Friday News And Views

From Domahidy Designs Facebook page

 Viral Bikes Wanderer Features Pinion Drive, TRP Shifting:

Steve Domahidy may not be a name you are familiar with, but he has been a big influence on cycling since around 2004 when he and then partner, Chris Sugai, started Niner Bikes, a 29"er only bicycle company back when 29"ers were still in their infancy. 

After leaving Niner in 2011, Steve went on to design bicycles for Factor bikes, his own Domahidy Designs, and now with Viral Bikes. He has also been a part of working on several other products behind the scenes that you might be familiar with. In other words, he's had his hands in many products and ground-breaking designs over the last 20 years. 

His latest creation is an adventure bike running a Pinion gearbox which is electronically shifted using TRP's Hywire shifting. One of the perceived drawbacks to gearbox and internal geared hub shifting is that you could not shift while applying pedal pressure. But now you can with this system, making it much more easily adapted to by any rider. 

Beyond the image and the few details shared in the Facebook post, I don't have any more information on this bike. Stay tuned for more, hopefully soon....

Image courtesy of Ritchey Design

An Unusual Fork:

The first generation Fargo had a very unusual design and a lot of that had to do with the front end geometry. One of the details that concerned me was that the fork was a very unusual beast. It was short, for a 29"er fork, and it had a LOT of offset. 

Early on, this was no big deal as long as Salsa Cycles had replacements in case of a crash, but those forks have been out of production for years now. If I ever had a bad boo-boo with my Gen I Fargo and managed to screw up the fork, I figured I'd have to score a custom replacement to preserve the geometry.

Well, I came across this Ritchey Design fork the other day and taking a closer look, it would do pretty well as a Fargo Gen I replacement fork, the only thing being it is a Boost spaced fork. (110mm) Otherwise it is very close in specifications having a 435mm axle to crown height and a 52mm offset. 

Yeah, you'd have to lace up a new front wheel, or buy one that is compatible with a through axle and Boost spacing, but at least THAT isn't like looking for a needle in a haystack, like the fork would be. Something to think about if you are a Fargo Gen I owner.

Esker's Hayduke in Saguaro/Desert Fade (Courtesy of Esker)

New Colors And Finishes:

In these times of high inventory and low sales it sometimes takes a little "kick" in the pants to motivate a sale. This takes the form of "refreshes"for many brands. In the bicycle business, this can be as simple as changing the color or finish of a frame. 

Let's face it, how your bicycle looks maters, and if you get jazzed by a new color or finish, you just might decide to dig out that plastic key to your bank account and part with some hard earned credit, or go a bit more into debt, depending on your circumstances. 

Esker has spiffed up both of their hardtail models, the Japhy and the Hayduke, with three new hues for each. The Saguaro/Desert Fade is particularly stunning but the sparkly Unicorn might just be my personal favorite here.

Moots new "Groundswell" anodized finish (Image courtesy of Moots)

Moots has also done up their range with a new option called "Groundswell" which is actually an anodized finish. This new scheme can be had as an option on any of Moots' bikes. 

Titanium has the ability to be anodized or painted, so you can get a lot of different effects on titanium that are not choices for a steel or carbon frame. Plus, you get the durability of titanium. And of course, you can run with no finish at all which is the most utilitarian, and probably most popular, way to go with titanium. 

Anodized titanium has been around, but as an option for a frame, it is more rare. remember those Union anodized titanium spokes/ I think those may have been my first notice of anything anodized in titanium which would have been in the mid-90's. These days I kind of gravitate to what Chumba Bikes is doing in the realm of anodized titanium frames myself, but maybe that's just me. 

Orange Bikes Enters Administration:

Iconic British brand Orange has asked to enter into "administration". That may be a foreign term for a lot of us outside the U.K. What it means is that Orange is asking for protection from creditors and to possibly be saved from going out of business. Kind of like "bankruptcy protection" here, but different... Anyway. 

My blogging comrades from across the pond, "Muddymoles", have a great explainer story that you can read HERE. It's a sad tale because Orange Bikes has such a deep and intertwined history in mountain biking in the U.K. We really don't have anything analogous to Orange here anymore. You might say the absorption of the Fisher brand into Trek, or the buying of the Salsa Cycles brand by QBP back in the 1990's is similar. I gather that it is as if a part of mountain biking would die in the U.K. if Orange Bikes cannot see things through.

From my viewpoint it is a cautionary tale because we could be seeing mid-tier brands falling prey to a similar  fate here. 2024 will mark the end of some things, I think, unless sales and the economy take a big upswing, in which case I would be wrong. But we're in an election year here, and typically that doesn't bode well for a return of a robust economy. So, we'll see. 

Best of luck to Orange in the future!

That's a wrap on this week! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Jay Petervary showed this Esker prototype on Facebook recently.

"THIS is a "Bikepack" bike. ":

So says Jay Petervary on his Facebook page on Thursday where he posted the image shown here. JP has been showing views of this bike for the past week as he ramps up to do his latest ride on the Great Divide Route which he is calling "Great Divide Unearthed". 

 Comments; I'll be honest - I did not think this was anything "new" when I first laid eyes on it. That's because JP had been on the Iditarod several years ago on a Salsa Cycles Blackborow. The "long-tailed" version of that bike, which JP had special bags made for and modified slightly. I assumed at first glance that this was an unmarked Blackborow frame set up with 29"er wheels and tires. But if you look closely at the downtube, you can barely make out the "Esker" name. So, I assumed incorrectly. This appears to be a new Esker prototype. 

The idea may have its genesis in that old Blackborow, but I am sure JP and Esker have tweaked the idea out to be what they feel is the "ultimate" bikepacking bike. I know that the long wheel base may seem weird and undesirable at first, but a route like the Great Divide doesn't call out for a bike that has to have tight cornering traits.  Comfort is king, and longer frame tube members have more inherent "flex" and therefore can absorb and dissipate more vibration energy than a shorter, stiffer frame tube will be capable of absorbing. 

Plus, just look at all that frame bag real estate! And it is all in-line with the bike. Nothing sticking out into the wind, although quartering cross winds may be an issue at times. It will be interesting to see if the bike does what Esker and JP are hoping it will do.  

State Bicycle Co All-Road Disc Calipers (Image courtesy of State Bicycle Co)

State Bicycle Co. Announces New Components & More:

Wednesday State Bicycle Co. announced a round of component and apparel offerings. I won't get into the gist of all of the stuff announced, but two items did jump out at me. 

First up we have the State Bicycle Co. All-Road Disc Calipers. These are hydraulic at the caliper, but actuated by cable. So, your older mechanical group can be used with these for (assumed) greater breaking performance. There have been other offerings similar to this like the TRP HyRd, Yokozuna, and the very similar Juin Tech models. The amazing thing about the State offering is that the All-Road Disc calipers sell for a hundred bucks per set. That's a pretty good deal.
 

The State Cargo Cage (Image courtesy of State Bicycle Co)

State also announced an interesting cargo cage, similar in vein to an Anything Cage, it can mount to those Three-Pack bosses found on many forks these days, or under a down tube, or off a rack like the Old Man Mountain Elkhorn, or similar racks. 

The State Cargo Cage is made from aircraft grade aluminum and it features a desert design which reflects State Bicycle Co's Arizona home base. 

The cage weighs in at 168 grams and can carry up to 25lbs of cargo, according to State. The cage sells for $24.99 USD. 

State offers a titanium bolt kit in three colors at an up-charge along with optional rubber straps which can be purchased separately as well. 

It's pretty interesting how what was a fixed gear/urban cycling brand has managed to diversify and stay relevant in the 2020's. (Remember the fixie craze? Woo! That was a while ago now!) So, maybe I shouldn't be all that surprised that State Bicycle Co. has branched out into these accessory and component categories with aggressive price-points and clever designs. But I have to admit, those brake calipers came out of left field for me.  

New episode!

Guitar Ted Podcast Episode #24:

You've read all about the Gravel Worlds history and the UCI vs Gravel Worlds thing this week. If you want more, or if you would rather listen than go back and read it all, hit THIS LINK. 

We also have the Gravel Amplifier which features the Limestone 66.6, Iowa Single Speed Gravel Championships. N.Y. Roll has another event as well. 

We also get into that Jay Petervary rig above, so if you want to know more of our thoughts on that, listen to the latest episode. 

We're hoping to get a post-Gravel Worlds interview with one of their principals when they are ready, maybe Jason Strobehn, who let me know he'd like to be on the podcast at some point. But we'll see who we can rustle up in a few weeks. Stay tuned on that one. Another episode is going to cover CORE4 and N.Y. Roll's experience there at Iowa's largest cycling race. 

Detail Image of a Gorilla Monsoon (Image courtesy of All City Bicycles)

All City Cycles To Be Shuttered By QBP:

Last evening news broke on social media that All City Bicycles, a Quality Bicycle Products brand, is to be phased out over the next few years. The news, apparently rumored for months amongst shop owners, was made official by "The Radavist", who published a dealer email they got a hold of from someone in the cycling industry. 

Comments: I recall first seeing the brand "All City" at Frostbike in the mid-2000's. At that time all the brand amounted to was a few chain rings and accessories for fixed gear riding, which was a phase cycling was going through at the time. (See State Bicycle Co. above)

I didn't think it would last, but to Jeff Frane's credit, the brand rose above merely being a fixed gear bike brand and it made a name for itself amongst the cycling's various niche brands. Bicycles like the Nature Boy, the Macho Man, and the Mr. Pink set the brand apart from a crowded marketplace and were always made from steel. 

They innovated as well, maybe most memorably by developing an elegant disc brake drop out which was designed by Anna Schwinn. 

The brand could be seen as an "upscale Surly" offering, but it had a personality and style which was immediately evident. Mr. Frane eventually left the company several years ago and stated Wilde Bikes, which has carried on some of the flair which marked the AC brand while he was at the helm there. 

Why the brand is being phased out is not entirely clear, but it is no secret that parent company QBP has been laying off employees and contracting its business in response to the over-stock issues within the industry and the lack of consumer demand. QBP claims that no new AC product will be developed after the 2024 model run and that it will be "several years" before the brand is completely phased out. What this means to consumers is that All City is essentially gone, effective immediately. Support for current models will be maintained for a time. 

I've thought that we'd see some contraction of brands in the marketplace and I am confident we will be seeing more before the end of the year. Time will tell if I am correct, but this development with All City will not be unique.

That's it for this week. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Jay Petervary showed this Esker prototype on Facebook recently.

"THIS is a "Bikepack" bike. ":

So says Jay Petervary on his Facebook page on Thursday where he posted the image shown here. JP has been showing views of this bike for the past week as he ramps up to do his latest ride on the Great Divide Route which he is calling "Great Divide Unearthed". 

 Comments; I'll be honest - I did not think this was anything "new" when I first laid eyes on it. That's because JP had been on the Iditarod several years ago on a Salsa Cycles Blackborow. The "long-tailed" version of that bike, which JP had special bags made for and modified slightly. I assumed at first glance that this was an unmarked Blackborow frame set up with 29"er wheels and tires. But if you look closely at the downtube, you can barely make out the "Esker" name. So, I assumed incorrectly. This appears to be a new Esker prototype. 

The idea may have its genesis in that old Blackborow, but I am sure JP and Esker have tweaked the idea out to be what they feel is the "ultimate" bikepacking bike. I know that the long wheel base may seem weird and undesirable at first, but a route like the Great Divide doesn't call out for a bike that has to have tight cornering traits.  Comfort is king, and longer frame tube members have more inherent "flex" and therefore can absorb and dissipate more vibration energy than a shorter, stiffer frame tube will be capable of absorbing. 

Plus, just look at all that frame bag real estate! And it is all in-line with the bike. Nothing sticking out into the wind, although quartering cross winds may be an issue at times. It will be interesting to see if the bike does what Esker and JP are hoping it will do.  

State Bicycle Co All-Road Disc Calipers (Image courtesy of State Bicycle Co)

State Bicycle Co. Announces New Components & More:

Wednesday State Bicycle Co. announced a round of component and apparel offerings. I won't get into the gist of all of the stuff announced, but two items did jump out at me. 

First up we have the State Bicycle Co. All-Road Disc Calipers. These are hydraulic at the caliper, but actuated by cable. So, your older mechanical group can be used with these for (assumed) greater breaking performance. There have been other offerings similar to this like the TRP HyRd, Yokozuna, and the very similar Juin Tech models. The amazing thing about the State offering is that the All-Road Disc calipers sell for a hundred bucks per set. That's a pretty good deal.
 

The State Cargo Cage (Image courtesy of State Bicycle Co)

State also announced an interesting cargo cage, similar in vein to an Anything Cage, it can mount to those Three-Pack bosses found on many forks these days, or under a down tube, or off a rack like the Old Man Mountain Elkhorn, or similar racks. 

The State Cargo Cage is made from aircraft grade aluminum and it features a desert design which reflects State Bicycle Co's Arizona home base. 

The cage weighs in at 168 grams and can carry up to 25lbs of cargo, according to State. The cage sells for $24.99 USD. 

State offers a titanium bolt kit in three colors at an up-charge along with optional rubber straps which can be purchased separately as well. 

It's pretty interesting how what was a fixed gear/urban cycling brand has managed to diversify and stay relevant in the 2020's. (Remember the fixie craze? Woo! That was a while ago now!) So, maybe I shouldn't be all that surprised that State Bicycle Co. has branched out into these accessory and component categories with aggressive price-points and clever designs. But I have to admit, those brake calipers came out of left field for me.  

New episode!

Guitar Ted Podcast Episode #24:

You've read all about the Gravel Worlds history and the UCI vs Gravel Worlds thing this week. If you want more, or if you would rather listen than go back and read it all, hit THIS LINK. 

We also have the Gravel Amplifier which features the Limestone 66.6, Iowa Single Speed Gravel Championships. N.Y. Roll has another event as well. 

We also get into that Jay Petervary rig above, so if you want to know more of our thoughts on that, listen to the latest episode. 

We're hoping to get a post-Gravel Worlds interview with one of their principals when they are ready, maybe Jason Strobehn, who let me know he'd like to be on the podcast at some point. But we'll see who we can rustle up in a few weeks. Stay tuned on that one. Another episode is going to cover CORE4 and N.Y. Roll's experience there at Iowa's largest cycling race. 

Detail Image of a Gorilla Monsoon (Image courtesy of All City Bicycles)

All City Cycles To Be Shuttered By QBP:

Last evening news broke on social media that All City Bicycles, a Quality Bicycle Products brand, is to be phased out over the next few years. The news, apparently rumored for months amongst shop owners, was made official by "The Radavist", who published a dealer email they got a hold of from someone in the cycling industry. 

Comments: I recall first seeing the brand "All City" at Frostbike in the mid-2000's. At that time all the brand amounted to was a few chain rings and accessories for fixed gear riding, which was a phase cycling was going through at the time. (See State Bicycle Co. above)

I didn't think it would last, but to Jeff Frane's credit, the brand rose above merely being a fixed gear bike brand and it made a name for itself amongst the cycling's various niche brands. Bicycles like the Nature Boy, the Macho Man, and the Mr. Pink set the brand apart from a crowded marketplace and were always made from steel. 

They innovated as well, maybe most memorably by developing an elegant disc brake drop out which was designed by Anna Schwinn. 

The brand could be seen as an "upscale Surly" offering, but it had a personality and style which was immediately evident. Mr. Frane eventually left the company several years ago and stated Wilde Bikes, which has carried on some of the flair which marked the AC brand while he was at the helm there. 

Why the brand is being phased out is not entirely clear, but it is no secret that parent company QBP has been laying off employees and contracting its business in response to the over-stock issues within the industry and the lack of consumer demand. QBP claims that no new AC product will be developed after the 2024 model run and that it will be "several years" before the brand is completely phased out. What this means to consumers is that All City is essentially gone, effective immediately. Support for current models will be maintained for a time. 

I've thought that we'd see some contraction of brands in the marketplace and I am confident we will be seeing more before the end of the year. Time will tell if I am correct, but this development with All City will not be unique.

That's it for this week. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Esker's new 2023 Hayduke (Image courtesy of Esker)

Esker Introduces New Hayduke:

The newest Esker Hayduke for 2023 features a geometry centered around 29 inch wheels and an "all-day" ride feel in its ChroMo steel frame. 

The frame features all the mounting points you might want for bike-packing or adventure cycling. The frame is dropper post compatible and uses externally routed cables with full-run houings and an internally routed dropper post seat tube. The frame also uses the tried-and-true threaded type bottom bracket with a 73mm width. 

The Hayduke can also be fitted with recommended widths of 29'er tires of 2.2" - 2.8" in width. The wider end of that spectrum requires adjustment of the stepped, Portage Dropout to its longer settings. 

Esker offers frames or two different complete builds in three colors and five sizes. See the site for more details. 

Comments: This looks like a decent 29"er hard tail which, when set up with the recommended 120mm travel suspension fork, should handle most anything anywhere. Not too slack or low, and not too steep and short here. Just a nicely designed steel hard tail frame. 

The price seems reasonable at 1G for the frame too. I'd likely go for this if I was into a hard tail for MTB. But as it stands, I have a bike coming that would do similar things and I don't need a dedicated MTB hard tail at this point. Maybe you do? Check it out....

Haley Smith (Image courtesy of Maxxis Factory Race Team)

Interviewed Again:

Recently I was contacted by Haley Smith, of Maxxis Factory Racing, and a researcher at the Queen's University at their School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, for an interview which would be a part of a research study on gravel cycling, its culture, and concerning how that might be preserved and explained to future event RD's, team managers, etc. 

Now, bear in mind, when I was contacted by Ms Smith, I did not know anything about her, or that she has been and currently is an elite level mountain biker/gravel cyclist. 

I just thought she was a research student from Queen's University in Canada. Which, honestly, was a good thing. I went into this with zero preconceived notions about the study, what the outcomes may be, nor did I care, frankly. That's probably something that made this interview more worthwhile for both Ms Smith and I, in my opinion. I just let the hair down and was as "real" as I could be, which, if I had to guess, is exactly what Ms Smith would have been hoping.

Anyway, it was fun and if you know me, I like to talk, so it was easy as well. Okay, now what about this study? What does it mean? What will happen with all this research? 

I do not know, actually. I have a clue, a hint, but nothing more. But here is my takeaway- Colleges are doing freaking research into what makes the grassroots gravel thing tick! This is a new level of "I never would have guessed it" in terms of where this thing has gone and where it came from. College level, peer reviewed, scientific research? Are you kidding me? 

I am not the only person they are conducting interviews with either. The aim, according to what Ms Smith relayed to me, was to cast as wide a net across all classes and types of humans that are involved in gravel riding as possible. So, that's even radder than I would have imagined. Just really unbelievable.

I mean, ten years ago we were wishing we could get a good gravel tire or two! Just think about that for a minute! Now the gravel scene is being seriously studied at the collegiate level? Nuh-uh! No way! But it is......  

New S-Phyre glasses (Image courtesy of Shimano)

Shimano Announces Second Gen Eyewear:

The new Aerolite and S-Phyre eyewear pieces are out now from Shimano. The S-Phyre being the expensive, high-end glasses with the Aerolite being the more budget oriented option here. 

The big deal here, as I see it, is that the lenses, which are interchangeable via magnetic contacts, is that Shimano engineered the lenses to have specific functions. One of the six options is specified as being best for "gravel".

Well, that's a bold claim, and what it amounts to is a claimed ability to see contrasts in surfaces and to be able to be used across gravel, dirt, or pavement. I dunno..... This sounds more "all-around" than a glass that is for gravel specifically. 

And maybe I'll get to find out. Word is that Riding Gravel is getting a pair in to test. Stay tuned..... 

Image courtesy of Ritchey Design

Ritchey Announces WCS "Gravel Grip":

Looking a lot like a track grip, Ritchey Design announced on Wednesday a new drop bar grip they call the "WCS Gravel Grip". (Of course!) It is meant to slip on over the extensions of the drops and provide grip and vibration damping with its 4mm closed cell foam construction. They go for $14.95 a set. 

Comments: Honestly, not a new idea here. I am pretty sure ESI makes, or made a grip similar to this which I was using back ten years ago or more. (Note: Yes, these are still available here) I also used an ergonomic style grip from Redshift Sports here. 

The idea is sound, but unless you - you know - actually use the drops, this idea is lost on you. Many people could just as well cut off the drops below the levers and never miss a beat. So, this is a limited use idea, and while it may sound appealing, one needs to review how they use a drop bar to begin with. 

But if you do use the drops a lot, this is a nicely priced option. They look great, and I suspect they do what is claimed, based on my experiences with the ESI and Redshift options I have used. 

Guitar Ted has a "Garage Sale"!

Guitar Ted's Garage  Sale:

Just a quick reminder that I maintain a "Garage Sale" page here on this blog where I list items I want to move on from. The items get changed from time to time, so it is worthwhile checking back to see if I posted anything new for sale there.

I've put a bunch of new items in there recently in case you haven't looked in a while. All items are either gently used or N.O.S. items I have been collecting over the years. I will and have had anything from bikes, frames, forks, and even accessory items like tents and clothing in there from time to time.

That's a wrap on this week. Have a great weekend and start off February right with a bike ride!

Friday News And Views

Esker's new 2023 Hayduke (Image courtesy of Esker)

Esker Introduces New Hayduke:

The newest Esker Hayduke for 2023 features a geometry centered around 29 inch wheels and an "all-day" ride feel in its ChroMo steel frame. 

The frame features all the mounting points you might want for bike-packing or adventure cycling. The frame is dropper post compatible and uses externally routed cables with full-run houings and an internally routed dropper post seat tube. The frame also uses the tried-and-true threaded type bottom bracket with a 73mm width. 

The Hayduke can also be fitted with recommended widths of 29'er tires of 2.2" - 2.8" in width. The wider end of that spectrum requires adjustment of the stepped, Portage Dropout to its longer settings. 

Esker offers frames or two different complete builds in three colors and five sizes. See the site for more details. 

Comments: This looks like a decent 29"er hard tail which, when set up with the recommended 120mm travel suspension fork, should handle most anything anywhere. Not too slack or low, and not too steep and short here. Just a nicely designed steel hard tail frame. 

The price seems reasonable at 1G for the frame too. I'd likely go for this if I was into a hard tail for MTB. But as it stands, I have a bike coming that would do similar things and I don't need a dedicated MTB hard tail at this point. Maybe you do? Check it out....

Haley Smith (Image courtesy of Maxxis Factory Race Team)

Interviewed Again:

Recently I was contacted by Haley Smith, of Maxxis Factory Racing, and a researcher at the Queen's University at their School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, for an interview which would be a part of a research study on gravel cycling, its culture, and concerning how that might be preserved and explained to future event RD's, team managers, etc. 

Now, bear in mind, when I was contacted by Ms Smith, I did not know anything about her, or that she has been and currently is an elite level mountain biker/gravel cyclist. 

I just thought she was a research student from Queen's University in Canada. Which, honestly, was a good thing. I went into this with zero preconceived notions about the study, what the outcomes may be, nor did I care, frankly. That's probably something that made this interview more worthwhile for both Ms Smith and I, in my opinion. I just let the hair down and was as "real" as I could be, which, if I had to guess, is exactly what Ms Smith would have been hoping.

Anyway, it was fun and if you know me, I like to talk, so it was easy as well. Okay, now what about this study? What does it mean? What will happen with all this research? 

I do not know, actually. I have a clue, a hint, but nothing more. But here is my takeaway- Colleges are doing freaking research into what makes the grassroots gravel thing tick! This is a new level of "I never would have guessed it" in terms of where this thing has gone and where it came from. College level, peer reviewed, scientific research? Are you kidding me? 

I am not the only person they are conducting interviews with either. The aim, according to what Ms Smith relayed to me, was to cast as wide a net across all classes and types of humans that are involved in gravel riding as possible. So, that's even radder than I would have imagined. Just really unbelievable.

I mean, ten years ago we were wishing we could get a good gravel tire or two! Just think about that for a minute! Now the gravel scene is being seriously studied at the collegiate level? Nuh-uh! No way! But it is......  

New S-Phyre glasses (Image courtesy of Shimano)

Shimano Announces Second Gen Eyewear:

The new Aerolite and S-Phyre eyewear pieces are out now from Shimano. The S-Phyre being the expensive, high-end glasses with the Aerolite being the more budget oriented option here. 

The big deal here, as I see it, is that the lenses, which are interchangeable via magnetic contacts, is that Shimano engineered the lenses to have specific functions. One of the six options is specified as being best for "gravel".

Well, that's a bold claim, and what it amounts to is a claimed ability to see contrasts in surfaces and to be able to be used across gravel, dirt, or pavement. I dunno..... This sounds more "all-around" than a glass that is for gravel specifically. 

And maybe I'll get to find out. Word is that Riding Gravel is getting a pair in to test. Stay tuned..... 

Image courtesy of Ritchey Design

Ritchey Announces WCS "Gravel Grip":

Looking a lot like a track grip, Ritchey Design announced on Wednesday a new drop bar grip they call the "WCS Gravel Grip". (Of course!) It is meant to slip on over the extensions of the drops and provide grip and vibration damping with its 4mm closed cell foam construction. They go for $14.95 a set. 

Comments: Honestly, not a new idea here. I am pretty sure ESI makes, or made a grip similar to this which I was using back ten years ago or more. (Note: Yes, these are still available here) I also used an ergonomic style grip from Redshift Sports here. 

The idea is sound, but unless you - you know - actually use the drops, this idea is lost on you. Many people could just as well cut off the drops below the levers and never miss a beat. So, this is a limited use idea, and while it may sound appealing, one needs to review how they use a drop bar to begin with. 

But if you do use the drops a lot, this is a nicely priced option. They look great, and I suspect they do what is claimed, based on my experiences with the ESI and Redshift options I have used. 

Guitar Ted has a "Garage Sale"!

Guitar Ted's Garage  Sale:

Just a quick reminder that I maintain a "Garage Sale" page here on this blog where I list items I want to move on from. The items get changed from time to time, so it is worthwhile checking back to see if I posted anything new for sale there.

I've put a bunch of new items in there recently in case you haven't looked in a while. All items are either gently used or N.O.S. items I have been collecting over the years. I will and have had anything from bikes, frames, forks, and even accessory items like tents and clothing in there from time to time.

That's a wrap on this week. Have a great weekend and start off February right with a bike ride!

Friday News And Views

 Inventory Builds Up As Consumer Demand Cools:

You've already seen the ads on your feeds, most likely. The discounting of bicycles and cycling gear is full-on once again. This marks the final swing induced by the pandemic which will affect us all going into 2023. 

Riders will enjoy more choices and bargains on those choices as time marches on toward the holidays. Inventory levels have reached critical mass in some categories with the result being that shipping costs are being forgiven at lower ordering levels for shops and from what I heard, some folks even lost their jobs due to ordering too much stuff at a certain distributor that shall remain nameless.

The inflationary climate has doused the fires of consumer demand as well, sending retailers skittering toward big sales and discounts as we head into the New Year. Some prognosticators of the cycling industry are claiming the fall-out from this may be that retail will suffer and seeing closures is not out of the question. 

Interesting times, to be sure.

The Esker Lorax in titanium (Image courtesy of Esker)

Ti Lorax Introduced:

Last week Esker Cycles announced a couple of new titanium frame offerings- The Walden fat bike and the Lorax gravel bike. 

The Lorax was a steel offering in Esker Cycles previous incarnation, Advocate Cycles. That was back in 2015, but now the Lorax is not Reynolds 531, but titanium. 

It has several mounting options for accessories, as you would expect, tire clearance is a claimed 2" wide for a 700c wheel, and the geometry is pretty good. 75mm bottom bracket drop, 71.5° head tube angles, and a top tube that isn't sloped super crazy so it won't need a really long seat post. The adjustable "Portage" drop outs are cool in case you have to do the single speed bail-out mission. Price with a Wolf Tooth head set, seat collar, and rear through axle is set at $2300.00 USD.

Comments: Not bad, Esker, not bad at all. I always felt as though that the Lorax was a take on the Vaya from Salsa Cycles, and this titanium version does nothing to dispel that notion for me. That's a good thing, because the Vaya is a great, and very underrated, gravel bike choice. I would suspect that this bike would handle very much in the Vaya's vein, which I welcome. 

The price is more than reasonable here, and with a double butted tube set, I would bet that this bike would ride like a dream.

Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Episode #105: The Gravel Amplifier:

Monday afternoon N.Y. Roll and I met at The Stone Castle Estates and recorded the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Podcast #105. We're calling it "The Gravel Amplifier". 

This goes along with the post I made Tuesday which also is about the same thing. But do make sure you click through to the podcast, because there I list a few more events than I did on Tuesday. (See those in the Show Notes)

So, going forward, this could become a series, but that is entirely up to you- the readers. If I get submissions and they pass the sniff test, boom! Amplification happens. If I get radio silence? Then I move on, and nothing gets amplified. I'm not doing the search and destroy for this anymore these days. Here's why......

You'll hear a bit about this if you listen to the podcast, but when I started the Gravel Grinder News calendar in 2009, there was no one else doing what I was doing. As gravel became more popular and more lucrative, players came in to capitalize on my work, and much of what I had dug up and compiled ended up becoming their "content" with no recognition or acknowledgement for where it came from. 

I get it- It's all public knowledge, but it was a cheesy, classless way to obtain a calendar which I did not appreciate. So, I am not going to publish and maintain a calendar to benefit other sites. They can dig up their own stuff. But I will take submissions for certain events, amplify them, and spread the word as best as I can on my channels. So, no calendar of events, but I will help to push those events that otherwise would not get any publicity in cycling media. 

If you are a fan of an event, or like what is happening at an event and want to see it succeed, let me know. Likewise for event promoters. I am here for ya.....

Lay-offs Affect Cyclingtips:

Late on Tuesday afternoon word started to spread via social media that several cuts were made at Outside and especially at Cyclintips, which is a news/technical review site that employs some very well known cycling media personalities. There were several social media posts claiming that Outside had released up to 12% of the staff. (Now confirmed) One person that was confirmed as a lay-off was Senior Editor, Caley Fretz who had joined Cyclingtips in late 2017. 

Lead technical writer for Cyclingtips, James Huang, who retained his position with the company, Tweeted the following on Tuesday evening, "To be clear, I’m still at CyclingTips. But given everyone who was let go, it still feels like I lost a close friend today."

Outside, who had acquired Cyclingtips, Pink Bike, and Trailforks in 2021, also made cuts to Cyclingtips and shut down the mountain bike title, Beta, completely earlier this year in May. 

Comments: As I said, back in May, I don't trust corporations that own a bunch of media titles. But, on the other hand, what should they do? It would seem that most people consume their "news" on social media, podcasts, or on YouTube these days. It would seem that "real", physical magazines are now dinosaurs. It would also appear that trying to get people to give up money to get behind a paywall is not drawing the money/numbers that some thought it might. Advertisers are looking for max-clicks, and apparently, Cyclingtips wasn't drawing big enough numbers. (For a more in-depth look at the situation see this Cycling Industry News article or this from AdWeek)

Interestingly, Pink Bike, which is said to be Outside's biggest draw digitally speaking, is a massive success. It would seem that we are in an era of consolidation/ending of titles and singular, monolithic entities will now control recreational media and, perhaps someday, even your events. (See both Outside and Life Time for examples) 

Lauf, Gravel Worlds, PCL Debut Collab On Seigla Gravel Bike:

Wednesday big news came from the gang at Gravel Worlds. They have partnered with long-time sponsor, Lauf Cycling, to bring a PCL themed Seigla to the masses. 

The Seigla is the newest incarnation of a gravel bike from Lauf  which features the unmistakable Lauf Grit fork, now in its third generation, and clearances for up to 57mm tires. 

Comments: This is a cool collaboration. I like the bike but for its high bottom bracket, which is something I cannot compromise on, but that's maybe just me. 

I love that Lauf and the folks at Gravel Worlds arrived on, what I consider to be, the classic PCL colors of army green and black. I recall that in 2011 at Trans Iowa v7, second place finisher Troy Krause had on the original PCL Army Green/Black jersey and that I just loved that combo. The PCL came out with a reissue of that design which I snagged right away. So, this scheme on the Seigla is a really great idea, to my mind. 

Want one? Check out this link. 
 

 That's all for this week! get out and ride! (Layer up, y'all!) Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

 Inventory Builds Up As Consumer Demand Cools:

You've already seen the ads on your feeds, most likely. The discounting of bicycles and cycling gear is full-on once again. This marks the final swing induced by the pandemic which will affect us all going into 2023. 

Riders will enjoy more choices and bargains on those choices as time marches on toward the holidays. Inventory levels have reached critical mass in some categories with the result being that shipping costs are being forgiven at lower ordering levels for shops and from what I heard, some folks even lost their jobs due to ordering too much stuff at a certain distributor that shall remain nameless.

The inflationary climate has doused the fires of consumer demand as well, sending retailers skittering toward big sales and discounts as we head into the New Year. Some prognosticators of the cycling industry are claiming the fall-out from this may be that retail will suffer and seeing closures is not out of the question. 

Interesting times, to be sure.

The Esker Lorax in titanium (Image courtesy of Esker)

Ti Lorax Introduced:

Last week Esker Cycles announced a couple of new titanium frame offerings- The Walden fat bike and the Lorax gravel bike. 

The Lorax was a steel offering in Esker Cycles previous incarnation, Advocate Cycles. That was back in 2015, but now the Lorax is not Reynolds 531, but titanium. 

It has several mounting options for accessories, as you would expect, tire clearance is a claimed 2" wide for a 700c wheel, and the geometry is pretty good. 75mm bottom bracket drop, 71.5° head tube angles, and a top tube that isn't sloped super crazy so it won't need a really long seat post. The adjustable "Portage" drop outs are cool in case you have to do the single speed bail-out mission. Price with a Wolf Tooth head set, seat collar, and rear through axle is set at $2300.00 USD.

Comments: Not bad, Esker, not bad at all. I always felt as though that the Lorax was a take on the Vaya from Salsa Cycles, and this titanium version does nothing to dispel that notion for me. That's a good thing, because the Vaya is a great, and very underrated, gravel bike choice. I would suspect that this bike would handle very much in the Vaya's vein, which I welcome. 

The price is more than reasonable here, and with a double butted tube set, I would bet that this bike would ride like a dream.

Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Episode #105: The Gravel Amplifier:

Monday afternoon N.Y. Roll and I met at The Stone Castle Estates and recorded the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Podcast #105. We're calling it "The Gravel Amplifier". 

This goes along with the post I made Tuesday which also is about the same thing. But do make sure you click through to the podcast, because there I list a few more events than I did on Tuesday. (See those in the Show Notes)

So, going forward, this could become a series, but that is entirely up to you- the readers. If I get submissions and they pass the sniff test, boom! Amplification happens. If I get radio silence? Then I move on, and nothing gets amplified. I'm not doing the search and destroy for this anymore these days. Here's why......

You'll hear a bit about this if you listen to the podcast, but when I started the Gravel Grinder News calendar in 2009, there was no one else doing what I was doing. As gravel became more popular and more lucrative, players came in to capitalize on my work, and much of what I had dug up and compiled ended up becoming their "content" with no recognition or acknowledgement for where it came from. 

I get it- It's all public knowledge, but it was a cheesy, classless way to obtain a calendar which I did not appreciate. So, I am not going to publish and maintain a calendar to benefit other sites. They can dig up their own stuff. But I will take submissions for certain events, amplify them, and spread the word as best as I can on my channels. So, no calendar of events, but I will help to push those events that otherwise would not get any publicity in cycling media. 

If you are a fan of an event, or like what is happening at an event and want to see it succeed, let me know. Likewise for event promoters. I am here for ya.....

Lay-offs Affect Cyclingtips:

Late on Tuesday afternoon word started to spread via social media that several cuts were made at Outside and especially at Cyclintips, which is a news/technical review site that employs some very well known cycling media personalities. There were several social media posts claiming that Outside had released up to 12% of the staff. (Now confirmed) One person that was confirmed as a lay-off was Senior Editor, Caley Fretz who had joined Cyclingtips in late 2017. 

Lead technical writer for Cyclingtips, James Huang, who retained his position with the company, Tweeted the following on Tuesday evening, "To be clear, I’m still at CyclingTips. But given everyone who was let go, it still feels like I lost a close friend today."

Outside, who had acquired Cyclingtips, Pink Bike, and Trailforks in 2021, also made cuts to Cyclingtips and shut down the mountain bike title, Beta, completely earlier this year in May. 

Comments: As I said, back in May, I don't trust corporations that own a bunch of media titles. But, on the other hand, what should they do? It would seem that most people consume their "news" on social media, podcasts, or on YouTube these days. It would seem that "real", physical magazines are now dinosaurs. It would also appear that trying to get people to give up money to get behind a paywall is not drawing the money/numbers that some thought it might. Advertisers are looking for max-clicks, and apparently, Cyclingtips wasn't drawing big enough numbers. (For a more in-depth look at the situation see this Cycling Industry News article or this from AdWeek)

Interestingly, Pink Bike, which is said to be Outside's biggest draw digitally speaking, is a massive success. It would seem that we are in an era of consolidation/ending of titles and singular, monolithic entities will now control recreational media and, perhaps someday, even your events. (See both Outside and Life Time for examples) 

Lauf, Gravel Worlds, PCL Debut Collab On Seigla Gravel Bike:

Wednesday big news came from the gang at Gravel Worlds. They have partnered with long-time sponsor, Lauf Cycling, to bring a PCL themed Seigla to the masses. 

The Seigla is the newest incarnation of a gravel bike from Lauf  which features the unmistakable Lauf Grit fork, now in its third generation, and clearances for up to 57mm tires. 

Comments: This is a cool collaboration. I like the bike but for its high bottom bracket, which is something I cannot compromise on, but that's maybe just me. 

I love that Lauf and the folks at Gravel Worlds arrived on, what I consider to be, the classic PCL colors of army green and black. I recall that in 2011 at Trans Iowa v7, second place finisher Troy Krause had on the original PCL Army Green/Black jersey and that I just loved that combo. The PCL came out with a reissue of that design which I snagged right away. So, this scheme on the Seigla is a really great idea, to my mind. 

Want one? Check out this link. 
 

 That's all for this week! get out and ride! (Layer up, y'all!) Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

News Season: Pre-Interbike Intros

Hayduke Lives: Esker Cycles Hayduke steel hardtail

Note: A bonus post detailing some interesting bits that are coming out around the time of the Interbike trade show, which happens this coming week in Reno, Nevada. I won't be there, but anything I find interesting, I'll post here if I think it warrants it. Thanks!

Hard tail mountain bikes were, arguably, brought back from the dead by the 29 inch wheel in the early 00's. Steel hard tails led the way back then, and with the advent of adventure cycling and "bikepacking", steel hard tails have reserved a special place in the hearts and minds of many off road cyclists, this one included. All my current off-road bikes are steel. Even a couple I don't even have up and running!

Salsa Cycles axed its venerable and long running El Mariachi model a few years ago now, and since then the crown for the best steel, mass produced hard tail 29"er has been passed around to a few companies. Niner Bikes came out with a revised SIR 9 a while back that most closely approximated what I felt was an "evolution" of the El Mariachi. Another contender for that was the Advocate Cycles Hayduke model. But then the company, and its bikes, sort of faded away. However; recently the folks behind Advocate have revised their business model, canned Advocate, and re-branded and launched a new company called "Esker Cycles". They brought the Hayduke over, albeit a new Hayduke with some new frame tubing and minor geometry tweaks.

Since this has the closest relationship, via one of the company's principals, to the old El Mar, I would say that the successor to the El Mar has to the Hayduke, a fully modern steel hard tail. A choice of two swappable rear drop out plates,  multi-wheel size and drive train capabilities, and a price for the frame, rear through axle, Wolf Tooth head set, and seat collar at $675.00 make this look pretty attractive. Completes will be offered starting at 2G. Pretty cool. Plus, it is supposed to be lighter and more responsive than the original Hayduke. See Esker's site linked above for more.

The new 45NRTH Ragnorok Boot

45NRTH Introduces Third Generation Transition Season Boot:

45NRTH is kind of a funny company when it comes to its naming conventions. Their tires are often named after obscure black metal bands or old Minneapolis area punk bands. Their boots get renamed every time they offer an evolution on the old design.

Yeah........so, think of this as the latest version of the Fasterkatt, only with several design changes and upgrades. The last model, which supplanted the Fasterkatt, was the Japanther. This, the Ragnorok, would be version three, if I am counting correctly.

Anyway...... The Ragnorok features a move to the BOA closure system and a rubberized, neoprene upper "sock"which has been redesigned as well. The silver edition, shown here at left, is fully reflective and will retail at $235.00. A non-reflective, black upper model is offered as well at $195.00. The soles, by the way, look like a dead ringer for my first edition Fasterkatt's, so apparently no changes were made there.

The shop where I work received a full size run of these boots and they look like a great boot. I still rock the original Fasterkatt boots and they have been rock solid for me as a way to ride in conditions which are wet and cold down to about 25 F, but much below that and my feet get chilled. These Ragnorok's are rated similarly, and I've no doubt they are actually better made and function better than my Fasterkatts do. Available at 45NRTH dealers now......

SKS Bluemels 65mm Fenders

SKS Offers New Blumels 65mm Fender Set:

SKS is a German based company best known for inflation devices and fenders. They make a full line of fenders which are well known in certain cycling circles.

Being introduced at Interbike this year, and available at dealers in November, is this new Bluemels 65mm fender suitable for 29"ers. SKS claims the front fender is 680mm long and the rear is 920mm long. MSRP is set at $74.99.

The only image I got was of what looks like a rear fender. You can make out some wide clearanced stays and what appears to be a rubber edge on the end of the fender itself. If this is indeed a rear fender, I would judge from the image that coverage is not all the way down the back, so perhaps this is meant more for mountain bike/off-road use.

But that said, it might be a handy design for bikes like Fargos and the lot which are used across a wide range of terrains and in varying conditions. I could see this being very useful for early season "sloppy" gravel rides or for those commutes where run-off from daytime melting is a concern during Winter.

SKS is also introducing a foot pump. I see another inflation device selling company is also doing a foot operated bicycle pump. Maybe this is a new thing for the near future. Ditch that old floor pump with a handle and tall profile that is so tippy! Use your feet instead! Ha! Well, to be fair, when I was a younginz, these types of foot operated pumps were still around. They were a relic even back then, but apparently the idea is being revived for 2019.

Stay tuned for more as I get things in...........