Review Briefs

 As many of you know, I get in a fair amount of stuff to review on Riding Gravel and sometimes just to give feedback on/test for others. I figured I may as well shoot a few words this way on some things being currently tested and reviewed by giving a few, brief thoughts on those items. As always, The Standard Disclaimer applies.

WTB Gravelier Saddle:

I've already mentioned this one last Friday, but in case you missed it, I have been riding this saddle for a little over a month now.  

I have to say, it really is a pretty nice saddle. Not every saddle will accommodate every butt, however; if you have a fairly aggressive seated position on a drop bar gravel bike, this is worth looking in to. 

I would liken it most to a Silverado WTB-wise, but if you've ridden anything that is meant for high performance road/gravel riding in the last 30 years it is about that same family - fairly stiff, not overly padded, and it provides perineal relief. Its 143mm wide and pretty short, but I have to say that it fits me great and that's coming off a 143mm Silverado. 

I rode this for around six hours at the Gents Race, so if that didn't kill me I think I'm good to go. In fact, it felt pretty darn fine to me. 

Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M Tires: Looking at that same image above you can see the Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M tire I have on my Twin Six Standard Rando now. This one is a 40mm and I also have a set of the 45's on my Black Mountain Cycles MCD at the moment.

This has risen to become one of my favorite tires. If I were going to ride somewhere that called out for a puncture protected tire, this one would get the call. I like it a little better than the Vittoria Terreno Dry in this size only because it rides a bit better, but that's a good puncture protected tire as well. 

The Easton EC90 AX Carbon drop bars here on my T6 Standard Rando

Easton EC90 AX Carbon Drop Bars:

These are pretty much a set of road racing bars. They are uber-light, carbon, comfortable, but......they are road bars. Not gravel handlebars. No flare to speak of here, although Easton claims there is 6° of it, you cannot tell there is anything flared here at all.

I mean, they are fine bars. They ride well, but I miss my flared drops and in rougher terrain or on looser gravel, a flared drop just is easier to control. I would recommend these to recovering roadies and those who have to have no-flare bars because "aero" and "watts" and well, you know who you are if that means anything to you. 

These handlebars are nice though. Smooth feeling, even in rough stuff, but you sacrifice control in rougher, looser terrain with them. 

Shimano SPhyre Ridescape Sunglasses: 

These were newly designed Sunglasses which were supposedly going to help with line definition and contrast on gravel rides in bright Sunshine. The magnetically fixed lenses were of the wraparound, shield type and frameless. They are light, very comfortable, and look good on my face, in my opinion. 

 When I first tried these, and every time I used them afterward, I had the uncanny feeling that my vision was clouded. Could be. My old eyes ain't what they used ta be, that's fer sure! But no.....it was something else. I almost felt like there was a fine film I was looking through when I wore these, and the colors as seen through the lenses were greenish-yellow and, well, not very pleasant. 

Finally I got out some older eyewear I have that I've always been very happy to look through. A pair of Spy "Happy Lenses" equipped casual glasses and an older than dirt pair of Oakley Jawbones. Once I sat down and compared, it was immediately apparent what the problem was. It wasn't just the SPhyre's weird color tinting, but these glasses were making glare worse instead of better. I was seeing everything with a haze of yellowish glare, and that was the "film I was looking through" thing after all. It was readily apparent that the Spy and Oakley glasses were far superior at cutting glare, rendering true colors, and had my eyes seeing things as they could be only without the burning sensation of the Sun in my retinas. 

So, yeah. The Shimano glasses? Not good. 

That's a wrap on reviews in brief for now. Stay tuned for more in the near future.

Review Briefs

 As many of you know, I get in a fair amount of stuff to review on Riding Gravel and sometimes just to give feedback on/test for others. I figured I may as well shoot a few words this way on some things being currently tested and reviewed by giving a few, brief thoughts on those items. As always, The Standard Disclaimer applies.

WTB Gravelier Saddle:

I've already mentioned this one last Friday, but in case you missed it, I have been riding this saddle for a little over a month now.  

I have to say, it really is a pretty nice saddle. Not every saddle will accommodate every butt, however; if you have a fairly aggressive seated position on a drop bar gravel bike, this is worth looking in to. 

I would liken it most to a Silverado WTB-wise, but if you've ridden anything that is meant for high performance road/gravel riding in the last 30 years it is about that same family - fairly stiff, not overly padded, and it provides perineal relief. Its 143mm wide and pretty short, but I have to say that it fits me great and that's coming off a 143mm Silverado. 

I rode this for around six hours at the Gents Race, so if that didn't kill me I think I'm good to go. In fact, it felt pretty darn fine to me. 

Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M Tires: Looking at that same image above you can see the Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M tire I have on my Twin Six Standard Rando now. This one is a 40mm and I also have a set of the 45's on my Black Mountain Cycles MCD at the moment.

This has risen to become one of my favorite tires. If I were going to ride somewhere that called out for a puncture protected tire, this one would get the call. I like it a little better than the Vittoria Terreno Dry in this size only because it rides a bit better, but that's a good puncture protected tire as well. 

The Easton EC90 AX Carbon drop bars here on my T6 Standard Rando

Easton EC90 AX Carbon Drop Bars:

These are pretty much a set of road racing bars. They are uber-light, carbon, comfortable, but......they are road bars. Not gravel handlebars. No flare to speak of here, although Easton claims there is 6° of it, you cannot tell there is anything flared here at all.

I mean, they are fine bars. They ride well, but I miss my flared drops and in rougher terrain or on looser gravel, a flared drop just is easier to control. I would recommend these to recovering roadies and those who have to have no-flare bars because "aero" and "watts" and well, you know who you are if that means anything to you. 

These handlebars are nice though. Smooth feeling, even in rough stuff, but you sacrifice control in rougher, looser terrain with them. 

Shimano SPhyre Ridescape Sunglasses: 

These were newly designed Sunglasses which were supposedly going to help with line definition and contrast on gravel rides in bright Sunshine. The magnetically fixed lenses were of the wraparound, shield type and frameless. They are light, very comfortable, and look good on my face, in my opinion. 

 When I first tried these, and every time I used them afterward, I had the uncanny feeling that my vision was clouded. Could be. My old eyes ain't what they used ta be, that's fer sure! But no.....it was something else. I almost felt like there was a fine film I was looking through when I wore these, and the colors as seen through the lenses were greenish-yellow and, well, not very pleasant. 

Finally I got out some older eyewear I have that I've always been very happy to look through. A pair of Spy "Happy Lenses" equipped casual glasses and an older than dirt pair of Oakley Jawbones. Once I sat down and compared, it was immediately apparent what the problem was. It wasn't just the SPhyre's weird color tinting, but these glasses were making glare worse instead of better. I was seeing everything with a haze of yellowish glare, and that was the "film I was looking through" thing after all. It was readily apparent that the Spy and Oakley glasses were far superior at cutting glare, rendering true colors, and had my eyes seeing things as they could be only without the burning sensation of the Sun in my retinas. 

So, yeah. The Shimano glasses? Not good. 

That's a wrap on reviews in brief for now. Stay tuned for more in the near future.

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Discover Gravel LLC

New Flint Hills Route For Touring/Ultra-Distance Challenges:

Monday saw the "official" announcement for the Flint Hills Ultra-Gravel Route. This is a self-supported, 1,050 mile loop set up by Discover Gravel LLC's Bobby Thompson. It is pretty much his "love letter to gravel" in that there are no plans for him to profit off of this. As he said to me in an email, his wish is that this route will be "....ultimately providing an experience for the Riders that will hopefully fan the gravel fire for another generation."

From the press release:

 "The route is entirely on public roads and is available to ride year round. FHUGR takes you through 16 counties in two states. Fourteen of those counties are in Kansas and two are in Oklahoma. The two Oklahoma counties are Kay and Osage. Kay county is home to the Kaw Nation. Osage county is home to the Osage Nation. Towns in all 16 counties vary from "ghost" to towns of a few thousand. Emporia KS is by far the largest town on the route although many others are within a few hours pedal from the route."

There will be a mass start for this route called the "Flint Hills Ultra Gravel Tour". this will occur on Memorial Day Weekend out of Emporia, Kansas. Riders are invited to take on the route starting in front of the Emporia Zoo at 8am on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. While there is no entry fee, Bobby is asking folks to pre-register so he can navigate logistical planning better. Things like long term parking, etc.. 

To learn more you can go to www.discovergravel.com. I also will have Bobby on for an interview on   "The Guitar Ted Podcast" soon. 

The Easton EC90 ALX Carbon Gravel Bar (Image courtesy of Easton)

Easton Announces New, Racer-Oriented Carbon Drop Bar:

Elite athletes in the upper echelons of gravel racing are influencing product design now and one of the areas that racers have not liked about traditional gravel style is flared drop bars. 

So, now we're seeing a trend towards less flare and less wide bars in a quest for more aerodynamically efficient racing. Obviously carbon and lightweight are also concerns here. Easton has developed, along with the input from several of their sponsored athletes in the gravel scene, this new EC90 ALX Carbon Drop Bar. 

Featuring 10° of flare only, these bars have optimized, size-specific carbon profiles aimed at reducing vibrations for the rider. The ergonomic top section is optimized for each size as well, giving a similar ride feel across the range of sizes available. Those sizes include a new, 38cm width which was also requested by some of the the Easton sponsored athletes. 

Ridden by overall Life Time Grand Prix winner, Haley Hunter-Smith and other top gravel athletes, this bar weighs in at 205 grams for the 42cm size and costs $299.99 USD/$399.99CAD.

Comments: As the "roadification" of gravel steams forward at an alarming pace, it is no wonder that bars like these are being offered. Knowing how the 12° of flare in a Salsa Cycles Cowbell bar works though, I suspect that this bar will be okay as well. Still, I would contend that anytime a compromise for going fast is made, it takes away from comfort, in general. Easton claims this bar has an engineered-in comfort factor while it is supposed to retain torsional stiffness. I guess I'll find out soon enough. Easton has one on the way in for test and review for Riding Gravel. Stay tuned....
 

That's N.Y. Roll's dog, Ella.

Podcast Alert:

We posted another podcast episode late last week. (AND one THIS week here.) In case you missed that, the link to listen is HERE. (or HERE!- for this week's show) Thanks to those who have, or will listen, and especially to those of you that have donated to help support the podcast. (Interested in supporting the show? Simply donate at PayPal to g.ted.productions@gmail.com)

In news for the podcast, we picked up a new sponsor in The Spinistry, a Texas based outfit that has been promoting gravel events since 2010. They have and still put on popular gravel events like the Red River Riot, the Texas Chainring Massacre, and the ultra-distance, gravel/bikepacking event, the RAT. (Ride Across Texas)

We are also lining up interviews now with a couple of promoters of gravel events from different states, as noted above in the FHUG story above. So, look for that to be happening in the weeks to come. You might also notice a slight change to the name of the podcast. I will be trying to make tweaks and changes that make sense for the show this year. If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears. 

Fox Racing's Union in Red (Image courtesy of Fox)

Fox Racing Enters The MTB Shoe Market:

Those of you that know that Fox Racing got its start in the late 70's in motocross know that Fox has done boots for moto riders for years. Well, now they have tossed their helmet into the ring as a cycling shoe manufacturer as well.

They introduced the Union range of MTB shoes yesterday. These tend toward the flat pedal, street shoe look, and not the roadie/XC MTB type of shoe. A couple of the shoes even have laces. So, I feel that these shoes will appeal to the adventurous gravel rider, bike packer, and tourist as well as being a shoe for MTB.

The top of the range Union BOA has, as you might expect, BOA closures and is the most expensive at $249.95. The mid-range Union is the one I think is the most interesting as it has laces, still has the SPD capabilities of the Union BOA. but clocks in at $179.95. About 70 bucks less, and basically is the same shoe functionally. The Union Flat is cheaper still at about 30 bucks less, but is for flat pedals only and lacks the Velcro strap to harness in those loose laces. 

I may have a pair show up here to test. Stay tuned on that......
 
That's a wrap for this week. Have a great weekend and get out and ride if you can! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions.

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Discover Gravel LLC

New Flint Hills Route For Touring/Ultra-Distance Challenges:

Monday saw the "official" announcement for the Flint Hills Ultra-Gravel Route. This is a self-supported, 1,050 mile loop set up by Discover Gravel LLC's Bobby Thompson. It is pretty much his "love letter to gravel" in that there are no plans for him to profit off of this. As he said to me in an email, his wish is that this route will be "....ultimately providing an experience for the Riders that will hopefully fan the gravel fire for another generation."

From the press release:

 "The route is entirely on public roads and is available to ride year round. FHUGR takes you through 16 counties in two states. Fourteen of those counties are in Kansas and two are in Oklahoma. The two Oklahoma counties are Kay and Osage. Kay county is home to the Kaw Nation. Osage county is home to the Osage Nation. Towns in all 16 counties vary from "ghost" to towns of a few thousand. Emporia KS is by far the largest town on the route although many others are within a few hours pedal from the route."

There will be a mass start for this route called the "Flint Hills Ultra Gravel Tour". this will occur on Memorial Day Weekend out of Emporia, Kansas. Riders are invited to take on the route starting in front of the Emporia Zoo at 8am on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. While there is no entry fee, Bobby is asking folks to pre-register so he can navigate logistical planning better. Things like long term parking, etc.. 

To learn more you can go to www.discovergravel.com. I also will have Bobby on for an interview on   "The Guitar Ted Podcast" soon. 

The Easton EC90 ALX Carbon Gravel Bar (Image courtesy of Easton)

Easton Announces New, Racer-Oriented Carbon Drop Bar:

Elite athletes in the upper echelons of gravel racing are influencing product design now and one of the areas that racers have not liked about traditional gravel style is flared drop bars. 

So, now we're seeing a trend towards less flare and less wide bars in a quest for more aerodynamically efficient racing. Obviously carbon and lightweight are also concerns here. Easton has developed, along with the input from several of their sponsored athletes in the gravel scene, this new EC90 ALX Carbon Drop Bar. 

Featuring 10° of flare only, these bars have optimized, size-specific carbon profiles aimed at reducing vibrations for the rider. The ergonomic top section is optimized for each size as well, giving a similar ride feel across the range of sizes available. Those sizes include a new, 38cm width which was also requested by some of the the Easton sponsored athletes. 

Ridden by overall Life Time Grand Prix winner, Haley Hunter-Smith and other top gravel athletes, this bar weighs in at 205 grams for the 42cm size and costs $299.99 USD/$399.99CAD.

Comments: As the "roadification" of gravel steams forward at an alarming pace, it is no wonder that bars like these are being offered. Knowing how the 12° of flare in a Salsa Cycles Cowbell bar works though, I suspect that this bar will be okay as well. Still, I would contend that anytime a compromise for going fast is made, it takes away from comfort, in general. Easton claims this bar has an engineered-in comfort factor while it is supposed to retain torsional stiffness. I guess I'll find out soon enough. Easton has one on the way in for test and review for Riding Gravel. Stay tuned....
 

That's N.Y. Roll's dog, Ella.

Podcast Alert:

We posted another podcast episode late last week. (AND one THIS week here.) In case you missed that, the link to listen is HERE. (or HERE!- for this week's show) Thanks to those who have, or will listen, and especially to those of you that have donated to help support the podcast. (Interested in supporting the show? Simply donate at PayPal to g.ted.productions@gmail.com)

In news for the podcast, we picked up a new sponsor in The Spinistry, a Texas based outfit that has been promoting gravel events since 2010. They have and still put on popular gravel events like the Red River Riot, the Texas Chainring Massacre, and the ultra-distance, gravel/bikepacking event, the RAT. (Ride Across Texas)

We are also lining up interviews now with a couple of promoters of gravel events from different states, as noted above in the FHUG story above. So, look for that to be happening in the weeks to come. You might also notice a slight change to the name of the podcast. I will be trying to make tweaks and changes that make sense for the show this year. If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears. 

Fox Racing's Union in Red (Image courtesy of Fox)

Fox Racing Enters The MTB Shoe Market:

Those of you that know that Fox Racing got its start in the late 70's in motocross know that Fox has done boots for moto riders for years. Well, now they have tossed their helmet into the ring as a cycling shoe manufacturer as well.

They introduced the Union range of MTB shoes yesterday. These tend toward the flat pedal, street shoe look, and not the roadie/XC MTB type of shoe. A couple of the shoes even have laces. So, I feel that these shoes will appeal to the adventurous gravel rider, bike packer, and tourist as well as being a shoe for MTB.

The top of the range Union BOA has, as you might expect, BOA closures and is the most expensive at $249.95. The mid-range Union is the one I think is the most interesting as it has laces, still has the SPD capabilities of the Union BOA. but clocks in at $179.95. About 70 bucks less, and basically is the same shoe functionally. The Union Flat is cheaper still at about 30 bucks less, but is for flat pedals only and lacks the Velcro strap to harness in those loose laces. 

I may have a pair show up here to test. Stay tuned on that......
 
That's a wrap for this week. Have a great weekend and get out and ride if you can! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions.

Friday News And Views

 E-Bike Advocates Get Feathers Ruffled By Cowell Accident Coverage:

Over the last weekend, media personality Simon Cowell was injured during "testing of an e-bike", as reported by various media outlets. Apparently the famous judge of singing talent is doing well after a surgery to help him recover from a 'broken back'. So, that's good news at least.

However; many in the bike community were aghast that non-endemic media were, and still are, referring to the vehicle Cowell suffered his injuries on as being an 'electric bicycle'. The vehicle in question, pictured here, is a high-powered electric driven, two-wheeled contraption that looks all the world like a motocross bike. But it can be pedaled. 

Long ago, when I first started covering these HPC's here, (Hybrid Powered Cycles, as I call them), I stated that, "motor + bicycle = motorcycle". The advocates of the HPC's back then said, "Oh no, no, no! This is a 'bicycle' because it can be pedaled!" Then the whole argument about assisted pedaling vs non-assisted pedaling came about. Followed by the "Class" system and the laws drawn up to regulate HPC's, which, for the bicycle nerds, was enough to settle this debate about these being 'motorcycles' once and for all. 

But, as I have often stated, the general public doesn't see things that way. To wit: The Cowell incident. This is a great example of someone with a lot of disposable income looking to have something above the 'pedestrian', low-powered HPC options available under the umbrella of the "Class System" which the HPC advocates say are 'electric bikes'. Essentially, Cowell was on what amounts to an exotic car. An exotic 'e-bike', but the electrified bicycle folks cried foul at that designation. These same advocates argue that the thing Cowell was using is, for all intents and purposes, a motorcycle. Yes- and so is anything with two wheels and a motor. But the bike nerds are not seeing it the way almost everyone else does. 

Bicycling industry observer and opinion writer, Rick Vosper agrees, in a recent Tweet saying, "Be that as it may, that "not-an-ebike" is giving "real" ebikes some serious bad press. And we ignore it—or quibble over designations— at our peril."

And the beat goes on...... 

This social media post shows wind damage from a satellite view.

Derecho Damage Reports Coming In:

 With Monday's derecho event, Eastern Iowa has been buzzing with recovery efforts, and a lot of things have come to light that will affect us for the foreseeable future here. 

My next door neighbor is self-employed and a handyman, so he's been down to Cedar Rapids now for three straight days with his chainsaw helping out residents there to clear downed trees and limbs. He posted a short video and the devastation to the area is widespread and severe. I saw estimations that claimed Category 2 hurricane force winds swept through the area for up to two hours.  

People in Cedar Rapids were particularly hard hit. Thursday they still had no power, no capability to call 911, no GPS in the area, and anything needing kept cold or frozen was beginning to, or already had, spoiled. 

This has caused widespread damage to crops as well, as you can see from the satellite view I posted here which I grabbed off a social media post shared Wednesday. Flattened corn is basically good for nothing but silage, and loses all its value to farmers. Obviously, that's a big, big deal. Loss of trees and damages to properties will be into the millions of dollars and this area will not recover for several years. I remember the derecho that swept through about ten years ago now and it took a few years for things to get back to looking 100% normal again out in the country. This most recent derecho was even more widespread and devastating than that one was. 

You know, I do that "Barns For Jason" thing as a fun way to document barns in the country, but this is a piece of Americana, and of Iowa's rural agricultural history, that is quickly disappearing. This newest derecho probably hastened that by a factor of ten in the areas that it struck. Just one of the many issues that this recent weather event has caused. The fallout from this event will be far reaching in its effects. 

But for now, my immediate concern is that this recovery effort is successful and swift. Cedar Rapids has been battered into submission twice now since 2008's massive flooding and now this wind event, all on top of 2020. My heart goes out to those folks and I am proud of Iowans like my neighbor who have stepped up to lend a helping hand.  

Easton Drops Gravel Dropper Post:

Dropper posts for gravel? Yes. I have tried it and it is a good thing, but........ (There always is a 'but') Are the downsides of a dropper post worth it? That's the real question here. 

Here is the thing- You can descend faster, even on a roller, by dropping the post and getting lower. If you are doing a timed event, that's free speed and time savings. All you have to do is plant your rumpus in the saddle, push the button/lever, and Wheeeeee! Free speed. No effort required. 

Maybe you live out West, or maybe out East, and you have the types of trails/roads that are pretty steep. A little bit of dropper post action might make all the difference there. I get that. A dropper post on the ATRB (Remember yesterday's post?) might be just what the doctor ordered. 

Now the thing here is that dropper posts come with penalties, or compromises, if you want to be kind. Weight is one. Yep- plan on at least doubling the weight of a nice carbon post. Probably more when you consider the lever, wire, and housing involved. Oh, and complexity is increased along with maintenance issues at some point. (Ever do maintenance on a standard post? No? I thought so) 

Obviously, these posts are expensive too. Very high end carbon posts can approach the prices of these droppers, but again- those are lighter and require zero maintenance. Now think about saddle bags. You can get one made for a dropper, but they are few and far between. There are literally thousands of seat bag choices for a standard post. 

And how much would you actually use the darn thing? There maybe is the number one reason not to buy in. But if you do, the Easton post has 50mm of drop, comes in 27.2mm and an overall length of 350mm or 400mm. The post retails for $239.99.  The site for the page on this post is here.

That's it for this week! Have a great weekend!

Friday News And Views

 E-Bike Advocates Get Feathers Ruffled By Cowell Accident Coverage:

Over the last weekend, media personality Simon Cowell was injured during "testing of an e-bike", as reported by various media outlets. Apparently the famous judge of singing talent is doing well after a surgery to help him recover from a 'broken back'. So, that's good news at least.

However; many in the bike community were aghast that non-endemic media were, and still are, referring to the vehicle Cowell suffered his injuries on as being an 'electric bicycle'. The vehicle in question, pictured here, is a high-powered electric driven, two-wheeled contraption that looks all the world like a motocross bike. But it can be pedaled. 

Long ago, when I first started covering these HPC's here, (Hybrid Powered Cycles, as I call them), I stated that, "motor + bicycle = motorcycle". The advocates of the HPC's back then said, "Oh no, no, no! This is a 'bicycle' because it can be pedaled!" Then the whole argument about assisted pedaling vs non-assisted pedaling came about. Followed by the "Class" system and the laws drawn up to regulate HPC's, which, for the bicycle nerds, was enough to settle this debate about these being 'motorcycles' once and for all. 

But, as I have often stated, the general public doesn't see things that way. To wit: The Cowell incident. This is a great example of someone with a lot of disposable income looking to have something above the 'pedestrian', low-powered HPC options available under the umbrella of the "Class System" which the HPC advocates say are 'electric bikes'. Essentially, Cowell was on what amounts to an exotic car. An exotic 'e-bike', but the electrified bicycle folks cried foul at that designation. These same advocates argue that the thing Cowell was using is, for all intents and purposes, a motorcycle. Yes- and so is anything with two wheels and a motor. But the bike nerds are not seeing it the way almost everyone else does. 

Bicycling industry observer and opinion writer, Rick Vosper agrees, in a recent Tweet saying, "Be that as it may, that "not-an-ebike" is giving "real" ebikes some serious bad press. And we ignore it—or quibble over designations— at our peril."

And the beat goes on...... 

This social media post shows wind damage from a satellite view.

Derecho Damage Reports Coming In:

 With Monday's derecho event, Eastern Iowa has been buzzing with recovery efforts, and a lot of things have come to light that will affect us for the foreseeable future here. 

My next door neighbor is self-employed and a handyman, so he's been down to Cedar Rapids now for three straight days with his chainsaw helping out residents there to clear downed trees and limbs. He posted a short video and the devastation to the area is widespread and severe. I saw estimations that claimed Category 2 hurricane force winds swept through the area for up to two hours.  

People in Cedar Rapids were particularly hard hit. Thursday they still had no power, no capability to call 911, no GPS in the area, and anything needing kept cold or frozen was beginning to, or already had, spoiled. 

This has caused widespread damage to crops as well, as you can see from the satellite view I posted here which I grabbed off a social media post shared Wednesday. Flattened corn is basically good for nothing but silage, and loses all its value to farmers. Obviously, that's a big, big deal. Loss of trees and damages to properties will be into the millions of dollars and this area will not recover for several years. I remember the derecho that swept through about ten years ago now and it took a few years for things to get back to looking 100% normal again out in the country. This most recent derecho was even more widespread and devastating than that one was. 

You know, I do that "Barns For Jason" thing as a fun way to document barns in the country, but this is a piece of Americana, and of Iowa's rural agricultural history, that is quickly disappearing. This newest derecho probably hastened that by a factor of ten in the areas that it struck. Just one of the many issues that this recent weather event has caused. The fallout from this event will be far reaching in its effects. 

But for now, my immediate concern is that this recovery effort is successful and swift. Cedar Rapids has been battered into submission twice now since 2008's massive flooding and now this wind event, all on top of 2020. My heart goes out to those folks and I am proud of Iowans like my neighbor who have stepped up to lend a helping hand.  

Easton Drops Gravel Dropper Post:

Dropper posts for gravel? Yes. I have tried it and it is a good thing, but........ (There always is a 'but') Are the downsides of a dropper post worth it? That's the real question here. 

Here is the thing- You can descend faster, even on a roller, by dropping the post and getting lower. If you are doing a timed event, that's free speed and time savings. All you have to do is plant your rumpus in the saddle, push the button/lever, and Wheeeeee! Free speed. No effort required. 

Maybe you live out West, or maybe out East, and you have the types of trails/roads that are pretty steep. A little bit of dropper post action might make all the difference there. I get that. A dropper post on the ATRB (Remember yesterday's post?) might be just what the doctor ordered. 

Now the thing here is that dropper posts come with penalties, or compromises, if you want to be kind. Weight is one. Yep- plan on at least doubling the weight of a nice carbon post. Probably more when you consider the lever, wire, and housing involved. Oh, and complexity is increased along with maintenance issues at some point. (Ever do maintenance on a standard post? No? I thought so) 

Obviously, these posts are expensive too. Very high end carbon posts can approach the prices of these droppers, but again- those are lighter and require zero maintenance. Now think about saddle bags. You can get one made for a dropper, but they are few and far between. There are literally thousands of seat bag choices for a standard post. 

And how much would you actually use the darn thing? There maybe is the number one reason not to buy in. But if you do, the Easton post has 50mm of drop, comes in 27.2mm and an overall length of 350mm or 400mm. The post retails for $239.99.  The site for the page on this post is here.

That's it for this week! Have a great weekend!