Gravel Grinder News: Salsa Announces Flway Gravel Racing Bike

Flyway DLX Red XPLR

 Note: All images and information in this article were provided by Salsa Cycles. Comments are Guitar Ted's and are his own.

Today Salsa Cycles has released information and images for the replacement model for the Warbird called Flyway. It is an evolution of the previous Warbird models using an updated version of the Class 5 VRS vibration reduction as in the past, but with an updated feature set for 2026 and beyond. 

Here are the main talking points for the Flyway.

• 5th Generation Design
• Six Sizes: XS, S, Med, ML, L, XL  
• 70.5° Head tube angle
• 425mm Chain Stays
• 76mm Bottom Bracket Drop
• Two Levels of carbon fiber layup. With the DLX frame you save 150 grams over the other models in the range. The separate frame set on offer is the DLX layup, by the way. 
• Class 5 VRS now 20% more compliant than before.
• Tire Clearance - Up to 50mm tires.
• Geometry accommodates 40mm suspension forks only.
• IS52 head tube accommodates internally routed cabling.
• UDH compatible, no mechanical 2X set ups. 2X can be used if electronic. 
• T-47 Bottom Bracket
• Fork: 420mm Axle to Crown, accommodates up to a 700 x 57mm tire.

Flyway DLX Force XPLR

Cargo Capacity: 

It's a Salsa, so you know cargo carrying capacity has been addressed. The Flyway features several ways to carry your stuff. 

• Main Triangle Bottle Mounts: 2 on XS, and Small. Three on everything else. 
• Two sets of Three-Pack Mounts on the fork
• Direct Mount compatible with custom frame bags.
• Top Tube Mounts
• Rack Compatible with Salsa Rack-Lock or Post-Lock
• Low-rider Front Rack Mounts

Model Range:

The top two models in the Flyway range have the DLX, lighter carbon frame. They both are SRAM equipped 1X drive trains with XPLR. Then the new suspension fork equipped model comes in with a SRAM Rival drive train matched up with a Rock Shox Rudy fork and a dropper post. Next up we have the Flyway Apex Eagle AXS with the last model in the line having the lone Shimano drive train offered in the Flway GRX 610. 

Prices:

•  Flyway DLX RED: $11,999 USD, $16,999 CAD
• Flyway DLX Force: $7,999 USD, $11,299 CAD
• Flyway Rival Sus: $5,499 USD, $6,999 CAD
• Flyway Apex: $4,499 USD, $5,499 CAD
• Flyway GRX 610: $3,499 USD, $4,299 CAD
• Flyway DLX Frameset: $2,799 USD, $3,999 CAD

 

Flyway Rival Sus

Flyway Apex

Flyway GRX 610

Comments:

The Warbird was long overdue for a refresh and the name change isn't a big surprise given how QBP has been sanitizing its brand's nomenclature over the past several years. The good news here is that what the Warbird was has been evolved into a better bike in most ways. (Still not a fan over internally routed everything) 

This bike works in several ways in my opinion. It has race bike capabilities without foregoing adventure/fun based riding. Too may times we are seeing racing gravel bikes coming out with nothing more than a few bottle mounts. Kudos to Salsa for sticking to their heritage formed in adventure based cycling.  

Some may bemoan the lack of big tire clearance in the rear. However; it should be noted that Salsa has an updated Cutthroat coming out (announced today as well) and that bike handles up to a 700 x 2.4" rear tire with the capability of mounting road/MTB hybrid drive trains. Technically speaking, any bicycle with a road based design,(read most gravel bikes) shouldn't have wider than 50mm tires because comprising drive train efficiency to squeeze in MTB rubber with a road bike drive train is going a bit too far, in my opinion.  

Finally, there is no other way to say this, but prices for the new generation of Salsa gravel racing bikes has ballooned. Previous models with similar drive trains were much less expensive.  Are we blaming tariffs, higher shipping costs, or just a general uptick in inflation? Whatever it is, you'll have to lean on that electronic transfer of funds a little harder to be able to obtain a new Flyway. 

Note: Apologies for the image quality in this post but these images are from the resources Salsa sent me to use. Also, a new Cutthroat was also dropped today but I decided to focus on the new Flyway here. No news on a Fargo today, but I've been told by a trusted source that the new Fargo is due late Summer/early Fall. See Salsa Cycles website for the latest details. 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Cannondale

Cannondale Super X Gravel Bike Unveiled:

Well....that didn't take long! Cannondale released its new Super X the day after I posted about it this week. As it turned out, my guesses were correct. It's a gravel bike, primarily, but will also serve as C'dales CX bike. 

The range-topping Lab 71 version will go for 15K!! The next lower option is about half as much. Crazy!

Comments: I think it is very interesting to note that cyclo cross has taken a back seat to gravel - at least in Cannondale's range. But then again, there are very few CX bikes offered by any mainstream brand in North America anymore. This points to the current climate of what is really popular with regard to competitive events these days. 

Ritchey SuperLogic Streem Drop Bar:

Ritchey Design has just given their aero Streem bar the Carbon SuperLogic treatment and a few refinements as well. 

Much like the SuperLogic Carbon Venturemax bar I reviewed (HERE) the Streem gets a flat tops section, a slight flare to the drops (4°), and internal cable routing options.  Since it is fashionable to go narrower on bar widths now for racing, these come in widths of 36/40, 38/42, and 40/44. (Centimeters with the first numeral giving the widths at the hoods and the second at the drops.)

Price is set at $299.95 and are available now. See more on Ritchey's website HERE.  

Salsa Cycles Issues New Colors/Builds For Warbird:

Salsa Cycles has four new colors of Warbird gravel bikes with four new builds. First up we have the Warbird C-Force AXS Wide, then there is the C Rival GX AXS, (Shown here), then we have the  C 820 GRX 2X , and finally there is the C GRX 610 1X. 

See all the Warbirds HERE. 

Comments: I'm just showing one of the Warbirds here only because it is a shade of purple. That happens to be my favorite color- purple. Anyway, other than this, it is the same ol' Warbird you've known for years. Sure..... they put on the Waxwing Deluxe v2 carbon fork. Woo. 

Look, I like the Warbird, but if we're being real here, this is no longer the cutting edge "gravel racing bike" on courses that are used today in the format that most races are run with. Once upon a time, when things were quite different, this bike made more sense. I'm not saying one thing is better than the other, but today's reality doesn't point to a Warbird as being a cutting edge racing bike for gravel. 

And in the rumor mill, I am hearing some big changes might be in store for the QBP brands. Stay tuned....

Image courtesy of Classified

Classified Files Patents For Self-Charging Shifting/Brakes:

 Classified, the company which is known for their proprietary two-speed rear hub system, has filed patents for a self-charging system on a bicycle which theoretically could keep the batteries of an electronic shifting and braking (!!) bike alive infinitely. 

The system essentially turns your brake rotor  into part of a generator along with a stator based in the through axle. Essentially this would be a more powerful system similar to your old wired computer. A wheel magnet passing a coil of wire on your fork which generates an electrical charge. The principle isn't anything new, but the application is something a bit different. 

I found, via a quick Google search, another expired patent for a self-charging, regenerative braking system using batteries to assist pedaling via a DC electric motor for a vehicle or bicycle from the early 1990's. So, the novelty of the overall idea isn't anything new, and the technology that is employed has been around for decades. 

Now, the hint of electronic brakes is something, at least for bicycles, that is fairly new. I'm not sure why engineers are so fascinated by trying to get mainstream approval for that sort of technology. I'm sure when it does become a reality we'll hear about how much "better" it is. But I feel this is more about consumer's electric bikes, how they are very heavy, and taking some sort of electronic control over the braking system to make those riders "safer". Anti-lock brakes for bicycles, if you will. Probably a bit of "power assist" as a feature as well. That's my guess. But we'll see... 

That's it for this week. Get out and ride some bicycles!

Two Things

As seen August 22nd, 2012 at a Salsa Demo

Warbird Debut:A Missed Opportunity

The world found out something I was aware of for a while in the Summer of 2012. It was the fact that there was a bicycle specifically designed to race on gravel roads. Of course, I am speaking of the Salsa Cycles Warbird. The anniversary of my checking the bike out "officially" was this past week.

Trans Iowa was a proving ground for the model, as was the DK200 in Kansas. Both races were long, arduous, and tested man and machine to their limits. I was in the front seat to see the development of Salsa Cycles work in the gravel field going back to 2009 when I saw what became (briefly) the titanium La Cruz gravel/cyclo cross bike. That quickly gave way to another new prototype bike which saw duty in Trans Iowa v7 and v8. This bike I actually was able to get an up-close look at and ride briefly at T.I.v8. The bike became the Warbird and was shown at Quality Bicycles Summer "Saddledrive" show in 2012 to dealers and then to the public at several demo stops during that Summer. I saw and rode both the titanium model and the aluminum model in August up in the Twin Cities at a demo. 

The bike, at least the titanium version, was a fine introduction, despite its ridiculously narrow tire clearances, even for 2012. However; while the focus was on that fancy grey-silver metal frame, there was another Warbird that kind of flew under the radar. That was the aluminum version of the bike. Costing far less than the fancy titanium bike, the aluminum bike was not very well received. 

In my opinion, and in the opinion of many others at the time, Salsa Cycles made a mistake. While aluminum was a fine choice, it was not the popular one. Had Salsa Cycles decided upon a steel Warbird, I feel the sales would have been much more brisk out of the gate for the bike. The perception of that time was that a steel or a titanium bike was more well suited for gravel than a carbon or an aluminum alloy bike would be. 

Of course, we will never know if that was correct, as Salsa never did do a steel framed Warbird, at least not one for sale, and when they moved to the Class 5 VRS rear end, steel was not strong enough to handle the stresses the design imparted on the frame, so it became a moot point at that juncture.

Gravel Worlds Memories:

Also, the Gravel Worlds event happened yesterday. This was a time-marker for me for several years and my memories of attending the event run deep and strong yet today. I have not been to a Gravel Worlds since 2021, but that doesn't mean I didn't miss going there, at least a little bit. 

I have many friends and dearly loved people I miss because I cannot attend the event these days. These people, of course, are a big reason I feel left out here in Iowa. It would be a ton of fun to be around those folks again, at least for a little while. 

But another part of me misses Gravel Worlds from the times that I did the event. The event is not the way it used to be anymore, so perhaps I would feel a bit let down if I did attend the event now. I cannot say 100% that this would be the case, but for certain, a part of the nostalgia for "how things used to be" is part of what I feel. 

A few shots from my Gravel Worlds past...

That's me bombing a long downhill in 2015. Photographer unknown.

Back in the day, you could be assured of riding large chunks of the event all alone.

Tony McGrane (L) and myself. 2016 - The only time I ever finished the event.

My last go-round with Gravel Worlds in 2021. Image by M. McColgan

There are a lot more I could post, but I'll spare you the boredom of looking at wide expanses of Nebraskan rolling hills! Maybe I'll make it out there again someday, but some things will have to change here for me if I ever do get a chance  to go back to Gravel Worlds.

Friday News And Views

Tweet from Neil Rogers seen last Thursday

Outside Media Lays Off A "Significant Number" Of Employees:

Within the last few years, Outside Incorporated had annexed several publications under its media umbrella, including Cyclingtips, Beta, and VeloNews. Industry rag, Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, and registry company athleteReg were also gobbled up within the last few years. I was hoping that the typical thing that happens to media conglomerations wouldn't happen, but it appears that it has, indeed, gone down as many had feared. 

Since COVID hit the scene, a lot of upheaval has occurred in the economic landscape and publishing was not immune to the effects. BIKE Magazine folded in 2020 due to the pandemic, but many of the staff were invited to start up the publication called, BETA, which was online only and subscription based. Sounded like a great idea, until- apparently- it wasn't. In the thread under the Tweet I have shown here, a commenter mentioned that BETA had been shut down. It also was reported in the Tweet thread that Outside Incorporated is planning on reducing print media by 60% or more.

It also appears that Ben Delaney, a columnist for VeloNews, was let go as his Strava post was also shared on that same Tweet thread. Corporatization of media has traditionally led to such blood-lettings of talent, and - it would seem- Outside Incorporated is no different in that regard. 

Comments: I'll be honest and upfront here: I don't like mergers, I don't trust big corporate boards, and media conglomerations under one roof are never a good idea. Now we have less talent, and apparently less outlets to read from, and the 'narrative' will only get more monetized as we go forward. Sorry for the dour outlook, but really? I'm not sorry. We should know better. 

More details emerged later Thursday regarding the lay-offs.

As far as digital content, I am not sure how that will work. Obviously news and features will get cut back since attention spans are measured digitally and when someone clicks out, they note that time. That is conflated to mean that the person is not reading through long form articles, so that style of news and features gets cut. Whether or not that is actually true, or merely self-fulfilling prophecy is not known. I know I'll read a longer piece in a magazine at my leisure, but trying to read from a phone, or tablet, is not pleasant, and you get distracting pop-up ads, prompts, and mayhem of all sorts on many of these sites. Paper is 'calmer', and I think, easier to read longer times with. 

I notice this with this blog. My stats show the vast majority of you read this on a PC. Some tablets are used and almost no one is using a phone to read this blog. Guess which sort of device most people use to engage digital content with now? 

Phones don't lend themselves to comfortable, longer timed reads, so mass media gets this, and you get more sugar-coated candy with a side of pop-up ad and distraction. Have fun with that and those 'empty calories'..... 

Another interesting perspective on the current print media landscape and this Outside Incorporated layoff can be read here: https://www.adventure-journal.com/2022/05/thoughts-on-outsides-layoffs-outdoor-media-and-adventure-journal/

Ere Research "Tenaci" grip system

ere Research Shows Drop Bar Grip Idea:

Scrolling through the innergoogles, as one does, I came across this new company called 'ere Reseaerch' which I had never heard of before. Looking at tires first, I came across a more interesting product offering from this company called Tenachi Handlebar Covers.

I gather that the bottom part, which goes on the extensions and up into the drops, is one piece and then the rest from the lever perches on up to the tops is pretty much standard tape. ere says, "They are designed to give as many pressure-relieved hand positions as possible and are exceptionally suitable for long days in the saddle."

Comments: So, this is kind of like track grips and bar tape together. Not a bad idea, really. I could see where this idea could not only provide a better, more secure grip in the drops, but that with the right materials, that it could be a vibration damper as well. I did actually test something similar years ago but those were stick on pads, and did not encompass the handle bar

I actually tried to order some of this but apparently the company doesn't ship to the United States. (??) I couldn't find that option in the drop down menu, at any rate. So, maybe later......

2022 Cutthroat, Warbirds Announced:

Salsa Cycles released the new colors and specifications for their 2022 Cutthroat, Warbird, and Warroad models. I won't bother with the Warroad bikes as they are not my cuppa tea and are not really all-road/gravel bikes. (They kind of are, but....they are a weird niche bike, in my opinion)

2022 Cutthroat GRX 600 (Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles)

Colors and specifications on bikes that have not fundamentally changed in what? Four years now, Five....? Not that it matters much. I mean by that to say this: The Warbird and Cutthroat don't really need to change much, if at all. The designs are pretty dialed and unless you are going in for some radical change, (and why would you?), these bikes seem to be pretty much at the pinnacle of their design evolution. 

Not that Salsa Cycles is not working on something. I am sure that they are, it's just that it would be hard to understand them dropping Class V VRS or carbon, or all the versatility in these bikes as they are set up. Refine the bikes? Maybe. Ground up redesign? Hmm...... If they can, I guess they will, but it would be hard to imagine what they would do. 

I have seen comments by folks pining for steel drop bar bikes, titanium drop bar bikes, and the same in MTB/bikepacking from Salsa. Here's the thing- they did that and you folks didn't buy them. Not in enough numbers to perpetuate bikes like the titanium models they used to make, like the Ti Vaya, (a KILLER gravel bike, by the way), or the Ti El Mariachi, a quintessential bike packing rig. And steel? Yeah, they dd that too, but you almost couldn't give them away. Only the venerable Fargo has really sold in any significant numbers for a Salsa model that is made from steel. And frankly, I am surprised that Salsa still offers that model in steel!

Finally, availability on the Shimano equipped 2022 models will be delayed until Fall, according to the information I received. That would probably be a good indication of what to expect from other brands as well, but what can be said for sure is that if you want a Warbird or Cutthroat now, it will be a SRAM equipped bike. 

Old Glory waves on a farm North of Waterloo.

Memorial Day Weekend:

This is a long weekend for many and the first holiday which is considered to 'kick-off' Summertime in the Mid-West. The weather, while not having been very Summer-like", has been okay of late and this weekend looks clear so far. 

Of course, it is a busy weekend for many of us as well. Graduations, vacations, and just recreating can eat into your time in a hurry. maybe we get so tied up in the fast-paced activities for three days that we tend to forget why we even have this holiday.

I suggest a slowing down, disconnect, and some introspection might be appropriate. Spend some quiet time considering this holiday, and consider showing some gratitude where appropriate. 

I'll maybe have time on Monday to do a bit of a ride. I hope that you all have a wonderful, safe, and meaningful weekend. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions.

Friday News And Views

Tweet from Neil Rogers seen last Thursday

Outside Media Lays Off A "Significant Number" Of Employees:

Within the last few years, Outside Incorporated had annexed several publications under its media umbrella, including Cyclingtips, Beta, and VeloNews. Industry rag, Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, and registry company athleteReg were also gobbled up within the last few years. I was hoping that the typical thing that happens to media conglomerations wouldn't happen, but it appears that it has, indeed, gone down as many had feared. 

Since COVID hit the scene, a lot of upheaval has occurred in the economic landscape and publishing was not immune to the effects. BIKE Magazine folded in 2020 due to the pandemic, but many of the staff were invited to start up the publication called, BETA, which was online only and subscription based. Sounded like a great idea, until- apparently- it wasn't. In the thread under the Tweet I have shown here, a commenter mentioned that BETA had been shut down. It also was reported in the Tweet thread that Outside Incorporated is planning on reducing print media by 60% or more.

It also appears that Ben Delaney, a columnist for VeloNews, was let go as his Strava post was also shared on that same Tweet thread. Corporatization of media has traditionally led to such blood-lettings of talent, and - it would seem- Outside Incorporated is no different in that regard. 

Comments: I'll be honest and upfront here: I don't like mergers, I don't trust big corporate boards, and media conglomerations under one roof are never a good idea. Now we have less talent, and apparently less outlets to read from, and the 'narrative' will only get more monetized as we go forward. Sorry for the dour outlook, but really? I'm not sorry. We should know better. 

More details emerged later Thursday regarding the lay-offs.

As far as digital content, I am not sure how that will work. Obviously news and features will get cut back since attention spans are measured digitally and when someone clicks out, they note that time. That is conflated to mean that the person is not reading through long form articles, so that style of news and features gets cut. Whether or not that is actually true, or merely self-fulfilling prophecy is not known. I know I'll read a longer piece in a magazine at my leisure, but trying to read from a phone, or tablet, is not pleasant, and you get distracting pop-up ads, prompts, and mayhem of all sorts on many of these sites. Paper is 'calmer', and I think, easier to read longer times with. 

I notice this with this blog. My stats show the vast majority of you read this on a PC. Some tablets are used and almost no one is using a phone to read this blog. Guess which sort of device most people use to engage digital content with now? 

Phones don't lend themselves to comfortable, longer timed reads, so mass media gets this, and you get more sugar-coated candy with a side of pop-up ad and distraction. Have fun with that and those 'empty calories'..... 

Another interesting perspective on the current print media landscape and this Outside Incorporated layoff can be read here: https://www.adventure-journal.com/2022/05/thoughts-on-outsides-layoffs-outdoor-media-and-adventure-journal/

Ere Research "Tenaci" grip system

ere Research Shows Drop Bar Grip Idea:

Scrolling through the innergoogles, as one does, I came across this new company called 'ere Reseaerch' which I had never heard of before. Looking at tires first, I came across a more interesting product offering from this company called Tenachi Handlebar Covers.

I gather that the bottom part, which goes on the extensions and up into the drops, is one piece and then the rest from the lever perches on up to the tops is pretty much standard tape. ere says, "They are designed to give as many pressure-relieved hand positions as possible and are exceptionally suitable for long days in the saddle."

Comments: So, this is kind of like track grips and bar tape together. Not a bad idea, really. I could see where this idea could not only provide a better, more secure grip in the drops, but that with the right materials, that it could be a vibration damper as well. I did actually test something similar years ago but those were stick on pads, and did not encompass the handle bar

I actually tried to order some of this but apparently the company doesn't ship to the United States. (??) I couldn't find that option in the drop down menu, at any rate. So, maybe later......

2022 Cutthroat, Warbirds Announced:

Salsa Cycles released the new colors and specifications for their 2022 Cutthroat, Warbird, and Warroad models. I won't bother with the Warroad bikes as they are not my cuppa tea and are not really all-road/gravel bikes. (They kind of are, but....they are a weird niche bike, in my opinion)

2022 Cutthroat GRX 600 (Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles)

Colors and specifications on bikes that have not fundamentally changed in what? Four years now, Five....? Not that it matters much. I mean by that to say this: The Warbird and Cutthroat don't really need to change much, if at all. The designs are pretty dialed and unless you are going in for some radical change, (and why would you?), these bikes seem to be pretty much at the pinnacle of their design evolution. 

Not that Salsa Cycles is not working on something. I am sure that they are, it's just that it would be hard to understand them dropping Class V VRS or carbon, or all the versatility in these bikes as they are set up. Refine the bikes? Maybe. Ground up redesign? Hmm...... If they can, I guess they will, but it would be hard to imagine what they would do. 

I have seen comments by folks pining for steel drop bar bikes, titanium drop bar bikes, and the same in MTB/bikepacking from Salsa. Here's the thing- they did that and you folks didn't buy them. Not in enough numbers to perpetuate bikes like the titanium models they used to make, like the Ti Vaya, (a KILLER gravel bike, by the way), or the Ti El Mariachi, a quintessential bike packing rig. And steel? Yeah, they dd that too, but you almost couldn't give them away. Only the venerable Fargo has really sold in any significant numbers for a Salsa model that is made from steel. And frankly, I am surprised that Salsa still offers that model in steel!

Finally, availability on the Shimano equipped 2022 models will be delayed until Fall, according to the information I received. That would probably be a good indication of what to expect from other brands as well, but what can be said for sure is that if you want a Warbird or Cutthroat now, it will be a SRAM equipped bike. 

Old Glory waves on a farm North of Waterloo.

Memorial Day Weekend:

This is a long weekend for many and the first holiday which is considered to 'kick-off' Summertime in the Mid-West. The weather, while not having been very Summer-like", has been okay of late and this weekend looks clear so far. 

Of course, it is a busy weekend for many of us as well. Graduations, vacations, and just recreating can eat into your time in a hurry. maybe we get so tied up in the fast-paced activities for three days that we tend to forget why we even have this holiday.

I suggest a slowing down, disconnect, and some introspection might be appropriate. Spend some quiet time considering this holiday, and consider showing some gratitude where appropriate. 

I'll maybe have time on Monday to do a bit of a ride. I hope that you all have a wonderful, safe, and meaningful weekend. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions.

Gravel Grinder News; 2020 Warbird, Sea Otter, and Influencer Status

New colors, GRX spec dominate the 2020 Warbird range

Salsa Cycles Debuts New 2020 Warbird:

Not much to share here on the new 'Birds but colors and the expected GRX dominated spec. Noticing pink a lot these days on Salsa bikes too..... Hmmm.....

I won't get into all the technical spec on the bikes, you've seen it already if you care. What I wanted to get into a bit is based on two observations.

One- There is no "cheap" Warbird option any longer. Actually, that happened last year, but it is still worth noting that aluminum Warbirds, a staple of the range since they were introduced for the 2012 model year, are gone. I kind of expected that the Journeyman would fill that gap, but the Class V VRS frame design was cool for the aluminum bikes and now you have to spend well over 2G to get into it. That's excluding a big chunk of the market from that technology, or something like it, and it is that market/rider type that would most benefit from that sort of thing. Oh well.....

Secondly - The original Warbird was titanium. Anyone remember that? I still think it was a big mistake for Salsa to let that go in their gravel line up. But that's just me maybe. The titanium Warbird, had it been done "right" from the get-go, would be a classic rig. But limited tire clearances, a weird sizing geometry, and a too stiff for titanium frame kind of made the Warbird in its original form a bit of a let down. That and it didn't have much for versatility. (Rack braze-ons, etc) Current Warbirds have fixed all those previous issues, which is great, but I miss that titanium option. Maybe I'm the only one that does.......

Laguna Seca Raceway is where the Sea Otter Classic Gravel Race will start

Sea Otter Classic Adds Gravel Race:

Sea Otter Classic. The definitive "first" Pro MTB race of the year, (well.....okay, There was the Cactus Cup there for a while), and a true "classic" mountain biking race if there ever was one in the sense of overall perception in the marketplace. They have had "gravel rides" and what not for a couple of years there, but now it is "official". They are having a Pro-Am gravel race now.

This is big. The impact of Sea Otter is unquestionably rather important, and adding in the exposure Sea Otter brings to the public, since it is not just an industry affair, means that Sea Otter is feeling the "gravel buzz" too. If you were wondering if we've reached 'peak gravel" yet, I'd say 2020 is pretty darn close to it in terms of how much traditional racing promoters and the industry overall are getting behind the scene.

It's kind of a turn of events too. Now we've seen the ballyhoo behind electric motor equipped bicycles (HPC/Hybrid Powered Cycles) over the past few years, and the genre was supposedly taking over the marketplace by now, if you'd have believed the punters five years ago. But the whole HPC thing has kind of lost some steam here in the States as mountain bike policy makers grapple with legalities and some urban areas struggle with control over such vehicles. Even stalwart industry rags like "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" have backed off the HPC bandwagon a tiny bit over the past year. So with Sea Otter giving credence to the gravel scene by offering a Pro-Am level event, well, that's a top level deal right there, and it points to the rising tide of the so-called "gravel bike" sector in the market here.

A scene from Trans Iowa v8- Mike Johnson (L) and Corey "Cornbread" Godfrey shown.

Gone But Not Forgotten:

Trans Iowa may be gone, last run in 2018, but apparently its influence lives on. A recent article posted by "Outside" mentioned how the early prototype for the gravel scene helped make riding bicycles a different deal today (Article here)

I really appreciate that the author, Joe Lindsey, thought to include Trans Iowa as one of the events that helped drive gravel specific designs that eventually changed the way many people approach riding bicycles. However; I think there is a bit more to that story than Mr. Lindsey was able to bring out in his article. Perhaps he just doesn't know. I have no idea. But here's what I know about this.....

The early gravel riders were a resourceful bunch, no doubt. There were big tires back then, despite what Mr. Lindsey would lead you to believe. Many folks were running 38mm-40mm tires back in those days. In fact, when Trans Iowa was sponsored by Ritchey Design for T.I.v4 in 2008, I ran a survey of what width tires people were planning on running. The vast majority answered 35mm-40mm. That's because the most popular "gravel" tire then was the Schwalbe Marathon series of tires. They were offered in 38mm and 40mm widths back then, as I recall.

Salsa Cycles is often credited with the first "gravel specific bike", the Warbird, but they were also putting out other bikes, while not marketed as "gravel", they were just that- gravel bikes. Check out the image here, (taken by Wally Kilburg, by the way), of Mike Johnson's bike, an orange Vaya. Officially Salsa denied this was a "gravel bike", but we all knew that is exactly what it was. It was, and still is, a really great gravel bike. Of course, the Vaya came out a couple years ahead of the Warbird. Then there was the titanium La Cruz, which Salsa Cycles' Joe Meiser rode a prototype of to victory in Trans Iowa v5, held in 2009.

There were also the calls on this very blog for the industry to quit being so "race-centric" with road bike designs going back a decade here. The Raleigh Tamland development story, WTB tires researching design via Trans Iowa, and all the researching done via the Dirty Kanza 200. I could go on.

In the end, it has revolutionized the industry, but the industry keeps trying to turn it back onto itself with more racing. Fancy-pants, high dollar events, Pro attended races, and meddling by the governing bodies will bring the gravel scene right back where we were with racing on paved roads. Is that where we want to go? Or should the industry look at providing adventure, fun, and accessibility for all versus catering to a sub-division of fit, fast racers?

Anyway, I am glad to have been a part of Trans Iowa, an event which apparently had some influences. Hopefully we all don't forget why the event existed in the first place. That would be the ultimate compliment to Trans Iowa in the end.

Gravel Grinder News; 2020 Warbird, Sea Otter, and Influencer Status

New colors, GRX spec dominate the 2020 Warbird range

Salsa Cycles Debuts New 2020 Warbird:

Not much to share here on the new 'Birds but colors and the expected GRX dominated spec. Noticing pink a lot these days on Salsa bikes too..... Hmmm.....

I won't get into all the technical spec on the bikes, you've seen it already if you care. What I wanted to get into a bit is based on two observations.

One- There is no "cheap" Warbird option any longer. Actually, that happened last year, but it is still worth noting that aluminum Warbirds, a staple of the range since they were introduced for the 2012 model year, are gone. I kind of expected that the Journeyman would fill that gap, but the Class V VRS frame design was cool for the aluminum bikes and now you have to spend well over 2G to get into it. That's excluding a big chunk of the market from that technology, or something like it, and it is that market/rider type that would most benefit from that sort of thing. Oh well.....

Secondly - The original Warbird was titanium. Anyone remember that? I still think it was a big mistake for Salsa to let that go in their gravel line up. But that's just me maybe. The titanium Warbird, had it been done "right" from the get-go, would be a classic rig. But limited tire clearances, a weird sizing geometry, and a too stiff for titanium frame kind of made the Warbird in its original form a bit of a let down. That and it didn't have much for versatility. (Rack braze-ons, etc) Current Warbirds have fixed all those previous issues, which is great, but I miss that titanium option. Maybe I'm the only one that does.......

Laguna Seca Raceway is where the Sea Otter Classic Gravel Race will start

Sea Otter Classic Adds Gravel Race:

Sea Otter Classic. The definitive "first" Pro MTB race of the year, (well.....okay, There was the Cactus Cup there for a while), and a true "classic" mountain biking race if there ever was one in the sense of overall perception in the marketplace. They have had "gravel rides" and what not for a couple of years there, but now it is "official". They are having a Pro-Am gravel race now.

This is big. The impact of Sea Otter is unquestionably rather important, and adding in the exposure Sea Otter brings to the public, since it is not just an industry affair, means that Sea Otter is feeling the "gravel buzz" too. If you were wondering if we've reached 'peak gravel" yet, I'd say 2020 is pretty darn close to it in terms of how much traditional racing promoters and the industry overall are getting behind the scene.

It's kind of a turn of events too. Now we've seen the ballyhoo behind electric motor equipped bicycles (HPC/Hybrid Powered Cycles) over the past few years, and the genre was supposedly taking over the marketplace by now, if you'd have believed the punters five years ago. But the whole HPC thing has kind of lost some steam here in the States as mountain bike policy makers grapple with legalities and some urban areas struggle with control over such vehicles. Even stalwart industry rags like "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" have backed off the HPC bandwagon a tiny bit over the past year. So with Sea Otter giving credence to the gravel scene by offering a Pro-Am level event, well, that's a top level deal right there, and it points to the rising tide of the so-called "gravel bike" sector in the market here.

A scene from Trans Iowa v8- Mike Johnson (L) and Corey "Cornbread" Godfrey shown.

Gone But Not Forgotten:

Trans Iowa may be gone, last run in 2018, but apparently its influence lives on. A recent article posted by "Outside" mentioned how the early prototype for the gravel scene helped make riding bicycles a different deal today (Article here)

I really appreciate that the author, Joe Lindsey, thought to include Trans Iowa as one of the events that helped drive gravel specific designs that eventually changed the way many people approach riding bicycles. However; I think there is a bit more to that story than Mr. Lindsey was able to bring out in his article. Perhaps he just doesn't know. I have no idea. But here's what I know about this.....

The early gravel riders were a resourceful bunch, no doubt. There were big tires back then, despite what Mr. Lindsey would lead you to believe. Many folks were running 38mm-40mm tires back in those days. In fact, when Trans Iowa was sponsored by Ritchey Design for T.I.v4 in 2008, I ran a survey of what width tires people were planning on running. The vast majority answered 35mm-40mm. That's because the most popular "gravel" tire then was the Schwalbe Marathon series of tires. They were offered in 38mm and 40mm widths back then, as I recall.

Salsa Cycles is often credited with the first "gravel specific bike", the Warbird, but they were also putting out other bikes, while not marketed as "gravel", they were just that- gravel bikes. Check out the image here, (taken by Wally Kilburg, by the way), of Mike Johnson's bike, an orange Vaya. Officially Salsa denied this was a "gravel bike", but we all knew that is exactly what it was. It was, and still is, a really great gravel bike. Of course, the Vaya came out a couple years ahead of the Warbird. Then there was the titanium La Cruz, which Salsa Cycles' Joe Meiser rode a prototype of to victory in Trans Iowa v5, held in 2009.

There were also the calls on this very blog for the industry to quit being so "race-centric" with road bike designs going back a decade here. The Raleigh Tamland development story, WTB tires researching design via Trans Iowa, and all the researching done via the Dirty Kanza 200. I could go on.

In the end, it has revolutionized the industry, but the industry keeps trying to turn it back onto itself with more racing. Fancy-pants, high dollar events, Pro attended races, and meddling by the governing bodies will bring the gravel scene right back where we were with racing on paved roads. Is that where we want to go? Or should the industry look at providing adventure, fun, and accessibility for all versus catering to a sub-division of fit, fast racers?

Anyway, I am glad to have been a part of Trans Iowa, an event which apparently had some influences. Hopefully we all don't forget why the event existed in the first place. That would be the ultimate compliment to Trans Iowa in the end.

Friday News And Views

Big Numbers For Series On Trans Iowa:

First of all- Thank You readers! The suggestion to write the stories of Trans Iowa, the more "untold", behind-the-scenes the better, has been a fun thing for me to do. But more importantly, the series has been gaining traction and of late, has become some of the most looked at posts on this blog.

Look- I've blathered on about that event for the better part of 15 years, so I get it if you are one of those that just doesn't care about this stuff. However; it would appear from the stats I get from Google that many of you are actually looking at these posts, and I hope, enjoying them. I just wanted to point this out because it is encouraging to me and helps to push me to write better content.

So, I thought I might share a little bit about the behind-the-scenes on the series. First of all, I write these posts on the "Trans Iowa Stories" series weeks in advance. For example, I am already working on posts for the series that will show up in October. This gives me the chance to revisit each draft and revise, make corrections, or add any newly discovered memories before they "go live" on the site, at which point I don't plan on changing anything.

This also gives me chances to sift through the 15 years of posts that have bits of the story buried in there. I also have been looking at hard physical evidence- roster sheets, drafts of courses, and more that I have squirreled away in folders and three ring binders here. So, it's been fun, and I am enjoying the process, and I hope that it all results in good reads for you.

Thanks again!

Trek Supercaliber w/IsoStrut. Image pinched from Trek's site

 Could It Work On A Gravel Bike?

Design Mission Statement: Make a rear suspension design that is compact, lightweight, pedal efficient, and is "just enough to knock the edges off". This has been an idea that has been tackled by several designers and is an idea that is as old as the Safety Bicycle itself. Many have tried, some have succeeded, but not many have been reasonably priced, effective, and low enough maintenance to prove to be a long term solution.

Of course, we are talking about the "short travel", soft-tail idea. Moots YBB is probably the longest production version of this idea in existence. However, it is crude, not easily tune-able, and is maintenance intensive in dirty environments. Salsa Cycles had the Dos Niner, a fantastic design fraught with breakage due to the flexing Scandium infused aluminum alloy frame bits the design relied upon. Passive versions of this idea exist. Example- Like the aforementioned Salsa Cycles, who now make the Class V VRS system for the Warbird and Cutthroat. However, that passive suspension idea, while fairly bulletproof, is not at all tune-able. This brings us to Trek's latest announcement of the new Supercaliber MTB racing bike.

The Trek design is very much like the Salsa Dos Niner, which also used a strut and relied on flexing stays for its suspension travel. However; Trek's design moves the damper to become part of the top tube, and they employed carbon fiber as a flexing frame material instead of Scandium Aluminum. The Supercaliber has 60mm of rear travel, by the way.

Passive designs, like those being used on gravel bikes these days, all rely on the rider to be seated to work, but a soft-tail design does not, and it makes one wonder- Could something like this be a good thing on a gravel/all-road bike? (I was just thinking- "gravel/all road bike >>>G-ARB?) Anyway....

It's an intriguing thought, and you can bet Trek's in house R&D team have already been toying with just such an idea.

These are NOT looking like motorcycles. Nope! Not in the least....

Eurobike To Be Re-Named "E-eurobike"

Reports coming in from Eurobike are that the "electrification" of bicycles is reaching all-time highs. Euro-folk, apparently, are mad for anything with two wheels and a motor. Now the move is to make these rigs "more connected" and more powerful than ever.

Take this Trifecta RDR bike, shown to the left here. It's 74lbs of futuristic electrified power. It has the options of either 250w, 500w, or 950w power (!!!) and is said to be capable of covering 200K before needing a re-charge. The motor spits out a torque rating of 120Nm. (That's a LOT, by the way. 88.51Ft/lbs of torque on tap, or about 2HP @120rpm)

That's just one example of many. But here's the thing many are not thinking about now. What about all those lithium/ion batteries? What happens when they die? Where do those go? How many chains and chain rings will all this unnaturally created torque eat up? How many more wheels? Freehubs?

The PBMA (Professional Bicycle Mechanics Association) has a forum and you can read about how these HPC's are eating up components at an alarming rate, how these vehicles have to be hooked up to computers and analyzed, like your cars, and how riders, unskilled in shifting and braking techniques, are wreaking havoc on components built for purely human powered bicycles adapted to HPC use to keep weights down.

Eurobike is touting the windfall of profits these vehicles are bringing companies and dealers, but is anyone seeing how we are making bicycling more complex, less inclusive, less environmentally good, and less like.....bicycling? You will retort, "Yeah, but one less car!", or something akin to how your brother's cousin is now enjoying "bicycling" again due to the electrification of cycling. But I say, do we really know that all these HPC's are doing good things like that? My answer to that is- no-we do not. These are platitudes that make us feel better about this move towards complex two wheeled, motorized vehicles. These are things that "sound good" but we have no real metrics we can point to and say these "good things" are actually happening at any real, hugely impactful numbers. All we do know is that a metric ton of these things, full of wires, capacitors, resistors, magnets, and batteries, are being produced and where will they all end up?

Well, if Eurobike is any indication, people will get jaded by the idea of riding outside at all and take up indoor training on virtual bicycle courses, never to be seen in public again on a two wheeled vehicle. That's the other huge trend at the show this year. Indoor cycling.

Okay, that's z'nuff for this week. Have a great weekend and keep on riding!

Friday News And Views

Big Numbers For Series On Trans Iowa:

First of all- Thank You readers! The suggestion to write the stories of Trans Iowa, the more "untold", behind-the-scenes the better, has been a fun thing for me to do. But more importantly, the series has been gaining traction and of late, has become some of the most looked at posts on this blog.

Look- I've blathered on about that event for the better part of 15 years, so I get it if you are one of those that just doesn't care about this stuff. However; it would appear from the stats I get from Google that many of you are actually looking at these posts, and I hope, enjoying them. I just wanted to point this out because it is encouraging to me and helps to push me to write better content.

So, I thought I might share a little bit about the behind-the-scenes on the series. First of all, I write these posts on the "Trans Iowa Stories" series weeks in advance. For example, I am already working on posts for the series that will show up in October. This gives me the chance to revisit each draft and revise, make corrections, or add any newly discovered memories before they "go live" on the site, at which point I don't plan on changing anything.

This also gives me chances to sift through the 15 years of posts that have bits of the story buried in there. I also have been looking at hard physical evidence- roster sheets, drafts of courses, and more that I have squirreled away in folders and three ring binders here. So, it's been fun, and I am enjoying the process, and I hope that it all results in good reads for you.

Thanks again!

Trek Supercaliber w/IsoStrut. Image pinched from Trek's site

 Could It Work On A Gravel Bike?

Design Mission Statement: Make a rear suspension design that is compact, lightweight, pedal efficient, and is "just enough to knock the edges off". This has been an idea that has been tackled by several designers and is an idea that is as old as the Safety Bicycle itself. Many have tried, some have succeeded, but not many have been reasonably priced, effective, and low enough maintenance to prove to be a long term solution.

Of course, we are talking about the "short travel", soft-tail idea. Moots YBB is probably the longest production version of this idea in existence. However, it is crude, not easily tune-able, and is maintenance intensive in dirty environments. Salsa Cycles had the Dos Niner, a fantastic design fraught with breakage due to the flexing Scandium infused aluminum alloy frame bits the design relied upon. Passive versions of this idea exist. Example- Like the aforementioned Salsa Cycles, who now make the Class V VRS system for the Warbird and Cutthroat. However, that passive suspension idea, while fairly bulletproof, is not at all tune-able. This brings us to Trek's latest announcement of the new Supercaliber MTB racing bike.

The Trek design is very much like the Salsa Dos Niner, which also used a strut and relied on flexing stays for its suspension travel. However; Trek's design moves the damper to become part of the top tube, and they employed carbon fiber as a flexing frame material instead of Scandium Aluminum. The Supercaliber has 60mm of rear travel, by the way.

Passive designs, like those being used on gravel bikes these days, all rely on the rider to be seated to work, but a soft-tail design does not, and it makes one wonder- Could something like this be a good thing on a gravel/all-road bike? (I was just thinking- "gravel/all road bike >>>G-ARB?) Anyway....

It's an intriguing thought, and you can bet Trek's in house R&D team have already been toying with just such an idea.

These are NOT looking like motorcycles. Nope! Not in the least....

Eurobike To Be Re-Named "E-eurobike"

Reports coming in from Eurobike are that the "electrification" of bicycles is reaching all-time highs. Euro-folk, apparently, are mad for anything with two wheels and a motor. Now the move is to make these rigs "more connected" and more powerful than ever.

Take this Trifecta RDR bike, shown to the left here. It's 74lbs of futuristic electrified power. It has the options of either 250w, 500w, or 950w power (!!!) and is said to be capable of covering 200K before needing a re-charge. The motor spits out a torque rating of 120Nm. (That's a LOT, by the way. 88.51Ft/lbs of torque on tap, or about 2HP @120rpm)

That's just one example of many. But here's the thing many are not thinking about now. What about all those lithium/ion batteries? What happens when they die? Where do those go? How many chains and chain rings will all this unnaturally created torque eat up? How many more wheels? Freehubs?

The PBMA (Professional Bicycle Mechanics Association) has a forum and you can read about how these HPC's are eating up components at an alarming rate, how these vehicles have to be hooked up to computers and analyzed, like your cars, and how riders, unskilled in shifting and braking techniques, are wreaking havoc on components built for purely human powered bicycles adapted to HPC use to keep weights down.

Eurobike is touting the windfall of profits these vehicles are bringing companies and dealers, but is anyone seeing how we are making bicycling more complex, less inclusive, less environmentally good, and less like.....bicycling? You will retort, "Yeah, but one less car!", or something akin to how your brother's cousin is now enjoying "bicycling" again due to the electrification of cycling. But I say, do we really know that all these HPC's are doing good things like that? My answer to that is- no-we do not. These are platitudes that make us feel better about this move towards complex two wheeled, motorized vehicles. These are things that "sound good" but we have no real metrics we can point to and say these "good things" are actually happening at any real, hugely impactful numbers. All we do know is that a metric ton of these things, full of wires, capacitors, resistors, magnets, and batteries, are being produced and where will they all end up?

Well, if Eurobike is any indication, people will get jaded by the idea of riding outside at all and take up indoor training on virtual bicycle courses, never to be seen in public again on a two wheeled vehicle. That's the other huge trend at the show this year. Indoor cycling.

Okay, that's z'nuff for this week. Have a great weekend and keep on riding!

News Season: Salsa Bikes For 2019

The new, very pink, Journeyman Apex 650B

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Well, you've probably heard and have seen all the news blasts concerning the new Salsa Cycles stuff for 2019. I posted a big article on RidingGravel.com about it as well. It's a big deal in the gravel/all-road category now, and as you all know, "gravel" is the latest thing in cycling. Everyone is doing something in the category, or so it seems. I guess we can say it has "jumped the shark" when I start seeing department store gravel bikes. (Maybe there already are some!)

I know a lot of people may not like Salsa Cycles, or QBP, their parent company, but look....... Salsa is no "johnny-come-lately" to gravel travel. In fact, they were doing gravel before it was a cool thing to do for most riders, not to mention bicycle companies. Salsa was doing research into what would make for a great gravel bike as early as 2008, and probably before that, I just don't know about it. That's years before any other company was paying attention to this niche. By 2009 I was fully aware that Salsa was testing prototype gravel bicycles, because I saw them and they were at my event, Trans Iowa. So, there is no denying that Salsa Cycles was, and still is, at the forefront of the gravel/all-road scene. 2019 product shows this.

The latest gravel gizmos from Bloomington are pretty noteworthy too. The newest model to be introduced by Salsa last Spring is a bike that fits the gravel scene well. An "everyman's bike" being sold at a price point that will, and already has, expanded the rider base for gravel-all-road cycling. The kind of cycling I think best fits what most people will be attracted to in the near future. Heck, they even called this new model by a name which reflects this- Journeyman.

The latest news in that model line is the addition of a higher spec. The Journeyman Apex 1 available in 650B wheels or 700c. Yeah.......it is 1X. That doesn't move me, but hey! Maybe it's your deal and you love it. Good for you! I like the pink, but then again, I would! The move to 650B mtb XC tires on these, (and other company's bikes), still perplexes me. Is it a mountain bike? No? Then why not put something on that actually is an "all-roads" tire, like the WTB Byway? Or......maybe that Terrene Elwood, but then again, that would be working with the "enemy", so probably not. I guess, when you get down to it, the lack of good OE tire choices is why these XC mtb tires are on there.

This Vaya is a great looking bike.

 The other thing about this Journeyman Apex, and the Journeyman in general, is that it takes the same space in use/price point as the current Vaya. Even the 2019 Vaya is only a tic more money than the Journeyman Apex 1. That Salsa took away the second spec level of the Vaya is also telling. In fact, we were betting at the shop early in the year that the Vaya would actually be cut from the line. However; it hasn't been cut, just reduced in choice to one model with two color choices.

That said, it is a nice bike set up with 105 and the new fork the Warbird gets dubbed the Waxwing. This makes the Vaya, in my opinion, the steel gravel bike Salsa Cycles should have had all along. It's got really awesome tire clearances, and now it has all the versatility that many gravel riders want. The thing is, with only one spec level available now, many might overlook this machine. That's too bad, because I know Vayas handle spectacularly well, and, of course, they are steel, so they have all the toughness and ride feel that steel is known for. Plus, you can get a purple one! 

The least expensive Warbird, the Warbird Tiagra.

 The Warbird has been redesigned, and we knew all about that months ago, but we didn't know exactly what the bikes would look like, or how they would be spec'ed. There are five levels of spec now, with two SRAM 1X choices, an Ultegra Di2, a 105, and a Tiagra level spec in Shimano 2X set ups.

A couple......well a few.....comments here- First of all they finally got the Warbird right. Versatile, able to handle all the water bottles, fenders, racks, and bigger tires you might want, yet it is light and spritely. Versatility and "racy" are not mutually exclusive traits. Then they went and tweaked the geometry for more stability, and what they did was to shorten the rear center and lengthen the front. I totally agree with this, by the way. I could get all into that, but I'll save it for another rant......

They offer a wide range of spec choices, which I appreciate. Not everyone likes Shimano and not everyone likes SRAM 1X. Neither of those suit you? They sell a black frame set. Go nuts with it. In fact, I probably would take that option myself. That is, if I could justify the price, which is $400.00 cheaper than a complete set up with Tiagra. If I didn't have a bike to strip parts from, and a bunch of spares, I probably would just buy the Warbird Tiagra. I doubt you could spec your own for less than $400.00 including labor. The frame sets are 2G, by the way.

They screwed up their take on the prototype paint job here.

I've been highly critical of the Warbird in the past. Salsa Cycles didn't like it when the bike was first introduced and I bagged on it. But, they missed the mark until v4. This one finally nails it, albeit, carbon. Not a huge fan here, and that's because carbon has a proclivity for wearing away in abrasive mud, and I will sometimes be found in those situations. Just check out any of my steel bikes. I don't think any of them, save for the newest one, the "Bubblegum Princess", have any paint in the chain stays where the tire passes through. Had any of those bikes been carbon, well....... I bet I would have roached at least a couple by now. See where I am going here?

But that said, this is the first Warbird model I would be willing to take a chance with carbon on and the first Warbird of any kind I would consider buying. Salsa got it right and I really like the design. Had they chosen to mimic the prototype's paint job with some other, cool, bright scheme, I would have been all over that. However; they decided to make it look like battleship camo and it just looks wrong. Uggh! It could have been so cool too. Another reason I'd likely just get the black frame set and go nuts with something like a flashy set of Industry 9 wheels or anodized bits where I could.

Finally, in a somewhat ironic twist, I found out late yesterday that Salsa posted a "Story of the Warbird" in which Trans Iowa and myself are mentioned. What they had to say about myself and Trans Iowa is pretty humbling and I am honored and thankful to think that I and the event made some small contribution toward the Warbird and, more importantly, toward changing some folks lives there. That's an honor I do not take lightly. But that said, it doesn't sway what I have written here. In fact, I had most of this post done before I became aware of that Warbird story.

But I have to say a big "Thank You" to Mike "Kid" Riemer, Jason Boucher, Joe Meiser, Sean Mailen, Paul Errington, Tim Ek, Matt Gersib, Andrea Cohen, and any other Salsa sponsored rider, QBP photographer, and Salsa Crew member that had anything to do with, or any part to play in, attending Trans Iowa, promoting it in their marketing, supporting it with their thoughts and efforts, and for just being great people. They had a great impact not only upon Trans Iowa, but on myself as well. Thanks all of you!