Bikes Of 2016: Surly 1X1

Visiting a friend on December 22nd 2016

The time of year has come that I will be reviewing the bikes I used the most throughout 2016 and why. The ups, downs, changes, and more will be discussed.

The Surly 1X1 has been written up a bunch here on the blog over the past two years, so I won;t rehash all of that. I will say that this bike has become what I had envisioned back in 2014 when I received it as a frame a fork from its previous "keeper". That is, a "bar bike", townie, errand running, commuter rig.

I wanted a bike not easy to steal, so it has bolt on hubs and it is a single speed, which makes it less attractive to youngsters who don't know better. I installed fenders so I could ride it in crappy weather. I have fat tires set up tubeless that are easily maintained and ride very well.

It has served me in all my needs that I had envisioned for it very well. I couldn't be happier. For what it is, the 1X1 is really about as good as it gets. I could put a rear rack on it, and that might expand the capabilities a tad, but then again, I have a Big Dummy for carrying stuff, so this one gets the "light duty" jobs I can handle with a messenger bag or rucksack.

I really should get rid of the quick release seat collar and install a bolt on one, which I probably have lurking around here somewhere, but I haven't gotten around to that just yet. I also probably should look at replacing the drive train bits. I want to slap on a white industries free wheel, a new chain, and a Surly stainless steel ring. I maybe should do new brakes on this thing too. I have better ones that I can actually put "real" brake pads on.

But other than that, I have been well served once again by this bike during most of 2016, and while you don't see a lot of it here on the blog, I ride this bike a lot throughout the year.

Bikes Of 2016: Surly 1X1

Visiting a friend on December 22nd 2016

The time of year has come that I will be reviewing the bikes I used the most throughout 2016 and why. The ups, downs, changes, and more will be discussed.

The Surly 1X1 has been written up a bunch here on the blog over the past two years, so I won;t rehash all of that. I will say that this bike has become what I had envisioned back in 2014 when I received it as a frame a fork from its previous "keeper". That is, a "bar bike", townie, errand running, commuter rig.

I wanted a bike not easy to steal, so it has bolt on hubs and it is a single speed, which makes it less attractive to youngsters who don't know better. I installed fenders so I could ride it in crappy weather. I have fat tires set up tubeless that are easily maintained and ride very well.

It has served me in all my needs that I had envisioned for it very well. I couldn't be happier. For what it is, the 1X1 is really about as good as it gets. I could put a rear rack on it, and that might expand the capabilities a tad, but then again, I have a Big Dummy for carrying stuff, so this one gets the "light duty" jobs I can handle with a messenger bag or rucksack.

I really should get rid of the quick release seat collar and install a bolt on one, which I probably have lurking around here somewhere, but I haven't gotten around to that just yet. I also probably should look at replacing the drive train bits. I want to slap on a white industries free wheel, a new chain, and a Surly stainless steel ring. I maybe should do new brakes on this thing too. I have better ones that I can actually put "real" brake pads on.

But other than that, I have been well served once again by this bike during most of 2016, and while you don't see a lot of it here on the blog, I ride this bike a lot throughout the year.

Bikes Of 2016: Titanium Mukluk

Here shown in the tweaking stages before the "Fat Bike Century" ride.

The time of year has come that I will be reviewing the bikes I used the most throughout 2016 and why. The ups, downs, changes, and more will be discussed.

Another stalwart of the stable here. The Ti Mukluk, which I got at the end of 2011. There were a couple of notable things regarding this bike and 2016.

The first was doing a century ride on gravel with this bike. I have to be honest, I wasn't sure I could pull off 100 plus miles on this bike without severe pain or without doing some long term damage. Yes.....I had ridden it on a metric century before. I knew I could go that far, but things happen in that last 37 plus miles that make the previous 63 seem like a cakewalk sometimes. Well, that and a 100mm wide bottom bracket, a "too low" gear range, and my iffy shoulder were also reasons for some second thoughts.

But I pulled it off with no real serious side effects.

The second thing was that "too low gear range". That was a result of the switch to a 1 X 11 drive train. Which is working splendidly in snowy conditions, by the way. I've got "low enough" and one in reserve, so that is a good thing. I do need to adjust the cable a tiny bit, but otherwise, no issues whatsoever with this drive train. I can even pedal backward, which, from what I hear is a big issue with a lot of folk's 1X drive trains.

I know I ran this image a couple of days ago- Current state of the Ti Muk.

I have the Ti Muk "winterized" now, and who knows what configuration I will run it in in the future. I have plans to get Jones Bars at some point for this rig given the successful run with Jones Bars on my Blackborow. I have a "Summer" 29'er wheel set that I want to modify with new rims. Maybe I'll do something stupid and ride another century on fat tires again. If I do, this will be the bike I do that on.

Bikes Of 2016: Titanium Mukluk

Here shown in the tweaking stages before the "Fat Bike Century" ride.

The time of year has come that I will be reviewing the bikes I used the most throughout 2016 and why. The ups, downs, changes, and more will be discussed.

Another stalwart of the stable here. The Ti Mukluk, which I got at the end of 2011. There were a couple of notable things regarding this bike and 2016.

The first was doing a century ride on gravel with this bike. I have to be honest, I wasn't sure I could pull off 100 plus miles on this bike without severe pain or without doing some long term damage. Yes.....I had ridden it on a metric century before. I knew I could go that far, but things happen in that last 37 plus miles that make the previous 63 seem like a cakewalk sometimes. Well, that and a 100mm wide bottom bracket, a "too low" gear range, and my iffy shoulder were also reasons for some second thoughts.

But I pulled it off with no real serious side effects.

The second thing was that "too low gear range". That was a result of the switch to a 1 X 11 drive train. Which is working splendidly in snowy conditions, by the way. I've got "low enough" and one in reserve, so that is a good thing. I do need to adjust the cable a tiny bit, but otherwise, no issues whatsoever with this drive train. I can even pedal backward, which, from what I hear is a big issue with a lot of folk's 1X drive trains.

I know I ran this image a couple of days ago- Current state of the Ti Muk.

I have the Ti Muk "winterized" now, and who knows what configuration I will run it in in the future. I have plans to get Jones Bars at some point for this rig given the successful run with Jones Bars on my Blackborow. I have a "Summer" 29'er wheel set that I want to modify with new rims. Maybe I'll do something stupid and ride another century on fat tires again. If I do, this will be the bike I do that on.

Bikes Of 2016: Gen I Fargo

The gen I Fargo as seen at Gravel Worlds this past August

The time of year has come that I will be reviewing the bikes I used the most throughout 2016 and why. The ups, downs, changes, and more will be discussed.

Salsa Cycles Fargo (Gen I):

I was really fortunate to have this bike in the stable this year. Without it, well....... I don't know that I would have had the ability to do as much as I did this past year. The shoulder injury I suffered at the end of 2015 really made riding many of my bikes more than an hour a real painful experience. The only bike I could spend time on all throughout the year with little to no shoulder issues was the Gen I Fargo. Just the way I fit on it, the handle bars, (Long out of production Luxy Bars), and with that Cirrus Cycles Body Float post, it really added up to a rig that took less of a toll on me than the others. I needed that this year.

The shoulder has progressively gotten better, but I am not at 100%, and I may never really ever get back to that. Who knows? But the Fargo really has made things easier this past year and going forward, I can always count on that rig to give me the least trouble.

So, I wouldn't dare change a thing, would I? Ha ha! I wish! I am always thinking, and I have a few ideas to make the Gen I Fargo even better. I used to use carbon wheels with this bike, and while that was okay, the wallet splitting prices that carbon hoops go for just do not appeal to me from a performance/ride quality standpoint. I feel aluminum rims can do just as good a job as carbon with only a slight weight penalty and with a lot lower price tag.

So, I am thinking of a new wheel set for the Fargo. The Black Flag wheels I have now are okay, but the back wheel is a bit flexy and those Sun-Ringle' rims use a Stan's tubeless bead diameter which is less than good with most tubeless ready tires. In fact, I may have to cut those Cannonball tires off if they are as stubborn coming off as they were going on.

It is kind of funny when I see the few references to certain bikes being able to run up to 45mm sized tires in 700c format or up to 2.1"ers in 650B size. Well, the Fargo can do skinny tires and fatter tires all on the same wheel set. Why own two wheel sizes when you can get the job done with one? The Gen I Fargo is that bike. Trouble is no one is making this sort of configuration anymore.

I was asked what I would want in a 10th Anniversary Fargo, if one were to be built. I said I would do a titanium version of this bike. I would add through axles and maybe change a few minor details. But this bike- the geometry, the non-suspension corrected fork, the drop bar specific design, and all the bottle mounts are what sets this bike apart.

But I am not getting a 10th Anniversary Fargo unless Salsa Cycles decides to do one like I would want, one very close to what I have now, only better.

Bikes Of 2016: Gen I Fargo

The gen I Fargo as seen at Gravel Worlds this past August

The time of year has come that I will be reviewing the bikes I used the most throughout 2016 and why. The ups, downs, changes, and more will be discussed.

Salsa Cycles Fargo (Gen I):

I was really fortunate to have this bike in the stable this year. Without it, well....... I don't know that I would have had the ability to do as much as I did this past year. The shoulder injury I suffered at the end of 2015 really made riding many of my bikes more than an hour a real painful experience. The only bike I could spend time on all throughout the year with little to no shoulder issues was the Gen I Fargo. Just the way I fit on it, the handle bars, (Long out of production Luxy Bars), and with that Cirrus Cycles Body Float post, it really added up to a rig that took less of a toll on me than the others. I needed that this year.

The shoulder has progressively gotten better, but I am not at 100%, and I may never really ever get back to that. Who knows? But the Fargo really has made things easier this past year and going forward, I can always count on that rig to give me the least trouble.

So, I wouldn't dare change a thing, would I? Ha ha! I wish! I am always thinking, and I have a few ideas to make the Gen I Fargo even better. I used to use carbon wheels with this bike, and while that was okay, the wallet splitting prices that carbon hoops go for just do not appeal to me from a performance/ride quality standpoint. I feel aluminum rims can do just as good a job as carbon with only a slight weight penalty and with a lot lower price tag.

So, I am thinking of a new wheel set for the Fargo. The Black Flag wheels I have now are okay, but the back wheel is a bit flexy and those Sun-Ringle' rims use a Stan's tubeless bead diameter which is less than good with most tubeless ready tires. In fact, I may have to cut those Cannonball tires off if they are as stubborn coming off as they were going on.

It is kind of funny when I see the few references to certain bikes being able to run up to 45mm sized tires in 700c format or up to 2.1"ers in 650B size. Well, the Fargo can do skinny tires and fatter tires all on the same wheel set. Why own two wheel sizes when you can get the job done with one? The Gen I Fargo is that bike. Trouble is no one is making this sort of configuration anymore.

I was asked what I would want in a 10th Anniversary Fargo, if one were to be built. I said I would do a titanium version of this bike. I would add through axles and maybe change a few minor details. But this bike- the geometry, the non-suspension corrected fork, the drop bar specific design, and all the bottle mounts are what sets this bike apart.

But I am not getting a 10th Anniversary Fargo unless Salsa Cycles decides to do one like I would want, one very close to what I have now, only better.

Bikes Of 2016: Raleigh Tamland

The time of year has come that I will be reviewing the bikes I used the most throughout 2016 and why. The ups, downs, changes, and more will be discussed.

Raleigh Tamland Two:

Again, long time readers of this blog already probably guessed that this bike would be showing up here in my year end review on bicycles I have used most. I've written tons about it and there isn't a whole lot to say further on the rig. There were a couple of changes though, so I will go over that.

First off, I built up a new wheel set last Winter using WTB i25 Frequency rims laced to White Industries hubs. The White Industries hubs are really quite nice, by the way. For a boutique brand hub, made in America, they are a pretty good deal. Plus, you can get them in several anodized colors if you'd like that. I have been impressed enough that I am considering another set for another wheel build. More on that in a moment.....

I tried this bike with 650b wheels and 47mm tires.

I also went with 650B Velocity USA Aileron rims and Velocity hubs for a bit when I tested the WTB Horizon 47mm tires. I wasn't 100% stoked on the conversion at first, so I moved the wheels over to the Twin Six Standard Rando where they felt like they had been designed for that bike.

Looking back, I might give the 650B experiment another go on the Tamland. It could be that a toothier treaded tire is what it needs, or maybe I just bailed out on that set up way too soon on that bike. I am not sure.

So, for the future I think I want to build a special wheel set just for this bike. I really like how the Velocity Ailerons have felt in 650B size, so I figured that maybe I should go and give a 700c sized set a whirl at some point. The wheels I have on it now will eventually end up on my Fargo Gen I bike.

That's about it here. I may still end up swapping saddles as well, but for now, the Tamland is pretty dialed and it is a bike I really like a lot.

Bikes Of 2016: Raleigh Tamland

The time of year has come that I will be reviewing the bikes I used the most throughout 2016 and why. The ups, downs, changes, and more will be discussed.

Raleigh Tamland Two:

Again, long time readers of this blog already probably guessed that this bike would be showing up here in my year end review on bicycles I have used most. I've written tons about it and there isn't a whole lot to say further on the rig. There were a couple of changes though, so I will go over that.

First off, I built up a new wheel set last Winter using WTB i25 Frequency rims laced to White Industries hubs. The White Industries hubs are really quite nice, by the way. For a boutique brand hub, made in America, they are a pretty good deal. Plus, you can get them in several anodized colors if you'd like that. I have been impressed enough that I am considering another set for another wheel build. More on that in a moment.....

I tried this bike with 650b wheels and 47mm tires.

I also went with 650B Velocity USA Aileron rims and Velocity hubs for a bit when I tested the WTB Horizon 47mm tires. I wasn't 100% stoked on the conversion at first, so I moved the wheels over to the Twin Six Standard Rando where they felt like they had been designed for that bike.

Looking back, I might give the 650B experiment another go on the Tamland. It could be that a toothier treaded tire is what it needs, or maybe I just bailed out on that set up way too soon on that bike. I am not sure.

So, for the future I think I want to build a special wheel set just for this bike. I really like how the Velocity Ailerons have felt in 650B size, so I figured that maybe I should go and give a 700c sized set a whirl at some point. The wheels I have on it now will eventually end up on my Fargo Gen I bike.

That's about it here. I may still end up swapping saddles as well, but for now, the Tamland is pretty dialed and it is a bike I really like a lot.

Bikes Of 2016: Karate Monkey

2003 Karate Monkey with the Velo Orange Cigne stem

The old Karate Monkey. My first 29"er, and the bike I likely had my longest ride in one day on. That would have been the first Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational, which was 152 miles, but I rode to the start and back home again, a likely 14 mile addition, but it is "undocumented", so.......

Anyway, it is finally up and running again with the recent addition of a Velo Orange Cigne stem and the trusty Midge Bar. This bike hasn't seen a ton of riding in 2016, but it is possibly going to be my Winter gravel rig, and it already has seen some commuter duty.

There still are things that are going to get tweaked out. I have a different crank, chain ring, and rear cog that are going on this thing which will make it a bit more gravel road friendly. I have a Brooks saddle that will also be seeing duty on this bike. Eventually I will also be bringing over some Surly hubs in the limited edition "Jim Brown" ano color laced to new rims and I have a fresh set of WTB Nanoraptors to go on it when I get that far.

It is pretty much going to end up becoming a single speed gravel rig and a commuter bike. I always liked the bike in those roles best anyway.

Bikes Of 2016: Karate Monkey

2003 Karate Monkey with the Velo Orange Cigne stem

The old Karate Monkey. My first 29"er, and the bike I likely had my longest ride in one day on. That would have been the first Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational, which was 152 miles, but I rode to the start and back home again, a likely 14 mile addition, but it is "undocumented", so.......

Anyway, it is finally up and running again with the recent addition of a Velo Orange Cigne stem and the trusty Midge Bar. This bike hasn't seen a ton of riding in 2016, but it is possibly going to be my Winter gravel rig, and it already has seen some commuter duty.

There still are things that are going to get tweaked out. I have a different crank, chain ring, and rear cog that are going on this thing which will make it a bit more gravel road friendly. I have a Brooks saddle that will also be seeing duty on this bike. Eventually I will also be bringing over some Surly hubs in the limited edition "Jim Brown" ano color laced to new rims and I have a fresh set of WTB Nanoraptors to go on it when I get that far.

It is pretty much going to end up becoming a single speed gravel rig and a commuter bike. I always liked the bike in those roles best anyway.

Bikes Of 2016: Surly Big Dummy

The time of year has come that I will be reviewing the bikes I used the most throughout 2016 and why. The ups, downs, changes, and more will be discussed.

The Surly Big Dummy had been on my "want" list" for many years. Mostly because of my "Xtracycled Schwinn" which I used on a fairly regular basis for several years. While the longtail add on was nice, I grew to become disappointed with the set up. It lacked many things which are vital to being safe and having an enjoyable ride. Like good brakes when the thing was loaded. That wasn't all, but it was the main reason the bike sketched me out on more than one occasion.

So, I knew that a Big Dummy was the solution. I had always planned a build and in fact, I had some hubs and rims lined up for a possible wheel build, but I let other things take precedence and the project was stalled. Finally, something happened that made me kind of sit up and take note. A friend sold a Big Dummy and I nearly pulled the trigger and bought it. It was a really well spec'ed example, and it went for far less than I thought it should have. I saw it sell in 28 minutes or something ridiculous like that after it was posted to a Facebook forum. That kind of got me worked up. I should have bought the thing.

Well, another friend ended up selling one and that's the one I got. I wasn't about to make the same mistake twice!  It is well spec'ed as well, but there were a couple of modifications I made to make it my own. First and foremost was the Brooks B-17 and that precipitated the move to the Paul Components seat post made especially for users of Brooks saddles.

Other than that, it has solved all my issues with the old Xtracycled Schwinn and does what I need it to do so well it is silly. I am very glad I picked this up and it has become a very practical bike for me over the past several months I've had it qualifying it as a "Bike of 2016" for me.

Bikes Of 2016: Surly Big Dummy

The time of year has come that I will be reviewing the bikes I used the most throughout 2016 and why. The ups, downs, changes, and more will be discussed.

The Surly Big Dummy had been on my "want" list" for many years. Mostly because of my "Xtracycled Schwinn" which I used on a fairly regular basis for several years. While the longtail add on was nice, I grew to become disappointed with the set up. It lacked many things which are vital to being safe and having an enjoyable ride. Like good brakes when the thing was loaded. That wasn't all, but it was the main reason the bike sketched me out on more than one occasion.

So, I knew that a Big Dummy was the solution. I had always planned a build and in fact, I had some hubs and rims lined up for a possible wheel build, but I let other things take precedence and the project was stalled. Finally, something happened that made me kind of sit up and take note. A friend sold a Big Dummy and I nearly pulled the trigger and bought it. It was a really well spec'ed example, and it went for far less than I thought it should have. I saw it sell in 28 minutes or something ridiculous like that after it was posted to a Facebook forum. That kind of got me worked up. I should have bought the thing.

Well, another friend ended up selling one and that's the one I got. I wasn't about to make the same mistake twice!  It is well spec'ed as well, but there were a couple of modifications I made to make it my own. First and foremost was the Brooks B-17 and that precipitated the move to the Paul Components seat post made especially for users of Brooks saddles.

Other than that, it has solved all my issues with the old Xtracycled Schwinn and does what I need it to do so well it is silly. I am very glad I picked this up and it has become a very practical bike for me over the past several months I've had it qualifying it as a "Bike of 2016" for me.

Bikes Of 2016: Black Mountain Cycles "Monster Cross"

Yes..........that bike again!

The time of year has come that I will be reviewing the bikes I used the most throughout 2016 and why. The ups, downs, changes, and more will be discussed.

I know.......that bike again! But I really do use it a lot, and of course, I really like it a lot. The Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross frame and fork is Mike Varley's best selling bike.  Well, that's what I read on his site, at any rate. That's fairly surprising when you think about a cantilever brake standard, quick release type frame in 2016. It seems like a throwback frame and fork.

But apparently there are enough folks digging the ride that when Mike comes out with a new batch, sizes in the most popular range sell out lickety-split. In fact, he is even taking pre-orders on frames now. So, it isn't just me. It is a lot of folks that have found out these bikes really are a do-it-all solution for cycling. In my mind, "do-it-all" is "all-road/gravel". That's the sole reason I bought this frame and fork. While it is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, it does what it does so darn well that you begin to accept its flaws as part of its personality.

Look, you folks see this bike constantly here on this blog and I have written tons of posts on it specifically and alluding to it as well. I'm sure that if you are a long time reader here, you get the song and dance. But I want you to know that if anything happened to this bike, heaven forbid, I would seek to replace it straight away. I bought this first gen one sight unseen, and it has turned out to be an invaluable tool for adventure ever since. Besides my first gen Fargo, this has to be one of my most ridden bikes these days. In fact, I have almost bought a second one several times, but as yet, I have not done that.

The BMC "Orange Crush" rig and I were out on an adventure with my friend Tony earlier this Summer.

One of the reasons I have held back from getting another BMC Monster Cross is that Mike has said he is working on a disc brake version of this bike. I have invested heavily into disc brakes for these types of bikes, and almost everything I own that is gravel/backroad/adventure bike category stuff is based around disc brakes. That said, I think cantilever brakes are just fine, and Mike has tweaked out the Monster Cross with a few geometry changes and a newer fork that I find rather tasty. It's tough not to want another Monster Cross here, but when you have as many bicycles as I do now, you have to be really picky. The whole deal would be a lot easier if I could just wear out my first BMC Monster Cross, but try as I might, I just have not been able to do that yet. I'll keep trying though!

One final thought before I stop here. I have ridden this bike more this year because my Winter shoulder injury has made riding some of my other bikes rather painful affairs. The BMC is less likely to cause issues with my shoulder, and I think the reason why is the ride quality of the frame and fork. That fork is especially active and smooths out the road tremendously. I cannot vouch for the updated fork, but you'd be hard pressed to find a nicer riding steel frame and fork than my Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross.

Bikes Of 2016: Black Mountain Cycles "Monster Cross"

Yes..........that bike again!

The time of year has come that I will be reviewing the bikes I used the most throughout 2016 and why. The ups, downs, changes, and more will be discussed.

I know.......that bike again! But I really do use it a lot, and of course, I really like it a lot. The Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross frame and fork is Mike Varley's best selling bike.  Well, that's what I read on his site, at any rate. That's fairly surprising when you think about a cantilever brake standard, quick release type frame in 2016. It seems like a throwback frame and fork.

But apparently there are enough folks digging the ride that when Mike comes out with a new batch, sizes in the most popular range sell out lickety-split. In fact, he is even taking pre-orders on frames now. So, it isn't just me. It is a lot of folks that have found out these bikes really are a do-it-all solution for cycling. In my mind, "do-it-all" is "all-road/gravel". That's the sole reason I bought this frame and fork. While it is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, it does what it does so darn well that you begin to accept its flaws as part of its personality.

Look, you folks see this bike constantly here on this blog and I have written tons of posts on it specifically and alluding to it as well. I'm sure that if you are a long time reader here, you get the song and dance. But I want you to know that if anything happened to this bike, heaven forbid, I would seek to replace it straight away. I bought this first gen one sight unseen, and it has turned out to be an invaluable tool for adventure ever since. Besides my first gen Fargo, this has to be one of my most ridden bikes these days. In fact, I have almost bought a second one several times, but as yet, I have not done that.

The BMC "Orange Crush" rig and I were out on an adventure with my friend Tony earlier this Summer.

One of the reasons I have held back from getting another BMC Monster Cross is that Mike has said he is working on a disc brake version of this bike. I have invested heavily into disc brakes for these types of bikes, and almost everything I own that is gravel/backroad/adventure bike category stuff is based around disc brakes. That said, I think cantilever brakes are just fine, and Mike has tweaked out the Monster Cross with a few geometry changes and a newer fork that I find rather tasty. It's tough not to want another Monster Cross here, but when you have as many bicycles as I do now, you have to be really picky. The whole deal would be a lot easier if I could just wear out my first BMC Monster Cross, but try as I might, I just have not been able to do that yet. I'll keep trying though!

One final thought before I stop here. I have ridden this bike more this year because my Winter shoulder injury has made riding some of my other bikes rather painful affairs. The BMC is less likely to cause issues with my shoulder, and I think the reason why is the ride quality of the frame and fork. That fork is especially active and smooths out the road tremendously. I cannot vouch for the updated fork, but you'd be hard pressed to find a nicer riding steel frame and fork than my Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross.

Bikes Of 2016: Twin Six Standard Rando

Used quite a bit this year.....

The time of year has come that I will be reviewing the bikes I used the most throughout 2016 and why. The ups, downs, changes, and more will be discussed. 

 Twin Six Standard Rando: This bike was a review bike for RidingGravel.com last year and I liked it so much I purchased it. I reviewed it in this series last year here. I still really like it, but there were two rather significant changes which made the bike really special this year. 

First was the switch to 650B wheels. I had the opportunity to test the WTB Horizon 47's this year, but I lacked a proper wheel set to do that with. Velocity USA came to the rescue with a set of Aileron rims laced to their own branded hubs.  Once the wheels and tires were set up, I put them on my Raleigh Tamland Two first. However; I switched them over to the Standard Rando after a while. I then discovered that the ride feel with 650B, "Road Plus" rubber was pretty compelling. The Standard Rando got lowered, felt smoother, and spun up ridiculously fast with these wheels and tires. I really had no reason to swap out that tire until a more fully featured 650B, "Road Plus" tire came along, and it did in the form of the Terrene Elwood 650B X 47mm tires. Now I am liking this wheel/tire combo even more with this bike. 

The second thing was the swap to a Brooks Cambium C-17 saddle. I had heard mixed reviews on this newer Brooks model, but my good friend, MG, had five of them, so I knew there was something to the hype. Well, it wasn't love at first ride, by any means. 

The C-17 felt stiff and a bit unforgiving. Even after a couple of gravel outings. I was about to consider how I was going to pawn it off when after the third longer ride it suddenly became super comfortable.  The compliance was 100% better than when new. Even co-workers were surprised when I rode the bike into work and we compared another new C-17 we had in stock with my broken in C-17. Night and day difference. The saddle has been primo ever since then. 

I mentioned last year that the stem, handle bar, and seat post were apt to get changed, and I still mean to get to that. However; other than a swept bar, I cannot see those things really making the bike better. The wheels, tires, and saddle have just been a major improvement. The ride quality has been enhanced, and the only negative is that I have had a few pedal strikes due to the lowered bottom bracket. 

The Aileron rims have been really great so far. I may pick up a 700c sized set and swap the bigger diameter  tires in  from time to time. That would be nice when I need a higher bottom bracket or the characteristics of a 700c set of wheels over that of a 650B, "Road Plus" set up.

Bikes Of 2016: Twin Six Standard Rando

Used quite a bit this year.....

The time of year has come that I will be reviewing the bikes I used the most throughout 2016 and why. The ups, downs, changes, and more will be discussed. 

 Twin Six Standard Rando: This bike was a review bike for RidingGravel.com last year and I liked it so much I purchased it. I reviewed it in this series last year here. I still really like it, but there were two rather significant changes which made the bike really special this year. 

First was the switch to 650B wheels. I had the opportunity to test the WTB Horizon 47's this year, but I lacked a proper wheel set to do that with. Velocity USA came to the rescue with a set of Aileron rims laced to their own branded hubs.  Once the wheels and tires were set up, I put them on my Raleigh Tamland Two first. However; I switched them over to the Standard Rando after a while. I then discovered that the ride feel with 650B, "Road Plus" rubber was pretty compelling. The Standard Rando got lowered, felt smoother, and spun up ridiculously fast with these wheels and tires. I really had no reason to swap out that tire until a more fully featured 650B, "Road Plus" tire came along, and it did in the form of the Terrene Elwood 650B X 47mm tires. Now I am liking this wheel/tire combo even more with this bike. 

The second thing was the swap to a Brooks Cambium C-17 saddle. I had heard mixed reviews on this newer Brooks model, but my good friend, MG, had five of them, so I knew there was something to the hype. Well, it wasn't love at first ride, by any means. 

The C-17 felt stiff and a bit unforgiving. Even after a couple of gravel outings. I was about to consider how I was going to pawn it off when after the third longer ride it suddenly became super comfortable.  The compliance was 100% better than when new. Even co-workers were surprised when I rode the bike into work and we compared another new C-17 we had in stock with my broken in C-17. Night and day difference. The saddle has been primo ever since then. 

I mentioned last year that the stem, handle bar, and seat post were apt to get changed, and I still mean to get to that. However; other than a swept bar, I cannot see those things really making the bike better. The wheels, tires, and saddle have just been a major improvement. The ride quality has been enhanced, and the only negative is that I have had a few pedal strikes due to the lowered bottom bracket. 

The Aileron rims have been really great so far. I may pick up a 700c sized set and swap the bigger diameter  tires in  from time to time. That would be nice when I need a higher bottom bracket or the characteristics of a 700c set of wheels over that of a 650B, "Road Plus" set up.