, battery for a light, or what have you at the lower front of these newer bags. The zipper looks improved and the structure of the bag itself seems improved, although that's hard to say when comparing my original bag, which is years old and abused, to brand new ones.

What hasn't changed is the ginormous size which I happen to love. I have one of the older ones stuffed with a Silca mini-pump, multi-tool, tubeless tire repair kit, a tube, nutrition, and I still have room for my Olympus Tough TG-5 camera. In fact, you can set one of these up with almost everything you'd put in a normal top tube bag and a seat bag, eliminating the seat bag. Cool! Plus, you needn't worry about busting one of these, as they are made tougher than rhino hide and let me tell you- I have tested the seams, zippers, and overall construction severely. There have been times I have thought, "Well, this zipper probably will blow up here.....", only to find it takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.

One of these is going on the Gravel Bus, the other will see duty on several other bikes. Stay tuned for another full review of the Top Tube Garage Bag soon.....

Typical fresh gravel in Iowa.

 What Is Gravel? 

As you all know, (unless you're completely disconnected), many cycling companies are falling all over themselves to do something in the 'gravel' category. This has resulted in some.......ah.... weird marketing, shall we say? 

And much of what is produced seems to be 'not-gravel'. Take Cannondale's latest Topstone Carbon and Neo Topstone electrified bikes. The pitch sheet showed folks using them at what looked like a pump track at a mountain bike park.

Or take any number of 'gravel' marketing campaigns where the riders are on dirt roads. Rarely- if ever - do you see actual gravel being used in the promotions of bicycles and gear deemed worth using on 'gravel', whatever that stuff is. Clearly most of these marketing departments don't know what gravel is, or cannot be arsed to find actual gravel roads to use in their marketing. I guess it is boring, or they just think it is MTB on skinnier wheels and tires with drop bars.

Don't like gravel? Fine, call it crushed rock. But if you aren't really going to use real gravel to market for crushed rock/ gravel, don't call it that. Because what I'm seeing isn't gravel at all. Not much of the time it isn't. Take a look at my image here. Now that's gravel. Hey! That gives me an idea!

Come to the Mid-West, you marketing mavens. We've got thousands of miles of this stuff all throughout the mid-sections of the country. It isn't that difficult, and, ya know......you've been flying MTB marketing campaigns to Chile and other such far-flung locations world-wide. Our destination is easy to reach, and cheaper. Tell that to your bean counters when you make your next proposal to market a gravel doohickey or widget. Or........

Quit calling what you do 'gravel'. It isn't gravel, much of the time. And we all know it out here.

Project Gravel Bus; Update- 

Parts acquisition mode enabled: I have been searching for the stuff I think I want to put on the new rig, and brakes were up on the list for consideration. The TRP Spyre mechanical disc brakes are going to be the call here.

Why mechanical disc brakes? 

Answer: Generally speaking, brakes are a lot easier to maintain and take care of if they are mechanical. Hydraulic disc brakes are good, and I have those, of course, but in terms of how this bike is going to get used, I foresee mechanical disc brakes as being the easiest to maintain type for myself. My first go-round with Sprye mechanical disc brakes started in 2014 and I have had a set in consistent usage since then. I have experienced zero issues with that model, and of course, there are no issues in terms of bleeding the system, or having to worry about brake blocks when the wheels are out. Cables are a dime a dozen, and a good housing will bring up the operating performance of Spyre brakes to an acceptable level for gravel travel. Most any hydraulic caliper is about 5 times too powerful for gravel use. Once you can lock up a wheel. any more power than that is wasted. Spyres can lock up wheels on gravel easily.

Secondly, this opens up choices for levers. I happen to like Tektro RL 520 levers quite a bit. I am pretty sure I have a hackneyed set of them somewhere that should do for this build. I just have to find them! Cables and housings are no issue either. So, with that out of the way.......

I have pretty much decided that the Gravel Bus will be a single speed. I have a crank, eccentric bottom bracket, a Surly spacer kit, and cog lined up already. All I need is a brand new chain and I am good to go on the drive train bits. By the way, the drive ring will be a 40T, so I probably am going with a 20T or 22T rear cog depending upon the wheel/tire combo. Really......I should do a 19T cog. You know- the even-odd thing I like. I'll see what I have floating around in my special "Single Speed Drawer" in my tool box.

I'm 90% sure I am swapping over the Redshift ShockStop post and stem to the Gravel Bus, and then all I need are wheels and tires, with a handle bar thrown in for good measure. I have a Ritchey VentureMax bar laying around that would be good. Hmm..... The saddle will be a WTB one already attached to that seat post, by the way. Wheels I have. I will swap around wheels on this bike quite a bit, but I think I will be starting out with 700c wheels and some 40-ish mm tires I have around.

Stay tuned for further updates....

And there will be another "Saturday News And Views" tomorrow. This one will be pretty heavy on the 'views' part! Stay tuned for that. Otherwise, have an awesome weekend. Thanks for reading!

Friday News And Views

More New Gravel Tires:

Tires. Say no more! Tires are argued about more, fussed over more, worried about more, and have maybe the biggest effect on bikes than anything else. So, when we see another new tire coming out, it gets folks excited. No one says, "Really? More tires? Stop it!", at least I don't see that. Also worth noting- We have so many 'gravel tires' now that I cannot keep track of them. I remember scouring the distributor's catalogs trying to find any 700c tire between 33mm (cyclo cross) and 50mm, (29"er) that wasn't a hybrid, wire bead tire, or some over-built touring tire. That wasn't all that long ago, by the way.

Hutchinson has been around a long time and have made many bicycle tires. You may not even know that. You could be forgiven for that easily. Hutchinson isn't known well in North America, and much less so in terms of gravel tires. So you may not have even known about their previous effort called the Overide. Frankly, I wasn't all that impressed with that tire. But this new one looks better. In fact, it looks a lot like a Donnelly MSO, so if it acts like a MSO, well then it should be pretty awesome. The big question isn't so much the tread, it's how the casing rides. If it isn't stiff, and has a modicum of forgiveness, I'll probably like it, at the least.

Hutchinsom is hitting all the most obvious things here. Skin wall, black wall options, and sizes in 700c X 40mm and 45mm along with 650B X 47mm. I noticed that their website says they have a 700c X 47mm. I'm pretty sure that was supposed to be 650B X 47. It wouldn't make any sense to do a 45mm tire and a 47mm one. Besides that, there is a puncture protection belt, which goes bead to bead, and these are tubeless ready, of course. All sizes and variations are $64.99 each MSRP.

RidingGravel.com will be getting some of these to check out, so hopefully you'll get to see them here as well. Stay tuned......

 SRAM AXS Pressure Guide:

SRAM, who call their electronic shifting group AXS, have an interesting tool on the AXS website which can guide you to a suggested air pressure setting for any tire, bicycle, and rider. It's unique and is based on an algorithm that calculates the outcome based upon user defined values. We've tried it at Andy's Bike Shop, and while it isn't perfect, we think it gives the rider a good reference starting point. As the site says, you should use the value suggested as a starting point for experimentation. We couldn't agree more.

At the very least, it is going to show casual, recreational cyclists that they are likely using too high a pressure. Obviously, we bike nerds are more tuned in to such minutiae, but maybe some of you are not? Give that site a whirl and let me know what you think. I think it is decent, but not perfect.

Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Podcast Rolls On:

The podcast, which already has more episodes published than it has for the last year and a half, is rolling along really well. That was one of my main goals for the podcast going into 2020. Which, by the way, has had many goals trashed due to this damn pandemic. (Latest episode here)
 .

My hope is that we can manage to keep things rolling throughout 2020 this way. But in order to be more inclusive, I am asking you readers here to let me know what you would like to hear. Just post something in the comments, or as always, feel free to email me @g.ted.productions@gmail.com. I'd love to hear your suggestions.

We have started one new feature. It's called "Gravel History With Guitar Ted". We talked about the Flint Hills Death Ride last Tuesday. But I'd like to hear about more old events, or just stories to look in to. I have some ideas based upon my experiences, but I don't know everything. Let's hear it folks!

Bike Bag Dude Top Tube Bag known as "The Garage".

 Parts Acquisition Mode: ON

Well, we'll be having a Twin Six Standard Rando v2 frame and fork headed this way soon, so I need to get accessorized. I do have a ton of stuff around to get that frame built up, but there are a few things missing that I need to get this bike 'just so'.

Actually, I was rummaging through my vortex of stuff in the Lab to find a top tube bag for the Pofahl the other day when I realized I just needed to get more Bike Bag Dude stuff to really solve the problem here.

Kath and Kedan of the Bike Bag Dude company live in Australia and are some of the most dedicated, finest bag makers around. You probably know a few very talented endurance athletes who use their bags, sometimes without the "BBD" logo, because they are supposed to be using their sponsor's stuff, but they thought BBD was better. That speaks volumes to me, but hey! I already know BBD stuff is the bomb because I've been using it for years. Like......almost ten years. 

Their stuff is really well made and lasts and lasts. I already have two of their "Garage" Top Tube Bags, and they are the 'just right size' top tube bags that don't get in the way and have a really pleasing shape to them. So, I already know I'm going to like the new ones. The best part? BBD can make these (and their other stuff) in a wide palette of colors, so one of the Garage Bags will be black and yellow to go with the new T-6 Standard Rando. The other will be more neutral colored to go with other bikes.


Okay, that's a wrap for this week. Have a great weekend and get out to ride some bikes if ya can!