Country Views: Summer Heat

Hazy, lazy,and hot. Typical late Summer Iowa weather.

Wednesday was forecast to be 'nice' out. Whatever that means, is up for debate, but a more correct description would have been 'typical' Summer weather. Humid, hot, not much wind, and hazy skies.

I set out for Petrie Road's Level B section to test out the new Kinekt Stem I am reviewing for Riding Gravel. I've had this stem on several rides already, but this was the first time out to Petrie Road.

I took the Black Mountain Cycles MCD and when I was loading it up, I noted that the seat tube water bottle cage was wobbling more than it should. It had a full, large bottle of water in it already, and while that should make the cage move a little bit, this was excessive. I decided I could tighten things up at the launching off point when I got there.

Once I arrived at the starting spot, I took a closer look. While the mounting bolts were a little loose, it was really the fault of the cage being broken in two places. Hmm..... A quick decision to roll with that and maybe transfer water from the tall bottle to the shorter bottle I have to use on the top of the down tube was made and so I got going under a hot Summer Sun.

The roads South of town were laden with fresh, dusty gravel. The cars that passed me by early on left clouds of the stuff hanging in the air, but you could barely discern a slight Northerly component to the air. Whatever. You certainly could not feel the air movement and the heat, although only in the upper 80's, was stifling. The only relief was moving on the bike.

These fist sized rocks on Petrie Road gave the Kinekt Stem a good test.

After I stopped for some water the second time, I decided to drain what was left into my mouth of the water in the smaller bottle so I could put the water from the big bottle into the small and thus give the wounded cage a lighter load. However; when I pulled the big bottle out, the cage disintegrated, breaking again, and was not useful even to hold an empty bottle at this point. So, I shoe-horned the big bottle into the upper cage somehow, put the now empty small bottle under the down tube in that cage, and moved on.

Holmes Road looking North across Schrock Road near Hudson, Iowa.

I was riding along a non-descript portion of gravel when HEY! What the...... My frame pump jumped ship for no apparent reason. Weird! I retrieved it and put it back into its place. But when really weird things start happening like imploding bottle cages and ejections of frame pumps, I tend to take those as 'signs' that I need to just cut back my grandiose riding plans and head home. So, whether rightly or foolishly, that is what I did.

A solo detassling machine.

I came across one of those detassling machines in the field working. I had pictured a row of them in a storage area not many weeks ago here. Anyway, it was interesting. This machine is operated by a single person and the beams sticking out either side have cutting blades that basically mow off the tops of the corn which they don't want to cross-breed. Look carefully and you can see the perfectly cut tops in the field ahead of the machine in the image.

So, now they won't be needing bus loads of young teenagers to hand pull tassels anymore. Although some of that is still happening, as I have seen out there as well. No doubt someday this operation will be automated to the point that the machines will work by GPS directions and will only require a single person in a truck command center to keep track of them. But for now, it would seem that the days of hand labor in the fields of corn in Summer are nearing their end.

Times are a changing.......

Country Views: Summer Heat

Hazy, lazy,and hot. Typical late Summer Iowa weather.

Wednesday was forecast to be 'nice' out. Whatever that means, is up for debate, but a more correct description would have been 'typical' Summer weather. Humid, hot, not much wind, and hazy skies.

I set out for Petrie Road's Level B section to test out the new Kinekt Stem I am reviewing for Riding Gravel. I've had this stem on several rides already, but this was the first time out to Petrie Road.

I took the Black Mountain Cycles MCD and when I was loading it up, I noted that the seat tube water bottle cage was wobbling more than it should. It had a full, large bottle of water in it already, and while that should make the cage move a little bit, this was excessive. I decided I could tighten things up at the launching off point when I got there.

Once I arrived at the starting spot, I took a closer look. While the mounting bolts were a little loose, it was really the fault of the cage being broken in two places. Hmm..... A quick decision to roll with that and maybe transfer water from the tall bottle to the shorter bottle I have to use on the top of the down tube was made and so I got going under a hot Summer Sun.

The roads South of town were laden with fresh, dusty gravel. The cars that passed me by early on left clouds of the stuff hanging in the air, but you could barely discern a slight Northerly component to the air. Whatever. You certainly could not feel the air movement and the heat, although only in the upper 80's, was stifling. The only relief was moving on the bike.

These fist sized rocks on Petrie Road gave the Kinekt Stem a good test.

After I stopped for some water the second time, I decided to drain what was left into my mouth of the water in the smaller bottle so I could put the water from the big bottle into the small and thus give the wounded cage a lighter load. However; when I pulled the big bottle out, the cage disintegrated, breaking again, and was not useful even to hold an empty bottle at this point. So, I shoe-horned the big bottle into the upper cage somehow, put the now empty small bottle under the down tube in that cage, and moved on.

Holmes Road looking North across Schrock Road near Hudson, Iowa.

I was riding along a non-descript portion of gravel when HEY! What the...... My frame pump jumped ship for no apparent reason. Weird! I retrieved it and put it back into its place. But when really weird things start happening like imploding bottle cages and ejections of frame pumps, I tend to take those as 'signs' that I need to just cut back my grandiose riding plans and head home. So, whether rightly or foolishly, that is what I did.

A solo detassling machine.

I came across one of those detassling machines in the field working. I had pictured a row of them in a storage area not many weeks ago here. Anyway, it was interesting. This machine is operated by a single person and the beams sticking out either side have cutting blades that basically mow off the tops of the corn which they don't want to cross-breed. Look carefully and you can see the perfectly cut tops in the field ahead of the machine in the image.

So, now they won't be needing bus loads of young teenagers to hand pull tassels anymore. Although some of that is still happening, as I have seen out there as well. No doubt someday this operation will be automated to the point that the machines will work by GPS directions and will only require a single person in a truck command center to keep track of them. But for now, it would seem that the days of hand labor in the fields of corn in Summer are nearing their end.

Times are a changing.......

Friday News And Views

New Radio Ranch podcasts out this week.

The Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Branches Out:

With this week's podcast posts, we have done 14 new podcasts this year, which is 2/3rds of the output of the podcast up to 2020. We've been busy!  If you want to listen to the latest episodes, check them out here, or find them on your favorite podcast feeds.

Not only are we doing more consistent downloads, we are branching out to now include interviews via the phone. We now have a podcaster outfit which will Bluetooth a cell phone to its recording capabilities so we can get remote interview subjects as part of the podcast. The first of these has already been recorded with one of the RD's for this Fall's unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley event. Dave Pryor's interview will be published soon. Stay tuned for that one.

I'm pretty stoked about this as I've known Dave for several years. He's the "Guy With The Bacon Suit", seen at many East Coast CX events and elsewhere. He is a great guy and as a fellow event promoter, we kind of have a certain bond there.

I am also excited now that we can have people call in to the show and we can take the show on the road, which opens up a ton of possibilities for future episodes. I've already utilized both possibilities this year and I look forward to doing more of those things. Stay tuned for updates.....

Kinekt Suspension Stem Test/Review:

Wednesday the Kinekt Suspension Stem arrived at Andy's Bike Shop so I can test/review it for RidingGravel.com. This is a direct competitor to the Redshift Sports ShockStop stem which I have on a couple of bikes here.

I've also spent a lot of time on Kinekt's own seat post, often called the Body Float Post. I had a previous generation Body Float post on my original Ti Muk fat bike and I used one for a while on my Gen I Fargo. So, it will be interesting to see how their stem works, not only in terms of how it might pair with the Kinekt seatpost, but as a competitor to the ShockStop stem. I've often thought that components like the stems and seat posts offered by Kineckt and Redshift Sports were the way to go because these parts are removable, transferable, and tunable. Unlike proprietary features on some bikes, like rear suspended bits, flexing bits, or special integrated stem/suspension bits, these components are more traditional looking and offer more versatility.

Stay tuned as I get this stem on a bike and get rolling on it. I think the test mule for this one will be the Twin Six Standard Rando v2. But that could change tomorrow depending on the appearance of an "aha! moment" which may end up being a better idea.

'Events' Update: 

I haven't forgotten about my 'events' which I have set up for myself to attempt yet this Summer. I recently pretty much dialed in the Ti Muk 2 for the Fat Bike Century attempt, and now I will be looking for an opportune time to take a day off everything else and go.

And to be honest, that time is hard to come by. With this pandemic thing, we just end up spending time with the immediate family. The kids don't really see anyone but Mrs Guitar Ted and I. This means that if one of us is gone, it REALLY is a bad deal for the kids because they need people to do stuff with. The guilt when I go for a ride is more real than ever these days.

But I'm intending on doing both the Fat Bike Century and a solo GTDRI ride later this month or early in August. I'd like to sneak both of those in before fall kicks in, if I can. If that happens, I have a couple ideas I want to pursue after that which may or may not be century rides, but will certainly be rides in other parts of Iowa that I have wanted to get around to riding for some time now.   

That's a wrap for this week. get out and ride! Summer will be gone before we know it! 

Friday News And Views

New Radio Ranch podcasts out this week.

The Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Branches Out:

With this week's podcast posts, we have done 14 new podcasts this year, which is 2/3rds of the output of the podcast up to 2020. We've been busy!  If you want to listen to the latest episodes, check them out here, or find them on your favorite podcast feeds.

Not only are we doing more consistent downloads, we are branching out to now include interviews via the phone. We now have a podcaster outfit which will Bluetooth a cell phone to its recording capabilities so we can get remote interview subjects as part of the podcast. The first of these has already been recorded with one of the RD's for this Fall's unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley event. Dave Pryor's interview will be published soon. Stay tuned for that one.

I'm pretty stoked about this as I've known Dave for several years. He's the "Guy With The Bacon Suit", seen at many East Coast CX events and elsewhere. He is a great guy and as a fellow event promoter, we kind of have a certain bond there.

I am also excited now that we can have people call in to the show and we can take the show on the road, which opens up a ton of possibilities for future episodes. I've already utilized both possibilities this year and I look forward to doing more of those things. Stay tuned for updates.....

Kinekt Suspension Stem Test/Review:

Wednesday the Kinekt Suspension Stem arrived at Andy's Bike Shop so I can test/review it for RidingGravel.com. This is a direct competitor to the Redshift Sports ShockStop stem which I have on a couple of bikes here.

I've also spent a lot of time on Kinekt's own seat post, often called the Body Float Post. I had a previous generation Body Float post on my original Ti Muk fat bike and I used one for a while on my Gen I Fargo. So, it will be interesting to see how their stem works, not only in terms of how it might pair with the Kinekt seatpost, but as a competitor to the ShockStop stem. I've often thought that components like the stems and seat posts offered by Kineckt and Redshift Sports were the way to go because these parts are removable, transferable, and tunable. Unlike proprietary features on some bikes, like rear suspended bits, flexing bits, or special integrated stem/suspension bits, these components are more traditional looking and offer more versatility.

Stay tuned as I get this stem on a bike and get rolling on it. I think the test mule for this one will be the Twin Six Standard Rando v2. But that could change tomorrow depending on the appearance of an "aha! moment" which may end up being a better idea.

'Events' Update: 

I haven't forgotten about my 'events' which I have set up for myself to attempt yet this Summer. I recently pretty much dialed in the Ti Muk 2 for the Fat Bike Century attempt, and now I will be looking for an opportune time to take a day off everything else and go.

And to be honest, that time is hard to come by. With this pandemic thing, we just end up spending time with the immediate family. The kids don't really see anyone but Mrs Guitar Ted and I. This means that if one of us is gone, it REALLY is a bad deal for the kids because they need people to do stuff with. The guilt when I go for a ride is more real than ever these days.

But I'm intending on doing both the Fat Bike Century and a solo GTDRI ride later this month or early in August. I'd like to sneak both of those in before fall kicks in, if I can. If that happens, I have a couple ideas I want to pursue after that which may or may not be century rides, but will certainly be rides in other parts of Iowa that I have wanted to get around to riding for some time now.   

That's a wrap for this week. get out and ride! Summer will be gone before we know it! 

Gravel Grinder News: Bouncey Stems And Rubber Bits

More rad Riddler> Yes! Meet the Raddler.

WTB Tires Introduces The Raddler: 

One of WTB's more popular gravel tires is the Riddler. It's got edge knobbies and little centralized "zits" down the middle, Generally speaking it rocks gravel and smoother, hard dirt. However; some folks were wanting something a bit more. Something that had a higher "rad" quotient. WTB thought about it. More? Radder? Wait!......

We'll call it the Raddler!

Or something like that, is how I imagine it went, maybe...... Anywho.....

The Raddler comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes in blackwall and skinwall. $59.99 no matter. Both 700c. Tubeless, of course. 

The tread is bulked up and features deeper lugs, bigger knobs, and a more aggressive look. WTB says it still rolls like the dickens. Well, I will be finding out, as I have a set of these to test for RidingGravel.com. (Note- I did not pay for the tires. they are sent to RidingGravel.com for review. I was not paid to write this post and I always strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.

So, with that bit of business taken care of, I am excited to try these out. Actually, it is a good time to get a hold of a tire like this. Late Winter riding generally calls out for something with a bit of bite to the tread. Stay tuned for the lowdown coming soon.....

More boing for your bars.

Kinekt Announces Kickstarter For Suspension Stem:

Kinekt, or Body Float by Cirrus Cycles, the folks that brought you that parallelogram suspension seat post I have had in the past, now have a companion piece in a stem featuring similar design.

The stem features a coil sprung parallelogram which is tunable for rider weight and preferences with three springs, which are included in the package. The stem is available in 90mm, 105mm, and 120mm with a 7° rise or a 100 X 30° rise model. I couldn't find anywhere that said the stem in 7° could be flipped for a negative rise, like the Redshift Sports Shock Stop can be, but maybe I missed that. By the looks of the design, I'd guess the answer is that it wasn't intended to be run in a negative rise.

Early reactions to the stem are that it reminds people of the old Girvin/Soft Ride product from the 90's which also had a parallelogram design. That old design was susceptible to some pretty bad brake dive when hitting the binders hard. Hopefully Kinekt took that characteristic out of this new offering.

 Another New Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Podcast:

Whoa! Hold on to your britches, 'cause we recorded another Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast last Wednesday. I know, it's crazy times, but it is true. Not fake news here!

Ben and I discuss news and reviews on the RidingGravel.com site and then we dive into the big dust-up over talk that the UCI wants to get involved in maybe putting on a Gravel World Championships.

It's a pretty good show, and I think it should make for a good listen. Plus, afterward Ben asked me about doing something a bit different in terms of an audio offering. I won't say too much just yet because it still is in its nascent stages. But if all goes as we think, it should prove to be an interesting way to share more of my work, both from here and from Riding Gravel.

Okay, that's all for this edition. Thanks for reading!

Gravel Grinder News: Bouncey Stems And Rubber Bits

More rad Riddler> Yes! Meet the Raddler.

WTB Tires Introduces The Raddler: 

One of WTB's more popular gravel tires is the Riddler. It's got edge knobbies and little centralized "zits" down the middle, Generally speaking it rocks gravel and smoother, hard dirt. However; some folks were wanting something a bit more. Something that had a higher "rad" quotient. WTB thought about it. More? Radder? Wait!......

We'll call it the Raddler!

Or something like that, is how I imagine it went, maybe...... Anywho.....

The Raddler comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes in blackwall and skinwall. $59.99 no matter. Both 700c. Tubeless, of course. 

The tread is bulked up and features deeper lugs, bigger knobs, and a more aggressive look. WTB says it still rolls like the dickens. Well, I will be finding out, as I have a set of these to test for RidingGravel.com. (Note- I did not pay for the tires. they are sent to RidingGravel.com for review. I was not paid to write this post and I always strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.

So, with that bit of business taken care of, I am excited to try these out. Actually, it is a good time to get a hold of a tire like this. Late Winter riding generally calls out for something with a bit of bite to the tread. Stay tuned for the lowdown coming soon.....

More boing for your bars.

Kinekt Announces Kickstarter For Suspension Stem:

Kinekt, or Body Float by Cirrus Cycles, the folks that brought you that parallelogram suspension seat post I have had in the past, now have a companion piece in a stem featuring similar design.

The stem features a coil sprung parallelogram which is tunable for rider weight and preferences with three springs, which are included in the package. The stem is available in 90mm, 105mm, and 120mm with a 7° rise or a 100 X 30° rise model. I couldn't find anywhere that said the stem in 7° could be flipped for a negative rise, like the Redshift Sports Shock Stop can be, but maybe I missed that. By the looks of the design, I'd guess the answer is that it wasn't intended to be run in a negative rise.

Early reactions to the stem are that it reminds people of the old Girvin/Soft Ride product from the 90's which also had a parallelogram design. That old design was susceptible to some pretty bad brake dive when hitting the binders hard. Hopefully Kinekt took that characteristic out of this new offering.

 Another New Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Podcast:

Whoa! Hold on to your britches, 'cause we recorded another Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast last Wednesday. I know, it's crazy times, but it is true. Not fake news here!

Ben and I discuss news and reviews on the RidingGravel.com site and then we dive into the big dust-up over talk that the UCI wants to get involved in maybe putting on a Gravel World Championships.

It's a pretty good show, and I think it should make for a good listen. Plus, afterward Ben asked me about doing something a bit different in terms of an audio offering. I won't say too much just yet because it still is in its nascent stages. But if all goes as we think, it should prove to be an interesting way to share more of my work, both from here and from Riding Gravel.

Okay, that's all for this edition. Thanks for reading!