Bikes Of 2025: Salsa Cycles Fargo (Gen I)

 It's another end-of-year period on the blog. You know what that means? Yep! Another round of my bikes I used in 2025. This round-up will not include some of the bikes I did not use this year much, or at all. I focus only on the bikes that played a big role in my riding during this year.  As always, any changes or future plans for any bike I feature will also be detailed. I hope that you enjoy this year's round-up.

This bicycle might be the most recognizable bike I have. Most folks know well what it looks like and what this bike has meant to me over the years.. I received this bike in late 2008 as a gift of sorts. Ostensibly I was only to have been riding it for a demo, but ....... Well, you had to be there, I guess. Anyway, this bike means a lot to me because of the person behind it, who had the idea for the bike, and essentially was the one who coined the term, "Adventure by Bike;". Well, if it wasn't Jason Boucher who coined the term, he certainly was a big proponent of the saying and the ideal behind the saying. 

I have encouraged Jason to tell his story about the Fargo for years, and he has teased us with a few details, but maybe one day we'll get the full enchilada. Maybe......

I use the Fargo for occasions which I am going to be finding myself in territory I am unfamiliar with. Why? Because the Fargo is like a horse which doesn't let its rider fall off under any circumstances. I have bonded with the bike since day one. I trust the bike, it is very comfortable and capable, and I reach for it every time I feel anxious about a ride. 

The Fargo Gen I has also been a bike I have had very meaningful rides on throughout the years. So, it was the only choice for the Ride For Jacob this past August. I just could not imagine using any other bike for that ride on that particular day. 

Not surprisingly, there is not much left on the Fargo which was on the bike when I received it 18 years ago. There is the head set. I know I have not touched that part. Then maybe the rear and front derailleurs are original to the bike. I think that is all. 

As far as changing anything in the near future goes, well I would like a premium wheel set for it. Something with carbon rims, nice hubs, and sturdy spokes. But it doesn't have to have those things. I just need to ride the Fargo more. And the plan is to do just that. 

This will be the bike which goes with me to the Flint Hills in April for the L.O.G. Ride. I hear Wabaunsee County is pretty rough, and this is right up the Fargo's alley. I will likely be doing some training rides previous to going on the trip on the Fargo as well. Then, I don't know. I'm sure something will come up like the next Ride For Jacob, whenever that happens in 2026. 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Wilde Bicycle Co. 

Wilde Bicycle Co. Announces Heighliner Titanium Adventure Bike:

Due to a leak of information, Wilde Bicycle Co has decided to release the information and pre-orders on its newest model dubbed the Heighliner. 

Featuring clearance for 29" 2.25" tires, fully internal cable housing, and UDH compatibility, this new model is Wilde Bicycle Co. head Jeffrey Frane's favorite bike currently. In fact, he designed the geometry himself. 

The frame has double-butted titanium tubing with a T-47 bottom bracket. There are two water bottle mounts in the front triangle, one Three-Pack mount under the down tube, and a top tube bag accessory mount on the top tube. 

The frame is made at the ORA factory in Taiwan. Pre-orders for a June 2026 delivery are open now. Price for the frame and fork is $3,300.00. The details can be reviewed on the webpage for the Heighliner HERE. 

Image courtesy of Moots

Moots Announces Scrambler Adventure Bike:

Moots released information yesterday on a new model called the Scrambler. This drop-bar, wide tired bicycle is designed around a 100mm travel suspension fork.  

Available as a frame only or with a Rock Shox SID fork and Shimano GRX/XT build, the bike will only be available for  -according to the press release - "a limited time".  (End of January 2026, to be exact)

Tire clearance is stated at 20" x 2.4" maximum. The frame is a Boost spaced frame. Completes will ship with Chris King MTN30 AL29" wheels. Tires will be the WTB MACRO 29" X 2.4".  

For details see Moots page for this model HERE.  

A Gen 2 Fargo pictured in 2015.

The "OG" Would Like To Have A Word:

This trend to 29"er MTB sized rubber, drop bars, and a penchant for telescopic front forks in the realm of "Gravel™" these days reminds me of something....

I cannot quite put my finger on it now. Was it some bike back in 2008 or 2009 with a marketing tagline which went something like "Adventure by Bike"?

Anyway, you get my point by now, I am sure. It was inevitable we'd see all things garvel eventually reach a point where the lines were blurred and what we were looking at now became what we already have seen for sixteen years now.  

You'll note I did not write any "Comments" for the first two entries. This is the comment section on those two entries. Welcome to "Adventure by Bike" Moots and Wilde. There's plenty of room on the couch here and for the rest of you brands who think they have discovered something here.  

I'm not criticizing here, but unless you remind people of the past, they will make up their own stories. So, check the history and be informed.  

Image courtesy of Vittoria Tire

Vittoria Announces Future Availability Of Eco-Friendly Brown Hued Tires:

On the heels of my recent post concerning these tires (HERE), it has come to light recently that Vittoria Tire is indeed going to sell the eco-friendly, brown gravel tires. Tires which have been claimed to be faster than their carbon black infused siblings. 

The full range of Vittoria's PRO gravel catalog will eventually be available in this compound and casing made with 92% renewable, recyclable materials. 

Vittoria claims this brown-hued compound is 5% faster, has 19% more grip, and has 18% better puncture resistance than its current gravel tire range. 

All this performance and earth-friendliness comes at a price though.  Tires in the range are well over $100.00 each at $112.99. This compares to Vittoria's current range which runs at $81.99 for each tire. 

Comments: Wooo! That's a big jump in performance at a big jump in price. Would you be willing to slap on nearly $225.00 of tires, (before shipping and taxes), and have your bike seen with brown rubber? Yeah..... That's a big ask, but I'm willing to bet a lot of people are going to give this a go on their gravel bike. 

A comment left indicating the Luxy Bar redux is a possibility. 

Do You Really Want It? Then Say So!

Thursday (yesterday) an long ago memory was stirred when I saw "Brant Richards" pop up in my email.  

Brant Richards was heavily involved in UK MTB as a writer and parts designer up until about seven years ago when he and a partner opened up a boutique clothing business called HebTroCo. But before the trousers came into Brant's life, he designed a lot of cool stuff like the On One Inbred, some nice forks, steel frames for trail MTB, and this odd flared drop bar called the Luxy Bar. 

Now Brant seems as though he's back into bicycles, at least for a bit. He hit me up yesterday asking what I thought about a reissue Luxy Bar. So lokk, if you ever wanted one, wanted another one, or are "Luxy-Curious", give a shout. Hit the comments and say something. 

If you don't ask, you won't receive anything.  

That's it for this week! Get out and ride those bicycles! 

Old vs New

Another Guitar Ted Podcast show from the "Where We Came From" series has dropped and you can check it out on Apple podcasts HERE or find it on your favorite podcast platform. 

When shiggy and I were talking about doing this show I did not have in mind the show would be in the Where We Came From series. However; once I was halfway through the interview I realized this was a perfect show for the series. 

I think anyone who has listened to a few of the podcasts in this series will have picked up on how the gravel scene was an outgrowth of mountain biking and adventure riding. Probably best expressed in the ultra-mtb events like the Great Divide Race, events like the monster-cross events on the East Coast, or in events like the gravel road based mountain bike races in Northeast Iowa and in Kansas. Gravel events, at least those pre-2010, were mostly affairs with a great mix of competition, adventure, challenge, and social fellowshipping. This mix mirrors what people longed for in mountain bike racing, road racing, and any other sanctioned event where everything good was distilled out of the mix besides competition.

I think listening to shiggy is a good way to gain some perspective on this relationship between what cycling was meant to be and what it ends up becoming. Especially when careers are put on the back of the bicycling part. Also when competition pushes out the rest of the salient characteristics of cycling. 

Many will just shrug their shoulders and say, "Well, that is just how it goes". But you see, it doesn't have to 'go that way' at all. We let it get this way because we do not demand it for our events. Promoters get into a pickle with wanting to be recompensed for their efforts so they go down the 'tried and true road' of monetizing the event and then the slippery slope has been engaged. If we had a way to recompense promoters and not have expectations on our end for swag, or prizing, or for a contribution to make it so riding a bicycle is a career choice, well then maybe it would be different. Maybe if we had other goals.... 

Anyway, a word before I go about the thumbnail I chose for this episode. You see a pile of first generation Salsa Cycles Fargos there. (There were more but I had to crop them out) This was from a "Fargo Adventure Ride" held in 2010 up near the Twin Cities. It was a 55 mile multi-terrain ride with just about every surface imaginable thrown in. We rode for fun, for adventure, for the joy of it, and at the end we had a nice time socially. (If I am not mistaken, we may have had too good of a time the night before as well!) 

The Fargo is the original drop bar MTB adventure bike which was great for gravel, pavement, and single track. It held its own then, and now in 2025, the type of bike it represents is still probably the best all-around bike developed. All this talk about fat tires and drop bars being a new thing. pfffft! Whatever. 

Why "The Tire" Matters Today: 25 Years Of 29"ers

Now known as the "Nano" (Image courtesy of WTB)

Yesterday I covered three major players in 29"er development and acceptance that, in my opinion, helped 29"ers be successful and not just a passing fad. It is my belief that those three players, amongst a few others, were responsible for the early momentum behind big wheels for MTB. 

It all started with the 29" Nanoraptor, without which none of what followed it may have happened. So why should we give the Nano a nod in 2024 and beyond? Why should any cyclist care? 

Well, today I am going to play a game of "What if?" regarding the Nanoraptor, 29"ers in general, and the influence of big wheels on cycling. What if the Nanoraptor never happened? 

Well, for one thing there is a pretty good chance that you would still be riding a 26 inch wheeled mountain bike. Not only that, but front derailleurs would probably still be alive and well, since those smaller diameter wheels lower gearing range enough that getting a wide range of gears out of smaller wheels would pretty much exclude any 1X type drive trains. 

Fork Offset: The ability to tune your ride today is a given with the ability to choose different offsets for your suspension forks. This was not an option until 29"ers came along and Gary Fisher Bikes debuted their "G2" geometry which included a longer offset fork. Getting Fox to make this was a huge hurdle, and afterward other companies had to follow suit. Now you have choices, thanks to 29"ers.

Image courtesy of Pivot Cycles

Wider Spaced Wheels: 

While wide overlock dimension wheels probably came along due to tandems and down hill bikes, it may have not caught on for all MTB's if we were still stuck on 26"ers yet. 

29 inch wheels, with their longer spokes, needed a wider base (hub flnge spacing) to really get the wheels to work well off-road. I recall a set of wheels I was to review that were so laterally unstable that I made it about 100 yards down a trail and turned back to head for the shed. Wider spaced flanges helped 29"er wheels immensely and may not have happened had it not been for their existence. 

650B/27.5 Mountain Bike Wheels:

The "mid-sized" 27.5" wheels we still see being utilized on some mountain bikes may not have ever happened without the existence of 29"ers. It wasn't until after 29"ers were gaining a lot of market share that Kirk Pacenti literally stitched together a set of tires to stretch across a 650B rim and the first 2"+ wide 650B tires were seen for MTB. 

Had it not been for the 29"er this alternative to 29"ers may have been seen as just not enough of a difference from 26"ers to matter. In fact, 650B originally was a 26" diameter wheel size! It took the larger volume mountain bike sized 650B tires to get that 27.5" overall diameter. Of course, a bigger, more voluminous 26" tire would do about the same thing. So, in my "what if world", 650B MTB doesn't happen without 29"ers. 

Drop Bar MTB/Adventure Bikes:

Part of the early 29"er scene was about adopting niche, or one could say "weird" traits seen in MTB from years past. Certainly single speeding was one of those things widely adopted by 29"er freaks in the early days. This was so pervasive that brands often made their first 29"er offering a single speed. 

Another widely adopted niche component by 29"er fans was the flared drop bar. Many were drawn to these bars as a way to make a statement and stand out from the crowd of "same thing/different day" 26" wheeled bikes. 

This became something of a movement and became an influence on Salsa Cycles to introduce a drop bar 29"er "adventure" bike. In 2008, the Fargo, a bike well ahead of its time, debuted in the Fall of that year. This bike and its fans would forecast the emergence of the now commonplace drop bar 29"er adventure/bikepacking rigs. Had 29"ers not happened, would this segment of bicycles exist today? I am thinking that they would have been far less attractive, if they existed at all, as 26"ers.  

Gravel grinding on a drop barred Karate Monkey in 2006

Gravel Bikes:

This might seem like a bit of a stretch. But here I go anyway! My feeling is that had the 29"er not come into existence when it did that gravel bikes, as a category, would have been based upon road bikes a lot more than they were. However; elements of MTB have always been a part of gravel riding. This hasn't been more true than with today's fashion for bigger gravel tires bordering on 29"er sized rubber. 

Originally many gravel riders were using cyclo - cross bikes, drop bar 29"ers, or just any mountain bike they could find, for the lack of any true gravel designs. While a cyclo - cross style was eventually adopted, some features influenced by 29'ers were there right away in the flared drop bars and disc brakes. 

Had 29"ers never been in existence it also calls into question whether or not any tires for gravel bikes would have been done. Manufacturers were into playing it safe, up until the 29"er came along. The big wheels took a bit to catch on, but when they did, it was the hottest trend of the late 2000's in off-road and many brands were caught on the outside looking in. This fueled a sort of consciousness amongst brands and marketers to not miss "The Next Big Thing". When gravel bikes did hit the floors of dealers in 2012, brands started to get geared up to hop on that trend immediately. One of the big hold ups was the lack of "real" gravel tires. This spurred WTB, (Yes - them again!) to come out with the Nano 40, a tire probably chosen to reflect that this gravel trend was much like that of the 29"er. 

While other brands, notably Clement/Donnelly, had a gravel tire, it was WTB that stepped up the production levels and offered a true tubeless tire for gravel first. Their experiences with the Nanoraptor 29 were certainly an influence here. So, while gravel bikes and that whole scene may have happened without 29"ers, it probably would have looked a lot different than it has looked. 

That's a wrap on this series. I hope that you enjoyed that look back at the 25 years since 29"ers were first hitting the single track. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions.

A Man, A Bike, And A Piece Of Black Electrical Tape

The only known shot of Jason Boucher riding "BET". Matt Gersib is on the right.

Sixteen years ago on July 16th, 2008, Jason Boucher rode from Waterloo, Iowa down to Hickory Hills park and the gathered riders there saw a bike that few had laid eyes on. A bike that would be the catalyst for a revival of a style of riding now known as "bike packing", which was formerly known as mountain touring, or off-road touring. This bike, and the man who pushed the idea through to get it made were responsible for the catch-phrase "Adventure by Bike" which became a movement and spawned an entire category of bicycles which are still being produced to this day. 

I've written reams of digital pages about this particular moment and the bike itself. It arguably is one of the most popular subjects on this blog with a page dedicated to this particular bike which gets views every week that top any other pages on this blog consistently. I am speaking, of course, about the Salsa Cycles Fargo. The man behind the ideas for this bike and the man who pushed it through to see the light of day is named Jason Boucher.

Jason Boucher in 2024.

I am not going to write a bunch of words today which already have been written here. I'll put some links down at the end of the post to direct you to where I have already opined about the importance of the Fargo. What I want to do here is to pull a quote from a recent Instagram post Jason made which will tell the story from his vantage point. I think that would be a good viewpoint to add to this story here. 

" It was 14 or 15 years ago today that I was riding a prototype bike to @g.ted.productions Death Ride. A bike I drove and helped create. That weekend it got labelled the “black electrical tape” bike. A coworker at the time called it the ugliest bike he had to own. Many said they didn’t need a drop bar mountain touring bike. Others said it’s a cool concept but touring doesn’t sell. "

And the Fargo was very hard for a lot of people to wrap their minds around. Of course, we need to keep in mind a couple of things to gain the correct context here. First off, 29"ers were not a "done deal" at that point in time. Sure, they had gained a toe-hold, but that wheel size was still roundly being criticized and put down as a fad that would fade away by riders and industry folks alike. Some brands were stating publicly that they would never, ever make a 29"er. (Looking at you Specialized, Yeti, and Giant)

Drop bars and fat tires were very odd  in 2008. Only weirdos and alt-bar freaks would put drop bars  on a MTB, much less one with wagon wheels. Drop bars were for road bikes and cyclo cross bikes! (And maybe touring bikes, but no one was doing that anymore!). Then there was the whole touring aspect, as mentioned, which everyone thought was a dead category.

The Fargo I was given by Jason in late 2008 as seen today.

The bike almost did not happen. It was resisted by higher-ups at Jason's place of employment at the time. It was seen as a bit of a losing prospect, as you can read from Jason's quote above. More from Jason:

"We did it anyways. Inspired by many drop bar bikes, touring bikes, and mountain bikes that came before it. It was the product that drove me to rebrand Salsa to Adventure by Bike. In many ways I still believe its the purest execution of the ethos of that tagline (IMHO) and I admit I am a bit biased."

 Of course, the entire bikepacking scene may have happened anyway at some point. Even without the venerable Fargo and its "Adventure by Bike" ethos. But I don't think the reach of that style of riding would have been as deep and far had the Fargo been nixed and never seen the light of day. I know it was a very popular choice for gravel riders, tourists that were looking for a bit more upright position, and it was popular with 29"er fans. 

In my opinion, the Fargo took a while to catch on, but when it did, the model pretty much had its way with the market until the late 2010's when other companies started jumping into the space the Fargo occupied. Now we have several "Fargo-like" choices, and probably the best of those is the Esker Lorax and the Tumbleweed Stargazer models. Ironically, Jason does some work with Tumbleweed these days. 

So, in closing I just wanted to post this to give Jason his flowers and shine a light on the man and the vision that brought the Fargo to life, and arguably was the catalyst for much of what came afterward in the bikepacking category as far as bicycles are concerned. 

Links to previous stories about the "Black Electrical Tape" bike and origin story. 

"The GTDRI Stories: Black Electrical Tape"

"Minus Ten Review - 29"

"The GTDRI Stories: The Fargo Comes Home"

"Fargo Riders Reunion Ride"

Update: Jason Boucher left a comment on this post which maybe won't be seen by many, so I thought I would add it to the post as it pertains to the Fargo and its genesis story. Here it is:

"I need to add a little more detail here. As memories fade it's important to write them down to both remember and document history. I certainly feel directly responsible for both the Fargo and Adventure by Bike. Yet, it isn't those two things that I remember as the most important. It's the people. The Fargo would not have happened without really good & talented people and partners, both inside the organization as well as outside.

Bikepacking.com just posted something on drop bar mountain bike just yesterday and one of the other really important people to this Fargo story is Joe Meiser. I recall one day chatting with Joe about a bike that I would want if I ever did my Alaska to Utah bike trip again (something I did after attending college). Joe was just then setting his sights not the Tour Divide. He wanted something special too. We schemed. One day Joe showed up to work and said "I drew the bike last night". We were both giddy. We looked. I suggested some changes from my personal experience and desire for this product.

Joe and I made changes. Buttoned it up. Ordered frames for us to build & ride. It was a product that was not on any product map or wasn't ever talked about as a product. We just did it. I'm forever grateful that that moment happened. I'm forever grateful of the team of people on our small Salsa team. I'm forever grateful for the people this idea and concept of adventure brought into my life. It changed me forever.

Also a fun fact, Fargo was not the original name. There was a different name that was changed to align with Adventure by Bike. I think only 3-4 people know what that name is........"

Well, It's About Time!

Saturday in the Turkey Burn announcement, (You missed it? Click Here!), I mentioned that I was going to use the Fargo Gen I because I didn't think that I had ridden it all year. 

Well, upon thinking about that further, I was in error. I had ridden it several times to work earlier in the year. But....I hadn't had the bike out of town on a ride and not since last year had I ridden gravel with it. 

So, I decided it was about time to get that out of the way and end that drought for the Fargo. To that end, I needed to do a few things to get it back into tip-top shape. Plus, I wanted to add some more comfort to the set up for the metric century I have planned for the Virtual Turkey Burn. So, that's what this post will be about.

The first thing to tackle was the sealant refresh. I noted that the rear tire wouldn't hold air overnight after I tried pumping both tires up last week. That's a sure-sign that the sealant needs a refresh, so I went ahead and did that to both wheels. The drive train was relatively new and I did not need to do anything there. 

So I focused on a few details. One being the handlebars. I had thought initially I was going to invert the stem from its positive rise to a negative to lower the bars a bit. However; after a short test ride I decided that, for now, things won't change. Even though this bike has the tallest handlebar in my stable, it just feels "right" for now.

But I did add the Redshift Sports Cruise Control Grips, (only the lower ones) and those are going to really help with hand pain. I re-used the old Salsa tape and just wrapped it with more overlay. That thickens things up, but more importantly, it gives those parts of the handlebars more "cush". And, of course, I didn't have to use up more handlebar tape when this stuff was still good. 

The Cruise Control grip is a lock-on style grip.

Much like the Ergon grips, you have to fine tune the angle of the 'paddle' on the Cruise Control Grip or it will seem like a waste of time to put it on. Once you get it right, it will be very noticeable. 

The grip is also a lock-on style grip, so it probably is a no-go on a carbon drop bar. Maybe if your carbon bar is rated for bar end shifters, but in any case, I'd check with the manufacturer of the carbon drops before trying to use a Cruise Control Grip. I am using the aluminum Redshift Sports Kitchen Sink Bar here. 

The Kitchen Sink Bar has a loop out front which, at first glance, would seem like an aero bar kind of design. But the extension of that loop precludes it from really being used 'long-term' in that position. It does, however, make a great place to hang a bag from. And that's exactly what the folks at Redshift Sports must have been thinking because they made a nifty little bag that fits into the negative space outlined by the loop out front of the Kitchen Sink Bar.

The Kitchen Sink Bar Bag also has a Garmin/Wahoo mount.

This bag is pretty cool with its zippered and magnetically closed top. I leave mine unzipped most of the time so I can just flop the top open and let the magnet hold it closed, which it does well with the Wahoo Elemnt ROAM on top of it. That GPS unit fits because the bag comes with a Garmin mount that can be turned 90° so it can work with a Wahoo GPS as well. 

That helps solve a bit of storage issues with plenty of room in the bag for a camera and snacks. The light, a Raveman unit I bought a couple years ago, mounts off the front of the bar and so all my electronics can be right at hand along with that storage space. It makes the shortcomings concerning the aero bar use of this handlebar's loop a bit less of a bummer. 

I did a longer multi-terrain test ride Sunday and I am pleased. I need to do some cable housing/cable maintenance at some point. Those old housings are breaking down, but I will need an extra long rear derailleur cable, so I'll have to visit the local bike shop Tuesday. Stay tuned....

Friday News And Views

 The Final FN&V Of 2022!

Well, take a sip of that coffee and congratulate yourself for making it through another entire year of the 'FN&V", your weekly, end-of-week review of news, thoughts, and opinions here on "Guitar Ted Productions".

I've cooked up a special one for y'all today, so I hope that you enjoy this. But first, a bit of trivia concerning this staple of my blog over the years. 

This wasn't planned to be on Fridays. In fact, I think a 'news and views' type of post has appeared on every day but Sunday here on this blog since 2005. The Friday slot wasn't a weekly thing until recently, in terms of this blog, as well, which may surprise some of you. 

But now the "FN&V" has become, on average, the most read post I do every week. There are posts that get a lot more hits than my Friday missives, but on average, more of you dear readers are here today than any other day of the week. So, a tip-o-the-cup to your reading neighbors and cheers! 

New Site Seeks To Be Gravel Event Calendar Hub:

Back in 2008 I was asked by readers of this blog to start a "gravel event calendar", which I did, hosting it on the sidebar of this very blog throughout 2008. There weren't many events back then!

But things changed, I started a calendar in 2009 on a separate site, that morphed into the Riding Gravel Events Calendar in 2014, and by 2019 I had over 600 events which I had listed on the site, most of which I had researched and found out about on my own time. That's right, I would estimate that less than ten percent of those 600+ events were submitted to be on that old calendar.

As you might imagine then, I was very busy with updating that calendar throughout the year. It took probably ten hours a week to maintain it. That's on top of doing all the other stuff I did. It wasn't tenable, and when COVID came along, I took the cue to stop and that was that. Along the way I made a great resource for many for several years. I unwittingly also contributed to some other 'gravel oriented sites' calendars as well, with many of my event descriptions getting copied and pasted word for word into these other "calendar of events".

That's why when I came across this last week that I smiled. I wish this man good will and fortunes on his efforts. It won't be easy, or very sustainable, to simply rely on submissions and word of mouth to get events put on that calendar. (Ask anyone who has compiled events about that) Especially when sites like BikeReg are a de-facto event calendar with major reach and influence. That's why I'd be shocked if this "Gravel Calendar" isn't drawing dates off BikeReg,, or the massive Gran Fondo gravel calendar of events.by the way.

 The calendar is also probably getting data from its partners. The Gravel Calendar has partnered with the Gravel Cyclist website and the Pure Gravel site to "help bolster their calendars", which I take to mean that they are sharing information across their websites to gather more events. That should ease things a tiny bit.

Again- best of luck to all involved. 

Dream Engine in steel (Image courtesy of Wilde Bikes)

Wilde Bikes Introduces The "Dream Engine" In Steel, Titanium:

In case you missed this last week, Wilde Bikes debuted a new "Fargo-like" adventure bike dubbed the Dream Engine. The bike, available as a frame set or built to various spec, is going to be offered in steel and titanium. 

Interestingly, the bike uses a Cutthroat carbon fork by Salsa Cycles, further tying the comparison to the venerable Fargo, which itself is offered in steel and titanium versions. 

These Dream Engine bikes have clearance for 29" X 2.6" tires. The frames also feature stealth dropper routing, and all the accessory mounting points that you would expect on an adventure bike nowadays. Prices are $2,600.00 for the steel frame set and $4,900.00 for the titanium frame set, both coming with custom Jen Green head tube badges. 

Dream Engine in titanium (Image courtesy of Wilde Bikes)

Comments: Well, I have to admit that these are beautiful and well executed examples of a bike with the Fargo influence. They are US built, (but the presser doesn't say by whom), so the pricing is understandable. You are going to pay a premium price for what is essentially a small batch custom frame. 

My only beef with this bike's design is that it cannot be single speed due to the lack of any tensioning system being designed into the frame. (You could use an eccentric bottom bracket, I suppose.) I know, big whoop! You probably are not a single speeder. But you do not have to have a desire to be a one gear person to appreciate the ability to single speed a bike if the derailleur gets destroyed in an incident while you are miles away from anything. 

To my way of thinking, self-extraction from your situation is a prized attribute, and having that ability in a frame set which could be a single speed is a good thing to have in your back pocket, you know, just in case. You may never use that feature, but then again, you may have to. 

So, for that singular reason I would pass on this choice. You are spending a lot of coin to have a bike without a feature that, in my opinion, is a definite "must have" for an off-pavement adventure. Too bad too, it is a beautiful bike. As a gravel pounder? Yeah....I could live without that single speed thing, but not if I am going way off the beaten track. 

Big Changes In Store For Shimano Components?

 Last Thursday I noted a Tweet far down in a thread I was involved in that perked up my ears. It was written by noted cycling journalist, Carlton Reid, who is from the U.K. and has a lot of connections in the cycling business world. In that Tweet, he drops a hint that could signal big changes coming in terms of Shimano group sets in the future.

The context for this Tweet was that "model years" for bicycles are a poor idea, but Shimano, who pretty much steers the ship from behind a curtain when it comes to industry practices, dictates that a model year change shall exist. It does this by introducing new component features and new components nearly every year in March, generally speaking, although Shimano has made introductions in the Fall as well in the past. 

These announcements are years in the making. Component manufacturers and bicycle brands are privy to what is coming out, so that spec can be solidified and parts can be accumulated for production before the public knows about the "new stuff' coming. This is why Mr. Reid probably has some knowledge of what is about to be introduced in March. Someone or another passed along some rather big news along to him, which I believe Mr. Reid is hinting at in his Tweet here.

Another Piece To The Puzzle:

On Friday last week, a few news sources were showing a patent drawing filed by Shimano dated November 2022 that showed a design for a 9 tooth sprocket and lockring. Shimano currently does not support 9 tooth sprockets.  

What Could It Mean? Knowing what I know about Shimano, this has probably got something to do with a complete overhaul of either road components, mountain components, or both simultaneously. I doubt they change GRX, but..... Maybe. 

Does this signal a new standard for free hubs? I would guess that it does, but will Shimano make this compatible with MicroSpline, the newer MTB free hub format they introduced a few years ago? My inclination is that yes- All Shimano rear wheels from 2023 forward will be MicroSpline, 9 tooth cassette compatible. 

That opens up a LOT of possibilities on every front. 1X gravel, MTB, adventure wide range gearing, etc. 13 and 14 speed groups. I know Shimano has had working 14 speed prototype groups since before 2010, so it is not a pipe dream to say that we're headed in that direction.

 Shimano isn't going to produce "new-name" group sets without there being some pretty big changes in those mechanisms. GRX is a new group, relatively speaking, so it would surprise me if they rebrand that after such a short period. But if wholesale changes in either road or MTB happen I could see where that might warrant a new name(s). And Mr. Reid says "several group sets", so I expect a whole nomenclature for group-sets to be retired.

Would that mean no more Dura-Ace, or Ultegra? Or would that mean no more XT or Deore? It's hard to fathom that that sort of legacy would be retired, but reading the Tweet, I don't see any other way to interpret that. (Unless it is an additional group set, but that's not how I read the Tweet)  I guess we will find out in March, won't we? 

Well, that's a wrap on Friday News And Views for today, and for 2022! Once again, THANK YOU for reading these and I'll be back again next week with the start of another year of FN&V posts!

Friday News And Views

 The Final FN&V Of 2022!

Well, take a sip of that coffee and congratulate yourself for making it through another entire year of the 'FN&V", your weekly, end-of-week review of news, thoughts, and opinions here on "Guitar Ted Productions".

I've cooked up a special one for y'all today, so I hope that you enjoy this. But first, a bit of trivia concerning this staple of my blog over the years. 

This wasn't planned to be on Fridays. In fact, I think a 'news and views' type of post has appeared on every day but Sunday here on this blog since 2005. The Friday slot wasn't a weekly thing until recently, in terms of this blog, as well, which may surprise some of you. 

But now the "FN&V" has become, on average, the most read post I do every week. There are posts that get a lot more hits than my Friday missives, but on average, more of you dear readers are here today than any other day of the week. So, a tip-o-the-cup to your reading neighbors and cheers! 

New Site Seeks To Be Gravel Event Calendar Hub:

Back in 2008 I was asked by readers of this blog to start a "gravel event calendar", which I did, hosting it on the sidebar of this very blog throughout 2008. There weren't many events back then!

But things changed, I started a calendar in 2009 on a separate site, that morphed into the Riding Gravel Events Calendar in 2014, and by 2019 I had over 600 events which I had listed on the site, most of which I had researched and found out about on my own time. That's right, I would estimate that less than ten percent of those 600+ events were submitted to be on that old calendar.

As you might imagine then, I was very busy with updating that calendar throughout the year. It took probably ten hours a week to maintain it. That's on top of doing all the other stuff I did. It wasn't tenable, and when COVID came along, I took the cue to stop and that was that. Along the way I made a great resource for many for several years. I unwittingly also contributed to some other 'gravel oriented sites' calendars as well, with many of my event descriptions getting copied and pasted word for word into these other "calendar of events".

That's why when I came across this last week that I smiled. I wish this man good will and fortunes on his efforts. It won't be easy, or very sustainable, to simply rely on submissions and word of mouth to get events put on that calendar. (Ask anyone who has compiled events about that) Especially when sites like BikeReg are a de-facto event calendar with major reach and influence. That's why I'd be shocked if this "Gravel Calendar" isn't drawing dates off BikeReg,, or the massive Gran Fondo gravel calendar of events.by the way.

 The calendar is also probably getting data from its partners. The Gravel Calendar has partnered with the Gravel Cyclist website and the Pure Gravel site to "help bolster their calendars", which I take to mean that they are sharing information across their websites to gather more events. That should ease things a tiny bit.

Again- best of luck to all involved. 

Dream Engine in steel (Image courtesy of Wilde Bikes)

Wilde Bikes Introduces The "Dream Engine" In Steel, Titanium:

In case you missed this last week, Wilde Bikes debuted a new "Fargo-like" adventure bike dubbed the Dream Engine. The bike, available as a frame set or built to various spec, is going to be offered in steel and titanium. 

Interestingly, the bike uses a Cutthroat carbon fork by Salsa Cycles, further tying the comparison to the venerable Fargo, which itself is offered in steel and titanium versions. 

These Dream Engine bikes have clearance for 29" X 2.6" tires. The frames also feature stealth dropper routing, and all the accessory mounting points that you would expect on an adventure bike nowadays. Prices are $2,600.00 for the steel frame set and $4,900.00 for the titanium frame set, both coming with custom Jen Green head tube badges. 

Dream Engine in titanium (Image courtesy of Wilde Bikes)

Comments: Well, I have to admit that these are beautiful and well executed examples of a bike with the Fargo influence. They are US built, (but the presser doesn't say by whom), so the pricing is understandable. You are going to pay a premium price for what is essentially a small batch custom frame. 

My only beef with this bike's design is that it cannot be single speed due to the lack of any tensioning system being designed into the frame. (You could use an eccentric bottom bracket, I suppose.) I know, big whoop! You probably are not a single speeder. But you do not have to have a desire to be a one gear person to appreciate the ability to single speed a bike if the derailleur gets destroyed in an incident while you are miles away from anything. 

To my way of thinking, self-extraction from your situation is a prized attribute, and having that ability in a frame set which could be a single speed is a good thing to have in your back pocket, you know, just in case. You may never use that feature, but then again, you may have to. 

So, for that singular reason I would pass on this choice. You are spending a lot of coin to have a bike without a feature that, in my opinion, is a definite "must have" for an off-pavement adventure. Too bad too, it is a beautiful bike. As a gravel pounder? Yeah....I could live without that single speed thing, but not if I am going way off the beaten track. 

Big Changes In Store For Shimano Components?

 Last Thursday I noted a Tweet far down in a thread I was involved in that perked up my ears. It was written by noted cycling journalist, Carlton Reid, who is from the U.K. and has a lot of connections in the cycling business world. In that Tweet, he drops a hint that could signal big changes coming in terms of Shimano group sets in the future.

The context for this Tweet was that "model years" for bicycles are a poor idea, but Shimano, who pretty much steers the ship from behind a curtain when it comes to industry practices, dictates that a model year change shall exist. It does this by introducing new component features and new components nearly every year in March, generally speaking, although Shimano has made introductions in the Fall as well in the past. 

These announcements are years in the making. Component manufacturers and bicycle brands are privy to what is coming out, so that spec can be solidified and parts can be accumulated for production before the public knows about the "new stuff' coming. This is why Mr. Reid probably has some knowledge of what is about to be introduced in March. Someone or another passed along some rather big news along to him, which I believe Mr. Reid is hinting at in his Tweet here.

Another Piece To The Puzzle:

On Friday last week, a few news sources were showing a patent drawing filed by Shimano dated November 2022 that showed a design for a 9 tooth sprocket and lockring. Shimano currently does not support 9 tooth sprockets.  

What Could It Mean? Knowing what I know about Shimano, this has probably got something to do with a complete overhaul of either road components, mountain components, or both simultaneously. I doubt they change GRX, but..... Maybe. 

Does this signal a new standard for free hubs? I would guess that it does, but will Shimano make this compatible with MicroSpline, the newer MTB free hub format they introduced a few years ago? My inclination is that yes- All Shimano rear wheels from 2023 forward will be MicroSpline, 9 tooth cassette compatible. 

That opens up a LOT of possibilities on every front. 1X gravel, MTB, adventure wide range gearing, etc. 13 and 14 speed groups. I know Shimano has had working 14 speed prototype groups since before 2010, so it is not a pipe dream to say that we're headed in that direction.

 Shimano isn't going to produce "new-name" group sets without there being some pretty big changes in those mechanisms. GRX is a new group, relatively speaking, so it would surprise me if they rebrand that after such a short period. But if wholesale changes in either road or MTB happen I could see where that might warrant a new name(s). And Mr. Reid says "several group sets", so I expect a whole nomenclature for group-sets to be retired.

Would that mean no more Dura-Ace, or Ultegra? Or would that mean no more XT or Deore? It's hard to fathom that that sort of legacy would be retired, but reading the Tweet, I don't see any other way to interpret that. (Unless it is an additional group set, but that's not how I read the Tweet)  I guess we will find out in March, won't we? 

Well, that's a wrap on Friday News And Views for today, and for 2022! Once again, THANK YOU for reading these and I'll be back again next week with the start of another year of FN&V posts!

Fargo Gen I: Winter Project - Status Complete!

Thanks to Grannygear, I have refreshed the Fargo Gen I.

 Bonus: Bikes Of 2022: Salsa Cycles Fargo Gen I:

This post will also serve as my "End-Of-Year" post on the Fargo. No need to duplicate this in a dedicated post in the series I have going on with my bicycles I used in 2022. Okay, with that, on with the post.

 A little over a week ago I told you all about these new wheels I received from my friend in SoCal, Grannygear, that I picked up for a song. The post is here in case you missed that.

That kicked off the idea of refreshing the old, worn out drive train. It really needed it, because the parts had been on there for so long I cannot remember when I changed anything on that bike last. 

Another reason I should keep log books on my bikes, eh? 

Well, that hasn't happened yet, so I went with my measurements and my intuition and just bought a new chain and cassette anyway. I already had installed a lightly used Shimano XT crank last Summer with 48/38/28 chain rings. I decided to use a new Shimano 11-36T cassette, (thanks 29"ers!), and a new Shimano 9 speed chain. 

I bought the cassette because with a 28T granny, I would have two gears lower than 1 to 1 with a 32T and 36T choice. The Shimano chain, because it shifts better on Shimano stuff than SRAM, and mostly because it came with 118 links instead of 116, like most SRAM chains do. 

The original XT rear derailleur handled the 36T cog with ease.

This chain length is important. Nowadays, with the dominance of 1X drive trains, the difference in chain wrap from lowest gear on the cassette to the highest is all the chain has to accommodate for besides the single front chain ring. With a double or triple chain ring crankset, that gets a bit more complicated to figure out. 

It also takes, typically, a little longer chain than a 1X system will. I knew from my old set up with the 34T largest cog that the old chain was maxed out in terms of length. I knew that going up 2 more teeth to a 36T would require at least two more links. A SRAM chain wasn't going to cut it, and honestly, I didn't know if a Shimano one would either! 

As it turned out, the Shimano chain was at least one link too short. But to be completely comfortable and safe, I wanted to add two links more. Why not? I was going to have to add at least one more anyway.
 

The XT crank set has an unusual 48/38/28 chain ring set.

I scoured all my cast-off bits of chain and only found a nearly complete KMC 9 speed chain with its quick link. 

Years ago at a Frostbike dealer only show, I met an Asian man at a KMC chain booth who adamantly insisted that KMC made Shimano chains. He was pretty amped about that, so that always stuck with me. So, I figured that, if he was right, a KMC 9 speed chain should play well with a 9 speed Shimano chain, despite their differences in appearance. 

The quick link worked perfectly, and I was able to use the Shimano chain pin on the other end of my two-link graft. All seemed on the up and up, so I tested the combinations and "big to big" was just fine. Small to small was even okay! Whew!  Not that I would ever- nor should anyone ever- use the extreme cross-chain choices, but in the rare instance where you lose track of where it is you are at on the cassette and front chain rings, you won't rip off the derailleur if you should forget and go "big to big". 

I almost gave up on mounting these tires.

Now as for tires, I decided to take off the SOMA Cazaderos from the old wheel set and install them on the "new-to-me" wheel set. Cazaderos have, in my experience, been difficult to get to set up tubeless. Panaracer makes these tires for SOMA, and they act a lot more like the Panaracer made Rene Herse tires. In other words, they are a pain in the tookus. I almost gave up on them for the Fargo. 

They were just a bit looser than I'd like. The previous wheel set, based on the ever so slightly larger diameter Stan's wheels, worked okay with these tires. I'll see how it goes with the Rovals, but if I can wear these out, or nearly so, I will not buy them again for this bike, no matter how nice they ride. And they do ride nicely. 

So, with that all set up, I decided to hit the neighborhood for a test ride. There is a cemetery near me that has some short, steep climbs so I tested the bike there to make sure I wasn't going to detonate a chain or have some other catastrophic failure right out of the box. Besides, I am still battling the back end of this cold, so I cannot get out for a longer ride just yet anyway. The good news? Everything worked as it should.
 

And the full-monty. I think it looks pretty nice, even with the "shouty" wheels.

And there it is! The newly set up Fargo. I probably will tweak out the handle bar set up a bit by lowering the stem on the steer tube. It's a hair too "sit up and beg" for my tastes and needs at the moment, but I will admit that this is rather relaxed and comfy the way that it is. 

The Fargo is now all ready again for adventures. When I'll get to do those, I don't know just yet. The Winter weather we are sure to get will have a big say in this, and as I said, I still am not 100% out of the woods with this cold.

Fargo Gen I: Winter Project - Status Complete!

Thanks to Grannygear, I have refreshed the Fargo Gen I.

 Bonus: Bikes Of 2022: Salsa Cycles Fargo Gen I:

This post will also serve as my "End-Of-Year" post on the Fargo. No need to duplicate this in a dedicated post in the series I have going on with my bicycles I used in 2022. Okay, with that, on with the post.

 A little over a week ago I told you all about these new wheels I received from my friend in SoCal, Grannygear, that I picked up for a song. The post is here in case you missed that.

That kicked off the idea of refreshing the old, worn out drive train. It really needed it, because the parts had been on there for so long I cannot remember when I changed anything on that bike last. 

Another reason I should keep log books on my bikes, eh? 

Well, that hasn't happened yet, so I went with my measurements and my intuition and just bought a new chain and cassette anyway. I already had installed a lightly used Shimano XT crank last Summer with 48/38/28 chain rings. I decided to use a new Shimano 11-36T cassette, (thanks 29"ers!), and a new Shimano 9 speed chain. 

I bought the cassette because with a 28T granny, I would have two gears lower than 1 to 1 with a 32T and 36T choice. The Shimano chain, because it shifts better on Shimano stuff than SRAM, and mostly because it came with 118 links instead of 116, like most SRAM chains do. 

The original XT rear derailleur handled the 36T cog with ease.

This chain length is important. Nowadays, with the dominance of 1X drive trains, the difference in chain wrap from lowest gear on the cassette to the highest is all the chain has to accommodate for besides the single front chain ring. With a double or triple chain ring crankset, that gets a bit more complicated to figure out. 

It also takes, typically, a little longer chain than a 1X system will. I knew from my old set up with the 34T largest cog that the old chain was maxed out in terms of length. I knew that going up 2 more teeth to a 36T would require at least two more links. A SRAM chain wasn't going to cut it, and honestly, I didn't know if a Shimano one would either! 

As it turned out, the Shimano chain was at least one link too short. But to be completely comfortable and safe, I wanted to add two links more. Why not? I was going to have to add at least one more anyway.
 

The XT crank set has an unusual 48/38/28 chain ring set.

I scoured all my cast-off bits of chain and only found a nearly complete KMC 9 speed chain with its quick link. 

Years ago at a Frostbike dealer only show, I met an Asian man at a KMC chain booth who adamantly insisted that KMC made Shimano chains. He was pretty amped about that, so that always stuck with me. So, I figured that, if he was right, a KMC 9 speed chain should play well with a 9 speed Shimano chain, despite their differences in appearance. 

The quick link worked perfectly, and I was able to use the Shimano chain pin on the other end of my two-link graft. All seemed on the up and up, so I tested the combinations and "big to big" was just fine. Small to small was even okay! Whew!  Not that I would ever- nor should anyone ever- use the extreme cross-chain choices, but in the rare instance where you lose track of where it is you are at on the cassette and front chain rings, you won't rip off the derailleur if you should forget and go "big to big". 

I almost gave up on mounting these tires.

Now as for tires, I decided to take off the SOMA Cazaderos from the old wheel set and install them on the "new-to-me" wheel set. Cazaderos have, in my experience, been difficult to get to set up tubeless. Panaracer makes these tires for SOMA, and they act a lot more like the Panaracer made Rene Herse tires. In other words, they are a pain in the tookus. I almost gave up on them for the Fargo. 

They were just a bit looser than I'd like. The previous wheel set, based on the ever so slightly larger diameter Stan's wheels, worked okay with these tires. I'll see how it goes with the Rovals, but if I can wear these out, or nearly so, I will not buy them again for this bike, no matter how nice they ride. And they do ride nicely. 

So, with that all set up, I decided to hit the neighborhood for a test ride. There is a cemetery near me that has some short, steep climbs so I tested the bike there to make sure I wasn't going to detonate a chain or have some other catastrophic failure right out of the box. Besides, I am still battling the back end of this cold, so I cannot get out for a longer ride just yet anyway. The good news? Everything worked as it should.
 

And the full-monty. I think it looks pretty nice, even with the "shouty" wheels.

And there it is! The newly set up Fargo. I probably will tweak out the handle bar set up a bit by lowering the stem on the steer tube. It's a hair too "sit up and beg" for my tastes and needs at the moment, but I will admit that this is rather relaxed and comfy the way that it is. 

The Fargo is now all ready again for adventures. When I'll get to do those, I don't know just yet. The Winter weather we are sure to get will have a big say in this, and as I said, I still am not 100% out of the woods with this cold.