Cruisin' The Strip

 In celebration of the twentieth year of this blog, I have a few tales to tell. This post is one of them. This series will occur off and on throughout this anniversary year, I hope to illuminate some behind-the-scenes stories and highlights from the blog during this time. Enjoy!

The 2008 "Urban Social" ride put on by Bikehugger on the Las Vegas Strip

 I hadn't been blogging for 3.5 years and I was at a point where I was going to Interbike, the former trade show held in Las Vegas, Nevada, back then, and was covering the burgeoning 29"er scene for "Twentynine Inches", the site I was "working for", at the time. 

It was a crazy year at Interbike. This would be the last time I would be there working for someone else. The scene was pretty nuts with a house rented to put us up in and all sorts of craziness in regard to activities outside of the show and within it. 

2008 was a weird time for many reasons. The country was experiencing The Great Recession of 2008, social media was juuuust getting going, but hadn't really changed how we did things quite yet. And we were at the last strands of what I call "The Analog Age", or in layman's terms "how we used to do things". 

This extended to the trade show, and was exemplified by the activities surrounding it. Interbike, for years, was known as the trade show where bike industry people went to "blow off some steam". or in other words, "do stupid stuff they would never get away with back at home". Things like having drunken all-nighters, going to strip clubs, or just being stupid socially. Things that would end up on Facebook, Tik-Tok, and X and get you fired, cancelled, and more these days. Nuff said.....

I was there and heard all about some of this nonsense. I did not partake unless it was for the ever-flowing free beer at the end of each day on the show floor. That was my vice back then. Then there was the fun stuff, like the time I rode on The Strip with about 50 other folks from The Sands Convention Center to Mandalay Bay resort and back on bicycles! 

There was a guy with a cargo bike who had rigged a thumping stereo onboard and was pumping out the jams all the way out. Each stop light was a portrait of how bicycles and vehicles were somewhat at odds with each other. and how one was "fun" and the other was not fun at all. We got friendly honks, great comments, and thumbs up from many going out. However, on the way back? 

There were three of us that wanted to get back to our beds and we raced down the Strip on bicycles, avoiding taxis and traffic as though our very lives were at stake, which they probably were. Unfriendliness was shown in the form of angry honks and cars cutting in front of us. I was on a 26' wheeled Dahon folding bike with a single speed rear gearing set up and I was tapped out and spinning like a mad man trying to keep up with my two companions. I'll never forget that ride until I cannot remember anything. That was terrifying! 

But I got to ride The Strip in Las Vegas on a bicycle. Not too many folks can probably say that!

Friday News And Views

Some of the contents of the Astral O.N.S. seatpost.

 Survival Gear: Should You Consider It For Your Rides?

Recently I did a review on the Astral O.N.S. Seatpost for Riding Gravel. It is a seatpost that contains a survival kit inside the shaft of the component. I also spied a review for some mountain bike shoes that have a tracker beacon embedded into them which doesn't require power and can be detected by search and rescue teams. Apparently some helmets for MTB have the same beacon in them. 

This all has me pondering safety equipment and if I have been too cavalier about my ramblings on the gravel roads in a solo capacity. Of course, I should know better....

I mean, how many times have I seen 'near misses' in Trans Iowa's 14 year history? Plenty, and that link is but one example. Then there is my own experience with an emergency situation. Of course, I was with a group, and in the example of Trans Iowa, there were other riders about that could help, but I ride solo. A lot. What if...... Well, that happened once, and it was touch and go there for awhile.

I know that one has to weigh the chances for themselves when it comes to taking risks, but a little prevention and prudence might not hurt. So, I think the guts of that seatpost may find a home in my solo gravel kit from here on out. 

A scene from the IWAR course. (Image from the IWAR Instagram)

Deadly Tornado Affects The IWAR Gravel Family:

Over the weekend the wild weather we often endure here in the Mid-West included tornadic activity in the area of the Iowa Wind And Rock territory. One of the event race directors, Sarah Cooper, lives in the area. While her and her family are okay, seven people lost their lives in the EF4 tornado which struck that area of Iowa. 

I wanted to share a message seen on IWAR's Instagram on Monday here: 

"Many of you have reached out to us asking what you can do to help. The most direct way to help will be to come to Winterset in April, and spend your time and dollars at the many small businesses in town, no matter how you feel about your level of preparation. On the surface, it's "just a bike race", but the impact it has on the community, especially now, will be significant. If you are unable to make the trip, Sarah donates a large portion of her time as a case worker for the American Red Cross. A donation to the Iowa Chapter, in whatever amount you are comfortable with, will also benefit those affected."

 Link to the The Iowa Wind And Rock website:https://iowawindandrock.com/

Link to the Iowa Chapter of the Red Cross:  https://www.redcross.org/local/iowa.html

More lazer guided bicycles, not lazer guided missiles! (Image from Gizmodo)

Lazer Guided Bicycles:

A reader of this blog sent me a link earlier this week concerning a new application of technology for bicycle navigation using lazer lights projected to the street/road surface. 

The technology is called "LazerCube" and, according to the story produced by "Gizmodo" here, it is basically a projector which can do text, animations, or other images using a lazer light source. 

It isn't cheap. The least expensive version would cost $1000.00 a unit, so this probably won't be replacing your Garmin anytime soon. But could you imagine a gravel race that sent you directions via GPS that this device then could project right on to the road? 

I don't know how well it would work on gravel, but think of the possibilities! I'm not a fan, by the way, but you know that if you've hung out here long enough. I still scribble out my own cues on paper! So old! 

The 'Infinity' by Stephen Henrich. (Image courtesy of Sintratec)

Mad Mono-trac Machine:

Back when we had the Interbike trade show, in its heyday, there would be these outlandish ideas and silly contraptions being hawked along the edges of the show. Sometimes in Interbike's famous 'basement' at the Sands Convention Center, or sometimes in the outer halls, or even outside the venue. 

Now we have 'gone all digital' so that circus show of crazed ideas is no longer a thing to see. But every once in a while a tech company has an idea, (see above) or an individual from outside the bicycle world comes up with a design to 'improve' upon the classic bicycle. 

I came across the Infinity concept by a fellow named Stephen Henrich online this week and it immediately reminded me of those odd, interesting inventions you'd sometimes see at Interbike. While the site, "designboom' describes this as a "bicycle", it really is not. It is a concept. It is a mono-trac machine, much like a tank, or anything utilizing a continuous track for propulsion. The "beach-city cruiser' concept features a centralized crank which appears to use a chain to drive what looks to be an internal geared hub that in turn has a wheel that drives the continuous belt. The belt ends are suspended by dampers which hold apart two cantilevered sections on either end which have integrated 'clips' to keep the track on its axis and not derail. The track itself seems to be designed such that it also provides some structural support. 

I haven't figured out if you can steer the thing, or how that would work if you can. It's just an idea, at this point, and not a reality, after all. But despite that, it is pretty interesting to look at, that's for sure. It's a mad idea, and I have to wonder how this improves upon, (or even if it does at all) the average, ordinary bicycle, which- as it turns out- is not so average or ordinary as we might think.

  Well, that's a wrap for this week. (Bonus: If you are an early reader of this post, look for a model release from Salsa Cycles at 9:00am CST today. It couldn't be put into this "FN&V" due to the embargo. I'll have a report on it tomorrow.) Also- GOOD LUCK to those riding in the Mid-South event this weekend!

Friday News And Views

Some of the contents of the Astral O.N.S. seatpost.

 Survival Gear: Should You Consider It For Your Rides?

Recently I did a review on the Astral O.N.S. Seatpost for Riding Gravel. It is a seatpost that contains a survival kit inside the shaft of the component. I also spied a review for some mountain bike shoes that have a tracker beacon embedded into them which doesn't require power and can be detected by search and rescue teams. Apparently some helmets for MTB have the same beacon in them. 

This all has me pondering safety equipment and if I have been too cavalier about my ramblings on the gravel roads in a solo capacity. Of course, I should know better....

I mean, how many times have I seen 'near misses' in Trans Iowa's 14 year history? Plenty, and that link is but one example. Then there is my own experience with an emergency situation. Of course, I was with a group, and in the example of Trans Iowa, there were other riders about that could help, but I ride solo. A lot. What if...... Well, that happened once, and it was touch and go there for awhile.

I know that one has to weigh the chances for themselves when it comes to taking risks, but a little prevention and prudence might not hurt. So, I think the guts of that seatpost may find a home in my solo gravel kit from here on out. 

A scene from the IWAR course. (Image from the IWAR Instagram)

Deadly Tornado Affects The IWAR Gravel Family:

Over the weekend the wild weather we often endure here in the Mid-West included tornadic activity in the area of the Iowa Wind And Rock territory. One of the event race directors, Sarah Cooper, lives in the area. While her and her family are okay, seven people lost their lives in the EF4 tornado which struck that area of Iowa. 

I wanted to share a message seen on IWAR's Instagram on Monday here: 

"Many of you have reached out to us asking what you can do to help. The most direct way to help will be to come to Winterset in April, and spend your time and dollars at the many small businesses in town, no matter how you feel about your level of preparation. On the surface, it's "just a bike race", but the impact it has on the community, especially now, will be significant. If you are unable to make the trip, Sarah donates a large portion of her time as a case worker for the American Red Cross. A donation to the Iowa Chapter, in whatever amount you are comfortable with, will also benefit those affected."

 Link to the The Iowa Wind And Rock website:https://iowawindandrock.com/

Link to the Iowa Chapter of the Red Cross:  https://www.redcross.org/local/iowa.html

More lazer guided bicycles, not lazer guided missiles! (Image from Gizmodo)

Lazer Guided Bicycles:

A reader of this blog sent me a link earlier this week concerning a new application of technology for bicycle navigation using lazer lights projected to the street/road surface. 

The technology is called "LazerCube" and, according to the story produced by "Gizmodo" here, it is basically a projector which can do text, animations, or other images using a lazer light source. 

It isn't cheap. The least expensive version would cost $1000.00 a unit, so this probably won't be replacing your Garmin anytime soon. But could you imagine a gravel race that sent you directions via GPS that this device then could project right on to the road? 

I don't know how well it would work on gravel, but think of the possibilities! I'm not a fan, by the way, but you know that if you've hung out here long enough. I still scribble out my own cues on paper! So old! 

The 'Infinity' by Stephen Henrich. (Image courtesy of Sintratec)

Mad Mono-trac Machine:

Back when we had the Interbike trade show, in its heyday, there would be these outlandish ideas and silly contraptions being hawked along the edges of the show. Sometimes in Interbike's famous 'basement' at the Sands Convention Center, or sometimes in the outer halls, or even outside the venue. 

Now we have 'gone all digital' so that circus show of crazed ideas is no longer a thing to see. But every once in a while a tech company has an idea, (see above) or an individual from outside the bicycle world comes up with a design to 'improve' upon the classic bicycle. 

I came across the Infinity concept by a fellow named Stephen Henrich online this week and it immediately reminded me of those odd, interesting inventions you'd sometimes see at Interbike. While the site, "designboom' describes this as a "bicycle", it really is not. It is a concept. It is a mono-trac machine, much like a tank, or anything utilizing a continuous track for propulsion. The "beach-city cruiser' concept features a centralized crank which appears to use a chain to drive what looks to be an internal geared hub that in turn has a wheel that drives the continuous belt. The belt ends are suspended by dampers which hold apart two cantilevered sections on either end which have integrated 'clips' to keep the track on its axis and not derail. The track itself seems to be designed such that it also provides some structural support. 

I haven't figured out if you can steer the thing, or how that would work if you can. It's just an idea, at this point, and not a reality, after all. But despite that, it is pretty interesting to look at, that's for sure. It's a mad idea, and I have to wonder how this improves upon, (or even if it does at all) the average, ordinary bicycle, which- as it turns out- is not so average or ordinary as we might think.

  Well, that's a wrap for this week. (Bonus: If you are an early reader of this post, look for a model release from Salsa Cycles at 9:00am CST today. It couldn't be put into this "FN&V" due to the embargo. I'll have a report on it tomorrow.) Also- GOOD LUCK to those riding in the Mid-South event this weekend!

On The Death Of The Trade Show

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Dave Pryor @ CrossVegas in '13

Back in the early part of the last decade I was probably in Las Vegas, or in the surrounding environs, for this thing called "Interbike". It was THE industry trade show for cycling for many years. But as with many things in Life, there were changes creeping in back then. 

One of the major changes was the dawning of social media. The instantaneous broadcasting of - literally - anything was bringing a new threat to the stability of the trade show. It was making what was once an anticipated event irrelevant. 

Gone were the times of waiting, the 'breaking of news' on one page in a magazine, or even on a website. No, now anyone with a smart phone and a connection could Tweet, Facebook, or post onto a site immediately, often, and with impunity. There were no "embargos" or editors. No filters and no managing of story lines. People walked down show aisles and posted willy-nilly on every bobble and bit they saw until, well, you could sit on your bum at home and see everything. Why bother with soiling yourself with the unwashed masses at Interbike? There was no longer any point in any of it. 

Brands and marketers figured this pivot out very quickly and took control of the loose reins. Suddenly there were less and less 'big brands' at the shows and messages now were 'managed' through controlled releases to the press via embargos. There were the brand specific 'press junkets' where brands could fly out hand picked media and groom them on their messages. Then there was the dawn of the dealer only events for specific brands where new product was released, shown, and orders written up. The very things Interbike was founded upon were now commodities controlled by the brands and marketers themselves. Interbike, as a vehicle for these things, was bypassed and no longer necessary. 

I saw that and my partner in "Twentynine Inches", Grannygear, saw that. We decided in 2013 that it would be our last Interbike show.  By this point we were able to get what we needed in a day. Hardly worth it from the standpoint of travel, lodging, food, and transportation costs to the site. (Well, in reality- that was my expense) The show had tried a last gasp attempt at life when it moved to Reno in 2018, but that was a failure, and plans for another show were shuttered afterward. There has been no Interbike since that time. 

Some folks miss the Vegas atmosphere. Not this guy!

So there ya go. A brief summary of the death of a trade show from my perspective. I would have been there around this time back in the day. So, do I miss it? 

No.

Overall, the answer would be a definitive "no". On one hand, I miss meeting people. I miss getting to know a few folks that are in the industry. But really, most of that, probably 90% of it, was superficial interfacing with a person for what? Five minutes? Maybe, if you were lucky. Then it was time to shuffle onward to the next "Hey! How ya doin? Yeah, the show is great. Goin home tomorrow. Have a good one!", and so on and on....

What people maybe choose to forget is the insufferable McCarren International Airport experiences, the sights of the downtrodden who live in the shadows of Vegas' Strip, or maybe the constant reminders that, on the Las Vegas Strip anyway, humans and their sexuality were nothing more than a way to make a quick buck and were meaningless otherwise. Some lament the 'getting together of folks', but you cannot ignore the rest of what Vegas stands for. And sure, there were multiple loud calls to pull Interbike into places like Reno, Denver, Anaheim, or the PNW, but when nobody could commit or seemingly make up their mind, Vegas became the default option. I think this was another key to Interbike's demise.

Some aspects of trade shows popped up at cycling events. The DK200 2015 here.

But the trade show, as a vehicle for information dispersal and business transactions, is dead. There is no real good reason to resurrect that idea, and 'getting together' is not good enough anymore. Not in large masses in centralized locations, at any rate. Business cannot afford to be a vehicle for superficial social gatherings. 

But other events do offer the opportunity for the gathering aspect that trade shows were once known for. Now, it would seem, the expo at a bicycle event serves as that social opportunity which fills a vacuum which was once served by Interbike, and to lesser extents, other smaller bicycle trade shows. In a way, the vestiges of the trade show are now carted around to various cycling events and one can see the old ways practiced, like they used to be, when Interbike was king. It's kind of like going to see the pioneer farming exhibit at the county fair. Quaint, but still irrelevant to modern times.

Probably the ultimate example of this is Sea Otter. A bicycle festival first, but a trade show as well. Sea Otter came to prominence in the late 00's as the place to introduce new product and get it into people's hands for impressions. Media jumped onboard with Sea Otter and it quickly became a much more efficient place to do business than Interbike ever was. A much more wholesome atmosphere didn't hurt either, as well as the beauty of the Monterrey area in terms of nature. 

But even Sea Otter has become somewhat lackluster in terms of marketing and newsy items since marketing and brand managers have sought out 'influencers', 'stories', and You Tube edits which they can control and measure metrics on better for their clients. Pinpointed marketing to specific media is also a big thing now and Sea Otter paints a broad stroke which doesn't always work for that. Add in COVID, and now one has to wonder how things will look moving forward in regard to 'expos' at events. 

Whatever happens, indoor trade show events are dead. What the future holds is not completely clear to me, but one thing is for sure- I don't miss flying out to Vegas. Not even one little bit!

On The Death Of The Trade Show

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Dave Pryor @ CrossVegas in '13

Back in the early part of the last decade I was probably in Las Vegas, or in the surrounding environs, for this thing called "Interbike". It was THE industry trade show for cycling for many years. But as with many things in Life, there were changes creeping in back then. 

One of the major changes was the dawning of social media. The instantaneous broadcasting of - literally - anything was bringing a new threat to the stability of the trade show. It was making what was once an anticipated event irrelevant. 

Gone were the times of waiting, the 'breaking of news' on one page in a magazine, or even on a website. No, now anyone with a smart phone and a connection could Tweet, Facebook, or post onto a site immediately, often, and with impunity. There were no "embargos" or editors. No filters and no managing of story lines. People walked down show aisles and posted willy-nilly on every bobble and bit they saw until, well, you could sit on your bum at home and see everything. Why bother with soiling yourself with the unwashed masses at Interbike? There was no longer any point in any of it. 

Brands and marketers figured this pivot out very quickly and took control of the loose reins. Suddenly there were less and less 'big brands' at the shows and messages now were 'managed' through controlled releases to the press via embargos. There were the brand specific 'press junkets' where brands could fly out hand picked media and groom them on their messages. Then there was the dawn of the dealer only events for specific brands where new product was released, shown, and orders written up. The very things Interbike was founded upon were now commodities controlled by the brands and marketers themselves. Interbike, as a vehicle for these things, was bypassed and no longer necessary. 

I saw that and my partner in "Twentynine Inches", Grannygear, saw that. We decided in 2013 that it would be our last Interbike show.  By this point we were able to get what we needed in a day. Hardly worth it from the standpoint of travel, lodging, food, and transportation costs to the site. (Well, in reality- that was my expense) The show had tried a last gasp attempt at life when it moved to Reno in 2018, but that was a failure, and plans for another show were shuttered afterward. There has been no Interbike since that time. 

Some folks miss the Vegas atmosphere. Not this guy!

So there ya go. A brief summary of the death of a trade show from my perspective. I would have been there around this time back in the day. So, do I miss it? 

No.

Overall, the answer would be a definitive "no". On one hand, I miss meeting people. I miss getting to know a few folks that are in the industry. But really, most of that, probably 90% of it, was superficial interfacing with a person for what? Five minutes? Maybe, if you were lucky. Then it was time to shuffle onward to the next "Hey! How ya doin? Yeah, the show is great. Goin home tomorrow. Have a good one!", and so on and on....

What people maybe choose to forget is the insufferable McCarren International Airport experiences, the sights of the downtrodden who live in the shadows of Vegas' Strip, or maybe the constant reminders that, on the Las Vegas Strip anyway, humans and their sexuality were nothing more than a way to make a quick buck and were meaningless otherwise. Some lament the 'getting together of folks', but you cannot ignore the rest of what Vegas stands for. And sure, there were multiple loud calls to pull Interbike into places like Reno, Denver, Anaheim, or the PNW, but when nobody could commit or seemingly make up their mind, Vegas became the default option. I think this was another key to Interbike's demise.

Some aspects of trade shows popped up at cycling events. The DK200 2015 here.

But the trade show, as a vehicle for information dispersal and business transactions, is dead. There is no real good reason to resurrect that idea, and 'getting together' is not good enough anymore. Not in large masses in centralized locations, at any rate. Business cannot afford to be a vehicle for superficial social gatherings. 

But other events do offer the opportunity for the gathering aspect that trade shows were once known for. Now, it would seem, the expo at a bicycle event serves as that social opportunity which fills a vacuum which was once served by Interbike, and to lesser extents, other smaller bicycle trade shows. In a way, the vestiges of the trade show are now carted around to various cycling events and one can see the old ways practiced, like they used to be, when Interbike was king. It's kind of like going to see the pioneer farming exhibit at the county fair. Quaint, but still irrelevant to modern times.

Probably the ultimate example of this is Sea Otter. A bicycle festival first, but a trade show as well. Sea Otter came to prominence in the late 00's as the place to introduce new product and get it into people's hands for impressions. Media jumped onboard with Sea Otter and it quickly became a much more efficient place to do business than Interbike ever was. A much more wholesome atmosphere didn't hurt either, as well as the beauty of the Monterrey area in terms of nature. 

But even Sea Otter has become somewhat lackluster in terms of marketing and newsy items since marketing and brand managers have sought out 'influencers', 'stories', and You Tube edits which they can control and measure metrics on better for their clients. Pinpointed marketing to specific media is also a big thing now and Sea Otter paints a broad stroke which doesn't always work for that. Add in COVID, and now one has to wonder how things will look moving forward in regard to 'expos' at events. 

Whatever happens, indoor trade show events are dead. What the future holds is not completely clear to me, but one thing is for sure- I don't miss flying out to Vegas. Not even one little bit!

Friday News And Views

From a Tweet by @shedfire from firstcomponents.com

 How Long?

Sorry, but not sorry! I'm giving you the latest I've heard from industry sources concerning 2021 bike and bike parts availability. This image is from a newsletter sent to Brant Richards (former bike/bike parts designer for On One and who did the Luxy Bar, plus more) from an industry supplier called First Component. You may have seen this graphic as it has been making the rounds of social media this past week. As you can see, things are backed up, in some cases up to a year. Some are saying the dates given on the graphic are too generous. Claims of 400-500 day delays are not uncommon.

While the image is of an HPC, don't let that make you think normally powered bicycles are exempt. No.....this applies to those fully human powered rigs as well.

On another front, related to the parts shortages, one of the "Big Four" cycling brands in North America (Trek, Specialized, Giant, Cannondale) is rumored to have told its dealers that bikes they pre-ordered for 2021 are now going to be fulfilled with 2022 models. That means that there will be no more 2021 bikes from this particular brand. I've heard that another one of the "Big Four" has communicated with dealers that any drop bar bikes for 2021 are now no longer available. Basically rolling over to 2022 as well on those. Salsa Cycles dropped their 2021 Fargo model recently and it is being told online from several consumers with experience trying to track one down that mediums and large size 2021 Fargos are sold out for the year already. I've heard 2021 Felt bikes are also gone. I'm sure many other brands are in similar situations, and the 2021 bike season is just getting underway. 

 Meanwhile, industry insider and "Forbes" online contributor, Carlton Reid (@carltonreid on Twitter) posted that an executive from Specialized, addressing the situation, felt that while sales will dip due to shortages at retail for 2021, the expectations are that sales and demand will increase by over 40% by the end of this decade. Really? With consumers attention spans measured in nanoseconds, my question is "How long will it take for consumers to find alternatives to spend their money?" And furthermore, with high unemployment rates, and a shaky economic future, will consumers have the money to spend on recreational things like bicycles in the first place? How many bike shops can survive two years (the latter half of 2020 and all of 2021) without things to sell? I think it is overly-optimistic to think that demand will wait around until 2022 when (hopefully) the supply chain can be firmed up. 

A screen grab from a video for ToeGo Pedals.

From The Weird And Wacky Files:

When I used to attend the Interbike Trade Show there were always these 'fringe' ideas which you could find lurking about the show. Generally these companies were out on the outer border of the Sands Convention Center, or down in the basement, or individuals would merely ride/walk around with their latest oddball creations in the halls of the show. Wherever you found them, it was sure to bring about some dropped jaws, wide eyes, and some derogatory comments whispered amongst the bystanders. 

With in-person trade shows for the cycling industry now either a thing of the past (Interbike) or on hold (pandemic), these 'fringe' ideas have had to find other ways to become noticed. I was made aware of this radical pedal concept from a start-up named "ToeGo" by way of a re-Tweet on Twitter. It's supposedly a much more ergonomic way to pedal a bike than using footwear and standard pedals. 

I gotta say, this is right up there with some of the oddest products I ever saw at Interbike! I'll leave it at that, and only add that I, for one, would not consider such a product for my gravel riding. The mere thought of crushed limestone ricocheting off my piggies is painful enough! No thank you, ToeGo, but good on ya for being bold and going where no one else has gone before. 

The 2020 Salsa Cycles Stormchaser

Remembering Some Good Medicine;

About a year ago I received the Salsa Cycles Stormchaser for review. Of course, this was right about the same time we all went into our shells waiting out the results of a virus we knew little about. Fear, anxiety, and negativity were in abundance, and it was hard to keep your head on straight back then.

This did not escape me, but I tried to keep my focus and having this new bike model from Salsa Cycles to review came about at the right time. Being that it was a single speed and a gravel bike made it something right up my alley, as the saying goes, so it didn't take much for me to shut out the world's troubles and think about what this bike was offering me as a gravel rider.

So, an escape vehicle of sorts, but the Stormchaser led me to something far more than that. I recall one ride in the country South of town when everything was so quiet and peaceful. I got turned around a bit, found my way again, and somewhere near the Southern border of Black Hawk County I stopped and I regained my hope for the future. It was one of those very personal, pivotal moments, of which there were a few of during 2020, that I won't soon forget. The Stormchaser was the vehicle that took me to that moment, so I will always have a soft spot in my heart for that bike in that moment. 

Yesterday Salsa Cycles announced the new colors and spec for the 2021 Stormchaser and Warbird models. That red Stormchaser will be a popular color, I am sure, but hard to find, I bet. As will the Warbirds. But whether or not you like the red Stormchaser or not, for me, there will always be a favorite color for this bike, and that is a shiny copper. This news of the 2021 bikes reminded me of that. 

On An Upswing:

 Well, the gravel is clear and rides have started in earnest. Racing is shaping up for a come-back and the scene looks to be a busy one as we progress through Spring and Summer. Thoughts of big gravel gatherings seem to be on everyone's minds these days. 

I'll be in solo-mode yet for awhile. This pandemic isn't quite over yet and I have patience. I haven't gotten a vaccination and I don't know when I will be getting it yet. I'm sure at some point I will. But until then, I am practicing the same things I have been for a year now.

Tomorrow I will detail out some of my early season plans. I am riding now to get in shape to tackle that stuff I have in mind and to review stuff for RidingGravel.com, of course. Meanwhile, I also will be doing some different rides from remote locations soon. That is something I wanted to do last year, but "The Quest" didn't allow for that. 

So, here's to a great 2021 riding season and I hope that you all stay safe and get some miles in soon, if you aren't already.

Friday News And Views

From a Tweet by @shedfire from firstcomponents.com

 How Long?

Sorry, but not sorry! I'm giving you the latest I've heard from industry sources concerning 2021 bike and bike parts availability. This image is from a newsletter sent to Brant Richards (former bike/bike parts designer for On One and who did the Luxy Bar, plus more) from an industry supplier called First Component. You may have seen this graphic as it has been making the rounds of social media this past week. As you can see, things are backed up, in some cases up to a year. Some are saying the dates given on the graphic are too generous. Claims of 400-500 day delays are not uncommon.

While the image is of an HPC, don't let that make you think normally powered bicycles are exempt. No.....this applies to those fully human powered rigs as well.

On another front, related to the parts shortages, one of the "Big Four" cycling brands in North America (Trek, Specialized, Giant, Cannondale) is rumored to have told its dealers that bikes they pre-ordered for 2021 are now going to be fulfilled with 2022 models. That means that there will be no more 2021 bikes from this particular brand. I've heard that another one of the "Big Four" has communicated with dealers that any drop bar bikes for 2021 are now no longer available. Basically rolling over to 2022 as well on those. Salsa Cycles dropped their 2021 Fargo model recently and it is being told online from several consumers with experience trying to track one down that mediums and large size 2021 Fargos are sold out for the year already. I've heard 2021 Felt bikes are also gone. I'm sure many other brands are in similar situations, and the 2021 bike season is just getting underway. 

 Meanwhile, industry insider and "Forbes" online contributor, Carlton Reid (@carltonreid on Twitter) posted that an executive from Specialized, addressing the situation, felt that while sales will dip due to shortages at retail for 2021, the expectations are that sales and demand will increase by over 40% by the end of this decade. Really? With consumers attention spans measured in nanoseconds, my question is "How long will it take for consumers to find alternatives to spend their money?" And furthermore, with high unemployment rates, and a shaky economic future, will consumers have the money to spend on recreational things like bicycles in the first place? How many bike shops can survive two years (the latter half of 2020 and all of 2021) without things to sell? I think it is overly-optimistic to think that demand will wait around until 2022 when (hopefully) the supply chain can be firmed up. 

A screen grab from a video for ToeGo Pedals.

From The Weird And Wacky Files:

When I used to attend the Interbike Trade Show there were always these 'fringe' ideas which you could find lurking about the show. Generally these companies were out on the outer border of the Sands Convention Center, or down in the basement, or individuals would merely ride/walk around with their latest oddball creations in the halls of the show. Wherever you found them, it was sure to bring about some dropped jaws, wide eyes, and some derogatory comments whispered amongst the bystanders. 

With in-person trade shows for the cycling industry now either a thing of the past (Interbike) or on hold (pandemic), these 'fringe' ideas have had to find other ways to become noticed. I was made aware of this radical pedal concept from a start-up named "ToeGo" by way of a re-Tweet on Twitter. It's supposedly a much more ergonomic way to pedal a bike than using footwear and standard pedals. 

I gotta say, this is right up there with some of the oddest products I ever saw at Interbike! I'll leave it at that, and only add that I, for one, would not consider such a product for my gravel riding. The mere thought of crushed limestone ricocheting off my piggies is painful enough! No thank you, ToeGo, but good on ya for being bold and going where no one else has gone before. 

The 2020 Salsa Cycles Stormchaser

Remembering Some Good Medicine;

About a year ago I received the Salsa Cycles Stormchaser for review. Of course, this was right about the same time we all went into our shells waiting out the results of a virus we knew little about. Fear, anxiety, and negativity were in abundance, and it was hard to keep your head on straight back then.

This did not escape me, but I tried to keep my focus and having this new bike model from Salsa Cycles to review came about at the right time. Being that it was a single speed and a gravel bike made it something right up my alley, as the saying goes, so it didn't take much for me to shut out the world's troubles and think about what this bike was offering me as a gravel rider.

So, an escape vehicle of sorts, but the Stormchaser led me to something far more than that. I recall one ride in the country South of town when everything was so quiet and peaceful. I got turned around a bit, found my way again, and somewhere near the Southern border of Black Hawk County I stopped and I regained my hope for the future. It was one of those very personal, pivotal moments, of which there were a few of during 2020, that I won't soon forget. The Stormchaser was the vehicle that took me to that moment, so I will always have a soft spot in my heart for that bike in that moment. 

Yesterday Salsa Cycles announced the new colors and spec for the 2021 Stormchaser and Warbird models. That red Stormchaser will be a popular color, I am sure, but hard to find, I bet. As will the Warbirds. But whether or not you like the red Stormchaser or not, for me, there will always be a favorite color for this bike, and that is a shiny copper. This news of the 2021 bikes reminded me of that. 

On An Upswing:

 Well, the gravel is clear and rides have started in earnest. Racing is shaping up for a come-back and the scene looks to be a busy one as we progress through Spring and Summer. Thoughts of big gravel gatherings seem to be on everyone's minds these days. 

I'll be in solo-mode yet for awhile. This pandemic isn't quite over yet and I have patience. I haven't gotten a vaccination and I don't know when I will be getting it yet. I'm sure at some point I will. But until then, I am practicing the same things I have been for a year now.

Tomorrow I will detail out some of my early season plans. I am riding now to get in shape to tackle that stuff I have in mind and to review stuff for RidingGravel.com, of course. Meanwhile, I also will be doing some different rides from remote locations soon. That is something I wanted to do last year, but "The Quest" didn't allow for that. 

So, here's to a great 2021 riding season and I hope that you all stay safe and get some miles in soon, if you aren't already.

Minus Ten Review 2009-39

Jeff Kerkove (R) and myself at Interbike 2009. (Image taken by S. Looney)

Ten years ago here on this blog I was telling Interbike stories from my short trip the week previous. Again, as I stated last week, I think this was the last, "good" Interbike show I attended. 2010 wasn't bad, but we'll get to that later.....in about a year. 

Anyway, this Interbike trip was always a HUGE pain to me but also a HUGE blessing in that I got to see certain people only at that show. If there is a negative to not having Interbike, this would be the only one, in my mind.

Humans, at least North American ones, seem to only get together if "forced to" by an occasion. You know.....weddings, funerals, class reunions, etc. Otherwise we're not tuned into just "making the time" just to see a friend, relative, or acquaintance. I am as guilty of this as anyone. I'm just making the observation. This image of Jeff Kerkove and I is a prime example of that.

Anyway, that is a time gone by, Interbike, that is, and I am glad I attended those years that I did. I always tried to make it something of an adventure, because if it wasn't, then why bother? The walks down the Strip, riding bikes down the Strip, or wandering around in the seamy back alleys of the casinos. Whatever it was I did there, I tried to keep it all above board and fun. But always the main thing remained. That was the people. Interbike was always about the people I met.

Interbike, ultimately, was taken down by technology. The reasons the trade show existed back in the Analog Era were all circumvented by the dawning of the Digital Age. You can virtually see components and bikes via the computer in your hand at a moments notice, and marketers go direct to that device now. Even the buying of stock for stores is all done on-line. The days of signing an order and getting a handshake are long gone, supplanted by faceless technology.

And in a way, cycling is going down that same path. You don't have to join a group ride anymore, or get on a trail. You can Zwift anytime you like. Scenery passes by on your big screen device safely, and everything is digitized- Right down to the post ride data which goes up on your social media immediately. Just sit back and count "the likes". Whoopee!

Someday I'll probably hear some young person ask me what it was like when we could feel the wind in our hair.

Minus Ten Review 2009-39

Jeff Kerkove (R) and myself at Interbike 2009. (Image taken by S. Looney)

Ten years ago here on this blog I was telling Interbike stories from my short trip the week previous. Again, as I stated last week, I think this was the last, "good" Interbike show I attended. 2010 wasn't bad, but we'll get to that later.....in about a year. 

Anyway, this Interbike trip was always a HUGE pain to me but also a HUGE blessing in that I got to see certain people only at that show. If there is a negative to not having Interbike, this would be the only one, in my mind.

Humans, at least North American ones, seem to only get together if "forced to" by an occasion. You know.....weddings, funerals, class reunions, etc. Otherwise we're not tuned into just "making the time" just to see a friend, relative, or acquaintance. I am as guilty of this as anyone. I'm just making the observation. This image of Jeff Kerkove and I is a prime example of that.

Anyway, that is a time gone by, Interbike, that is, and I am glad I attended those years that I did. I always tried to make it something of an adventure, because if it wasn't, then why bother? The walks down the Strip, riding bikes down the Strip, or wandering around in the seamy back alleys of the casinos. Whatever it was I did there, I tried to keep it all above board and fun. But always the main thing remained. That was the people. Interbike was always about the people I met.

Interbike, ultimately, was taken down by technology. The reasons the trade show existed back in the Analog Era were all circumvented by the dawning of the Digital Age. You can virtually see components and bikes via the computer in your hand at a moments notice, and marketers go direct to that device now. Even the buying of stock for stores is all done on-line. The days of signing an order and getting a handshake are long gone, supplanted by faceless technology.

And in a way, cycling is going down that same path. You don't have to join a group ride anymore, or get on a trail. You can Zwift anytime you like. Scenery passes by on your big screen device safely, and everything is digitized- Right down to the post ride data which goes up on your social media immediately. Just sit back and count "the likes". Whoopee!

Someday I'll probably hear some young person ask me what it was like when we could feel the wind in our hair.

Minus Ten Review 2009-38

Dusty kicks in Circus-Circus. I-bike 2009 trip memories.

Ten years ago this week I attended the Interbike trade show again for the fourth year in a row. This time in the company of Grannygear, not with the old "Crooked Cog Network" gang leader. That ship had sailed. Now it was me and Granny, against all odds we were putting out content about 29"ers while the "big league guys" were finally starting to come around to the whole big wheeled way of thinking.

We had some contributions from Germany in the form of articles by "CG", but when I think back on how we were able to carve out the little niche in the media that we did, well..... It's pretty amazing we could even get one reader! I mean, there are so many more popular, more well known, and far better funded sites and publications from those times that for us to even be heard was just unreal to me. I still cannot believe we pulled off the things we did, and trust me, we busted our butts for no monetary gain. It was pretty dumb, financially, but we maximized our resources and did a LOT with a little bit. Take for instance the '09 Interbike show.

I flew out to meet Grannygear on Sunday night. Monday we hit the Outdoor Demo, same thing Tuesday. We went from morning till evening, only taking time to eat before the demo and afterward. Then it was decompress, talk over things, maybe make a few posts, and to bed we went. Wednesday we hit the indoor show hard. That was it. We skipped out on the last two days of the indoor show deeming it all wasted time. We got all the content, no social hanging out, and WAY less spending on room and board. The savings were significant, and I was home by Thursday evening.

Afterward we reflected on our mission. Grannygear and I determined that we didn't miss much by skipping two days of the show. By '09 Interbike already was showing signs of dying, and we could see it. Less vendors, less "new" stuff to report on. Of course, this all was during the Big Recession, so go figure, but socially and media-wise things were on a fast track of change. Interbike never got its feet under itself to keep up.

Eventually brands just took their messages and their goods direct to consumer, bypassing the show, which had lost its relevance as a place to do business for the same reasons. Businesses took their deal making direct to the shops, not waiting for some "show" to sell their wares. Eventually, it became increasingly clear that even by using a meager budget to go to Las Vegas every year, it just wasn't worth it from the standpoint of content generation. By 2013 I was begrudgingly going to the show and after that dismal experience, Grannygear and I decided not to attend it again. I was out of "Twenty Nine Inches" by the end of 2014 and Interbike died in 2018. Now there is no North American trade show, and I doubt those days will ever come back again.

Maybe I'll be proven wrong......

Minus Ten Review 2009-38

Dusty kicks in Circus-Circus. I-bike 2009 trip memories.

Ten years ago this week I attended the Interbike trade show again for the fourth year in a row. This time in the company of Grannygear, not with the old "Crooked Cog Network" gang leader. That ship had sailed. Now it was me and Granny, against all odds we were putting out content about 29"ers while the "big league guys" were finally starting to come around to the whole big wheeled way of thinking.

We had some contributions from Germany in the form of articles by "CG", but when I think back on how we were able to carve out the little niche in the media that we did, well..... It's pretty amazing we could even get one reader! I mean, there are so many more popular, more well known, and far better funded sites and publications from those times that for us to even be heard was just unreal to me. I still cannot believe we pulled off the things we did, and trust me, we busted our butts for no monetary gain. It was pretty dumb, financially, but we maximized our resources and did a LOT with a little bit. Take for instance the '09 Interbike show.

I flew out to meet Grannygear on Sunday night. Monday we hit the Outdoor Demo, same thing Tuesday. We went from morning till evening, only taking time to eat before the demo and afterward. Then it was decompress, talk over things, maybe make a few posts, and to bed we went. Wednesday we hit the indoor show hard. That was it. We skipped out on the last two days of the indoor show deeming it all wasted time. We got all the content, no social hanging out, and WAY less spending on room and board. The savings were significant, and I was home by Thursday evening.

Afterward we reflected on our mission. Grannygear and I determined that we didn't miss much by skipping two days of the show. By '09 Interbike already was showing signs of dying, and we could see it. Less vendors, less "new" stuff to report on. Of course, this all was during the Big Recession, so go figure, but socially and media-wise things were on a fast track of change. Interbike never got its feet under itself to keep up.

Eventually brands just took their messages and their goods direct to consumer, bypassing the show, which had lost its relevance as a place to do business for the same reasons. Businesses took their deal making direct to the shops, not waiting for some "show" to sell their wares. Eventually, it became increasingly clear that even by using a meager budget to go to Las Vegas every year, it just wasn't worth it from the standpoint of content generation. By 2013 I was begrudgingly going to the show and after that dismal experience, Grannygear and I decided not to attend it again. I was out of "Twenty Nine Inches" by the end of 2014 and Interbike died in 2018. Now there is no North American trade show, and I doubt those days will ever come back again.

Maybe I'll be proven wrong......

More Thoughts On The Demise Of Interbike

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Late last week the bombshell announcement that there would be no 2019 Interbike show was dropped on the world.

No one cared but bike nerds......

I just wanted to get that out of the way first, because in reality, only diehard cycling nut-jobs give a rip about any of this stuff. (Which, in a way points out a big problem, but that's another story) Anyway, I figured that I would offer a little bit more in depth thought and analysis from my perspective now that the dust has settled a bit. My initial take can be seen here.

There were a lot of reactions ranging from "it's about time" to all sorts of hand wringing about what is going to become of cycling now that its central gathering force is now going to be absent for the foreseeable future. I have two main thoughts about this and the first stems from what I read in Emerald Exposistions' original statement on the matter, which I doubt a lot of folks have actually taken the time to read.

They (Emerald) said that their hope is to integrate, or set alongside, any future iteration of a bicycle show with any of their several outdoor sports expositions. Emerald owns and operates several sports shows, so this would perhaps make sense in the short term. Also, it was mentioned that any future bicycle show might be regional in nature. This also makes a LOT more sense than one, more or less West Coast-centric show which not a lot of shop owners and employees can get to for various reasons. Travel expenses being tops on that list, obviously.

When I look at what Emerald Expositions states in that release, I am reading that,"Since Interbike is small, and too centralized in the West, it makes more sense to us to regionalize the show in multiple places and on multiple dates to maximize attendance. It also makes more sense monetarily to combine it within other shows which will bring more eyeballs to both cycling and other outdoor sports."

Regional shows like those put on by distributor QBP and CABDA show promise

 Let's face it, bicycling is in a cycle where it is seemingly at a low point. Show attendance has been in decline at Interbike for well over a decade. In that same time, regional bicycle shows have thrived. Sea Otter being the preeminent one, but shows that distributor QBP put on- Frostbike, Saddledrive, and shows like CABDA have drawn good attendance figures for years in a regional capacity. You have to figure that the folks at Emerald Expositions are at least paying some attention to that.

However; my second "main thought" concerning the demise of Interbike has to do with something I saw very, very few folks touch upon in the reactions I saw to the announcement. That is a thing that is as plain as the nose on my face- The Information Age. 

Many of you know I refer to the internet as the "innergoogles" because between all the ways we can share information and Google's search engine, anything you want to know about you can probably find out about within seconds. Anything. Including the latest, greatest bike gear and bicycles. Not only that, but you can likely get that info these days direct from manufacturers, or brands, and if not directly, through their PR firms. Whatever the case may be, the end result is that news can be found fast. You don't really need magazines, radio, T.V., or trade shows. All you needed was someone there to upload it all to the "intergoogles" and BOOM! End of traditional business model, baby.

This cultural shift, which happened over a period of the last 20 years, has completely upended, or what current marketing likes to say has "disrupted", everything. Literally everything. Media, schools, retail, business, music....... You get it. Everything. This includes trade shows like Interbike. Even the Interbike people tacitly admitted this when in 2017 they made a big push for everyone to attend the next Interbike in Reno, Nevada because it was the only place the industry could meet face to face.

Notice- they didn't say we needed to go to "get business done", or to "see the latest bicycles and technology", or that we should even go there to ride bicycles. They harped on the "face to face", meet people angle, because, well..........that was the only reason left to go. Meanwhile industry expo attendees were left to foot the bill for a show they brought their wares to that had no relevance in the marketplace anymore. Their return on investing in the show? The meeting of other people in the industry? I'm sorry, that's all great and stuff, but the accountants aren't down with it so much. Those accountants probably would rather that you meet people on your own dime. On the other hand you had bicycle dealers who had already placed pre-season, (if that is still a thing) orders, and had already seen the latest gear and bicycles debuted, reviewed, and forum dissected to death for weeks before Interbike ever opened their doors for that particular year. Nothing to see here.......so why go? 

From my perspective, Interbike lost relevance altogether eight years ago. The last few times I went I was pretty much wasting time and money. The decision was made in 2013 not to ever go again, and frankly, I was completely justified in that decision over the years. As a person who could be said to be loosely associated with the industry in some capacity, I suppose, I wasn't missing anything that had any relevance to my sites, I was certainly saving money, and saving time. For me, it was a win-win not to go to Interbike.

Finally, I do not see anything like Interbike ever happening again. If there is another, centralized, all-encompassing bicycle convention, it won't be "Interbike". It will be something completely different.

More Thoughts On The Demise Of Interbike

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Late last week the bombshell announcement that there would be no 2019 Interbike show was dropped on the world.

No one cared but bike nerds......

I just wanted to get that out of the way first, because in reality, only diehard cycling nut-jobs give a rip about any of this stuff. (Which, in a way points out a big problem, but that's another story) Anyway, I figured that I would offer a little bit more in depth thought and analysis from my perspective now that the dust has settled a bit. My initial take can be seen here.

There were a lot of reactions ranging from "it's about time" to all sorts of hand wringing about what is going to become of cycling now that its central gathering force is now going to be absent for the foreseeable future. I have two main thoughts about this and the first stems from what I read in Emerald Exposistions' original statement on the matter, which I doubt a lot of folks have actually taken the time to read.

They (Emerald) said that their hope is to integrate, or set alongside, any future iteration of a bicycle show with any of their several outdoor sports expositions. Emerald owns and operates several sports shows, so this would perhaps make sense in the short term. Also, it was mentioned that any future bicycle show might be regional in nature. This also makes a LOT more sense than one, more or less West Coast-centric show which not a lot of shop owners and employees can get to for various reasons. Travel expenses being tops on that list, obviously.

When I look at what Emerald Expositions states in that release, I am reading that,"Since Interbike is small, and too centralized in the West, it makes more sense to us to regionalize the show in multiple places and on multiple dates to maximize attendance. It also makes more sense monetarily to combine it within other shows which will bring more eyeballs to both cycling and other outdoor sports."

Regional shows like those put on by distributor QBP and CABDA show promise

 Let's face it, bicycling is in a cycle where it is seemingly at a low point. Show attendance has been in decline at Interbike for well over a decade. In that same time, regional bicycle shows have thrived. Sea Otter being the preeminent one, but shows that distributor QBP put on- Frostbike, Saddledrive, and shows like CABDA have drawn good attendance figures for years in a regional capacity. You have to figure that the folks at Emerald Expositions are at least paying some attention to that.

However; my second "main thought" concerning the demise of Interbike has to do with something I saw very, very few folks touch upon in the reactions I saw to the announcement. That is a thing that is as plain as the nose on my face- The Information Age. 

Many of you know I refer to the internet as the "innergoogles" because between all the ways we can share information and Google's search engine, anything you want to know about you can probably find out about within seconds. Anything. Including the latest, greatest bike gear and bicycles. Not only that, but you can likely get that info these days direct from manufacturers, or brands, and if not directly, through their PR firms. Whatever the case may be, the end result is that news can be found fast. You don't really need magazines, radio, T.V., or trade shows. All you needed was someone there to upload it all to the "intergoogles" and BOOM! End of traditional business model, baby.

This cultural shift, which happened over a period of the last 20 years, has completely upended, or what current marketing likes to say has "disrupted", everything. Literally everything. Media, schools, retail, business, music....... You get it. Everything. This includes trade shows like Interbike. Even the Interbike people tacitly admitted this when in 2017 they made a big push for everyone to attend the next Interbike in Reno, Nevada because it was the only place the industry could meet face to face.

Notice- they didn't say we needed to go to "get business done", or to "see the latest bicycles and technology", or that we should even go there to ride bicycles. They harped on the "face to face", meet people angle, because, well..........that was the only reason left to go. Meanwhile industry expo attendees were left to foot the bill for a show they brought their wares to that had no relevance in the marketplace anymore. Their return on investing in the show? The meeting of other people in the industry? I'm sorry, that's all great and stuff, but the accountants aren't down with it so much. Those accountants probably would rather that you meet people on your own dime. On the other hand you had bicycle dealers who had already placed pre-season, (if that is still a thing) orders, and had already seen the latest gear and bicycles debuted, reviewed, and forum dissected to death for weeks before Interbike ever opened their doors for that particular year. Nothing to see here.......so why go? 

From my perspective, Interbike lost relevance altogether eight years ago. The last few times I went I was pretty much wasting time and money. The decision was made in 2013 not to ever go again, and frankly, I was completely justified in that decision over the years. As a person who could be said to be loosely associated with the industry in some capacity, I suppose, I wasn't missing anything that had any relevance to my sites, I was certainly saving money, and saving time. For me, it was a win-win not to go to Interbike.

Finally, I do not see anything like Interbike ever happening again. If there is another, centralized, all-encompassing bicycle convention, it won't be "Interbike". It will be something completely different.