Friday News And Views

The RP Designs "Smart-Cockpit Bar" (Image courtesy of RP Designs)

 Electronic Devices In Your Handle Bar:

RP Designs has announced their "Smart-Cockpit MTB Edition" handle bar which is made from carbon fiber and has an integrated computer with a 5" touch screen embedded into it. 

The website for the product has the following to say about the computer features: "The exposed weave carbon fiber body is completed with fully-integrated Smart-Cockpit custom touch screen computer. Apple Carplay/ Android Auto connectivity and Cytech training app (powered by Strava) are pre-loaded on the system to provide you with all the training information and motivation you need for that next PB."

The bar also features fully integrated brake hose routing and instant cred due to that fancy outer layer of carbon with a weave that will definitely let all those in the car park know that you have a carbon bar. The price for such notoriety and electronic technology? $790.00. 

Comments: When I saw this, I figured this guy would be totally on-board with the idea. (sarcasm alert - "this guy' rants about electronic shifting, et alia, on social media a lot)  Anyway, yeah...... Whoo! I guess if I were really out there doing the MTB thing, my thought would be that this touch screen thing is going to look a lot like a smashed window, and if not that, like a mass of swirly scratches, in pretty short order. 

Troubles On Morgan Hill:

Last week it was widely reported in cycling media that Specialized has laid off 8% of its work force world wide. Reports out of the U.S. and U.K. seem to indicate that the layoffs were across several job types. 

Specialized put out a statement which read, in part, the following:

“This past week, Specialized made the incredibly difficult decision to say goodbye to 8% of teammates around the world. With the global economy changing faster than anticipated and rapid changes within cycling, the organisation adjustment will allow the brand to be adaptive whilst still investing in innovation.”

One report stated that some in the cycling industry are speculating that signs are pointing to Specialized readying itself for a purchase. The company has brought in several new C-suite people and coupled with the trimming of staff, these signs have many in the cycling world troubled.  Also noteworthy is the severe over-stock situations being noted across the cycling industry which only adds to the negative outlook.

 Comments: With recent news that Giant has asked for a delay of payment to suppliers, and news that sales of bicycles at the U.K. retailer Halfords has fallen below pre-COVID levels, the scene is set for a rocky 2023 in cycling retail and wholesale. What will happen will be affected by a large degree on consumer spending habits come Spring. If we don't see consumers spending on new bicycles and gear at least at the levels we had seen in 2019, as in the case of Halfords, I think the U.S. cycling industry is in for a very bumpy ride. 

Oh! And on the same day the Specialized lay-off news hit, Specialized was also feted in another news article telling of the company's purchase of Pearl Izumi's former digs for a cool 14.9 million bucks. Not a good look there, I would think. 

New Podcast Alert:

N.Y. Roll and I recorded another new podcast and it posted on Monday evening. This time we speculate on the 2023 selling season for the bike industry, we talk about retail experiences, and more. You can check it out HERE. 

Also- We are trying to amplify under-the-radar gravel events with the podcast, so if you know of a cool event that needs a boost, let me know and we'll try to keep that segment of the podcast going as a standard bit. We also would appreciate any suggestions for interview. You can comment here or, as always, hit me up at g.ted.productions@gmail.com. 

Thanks for checking the podcast out!
 

IRC Announces Partnerships With Belgian Waffle Ride, UNBOUND:

An announcement in the form of two separate press releases hit my inbox this week letting me know that IRC Tire had become the "official tire" of both UNBOUND Gravel and the Belgian Waffle ride. The presser specifically called out the Boken DoubleCross model. You can see an image from the UNBOUND  announcement alongside here. 

Comments:  IRC said in the release that IRC "designed the Boken DoubleCross for this event". Hmm... I smell "Marketing". 

It doesn't take much sleuthing to find reviews of the Boken DoubleCross going back to 2019, so whether IRC had the Flint Hills in mind when they designed this tire or not is debatable. They could have, of course, but it could also be out of convenience for this sponsorship.The presser makes it sound  like this is a new development. Okay..... 

The other thing I think about here is "What does anything like this sponsorship mean other than money/support for the event?" By my count this is the third "official tire" the Kansan event has had over the years. (IRC, Panaracer, Teravail) The name gets plastered all over the event page, anywhere the event is advertised, and provides a "feather in the cap" for social media marketing for IRC, but does anything like this make a real dent in rider choice of tire? Hmm..... I'm sure IRC would like to know that as well. 

And that little "seal of approval" that the BWR and UNBOUND post on these releases- Does that have any real bearing on what works on their courses? Maybe. Maybe it is fluff. Hard to know since there is no metric to go by on that. And maybe nobody really cares....

Okay, that's a wrap on another FN&V. Have a great weekend and try to get outside and enjoy yourself!

Friday News And Views

The RP Designs "Smart-Cockpit Bar" (Image courtesy of RP Designs)

 Electronic Devices In Your Handle Bar:

RP Designs has announced their "Smart-Cockpit MTB Edition" handle bar which is made from carbon fiber and has an integrated computer with a 5" touch screen embedded into it. 

The website for the product has the following to say about the computer features: "The exposed weave carbon fiber body is completed with fully-integrated Smart-Cockpit custom touch screen computer. Apple Carplay/ Android Auto connectivity and Cytech training app (powered by Strava) are pre-loaded on the system to provide you with all the training information and motivation you need for that next PB."

The bar also features fully integrated brake hose routing and instant cred due to that fancy outer layer of carbon with a weave that will definitely let all those in the car park know that you have a carbon bar. The price for such notoriety and electronic technology? $790.00. 

Comments: When I saw this, I figured this guy would be totally on-board with the idea. (sarcasm alert - "this guy' rants about electronic shifting, et alia, on social media a lot)  Anyway, yeah...... Whoo! I guess if I were really out there doing the MTB thing, my thought would be that this touch screen thing is going to look a lot like a smashed window, and if not that, like a mass of swirly scratches, in pretty short order. 

Troubles On Morgan Hill:

Last week it was widely reported in cycling media that Specialized has laid off 8% of its work force world wide. Reports out of the U.S. and U.K. seem to indicate that the layoffs were across several job types. 

Specialized put out a statement which read, in part, the following:

“This past week, Specialized made the incredibly difficult decision to say goodbye to 8% of teammates around the world. With the global economy changing faster than anticipated and rapid changes within cycling, the organisation adjustment will allow the brand to be adaptive whilst still investing in innovation.”

One report stated that some in the cycling industry are speculating that signs are pointing to Specialized readying itself for a purchase. The company has brought in several new C-suite people and coupled with the trimming of staff, these signs have many in the cycling world troubled.  Also noteworthy is the severe over-stock situations being noted across the cycling industry which only adds to the negative outlook.

 Comments: With recent news that Giant has asked for a delay of payment to suppliers, and news that sales of bicycles at the U.K. retailer Halfords has fallen below pre-COVID levels, the scene is set for a rocky 2023 in cycling retail and wholesale. What will happen will be affected by a large degree on consumer spending habits come Spring. If we don't see consumers spending on new bicycles and gear at least at the levels we had seen in 2019, as in the case of Halfords, I think the U.S. cycling industry is in for a very bumpy ride. 

Oh! And on the same day the Specialized lay-off news hit, Specialized was also feted in another news article telling of the company's purchase of Pearl Izumi's former digs for a cool 14.9 million bucks. Not a good look there, I would think. 

New Podcast Alert:

N.Y. Roll and I recorded another new podcast and it posted on Monday evening. This time we speculate on the 2023 selling season for the bike industry, we talk about retail experiences, and more. You can check it out HERE. 

Also- We are trying to amplify under-the-radar gravel events with the podcast, so if you know of a cool event that needs a boost, let me know and we'll try to keep that segment of the podcast going as a standard bit. We also would appreciate any suggestions for interview. You can comment here or, as always, hit me up at g.ted.productions@gmail.com. 

Thanks for checking the podcast out!
 

IRC Announces Partnerships With Belgian Waffle Ride, UNBOUND:

An announcement in the form of two separate press releases hit my inbox this week letting me know that IRC Tire had become the "official tire" of both UNBOUND Gravel and the Belgian Waffle ride. The presser specifically called out the Boken DoubleCross model. You can see an image from the UNBOUND  announcement alongside here. 

Comments:  IRC said in the release that IRC "designed the Boken DoubleCross for this event". Hmm... I smell "Marketing". 

It doesn't take much sleuthing to find reviews of the Boken DoubleCross going back to 2019, so whether IRC had the Flint Hills in mind when they designed this tire or not is debatable. They could have, of course, but it could also be out of convenience for this sponsorship.The presser makes it sound  like this is a new development. Okay..... 

The other thing I think about here is "What does anything like this sponsorship mean other than money/support for the event?" By my count this is the third "official tire" the Kansan event has had over the years. (IRC, Panaracer, Teravail) The name gets plastered all over the event page, anywhere the event is advertised, and provides a "feather in the cap" for social media marketing for IRC, but does anything like this make a real dent in rider choice of tire? Hmm..... I'm sure IRC would like to know that as well. 

And that little "seal of approval" that the BWR and UNBOUND post on these releases- Does that have any real bearing on what works on their courses? Maybe. Maybe it is fluff. Hard to know since there is no metric to go by on that. And maybe nobody really cares....

Okay, that's a wrap on another FN&V. Have a great weekend and try to get outside and enjoy yourself!

Friday News And Views

A map of the Butterfield Stage gravel route

Butterfield Stage Experience Route Announced:

People that ride bicycles LOVE point to point routes and having them drawn up for them ahead of time. I don't typically roll that way, liking to do my own research, but from time to time, I see something that piques my interest that is a pre-planned route. This new route announcement coming out of Missouri is just such a thing.

Here is the lowdown from the Butterfield Stage Experience site:

In 1858, John Butterfield personally carried the first bag of mail, boarding the Pacific Railroad in St. Louis. Butterfield's journey took him through Jefferson City, California, Tipton, Syracuse, Florence, Cole Camp, Warsaw, Bolivar, and Springfield--a journey you can live again by bicycling the Butterfield Stage Experience route in Missouri.

 Your ride on the Butterfield Stage Experience will bring you to all of these historic routes and places--and more.

In the 1920s the Dry Wood Threshers Association of Sheldon, Missouri, erected stone monuments at the location of every known Butterfield Stage Station in Missouri.

In the 1950s, to commemorate the centennial of the Butterfield Stage, the Missouri State Historical Society erected metal signs at towns along the Butterfield route in Missouri. Most signs direct you to the actual Butterfield Stage Station location (and corresponding stone monument) a few miles outside of town.

Tracking down those markers and monuments--as well as dozens more historically significant buildings and places across Missouri--is a big part of what makes the Butterfield Stage Experience a real adventure--and a real experience.

So, this ticks all the boxes for me. Self-supported touring, history, and gravel, all combined in a route you can do all of, or parts of. I think I need to make time on my calendar to experience this. 

 Controversy Over Almanzo Changes:

The chain of events started with the original founder of the Almanzo 100, Chris Skogen, announcing in August of 2018, that he was taking over the reins as the organizer of the Almanzo events. This after three years of being "retired" from organizing the events which traditionally have been held the weekend after Mother's Day in Spring Valley. Then, in a bombshell announcement in November of 2018, Skogen announced that the event was leaving Spring Valley due to some communications and requirements from officials in Spring Valley that seemed to be untenable to Mr. Skogen. The Almanzo events (100, 165, and 380 mile events) were moved from Spring Valley, Minnesota to Northfield, Minnesota, requiring all new courses for the three traditional event distances plus the addition of a 50 mile event which was added as well. 

Then, on Tuesday of this week, a mere four days before the inaugural Northfield events, Skogen announced that all the Almanzo events were not going to be timed and scored, and that there would be no number plates issued to riders. This announcement produced a flurry of both supportive and negative reactions. Skogen then, according to my contacts that saw it, posted a Facebook video claiming that the negative comments were inflicting too much stress and that this year would be the last Alamnzo. That video was pulled down within an hour of its posting. Then the following day, (Wednesday), Skogen posted on Facebook saying that he stood by his decision to eliminate timing and scoring and to not issue bib numbers since it was "a barrier to participation". Skogen then went on to cite failing bicycle businesses and falling participation in events as a reason for this decision to stand. The question of whether or not this will actually be the last Almanzo has been left unanswered by the latest post I've seen.

Almanzo's "Alexander" distance, 380-ish miles, was to have started by the time you've probably read this. The remainder of the Almanzo events, the traditional 100, the Royal 165-ish, and the new Malanzo 50, are to be held tomorrow. 

Okay, so I've recounted the facts here. Make of that what you may. My personal take is that I find this very odd. Whether or not Almanzo should or should not be a timed, scored, and otherwise "traditionally marked" race is up for debate. To me, that is all secondary to the timing of the announcements. This strikes me as being unnecessary. Why not run this year's events as they have in the past, and make your changes next week for 2020? (Unless this truly is the last Almanzo) What happens to the number plates and work done to time and score the event, which, one would think,  surely must have been in place a week before the event?  Odd. Seems a waste and ill-timed to me, unless....well. I don't know the particulars. So, my questions stem from having run events. Again- you are welcome to have your opinions, these are my thoughts as a race/event director. 

Good luck to those riding from Northfield tomorrow.  

The Bubblegum Princess with IRC Boken Plus tires.

 Records Were Made To Be Broken:

The record I have in my tire roll down test I conduct with tires I am reviewing was set several years ago when I ran a set of Gravel King SK 40mm tires. There were tires that came close, but none that exceeded the lower rolling resistance of that set of tires.

I used to use the Tamland for all those tests, as much as I could. The Tamland has disc wheels and QR attachment for those. Most every wheel I had was in that standard, so it made sense to make the Tamland the "control" bike and keep things as similar as possible. 

But as standards changed, (and I use that term loosely), I decided to switch from using the Tamland to using the Black Mountain Cycles MCD. It has through axles, disc brakes, and otherwise is very "Tamland-ish" in that it is steel, with a steel fork. Anyway, it is what it is. A change was necessary since almost every wheel I'll test now, or own, will be 12mm through axle until such time that some knuckle headed enginerd decides we need to change that.  

So, anyway- the record. Well, I use a big, steep downhill that is paved in town, (surface remains consistent), that spills out into a double tracked gravel/dirt thing. The Gravel King was one of the only set of tires that rolled without pedaling into this double track. Now I have a set of IRC Boken Plus 650B X 47mm tires set up tubeless on the BMC MCD and I took it over to the "test track". 

Result? Record blown away! I not only made it into this double track, but I went about an eighth of a mile up it. So, I broke the record not by a little- by a LOT.  By more than the changes in bike would seem to affect things. If anything, I would have pegged the BMC as slower since the body position is a bit more upright. Anyway..... 

It is clear to me that the IRC Boken Plus is the fastest tire I have yet tested on that course. Scary fast! I suspect that record will stand for some time, but..... Records were made to be broken.  

Have a great weekend! 

Friday News And Views

A map of the Butterfield Stage gravel route

Butterfield Stage Experience Route Announced:

People that ride bicycles LOVE point to point routes and having them drawn up for them ahead of time. I don't typically roll that way, liking to do my own research, but from time to time, I see something that piques my interest that is a pre-planned route. This new route announcement coming out of Missouri is just such a thing.

Here is the lowdown from the Butterfield Stage Experience site:

In 1858, John Butterfield personally carried the first bag of mail, boarding the Pacific Railroad in St. Louis. Butterfield's journey took him through Jefferson City, California, Tipton, Syracuse, Florence, Cole Camp, Warsaw, Bolivar, and Springfield--a journey you can live again by bicycling the Butterfield Stage Experience route in Missouri.

 Your ride on the Butterfield Stage Experience will bring you to all of these historic routes and places--and more.

In the 1920s the Dry Wood Threshers Association of Sheldon, Missouri, erected stone monuments at the location of every known Butterfield Stage Station in Missouri.

In the 1950s, to commemorate the centennial of the Butterfield Stage, the Missouri State Historical Society erected metal signs at towns along the Butterfield route in Missouri. Most signs direct you to the actual Butterfield Stage Station location (and corresponding stone monument) a few miles outside of town.

Tracking down those markers and monuments--as well as dozens more historically significant buildings and places across Missouri--is a big part of what makes the Butterfield Stage Experience a real adventure--and a real experience.

So, this ticks all the boxes for me. Self-supported touring, history, and gravel, all combined in a route you can do all of, or parts of. I think I need to make time on my calendar to experience this. 

 Controversy Over Almanzo Changes:

The chain of events started with the original founder of the Almanzo 100, Chris Skogen, announcing in August of 2018, that he was taking over the reins as the organizer of the Almanzo events. This after three years of being "retired" from organizing the events which traditionally have been held the weekend after Mother's Day in Spring Valley. Then, in a bombshell announcement in November of 2018, Skogen announced that the event was leaving Spring Valley due to some communications and requirements from officials in Spring Valley that seemed to be untenable to Mr. Skogen. The Almanzo events (100, 165, and 380 mile events) were moved from Spring Valley, Minnesota to Northfield, Minnesota, requiring all new courses for the three traditional event distances plus the addition of a 50 mile event which was added as well. 

Then, on Tuesday of this week, a mere four days before the inaugural Northfield events, Skogen announced that all the Almanzo events were not going to be timed and scored, and that there would be no number plates issued to riders. This announcement produced a flurry of both supportive and negative reactions. Skogen then, according to my contacts that saw it, posted a Facebook video claiming that the negative comments were inflicting too much stress and that this year would be the last Alamnzo. That video was pulled down within an hour of its posting. Then the following day, (Wednesday), Skogen posted on Facebook saying that he stood by his decision to eliminate timing and scoring and to not issue bib numbers since it was "a barrier to participation". Skogen then went on to cite failing bicycle businesses and falling participation in events as a reason for this decision to stand. The question of whether or not this will actually be the last Almanzo has been left unanswered by the latest post I've seen.

Almanzo's "Alexander" distance, 380-ish miles, was to have started by the time you've probably read this. The remainder of the Almanzo events, the traditional 100, the Royal 165-ish, and the new Malanzo 50, are to be held tomorrow. 

Okay, so I've recounted the facts here. Make of that what you may. My personal take is that I find this very odd. Whether or not Almanzo should or should not be a timed, scored, and otherwise "traditionally marked" race is up for debate. To me, that is all secondary to the timing of the announcements. This strikes me as being unnecessary. Why not run this year's events as they have in the past, and make your changes next week for 2020? (Unless this truly is the last Almanzo) What happens to the number plates and work done to time and score the event, which, one would think,  surely must have been in place a week before the event?  Odd. Seems a waste and ill-timed to me, unless....well. I don't know the particulars. So, my questions stem from having run events. Again- you are welcome to have your opinions, these are my thoughts as a race/event director. 

Good luck to those riding from Northfield tomorrow.  

The Bubblegum Princess with IRC Boken Plus tires.

 Records Were Made To Be Broken:

The record I have in my tire roll down test I conduct with tires I am reviewing was set several years ago when I ran a set of Gravel King SK 40mm tires. There were tires that came close, but none that exceeded the lower rolling resistance of that set of tires.

I used to use the Tamland for all those tests, as much as I could. The Tamland has disc wheels and QR attachment for those. Most every wheel I had was in that standard, so it made sense to make the Tamland the "control" bike and keep things as similar as possible. 

But as standards changed, (and I use that term loosely), I decided to switch from using the Tamland to using the Black Mountain Cycles MCD. It has through axles, disc brakes, and otherwise is very "Tamland-ish" in that it is steel, with a steel fork. Anyway, it is what it is. A change was necessary since almost every wheel I'll test now, or own, will be 12mm through axle until such time that some knuckle headed enginerd decides we need to change that.  

So, anyway- the record. Well, I use a big, steep downhill that is paved in town, (surface remains consistent), that spills out into a double tracked gravel/dirt thing. The Gravel King was one of the only set of tires that rolled without pedaling into this double track. Now I have a set of IRC Boken Plus 650B X 47mm tires set up tubeless on the BMC MCD and I took it over to the "test track". 

Result? Record blown away! I not only made it into this double track, but I went about an eighth of a mile up it. So, I broke the record not by a little- by a LOT.  By more than the changes in bike would seem to affect things. If anything, I would have pegged the BMC as slower since the body position is a bit more upright. Anyway..... 

It is clear to me that the IRC Boken Plus is the fastest tire I have yet tested on that course. Scary fast! I suspect that record will stand for some time, but..... Records were made to be broken.  

Have a great weekend! 

Test Mules

The ol' Raleigh Tamland Two Test Sled Of Doom

In the review gig I have found myself in over the last 14 years, I have had several "test mules" as they are called sometimes in the business. That term means that a certain vehicle is used as a base for testing various components or ideas. Those of you who have been around the blog here know some of these "mules" well. The one that I have probably used the longest is the old Gen 1 Fargo, but I have definitely used the Raleigh Tamland Two more frequently. In fact, it was noted by a reader here at one time that almost nothing on the bike is original anymore except the frame and fork. And now even the fork is gone.

Well, not "gone" as in "never coming back", it just isn't on the bike at the present time since I am testing the Fyxation carbon fork on it for a while. When that review is over I'll likely put the original fork back on there again, just because that's the way I originally had intended the bike to be. Raleigh asked if there should be a carbon fork originally and I said a steel fork would be better than some jackhammer cyclo cross fork, unless they were to develope a new fork for gravel. They said it would be easier to go with a steel fork, and so that's what they did. Anyway, some backstory for ya there.....

So, back to the whole test mule thing..... Now I am testing the aforementioned fork and some new tires. IRC Tires, to be exact. As with many companies, they are jumping into the gravel scene with tires meant for the purpose. The "Boken" tires I have on there are pretty smooth riding and fast, but not very grippy on mud, that's for sure! I'll have more on these later. But yeah, tires are a big thing as far as testing goes. I mean, I have no idea how many sets of tires have been on this bike, but there have been a LOT for sure. This has been a great bike for doing tire testing. Lots of clearance and room to slide in 650B stuff too. In that way, the Tamland was waaaay ahead of its time. 

The "new school" test mule.

But things get old, standards change, and this old Tamland is becoming less relevant as the days go by from the standpoint of testing stuff. No through axles, a straight steer tube fork, and not a lot of braze ons for accessories. It's time to move this one to the pasture. It's testing mule days are coming to a close.

 That said, I'll not be parting with this old bike, and I will still ride it when I have no testing going on, or if I just need to be on a steel rig that I like a lot. Plus, I cannot say there will ever be a bike that I had a hand in the design of again. That is a rare deal if you are not inside in a brand. I mean, I was just a shop mechanic that wrote a blog and here I was on the phone tellin' 'em what ta do. So, no....this bike, (which I purchased at employee discount from the shop where I work, by the way), isn't going anywhere soon.

The newer replacement "test mule" is already in service, and you've seen a lot of it too. It is the "Bubblegum Princess", or the Black Mountain Cycles MCD, (official name), and it has the through axles and braze ons, but......still has the 1 1/8th steer tube. So, I am in search of one more "test mule" bike, and there are a couple of things I want it to be before I pull the trigger. Through axles front and rear, of course, but I am thinking carbon fiber and........ Stay tuned. I've nothing on the radar for sure now, so the playing field is wide open at this point.

Test Mules

The ol' Raleigh Tamland Two Test Sled Of Doom

In the review gig I have found myself in over the last 14 years, I have had several "test mules" as they are called sometimes in the business. That term means that a certain vehicle is used as a base for testing various components or ideas. Those of you who have been around the blog here know some of these "mules" well. The one that I have probably used the longest is the old Gen 1 Fargo, but I have definitely used the Raleigh Tamland Two more frequently. In fact, it was noted by a reader here at one time that almost nothing on the bike is original anymore except the frame and fork. And now even the fork is gone.

Well, not "gone" as in "never coming back", it just isn't on the bike at the present time since I am testing the Fyxation carbon fork on it for a while. When that review is over I'll likely put the original fork back on there again, just because that's the way I originally had intended the bike to be. Raleigh asked if there should be a carbon fork originally and I said a steel fork would be better than some jackhammer cyclo cross fork, unless they were to develope a new fork for gravel. They said it would be easier to go with a steel fork, and so that's what they did. Anyway, some backstory for ya there.....

So, back to the whole test mule thing..... Now I am testing the aforementioned fork and some new tires. IRC Tires, to be exact. As with many companies, they are jumping into the gravel scene with tires meant for the purpose. The "Boken" tires I have on there are pretty smooth riding and fast, but not very grippy on mud, that's for sure! I'll have more on these later. But yeah, tires are a big thing as far as testing goes. I mean, I have no idea how many sets of tires have been on this bike, but there have been a LOT for sure. This has been a great bike for doing tire testing. Lots of clearance and room to slide in 650B stuff too. In that way, the Tamland was waaaay ahead of its time. 

The "new school" test mule.

But things get old, standards change, and this old Tamland is becoming less relevant as the days go by from the standpoint of testing stuff. No through axles, a straight steer tube fork, and not a lot of braze ons for accessories. It's time to move this one to the pasture. It's testing mule days are coming to a close.

 That said, I'll not be parting with this old bike, and I will still ride it when I have no testing going on, or if I just need to be on a steel rig that I like a lot. Plus, I cannot say there will ever be a bike that I had a hand in the design of again. That is a rare deal if you are not inside in a brand. I mean, I was just a shop mechanic that wrote a blog and here I was on the phone tellin' 'em what ta do. So, no....this bike, (which I purchased at employee discount from the shop where I work, by the way), isn't going anywhere soon.

The newer replacement "test mule" is already in service, and you've seen a lot of it too. It is the "Bubblegum Princess", or the Black Mountain Cycles MCD, (official name), and it has the through axles and braze ons, but......still has the 1 1/8th steer tube. So, I am in search of one more "test mule" bike, and there are a couple of things I want it to be before I pull the trigger. Through axles front and rear, of course, but I am thinking carbon fiber and........ Stay tuned. I've nothing on the radar for sure now, so the playing field is wide open at this point.