Friday News And Views

2025 Esker Japhy (Image courtesy of Esker Cycles)

You Had Me At "Metal Flake Orange":

Esker Cycles announced an update to their 29" wheeled Japhy steel hard tail frame. There are a few ways to get a Japhy, either complete as a geared bike, complete as a single speed, or as a frame only. 

The updates for 2025 include:

• • Simplified sizing range: SM, MD, LG, XL Updated Geo: 
  • Increased Stack offset with a longer Effective TT
   
• Removed Seatstay Bridge: Increased compliance and ride quality 
• Optimized Dropper Port Location: To ease cable routing 
• Bolt-On Cable Routing: Allowing for bolt-on frame bags and stealthier routing for those using fancy robot shifting…or no shifting at all 
• Custom Chainstay Protector: Its protection for your chainstay…and its custom.

The Japhy frame costs 1K. Not a bad deal these days for a versatile steel hard tail 29"er. Check out all the details and other Esker models at eskercycles.com 

Esker "Woodsy" (Image courtesy of Esker Cycles)

Also, "Howdy" We'd Like To Say There Is A "Woodsy" Too:

In other Esker news, the company released Orion based suspension models in the aluminum "Woodsy" and a shorter travel version of the Woodsy called "Howdy". The Howdy has a titanium variant as well. So does the Woodsy. Both Howdys have 125mm of rear  travel. The longer travel Woodsy has 145m of rear travel. 

All models have up to 29 X 2.6" tire clearance, external cabling, and UDH derailleur hangar compatibility. All models are available as completes or as frame-only.
 

Gravel Amplifier: Get Lost Gravel August 3rd, 2025:

Got an itch to see the mountains from the saddle of your gravel bike? Maybe Get Lost Gravel is your jam then.  

This event will take place out of Red Barn Cycles in Hamilton, Montana. There are two course distances which you can choose from. "The Forge" is their 82 mile course which features over 60 miles of continuous back country gravel and an elevation gain of over 3,000ft. The other distance offered is a shorter course called "The Smelter" which has a big climb on Two Bear Road of 2,500 feet. At the top will be an aid station and everyone that summits will get a special Two Bear Achievement sticker. From there a "ripping descent" is promised back to the start. This course is 47 miles. 

For more information hit that link above. registration is HERE.

Mid South This Weekend:

Last year I experienced Mid South for the first time. It was probably the highlight of my 2024 riding season. Just the enormity of the experience and the new people I was able to meet along with old friends and acquaintances made the weekend trip one to remember. 

Of course, I won't be there this year, but I wanted to take the time here to wish everyone that is going well and I hope all of you bank some incredible memories while you are in Stillwater and the surrounding countryside. 

Interestingly, Mid South has changed their logo, (as seen here) and the tagline for the event is "A Weekend Endurance Festival Celebrating Hard Challenges and the Beauty of Oklahoma Dirt Roads". This tagline is noticeably missing the word "Race" there, and with the words "hard challenges" instead. I like it.

New SRAM brakes? (Image from 'toolboxwars" Threads acct.)

New SRAM XC Brakes?

I was cruising social media the other day and I came across this image of a conspicuously green caliper with a caption of "New brake, new name..." posted on an account called toolboxwars on Threads. A hashtag for SRAM was also there.

Further sleuthing turned up one article online showing the Trek XC team bikes with the brakes at a recent recon of a mountain biking course. 

Of course, this is a new model, which looks production ready, if it is indeed a SRAM caliper. I am going to speculate that this will be a mineral oil brake much like SRAM's Maven brakes, which came out a year ago or more. It makes sense as well since DOT fluid is pretty toxic and mineral oil technology is getting better all the time. 

Sea Otter is just around the corner, so I would guess the news will break on these officially just before the event, or during the event. 

Cannondale Revamps Topstone Gravel Bike:

Cannondale revealed on Tuesday that it had a newly designed Topstone gravel bike range on offer with five new carbon Topstone models available.

The carbon frames feature fully integrated cabling, a storage cavity in the down tube, and multiple accessory mounting points. Still featuring the Kingpin rear suspension, the geometry has been tweaked to address a couple shortcomings which the original Topstone Carbon gravel bike had.

Now with a lower bottom bracket, (74mm drop,) and matched up with a slightly slacker than 71° head tube angle, this new Topstone should feel more planted and stable on looser gravel roads. The steering should still be snappy with the 55mm offset carbon fork. There is also a Lefty Oliver model in teh range as well for those who want the full suspension gravel bike thing. 

The Topsstone Carbon range starts out at $3,400.00 and tops out at $7,300.00 for the Di2 GRX model shown here. See the Topstone page on Cannondale's website HERE for more. 

Image courtesy of Specialized Bicycles.

Specialized Announces New Gravel Tires: 

Tuesday we learned that Specialized has overhauled its tire range and with that has three new gravel tires for 2025 and will be closing out the previous models to simplify their range. Here we see the new Pathfinder Pro TLR which is available in black or tan walls, (shown). 

Specialized claims the new Pathfinder TLR is faster and more cut resistant than the outgoing model. Available in 700 X 35mm, 700 X 40mm, and 700 X 45mm widths. These tires have 120TPI casings and will sell for a reasonable $55.00 each.

There are also the Tracer TLR tires and Terra TLR tires each featuring progressively more aggressive tread designs.  

Comments: In my opinion, aggressive tread design is a waste on crushed rock and harder gravel roads. Obviously it is 100% unnecessary on pavement of any kind. This is why racers are gravitating more and more toward semi-slick designs. 

I feel as though a tread design with some knobs is okay for a "do anything" bike on any roads, but the overtly MTB-ish tread designs are really for dirt trails, which is fine if that is where you ride your gravel bike. From these three tires I would choose the Pathfinder Pro, but maybe you will choose differently. That is why there are choices. Just remember: "Tire tread design is a fashion show". Choose accordingly.

That's all for this week. Have a great weekend and ride those bicycles!

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of QO

 New Lightweight, Aero Carbon Cranks For Gravel:

A new company, founded by the original pair that started Rotor, has announced several new carbon crank sets, one of which is for gravel riding. 

The company is called "QO" and unlike Rotor, these chain rings are not ovalized. The crank set for gravel in the QO range is called "Grava" and features carbon arms reinforced with Kevlar strands to help protect the arms against rock strikes and chipping. 

Available with aluminum single rings, the crank set features aerodynamic "dimples" which help to break up air flow and allow the crank to move more freely through the air, much like a golf ball. The crank set also has a very slim profile to help the arms cut through the air. Spindle/ bottom bracket compatibility is based upon the SRAM DUB standard.

Crank arms will be available in three lengths: 172.5, 170, and 165mm. The arms are said to help reduce vibrations to the rider as well. Availability should be soon with US pricing yet to be determined. Expect these to be somewhere in the 700 - 800 dollar range. 

Image courtesy of Canfield Bikes

Canfield Bikes Debuts New Nimble Ti Frame:

Canfield, known for their multi-link full suspension designs, really pumped up the 29"er scene in 2011 with a long travel hard tail MTB. This sort of thing was unforeseen and very unusual back then. The frame was called the Nimble 9. That frame is still in production all these years later, albeit with an revolutionized geometry. 

Now that frame can be had in titanium as Canfield Bikes announced last week. The new "Nimble Ti" is based around a 150mm travel fork, 29" wheels, and has a sliding drop out set for adjusting wheelbase or for single speed set ups. 

The design is lifted right off the Nimble 9 steel hard tail with the exception of a change to the seat tube to allow more post insertion for today's longer travel dropper posts. 

Frames are going for $3,199.99 and there are complete builds available as well. If you are interested you might want to check this out soon as Canfield is only making 100 of these Nimble Ti frames available. Check out the webpage for the bike HERE. 

Gravel Amplifier: Dirty Disco:

 A new event for the gravel calendar is set to take place on Saturday March 1st. This event will happen out of El Dorado, Kansas, which is just up the turnpike from Wichita, Kansas. 

The event will have two competitive distances of 100 miles and 50 miles with a casual ride distance at 30 miles for those who just want to turn some pedals for a while. 

The price versus distance quotient looks good here and there are fewer categories to make things simpler. The vibe sounds about right and this is in the Flint Hills, so you really cannot go wrong.

The event promises a mid-ride sag, "dirty disco music" and more. Check out the BikeReg page HERE. 

Image courtesy of Ritchey Design

UCI, Ritchey End Licensing Agreement For World Champ Stripes:

The UCI and Ritchey Design had an agreement which ended in December 2024 which allowed Ritchey Design to use the rainbow stripes representing World Championship status. These stripes were used on the components Ritchey Design offers for sale in its WCS line. 

The UCI decided not to extend the licensing agreement, so Ritchey is transitioning its branding to reflect this change. Going forward, all WCS components will feature a gradient strip in grey tones. You can see an example in the image above. 

Comments: I'll be honest, I was surprised that Ritchey had an arrangement like this with the UCI for as many years as it had. It does not surprise me that the UCI did not agree to extend the arrangement. The UCI is pretty persnickety about things like the rainbow stripes. I found out this when the UCI mistakenly thought I was involved in using the rainbow stripes on the Gravel Worlds jerseys. I had quite the jaw drop when I received that cease and desist email! 

Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

Cutthroat Gets GRX, UDH Hangar - Fargo Updates:

Salsa Cycles doesn't really do a lot of major overhauls of older models nor do they offer many really new, innovative bikes anymore. (Yes - you might say those eBikes are "innovative new models", but they are not, really)

What Salsa does, and it is not a bad thing at all, is evolve their already really good platforms. Take for instance their Cutthroat, which is the most commonly used bike at Tour Divide, according to Salsa Cycles. (Probably in no small part due to the influences of Jay Petervary, by the way) 

Well, now Salsa has offered a new colorway with Shimano GRX 600. The new model also features SRAM's UDH hangar which is swiftly becoming a standard for replaceable hangars. I have to say that the leaf green to sky blue fade paint job is not something I would have ever dreamed up, but it might be growing on me. Hmm...  You can check out the details on Salsa's site HERE. 

The new GRX Fargo in "Brass". Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

 Also, for 2025 the Fargo will also be only available with GRX 600 and now will feature flat mount brake mounts on the frame (on the Alternator Flat Mount 1.0 drop outs, actually) and on the Cutthroat Carbon Deluxe fork. The fork features inserts to guard against abrasions, much like those found on the Stormchaser gravel bike. The bike is priced at $2,999.00 USD. You can see more details on the Fargo GRX HERE. (Note- There also are Fargo Apex 1's out there yet, but those will feature the post mount brakes and no carbon guard inserts.) I've updated my Fargo Page accordingly.

Annnnnd......that's a wrap! Get out there and ride those bikes this weekend!

Friday News And Views

John Ingham (L) and Trenton Raygor (Image by D Markman)

New Article By John Ingham Tomorrow:

Tomorrow (Saturday) a new long form article by John Ingham will be posted. You may remember my introduction to John (Here) or perhaps you read his last article (Here).  

This article will be based upon a similar theme of how endurance training, and gravel riding in specific, can be a good thing for health and longevity. 

If you are unfamiliar with John's work, I suggest that you give the article a try tomorrow, or check out the link above. Be prepared! These are loooooong reads and there is a lot of stuff to think about in these pieces of John's. 

I just want to say that it is a distinct honor to have John's work presented here and I am humbled to be able to collaborate with him on these pieces and get them out in front of people. Truly - this meager site is far beneath what John deserves, so if you can see fit to share the article, that would be great. 

If you have any questions or comments for John just let me know at g.ted.productions@gmail.com and I'll make sure John sees them. Thanks!! 

Ridley & Tommorowland debut collection (Image courtesy of Ridley)

Ridley & Tomorrowland Debut Collection:

The Belgium companies of Ridley and Tomorrowland (Tomorrowland is a large-scale annual electronic dance music festival held in Boom, Belgium) have announced a collaboration which features matching bikes and apparel for those looking for a complete look. 

Calling those types of folks "People of Tomorrow", (gah!) the collection features Ridley's Kanzo Fast models in two configurations. 

Here's a bit from the presser I got:

" Tomorrowland and Ridley are two of a kind, pioneers from Belgium, the beating heart of the festival and cycling culture. By introducing 2 custom bikes, both companies want to encourage the People of Tomorrow to choose a greener and healthier way of traveling."

Comments: Okay, okay.....enough already. I get the matchy-matchy thing, but this seems like a bit of a fashion-fluff piece. Nothing wrong with the bike, per se', but a bike and a music festival that is pretty far outside of what the gravel scene is seems weird. Who knows....maybe the UCI will sanction a music festival now.

Gravel Amplifier: Waterville Gravel Populaire:

A long time ago I was talking about gravel events, the way we used to do them, with written cues and no support, and someone said, "Oh! You mean like an audax?" I said, "Aw-what?" 

Ha! Well, as you may know, "audax" is a form of non-competitive cycling which is time based and generally formatted so that you are cue-sheet navigated and so that you have to hit pre-determined checkpoints within certain time marks. There are two forms of audax cycling: Euraudax and Randoneuring. The event on today's Gravel Amplifier is of the randoneuring type. 

It is put on by the Seattle Randoneurs and it's called the Waterville Gravel Populaire. The event is set for June 1st and will be held out of Waterville, Washington. (Hit the link for finer details.

Image from Whit Johnson/Meriwether Cycles Instagram

More On 750D Wheels:

Cruising Instagram recently I came across a post by Whit Johnson of Meriwether Cycles. He was showing off a bike he made for himself that he calls the "Old Guy's All Terrain Bicycle" or OGATB. In the Instagram post he spoke about the different wheels he has tried on the bike including a set of WTB 750D X 40mm tires. 

It wasn't clear when Whit tried the wheels and tires but we learn from his post that the bike was built in 2021, so at least it was sometime in the last couple of years. 

Whit said in the post that he did not much care for the wheels and tires, as they weren't tubeless, "and they were very heavy...". He went on to say that he much preferred 29"er wheels in the bike and that this would become a model he would offer sometime in 2024. So, stay tuned for that.

Comments: So, it is plain to see that at least a few folks are playing around with this wheel and tire size out there. I have to imagine others are checking it out but aren't talking. I wouldn't expect much movement in regard to the 750D size as the climate for introducing a new, controversial wheel size now is poor. However; it seems that the idea is - at least for now - being considered. 

New Podcast Episode #37:

Thursday we dropped another podcast episode and we were responding to some listener feedback. 

I already posted about the feedback we got earlier this week in my "A Conversation About Group Rides: A Follow-Up" . But if you'd like to listen to what N.Y. Roll and I have to say further on the subject you can check it out at THIS LINK or wherever you get your podcasts from. 

The next podcast will cover another subject on the gravel scene that was prompted by Dave Pryor, he of the unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley event. 

He texted me the following query: "Did Racing ruin Gravel, or did Gravel save Racing?"

To be fair, Dave's position is that Gravel DID save racing (in North America), but I thought it might be more interesting to pose the thought Dave had as a question. Reason being is because it was a popular thought that Gravel would be "ruined" by "Racing" back in the earlier parts of the twenty-teens. 

So....what say you? Did Racing "ruin" gravel or did Gravel "save" Racing? Let me know in the comments.

That's a wrap on this week's ramblings here. Stay tuned for John Ingham's long-form article tomorrow and have a great weekend! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Gravel Amplifier: Rebound Sponsored By Shimano

The Gravel Amplifier is back today with a very unusual event sponsored by Shimano. It is an "alternative" event to Unbound Gravel in Emporia, Kansas. Shimano recognized the prestige of Unbound and how that most people into gravel will probably never get a chance to experience that event. So, they have proposed something much more inclusive and community driven than Unbound could ever hope to be. 

So, what is Rebound all about? It takes a page from the "virtual", pandemic era, gravel events and asks riders to join in by doing their own route in a distance similar to Unbound's offerings. So, you choose 25, 50, 100, or 200 miles of your own design on gravel. The Rebound event then asks that you start at the same time (in your time zone) as Unbound at 6:00am, on June 3rd, ride your distance, and submit your track via Strava. 

The cost? Free. 

And there are prizes. Randomly drawn winners might receive any of the listed prizes which includes a free entry to the 2024 Unbound or two VIP tickets to the Tour de France, amongst other prizes. 

As of Tuesday, May 9th they had over 89,000 people committed to doing this!

Comments; What a great marketing idea and just a great idea overall from Shimano. The ability to draw together the gravel cycling community, if only virtually, in one day for one purpose is heretofore unprecedented. This is likely the largest gravel event ever, in terms of participation numbers. Obviously these folks are not at the same venue, but still, this is impressive. 

I guess from my standpoint the thing that endears the Rebound idea to me is that (a) there is no money in it for Shimano and (b) it is kind of a sideways swipe at Unbound and other exclusive gravel events which have left the folks that built up those events behind by becoming commercial concerns run by corporations that are concerned first and foremost with making coin. The "punk rock", underdog supporter in me kind of loves that bit. 

I also love that it is not your typical gravel event in terms of structure. Who says we have to do things like many events do with all the fancy trappings and whatnot? This breaks that mold and is creative in a way I find refreshing. While I likely won't be able to join in the festivities, (I have to work Saturday mornings), I might try a 25 miler because I think I could pull that off before I have to be at work at 8:00am, but that would be pushing things a bit. Anyway... 

Love this idea! See more at https://rebound.cc

Gravel Amplifier: Rebound Sponsored By Shimano

The Gravel Amplifier is back today with a very unusual event sponsored by Shimano. It is an "alternative" event to Unbound Gravel in Emporia, Kansas. Shimano recognized the prestige of Unbound and how that most people into gravel will probably never get a chance to experience that event. So, they have proposed something much more inclusive and community driven than Unbound could ever hope to be. 

So, what is Rebound all about? It takes a page from the "virtual", pandemic era, gravel events and asks riders to join in by doing their own route in a distance similar to Unbound's offerings. So, you choose 25, 50, 100, or 200 miles of your own design on gravel. The Rebound event then asks that you start at the same time (in your time zone) as Unbound at 6:00am, on June 3rd, ride your distance, and submit your track via Strava. 

The cost? Free. 

And there are prizes. Randomly drawn winners might receive any of the listed prizes which includes a free entry to the 2024 Unbound or two VIP tickets to the Tour de France, amongst other prizes. 

As of Tuesday, May 9th they had over 89,000 people committed to doing this!

Comments; What a great marketing idea and just a great idea overall from Shimano. The ability to draw together the gravel cycling community, if only virtually, in one day for one purpose is heretofore unprecedented. This is likely the largest gravel event ever, in terms of participation numbers. Obviously these folks are not at the same venue, but still, this is impressive. 

I guess from my standpoint the thing that endears the Rebound idea to me is that (a) there is no money in it for Shimano and (b) it is kind of a sideways swipe at Unbound and other exclusive gravel events which have left the folks that built up those events behind by becoming commercial concerns run by corporations that are concerned first and foremost with making coin. The "punk rock", underdog supporter in me kind of loves that bit. 

I also love that it is not your typical gravel event in terms of structure. Who says we have to do things like many events do with all the fancy trappings and whatnot? This breaks that mold and is creative in a way I find refreshing. While I likely won't be able to join in the festivities, (I have to work Saturday mornings), I might try a 25 miler because I think I could pull that off before I have to be at work at 8:00am, but that would be pushing things a bit. Anyway... 

Love this idea! See more at https://rebound.cc

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Discover Gravel LLC

New Flint Hills Route For Touring/Ultra-Distance Challenges:

Monday saw the "official" announcement for the Flint Hills Ultra-Gravel Route. This is a self-supported, 1,050 mile loop set up by Discover Gravel LLC's Bobby Thompson. It is pretty much his "love letter to gravel" in that there are no plans for him to profit off of this. As he said to me in an email, his wish is that this route will be "....ultimately providing an experience for the Riders that will hopefully fan the gravel fire for another generation."

From the press release:

 "The route is entirely on public roads and is available to ride year round. FHUGR takes you through 16 counties in two states. Fourteen of those counties are in Kansas and two are in Oklahoma. The two Oklahoma counties are Kay and Osage. Kay county is home to the Kaw Nation. Osage county is home to the Osage Nation. Towns in all 16 counties vary from "ghost" to towns of a few thousand. Emporia KS is by far the largest town on the route although many others are within a few hours pedal from the route."

There will be a mass start for this route called the "Flint Hills Ultra Gravel Tour". this will occur on Memorial Day Weekend out of Emporia, Kansas. Riders are invited to take on the route starting in front of the Emporia Zoo at 8am on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. While there is no entry fee, Bobby is asking folks to pre-register so he can navigate logistical planning better. Things like long term parking, etc.. 

To learn more you can go to www.discovergravel.com. I also will have Bobby on for an interview on   "The Guitar Ted Podcast" soon. 

The Easton EC90 ALX Carbon Gravel Bar (Image courtesy of Easton)

Easton Announces New, Racer-Oriented Carbon Drop Bar:

Elite athletes in the upper echelons of gravel racing are influencing product design now and one of the areas that racers have not liked about traditional gravel style is flared drop bars. 

So, now we're seeing a trend towards less flare and less wide bars in a quest for more aerodynamically efficient racing. Obviously carbon and lightweight are also concerns here. Easton has developed, along with the input from several of their sponsored athletes in the gravel scene, this new EC90 ALX Carbon Drop Bar. 

Featuring 10° of flare only, these bars have optimized, size-specific carbon profiles aimed at reducing vibrations for the rider. The ergonomic top section is optimized for each size as well, giving a similar ride feel across the range of sizes available. Those sizes include a new, 38cm width which was also requested by some of the the Easton sponsored athletes. 

Ridden by overall Life Time Grand Prix winner, Haley Hunter-Smith and other top gravel athletes, this bar weighs in at 205 grams for the 42cm size and costs $299.99 USD/$399.99CAD.

Comments: As the "roadification" of gravel steams forward at an alarming pace, it is no wonder that bars like these are being offered. Knowing how the 12° of flare in a Salsa Cycles Cowbell bar works though, I suspect that this bar will be okay as well. Still, I would contend that anytime a compromise for going fast is made, it takes away from comfort, in general. Easton claims this bar has an engineered-in comfort factor while it is supposed to retain torsional stiffness. I guess I'll find out soon enough. Easton has one on the way in for test and review for Riding Gravel. Stay tuned....
 

That's N.Y. Roll's dog, Ella.

Podcast Alert:

We posted another podcast episode late last week. (AND one THIS week here.) In case you missed that, the link to listen is HERE. (or HERE!- for this week's show) Thanks to those who have, or will listen, and especially to those of you that have donated to help support the podcast. (Interested in supporting the show? Simply donate at PayPal to g.ted.productions@gmail.com)

In news for the podcast, we picked up a new sponsor in The Spinistry, a Texas based outfit that has been promoting gravel events since 2010. They have and still put on popular gravel events like the Red River Riot, the Texas Chainring Massacre, and the ultra-distance, gravel/bikepacking event, the RAT. (Ride Across Texas)

We are also lining up interviews now with a couple of promoters of gravel events from different states, as noted above in the FHUG story above. So, look for that to be happening in the weeks to come. You might also notice a slight change to the name of the podcast. I will be trying to make tweaks and changes that make sense for the show this year. If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears. 

Fox Racing's Union in Red (Image courtesy of Fox)

Fox Racing Enters The MTB Shoe Market:

Those of you that know that Fox Racing got its start in the late 70's in motocross know that Fox has done boots for moto riders for years. Well, now they have tossed their helmet into the ring as a cycling shoe manufacturer as well.

They introduced the Union range of MTB shoes yesterday. These tend toward the flat pedal, street shoe look, and not the roadie/XC MTB type of shoe. A couple of the shoes even have laces. So, I feel that these shoes will appeal to the adventurous gravel rider, bike packer, and tourist as well as being a shoe for MTB.

The top of the range Union BOA has, as you might expect, BOA closures and is the most expensive at $249.95. The mid-range Union is the one I think is the most interesting as it has laces, still has the SPD capabilities of the Union BOA. but clocks in at $179.95. About 70 bucks less, and basically is the same shoe functionally. The Union Flat is cheaper still at about 30 bucks less, but is for flat pedals only and lacks the Velcro strap to harness in those loose laces. 

I may have a pair show up here to test. Stay tuned on that......
 
That's a wrap for this week. Have a great weekend and get out and ride if you can! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions.

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Discover Gravel LLC

New Flint Hills Route For Touring/Ultra-Distance Challenges:

Monday saw the "official" announcement for the Flint Hills Ultra-Gravel Route. This is a self-supported, 1,050 mile loop set up by Discover Gravel LLC's Bobby Thompson. It is pretty much his "love letter to gravel" in that there are no plans for him to profit off of this. As he said to me in an email, his wish is that this route will be "....ultimately providing an experience for the Riders that will hopefully fan the gravel fire for another generation."

From the press release:

 "The route is entirely on public roads and is available to ride year round. FHUGR takes you through 16 counties in two states. Fourteen of those counties are in Kansas and two are in Oklahoma. The two Oklahoma counties are Kay and Osage. Kay county is home to the Kaw Nation. Osage county is home to the Osage Nation. Towns in all 16 counties vary from "ghost" to towns of a few thousand. Emporia KS is by far the largest town on the route although many others are within a few hours pedal from the route."

There will be a mass start for this route called the "Flint Hills Ultra Gravel Tour". this will occur on Memorial Day Weekend out of Emporia, Kansas. Riders are invited to take on the route starting in front of the Emporia Zoo at 8am on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. While there is no entry fee, Bobby is asking folks to pre-register so he can navigate logistical planning better. Things like long term parking, etc.. 

To learn more you can go to www.discovergravel.com. I also will have Bobby on for an interview on   "The Guitar Ted Podcast" soon. 

The Easton EC90 ALX Carbon Gravel Bar (Image courtesy of Easton)

Easton Announces New, Racer-Oriented Carbon Drop Bar:

Elite athletes in the upper echelons of gravel racing are influencing product design now and one of the areas that racers have not liked about traditional gravel style is flared drop bars. 

So, now we're seeing a trend towards less flare and less wide bars in a quest for more aerodynamically efficient racing. Obviously carbon and lightweight are also concerns here. Easton has developed, along with the input from several of their sponsored athletes in the gravel scene, this new EC90 ALX Carbon Drop Bar. 

Featuring 10° of flare only, these bars have optimized, size-specific carbon profiles aimed at reducing vibrations for the rider. The ergonomic top section is optimized for each size as well, giving a similar ride feel across the range of sizes available. Those sizes include a new, 38cm width which was also requested by some of the the Easton sponsored athletes. 

Ridden by overall Life Time Grand Prix winner, Haley Hunter-Smith and other top gravel athletes, this bar weighs in at 205 grams for the 42cm size and costs $299.99 USD/$399.99CAD.

Comments: As the "roadification" of gravel steams forward at an alarming pace, it is no wonder that bars like these are being offered. Knowing how the 12° of flare in a Salsa Cycles Cowbell bar works though, I suspect that this bar will be okay as well. Still, I would contend that anytime a compromise for going fast is made, it takes away from comfort, in general. Easton claims this bar has an engineered-in comfort factor while it is supposed to retain torsional stiffness. I guess I'll find out soon enough. Easton has one on the way in for test and review for Riding Gravel. Stay tuned....
 

That's N.Y. Roll's dog, Ella.

Podcast Alert:

We posted another podcast episode late last week. (AND one THIS week here.) In case you missed that, the link to listen is HERE. (or HERE!- for this week's show) Thanks to those who have, or will listen, and especially to those of you that have donated to help support the podcast. (Interested in supporting the show? Simply donate at PayPal to g.ted.productions@gmail.com)

In news for the podcast, we picked up a new sponsor in The Spinistry, a Texas based outfit that has been promoting gravel events since 2010. They have and still put on popular gravel events like the Red River Riot, the Texas Chainring Massacre, and the ultra-distance, gravel/bikepacking event, the RAT. (Ride Across Texas)

We are also lining up interviews now with a couple of promoters of gravel events from different states, as noted above in the FHUG story above. So, look for that to be happening in the weeks to come. You might also notice a slight change to the name of the podcast. I will be trying to make tweaks and changes that make sense for the show this year. If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears. 

Fox Racing's Union in Red (Image courtesy of Fox)

Fox Racing Enters The MTB Shoe Market:

Those of you that know that Fox Racing got its start in the late 70's in motocross know that Fox has done boots for moto riders for years. Well, now they have tossed their helmet into the ring as a cycling shoe manufacturer as well.

They introduced the Union range of MTB shoes yesterday. These tend toward the flat pedal, street shoe look, and not the roadie/XC MTB type of shoe. A couple of the shoes even have laces. So, I feel that these shoes will appeal to the adventurous gravel rider, bike packer, and tourist as well as being a shoe for MTB.

The top of the range Union BOA has, as you might expect, BOA closures and is the most expensive at $249.95. The mid-range Union is the one I think is the most interesting as it has laces, still has the SPD capabilities of the Union BOA. but clocks in at $179.95. About 70 bucks less, and basically is the same shoe functionally. The Union Flat is cheaper still at about 30 bucks less, but is for flat pedals only and lacks the Velcro strap to harness in those loose laces. 

I may have a pair show up here to test. Stay tuned on that......
 
That's a wrap for this week. Have a great weekend and get out and ride if you can! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions.

Gravel Amplifier: Pactimo Gravel Cup

Hey y'all! It's another edition of Guitar Ted's Gravel Amplifier Series! Read on to check out today's offerings for your consideration. 

This time I have run across another Mid-West based gravel series! If you include the one in Ohio, that makes four series in the Mid-West that I am aware of! Five if you include the Rage Against the Chainring Series in Kansas.

This series is eight events and is mostly a Minnesota affair with two events based out of Iowa. Let's take a look at the list and then I'll make a few pithy comments to close out this posting.

Pinched from Facebook

 

Comments: My first impression was that this reminds me vaguely of the Almanzo Gravel Race Series "Race For The Cup" which also was based out of Minnesota and had an Iowa element to it. Whether there is any connection there or not, I do not know. 

Next, I noted veteran events such as the Filthy 50 and Gritty Goose, both which have been around a long time. The Freedham 76 is probably the next longest running event there and is said to be a stellar experience. 

The KKD and Break The Cycle events are new on me, although they both may have been around for a bit. Driftless Gravel is a couple years old now, and it was run out of Volga, but......this says Decorah. Maybe there has been a change there? (Noted that the same Pactimo Midwest page posted the event as being in Elkader. Confusing!) Finally, the odd-ball event, in my opinion here, is the Hogback Gravel which hasn't been run once yet, but more than that, it's waaaay further away than the other events. 

I guess if you were running the series and had to skip one event, that Hogback Gravel, being so far removed from the other events, stands out to me as being vulnerable to being 'that event' if you had to pick one. Maybe. Maybe not..... 

The series is supported by Pactimo Midwest, a cycling apparel company based out of Colorado. The series also will feature, according to their social media, a " leaders jerseys and prizes for individuals and teams." 

More details are forthcoming. 

Gravel Amplifier: Pactimo Gravel Cup

Hey y'all! It's another edition of Guitar Ted's Gravel Amplifier Series! Read on to check out today's offerings for your consideration. 

This time I have run across another Mid-West based gravel series! If you include the one in Ohio, that makes four series in the Mid-West that I am aware of! Five if you include the Rage Against the Chainring Series in Kansas.

This series is eight events and is mostly a Minnesota affair with two events based out of Iowa. Let's take a look at the list and then I'll make a few pithy comments to close out this posting.

Pinched from Facebook

 

Comments: My first impression was that this reminds me vaguely of the Almanzo Gravel Race Series "Race For The Cup" which also was based out of Minnesota and had an Iowa element to it. Whether there is any connection there or not, I do not know. 

Next, I noted veteran events such as the Filthy 50 and Gritty Goose, both which have been around a long time. The Freedham 76 is probably the next longest running event there and is said to be a stellar experience. 

The KKD and Break The Cycle events are new on me, although they both may have been around for a bit. Driftless Gravel is a couple years old now, and it was run out of Volga, but......this says Decorah. Maybe there has been a change there? (Noted that the same Pactimo Midwest page posted the event as being in Elkader. Confusing!) Finally, the odd-ball event, in my opinion here, is the Hogback Gravel which hasn't been run once yet, but more than that, it's waaaay further away than the other events. 

I guess if you were running the series and had to skip one event, that Hogback Gravel, being so far removed from the other events, stands out to me as being vulnerable to being 'that event' if you had to pick one. Maybe. Maybe not..... 

The series is supported by Pactimo Midwest, a cycling apparel company based out of Colorado. The series also will feature, according to their social media, a " leaders jerseys and prizes for individuals and teams." 

More details are forthcoming. 

Friday News And Views

The L-TWOO gravel 1 X 11 set

Did SRAM Help Spawn A Revolution In Componentry?

During the parts-starved times of the last two years or so, I spent a lot of time on Amazon searching for chains, cassettes, and some other stuff. I'm sure many of you out there were doing similar things and saw what I saw. That being these "off-brand" choices which were clearly coming from the Far East and had pretty much zero reputation in North American markets. 

Casual observations of the choices seemed varied between stuff that looked viable to stuff that looked somewhat suspect. But a few things seemed possibly familiar in weird ways. Not to wonder- China has a poor reputation here when it comes to "knocking-off" other folk's designs, but a recent discovery led me into a bit of a rabbit hole. What I found was intriguing, and if true, would lead me to believe that there may be some trouble on the horizon concerning SRAM and these Chinese brands. 

First of all, I found a YouTube video for a component group from a company called "L-Twoo" (say "el-too") In the video, an overly stimulated English sounding chap was effervescent over his new 12 speed hydraulically braked road group set. (Note- a bit less stimulated and informative video can be seen here) The interesting thing here was how this group-set borrowed liberally from SRAM, Shimano, and Campy. Essentially, it appeared to be an amalgamation of those companies best ideas into a SRAM based foundation. 

Further investigation led me to this page from the Disraeli Gears site. It would seem that, if what is on that site is true, that SRAM jilted entire factories worth of employees and moved to "more modern" facilities in China. Those left behind took matters into their own hands, apparently, and the result is a flourishing Chinese domestic component group manufacturing scene which has spawned several new brands, including L-Twoo and Sensah, amongst others. 

While L-Twoo isn't seen much here in North America, their design, pricing, and potential for disruption here seems as though that this may change in terms of visibility here soon. Something to keep an eye on, at any rate. 

GCHoF Selection Process Is Live:

Just before the end of the year I received the list of nominees for the next class of the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame. I knew that this list would teach me things and I was excited to see what those things might be. 

First of all, I knew there would be names on that list that I was unfamiliar with. I was looking forward to reading about these folks, their contributions to gravel cycling, and how that fit in with the history I know about. 

But there were a few things I learned which were unexpected. It was obvious that a LOT of people don't know that gravel cycling was a thing pre-2015 or later. In some cases, people seem to think "gravel cycling" wasn't a thing until 2017. As if it kind of just appeared out of nowhere, I guess. Anyway, if that isn't a reason to have this Hall of Fame, I don't know what the reason would be. People need some perspective out there! 

The other thing I noted was that there are a lot of people that are having a hard time writing up a nomination. Holy cow! There were some people nominated that I know did a whole lot more than the people who wrote the nomination seem to know. Research your nominees folks! And then there were some that rambled on and on..... 

Anyway....

On this subject, I ran across a You Tube of my acceptance speech from last June at the GCHoF ceremonies. I hadn't seen this before. Take a listen if you want: (I think it runs about seven minutes or so)

 

Gravel Amplifier: Ohio Gravel Race Series:

I came across the Ohio Gravel Race Series on Twitter on New Year's Day and thought, "Why not amplify that?" So, here you go...

The series is anchored by some old, well established events and some new ones. Featuring Ohio's long running Funk Bottoms event and the Black Fork Gravel Grinder, these events bring the grassroots, way-back element to the series. 

I could be wrong, but that McLain Farms event seems familiar to me as an event that was on the old calendar I used to maintain as well. Then you've got the GPS100, another of those "no-surface-left-untouched" events like Rule of Three and CORE4. Technically, I do not see those as traditional gravel events, but who is to say that they wouldn't be fun? You decide.....

Anyway, these events run throughout the year and seem pretty good to me. Check them out! 

I'm on the left here at last years "Gents Race".

(Renegade) Gents Race Re-Ups:

Since they've had a team event on gravel in Ankeny/Slater Iowa, I've ridden on a team in that event. First known as the Renegade Gentleman's Race, the name evolved over the years to just "Gents Race". 

As an aside, I think it would be hilarious and right on point in these days to have the event be called "The Human Race". But maybe I am the odd man out on the humor there. 

Anywho.... The event was supposedly being run for the last time in 2022, but about four days after it was over, event organizers said they were reconsidering that decision. So, on April 1st this year, (I know....so ironic), the Gents Race is on once again. There are no further details at this point, but I would assume that the event will once again be held out of Slater, Iowa at the Nite Hawk Bar & Grill. 

Stay tuned on those deets, but as for me, if the team I've been on will be doing this, and want me back, I am in.

And that wraps things up for the first FN&V of 2023. Have a great weekend and get outside and ride!

Friday News And Views

The L-TWOO gravel 1 X 11 set

Did SRAM Help Spawn A Revolution In Componentry?

During the parts-starved times of the last two years or so, I spent a lot of time on Amazon searching for chains, cassettes, and some other stuff. I'm sure many of you out there were doing similar things and saw what I saw. That being these "off-brand" choices which were clearly coming from the Far East and had pretty much zero reputation in North American markets. 

Casual observations of the choices seemed varied between stuff that looked viable to stuff that looked somewhat suspect. But a few things seemed possibly familiar in weird ways. Not to wonder- China has a poor reputation here when it comes to "knocking-off" other folk's designs, but a recent discovery led me into a bit of a rabbit hole. What I found was intriguing, and if true, would lead me to believe that there may be some trouble on the horizon concerning SRAM and these Chinese brands. 

First of all, I found a YouTube video for a component group from a company called "L-Twoo" (say "el-too") In the video, an overly stimulated English sounding chap was effervescent over his new 12 speed hydraulically braked road group set. (Note- a bit less stimulated and informative video can be seen here) The interesting thing here was how this group-set borrowed liberally from SRAM, Shimano, and Campy. Essentially, it appeared to be an amalgamation of those companies best ideas into a SRAM based foundation. 

Further investigation led me to this page from the Disraeli Gears site. It would seem that, if what is on that site is true, that SRAM jilted entire factories worth of employees and moved to "more modern" facilities in China. Those left behind took matters into their own hands, apparently, and the result is a flourishing Chinese domestic component group manufacturing scene which has spawned several new brands, including L-Twoo and Sensah, amongst others. 

While L-Twoo isn't seen much here in North America, their design, pricing, and potential for disruption here seems as though that this may change in terms of visibility here soon. Something to keep an eye on, at any rate. 

GCHoF Selection Process Is Live:

Just before the end of the year I received the list of nominees for the next class of the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame. I knew that this list would teach me things and I was excited to see what those things might be. 

First of all, I knew there would be names on that list that I was unfamiliar with. I was looking forward to reading about these folks, their contributions to gravel cycling, and how that fit in with the history I know about. 

But there were a few things I learned which were unexpected. It was obvious that a LOT of people don't know that gravel cycling was a thing pre-2015 or later. In some cases, people seem to think "gravel cycling" wasn't a thing until 2017. As if it kind of just appeared out of nowhere, I guess. Anyway, if that isn't a reason to have this Hall of Fame, I don't know what the reason would be. People need some perspective out there! 

The other thing I noted was that there are a lot of people that are having a hard time writing up a nomination. Holy cow! There were some people nominated that I know did a whole lot more than the people who wrote the nomination seem to know. Research your nominees folks! And then there were some that rambled on and on..... 

Anyway....

On this subject, I ran across a You Tube of my acceptance speech from last June at the GCHoF ceremonies. I hadn't seen this before. Take a listen if you want: (I think it runs about seven minutes or so)

 

Gravel Amplifier: Ohio Gravel Race Series:

I came across the Ohio Gravel Race Series on Twitter on New Year's Day and thought, "Why not amplify that?" So, here you go...

The series is anchored by some old, well established events and some new ones. Featuring Ohio's long running Funk Bottoms event and the Black Fork Gravel Grinder, these events bring the grassroots, way-back element to the series. 

I could be wrong, but that McLain Farms event seems familiar to me as an event that was on the old calendar I used to maintain as well. Then you've got the GPS100, another of those "no-surface-left-untouched" events like Rule of Three and CORE4. Technically, I do not see those as traditional gravel events, but who is to say that they wouldn't be fun? You decide.....

Anyway, these events run throughout the year and seem pretty good to me. Check them out! 

I'm on the left here at last years "Gents Race".

(Renegade) Gents Race Re-Ups:

Since they've had a team event on gravel in Ankeny/Slater Iowa, I've ridden on a team in that event. First known as the Renegade Gentleman's Race, the name evolved over the years to just "Gents Race". 

As an aside, I think it would be hilarious and right on point in these days to have the event be called "The Human Race". But maybe I am the odd man out on the humor there. 

Anywho.... The event was supposedly being run for the last time in 2022, but about four days after it was over, event organizers said they were reconsidering that decision. So, on April 1st this year, (I know....so ironic), the Gents Race is on once again. There are no further details at this point, but I would assume that the event will once again be held out of Slater, Iowa at the Nite Hawk Bar & Grill. 

Stay tuned on those deets, but as for me, if the team I've been on will be doing this, and want me back, I am in.

And that wraps things up for the first FN&V of 2023. Have a great weekend and get outside and ride!