Where Once There Were None

Curve Cycles' Walmer Bar- Just an example of our drop bar rich times.

 As I researched my blog to make updates to the 'Archived Drop Bar Articles' page, I realized that in the last ten years the choices in drop bars for off-pavement riding have become so numerous it would be impossible to name all of them. What a big change from when I first started using off-road drop bars! 

Back when I started riding off-road, it was shortly after the 'drop bar craze' in MTB in the mid to late 80's. There were a few well known choices then. You could get maybe three, maybe four different bars, all based around the customized Cinnelli bars that Charlie Cunningham was making for his own custom bike line. Eventually, WTB, the comapny Charlie helped found, made a version of his bars, Specialized used something Nitto made, I believe, and there may be something I'm not remembering, but the off-road drop bar was a rare bar even then. 

WTB continued to produce their off-road drop bar well into the 1990's. I recall putting a few on one particular guy's bike back then. He got a new WTB Dirt Drop every year. Had I known then what I know now I would have hoarded all his take-offs! It wasn't maybe five years later, after WTB ceased production of the Dirt Drop, that the prices for used ones were around $150.00! This, in turn, prompted On One of the U.K. to collaborate with a few riders to develop the On One Midge Bar, a design with its roots in the WTB Dirt Drop and those older, 1980's dirt drop designs. 

Now by this time I had gotten on the internet and read up on all the old mountain bike stuff I could find. I was aware of the old dirt drop craze as I was heavily into mountain biking magazines back then. So, I sought out more information on folks like Charlie Cunningham, John Tomac, the Specialized Dirt Drop, Ibis, Salsa Cycles, and any other brands involved in the off-road drop bar craze. What I found and read up on changed my mind about using drop bars for off-roading. 

My Karate Monkey, circa 2006, with On One Midge Bars

I then took my Karate Monkey 29"er, which had flat bars originally, and I set it up with an On One Midge Bar. This would have been around 2005 or so. I was hooked, and with Trans Iowa sparking a love for gravel riding, the idea stuck with me as I found myself doing more gravel riding  every year. My love of the off-road drop bar deepened then, and I was trying every new flared drop bar I could. There weren't many either. 

There was the original Gary Bar from Origin 8, a fairly close rendition of the Midge, but with even more flare! There were maybe a couple of other odd-ball ones early on in the late 00's, but there wasn't a lot of traction behind the idea until late in the decade. This all started with a very influential bike model introduction.

Around 2006-2007, some in the gravel/MTB community were asking for something with big volume tires and a flared drop bar. Now, I was getting a ton of questions about my Karate Monkey set up with drop bars. I decided that I needed a 'real off-road drop bar bike', so in 2007, I decided to have not one- but two custom bikes made! Each would address issues I had with drop bars on a MTB-able bike. Well, as it turns out, I wasn't the only one thinking along these lines. 

You may have guessed it, but when Salsa Cycles came out with the Fargo, it was this bike that forced Salsa to design their own take on the flared off-road drop bar. At first, they had the old cyclo cross design called the Bell Lap Bar on the Fargo, but within two years the Woodchipper debuted and the race to develop bars with flare and sweep was on. Shortly thereafter, the Ragely Luxy Bar, the Origin 8 Gary II Bar, and the Salsa Cycles Cowbell appeared. Gravel cyclists gravitated to these bars and subsequently, any bike claiming to be a 'gravel bike' had to have a flared drop bar. It was one of the identifying characteristics of a gravel bike. 

The scene, and the bikes to support it, blossomed wildly in the late teens until we reached a point several years ago that there were so many new flared drop bars at every price point that it became bewildering. You can get cheapo, heavy aluminum dirt drops all the way up to high-zoot, ultra-light carbon flared drops. Widths between 40mm and 60mm are out there too. heck when I started out with these flared drop bars there was one width and we liked it! (HA!)

Oh! And those two custom bikes? One was my Badger and the other is my Pofahl, both of which I still own. Both have Luxy Bars too, which is pretty oddball. But anyway, I find it amazing that in 2021 we have all these choices. It truly is the golden age of flared drop bars.

Where Once There Were None

Curve Cycles' Walmer Bar- Just an example of our drop bar rich times.

 As I researched my blog to make updates to the 'Archived Drop Bar Articles' page, I realized that in the last ten years the choices in drop bars for off-pavement riding have become so numerous it would be impossible to name all of them. What a big change from when I first started using off-road drop bars! 

Back when I started riding off-road, it was shortly after the 'drop bar craze' in MTB in the mid to late 80's. There were a few well known choices then. You could get maybe three, maybe four different bars, all based around the customized Cinnelli bars that Charlie Cunningham was making for his own custom bike line. Eventually, WTB, the comapny Charlie helped found, made a version of his bars, Specialized used something Nitto made, I believe, and there may be something I'm not remembering, but the off-road drop bar was a rare bar even then. 

WTB continued to produce their off-road drop bar well into the 1990's. I recall putting a few on one particular guy's bike back then. He got a new WTB Dirt Drop every year. Had I known then what I know now I would have hoarded all his take-offs! It wasn't maybe five years later, after WTB ceased production of the Dirt Drop, that the prices for used ones were around $150.00! This, in turn, prompted On One of the U.K. to collaborate with a few riders to develop the On One Midge Bar, a design with its roots in the WTB Dirt Drop and those older, 1980's dirt drop designs. 

Now by this time I had gotten on the internet and read up on all the old mountain bike stuff I could find. I was aware of the old dirt drop craze as I was heavily into mountain biking magazines back then. So, I sought out more information on folks like Charlie Cunningham, John Tomac, the Specialized Dirt Drop, Ibis, Salsa Cycles, and any other brands involved in the off-road drop bar craze. What I found and read up on changed my mind about using drop bars for off-roading. 

My Karate Monkey, circa 2006, with On One Midge Bars

I then took my Karate Monkey 29"er, which had flat bars originally, and I set it up with an On One Midge Bar. This would have been around 2005 or so. I was hooked, and with Trans Iowa sparking a love for gravel riding, the idea stuck with me as I found myself doing more gravel riding  every year. My love of the off-road drop bar deepened then, and I was trying every new flared drop bar I could. There weren't many either. 

There was the original Gary Bar from Origin 8, a fairly close rendition of the Midge, but with even more flare! There were maybe a couple of other odd-ball ones early on in the late 00's, but there wasn't a lot of traction behind the idea until late in the decade. This all started with a very influential bike model introduction.

Around 2006-2007, some in the gravel/MTB community were asking for something with big volume tires and a flared drop bar. Now, I was getting a ton of questions about my Karate Monkey set up with drop bars. I decided that I needed a 'real off-road drop bar bike', so in 2007, I decided to have not one- but two custom bikes made! Each would address issues I had with drop bars on a MTB-able bike. Well, as it turns out, I wasn't the only one thinking along these lines. 

You may have guessed it, but when Salsa Cycles came out with the Fargo, it was this bike that forced Salsa to design their own take on the flared off-road drop bar. At first, they had the old cyclo cross design called the Bell Lap Bar on the Fargo, but within two years the Woodchipper debuted and the race to develop bars with flare and sweep was on. Shortly thereafter, the Ragely Luxy Bar, the Origin 8 Gary II Bar, and the Salsa Cycles Cowbell appeared. Gravel cyclists gravitated to these bars and subsequently, any bike claiming to be a 'gravel bike' had to have a flared drop bar. It was one of the identifying characteristics of a gravel bike. 

The scene, and the bikes to support it, blossomed wildly in the late teens until we reached a point several years ago that there were so many new flared drop bars at every price point that it became bewildering. You can get cheapo, heavy aluminum dirt drops all the way up to high-zoot, ultra-light carbon flared drops. Widths between 40mm and 60mm are out there too. heck when I started out with these flared drop bars there was one width and we liked it! (HA!)

Oh! And those two custom bikes? One was my Badger and the other is my Pofahl, both of which I still own. Both have Luxy Bars too, which is pretty oddball. But anyway, I find it amazing that in 2021 we have all these choices. It truly is the golden age of flared drop bars.

Origin 8 Gary Sweep OS Bar: A New Alt Drop Bar

The off-road drop bar market has been a small, micro-niche of cycling for years. In the earlier days you had Charlie Cunningham bending Cinelli bars to his will, and then WTB and Nitto played along for awhile. With a gap of several years with no new off road drops available, On One kicked things off again with the Midge Bar, heavily influenced by the previous WTB offering. Then things got a little crazy. WTB released a revised, but not much-loved Dirt Drop, Origin 8 came out with a Midge-like knock off dubbed the Gary Bar, and Salsa Cycles introduced the Woodchipper. Finally, a briefly available but now coveted bar, dubbed the Luxy Bar, made its appearance. So, at one time there were five off road drop bar models out there recently.

That's contracted down to three until recently. Origin 8 quietly introduced another offering in their Winter catalog to dealers. It is dubbed the "Gary Sweep OS" bar. Of all of Origin 8's Gary Bar variants over the years, this bar, in my opinion, is by far their best effort. That said, let's take a closer look at it and then I'll make some observations.......

This, by my count, is the third of the Gary Bar variants- the Gary Sweep OS.

The "sweep" in the name of this bar refers to the 15 degree swept out extensions.

Nice length to the extensions and the hooks aren't too deep.

Specs: Origin 8 doesn't give too much here in the way of spec on the packaging, saying only that the bar is made from 6060 T6 alloy, has a "flared out" grip area, is 610mm wide, and has a 31.8mm clamp diameter. Here are the measurements I took from the bar using a tape measure and an angle finder app on my iPhone:

• Tip-to-Tip across the ends of the swept portion of the bar, the Gary Sweep measures 636mm/25".
• Tops measure 433mm/17" between the drops.
• Flare: The hooks are flared out at 58° to the outside.
• Sweep: The extensions are swept outwards at 15° from a typical road bar position.
• Reach: Approximately 85mm
• Drop: Approximately 105mm
• Weight: 320 grams.

Observations: My initial impressions were that the Gary Sweep OS is like a cross between a Woodchipper and a Luxy Bar. The tops are wide, the bend to the ramps is about 90° to the top, and the radius of the hook is similar to a Woodchipper. The reach, drop, and flare are more akin to the Luxy though. Sweep of the extensions is not as radical, nor is the flare as radical as the Luxy Bar.

If you have to ride the hoods primarily and love a road bike's position, do not get this bar. The ramps and flare of the hooks will cant the hoods inward and you will not get the levers to set in anywhere near the same position as a road bike's. The Woodchipper is a much better bar to choose if you want the hoods like that. While the sweep and flare are not as radical as a Luxy Bar's were, the levers will "lean in" when properly mounted on the Gary Sweep OS. If the Luxy seemed just too radical to you, these may be your bar.

I like the drop and reach, which is reminiscent of the Luxy Bar's measurements, however, the radius is slightly more "open" than the Luxy Bar's was, and the ramps are slightly different as well. We'll see how that plays out once I set these up with some levers. I do miss the tops being 31.8mm across the entire length, which I thought was a brilliant idea that Brant Richards used when he designed the Luxy Bar. The Gary Sweep OS is bar end compatible and sells for about $50.00-$70.00, give or take. (As seen quoted on Amazon.com)

I'll be mounting these up on a bike here real soon and after a ride or two I hope to come back with some impressions. Stay tuned......

Note: The Gary Sweep OS Bars were purchased with my own moolah and these opinions and viewpoints are mine alone. I am not being compensated for any of this. So there......

Origin 8 Gary Sweep OS Bar: A New Alt Drop Bar

The off-road drop bar market has been a small, micro-niche of cycling for years. In the earlier days you had Charlie Cunningham bending Cinelli bars to his will, and then WTB and Nitto played along for awhile. With a gap of several years with no new off road drops available, On One kicked things off again with the Midge Bar, heavily influenced by the previous WTB offering. Then things got a little crazy. WTB released a revised, but not much-loved Dirt Drop, Origin 8 came out with a Midge-like knock off dubbed the Gary Bar, and Salsa Cycles introduced the Woodchipper. Finally, a briefly available but now coveted bar, dubbed the Luxy Bar, made its appearance. So, at one time there were five off road drop bar models out there recently.

That's contracted down to three until recently. Origin 8 quietly introduced another offering in their Winter catalog to dealers. It is dubbed the "Gary Sweep OS" bar. Of all of Origin 8's Gary Bar variants over the years, this bar, in my opinion, is by far their best effort. That said, let's take a closer look at it and then I'll make some observations.......

This, by my count, is the third of the Gary Bar variants- the Gary Sweep OS.

The "sweep" in the name of this bar refers to the 15 degree swept out extensions.

Nice length to the extensions and the hooks aren't too deep.

Specs: Origin 8 doesn't give too much here in the way of spec on the packaging, saying only that the bar is made from 6060 T6 alloy, has a "flared out" grip area, is 610mm wide, and has a 31.8mm clamp diameter. Here are the measurements I took from the bar using a tape measure and an angle finder app on my iPhone:

• Tip-to-Tip across the ends of the swept portion of the bar, the Gary Sweep measures 636mm/25".
• Tops measure 433mm/17" between the drops.
• Flare: The hooks are flared out at 58° to the outside.
• Sweep: The extensions are swept outwards at 15° from a typical road bar position.
• Reach: Approximately 85mm
• Drop: Approximately 105mm
• Weight: 320 grams.

Observations: My initial impressions were that the Gary Sweep OS is like a cross between a Woodchipper and a Luxy Bar. The tops are wide, the bend to the ramps is about 90° to the top, and the radius of the hook is similar to a Woodchipper. The reach, drop, and flare are more akin to the Luxy though. Sweep of the extensions is not as radical, nor is the flare as radical as the Luxy Bar.

If you have to ride the hoods primarily and love a road bike's position, do not get this bar. The ramps and flare of the hooks will cant the hoods inward and you will not get the levers to set in anywhere near the same position as a road bike's. The Woodchipper is a much better bar to choose if you want the hoods like that. While the sweep and flare are not as radical as a Luxy Bar's were, the levers will "lean in" when properly mounted on the Gary Sweep OS. If the Luxy seemed just too radical to you, these may be your bar.

I like the drop and reach, which is reminiscent of the Luxy Bar's measurements, however, the radius is slightly more "open" than the Luxy Bar's was, and the ramps are slightly different as well. We'll see how that plays out once I set these up with some levers. I do miss the tops being 31.8mm across the entire length, which I thought was a brilliant idea that Brant Richards used when he designed the Luxy Bar. The Gary Sweep OS is bar end compatible and sells for about $50.00-$70.00, give or take. (As seen quoted on Amazon.com)

I'll be mounting these up on a bike here real soon and after a ride or two I hope to come back with some impressions. Stay tuned......

Note: The Gary Sweep OS Bars were purchased with my own moolah and these opinions and viewpoints are mine alone. I am not being compensated for any of this. So there......

Drop Bars: Catching Up With The Testing

I've been doing some drop bar research over the course of the year in between all the other stuff I do around here. I thought it was high time I get a round up together of where I am at so far with regards to checking out all the various choices I have been able to get around to. (What a problem to have, by the way! Four years ago, there was the Midge and Gary I bar, and that was it!)

So, here is a bit of a snap shot as to where I am at so far with an eye towards maybe getting some of this wrapped up soon so I can move on to some other bars....

Origin 8 Gary II Bar

The Gary Bar, Take Two: 

I've been using the Gary Bar, version II since early in the year. This one is about done as far as testing is concerned.

Essentially, this is a rendition of a deep drop road bar with minimal flare. It is so radically different from the original Gary Bar as to be something that really deserves its own name.

It is comfortable enough, sure, and I've put down some long miles with it. This bar reminds me of the older touring bars with deep drops we used to use 15-20 years ago. I don't particularly care for it off road though. The drops are just too deep, and the sweep and flare is too minimal for my liking.

The Ragley Luxy Bar

And Now For Something Completely Different: 

The Ragley Luxy Bar is so far to the other extreme from the Gary II that I can't imagine how a drop bar meant for off road could be anymore different. Shallow, really flared, and really swept, this bar is either a "like it or hate it" proposition.

I've tried it with gears, (STI shifters, to be exact), but my favorite way to use these is with a single speed set up. The Luxy is so wide and swept that it just lends itself to single speeding. I think it offers more leverage out of the saddle. However; the width can be an issue in tighter trees and in fast single track where clipping those swept ends is a definite possibility.

The Cowbell 2

Ding! Dong! Is This One A Winner?

The Salsa Cycles Cowbell 2 came along this summer and I have put hundreds of gravel road miles on it so far.

I wouldn't really like it for off roading though, because much like the Gary II Bar above, the Cowbell just doesn't flare or sweep quite enough for my tastes. If it did, it would probably be my "go to" off road bar, since it is tantalizingly close to what I would want in a single trackin' off road drop bar.

However; for gravel travel, or rough roads, or heck......just plain road ridin', the Cowbell is the best handle bar I can imagine for use with today's "brifters". (Soon we'll all be just pushin' buttons and none of this will matter. In fact, I bet someone will figure out pretty soon that Shimano's levers are unnecessary for Di2 to work, and will run whatever old, lighter aero levers they are used to.) Anyway, these are to die for if you need a slightly swept, variable radius drop bar. I just wish Salsa would come out with silver ones!

Salsa Cycles Woodchipper Bar

Old Reliable:

I continue to use a Salsa Cycles Woodchipper as well. It does seem to cut a good middle ground between bars like the Luxy and Gary I Bars and the bars like the Gary II Bars and the Cowbell.

It works great with STI levers and it works great with a single speed set up. It seems to be pretty decent off road too.

The only issue is like with the Luxy Bar- The sweep may cause you to clip a tree now and again, so this may not work best for tighter, woodsy trails.

I really like the Woodchipper though, and it has a great balance of comfort and ergonomics. I don't like the bend coming off the drops to the extensions though- or I should say, the radius of that bend, which I feel isn't tight enough, but it isn't terrible.

Other Bars: I've ridden Midge Bars a ton, and have two sitting around here still. I also still occasionally use the Gary I bars, and have two sets of those yet. (No wait! Three!)

I would still like to get a WTB drop bar, and that Nitto bar I mentioned a while back, but those will have to wait until fall.

Once I get rides on all of these, look for a detailed ride report on one page. Stay tuned!

Drop Bars: Catching Up With The Testing

I've been doing some drop bar research over the course of the year in between all the other stuff I do around here. I thought it was high time I get a round up together of where I am at so far with regards to checking out all the various choices I have been able to get around to. (What a problem to have, by the way! Four years ago, there was the Midge and Gary I bar, and that was it!)

So, here is a bit of a snap shot as to where I am at so far with an eye towards maybe getting some of this wrapped up soon so I can move on to some other bars....

Origin 8 Gary II Bar

The Gary Bar, Take Two: 

I've been using the Gary Bar, version II since early in the year. This one is about done as far as testing is concerned.

Essentially, this is a rendition of a deep drop road bar with minimal flare. It is so radically different from the original Gary Bar as to be something that really deserves its own name.

It is comfortable enough, sure, and I've put down some long miles with it. This bar reminds me of the older touring bars with deep drops we used to use 15-20 years ago. I don't particularly care for it off road though. The drops are just too deep, and the sweep and flare is too minimal for my liking.

The Ragley Luxy Bar

And Now For Something Completely Different: 

The Ragley Luxy Bar is so far to the other extreme from the Gary II that I can't imagine how a drop bar meant for off road could be anymore different. Shallow, really flared, and really swept, this bar is either a "like it or hate it" proposition.

I've tried it with gears, (STI shifters, to be exact), but my favorite way to use these is with a single speed set up. The Luxy is so wide and swept that it just lends itself to single speeding. I think it offers more leverage out of the saddle. However; the width can be an issue in tighter trees and in fast single track where clipping those swept ends is a definite possibility.

The Cowbell 2

Ding! Dong! Is This One A Winner?

The Salsa Cycles Cowbell 2 came along this summer and I have put hundreds of gravel road miles on it so far.

I wouldn't really like it for off roading though, because much like the Gary II Bar above, the Cowbell just doesn't flare or sweep quite enough for my tastes. If it did, it would probably be my "go to" off road bar, since it is tantalizingly close to what I would want in a single trackin' off road drop bar.

However; for gravel travel, or rough roads, or heck......just plain road ridin', the Cowbell is the best handle bar I can imagine for use with today's "brifters". (Soon we'll all be just pushin' buttons and none of this will matter. In fact, I bet someone will figure out pretty soon that Shimano's levers are unnecessary for Di2 to work, and will run whatever old, lighter aero levers they are used to.) Anyway, these are to die for if you need a slightly swept, variable radius drop bar. I just wish Salsa would come out with silver ones!

Salsa Cycles Woodchipper Bar

Old Reliable:

I continue to use a Salsa Cycles Woodchipper as well. It does seem to cut a good middle ground between bars like the Luxy and Gary I Bars and the bars like the Gary II Bars and the Cowbell.

It works great with STI levers and it works great with a single speed set up. It seems to be pretty decent off road too.

The only issue is like with the Luxy Bar- The sweep may cause you to clip a tree now and again, so this may not work best for tighter, woodsy trails.

I really like the Woodchipper though, and it has a great balance of comfort and ergonomics. I don't like the bend coming off the drops to the extensions though- or I should say, the radius of that bend, which I feel isn't tight enough, but it isn't terrible.

Other Bars: I've ridden Midge Bars a ton, and have two sitting around here still. I also still occasionally use the Gary I bars, and have two sets of those yet. (No wait! Three!)

I would still like to get a WTB drop bar, and that Nitto bar I mentioned a while back, but those will have to wait until fall.

Once I get rides on all of these, look for a detailed ride report on one page. Stay tuned!

Friday News And Views

Ibis Cycles 30th Anniversary: It's an iconic mountain bike companie's 30th anniversary, and to celebrate, they are counting down some of their biggest milestones and points of interest from the past. One of those things that is somewhat ironic is that their first employee, Wes Williams, went on to help foster the modern 29"er, and gave the wheel size its name. Oddly enough, Ibis has yet to introduce a 29"er, (but it is coming, as you can see by the image at left).

One other personal note: I happen to have in my possession one Ibis Trials Comp from the late 80's. What is that?, you might ask? Well, hit this link to find out more.

My Ibis Trial Comp has a history here locally. The "big" mountain bikers of this area in the early 90's would gather in back yards and thrash this thing over picnic tables, stumps, or whatever they could find to hop on, up, and over. Since it likely was one of very few trials bikes in the area, it was well known back in the day, around these parts. I'll dust it off for a pic later, so stay tuned!

Gary Bar II: Mounted! 

I have finally gotten around to mounting the Gary Bar II and I put it on my Salsa Cycles Gen I Fargo. That's a pretty significant move for me, because the previous Midge Bar set up was so spot on, I swore I'd never change it.

Well, "never say never", right! Oddly enough, the Gary II and Midge share more in common than you might think. The differences are that the Gary II has longer extensions, (yay!), and has deeper drop, with a bit more reach. It is the most "road-like" of the off-road drop bars I have tried. So, if you can't stand the thought of all the sweep that say, a Woodchipper or Luxy Bar has, or can't live without a "regular drop" from the tops, than this could be a good bar for you.

I'll have more with images later, so stay tuned!

<===Aren't ya glad it isn't winter anymore? 

Fixin' Ta Fix The Badger:

I rode the ol' Badger quite a bit this winter after getting it back up and running again. So, the brakes have some un-godly warble/howl that appeared at CIRREM and won't go away. I have to get that looked at this weekend and start riding this bike some more again.

It's kind of funny, but this bike is very much like the Fargo II. So much so, that I can not justify the purchase of one. The Badger was built about the same time the first Fargo was being prototyped, so it is sort of funny that way. Of course, the Badger doesn't have all those fancy braze ons, but it does out-do the current Fargo in one way: My Badger is suspension corrected for a 100mm fork, while the current Fargo is only set up for an 80mm fork.

Weird! I guess it was really ahead of its time, huh? Who knew?

Well, this weekend looks to be wet. Hope we all get in some bicycle time none the less!

Snow Dog Down: 44 Days and counting......

Friday News And Views

Ibis Cycles 30th Anniversary: It's an iconic mountain bike companie's 30th anniversary, and to celebrate, they are counting down some of their biggest milestones and points of interest from the past. One of those things that is somewhat ironic is that their first employee, Wes Williams, went on to help foster the modern 29"er, and gave the wheel size its name. Oddly enough, Ibis has yet to introduce a 29"er, (but it is coming, as you can see by the image at left).

One other personal note: I happen to have in my possession one Ibis Trials Comp from the late 80's. What is that?, you might ask? Well, hit this link to find out more.

My Ibis Trial Comp has a history here locally. The "big" mountain bikers of this area in the early 90's would gather in back yards and thrash this thing over picnic tables, stumps, or whatever they could find to hop on, up, and over. Since it likely was one of very few trials bikes in the area, it was well known back in the day, around these parts. I'll dust it off for a pic later, so stay tuned!

Gary Bar II: Mounted! 

I have finally gotten around to mounting the Gary Bar II and I put it on my Salsa Cycles Gen I Fargo. That's a pretty significant move for me, because the previous Midge Bar set up was so spot on, I swore I'd never change it.

Well, "never say never", right! Oddly enough, the Gary II and Midge share more in common than you might think. The differences are that the Gary II has longer extensions, (yay!), and has deeper drop, with a bit more reach. It is the most "road-like" of the off-road drop bars I have tried. So, if you can't stand the thought of all the sweep that say, a Woodchipper or Luxy Bar has, or can't live without a "regular drop" from the tops, than this could be a good bar for you.

I'll have more with images later, so stay tuned!

<===Aren't ya glad it isn't winter anymore? 

Fixin' Ta Fix The Badger:

I rode the ol' Badger quite a bit this winter after getting it back up and running again. So, the brakes have some un-godly warble/howl that appeared at CIRREM and won't go away. I have to get that looked at this weekend and start riding this bike some more again.

It's kind of funny, but this bike is very much like the Fargo II. So much so, that I can not justify the purchase of one. The Badger was built about the same time the first Fargo was being prototyped, so it is sort of funny that way. Of course, the Badger doesn't have all those fancy braze ons, but it does out-do the current Fargo in one way: My Badger is suspension corrected for a 100mm fork, while the current Fargo is only set up for an 80mm fork.

Weird! I guess it was really ahead of its time, huh? Who knew?

Well, this weekend looks to be wet. Hope we all get in some bicycle time none the less!

Snow Dog Down: 44 Days and counting......

Wheels, Bars, And Fur!

Well, as many of you readers know, I have a snow/fat bike I dubbed "The Snow Dog". What many of you don't know is that I had some trouble already with it. Here's the deal...

I got the thing together and rode it to work the first time just over a week ago. It was making noises, and that isn't to be wondered at, since things were new, used, and just assembled together for the first time. I figured there would be a few hiccups. No big deal.

I dialed things in and did another ride a week ago Saturday. Whoa! Things were snappin' and a cracklin' that shouldn't had ought to be. I determined that something was amiss in the drive train. I got home and pulled the rear hub apart, and yep!  There it was. Bad pawl that caused a torn up drive ring. The situation didn't look good, but I wanted to ride it on my birthday, so I popped it back together, and Sunday a week ago went for a final ride before I would send in the wheel to Phil Wood & Co. for repair. I wasn't going to have a wheel for possibly up to two weeks, maybe more.

As you can imagine, I was pretty bummed out. It was like giving candy to a baby, and letting them taste it, and taking it away. Well.....except that I didn't bawl and throw a huge fit! Let me tell ya, I felt like it!

I just tried to let it go, but when I told Ben Witt about it, he hatched up a plan. My buddy Captain Bob was to pick up his new Spearfish from Ben's shop on Friday, so Ben sent his own fat bike Phil Wood hubbed rear wheel back with Captain Bob so I could ride for awhile. Awesome!

So, there it is, all blue with a rim strip that is all furry like the interior of a 70's Chevy van conversion! Thanks Ben! I totally appreciate the kindness!

I'll update what the ol' Phil Wood & Co. do with regards to the first hub later, but for now, I'm rollin' fatties again. Wait.......uh........that didn't sound right. Awww.. whatever!

Next, I got ahold of the new Gary Bar II from Origin 8. Remember the old Gary Bar? Yeah......well this one is totally different!

The first Gary Bar  was loosely based off the On One Midge bar. The overall dimensions were very similar, but the "slope" of the drops was more severe. Here is a link of a comparo I did between the original Gary Bar and the On One Midge Bar.

I'll also be doing the "big comparo" again with the newer version, but for now I can say that the Gary Bar II is waaay different than a Midge Bar, or any other off road drop bar. The new bar also uses 6000 series aluminum and has a nicer overall finish and feel than the older Gary Bar did. The "flare" or "slope" was radical on the first Gary, and on this one, it is very subtle. Less than the Midge for sure. It has more drop, and the extensions are even longer than the first Gary Bar's were. It also sports a bit more reach to the drops as well. It is 5cm narrower than before and looks much closer to a road bar than an off road bar. Less sweep to the drop section too. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd say it was a closer knock off to a Nitto bar than anything else.

The new Gary Bar II is also bar end compatible and retails for about $40.00. I bought my own, so I could compare it to the Midge, (which was graciously submitted to me for use by Captain Bob. Thanks man!) As I said, look for more soon, and another contender or two will also be added to the mix. Stay tuned...

Wheels, Bars, And Fur!

Well, as many of you readers know, I have a snow/fat bike I dubbed "The Snow Dog". What many of you don't know is that I had some trouble already with it. Here's the deal...

I got the thing together and rode it to work the first time just over a week ago. It was making noises, and that isn't to be wondered at, since things were new, used, and just assembled together for the first time. I figured there would be a few hiccups. No big deal.

I dialed things in and did another ride a week ago Saturday. Whoa! Things were snappin' and a cracklin' that shouldn't had ought to be. I determined that something was amiss in the drive train. I got home and pulled the rear hub apart, and yep!  There it was. Bad pawl that caused a torn up drive ring. The situation didn't look good, but I wanted to ride it on my birthday, so I popped it back together, and Sunday a week ago went for a final ride before I would send in the wheel to Phil Wood & Co. for repair. I wasn't going to have a wheel for possibly up to two weeks, maybe more.

As you can imagine, I was pretty bummed out. It was like giving candy to a baby, and letting them taste it, and taking it away. Well.....except that I didn't bawl and throw a huge fit! Let me tell ya, I felt like it!

I just tried to let it go, but when I told Ben Witt about it, he hatched up a plan. My buddy Captain Bob was to pick up his new Spearfish from Ben's shop on Friday, so Ben sent his own fat bike Phil Wood hubbed rear wheel back with Captain Bob so I could ride for awhile. Awesome!

So, there it is, all blue with a rim strip that is all furry like the interior of a 70's Chevy van conversion! Thanks Ben! I totally appreciate the kindness!

I'll update what the ol' Phil Wood & Co. do with regards to the first hub later, but for now, I'm rollin' fatties again. Wait.......uh........that didn't sound right. Awww.. whatever!

Next, I got ahold of the new Gary Bar II from Origin 8. Remember the old Gary Bar? Yeah......well this one is totally different!

The first Gary Bar  was loosely based off the On One Midge bar. The overall dimensions were very similar, but the "slope" of the drops was more severe. Here is a link of a comparo I did between the original Gary Bar and the On One Midge Bar.

I'll also be doing the "big comparo" again with the newer version, but for now I can say that the Gary Bar II is waaay different than a Midge Bar, or any other off road drop bar. The new bar also uses 6000 series aluminum and has a nicer overall finish and feel than the older Gary Bar did. The "flare" or "slope" was radical on the first Gary, and on this one, it is very subtle. Less than the Midge for sure. It has more drop, and the extensions are even longer than the first Gary Bar's were. It also sports a bit more reach to the drops as well. It is 5cm narrower than before and looks much closer to a road bar than an off road bar. Less sweep to the drop section too. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd say it was a closer knock off to a Nitto bar than anything else.

The new Gary Bar II is also bar end compatible and retails for about $40.00. I bought my own, so I could compare it to the Midge, (which was graciously submitted to me for use by Captain Bob. Thanks man!) As I said, look for more soon, and another contender or two will also be added to the mix. Stay tuned...

Friday News And Views

Milltown Cycles Mukluk Release/Winter Arrival Party: I'll be skipping town this weekend to attend the Mukluk/Winter party-dealio thing at Milltown Cycles in Faribault, Minnesota Saturday evening. Proprietor Ben Witt and his mechanic Curtis have been busy sprucing up the joint of late and this is kind of an excuse to show off their accomplishments and get some bike geeks that Ben wants to see to show up. And there will be some serious bike-geekery going on, lemme tell ya! I happen to have an inside track on some of the esteemed attendees and I know that the vortex of bike gab will certainly be swirling around the confines of Ben's shop well into the evening. Look for a report on that coming up on Monday, most likely.

Time For A Concept Bike: Part of the bike geek-speak that will be happening will have to do with this project while I am up there. Ben tells me that he has been cooking up some ideas and we'll have the ears of various bike designer types to bend while we are there munching on whatever Ben has cooked up on the grill outside. This project is not just an exercise in brain warpage either. I am serious about actually putting the plan into motion for an as yet undisclosed gravel adventure I am putting on my calendar as a goal for next year. More on that goal later, but do look for a report of sorts on this project soon.

And Speaking Of Concepts.... The biggest in mountain biking this century is arguably the 29 inch wheel. It has revolutionized the way people not only think about their off road ride, but how they ride off road. I know it changed the way I looked at mountain biking forever. It's more fun, and that's the bottom line. Well, some know the story and some don't, but I found an image this week I wanted to share with everyone. It's been too long for this blog to have been going without this image having been shown here.

<==March, 1999: The first "modern 29"er" is born. (image credit: Wes Williams)

A bunch of people including Wes Williams, Gary Fisher, and others, had persuaded WTB's Mark Slate to make a ISO622 X 50 tire based upon WTB's then current racing tread, the Nanoraptor. A small batch were made early in 1999 and handed out to the principals involved in the then tiny movement to bring bigger wheels to mountain biking.

Wes Williams, who had formerly been a welder at Ibis Cycles, had been quietly making his "28"ers" in Crested Butte, Colorado using the largest ISO622/700c tires he could get his hands on at the time. These bikes were made under the Willits Brand name. (Mostly Continental Goliaths) These tires were not really mountain bike tires, being somewhat skinny, (45mm or so in width), and not having an ideal tread pattern for mountain biking. Wes noted that the outer diameter was nominally 28 inches, thus the "28"er" designation.

Wes got some of the first Nanoraptors and was quickly turning 28"ers into what he dubbed as "29"ers", seeing as how the overall outside diameter had increased with the Nanoraptor. In March, 1999, Wes unleashed the first of these bikes. Moots made one later in the year, and Gary Fisher and Steve Potts collaborated with Mark Slate to build others by late 1999/early 2000. The 29"er movement was underway.

Now some will point back to other bikes based on 700c wheels and say, "What about ____". Well, the thing is, none of those bikes had a two inch wide/50mm tire and since that was the case, none of them had a nominal 29" outer diameter. Yes- there were 700c  based mtb bikes and even going further back, 28"ers being made in the late 1800's, but nothing had ever been concocted to match that first orange rig in Crested Butte in March of '99. That's where we got our "modern 29"er". That's where this all started as far as a bicycle that could become what it has today. It all hinged upon getting that big, voluminous tire that just didn't exist before 1999.

It is as if several threads of thought got focused on that one moment when "The Tire" was conceptualized and first produced, then all those threads of thought were wrought into something new that spread back out and grew and became the 29"er movement, and now is well on its way to becoming "just a mountain bike".

Well, that's a shortened version of a very big, very complex story, but there ya go! Hope you enjoyed that and I hope ya'all can get outside and enjoy the world this weekend! Ride On!

Friday News And Views

Milltown Cycles Mukluk Release/Winter Arrival Party: I'll be skipping town this weekend to attend the Mukluk/Winter party-dealio thing at Milltown Cycles in Faribault, Minnesota Saturday evening. Proprietor Ben Witt and his mechanic Curtis have been busy sprucing up the joint of late and this is kind of an excuse to show off their accomplishments and get some bike geeks that Ben wants to see to show up. And there will be some serious bike-geekery going on, lemme tell ya! I happen to have an inside track on some of the esteemed attendees and I know that the vortex of bike gab will certainly be swirling around the confines of Ben's shop well into the evening. Look for a report on that coming up on Monday, most likely.

Time For A Concept Bike: Part of the bike geek-speak that will be happening will have to do with this project while I am up there. Ben tells me that he has been cooking up some ideas and we'll have the ears of various bike designer types to bend while we are there munching on whatever Ben has cooked up on the grill outside. This project is not just an exercise in brain warpage either. I am serious about actually putting the plan into motion for an as yet undisclosed gravel adventure I am putting on my calendar as a goal for next year. More on that goal later, but do look for a report of sorts on this project soon.

And Speaking Of Concepts.... The biggest in mountain biking this century is arguably the 29 inch wheel. It has revolutionized the way people not only think about their off road ride, but how they ride off road. I know it changed the way I looked at mountain biking forever. It's more fun, and that's the bottom line. Well, some know the story and some don't, but I found an image this week I wanted to share with everyone. It's been too long for this blog to have been going without this image having been shown here.

<==March, 1999: The first "modern 29"er" is born. (image credit: Wes Williams)

A bunch of people including Wes Williams, Gary Fisher, and others, had persuaded WTB's Mark Slate to make a ISO622 X 50 tire based upon WTB's then current racing tread, the Nanoraptor. A small batch were made early in 1999 and handed out to the principals involved in the then tiny movement to bring bigger wheels to mountain biking.

Wes Williams, who had formerly been a welder at Ibis Cycles, had been quietly making his "28"ers" in Crested Butte, Colorado using the largest ISO622/700c tires he could get his hands on at the time. These bikes were made under the Willits Brand name. (Mostly Continental Goliaths) These tires were not really mountain bike tires, being somewhat skinny, (45mm or so in width), and not having an ideal tread pattern for mountain biking. Wes noted that the outer diameter was nominally 28 inches, thus the "28"er" designation.

Wes got some of the first Nanoraptors and was quickly turning 28"ers into what he dubbed as "29"ers", seeing as how the overall outside diameter had increased with the Nanoraptor. In March, 1999, Wes unleashed the first of these bikes. Moots made one later in the year, and Gary Fisher and Steve Potts collaborated with Mark Slate to build others by late 1999/early 2000. The 29"er movement was underway.

Now some will point back to other bikes based on 700c wheels and say, "What about ____". Well, the thing is, none of those bikes had a two inch wide/50mm tire and since that was the case, none of them had a nominal 29" outer diameter. Yes- there were 700c  based mtb bikes and even going further back, 28"ers being made in the late 1800's, but nothing had ever been concocted to match that first orange rig in Crested Butte in March of '99. That's where we got our "modern 29"er". That's where this all started as far as a bicycle that could become what it has today. It all hinged upon getting that big, voluminous tire that just didn't exist before 1999.

It is as if several threads of thought got focused on that one moment when "The Tire" was conceptualized and first produced, then all those threads of thought were wrought into something new that spread back out and grew and became the 29"er movement, and now is well on its way to becoming "just a mountain bike".

Well, that's a shortened version of a very big, very complex story, but there ya go! Hope you enjoyed that and I hope ya'all can get outside and enjoy the world this weekend! Ride On!

Handle Bar News And Notes

A whole post dedicated to handle bars? Yep! You wouldn't believe the number of hits I get on this blog that are handle bar related. Some days, it is the highest rated search topic!

Drop Bars For Mountain Biking: Here's the big one. The topic my blog gets hit on more than any other by far. Weird isn't it? Well..........anyway........

-The Midge Bar: This was an On One product that sold really well in off road drop bar circles. (Which are really tiny circles, by the way!) Two things happened here. The Fargo came out and Brant Richards left On One to start up his own design firm and brand. These two events have caused the Midge Bar to disappear from the market place. On One seemingly has ceased to exist on the mtb/mtb accessory side and supplies of the Midge have all but dried up. On the other hand, the Fargo has folks scrambling for bars like the Midge. Obviously Midge Bars are in high demand now with little to no supply.

-The Gary Bar: The Gary Bar is J&B Importers version of a Midge with some important differences. Mainly, the slope of the bar is rather severe, which puts off a lot of folks, and they do not accept bar end shifters. Other than those two things, the Gary Bar is a cheaper, widely available option for off road drop bar users. The thing is, those two issues I mention with the Gary Bar are pretty serious issues for a lot of folks, so the appeal of this offering has been somewhat limited by those quirks.

-The WTB Bar: Here we have a really nice, wide, flared drop bar that is offered in 31.8 and 25.4mm clamp sizes. The WTB bar does have a bit more drop than the Midge or Gary, so if you have to have your bars high, it becomes an issue. Also, the WTB bar has a somewhat of an "ergo" bend to the drop section which some find to be a negative. Personal preference I suppose.

-The Future: Soon we will have two more choices in off road drop bars. They should be available soon. Here's what I know.........

Shed Fire/Ragley: When Brant Richards left On One he took with him some ideas to improve some stuff he had done at On One. One of those ideas, apparently, was to do another off road drop bar design. Seeing as how I had been spouting off about the shortcomings of all the off road drop bar offerings, Brant asked me to give him a solution, instead of grousing! So.....I did. Some of what I told him/showed him is incorporated into the new design, but I assure you, it is a Brant Richards take on drop bars for off road. (Yes, I have seen the computer renderings, and no- I am not going to tell you anything!) These bars are in prototype stages now. I haven't a clue as to when they will be ready, but I assume it would be quite soon.

Salsa Cycles: When the Fargo was announced, certain of us drop bar aficionados were thinking, "Ah ha!- There must be an appropriate bar in the works!" Well, we were right. Many of us drop bar freaks were asked to add some input for the design. I do not know what the final product will look like, and I do not know when it will be done, I just know they are working on this. I would assume that something will surface soon. Trust me.....I'm keeping an eye out for this one. All I can say is that with a bike like the Fargo in Salsa's line, it just doesn't make sense not to have a bar to go with it. I mean, it isn't like Salsa Cycles doesn't do handle bars, ya know?

So, that covers the drop bar arena, but wait! There's more alt bar madness!

-The "J-Bar": The ridiculously ugly Titec H-Bar has now been rendered in a true "Jones" style called the Titec "J-Bar". (Sounds like a western cattle brand name, eh?) Anyway, it is a great rendering of the uber-spendy titanium Jones Bar in aluminum. Available now.

-Space Bar: The J&B Importers Space Bar, a close rendering of On One's Mary Bar, was a hit with me until I noticed a bunch of failures with that bar. I then ceased using it, and J&B Importers started marketing it as not suitable for off road. Then J&B had a beefier version done, which they dubbed the "Space Bar OR". Saying it is now up to the rigors of off road use, the Space Bar OR is now available. I will be trying one soon, so stay tuned....

-Sweep Bar: J&B also noticed that a lot of flat bars were being rendered with more sweep. Anything from 10 to 12 degrees is common now with Salsa Cycles doing a 17 degree sweep. Well, J&B saw that and decided to split the difference and do a 15 degree sweep bar. The "Pro Pulsion Sweep" is coming in 31.8mm clamp size for a 166 gram bar. There is a heavier, less expensive version as well that is offered in 25.4mm or 31.8mm clamp sizes. Look for a Pro Pulsion Sweep review from me in the future.

That wraps up my Handle Bar News and Notes. Go ride yer bike!

Update: Know yer MTB history! This is long, so get a beverage, sit back, and relax while you learn where this sport started from: http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R906241000 Highly recommended listening!

Handle Bar News And Notes

A whole post dedicated to handle bars? Yep! You wouldn't believe the number of hits I get on this blog that are handle bar related. Some days, it is the highest rated search topic!

Drop Bars For Mountain Biking: Here's the big one. The topic my blog gets hit on more than any other by far. Weird isn't it? Well..........anyway........

-The Midge Bar: This was an On One product that sold really well in off road drop bar circles. (Which are really tiny circles, by the way!) Two things happened here. The Fargo came out and Brant Richards left On One to start up his own design firm and brand. These two events have caused the Midge Bar to disappear from the market place. On One seemingly has ceased to exist on the mtb/mtb accessory side and supplies of the Midge have all but dried up. On the other hand, the Fargo has folks scrambling for bars like the Midge. Obviously Midge Bars are in high demand now with little to no supply.

-The Gary Bar: The Gary Bar is J&B Importers version of a Midge with some important differences. Mainly, the slope of the bar is rather severe, which puts off a lot of folks, and they do not accept bar end shifters. Other than those two things, the Gary Bar is a cheaper, widely available option for off road drop bar users. The thing is, those two issues I mention with the Gary Bar are pretty serious issues for a lot of folks, so the appeal of this offering has been somewhat limited by those quirks.

-The WTB Bar: Here we have a really nice, wide, flared drop bar that is offered in 31.8 and 25.4mm clamp sizes. The WTB bar does have a bit more drop than the Midge or Gary, so if you have to have your bars high, it becomes an issue. Also, the WTB bar has a somewhat of an "ergo" bend to the drop section which some find to be a negative. Personal preference I suppose.

-The Future: Soon we will have two more choices in off road drop bars. They should be available soon. Here's what I know.........

Shed Fire/Ragley: When Brant Richards left On One he took with him some ideas to improve some stuff he had done at On One. One of those ideas, apparently, was to do another off road drop bar design. Seeing as how I had been spouting off about the shortcomings of all the off road drop bar offerings, Brant asked me to give him a solution, instead of grousing! So.....I did. Some of what I told him/showed him is incorporated into the new design, but I assure you, it is a Brant Richards take on drop bars for off road. (Yes, I have seen the computer renderings, and no- I am not going to tell you anything!) These bars are in prototype stages now. I haven't a clue as to when they will be ready, but I assume it would be quite soon.

Salsa Cycles: When the Fargo was announced, certain of us drop bar aficionados were thinking, "Ah ha!- There must be an appropriate bar in the works!" Well, we were right. Many of us drop bar freaks were asked to add some input for the design. I do not know what the final product will look like, and I do not know when it will be done, I just know they are working on this. I would assume that something will surface soon. Trust me.....I'm keeping an eye out for this one. All I can say is that with a bike like the Fargo in Salsa's line, it just doesn't make sense not to have a bar to go with it. I mean, it isn't like Salsa Cycles doesn't do handle bars, ya know?

So, that covers the drop bar arena, but wait! There's more alt bar madness!

-The "J-Bar": The ridiculously ugly Titec H-Bar has now been rendered in a true "Jones" style called the Titec "J-Bar". (Sounds like a western cattle brand name, eh?) Anyway, it is a great rendering of the uber-spendy titanium Jones Bar in aluminum. Available now.

-Space Bar: The J&B Importers Space Bar, a close rendering of On One's Mary Bar, was a hit with me until I noticed a bunch of failures with that bar. I then ceased using it, and J&B Importers started marketing it as not suitable for off road. Then J&B had a beefier version done, which they dubbed the "Space Bar OR". Saying it is now up to the rigors of off road use, the Space Bar OR is now available. I will be trying one soon, so stay tuned....

-Sweep Bar: J&B also noticed that a lot of flat bars were being rendered with more sweep. Anything from 10 to 12 degrees is common now with Salsa Cycles doing a 17 degree sweep. Well, J&B saw that and decided to split the difference and do a 15 degree sweep bar. The "Pro Pulsion Sweep" is coming in 31.8mm clamp size for a 166 gram bar. There is a heavier, less expensive version as well that is offered in 25.4mm or 31.8mm clamp sizes. Look for a Pro Pulsion Sweep review from me in the future.

That wraps up my Handle Bar News and Notes. Go ride yer bike!

Update: Know yer MTB history! This is long, so get a beverage, sit back, and relax while you learn where this sport started from: http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R906241000 Highly recommended listening!

First Ride (Sort Of) And Some Pics

<===Drop Bar Specific: Whilst it may look "feckin' 'orrible", as one transplanted Briton has called it, it is eminently functional.

Here is the Badger on its first outing. Stopped short of doing the full on gravel grinder since I still have not gotten the tubeless set up on the rear tire to seal up yet. Therefore the "hot laps" around the neighborhood which allowed "pit stops" back at the house for air refills.






<===A good look at the Gary Bar/Tektro lever set up from the front.

I haven't really gotten any off road on it yet with the exception of some dirt road/grassy field traverse. Everything is frozen up or glazed in ice, so really- it's all like riding on a solid rock. That said, the Badger rides very smoothly. I have a feeling it will really shine off road. The seated posistion is nailed. I may make some small adjustments to the tilt of the bars, but that is all I can tell for right now.




<===Those Tektro levers are linear pull specific.

I really like the bar end shifting. Friction shifting comes pretty natural to me on road, but off road may be a bit different. (Finding the gear, that is) As things stand now, I have gotten consistent shifting with almost no noise. Very stealth like! I do have to adjust the front derailluer slightly to aid in the upshift from the inner ring. One side benefit to running the friction shifters on the Gary Bar is that it extends the drop sections ends about a half an inch. Perfect! I always wanted just a bit more room on the ends of the Midge/Gary designs. The Tektro levers are really working a trick. Off road dirt drop riders using disc brakes need to check these out!






<===The hand posistion is actually just below the nose of the saddle on a horizontal plane.

I did manage to go down.....heavily I might add...on the first outing. A slightly down hill bit of track in the local cemetary was glazed over with ice and both wheels went at once landing me on my lefty side. My hip took quite a blow right at the socket. Smacked my noggin too. Good thing I was wearing the helmet. The bike? Clattered away down the icy slope, but no damage. Too slick and smooth to even cause a scratch! Reminded me of a roadie crash in a strange sort of way. I don't normally fall like that. I am going to be just fine, but that little wreck and the tire problem put me off and I didn't stay out very long. I got home and took a nap. Felt better afterwards for it and I will ride again next weekend. In between I should be commuting, but we are supposed to be getting freezing rain today, (Blecch!) so I may be car bound if my wife doesn't want to drive.

At any rate, there she is! I'll be getting that tire problem sorted soon and will be putting in more miles as time goes on. Reports to follow.

First Ride (Sort Of) And Some Pics

<===Drop Bar Specific: Whilst it may look "feckin' 'orrible", as one transplanted Briton has called it, it is eminently functional.

Here is the Badger on its first outing. Stopped short of doing the full on gravel grinder since I still have not gotten the tubeless set up on the rear tire to seal up yet. Therefore the "hot laps" around the neighborhood which allowed "pit stops" back at the house for air refills.






<===A good look at the Gary Bar/Tektro lever set up from the front.

I haven't really gotten any off road on it yet with the exception of some dirt road/grassy field traverse. Everything is frozen up or glazed in ice, so really- it's all like riding on a solid rock. That said, the Badger rides very smoothly. I have a feeling it will really shine off road. The seated posistion is nailed. I may make some small adjustments to the tilt of the bars, but that is all I can tell for right now.




<===Those Tektro levers are linear pull specific.

I really like the bar end shifting. Friction shifting comes pretty natural to me on road, but off road may be a bit different. (Finding the gear, that is) As things stand now, I have gotten consistent shifting with almost no noise. Very stealth like! I do have to adjust the front derailluer slightly to aid in the upshift from the inner ring. One side benefit to running the friction shifters on the Gary Bar is that it extends the drop sections ends about a half an inch. Perfect! I always wanted just a bit more room on the ends of the Midge/Gary designs. The Tektro levers are really working a trick. Off road dirt drop riders using disc brakes need to check these out!






<===The hand posistion is actually just below the nose of the saddle on a horizontal plane.

I did manage to go down.....heavily I might add...on the first outing. A slightly down hill bit of track in the local cemetary was glazed over with ice and both wheels went at once landing me on my lefty side. My hip took quite a blow right at the socket. Smacked my noggin too. Good thing I was wearing the helmet. The bike? Clattered away down the icy slope, but no damage. Too slick and smooth to even cause a scratch! Reminded me of a roadie crash in a strange sort of way. I don't normally fall like that. I am going to be just fine, but that little wreck and the tire problem put me off and I didn't stay out very long. I got home and took a nap. Felt better afterwards for it and I will ride again next weekend. In between I should be commuting, but we are supposed to be getting freezing rain today, (Blecch!) so I may be car bound if my wife doesn't want to drive.

At any rate, there she is! I'll be getting that tire problem sorted soon and will be putting in more miles as time goes on. Reports to follow.