It's About Materials Technology

The things that come down the pike never cease to amaze me.

The shop where I work at, now going on past 16 years, is a wealth of old knowledge. I've heard, seen, and done, so many things I never would have dreamed about, that it makes my head spin to think on it all. One thing I've learned is to never think you've seen it all. 

Many times this can be applied to something new. My boss and I always shake our heads and say, "It's all about the materials technology". Many ideas have existed in cycling for years, decades even, just waiting for technology to catch up so it can become a viable product for you and I.

Take these wheels, as a for instance. They are from Enve Composites. Ten years ago now I got to test some 700c hoops from them, back when they were still called "Edge Composites". This was for the old "Twenty Nine Inches" gig I once was involved in. Well, you know, ten years ago, anything carbon meant for 29"ers was rare. Like super rare. So, rims for 29"ers in carbon? I mean, we were barely seeing mountain bike rims of any sort made from carbon fiber in 2008. It was an amazing thing.

Those ended up being sub-1500 gram wheels. At that time it was considered super-light for a 29" wheel set with disc hubs. Now days? Pffft! That's average. Why? Materials technologies. Plain and simple.

These Enve wheels pictured here? Sub-1300 gram wheels. Not only that, but they have a wider internal rim width, wider rim edges, (for anti-pinch flat characteristics), and through axle compatibility. They are tested to mountain bike standards, and are tubeless compatible. Those old Edge wheels were narrower, had clincher hook beads, and weren't tubeless. Crazy how far things have come in ten years. Heck, Tour de France riders weren't on wheels this light ten, fifteen years ago. Now anyone can have wheels like this. Well...........if you can afford them.

Remember- never think you've seen it all.

It's About Materials Technology

The things that come down the pike never cease to amaze me.

The shop where I work at, now going on past 16 years, is a wealth of old knowledge. I've heard, seen, and done, so many things I never would have dreamed about, that it makes my head spin to think on it all. One thing I've learned is to never think you've seen it all. 

Many times this can be applied to something new. My boss and I always shake our heads and say, "It's all about the materials technology". Many ideas have existed in cycling for years, decades even, just waiting for technology to catch up so it can become a viable product for you and I.

Take these wheels, as a for instance. They are from Enve Composites. Ten years ago now I got to test some 700c hoops from them, back when they were still called "Edge Composites". This was for the old "Twenty Nine Inches" gig I once was involved in. Well, you know, ten years ago, anything carbon meant for 29"ers was rare. Like super rare. So, rims for 29"ers in carbon? I mean, we were barely seeing mountain bike rims of any sort made from carbon fiber in 2008. It was an amazing thing.

Those ended up being sub-1500 gram wheels. At that time it was considered super-light for a 29" wheel set with disc hubs. Now days? Pffft! That's average. Why? Materials technologies. Plain and simple.

These Enve wheels pictured here? Sub-1300 gram wheels. Not only that, but they have a wider internal rim width, wider rim edges, (for anti-pinch flat characteristics), and through axle compatibility. They are tested to mountain bike standards, and are tubeless compatible. Those old Edge wheels were narrower, had clincher hook beads, and weren't tubeless. Crazy how far things have come in ten years. Heck, Tour de France riders weren't on wheels this light ten, fifteen years ago. Now anyone can have wheels like this. Well...........if you can afford them.

Remember- never think you've seen it all.

Minus Ten Review- 41

Sun dappled trees on the North Side of Camp Ingawanis in 2008.

Ten years ago here on the blog I was doing some Fall mtb riding which was spectacular. Of course, this was mostly being done on the north side of Camp Ingawanis back then. Those trails were so awesome, and yet, for as much as I talked about them a decade ago, hardly a soul would come up to ride them. Now days the mere mention of those trails is like speaking of a mystery to riders here. Most people I know riding now have never ridden that side.

I was also talking about some Enve, (Edge Composites back then) rims for 29"ers. This was a big, big deal in 2008. Carbon rims for mountain biking were barely a thing and here I had a set of 29"er hoops to test? Crazy! Enve claimed a set should last, easily they said, for a decade. Well, I am here to tell you that is indeed the case, as these wheels are still being ridden, as far as I know, since I sold them several years back now to a rider who lives in Duluth now. So yeah.... I guess they were right! 

I remember thinking then that a decade on the same wheels is unheard of. Who does that? I know......it happens, but it didn't too often. I had a set of Campy hoops that I ended up blowing up on my commuter bike back in the day that were a decade old, but I didn't know many folks that mountain biked the same set of wheels for very long. I suppose carbon hoops have changed that now.

The other interesting thing is that those old Edge rims are pretty much gravel riding rims now. In the last decade, inner rim width for mtb has ballooned to plus 25mm in most cases. These rims were 28mm outer width, as I recall, so yeah...... Basically what we'd use for gravel travel now.

White colored components- What were we thinking?!!

Do you remember that trend for white colored components? That was ten years ago now. Man! That was an odd deal. Everything got the white treatment. Forks, stems, rims, and even brake sets!

Companies kept sending white stuff to be tested up until about 2012 or so, then it seemed to fade away. I know the white forks were "okay", but those rims? Gah! Those were just butt ugly. I'm glad I got rid of all the wheels I had that were white.

And brakes shouldn't be white either. I figured that out pretty quickly. DOT brake fluid and painted components weren't a good thing to mix together. But, we don't have to worry about that anymore, and let's hope we never have to again!

I also tackled the misconceptions regarding the Fargo, which had just debuted at Interbike. Folks were put out because a frame and fork, initially the only way you could get a Fargo then, was going to be $650.00 MSRP. Surly Cross Checks were going for $400.00 ten years ago. I am not going to rehash the arguments for and against the Fargo. That ship has long since sailed and those arguments, obviously, are a moot point. But those prices are interesting.

You can still get a Cross Check reasonably cheap. Generally, for around $500.00, a Cross Check frame and fork can still be had ten years down the road. However; the Fargo would be closer to $900.00 in today's money. That seems weird, but consider this- A Cross Check is pretty much unchanged from its form that it had in 2008. A Fargo? It isn't anything like it was ten years ago! That's the big difference. Plus, a Fargo will have a carbon fiber fork now.

If Salsa had kept a 2009-ish style Fargo in the line, it may have only gone up about a hundred bucks also.  But, we will never know.

Minus Ten Review- 41

Sun dappled trees on the North Side of Camp Ingawanis in 2008.

Ten years ago here on the blog I was doing some Fall mtb riding which was spectacular. Of course, this was mostly being done on the north side of Camp Ingawanis back then. Those trails were so awesome, and yet, for as much as I talked about them a decade ago, hardly a soul would come up to ride them. Now days the mere mention of those trails is like speaking of a mystery to riders here. Most people I know riding now have never ridden that side.

I was also talking about some Enve, (Edge Composites back then) rims for 29"ers. This was a big, big deal in 2008. Carbon rims for mountain biking were barely a thing and here I had a set of 29"er hoops to test? Crazy! Enve claimed a set should last, easily they said, for a decade. Well, I am here to tell you that is indeed the case, as these wheels are still being ridden, as far as I know, since I sold them several years back now to a rider who lives in Duluth now. So yeah.... I guess they were right! 

I remember thinking then that a decade on the same wheels is unheard of. Who does that? I know......it happens, but it didn't too often. I had a set of Campy hoops that I ended up blowing up on my commuter bike back in the day that were a decade old, but I didn't know many folks that mountain biked the same set of wheels for very long. I suppose carbon hoops have changed that now.

The other interesting thing is that those old Edge rims are pretty much gravel riding rims now. In the last decade, inner rim width for mtb has ballooned to plus 25mm in most cases. These rims were 28mm outer width, as I recall, so yeah...... Basically what we'd use for gravel travel now.

White colored components- What were we thinking?!!

Do you remember that trend for white colored components? That was ten years ago now. Man! That was an odd deal. Everything got the white treatment. Forks, stems, rims, and even brake sets!

Companies kept sending white stuff to be tested up until about 2012 or so, then it seemed to fade away. I know the white forks were "okay", but those rims? Gah! Those were just butt ugly. I'm glad I got rid of all the wheels I had that were white.

And brakes shouldn't be white either. I figured that out pretty quickly. DOT brake fluid and painted components weren't a good thing to mix together. But, we don't have to worry about that anymore, and let's hope we never have to again!

I also tackled the misconceptions regarding the Fargo, which had just debuted at Interbike. Folks were put out because a frame and fork, initially the only way you could get a Fargo then, was going to be $650.00 MSRP. Surly Cross Checks were going for $400.00 ten years ago. I am not going to rehash the arguments for and against the Fargo. That ship has long since sailed and those arguments, obviously, are a moot point. But those prices are interesting.

You can still get a Cross Check reasonably cheap. Generally, for around $500.00, a Cross Check frame and fork can still be had ten years down the road. However; the Fargo would be closer to $900.00 in today's money. That seems weird, but consider this- A Cross Check is pretty much unchanged from its form that it had in 2008. A Fargo? It isn't anything like it was ten years ago! That's the big difference. Plus, a Fargo will have a carbon fiber fork now.

If Salsa had kept a 2009-ish style Fargo in the line, it may have only gone up about a hundred bucks also.  But, we will never know.

The Elusive Promise Of Carbon Fiber: Wheels

Last week I wrote about this subject in relation to bicycle frames for 29"ers. Today I want to talk about another major component that carbon fiber is used for: wheels.

Does carbon make wheels "better"?

Several years ago, 29"ers were not getting the "best" engineering, tech, or features like the smaller 26"ers were. Back then, (I am talking like '07-'08), you could get on a 29"er, slam it into a corner, and most likely you would feel a lot of wheel flex. Aluminum extrusions for 29"ers were mostly scaled up 26 extrusions and not specifically designed for the stresses that bigger wheels cause when riders do that mountain biking thing. The answer back then was carbon.

At that time, a Utah based company named "Edge Composites", (Now Enve), rolled out a couple carbon 29"er hoops that radically changed how riders would perceive the 29"er handling traits. The Edge wheels were stiffer. Way stiffer than anything else out there at the time. Yes- they were, ( and still are), super expensive. But if you could afford them, they would radicalize your 29"er experience. In fact, it took frames a while to catch up to how far Edge had taken the possibilities for frame stiffness and wheel rigidity in concert with each other.

But since then, aluminum designs for wheels in the plus size have come a long way. The gulf between aluminum and carbon in terms of ride performance has narrowed dramatically. Is carbon fiber even worth it anymore for 29"er wheels?

Aluminum rims have come a long way for 29"ers

Case in point: SRAM introduced some new wheels recently- the Roam and Rail wheels, (see here), and you have a direct comparison between what you get and what you don't get, (at least on paper), with comparably designed and purposed aluminum and carbon rims.

The Roam 60, a carbon rimmed 29"er wheel weighs in at 1625g, has a 28mm outer/21mm inner rim dimension, and costs $2199.00. Now the similar Roam 50, with an aluminum rim, weighs 1610 gms, has a 25 outer/ 21mm inner rim dimension, and sells for $1072.00. You can see that weight, inner rim dimension, and the cost are the three specs that jump out here.

The aluminum Roam 50 actually weighs less, has the same inner rim dimension, and is over a grand cheaper. To be fair, SRAM says the carbon rim on the Roam 60 actually weighs 10 grams less than the aluminum Roam 50 rim, but so what? (You can not buy just rims here, right?) And what's 10 grams versus saving a grand? Again- SRAM has said the Roam 60 is stronger. (Interestingly, the word stiffer was not used to describe the Roam 60 rim versus the Roam 50 rim, but I don't know that it is not stiffer.)

Well, you can argue the minutiae all you want, but the difference in price is not minute. The difference in performance? Maybe not so much, eh? It will be interesting to see, but again- Carbon doesn't automatically call out "better" here. And even if it is, by a little bit, the costs are dramatically different which seems to point to less value in the carbon format. Thinking about some of the other details on those SRAM rims brings this out even more.

And not all carbon rims are appointed or perform similarly, I get that. However; there are not too many companies making such similar wheel models in carbon and aluminum. In this case, the promise of carbon fiber seems to have a flat taste in the mouth.  

The Elusive Promise Of Carbon Fiber: Wheels

Last week I wrote about this subject in relation to bicycle frames for 29"ers. Today I want to talk about another major component that carbon fiber is used for: wheels.

Does carbon make wheels "better"?

Several years ago, 29"ers were not getting the "best" engineering, tech, or features like the smaller 26"ers were. Back then, (I am talking like '07-'08), you could get on a 29"er, slam it into a corner, and most likely you would feel a lot of wheel flex. Aluminum extrusions for 29"ers were mostly scaled up 26 extrusions and not specifically designed for the stresses that bigger wheels cause when riders do that mountain biking thing. The answer back then was carbon.

At that time, a Utah based company named "Edge Composites", (Now Enve), rolled out a couple carbon 29"er hoops that radically changed how riders would perceive the 29"er handling traits. The Edge wheels were stiffer. Way stiffer than anything else out there at the time. Yes- they were, ( and still are), super expensive. But if you could afford them, they would radicalize your 29"er experience. In fact, it took frames a while to catch up to how far Edge had taken the possibilities for frame stiffness and wheel rigidity in concert with each other.

But since then, aluminum designs for wheels in the plus size have come a long way. The gulf between aluminum and carbon in terms of ride performance has narrowed dramatically. Is carbon fiber even worth it anymore for 29"er wheels?

Aluminum rims have come a long way for 29"ers

Case in point: SRAM introduced some new wheels recently- the Roam and Rail wheels, (see here), and you have a direct comparison between what you get and what you don't get, (at least on paper), with comparably designed and purposed aluminum and carbon rims.

The Roam 60, a carbon rimmed 29"er wheel weighs in at 1625g, has a 28mm outer/21mm inner rim dimension, and costs $2199.00. Now the similar Roam 50, with an aluminum rim, weighs 1610 gms, has a 25 outer/ 21mm inner rim dimension, and sells for $1072.00. You can see that weight, inner rim dimension, and the cost are the three specs that jump out here.

The aluminum Roam 50 actually weighs less, has the same inner rim dimension, and is over a grand cheaper. To be fair, SRAM says the carbon rim on the Roam 60 actually weighs 10 grams less than the aluminum Roam 50 rim, but so what? (You can not buy just rims here, right?) And what's 10 grams versus saving a grand? Again- SRAM has said the Roam 60 is stronger. (Interestingly, the word stiffer was not used to describe the Roam 60 rim versus the Roam 50 rim, but I don't know that it is not stiffer.)

Well, you can argue the minutiae all you want, but the difference in price is not minute. The difference in performance? Maybe not so much, eh? It will be interesting to see, but again- Carbon doesn't automatically call out "better" here. And even if it is, by a little bit, the costs are dramatically different which seems to point to less value in the carbon format. Thinking about some of the other details on those SRAM rims brings this out even more.

And not all carbon rims are appointed or perform similarly, I get that. However; there are not too many companies making such similar wheel models in carbon and aluminum. In this case, the promise of carbon fiber seems to have a flat taste in the mouth.  

DK 200: Training Ride Report

<===The final Dirty Kanza 200 set up.

I went on a final DK 200 training/shakedown cruise last Monday. This is the set up I am going with. I had the full load on, just so I would be ready. I even dressed like I will for the event, just in case.

The basic foundation, of course, is the Salsa Cycles Fargo, which I feel is a perfect rig for the person that wants to complete an event like Dirty Kanza. It isn't the fastest rig you could take into an event like this, but it definitely would be the most efficient and comfortable rig for the rider, when you take all the factors into consideration. Just one thing that quickly comes to mind is the fork. Salsa Cycles has obviously put a lot of effort into this fork, and it shows. I haven't ever really said much about it, because, well.....the rest of the bike sort of overshadows it. However; last Monday, I could literally see the fork working like crazy and I wasn't feeling anything at the bars. Nothing. Nada. Zip! That's awesome, because normally this isn't what you would expect from a tough, braze on laden steel fork. It's just one of the reasons that the Fargo is a supremely comfortable rig for the long hauls.

<===Banjo Brothers top tube bag thingie.

I chose this Banjo Brothers bag for the top tube because it isn't too big, and it rides on the rough gravel without moving. It has a clear flap that Velcros over as a cover, so you can see what is or isn't left inside. I will be putting my head light's external battery pack, a cell phone, a camera, some wet wipes, and a bit of nutrition in there.

The piping is reflective too. A bonus if I end up riding into the night. (I probably will!)



<=== From the Land of Misfit Bags....

I had a nice old Kangaroo seat bag on my Fargo for a bit, and it would have worked, but I wanted a rain jacket that would work as a cool weather covering. I found that in the Endura Stealth jacket, but it isn't the most packable jacket in the world. So I was pondering what to do, when I came across this red beauty in the "long forgotten" department at work. It was a take off from a trade in, I imagine. It doesn't have any identification as to the maker, but it looked to be really solidly made with double gnarly Velcro seat post straps and nylon strapping for the back end that slipped through the snap down brackets on the top of the bag. What is even better is that I can get the Stealth jacket in with the entire contents of the old bag, plus another tube, patch kit, and multi tool with room to spare. Would it stay stable on rough gravel? Well, after 40 miles, it showed no signs of slipping, movement, or anything negative to put me off from taking it, so I am taking it. We'll see how that works out.

<=== The hoops of high techy-ness.

The wheels will be the carbon fiber rimmed, American Classic hubbed, Edge Composites set up. I will admit that these wheels are crazy expensive, but they ride really nicely on gravel by reducing vibrations a ton. Stuff that would normally rattle me enough to cause fatigue will take a lot longer to get to me with these wheels on board. They are pretty light and strong to boot, so I thought a 200 mile ride in the Flint Hills would be just the ticket for these.


<==== Probably one of my favorite things about the Fargo: The water bottle mounts!

Five bottle mounts, (I could have set it up with six!) should get me from check point to check point with plenty of water- none of which will be on my back- which will also reduce fatigue on my body that would cause me to not be as comfortable on the bike. The bottles all stay put, are easy to reach, (yes, even the fork mounted ones) , and do not mess with the handling of the bike to any great degree. The Fargo also has a pump peg, so my favorite Blackburn frame pump comes along. (Note the zip tie rear peg!) The tires are the WTB Vulpines which roll really well on gravel, have a pretty thick tread area, and the WTB tough side walls that will hopefully repel the flint rock down there. I will inject the tubes with a bit of Caffelatex for good measure.

Well, that's the main set up. I will give a report afterward on the performance of these things and a rundown on my performance on the flinty roads of Kansas next week.

DK 200: Training Ride Report

<===The final Dirty Kanza 200 set up.

I went on a final DK 200 training/shakedown cruise last Monday. This is the set up I am going with. I had the full load on, just so I would be ready. I even dressed like I will for the event, just in case.

The basic foundation, of course, is the Salsa Cycles Fargo, which I feel is a perfect rig for the person that wants to complete an event like Dirty Kanza. It isn't the fastest rig you could take into an event like this, but it definitely would be the most efficient and comfortable rig for the rider, when you take all the factors into consideration. Just one thing that quickly comes to mind is the fork. Salsa Cycles has obviously put a lot of effort into this fork, and it shows. I haven't ever really said much about it, because, well.....the rest of the bike sort of overshadows it. However; last Monday, I could literally see the fork working like crazy and I wasn't feeling anything at the bars. Nothing. Nada. Zip! That's awesome, because normally this isn't what you would expect from a tough, braze on laden steel fork. It's just one of the reasons that the Fargo is a supremely comfortable rig for the long hauls.

<===Banjo Brothers top tube bag thingie.

I chose this Banjo Brothers bag for the top tube because it isn't too big, and it rides on the rough gravel without moving. It has a clear flap that Velcros over as a cover, so you can see what is or isn't left inside. I will be putting my head light's external battery pack, a cell phone, a camera, some wet wipes, and a bit of nutrition in there.

The piping is reflective too. A bonus if I end up riding into the night. (I probably will!)



<=== From the Land of Misfit Bags....

I had a nice old Kangaroo seat bag on my Fargo for a bit, and it would have worked, but I wanted a rain jacket that would work as a cool weather covering. I found that in the Endura Stealth jacket, but it isn't the most packable jacket in the world. So I was pondering what to do, when I came across this red beauty in the "long forgotten" department at work. It was a take off from a trade in, I imagine. It doesn't have any identification as to the maker, but it looked to be really solidly made with double gnarly Velcro seat post straps and nylon strapping for the back end that slipped through the snap down brackets on the top of the bag. What is even better is that I can get the Stealth jacket in with the entire contents of the old bag, plus another tube, patch kit, and multi tool with room to spare. Would it stay stable on rough gravel? Well, after 40 miles, it showed no signs of slipping, movement, or anything negative to put me off from taking it, so I am taking it. We'll see how that works out.

<=== The hoops of high techy-ness.

The wheels will be the carbon fiber rimmed, American Classic hubbed, Edge Composites set up. I will admit that these wheels are crazy expensive, but they ride really nicely on gravel by reducing vibrations a ton. Stuff that would normally rattle me enough to cause fatigue will take a lot longer to get to me with these wheels on board. They are pretty light and strong to boot, so I thought a 200 mile ride in the Flint Hills would be just the ticket for these.


<==== Probably one of my favorite things about the Fargo: The water bottle mounts!

Five bottle mounts, (I could have set it up with six!) should get me from check point to check point with plenty of water- none of which will be on my back- which will also reduce fatigue on my body that would cause me to not be as comfortable on the bike. The bottles all stay put, are easy to reach, (yes, even the fork mounted ones) , and do not mess with the handling of the bike to any great degree. The Fargo also has a pump peg, so my favorite Blackburn frame pump comes along. (Note the zip tie rear peg!) The tires are the WTB Vulpines which roll really well on gravel, have a pretty thick tread area, and the WTB tough side walls that will hopefully repel the flint rock down there. I will inject the tubes with a bit of Caffelatex for good measure.

Well, that's the main set up. I will give a report afterward on the performance of these things and a rundown on my performance on the flinty roads of Kansas next week.

Turkey Burn Today

Today is the "Turkey Burn III" up at Camp Ingawanis. I'm going to be riding a single speed for the better part of the day up there, which should prove to be interesting, given my latest "funk" that I've been in.

I made a change in wheel sets to the Edge Composites wheels that I had on the Badger for awhile. I figured using them in a single speed situation would put a bit more stress on them. Maybe I'll bottom out the rims here and there on some roots too, which will be good for testing purposes. We'll see. I have to survive riding a single speed first off!

I may be bringing out my El Mariachi today too. I have that set up differently now with a Bontrager Switchblade fork and Race X Lite wheels set up with Specialized Fast Trak LK's tubeless. It's a "go fast" set up for sure. Those Fast Traks are skinny and the wheels are light. Plus, it has gears! Might be a bail out solution should the single speed prove too demanding today for my weakened condition. Or whatever is going on with me.

I have been feeling better the last two days, so no alarms going off here, just not up to snuff in terms of my bodies performance lately and I am a bit concerned. I "ran" with my son around the block on Thanksgiving about three times. I call it "kid intervals", since he runs for a bit, then stops or walks, then runs again. Anyway, I felt a lot better in terms of my legs afterwards, so that was good.

I'll have a complete report from the "Turkey Burn III" with pics coming up Sunday, so stay tuned!

Turkey Burn Today

Today is the "Turkey Burn III" up at Camp Ingawanis. I'm going to be riding a single speed for the better part of the day up there, which should prove to be interesting, given my latest "funk" that I've been in.

I made a change in wheel sets to the Edge Composites wheels that I had on the Badger for awhile. I figured using them in a single speed situation would put a bit more stress on them. Maybe I'll bottom out the rims here and there on some roots too, which will be good for testing purposes. We'll see. I have to survive riding a single speed first off!

I may be bringing out my El Mariachi today too. I have that set up differently now with a Bontrager Switchblade fork and Race X Lite wheels set up with Specialized Fast Trak LK's tubeless. It's a "go fast" set up for sure. Those Fast Traks are skinny and the wheels are light. Plus, it has gears! Might be a bail out solution should the single speed prove too demanding today for my weakened condition. Or whatever is going on with me.

I have been feeling better the last two days, so no alarms going off here, just not up to snuff in terms of my bodies performance lately and I am a bit concerned. I "ran" with my son around the block on Thanksgiving about three times. I call it "kid intervals", since he runs for a bit, then stops or walks, then runs again. Anyway, I felt a lot better in terms of my legs afterwards, so that was good.

I'll have a complete report from the "Turkey Burn III" with pics coming up Sunday, so stay tuned!

First Ride, Long Drive, Freak Out Wednesday!

These wheels, separated at birth, were re-united with each other in time for a woodsie ride.

Wednesday the plan was to hook up with d.p. and do a little B road scouting and some Trans Iowa business. So, after getting my two little ones off to school, I loaded up the Dirty Blue Box with the Badger outfitted with the Edge Composite wheels for the hour and fifteen minute drive. At least that is what I thought! After I got to d.p.'s abode, I found out a bit differently.

After discussing the current situation with Trans Iowa lodging and sponsorship, I went to grab my rig and get set to ride. Problem was, I had no front wheel! Left the dang thing sitting alongside the car when I took off from Guitar Ted Laboratories! Ruh-row! I was freaking! This was an expensive wheel set, probably worth more than The Dirty Blue Box itself. No other choice but to high tail it back to see if by some act of God it would still be there.

To say that there was much cursing, freaking out, and praying for grace would be an understatement. I made it back in an hour and ten minutes, pulled up in front of the lab and whattaya know? There was an Edge Composites rimmed front wheel laying curbside in the street! Lucky for me the crack heads in my neighborhood don't know cycling! That wheel had been laying there for two and a half hours!

So, after I got my sanity back, I decided I may as well go for a woodsie ride in the Green Belt. The recent winds have made a mess out of that area with tons of sticks down and even some very large branches that required frequent dismounts to get over. (Hey! cyclo-cross practice anyone?) It was a good thing to get my head cleared out. Although, I missed out on riding with d.p. and felt like an idiot for not being there to scout with him. (Sorry about that, d.p.!) The results of his scouting B roads can be seen here.

The errant front wheel suffered no permanent injuries due to its separation!

The wheels were fantastic! I will have much more to write about them later, but for now I can say that they were very nice to ride, as they should for a wheel set that should retail at around $2600.00! (Yes.......they are very spendy hoops!) I am just happy that my bone headed maneuver didn't ruin the chance I had to ride and evaluate them. d.p. tells me "everyone has done that at least once". Well, they would probably have to do it about 12 times to catch up with the value of the one mistake I made! Ha ha! At least it all turned out just fine in the end.

First Ride, Long Drive, Freak Out Wednesday!

These wheels, separated at birth, were re-united with each other in time for a woodsie ride.

Wednesday the plan was to hook up with d.p. and do a little B road scouting and some Trans Iowa business. So, after getting my two little ones off to school, I loaded up the Dirty Blue Box with the Badger outfitted with the Edge Composite wheels for the hour and fifteen minute drive. At least that is what I thought! After I got to d.p.'s abode, I found out a bit differently.

After discussing the current situation with Trans Iowa lodging and sponsorship, I went to grab my rig and get set to ride. Problem was, I had no front wheel! Left the dang thing sitting alongside the car when I took off from Guitar Ted Laboratories! Ruh-row! I was freaking! This was an expensive wheel set, probably worth more than The Dirty Blue Box itself. No other choice but to high tail it back to see if by some act of God it would still be there.

To say that there was much cursing, freaking out, and praying for grace would be an understatement. I made it back in an hour and ten minutes, pulled up in front of the lab and whattaya know? There was an Edge Composites rimmed front wheel laying curbside in the street! Lucky for me the crack heads in my neighborhood don't know cycling! That wheel had been laying there for two and a half hours!

So, after I got my sanity back, I decided I may as well go for a woodsie ride in the Green Belt. The recent winds have made a mess out of that area with tons of sticks down and even some very large branches that required frequent dismounts to get over. (Hey! cyclo-cross practice anyone?) It was a good thing to get my head cleared out. Although, I missed out on riding with d.p. and felt like an idiot for not being there to scout with him. (Sorry about that, d.p.!) The results of his scouting B roads can be seen here.

The errant front wheel suffered no permanent injuries due to its separation!

The wheels were fantastic! I will have much more to write about them later, but for now I can say that they were very nice to ride, as they should for a wheel set that should retail at around $2600.00! (Yes.......they are very spendy hoops!) I am just happy that my bone headed maneuver didn't ruin the chance I had to ride and evaluate them. d.p. tells me "everyone has done that at least once". Well, they would probably have to do it about 12 times to catch up with the value of the one mistake I made! Ha ha! At least it all turned out just fine in the end.

Friday News And Views

<===Easton XC-1 Single Speed racing wheels.

The fall is a busy time at Twenty Nine Inches with things to test and newsy bits flowing yet. Here we have some killer Easton wheels that will be tested for the site. Look for a post to show up later at Twenty Nine Inches. These hoops are definitely race oriented. They have narrow rims, lighter gauge spokes, and only 24 of them in each wheel with a 2 cross pattern. We'll see if they are stiff enough for a race day situation!





<=== Specialized tires in the "wagon wheel" size! (photo courtesy of Grannygear)

Twenty Nine Inches also has a new contributor in California. "Grannygear" has just received some Specialized treads and is going to rage them on some SoCal trail here this weekend. Look for an initial report on Twenty Nine Inches today with a followup to come soon. Some of these Specialized treads will also make their way to the Mid-West for evaluation, so stay tuned for that report as well.

Fixie Nation: Well, unless you have been hiding under a pillow, and if you are a cyclist, you have to be aware that there s a fixed gear phenomenon going on all over the nation. Bicycle Retailer and Industry News posted a story today on a new site dedicated to the phenom called "Guys Who Cut Their Own Hair" . They obviously have been up late at night downloading all sorts of content including videos of riding that includes some crazy trick stuff.

Is it me, or does a lot of this stuff not smack of grown ups doing their BMX thing on grown up bikes? Even the graphics and culture seem "borrowed" from that scene. Hmm.....whatever. And ya know, I just did a profile on a local cycling veteran that is up at sixfiftyB His fixie antics pre-date all these yahoos by at least 15 to 20 years. I also happen to know that a fixed gear group existed in Cedar Falls/Waterloo then that used to congregate on top of the Union, doing tricks, riding, and just generally hanging out. Just goes to show ya, it ain't new, it's all about marketing and promotion.

Yeah.....the site I mention above was started by Swobo. So there ya go........

Trans Iowa News: Wow! What a week for Trans Iowa! The event got a huge shot in the arm from a few sources. First up we have Vassago Cycles who stepped up to provide a super cool Fisticuff frame and fork as prizing. Then we have AdventureCorps who in conjunction with the Rough Riders are sending out water bottles and some cool little key chains/lanyards to be given to all of the race entrants. The AdventureCorps and Rough Riders share some similar ideals to Trans Iowa and our own "gravel grindin'" culture here in Iowa and the Mid-West in general. I am super stoked to have these new sponsors and I know d.p. is as well.

Look for a course recon to be happening this weekend. I'll be going out with d.p. and scouting our choices. Pictures and a report to follow, of course. Oh! And don't let me forget the traditional Trans Iowa recon diet of Red Bull and processed beef products! Gotta have fuel, baby!

Busy, busy..... So yeah! It is crazy around here at Guitar Ted Laboratories of late. I haven't even mentioned my Edge Composites wheel build that will be getting started sometime this weekend, my new rain jacket, and my up coming trip with Captain Bob to Minneapolis to ride some Salsa Fargos. Stay tuned for more late fall madness........

And ride your bikes, fools! Even if you are doing the fixie thing, riding a recumbent, or whatever. Just don't stop riding!

Friday News And Views

<===Easton XC-1 Single Speed racing wheels.

The fall is a busy time at Twenty Nine Inches with things to test and newsy bits flowing yet. Here we have some killer Easton wheels that will be tested for the site. Look for a post to show up later at Twenty Nine Inches. These hoops are definitely race oriented. They have narrow rims, lighter gauge spokes, and only 24 of them in each wheel with a 2 cross pattern. We'll see if they are stiff enough for a race day situation!





<=== Specialized tires in the "wagon wheel" size! (photo courtesy of Grannygear)

Twenty Nine Inches also has a new contributor in California. "Grannygear" has just received some Specialized treads and is going to rage them on some SoCal trail here this weekend. Look for an initial report on Twenty Nine Inches today with a followup to come soon. Some of these Specialized treads will also make their way to the Mid-West for evaluation, so stay tuned for that report as well.

Fixie Nation: Well, unless you have been hiding under a pillow, and if you are a cyclist, you have to be aware that there s a fixed gear phenomenon going on all over the nation. Bicycle Retailer and Industry News posted a story today on a new site dedicated to the phenom called "Guys Who Cut Their Own Hair" . They obviously have been up late at night downloading all sorts of content including videos of riding that includes some crazy trick stuff.

Is it me, or does a lot of this stuff not smack of grown ups doing their BMX thing on grown up bikes? Even the graphics and culture seem "borrowed" from that scene. Hmm.....whatever. And ya know, I just did a profile on a local cycling veteran that is up at sixfiftyB His fixie antics pre-date all these yahoos by at least 15 to 20 years. I also happen to know that a fixed gear group existed in Cedar Falls/Waterloo then that used to congregate on top of the Union, doing tricks, riding, and just generally hanging out. Just goes to show ya, it ain't new, it's all about marketing and promotion.

Yeah.....the site I mention above was started by Swobo. So there ya go........

Trans Iowa News: Wow! What a week for Trans Iowa! The event got a huge shot in the arm from a few sources. First up we have Vassago Cycles who stepped up to provide a super cool Fisticuff frame and fork as prizing. Then we have AdventureCorps who in conjunction with the Rough Riders are sending out water bottles and some cool little key chains/lanyards to be given to all of the race entrants. The AdventureCorps and Rough Riders share some similar ideals to Trans Iowa and our own "gravel grindin'" culture here in Iowa and the Mid-West in general. I am super stoked to have these new sponsors and I know d.p. is as well.

Look for a course recon to be happening this weekend. I'll be going out with d.p. and scouting our choices. Pictures and a report to follow, of course. Oh! And don't let me forget the traditional Trans Iowa recon diet of Red Bull and processed beef products! Gotta have fuel, baby!

Busy, busy..... So yeah! It is crazy around here at Guitar Ted Laboratories of late. I haven't even mentioned my Edge Composites wheel build that will be getting started sometime this weekend, my new rain jacket, and my up coming trip with Captain Bob to Minneapolis to ride some Salsa Fargos. Stay tuned for more late fall madness........

And ride your bikes, fools! Even if you are doing the fixie thing, riding a recumbent, or whatever. Just don't stop riding!

Friday News And Views

On Drop Bars For MTB's: Thanks for the couple of suggestions that I did get for topics on this upcoming post. I will be posting my thoughts on this again Starting Monday, so look for that.

Cross Racing On Live Streaming Internet T.V.: I get press releases all the time about cycling related stuff, most of which is outside of my focus, but this one I thought I'd pass along as I know a lot of you folks are into clodding around on road bikes in the mud. How about some Belgian cyclo-cross madness live on your inner-web-o-sphere idiot box? Check this out:

From Sunday October 12th on, Belgian TV Channel VT4 presents live streaming of the Superprestige Cyclo-cross races. This means everybody can watch the race online on http://www.vt4.be/.

Thanks to the huge success of last year’s cyclo-cross on VT4, the Belgian (Flemish) TV-channel decided to extend the contract with the organizers of the Superprestige for three more years, with an option for a fourth year. VT4 also retains the two evening stages in Ruddervoorde and Diegem. In Ruddervoorde, the race starts at 5 PM (start broadcasting at 4.30 PM). In Diegem the start will be postponed to 5.30 PM (start broadcasting at 5 PM). All other races start at 3 PM, with start broadcasting at 2.30 PM and ending around 4.20 PM.

Overview of all Superprestige races 2008-2009:

Ruddervoorde (Belgium) Sunday October 12th

Eerde-Veghel (Netherlands) Sunday November 2nd

Hamme-Zogge (Belgium) Sunday November 23rd

Gavere (Belgium) Sunday November 16th

Gieten (Netherlands) Sunday November 30th

Diegem (Belgium) Sunday December 28th

Hoogstraten (Belgium) Sunday February 8th

Vorselaar (Belgium) Sunday February 15th

Okay? So there ya go. Mark your calendars. I have no idea if the times listed are Belgian, but I would assume so seeing as how these events are being broadcast live. In that event, I'd figure on about a 7 hour difference for CST. If that is the case, a lot of you will be missing church on those mornings, eh?




<===More Porn, Just For Sonya!

Edge Composites Hoops Arrive: In gear news, I can announce now that Twenty Nine Inches just received a pair of Edge Composites XC carbon fiber 29"er hoops that will be laced up and tested for the site. Yes.....carpet fibre.....and they are light! I will now need to procure some uber-light type of hub to begin the wheel lacing process with. Stay tuned to Twenty Nine Inches where all the details will be laid out for you.

24 Hours Of Moab This Weekend: The last big 24 hour event of the year kicks off tomorrow in Utah. The 24 Hours of Moab is claiming one of the most stacked fields in its long history. Is this not the defacto Worlds of 24 hour racing now? Well, however that plays out for you, the event promises to be brutal with forecasts calling for high winds, rain, and perhaps even snow! J-kove, (formerly known as Mr. 24) is there with his Ergon goods at the expo area. Check out his blog for the exciting blow by blow. It could be an epic race, and it could just be plain ol' epic!

Cure For The Stock Market Blues: Number One: STOP WATCHING THE NEWS!!! There isn't a thing you can do to change it, and watching/listening will only make you go bonkers, or send you to the deep dark hole of depression. Number Two: Ride yer dang bicycle, fer cryin' out loud! Nothing cleanses the mind and soul like a good hard ride on your favorite pavement or dirt loop. Number Three: Just wait it out, it'll all work itself out given some time. The focus on the "nanosecond" will only make you go blind.

Okay, that's my armchair psychologist advice for ya'all. Probably worth what you are paying for it here, but that's my take. Get out and ride! Quit yer snivelin'! Have some fun already.

Friday News And Views

On Drop Bars For MTB's: Thanks for the couple of suggestions that I did get for topics on this upcoming post. I will be posting my thoughts on this again Starting Monday, so look for that.

Cross Racing On Live Streaming Internet T.V.: I get press releases all the time about cycling related stuff, most of which is outside of my focus, but this one I thought I'd pass along as I know a lot of you folks are into clodding around on road bikes in the mud. How about some Belgian cyclo-cross madness live on your inner-web-o-sphere idiot box? Check this out:

From Sunday October 12th on, Belgian TV Channel VT4 presents live streaming of the Superprestige Cyclo-cross races. This means everybody can watch the race online on http://www.vt4.be/.

Thanks to the huge success of last year’s cyclo-cross on VT4, the Belgian (Flemish) TV-channel decided to extend the contract with the organizers of the Superprestige for three more years, with an option for a fourth year. VT4 also retains the two evening stages in Ruddervoorde and Diegem. In Ruddervoorde, the race starts at 5 PM (start broadcasting at 4.30 PM). In Diegem the start will be postponed to 5.30 PM (start broadcasting at 5 PM). All other races start at 3 PM, with start broadcasting at 2.30 PM and ending around 4.20 PM.

Overview of all Superprestige races 2008-2009:

Ruddervoorde (Belgium) Sunday October 12th

Eerde-Veghel (Netherlands) Sunday November 2nd

Hamme-Zogge (Belgium) Sunday November 23rd

Gavere (Belgium) Sunday November 16th

Gieten (Netherlands) Sunday November 30th

Diegem (Belgium) Sunday December 28th

Hoogstraten (Belgium) Sunday February 8th

Vorselaar (Belgium) Sunday February 15th

Okay? So there ya go. Mark your calendars. I have no idea if the times listed are Belgian, but I would assume so seeing as how these events are being broadcast live. In that event, I'd figure on about a 7 hour difference for CST. If that is the case, a lot of you will be missing church on those mornings, eh?




<===More Porn, Just For Sonya!

Edge Composites Hoops Arrive: In gear news, I can announce now that Twenty Nine Inches just received a pair of Edge Composites XC carbon fiber 29"er hoops that will be laced up and tested for the site. Yes.....carpet fibre.....and they are light! I will now need to procure some uber-light type of hub to begin the wheel lacing process with. Stay tuned to Twenty Nine Inches where all the details will be laid out for you.

24 Hours Of Moab This Weekend: The last big 24 hour event of the year kicks off tomorrow in Utah. The 24 Hours of Moab is claiming one of the most stacked fields in its long history. Is this not the defacto Worlds of 24 hour racing now? Well, however that plays out for you, the event promises to be brutal with forecasts calling for high winds, rain, and perhaps even snow! J-kove, (formerly known as Mr. 24) is there with his Ergon goods at the expo area. Check out his blog for the exciting blow by blow. It could be an epic race, and it could just be plain ol' epic!

Cure For The Stock Market Blues: Number One: STOP WATCHING THE NEWS!!! There isn't a thing you can do to change it, and watching/listening will only make you go bonkers, or send you to the deep dark hole of depression. Number Two: Ride yer dang bicycle, fer cryin' out loud! Nothing cleanses the mind and soul like a good hard ride on your favorite pavement or dirt loop. Number Three: Just wait it out, it'll all work itself out given some time. The focus on the "nanosecond" will only make you go blind.

Okay, that's my armchair psychologist advice for ya'all. Probably worth what you are paying for it here, but that's my take. Get out and ride! Quit yer snivelin'! Have some fun already.