Fargo Gen I: Winter Project

My Fargo Gen I bike has gone through several permutations. The latest one has been taking shape over the course of this year. I added a new crankset not long ago and the Ti Regulator seat post and Brooks saddle, (which - honestly - that may have been done in 2021.)

Anyway, it was a good move all around and my only quibble was that the wheels, a set of old Sun Ringle' Black Flag hoops, was a bit on the flexy-narrow side. Flexy in that the aluminum extrusion and low-ish spoke count wasn't giving enough lateral support, and narrow in that the inner rim width was narrower than many current "gravel" wheel sets. 

I have some Velocity Blunt SS rims just waiting to be laced up to something, but I was held back because I remember when the Fargo had a carbon hoop set and how that literally transformed how that bike rode. I had sold those wheels several years ago, and honestly, that was a good move for me because those wheels were not tubeless and those rims were also pretty narrow internally.

I wanted wheels with a decent inner rim width

Yeah, so maybe some day I'd lace up those Blunt SS rims for the Fargo, but I'd need new hubs and those would be costly, because, well.....I'm not going to use just any old hub! So, that all got put on the back-burner. I mean, the Fargo was rideable as is. First world problems and all......

Then one day this past Fall, Grannygear, my friend and contributor to my work since the late 00's, pinged me with a  message. It went something like this; "Hey, I've got these old Roval carbon wheels that I want to move on. They need some work though, and since you are a wheel man, maybe you might want to fix them up?"

So, one thing led to another and I received the wheels the other day in exchange for a minor amount of cash (digitally, natch!). Grannygear was correct. These wheels are not perfect in any way, but with a bit of TLC and time, they should come out nicely and I think they will suit the Fargo well. 

From the days of painted spokes... Roval MTB wheels.

Near as I can tell these are 2011-2012 vintage 29"er hoops. They were reviewed by Grannygear for the old "Twentynine Inches" site I used to run. They have DT Swiss internals, DT Swiss spokes and nipples, and the wheels have swappable end caps, so I can use QR compatible end caps to retrofit these to the Gen I Fargo. No "boosty" nonsense either, which is good for that old green bike. 

They are 10 year old carbon wheels, so they need the previously mentioned "TLC". Cleaning, replacement of a couple nipples, and retensioning should put them back into order. I did not note any corrosion with regard to the nipples, so that was a good sign. 

And to boot, these won't be seeing any hard-core MTB action. They will enjoy "retirement" from Grannygear by being put to use here on the gravel roads. I should say also that the only thing these wheels will be subjected to is excessive dust, which probably is not a whole lot difeerent than their previous life in SoCal's environment, which was dusty with a different type of dust. 

I checked out the bearings and they are worn, but serviceable yet. I'll run them until they die and re-rack when the time comes. The star ratchet free hub should last a long time, and I'll take a peek at that once I remove the stubborn end cap that is on the drive side. That cap needs replacing anyway, since I am going with the quick release set up for the Fargo. 

Grannygear said these were pretty stiff laterally, and with a healthy 32 spokes tensioned properly, I bet these will straighten out the handling of the Fargo to my liking and previously held standard. The slightly wider internal rim width is welcomed as well. With an under 1400 gram wheel set, the Fargo should feel fantastic. 

I'll keep those old Black Flag wheels for the Fargo also. Those will go on when things get gnarly weather-wise. But the Rovals will live on and they will be a very welcome addition to the Fargo.

Fargo Gen I: Winter Project

My Fargo Gen I bike has gone through several permutations. The latest one has been taking shape over the course of this year. I added a new crankset not long ago and the Ti Regulator seat post and Brooks saddle, (which - honestly - that may have been done in 2021.)

Anyway, it was a good move all around and my only quibble was that the wheels, a set of old Sun Ringle' Black Flag hoops, was a bit on the flexy-narrow side. Flexy in that the aluminum extrusion and low-ish spoke count wasn't giving enough lateral support, and narrow in that the inner rim width was narrower than many current "gravel" wheel sets. 

I have some Velocity Blunt SS rims just waiting to be laced up to something, but I was held back because I remember when the Fargo had a carbon hoop set and how that literally transformed how that bike rode. I had sold those wheels several years ago, and honestly, that was a good move for me because those wheels were not tubeless and those rims were also pretty narrow internally.

I wanted wheels with a decent inner rim width

Yeah, so maybe some day I'd lace up those Blunt SS rims for the Fargo, but I'd need new hubs and those would be costly, because, well.....I'm not going to use just any old hub! So, that all got put on the back-burner. I mean, the Fargo was rideable as is. First world problems and all......

Then one day this past Fall, Grannygear, my friend and contributor to my work since the late 00's, pinged me with a  message. It went something like this; "Hey, I've got these old Roval carbon wheels that I want to move on. They need some work though, and since you are a wheel man, maybe you might want to fix them up?"

So, one thing led to another and I received the wheels the other day in exchange for a minor amount of cash (digitally, natch!). Grannygear was correct. These wheels are not perfect in any way, but with a bit of TLC and time, they should come out nicely and I think they will suit the Fargo well. 

From the days of painted spokes... Roval MTB wheels.

Near as I can tell these are 2011-2012 vintage 29"er hoops. They were reviewed by Grannygear for the old "Twentynine Inches" site I used to run. They have DT Swiss internals, DT Swiss spokes and nipples, and the wheels have swappable end caps, so I can use QR compatible end caps to retrofit these to the Gen I Fargo. No "boosty" nonsense either, which is good for that old green bike. 

They are 10 year old carbon wheels, so they need the previously mentioned "TLC". Cleaning, replacement of a couple nipples, and retensioning should put them back into order. I did not note any corrosion with regard to the nipples, so that was a good sign. 

And to boot, these won't be seeing any hard-core MTB action. They will enjoy "retirement" from Grannygear by being put to use here on the gravel roads. I should say also that the only thing these wheels will be subjected to is excessive dust, which probably is not a whole lot difeerent than their previous life in SoCal's environment, which was dusty with a different type of dust. 

I checked out the bearings and they are worn, but serviceable yet. I'll run them until they die and re-rack when the time comes. The star ratchet free hub should last a long time, and I'll take a peek at that once I remove the stubborn end cap that is on the drive side. That cap needs replacing anyway, since I am going with the quick release set up for the Fargo. 

Grannygear said these were pretty stiff laterally, and with a healthy 32 spokes tensioned properly, I bet these will straighten out the handling of the Fargo to my liking and previously held standard. The slightly wider internal rim width is welcomed as well. With an under 1400 gram wheel set, the Fargo should feel fantastic. 

I'll keep those old Black Flag wheels for the Fargo also. Those will go on when things get gnarly weather-wise. But the Rovals will live on and they will be a very welcome addition to the Fargo.

Friday News And Views

2007: You can't do that with 29"er wheels. 2021: Hold my beer...

Niner Bikes Releases New WFO-9:

Occasionally something significant still happens in the world of big wheels. Recently it came from a company once known for pushing boundaries with big, 29"er wheels. That company has been a bit silent in the 29"er scene over the past decade, but this week, Niner Bikes once again lived up to their moniker and posted news concerning a big wheeled monster of a bike, the WFO-9. 

When the first WFO-9 was whispered about in 2007, it drew a lot of criticism and negativity. "You can't do that with 29"er wheels!", and more was heard on all the major forums. However, Niner, only a couple of years into their existence, was pushing ahead regardless of their not being 'real tires' or 'real forks' for this endeavor. It was cutting edge, forward thinking, and disruptive. Looking back on that early WFO-9, one can now see that Niner Bikes, whatever you may think of them today, should be credited with helping to break the barriers down to what a 29'er could be. 

Another individual who also brought big wheels and long travel together in a way that shocked the mainstream was Devin Lenz. His Lenz Sport brand also has to be recognized in the same breath as Niner as Devin was also independently pushing the big wheeled idea forward with amazingly capable rides that blew away the criticisms of 29 inch wheeled bikes and what they were capable of. 

It's a crazy world of big wheeled bikes these days and back in the 00's, no one was thinking things would be like they are today. Well, except a couple of crazy companies that turned out not to be quite so crazy as we thought. Congratulations to Niner Bikes on the new WFO-9. It may seem like no big deal in 2021, but when you consider that at one time, 29"ers were relegated to being thought of only as single speed bikes or maybe XC bikes, it is a big deal. 

It Costs How Much?

Zipp Wheels have never been what I would call "inexpensive" wheels. Many of their past models would easily be called "halo products"- Products with heady price tags which people aspire to own, but probably never will. 

Well, Zipp didn't do anything to dent that reputation with the recent introduction of their new "353 NSW" wheel set. Yep, you need four thousand Benjamins to get these in your mitts. Carbon wheels for bicycles have been trending downward in price of late, but Zipp? Ha! Obviously they went in the opposite direction with the 353 NSW.

Okay, so what do you get for 4G, (and I ain't talkin' about ancient cell phone connectivity rates). Well, you'd better be getting a light wheel set, and Zipp delivers there with a sub-1300 gram wheel set weight. Okay, well, you'd better be getting an aerodynamic, watt-saving wheel. Once again- if the claims can be believed - Zipp delivers. That saw-toothed design is supposedly a big deal here. Okay- well, what about being able to use it for gravel? Actually- this is the most interesting part. This is basically a gravel wheel set. 25mm internal width? That's not a road racing inner rim width folks. Add in a disc only brake standard and this wheel screams "aero-gravel".

I tested the FLO Cycling wheels last year and stated that these would not be the last we'd here about aero wheels for gravel. While Zipp doesn't claim that these are only for gravel, a companion press release sent at the same time features Zipps rebadged 40mm gravel tire and shows it on.....you guessed it- the 353 NSW wheel set. They may not say it overtly, but this is aimed at the gravel market.
 

Bike Shop News: 

In the world of bike shops, I have been hearing that shortages are happening all across the nation yet. It seems to ebb and flow between different products, but certainly the situation with tires, tubes, cassettes, chains, free wheels, and other maintenance/wear items is still a bad situation. Getting accessory items is also still hit or miss. We've gotten in some stuff, like floor pumps, which were rare last year, yet we cannot get other things at all right now. It's unpredictable and frustrating for everyone. 

In terms of bicycles we actually are getting some few things through the shop. We get them built and they disappear about as fast as we build them. But I am hopeful that at least a trickle of bikes will continue throughout the Summer.  

In other bike shop related news, my friend and El Presidente' of the Slender Fungus, Ari, has been telling me that the Chicago metro region shops are desperate for qualified bicycle mechanics. Ari tells me most shops are four weeks behind in repairs in the region and that there is no end in sight. If you know how to wrench on bikes, and if you want to hang in the Chi-town area for the Spring and Summer, you can definitely find work. 

Again, this situation doesn't seem to have any resolution in sight for the near future. It's so odd working under such constraints and during such unusual times. How this shakes out is anybody's guess at the present time. All I know is that this roller coaster of a bike season in Iowa is going to be an odd one. Especially with RAGBRAI happening. (Oh, and what the heck happened with that whole "Iowa's Ride" thing? Who knows.....)

The shortages are also affecting what I do at RidingGravel.com as well. But it's all okay. Somehow we'll muddle through this. I'm not worried. I just marvel at the weirdness and how it seems to have no end at this point. They keep saying 2022...... We'll see. 

Podcast And Shirts:

Hey, just a reminder that the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast has it's latest episode up. Hear it here or wherever you get your podcast feed from. We try to keep these episodes at about an hour or a little less, so you don't have to invest a ton of your time into these. My co-host is Andy of Andy's Bike Shop, so sometimes we drop a little local stuff as well. 

Also, you can still get the "Riding Stones - Shaking Bones" or "Addicted To Gravel" shirt designs at the RidingGravel.com website. The link to those shirt designs is here. 

And finally, my own designs for the former C.O.G 100 in hats and jerseys and G-Ted merch are still available and you can find that link over there on the right side or just go to the Garage Sale Page for the C.O.G. 100 stuff. 

NOTE: I've been blogging for over 15 years now, I have been doing Riding Gravel since 2015, and putting on events for 20 years or more. These small ways of making some money help me to keep going, defray some costs for making some of the content I put out, and honestly, with the C.O.G. stuff, I just don't want it to go to waste. In the case of the G-Ted merchandise, that actually helps my daughter and I don't get any monetary benefit there at all. I'm not going to apologize for occasionally making you all aware of these things as I feel it is just giving you an opportunity to give recognition to, and give back to what I have have been doing for all these years. If you don't feel led to do anything, no big deal. I'm good. I just wanted to provide the opportunity for you all to say "thanks" and if that speaks to you it does. If not, don't worry about me. I'll keep on keepin' on regardless of whether this stuff gets purchased or not. 

So, don't pull out your credit card unless you really want to. (But get this C.O.G. stuff outta here, or it is going to the landfill before long)
 

That's a wrap for this week. Hoping for warmer weather here. I also hope you get out for a ride!

Friday News And Views

2007: You can't do that with 29"er wheels. 2021: Hold my beer...

Niner Bikes Releases New WFO-9:

Occasionally something significant still happens in the world of big wheels. Recently it came from a company once known for pushing boundaries with big, 29"er wheels. That company has been a bit silent in the 29"er scene over the past decade, but this week, Niner Bikes once again lived up to their moniker and posted news concerning a big wheeled monster of a bike, the WFO-9. 

When the first WFO-9 was whispered about in 2007, it drew a lot of criticism and negativity. "You can't do that with 29"er wheels!", and more was heard on all the major forums. However, Niner, only a couple of years into their existence, was pushing ahead regardless of their not being 'real tires' or 'real forks' for this endeavor. It was cutting edge, forward thinking, and disruptive. Looking back on that early WFO-9, one can now see that Niner Bikes, whatever you may think of them today, should be credited with helping to break the barriers down to what a 29'er could be. 

Another individual who also brought big wheels and long travel together in a way that shocked the mainstream was Devin Lenz. His Lenz Sport brand also has to be recognized in the same breath as Niner as Devin was also independently pushing the big wheeled idea forward with amazingly capable rides that blew away the criticisms of 29 inch wheeled bikes and what they were capable of. 

It's a crazy world of big wheeled bikes these days and back in the 00's, no one was thinking things would be like they are today. Well, except a couple of crazy companies that turned out not to be quite so crazy as we thought. Congratulations to Niner Bikes on the new WFO-9. It may seem like no big deal in 2021, but when you consider that at one time, 29"ers were relegated to being thought of only as single speed bikes or maybe XC bikes, it is a big deal. 

It Costs How Much?

Zipp Wheels have never been what I would call "inexpensive" wheels. Many of their past models would easily be called "halo products"- Products with heady price tags which people aspire to own, but probably never will. 

Well, Zipp didn't do anything to dent that reputation with the recent introduction of their new "353 NSW" wheel set. Yep, you need four thousand Benjamins to get these in your mitts. Carbon wheels for bicycles have been trending downward in price of late, but Zipp? Ha! Obviously they went in the opposite direction with the 353 NSW.

Okay, so what do you get for 4G, (and I ain't talkin' about ancient cell phone connectivity rates). Well, you'd better be getting a light wheel set, and Zipp delivers there with a sub-1300 gram wheel set weight. Okay, well, you'd better be getting an aerodynamic, watt-saving wheel. Once again- if the claims can be believed - Zipp delivers. That saw-toothed design is supposedly a big deal here. Okay- well, what about being able to use it for gravel? Actually- this is the most interesting part. This is basically a gravel wheel set. 25mm internal width? That's not a road racing inner rim width folks. Add in a disc only brake standard and this wheel screams "aero-gravel".

I tested the FLO Cycling wheels last year and stated that these would not be the last we'd here about aero wheels for gravel. While Zipp doesn't claim that these are only for gravel, a companion press release sent at the same time features Zipps rebadged 40mm gravel tire and shows it on.....you guessed it- the 353 NSW wheel set. They may not say it overtly, but this is aimed at the gravel market.
 

Bike Shop News: 

In the world of bike shops, I have been hearing that shortages are happening all across the nation yet. It seems to ebb and flow between different products, but certainly the situation with tires, tubes, cassettes, chains, free wheels, and other maintenance/wear items is still a bad situation. Getting accessory items is also still hit or miss. We've gotten in some stuff, like floor pumps, which were rare last year, yet we cannot get other things at all right now. It's unpredictable and frustrating for everyone. 

In terms of bicycles we actually are getting some few things through the shop. We get them built and they disappear about as fast as we build them. But I am hopeful that at least a trickle of bikes will continue throughout the Summer.  

In other bike shop related news, my friend and El Presidente' of the Slender Fungus, Ari, has been telling me that the Chicago metro region shops are desperate for qualified bicycle mechanics. Ari tells me most shops are four weeks behind in repairs in the region and that there is no end in sight. If you know how to wrench on bikes, and if you want to hang in the Chi-town area for the Spring and Summer, you can definitely find work. 

Again, this situation doesn't seem to have any resolution in sight for the near future. It's so odd working under such constraints and during such unusual times. How this shakes out is anybody's guess at the present time. All I know is that this roller coaster of a bike season in Iowa is going to be an odd one. Especially with RAGBRAI happening. (Oh, and what the heck happened with that whole "Iowa's Ride" thing? Who knows.....)

The shortages are also affecting what I do at RidingGravel.com as well. But it's all okay. Somehow we'll muddle through this. I'm not worried. I just marvel at the weirdness and how it seems to have no end at this point. They keep saying 2022...... We'll see. 

Podcast And Shirts:

Hey, just a reminder that the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast has it's latest episode up. Hear it here or wherever you get your podcast feed from. We try to keep these episodes at about an hour or a little less, so you don't have to invest a ton of your time into these. My co-host is Andy of Andy's Bike Shop, so sometimes we drop a little local stuff as well. 

Also, you can still get the "Riding Stones - Shaking Bones" or "Addicted To Gravel" shirt designs at the RidingGravel.com website. The link to those shirt designs is here. 

And finally, my own designs for the former C.O.G 100 in hats and jerseys and G-Ted merch are still available and you can find that link over there on the right side or just go to the Garage Sale Page for the C.O.G. 100 stuff. 

NOTE: I've been blogging for over 15 years now, I have been doing Riding Gravel since 2015, and putting on events for 20 years or more. These small ways of making some money help me to keep going, defray some costs for making some of the content I put out, and honestly, with the C.O.G. stuff, I just don't want it to go to waste. In the case of the G-Ted merchandise, that actually helps my daughter and I don't get any monetary benefit there at all. I'm not going to apologize for occasionally making you all aware of these things as I feel it is just giving you an opportunity to give recognition to, and give back to what I have have been doing for all these years. If you don't feel led to do anything, no big deal. I'm good. I just wanted to provide the opportunity for you all to say "thanks" and if that speaks to you it does. If not, don't worry about me. I'll keep on keepin' on regardless of whether this stuff gets purchased or not. 

So, don't pull out your credit card unless you really want to. (But get this C.O.G. stuff outta here, or it is going to the landfill before long)
 

That's a wrap for this week. Hoping for warmer weather here. I also hope you get out for a ride!

Spoke Madness

Atomik carbon rims laced with Berd spokes.

Some time ago now I saw on the famous Mike Curiak blog that he was building a wheel set with these spokes made of a polymer fabric called Berd Spokes. Mike is a pretty straight shooter when it comes to marketing claims. He has always been the guy to call "BS" on things that were not quite right. Now, lately he's been a bit mellower. Maybe it's older age and wisdom, but when Mike speaks, I tend to perk up an ear, and these Berd spokes were something he was serious about. That's all I needed to know. I followed along with his initial explorations of these spokes and when I read about the insane process necessary to make a wheel out of them, (three stretching periods and a 24 hour mandatory rest period), I thought, well..... "Neato, but too complicated for my tastes." Besides, they cost an arm and a leg. Like $600.00 for a set to build wheels? Nope! 

This was a clear case where maybe if you have TONS of disposable income, and a wheel builder certified to do these, you get a set. OR- some brand gets a hold of this and spreads costs out enough that a wheel set might make sense to an average "Joe" or "Jill".  Well, it would appear that this has finally happened and Atomik is that company.

The Atomik/Berd Wheels are available in mountain or gravel configurations. They claim to have an exclusive on the black color Berd spokes, because if you have other wheel builders build Berd spoked wheels, you get the 'whitey-titety' white ones. These spokes are a pretty weird deal too. They supposedly float on water. They are twelve times stronger, from a strength to weight ratio perspective, than steel spokes, and a set of Berd spokes can weigh up to 200 grams less than a set of steel spokes. Berd claims their spokes have 200% better vibration damping qualities than steel spokes do. 

Crazy.

RidingGravel.com is going to be testing a set of these, so hang on..... I'll have ride reports on these later on.

But these aren't the only crazy spokes out there. MG is testing these Gulo Composites wheels which have these way-out carbon braided spokes. And, of course, you all probably know about the Spinergy PBO spoked wheels, which are not metal either. It's like the World has gone mad or something with all these non-metallic spoke offerings. Oh........wait- 

It is 2020. 

Anyway, I'll be looking forward to seeing what these Berd spoked Atomik wheels have up their sleeve. Stay tuned......

Spoke Madness

Atomik carbon rims laced with Berd spokes.

Some time ago now I saw on the famous Mike Curiak blog that he was building a wheel set with these spokes made of a polymer fabric called Berd Spokes. Mike is a pretty straight shooter when it comes to marketing claims. He has always been the guy to call "BS" on things that were not quite right. Now, lately he's been a bit mellower. Maybe it's older age and wisdom, but when Mike speaks, I tend to perk up an ear, and these Berd spokes were something he was serious about. That's all I needed to know. I followed along with his initial explorations of these spokes and when I read about the insane process necessary to make a wheel out of them, (three stretching periods and a 24 hour mandatory rest period), I thought, well..... "Neato, but too complicated for my tastes." Besides, they cost an arm and a leg. Like $600.00 for a set to build wheels? Nope! 

This was a clear case where maybe if you have TONS of disposable income, and a wheel builder certified to do these, you get a set. OR- some brand gets a hold of this and spreads costs out enough that a wheel set might make sense to an average "Joe" or "Jill".  Well, it would appear that this has finally happened and Atomik is that company.

The Atomik/Berd Wheels are available in mountain or gravel configurations. They claim to have an exclusive on the black color Berd spokes, because if you have other wheel builders build Berd spoked wheels, you get the 'whitey-titety' white ones. These spokes are a pretty weird deal too. They supposedly float on water. They are twelve times stronger, from a strength to weight ratio perspective, than steel spokes, and a set of Berd spokes can weigh up to 200 grams less than a set of steel spokes. Berd claims their spokes have 200% better vibration damping qualities than steel spokes do. 

Crazy.

RidingGravel.com is going to be testing a set of these, so hang on..... I'll have ride reports on these later on.

But these aren't the only crazy spokes out there. MG is testing these Gulo Composites wheels which have these way-out carbon braided spokes. And, of course, you all probably know about the Spinergy PBO spoked wheels, which are not metal either. It's like the World has gone mad or something with all these non-metallic spoke offerings. Oh........wait- 

It is 2020. 

Anyway, I'll be looking forward to seeing what these Berd spoked Atomik wheels have up their sleeve. Stay tuned......

Dimensions

I was chatting with MG just last night via text, and we were gawking at something he's just got in the house. I won't let that cat out-o-the bag, but something else we touched on got me to thinking again about how far we've come in regard to wheels these days.

Thinking back to just ten years ago. 2009 was arguably the year when the 29" mountain bike gained "legitimacy" amongst most mountain bikers. It was not anything but a hard tail, XC, or single speeder's bike, but I think many at that time realized these wheels weren't going away. Only a few manufacturers weren't on board yet, (most notably Giant), and there were legitimate aftermarket and OEM parts for 700c sized mtb's by that point in time.

Wheels, obviously, were the most important thing. But wheels were what was holding the genre back as well. Salsa Cycles had been one of the first to realize that wider internal width rims were going to break out the 29"er as a legitimate trail biking choice. The widest popular rims at that time were the Stan's Flow and similar rims at a 28mm outer rim dimension. We weren't even thinking in terms of inner rim widths at this point.

Salsa's visionary rims were predecessors to the "wider is better" rim movement in the mtb world, but the problem then was that those rims were deemed to be too heavy. Materials technology hadn't been applied sufficiently up to that point on mtb-worthy 700c rims to make them wide, strong, and light. Typical mid-market priced wheels at that time were in the 1600-2000+ gram area and were, again, only 28mm-ish wide.

Recently I got a hold of some wheels to test which are all aluminum and have rims that are 25mm inner width. (We never speak about "outer widths anymore. Sheesh!) They are not very expensive at 800-ish bucks for a set and they weigh 1640 grams for the set. That's amazing for wheels that wide. For about what those cost now, you couldn't get anything in 2009 money at that weight and width. Not even close, and these are gravel road wheels. 

Throw some carbon fiber at that. Now we're talking even crazier things. MG has a gravel wheel set coming in which weighs in at 1305 grams for the set. Internal width on those? 30mm!! 

As MG said to me, "We are (living) in super great times." Amen to that! 

Dimensions

I was chatting with MG just last night via text, and we were gawking at something he's just got in the house. I won't let that cat out-o-the bag, but something else we touched on got me to thinking again about how far we've come in regard to wheels these days.

Thinking back to just ten years ago. 2009 was arguably the year when the 29" mountain bike gained "legitimacy" amongst most mountain bikers. It was not anything but a hard tail, XC, or single speeder's bike, but I think many at that time realized these wheels weren't going away. Only a few manufacturers weren't on board yet, (most notably Giant), and there were legitimate aftermarket and OEM parts for 700c sized mtb's by that point in time.

Wheels, obviously, were the most important thing. But wheels were what was holding the genre back as well. Salsa Cycles had been one of the first to realize that wider internal width rims were going to break out the 29"er as a legitimate trail biking choice. The widest popular rims at that time were the Stan's Flow and similar rims at a 28mm outer rim dimension. We weren't even thinking in terms of inner rim widths at this point.

Salsa's visionary rims were predecessors to the "wider is better" rim movement in the mtb world, but the problem then was that those rims were deemed to be too heavy. Materials technology hadn't been applied sufficiently up to that point on mtb-worthy 700c rims to make them wide, strong, and light. Typical mid-market priced wheels at that time were in the 1600-2000+ gram area and were, again, only 28mm-ish wide.

Recently I got a hold of some wheels to test which are all aluminum and have rims that are 25mm inner width. (We never speak about "outer widths anymore. Sheesh!) They are not very expensive at 800-ish bucks for a set and they weigh 1640 grams for the set. That's amazing for wheels that wide. For about what those cost now, you couldn't get anything in 2009 money at that weight and width. Not even close, and these are gravel road wheels. 

Throw some carbon fiber at that. Now we're talking even crazier things. MG has a gravel wheel set coming in which weighs in at 1305 grams for the set. Internal width on those? 30mm!! 

As MG said to me, "We are (living) in super great times." Amen to that! 

Friday News And Views

Kansas can be serene or it can be violent. Tornadoes are a constant threat.

A Chance To Give Back:

Have you ever done the Dirty Kanza 200 and gone through a checkpoint town? The ride absolutely takes over these burgs for the day, and the citizens are all about supporting it, for the most part. It is an amazing welcoming in of a horde of cyclists that they don't have to do. Well, one of these towns, Eureka, Kansas, was struck by a tornado and suffered a lot of damage. Now, if you have ever benefited from the checkpoint towns in that event, you have a chance to show you care.

A fund raising site has been started to raise funds which will go to helping Eureka get back on its feet again. We have responded at RidingGravel.com and we ask that you join in and help these amazing, kind folks in Eureka.

Here's the link. No amount is too small. Please consider giving..... Thank you.

In addition DK Promotions is offering 20% of all DK merch sales made now through July 31st to Eureka's recovery efforts. You can check it out HERE 

High Tech Zip Ties v2

 Hip Lok Z Lok Combo & Z Lok:

I got a couple of these Hip Lok "zip tie-like" locks in to check out recently. They are kind of like the Ottolock  I reviewed on RidingGravel.com, but these have a few different characteristics.  

First and foremost, the Z Lok Combo, (the one with the black sliding "switch") is a LOT shorter than an Ottolock is. Secondly, it has a solid steel strap encased in plastic, whereas the Ottolock uses a stainless steel mesh inside the plastic outer. 

This makes the Z Lok Combo a lot stiffer and a lot tougher to use since you have to have a frame member right up against something you want to lock to. That isn't always easy to do. The stiff, steel strap isn't very pliable either, so slight twists and bends that an Ottolock can do, this lock cannot. 

While I don't have any data to back it up, I am betting the Z Lok Combo is tougher to defeat though. It just depends on if you can make it work where you need to lock the bike up for a few moments. Oh yeah, and due to its form factor, it isn't as easily stowed as the Ottolock either. But here's the kicker. The Z Lok Combo only costs $19.95. That's a big difference from the 18" Ottolock  which runs North of $50.00 on most sites. 

The smaller Z Lok is different. It has the steel strap core but uses a forked key to unlock it. I wouldn't rely on this ten dollar lock alone, but you can use it to lock gear to your bike, disable a wheel, and it compliments a Z Lok Cobo well in that role.  Together you could use both to temporarily lock up your rig to go inside a convenience store, for instance, to resupply on a gravel ride. Or use these to disable your bike while camping out on a bike packing trip. 

 Pink MCD Update:

I am patiently waiting for the Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross Disc (MCD) frame and fork to show up, which is looking like mid to late July as of now. Yes, the frames land here in early July, but it takes time to pass through customs, get into Mike Varley's hands at Black Mountain Cycles, and then turned around and shipped out to eager customers like myself.  

According to the latest update provided by Mike this week, the run on the initial MCD frame order is intense. Many sizes are running out. No surprise here. If this MCD is anything like the quality and design which are evident in the OG Monster Cross frame and fork, this bike will be stellar. The word is out now, and the price that this frame and fork are going for is a great bang for the buck. And I haven't even seen or handled one, so that may sound like crazy talk. However; I have faith that this will be bourne out when the MCD gets here and many other folks feel likewise. 

Well, with that out of the way, the latest thing that is getting put together in advance of the frame and fork arriving is the wheel set. All I need to do now is to get an 11 speed cassette and mount my WTB Resolutes on the Irwin Cycling Carbon Aon GX 35 wheels. I kind of want to hold off on the cassette until I square away my choice for the crank set. Gearing will play a big role here, so cassette choice has to go along with that. 

The cock pit is getting squared away as well. I have already chosen some bits I have here to use on this bike. The Redshift ShockStop stem is going on with a Salsa Cycles Cowchipper bar. The seat post will be the excellent Salsa Cycles Ti regulator. The saddle will be a Brooks Cambium C17 All Weather. Tape will be Marque Cycling Diamond Tape in Pink. 

Really, the only missing parts are the head set and crank set/bottom bracket. That and cables, housings, and whatever smaller bits I need. I've got a few weeks to square this away. I'll need all that time, especially after the bill I paid to fix my truck, which came out of the bike fund. Yeah......ouch.  

Thanks for reading here! Have a great weekend and try to stay cool and hydrated! 

Friday News And Views

Kansas can be serene or it can be violent. Tornadoes are a constant threat.

A Chance To Give Back:

Have you ever done the Dirty Kanza 200 and gone through a checkpoint town? The ride absolutely takes over these burgs for the day, and the citizens are all about supporting it, for the most part. It is an amazing welcoming in of a horde of cyclists that they don't have to do. Well, one of these towns, Eureka, Kansas, was struck by a tornado and suffered a lot of damage. Now, if you have ever benefited from the checkpoint towns in that event, you have a chance to show you care.

A fund raising site has been started to raise funds which will go to helping Eureka get back on its feet again. We have responded at RidingGravel.com and we ask that you join in and help these amazing, kind folks in Eureka.

Here's the link. No amount is too small. Please consider giving..... Thank you.

In addition DK Promotions is offering 20% of all DK merch sales made now through July 31st to Eureka's recovery efforts. You can check it out HERE 

High Tech Zip Ties v2

 Hip Lok Z Lok Combo & Z Lok:

I got a couple of these Hip Lok "zip tie-like" locks in to check out recently. They are kind of like the Ottolock  I reviewed on RidingGravel.com, but these have a few different characteristics.  

First and foremost, the Z Lok Combo, (the one with the black sliding "switch") is a LOT shorter than an Ottolock is. Secondly, it has a solid steel strap encased in plastic, whereas the Ottolock uses a stainless steel mesh inside the plastic outer. 

This makes the Z Lok Combo a lot stiffer and a lot tougher to use since you have to have a frame member right up against something you want to lock to. That isn't always easy to do. The stiff, steel strap isn't very pliable either, so slight twists and bends that an Ottolock can do, this lock cannot. 

While I don't have any data to back it up, I am betting the Z Lok Combo is tougher to defeat though. It just depends on if you can make it work where you need to lock the bike up for a few moments. Oh yeah, and due to its form factor, it isn't as easily stowed as the Ottolock either. But here's the kicker. The Z Lok Combo only costs $19.95. That's a big difference from the 18" Ottolock  which runs North of $50.00 on most sites. 

The smaller Z Lok is different. It has the steel strap core but uses a forked key to unlock it. I wouldn't rely on this ten dollar lock alone, but you can use it to lock gear to your bike, disable a wheel, and it compliments a Z Lok Cobo well in that role.  Together you could use both to temporarily lock up your rig to go inside a convenience store, for instance, to resupply on a gravel ride. Or use these to disable your bike while camping out on a bike packing trip. 

 Pink MCD Update:

I am patiently waiting for the Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross Disc (MCD) frame and fork to show up, which is looking like mid to late July as of now. Yes, the frames land here in early July, but it takes time to pass through customs, get into Mike Varley's hands at Black Mountain Cycles, and then turned around and shipped out to eager customers like myself.  

According to the latest update provided by Mike this week, the run on the initial MCD frame order is intense. Many sizes are running out. No surprise here. If this MCD is anything like the quality and design which are evident in the OG Monster Cross frame and fork, this bike will be stellar. The word is out now, and the price that this frame and fork are going for is a great bang for the buck. And I haven't even seen or handled one, so that may sound like crazy talk. However; I have faith that this will be bourne out when the MCD gets here and many other folks feel likewise. 

Well, with that out of the way, the latest thing that is getting put together in advance of the frame and fork arriving is the wheel set. All I need to do now is to get an 11 speed cassette and mount my WTB Resolutes on the Irwin Cycling Carbon Aon GX 35 wheels. I kind of want to hold off on the cassette until I square away my choice for the crank set. Gearing will play a big role here, so cassette choice has to go along with that. 

The cock pit is getting squared away as well. I have already chosen some bits I have here to use on this bike. The Redshift ShockStop stem is going on with a Salsa Cycles Cowchipper bar. The seat post will be the excellent Salsa Cycles Ti regulator. The saddle will be a Brooks Cambium C17 All Weather. Tape will be Marque Cycling Diamond Tape in Pink. 

Really, the only missing parts are the head set and crank set/bottom bracket. That and cables, housings, and whatever smaller bits I need. I've got a few weeks to square this away. I'll need all that time, especially after the bill I paid to fix my truck, which came out of the bike fund. Yeah......ouch.  

Thanks for reading here! Have a great weekend and try to stay cool and hydrated! 

Friday News And Views

Tight fit- Note the snow build up on the fork

Its All About The Clearance, Clarence:

You know, when this whole gravel deal kicked into gear back about six years ago, I figured that the tires would all be, you know, not that big. I figured what we needed were good choices from 35mm to 40mm in size. That about 38mm tires would be the "normal" size.

Why wouldn't I have thought this? Previous to 2012, you couldn't get a "gravel tire". None really existed unless you counted Bruce Gordon's Rock & Road tire, which has a pretty aggressive tread, and is more "ATB" than "all-roads". Hybrid bike tires would work, width-wise, but the quality was awful. Touring tires existed in this size range, but they were heavy and had all this puncture protection stuff in them that made them ride terribly on gravel. A lot of people used Schwalbe Marathon tires previous to 2010, and those were mostly 35mm-40mm in size. It was what we had at hand to use at the time.

The widths seemed to work well. I took a survey of riders, maybe for T.I.v5 or v6, and this would have been 2009-2010, when the riders surveyed said 35mm tires were the best choice in width for them. So, what happened? Where did all the puffy, 42mm-45mm tires come from?

You may say, "Well, most tires are actually 40mm, aren't they?" Technically speaking, they should be, but in reality, they are anything but that. In years past, with 29"er tires, I got very used to finding out the newest 2.4" tire might make 2.25" in reality. Nothing, and I mean no tire, was ever the size the casing said it was for years. All narrower. Now with gravel tires, it is the complete opposite! 

Even on skinny rims these supposed 40's are actually 42mm wide.

 I don't know, maybe tire manufacturers are in a giving mood these last several years because almost no tire I have tested is actually the width it says on the hot patch. They almost all are bigger, and in some cases, waaaay bigger! 

Maybe you are okay with that. Maybe you like getting "more" for your money. But in the case of bicycles meant to handle 40's and no larger, it can be an issue. Take my Twin Six Standard Rando, for instance. A 40mm tire is about as large as I'd run on this bike with any confidence that I would not be jamming small stones between the top of the tread and the mono-stay end on the bike. I know- Twin Six says it will fit a Rock & Road, and while you can get one under there, there ain't much room. This is really a 40mm tire bike, or smaller.

I'm going to run the 700's on here for a bit, but 650B tires are going back on real soon, and it will be interesting to see if the wider Irwin wheels I am testing allow the WTB Byway's to pass between the stays and fork legs. They worked with the narrower Velocity Aileron rims, but we will see......

Renegade Gents Race Rig.........most likely.

Workin' On Being A Renegade:

Next weekend is the Renegade Gents Race. I've often said that this is the funnest, good time bicycle ride/event I do all year. This also will mark the 8th consecutive year I've done this deal. All with the same bunch of Renegades, by the way.

It's a special event for me because I made good friends at this event that I would not have today otherwise. I marvel at what this event has become and I am sure it is a big deal now for the folks in Slater, Iowa where we will descend with about 350 riders or so. I think the first year there were way less than 100!

Anyway, I plan on riding the Raleigh Tamland with the 650B wheel set I have been testing on there. Our team captain is riding a fat bike this year and said to, "plan your pace accordingly", so I'll probably be over-biked for this, but then again- Our team captain is a very strong rider and is getting tuned up for Trans Iowa, so yeah..... We'll see about that easy pace! 

So, the bike will be as seen here with the bar tape switched out. I have this new stuff which is pretty rad and I cannot wait to try it out. It is kind of rubbery-tacky, and very cushioned. It comes from a company named "Marque" so I'll be gabbing about that later on. I may also have to clean and lube the drive train. It probably needs replacing, but you know what they say not to do just before an event, right? Hopefully it holds up. I am confident that it will.

Okay, Happy Easter, if you do that, and otherwise have a great weekend!

Friday News And Views

Tight fit- Note the snow build up on the fork

Its All About The Clearance, Clarence:

You know, when this whole gravel deal kicked into gear back about six years ago, I figured that the tires would all be, you know, not that big. I figured what we needed were good choices from 35mm to 40mm in size. That about 38mm tires would be the "normal" size.

Why wouldn't I have thought this? Previous to 2012, you couldn't get a "gravel tire". None really existed unless you counted Bruce Gordon's Rock & Road tire, which has a pretty aggressive tread, and is more "ATB" than "all-roads". Hybrid bike tires would work, width-wise, but the quality was awful. Touring tires existed in this size range, but they were heavy and had all this puncture protection stuff in them that made them ride terribly on gravel. A lot of people used Schwalbe Marathon tires previous to 2010, and those were mostly 35mm-40mm in size. It was what we had at hand to use at the time.

The widths seemed to work well. I took a survey of riders, maybe for T.I.v5 or v6, and this would have been 2009-2010, when the riders surveyed said 35mm tires were the best choice in width for them. So, what happened? Where did all the puffy, 42mm-45mm tires come from?

You may say, "Well, most tires are actually 40mm, aren't they?" Technically speaking, they should be, but in reality, they are anything but that. In years past, with 29"er tires, I got very used to finding out the newest 2.4" tire might make 2.25" in reality. Nothing, and I mean no tire, was ever the size the casing said it was for years. All narrower. Now with gravel tires, it is the complete opposite! 

Even on skinny rims these supposed 40's are actually 42mm wide.

 I don't know, maybe tire manufacturers are in a giving mood these last several years because almost no tire I have tested is actually the width it says on the hot patch. They almost all are bigger, and in some cases, waaaay bigger! 

Maybe you are okay with that. Maybe you like getting "more" for your money. But in the case of bicycles meant to handle 40's and no larger, it can be an issue. Take my Twin Six Standard Rando, for instance. A 40mm tire is about as large as I'd run on this bike with any confidence that I would not be jamming small stones between the top of the tread and the mono-stay end on the bike. I know- Twin Six says it will fit a Rock & Road, and while you can get one under there, there ain't much room. This is really a 40mm tire bike, or smaller.

I'm going to run the 700's on here for a bit, but 650B tires are going back on real soon, and it will be interesting to see if the wider Irwin wheels I am testing allow the WTB Byway's to pass between the stays and fork legs. They worked with the narrower Velocity Aileron rims, but we will see......

Renegade Gents Race Rig.........most likely.

Workin' On Being A Renegade:

Next weekend is the Renegade Gents Race. I've often said that this is the funnest, good time bicycle ride/event I do all year. This also will mark the 8th consecutive year I've done this deal. All with the same bunch of Renegades, by the way.

It's a special event for me because I made good friends at this event that I would not have today otherwise. I marvel at what this event has become and I am sure it is a big deal now for the folks in Slater, Iowa where we will descend with about 350 riders or so. I think the first year there were way less than 100!

Anyway, I plan on riding the Raleigh Tamland with the 650B wheel set I have been testing on there. Our team captain is riding a fat bike this year and said to, "plan your pace accordingly", so I'll probably be over-biked for this, but then again- Our team captain is a very strong rider and is getting tuned up for Trans Iowa, so yeah..... We'll see about that easy pace! 

So, the bike will be as seen here with the bar tape switched out. I have this new stuff which is pretty rad and I cannot wait to try it out. It is kind of rubbery-tacky, and very cushioned. It comes from a company named "Marque" so I'll be gabbing about that later on. I may also have to clean and lube the drive train. It probably needs replacing, but you know what they say not to do just before an event, right? Hopefully it holds up. I am confident that it will.

Okay, Happy Easter, if you do that, and otherwise have a great weekend!

Welcome To The Dark Side

Yep......carbon.

The latest craze in the gravel travel world is for a company to slip in a bike with 650B wheels and wide rubber. Then they claim that they have this awesome geometry, (generally it is warmed over CX geo), and they start in how all the roads and even single track is now your playground.

As if that weren't the fact with any bike, really. But whatever.

I'm not here to tell you what you should do, I'm just here poking a bit at the marketing machine. This gig they are telling us about isn't "new" and what they put out, (again, in the general sense), isn't really anything but cyclo cross stuff with 650B wheels shoved in. Sometimes it is straight up roadie geometry, (The new Surly Midnight Special), and sometimes they get it mostly right, (The new All City G.M.).

Anyway, I got these new Irwin Cycling wheels to test for RidingGravel.com and they are 650B based. Disc, of course, so that makes them an easy swap into my Raleigh Tamland Two. Now, my Tamland Two is a 2014 model. Yep...... Four years old, and it is steel, and it has reasonable length chain stays, and it can take a big, wide tire in 650B and 29", and it uses a standard road crank. Plus, it doesn't have cyclo cross geometry. So, not new, but in some ways, actually better than what many companies are putting out now.

Weird. Guess some folks aren't paying attention.

Steel- check, 650B wheels-check, big rubber- check.

So, to all you new entries to this niche- welcome to the dark side. 

The old Raleigh may be on the cutting edge with these wheels and its geometry, but there are a few things that will make this bike obsolete in a few years. First and foremost- the quick release wheels. Those quick releases are on their way out. You probably won't even know it when it finally happens to all high performance bikes, but we are in the middle of that "takeover". The other thing that will doom this bike eventually is the 1 1/8th steer tube.That's a good thing to have from the standpoint of front end compliance, but this will be made obsolete by the fact that all forks made in the future will one day have tapered steer tubes. Brands like Soma and Ritchey try to keep it going, but someday...... Then there is the standard road crank and bottom bracket width. Despite decades of bikes being built this way, Road Boost is coming and there will be a time when standard width bottom brackets and standard chain line cranks will become a thing of the past.

Look, I hope I am wrong about all of that, because if I am, I can keep my Tamland going. If I am right, well, one day I'll have to hang it up on the wall for good. Let's hope that dark side doesn't come to pass!

Welcome To The Dark Side

Yep......carbon.

The latest craze in the gravel travel world is for a company to slip in a bike with 650B wheels and wide rubber. Then they claim that they have this awesome geometry, (generally it is warmed over CX geo), and they start in how all the roads and even single track is now your playground.

As if that weren't the fact with any bike, really. But whatever.

I'm not here to tell you what you should do, I'm just here poking a bit at the marketing machine. This gig they are telling us about isn't "new" and what they put out, (again, in the general sense), isn't really anything but cyclo cross stuff with 650B wheels shoved in. Sometimes it is straight up roadie geometry, (The new Surly Midnight Special), and sometimes they get it mostly right, (The new All City G.M.).

Anyway, I got these new Irwin Cycling wheels to test for RidingGravel.com and they are 650B based. Disc, of course, so that makes them an easy swap into my Raleigh Tamland Two. Now, my Tamland Two is a 2014 model. Yep...... Four years old, and it is steel, and it has reasonable length chain stays, and it can take a big, wide tire in 650B and 29", and it uses a standard road crank. Plus, it doesn't have cyclo cross geometry. So, not new, but in some ways, actually better than what many companies are putting out now.

Weird. Guess some folks aren't paying attention.

Steel- check, 650B wheels-check, big rubber- check.

So, to all you new entries to this niche- welcome to the dark side. 

The old Raleigh may be on the cutting edge with these wheels and its geometry, but there are a few things that will make this bike obsolete in a few years. First and foremost- the quick release wheels. Those quick releases are on their way out. You probably won't even know it when it finally happens to all high performance bikes, but we are in the middle of that "takeover". The other thing that will doom this bike eventually is the 1 1/8th steer tube.That's a good thing to have from the standpoint of front end compliance, but this will be made obsolete by the fact that all forks made in the future will one day have tapered steer tubes. Brands like Soma and Ritchey try to keep it going, but someday...... Then there is the standard road crank and bottom bracket width. Despite decades of bikes being built this way, Road Boost is coming and there will be a time when standard width bottom brackets and standard chain line cranks will become a thing of the past.

Look, I hope I am wrong about all of that, because if I am, I can keep my Tamland going. If I am right, well, one day I'll have to hang it up on the wall for good. Let's hope that dark side doesn't come to pass!

Friday News And Views

Stans carbon wheels or just the carbon rims- Available now.

Stan's Carbon Wheel Sets And Rims:

 Stan's announced new carbon Crest based and Arch based wheel sets and rims available for purchase earlier this week. The wheels feature all the usual wheel "blah-blah" and the Stan's BST bead socket technology, yada-yada.....

 The thing I realized when checking out this was that carbon rim prices are coming down.......finally. 

When I got some Enve rims over ten years ago now, (they were Epic  Edge rims then), the rims were $800.00 per rim. Since that time carbon rims from China came along at about half that price and the competition heated up. There were those Derby rims, then another smaller company I cannot recall, then other companies like Whiskey and Stan's started coming along with their stuff. All of this has driven down the cost where you can now get some great product at about half of what those Enve rims would have cost in today's money in some cases.

I think it is also a reflection of the competitive nature of this segment that more rim only offerings are coming. This Stan's rim is now available as a rim only, albeit somewhat reluctantly offered, judging from the response a Stan's rep gave on their Facebook page.

I still think these rims are astronomically priced when you consider aluminum rims are going for about a C note or a little more. I'd be willing to pay more for carbon, but not four to six times more money. Your mileage may vary........

Gravel Worlds Registration Opens Tomorrow!

Set your alarm clocks for 6:00am tomorrow, January 27th, and register for this awesome event. Gravel Worlds will happen August 18th and it has two options- the "full course" option is the 150 miler and the "Privateer" option is the 75 mile course. 

Registration will be held on Athlinks.com which can be accessed via a link on the Gravel Worlds site. For your $80.00 shekels you get a commemorative t-shirt, and some other schwag. It's a very well run event with great people and a nice course. I plan on registering again. This event along with the Renegade Gent's race are two of my favorite events ever.

Solstice 100: If August doesn't work for you to ride Gravel Worlds, well maybe this event that happens in the same area would. Starting out of Malcom, Nebraska, (the General Store there is a must see), this event will be on June 23rd. Registration for this event is also tomorrow at 7:00am. Click here to get to the registration page.

I suspect this will be a very cool event since I heard really good reports about its inaugural running last year. Check it out. $45.00 ducats for a century of Nebraska gravelly goodness with a bunch of rad friends. (Because gravel grinders are your friends, you just may not know them yet!)


 

Silca Tattico pump- High tech heavy metal

High Tech Pump:

When Silca announced this I was...... Well, let's say I was a bit dismissive. I mean, a Bluetooth mini-pump? Really? Then I moved on. But then I was contacted by the rep for this brand and the rep had some sensible points about the pump.

So, let's say that you have had a bit of a puncture, maybe you lost a bit of sealant before the tire quit leaking, and now your tire is under presure, or softer than you'd prefer. Yeah, okay.....time to pump it back up, right? But to what? Most of us are not packing a gauge, and if we are, it isn't really all that accurate. Think about it- before the ride you were careful to set your tires up precisely. Are you going to tell me that no longer matters if you have to pump up your tire mid-ride?

Okay........I get it.

So here's the deal- The Silca Tattico pump has a battery, (CR2032 coin type) and it sends a Bluetooth signal to a free to download app on your smart phone. This will tell you with an accuracy of 2% or less what your psi is. That's better than many floor pump's accuracy, by the way. Okay, so that may be a valuable asset to many of us riding tubeless or that have to have tires set within a certain psi range which is narrow in scope, like say for fat bikes, or plus sized tires, which are notoriously sensitive to air pressure changes.


I showed the image of this pump on my scale because it is made from aluminum. All aluminum. No plastic parts here, dude! It has a heft to it and the parts seem pretty precisely made, much more so than most mini pumps.

There is a lot more to this, and I'll have a lot more to say about it after I review it for RidingGravel.com soon. So stay tuned. This isn't as silly a thing as I first thought, I'll say that much now.

That's all for this week. Have a great weekend and get in some riding if you can!