Friday News And Views

2022 Giant Trance X

More Bicycle Piracy In The News:

Last week, from the industry news source, "Bike Biz", it was reported that a container load of 127 Giant e-MTB's were stolen from a carrier on the A12 highway. 

Thieves cut open the container, transferred the load to another vehicle and drove away. Details of the heist were not provided, but authorities were quick to warn people to be on the lookout for the bikes on the black market and to report any suspicions activity to the authorities. 

Comments: Supply chain issues, theorized by experts to continue on throughout the year, and perhaps longer, are causing these high end bikes to be targets of thieves. I suspect we will be hearing more about such heists in the coming months as the cycling season gets underway.

As spectacular as these heists are, let's also not forget that thieves are watching cycling teams and events as targets for their nefarious schemes. I've read stories about entire Pro team bike fleets being stolen and last year I heard about stolen bikes at a major gravel event. 

If you have a high-end, late model gravel rig or MTB and you are going to a big event, it should be on your to-do list to be extra vigilant when it comes to watching over your bicycles and in terms of security.  

Wolf Tooth's new rotor lock rings come in many colors.

Wolf Tooth Announces New Rotor Lock Rings:

Wolf Tooth Components announced on Tuesday that they were making rotor lock rings for Center Lock rotors in alloy. These will come in several colors including black, silver, green, orange, blue, red, purple, and gold. 

They fit 12, 15, and 20mm axles. The rotor lock rings are made in the USA and cost $15.95 each. 

Comments: Back in the 1990's I remember bike shops had cabinets full of anodized bits and baubles to accessorize your bike. Things went 'dark' in the late 90's and for most of the 'aughts' as black anodized stuff was about all you could find, unless you bought stuff from King or Hope! 

Things changed slowly over the ensuing years and now it appears that one can get all the colored bits they want and have a 'matchy-matchy' look or a 'unicorn vomit' look, depending on how "OCD" you are about anodized accessories. Maybe I ought to grab a pair of the purple ones for my pink BMC! 

UCI Pro Gravel World Tour Dates And Venues Leaked:

According to a "Cyclingtips" article online dated 2/22/22, the UCI Pro Gravel Wold Tour calendar has been leaked. The series has 14 dates and apparently it will kick off in April in the Philippines. 

There are three dates in North America. Two in the US and one in Canada. Interestingly the last date is listed as the "Jingle GX Gravel Race". The series is sponsored by Trek. Another look at this story can be found here on "Cycling News".

Comments: A lot of this was known ahead of these specifics, but the last date is intriguing. It is in Iowa City and the event has been held there for a few years already. Interestingly, Jingle Cross lost its World CX event status and this plumb event on the Gravel World Tour would be a nice alternative. 

Will that final event be the World Championships?  No. That honor will go to Tuscany where the Gravel World Championships will be held, reportedly in mid-October.

Southeast Gravel Series Announces Docu-series Project:

The Southeast Gravel Series, a six event series of gravel events held in the Southeastern USA, has announced a 'docu-series' to cover these evnts which they have dubbed "What Pressure". Here is a bit from the press release I got for this:

" What Pressure will follow gravel cyclists, from pro to amateur, involved in the world of gravel racing within the Southeast Gravel race series. Each episode will run approximately 20 minutes and will highlight a variety of cyclists that makes gravel racing such a unique demographic. "

The event series also announced a hand-cycle category for all of its events as well, marking it as the first event series to feature such a category offering in the gravel events genre'. 

You can see more about the series here: https://southeastgravel.com/ 

Comments: Ever since Tour Divide was documented in "Ride The Divide" gravel event directors and film makers have been eager to promote their events similarly. Of course, gravel event documentaries were done before 2012, such as the one about Trans Iowa in 2008 called "300 Miles of Gravel". But "Ride The Divide", in my mind, was the watershed creation from which this kind of marketing/entertainment idea for gravel events sprang forth from. 

The feature of the series that is probably more important than the docu-series, in my opinion, is the hand-cycle category for these events. That will be interesting to watch unfold. Undoubtedly this will expand the scope of participants even more in the realm of gravel events. This, to my way of thinking, is a bigger deal than a self-serving film series which- in all likelihood- will not be as far-reaching in its impacts as a hand-cycling category could be. But perhaps I will be proven wrong there. 

Be Kind To Your Tires:

Wednesday I saw this Tweet from veteran cycling media writer, James Huang. If you cannot read it, basically what he is saying is that new orders into Maxxis Tires for bicycle tires will be delivered in TWO YEARS from now. 

Let that sink in for a moment.

I also saw another article encouraging cyclists to run their tires longer and to always patch tubes before throwing them out. In other words, expect shortages, and higher prices, on new wheel goods. And as well- shouldn't we all be using up tires and tubes until they are worn out? That's another thing to be thinking about as well. 

I'm seeing people asking about maintenance, where to buy chains and cassettes, and more. This situation is far from over, and with all the events kicking into gear this year with new ones being added seemingly daily, pressure on the supply chain will probably remain at a very high level throughout 2022 and 2023 by the looks of it. 

Some experts were saying that by the end of this year we'd be seeing relief. Ah........I am not so sure about that now anymore.
 

That's a wrap for this end of February "FN&V". Will March come in like a lion, or a lamb? I don't care as long as it gets warmer! Thank you for reading G-Ted Productions! 

Friday News And Views

2022 Giant Trance X

More Bicycle Piracy In The News:

Last week, from the industry news source, "Bike Biz", it was reported that a container load of 127 Giant e-MTB's were stolen from a carrier on the A12 highway. 

Thieves cut open the container, transferred the load to another vehicle and drove away. Details of the heist were not provided, but authorities were quick to warn people to be on the lookout for the bikes on the black market and to report any suspicions activity to the authorities. 

Comments: Supply chain issues, theorized by experts to continue on throughout the year, and perhaps longer, are causing these high end bikes to be targets of thieves. I suspect we will be hearing more about such heists in the coming months as the cycling season gets underway.

As spectacular as these heists are, let's also not forget that thieves are watching cycling teams and events as targets for their nefarious schemes. I've read stories about entire Pro team bike fleets being stolen and last year I heard about stolen bikes at a major gravel event. 

If you have a high-end, late model gravel rig or MTB and you are going to a big event, it should be on your to-do list to be extra vigilant when it comes to watching over your bicycles and in terms of security.  

Wolf Tooth's new rotor lock rings come in many colors.

Wolf Tooth Announces New Rotor Lock Rings:

Wolf Tooth Components announced on Tuesday that they were making rotor lock rings for Center Lock rotors in alloy. These will come in several colors including black, silver, green, orange, blue, red, purple, and gold. 

They fit 12, 15, and 20mm axles. The rotor lock rings are made in the USA and cost $15.95 each. 

Comments: Back in the 1990's I remember bike shops had cabinets full of anodized bits and baubles to accessorize your bike. Things went 'dark' in the late 90's and for most of the 'aughts' as black anodized stuff was about all you could find, unless you bought stuff from King or Hope! 

Things changed slowly over the ensuing years and now it appears that one can get all the colored bits they want and have a 'matchy-matchy' look or a 'unicorn vomit' look, depending on how "OCD" you are about anodized accessories. Maybe I ought to grab a pair of the purple ones for my pink BMC! 

UCI Pro Gravel World Tour Dates And Venues Leaked:

According to a "Cyclingtips" article online dated 2/22/22, the UCI Pro Gravel Wold Tour calendar has been leaked. The series has 14 dates and apparently it will kick off in April in the Philippines. 

There are three dates in North America. Two in the US and one in Canada. Interestingly the last date is listed as the "Jingle GX Gravel Race". The series is sponsored by Trek. Another look at this story can be found here on "Cycling News".

Comments: A lot of this was known ahead of these specifics, but the last date is intriguing. It is in Iowa City and the event has been held there for a few years already. Interestingly, Jingle Cross lost its World CX event status and this plumb event on the Gravel World Tour would be a nice alternative. 

Will that final event be the World Championships?  No. That honor will go to Tuscany where the Gravel World Championships will be held, reportedly in mid-October.

Southeast Gravel Series Announces Docu-series Project:

The Southeast Gravel Series, a six event series of gravel events held in the Southeastern USA, has announced a 'docu-series' to cover these evnts which they have dubbed "What Pressure". Here is a bit from the press release I got for this:

" What Pressure will follow gravel cyclists, from pro to amateur, involved in the world of gravel racing within the Southeast Gravel race series. Each episode will run approximately 20 minutes and will highlight a variety of cyclists that makes gravel racing such a unique demographic. "

The event series also announced a hand-cycle category for all of its events as well, marking it as the first event series to feature such a category offering in the gravel events genre'. 

You can see more about the series here: https://southeastgravel.com/ 

Comments: Ever since Tour Divide was documented in "Ride The Divide" gravel event directors and film makers have been eager to promote their events similarly. Of course, gravel event documentaries were done before 2012, such as the one about Trans Iowa in 2008 called "300 Miles of Gravel". But "Ride The Divide", in my mind, was the watershed creation from which this kind of marketing/entertainment idea for gravel events sprang forth from. 

The feature of the series that is probably more important than the docu-series, in my opinion, is the hand-cycle category for these events. That will be interesting to watch unfold. Undoubtedly this will expand the scope of participants even more in the realm of gravel events. This, to my way of thinking, is a bigger deal than a self-serving film series which- in all likelihood- will not be as far-reaching in its impacts as a hand-cycling category could be. But perhaps I will be proven wrong there. 

Be Kind To Your Tires:

Wednesday I saw this Tweet from veteran cycling media writer, James Huang. If you cannot read it, basically what he is saying is that new orders into Maxxis Tires for bicycle tires will be delivered in TWO YEARS from now. 

Let that sink in for a moment.

I also saw another article encouraging cyclists to run their tires longer and to always patch tubes before throwing them out. In other words, expect shortages, and higher prices, on new wheel goods. And as well- shouldn't we all be using up tires and tubes until they are worn out? That's another thing to be thinking about as well. 

I'm seeing people asking about maintenance, where to buy chains and cassettes, and more. This situation is far from over, and with all the events kicking into gear this year with new ones being added seemingly daily, pressure on the supply chain will probably remain at a very high level throughout 2022 and 2023 by the looks of it. 

Some experts were saying that by the end of this year we'd be seeing relief. Ah........I am not so sure about that now anymore.
 

That's a wrap for this end of February "FN&V". Will March come in like a lion, or a lamb? I don't care as long as it gets warmer! Thank you for reading G-Ted Productions! 

Friday News And Views

Paul Thumbies- New! (But not really) Image courtesy of Paul Components

You Should Totally E-Bay Those!

Wednesday I'm cruising my Twitter feed when I scroll up on some newsy bits from a couple of sources saying that Paul Components has released a SRAM TT shifter compatible mount that turns these bar end shifters into old school thumb shifters. Now normally, I would just scroll right on by something like that. However; I was immediately struck by the fact that someone, (actually it was Tweeted by three different accounts I follow), thought these were "new". "They are not new!", I thought to myself.  Heck, I could walk down into my Lab and grab a pair I've had kicking around for years now. New? I don't think so. I went down, within two minutes had them in hand, and shot an image, then tweeted it out asking if my circa 2011 Paul Thumbies could be "new".

A couple of the accounts I "@'ed" (code for adding an account to a Tweet which then directs said Tweet "at" the account.- Pronounced "at-ed") responded with a social media equivalent of a shrug, and they in turn "@'ed" Paul Components account for a definitive answer.

The answer I got from Paul Components on Twitter

So, I had jumped on getting those at the right time, apparently, because back then, I had no clue they were a very limited edition sort of product. I actually got them for my Ti Mukluk, which I used the right shifter by itself at first since I ran 1 X 10 SRAM to start out with. That didn't last long, the shifter came off, and the pair of mounts has been basically sitting on my bench in my little box of bar end shifter parts ever since. I just don't do much with geared, flat bar bikes these days. Anyway, I thanked Paul Components and figured that was that.

Then one of the accounts that was part of the thread snaps back with "hangs up, dials e-bay......" I replied back that this was a well played comment, but I wasn't looking to make a buck from my newfound knowledge dumped on me by Paul Components. Then another follower of mine on Twitter basically answered that and said "take the money and run!"

Social media. Weird. Sometimes it's a fun, knowledge builder. Other times.....well. 

Ingrid's 12 sped rear derailleur Courtesy of Ingrid's Instagram feed

 They Said It Would Last Forever:

Back on the 1990's heyday of CNC craziness, I purchased a "Made In The USA", CNC'ed, lightweight rear derailleur by a company called ProShift. It was "totally rebuild-able" and theoretically would last "forever" since you would be able to purchase any piece or part of that derailleur and rebuild it. It was VERY EXPENSIVE. I bolted it to my 1992 Klein Attitude and started riding.

Well, one day, under no extraordinary circumstances, I heard a "ker-CHUNK!", felt a tug on the chain, and then no power. I looked down and what was left of that derailleur was dangling from a very slack chain. In fact, the only part that survived was a jockey wheel! Every other part was ripped, twisted, or bent beyond recognition. I boxed up all the bits I could find, shipped it to ProShift, and they sent me another under warranty. That derailleur suffered the same fate exactly two weeks later. Again- the only part that survived was the lower jockey wheel.

Well, I had had enough. I got a "real" rear derailleur, went on my merry way, and ProShift quickly became a thing of mountain bike legend. I was reminded of that story again when I read about an Italian based company called "INGRID".

They have, what looks like CNC'ed metal, in the form of a rear derailleur and are saying "it will last forever because it is rebuild-able". Yeah.......

Once bitten, twice shy.

Flat pedal shoes from Giant Bicycles.

 Shoes To Get The Fargo Ready:

Yes, you read that right. I've got some shoes and that is motivating me to get the Fargo up and running. Why? Because the Fargo has flat pedals on it now. The idea is that I am going off to do some longer gravel rides on flats. To test the shoes. The shoes I have on test for RidingGravel.com. Those shoes.....

Anyway, I think it is high time for some new treads for the Fargo as well. I've got me eye on the new Vittoria Terreno Cross Country tires. They have the Graphene compound and I've had experience with this in their Terreno Dry 40mm tire. Those Graphene infused tires have "something" going on and that is something good. It is an uncanny tire in that it shouldn't grip as well as it does, nor roll as fast as it does, but it does. I've also heard it wears like iron. Too good to be true? Maybe, but I am convinced there is a lot more good to these tires than bad.

So, once the tires are on, I am shooting to do some longer rides on flats and hopefully get ready for the Prairie Burn 100 and the Solstice 100, both events coming up really soon! I need to get some miles in my legs and fast.

That's all for this cold, wet week. Let's hope the weather turns around and warmer weather comes. Oh.....and Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there!

Friday News And Views

Paul Thumbies- New! (But not really) Image courtesy of Paul Components

You Should Totally E-Bay Those!

Wednesday I'm cruising my Twitter feed when I scroll up on some newsy bits from a couple of sources saying that Paul Components has released a SRAM TT shifter compatible mount that turns these bar end shifters into old school thumb shifters. Now normally, I would just scroll right on by something like that. However; I was immediately struck by the fact that someone, (actually it was Tweeted by three different accounts I follow), thought these were "new". "They are not new!", I thought to myself.  Heck, I could walk down into my Lab and grab a pair I've had kicking around for years now. New? I don't think so. I went down, within two minutes had them in hand, and shot an image, then tweeted it out asking if my circa 2011 Paul Thumbies could be "new".

A couple of the accounts I "@'ed" (code for adding an account to a Tweet which then directs said Tweet "at" the account.- Pronounced "at-ed") responded with a social media equivalent of a shrug, and they in turn "@'ed" Paul Components account for a definitive answer.

The answer I got from Paul Components on Twitter

So, I had jumped on getting those at the right time, apparently, because back then, I had no clue they were a very limited edition sort of product. I actually got them for my Ti Mukluk, which I used the right shifter by itself at first since I ran 1 X 10 SRAM to start out with. That didn't last long, the shifter came off, and the pair of mounts has been basically sitting on my bench in my little box of bar end shifter parts ever since. I just don't do much with geared, flat bar bikes these days. Anyway, I thanked Paul Components and figured that was that.

Then one of the accounts that was part of the thread snaps back with "hangs up, dials e-bay......" I replied back that this was a well played comment, but I wasn't looking to make a buck from my newfound knowledge dumped on me by Paul Components. Then another follower of mine on Twitter basically answered that and said "take the money and run!"

Social media. Weird. Sometimes it's a fun, knowledge builder. Other times.....well. 

Ingrid's 12 sped rear derailleur Courtesy of Ingrid's Instagram feed

 They Said It Would Last Forever:

Back on the 1990's heyday of CNC craziness, I purchased a "Made In The USA", CNC'ed, lightweight rear derailleur by a company called ProShift. It was "totally rebuild-able" and theoretically would last "forever" since you would be able to purchase any piece or part of that derailleur and rebuild it. It was VERY EXPENSIVE. I bolted it to my 1992 Klein Attitude and started riding.

Well, one day, under no extraordinary circumstances, I heard a "ker-CHUNK!", felt a tug on the chain, and then no power. I looked down and what was left of that derailleur was dangling from a very slack chain. In fact, the only part that survived was a jockey wheel! Every other part was ripped, twisted, or bent beyond recognition. I boxed up all the bits I could find, shipped it to ProShift, and they sent me another under warranty. That derailleur suffered the same fate exactly two weeks later. Again- the only part that survived was the lower jockey wheel.

Well, I had had enough. I got a "real" rear derailleur, went on my merry way, and ProShift quickly became a thing of mountain bike legend. I was reminded of that story again when I read about an Italian based company called "INGRID".

They have, what looks like CNC'ed metal, in the form of a rear derailleur and are saying "it will last forever because it is rebuild-able". Yeah.......

Once bitten, twice shy.

Flat pedal shoes from Giant Bicycles.

 Shoes To Get The Fargo Ready:

Yes, you read that right. I've got some shoes and that is motivating me to get the Fargo up and running. Why? Because the Fargo has flat pedals on it now. The idea is that I am going off to do some longer gravel rides on flats. To test the shoes. The shoes I have on test for RidingGravel.com. Those shoes.....

Anyway, I think it is high time for some new treads for the Fargo as well. I've got me eye on the new Vittoria Terreno Cross Country tires. They have the Graphene compound and I've had experience with this in their Terreno Dry 40mm tire. Those Graphene infused tires have "something" going on and that is something good. It is an uncanny tire in that it shouldn't grip as well as it does, nor roll as fast as it does, but it does. I've also heard it wears like iron. Too good to be true? Maybe, but I am convinced there is a lot more good to these tires than bad.

So, once the tires are on, I am shooting to do some longer rides on flats and hopefully get ready for the Prairie Burn 100 and the Solstice 100, both events coming up really soon! I need to get some miles in my legs and fast.

That's all for this cold, wet week. Let's hope the weather turns around and warmer weather comes. Oh.....and Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there!

Minus Ten Review- 6

Ten years ago on the blog I went another whole week without a picture. So here is some fried chicken!

Ten years ago here on the blog there was a lot of news and scuttlebutt going down, but no images! 

I know. Hard to imagine that even happening anymore here. It is a wonder anyone came and read the blog back then at all. No pictures? Bah! 

Anyway, like I said, there was a lot to talk about back then. One of the things that was happening then is still affecting the bicycle business today- that being the missing of the boat concerning the 29 inch wheeled mountain bike.

In 2007, that wheel size really began to sell well. Anyone that had a 29"er in their line was making a lot of sales, but 26"ers were not selling anywhere near as well. Many companies at that time, like Specialized and Giant in particular, were really feeling the pinch of lost sales to other companies that did have 29 inch wheeled mountain bikes. Subsequently, any perceived trend after this was jumped on. No one wanted to miss out on a possible run on another type of bicycle, no matter how oddball it might seem to be.

You can point right back at 2007 and see why we have gravel, plus sized, fat, and other weird bikes roaming the earth now days. 29"ers made companies sit up and take notice of trends being set by internet shared information. Something that up until that time had not happened before.

Another trend that got its start in 2007 was the whole notion of 584ISO bead diameter tires and wheels for mountain biking. Of course, I am talking about 650B. Also, it is worth noting that this was about the third time 650B had gotten a nod for off road, if you do not count the French camping bikes of the 40's and 50's.

I'll have more on the whole 650B deal coming up in other Minus Ten Review posts later on throughout the year.

Minus Ten Review- 6

Ten years ago on the blog I went another whole week without a picture. So here is some fried chicken!

Ten years ago here on the blog there was a lot of news and scuttlebutt going down, but no images! 

I know. Hard to imagine that even happening anymore here. It is a wonder anyone came and read the blog back then at all. No pictures? Bah! 

Anyway, like I said, there was a lot to talk about back then. One of the things that was happening then is still affecting the bicycle business today- that being the missing of the boat concerning the 29 inch wheeled mountain bike.

In 2007, that wheel size really began to sell well. Anyone that had a 29"er in their line was making a lot of sales, but 26"ers were not selling anywhere near as well. Many companies at that time, like Specialized and Giant in particular, were really feeling the pinch of lost sales to other companies that did have 29 inch wheeled mountain bikes. Subsequently, any perceived trend after this was jumped on. No one wanted to miss out on a possible run on another type of bicycle, no matter how oddball it might seem to be.

You can point right back at 2007 and see why we have gravel, plus sized, fat, and other weird bikes roaming the earth now days. 29"ers made companies sit up and take notice of trends being set by internet shared information. Something that up until that time had not happened before.

Another trend that got its start in 2007 was the whole notion of 584ISO bead diameter tires and wheels for mountain biking. Of course, I am talking about 650B. Also, it is worth noting that this was about the third time 650B had gotten a nod for off road, if you do not count the French camping bikes of the 40's and 50's.

I'll have more on the whole 650B deal coming up in other Minus Ten Review posts later on throughout the year.

Friday News And Views

2017 Anthem X Advanced- Image courtesy of Giant Bicycles

How's That Crow Tasting, Sir?

Okay, first of all, since I am a fan of history, I like to take stories I see in context of history. That way, I feel, we are getting a truer picture of what is going on today. Take, for instance, the quiet refocus on 29"ers from Giant Bicycles.

Giant made waves three years ago when they steadfastly said that 27.5"ers were going to supplant 26" and 29" wheels in their line up of mountain bikes. They basically said that all other wheel sizes would be phased out eventually and that they were going to focus future mtb development on the "tweener' wheel size. Now we see that Giant has turned back on those sentiments and have reintroduced 29"ers into their XC categories.

Okay, so what's the deal here? Well, I think you have to look at two points in history concerning Giant and wheel sizes that may help us make sense of it all. First was the very late entry of Giant to the world of 29"er sales. Giant didn't get into the 29"er game until 2010 with a modest line of hard tail bikes. They arguably were the very last bicycle company of note to enter the 29"er market, which by this time was dominated by Trek/Fisher, and to a lesser degree, Specialized, and every other bicycle maker of note. At the same time, moves were underway to deep six the 26 inch wheeled, long travel mountain bike as the choice for mountain bike riding in the back country and even for competitive, gravity oriented mountain biking. What we didn't know in 2010 was that in two years the 27.5"er, "enduro" bike would be the newest darling of the industry on the dirt side. Which leads to the second point.....

B+ wheels on an OS Bikes Blackbuck: Image courtesy of Bob Poor.

The genesis of this whole B+/27.5+ thing goes back to a chance meeting I had with a fellow by the name of Bob Poor in 2011 at the Interbike Outdoor Demo. I was poked in the back and I turned around to see Bob, (who, if you don't know, has a previous history with big wheels you can read about HERE) who had a very simplistic sketch of a wheel size idea. Using a 584ISO rim and a big, 2.8" tire, Bob theorized that a fatter, cushier, more tractable mtb tire could be slotted into many 29"er hard tail bikes. A "mid-fat" idea, that wouldn't require a new frame, like 29+ did. I liked his train of thought. Bob let on that he had presented the idea to WTB and that they were at work on the idea. I was told to sit on that info, but that it was going to happen. Someday......

So, it made sense that Giant would ditch the different wheel sizes for 27.5 and run with that idea, since the "enduro" thing was happening full tilt by 2013. What Giant hadn't bargained on was that 29"ers weren't going away, and that B+/27.5+ was coming along and would upset the apple cart. The enduring nature of 29"ers caught the attention of these very same "enduro" cycling athletes who pushed to try bigger wheels at these events. Eventually, serious rigs were produced which garnered serious results. So much so that we now have 29"er long travel enduro machines like Trek's Slash 29. Of course, we all know what the impact of B+ wheels has been. So it comes that Giant was essentially put into a corner on their own with the "only 27.5" wheels thing.

So, now they quietly come back with 29"ers. Will their be plus bikes and longer travel 29"ers in their future? We will see......

For another take on this, read the Bike Hugger's article here.

Salsa Cycles Demo Tour: 

2017 Salsa Cycles Timberjack

 I just wanted to give a bit of space here to say that Salsa cycles is coming to Waterloo/Cedar Falls with their demo truck chock full of 2017 bicycles to try out and drool over. There will be Timberjacks, Woodsmokes, Fargos, Bucksaws, Mukluks, and maybe a Pony Rustler or two. You can ride them on the trails of George Wyth State Park from 4:00pm till 7:00pm on Monday, August 15th.

For details go to the Facebook Page Here.

It is a great chance to actually feel and see the newest 2017 stuff from Salsa Cycles. The Woodsmoke is the incredible, raised chain stay, 29+ machine that can also handle 27.5+ and 29"er wheels, the Timberjack is the new 29'er or 27.5+ modern hard tail- slack and long in front, short and steep in the rear- that should make for a playful, fun bike. These two models are brand new, never before seen here bicycles that I think will be exciting to check out.

I'm not sure that there will be any touring Marrakesh's or Vayas on the truck, since I was told it was going to be heavy on the mtb/fat bike side of the equation, but Europa Cycle & Ski does have both of those models on their floor so you can always go there to check those out.

Remember- 4:00pm to 7:00pm only, so don't be late! I'll be there as well, in case you'd like to meet me and say "hello".

Thanks and have a great weekend, y'all!

Friday News And Views

2017 Anthem X Advanced- Image courtesy of Giant Bicycles

How's That Crow Tasting, Sir?

Okay, first of all, since I am a fan of history, I like to take stories I see in context of history. That way, I feel, we are getting a truer picture of what is going on today. Take, for instance, the quiet refocus on 29"ers from Giant Bicycles.

Giant made waves three years ago when they steadfastly said that 27.5"ers were going to supplant 26" and 29" wheels in their line up of mountain bikes. They basically said that all other wheel sizes would be phased out eventually and that they were going to focus future mtb development on the "tweener' wheel size. Now we see that Giant has turned back on those sentiments and have reintroduced 29"ers into their XC categories.

Okay, so what's the deal here? Well, I think you have to look at two points in history concerning Giant and wheel sizes that may help us make sense of it all. First was the very late entry of Giant to the world of 29"er sales. Giant didn't get into the 29"er game until 2010 with a modest line of hard tail bikes. They arguably were the very last bicycle company of note to enter the 29"er market, which by this time was dominated by Trek/Fisher, and to a lesser degree, Specialized, and every other bicycle maker of note. At the same time, moves were underway to deep six the 26 inch wheeled, long travel mountain bike as the choice for mountain bike riding in the back country and even for competitive, gravity oriented mountain biking. What we didn't know in 2010 was that in two years the 27.5"er, "enduro" bike would be the newest darling of the industry on the dirt side. Which leads to the second point.....

B+ wheels on an OS Bikes Blackbuck: Image courtesy of Bob Poor.

The genesis of this whole B+/27.5+ thing goes back to a chance meeting I had with a fellow by the name of Bob Poor in 2011 at the Interbike Outdoor Demo. I was poked in the back and I turned around to see Bob, (who, if you don't know, has a previous history with big wheels you can read about HERE) who had a very simplistic sketch of a wheel size idea. Using a 584ISO rim and a big, 2.8" tire, Bob theorized that a fatter, cushier, more tractable mtb tire could be slotted into many 29"er hard tail bikes. A "mid-fat" idea, that wouldn't require a new frame, like 29+ did. I liked his train of thought. Bob let on that he had presented the idea to WTB and that they were at work on the idea. I was told to sit on that info, but that it was going to happen. Someday......

So, it made sense that Giant would ditch the different wheel sizes for 27.5 and run with that idea, since the "enduro" thing was happening full tilt by 2013. What Giant hadn't bargained on was that 29"ers weren't going away, and that B+/27.5+ was coming along and would upset the apple cart. The enduring nature of 29"ers caught the attention of these very same "enduro" cycling athletes who pushed to try bigger wheels at these events. Eventually, serious rigs were produced which garnered serious results. So much so that we now have 29"er long travel enduro machines like Trek's Slash 29. Of course, we all know what the impact of B+ wheels has been. So it comes that Giant was essentially put into a corner on their own with the "only 27.5" wheels thing.

So, now they quietly come back with 29"ers. Will their be plus bikes and longer travel 29"ers in their future? We will see......

For another take on this, read the Bike Hugger's article here.

Salsa Cycles Demo Tour: 

2017 Salsa Cycles Timberjack

 I just wanted to give a bit of space here to say that Salsa cycles is coming to Waterloo/Cedar Falls with their demo truck chock full of 2017 bicycles to try out and drool over. There will be Timberjacks, Woodsmokes, Fargos, Bucksaws, Mukluks, and maybe a Pony Rustler or two. You can ride them on the trails of George Wyth State Park from 4:00pm till 7:00pm on Monday, August 15th.

For details go to the Facebook Page Here.

It is a great chance to actually feel and see the newest 2017 stuff from Salsa Cycles. The Woodsmoke is the incredible, raised chain stay, 29+ machine that can also handle 27.5+ and 29"er wheels, the Timberjack is the new 29'er or 27.5+ modern hard tail- slack and long in front, short and steep in the rear- that should make for a playful, fun bike. These two models are brand new, never before seen here bicycles that I think will be exciting to check out.

I'm not sure that there will be any touring Marrakesh's or Vayas on the truck, since I was told it was going to be heavy on the mtb/fat bike side of the equation, but Europa Cycle & Ski does have both of those models on their floor so you can always go there to check those out.

Remember- 4:00pm to 7:00pm only, so don't be late! I'll be there as well, in case you'd like to meet me and say "hello".

Thanks and have a great weekend, y'all!

A Pivotal Moment

Possibly a turning point

It's no theory- Gravel bicycles, events, and associated gear is gaining the attention of the mainstream bicycle companies, bicycling media, and in some cases, the non-endemic media as well. This is tripping up some folks feelings in the gravel circles, while it is bringing in tons of newer riders and interest from places the traditionalists of gravel riding never thought they would ever see.

Why is this? Why is all this happening now? In some ways, I am of the opinion that this phenomenon is a bit of a "perfect storm". This may be the only way to really explain it honestly, but I feel that when this is looked back on, an event that happened only last month will be pointed to as possibly the turning point where gravel as a cycling niche went "big time" afterward. This is certainly only my opinion, and I could be all wrong here, but I am going to state my case.....

Obviously the gravel road riding thing has struck a nerve amongst many riders out there. Numbers of riders in events going upwards to, (and in some cases over), one thousand folks in different parts of the country is certainly undeniable evidence of this. Not only that, but the number of the events themselves, going from a mere handful in 2006-2008 to well over 200 in a year that I know about, marks gravel riding as something that many folks everywhere are trying and enjoying.

Salsa proto circa '09 (Image K. Steudel)

By the latter end of the '00's, a few companies were beginning to take notice of the gravel scene. Salsa Cycles was the most notorious of these and by 2011, they had already designed, prototyped, and manufactured a purpose built gravel road racing bike. Taken by itself,  that isn't a big deal, really.

What did happen afterward did make this a big deal and was what started the ball rolling towards the pivotal point. The Dirty Kanza 200 started to attract some bigger names in the cycling world and one of these was Rebecca Rusch. A sponsored athlete and well known in cycling circles, the Specialized backed athlete participated in the DK 200 and must have been impressed to the point that Specialized took notice. The company sent her back again this year with some special equipment geared toward the gravel scene. Meanwhile, events were getting bigger, and other companies were sniffing around the gravel scene as well. Some because their people had connections to the Mid-West, some for other reasons, but it started to happen.

Bicycles were starting to be prototyped that were going to be "gravel specific". With the road bike, mountain bike, and pavement sectors becoming a flat, or declining market, it can be argued that creating a "gravel specific bike" is just purely a  marketing exercise to wrench more money from rider's pockets by these companies. However; whether that is true or not, the bikes have to be sold and believed in by those who sell them. Now to get industry folks on board with any idea, they have to see rider participation, (they do with all the events), and they have to see a need that can be met, (they do with regard to the bicycles and gear), and finally, they have to have a basis for experience to get passionate about any sector in the industry. This is where I believe Rebecca's Private Idaho, a 100 mile gravel event that took place in Idaho, (duh!), recently, is going to be seen as "that event" where the industry folks got turned on to the gravel scene.

I've been watching the increase in the numbers of media stories on the gravel segment and many of these latest stories have referenced Rebecca Rusch's event and the folks that were in attendance. Not surprisingly, because of Rebecca's stature in the cycling community, many of these folks represent several key cycling industry folks and to a person they seem to have come away impressed.

Giant Revolt

What does this mean? I believe it means that the pieces are all in place for further development into bicycles and gear for the backroad cyclists. Giant, Specialized, Raleigh, HED Wheels, Clement, Challenge Tires, and others are amongst the bigger names joining the ranks of Salsa Cycles as companies focusing product on the idea of bicycles beyond paved roads and suitable for everything up to mountain biking. Industry folks are not only aware of the category, but due to events like Rebecca Rusch's and some others, are now experiencing this for the first time and getting passionate about the category.

Like I said- I could have it all wrong here, but I don't think I do. So, should you, as a core rider from "back in the day" be ticked off that "big companies are cashing in" on a sub category of cycling that you feel will "ruin it all"? That's entirely up to you to decide. I think the best thing to do is ride for fun and, if you race, for the competition and challenges of it, and don't worry about it all. I, for one, applaud the inclusion of more companies if it gets folks out there to ride and have fun like I do. More folks riding is the bottom line, both for the companies getting into gravel, and for cycling in general. If that happens, that is fantastic.

And if I am all wrong? Well, then this will all blow over and nobody will care. Well, except for me and a few others that will continue to ride gravel despite the current fashion of the day.

A Pivotal Moment

Possibly a turning point

It's no theory- Gravel bicycles, events, and associated gear is gaining the attention of the mainstream bicycle companies, bicycling media, and in some cases, the non-endemic media as well. This is tripping up some folks feelings in the gravel circles, while it is bringing in tons of newer riders and interest from places the traditionalists of gravel riding never thought they would ever see.

Why is this? Why is all this happening now? In some ways, I am of the opinion that this phenomenon is a bit of a "perfect storm". This may be the only way to really explain it honestly, but I feel that when this is looked back on, an event that happened only last month will be pointed to as possibly the turning point where gravel as a cycling niche went "big time" afterward. This is certainly only my opinion, and I could be all wrong here, but I am going to state my case.....

Obviously the gravel road riding thing has struck a nerve amongst many riders out there. Numbers of riders in events going upwards to, (and in some cases over), one thousand folks in different parts of the country is certainly undeniable evidence of this. Not only that, but the number of the events themselves, going from a mere handful in 2006-2008 to well over 200 in a year that I know about, marks gravel riding as something that many folks everywhere are trying and enjoying.

Salsa proto circa '09 (Image K. Steudel)

By the latter end of the '00's, a few companies were beginning to take notice of the gravel scene. Salsa Cycles was the most notorious of these and by 2011, they had already designed, prototyped, and manufactured a purpose built gravel road racing bike. Taken by itself,  that isn't a big deal, really.

What did happen afterward did make this a big deal and was what started the ball rolling towards the pivotal point. The Dirty Kanza 200 started to attract some bigger names in the cycling world and one of these was Rebecca Rusch. A sponsored athlete and well known in cycling circles, the Specialized backed athlete participated in the DK 200 and must have been impressed to the point that Specialized took notice. The company sent her back again this year with some special equipment geared toward the gravel scene. Meanwhile, events were getting bigger, and other companies were sniffing around the gravel scene as well. Some because their people had connections to the Mid-West, some for other reasons, but it started to happen.

Bicycles were starting to be prototyped that were going to be "gravel specific". With the road bike, mountain bike, and pavement sectors becoming a flat, or declining market, it can be argued that creating a "gravel specific bike" is just purely a  marketing exercise to wrench more money from rider's pockets by these companies. However; whether that is true or not, the bikes have to be sold and believed in by those who sell them. Now to get industry folks on board with any idea, they have to see rider participation, (they do with all the events), and they have to see a need that can be met, (they do with regard to the bicycles and gear), and finally, they have to have a basis for experience to get passionate about any sector in the industry. This is where I believe Rebecca's Private Idaho, a 100 mile gravel event that took place in Idaho, (duh!), recently, is going to be seen as "that event" where the industry folks got turned on to the gravel scene.

I've been watching the increase in the numbers of media stories on the gravel segment and many of these latest stories have referenced Rebecca Rusch's event and the folks that were in attendance. Not surprisingly, because of Rebecca's stature in the cycling community, many of these folks represent several key cycling industry folks and to a person they seem to have come away impressed.

Giant Revolt

What does this mean? I believe it means that the pieces are all in place for further development into bicycles and gear for the backroad cyclists. Giant, Specialized, Raleigh, HED Wheels, Clement, Challenge Tires, and others are amongst the bigger names joining the ranks of Salsa Cycles as companies focusing product on the idea of bicycles beyond paved roads and suitable for everything up to mountain biking. Industry folks are not only aware of the category, but due to events like Rebecca Rusch's and some others, are now experiencing this for the first time and getting passionate about the category.

Like I said- I could have it all wrong here, but I don't think I do. So, should you, as a core rider from "back in the day" be ticked off that "big companies are cashing in" on a sub category of cycling that you feel will "ruin it all"? That's entirely up to you to decide. I think the best thing to do is ride for fun and, if you race, for the competition and challenges of it, and don't worry about it all. I, for one, applaud the inclusion of more companies if it gets folks out there to ride and have fun like I do. More folks riding is the bottom line, both for the companies getting into gravel, and for cycling in general. If that happens, that is fantastic.

And if I am all wrong? Well, then this will all blow over and nobody will care. Well, except for me and a few others that will continue to ride gravel despite the current fashion of the day.

Withered

Fatback Carbon

The crazy Sunday that turned into an overnighter at the airport in Minneapolis turned into a fry pan hot day at Bootleg Canyon and then a wilted Guitar Ted wobbled off to a seedy dive in Las Vegas with visions of food and bed in his addled brain.

Yeah.......so what's cool at the show? Fat bikes, 27.5"ers, and .....and...blah! It's funny this year, but there seems to be a distinct lack of enthusiasm for much of anything. Maybe it was the seeming lower attendance. (I wasn't the only one mentioning this, by the way.) Maybe it was the fact, as I have said on many previous occasions, that we've already seen all this stuff, (for the most part), already.

But you know what? When it is cloudless, 100ºF outdoors, and the wind starts blowing, it is not fun to be out there at Bootleg Canyon. Not fun at all.

But yeah....the fat bike thing is getting ridiculous. Carbon rims, carbon frames, carbon forks. It's crazy expensive, and obviously lighter than metal. I did see the new Fatback tire, Industry 9 fat bike hubs, and a double walled, drilled carbon fat bike rim on a Felt fat bike with a Bosch electric motor. Wait......wouldn't that make it a fat-motorcycle? Yes it would- with pedals!

There was also the Giant Revolt gravel rig. I like it, but the down tube guard they put on wasn't very well thought out. Let's just call it a "mud collector" and leave it at that. The Surly Straggler is a lilac, sparkly beauty, (not really purple at all), and heavy. Maybe it should be renamed the "Tankler". 

Oh yes, there were a few good things floating about. 36"ers, and adult sized "big wheelers". And $370.00 Shimano mtb shoes you can mold to yer tootsies. I'll have more on the shoes here later. And I'll have more on other gizmos and bicycle shaped objects coming your way soon.......

Withered

Fatback Carbon

The crazy Sunday that turned into an overnighter at the airport in Minneapolis turned into a fry pan hot day at Bootleg Canyon and then a wilted Guitar Ted wobbled off to a seedy dive in Las Vegas with visions of food and bed in his addled brain.

Yeah.......so what's cool at the show? Fat bikes, 27.5"ers, and .....and...blah! It's funny this year, but there seems to be a distinct lack of enthusiasm for much of anything. Maybe it was the seeming lower attendance. (I wasn't the only one mentioning this, by the way.) Maybe it was the fact, as I have said on many previous occasions, that we've already seen all this stuff, (for the most part), already.

But you know what? When it is cloudless, 100ºF outdoors, and the wind starts blowing, it is not fun to be out there at Bootleg Canyon. Not fun at all.

But yeah....the fat bike thing is getting ridiculous. Carbon rims, carbon frames, carbon forks. It's crazy expensive, and obviously lighter than metal. I did see the new Fatback tire, Industry 9 fat bike hubs, and a double walled, drilled carbon fat bike rim on a Felt fat bike with a Bosch electric motor. Wait......wouldn't that make it a fat-motorcycle? Yes it would- with pedals!

There was also the Giant Revolt gravel rig. I like it, but the down tube guard they put on wasn't very well thought out. Let's just call it a "mud collector" and leave it at that. The Surly Straggler is a lilac, sparkly beauty, (not really purple at all), and heavy. Maybe it should be renamed the "Tankler". 

Oh yes, there were a few good things floating about. 36"ers, and adult sized "big wheelers". And $370.00 Shimano mtb shoes you can mold to yer tootsies. I'll have more on the shoes here later. And I'll have more on other gizmos and bicycle shaped objects coming your way soon.......

Wednesday News And Views

A few things on the radar today....

Special Delivery? The confounded FedEx Tracker has been stuck on the same information since last Saturday, (not that I have been checking it constantly....because, well......you know!), and at any rate, the frame/fork from Black Mountain Cycles is due in today, according to the FedEx folks.

Never believe any shipping tracker device, until your package is in hand, as I always say, so I'll just wait it out till it actually arrives. When it does, I have a temporary, "get-it-up-and-running" build I will throw at it to get it....well, up and running! It won't be fancy, but it'll do the trick for now. The funny thing is, I only have to buy a few parts to finish it off, and almost everything will be silver, which is what I wanted to go for anyway. If everything plays well, I may be able to start riding this thing yet this week.

Well, assuming you can believe the FedEx Tracker, which I do not. Just sayin'!

Breaking The Mold: You know, I have opined here before about carbon fiber, "me-too" frames coming out of the woodwork from all sorts of outlets that seem to have similar "DNA" to each other. In other words, they seem to be designed in a somewhat conservative manner and sold via Chinese or other outlets with minor tweaks to distinguish one from the other. I find all of that to be rather boring and un-inventive. I mean, anyone can order from a menu, and to my mind, it belies the potential of using carbon fiber composites as a frame material in the first place.

The running line on carbon has always been that the designers and engineers could do whatever shapes that optimized performance that were necessary. You didn't have to be constrained by tubular shapes, limited tube dimensions, or difficulty in forming. Carbon fiber is very labor intensive, and thus, usually expensive. However; imagine if a wild, multi-shaped frame set could be produced to address all the inefficiencies in 29"er frame design. Then the price might just be worth the performance gained. Maybe the full potential of composites technology could be brought to bear to elevate performance, and not mimic the look of a steel cruiser rendered in carbon fiber.

Well, finally we're starting to see something like this with the Chiru Bikes I reported on, and with these images released by Giant of their upcoming XtC Composite 29"er. Giant appears to have taken a "clean sheet" approach to hard tail 29"er design with a material that allows what otherwise would be impossible to render in metal. Offset down tube, asymmetrical chain stays, and massive looking tube shapes. You may have seen some of this on road bikes, or full suspension designs, but never on such a big wheeled machine has this been seen before.I have a link to more on the Twenty Nine Inches post about this bike here.

<==image poached from the Salsa Cycles blog.

Frostbike '11: So....it happens that I'll be seeing some other new, fun stuff this coming weekend up at Quality Bicycle Product's annual dealer only show, Frostbike. This also means that another recent tradition that sprang up a couple of years ago will also take place again. That would be the hanging out at Mike's Bikes in Northfield, MN with Ben Witt, and friends. There will be merriment of a different sort this time though, and you can look for reports on all of that coming this weekend from the source of the action.

This year promises to be a good one from the looks of it, if you are into 29"ers, so stay tuned and look forward to my reports here and on Twenty Nine Inches. One of the new rigs I hope to be reporting on is the new Mamasita, (image in red shown here), which has always been close to my heart, as it was the introduction of the original Mamasita to me at a Salsa event held out at the Boy Scout Camp that I got to know Gnat and Kid a bit better. That was a great weekend that I'll not forget, and that memory is tied to the Mamasita for me. I know I am looking forward to seeing that bike, and the rest of the goods, and most importantly- the people, this weekend.

Wednesday News And Views

A few things on the radar today....

Special Delivery? The confounded FedEx Tracker has been stuck on the same information since last Saturday, (not that I have been checking it constantly....because, well......you know!), and at any rate, the frame/fork from Black Mountain Cycles is due in today, according to the FedEx folks.

Never believe any shipping tracker device, until your package is in hand, as I always say, so I'll just wait it out till it actually arrives. When it does, I have a temporary, "get-it-up-and-running" build I will throw at it to get it....well, up and running! It won't be fancy, but it'll do the trick for now. The funny thing is, I only have to buy a few parts to finish it off, and almost everything will be silver, which is what I wanted to go for anyway. If everything plays well, I may be able to start riding this thing yet this week.

Well, assuming you can believe the FedEx Tracker, which I do not. Just sayin'!

Breaking The Mold: You know, I have opined here before about carbon fiber, "me-too" frames coming out of the woodwork from all sorts of outlets that seem to have similar "DNA" to each other. In other words, they seem to be designed in a somewhat conservative manner and sold via Chinese or other outlets with minor tweaks to distinguish one from the other. I find all of that to be rather boring and un-inventive. I mean, anyone can order from a menu, and to my mind, it belies the potential of using carbon fiber composites as a frame material in the first place.

The running line on carbon has always been that the designers and engineers could do whatever shapes that optimized performance that were necessary. You didn't have to be constrained by tubular shapes, limited tube dimensions, or difficulty in forming. Carbon fiber is very labor intensive, and thus, usually expensive. However; imagine if a wild, multi-shaped frame set could be produced to address all the inefficiencies in 29"er frame design. Then the price might just be worth the performance gained. Maybe the full potential of composites technology could be brought to bear to elevate performance, and not mimic the look of a steel cruiser rendered in carbon fiber.

Well, finally we're starting to see something like this with the Chiru Bikes I reported on, and with these images released by Giant of their upcoming XtC Composite 29"er. Giant appears to have taken a "clean sheet" approach to hard tail 29"er design with a material that allows what otherwise would be impossible to render in metal. Offset down tube, asymmetrical chain stays, and massive looking tube shapes. You may have seen some of this on road bikes, or full suspension designs, but never on such a big wheeled machine has this been seen before.I have a link to more on the Twenty Nine Inches post about this bike here.

<==image poached from the Salsa Cycles blog.

Frostbike '11: So....it happens that I'll be seeing some other new, fun stuff this coming weekend up at Quality Bicycle Product's annual dealer only show, Frostbike. This also means that another recent tradition that sprang up a couple of years ago will also take place again. That would be the hanging out at Mike's Bikes in Northfield, MN with Ben Witt, and friends. There will be merriment of a different sort this time though, and you can look for reports on all of that coming this weekend from the source of the action.

This year promises to be a good one from the looks of it, if you are into 29"ers, so stay tuned and look forward to my reports here and on Twenty Nine Inches. One of the new rigs I hope to be reporting on is the new Mamasita, (image in red shown here), which has always been close to my heart, as it was the introduction of the original Mamasita to me at a Salsa event held out at the Boy Scout Camp that I got to know Gnat and Kid a bit better. That was a great weekend that I'll not forget, and that memory is tied to the Mamasita for me. I know I am looking forward to seeing that bike, and the rest of the goods, and most importantly- the people, this weekend.