Friday News And Views

 E-Bike Advocates Get Feathers Ruffled By Cowell Accident Coverage:

Over the last weekend, media personality Simon Cowell was injured during "testing of an e-bike", as reported by various media outlets. Apparently the famous judge of singing talent is doing well after a surgery to help him recover from a 'broken back'. So, that's good news at least.

However; many in the bike community were aghast that non-endemic media were, and still are, referring to the vehicle Cowell suffered his injuries on as being an 'electric bicycle'. The vehicle in question, pictured here, is a high-powered electric driven, two-wheeled contraption that looks all the world like a motocross bike. But it can be pedaled. 

Long ago, when I first started covering these HPC's here, (Hybrid Powered Cycles, as I call them), I stated that, "motor + bicycle = motorcycle". The advocates of the HPC's back then said, "Oh no, no, no! This is a 'bicycle' because it can be pedaled!" Then the whole argument about assisted pedaling vs non-assisted pedaling came about. Followed by the "Class" system and the laws drawn up to regulate HPC's, which, for the bicycle nerds, was enough to settle this debate about these being 'motorcycles' once and for all. 

But, as I have often stated, the general public doesn't see things that way. To wit: The Cowell incident. This is a great example of someone with a lot of disposable income looking to have something above the 'pedestrian', low-powered HPC options available under the umbrella of the "Class System" which the HPC advocates say are 'electric bikes'. Essentially, Cowell was on what amounts to an exotic car. An exotic 'e-bike', but the electrified bicycle folks cried foul at that designation. These same advocates argue that the thing Cowell was using is, for all intents and purposes, a motorcycle. Yes- and so is anything with two wheels and a motor. But the bike nerds are not seeing it the way almost everyone else does. 

Bicycling industry observer and opinion writer, Rick Vosper agrees, in a recent Tweet saying, "Be that as it may, that "not-an-ebike" is giving "real" ebikes some serious bad press. And we ignore it—or quibble over designations— at our peril."

And the beat goes on...... 

This social media post shows wind damage from a satellite view.

Derecho Damage Reports Coming In:

 With Monday's derecho event, Eastern Iowa has been buzzing with recovery efforts, and a lot of things have come to light that will affect us for the foreseeable future here. 

My next door neighbor is self-employed and a handyman, so he's been down to Cedar Rapids now for three straight days with his chainsaw helping out residents there to clear downed trees and limbs. He posted a short video and the devastation to the area is widespread and severe. I saw estimations that claimed Category 2 hurricane force winds swept through the area for up to two hours.  

People in Cedar Rapids were particularly hard hit. Thursday they still had no power, no capability to call 911, no GPS in the area, and anything needing kept cold or frozen was beginning to, or already had, spoiled. 

This has caused widespread damage to crops as well, as you can see from the satellite view I posted here which I grabbed off a social media post shared Wednesday. Flattened corn is basically good for nothing but silage, and loses all its value to farmers. Obviously, that's a big, big deal. Loss of trees and damages to properties will be into the millions of dollars and this area will not recover for several years. I remember the derecho that swept through about ten years ago now and it took a few years for things to get back to looking 100% normal again out in the country. This most recent derecho was even more widespread and devastating than that one was. 

You know, I do that "Barns For Jason" thing as a fun way to document barns in the country, but this is a piece of Americana, and of Iowa's rural agricultural history, that is quickly disappearing. This newest derecho probably hastened that by a factor of ten in the areas that it struck. Just one of the many issues that this recent weather event has caused. The fallout from this event will be far reaching in its effects. 

But for now, my immediate concern is that this recovery effort is successful and swift. Cedar Rapids has been battered into submission twice now since 2008's massive flooding and now this wind event, all on top of 2020. My heart goes out to those folks and I am proud of Iowans like my neighbor who have stepped up to lend a helping hand.  

Easton Drops Gravel Dropper Post:

Dropper posts for gravel? Yes. I have tried it and it is a good thing, but........ (There always is a 'but') Are the downsides of a dropper post worth it? That's the real question here. 

Here is the thing- You can descend faster, even on a roller, by dropping the post and getting lower. If you are doing a timed event, that's free speed and time savings. All you have to do is plant your rumpus in the saddle, push the button/lever, and Wheeeeee! Free speed. No effort required. 

Maybe you live out West, or maybe out East, and you have the types of trails/roads that are pretty steep. A little bit of dropper post action might make all the difference there. I get that. A dropper post on the ATRB (Remember yesterday's post?) might be just what the doctor ordered. 

Now the thing here is that dropper posts come with penalties, or compromises, if you want to be kind. Weight is one. Yep- plan on at least doubling the weight of a nice carbon post. Probably more when you consider the lever, wire, and housing involved. Oh, and complexity is increased along with maintenance issues at some point. (Ever do maintenance on a standard post? No? I thought so) 

Obviously, these posts are expensive too. Very high end carbon posts can approach the prices of these droppers, but again- those are lighter and require zero maintenance. Now think about saddle bags. You can get one made for a dropper, but they are few and far between. There are literally thousands of seat bag choices for a standard post. 

And how much would you actually use the darn thing? There maybe is the number one reason not to buy in. But if you do, the Easton post has 50mm of drop, comes in 27.2mm and an overall length of 350mm or 400mm. The post retails for $239.99.  The site for the page on this post is here.

That's it for this week! Have a great weekend!

Friday News And Views

 E-Bike Advocates Get Feathers Ruffled By Cowell Accident Coverage:

Over the last weekend, media personality Simon Cowell was injured during "testing of an e-bike", as reported by various media outlets. Apparently the famous judge of singing talent is doing well after a surgery to help him recover from a 'broken back'. So, that's good news at least.

However; many in the bike community were aghast that non-endemic media were, and still are, referring to the vehicle Cowell suffered his injuries on as being an 'electric bicycle'. The vehicle in question, pictured here, is a high-powered electric driven, two-wheeled contraption that looks all the world like a motocross bike. But it can be pedaled. 

Long ago, when I first started covering these HPC's here, (Hybrid Powered Cycles, as I call them), I stated that, "motor + bicycle = motorcycle". The advocates of the HPC's back then said, "Oh no, no, no! This is a 'bicycle' because it can be pedaled!" Then the whole argument about assisted pedaling vs non-assisted pedaling came about. Followed by the "Class" system and the laws drawn up to regulate HPC's, which, for the bicycle nerds, was enough to settle this debate about these being 'motorcycles' once and for all. 

But, as I have often stated, the general public doesn't see things that way. To wit: The Cowell incident. This is a great example of someone with a lot of disposable income looking to have something above the 'pedestrian', low-powered HPC options available under the umbrella of the "Class System" which the HPC advocates say are 'electric bikes'. Essentially, Cowell was on what amounts to an exotic car. An exotic 'e-bike', but the electrified bicycle folks cried foul at that designation. These same advocates argue that the thing Cowell was using is, for all intents and purposes, a motorcycle. Yes- and so is anything with two wheels and a motor. But the bike nerds are not seeing it the way almost everyone else does. 

Bicycling industry observer and opinion writer, Rick Vosper agrees, in a recent Tweet saying, "Be that as it may, that "not-an-ebike" is giving "real" ebikes some serious bad press. And we ignore it—or quibble over designations— at our peril."

And the beat goes on...... 

This social media post shows wind damage from a satellite view.

Derecho Damage Reports Coming In:

 With Monday's derecho event, Eastern Iowa has been buzzing with recovery efforts, and a lot of things have come to light that will affect us for the foreseeable future here. 

My next door neighbor is self-employed and a handyman, so he's been down to Cedar Rapids now for three straight days with his chainsaw helping out residents there to clear downed trees and limbs. He posted a short video and the devastation to the area is widespread and severe. I saw estimations that claimed Category 2 hurricane force winds swept through the area for up to two hours.  

People in Cedar Rapids were particularly hard hit. Thursday they still had no power, no capability to call 911, no GPS in the area, and anything needing kept cold or frozen was beginning to, or already had, spoiled. 

This has caused widespread damage to crops as well, as you can see from the satellite view I posted here which I grabbed off a social media post shared Wednesday. Flattened corn is basically good for nothing but silage, and loses all its value to farmers. Obviously, that's a big, big deal. Loss of trees and damages to properties will be into the millions of dollars and this area will not recover for several years. I remember the derecho that swept through about ten years ago now and it took a few years for things to get back to looking 100% normal again out in the country. This most recent derecho was even more widespread and devastating than that one was. 

You know, I do that "Barns For Jason" thing as a fun way to document barns in the country, but this is a piece of Americana, and of Iowa's rural agricultural history, that is quickly disappearing. This newest derecho probably hastened that by a factor of ten in the areas that it struck. Just one of the many issues that this recent weather event has caused. The fallout from this event will be far reaching in its effects. 

But for now, my immediate concern is that this recovery effort is successful and swift. Cedar Rapids has been battered into submission twice now since 2008's massive flooding and now this wind event, all on top of 2020. My heart goes out to those folks and I am proud of Iowans like my neighbor who have stepped up to lend a helping hand.  

Easton Drops Gravel Dropper Post:

Dropper posts for gravel? Yes. I have tried it and it is a good thing, but........ (There always is a 'but') Are the downsides of a dropper post worth it? That's the real question here. 

Here is the thing- You can descend faster, even on a roller, by dropping the post and getting lower. If you are doing a timed event, that's free speed and time savings. All you have to do is plant your rumpus in the saddle, push the button/lever, and Wheeeeee! Free speed. No effort required. 

Maybe you live out West, or maybe out East, and you have the types of trails/roads that are pretty steep. A little bit of dropper post action might make all the difference there. I get that. A dropper post on the ATRB (Remember yesterday's post?) might be just what the doctor ordered. 

Now the thing here is that dropper posts come with penalties, or compromises, if you want to be kind. Weight is one. Yep- plan on at least doubling the weight of a nice carbon post. Probably more when you consider the lever, wire, and housing involved. Oh, and complexity is increased along with maintenance issues at some point. (Ever do maintenance on a standard post? No? I thought so) 

Obviously, these posts are expensive too. Very high end carbon posts can approach the prices of these droppers, but again- those are lighter and require zero maintenance. Now think about saddle bags. You can get one made for a dropper, but they are few and far between. There are literally thousands of seat bag choices for a standard post. 

And how much would you actually use the darn thing? There maybe is the number one reason not to buy in. But if you do, the Easton post has 50mm of drop, comes in 27.2mm and an overall length of 350mm or 400mm. The post retails for $239.99.  The site for the page on this post is here.

That's it for this week! Have a great weekend!

In The Eye Of The Beholder

Sometimes beauty pokes you in the eye here......

I was out riding on Saturday and while I was alone, I had plenty of time to think about all kinds of stuff. Music, family, Trans Iowa, and then it crossed my mind, again, that this was a beautiful place to be.

Iowa?

See, this is what I think about living here and the beauty of this place. First of all- it isn't easy. Not like it is, say,  in places like Colorado, up in the Rockies. You pretty much have beauty punching you in the face. I mean, you'd have to be a pretty dead person not to feel it there, it is so obvious. Kind of like swimming in a pool of wine, you can't help but get drunk. This isn't so much the case here in Iowa, I think.

I was thinking on my ride that Iowa's beauty isn't like a pool of wine that makes it easy to get drunk. It is more like a sippin' whiskey. You can't toss it back, or you will hate it. It isn't obvious immediately how to even take it in. But once you get it, you take a small sip, let it linger on the palette, and then swallow. Iowa's beauty is like this, in my estimation. You have to know how to take it in, and when you find it, you let it settle in. Slowly. It isn't plainly obvious, and not just anyone will find it, but when you do, it is worth it.

Then again maybe I shouldn't think so much when I ride.......

In The Eye Of The Beholder

Sometimes beauty pokes you in the eye here......

I was out riding on Saturday and while I was alone, I had plenty of time to think about all kinds of stuff. Music, family, Trans Iowa, and then it crossed my mind, again, that this was a beautiful place to be.

Iowa?

See, this is what I think about living here and the beauty of this place. First of all- it isn't easy. Not like it is, say,  in places like Colorado, up in the Rockies. You pretty much have beauty punching you in the face. I mean, you'd have to be a pretty dead person not to feel it there, it is so obvious. Kind of like swimming in a pool of wine, you can't help but get drunk. This isn't so much the case here in Iowa, I think.

I was thinking on my ride that Iowa's beauty isn't like a pool of wine that makes it easy to get drunk. It is more like a sippin' whiskey. You can't toss it back, or you will hate it. It isn't obvious immediately how to even take it in. But once you get it, you take a small sip, let it linger on the palette, and then swallow. Iowa's beauty is like this, in my estimation. You have to know how to take it in, and when you find it, you let it settle in. Slowly. It isn't plainly obvious, and not just anyone will find it, but when you do, it is worth it.

Then again maybe I shouldn't think so much when I ride.......

Friday News And Views

The new SRAM GX 2X11 group (minus cassette)

If you were cruising the web yesterday you probably saw that SRAM introduced a new suite of mtb components dubbed "GX". The new stuff supplants X-7 and X-9 parts and will fall into a price point similar to what those parts cost at retail.

There are two interesting things about this from my standpoint. Firstly, it brings a 1 X 11 possibility to a much lower price point which is affordable to far more people. This will see tons of spec on 2016 model bikes. But in a brilliant move, SRAM finally made a 2 X 11 option which utilizes the 10-42 cassette and will have a tremendously wide gearing range. Again- all at a price point far below elite level components. This will circumvent Shimano's entry to 11 speed componentry since they only have XTR at present, (unless they unleash an XT and SLX variant on XTR later this year), and will probably push the XD driver standard further down in price point on wheels as well.

From where I sit, I am pleased with this SRAM announcement as it slides perfectly into my schemes that I have in pursuit of my 29+ project. Hopefully we won't have to wait forever to see this stuff become available. At any rate, the derailleur and shifter are all I am really after, and when I get those parts, I will have all I need to complete the drive train. Then it will be on to tires......

Finally, all the media stories mentioned that these parts will be offered in a  Boost 142 compatible version. That tells all of us out here that you can pretty much look for 135mm QR rear hubs to start disappearing for most future mountain bike applications. And really, it's been far too long that the industry has held on to that standard for mtb. Don't worry though. Your old 135OLD disc hubs will work perfectly on new road bikes for quite awhile into the future.

Ira Iowa- T.I.v9 Checkpoint #1

Forgotten Iowa:

Okay, if you are a sucker for historical tidbits about Iowa, then beware of this next link, because it just may suck you in! It is a site about little hamlets, villages, towns, and forgotten places in Iowa. Here's the link. 

I love stuff like this, and I come across places like this all the time in my Trans Iowa wanderings setting up courses. When I peruse maps and see some spot listed that is near to where I want to go, has an interesting name, or a historical connection to someone or something, I'm all over that as a place to go through for Trans Iowa. I don't know that anyone else has caught on to that, or even cares as much as I do, but I love that sort of thing. It goes way back to one of my old self-supported tours I did in the mid-90's where we went through Wood, South Dakota. I just remember thinking that I might be one of only a few people that had ever gone through that village of 62 people on a bicycle. It just struck me as being cool and I have remarked to people bragging about having gone to some far flung places on the globe by saying, "Oh yeah? But have you ever been to Wood, South Dakota?".

I know.......I am sort of an oddball that way. 

In fact, I probably got the bug for old places when I was a kid. My family's homestead on the paternal side is near to another forgotten place- Maple Leaf, Iowa- and I put that on the Trans Iowa Masters Program course last Summer because I thought that was cool. Anyway, if you are in T.I.v11, be prepared to see some more of "Forgotten Iowa" on the course!

Gravel Nonsense:

A couple things that I wanted to clear up that I see are tripping folks up unexpectedly. One has to do with April Fools Day. I'll tell ya- the cycling industry needs to just stop the juvenile false stories on every 4/1 that comes along. It's not clever, funny, or in good taste. It just leads to confusion and makes people stupid. That isn't funny, by the way.

First is the story published by a certain cyclo cross-centric site that stated the UCI was going to start a "gravel road racing series" with rules and also was going to state what was and what wasn't a "gravel road".

It's all FALSE people. Not true at all.

Even if that actually did occur, who really cares what the UCI says? I don't and a lot of other promoters and riders would just carry on- business as usual. That so many folks thought the story was real is sad and the folks that foisted that one on the unsuspecting public should be ashamed. In fact, the site that published that garbage had to publish a retraction the very next day. Hope that was worth all the clicks you got on that one.......

 Next up is another specious story that was originally put up on the web in June of last year, and keeps coming back up again and again in re-posts by the originating site and shares by manufacturers that apparently don't get that this is an "old story" and not at all accurate. It claims to list the "10 Best Gravel Races" around the country. First off, it is so poorly researched that it doesn't include the Almanzo 100, arguably one of the most popular grassroots races ever, and also included an event, which at the time of the original publishing had not ever been held yet.

There are over 230 events that I am aware of, and several of them could be argued to be "best" in several different categories. The criteria for choosing the ones listed on the site that published this goofy piece? Who knows. If you see this link anywhere on the web, just know that it is pretty much "click-bait" and nothing more.

And one more bit of gravel nonsense from yours truly. You can listen to THIS while you are traveling this weekend. 

Road bike suspension for the Spring Classics is nothing new. This Bianchi is from the early 90's

Rigid Road Bikes Might Not Be The Best Idea On Cobbles? 

Well, in the "What Comes Around- Goes Around" files, we have a new story about "new road bike technology" for the Spring Classics in Europe. (See the story here) The thing is, it is not new at all. Just another go at it, that's all.

Now don't get me wrong here- I love this stuff. I really do. It is harder with the Pro road bike crowd though, since they are so bound by traditions. Not that the UCI helps that, but traditional road bike style dictates that you just do not suspend anything on a road bike. Which is fine if you want to be a cycling version of an Amish person, but, ya know, there might be a better way to glide over the cobbles and heck, why not use it? Obviously bicycles are so light now that you could afford to add the weight of some suspension to the bike frame in a clever way. Is the Pinarello Dogma the way to do it, or does the Trek Domane do this better, or....? Maybe they just need to bite the bullet and slap on some really fat tubulars. Ya know.....like 35mm ones. 

 I guess the UCI seems to want the companies to provide "spec bikes" but not really say that overtly. Too bad, because I think there should be an "unlimited" category where manufacturers could innovate and produce radical new ideas for these races, which would make Pro Road cycling somewhat interesting again. Of course- there would be some limitations- but give these folks a little rope and let's see some cool new tech. And while we're at it, take away the team cars, and make these bikes live through a whole event self-sufficiently with no back up. That would be good for everyone- racers, the viewers, and for trickle down stuff for recreational cyclists that actually would be worth riding. Because if it lasts an entire event and can be repaired in the field, if necessary, it should be good for the general public. Ya know....not like some of this racing stuff is.

Anyway, that's my take. Have a great weekend and keep the rubber side down!

Friday News And Views

The new SRAM GX 2X11 group (minus cassette)

If you were cruising the web yesterday you probably saw that SRAM introduced a new suite of mtb components dubbed "GX". The new stuff supplants X-7 and X-9 parts and will fall into a price point similar to what those parts cost at retail.

There are two interesting things about this from my standpoint. Firstly, it brings a 1 X 11 possibility to a much lower price point which is affordable to far more people. This will see tons of spec on 2016 model bikes. But in a brilliant move, SRAM finally made a 2 X 11 option which utilizes the 10-42 cassette and will have a tremendously wide gearing range. Again- all at a price point far below elite level components. This will circumvent Shimano's entry to 11 speed componentry since they only have XTR at present, (unless they unleash an XT and SLX variant on XTR later this year), and will probably push the XD driver standard further down in price point on wheels as well.

From where I sit, I am pleased with this SRAM announcement as it slides perfectly into my schemes that I have in pursuit of my 29+ project. Hopefully we won't have to wait forever to see this stuff become available. At any rate, the derailleur and shifter are all I am really after, and when I get those parts, I will have all I need to complete the drive train. Then it will be on to tires......

Finally, all the media stories mentioned that these parts will be offered in a  Boost 142 compatible version. That tells all of us out here that you can pretty much look for 135mm QR rear hubs to start disappearing for most future mountain bike applications. And really, it's been far too long that the industry has held on to that standard for mtb. Don't worry though. Your old 135OLD disc hubs will work perfectly on new road bikes for quite awhile into the future.

Ira Iowa- T.I.v9 Checkpoint #1

Forgotten Iowa:

Okay, if you are a sucker for historical tidbits about Iowa, then beware of this next link, because it just may suck you in! It is a site about little hamlets, villages, towns, and forgotten places in Iowa. Here's the link. 

I love stuff like this, and I come across places like this all the time in my Trans Iowa wanderings setting up courses. When I peruse maps and see some spot listed that is near to where I want to go, has an interesting name, or a historical connection to someone or something, I'm all over that as a place to go through for Trans Iowa. I don't know that anyone else has caught on to that, or even cares as much as I do, but I love that sort of thing. It goes way back to one of my old self-supported tours I did in the mid-90's where we went through Wood, South Dakota. I just remember thinking that I might be one of only a few people that had ever gone through that village of 62 people on a bicycle. It just struck me as being cool and I have remarked to people bragging about having gone to some far flung places on the globe by saying, "Oh yeah? But have you ever been to Wood, South Dakota?".

I know.......I am sort of an oddball that way. 

In fact, I probably got the bug for old places when I was a kid. My family's homestead on the paternal side is near to another forgotten place- Maple Leaf, Iowa- and I put that on the Trans Iowa Masters Program course last Summer because I thought that was cool. Anyway, if you are in T.I.v11, be prepared to see some more of "Forgotten Iowa" on the course!

Gravel Nonsense:

A couple things that I wanted to clear up that I see are tripping folks up unexpectedly. One has to do with April Fools Day. I'll tell ya- the cycling industry needs to just stop the juvenile false stories on every 4/1 that comes along. It's not clever, funny, or in good taste. It just leads to confusion and makes people stupid. That isn't funny, by the way.

First is the story published by a certain cyclo cross-centric site that stated the UCI was going to start a "gravel road racing series" with rules and also was going to state what was and what wasn't a "gravel road".

It's all FALSE people. Not true at all.

Even if that actually did occur, who really cares what the UCI says? I don't and a lot of other promoters and riders would just carry on- business as usual. That so many folks thought the story was real is sad and the folks that foisted that one on the unsuspecting public should be ashamed. In fact, the site that published that garbage had to publish a retraction the very next day. Hope that was worth all the clicks you got on that one.......

 Next up is another specious story that was originally put up on the web in June of last year, and keeps coming back up again and again in re-posts by the originating site and shares by manufacturers that apparently don't get that this is an "old story" and not at all accurate. It claims to list the "10 Best Gravel Races" around the country. First off, it is so poorly researched that it doesn't include the Almanzo 100, arguably one of the most popular grassroots races ever, and also included an event, which at the time of the original publishing had not ever been held yet.

There are over 230 events that I am aware of, and several of them could be argued to be "best" in several different categories. The criteria for choosing the ones listed on the site that published this goofy piece? Who knows. If you see this link anywhere on the web, just know that it is pretty much "click-bait" and nothing more.

And one more bit of gravel nonsense from yours truly. You can listen to THIS while you are traveling this weekend. 

Road bike suspension for the Spring Classics is nothing new. This Bianchi is from the early 90's

Rigid Road Bikes Might Not Be The Best Idea On Cobbles? 

Well, in the "What Comes Around- Goes Around" files, we have a new story about "new road bike technology" for the Spring Classics in Europe. (See the story here) The thing is, it is not new at all. Just another go at it, that's all.

Now don't get me wrong here- I love this stuff. I really do. It is harder with the Pro road bike crowd though, since they are so bound by traditions. Not that the UCI helps that, but traditional road bike style dictates that you just do not suspend anything on a road bike. Which is fine if you want to be a cycling version of an Amish person, but, ya know, there might be a better way to glide over the cobbles and heck, why not use it? Obviously bicycles are so light now that you could afford to add the weight of some suspension to the bike frame in a clever way. Is the Pinarello Dogma the way to do it, or does the Trek Domane do this better, or....? Maybe they just need to bite the bullet and slap on some really fat tubulars. Ya know.....like 35mm ones. 

 I guess the UCI seems to want the companies to provide "spec bikes" but not really say that overtly. Too bad, because I think there should be an "unlimited" category where manufacturers could innovate and produce radical new ideas for these races, which would make Pro Road cycling somewhat interesting again. Of course- there would be some limitations- but give these folks a little rope and let's see some cool new tech. And while we're at it, take away the team cars, and make these bikes live through a whole event self-sufficiently with no back up. That would be good for everyone- racers, the viewers, and for trickle down stuff for recreational cyclists that actually would be worth riding. Because if it lasts an entire event and can be repaired in the field, if necessary, it should be good for the general public. Ya know....not like some of this racing stuff is.

Anyway, that's my take. Have a great weekend and keep the rubber side down!