Friday News And Views

Aero gravel bikes and wheels should be a hit in gravel triathlon.

 USA Triathlon Announces New Gravel Triathlon Series:

News hit last week on Wednesday that USA Triathlon would be setting up a gravel based triathlon series of events for 2022. 

The series will not allow the use of aero bars, "tri-bikes", or fixed gear bikes. Otherwise it seems as though the organization is banking on the gravel trend to be a big deal yet and the organization is set on cashing in on this. Quote from the USA Triathlon site:

"“Gravel cycling is growing incredibly fast and the multisport community is positioned to take advantage of this trend by providing athletes with new and unique race formats and disciplines like gravel triathlon,” said Rocky Harris, USA Triathlon CEO. “USA Triathlon is proud to partner with local race directors across the country to create this exciting new series.""

The races will be held in New Jersey, Michigan, Texas, Colorado, Idaho and California.Participants will receive special stickers and awards and will not be required to finish any qualifier events to enter into the inaugural season. The inaugural USA Triathlon Gravel National Championships will be held June 3 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The rest of the series will be a mix of new and established gravel tri's, including the long held "Dirty Mitten" event in Michigan. 

Comments: Not a big surprise here. I have been aware of 'gravel triathlon' for years.  (The Dirty Mitten being one of several I've heard of) This seems - somehow - to be a more natural fit than does the move by USAC and the UCI to bring Pro Road style events to gravel. I think perhaps that Triathlon is a bit more grassroots driven, and conversely, this whole Pro Gravel thing seems too derivative of professional road racing to be a natural for the gravel scene. 

But that may be just my perspective. This news seems congruent with what I've been exposed to all along with the gravel scene.  

Singular Gryphon v3(Image courtesy of Singular)

I'm In Trouble Here:

So, some of you readers here may remember way back when that I had a Singular Gryphon drop bar single speed bike. It was a V1 version, the creme with green panels. I really liked that bike, but space concerns and the fact that I was hardly riding it, near the end of my time with the bike, forced me to sell it. I will admit to kind of kicking myself sometimes for doing that. 

Now Singular is showing this v3 version of the Gryphon and it is modernized and has a feature I have wanted to get in a bike for years. So......I'm in a bit of a bind here because I really want this frame! 

Modernized? Yes. Through axles- but - NOT Boost!  AND it can handle up to a 29" X 3" tire AND it can be single speed! Dang.......that hits me right where I like things! 

Computer generated image of the Gryphon v3 in kind of the way I'd be doing it. (Image courtesy of Singular)

 I'm having a hard time talking myself out of pre-ordering this thing. It wouldn't get here until later this year. October is what the site says, but you know.....supply chain things. And I am considering a Black Mountain Cycles Mod Zero too, and then there is this bike as well. ..... Uggh. So, anyway, IF I get a Gryphon here's what I'd do. 

Single speed, of course, with my polished Velocity Dually rims, some 29" X 2.6" or so tires, White Industries crank, a Ti Salsa Regulator post, and a set of Ragley Luxy Bars. That would be rad! I have a lot of what I just mentioned already too. I'd just have to get some hubs and lace the rims I have to those. 

Anyway.....possible pipe dream........

 Is Recent Peloton Trouble An Example Of Overall Trouble To Come For The Bike Industry?

Last month on the 20th of January it was widely reported that Peloton, the indoor stationary cycling company, announced that it was pausing production of its indoor cycling and treadmill models to clear out excess inventory. As a result their stock market prices tumbled.

You read that right. In an age where delays and supply stream issues are rampant, Peloton has too much inventory. Now, why did that happen? Could this be a indicator of what will happen with the cycling industry soon? 

Comments: It is difficult to say that Peloton's issues are a reflection of things to come for the bicycle industry because some of Peloton's issues are self-inflicted (product recalls) and some of their issues are related to competition. But after early demand outstripped Peloton's ability to provide products, (sound familiar) they ramped up production and then the competition started to eat away at their dominance. People found less expensive alternatives, pandemic lock downs ended, and gyms started reopening again. All of which negatively affected Peloton's sales and demand for product waned as a result. 

Peloton has responded by slashing unit prices and by this reported shutdown of production of anywhere from six months to several weeks, depending on the model and which stories you read. Now, Peloton is not the bicycle industry, but I think some parallels can be drawn here from this story.

Cycling was taken up by thousands of new-to-cycling folks when there wasn't much else that they were allowed to do. Well, that drained the supply chain. Since then, the cycling industry has faced pandemic driven obstacles in shipping, factory shutdowns, natural disasters, and more to the point that maybe by the end of this year we get everything back on its feet again.

But by then, what will the people be doing that spiked the sales demands in early 2020? Will they, like many Peloton riders, go find alternatives to cycling now that they can do most everything again? And add in those prices, which will reflect inflation, raw materials and shipping costs which have skyrocketed, and manufacturers and dealers hungry to cash out so they can pay the mounting bills. 

I don't have the answers, but the horizon I see has some dark storm clouds gathering, and if I had to place any bets, my money is on a mirroring of the issues we have seen with Peloton. 

Gravel Worlds Picks Up Title Sponsor:

Gravel Worlds announced on Thursday that the event has a 'title sponsor' now in Garmin. The event now is known as "Garmin Gravel Worlds Presented by Lauf". It is not known if any money was involved in this titling of Gravel Worlds, but one would assume that this was the case. 

Comments: I'm reminded of an e-mail I received years ago from the late DK200 co-founder, Joel Dyke. In it he was encouraging me to hold the line with my format for Trans Iowa. He mentioned something to the effect that "...when the money comes in, that's when gravel events will die." 

I don't know that he meant "gravel riding will end" as much as he was referring to the vibe and feel of the early gravel scene. Certainly he was referring to a change in the scene which he found distasteful. Somehow I feel as though this announcement would have found Joel feeling less than stoked. 

As for me, well.....things change, right? I've said this before. Things evolve and change and there is no way that we could ever say that gravel grinding is 'under the radar' anymore, like we used to say. No- it is a mainstream, big-time deal these days, and there is no going back to the way things once were within the entire sphere of gravel riding. Pockets of 'grassroots', hyper-local riding? Yes. That's always going to be there and will hearken back to the times when every gravel event was like that. But that doesn't reflect the reality of today. 

All that to say that the more Gravel Worlds changes the more disheartened I get about that event. This has absolutely nothing at all to do with their efforts to get women to ride and to be more inclusive. No, I'm all for that. (And Joel Dyke would have been as well, from all that I knew of him) I just don't feel great about all the trappings involved with event title sponsorship, marketing, money-generating, prize purses, and what not. The "hoopla" and big, slick production stuff- not my cuppa. It just doesn't make me feel like I belong there anymore. Just my take..... You folks out there don't have to follow my lead.

Okay, that's a wrap for this week. Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Aero gravel bikes and wheels should be a hit in gravel triathlon.

 USA Triathlon Announces New Gravel Triathlon Series:

News hit last week on Wednesday that USA Triathlon would be setting up a gravel based triathlon series of events for 2022. 

The series will not allow the use of aero bars, "tri-bikes", or fixed gear bikes. Otherwise it seems as though the organization is banking on the gravel trend to be a big deal yet and the organization is set on cashing in on this. Quote from the USA Triathlon site:

"“Gravel cycling is growing incredibly fast and the multisport community is positioned to take advantage of this trend by providing athletes with new and unique race formats and disciplines like gravel triathlon,” said Rocky Harris, USA Triathlon CEO. “USA Triathlon is proud to partner with local race directors across the country to create this exciting new series.""

The races will be held in New Jersey, Michigan, Texas, Colorado, Idaho and California.Participants will receive special stickers and awards and will not be required to finish any qualifier events to enter into the inaugural season. The inaugural USA Triathlon Gravel National Championships will be held June 3 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The rest of the series will be a mix of new and established gravel tri's, including the long held "Dirty Mitten" event in Michigan. 

Comments: Not a big surprise here. I have been aware of 'gravel triathlon' for years.  (The Dirty Mitten being one of several I've heard of) This seems - somehow - to be a more natural fit than does the move by USAC and the UCI to bring Pro Road style events to gravel. I think perhaps that Triathlon is a bit more grassroots driven, and conversely, this whole Pro Gravel thing seems too derivative of professional road racing to be a natural for the gravel scene. 

But that may be just my perspective. This news seems congruent with what I've been exposed to all along with the gravel scene.  

Singular Gryphon v3(Image courtesy of Singular)

I'm In Trouble Here:

So, some of you readers here may remember way back when that I had a Singular Gryphon drop bar single speed bike. It was a V1 version, the creme with green panels. I really liked that bike, but space concerns and the fact that I was hardly riding it, near the end of my time with the bike, forced me to sell it. I will admit to kind of kicking myself sometimes for doing that. 

Now Singular is showing this v3 version of the Gryphon and it is modernized and has a feature I have wanted to get in a bike for years. So......I'm in a bit of a bind here because I really want this frame! 

Modernized? Yes. Through axles- but - NOT Boost!  AND it can handle up to a 29" X 3" tire AND it can be single speed! Dang.......that hits me right where I like things! 

Computer generated image of the Gryphon v3 in kind of the way I'd be doing it. (Image courtesy of Singular)

 I'm having a hard time talking myself out of pre-ordering this thing. It wouldn't get here until later this year. October is what the site says, but you know.....supply chain things. And I am considering a Black Mountain Cycles Mod Zero too, and then there is this bike as well. ..... Uggh. So, anyway, IF I get a Gryphon here's what I'd do. 

Single speed, of course, with my polished Velocity Dually rims, some 29" X 2.6" or so tires, White Industries crank, a Ti Salsa Regulator post, and a set of Ragley Luxy Bars. That would be rad! I have a lot of what I just mentioned already too. I'd just have to get some hubs and lace the rims I have to those. 

Anyway.....possible pipe dream........

 Is Recent Peloton Trouble An Example Of Overall Trouble To Come For The Bike Industry?

Last month on the 20th of January it was widely reported that Peloton, the indoor stationary cycling company, announced that it was pausing production of its indoor cycling and treadmill models to clear out excess inventory. As a result their stock market prices tumbled.

You read that right. In an age where delays and supply stream issues are rampant, Peloton has too much inventory. Now, why did that happen? Could this be a indicator of what will happen with the cycling industry soon? 

Comments: It is difficult to say that Peloton's issues are a reflection of things to come for the bicycle industry because some of Peloton's issues are self-inflicted (product recalls) and some of their issues are related to competition. But after early demand outstripped Peloton's ability to provide products, (sound familiar) they ramped up production and then the competition started to eat away at their dominance. People found less expensive alternatives, pandemic lock downs ended, and gyms started reopening again. All of which negatively affected Peloton's sales and demand for product waned as a result. 

Peloton has responded by slashing unit prices and by this reported shutdown of production of anywhere from six months to several weeks, depending on the model and which stories you read. Now, Peloton is not the bicycle industry, but I think some parallels can be drawn here from this story.

Cycling was taken up by thousands of new-to-cycling folks when there wasn't much else that they were allowed to do. Well, that drained the supply chain. Since then, the cycling industry has faced pandemic driven obstacles in shipping, factory shutdowns, natural disasters, and more to the point that maybe by the end of this year we get everything back on its feet again.

But by then, what will the people be doing that spiked the sales demands in early 2020? Will they, like many Peloton riders, go find alternatives to cycling now that they can do most everything again? And add in those prices, which will reflect inflation, raw materials and shipping costs which have skyrocketed, and manufacturers and dealers hungry to cash out so they can pay the mounting bills. 

I don't have the answers, but the horizon I see has some dark storm clouds gathering, and if I had to place any bets, my money is on a mirroring of the issues we have seen with Peloton. 

Gravel Worlds Picks Up Title Sponsor:

Gravel Worlds announced on Thursday that the event has a 'title sponsor' now in Garmin. The event now is known as "Garmin Gravel Worlds Presented by Lauf". It is not known if any money was involved in this titling of Gravel Worlds, but one would assume that this was the case. 

Comments: I'm reminded of an e-mail I received years ago from the late DK200 co-founder, Joel Dyke. In it he was encouraging me to hold the line with my format for Trans Iowa. He mentioned something to the effect that "...when the money comes in, that's when gravel events will die." 

I don't know that he meant "gravel riding will end" as much as he was referring to the vibe and feel of the early gravel scene. Certainly he was referring to a change in the scene which he found distasteful. Somehow I feel as though this announcement would have found Joel feeling less than stoked. 

As for me, well.....things change, right? I've said this before. Things evolve and change and there is no way that we could ever say that gravel grinding is 'under the radar' anymore, like we used to say. No- it is a mainstream, big-time deal these days, and there is no going back to the way things once were within the entire sphere of gravel riding. Pockets of 'grassroots', hyper-local riding? Yes. That's always going to be there and will hearken back to the times when every gravel event was like that. But that doesn't reflect the reality of today. 

All that to say that the more Gravel Worlds changes the more disheartened I get about that event. This has absolutely nothing at all to do with their efforts to get women to ride and to be more inclusive. No, I'm all for that. (And Joel Dyke would have been as well, from all that I knew of him) I just don't feel great about all the trappings involved with event title sponsorship, marketing, money-generating, prize purses, and what not. The "hoopla" and big, slick production stuff- not my cuppa. It just doesn't make me feel like I belong there anymore. Just my take..... You folks out there don't have to follow my lead.

Okay, that's a wrap for this week. Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Like A Modernized Gen I

The Tumbleweed Stargazer. Image courtesy of Tumbleweed Bikes.

 In 2008 I laid eyes on my first Fargo. It was ridden to a Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational ride that year at Hickory Hills County Park in Iowa, just a wee bit South of where I live. 

The bike's rider, Jason Boucher, then the Brand Manager of Salsa Cycles, was a very proud 'papa' that day. He was getting out Salsa's latest bike, a bike that would help to redefine the company, give it its own legacy under QBP's ownership, and arguably was the bike that kicked off the whole bikepacking/adventure biking craze which is still happening to this day. 

We got to see an actual production prototype, which was just how the bike came out later in the Fall that year. But we didn't get to see the model name. Jason had covered that up so loose lips could not spill the beans on the bike's name. What he used to cover that name up with- a strip of black electrical tape- became the bike's unofficial name for about a month and a half. "Black Electrical Tape" was a big hit already with many of us 29"er/gravel freaks, and when the name "Fargo" was revealed, well the enthusiasm for this bike was enormous. 

Since that Summer sneak-peek at the GTDRI, the Fargo has gone on to become the longest lived model in Salsa's line. It is there for good reason. The bike is versatile, comfortable, and does what it does very well. However; there was never a bike- a "Fargo Gen I" - like that 2008/9-2010 one. After Salsa started tweaking the bike, all that charm and non-suspension corrected glory went missing. 

The Singular Gryphon- Not influenced by the Fargo!

There have been many very similar bikes which have graced the Earth's byways introduced since. The Singular Gryphon, designed simultaneously alongside the Fargo's timeline, was not influenced by the Fargo. But it never really gained the notoriety that the Fargo did. However; since the Fargo/Gryphon introductions in the late 2000's, we've seen plenty of other players taking cues from the drop bar MTB/Gravel/Bikepacking pages which were largely written by Salsa's Fargo. 

The Bombtrack Beyond, Kona Sutra, Breezer Radar, and many others have tried to bring that Fargo-flavor. Some do it well, others.....? meh! There was just something about those earliest Fargo bikes and many are still coveted rides to this day. However; 2008 was a long time ago in terms of bicycle technologies and standards. So those older Gen I Fargo bikes are starting to get a little long in the tooth. 

Well, Tumbleweed Bikes, who have had one model, the Prospector, for several years now, have just announced a new, drop bar design for fat 27.5" wheels or big 29"er wheels. It's called the Stargazer, but you can totally see this as what a 2008/2009 Fargo would be like if it were updated to 2021 standards. 

 The Stargazer can fit 27.5 X 3.0" tires. (29'ers shown) Image courtesy of Tumbleweed Bikes

The Stargazer has Boost spaced axles front and rear, and those are through axles, of course. There is dropper post routing. The head tube has a 44mm internal diameter to accommodate a tapered steer tube fork. Of course, this final detail could be seen as a regression, but the frame is 1X compatible only. That's the 'modern way' folks, so many will see that as an 'update'. 

But many things which endeared the Fargo Gen I to its fans are still here in the Stargazer. First and foremost is the non-suspension corrected steel fork with a 440mm axle to crown. That fork also has rack mounts along with the triple bosses which are ubiquitous on adventure bikes these days. Rear rack bosses are there, as well as the under-the-downtube bottle bosses. The longer head tube gets those drops up where an adventure biker wants them without the janky 'stack-o-spacers' look. The fork and head angle are right out of the Fargo Gen I stats- 69° and 55mm of offset. 

And the frame and fork are steel, of course. NOT aluminum, not carbon, and nothing weird here- just steel. If you are going after that Fargo theme, steel is a requisite frame and fork material. It is just the way that it is. 

I like that this bike can be fitted with big, fat 27.5" tires or the 2.5" X 29"er tires. I know some may wish for those 3.0" 29"er+ tires, but honestly, those are getting on to be dinosaurs in the bicycle world these days. 29+ is pretty much on its way out, and I can see why Tumbleweed chose to stop at 2.5" for clearance on 29"ers. 

Here's my verdict- At the asking price, this frame and fork is a steal. I think it nails the look and geo numbers are so close, that this may as well be a Fargo Gen I updated. But.....I do not need this! My Gen I Fargo is still a good bike. My Ti Muk can cover a lot of what the Gen I does not. Plus, I'd rather put my money towards a Rohloff "Summer" wheel set for the Ti Muk someday rather than get a whole 'nuther bike, which would be redundant. But for you? Maybe this tics a lot of boxes. Tumbleweed Bikes website.

Like A Modernized Gen I

The Tumbleweed Stargazer. Image courtesy of Tumbleweed Bikes.

 In 2008 I laid eyes on my first Fargo. It was ridden to a Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational ride that year at Hickory Hills County Park in Iowa, just a wee bit South of where I live. 

The bike's rider, Jason Boucher, then the Brand Manager of Salsa Cycles, was a very proud 'papa' that day. He was getting out Salsa's latest bike, a bike that would help to redefine the company, give it its own legacy under QBP's ownership, and arguably was the bike that kicked off the whole bikepacking/adventure biking craze which is still happening to this day. 

We got to see an actual production prototype, which was just how the bike came out later in the Fall that year. But we didn't get to see the model name. Jason had covered that up so loose lips could not spill the beans on the bike's name. What he used to cover that name up with- a strip of black electrical tape- became the bike's unofficial name for about a month and a half. "Black Electrical Tape" was a big hit already with many of us 29"er/gravel freaks, and when the name "Fargo" was revealed, well the enthusiasm for this bike was enormous. 

Since that Summer sneak-peek at the GTDRI, the Fargo has gone on to become the longest lived model in Salsa's line. It is there for good reason. The bike is versatile, comfortable, and does what it does very well. However; there was never a bike- a "Fargo Gen I" - like that 2008/9-2010 one. After Salsa started tweaking the bike, all that charm and non-suspension corrected glory went missing. 

The Singular Gryphon- Not influenced by the Fargo!

There have been many very similar bikes which have graced the Earth's byways introduced since. The Singular Gryphon, designed simultaneously alongside the Fargo's timeline, was not influenced by the Fargo. But it never really gained the notoriety that the Fargo did. However; since the Fargo/Gryphon introductions in the late 2000's, we've seen plenty of other players taking cues from the drop bar MTB/Gravel/Bikepacking pages which were largely written by Salsa's Fargo. 

The Bombtrack Beyond, Kona Sutra, Breezer Radar, and many others have tried to bring that Fargo-flavor. Some do it well, others.....? meh! There was just something about those earliest Fargo bikes and many are still coveted rides to this day. However; 2008 was a long time ago in terms of bicycle technologies and standards. So those older Gen I Fargo bikes are starting to get a little long in the tooth. 

Well, Tumbleweed Bikes, who have had one model, the Prospector, for several years now, have just announced a new, drop bar design for fat 27.5" wheels or big 29"er wheels. It's called the Stargazer, but you can totally see this as what a 2008/2009 Fargo would be like if it were updated to 2021 standards. 

 The Stargazer can fit 27.5 X 3.0" tires. (29'ers shown) Image courtesy of Tumbleweed Bikes

The Stargazer has Boost spaced axles front and rear, and those are through axles, of course. There is dropper post routing. The head tube has a 44mm internal diameter to accommodate a tapered steer tube fork. Of course, this final detail could be seen as a regression, but the frame is 1X compatible only. That's the 'modern way' folks, so many will see that as an 'update'. 

But many things which endeared the Fargo Gen I to its fans are still here in the Stargazer. First and foremost is the non-suspension corrected steel fork with a 440mm axle to crown. That fork also has rack mounts along with the triple bosses which are ubiquitous on adventure bikes these days. Rear rack bosses are there, as well as the under-the-downtube bottle bosses. The longer head tube gets those drops up where an adventure biker wants them without the janky 'stack-o-spacers' look. The fork and head angle are right out of the Fargo Gen I stats- 69° and 55mm of offset. 

And the frame and fork are steel, of course. NOT aluminum, not carbon, and nothing weird here- just steel. If you are going after that Fargo theme, steel is a requisite frame and fork material. It is just the way that it is. 

I like that this bike can be fitted with big, fat 27.5" tires or the 2.5" X 29"er tires. I know some may wish for those 3.0" 29"er+ tires, but honestly, those are getting on to be dinosaurs in the bicycle world these days. 29+ is pretty much on its way out, and I can see why Tumbleweed chose to stop at 2.5" for clearance on 29"ers. 

Here's my verdict- At the asking price, this frame and fork is a steal. I think it nails the look and geo numbers are so close, that this may as well be a Fargo Gen I updated. But.....I do not need this! My Gen I Fargo is still a good bike. My Ti Muk can cover a lot of what the Gen I does not. Plus, I'd rather put my money towards a Rohloff "Summer" wheel set for the Ti Muk someday rather than get a whole 'nuther bike, which would be redundant. But for you? Maybe this tics a lot of boxes. Tumbleweed Bikes website.

Could The Fargo Gen 1 Be Replaced? - Part 2

Black Mountain Cycles La Cabra- Unobtanium until further notice.

Last Thursday I posted a thought piece concerning choices for replacement of the Gen I Fargo- (as if!)- and I suggested two possibilities. Well, you dear readers sent in a bunch of comments, and as always, instead of answering in the comments where pretty much most folks will never look, I decided there was enough to warrant a "Part 2" on this subject. I will address each point brought up briefly, and in no particular order.

Concerning Kona's Steel: One comment I got which I thought was extremely interesting was the thought that Kona had done their best frame/fork work on their first generation Sutra LTD's and then things got progressively worse in terms of frame ride quality and steel choices. This can be a really complex subject, so I am just going to breeze through a few thoughts, because I could write a few posts about steel frames alone here. (And I probably have over the 15 years of this blog, come to think of it)

Steel frames, in general, are not well understood. There is a fair amount of "cork sniffery" when it comes to steel: "Reynolds is best! No! Columbus! Bzzzzt! Wrong!The best is Tange Prestige!" On and on........

The reality of 4130 CRMo and its variants is that there are so many butted profiles available that they are too hard to list. Steel tubing has been around in one form or another since the mid-19th Century and bicycles were made of the stuff since almost the beginning of the two wheeler. Some companies have made a lot of hay in regard to fans and claims of certain magical qualities. The thing is, if you know your way around designing a frame, you can source tubing that - if constructed correctly- would kill the ride feel of any name brand frame tubing. It happens all the time. But if- say, True Temper is your jam, well then......you go! I'm just saying that no one famous name tubing brand has anything over any good, butted, well put together frame. Even production frames can ride better than custom ones do if things are done right/wrong.

The Singular Gryphon from around 2009. It rode GREAT, but had low versatility

Finally, over the past 15 years, certain required tests for the sale of frames world-wide has pretty much killed the ride quality of steel frames now compared to 'then'. Take the El Mariachi. When the '07'to '09 design was discontinued, Salsa Cycles went to a new tubing for the El Mar. The result was a stiffer, more lifeless ride. Same with the Fargo. Even other companies steel frames were beefed up to pass testing and as a result, ended up losing that magical ride feel. So, it makes sense to me that "first efforts" in steel frames don't measure up to later model ones since this process seems to still be in effect where steel frames are being over-built to pass arbitrary testing protocols.

Suspension Correction vs Stem Spacers, Long Head Tubes, and High Rise Stems: You need to get somewhere and you have two ways to do it- One route works, and so does the other, but there are certain differences to consider which may influence why that you take one over the other. Scenery, times, stress levels, construction, etc. Well, how you do your fork/head tube/stem set up for a bike is pretty much the same deal.

Long head tube/short stack/low rise stem, or how about a short fork, short head tube, a really high rise stem, and maybe quite a few spacers? Both bikes could have exactly the same handle bar position in space. It's how you get there, and what matters about that, which matters to any individual rider. Some reasons for one against the other may have to do with aesthetics. Personally, I think a suspension corrected rigid fork, which would be the same length as a 100mm travel suspension fork, (corrected length to match a suspension fork's axle to crown height, make sense?), looks goofy, unless you actually use a suspension fork there from time to time. Others may have no issues with that look. But also- consider that this longer than usual fork on a MTB has to pass those MTB tests. That means that all that tubing length that could give you an awesome ride now has been beefed up to pass a test and rides like a dead piece of wood compared to a shorter, rigid fork like the Gryphon, shown above, which probably had the liveliest, best riding, (and weakest), rigid fork I have ridden.

Kinda short fork, short head tube, tall stem. Just one way to get there.

So, it's a little more than what you are seeing. Those longer rigid forks come with compromises. Longer head tubes have longer steer tubes, of course, so those tubes, especially if they are straight gauge, flex more and feel smoother. Shorter head tubes with short steer tubes have a stiffer feel. Carbon forks? Well, that's another factor on top of all the rest.

Fork Trail & Wheel Flop: Someone asked about the Kona Sutra and its 69.5° head tube angle and 55mm offset fork in regard to handling. Well, it depends upon the tire you use. Bigger volume 700c tires will increase trail, but with a 45mm gravel tire, the trail is in the 70's, which isn't crazy. Even with a 55mm tire, it is only 80mm. I wouldn't fret about it........

V/O Piolet: I've looked at this bike a lot. Someone said they replaced their Gen I Fargo with one. Nice bike- lateral move. Doesn't really do anything different for me over what I've got already.

Mone El Continante: Another bike I've drooled over. Stunning rig. Probably a cool bike. 29+ though and I'm not real sure about the sliding frame bits. That looks like a part begging to seize up and/or make noises. One man operation..... Meh. Too many what-ifs there.

Black Mountain Cycles LaCabra: One of you called it "the elephant in the room", which made me laugh out loud. Look......it isn't currently a bike you can even get. But let's say that Mike Varley gets it done and brings these in. Would that bike be a bike I could replace a Fargo Gen I with? Certainly, it very well could do just that. I've already said I'd like one.

But with things going the way that they are, who knows? I don't. Mike may not even know. Everything is different now, so the LaCabra may end up being a pipe dream, or I may end up with one next year. If I do- I will set it up with 650B X 2.8" tires and run with that first. As I stated back in early April, this LaCabra would be the fat, 650B bike and my rigid MTB. My current Fargo would be the 700c option.

And that's that for this subject. Thanks for all the comments!

Could The Fargo Gen 1 Be Replaced? - Part 2

Black Mountain Cycles La Cabra- Unobtanium until further notice.

Last Thursday I posted a thought piece concerning choices for replacement of the Gen I Fargo- (as if!)- and I suggested two possibilities. Well, you dear readers sent in a bunch of comments, and as always, instead of answering in the comments where pretty much most folks will never look, I decided there was enough to warrant a "Part 2" on this subject. I will address each point brought up briefly, and in no particular order.

Concerning Kona's Steel: One comment I got which I thought was extremely interesting was the thought that Kona had done their best frame/fork work on their first generation Sutra LTD's and then things got progressively worse in terms of frame ride quality and steel choices. This can be a really complex subject, so I am just going to breeze through a few thoughts, because I could write a few posts about steel frames alone here. (And I probably have over the 15 years of this blog, come to think of it)

Steel frames, in general, are not well understood. There is a fair amount of "cork sniffery" when it comes to steel: "Reynolds is best! No! Columbus! Bzzzzt! Wrong!The best is Tange Prestige!" On and on........

The reality of 4130 CRMo and its variants is that there are so many butted profiles available that they are too hard to list. Steel tubing has been around in one form or another since the mid-19th Century and bicycles were made of the stuff since almost the beginning of the two wheeler. Some companies have made a lot of hay in regard to fans and claims of certain magical qualities. The thing is, if you know your way around designing a frame, you can source tubing that - if constructed correctly- would kill the ride feel of any name brand frame tubing. It happens all the time. But if- say, True Temper is your jam, well then......you go! I'm just saying that no one famous name tubing brand has anything over any good, butted, well put together frame. Even production frames can ride better than custom ones do if things are done right/wrong.

The Singular Gryphon from around 2009. It rode GREAT, but had low versatility

Finally, over the past 15 years, certain required tests for the sale of frames world-wide has pretty much killed the ride quality of steel frames now compared to 'then'. Take the El Mariachi. When the '07'to '09 design was discontinued, Salsa Cycles went to a new tubing for the El Mar. The result was a stiffer, more lifeless ride. Same with the Fargo. Even other companies steel frames were beefed up to pass testing and as a result, ended up losing that magical ride feel. So, it makes sense to me that "first efforts" in steel frames don't measure up to later model ones since this process seems to still be in effect where steel frames are being over-built to pass arbitrary testing protocols.

Suspension Correction vs Stem Spacers, Long Head Tubes, and High Rise Stems: You need to get somewhere and you have two ways to do it- One route works, and so does the other, but there are certain differences to consider which may influence why that you take one over the other. Scenery, times, stress levels, construction, etc. Well, how you do your fork/head tube/stem set up for a bike is pretty much the same deal.

Long head tube/short stack/low rise stem, or how about a short fork, short head tube, a really high rise stem, and maybe quite a few spacers? Both bikes could have exactly the same handle bar position in space. It's how you get there, and what matters about that, which matters to any individual rider. Some reasons for one against the other may have to do with aesthetics. Personally, I think a suspension corrected rigid fork, which would be the same length as a 100mm travel suspension fork, (corrected length to match a suspension fork's axle to crown height, make sense?), looks goofy, unless you actually use a suspension fork there from time to time. Others may have no issues with that look. But also- consider that this longer than usual fork on a MTB has to pass those MTB tests. That means that all that tubing length that could give you an awesome ride now has been beefed up to pass a test and rides like a dead piece of wood compared to a shorter, rigid fork like the Gryphon, shown above, which probably had the liveliest, best riding, (and weakest), rigid fork I have ridden.

Kinda short fork, short head tube, tall stem. Just one way to get there.

So, it's a little more than what you are seeing. Those longer rigid forks come with compromises. Longer head tubes have longer steer tubes, of course, so those tubes, especially if they are straight gauge, flex more and feel smoother. Shorter head tubes with short steer tubes have a stiffer feel. Carbon forks? Well, that's another factor on top of all the rest.

Fork Trail & Wheel Flop: Someone asked about the Kona Sutra and its 69.5° head tube angle and 55mm offset fork in regard to handling. Well, it depends upon the tire you use. Bigger volume 700c tires will increase trail, but with a 45mm gravel tire, the trail is in the 70's, which isn't crazy. Even with a 55mm tire, it is only 80mm. I wouldn't fret about it........

V/O Piolet: I've looked at this bike a lot. Someone said they replaced their Gen I Fargo with one. Nice bike- lateral move. Doesn't really do anything different for me over what I've got already.

Mone El Continante: Another bike I've drooled over. Stunning rig. Probably a cool bike. 29+ though and I'm not real sure about the sliding frame bits. That looks like a part begging to seize up and/or make noises. One man operation..... Meh. Too many what-ifs there.

Black Mountain Cycles LaCabra: One of you called it "the elephant in the room", which made me laugh out loud. Look......it isn't currently a bike you can even get. But let's say that Mike Varley gets it done and brings these in. Would that bike be a bike I could replace a Fargo Gen I with? Certainly, it very well could do just that. I've already said I'd like one.

But with things going the way that they are, who knows? I don't. Mike may not even know. Everything is different now, so the LaCabra may end up being a pipe dream, or I may end up with one next year. If I do- I will set it up with 650B X 2.8" tires and run with that first. As I stated back in early April, this LaCabra would be the fat, 650B bike and my rigid MTB. My current Fargo would be the 700c option.

And that's that for this subject. Thanks for all the comments!

Minus Ten Review- 51

Another bike! Sheesh!

This week ten years ago on the blog here I was talking about yet another new bike for me. Crazy! I started 2006 with two 29"ers and ended the year with six! Of those six bicycles I have three in my possession. One is complete and rideable, the other two are frames only, and far from being ready to go.

Anyway, this one came to me because the then marketing wonk at Raleigh, Reed Pike, decided I had brought Raleigh a lot of positive attention, made several good suggestions for changes, and had overall helped Raleigh make the introduction of their 29"ers more successful than it otherwise might have been. I guess. Since, ya know, he called me over when I was at Interbike and commanded that his underlings send me one. 

 The XXIX+G, (what a weird name!), was an odd handling rig. At the time we had 38mm offset forks only, and as it turned out, the frame was the same geometry as the non-suspension corrected XXIX single speed. Raleigh's designer kind of fudged the geometry to work either way, suspended or not, and dialed in an enormous amount of trail which made the XXIX+G handle like a wheelbarrow.

Oddly enough, what those Raleigh guys were after- great downhill stability and decent trail manners- were only achieved within the last five years for 29"ers. My Singular Buzzard is really what Raleigh wanted to do. Short rear end, slack front end, and a big, burly fork. None of that existed in 2006.

Things sometimes do change for the better.

Minus Ten Review- 51

Another bike! Sheesh!

This week ten years ago on the blog here I was talking about yet another new bike for me. Crazy! I started 2006 with two 29"ers and ended the year with six! Of those six bicycles I have three in my possession. One is complete and rideable, the other two are frames only, and far from being ready to go.

Anyway, this one came to me because the then marketing wonk at Raleigh, Reed Pike, decided I had brought Raleigh a lot of positive attention, made several good suggestions for changes, and had overall helped Raleigh make the introduction of their 29"ers more successful than it otherwise might have been. I guess. Since, ya know, he called me over when I was at Interbike and commanded that his underlings send me one. 

 The XXIX+G, (what a weird name!), was an odd handling rig. At the time we had 38mm offset forks only, and as it turned out, the frame was the same geometry as the non-suspension corrected XXIX single speed. Raleigh's designer kind of fudged the geometry to work either way, suspended or not, and dialed in an enormous amount of trail which made the XXIX+G handle like a wheelbarrow.

Oddly enough, what those Raleigh guys were after- great downhill stability and decent trail manners- were only achieved within the last five years for 29"ers. My Singular Buzzard is really what Raleigh wanted to do. Short rear end, slack front end, and a big, burly fork. None of that existed in 2006.

Things sometimes do change for the better.

Looking Ahead

Checking out the Gryphon and clearing the head

So, it is time to move on and start looking at some other stuff coming up on the horizon. Yesterday I mentioned the next Geezer Ride, which is free, by the way. I think I forgot to mention that part. Anyway, in regard to that, I needed to pick out a bicycle for the ride, so I was thinking about going single speed again, like I did for the last one. Only this time, maybe without having a flat tire!

So, I grabbed the Singular Gryphon and put a little extra sealant in the tires, spruced it up a bit, and rode it into work and back yesterday to see how it was. I took the long way home, and I noticed that the computer on there seemed, well........off. Maybe I am that slow though. Hmm..... Seemed like I was outrunning a couple of geared cyclists I came across though, so I don't know. Maybe we're all slow! I'll have to do a roll out and recalibrate, just for good measure.

But beyond that, I forgot how odd 180mm cranks feel. My Pofahl single speed has that length on it as well, which was the bike I rode in the last Geezer Ride. I forget how long the stroke feels at first. It is a sensation that you get used to pretty quickly, at least I do, but after being off that long of a crank arm for so long, it felt really odd yesterday morning. By my afternoon ride though, I couldn't really feel that longer stroke. I did notice my cadence went down a bit though. Gotta work on spinning that bigger circle a bit better.

And this ol' girl is going back to Odin's Revenge

Odin's Revenge is also coming up next month, so I thought a bit about which rig I would take over there. I've had the Gen I Fargo at that event before and I have done okay with it. The 'mud-fest" year was the last time I rode it there and at the time, I had a test post from Cirrus Cycles on it. It was a Body Float post, and it worked really well at Odin's. So, I took off the Body Float which was on the Ti Muk all Winter and I popped it over to the Gen I Fargo. I went for a quick ride, and it felt perfect, just like it did back two years ago.

I think that test/review post was a carbon fiber shafted one, but this one I bought is a titanium shafted one, which will also have a bit of give with as much extension as it has. I think this and the Luxy Bar, with better gearing than the bike had last time out there, will be a great choice for Odin's rough, long course. I probably won't run the frame bag out there. No need to carry anything but water and food at that event, typically. Water is super important, and the old Fargo can pack on lots of water. Six bottles and that's not including any I might put in a Chaff Bag or a jersey pocket. No need for a top tube bag mounted water bladder/hose arrangement, although that might prove easier to use and which may make me drink more often.

The Body Float post is really nice.

The Body Float post should help to keep me fresh and do that odd little thing it does to keep that rear wheel digging when the climbs are bumpy or if the ground gets greasy from moisture. I hope to do some long ride testing with this set up before the event, so I'll have time to dial things in.

I decided against the Fat Fargo because Odin's is a long, hot, tough event, and those wheels are heavier than these XC oriented ones which have done well out at Odin's before. I think the Fat Fargo wheels did me well in the loose, powdery dust out there, but slogging up climbs was harder than it needed to be. The Gen I Fargo wheels should prove to be much better for the hills out there. Deep dust, well that should work out okay, and with a promised different course, who knows what we will get out there.

Oh......and I am working on a special build. This new rig isn't even for me! I am acquiring the bits and pieces for this rig now, and I should have something to show here in a bit if the parts show up as promised. So, stay tuned to see what that might be.

Looking Ahead

Checking out the Gryphon and clearing the head

So, it is time to move on and start looking at some other stuff coming up on the horizon. Yesterday I mentioned the next Geezer Ride, which is free, by the way. I think I forgot to mention that part. Anyway, in regard to that, I needed to pick out a bicycle for the ride, so I was thinking about going single speed again, like I did for the last one. Only this time, maybe without having a flat tire!

So, I grabbed the Singular Gryphon and put a little extra sealant in the tires, spruced it up a bit, and rode it into work and back yesterday to see how it was. I took the long way home, and I noticed that the computer on there seemed, well........off. Maybe I am that slow though. Hmm..... Seemed like I was outrunning a couple of geared cyclists I came across though, so I don't know. Maybe we're all slow! I'll have to do a roll out and recalibrate, just for good measure.

But beyond that, I forgot how odd 180mm cranks feel. My Pofahl single speed has that length on it as well, which was the bike I rode in the last Geezer Ride. I forget how long the stroke feels at first. It is a sensation that you get used to pretty quickly, at least I do, but after being off that long of a crank arm for so long, it felt really odd yesterday morning. By my afternoon ride though, I couldn't really feel that longer stroke. I did notice my cadence went down a bit though. Gotta work on spinning that bigger circle a bit better.

And this ol' girl is going back to Odin's Revenge

Odin's Revenge is also coming up next month, so I thought a bit about which rig I would take over there. I've had the Gen I Fargo at that event before and I have done okay with it. The 'mud-fest" year was the last time I rode it there and at the time, I had a test post from Cirrus Cycles on it. It was a Body Float post, and it worked really well at Odin's. So, I took off the Body Float which was on the Ti Muk all Winter and I popped it over to the Gen I Fargo. I went for a quick ride, and it felt perfect, just like it did back two years ago.

I think that test/review post was a carbon fiber shafted one, but this one I bought is a titanium shafted one, which will also have a bit of give with as much extension as it has. I think this and the Luxy Bar, with better gearing than the bike had last time out there, will be a great choice for Odin's rough, long course. I probably won't run the frame bag out there. No need to carry anything but water and food at that event, typically. Water is super important, and the old Fargo can pack on lots of water. Six bottles and that's not including any I might put in a Chaff Bag or a jersey pocket. No need for a top tube bag mounted water bladder/hose arrangement, although that might prove easier to use and which may make me drink more often.

The Body Float post is really nice.

The Body Float post should help to keep me fresh and do that odd little thing it does to keep that rear wheel digging when the climbs are bumpy or if the ground gets greasy from moisture. I hope to do some long ride testing with this set up before the event, so I'll have time to dial things in.

I decided against the Fat Fargo because Odin's is a long, hot, tough event, and those wheels are heavier than these XC oriented ones which have done well out at Odin's before. I think the Fat Fargo wheels did me well in the loose, powdery dust out there, but slogging up climbs was harder than it needed to be. The Gen I Fargo wheels should prove to be much better for the hills out there. Deep dust, well that should work out okay, and with a promised different course, who knows what we will get out there.

Oh......and I am working on a special build. This new rig isn't even for me! I am acquiring the bits and pieces for this rig now, and I should have something to show here in a bit if the parts show up as promised. So, stay tuned to see what that might be.

Friday News And Views

There are no more Buzzards.....at least for now.

Singular Cycles: A New Era

Let's see now, I think I first heard about Singular Cycles back when a few of the bikes showed up on mtbr.com back in '07, maybe it was? I cannot remember anymore for sure. I do recall that my interest was piqued by a planned drop bar specific, single speed-able 29"er dubbed the Gryphon. I was patiently waiting on information as the prototypes were tested, and then something pivotal happened. A friend of mine, Marty Larson, began impoting the frames. Well, I got my hands on a Gryphon and ended up loving it. Then I found a Buzzard on my doorstep. No.......not the fowl, but a steel hard tail. I also really enjoy that bike as well. Then there were Peregrines, Kites, Puffins......and all of them are cool. Everyone of them were designed, guided through manufacturing, distributed, and marketed by Sam Alison, who for all intents and purposes is Singular Cycles. Like many creatives, Mr. Alison isn't necessarily keen on doing all the tedious business stuff, so he has enlisted help.

Frank Dressler in Weselberg, Germany, a long time Singular dealer, has partnered up with Mr. Alison to be a warehousing, logistics, and administration arm for Singular Cycles.  Singular will for now, and for the immediate future, downsize its model line offerings and will possibly re-introduce models or introduce completely new models in the future.

I look forward to seeing what happens to this brand in the future. I have a feeling some interesting models may be coming at some point in the future.

New lube for the Lube-Off

Not Sade'

Yesterday I received an unexpected package which contained bicycle chain lube. Okay, it wasn't totally a surprise. I had gotten wind of this stuff via the RidingGravel.com gig. I knew that this company was looking to sponsor our Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast, (which, by the way, just recorded another new show with the guys from The OGRE), and that they were interested in us testing the stuff. Well, lo and behold, here it is!

This is also kind of an ironic in the sense of the timing of its arrival here as I was about to publish my latest findings for the Winter session of the Lube Off here. Well, now that this stuff has hit the doorstep, I believe I'll hold off for just a bit longer so that I can include this product in on that update.

The next update should be in about two weeks then, and I will include Tri-Flow, DuMonde Tech, my experimentation with straight up WD-40, and this Smooth Operator stuff. This Winter has been extremely cooperative, in the sense that we've had everything- rain, snow, grit, slush, dirt, and whatever else is on the streets now. There will be a few surprises, and of course, this new "unknown" lube. Their site says it is good for wet or dry applications, so what we have now for conditions should put it to a good test.

The Winter Session of the Lube Off will be coming to a close soon, so I will have to get in as much on the Smooth Operator stuff as I can in the meantime. I may introduce one more contender that claims dual-duty as well. So, stay tuned for that.....

Tragedy:

As I sat down to write this up Thursday evening, the news broke that BMX and X Games legend, Dave Mirra, had died in an apparent suicide. I'm definietely not a BMX guy by a long shot, but I have heard of Dave Mirra, of course. He was a much bigger figure in the world of cycling than being just a BMX guy. To wit: My co-worker Andy texted me about it, and that was the first I had heard about this. Neither one of us are BMX guys, and I am old enough to be Andy's father, so that should tell you how far and wide Dave Mirra's influence was felt.

That's all for this week. Don't pass the chance to reach out to someone this weekend. You never know........

Friday News And Views

There are no more Buzzards.....at least for now.

Singular Cycles: A New Era

Let's see now, I think I first heard about Singular Cycles back when a few of the bikes showed up on mtbr.com back in '07, maybe it was? I cannot remember anymore for sure. I do recall that my interest was piqued by a planned drop bar specific, single speed-able 29"er dubbed the Gryphon. I was patiently waiting on information as the prototypes were tested, and then something pivotal happened. A friend of mine, Marty Larson, began impoting the frames. Well, I got my hands on a Gryphon and ended up loving it. Then I found a Buzzard on my doorstep. No.......not the fowl, but a steel hard tail. I also really enjoy that bike as well. Then there were Peregrines, Kites, Puffins......and all of them are cool. Everyone of them were designed, guided through manufacturing, distributed, and marketed by Sam Alison, who for all intents and purposes is Singular Cycles. Like many creatives, Mr. Alison isn't necessarily keen on doing all the tedious business stuff, so he has enlisted help.

Frank Dressler in Weselberg, Germany, a long time Singular dealer, has partnered up with Mr. Alison to be a warehousing, logistics, and administration arm for Singular Cycles.  Singular will for now, and for the immediate future, downsize its model line offerings and will possibly re-introduce models or introduce completely new models in the future.

I look forward to seeing what happens to this brand in the future. I have a feeling some interesting models may be coming at some point in the future.

New lube for the Lube-Off

Not Sade'

Yesterday I received an unexpected package which contained bicycle chain lube. Okay, it wasn't totally a surprise. I had gotten wind of this stuff via the RidingGravel.com gig. I knew that this company was looking to sponsor our Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast, (which, by the way, just recorded another new show with the guys from The OGRE), and that they were interested in us testing the stuff. Well, lo and behold, here it is!

This is also kind of an ironic in the sense of the timing of its arrival here as I was about to publish my latest findings for the Winter session of the Lube Off here. Well, now that this stuff has hit the doorstep, I believe I'll hold off for just a bit longer so that I can include this product in on that update.

The next update should be in about two weeks then, and I will include Tri-Flow, DuMonde Tech, my experimentation with straight up WD-40, and this Smooth Operator stuff. This Winter has been extremely cooperative, in the sense that we've had everything- rain, snow, grit, slush, dirt, and whatever else is on the streets now. There will be a few surprises, and of course, this new "unknown" lube. Their site says it is good for wet or dry applications, so what we have now for conditions should put it to a good test.

The Winter Session of the Lube Off will be coming to a close soon, so I will have to get in as much on the Smooth Operator stuff as I can in the meantime. I may introduce one more contender that claims dual-duty as well. So, stay tuned for that.....

Tragedy:

As I sat down to write this up Thursday evening, the news broke that BMX and X Games legend, Dave Mirra, had died in an apparent suicide. I'm definietely not a BMX guy by a long shot, but I have heard of Dave Mirra, of course. He was a much bigger figure in the world of cycling than being just a BMX guy. To wit: My co-worker Andy texted me about it, and that was the first I had heard about this. Neither one of us are BMX guys, and I am old enough to be Andy's father, so that should tell you how far and wide Dave Mirra's influence was felt.

That's all for this week. Don't pass the chance to reach out to someone this weekend. You never know........

Friday News And Views

From the course...

Geezer Ride:

Tomorrow is the 3rd Geezer Ride to be held in Waterloo Iowa this time. The start is at 8:30am at the Gates Park Swimming Pool parking lot. See the finer details HERE.

I know of about seven folks that have let me know they are heading down/up/over for this ride, which means there are about seven more that will just show up, more than likely, as this has been the way it has gone in the past. That's fine, but my instincts tell me this will have a smaller turn out than the last ride which had 24 riders. Lots going on now so it is understandable.

I'm looking forward to riding with everyone and having a glorious day on the bike. The weather looks perfect and the roads...... Well, who knows! I am sure we'll have some fresh gravel to contend with, as this has been the norm all Summer here. It's okay, we aren't leaving anyone behind and we will be taking things slow and easy.

I might bust out my single speed for this one, but we'll see. It is that or my Raleigh Tamland, I think. There are always some interesting bikes on the Geezer Rides, so maybe I should follow suit and ride an "interesting" bike myself!

Stay tuned for a ride report......

One of only two green XL Singular Gryphons in the US has been stolen

 Stolen Bike Alert:

If you've been around cycling, particularly mountain biking, you may have heard of "Fixie Dave". He's a Trans Iowa Vet, Tour Divide finisher, and an all around good dude. Well, his rig got stolen....

That's not cool, and I wanted to put this out on this channel to help in some small way. This has been all over social media, but the more the word gets out, the better chances we have of recovering this bike for a good guy.

This is a 2nd Gen Singular Gryphon in the green color, very rare, and one of two XL's ever sold in the country. It's likely that the bike has been stripped down, so be aware that this might show up on some lists as a frame/fork. If it is intact, it is set up fixed, and has only a front Magura brake. The crank set is a Rotor crank, so be on the look out for that as a separate part as well.

Here's hoping this becomes a quick and speedy recovery.

The new Fatback Rhino

 Fatback Releases Two New Fat Bike Models:

Fatback has been around with fat bikes since, well.....I remember seeing one at Sea Otter in 2007. So, a long time in terms of fat bike companies, that's for sure. They can be attributed with innovating several ideas for fat bikes we all take for granted now. Being up in Alaska, they were right on the whole "expedition" fat bike thing from the start. However; the fat bike market has taken a left turn into trail riding territory, so many companies have altered their geometry, or of the were late comers, started out with straight up trail bike geometry and have left the expeditionary types out in the cold. (<===HA!)

Well, at any rate, Fatback has released two new designs, one in aluminum dubbed the Rhino and one in carbon dubbed the Skookum. Both feature shortened chain stays, slacker head angles, and are based upon the 190mm rear standard which they first developed.

Both bikes feature suspension corrected geometry for 120mm forks and as completes are sold with Rock Shox Bluto forks. Head angle comes in at 68.5°, which is pretty slack for any bike, much less a fat bike.

The Skookum will be available as a frame, or in four different build options featuring different wheel sizes. It has stealth dropper post routing and features a through axle rear end.

The Rhino is available with a rigid, painted to match fork, or in other build options as well featuring multiple wheel sizes. The rhino differs from the Skookum in that it has rear sliding drop outs and can be set up as a single speed rig. It is conceived as a more affordable option to the Skookum and also has two color options available.

For more information see Fatback's website HERE.

That's a wrap! Better get out and ride those bicycles folks. Summer is on the wane and Fall is bearing down on us hard!