Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of ROTOR

ROTOR Unveils UNO Electronic Shifting Group Set:

ROTOR, the Spanish company best known for oval chain rings and crank sets, had Wheeltop, a Chinese component manufacturer, buy a majority stake in the company last year. Long rumored to be having an electronic group set in the making with Rotor branding, this now has become a reality with UNO. 

The "Gravel Upgrade Kit" version of UNO consists of the levers, hydraulic brake calipers, and the rear derailleur. Compatible with 1X only and with a 46T rear cassette limitation, the group set will cost $948.42 USD (Odd pricing, but likely a conversion from a foreign currency figure) 

The group set's rear derailleur is carbon with 7005 series aluminum bits. ROTOR claim the rear mech will shift up to 15,000 times on one battery charge. Interestingly, this group set is compatible with 10, 11, 12, and 13 speed cassettes as long as the rear cassette does not exceed a 46T low gear.

Comments: Well, another electronic, wireless choice which is breaking the 1K price point. Wheeltop's collaboration here is notable as previous efforts by ROTOR to make a group set were hydraulically controlled. This would appear to be more Wheeltop than not. Wheeltop users on the internet have reported mixed results with their group sets, and how ROTOR's UNO will fare is not known at this time. 

We will have to wait for the results to come in via real world usage, but for now, this marks a further march toward a wireless bicycle era which will feature no cables on bicycles. 

Image courtesy of Velo Orange

Velo Orange Announces Raffle For Charity:

Here's a fun bit of news. Velo Orange is holding a raffle for a Neutrino rolling chassis which has been custom Cerakoted by Weichel Coatings and has components from ATW Builds . Each $5.00 chance gets you in line for possibly winning this size Large Neutrino partial build. 

All proceeds go to helping out the mission of Happy Helpers of the Homeless, a charity who bring meals and support to homeless and poverty stricken men and women every weekend in the Halethorpe, Maryland area. 

The raffle runs through now to October 15th. A winner will be chosen at random the week of October 20th. See all details and rules for this raffle HERE. 

IMage courtesy of IRD Components

Airdrop Seat Post Provides Dropper Feature In Silver Ano:

IRD Components, who do a variety of niche items, have a new Airdrop dropper post which has a few unique features. You'll notice right away it is offered in a silver anodized finish rather than the common black anodization. 

The Airdrop also has no cable running to it or a lever to deal with on your handle bar. Rather, it uses a simple lever located off the seat post head to raise and lower the post through its 100mm of drop. 

The Airdrop comes in the common 27.2mm size only and has an overall length of 400mm. The maximum insertion is listed at 190mm and minimum insertion for the post is listed at 90mm.  

The Airdrop is available on IRD's site and runs $129.00 USD. 

Comments: This is kind of cool for anyone with a silver anodized build who may want to explore a dropper post on a gravel bike. Why would you want to do this? Well, for one, a dropper post can be used as a way to easily mount and dismount a bike by lowering the saddle when stopped. This is of particular benefit if you have a very heavily laden touring bike set up, or if you are bikepacking. 

Secondly, lowering the post on any longer downhill will help you get lower on the bike, and more aero. You'll bomb hills far faster with a dropper post lowered than not. It can be rather eye-opening, actually. Of course, there is the benefit while descending steep, rough terrain as well. 

US Customs Cites Giant For Forced Labor Practices, Holds Imports:

On Wednesday, "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" broke a story in which Giant Bicycles is being investigated for forced labor practices at its Taiwan factories. As a result, all Giant product and other branded product made there is being held at port until the matter is solved.  Giant is reportedly filing a petition to revoke the Withhold Release Order.,

You can read the story HERE.

Comments: This is an interesting development as it is widely known Giant also makes bicycles for several other well known brands. If, in fact, the Withhold Release Order is upheld, this could further disrupt the chain of supply and cause detriment to an already depressed economy for the cycling industry. 

This could also be seen as a bad public relations event, if this ends up becoming a larger issue. 

UPDATE: 9/26/25:  (From Bicycle Retailer and Industry News X Account) UPDATE: Giant clarified to BRAIN this morning that CBP is currently not holding any shipments from the company. The CBP's Withhold Release Order announced Wednesday applies to any products arriving after the order.

Image courtesy of Trek Bikes

That Full Suspension Gravel Bike From Trek Finally Is Official:

On Thursday Trek Bikes finally unleashed the Checkout SL- a 9K carbon fiber full-suspension gravel/bike packing bike. Replete with 55mm wide tires out of the box and the new Rudy XL (released yesterday) on the front. This bike has 60mm of travel up front, and according to a Instagram post I saw, 55mm in the back. 

Rumors and images of this bicycle were floating around the web since around the Unbound event back in early June, so those who caught the pictures then probably are not surprised here. 

And look at the flares and swept tops on this drop bar. Pretty radical for a 2025 release. I happen to like this sort of thing, but it does go in the opposite direction from the racing type handlebars on most newer gravel bikes. 

Comments: Hmm.... Much can be said about a bicycle like this. I will say it looks a little ungainly and the "Miami Vice| color palette is not my cup of tea. (The Checkout SL 5 is a more subdued black, by the way) The images of this bike kitted out for bikepacking look great, but the bare bike is sort of jarring to the eye with the tipped forward rack and MTB-looking fork. 

I could see an aluminum, more budget friendly version of this bike at some point if they sell these things. $8,999.00 for the Checkout SL 7 is no joke though, so you have to wonder if many of these will be sold. Mostly because (a) it is an oddball bike, not really XC MTB and not really gravel, and (b) it is a carbon frame bike. Most bikepackers are looking for Titanium or steel in this space. It is an interesting bicycle, nonetheless. 
 

That's a wrap on this week's news and views. Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions. Get out and ride those bicycles!
 

Friday News And Views

The FN&V Returns!

Honeman Flyer Gets Redshift:

Yes.....this is the third seatpost that this bike has had in less than three months. I know.... But this is all in the name of testing, and I think that this may be the last time I swap  out a seat post on this bike for a long while. 

It is a Redshift Sports seat post, a new one, and it will be "officially" launched next week. That said, you can find it on their website already if you are interested. I haven't been "unleashed" on this just yet. 

I also got in a ShockStop Pro stem for this bike and that I can say is a component that I recommend highly. I have hand issues and these ShockStop stems really help me a lot. (I talk a little bit about the ShockStop Pro stem in this post.) I rode this set up in Kansas and around here. I will have the opening review in a week. Stay tuned....

Image courtesy of Panaracer

Panaracer Announces Colored Tires For 2024:

For several years now Panaracer has run a limited edition set of Gravel King tires in various colors. This year's models are offered in a "Matcha Green" and in purple with either a skin wall or black wall.

The Gravel King SK, Gravel King X1, and the Gravel King SS in 40mm or 45mm sizes are the tires in the color program this time. If you want a set, it would be best to jump on this sooner than later as they tend to sell out fast.  

Comments: I often see these and think colored tires are a cool idea then I think about the ones I've seen "in the wild" and how dingy they appear. Then I also think about all that color on my bike. That's a lot of dingy, fading color that you have to live with until the tire wears out or you just cannot take it anymore. Then I realize this isn't for me. But if it trips your trigger, well then.....

Image courtesy of Merry Sales

Nerd Alert: IRD Front Derailleur Fiddler:

Have you ever had a situation where you were trying to set up a bicycle with a different crankset and realized that your front derailleur did not travel outward enough to get the chain onto the big ring? Well, if you've been there, you know what I am talking about. It seems that IRD may have a solution for this issue in some instances.

They call it the "Front Derailleur Fiddler". Essentially it is a mount for a "braze on" type front derailleur with a slotted mount which allows for lateral placement of the derailleur over the chain rings. 

Use Example: Let's say you've got an old late 80's/early 90's steel hybrid bike that you are trying to use as a flat bar gravel rig. You need to use this old Campy stuff you have laying around. Assuming the front derailleur is a braze on type, this doohickey will allow you to set that derailleur up so it clears the 42mm tires you are using and still get the chain in the big ring. Boom! 

Something like that, anyway. Obviously this won't solve every use scenario, but it might open up more possibilities for creative drive train use. Thanks IRD! 

Image courtesy of Fulcrum

Fulcrum Unviels New "SHARQ" Wheels:

Yesterday Fulcrum debuted a new all-roads wheel set with a very unique wavy rim profile. Dubbed "SHARQ" the rims feature a new wind-cheating design which Fulcrum has named "2-Wave". 

From Fulcrum's press release we learn that Fulcrum has experimented with rim profiles and the result was that they have a rim that blends the desired traits of reactivity, comfort, and aerodynamics in the best balance of those possible. 

The rim profile varies from 42mm - 47mm and is formed in a way which reduces drag and resistance in crosswinds by a claimed 21% in winds from 0° - 10° and an astounding claim of a 30% reduction in resistance in winds from 10° to 20°. These benchmarks were measured against wheels with similar profile depths. 

The set weighs in at a claimed 1440 grams. The inner rim width is a gravel-friendly 25mm. As with all Fulcrum wheels, the inner rim well is not pierced by spoke holes and does not require tubeless rim tape to be used with tubeless ready tires. The rim also features a "mini-hook" design.

The SHARQ wheels use a proprietary bladed spoke developed by Fulcrum and manufactured in Europe. In fact, all components making up the SHARQ wheels are either made in-house by Fulcrum or by their European based partners with full control over the process exercised by Fulcrum. Back to the spokes: These spokes are 3mm X 0.8mm  and have a special flattened base which interfaces with the Fulcrum hubs so that any twisting of the spokes is prevented. The hubs use ceramic bearings which are cup and cone style. The hubs are through axle design with an adjustment ring to achieve maximum free rolling of the wheels with correct bearing preload. 

The rear hub can be had in the following freehub standards: N3W (Campy), Shimano HG, Shimano Microspline, and SRAM XDR. Cost in USD is set at $2,807.0 and these wheels are available from Fulcrum dealers now. 

Comments: Aero is a trend in gravel and the recently run Unbound showed that in spades. This wheelset was used at Unbound with success. I've been saying for years that "aero" is a thing in gravel and yes - even at slower speeds that us plebeians ride at. Yes - aero wheels are expensive, but with the competition in pre-built wheels being so intense, and with how gravel is still a top category in cycling, my suspicion is that you will begin to see very well designed aero wheels for gravel coming in at much less than these SHARQ wheels cost. 

Image courtesy of Payson McElveen's Instagram

Big Tires For Gravel:

One of the notable trends coming out of Unbound was the use of 700c X 50mm+ tires on fast, carbon, aero gravel bikes in the Pro field. Payson McElveen's example is shown here with a big 29"er XC tire up front and what looks like a 700c X 50mm Maxxis Rambler out back. 

Unbound's sharp chert rock maybe an extreme example where bigger tires make sense. (Note - Big tires have always made sense in the Flint Hills) However; will big, XC 29"er type tires be the rubber of choice for the masses?

In recent years, the 40mm - 42mm tire seemed to be the happy place for most folks. Then wider 45mm - 47mm tires came about and then people started to catch on to the benefits of bigger rubber on gravel and dirt roads. 

If what I am hearing is true, and if what I am noticing is a sign, you will start to see 45mm tires be the "standard" for gravel with a lot more instances where 50mm wide tires are available in similar tread patterns. Bikes will clear 2.1" tires as a normal thing, and drive trains, wheels, and geometries will adapt accordingly. I think you will start to see less tire offerings under 40mm in width too. The focus is shifting to wider, and while you may think, "Hey! Just get a XC hard tail mountain bike!", this trend is not going away. (By the way, have you noticed XC hard tail MTB's are showing up now with 2.4" rubber?)

Image for the podcast by GCHoF'er Linda Guerete

Episode #49: "Postcards From Emporia":

We just dropped a new episode of the Guitar Ted Podcast for everyone to enjoy. In this hour long session N.Y. Roll and I discuss the Unbound Gravel event, (possibly the best weather year ever), and we get into the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame inductees for 2024. You can listen HERE or get the podcast from wherever you get your podcasts from.

I also get into a bit of a rant concerning the way nomination submissions are done with the GCHoF. I feel that, as I wrote here last week, that if we are relying on stories to be uncovered, both historical and impactful to gravel that should be celebrated and preserved, and if we are relying on those submissions to come from an uninformed pool of people who mostly aren't good at telling stories, then we will have limited submissions that truly belong in the GCHoF. 

I think there will be a change in how the GCHoF handles things in the future. That's just my opinion there. To the Board's credit, they are discussing and considering all forms of positive feedback and critiques on their ways of doing things. The GCHoF will evolve, and I believe the people behind the GCHoF will steer this thing into a better place as time goes on. I don't "know" anything about changes in the future for the GCHoF, I just believe they will do what is best in the future based upon the people involved in the GCHoF.
 

That's a wrap on this week's news and views. Have a great weekend and thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions.