Foundry Overland: A Nice Cyclo Cross Bike

It sure ain't no "gravel road bike"!

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

The Foundry brand released details on their new rig yesterday, and sure 'nuff- it's a metal bike! Hooray! I applaud the brand for straightening out it's marketing and product offering with this model. To my mind, "Foundry" and "metal" framed bicycles seem like a no-brainer, but apparently it took a few years for that to come around up in Bloomington, Minnesota. Glad it finally did, and I look for more of the same/similar with regard to future product offerings from the brand.

However........

In their marketing of this new "Overland" model, they say the following....

"The Overland was developed to be the only bike you need when it comes to gravel and cyclocross."

The quote should have read as follows:

"The Overland was developed to be the only cyclo cross bike you need when it comes to gravel and cyclocross". 

Why? Because what we have here is a hard core, no compromises, mean, nasty cyclo cross bike. The geometry says so. High bottom bracket, steepish angles, and low trail all add up to what every cyclo cross racer wants in a bike. That's awesome. Love it for the cyclo cross guys, but don't tell me you designed this for gravel road riding. 

First of all, there really is nothing at all in the Overland, besides a bigger tire clearance, that calls out "gravel road bike" to my way of thinking here. I am not going to re-hash all the reasons why that is, but long time readers can all tic off the reasons for themselves, I am sure. Secondly, and maybe most importantly, Foundry took the "safe route" by gunning for classic CX geometry rather than something "untested', (although the Raleigh Tamland/Willard models seem to be faring well with their more daring take on geo), and......ya know.....cyclo cross bikes are good enough for gravel racing/riding. So they say..... Heck, if ya listen to Tom Ritchey talk, you don't even need a cyclo cross bike for cyclo cross, because a road bike is a "gravel bike" and ergo, a road bike is a cyclo cross bike, a mountain bike, etc...  Whatever.

Regardless- it is a good looking bike.....for a cyclo cross bike!

In the end, it won't matter, most likely, because this will appeal to those who want a "do-it-all" cyclo cross bike. It will do cross really well, and since most folks probably won't care about the geometry for gravel, it will suit them fine. I will say that calling a dyed in the wool cross bike "the only bike you need" for gravel and cross isn't saying this bike is "new" in terms of geometry though. It really isn't saying anything "new" because this thought is the majority opinion for many when it comes to cyclo cross geometry and the bikes made specifically for cyclo cross racing. Which.....by the way....isn't anything like gravel road racing, nor like the geometry for which gravel road riding would be best served. That would be more like classic road bike geometry with a slacker head angle thrown in for good measure.

But hey! It's a good turn for Foundry and the bike looks great.......for a cyclo cross bike!

Foundry Overland: A Nice Cyclo Cross Bike

It sure ain't no "gravel road bike"!

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

The Foundry brand released details on their new rig yesterday, and sure 'nuff- it's a metal bike! Hooray! I applaud the brand for straightening out it's marketing and product offering with this model. To my mind, "Foundry" and "metal" framed bicycles seem like a no-brainer, but apparently it took a few years for that to come around up in Bloomington, Minnesota. Glad it finally did, and I look for more of the same/similar with regard to future product offerings from the brand.

However........

In their marketing of this new "Overland" model, they say the following....

"The Overland was developed to be the only bike you need when it comes to gravel and cyclocross."

The quote should have read as follows:

"The Overland was developed to be the only cyclo cross bike you need when it comes to gravel and cyclocross". 

Why? Because what we have here is a hard core, no compromises, mean, nasty cyclo cross bike. The geometry says so. High bottom bracket, steepish angles, and low trail all add up to what every cyclo cross racer wants in a bike. That's awesome. Love it for the cyclo cross guys, but don't tell me you designed this for gravel road riding. 

First of all, there really is nothing at all in the Overland, besides a bigger tire clearance, that calls out "gravel road bike" to my way of thinking here. I am not going to re-hash all the reasons why that is, but long time readers can all tic off the reasons for themselves, I am sure. Secondly, and maybe most importantly, Foundry took the "safe route" by gunning for classic CX geometry rather than something "untested', (although the Raleigh Tamland/Willard models seem to be faring well with their more daring take on geo), and......ya know.....cyclo cross bikes are good enough for gravel racing/riding. So they say..... Heck, if ya listen to Tom Ritchey talk, you don't even need a cyclo cross bike for cyclo cross, because a road bike is a "gravel bike" and ergo, a road bike is a cyclo cross bike, a mountain bike, etc...  Whatever.

Regardless- it is a good looking bike.....for a cyclo cross bike!

In the end, it won't matter, most likely, because this will appeal to those who want a "do-it-all" cyclo cross bike. It will do cross really well, and since most folks probably won't care about the geometry for gravel, it will suit them fine. I will say that calling a dyed in the wool cross bike "the only bike you need" for gravel and cross isn't saying this bike is "new" in terms of geometry though. It really isn't saying anything "new" because this thought is the majority opinion for many when it comes to cyclo cross geometry and the bikes made specifically for cyclo cross racing. Which.....by the way....isn't anything like gravel road racing, nor like the geometry for which gravel road riding would be best served. That would be more like classic road bike geometry with a slacker head angle thrown in for good measure.

But hey! It's a good turn for Foundry and the bike looks great.......for a cyclo cross bike!

Friday News And Views

Hey there folks! it has been a while since I've done a "News And Views" post, but I had other things to talk about, so.....ya know, I just went with that. Now I have some interesting tidbits to share this Friday with a theme! That would be Frostbike. This annual dealer only open house has turned into a trade show over the years, and has become my favoritist industry event of all. Really! I wouldn't miss it for the world.

A "narrow-wide" chain ring made out of steel (Image courtesy of Surly's facebook page)

Surly Bikes: 

The "1X", (Say "One-By"), drive train phase is coming on strong with riders of all disciplines and there has been a cottage industry that has developed from this phenomenon built solely on the 1X chain ring concept pioneered by SRAM dubbed "narrow-wide" in which teeth on the cog alternate between narrow in profile to wide to accommodate the narrow and wide chain links in a bicycle chain. The concept has been proven to retain the chain on the chain ring so well, that in some cases the more extreme down hill riders have even eschewed the use of a chain retention device on their crankset/bottom bracket area, which was unheard of previous to "narrow-wide". 

Surly Bikes, who have been purveyors of finely crafted stainless steel rings for several years now, have added their take on the "narrow-wide" rings and I am sure this will be something talked up more at Frostbike. But that won't be all those crazy boys and girls will have on tap. Oh no! You can bet on that.

Is it Ginormous, or just a mirage? A cropped image from Surly's Facebook page)

Wut-The-Wut!!

The "innergoogles" went berserk yesterday when Surly posted a goofy image of the staff. In the background there is an Ice Cream Truck fat bike, (or at least what appears to be that), with what appears at first glance to be a HUGE tire and double wide rim. Or.....is it?

Upon further inspection it would appear that the image is a trick of the eye and not the hoped for, even larger than life, big fat bike tire and rim.

Yes.....people still seem to want even larger fat bike tires and rims! That said, I have heard rumors of a 120mm wide rim floating around out there in the wilds. I also happen to know of one individual that told me two years ago now that he was having a set of 120mm rims custom made. Is it going to be Surly that pushes rim size even wider? I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was. If that happens, will there be a bigger, wider tire as well? That I doubt very much, but then again, I was floored when they made the Bud and Lou, so who knows?

Seen on the Foundry Cycles Facebook page: A metal drop out?!!!

Wut-The-Wut!! (Part Two)

Foundry Cycles- The brand with the ironic name. They have a name that conjures up an image of molten metal, forged in the fires of Mount Doom by the dwarves......ummm....wait a minute! 

No, I am sorry. They do plastic bikes! A company by the name of "Foundry" that does carbon fiber only?

Weird!

Then the other day on my Facecrack feed I get this image that is said to be coming to me via Foundry Cycles of what for all the world looks to be a metal drop out. 

Weirder!

Could it be? Is Foundry Cycles going to introduce a metal framed bicycle at Frostbike? Indications seem to point to that, judging solely by this image. We'll see when we get to the show. If that happens then I think it will mark a big shift in focus for this brand. Again......we will see. I'll tell ya one thing- it will make a lot more sense from the brand strategy/marketing perspective than an all carbon fiber line up.  Then there is the following dichotomy involving both Foundry and Surly that I found interesting....

From a Surly blog post in December '13

From Foundry Cycles Facebook page

So.............which is it? I'm thinking that the big meetings in the Q "Borgroom" with these two brands must be pretty entertaining. Either way, coming or going they've got you, it would seem, eh? And speaking of going, it is my turn to do just that, so until next time.......

Have a great weekend and get out there and ride if ya can!

Friday News And Views

Hey there folks! it has been a while since I've done a "News And Views" post, but I had other things to talk about, so.....ya know, I just went with that. Now I have some interesting tidbits to share this Friday with a theme! That would be Frostbike. This annual dealer only open house has turned into a trade show over the years, and has become my favoritist industry event of all. Really! I wouldn't miss it for the world.

A "narrow-wide" chain ring made out of steel (Image courtesy of Surly's facebook page)

Surly Bikes: 

The "1X", (Say "One-By"), drive train phase is coming on strong with riders of all disciplines and there has been a cottage industry that has developed from this phenomenon built solely on the 1X chain ring concept pioneered by SRAM dubbed "narrow-wide" in which teeth on the cog alternate between narrow in profile to wide to accommodate the narrow and wide chain links in a bicycle chain. The concept has been proven to retain the chain on the chain ring so well, that in some cases the more extreme down hill riders have even eschewed the use of a chain retention device on their crankset/bottom bracket area, which was unheard of previous to "narrow-wide". 

Surly Bikes, who have been purveyors of finely crafted stainless steel rings for several years now, have added their take on the "narrow-wide" rings and I am sure this will be something talked up more at Frostbike. But that won't be all those crazy boys and girls will have on tap. Oh no! You can bet on that.

Is it Ginormous, or just a mirage? A cropped image from Surly's Facebook page)

Wut-The-Wut!!

The "innergoogles" went berserk yesterday when Surly posted a goofy image of the staff. In the background there is an Ice Cream Truck fat bike, (or at least what appears to be that), with what appears at first glance to be a HUGE tire and double wide rim. Or.....is it?

Upon further inspection it would appear that the image is a trick of the eye and not the hoped for, even larger than life, big fat bike tire and rim.

Yes.....people still seem to want even larger fat bike tires and rims! That said, I have heard rumors of a 120mm wide rim floating around out there in the wilds. I also happen to know of one individual that told me two years ago now that he was having a set of 120mm rims custom made. Is it going to be Surly that pushes rim size even wider? I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was. If that happens, will there be a bigger, wider tire as well? That I doubt very much, but then again, I was floored when they made the Bud and Lou, so who knows?

Seen on the Foundry Cycles Facebook page: A metal drop out?!!!

Wut-The-Wut!! (Part Two)

Foundry Cycles- The brand with the ironic name. They have a name that conjures up an image of molten metal, forged in the fires of Mount Doom by the dwarves......ummm....wait a minute! 

No, I am sorry. They do plastic bikes! A company by the name of "Foundry" that does carbon fiber only?

Weird!

Then the other day on my Facecrack feed I get this image that is said to be coming to me via Foundry Cycles of what for all the world looks to be a metal drop out. 

Weirder!

Could it be? Is Foundry Cycles going to introduce a metal framed bicycle at Frostbike? Indications seem to point to that, judging solely by this image. We'll see when we get to the show. If that happens then I think it will mark a big shift in focus for this brand. Again......we will see. I'll tell ya one thing- it will make a lot more sense from the brand strategy/marketing perspective than an all carbon fiber line up.  Then there is the following dichotomy involving both Foundry and Surly that I found interesting....

From a Surly blog post in December '13

From Foundry Cycles Facebook page

So.............which is it? I'm thinking that the big meetings in the Q "Borgroom" with these two brands must be pretty entertaining. Either way, coming or going they've got you, it would seem, eh? And speaking of going, it is my turn to do just that, so until next time.......

Have a great weekend and get out there and ride if ya can!

Frostbike 2013: Part 4

Skinwalls!

Sunday was the closing day for Frostbike and I awoke at Ben's home to get ready. We then peeled out to his folks place for poached eggs and toast with some fresh coffee on top and then we hit the road northward.

I didn't have a whole lot on the agenda. A few things that I needed to hit up, then I just needed to wait until 2pm for a meeting with a Salsa rep concerning the shop. The pre-order for 2014 was on the agenda. My boss from the shop was supposed to show up for it.

Interestingly, there was a good, long conversation in the Challenge Tire booth with their rep and a person very high up in the chain of command at QBP. The overall feeling I got was that gravel road and fat bike segments were very high in focus and priority with QBP. It doesn't take much to see that is true when you check out some of Q's brands and how they have refocused over the past few years.

Salsa Cycles threw out that Mukluk in late 2010 and when the bike sold out, they brought a three bike line up the following year. 2013 saw the addition of a full on race bike in the Beargrease, and I thought that was pushing the limits. Nope! Now for 2014 we're going to see a high technology, super-fat bike in the Carbon Beargrease. Amazing! Add in those Warbird gravel road racers, the Vaya, and you can see a focus on those categories quite easily.

The new All City Macho Man Disc gravel/cross rig.

Another brand, this one switched up to cover cross and gravel riders, is All City. I remember when that brand was just Jeff Frane and a bunch of fixie-hipster componentry.

All City then branched out to offer urban bashers and fixed gear frame sets. But then one day this single speed cross bike appeared called the Nature Boy. It was touted as a cross rig, which it is, but gravel riders were attracted to it in significant numbers.

Then came the Mr. Pink all-road bike, then the Spacehorse, which really hit the gravel riders as a good rig, and then the geared version of the Nature Boy, the Macho Man appeared. Now when you walk into an All City booth at a show, it's hard to find a fixed gear selection. Sure, they have one hanging on in the line, and a couple of frame sets, but this brand has gone completely in another direction. Gravel and cross. The all new Macho Man Disc will only further that feeling.

So gravel and fat bikes are certainly where the action is at with the Q brands. Foundry, the oddly named carbon bike brand, is all cyclo-cross, for the most part. There is a token 29"er there, but whoop-de-doo. It, (and the other Foundry bikes),  looks like an overpriced refugee from a Chinese manufacturers catalog. Surly? Well certainly they are, (pardon the pun), the odd man out, but with the seminal Cross Check, and two very popular fat bikes, they have their bases covered already. Add in the 29+ Krampus, and you just may have a whole nuther segment created right there. Surly may be "anti-establishment", but they can't be blamed for not being at the front end of most of these niche cycling categories. Cutting edge misfits, those fellers!

Gravel grinding: It's the new black...

Well, I had all those conversations at one point or another during the weekend that I can tell you about. However; there was more. A lot more that I can not speak of......yet. But mark my words here- fat bikes are being fast tracked and what you see now will be prehistoric in terms of tech and performance in three years tops. I know gravel grinding stuff may see the same treatment. Fat bikes will be first though. It's going to be super exciting to see how it all comes down.

After jawing all that time, a guy can work up quite an appetite. Fortunately Jeff Kerkove put a bug in my ear to go to lunch with  him. We caught up on things and had a great time.  For those who haven't been along here for the entire ride, Jeff used to work at the shop with me and was the co-founder of Trans Iowa. Now he's with Ergon, and riding bikes all over the place. We get to see each other very rarely, so it was good to sit down with him.

And that meeting I was supposed to have at 2pm? Well, my boss changed the timing but neglected to inform me of that small detail. So I found out at 2pm that Ben and I could have been gone already, and my wife could have seen all of the Academy Award ceremony, and....... Meh!.......

Communication........it is sort of important. 

So Frostbike came to an end for 2013. It was a whirlwind of a weekend and I had a lot of fun. Seeing many people I don't get to see very often, and meeting new folks too was certainly the highlight of the time spent there. Bikes were the added icing on that cake.

Thanks! I wanted to give special shouts out to: Ben and Meg, the Witt family, Mike's Bikes: Mike, Stuart, and Jon- Salsa Cycles: Mike Riemer, Tim K, John Gaddo, Aaron Stehly- QBP: Jason Boucher, Mary, and all the staff- The Vendors: Jeff Kerkove, Morgan Nicol, Chris Clinton, Donn Kelogg, Matt Ruiter, and all the good folks there to show their wares. Friends old and new, and everyone that made the weekend what it was. Thanks!

Frostbike 2013: Part 4

Skinwalls!

Sunday was the closing day for Frostbike and I awoke at Ben's home to get ready. We then peeled out to his folks place for poached eggs and toast with some fresh coffee on top and then we hit the road northward.

I didn't have a whole lot on the agenda. A few things that I needed to hit up, then I just needed to wait until 2pm for a meeting with a Salsa rep concerning the shop. The pre-order for 2014 was on the agenda. My boss from the shop was supposed to show up for it.

Interestingly, there was a good, long conversation in the Challenge Tire booth with their rep and a person very high up in the chain of command at QBP. The overall feeling I got was that gravel road and fat bike segments were very high in focus and priority with QBP. It doesn't take much to see that is true when you check out some of Q's brands and how they have refocused over the past few years.

Salsa Cycles threw out that Mukluk in late 2010 and when the bike sold out, they brought a three bike line up the following year. 2013 saw the addition of a full on race bike in the Beargrease, and I thought that was pushing the limits. Nope! Now for 2014 we're going to see a high technology, super-fat bike in the Carbon Beargrease. Amazing! Add in those Warbird gravel road racers, the Vaya, and you can see a focus on those categories quite easily.

The new All City Macho Man Disc gravel/cross rig.

Another brand, this one switched up to cover cross and gravel riders, is All City. I remember when that brand was just Jeff Frane and a bunch of fixie-hipster componentry.

All City then branched out to offer urban bashers and fixed gear frame sets. But then one day this single speed cross bike appeared called the Nature Boy. It was touted as a cross rig, which it is, but gravel riders were attracted to it in significant numbers.

Then came the Mr. Pink all-road bike, then the Spacehorse, which really hit the gravel riders as a good rig, and then the geared version of the Nature Boy, the Macho Man appeared. Now when you walk into an All City booth at a show, it's hard to find a fixed gear selection. Sure, they have one hanging on in the line, and a couple of frame sets, but this brand has gone completely in another direction. Gravel and cross. The all new Macho Man Disc will only further that feeling.

So gravel and fat bikes are certainly where the action is at with the Q brands. Foundry, the oddly named carbon bike brand, is all cyclo-cross, for the most part. There is a token 29"er there, but whoop-de-doo. It, (and the other Foundry bikes),  looks like an overpriced refugee from a Chinese manufacturers catalog. Surly? Well certainly they are, (pardon the pun), the odd man out, but with the seminal Cross Check, and two very popular fat bikes, they have their bases covered already. Add in the 29+ Krampus, and you just may have a whole nuther segment created right there. Surly may be "anti-establishment", but they can't be blamed for not being at the front end of most of these niche cycling categories. Cutting edge misfits, those fellers!

Gravel grinding: It's the new black...

Well, I had all those conversations at one point or another during the weekend that I can tell you about. However; there was more. A lot more that I can not speak of......yet. But mark my words here- fat bikes are being fast tracked and what you see now will be prehistoric in terms of tech and performance in three years tops. I know gravel grinding stuff may see the same treatment. Fat bikes will be first though. It's going to be super exciting to see how it all comes down.

After jawing all that time, a guy can work up quite an appetite. Fortunately Jeff Kerkove put a bug in my ear to go to lunch with  him. We caught up on things and had a great time.  For those who haven't been along here for the entire ride, Jeff used to work at the shop with me and was the co-founder of Trans Iowa. Now he's with Ergon, and riding bikes all over the place. We get to see each other very rarely, so it was good to sit down with him.

And that meeting I was supposed to have at 2pm? Well, my boss changed the timing but neglected to inform me of that small detail. So I found out at 2pm that Ben and I could have been gone already, and my wife could have seen all of the Academy Award ceremony, and....... Meh!.......

Communication........it is sort of important. 

So Frostbike came to an end for 2013. It was a whirlwind of a weekend and I had a lot of fun. Seeing many people I don't get to see very often, and meeting new folks too was certainly the highlight of the time spent there. Bikes were the added icing on that cake.

Thanks! I wanted to give special shouts out to: Ben and Meg, the Witt family, Mike's Bikes: Mike, Stuart, and Jon- Salsa Cycles: Mike Riemer, Tim K, John Gaddo, Aaron Stehly- QBP: Jason Boucher, Mary, and all the staff- The Vendors: Jeff Kerkove, Morgan Nicol, Chris Clinton, Donn Kelogg, Matt Ruiter, and all the good folks there to show their wares. Friends old and new, and everyone that made the weekend what it was. Thanks!