Crazy Idea: Testing Again

 Last week I posted on the Velo Orange Eccentric Bottom Bracket and let you know I had decided on switching over to 1X 10 for the drive train. In this update I wanted to share my thoughts after the latest test ride of the newest set-up.

Going without a front derailleur seems like the "smart way to go" for many of you readers, I would guess. I do not prefer it, to be honest. I will admit to being pretty overly sensitive to certain elements of a bicycle's drive train, touch points, or other nuances many people do not even consider a "real thing".  I think many read my thoughts and probably think I am making things up. Well, that simply is not the case for me, at any rate. These things are real.

So, when my chain gets pretty angled going from a single drive ring to one of the lower gears on the cassette, I can feel this. Don't ask me how, but I can shift to a gear I feel is "good" and almost 100% of the time it is the straightest from the cassette to the drive ring possible. So, 1X set ups have never really been my preference as 2X or 3X allows you to keep your chain the straightest and most efficient.

This makes me wonder if I need a lower end range if I would not be better off going smaller on the drive ring. Bigger rear cogs create more extreme chain angles in the lower gears, so sacrificing high speed combinations for the lower end makes sense while allowing me to keep the rear cassette I have now on the bike. I'll have to examine some gear ratio comparisons before I decide, but this is where I am at with the drive train at the moment.

The bearing still needs to be upgraded on the non-drive side of the bottom bracket, although it spun well enough on this test ride. I still need a proper lower cup on the head set. And I still have not found my stash of six bolt rotors. I cannot mount a single speed cog on the front wheel until I settle on what is happening with the drive train. I'm getting closer to being done, but I'm not quite there yet. 

More soon. 

Velo Orange Eccentric Bottom Bracket: Review

Note: The Velo Orange Eccentric English Threaded Bottom Bracket for 24mm spindle cranks was purchased by Guitar Ted at retail. Velo Orange did not ask for this review and all opinions are Guitar Ted's.

In my posts about the "Crazy Idea" Singular Buzzard makeover, I have mentioned one of the key components to making my idea work was to somehow have the ability to convert the Buzzard to a single speed, should the need arise. The Buzzard has vertical dropout6s and a standard, threaded bottom bracket. So, how would I be able to convert to single speed?

I could pack a chain tensioner device, but many rear derailleur mishaps involve the mangling of the frame drop out, and this might be a hindrance to using a chain tensioner device, which is essentially a derailleur cage without the parallelogram bits.

The other way to go about this would be to use an eccentric for the bottom bracket. This would allow a small amount of chain tensioning. Hopefully just enough to get you back home in case of an emergency/accident out on a bike packing trip. I'm not expecting a device which would allow single speed performance at a very high level, but if this is the case, I won't be angry about it! (If you need an explainer for my idea and how a single speed adapter would work in this scenario, see my article HERE)

The Velo Orange Eccentric Bottom Bracket comes with everything you see here and a wrench!

What It Is: The Velo Orange Eccentric Bottom Bracket is a device which allows for a small amount of chain tensioning via the offsetting of the spindle of a typical two-piece Shimano type crank. The device also comes with a shim to allow for certain SRAM crank sets to be used as well. It is important to note that any crank set with a larger than 24mm spindle will not adapt to this product.

Since the bike I am using has a Shimano SLX  2X crank set, I was hoping to be able to employ the VO bottom bracket as a way to tension my chain in case an emergency set up for single speed is required. There are shims and a wavy washer in the box which should allow one to properly set up the bottom bracket with your compatible crank set, but I do not expect these will be necessary in my case. Of course, I won't need the SRAM non-drive side spindle adapter either, but it is there in case you need it.

 The spanner wrench you get with a purchase of this component is actually pretty nice. It is steel, pretty beefy at about 3mm thickness, and is not only useful for setting up this bottom bracket, but might come in handy for track lock rings or old-school bottom brackets you may have around. 

The Velo Orange Eccentric English Threaded Bottom Bracket 24mm sells for $100.00 plus shipping. My first take on this bottom bracket is a good one. It is well made, the bearings are smooth, and in typical Velo Orange style, it looks great.. Read on to see how the eccentric works.  

Technical Details: The eccentric works  by way of three grub screws in the rim of each bottom bracket cup. When loosened, this allows the outer bit of the cup to rotate which changes the position of the eccentric hole, thus allowing for a small bit of chain tensioning. The bearings are pressed into this cup and it uses a similar "top hat" shim for the inner diameter of the bearing which the crank spindle comes into contact with.

It should be noted that the cups and the adjustment of the eccentric is independent on each side. Meaning you have to be careful to visually align the cups to get the bearings to line up symmetrically to avoid binding. While the instructions do not say this, I would suggest leaving the grub screws loose in one cup so you can insert the crank and move the loose cup's adjuster to align with the other, then tighten the grub screws to the indicated torque setting on the cup housing.  

The cups are threaded as with any traditional, threaded bottom bracket, with the left side being right hand thread and the right side being left hand thread. Velo Orange marks the cups so you won't get confused. There is no provided 'tube' between the cups, although I found a typical Shimano tube plugs right into the inner part of each cup perfectly.  Installation is pretty simple and the spanner wrench comes in handy here. 

Problems: Unfortunately I ran into a couple of problems with this bottom bracket. First off, I found the Shimano SLX 10 speed crank I wanted to use would not pass through the bearing/plastic shim on the drive side. It was as though I had the wrong size crank spindle for this bottom bracket. I tried two other HollowTech, 24mm spindles cranks and neither of those would pass through the bearing/shim. So, I disassembled the bottom bracket to do a few measurements.

Using a digital calipers, I found the inside diameter of the Velo Orange top hat shim on the driveside to be 23.92mm. Compared to the top hat shims in the Shimano bearing cup I saw a measurement of 23.97mm. This would account for why the inner diameter of the Velo Orange bearing/shim would not pass over the spindles of my crank sets. Oddly enough, inside diameter of the top hat shim in the non-driveside cup of the Velo Orange bottom bracket was slightly larger in diameter  So, placing it into the drive side I was able to insert the crank into the bottom bracket which led me to the next problem. 

The mounts for the inner chain ring on the crank would not clear the cup's outer dimension, so full penetration of the spindle into the cup was not possible. In effect, this means this bottom bracket likely is not compatible with any 2X HollowTech MTB crank set from Shimano.

Obviously I was very disappointed. This information was not available on the Velo Orange site, so I was unaware this might be the case. But I have informed Velo Orange of the issue. In response, my contact mentioned the design was "...really designed around being used with a 1 x set up". My contact person also very graciously offered a refund, but I have decided to keep this and try a 1X or find another application for it. Sadly, it means the idea I had for the Singular Buzzard will have to rely on a tensioner now for single speed set up if I stick with the SLX crank set. (Unless I decided to go 1X, which would fix the issue. I'll have an update on the "Crazy Idea" bike explaining my choices later)

So Far... I would like to see a product like this made with round cups instead of the current hexagonal shape which I believe would help the cups to clear a crank set like the one I am using currently on the Buzzard. My contact at Velo Orange when presented with this idea agreed it might help with a 2X set up.  I also would like to see a better quality control for those top hat shims. But in theory, this is a good product. I'll get this on the Buzzard with a 1X or on one of my other bicycles soon.Then I will be able to give further impressions on this product. 

Stay tuned.... 

Crazy Idea: Load Testing

The last update on the Singular Cycles Buzzard showed you all what the concept looked like. This time I wanted to share some thoughts about how this bike handles a load and if I think the concept will work or not in real, practical terms.

So, I dug up my bags, some of which I still had loaded from back when I was testing out the Singular Cycles Gryphon Mk3 for this two-day gravel trip I have had planned for.....I don't know.... A long time now. Anyway, I started fitting these to the Buzzard and I quickly came to realize I would benefit from having a custom frame bag for this bike, but I really don't think that is going to happen. And I should just get this along with what I already have, so I resigned myself to doing just this and forgoing any big purchases.

Besides, I probably need to limit my choices down to bare essentials anyway. It isn't as though I am doing some week-long tour. I just need to be able to sleep overnight and get back home again. This seems to be harder to do than it sounds though. But yeah..... That's what I am shooting for here. 

The load was my OR handle bar bag, which if I recall correctly, has my sleep system inside it. Maybe some clothes in there as well? I didn't bother to check. It had weight and this was all I wanted to know. That and how I was going to attach it to the Utility Rack which ended up being pretty simple using the straps native to this bag.

As shown here, there are several loops to use to strap on another dry bag if I need to, so I could get a bit more on there. Plus, if I need a pad, I could use one of the various flat panel ones, (or a windshield insert typically used for shielding the inside of a vehicle from the Sun while parked) as a mattress.

The rear bag had my two-man tent inside of it. This could carry a bit more as well. So, I have options there. Still, a frame nag would have been nice, but yeah....not going there!

I have two cages to mount on the inside, rider facing part of the Utility Bar, but I have not gotten around to mounting those just yet. I did fill the bottles with water though. This made up the load for the initial test. I'll be doing a more detailed, full-load test later on.

I was afraid the handling with this bag on the rack would  be bad. The fork/front end geometry is really critical in this regard. I did not know quite what to expect. About halfway through the test ride I climbed a steep incline which brought my speed down to probably 5mph, I would guess. This is where your geometry and load can bite you with a wandering, hard to steer front end. Surprisingly this was not the case here. I had very stable handling, and no flopping fork to f9ight against, which really was surprising. 

The bike still feels surprisingly light and it handles in a very neutral way. The drive train functions excellently. You would not guess this is a mismatched collection of used parts. The ride is smooth, and I think the rim and tire width combination is really good.

But this set up still needs refinement. I'm not 100% settled on the saddle position, the saddle, or the seat post. I think I want to explore getting a shim so I can size down to a 27.2 mm seat post which I have several of and ones which should prove to be more forgiving than this brute of a 31.6mm post which the Buzzard has now. I also would like a bit more set back and for whatever reason, the tilt function on this Salsa post is not working correctly and I cannot tilt the nose up just the tiny bit more I would like to.

I may swap out grips as these Ergon grips feel a bit harsh on my paws. Hmm...... I guess that is about all, really. This is turning out well, surprisingly. I can find very little to complain about, and this is a parts bin bike using stuff which was never designed to be together.

The next step is to inventory what is in the OR bag and then try a "real-life" set up as a load, mounting the two extra cages and full bottles, and then seeing what I come up with. I'm thinking this is going to actually be a pretty rad bike. So, I am probably going to get the eccentric bottom bracket, (already on the way here, actually) the different seat post and saddle, and install different grips. I have to decide what I want to do about the tire set up. Then....?

I guess this would mean I would actually have to use the thing, right? 

I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.  

Crazy Idea: Not So Crazy Afterall

 Well........there it is! I've test ridden the bike and I am impressed so far. Enough so I am motivated to finish up the idea. While it is ride-able as is, there still is a lot to do before I can say I've accomplished my goals with this bike.

Before I get into what things are on my to-do list, I wanted to give my impressions of what I have here so far. These will include how the machine works and also how it handles. Then I wanted to get into what I do not care for about the bike, and finally I will get to what needs to be done yet.

Impressions: 

My first impression was the bike has poor cable routing and the cable management around the Utility Bar and Rack is, by the nature of the design, flawed. Singular didn't really get the cable stops right on this bike, and so I had to kind of make do where I did run cables. As an example, the front derailleur cable route is along the down tube. Not good when my derailleurs are almost all top-pull for 2X set ups. But then again, who runs front derailleurs anymore........

Next, coming out of the stand, I was amazed at how light this build is. Now.....I'm not saying it is really light, but for what it is, you might be surprised by the weight. I did not put it on a scale, so I have no number to share, but I thought it felt light in the hand, and this with the steel bar, rack, and butyl rubber tubes.

The ride was an eye-opener. I had forgotten how short the wheel base is and I'd never run the Buzzard with a "short" fork before. So it feels nimble and not at all sluggish. Even the wheels felt great despite the rubber tubes and old tires.

The shifters and derailleurs work flawlessly. Ironically I am using an 11 speed cassette with a ten speed chain but there seems to be no negative results.  The low gear on the cassette is a 36T and the inner ring is a 28T, so unless I go mountain hunting I don't think I'll be changing the gearing.

The brakes were great. I still need to equalize the rotor sizes and replace the front Shimano rotor with a SRAM 160mm rotor.  

Cables and front racks off the handle bar. Not compatible!

Things Not So Great:

Well, there is not a lot I don't like, but for starters this bike was never meant to be a bike packing rig so there is only one set of bosses on it for a water bottle. This is why I went with the Utility Rack and Handlebar. These items give me a lot more mounting points for accessories. I'll end up having five water bottle mounts, which includes the two fork mounted bottles. Water won't be an issue.

Then there is the aforementioned cable routing.  

I'm not a fan of not having a single speed bail-out option for a bike like this. Singular decided against providing this option on the Buzzard, which is rare for the brand. At the time it made sense. Who would want a single speed option on a trail oriented hard tail? Well, besides myself and Rich Dillen. 

Things To Do Yet: 

This leads me to what I need to do yet. First off, I'll tackle the single speed option with the Velo Orange eccentric bottom bracket. Then I'll need a "real" head set instead of the cobbled together one I dug up out of my parts bin, which is actually two uppers since the steer tube is 1 1/8th straight tube. Along with this I'll cut down the steer tube and put in a new star nut.

I'm thinking about swapping tires to my Surly Extraterrestrials. Then I'll also go tubeless when I do this. Otherwise I'll end up getting a couple new 29"er tires with some decent grip for off road trails and low enough knobs for gravel.The brake rotor thing I already mentioned. Then I'll be able to swap wheels. I think I have a single speed freewheel to spare also.

In the meantime I think I will do a fully loaded test to see how the bike does ready to go for a bike packing trip. Stay tuned.... 

Crazy Idea: Update 3

Well....it's rideable. It is not 'done'. I will have many things yet to do, or undo, as the case may be, depending upon my ride testing. But I spent all day, off and on, getting everything tidied up so I can actually ride the thing. 

As usual, there were a few snags. But the first thing to get out of the way was to renew the tire for the rear by getting off all the old sealant. This was quite the task, and the thing that took the most time of all.

The Buzzard was set up in a time when I was using "MG's Formula" for tubeless set ups. It is a home made recipe for tubeless goo which my dear friend, Matt Gersib came up with. (Don't ask what it is or how to make it. I've shared this several times here already.)

Anyway, that recipe dries to a skin, similar to how Orange Seal dries. Although, I had several layers in this tire and in places it had formed a kind of tube! So, to get it cleared off the tire casing I had to sit and peel, and peel, and peel. The beads took the longest. This was all of a few hours in total!

I did not have to re-tape the Dually rim though, so this saved a few minutes. Then I had to cable the bike up. But before I had done this, I finished swapping out the pins on the XT flat pedals I have. The pedals came with these worthless nubs which had zero grip. I don't even understand why Shimano would think these would be workable for any situation, but there they were, and out they came.

Cabling was going to be something of a hit and miss thing, since I wasn't sure what I had around to use. Fortunately I found matching silver/grey Jagwire derailleur and brake housings in my cable crate. I used this and then it was time to try and find brake cables.

See, I have almost abandoned flat bar bikes so I have next to nothing for cables. This was also the reason why I had to purchase a pair of excellent Shimano long pull brake levers which I found at the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective.

I found one flat bar cable, but I had to get another one from work yesterday. One check. The other check came when I tried spinning the rear tire after hooking up the cable and it would not turn. What!?

Turns out Shimano Ice Tech rotors do not clear Avid BB-7 calipers, (actually, it was those tabs hanging off the pads) in 160mm size. A 180mm rotor clears fine since the caliper sits far above the riveted section where the aluminum carrier mates with the stainless steel rotor. So...I had to find a SRAM six bolt rotor, and with all this Center Lock nonsense these days, I counted myself fortunate to have found one. Once installed, this solved the problem and I had a free-spinning wheel again.

Cable ties, cable routing decisions, tuning, and finer details were then all taken care of until at about 10:00pm last night I was finished. Now it will all rest on how the bike handles and performs. Looks may be a little off yet, but I did not care as all I need to do at this point is prove the concept. Is this a "crazy idea", or will it actually be a viable bike packing machine?

Stay tuned....... 

Crazy Idea: Update 2

Moving forward with the "Crazy Idea" I have for the old Singular Cycles Buzzard, since the 'hard part' has been done. Building the special front wheel went smoothly, and now it is 'just putting on the bits' which needs done. I was not sure I was going to have what I needed though.

Brakes were top of mind when it came to finishing up this bike. I thought I had one Avid BB-7 caliper, but I was sure I'd need another. I was about to go and pull the trigger on a new caliper, and a set of levers because I was sure I'd need those as well, when a new development changed my course.

Looking in a bin 'one more time' thinking I'd already looked once before there, I was surprised to find three Avid BB-7 calipers and a set of no-name levers. So, I was certainly happy to have found those. Now all I had to do was to find the correct adapters to make the whole set up work.

Disc brake caliper adapters. Remember those?  I used to have a small tool box filled with all the different ones needed to mount 140mm, 160mm, 180mm/185mm, and 200/203mm rotors. Now that I have mostly moved over to bicycles with flat mount brakes, I have also lost/used up all the old adapters I once had. So, now I am scrounging around for a rear adapter for a 180mm rotor.

But....I suppose this is a better deal than having to order all new stuff! 

The next thing is cables and housings. Thankfully I won't have to mess with hydraulic lines on this build. This makes the set up a lot easier, and also less risky should the thing not ride well when I get it done. And riding should happen soon, since I think, minus the one adapter, I have everything I need now to get this together. Now it will all just be getting around to doing it. 

Crazy Idea: Update

Back in mid-June I showed you dear readers this "sketch" I had for the old Singular Buzzard. If you missed the introduction to my nutty thoughts, you can go back and read them HERE. 

The short story, in case you don't go back to read the first post on this, is that I wanted to rebuild the Buzzard, but not as a trail bike. I am going with a "bikepacking/Pugsley" idea, where the rear and front wheels will be interchangeable.

The first order of business was to rebuild the single speed rear hub I have, which was laced to a 26" Marge Lite rim, as seen in the image above/left here. (depending on which platform you are viewing the blog on)

Then, since I wanted to reuse the On One Chunky Monkey 29" x 2.4" tires, I had to clean out all the old sealant. Let me tell you, there was a lot of 'skin to peel' off! But it came out swell, and the tire looked great, even if it is about a dozen years old! By the way, I will have to do the same with the rear, but I haven't gotten around to it quite yet.

With the tire cleaned up, and the 29" Dually rim rebuilt onto the single speed hub, I had to re-tape the rim, and I decided that for now I would insert a tube. This will press the tape down nice and evenly onto the rim's inner walls, and suffice for the time being to test out the idea. If things pan out, I will set up the bike tubeless, or maybe I'll go TPU. We will see when, and if, I get to this point what I decide.
 

The second mock-up looks more promising. I think I am warming up to this idea!

So there is what I have so far. I like what I am seeing now much better. A few points to note here:

• The seat height is correct, so I am happy with the saddle-to-bar drop I am seeing without adding more spacers. The fact that this fork was made for a first generation titanium Mukluk helps in that the steer tube was extra long.
• Speaking of that Enabler fork, this is the key to the entire idea being worthwhile, in my opinion. The context here is that Salsa, for better or worse, based the first iterations of their fat bike on the Surly Pugsley, which had as one of its central ideas the interchangeable front and rear wheel feature. This was done to allow for a "bail-out" option where a failed derailleur or frozen up free hub could be swapped out as an entire wheel assembly for your front wheel which would have a single speed free wheel mounted, or a fixed cog. (Or if you went with only a rear brake, both fixed and free wheel single speed options!)  This meant that the Enabler fork was designed with a 135mm, rear brake specific, quick release drop out spacing. The same as the rear of the Singular Buzzard. 
• The Velo Orange Utility Bar and Utility Rack will be utilized for water bottle mounts as well as cargo-carrying duties. The original set up on the Buzzard was predicated on a MTB usage which was based upon the assumption a rider would be using a hydration pack. This one-bottle set up was not going to cut it as a bikepacking rig, so the additional capacity for the Utility Bar and Rack to handle water bottles is a boon here. Obviously the Enabler Fork also adds two water bottle mounts. So water carrying needs are all covered here.
• I will make use of a Topeak rear seat bag/dry bag carrier for more cargo capacity when necessary. I will also be looking to add a "gas tank" style top tube bag.
• The drive train will be a 2X 11 speed set up utilizing an XTR shifter and  rear derailleur which I was gifted by N.Y. Roll. (The current STX rear mech will be replaced). 

There will be a lot of details to take care of before I get this thing up and running, so I am far from the finish line with this project. However; I am encouraged by the outcome so far. If you have any comments or suggestions, I would welcome them.

Stay tuned.... 

Two Things

 Saving Brooks:

Well, as I wrote some time ago now, I have been working to save this Brooks B-72 saddle from the edge of dry-rot oblivion.  It has been quite the process with multiple applications of Proofide and some rudimentary 'blocking' attempts to bring back some semblance of form to the formerly dried out chunk of cow hide.

The results are encouraging so far. I have been letting the saddle sit to dry out some, with occasional buffings. I also have to finish up taking care of the undercarriage, now that things are looking as though this activity will be worthwhile to do. 

Now, this might be the hardest part of all - What bike do I put this on? Plus, because this saddle uses a dual rail design, a sandwich clamp is used, which means I have to use a headless seat post. This limits how I can use the saddle, but fortunately I happen to know a place that has an alloy 27.2mm headless seat post on hand.

The B-72 requires an application where the rider sits more upright, so my gravel bikes are out, and probably so are my three fat bikes, which don't make sense anyway from the standpoint of cold, wet weather usage. Yeah, this may be something for someone else, but I would like to enjoy the 'fruit of my labors' for a little bit! 

 

Still work to do under here....

The cracks did not go away, but they are only in the upper layer or two of the hide, so I think this should work out fine, although it doesn't look 100% great. There is evidence here and there which I noted while restoring this saddle which leads me to believe it was originally black in color. If I am correct, then the condition I found this saddle in is even more remarkable as it did not look black at all when I saw it first. Far from it! I thought it was a honey colored saddle at first.

Well, whatever color it was when new, I am about ready to ride this saddle and see how it feels. Stay tuned for this and more about the saddle soon.

Buzzard's Beginnings:

I mentioned the 'crazy idea' I had on Monday and I started to act on it yesterday. My first order of business was to tear down the fat bike wheel with the 135OLD single speed rear hub laced to it and tear down the original Velocity Dually wheel for the rim.

The Dually still had the On One Chunky Monkey 29" x 2.4" tire mounted to it, so I had to remove this, the tape, and the valve stem to gain access to the spoke nipples. When I tore off the tubeless valve tape, I revealed the Velocity build sticker, which they sign and date when the wheel was built and by whom.

I had forgotten how long ago this wheel came to me! 2013! That seems like a long time ago now. I wonder if "Austin" still works at Velocity USA. Anyway...

Once I get everything apart, I can measure the hub, throw the ERD and all the other pertinent data into the wheel spoke calculator, press "Calculate", and then find out if I have the proper spokes or no. By the way, I forgot the original spokes Velocity used in this build are bladed. Hopefully I can reuse some of those.

Brakes will be next up after this, and then a bunch of smaller details. I won't do the eccentric right away. I want to do a 'proof of concept' ride or three after my initial build is complete to see how the bike handles and all.Then, if I am satisfied the bike handles well, I will order the eccentric and install the thing. But if this fails, I will go a completely different direction. We will see... 

I should have an update on this one soon. 
 

Okay, I Have This Crazy Idea...

My idea is inspired by this venerable bike. 

Once in a while I get these crazy ideas for bicycles. Sometimes I act on them and you end up seeing the results here. Bikes like my Pofahl Signature, or the latest to be realized, the Honeman Flyer. 

Sometimes they remain in my mind never to be realized. Which, in some cases is probably a good thing! It doesn't help things when I have several frame sets around and lots of parts not doing anything. I naturally want to just find creative ways to put this stuff together and see what the outcome might be.

Lately I have had this idea percolating in my head which was inspired by the venerable Surly Pugsley. That weird, versatile, early fat bike option which had some unique design features. First of all, you could use parts from a hard tail MTB to build one up, including the hubs. Well, the rear hubs. See, the Pugsley was designed specifically to utilize two rear hubs so a rider could have a geared hub as the main drive wheel, and the front would be set up with a single speed free wheel 'just in case of emergency'. Say you whack the rear dangly bit off. Well, you simply swap wheels, utilize the Pugsley track ends to tension the shortened chain, (you did remember the chain tool, right?), and you can then pedal your way out of a tight spot.

This idea spawned my thoughts regarding my forlorn, but rare, Singular Buzzard frame. I was trying to sell it for a while, and I actually had some interest in it, which then pushed me over the edge to jump off and do this idea. (Apologies once again to the person who expressed interest)

Anyway, check this out. It's just a mock-up. A sketch, if you will. I'll explain after the image.

Okay, so here we have the Buzzard, a hard tail MTB with a kind-of slack geometry. This bike was designed just previous to the radical "long/slack/low" geometry craze we all know these days, so the head angle is not super choppered out, but it is slacker than older 29"ers. The top tube is not crazy long, but it isn't short. This is kind of a transitional design from the early "first gen" 29"er to what we have out there now. 

Now, it is not a typical Singular in that the frame is not single speedable. This is a critical factor in my idea. Fortunately Velo Orange makes an eccentric which accepts a 24mm spindle, two piece Shimano crank set. Now, the next critical piece is the front wheel. I happen to have this oddball single speed 135mm rear hub laced to a Marge Lite rim. This happens to work really well with this old Salsa Cycles Enabler fork I have lying around. The plan is to re-lace the red single speed hub into the old front wheel from this bike, which matches the rear wheel, and is a Velocity Dually. The rear is laced to a Velocity geared rear hub. Also of importance: The fork is a rear brake standard. So, I can use two rear hubs, one geared, one single speed, and if something went wrong on a ride? I could use the Velo Orange eccentric bottom bracket and swap wheels.

Crazy, right?  

Friday News And Views

Former Shimano Chairman Yoshizo Shimano Dies July 3rd, 2020-

The passing of one of the Shimano clan is not necessarily news I would share, but in this case, this man had an influence on us as mountain bikers and gravel cyclists that cannot be measured. Yoshizo Shimano was one of three sons of Shimano's founder and ran the company for many years. Of particular interest to us, Yoshizo Shimano was the man who saw mountain biking as a possible avenue of cycling that might prove quite popular. He brought a team of Shimano employees over to visit with pioneers of the sport, such as Gary Fisher and Charlie Kelly who ran a company at the time called Mountainbikes in about 1980 or so. (Yes- that's where the name "mountain bike" came from, by the way)

With the information gathered from the early MTB pioneers in hand, Shimano created the first mountain bike specific group set, Deore XT, and the rest, as they say, is history. Had this not happened, the segment, dubbed as a fluke, a fad, if you will, by the traditional cycling industry at large, may have been left to fizzle out and die then. Remember- These early pioneers were cobbling together drive trains using old tandem and touring bike parts mixed with BMX gear. It was a hodge-podge of barely workable bits that soon would have dried up and the industry would have evolved in another direction. Who knows when MTB as a segment would have resurfaced?

This sort of culture at Shimano- one that looked for a way to develop a segment that seemed popular and was growing, as they did with MTB, came up again when gravel bikes started to appear in 2012-2014. Shimano sent over teams of engineers, management, and athletes to see what was up with this new segment. They rode Almanzo 100, Dirty Kanza 200, and other events, and they talked to people along the way. Subsequently Shimano introduced a completely new group set for gravel called GRX last year.

Had Shimano not been the sort of company that Yoshizo Shimano shaped it to be, I doubt we'd have GRX, or mountain biking components as we do today.

 Sea Otter Play Promises Virtual Expo, Ride Challenges:

Sea Otter was cancelled for 2020, but the organization has found a 'virtual' means to allow people to participate and interact with over 350 brands which will be part of the first "Sea Otter Play" event September 17-20. Starting on September 1st, riders can also engage in several challenges set up to be governed by GPS data and be eligible to win prizes. The ride challenges end on 9-20-20.

Comments: This is indicative of 2020, right? Social distancing and protocols for dealing with COVID-19 have forced many events to delve into the 'virtual challenge' world. I suppose it is better to have those carrots dangling out there for the competitive at heart than not, but I know many are taking 2020 as a non-racing year and are setting sights on 2021 now already. I can imagine that the bigger names will be absent from these proceedings, but what would we have Sea Otter do? It's a big dilemma for racing for sure.

The expo? Interesting, and possibly game changing. If engagement numbers can be studied and deemed to be worthwhile, we may see more of this sort of thing in the future. It certainly tics a lot of boxes for the vendors. No shipping, no booth production, less labor, and less time. The big unanswered question will be how the consumer reacts to this. Will consumers flock to this like a Netflix series or will it fall flat on its face?

Hard to say now, but when the news was released on the 8th, I saw nary a mention on social media platforms. Heck, even Niner Bikes e-mtb thing garnered more attention than this festival deal. But perhaps marketing through the next month will realize more buzz about this effort. If not......it's gonna be ugly. 

 Update On The Project Gravel Bus:

Whenever you do a frame-up build, there is always some snafu when you go to build it. I've had several during the initial phases of building up the Gravel Bus.

First off, my head set was missing the crown race. After a lengthy search, I gave up, and decided I needed to do something dramatic. It was time to dismantle the Singular Buzzard. That bike has sat now for at least three years unused and, of course, it also has not sold either. So, there are parts on it I can use elsewhere, and the head set race on that fork was the one I needed, so off it came. I also grabbed the 10 speed cassette off it for another bike. I'll get into that later and also what will become of the rest of the Buzzard.

Then I realized that one of the levers I had planned on using had turned up missing. Gah! I contemplated ordering a pair, but then I realized I had the perfect set of levers all along out in the garage on my rat-rod Raleigh fixed gear bike, (also a bike not getting used enough), so I went out and harvested those off that bike. Okay, two issues covered! This was going well, albeit somewhat bumpy along the way.

Then came the stopper, literally and figuratively. I had ordered the wrong front caliper, or the company I got it from sent the wrong one, I don't know, but either way, that caliper was a post mount, not a flat mount style. (sigh) So, I am at a standstill until the new caliper comes along, and I hope it is the correct one! At least the order details are showing me it is the correct one. Funny thing- I am getting the caliper from Amazon, which had a price equal to wholesale, and they say they actually have it, unlike any of the distributors we work with at the shop. Yeah......crazy bizarro world. 

So, as for the Buzzard. I am breaking that bike up. It will be offered for sale as a frame only and the fork will be separate. I'll get all that up on the Garage Sale page soon. The rest of the parts I am keeping for a possible ECR build. Maybe.......We will see.... I need another bike like I need a hole in my head. It even could be the new Black Mountain Cycles rig Mike Varley is working on. Don't know what I'm talking about? Check out his Instagram feed and you'll find it.

Okay, that's a wrap for this FN&V. Have a fantastic weekend and I hope that you get some riding in!

Friday News And Views

Former Shimano Chairman Yoshizo Shimano Dies July 3rd, 2020-

The passing of one of the Shimano clan is not necessarily news I would share, but in this case, this man had an influence on us as mountain bikers and gravel cyclists that cannot be measured. Yoshizo Shimano was one of three sons of Shimano's founder and ran the company for many years. Of particular interest to us, Yoshizo Shimano was the man who saw mountain biking as a possible avenue of cycling that might prove quite popular. He brought a team of Shimano employees over to visit with pioneers of the sport, such as Gary Fisher and Charlie Kelly who ran a company at the time called Mountainbikes in about 1980 or so. (Yes- that's where the name "mountain bike" came from, by the way)

With the information gathered from the early MTB pioneers in hand, Shimano created the first mountain bike specific group set, Deore XT, and the rest, as they say, is history. Had this not happened, the segment, dubbed as a fluke, a fad, if you will, by the traditional cycling industry at large, may have been left to fizzle out and die then. Remember- These early pioneers were cobbling together drive trains using old tandem and touring bike parts mixed with BMX gear. It was a hodge-podge of barely workable bits that soon would have dried up and the industry would have evolved in another direction. Who knows when MTB as a segment would have resurfaced?

This sort of culture at Shimano- one that looked for a way to develop a segment that seemed popular and was growing, as they did with MTB, came up again when gravel bikes started to appear in 2012-2014. Shimano sent over teams of engineers, management, and athletes to see what was up with this new segment. They rode Almanzo 100, Dirty Kanza 200, and other events, and they talked to people along the way. Subsequently Shimano introduced a completely new group set for gravel called GRX last year.

Had Shimano not been the sort of company that Yoshizo Shimano shaped it to be, I doubt we'd have GRX, or mountain biking components as we do today.

 Sea Otter Play Promises Virtual Expo, Ride Challenges:

Sea Otter was cancelled for 2020, but the organization has found a 'virtual' means to allow people to participate and interact with over 350 brands which will be part of the first "Sea Otter Play" event September 17-20. Starting on September 1st, riders can also engage in several challenges set up to be governed by GPS data and be eligible to win prizes. The ride challenges end on 9-20-20.

Comments: This is indicative of 2020, right? Social distancing and protocols for dealing with COVID-19 have forced many events to delve into the 'virtual challenge' world. I suppose it is better to have those carrots dangling out there for the competitive at heart than not, but I know many are taking 2020 as a non-racing year and are setting sights on 2021 now already. I can imagine that the bigger names will be absent from these proceedings, but what would we have Sea Otter do? It's a big dilemma for racing for sure.

The expo? Interesting, and possibly game changing. If engagement numbers can be studied and deemed to be worthwhile, we may see more of this sort of thing in the future. It certainly tics a lot of boxes for the vendors. No shipping, no booth production, less labor, and less time. The big unanswered question will be how the consumer reacts to this. Will consumers flock to this like a Netflix series or will it fall flat on its face?

Hard to say now, but when the news was released on the 8th, I saw nary a mention on social media platforms. Heck, even Niner Bikes e-mtb thing garnered more attention than this festival deal. But perhaps marketing through the next month will realize more buzz about this effort. If not......it's gonna be ugly. 

 Update On The Project Gravel Bus:

Whenever you do a frame-up build, there is always some snafu when you go to build it. I've had several during the initial phases of building up the Gravel Bus.

First off, my head set was missing the crown race. After a lengthy search, I gave up, and decided I needed to do something dramatic. It was time to dismantle the Singular Buzzard. That bike has sat now for at least three years unused and, of course, it also has not sold either. So, there are parts on it I can use elsewhere, and the head set race on that fork was the one I needed, so off it came. I also grabbed the 10 speed cassette off it for another bike. I'll get into that later and also what will become of the rest of the Buzzard.

Then I realized that one of the levers I had planned on using had turned up missing. Gah! I contemplated ordering a pair, but then I realized I had the perfect set of levers all along out in the garage on my rat-rod Raleigh fixed gear bike, (also a bike not getting used enough), so I went out and harvested those off that bike. Okay, two issues covered! This was going well, albeit somewhat bumpy along the way.

Then came the stopper, literally and figuratively. I had ordered the wrong front caliper, or the company I got it from sent the wrong one, I don't know, but either way, that caliper was a post mount, not a flat mount style. (sigh) So, I am at a standstill until the new caliper comes along, and I hope it is the correct one! At least the order details are showing me it is the correct one. Funny thing- I am getting the caliper from Amazon, which had a price equal to wholesale, and they say they actually have it, unlike any of the distributors we work with at the shop. Yeah......crazy bizarro world. 

So, as for the Buzzard. I am breaking that bike up. It will be offered for sale as a frame only and the fork will be separate. I'll get all that up on the Garage Sale page soon. The rest of the parts I am keeping for a possible ECR build. Maybe.......We will see.... I need another bike like I need a hole in my head. It even could be the new Black Mountain Cycles rig Mike Varley is working on. Don't know what I'm talking about? Check out his Instagram feed and you'll find it.

Okay, that's a wrap for this FN&V. Have a fantastic weekend and I hope that you get some riding in!

Friday News And Views

Surly ECR in "Blacktacular"

Okay, So I Have This Idea....

The Problem: Old MTB I hardly ride anymore, put up for sale, no interest seen. Solution: Re-purpose most of the parts into a new bike. Side Effect: New bike takes place of another in the stable and I have a prospective owner for that bike already. Result: One new bike I'll use and two bikes eliminated from taking up valuable space in The Lab.

Are you with me so far? Now for the details.

The old Singular Buzzard is sitting in the Lab unloved and unridden. It's been this way for several years. Last year I put it on my Garage Sale Page, with zero interest. So, I had a 'light bulb' moment Wednesday. How about a 29+ bike? See, the idea came up when I was speaking with the Teravail guy about possibly reviewing some of their tires. He suggested the Coronado. and when I checked on sizes, well, the only tire in that range I could have possibly tried was a fat bike version of the Coronado, but I noticed that they had "plus bike" versions as well. Trouble is, I don't have a good plus bike to try a Coronado on. (Note- More about Teravail Tires coming later in the post)

Then Wednesday I saw a review of the Coronado with those tires mounted to a Krampus. I liked what I saw, but a Krampus? Nah! I pretty much have that bike now and never use it. But what about a Surly ECR? Those are plus bike tire compatible! Off to the Surly Bikes site to investigate. I look at the current ECR offerings, and I see the "Blacktacular" frame set. I could go with one of those, and my current Velocity Dually rimmed wheel set with the big Coronado tires. Hmm...... Maybe single speed too. Hmm...... Then I see the ECR takes an 1 1/8th head set. I have one of those. Hmm....... The head set in the Buzzard could be the same one I need for the T-6 Standard Rando build..... This is getting interesting. 

So, what bike does an ECR replace? Well, it would essentially be a better, more versatile replacement for my ill-fitting and limited 1X1. AND- I have a person to pass that bike on to that has already indicated interest. I then only have to sell a Buzzard frame and the fork with it, and hopefully that would be enticing enough to someone to get it out of my Lab. See? New bike, minus two bikes = a happier Guitar Ted.

I'm liking this plan.

Hutchinson Touareg tires.

New Shoes In For Testing: 

 The Hutchinson Touareg tires showed up earlier this week and I have mounted one set so far and tried them out. Here's a very, very initial impression on the 700c X 45 tires.

Initially I didn't think these were going to be 45mm wide, but right after mounting them, they were very nearly 45mm wide on Shimano GRX wheels, (not the widest internal measurement wheels by any stretch), and so I am comfortable in saying they are probably going to stretch out to be what they say. That's important to note, because many bikes will not be a good fit for these tires since they are that wide in reality. Note- There is a 40mm version of this tire as well.

The profile is very rounded- a definite "C" shape. The tread reminds me of a cross between a Donnelly MSO and a Michelin Power Gravel tread pattern. Lots of tightly packed, arrow-ish shaped, low center blocks (MSO) and then stepped rows of higher, tiny , tightly packed side tread (Power Gravel). Yes- they fling small stones a bit.

Feels fast on my super deteriorated gravel, smooth dirt, asphalt test track. Gotta get out on gravel on these soon, but I don't know for sure with this being a holiday weekend when that might be. AND it is supposed to be rainy most of the weekend. Ya know......Memorial Day Weekend? (I think that means "Rainy Weekend" in some foreign language)

More soon.........

 More New Shoes For Testing:

Yep! I'm going to be pretty busy in the coming weeks. Teravail, who saw my recent Rutland review on Riding Gravel, contacted me and asked me why I had issues with their original models. Thus started a conversation and that resulted in their informing me that they changed their tires since I had last tried them, (previous to the Rutland review).

We decided that I should give the fully armored versions of the Cannonball a whirl again. And I am also taking a look at the Rutland in the "Light and Supple" casing for contrast. Then I am going to get on their Ehline tire and put those to test on the Fargo as a gravel/bike packing option.

The 700 X 47mm size is intriguing. Of course, there are a few 700 X 45mm options out there. The WTB Riddler and the above mentioned Hutchinson Touaregs are examples that come to mind. But a 700 X 47mm tire is odd. I haven't heard of that size until I ran across this with Teravail. I find it interesting because, as of now, there are not many gravel bikes that can handle a tire that wide and voluminous. But it also tells me there will be more. Tire manufacturers don't make a tire size on spec that someone might like it. No, they make tires for perceived needs now and in the near future, or even better- for production bikes, otherwise known as "OE spec". (Original Equipment spec)

A company that scores an OE contract to make components for a bicycle has guaranteed sales. Making tires for the aftermarket means what? Maybe. You might sell a bunch, or you might not. This is why when you see an online forum ranting for, say, White side wall 650B X 55mm studded tires that weigh 700 grams each, well you probably will never see them getting made. No matter how much sense that might make to you, or 100 people online.

This is why when I see something out of the ordinary getting made, my ears prick up. There is something going on I need to pay attention to. And 700 X 47mm is one of those things.

That's it for this week. I hope all you US readers have a safe, happy, and adventurous Memorial Day Weekend.

Friday News And Views

Surly ECR in "Blacktacular"

Okay, So I Have This Idea....

The Problem: Old MTB I hardly ride anymore, put up for sale, no interest seen. Solution: Re-purpose most of the parts into a new bike. Side Effect: New bike takes place of another in the stable and I have a prospective owner for that bike already. Result: One new bike I'll use and two bikes eliminated from taking up valuable space in The Lab.

Are you with me so far? Now for the details.

The old Singular Buzzard is sitting in the Lab unloved and unridden. It's been this way for several years. Last year I put it on my Garage Sale Page, with zero interest. So, I had a 'light bulb' moment Wednesday. How about a 29+ bike? See, the idea came up when I was speaking with the Teravail guy about possibly reviewing some of their tires. He suggested the Coronado. and when I checked on sizes, well, the only tire in that range I could have possibly tried was a fat bike version of the Coronado, but I noticed that they had "plus bike" versions as well. Trouble is, I don't have a good plus bike to try a Coronado on. (Note- More about Teravail Tires coming later in the post)

Then Wednesday I saw a review of the Coronado with those tires mounted to a Krampus. I liked what I saw, but a Krampus? Nah! I pretty much have that bike now and never use it. But what about a Surly ECR? Those are plus bike tire compatible! Off to the Surly Bikes site to investigate. I look at the current ECR offerings, and I see the "Blacktacular" frame set. I could go with one of those, and my current Velocity Dually rimmed wheel set with the big Coronado tires. Hmm...... Maybe single speed too. Hmm...... Then I see the ECR takes an 1 1/8th head set. I have one of those. Hmm....... The head set in the Buzzard could be the same one I need for the T-6 Standard Rando build..... This is getting interesting. 

So, what bike does an ECR replace? Well, it would essentially be a better, more versatile replacement for my ill-fitting and limited 1X1. AND- I have a person to pass that bike on to that has already indicated interest. I then only have to sell a Buzzard frame and the fork with it, and hopefully that would be enticing enough to someone to get it out of my Lab. See? New bike, minus two bikes = a happier Guitar Ted.

I'm liking this plan.

Hutchinson Touareg tires.

New Shoes In For Testing: 

 The Hutchinson Touareg tires showed up earlier this week and I have mounted one set so far and tried them out. Here's a very, very initial impression on the 700c X 45 tires.

Initially I didn't think these were going to be 45mm wide, but right after mounting them, they were very nearly 45mm wide on Shimano GRX wheels, (not the widest internal measurement wheels by any stretch), and so I am comfortable in saying they are probably going to stretch out to be what they say. That's important to note, because many bikes will not be a good fit for these tires since they are that wide in reality. Note- There is a 40mm version of this tire as well.

The profile is very rounded- a definite "C" shape. The tread reminds me of a cross between a Donnelly MSO and a Michelin Power Gravel tread pattern. Lots of tightly packed, arrow-ish shaped, low center blocks (MSO) and then stepped rows of higher, tiny , tightly packed side tread (Power Gravel). Yes- they fling small stones a bit.

Feels fast on my super deteriorated gravel, smooth dirt, asphalt test track. Gotta get out on gravel on these soon, but I don't know for sure with this being a holiday weekend when that might be. AND it is supposed to be rainy most of the weekend. Ya know......Memorial Day Weekend? (I think that means "Rainy Weekend" in some foreign language)

More soon.........

 More New Shoes For Testing:

Yep! I'm going to be pretty busy in the coming weeks. Teravail, who saw my recent Rutland review on Riding Gravel, contacted me and asked me why I had issues with their original models. Thus started a conversation and that resulted in their informing me that they changed their tires since I had last tried them, (previous to the Rutland review).

We decided that I should give the fully armored versions of the Cannonball a whirl again. And I am also taking a look at the Rutland in the "Light and Supple" casing for contrast. Then I am going to get on their Ehline tire and put those to test on the Fargo as a gravel/bike packing option.

The 700 X 47mm size is intriguing. Of course, there are a few 700 X 45mm options out there. The WTB Riddler and the above mentioned Hutchinson Touaregs are examples that come to mind. But a 700 X 47mm tire is odd. I haven't heard of that size until I ran across this with Teravail. I find it interesting because, as of now, there are not many gravel bikes that can handle a tire that wide and voluminous. But it also tells me there will be more. Tire manufacturers don't make a tire size on spec that someone might like it. No, they make tires for perceived needs now and in the near future, or even better- for production bikes, otherwise known as "OE spec". (Original Equipment spec)

A company that scores an OE contract to make components for a bicycle has guaranteed sales. Making tires for the aftermarket means what? Maybe. You might sell a bunch, or you might not. This is why when you see an online forum ranting for, say, White side wall 650B X 55mm studded tires that weigh 700 grams each, well you probably will never see them getting made. No matter how much sense that might make to you, or 100 people online.

This is why when I see something out of the ordinary getting made, my ears prick up. There is something going on I need to pay attention to. And 700 X 47mm is one of those things.

That's it for this week. I hope all you US readers have a safe, happy, and adventurous Memorial Day Weekend.

Shopping For Bikes

Santa Cruz just announced the carbon version of the Chameleon.

This year I am shopping for a new mountain bike. The old one, my Singular Buzzard, is fine, really, and I've been in no hurry to replace it, but for a few newer developments. Wheels are a big thing, and it is that new Boost thing-a-ma-jigger that has me contemplating a new mtb. So, following is a few points I have that I wish to have represented in my new mountain bike.

• I really would like to do something in a 29+, but that isn't 100% necessary.
• Hard tail....probably. I'm not locked in to that either. I could be talked into a full suspension rig, but there doesn't seem to be much out there that is single track, Mid-West friendly. That is true for a lot of hard tails as well. But, there are some things that are "okay". 
• No 27.5- Not even on my radar.
• Front Suspension- Yes. Although a rigid front end isn't out of the question, I am certain a front suspension fork would make everything more-betterer. Or something.......That said I don't need a ton of travel.
• Not Aluminum. Again.....not 100% agin' it. But aluminum hard tails are......not my favorite. 
• Through axles. Boost. Dropper post routed. Threaded bottom bracket. All musts on this list. 
• I shouldn't have to sell a kidney to buy it. Santa Cruz just announced a Carbon Chameleon. Retails at 5K. Uhh.......nope. Too rich for my blood. 

Right now some of Surly's offerings look rather appealing to me. But I'm open to suggestions. To tell the truth, my "budget be damned", dream bike would be a Jones titanium LWB 29+. To me, that is my ultimate bike. I guess a steel one would do.......

This all said, my current steel Singular Buzzard isn't all that bad. So, if a suitable replacement doesn't present itself within a reasonable budget, I can pass on it. A mountain bike isn't missing from my stable, it is just something I'd like to upgrade......maybe. 

Another one that is up for replacement.

Now I am not done shopping just yet. Oh no! I have one other aging rig in the stable and this is actually a bit more pressing in terms of "need". That being a new gravel frame and fork with through axles to replace the aging Tamland Two.

The Tamland Two is really hard to beat. It is steel, the fork is steel and is famously smooth. But......quick release axle standard. That's really all there is against it, in my eyes. The thing is, the wheel market is moving to through axles and I need to be able to have that available in my test sleds for RidingGravel.com so when I get wheels in for testing I am not limited to one bike. (The BMC MCD currently)

Once again, I have a list of desires for a replacement and these are fairly non-negotiable.

• Deeper than 70mm bottom bracket drop. I am convinced it makes a difference in handling. The sweet spot being somewhere between 72mm and 75mm. 
• Head angle of less than 72°- Steeper than this brings on a front end that hunts for a line, requires more attention to keep on track in loose stuff, and generally is not of interest to me. My ideal would be 71°. 
• Chain stays at least 430mm long. Too short and that rear wheel is right under my butt and that translates to rougher, sketchier ride quality. No longer than 440mm is necessary though. 
• Threaded bottom bracket, standard head set, (pressed in cups), not real interested in internal routing. 
• Single speed conversion a plus. 
• Steel, titanium, then aluminum, and finally carbon fiber, in that order of frame preference. Carbon is susceptible to wear through from mud and detritus found in mud like grass, rocks, and whatever else Level B roads may contain. Much more so than the other metal frames would be. Carbon would be at the bottom of my list in desirable frame materials. Steel and titanium are tops on my list. By a country mile. 
• Not interested in a 1X only frame. It must have front derailleur compatibility. 

So, I really am being pretty picky here, but after riding thousands of miles of gravel roads in several states, I am pretty sure I know what I want. Will I find it? Maybe...... Maybe another Black Mountain Cycles MCD!

Stay tuned.

Shopping For Bikes

Santa Cruz just announced the carbon version of the Chameleon.

This year I am shopping for a new mountain bike. The old one, my Singular Buzzard, is fine, really, and I've been in no hurry to replace it, but for a few newer developments. Wheels are a big thing, and it is that new Boost thing-a-ma-jigger that has me contemplating a new mtb. So, following is a few points I have that I wish to have represented in my new mountain bike.

• I really would like to do something in a 29+, but that isn't 100% necessary.
• Hard tail....probably. I'm not locked in to that either. I could be talked into a full suspension rig, but there doesn't seem to be much out there that is single track, Mid-West friendly. That is true for a lot of hard tails as well. But, there are some things that are "okay". 
• No 27.5- Not even on my radar.
• Front Suspension- Yes. Although a rigid front end isn't out of the question, I am certain a front suspension fork would make everything more-betterer. Or something.......That said I don't need a ton of travel.
• Not Aluminum. Again.....not 100% agin' it. But aluminum hard tails are......not my favorite. 
• Through axles. Boost. Dropper post routed. Threaded bottom bracket. All musts on this list. 
• I shouldn't have to sell a kidney to buy it. Santa Cruz just announced a Carbon Chameleon. Retails at 5K. Uhh.......nope. Too rich for my blood. 

Right now some of Surly's offerings look rather appealing to me. But I'm open to suggestions. To tell the truth, my "budget be damned", dream bike would be a Jones titanium LWB 29+. To me, that is my ultimate bike. I guess a steel one would do.......

This all said, my current steel Singular Buzzard isn't all that bad. So, if a suitable replacement doesn't present itself within a reasonable budget, I can pass on it. A mountain bike isn't missing from my stable, it is just something I'd like to upgrade......maybe. 

Another one that is up for replacement.

Now I am not done shopping just yet. Oh no! I have one other aging rig in the stable and this is actually a bit more pressing in terms of "need". That being a new gravel frame and fork with through axles to replace the aging Tamland Two.

The Tamland Two is really hard to beat. It is steel, the fork is steel and is famously smooth. But......quick release axle standard. That's really all there is against it, in my eyes. The thing is, the wheel market is moving to through axles and I need to be able to have that available in my test sleds for RidingGravel.com so when I get wheels in for testing I am not limited to one bike. (The BMC MCD currently)

Once again, I have a list of desires for a replacement and these are fairly non-negotiable.

• Deeper than 70mm bottom bracket drop. I am convinced it makes a difference in handling. The sweet spot being somewhere between 72mm and 75mm. 
• Head angle of less than 72°- Steeper than this brings on a front end that hunts for a line, requires more attention to keep on track in loose stuff, and generally is not of interest to me. My ideal would be 71°. 
• Chain stays at least 430mm long. Too short and that rear wheel is right under my butt and that translates to rougher, sketchier ride quality. No longer than 440mm is necessary though. 
• Threaded bottom bracket, standard head set, (pressed in cups), not real interested in internal routing. 
• Single speed conversion a plus. 
• Steel, titanium, then aluminum, and finally carbon fiber, in that order of frame preference. Carbon is susceptible to wear through from mud and detritus found in mud like grass, rocks, and whatever else Level B roads may contain. Much more so than the other metal frames would be. Carbon would be at the bottom of my list in desirable frame materials. Steel and titanium are tops on my list. By a country mile. 
• Not interested in a 1X only frame. It must have front derailleur compatibility. 

So, I really am being pretty picky here, but after riding thousands of miles of gravel roads in several states, I am pretty sure I know what I want. Will I find it? Maybe...... Maybe another Black Mountain Cycles MCD!

Stay tuned.