Long Term Review: Ergon BT Gravel Handle Bar Tape

 NOTE: Ergon had sent over two rolls of BT Gravel Handlebar Tape at no charge, on two separate occasions, for test/review to Riding Gravel. This is a long-term review of those bar tapes, but I also have just purchased another roll at full-retail to replace one of those two rolls I tested. Ergon has not paid, nor bribed me, for this review. All opinions are my own.

Ergon BT Gravel handlebar tape on test during 2023

Handlebar tape for drop bars is another one of those "touch-point" things that can be highly personal. Not only that, but handlebar tape often gets nicked up, dirty, sweat-soaked, and it is not all that cheap. (If you buy quality tape) So, handlebar tape often can need replacement and that might get a bit wearisome if the tape you are buying is $30.00 - $40.00 - or more - per box. Then there is the comfort level, in-hand feel, wet performance, and how it installs. That's a lot of things to consider when you are looking at "just a roll of bar tape". 

By the way, if you don't put much importance in handlebar tape and you are okay with the cheapest roll on the bike shop rack, or on Amazon, then you probably should quit reading here. But if you are curious as to why I feel this handlebar tape is "all that", then read on.....

The other roll of BT tape I tested from late 2022.

What It Is: BT Gravel tape from Ergon is their thickest tape that they offer at 3.2mm thickness. There is the "AllRoad" tape which is slightly thinner at 2.5mm thickness and the "Road" tape at 2mm thickness. 

The BT Gravel tape is made with an EVA foam backing and an "anti-slip" surface texture. Ergon claims reduced vibrations will result for the rider. 

BT Gravel tape comes in two shades of red, black, a swampy green, and metallic blue looking hues. I have had the "Swamp Green" and "Merlot" colors. The Swamp Green is more of an organic, mossy green color and the Merlot has a brownish-red hue which is a muted color. 

Why I Like It: Ergon took forever to come out with a product for drop bars, but when they did, it was apparent that they had done their homework. For starters, there is the installation. I've wrapped hundreds, if not more than a thousand drop bars in my 30+ years as a bicycle mechanic. Thick tape is really difficult to wrap, typically, and I always was dismayed when a customer chose thick tape for me to install. 

It is typically very difficult to get thicker than 2mm tape to lay right and look good after the job is finished. Not that it cannot be done, but thickness makes the job harder. Ergon tape, for its 3.2mm thickness, lays down so much easier than a lot of companies 2.5mm tape does. (Looking at you, Lizard Skins) The end result is pleasing to the eyes, and Ergon's pattern that they used on the tape's surface actually is there to help guide you in wrapping this tape. All in all, a pretty brilliant tape to work with. 

My new roll in Merlot

But none of that matters if the tape is hard on your hands, slippery when wet/perspired on, or if it wears out prematurely. In my experience, Ergon BT Gravel tape has outstanding qualities in all three of those areas. 

BT Gravel tape does help reduce vibrations to the hands. Coupled with a good, vibration reducing handlebar, and maybe a ShockStop stem, you end up with the happiest hands you are going to get on gravel. 

Secondly, I have had various handlebar tapes that get really slick, slimy, or both when perspired upon. Now, maybe it is just me, because I don't wear gloves, typically, on a ride. However; slippery tape is no good on a gravel ride! Ergon's no-slip texture on their tape really works. I have zero fear of perspiration causing me issues on hot Summer rides. While I have not ridden Ergon tape in the rain, I suspect the outcome would be similar. 

Finally, this tape is very durable and long-lasting. While I wouldn't recommend anyone use tape for more than one season on drop bars, (and I would recommend changing tape more often if you are a heavy sweater), the BT Gravel tape holds up well after months and months of sweaty, dust-filled riding. It retains a good look, and it doesn't wilt at the first biff of your bar end on the ground, or when your bike falls in the garage because you didn't park it just right. 

Final Word: Ergon BT Gravel Handlebar Tape is not inexpensive at about forty bucks a pop. However; given its abilities to reduce vibrations so well and for how durable and long-lasting it is, I am what you might call "sold on it". So much so I went and bought another roll. I will say that I am a bit disappointed in the choices for colors. For instance, there is no bright pink, yellows, or greens. There are no straight-up blues or reds either. Ergon went for a weird palette of colors when they made their choices for the BT Ergon  handlebar tapes. I get that the colors are not great for many applications. (Please, Ergon - make this tape in Hot Pink!) 

But besides colors, I am hard pressed to say anything negative about this product. I recommend it. Definitely a keeper.

Review Briefs

 As many of you know, I get in a fair amount of stuff to review 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.

Ergon GP1 Evo Update:

I did a "Two Things" post on these grips a while back, but now that I have several rides in using them and one or two on gravel as well, I can finally chime in with my verdict here. 

They are very much like the original grip, but a bit better. A bit better feeling, a bit more forgiving, and a bit better design as well. Nothing "earth-shattering" here, but if you are an Ergon GP 1 user, and you need new grips, these will make you very happy. They didn't "screw them up". These are actually an evolutionary change for the good. 

And if you've ever wondered what the fuss was about, well, while there are a lot of imitators out there, the Ergon GP1 Evo is what those grips are all chasing after, and none have done it any better, or as in many cases, they don't even come close to being what a GP1 Evo is. 

One thing I've found that trips a LOT of people up with regard to an Ergon grip, especially the winged ones, is that they are very position sensitive. You really have to spend some time dialing them in because if you do not, the Ergon grip may actually seem like the worst grip ever. There is a 'sweet-spot' and it pays to search for it, because once you do, it will make all the difference in the world.

State Bicycle Co All Road Disc Brake Calipers:

I posted back in August about my first impressions concerning these brake calipers. (See that HERE) Since then I have ridden these mostly in a loaded (the bike had a fully racked and bagged set up with cargo) state. That, I figured, would test these calipers in a more stressful state than just riding them with an unloaded bike.

First of all, I think it bears consideration that your levers , cable, and housings will have a great bearing on braking feel and performance. As well, so will the way that they are set up, So, there are a lot of variables here that could negatively or positively affect the outcome of the braking performance. 

In my case I was using standard, box-stock brake housing, brass ferrules, and standard stainless steel cables. I have had the pleasure of setting up hundreds of mechanical brake calipers over the years. So, I kind of know what it is I am looking for in a set up. It really makes a big difference in feel and performance, so if you aren't getting what you are after, maybe someone else that has experience with setting up various brakes can help. Just a thought to chew on....

Now, with all that in mind I will say that these brakes are really quite good. I am sure some of my "modulation feel" I am getting is actually losses in the standard cable housing, but even so, the hydraulic caliper makes up for some of that by increasing efficiency in use to the point that I found it very easy to apply more than enough power to haul me and my rig down to zero mph in a big hurry. 

And fine-tuned braking was top-notch as well. So, no "on-off", no modulation feel here. No "super-mushy", low power affair either. But these work pretty much like a lot of drop bar, fully hydraulic set ups will work. And they are really quiet. At least my set up is.

The All Road Calipers are no slouches then, and the most stunning thing is that you can score a pair for a "C note". That's just outrageous, in my opinion. Out of all my bikes, the Shimano GRX brakes are really the only brakes I have (disc brakes) that I would say are really better brakes than these are. But again - The set up, the cables, housings, ferrules, and levers all will affect the outcome, and that is a LOT of variables. So, let's say that the potential for great performance is here. 

But for a hundred bucks? You could do a lot worse, and many competing products are much more expensive. So, consider these with the advisement that you will need to have good complimentary components in the system to get the most out of the All Road Calipers. 

Ponderosa Panniers:

I wrote the introduction for the Ponderosa Panniers (HERE) earlier this year and since then they have lived on the Singular Gryphon fully packed. Several test rides later, I can say the following....

These are good panniers.Maybe even great ones. I feel like you need to have a set of panniers through a few trips before you can really say any pannier is "great". I will say that the Ponderosa Panniers are trending in that direction though. 

They stay put on a rack, which is job number one for a pannier. Loose panniers really hurt handling, not to mention cause one to wonder how many times you'll have to stop to tighten them up, or if they will just randomly fall off. I'd rather have panniers I never have to worry about at all. The Ponderosa bags seem pretty much like "that" pannier to me. 

These bags have tightening straps to cinch the bags against the rack, which work great. The remaining, extra lengths of those straps are supposed to be rolled up and held in place by two short bits of Velcro material. Nice idea, but in practice these can be knocked loose and then you have a streamer waving in the wind. I'd rather see some other more secure way of dealing with the loose ends. 

I mentioned in the intro that the Ponderosa was hard to mount, and because of that, I never tried taking them off, and I wouldn't on a tour. In fact, I would dread having to do that. Not ideal there. It isn't that you can't mount them, but wow.... Is that a tough thing to do or what? Loaded bags would be almost impossible to do without a companion helping to support the bag while you threaded the upper straps to the rack from behind the rack and between that and the rear wheel. 

Yeah.....

But other than that, the Ponderosa Panniers are very well made, they are easily opened and closed, and they really can be cinched down tight for single track usage or rough road riding. Your contents won't be jostling around in a cavernous space here. I just wish that Old Man Mountain could redesign that upper rack mount to be easier to use which would encourage removal when you need to work on the bike, or allow you to take the panniers off and put them in a tent, for instance.

Notice: There may be long-term updates on any of these items in the future here on the blog. Use the search function in the header to find those posts. 

Get A Grip

The Redshift Sports Cruise Control Grips

Recently my experience with the new Ergon GP1 Evo grips reminded me of how I thought that Ergon should have tried a drop bar specific variation on the GP1 back when I first got a hold of the GP1's in 2005. I know that back then the market for such grips probably was pretty limited, but now?

Well, there are "drop bar specific grips" from several companies and they are starting to catch on. I saw where Jay Petervary was using some of the Redshift Sports Cruise Control grips on that longtail Esker bike. That's a pretty high-profile endorsement of such a grip for long gravel rides. 

But Redshift isn't the only idea out there. I used some longer ESI silicone grips on my Pofahl briefly back more than ten years ago to try to find some relief from the gravel. For myself, that didn't work so well, but those are still a good idea for some folks. Now Ritchey Design has a similar grip out for drops in their WCS Drop Bar Grips.   

The Ritchey WCS Drop Bar Grip (Image courtesy of Ritchey Design)

To my way of thinking the best design for a drop bar grip is more like an Ergon grip, but not everyone may agree with me there. That said, you've got two basic choices in grips with a variation that could be seen as a third variation on the theme, I suppose. then you also have shaped handle bars, which are a separate component and which have their own sets of plusses and minuses for the gravel rider. 

The Ritchey Design grip is representative of what I call "track bar style grips". Grips that go on a drop bar's extensions and maybe as far as up to the lever clamp. There are certainly those who may think, "Just buy a track grip!", and be done with it. Well, that is an option, but the gravel influence usually means that this sort of grip has some "beef" to it and that it is designed to absorb vibrations. That's the idea behind the Ritchey grip. 

My Pofahl custom signature bike with the original set-up featured ESI silicone grips on the drop bar.

 The other variation on this "track bar style grip" is similar but they have "ergonomic bumps" to aid in grip on the drop bar's extensions. I haven't seen a lot of this sort of thing, but examples do exist and I have photographic evidence to share below.

ERE Research grips

The "Shape My Grip" accessory grips fit over the bar and then are wrapped over.

My feelings on this sort of adaptation to drop bars is that they don't really do anything for vibration reduction. The may give you a bit more purchase on the bar in slippery situations, but most of the time they aren't doing much for you.

And maybe that is a criticism to be leveled at all of the solutions I've presented so far, because, ya know, most folks are riding on the hoods a large percentage of the time that they are on the bike. Things down on the extensions aren't of much use to them. That's why shaped bars have become more popular. 

The PRO brand "Vibe" bars (Image courtesy of PRO)

Shaped, "ergonomic" bars, especially carbon handle bars, are very popular because the manufacturer can put the "comfort features" closer to where riders will actually use that. The "tops" section is probably the most commonly affected section of a drop bar in that regard, but the PRO branded "Vibe" bar takes this to an extreme because they have designed that bar to mate with Shimano levers. Understandably so, since PRO is owned by Shimano! 

The thing is, the ergonomic bar has two things going against it. One: The angles and positioning overall of any ergo features are not adjustable. Either you get on with what the designer did, or you do not. The expense of such handlebars makes risking choosing one a harder thing to do. Two: We are hamstrung by the brake lever clamp standard which has been in use for a century and dictates the way we attach levers and therefore it makes any radical changes to the bar shape tough to accomplish. 

Because Whisky designed the Mason Bar to have MTB sized extensions, I was able to mount these Ergon grips.

So, at this point grip technology for drop bars is kind of at a standstill. To my way of thinking, although many people don't ride in the drops, the Redshift Sports Cruise Control grips are still the best thing I've come across for comfort and vibration reduction for drop bars. Yes, the fact that they are very "ergon-like" is not lost on me. But it only makes sense that this is what should be pursued for that particular position on the bars. 

I love the more integrated idea that PRO used on the Vibe bar which transitions the lever to the bars well. That's probably the smartest place to work on for other companies to innovate in because of all the time most people's hands are on the hoods or right there where the lever connects to the bar. 

Time will tell if anybody comes up with some solutions, but I think this is an area ripe for the taking in the gravel market now.

Review Briefs

 As many of you know, I get in a fair amount of stuff to review 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. 

Twin Six Standard Super Thermal Jersey:

Twin Six just came out with a cool/cold weather top called the Standard Super Thermal Jersey. It tickled my fancy because it isn't your standard issue thermal long sleeved piece and it isn't a soft-shell jacket either. It falls somewhere in between those two things, in my opinion. 

Twin Six says it is a "jersey", and that's really closer to the mark than "jacket", but this isn't something you'll want to wear on cool Summer mornings or on Sunny Fall days either. This is more of a "shoulder-season" piece, in my opinion, and paired with a wind vest, it about does everything I'd want in terms of Fall to Winter temperature cycling. 

It's made from a fleeced-up Lycra that Twin Six bills as "Lycra Wool". It is not really wool, so don't let that trip you up. I'll have a bit more to say about that in a moment. But for now, here are the bullet point features:

• Back brushed insulated Lyrca Wool body
• Two-ply collar with zipper garage
• Easy-pull semi-autolock zipper with full length insulated backing
• Three deep back storage pockets with additional hidden internal zipper pocket
• Designed for temperatures below 45˚F
• Silicone gripper around the bottom to hold everything in place

Sizing: Twin Six has a super-helpful and accurate sizing chart, but let me say this, "I don't believe I am a 3XL." But that's how this is sized. Yeah....I am a big guy, but no way am I a 3XL in anything else in this world but cycling clothing. That's not just a Twin Six thing either. That's industry-wide. 

That's super-weird and not very size-inclusive, by the way, since 3XL is the largest size on offer and I know a lot of cyclist bigger than I am. That said, this thing fits perfectly. Could we have called this an "XL" and made two even bigger sizes? That would have been nice for some folks, I bet. 

GT in the Standard Super Thermal Jersey

Impressions: The fleeced interior of this jersey is really nice and I wore this as a jersey using only a base layer under it (A Twin Six one, natch) The "Lycra Wool" is actually kinda like wool in how it feels against the skin. At least when new. We'll see how it launders and feels after several rides. 

The sleeves are a great length and I have pretty long arms. In the saddle the arms, shoulders, and back are perfectly situated on my body and there is no restriction to movement whatsoever. The sleeves end in nice, flat cuffs which will integrate with gloves well and not sag or get in the way. 

The zipper is "good" and doesn't seem like a cheap one. No two-way zipping here, and it is a jersey, so I would not expect that feature. However; some may have wanted that. Personally, I don't care for that sort of thing, but to each their own. Finally, that zipper has a nice pocket, or as they call them "garages" to hide in and it won't bite you or pull your beard hairs, should you be sportin' such. 

Riding: The cut is short in the front, long in the back, so it fits while you are riding very well. It sits just right, and I never felt the need to pull at anything or readjust the jersey. That's a good sign that this is designed and put together well.

I used this on a cool Fall morning with temperatures just above 40°F and with little wind. Still, I mated the Super Thermal with a Twin Six wind vest to cut down on any wind intrusions that might make me chilly. I rode a combination of cityscape, bike tails, single track, and out in the wide-open for maximum wind exposure. In all instances I was very comfortable. 

Good back pockets, by the way, and there is a hidden, zippered pocket for a credit/debit card, keys, or other small items. So far this is a winner and I look forward to wearing this piece a lot this Fall and layered with other things this Winter. 

Oh! And I payed full-pop retail for this which is $140.00. So there.

Ergon GP1 Evo:

Saturday I reported in my "Two Things" post about the new Ergon GP1 Evo grips. This bit of today's post will just be a brief ride impression for this new grip.

Okay, so I have to give you all a bit of my background in issues I have with my hands so there is some context for this. I am a bicycle mechanic and have been for a long time. I have pulled on, banged on, twisted, and gripped tools with my hands on an almost daily basis for all of those years. My hands have suffered some damage for sure. 

Then there is the fact that I have not got a lot of "meat" on my mitts. They bruise easily and I have a propensity to bust open veins at times which can really hurt. Then due to my age and injuries I have a bit of arthritis in my right thumb joint. Riding regular handle bars, especially flat bars, with "normal" grips is hard to do, and even with drop bars, I can get numb hands very quickly. That or my hands just hurt, which can be a problem.

I usually just try to shake it off, move my hands a lot, or change tape/grips. Ergon's GP1, the originals, helped a lot with all of my hand issues on my flat bar bikes.  But these new grips feel better than any other grips I have tried.. They are really a better grip than the original GP1. Too bad there isn't a drop bar version....

I'm going to keep on trying these out in different situations and maybe swap them over to a different bike, but so far, I am really getting along with the new GP1 Evo. 

The Gryphon Mk3 has an Enduro outboard bottom bracket.

Enduro Bearings:

The Enduro bearings I have been testing in the Gryphon and the Standard Rando v2 have been an interesting experience. Kind of a tale of two experiences, really. 

The tale of what went into the Standard Rando v2 can be read HERE. That bike got a load of Enduro stuff put into it and then I rode that bike in a metric ton of Summer drought induced gravel dust. 

The Gryphon has been doing duty as a truckster, of sorts, carrying around this load of stuff of late. Between the two bikes I have noted different things. The Gryphon Mk3 experience with that MaxHit bottom bracket has been an eye opening one. I used a Shimano compatible outboard bearing type bottom bracket on that frame and it has 100% eliminated that weird "rumble" I get with every Shimano outboard bearing bottom bracket I've ever tried when pedaling hard or under a heavy load. This Enduro bottom bracket is noticeably smoother and easier to rotate. I would not hesitate to use one of these MaxHit outboard bearing bottom brackets again. 

Now as for the Twin Six, that bike has a PF-30 type insert with a Shimano compatible bearing. The bottom bracket screws together and has been dead quiet despite all the grit and dust. However; it still has a slight "rumble" of the sort that I eliminated with the Enduro bottom bracket in the Gryphon. The T-6 bike's crank spins great though. Better than with the previous Wheels Manufacturing bottom bracket. 

The jockey wheels, bottom bracket, and head set are all Enduro products on this bike.

The other Enduro components, the derailleur jockey wheels and the head set? I cannot tell any difference at all. I mean, the drive train spins in the stand far more freely, so I know that it is better from a friction standpoint, but honestly, you cannot feel that. Same with the head set. It hasn't given me any troubles, but neither did the Cane Creek head set that was in there before this. 

Maybe the jockey wheels are worth a few watts? I wish I could say that definitively, but I have no way to measure that. Plus, those jockey wheels are very expensive! The head set? Great head set, but probably overkill here. If I lived where it was wetter, or if this bike saw a lot of snow or gritty mud that maybe would help this headset stand out. 

I suppose it is more durable, being that it is stainless steel and from the MaxHit line, so that means it should last a long time and stay smooth. That's worth something if you plan on keeping a bike for a long time and want minimal maintenance. 

So, MaxHit outboard bearing bottom bracket? Big thumbs up. The Press Fit 30 one? Good, but the Wheels Manufacturing one felt as good. The jockey wheels? Meh... If you are a racer looking for those elusive watts? Then yes. The head set? Yeah.... That could go either way. It's good, but there are so many good heads sets and it's hard to say "you gotta get the Enduro one!" when it really doesn't seem to be all that different in practice.

Two Things

Image from the 2020 C.O.G. 100 course which was never used.

Single Speed Is Not Dead - At Least Not On Gravel!

Over the weekend there was a single speed-only event held in Iowa. It was called the "Limestone 66.6". Billed as the "Iowa Single Speed Gravel Championships", the event was well attended, well received, and by all accounts was well run also. 

Of course, long-time blog readers here will note that N.Y. Roll and I also ran an Iowa Single Speed Gravel Championship which was called the C.O.G. 100 back in 2019 and it was planned to happen for 2020, but we all know what happened THAT year. So, anyway.... Yeah, I was happy to see the idea picked up and that it continues on as this Limestone 66.6 event. 

I know that I have mentioned this here before, but single speed bicycles, and specifically single speed gravel bikes, are a niche that many riders are very passionate about in 2023. Now, I have to say, this surprises me in the size of response I have gotten to a couple of podcasts I've put out about the genre' and from hits on the subject here as well. 

I know I like single speed graveling around the countryside, I just didn't realize how much others did as well. So, single speed is alive and well, at least in the gravel cycling world, if not in other places as in cycling. 

The Ergon GP1 EVO grip on my On One Inbred

New Grip Day With The Ergon GP1 EVO:

Friday in the "FN&V" I led off with Ergon's redesign of the GP1 grip, their flagship grip, now dubbed the "GP1 Evo". Well, I had forgotten that I mentioned in my response to the marketing department that if they were of a mind, I would test a set of the redesigned grip. Well. guess what showed up in the mail Saturday?

So- YES: I received the Ergon GP1 Evo grips at no charge for test and review. 

Now, are they really any different? That was my question. I happen to have several bikes set up with GP1's, the OG's of Ergon's grip range, and here are my thoughts out of the box. 

First, the aluminum clamp is really different. The old one is bigger, or maybe I should say longer as I look at it. Then the clamping bolt, which stares you in the face with the old GP1 is now underneath, out of sight, on the Evo. That's the most obvious change. 

The rest is subtle and you need an old GP1 next to a GP1 Evo to see and feel the differences. First, to my eye, the new grip has a slightly different, maybe bigger, winged section over that of the old GP1. They look similar, but they are different. 

The other thing has to do with feel. The older GP1's all had a very weird, "hard" edge to the wing bit except at the very apex of the end of the wing where it turned back toward the clamp. That small bit was flexible. The new GP1 Evo seems to be flexible all along that edge of the wing. The rubber feels somewhat different as well. Something maybe in the durometer of the rubber compound is different here with the newer grip. It feels subtly softer,or that it has more "give". 

Otherwise everything else is familiar with the new GP1 Evo. As the name suggests, this is more of an "evolution" of the GP1. Is it better? That's the question. I should have an answer soon. Stay tuned....

Tomorrow: Something else I requested for review showed up after about two months from the original request. Of course, I had forgotten all about it. Stay tuned to find out what it is.....

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Ergon

 Ergon Redesigns Flagship Grip:

Ergon announced yesterday that their iconic "winged" design grip has been refreshed and released for use. Using a manufacturing process that reduces waste to near-zero, and using refined rubber and natural cork (GP-1 BioKork Evo) , this grip represents a responsibly produced product that is 100% manufactured in Germany and is SGS certified. Using SGS certified, pollutant-free, medical grade rubber, the grip meets German toy and food standards. 

In the case of the BioKork GP-1 Evo, the grip contains 40% organically grown cork from Portugal and the rest is manufactured to SGS standards in Germany. 

The aluminum clamp is integrated into the GP-1 Evo and BioKork Evo grips and now features a hidden hex head clamping bolt. 

Prices are $39.95 for the GP-1 Evo and $49.95 for the BioKork GP-1 Evo. These are available now via Ergon's Amazon partners or from bike shops with a Quality Bicycle Products account. 

Comments: the much-copied, flagship grip from Ergon gets a long awaited refresh but it seems to have retained its basic features which made it a revolutionary grip in 2005 when it arrived on the scene here in the US. I know that I have personally gained much from having these grips installed on my bicycles since 2005, which has increased comfort and reduced hand numbness for me to a great degree. 

Interesting from my viewpoint is that Trans Iowa was Ergon's first sponsorship activation in the USA back in 2005. Ergon supplied each of the starting riders a set of the then unknown grips. It is safe to say that this sponsorship not only enhanced Trans Iowa as a concept for an event, but set Ergon off in an upward trajectory with endurance cyclists and mountain bikers immediately. Ergon also graciously allowed Jeff and I our own sets of GP-1 grips which was how I was introduced to the grip's benefits. 

Check out the Ergon GP-1 grips here. Thank you to Ergon for the information and image used in this post. 

Guitar Ted Podcast Episode #30:

Well, we've put up another episode of the "GTP" again, and we covered the discontinued  Cross Check model, plus a whole bunch of other stuff. You can listen HERE if you care to. I'd be honored if you decide to listen in on any of our episodes. 

This Cross Check thing kind of caught me by surprise. The discontinuation bit and the reaction from riders. Apparently, Surly doing this struck a nerve in many of you. Has Surly done a disservice to its original ethos? Has Surly "lost its way" lately? Seems that many of those who are lamenting the loss of the Cross Check, 1X1, and the Long Haul Trucker seem to think so. And what about the old Pugs? That's gone too. 

My feeling is that this all started back in the early twenty-teens. I spent time in the bowels of the QBP mother ship at different Frostbike gatherings and I could see the "foundation issues" within the organization. Any company worth its salt has a strong core of people. Humans that drive the thing and have passion for that mission are necessary for the end product's appeal to the customer base. Those "foundational" people all started to fall away in the twenty-teens. The mold had been cast for what has happened now, to a degree. 

Of course, a world-wide pandemic, economic upheavals, and other factors come into play here, but a lot of what we see now is the fall-out of stuff that had its beginnings over a decade ago now. That's my take. But the reasons why we are at where we are at with Surly's products have just served to lead us to the current state of affairs. That's all it is. That's something that cannot be undone. Things change, times end, and so I remember the Cross Check with fondness for where it took us.  

Image courtesy of Mavic USA.

Mavic Introduces All-Road Wheels & Shoes:

Mavic. Remember them? Well, they are back again and now have a USA office. They just introduced two sets of wheels and a couple of shoes for riders of gravel and dirt. 

What is interesting is that Mavic decided to enter the complete wheel market in the entry level. These are aluminum rimmed wheels with the patented Mavic FORE rim design which leaves no spoke hole drillings which would require rim tape. These rims don't need that as the rim well is solid aluminum. 

The hub for the rear wheel uses what Mavic calls "ID360" design, but basically what it is is a star ratchet system. DT Swiss used to have the exclusive patent on that design but it has run out now, so you will see that offered in several wheel designs in the future and this is one of them. 

The wheels are not what you'd call "impressively light weight". The All Road S weighs in at 1700 grams and the SL version weighs 45 grams less. However; there is some versatility in the axle standards as Mavic says that you can get 15mm end caps for front wheels and a QR end cap for rear wheels in this range. (Note: It wasn't clear if a QR end cap is available for front wheels.) The wheels ship with the now standard 12mm through axle compatible end caps. Prices set at $530.00 USD for the All Road S and $830.00 USD for the All Road SL wheels. 

Image courtesy of Mavic USA

The shoes I would be interested in are these Cosmic BOA SPD kicks with a faux leather upper and a fiberglass reinforced Nylon sole. The BOA dial is the one that you can micro-adjust on the fly, which is a nice feature. 

The perforations promise some air flow and the rubber walking tread areas on the bottom promise safe walking in convenience stores when you are looking for that savory slice of Casey's pizza! 

These come in a brown (shown) and black, but since Jeff Kerkove told me about dark shoes making your feet hotter I have been wishing for lighter colored footwear. So, that's a bummer here because you cannot get that with these shoes. 

Comments: I like the shoes, and the wheels are kind of a head scratcher. I mean, yeah.....if my stock wheels on - say a Journeyer - were up for replacement, these would be marginally better for not a whole lot of cash. However; wheels are so competitively priced now that you can get a nice set of carbon rimmed wheels for about the same price as the All Road SL's. So, it's a bit puzzling on that side as to why Mavic would choose to go into the high-end aluminum complete wheel market and not have something on offer that is lighter weight. 

LeMond All-Road Prolog - A Gravel eBike from LeMond?

So when Greg LeMond decided to start an independent bicycle company I assumed, as I am sure many of you all did, that there would be a drop bar bike of some type immediately. 

But there wasn't.

It was electrified flat bar bikes, then a Dutch inspired ebike, and after all that, I figured, well.....maybe LeMond isn't into drop bar bikes anymore. Weird thought, but ya know..... 

Well, then this All - Road bike debuts, and it is kind of impressive. Especially when I think about that Specialized bike I talked about last week. This LeMond bike costs significantly less, has better range, and weighs under 30lbs. Plus it comes with Panaracer Gravel Kings at 700 X 43mm size with room to spare. 

Adding in some proper geometry, and you know what? I'd ride this sans motor. I am not interested in electrified bikes, but a gravel bike from LeMond? That'd be pretty cool.

That's all for this week! Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of KMC Chains

 KMC Chains Offers "Aurora" Finish:

Last week, KMC sent out a press release which announced that their "Aurora" finish was now available on 12 speed X-Series chains which are compatible, they claim, with SRAM, Shimano, and Campagnolo drive trains. Reading the release, I found it hard to ascertain whether or not the 10 and 11 speed X-Series chains had already been available in Aurora finish, or were also "new" to the range. 

At any rate, there you go! Now you can "oil slick" all the things on your drive train. 

Comments:  The finish is......meh! I thought it was kind of psychedelic and would match an old Gary Fisher Grateful Dead bike well. (ha!) But yeah, this "oil slick" trend is not me. I guess having seen the "real thing" almost all my life in the streets and in garages, the "celebration" of the rainbow effect that polluting oil slicks give off seems rather incongruent to bicycling's "green manifesto". But maybe that's just me.....

Ergon "OrthoCell" Pad Kit On Test:

Last Summer I was offered the opportunity to try out the new Ergon handlebar tape for gravel use. I ended up having a pretty favorable view of the tape (see here) and I have continued to use that tape up until the present on the pink BMC. 

The marketing firm that handles all the Ergon product now recently reached out to me again with the offer to try out Ergon's "OrthoCell" Pad Set for drop handlebars. I agreed to check it out and so now I have that here to put on one of my bicycles. 

Standard Disclaimer applies.

Okay, so my perception before I got this stuff was that it was a take on the other types of under-the-tape vibration relief/comfort products like those various gel/rubbery pads that fizik, Specialized, and others made for drop bar handlebars. And in principle, this Ergon product is like those, but in important ways, it is very much unlike those previous products. 

First and foremost, the OrthoCell pads are closed cell foam type pads, not elastomeric or gel based. They are also a bit thinner than the other products at 2.5mm in thickness. I like that because the previous attempts at making under-the-tape pads all had far too much give. They were squishy, or too soft, and my hands would end up cramping because subconsciously, that "give" sent the message to my brain that I wasn't gripping the bars well enough, so I gripped harder than I needed to and.... well that sucked! 

I gave up on those under-the-tape products years ago because of that. We'll see how this OrthoCell stuff behaves, but I have a feeling it will be better than what I have tried before. 

Fitwave becomes Big River Gravel Series.

Big River Gravel Series Announces Dates For 2023:

Last year another Mid-West/kinda Iowa based gravel series kicked off under the name "Fitwave". That has now become the Big River Gravel Series. The news was released via Fitwave/Big River Gravel series social media a week ago now.

Comments: As far as the name change goes, I like it. "Fitwave" was not very representative of what was going on here. In fact, it sounded more indoor cycling related to me than the new name, which pretty much nails what is actually happening. 

I think I mentioned this when Fitwave kicked off its series, but I cannot believe that it took this long to get gravel series going in Iowa. We've got the Relentless Events gravel races, but technically, those are not a series. Then you've got the Iowa Gravel Series, which sprang up a couple of years ago now, and that's it. 

70,000 miles of gravel and dirt roads and it took until the 2020's for anything to be organized as far as series for gravel events in Iowa, and really, for a full calendar of gravel events in Iowa at all. That's always been a mystery to me, but it is what it is.

This new Club Spinistry event is for club members only.

Adventure Gravel Tours/Races/Events Taking Off:

Lately I've seen a trend toward route development that caters to touring/racing/adventuring on gravel or remote back roads across the country. Things like the Great Plains Gravel Route, The Pony Express Bikepacking Route, and this newest addition, the Red To Rio Grande Rivers Route. It's something we cover on the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Podcast from time to time. (By the way, the latest episode on cold weather riding tips is HERE)

I'm not sure if this is a reaction to Big Time Gravel™ becoming a thing so pervasive that a reaction to it is forming, but my gut tells me that it is just that. I could be way off here, but this is a trend that seems to have popped up over the last three years or less. 

One common theme here is that these routes have gained some notoriety due to their point-to-point layouts, multi-day completion times, and their "ultra-remote" nature. My feeling is that 'if' these routes show interest from riders that shorter, more attainable routes/loops/tours will start to become a "thing" in terms of events. 

And they plan on even bigger things!

It could grow from the "other end", and by that I mean the rise in gravel group rides that I have noted as well. I could easily see sub-24 rides, weekend outings, and "gravel vacations" becoming a thing that grows out of the group ride scene. I could see clubs and certain adventure oriented bike shops dipping their toes into doing supported gravel tours. (There used to be a shop out of Sioux Falls that did just that years ago) I don't think this is limited to the West or Appalachian areas either. There is no reason at all this couldn't be a scene right here in Iowa. 

The common thread will be just as it was in the early gravel scene: Cheap (maybe even free) to enter, low key, focus on experience vs. competition, and community building. Stay tuned.... This bears watching.

The 2023 Spearfish Deore: Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles.

Salsa Cycles Announces Color/Spec For 2023 Spearfish Models:

Salsa Cycles released new colors and spec details for their 2023 line up of Spearfish mountain bikes featuring the dual suspension, Split Pivot design. This platform has been around for Salsa Cycles for several years now. 

Spearfish models will be available in both carbon fiber and aluminum with an addition of a frame-only option in carbon fiber. Prices range from $3,449.00 for either the carbon frame-only or a complete Spearfish Deore bike to $6,999.00 for the range topping Spearfish XT bike. 

My "dream-bike", if I had the $$$'s. Spearfish XT (Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles)

Comments: Well, I find the Spearfish to be a very interesting bike. For me, at any rate, the Spearfish is that link between "29"ers 1.0" and modern-day 29 inch wheeled trail bikes. 

Back when I was heavily involved in the 29"er scene, a bike with a slacker than 70° head angle was weird. They just did not exist. To think about a bike with a 68°-ish head tube angle? Wild! Outlandish! Would steer like a wheelbarrow! 

Now? Ha! "Low, Slack, and Long" is the order of the day. Heck, even some gravel bikes have slacker than 70° head angles now! But back to this Spearfish. It is a bike that allows many to have a sharper handling, single track style bike that isn't focused on gravity fed mountain trail riding. This is the Mid-West's MTB, and for a lot of other places, this sort of bike makes way more sense than an enduro based bike with gobs of travel and a chopper inspired geometry. 

I also appreciate that you can look at a Spearfish and not feel like you are being priced out of the market, to a degree. I mean, the Spearfish XT is 7K, so that's not "cheap", but you can get a decent example of this bike for a lot less than that and still have a very capable bike that features a well known, respected dual suspension design. I like that about this Spearfish.

That's a wrap for this week! Have a great weekend! Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of KMC Chains

 KMC Chains Offers "Aurora" Finish:

Last week, KMC sent out a press release which announced that their "Aurora" finish was now available on 12 speed X-Series chains which are compatible, they claim, with SRAM, Shimano, and Campagnolo drive trains. Reading the release, I found it hard to ascertain whether or not the 10 and 11 speed X-Series chains had already been available in Aurora finish, or were also "new" to the range. 

At any rate, there you go! Now you can "oil slick" all the things on your drive train. 

Comments:  The finish is......meh! I thought it was kind of psychedelic and would match an old Gary Fisher Grateful Dead bike well. (ha!) But yeah, this "oil slick" trend is not me. I guess having seen the "real thing" almost all my life in the streets and in garages, the "celebration" of the rainbow effect that polluting oil slicks give off seems rather incongruent to bicycling's "green manifesto". But maybe that's just me.....

Ergon "OrthoCell" Pad Kit On Test:

Last Summer I was offered the opportunity to try out the new Ergon handlebar tape for gravel use. I ended up having a pretty favorable view of the tape (see here) and I have continued to use that tape up until the present on the pink BMC. 

The marketing firm that handles all the Ergon product now recently reached out to me again with the offer to try out Ergon's "OrthoCell" Pad Set for drop handlebars. I agreed to check it out and so now I have that here to put on one of my bicycles. 

Standard Disclaimer applies.

Okay, so my perception before I got this stuff was that it was a take on the other types of under-the-tape vibration relief/comfort products like those various gel/rubbery pads that fizik, Specialized, and others made for drop bar handlebars. And in principle, this Ergon product is like those, but in important ways, it is very much unlike those previous products. 

First and foremost, the OrthoCell pads are closed cell foam type pads, not elastomeric or gel based. They are also a bit thinner than the other products at 2.5mm in thickness. I like that because the previous attempts at making under-the-tape pads all had far too much give. They were squishy, or too soft, and my hands would end up cramping because subconsciously, that "give" sent the message to my brain that I wasn't gripping the bars well enough, so I gripped harder than I needed to and.... well that sucked! 

I gave up on those under-the-tape products years ago because of that. We'll see how this OrthoCell stuff behaves, but I have a feeling it will be better than what I have tried before. 

Fitwave becomes Big River Gravel Series.

Big River Gravel Series Announces Dates For 2023:

Last year another Mid-West/kinda Iowa based gravel series kicked off under the name "Fitwave". That has now become the Big River Gravel Series. The news was released via Fitwave/Big River Gravel series social media a week ago now.

Comments: As far as the name change goes, I like it. "Fitwave" was not very representative of what was going on here. In fact, it sounded more indoor cycling related to me than the new name, which pretty much nails what is actually happening. 

I think I mentioned this when Fitwave kicked off its series, but I cannot believe that it took this long to get gravel series going in Iowa. We've got the Relentless Events gravel races, but technically, those are not a series. Then you've got the Iowa Gravel Series, which sprang up a couple of years ago now, and that's it. 

70,000 miles of gravel and dirt roads and it took until the 2020's for anything to be organized as far as series for gravel events in Iowa, and really, for a full calendar of gravel events in Iowa at all. That's always been a mystery to me, but it is what it is.

This new Club Spinistry event is for club members only.

Adventure Gravel Tours/Races/Events Taking Off:

Lately I've seen a trend toward route development that caters to touring/racing/adventuring on gravel or remote back roads across the country. Things like the Great Plains Gravel Route, The Pony Express Bikepacking Route, and this newest addition, the Red To Rio Grande Rivers Route. It's something we cover on the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Podcast from time to time. (By the way, the latest episode on cold weather riding tips is HERE)

I'm not sure if this is a reaction to Big Time Gravel™ becoming a thing so pervasive that a reaction to it is forming, but my gut tells me that it is just that. I could be way off here, but this is a trend that seems to have popped up over the last three years or less. 

One common theme here is that these routes have gained some notoriety due to their point-to-point layouts, multi-day completion times, and their "ultra-remote" nature. My feeling is that 'if' these routes show interest from riders that shorter, more attainable routes/loops/tours will start to become a "thing" in terms of events. 

And they plan on even bigger things!

It could grow from the "other end", and by that I mean the rise in gravel group rides that I have noted as well. I could easily see sub-24 rides, weekend outings, and "gravel vacations" becoming a thing that grows out of the group ride scene. I could see clubs and certain adventure oriented bike shops dipping their toes into doing supported gravel tours. (There used to be a shop out of Sioux Falls that did just that years ago) I don't think this is limited to the West or Appalachian areas either. There is no reason at all this couldn't be a scene right here in Iowa. 

The common thread will be just as it was in the early gravel scene: Cheap (maybe even free) to enter, low key, focus on experience vs. competition, and community building. Stay tuned.... This bears watching.

The 2023 Spearfish Deore: Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles.

Salsa Cycles Announces Color/Spec For 2023 Spearfish Models:

Salsa Cycles released new colors and spec details for their 2023 line up of Spearfish mountain bikes featuring the dual suspension, Split Pivot design. This platform has been around for Salsa Cycles for several years now. 

Spearfish models will be available in both carbon fiber and aluminum with an addition of a frame-only option in carbon fiber. Prices range from $3,449.00 for either the carbon frame-only or a complete Spearfish Deore bike to $6,999.00 for the range topping Spearfish XT bike. 

My "dream-bike", if I had the $$$'s. Spearfish XT (Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles)

Comments: Well, I find the Spearfish to be a very interesting bike. For me, at any rate, the Spearfish is that link between "29"ers 1.0" and modern-day 29 inch wheeled trail bikes. 

Back when I was heavily involved in the 29"er scene, a bike with a slacker than 70° head angle was weird. They just did not exist. To think about a bike with a 68°-ish head tube angle? Wild! Outlandish! Would steer like a wheelbarrow! 

Now? Ha! "Low, Slack, and Long" is the order of the day. Heck, even some gravel bikes have slacker than 70° head angles now! But back to this Spearfish. It is a bike that allows many to have a sharper handling, single track style bike that isn't focused on gravity fed mountain trail riding. This is the Mid-West's MTB, and for a lot of other places, this sort of bike makes way more sense than an enduro based bike with gobs of travel and a chopper inspired geometry. 

I also appreciate that you can look at a Spearfish and not feel like you are being priced out of the market, to a degree. I mean, the Spearfish XT is 7K, so that's not "cheap", but you can get a decent example of this bike for a lot less than that and still have a very capable bike that features a well known, respected dual suspension design. I like that about this Spearfish.

That's a wrap for this week! Have a great weekend! Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Hall Of Fame Ride Sunday:

Well, N.Y. Roll's "Hall of Fame Ride" takes place out of Vinton, Iowa this Sunday at 9:00am. (Details on his blog here) 

I do not have any clear idea on who might show up, or how many people will show up. It is Father's Day, a Sunday, and that will limit the participation. There is also a local gravel ride happening the day before as well. 

So, it could be a big group, or it could be just myself and N.Y. Roll- maybe a few others. No problem. As N.Y. Roll himself said- "This doesn't mean that this has to be the only ride for GT." I mean, I'm open to offers to do some other ride to celebrate this, so let me know if it matters to you. 

And if it doesn't register on your radar to do anything like that, I'm good. I'm just saying that if you feel so inclined, let me know. It isn't as if N.Y. Roll's ride is it, and there will not be another chance to ride with me and celebrate this honor with me. But here's the thing- I'm not organizing a ride to celebrate this. That's got to come from someone else, for example, as with N.Y, Roll. So, don't wait for me to announce something I'm organizing, because that ain't-a-gonna happen. Hope that makes sense. 

Episode #95 Riding Gravel Radio Ranch:

Well, since last October the ol' Riding Gravel Radio Ranch microphones have been gathering dust, that is until recently. There were some good reasons for that, but I will not delve into all the nitty-gritty of that here. 

Suffice it to say that with the acquisition of some equipment on my part and with the help of N.Y. Roll, I have resurrected the podcast and a new episode is up now.  

N.Y. Roll is my new co-host and we will be picking up where we left off with gab about gravel, bikepacking, and by interviewing subjects from the field of gravel grinding. I will intersperse this with some comments and thoughts on review items as well. 

The RGRR podcast has been missed by more than a few folks and I was even asked while at the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame induction after-party when I was ever going to get that podcast going again. Well, here ya go.... 

And if you wish I'd just go away, well then, don't hit the link. 

Inflation, Fuel Prices Weigh Heavily On Cycling:

Good news! Supply chain issues show signs of relaxing. Bad news: Gas prices are up and inflation is at record levels. Looks like the stock market tanked as well. Hrrumph! 

Pandemic levels of demand and all those new cyclists? Poof! Gone.... The future looks a bit bleaker now, and even if the supply chain straightens out 100%, it is doubtful that boom times are going to continue when bikes do hit shop floors en-force. 

Gas pricing may be seen as a good thing, but I don't think we are quite at the levels where people are willing to jump ship to cycling from cars just yet. They will drive less, and recreational activities are generally hurt by this first. A news article I read stated that National Park attendance has fallen off a cliff during 2022 so far compared to its record levels set the past two years. 

Actually, I think what is happening is that a two-headed monster is affecting folks that might be cyclists from becoming cyclists- Gas prices aren't high enough to force folks out of cars and bike shop bicycle prices have jumped up, making a bicycle harder to acquire in a financial sense. I just helped a couple young folks at the Bicycle Collective who stated this to me.  They want to cycle, but the cost of buying new bikes was out of their budget. I cannot imagine that this isn't happening more often than we know.

And since inflation has struck the prices of bikes and gear pretty hard, I think this will be a big reason for flat sales in 2022.. I think sales will be hurt especially in the lower end in the near term. Especially when I am hearing people complaining about what big-box stores are charging for bicycles. You know if they are upset about that, well a bike shop hasn't got a chance at their business. 

Ergon CF Allroad Pro Carbon Seat Post- "No Seat Post For You!"

In the world of cycling, there is a maxim, accredited to Keith Bontrager, that goes something like: "Strong, Cheap, Light. Pick Two". I'm going to paraphrase that and say "If you weigh North of 250lbs, You Only Get "Strong and Cheap, but it could be Expensive too!"

Okay, I'm being a bit harsh, because there are a lot of components and bicycles that have high weight limits or none at all. But in the case of seat posts, and carbon seat posts at that, one should pay close attention to weight limits. 

I've broken two carbon seat posts in my life, and I have never broken a metal one. I'm pretty sure I've never even bent a metal one, but let's say I have for argument's sake. I'd rather bend a post, rendering it no good, than break a carbon post any day. I was fortunate both times not to incur an injury. 

So, when I received an Ergon CF Allroad Pro carbon post to review for RidingGravel.com, I was thrilled to try it out, that is until I saw the 240lb weight limit. I'm juuust over that weight these days, but I am not taking any chances. I sent it off to get reviewed by the much lighter Grannygear. 

And- so what? Well, this is another area where I feel that cycling kind of gets it wrong. Maybe the marketing message should be amended to show that this is for a very small percentage of folks who ride. Racers. Lightweight folks. Or......maybe design for heavier people and those who carry stuff on their backs. I get it- Ergon has been working on this post since around 2006. Just getting something out of all that R&D is pretty important, because I cannot believe this product is making any money for Ergon yet. And yes- maybe they are doing a version for heavier people in the future. 

But for now? No seat post for you!  

Note: It has been brought to my attention in the comments that lighter/smaller riders also face similar issues, but in the sense that most products are over-built for them. (Or do not fit, etc.) So, I apologize for not seeing that when I worked on this story about the Ergon post. 

That's it for this week. Have a fantastic weekend!