Friday News And Views

The old rusted out bumper from the Truck With No Name.

 Trans Iowa Stories Update:

In an effort to be as transparent and to help keep my feet to the fire, I will be posting sporadic updates on what is being planned and what may be happening with the "Trans Iowa Stories Project". The overall idea is that the series that is hosted here on the blog will be condensed down and put out as a book. 

So, with that in mind here is my overall look at how this will be accomplished. This will also give you somewhat of an idea of what the book might look like, should it all come to fruition. keep in mind that this is a "sketch" and as such, major revisions are possible in the future as inspiration and circumstances lead me. 

• Editing Process: There is FAR too much material here for one book, and one book is all I am going to shoot for here. That means a lot of heavy editing will have to happen. This also means that a year-by-year look at Trans Iowa probably is not the format for this book either, as that would, by the nature of the editing, begin to look pretty repetitive as events would start to look the same overall. There just would not be enough detail space to make it interesting. 
• Theme: So, I feel that a thematic approach, one where the book overall will be a journey through the process of the event, is best. So you as a reader would get stories from recon in one chapter, stories from the pre-race in another, stories from the races, and finally post-event stories. In front of that I would do a genesis/beginning story. There might have to be stories about sponsorships placed into there as well, but you get the picture. From the beginning of the book through to the end you'd get what a Trans Iowa looked like and every really good story would be in there. 
• Images: This is where it gets hard because there are SO MANY IMAGES that are really, really great. I know I can cull out what works for the book, but that leaves literally hundreds of images on the table. Could there be a companion book with just images? If there were that possibility, there would need to be a huge effort to get permissions from many photographers, and somehow set up a way that any monies generated from that would go to those folks. They would deserve it, but obviously, that would be a monumental project. Right now, that seems out of my scope of activities for now. Just know that I have ideas here and as long as I have these images, this is a possibility. 

And there you go! That's the outline for now. I will be doing some thinking and starting to make cuts on the information. Arranging things, making sense of it all, maybe adding bits to stitch together the quilt of stories, and then producing a manuscript are what's in the future. Once I get there I will be asking a few key folks to do read-throughs and then another round of editing will happen, I am sure. Stay tuned....

LOOK Trail Fusion pedals. Image courtesy of LOOK.

LOOK Offers New Trail Fusion Pedals:

"Flats" are a good way to go if your cycling trends toward the "grab-and-go" style, or if you'd prefer not to spend more money on fancy cycling slippers and clipless pedals which can cost hundreds of dollars and require you to wear and use these items just to ride a bicycle. 

I'm a big believer that the removing of barriers to cycling is conducive to people using bicycles more. That goes for myself as well, since there are lots of times I decide to ride certain bicycles I have primarily because they are fitted with flat pedals, or "traditional pedals", if you will. 

I have been pretty big on Fyxation's Mesa range of pedals for years because of their low price and high value. Now LOOK has a similar product called "Trail Fusion". 

These pedals are made from a composite material and come in a few different colors for a retail price of $60.00 USD.  They are made in Nevers, France and according to LOOK have replaceable parts with a double ball bearing set up on a CroMoly axle. 8 pins which are replaceable give your shoe something to grip on. 

Look also has a "Trail Roc+" aluminum flat pedal for those looking for that type of pedal. I like the composite pedals myself for cold weather riding as metal pedals suck the heat from your shoes/feet in a hurry. Anyway, check out this option if you are looking for a nice composite pedal at a reasonable price. (Note: I am not being paid nor bribed for this recommendation and I have no affiliation with LOOK whatsoever)

Discontent At The LifeTime Gravel Grand Prix:

A recent article on the "VeloNews" website speaks to issues the Pro racers are seeing with "Big Money Gravel Racing" and the LifeTime Gravel Grand Prix seems to be the focus here. Specifically, Unbound Gravel (formerly the DK200)

A few riders have dropped out of the series, but one in particular, Lea Davison, is getting press via the "VeloNews" article about this and she has expressed concerns which, to me, are not surprising at all. 

The calls for a women's only race were voiced again, which in a Pro race setting, is not to be wondered at. But here is probably the most revealing of her criticisms: 

“People don’t realize that winning these races may be the difference in having a job next year or not, so the stakes are really high and when they are that high, racers take risks. One racer may attack through an intersection in front of a car, descend on the inside of a blind corner, and that’s not a risk that I’m willing to take.”

Money. People will do strange things when it comes down to a paycheck for their reward. I guess, according to Davison, they are willing to do unreasonable things for the money. Makes sense to me. I've seen riders do unreasonable things in races for no other reason than to make things easier. But there may be a connected issue which is even more concerning- The demands of sponsors of their athletes. It isn't just purse money. In fact, sponsorship may be the main driver of some athlete's discontentment. 

Pro rider Sonya Looney mentioned on a Twitter thread in response to reading Davison's reasons for dropping out of the series, that she had refused sponsors and some had chosen not to sponsor her because she would not consider doing gravel races. Her heart was satisfied, and her enjoyment of cycling, she determined, was derived from being a mountain biker. 

Safety was another concern brought up, mostly due to the rash decision making riders employ to gather prize money and satisfy sponsorships. This style of "racing" is epitomized by what we see in the Pro Road ranks with closed courses, support cars, and the like. As I have stated several times, this is where Pros want the "gravel scene" to go. Money, sponsors, and the resulting pressures of both will force these "big-time", big money events and series to become Pro Road racing on gravel. That is not gravel racing. 

And as I've always said, if it doesn't suit you, don't do it. Lea Davison chose to follow her gut. More Pro racers should do the same. Gravel is not for everyone, and it was never about "making a living" off of it. This is why there is conflict and confusion within the Pro racer ranks when it comes to the gravel riding scene. 

And I haven't even gotten to another reason this is an issue. That being gravel events are too big- too many riders packed on to roads never meant to see that sort of traffic. That's another facet of all of this as well.

The Closure Tour Update; 

Well, I had a window in early August to get this done and that has been fouled up by responsibilities and the weather. So, I now will have to wait for my next opportunity which opens up potentially at the end of this month. 

So things are basically on "stand-by" until I can shove off on this voyage. Since I have opportunities for "practice", I may take a ride or two to places, set up, tear back down, and ride home all in the same ride. 

I also might try another wheel set with larger tires I have to try. Just for "research". If it turns out that the bigger tires make for a better ride I may opt over to that wheel set. But other than that, all I have to do is pack some food and fuel for my "penny stove" and I'll be ready to roll. I have my clothes and everything else ready to go at a moment's notice. 

Stay tuned.....

That's it for this week! Have a great weekend and get out and ride!

Friday News And Views

The old rusted out bumper from the Truck With No Name.

 Trans Iowa Stories Update:

In an effort to be as transparent and to help keep my feet to the fire, I will be posting sporadic updates on what is being planned and what may be happening with the "Trans Iowa Stories Project". The overall idea is that the series that is hosted here on the blog will be condensed down and put out as a book. 

So, with that in mind here is my overall look at how this will be accomplished. This will also give you somewhat of an idea of what the book might look like, should it all come to fruition. keep in mind that this is a "sketch" and as such, major revisions are possible in the future as inspiration and circumstances lead me. 

• Editing Process: There is FAR too much material here for one book, and one book is all I am going to shoot for here. That means a lot of heavy editing will have to happen. This also means that a year-by-year look at Trans Iowa probably is not the format for this book either, as that would, by the nature of the editing, begin to look pretty repetitive as events would start to look the same overall. There just would not be enough detail space to make it interesting. 
• Theme: So, I feel that a thematic approach, one where the book overall will be a journey through the process of the event, is best. So you as a reader would get stories from recon in one chapter, stories from the pre-race in another, stories from the races, and finally post-event stories. In front of that I would do a genesis/beginning story. There might have to be stories about sponsorships placed into there as well, but you get the picture. From the beginning of the book through to the end you'd get what a Trans Iowa looked like and every really good story would be in there. 
• Images: This is where it gets hard because there are SO MANY IMAGES that are really, really great. I know I can cull out what works for the book, but that leaves literally hundreds of images on the table. Could there be a companion book with just images? If there were that possibility, there would need to be a huge effort to get permissions from many photographers, and somehow set up a way that any monies generated from that would go to those folks. They would deserve it, but obviously, that would be a monumental project. Right now, that seems out of my scope of activities for now. Just know that I have ideas here and as long as I have these images, this is a possibility. 

And there you go! That's the outline for now. I will be doing some thinking and starting to make cuts on the information. Arranging things, making sense of it all, maybe adding bits to stitch together the quilt of stories, and then producing a manuscript are what's in the future. Once I get there I will be asking a few key folks to do read-throughs and then another round of editing will happen, I am sure. Stay tuned....

LOOK Trail Fusion pedals. Image courtesy of LOOK.

LOOK Offers New Trail Fusion Pedals:

"Flats" are a good way to go if your cycling trends toward the "grab-and-go" style, or if you'd prefer not to spend more money on fancy cycling slippers and clipless pedals which can cost hundreds of dollars and require you to wear and use these items just to ride a bicycle. 

I'm a big believer that the removing of barriers to cycling is conducive to people using bicycles more. That goes for myself as well, since there are lots of times I decide to ride certain bicycles I have primarily because they are fitted with flat pedals, or "traditional pedals", if you will. 

I have been pretty big on Fyxation's Mesa range of pedals for years because of their low price and high value. Now LOOK has a similar product called "Trail Fusion". 

These pedals are made from a composite material and come in a few different colors for a retail price of $60.00 USD.  They are made in Nevers, France and according to LOOK have replaceable parts with a double ball bearing set up on a CroMoly axle. 8 pins which are replaceable give your shoe something to grip on. 

Look also has a "Trail Roc+" aluminum flat pedal for those looking for that type of pedal. I like the composite pedals myself for cold weather riding as metal pedals suck the heat from your shoes/feet in a hurry. Anyway, check out this option if you are looking for a nice composite pedal at a reasonable price. (Note: I am not being paid nor bribed for this recommendation and I have no affiliation with LOOK whatsoever)

Discontent At The LifeTime Gravel Grand Prix:

A recent article on the "VeloNews" website speaks to issues the Pro racers are seeing with "Big Money Gravel Racing" and the LifeTime Gravel Grand Prix seems to be the focus here. Specifically, Unbound Gravel (formerly the DK200)

A few riders have dropped out of the series, but one in particular, Lea Davison, is getting press via the "VeloNews" article about this and she has expressed concerns which, to me, are not surprising at all. 

The calls for a women's only race were voiced again, which in a Pro race setting, is not to be wondered at. But here is probably the most revealing of her criticisms: 

“People don’t realize that winning these races may be the difference in having a job next year or not, so the stakes are really high and when they are that high, racers take risks. One racer may attack through an intersection in front of a car, descend on the inside of a blind corner, and that’s not a risk that I’m willing to take.”

Money. People will do strange things when it comes down to a paycheck for their reward. I guess, according to Davison, they are willing to do unreasonable things for the money. Makes sense to me. I've seen riders do unreasonable things in races for no other reason than to make things easier. But there may be a connected issue which is even more concerning- The demands of sponsors of their athletes. It isn't just purse money. In fact, sponsorship may be the main driver of some athlete's discontentment. 

Pro rider Sonya Looney mentioned on a Twitter thread in response to reading Davison's reasons for dropping out of the series, that she had refused sponsors and some had chosen not to sponsor her because she would not consider doing gravel races. Her heart was satisfied, and her enjoyment of cycling, she determined, was derived from being a mountain biker. 

Safety was another concern brought up, mostly due to the rash decision making riders employ to gather prize money and satisfy sponsorships. This style of "racing" is epitomized by what we see in the Pro Road ranks with closed courses, support cars, and the like. As I have stated several times, this is where Pros want the "gravel scene" to go. Money, sponsors, and the resulting pressures of both will force these "big-time", big money events and series to become Pro Road racing on gravel. That is not gravel racing. 

And as I've always said, if it doesn't suit you, don't do it. Lea Davison chose to follow her gut. More Pro racers should do the same. Gravel is not for everyone, and it was never about "making a living" off of it. This is why there is conflict and confusion within the Pro racer ranks when it comes to the gravel riding scene. 

And I haven't even gotten to another reason this is an issue. That being gravel events are too big- too many riders packed on to roads never meant to see that sort of traffic. That's another facet of all of this as well.

The Closure Tour Update; 

Well, I had a window in early August to get this done and that has been fouled up by responsibilities and the weather. So, I now will have to wait for my next opportunity which opens up potentially at the end of this month. 

So things are basically on "stand-by" until I can shove off on this voyage. Since I have opportunities for "practice", I may take a ride or two to places, set up, tear back down, and ride home all in the same ride. 

I also might try another wheel set with larger tires I have to try. Just for "research". If it turns out that the bigger tires make for a better ride I may opt over to that wheel set. But other than that, all I have to do is pack some food and fuel for my "penny stove" and I'll be ready to roll. I have my clothes and everything else ready to go at a moment's notice. 

Stay tuned.....

That's it for this week! Have a great weekend and get out and ride!

Randomonium: Saturday Edition

NOTE: Okay folks, if you haven't been around long enough here to know what a "Randomonium" post is, then here is the deal. I ramble, rant, and randomly moan about all things cycling in one, incohesive, bizarre post. "Randomonium", okay?

Hammerhead Update:

Following up on what happened with the Hammerhead Karoo 2 unit I panned in my final take on it a while back. Well, as promised I sent it back to Hammerhead HQ with a hand written note describing my displeasure with the unit. 

I heard back about a week, week and a half ago from Hammerhead customer service. I received a very apologetic response and a promise to send out another unit to check out.

They want me to call a representative and have them "walk me through the set-up procedure". While that is uncommonly kind, and I do not expect that from them, here is my problem with that: If this unit is so intuitive, why would I have to have someone essentially hold my hand through the set-up? 

That strikes me as odd. This "step-by-step walk through from a Hammerhead rep" is not a requirement when you purchase a new Hammerhead Karoo 2, so why would that be necessary now? I feel like this says the reason why is that I was the problem here, not the Karoo 2*. If that's the case it's insulting. (Or it is an admission that their instructions are poor?) Maybe I'm wrong? Let me know in the comments. This all just strikes me as being very weird. A kind offer- but why should it be necessary? (*Note- It was brought to my attention in the comments section for this post that I did not make it clear that part of my recent frustration is that the Hammerhead rep did not indicate at all that the unit could be at fault here. So, that's a big part of my dissatisfaction with their response as well.)

In the news, Hammerhead was forced by Shimano to drop its integrations with Di2 after SRAM bought Hammerhead. Now, despite words from Hammerhead to the contrary, Hammerhead is going to pursue more integration with SRAM AXS and other SRAM owned features. Why wouldn't they, right? So, since that is not appealing to me, as I am more apt to be using Shimano stuff, this is another blow for my using a Hammerhead product. 

And yes- The whole ordeal still can get me frustrated and feeling as though Hammerhead's Karoo 2 is not what it is cracked up to be. So, there is that underlying the issues here as well. I admit this colors any future interactions with the brand's products, at least in the short term. 

More soon.....

Shimano's new EP-8 motor and XTdi2 (Image courtesy of Shimano)

Technological Conundrums:

Last week Shimano and Trek announced new advancements in electronic assist and control of bicycles. While these advancements are - on the surface of things - amazing, my question is "How does this affect cycling as a practical/recreational activity going forward?"

On the one hand, making things easier is always seen as a 'good thing' for people. (I don't necessarily subscribe to this notion, by the way) Breaking down barriers to using two-wheeled, (mostly) human powered transportation is a noble goal. But is there a point where we cross a line and technology starts to become the barrier to human health and enjoyment? 

The TQ Robotics eMTB motor found in Trek's newest Full Sus. (Image courtesy of TQ)

The new Trek Fuel EXe full suspension bike has a new e-motor developed by German company, TQ Robotics which promises lighter weight and better integration in the application of electric motors on bicycles. Integrated with this are computer functions, while being basic now, they could easily be expanded upon. Thinking about this and Shimano's new XT Di2 functions, where a rider can have the system shift for you based upon predictive sensor technology, it doesn't take much effort (pun intended) to see that this takes a lot of the complexity and- some would say- skill, out of riding. 

Lighter, more efficient motors with integrated computer tech. More system operated functionality that used to be the realm of the human rider. Where does it end? Is there a "line" to cross at all? What if this technology gets in the way by means of price to buy, maintenance costs, and availability? Does technology like this open more doors for cycling, or does it actually exclude a huge portion of the cycling public? What, if any, environmental impact does this technology have, both good and bad?

Thorny questions to consider going forward....... 

The Wayfarer fork - Image courtesy of Wilde Bicycle Co.

Wilde Bicycle Co. Wayfarer Fork:

One of my past frustrations when setting up my early gravel bikes was the inability to ditch some serious weight with a carbon fiber fork. Straight steer tube carbon forks were kind of a unicorn once the road bike world went for tapered steer tubes in the early 2000's.

There is a significant difference between an OEM fork in steel and an aftermarket carbon one. I am pretty sure my steel Tamland fork went around 12-1300 grams. The Wilde Wayfarer weighs about 500 grams with an uncut steer tube. That's a significant weight savings right there!

Comments: I know that there are many who won't ever give up on metal forks, but carbon fiber has been used on road bike forks since the 1990's. So that design and materials technology in the Wayfarer fork has a lot of years of advancements in technology and design to lean upon. Would it concern me if I got one to try? Yeah, because there is a weight limitation on the fork and I exceed that. So, you have to use your head and be aware that not every lightweight thing will work for every person. 

But that doesn't mean there are no options. I used a Fyxation carbon fork on my Tamland Two which weighs around 750 grams, and that still is a significant weight savings. Plus, I don't have to worry about any rider weight limitations. 

I applaud Wilde Bicycle Co. for trying to go all-out on design and see what could be done. But I would also say that I wish that Wilde, and companies that make super-lightweight stuff, would also give heavier riders options. And I think many riders within the weight limitations might even choose to use a heavier option, if one were provided, out of an abundance of caution. 

Is the Tour going to be forced to "Go Green"?

Climate Criticisms Leveled At le Tour:

I've noted a spate of reports and social media posts leveling criticisms at the Tour de France for being environmentally unfriendly. Some point out that all the team follow cars are impacting the climate with carbon emissions. Some point out the crowds the event attracts as being a contributor to this as well as having an effect in terms of litter and more. There was even a stoppage of one of the stages by protesters this year who were upset about the Tour's carbon footprint.

Is it time for le Tour to "Go Green"? Certainly, it could be a big help if team cars were forced to be electric and if support vehicles for the Tour, such as motos, nuetral service cars, and the like, were electric as well. At least from a "tailpipe emissions" standpoint. You can argue the second tier, less noticeable carbon impacts of battery production and electricity generation, but I think the "electrification" of the Tour would go a long way toward a goal of having less of an environmental impact. 

But if you really want to lower the impact, you would have to bite the bullet and go radical. As in, really radical, and take away any team cars and reduce the moto following vehicles to a minimum to run the event. Restricting crowds and where they could gather along the route might also be measures which one could take to help conserve energy and lessen the impact on the climate the event has. 

A true, self-supported tour would be awesome, in my view, and by using drones and carefully placed cameras, the event could still be "televised", (would "streamed" be a better term nowadays?), and people could pay for a feed to watch it, so you'd get revenues that way. 

It'll never happen, but wow! I think I'd watch that. I'm not watching the Tour at all anymore at this point. That doping thing really soured me on watching that event anymore. 

Anyway, I look for something to come of this climate criticism, and what the Tour will do in the future.

That's it for this edition of Randomonium!

Randomonium: Saturday Edition

NOTE: Okay folks, if you haven't been around long enough here to know what a "Randomonium" post is, then here is the deal. I ramble, rant, and randomly moan about all things cycling in one, incohesive, bizarre post. "Randomonium", okay?

Hammerhead Update:

Following up on what happened with the Hammerhead Karoo 2 unit I panned in my final take on it a while back. Well, as promised I sent it back to Hammerhead HQ with a hand written note describing my displeasure with the unit. 

I heard back about a week, week and a half ago from Hammerhead customer service. I received a very apologetic response and a promise to send out another unit to check out.

They want me to call a representative and have them "walk me through the set-up procedure". While that is uncommonly kind, and I do not expect that from them, here is my problem with that: If this unit is so intuitive, why would I have to have someone essentially hold my hand through the set-up? 

That strikes me as odd. This "step-by-step walk through from a Hammerhead rep" is not a requirement when you purchase a new Hammerhead Karoo 2, so why would that be necessary now? I feel like this says the reason why is that I was the problem here, not the Karoo 2*. If that's the case it's insulting. (Or it is an admission that their instructions are poor?) Maybe I'm wrong? Let me know in the comments. This all just strikes me as being very weird. A kind offer- but why should it be necessary? (*Note- It was brought to my attention in the comments section for this post that I did not make it clear that part of my recent frustration is that the Hammerhead rep did not indicate at all that the unit could be at fault here. So, that's a big part of my dissatisfaction with their response as well.)

In the news, Hammerhead was forced by Shimano to drop its integrations with Di2 after SRAM bought Hammerhead. Now, despite words from Hammerhead to the contrary, Hammerhead is going to pursue more integration with SRAM AXS and other SRAM owned features. Why wouldn't they, right? So, since that is not appealing to me, as I am more apt to be using Shimano stuff, this is another blow for my using a Hammerhead product. 

And yes- The whole ordeal still can get me frustrated and feeling as though Hammerhead's Karoo 2 is not what it is cracked up to be. So, there is that underlying the issues here as well. I admit this colors any future interactions with the brand's products, at least in the short term. 

More soon.....

Shimano's new EP-8 motor and XTdi2 (Image courtesy of Shimano)

Technological Conundrums:

Last week Shimano and Trek announced new advancements in electronic assist and control of bicycles. While these advancements are - on the surface of things - amazing, my question is "How does this affect cycling as a practical/recreational activity going forward?"

On the one hand, making things easier is always seen as a 'good thing' for people. (I don't necessarily subscribe to this notion, by the way) Breaking down barriers to using two-wheeled, (mostly) human powered transportation is a noble goal. But is there a point where we cross a line and technology starts to become the barrier to human health and enjoyment? 

The TQ Robotics eMTB motor found in Trek's newest Full Sus. (Image courtesy of TQ)

The new Trek Fuel EXe full suspension bike has a new e-motor developed by German company, TQ Robotics which promises lighter weight and better integration in the application of electric motors on bicycles. Integrated with this are computer functions, while being basic now, they could easily be expanded upon. Thinking about this and Shimano's new XT Di2 functions, where a rider can have the system shift for you based upon predictive sensor technology, it doesn't take much effort (pun intended) to see that this takes a lot of the complexity and- some would say- skill, out of riding. 

Lighter, more efficient motors with integrated computer tech. More system operated functionality that used to be the realm of the human rider. Where does it end? Is there a "line" to cross at all? What if this technology gets in the way by means of price to buy, maintenance costs, and availability? Does technology like this open more doors for cycling, or does it actually exclude a huge portion of the cycling public? What, if any, environmental impact does this technology have, both good and bad?

Thorny questions to consider going forward....... 

The Wayfarer fork - Image courtesy of Wilde Bicycle Co.

Wilde Bicycle Co. Wayfarer Fork:

One of my past frustrations when setting up my early gravel bikes was the inability to ditch some serious weight with a carbon fiber fork. Straight steer tube carbon forks were kind of a unicorn once the road bike world went for tapered steer tubes in the early 2000's.

There is a significant difference between an OEM fork in steel and an aftermarket carbon one. I am pretty sure my steel Tamland fork went around 12-1300 grams. The Wilde Wayfarer weighs about 500 grams with an uncut steer tube. That's a significant weight savings right there!

Comments: I know that there are many who won't ever give up on metal forks, but carbon fiber has been used on road bike forks since the 1990's. So that design and materials technology in the Wayfarer fork has a lot of years of advancements in technology and design to lean upon. Would it concern me if I got one to try? Yeah, because there is a weight limitation on the fork and I exceed that. So, you have to use your head and be aware that not every lightweight thing will work for every person. 

But that doesn't mean there are no options. I used a Fyxation carbon fork on my Tamland Two which weighs around 750 grams, and that still is a significant weight savings. Plus, I don't have to worry about any rider weight limitations. 

I applaud Wilde Bicycle Co. for trying to go all-out on design and see what could be done. But I would also say that I wish that Wilde, and companies that make super-lightweight stuff, would also give heavier riders options. And I think many riders within the weight limitations might even choose to use a heavier option, if one were provided, out of an abundance of caution. 

Is the Tour going to be forced to "Go Green"?

Climate Criticisms Leveled At le Tour:

I've noted a spate of reports and social media posts leveling criticisms at the Tour de France for being environmentally unfriendly. Some point out that all the team follow cars are impacting the climate with carbon emissions. Some point out the crowds the event attracts as being a contributor to this as well as having an effect in terms of litter and more. There was even a stoppage of one of the stages by protesters this year who were upset about the Tour's carbon footprint.

Is it time for le Tour to "Go Green"? Certainly, it could be a big help if team cars were forced to be electric and if support vehicles for the Tour, such as motos, nuetral service cars, and the like, were electric as well. At least from a "tailpipe emissions" standpoint. You can argue the second tier, less noticeable carbon impacts of battery production and electricity generation, but I think the "electrification" of the Tour would go a long way toward a goal of having less of an environmental impact. 

But if you really want to lower the impact, you would have to bite the bullet and go radical. As in, really radical, and take away any team cars and reduce the moto following vehicles to a minimum to run the event. Restricting crowds and where they could gather along the route might also be measures which one could take to help conserve energy and lessen the impact on the climate the event has. 

A true, self-supported tour would be awesome, in my view, and by using drones and carefully placed cameras, the event could still be "televised", (would "streamed" be a better term nowadays?), and people could pay for a feed to watch it, so you'd get revenues that way. 

It'll never happen, but wow! I think I'd watch that. I'm not watching the Tour at all anymore at this point. That doping thing really soured me on watching that event anymore. 

Anyway, I look for something to come of this climate criticism, and what the Tour will do in the future.

That's it for this edition of Randomonium!

Friday News And Views

Barren trees and tons of leaves. Fat biking conditions have been unusual here.

Weather Making For Unusual Conditions:

 As you will see in tomorrows "Minus Ten Review", it used to snow here. A lot. Now in recent times that doesn't seem as likely. Winter now means sporadic snows, maybe it will be cold, and lots of brown scenery.

In fact, my latest fat bike rides have been over grounds that are muddy, soft, and increasingly messy. We had a spate of really cold weather here that did freeze the ground back in late November, but since then things have actually been thawing out. It is really weird. It also is really tough on anyone wanting some off road bicycling around here. Either it is certain trails which we want to keep off of or it is the constant sticky mud that fouls up everything. Ice was an issue, but even that has disappeared lately with several days of 50's in a row, and now upper 40's.

I have been fat biking the last couple of weekends as an alternative to my gravel road stuff. I just needed a break for a bit. That said, the rides have been not anything like what I would expect for December. I ended up doing some trail work on various bits of the Green Belt. I also cleared up my old trail, "Marky-Mark", and ended up rerouting about ten yards of it to get around a knot of dead fall and vines that had blocked a portion of that trail. So, on one hand, this weird weather has allowed for some trail maintenance.

It isn't supposed to get really cold, snowy, or anything like Winter for at least another week. Looks like it'll be a "Brown Christmas" around here.

Shifty bits be gone!

As Promised- Gears Removed From The "Orange Crush":

As many of you long term readers know, I had threatened to make my BMC "Orange Crush" rig into a single speed once I had the pink MCD up and running. Well, last weekend I took an afternoon and did the deed. No more gears!

Yes...... it took an entire afternoon to strip off components and replace them with single speed stuff. Why? Wouldn't that be a simple job? Well, you'd think so.

There is a bit more to it than meets the eye though. Both in the bits needed to convert to single speed and the finding of those bits! Having been a single speed aficionado for the better part of my cycling career, I have accumulated a lot of single-speedy stuff. I have a drawer dedicated to bits for single speed. Stuff like cog spacers, cogs, free wheels, and the elusive single speed specific chain ring bolts. I've got crank sets, and I've got chain rings. I even have spare White Industry chain rings that are specific to their crank.

Weird, huh?

Well it is weird until you need the stuff! Then you are glad you have it. But even though I have a drawer full of the bits, you still have to "spec" correctly. So, in the case of the Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross conversion, I had a set of 180mm cranks from, (I think), an old Specialized Sequoia touring bike from the early 80's. It was ginormous in size, so it had been spec'ed with these old Sakae 180mm cranks. Of course, back then everything was square taper, (check!) and took a long spindle, (also Check!), so that bottom bracket had to be tracked down, (UN-52, natch!), and then I had to find some crank bolts, and then....... Well, you get the picture. Time consuming, it was. Nuff of that, here's the pic......

There she is!

I'm running a 40T steel chain ring I got........somewhere. I cannot recall now, but the last time I used this was on a single speed 29"er ten years ago. The crank is the aforementioned Sakae unit in 180mm length. Those old components have an ano process that left a pearlescent glow that I miss. Man is that pretty! The rear cog is an 18 tooth Boone Titanium cog with the matching titanium spacers. I just recycled the chain I was using, an old 9spd SRAM unit, shortened to work with the set up.

There is one minor thing I may do yet and that is to get some standard aero brake levers, so I can get the Gevenalle mounts/levers off the bike to clean things up a bit more. That'll require new brake cables, so I may wait on that till Spring.

Donnelly's new "EMP" tires

Donnelly New "EMP" Tire, Now On Test/Review:

A week or so ago I posted about this new tire from Donnelly. It is the new "EMP", named after Emporia, Kansas, which is, as Donnelly states on the tire's hang tag, "Home of the world famous gravel roads that reach out to the sky."

No mention of Dirty Kanza? Yep..... You know why, right? Licensing agreements. Meaning that to use the name in Donnelly's marketing, they probably would have to get a license to allow that from DK Promotions. I'm assuming that this is the case, so don't take that for gospel, but I would be willing to bet that is the case here.

Anyway...... I just found that interesting. Nothing to do with the tire, per se', but it is designed with the DK 200 in mind, so it has a tough, aggressive looking tread and a puncture protection belt too. I put up an introductory post on RidingGravel.com here.  Check that out for details. I will say that for now, it looks like a good tire for packed snow, which we should have now........ Bah! Anyway, I'll likely get these on the single speeded Orange Crush soon enough and start trying them out. I figure it can't be long before fenders and aggressive tread will be necessary! And if it continues as it has been, well, I'll have "hero gravel" to ride, most likely. That isn't all bad.

 

Fyxation's new through axle fork for gravel/adventure bikes.

Fyxation Announces New Gravel/Adventure Forks:

Wednesday news came down about Fyxation's new gravel/adventure forks, dubbed the Sparta FCR and Sparta QR. The FCR variant is your typical through axled, tapered steer tubed, three boss on a side fork with full carbon construction and a pretty light weight. But it is the other fork I am thinking is pretty cool.

The "QR" model is what you think- a quick release model. A straight steer tube, QR wheel fork with carbon blades and an aluminum steer tube. Why? I saw a lot of commentary saying it should have had a through axle. Not QR. Hmm......

Well, it turns out the fork asked for already exists.  Thanks to a commenter on the Riding Gravel facebook page for pointing this out.

  Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

Friday News And Views

Barren trees and tons of leaves. Fat biking conditions have been unusual here.

Weather Making For Unusual Conditions:

 As you will see in tomorrows "Minus Ten Review", it used to snow here. A lot. Now in recent times that doesn't seem as likely. Winter now means sporadic snows, maybe it will be cold, and lots of brown scenery.

In fact, my latest fat bike rides have been over grounds that are muddy, soft, and increasingly messy. We had a spate of really cold weather here that did freeze the ground back in late November, but since then things have actually been thawing out. It is really weird. It also is really tough on anyone wanting some off road bicycling around here. Either it is certain trails which we want to keep off of or it is the constant sticky mud that fouls up everything. Ice was an issue, but even that has disappeared lately with several days of 50's in a row, and now upper 40's.

I have been fat biking the last couple of weekends as an alternative to my gravel road stuff. I just needed a break for a bit. That said, the rides have been not anything like what I would expect for December. I ended up doing some trail work on various bits of the Green Belt. I also cleared up my old trail, "Marky-Mark", and ended up rerouting about ten yards of it to get around a knot of dead fall and vines that had blocked a portion of that trail. So, on one hand, this weird weather has allowed for some trail maintenance.

It isn't supposed to get really cold, snowy, or anything like Winter for at least another week. Looks like it'll be a "Brown Christmas" around here.

Shifty bits be gone!

As Promised- Gears Removed From The "Orange Crush":

As many of you long term readers know, I had threatened to make my BMC "Orange Crush" rig into a single speed once I had the pink MCD up and running. Well, last weekend I took an afternoon and did the deed. No more gears!

Yes...... it took an entire afternoon to strip off components and replace them with single speed stuff. Why? Wouldn't that be a simple job? Well, you'd think so.

There is a bit more to it than meets the eye though. Both in the bits needed to convert to single speed and the finding of those bits! Having been a single speed aficionado for the better part of my cycling career, I have accumulated a lot of single-speedy stuff. I have a drawer dedicated to bits for single speed. Stuff like cog spacers, cogs, free wheels, and the elusive single speed specific chain ring bolts. I've got crank sets, and I've got chain rings. I even have spare White Industry chain rings that are specific to their crank.

Weird, huh?

Well it is weird until you need the stuff! Then you are glad you have it. But even though I have a drawer full of the bits, you still have to "spec" correctly. So, in the case of the Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross conversion, I had a set of 180mm cranks from, (I think), an old Specialized Sequoia touring bike from the early 80's. It was ginormous in size, so it had been spec'ed with these old Sakae 180mm cranks. Of course, back then everything was square taper, (check!) and took a long spindle, (also Check!), so that bottom bracket had to be tracked down, (UN-52, natch!), and then I had to find some crank bolts, and then....... Well, you get the picture. Time consuming, it was. Nuff of that, here's the pic......

There she is!

I'm running a 40T steel chain ring I got........somewhere. I cannot recall now, but the last time I used this was on a single speed 29"er ten years ago. The crank is the aforementioned Sakae unit in 180mm length. Those old components have an ano process that left a pearlescent glow that I miss. Man is that pretty! The rear cog is an 18 tooth Boone Titanium cog with the matching titanium spacers. I just recycled the chain I was using, an old 9spd SRAM unit, shortened to work with the set up.

There is one minor thing I may do yet and that is to get some standard aero brake levers, so I can get the Gevenalle mounts/levers off the bike to clean things up a bit more. That'll require new brake cables, so I may wait on that till Spring.

Donnelly's new "EMP" tires

Donnelly New "EMP" Tire, Now On Test/Review:

A week or so ago I posted about this new tire from Donnelly. It is the new "EMP", named after Emporia, Kansas, which is, as Donnelly states on the tire's hang tag, "Home of the world famous gravel roads that reach out to the sky."

No mention of Dirty Kanza? Yep..... You know why, right? Licensing agreements. Meaning that to use the name in Donnelly's marketing, they probably would have to get a license to allow that from DK Promotions. I'm assuming that this is the case, so don't take that for gospel, but I would be willing to bet that is the case here.

Anyway...... I just found that interesting. Nothing to do with the tire, per se', but it is designed with the DK 200 in mind, so it has a tough, aggressive looking tread and a puncture protection belt too. I put up an introductory post on RidingGravel.com here.  Check that out for details. I will say that for now, it looks like a good tire for packed snow, which we should have now........ Bah! Anyway, I'll likely get these on the single speeded Orange Crush soon enough and start trying them out. I figure it can't be long before fenders and aggressive tread will be necessary! And if it continues as it has been, well, I'll have "hero gravel" to ride, most likely. That isn't all bad.

 

Fyxation's new through axle fork for gravel/adventure bikes.

Fyxation Announces New Gravel/Adventure Forks:

Wednesday news came down about Fyxation's new gravel/adventure forks, dubbed the Sparta FCR and Sparta QR. The FCR variant is your typical through axled, tapered steer tubed, three boss on a side fork with full carbon construction and a pretty light weight. But it is the other fork I am thinking is pretty cool.

The "QR" model is what you think- a quick release model. A straight steer tube, QR wheel fork with carbon blades and an aluminum steer tube. Why? I saw a lot of commentary saying it should have had a through axle. Not QR. Hmm......

Well, it turns out the fork asked for already exists.  Thanks to a commenter on the Riding Gravel facebook page for pointing this out.

  Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

Fyxation Subzero Pedal Reviewed

Flat pedals are making a comeback these days. You may have noticed that many mountain bikers and fat bikers are turning to flat pedals again. Not only that, but so are commuters and even some gravel road riders. Bikepackers often use flats if they do rides in areas that require lots of walking. So, if you think all "serious cycling" is done with clipless pedals, well, you'd be very wrong in that assumption.

Long time readers also know that flat pedals figure into my own riding pretty heavily. I'm a big fan of Fyxation's Mesa MP pedals. I've been using them on many of my bikes, but my longest running set is on my Titanium Mukluk which has seen at least four Winters of use now with those pedals on that bike, plus a 100 mile ride on gravel a couple years ago. They show their age, for sure, but they aren't dead yet either!

Well, a month ago or so Fyxation told me about a new version of the Mesa pedal, the limited edition Mesa Subzero, which is based off of the Mesa MP, with the impact grade nylon pedal body and stainless steel pins for grip. The Mesa Subzero also features those things, but they have new graphics and colored pins and spindles. MSRP is $69.95. See the spec list here:

• High impact nylon body built to take abuse
• Smooth running sealed bearing and DU bushing
• Electroplated cro-moly spindle
• Electroplated stainless steel replaceable pins for added grip with shoes or boots
• Nylon body doesn't suck heat out of your feet like alloy pedals do
• Installs with 15mm open end wrench or 8mm hex wrench
• Pin Spec - M3x0.5 x 7.5mm
• Spindle Thread: 9/16
• Height: 14mm
• Width: 105mm
• Weight: 351g/pair
• Color: Black/Black, Gray/Black, Black/Blue, Black/Orange

So, obviously these went on my Blackborow DS. Fat biking can put a pedal into some pretty difficult situations. Considering I occasionally commuted on the bike as well, that makes the situation potentially worse. The salty, chemical stew mixed into the "car-slush" can be pretty corrosive.

But in reality, I think the next bike I stuck these on is even more of a test. My current commuter now that Winter has lost its grip on things here is the Surly 1X1 single speed. It isn't just a single speed, it is fixed gear single speed. Kind of makes sense and things can have been said to have come full circle here. A Fyxation pedal on a fixed gear commuter? Perfect.

I think this bike is tougher on pedals because there is no coasting, for one thing, and with my relatively stupid-low gear, I spin like a mad man. I think I'm running a 34T up front with a 19T in the rear. Yeah......low gear! But for sloshing through melting snow and ice, pushing through mud, and riding up and down some short steeps, it works well for me. The pedals have a nice, wide platform and the pins grip well, so despite the fact that I have no foot retention, my feet stay put even at high cadences. Of course, the low gear and big platform work great when grinding through a mud slough or a three inch fresh snowfall.

The fixed gear Surly saw all of that and a good curb smash to boot with no degradation in performance at all to the pedals. I did scratch up the pins a bit, but cosmetically the pedals still look great over all. If I could offer one bit of criticism it would be that the pedals middle section stands just a bit proud over the rest of the flat section, or it is even with the edges, which can result in the occasional, slight foot slip. I've never slipped off this pedal completely, mind you, but I think if the pedal was a bit "concave" in profile it would give a more secure grip on whatever footwear you use. I've been wearing some Keen hikers, so not really very "flat pedal friendly", but I gotta keep my feet warm and dry!

That said, I can't think of a much better bang for the buck than this pedal in terms of the looks, function, and long term performance. If these Subzero pedals last as long as my original Mesa MP's, and there is no reason to believe they won't, then the Subzero pedals are a great take on that classic design.

Fyxation Mesa MP Desert Series Image courtesy of Fyxation.

And Now For Something New:

Ironically, as I was typing up this review news was sent out declaring a new color series for the Mesa MP pedals. This is this products 6th anniversary of being on the market and Fyxation decided to celebrate with a Desert Series consisting of muted green, orange, and "sand" colored pedals. These are Mesa MP's that you may be familiar with, just in some new colors. These pedals are also available in black, blue, red, orange, green, and purple. MSRP is $59.99 for a pair. Check out the story on these from Fyxation here.

So, there ya go. The shop where I work sells a lot of these and there is a good reason why. You really cannot find much of anything as good or better for less cash. I'm convinced these pedals are long lasting, tough, and durable. They are fairly thin, so if you like that idea, they are some of the only options at this price point. If you ride in Winter, the nylon body material does not act as a heat sink and your feet stay warmer. I've heard from customers that have come back to the shop that say the same thing I feel is true about the cold weather performance. Of course, for the rest of the year they work well also.

Next up I am going to stick these on a gravel bike and try out riding on gravel with them for a while. I'll report back on how that goes, but if it is anything like my Fat Bike Century ride which was all on gravel, then it won't be anything other than a good report. We'll see.

NOTE: Fyxation sent over the Mesa Subzero pedals at no charge for test/review. I was not paid, nor bribed for this review and I strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.

Fyxation Subzero Pedal Reviewed

Flat pedals are making a comeback these days. You may have noticed that many mountain bikers and fat bikers are turning to flat pedals again. Not only that, but so are commuters and even some gravel road riders. Bikepackers often use flats if they do rides in areas that require lots of walking. So, if you think all "serious cycling" is done with clipless pedals, well, you'd be very wrong in that assumption.

Long time readers also know that flat pedals figure into my own riding pretty heavily. I'm a big fan of Fyxation's Mesa MP pedals. I've been using them on many of my bikes, but my longest running set is on my Titanium Mukluk which has seen at least four Winters of use now with those pedals on that bike, plus a 100 mile ride on gravel a couple years ago. They show their age, for sure, but they aren't dead yet either!

Well, a month ago or so Fyxation told me about a new version of the Mesa pedal, the limited edition Mesa Subzero, which is based off of the Mesa MP, with the impact grade nylon pedal body and stainless steel pins for grip. The Mesa Subzero also features those things, but they have new graphics and colored pins and spindles. MSRP is $69.95. See the spec list here:

• High impact nylon body built to take abuse
• Smooth running sealed bearing and DU bushing
• Electroplated cro-moly spindle
• Electroplated stainless steel replaceable pins for added grip with shoes or boots
• Nylon body doesn't suck heat out of your feet like alloy pedals do
• Installs with 15mm open end wrench or 8mm hex wrench
• Pin Spec - M3x0.5 x 7.5mm
• Spindle Thread: 9/16
• Height: 14mm
• Width: 105mm
• Weight: 351g/pair
• Color: Black/Black, Gray/Black, Black/Blue, Black/Orange

So, obviously these went on my Blackborow DS. Fat biking can put a pedal into some pretty difficult situations. Considering I occasionally commuted on the bike as well, that makes the situation potentially worse. The salty, chemical stew mixed into the "car-slush" can be pretty corrosive.

But in reality, I think the next bike I stuck these on is even more of a test. My current commuter now that Winter has lost its grip on things here is the Surly 1X1 single speed. It isn't just a single speed, it is fixed gear single speed. Kind of makes sense and things can have been said to have come full circle here. A Fyxation pedal on a fixed gear commuter? Perfect.

I think this bike is tougher on pedals because there is no coasting, for one thing, and with my relatively stupid-low gear, I spin like a mad man. I think I'm running a 34T up front with a 19T in the rear. Yeah......low gear! But for sloshing through melting snow and ice, pushing through mud, and riding up and down some short steeps, it works well for me. The pedals have a nice, wide platform and the pins grip well, so despite the fact that I have no foot retention, my feet stay put even at high cadences. Of course, the low gear and big platform work great when grinding through a mud slough or a three inch fresh snowfall.

The fixed gear Surly saw all of that and a good curb smash to boot with no degradation in performance at all to the pedals. I did scratch up the pins a bit, but cosmetically the pedals still look great over all. If I could offer one bit of criticism it would be that the pedals middle section stands just a bit proud over the rest of the flat section, or it is even with the edges, which can result in the occasional, slight foot slip. I've never slipped off this pedal completely, mind you, but I think if the pedal was a bit "concave" in profile it would give a more secure grip on whatever footwear you use. I've been wearing some Keen hikers, so not really very "flat pedal friendly", but I gotta keep my feet warm and dry!

That said, I can't think of a much better bang for the buck than this pedal in terms of the looks, function, and long term performance. If these Subzero pedals last as long as my original Mesa MP's, and there is no reason to believe they won't, then the Subzero pedals are a great take on that classic design.

Fyxation Mesa MP Desert Series Image courtesy of Fyxation.

And Now For Something New:

Ironically, as I was typing up this review news was sent out declaring a new color series for the Mesa MP pedals. This is this products 6th anniversary of being on the market and Fyxation decided to celebrate with a Desert Series consisting of muted green, orange, and "sand" colored pedals. These are Mesa MP's that you may be familiar with, just in some new colors. These pedals are also available in black, blue, red, orange, green, and purple. MSRP is $59.99 for a pair. Check out the story on these from Fyxation here.

So, there ya go. The shop where I work sells a lot of these and there is a good reason why. You really cannot find much of anything as good or better for less cash. I'm convinced these pedals are long lasting, tough, and durable. They are fairly thin, so if you like that idea, they are some of the only options at this price point. If you ride in Winter, the nylon body material does not act as a heat sink and your feet stay warmer. I've heard from customers that have come back to the shop that say the same thing I feel is true about the cold weather performance. Of course, for the rest of the year they work well also.

Next up I am going to stick these on a gravel bike and try out riding on gravel with them for a while. I'll report back on how that goes, but if it is anything like my Fat Bike Century ride which was all on gravel, then it won't be anything other than a good report. We'll see.

NOTE: Fyxation sent over the Mesa Subzero pedals at no charge for test/review. I was not paid, nor bribed for this review and I strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.

To Flat Or Not To Flat

These swanky Fyxation Mesa Subzero's may be seeing a lot of gravel duty

I don't know what it is exactly. Maybe I am reverting to a childhood status when it comes to riding bicycles. Maybe I am too much about having more fun these days. Whatever the reason, I just got in these new Fyxation Mesa Subzero pedals and I was thinking, why not use flat pedals for gravel riding? 

I'm sure many of you have, and many of you reading here do use flat pedals for gravel road riding, but I generally don't give it much thought. So, why now? Well, again......I'm not sure! I just know that it suddenly seems like a great idea.

So, why not?

By the way, I have used flats on gravel road riding before. I did the "Fatbike Century" over a year ago on flats. I also used street shoes! It was a successful experiment and raised not a few questions in my mind about why we insist on using specific pedals and shoes for all our riding. I don't think it is necessary and I wonder if this predilection with using specific shoes and pedals hasn't actually caused more issues than it solves.

I suppose we could debate things till the cows come home, but I have had one observation that, along with clothing choices, seems to take down a huge barrier to getting out there, for me, at least. That is that when I have a bicycle with flats installed I am more likely to want to ride that bike than I am my bikes without flat pedals. To tag along this line of thinking, I am also more likely not to worry a bunch about wearing cycling specific duds as well. Just a jersey, pop on a helmet, go ride.

Easy.

Sure, that doesn't mean that it isn't a good idea to use that specific cycling gear much of the time, but if I had only clipless pedal bikes, and if I thought I could only ride in a chamois and jersey, I would ride a lot less than I do. Sometimes I even ride without a helmet. (GASP!) Yep! And it is awesome.....

Anyway, the less barriers to getting on the bike the better, I think. Yeah.......I think I may be mashing flats a lot out on the gravel this year. At least to start out with. We'll see where it goes.......

To Flat Or Not To Flat

These swanky Fyxation Mesa Subzero's may be seeing a lot of gravel duty

I don't know what it is exactly. Maybe I am reverting to a childhood status when it comes to riding bicycles. Maybe I am too much about having more fun these days. Whatever the reason, I just got in these new Fyxation Mesa Subzero pedals and I was thinking, why not use flat pedals for gravel riding? 

I'm sure many of you have, and many of you reading here do use flat pedals for gravel road riding, but I generally don't give it much thought. So, why now? Well, again......I'm not sure! I just know that it suddenly seems like a great idea.

So, why not?

By the way, I have used flats on gravel road riding before. I did the "Fatbike Century" over a year ago on flats. I also used street shoes! It was a successful experiment and raised not a few questions in my mind about why we insist on using specific pedals and shoes for all our riding. I don't think it is necessary and I wonder if this predilection with using specific shoes and pedals hasn't actually caused more issues than it solves.

I suppose we could debate things till the cows come home, but I have had one observation that, along with clothing choices, seems to take down a huge barrier to getting out there, for me, at least. That is that when I have a bicycle with flats installed I am more likely to want to ride that bike than I am my bikes without flat pedals. To tag along this line of thinking, I am also more likely not to worry a bunch about wearing cycling specific duds as well. Just a jersey, pop on a helmet, go ride.

Easy.

Sure, that doesn't mean that it isn't a good idea to use that specific cycling gear much of the time, but if I had only clipless pedal bikes, and if I thought I could only ride in a chamois and jersey, I would ride a lot less than I do. Sometimes I even ride without a helmet. (GASP!) Yep! And it is awesome.....

Anyway, the less barriers to getting on the bike the better, I think. Yeah.......I think I may be mashing flats a lot out on the gravel this year. At least to start out with. We'll see where it goes.......