Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of QO

 New Lightweight, Aero Carbon Cranks For Gravel:

A new company, founded by the original pair that started Rotor, has announced several new carbon crank sets, one of which is for gravel riding. 

The company is called "QO" and unlike Rotor, these chain rings are not ovalized. The crank set for gravel in the QO range is called "Grava" and features carbon arms reinforced with Kevlar strands to help protect the arms against rock strikes and chipping. 

Available with aluminum single rings, the crank set features aerodynamic "dimples" which help to break up air flow and allow the crank to move more freely through the air, much like a golf ball. The crank set also has a very slim profile to help the arms cut through the air. Spindle/ bottom bracket compatibility is based upon the SRAM DUB standard.

Crank arms will be available in three lengths: 172.5, 170, and 165mm. The arms are said to help reduce vibrations to the rider as well. Availability should be soon with US pricing yet to be determined. Expect these to be somewhere in the 700 - 800 dollar range. 

Image courtesy of Canfield Bikes

Canfield Bikes Debuts New Nimble Ti Frame:

Canfield, known for their multi-link full suspension designs, really pumped up the 29"er scene in 2011 with a long travel hard tail MTB. This sort of thing was unforeseen and very unusual back then. The frame was called the Nimble 9. That frame is still in production all these years later, albeit with an revolutionized geometry. 

Now that frame can be had in titanium as Canfield Bikes announced last week. The new "Nimble Ti" is based around a 150mm travel fork, 29" wheels, and has a sliding drop out set for adjusting wheelbase or for single speed set ups. 

The design is lifted right off the Nimble 9 steel hard tail with the exception of a change to the seat tube to allow more post insertion for today's longer travel dropper posts. 

Frames are going for $3,199.99 and there are complete builds available as well. If you are interested you might want to check this out soon as Canfield is only making 100 of these Nimble Ti frames available. Check out the webpage for the bike HERE. 

Gravel Amplifier: Dirty Disco:

 A new event for the gravel calendar is set to take place on Saturday March 1st. This event will happen out of El Dorado, Kansas, which is just up the turnpike from Wichita, Kansas. 

The event will have two competitive distances of 100 miles and 50 miles with a casual ride distance at 30 miles for those who just want to turn some pedals for a while. 

The price versus distance quotient looks good here and there are fewer categories to make things simpler. The vibe sounds about right and this is in the Flint Hills, so you really cannot go wrong.

The event promises a mid-ride sag, "dirty disco music" and more. Check out the BikeReg page HERE. 

Image courtesy of Ritchey Design

UCI, Ritchey End Licensing Agreement For World Champ Stripes:

The UCI and Ritchey Design had an agreement which ended in December 2024 which allowed Ritchey Design to use the rainbow stripes representing World Championship status. These stripes were used on the components Ritchey Design offers for sale in its WCS line. 

The UCI decided not to extend the licensing agreement, so Ritchey is transitioning its branding to reflect this change. Going forward, all WCS components will feature a gradient strip in grey tones. You can see an example in the image above. 

Comments: I'll be honest, I was surprised that Ritchey had an arrangement like this with the UCI for as many years as it had. It does not surprise me that the UCI did not agree to extend the arrangement. The UCI is pretty persnickety about things like the rainbow stripes. I found out this when the UCI mistakenly thought I was involved in using the rainbow stripes on the Gravel Worlds jerseys. I had quite the jaw drop when I received that cease and desist email! 

Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

Cutthroat Gets GRX, UDH Hangar - Fargo Updates:

Salsa Cycles doesn't really do a lot of major overhauls of older models nor do they offer many really new, innovative bikes anymore. (Yes - you might say those eBikes are "innovative new models", but they are not, really)

What Salsa does, and it is not a bad thing at all, is evolve their already really good platforms. Take for instance their Cutthroat, which is the most commonly used bike at Tour Divide, according to Salsa Cycles. (Probably in no small part due to the influences of Jay Petervary, by the way) 

Well, now Salsa has offered a new colorway with Shimano GRX 600. The new model also features SRAM's UDH hangar which is swiftly becoming a standard for replaceable hangars. I have to say that the leaf green to sky blue fade paint job is not something I would have ever dreamed up, but it might be growing on me. Hmm...  You can check out the details on Salsa's site HERE. 

The new GRX Fargo in "Brass". Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

 Also, for 2025 the Fargo will also be only available with GRX 600 and now will feature flat mount brake mounts on the frame (on the Alternator Flat Mount 1.0 drop outs, actually) and on the Cutthroat Carbon Deluxe fork. The fork features inserts to guard against abrasions, much like those found on the Stormchaser gravel bike. The bike is priced at $2,999.00 USD. You can see more details on the Fargo GRX HERE. (Note- There also are Fargo Apex 1's out there yet, but those will feature the post mount brakes and no carbon guard inserts.) I've updated my Fargo Page accordingly.

Annnnnd......that's a wrap! Get out there and ride those bikes this weekend!

Friday News And Views

Canfield Bikes Jedi 29 (Image courtesy of Canfield Bikes)

 Canfield Bikes Announces 29" Wheeled DH Jedi 29 Model:

Canfield Bikes announced last week that it had redesigned its flagship DH bike with a new high pivot, multi-link rear suspension and 29" wheels. New Jedi 29 models are available by pre-order and run about $6500.00. Frame/fork/rear shock modules are also available. See the website for details. 

Comments: I know I would never really be interested in a down hill bike, and maybe most of you reading this would not either. I only run this bit on the "FN&V" because it is another nail in the coffin for what used to be a commonly held belief just ten years ago. That being that 29" wheels would never make it on long travel mountain bikes. Not 'maybe would someday', no- the word was 'never'. 

Well, as the years go by this thought gets more and more ridiculous looking, doesn't it? I mean look at the orange thing. Eight inches of travel? Are you kidding me? And to think many thought it could never be possible. That it was a 'joke'. Who's laughing now?

History is ironic and history has a lot of things to teach us. What 'they' say now days? Maybe ten years from now we will look back and know that whatever 'it' was is garbage thinking. In terms of cycling, what do you think is being said now that will look foolish or wise ten years from now? Maybe 29"er DH bikes will be a joke then. Hard to say.....

Pardon the interruption.....

Podcast News:

With the announcement of Andy's Bike Shop closing and the ending of my relationship there with the shop, the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch has been impacted negatively. The last two years with Andy as co-host has been wonderful, but with the changes in his employment status and with the closing of the business, I now am back to being on my own with the podcast and the recording of it. 

So, you may have noted a break in the release of new podcasts. Honestly, it just never occurred to me that we weren't doing that anymore until recently. The events of late Fall with my Mother's death and the job situation have pretty much put my mind in other places. Podcasting hasn't been on my radar for a while now.

So, now that some time has passed I am starting to think about this again. I do have a set up here with which I can record podcasts and my partner in riding Gravel, Ben, can still post those up. So it hasn't been for lack of resources. I should be getting back on the podcasting horse again here soon, so look for news of Episode #95 coming soon. 

Life Time Gran Prix Series Numbers Boosted:

A week ago the names on the roster for next season's six event series being put on by Life Time Fitness across three gravel courses and three off-road courses were announced. Interestingly, what was to be a 40 person series turned out to be a 60 person series. 

No reasons were publicly reported for why this was the case, but one would have to assume that the overall response to the call for applications must have been robust enough that Life Time saw a chance to include more riders and make more money. Obviously, with Life Time Fitness' resources, adding 20 more riders is not a burden at all for the company, and having 30 rider fields for Men and Women probably looks a bit more exciting than 20 per gender. Especially on big courses like the Kansas one where 20 riders in a pack is nothing much to see. 

Which brings up a question: Do these events keep other riders out of the way of the Pro/Semi-Pro riders chasing big money, or are they mixed in with everyone else? 

The money factor really makes this a big question and how it is answered is going to be very important. Already some riders have noted that the prize purses versus the entry fees don't line up for most of the roster to come out ahead. If these riders on the 60 person roster feel that they have been impeded in any way by non-Gran Prix riders it isn't going to be seen in a good light. 

This is another reason I feel this series' three events on gravel is not really 'gravel racing'. It isn't representative of where gravel riding/racing came from, and it is not representative of the gravel culture in any way. This is merely a big purse racing series that just happens to have a few of its events on gravel courses. It should never be confused with 'gravel grinder events' or be associated with the gravel scene in any way since it doesn't represent what gravel riding is about. 

"Gizmodification" Of Bicycles Marches On:

 Since the year 2000 or so it seems that humans are hell-bent on digitizing every aspect of life as we know it. Appliances as mundane as refrigerators and washing machines now have Wi-Fi connectivity. Heck, even a barbecue grill can be had now with Wi-Fi! 

So, it was inevitable that some company would come along with the intentions of turning all our bicycles into "smart devices". 

Meet RP Designs, who have a crowdfunding effort underway to produce handle bars, both in MTB and drop styles, with integrated touch screens compatible with major platform Wi-Fi connectivity brands. The company claims that, "The Smart-Cockpit™ is designed to make any new or existing bicycle Smart in minutes."

This isn't just for electrified bikes either, no- they mean to have everyone on this bandwagon. Their crowdfunding site claims that the founders thought it was bizarre that one could spend thousands on a bike yet have to spend hundreds more on accessories to make the bike useful.

Comments: First off, 'integrated' cockpits won't be super popular. Humans come in thousands- nay millions- of variations in size, shape, flexibility, and other considerations that a single, fixed stem/handle bar combination will find very limited appeal. That's a proven fact. So, the design has a serious flaw out of the gates. 

And accessory items have been tried on bicycles to avoid aftermarket sales for consumers. There are two problems with this however; and they have to do with buying habits and retailers. First, buyers want to customize their bike in the way that they see fit, because a bicycle is an extension of their personality.  It is not seen as a utilitarian device for transportation. Many Europeans don't view cycling in this way- because for them, it is a way of life and 'just how you get around'- so why wouldn't you buy a complete, fully accessorized bicycle? 

Then on the other hand, retailers want to make the high-margin accessory sales and pocket those profits. Retailers do not make money on bicycles, but they do make money on accessories and labor. So, a fully accessorized bicycle is a money-losing proposition for a smart bicycle retailer.

Next, technology for connectivity has been so fluid and fast changing that this may find itself out of date in short order. Then also you have the electronics themselves which would necessarily need to be waterproof, shockproof, temperature-proof, and dust-proof, which even our own smart phones have issues with. Not that it couldn't be done, but bicycles put certain stresses and situations on devices that a smart phone device wasn't really designed for. And this company wants to do this for mountain bikes, so this is a tall order. 

Can this be serviced, or when it fails, is it just an expensive piece of trash with no way to recycle it? Yeah, this company has a big mountain to climb. It's interesting to see where they are coming from though. Is something like this the future of cycling? Will all bicycles be track-able, radio wave emitting, 'droid-like', robotic devices in ten, twenty years? 

I'll say it- I sure hope not!
 

That's a wrap on this week's news and views. A scheduling note- This will be the last "FN&V" for the year as the holidays and end of year reports will necessarily push this normally scheduled post off for the next two weeks. "FN&V" will be back again in the New Year on January 7th! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Canfield Bikes Jedi 29 (Image courtesy of Canfield Bikes)

 Canfield Bikes Announces 29" Wheeled DH Jedi 29 Model:

Canfield Bikes announced last week that it had redesigned its flagship DH bike with a new high pivot, multi-link rear suspension and 29" wheels. New Jedi 29 models are available by pre-order and run about $6500.00. Frame/fork/rear shock modules are also available. See the website for details. 

Comments: I know I would never really be interested in a down hill bike, and maybe most of you reading this would not either. I only run this bit on the "FN&V" because it is another nail in the coffin for what used to be a commonly held belief just ten years ago. That being that 29" wheels would never make it on long travel mountain bikes. Not 'maybe would someday', no- the word was 'never'. 

Well, as the years go by this thought gets more and more ridiculous looking, doesn't it? I mean look at the orange thing. Eight inches of travel? Are you kidding me? And to think many thought it could never be possible. That it was a 'joke'. Who's laughing now?

History is ironic and history has a lot of things to teach us. What 'they' say now days? Maybe ten years from now we will look back and know that whatever 'it' was is garbage thinking. In terms of cycling, what do you think is being said now that will look foolish or wise ten years from now? Maybe 29"er DH bikes will be a joke then. Hard to say.....

Pardon the interruption.....

Podcast News:

With the announcement of Andy's Bike Shop closing and the ending of my relationship there with the shop, the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch has been impacted negatively. The last two years with Andy as co-host has been wonderful, but with the changes in his employment status and with the closing of the business, I now am back to being on my own with the podcast and the recording of it. 

So, you may have noted a break in the release of new podcasts. Honestly, it just never occurred to me that we weren't doing that anymore until recently. The events of late Fall with my Mother's death and the job situation have pretty much put my mind in other places. Podcasting hasn't been on my radar for a while now.

So, now that some time has passed I am starting to think about this again. I do have a set up here with which I can record podcasts and my partner in riding Gravel, Ben, can still post those up. So it hasn't been for lack of resources. I should be getting back on the podcasting horse again here soon, so look for news of Episode #95 coming soon. 

Life Time Gran Prix Series Numbers Boosted:

A week ago the names on the roster for next season's six event series being put on by Life Time Fitness across three gravel courses and three off-road courses were announced. Interestingly, what was to be a 40 person series turned out to be a 60 person series. 

No reasons were publicly reported for why this was the case, but one would have to assume that the overall response to the call for applications must have been robust enough that Life Time saw a chance to include more riders and make more money. Obviously, with Life Time Fitness' resources, adding 20 more riders is not a burden at all for the company, and having 30 rider fields for Men and Women probably looks a bit more exciting than 20 per gender. Especially on big courses like the Kansas one where 20 riders in a pack is nothing much to see. 

Which brings up a question: Do these events keep other riders out of the way of the Pro/Semi-Pro riders chasing big money, or are they mixed in with everyone else? 

The money factor really makes this a big question and how it is answered is going to be very important. Already some riders have noted that the prize purses versus the entry fees don't line up for most of the roster to come out ahead. If these riders on the 60 person roster feel that they have been impeded in any way by non-Gran Prix riders it isn't going to be seen in a good light. 

This is another reason I feel this series' three events on gravel is not really 'gravel racing'. It isn't representative of where gravel riding/racing came from, and it is not representative of the gravel culture in any way. This is merely a big purse racing series that just happens to have a few of its events on gravel courses. It should never be confused with 'gravel grinder events' or be associated with the gravel scene in any way since it doesn't represent what gravel riding is about. 

"Gizmodification" Of Bicycles Marches On:

 Since the year 2000 or so it seems that humans are hell-bent on digitizing every aspect of life as we know it. Appliances as mundane as refrigerators and washing machines now have Wi-Fi connectivity. Heck, even a barbecue grill can be had now with Wi-Fi! 

So, it was inevitable that some company would come along with the intentions of turning all our bicycles into "smart devices". 

Meet RP Designs, who have a crowdfunding effort underway to produce handle bars, both in MTB and drop styles, with integrated touch screens compatible with major platform Wi-Fi connectivity brands. The company claims that, "The Smart-Cockpit™ is designed to make any new or existing bicycle Smart in minutes."

This isn't just for electrified bikes either, no- they mean to have everyone on this bandwagon. Their crowdfunding site claims that the founders thought it was bizarre that one could spend thousands on a bike yet have to spend hundreds more on accessories to make the bike useful.

Comments: First off, 'integrated' cockpits won't be super popular. Humans come in thousands- nay millions- of variations in size, shape, flexibility, and other considerations that a single, fixed stem/handle bar combination will find very limited appeal. That's a proven fact. So, the design has a serious flaw out of the gates. 

And accessory items have been tried on bicycles to avoid aftermarket sales for consumers. There are two problems with this however; and they have to do with buying habits and retailers. First, buyers want to customize their bike in the way that they see fit, because a bicycle is an extension of their personality.  It is not seen as a utilitarian device for transportation. Many Europeans don't view cycling in this way- because for them, it is a way of life and 'just how you get around'- so why wouldn't you buy a complete, fully accessorized bicycle? 

Then on the other hand, retailers want to make the high-margin accessory sales and pocket those profits. Retailers do not make money on bicycles, but they do make money on accessories and labor. So, a fully accessorized bicycle is a money-losing proposition for a smart bicycle retailer.

Next, technology for connectivity has been so fluid and fast changing that this may find itself out of date in short order. Then also you have the electronics themselves which would necessarily need to be waterproof, shockproof, temperature-proof, and dust-proof, which even our own smart phones have issues with. Not that it couldn't be done, but bicycles put certain stresses and situations on devices that a smart phone device wasn't really designed for. And this company wants to do this for mountain bikes, so this is a tall order. 

Can this be serviced, or when it fails, is it just an expensive piece of trash with no way to recycle it? Yeah, this company has a big mountain to climb. It's interesting to see where they are coming from though. Is something like this the future of cycling? Will all bicycles be track-able, radio wave emitting, 'droid-like', robotic devices in ten, twenty years? 

I'll say it- I sure hope not!
 

That's a wrap on this week's news and views. A scheduling note- This will be the last "FN&V" for the year as the holidays and end of year reports will necessarily push this normally scheduled post off for the next two weeks. "FN&V" will be back again in the New Year on January 7th! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!