Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Kona Bicycles

 Kona Offers Steel Drop Bar Mountain Bike:

Kona released news on Tuesday concerning a new steel framed drop bar mountain bike they are calling the "LBF" (Legend of Big Fork) 

This new model sees Kona adopting a rather "Fargo-like" bicycle with several features like multiple bosses for bottles or bags, a Rock Shox SID XC suspension fork, and 2.4" tires on Race Face rims. 

The drive train is from SRAM and features bits from their NX, GX, and Apex offerings. The brakes are SRAM four piston caliper/Apex lever units and the handlebar and stem are Ritchey Design models. With a slack head angle of 67° and a fork offset of 44mm this bike should be really stable on off-road trails. 

Retail is set at $3,699.00 USD and more details can be seen at Kona's webpage for this bike HERE.  

Comments: Again, another Fargo-like offering with a real focus on the MTB stuff. I'm all for this, but the tire choice seems narrow-ish and the price seems a bit steep. Is that just me, or is this bike pricey? I'm thinking it might be just me because I have an embargoed release set to go live next week with something sort of similar to this with a very similar price point. 

Guitar Ted On Substack:

Just a PSA concerning my work appearing on Substack. Right now I have only one article up, and it is something which appeared here already, so if you are a regular reader here, you've seen this before. 

I may not be posting there on the daily, in fact, I can tell you I will not be doing that. But I will post over there and it probably will be a bit different content. Stuff not necessarily bicycle related. I won't be doing a regular schedule either. I am not going to tie myself down in that regard. 

If you are interested in content from me which will likely range from the more personal side to maybe talk about other subjects I find interesting, such as guitar, music, and racing cars, well maybe this will be of interest to you. 

If you want to get notifications of anything which may pop up there please subscribe on Substack and you will be notified when I publish something. No charge. No big commitment. Thanks for considering this. 

Image courtesy of Wilde Bicycle Co,

Wilde Bicycle Co. Announces One "Just For The Fun Of It"

Wilde Bicycle Co. is headed up by Jeffrey Frane, who was the head of All City Bikes for QBP, and a Minneapolis cyclist for quite some time. One of his favorite bikes to get around on is an old Surly 1 X 1. So, it may not come as much of a surprise then that Wilde Bicycles is offering a cruiser inspired 26"er.  

The model, dubbed the "Moto Cruiser", will be offered as a frame/for/handlbar module or as a complete single speed or geared bike. 

Pre-orders are open now at Wilde Bicycle's site HERE.  

Comments: I loved my old Surly 1 X 1 cruiser when I had it even though it was a size too small for me. I could see this Wilde model being someones fun get-around urban bike in a similar way. The color of this bike is right up my alley too. But all this said, I have to keep calm and let it pass. I've just got too many bicycles already, and I need to cut down on the fleet as it is. 

I probably could cut one, maybe two out to bring the Moto Cruiser in, but I'd rather do the first part without the Moto Cruiser. We shall see if I can manage to trim down this year.  

Image courtesy of Wolf tooth Components

Wolf Tooth Updates Tire Pressure App:

Wolf Tooth just sent out news of an update to their tire pressure setting app. The app, which takes into account different specs and aspects of a rider's wheel/tire combo and riding style, helps riders to arrive at a recommended air pressure setting. 

New updates include: 

• Added MX/Mullet option for mountain
• Added 32” tire option for mountain and gravel
• Added radial tire casing option for mountain
• Added option to use casing width in inches for gravel
• Added tire width up to 3.3” for mountain
• Misc bug fixes

You can learn more about the Wolf Tooth Tire Pressure App HERE.  

Comments: I've heard good things about this app, (and the SILCA one), so I should probably give them a try. Might make for an interesting review later on.  If you've used one of these apps, or another I am unfamiliar with, let me know what you think of them in the comments. Thanks!

GRVL Apparel Company To Promote 12/24hr Gravel Challenges:

The challenge is a self-supported 12 or 24 hour ride on curated courses across the UK, Ireland, and Italy. 

From the press release: 

"Riders can select from a range of GRVL and Ambassador designed routes spanning iconic cycling regions including the Chilterns, Cornwall, North Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Peak District, Yorkshire, South Wales, Kent, and more."

Furthermore; the time when the challenge is attempted is optional (Editor's Note: I would imagine there are reasonable limits to the window for these challenges) The best times being Spring and Summer according to the press release. 

The challenge is dubbed "Nychthemeron", a word derived from the Greek meaning "Night and Day", or a complete 24hr period. If you want to learn more see the site link HERE. 

That is a wrap for this week! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions. Now go ride a bicycle!

Friday News And Views

A render found on Reddit. Supposedly a new Kona model

 Rumored Kona Unit Y Model Seen On Social Media:

Over the past weekend I came across a mention of a new Kona bike packing bike called the Unit Y. Searching the interwebs turned up a thread on Reddit showing the bike and what was purported to be the specs on this new model.  

Interesting details are the obviously bowed downtube and the "mullet" 29"er front/650B X 3" rear wheel with Boost 148 spaced dropouts in the back and Boost spaced front dropouts up front.  

The appears to be a ton of frame accessory mounting points and a front rack, presumably for sleeping bags/tents/luggage.  

Apparently the leaked info was on a dealer's website by mistake and was taken down later. But not before it was seen and spread around on social media.  

Comments: A wild looking bicycle, for sure! I wouldn't be too keen on the different wheel sizes here as it would mean two different sized tubes for "just in case" bail-outs. I suppose you could mitigate this by using TPU tubes. (Yes, there are TPU tubes in the correct sizes for this bike) 

Finally, I am not sure what question this bike is an answer to. Mostly based on the mullet set up. Comfort in riding usually is influenced by frame design, and with the shorter tubing used in the rear end of this bike, and with such a compact geometry for those tubes, it would seem like stiffness would be an issue. As in "too much of it". Especially since you probably are not going to get a lot of deflection from a dropper post to help ease the pain of bumpy trails. Also, panniers will be more difficult with a short rear as this bike has, although it could be argued this bike is a frame bag/seat pack bike. 

Corsa Pévélé - Image courtesy of Eddy Merckx Bikes

Eddy Merckx Bikes Offers Titanium Unpaved Road Bikes:

Today Eddy Merckx Bikes released news of two bikes in their unpaved/gravel range now offered in Columbus Hyperion tubing and featuring UDH drop outs. 

The Corsa Pévélé is the more road-ish of the two and features up to 40mm of tire clearance in a 1X drive train. The bike has top tube accessory mounts and the ability to carry three water bottles. This should prove to be a nice, long-distance road mileage machine. 

The Corsa Pévélé Ti also can be fitted with mudguards. However; there are no rack mounts. 

The Corsa Pévélé is offered in multiple drive train configurations from SRAM and Shimano. The bike can be ordered as a frame/fork combination allowing the buyer to custom build to their own specifications. 

Corsa Strasbourg Ti (Image courtesy of Eddy Merckx Bikes)

The Corsa Strasbourg is the full-on gravel model. This bike has up to 50mm of tire clearance, accessory mounts on the frame and fork, and the capability to be fitted with mudguards. 

The Corsa Strasbourg is meant for 1X drive trains only. Complete bikes can purchased with SRAM or Campagnolo 1X drive trains. This bike is also offered as a frame/fork as well. 

Furthermore; Eddy Merckx Bikes is offering customers an online configuration tool which allows riders to choose different downtube/head tube logos and Wolf Tooth components in five different colors. 

The two new titanium bikes are available from today from Eddy Merckx retailers. More details and images of the Corsa Pevele and Corsa Strasbourg bikes can be seen at www.eddymerckx.com 

Image Courtesy of SRAM

SRAM Offering Shorter Crank Lengths:

In keeping with the move to shorter crank arm lengths for racers, SRAM is now offering crank arms in their Red series from 150mm to 175mm in length. 

DUB spindles and 8 bolt spider standard is here, of course. The main news is the shorter offerings which many will be happy to see offered now from SRAM. 

Comments: The press release came out Tuesday and also featured aero TT levers with a hydraulic mechanism rather than traditional cable actuation. This probably indicates the end of caliper brake offerings across the board for road bikes in the future.  

Aero calipers were also featured in the Red and Rival ranges which feature "Stealth-a-majig" connectors  This might be a good match for those with travel bikes featuring hydraulic brakes. 

Finally a UDH hangar with a silver bolt and washer (ooo!), and a new Quick charger for batteries with a promised 60 minute recharge time were news from the press release.  

Comments: Short cranks are all the fashion now and SRAM now can offer bike fitters and those with short crank acquisition syndrome something from their ecosystem. Cool. It is quite a commitment since with this many options you never know what will be popular as a manufacturer and what you may need to focus on as far as supply goes. Hoping here that SRAM can keep supplies dialed in for those looking for an option for short crank sets from them.  

Image courtesy of SILCA

SILCA  Debuts Rim Tape, Hi-Flow Tubeless Valves:

SILCA just released some tubeless products for riders. First we have their Ultimate Rim tape, a tubeless tape offered in two widths for most applications. Claiming a residue free removal, tear-free performance, (important when changing tires), and a trilaminate construction with "just the right amount of stretch". 

The tape costs USD $24.00 a roll. 

Ultimate Tubeless Valves come in two lengths. 50mm or 70mm. SILCA claims the Ultimate Tubeless Valve stem is compatible with tire inserts and has a higher flow rate than standard valve stems. A pair of the valve stems can be had for USD $28.00 for the 50mm and USD $29.00 for the longer 70mm stems.  

Comments: The rim tape is what I'd be interested in most. The thing is, I found Tessa tape from Uline for a lot less money and it works as well or better than most branded bicycle tapes. If SILCA somehow has a tape with much better properties, than I would be all in on trying it, but for the price, it would have to be darn near miraculously better for me to switch.  

The 32" Watch: Berd Spokes Launch 32"er Lengths For Wheel Building:

Berd, the manufacturer of advanced polymer spokes in textile form have announced lengths to build 32" wheels are now available. New was reported by "Bike Rumor" on Thursday. 

Comments: High-end lightweight spokes for the 32" wheels is another indication this wheel size is legit. With tires, rims, and bicycles trickling in as news and rumors already, this trend is picking up steam quickly. 

I've said it earlier here, but look to Sea Otter to be the place this year where a lot of 32" news will break. In fact, I would not be surprised to see 32"ers being used by at least one racer in the Life Time Grand Prix kick-off event there for the 2026 season. 
 

That is a wrap for this week! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions. Now get out there and ride those bicycles!  

Friday News And Views

Happy Industry News, Aggro Birds,  & "Wild" Anodized Stuff:

Kona Bicycles Back In Founders Hands:

Monday morning news came out that the beleaguered Kona Bicycles company that was being shut down and put up for sale by its owner, Kent Outdoors, was bought back by the brand's founders. The brand was sold in 2022 by Kona founders Jake Heilbron and Dan Gerhard, according to a news story published by "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" on Monday morning.  

Apparently the originators of the brand were let down by the Kent Outdoors group which they thought would uphold the culture and status of Kona which they had crafted over the years. That didn't turn out to be the case and when the company went up for sale Heilbron and Gerhard bought it back.

According to the article, Kona has ceased direct to consumer sales and is saying that they will work through current inventory through established dealers only. 

Comments: First it was the British brand Orange, and now Kona, which has come back from the brink of extinction. Can Heilbron and Gerhard regain the former stature the company enjoyed with consumers in the past? They have a chance, but the deep discounting, direct to consumer sales, and recent turmoil set the hurdles pretty high.

Image of GT by Jason Boucher

You Already Knew This, But.....

Another story was posted on a study of cyclists and health benefits recently. The story on this study appeared in an NPR article which you can read HERE. 

This time it has to do with your knees and arthritic issues. Apparently the motion of cycling helps distribute an essential lubricating fluid for joints and builds muscle strength around knees which may help prevent arthritic issues from arising. 

The article doesn't say anything related to nut-jobs on single speed bikes though. (HA!) It is a commonly held thought by cyclists that single speed riding is bad for your knees. I've seen evidence that would say otherwise, but as with most topics, there is more gray areas than there are black and white ones when it comes to a subject like this one. All I know is that single speed riding big miles, or pushing a "big gear" on a geared bike, or hard riding into the wind, (or snow, or mud) for too long can be a problem for knees or any other parts of the body as well. You've gotta do things in moderation. Balance. Rest. It all can be good in the correct measures. 

New Podcast Episode Out Now!

I had the distinct honor to have Sam Alison of Singular Cycles on the latest podcast episode. It was a pleasure to speak with him since I have interacted with Sam since the mid-2000's in online forums and via emails. 

We chatted about his company, Singular Cycles, and we walked through a bit of how Sam saw his bikes and what they should be used for. Remarkably, it fits what the "gravel" bike should be in a more universal sense in my opinion versus the specialization that is occurring in that sector now. 

We also get into a bit of flared drop bar history as Sam was tabbed by cycling component and bicycle designer, Brant Richards, to be involved in the design of the Luxy Bar. A handle bar that Sam rightly points out has influenced a lot of what we see now in flared drop bar design for the gravel segment. 

Give the episode a listen. I also get into a bit of opinion on the upcoming Unbound gravel event at the end of this one. A more detailed look at my thoughts can be seen in a post from this blog HERE if you are interested in taking a deeper dive on that. Thanks for checking out the podcast, if you do, and as always, thanks for reading here!

A Red-winged Blackbird. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia)

Those Devilish Scourges Of The Sky:

Tis the season, as they say, for what has become an issue for many who ply the back roads on their bicycles. I'm speaking of the ever-vigilant Red-winged Blackbird. 

I wrote a post back four years ago about my tactics for dealing with these sometimes aggressive animals during cycling outings. It seems to have become an annually "most clicked on" article here, so I thought I would point it out again for anyone who was not aware of the post so that you can check it out if you want to. Just click HERE to go read that.  

And if you have any ideas that differ from mine, please add those in the comments here on today's post and I will make an update to the original post if those ideas seem to check out as good ones. Thanks! 

Wilde X Paul Zebra Splatter Ano Parts:

Wilde Bikes announced Thursday that they have done another collaboration with Paul Components on some crazy "splatter" anodized parts. This time in black with white looking strips of color in random patterns. 

These parts are in very limited quantities and being Paul Components, not exactly "budget friendly" either with prices varying from $170.00 for a stem to $350.00 for a set of brake cantilever arms. 

There may not be anything left in some cases but here are the original numbers for manufacture from Wilde's press release: Stems: 70, Brake sets: 6, Seat posts: 10, and Love Levers sets: 5. 

The product page is HERE if you are interested in taking a look.

 That is a wrap on things for this week. Thanks as always for reading the blog! Have a safe and wonderful Memorial Day Weekend - for those who observe this - and get out and ride those bicycles!

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Ride 1Up.

 Electric Gravel: Coming Your Way In 2024:

If you've been paying attention over the last several "FN&V" posts, you will have noticed a lot of electrified gravel bike chatter. That's not going to stop anytime soon. It is a trend, and it will be showing up at your local gravel group rides, races, and events in 2024.

This week a "budget" entrant into the gravel eBike/HPV scene emerged when Ride 1Up introduced their $2500.00 CF Racer model. It has a Bafang motor, an integrated downtube encased battery, and is equipped with SRAM Rival 11 speed drive train bits. 1X, natch!

So, this isn't just for the "doctors and lawyers" out there who might drop 10K+ on a gravel bike with a motor and battery. This is the price of many commonplace carbon fiber gravel bikes without motors and batteries. Don't think for a minute that there are not other, similarly priced "gravel bikes" out there. But in the longer view, how many choices there are is a moot point when considering the effects this might have on gravel racing. 

Event directors are going to have to either ban these, (pressing the "easy button", essentially), or they are going to have to offer separate categories, and possibly provide battery swapping options, or maybe even have special distances for these bikes to allow people to use them. The dynamics of having electrified bikes mixed in with human powered bikes is going to be something of an unknown quantity as well. Typically issues have arisen between the two ways of powering a bicycle. This further complicates accommodating Hybrid Powered Cycles into traditional gravel events. 

I'll touch on this more in an upcoming opinion piece I am doing concerning teaching skills and etiquette when it comes to gravel riding.

New Pirate Cycling League Jacket In:

Long-time blog readers will know that I have been a supporter of the Pirate Cycling League, a loose-knit rabble of pedalers centered in Lincoln, Nebraska, for years now. The PCL offers "team kit" every so often and every time that they do it is generally a limited edition design. They've really only ever 'repeated' a design once, and that was of their original "year one" offering. 

This time the designs on offer were based around a "Miami Vice" theme. (A television show popular in the 1980's here in the USA, if you're wondering what Miami Vice refers to.)

It's getting harder and harder for me to rep a jersey anymore because, I mean, how many does one really need? So I've been doing other accessory gear for the last two design drops. Last time I got a wind jacket. This time I went for the Winter Thermal jacket. 

I've been a big fan of what is called a "soft-shell" Winter jacket. I had an awesome "Niner Bikes" branded one which was made by Endura, I believe, but my son lost it one day when he wore it to middle school and I've been on the search for a good replacement ever since. Of course, Endura quit making the one I had. 

This PCL jacket is made by Voler, which has been doing PCL kit for a long time now. This is not as nice as the Endura jacket I had but it is pretty good. At least it has the three rear jersey style pockets, which for me, is a prerequisite for me to consider buying any jacket. That or a "marsupial" style rear zippered pocket. 

Since this is really made like a jersey, only with a big collar and thicker, fleeced material, I would use this more like a jersey. For my money, a "jacket" has inner pockets, and maybe a zippered outer chest pocket. But maybe that's just me.

Gents Race 14 Announced:

Looks like I have a chance to get back to the Gents Race in 2024, that is, if my team will have me again! The event for 2024 was announced on Tuesday of this past week.

This has become one of those traditions amongst us that have been on the same team since the first Gents Race over a decade ago now. It is the only time, really, all year I see any of these guys anymore, or a lot of folks that attend this event, for that matter.

It is an announcement that fills the last open slot I reserve on the calendar for cycling events. (Official ones, not my GTDR which is not really an event.) This and my appearance again at the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame Awards Ceremonies in Emporia, Kansas at the end of May/early June are my only cycling plans I can make room for in 2024. I work Saturdays and getting time off takes away from my limited paycheck. Plus there are other reasons I don't take more time off, but those are not anything I can or will talk about here. So, at least I have 2024 plans in play now!

Artificial Intelligence, Affiliate Links, and How Cycling Media Makes Money:

Recently the journalism trade has been shaken up by a scandal involving "Sports Illustrated" and "AI" (Artificial Intelligence) generated stories. (Read about it HERE)

Since that story broke a lot of chatter has been going on regarding how content is generated, how revenue is generated for media companies, and how, specifically, the highly leveraged "affiliate link" model is being corrupted since traditional "advertisement revenue" has been drying up and is, for all intents and purposes, gone in 2023. 

First of all, none of that affects me. I don't make a red cent off my writing. It may come as some surprise to many, but I have not received a paycheck, or any monetary benefits from any website owner for any of my writing in over a year. Before that I might occasionally receive a check here and there. But what constitutes a living wage? I've never received enough to live on for a year from my writing. You could combine all the money over the years I've written stuff  and it wouldn't come close to a year's salary for the average American. (Currently that is $60,575.00) I'd guess I maybe have made less than 10% of that figure since 2006.

Essentially, I got some "pocket change" when I did get paid, which wasn't very often, and never on a regular basis. I'm not complaining, I only am telling you all this because I want it understood that I am not motivated by making a profit when it comes to writing and especially for review work. Because if that were the case, I would have opted out in 2008. 

So, you will never see "affiliate links" on this blog. Never. Anything I link to is a courtesy to you, my dear readers, and is there if you want to check into something for yourself. That's it. But that is how the cycling media companies make money. You would see those affiliate links embedded right in text for reviews, and you'll see those ads all over sidebars and inserted in between paragraphs. Sites I used to write for had those, but I never benefited from them, so I cannot speak to how valuable those were/are. I've been told that they were worth pennies, but articles I've read recently make those out to be worth a decent amount. Again, I cannot speak to that directly. 

 And of course, I am not artificial, and depending on who you ask, I might not be very intelligent either. So any writing you see here was generated out of Guitar Ted's grey matter, or something like that. Anyway, I don't own a piece of paper that says I am a "journalist" so it doesn't matter, I guess. That said, I receive a ton  of requests to have paid-for guest posts and "generated content". It's crazy. So, I know that it is a thing in traditional media circles. 

Kona Process 153 29 (Courtesy of Kona Bikes)

Kona BOGO On MTB's:

For the last six months or more I've been reminding you that bicycle brands were in trouble. Well, the end of the year is coming, businesses like to close their books for the year, and new product is about to be shipped from Asia. Time to move the pile of bikes sitting around. Kona Bikes has maybe done the unthinkable here to clear out their inventory. 

Their current promotion until December 31st is that you can buy one in-stock FS bike and get another of equal value or less that is in-stock FOR FREE. 

Not only that, but many of their other MTB's are 50% off. I've said it for a long time here, you will not see these deals again in your lifetime. But I get it. If you don't have the money, you may not be able to take advantage of this, or other deals. 

Previous deals were pretty radical. We saw Salsa and Surly knock off 30%, which is essentially stripping out all the profit margin which bicycle dealers never made any money on anyway. Now, at 30% off,  you are just pretty much covering the brand's investment. But a BOGO deal, or 50% off? That's loosing money big time. And we're talking about really nice MTB's too, not some weird brand you've never heard of. 

Crazy days, but wait until next year......
 

That's it for this week. Have a great weekend and thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

When 26 Is Like 27

Kona Bikes Dew Plus

WARNING: Intense bike nerding out to follow. Please move on if the consideration of the minutiae of bike tire and wheel technology finds you falling asleep!

 I had a chance to build up a Kona Dew Plus yesterday at Andy''s Bike Shop and it got me to thinking. "Twenty Six is like Twenty Seven". If you know your wheel size history, you'll understand. No- this is not my goofy understanding of math coming to the fore. But yeah....I can see where you might think that. My math skills are not what you might call 'very good'. 

Anyway..... Years ago there were tons of bicycles sold at retail which had the 630ISO bead diameter. These were commonly known as "27 inch tires". They are slightly bigger in diameter than 700c, which is the modern road bike derived size that also supports 29'er MTB and most all gravel tires. So, what happened to twenty seven inch tires and wheels? 

Well, they were phased out in the 1980's when Mavic and some other racing oriented companies moved to the ISO622 diameter sized wheel, or otherwise known as 700c (French designation). These tires and wheels were slightly smaller in diameter, but more importantly, they were lighter. Most manufacturers copied this for their designs on road racing style and lightweight bikes going forward. 27"/630ISO became a 'dead' wheel size, but of course, there are a million of these bikes out there yet, so tires are still available, albeit in limited options. Since 27"/630ISO is now relegated to having no new development, the 'replacement' tires and wheels tend to be- but not always- very low quality items. This has been the norm since I started in the bicycle business in the early 1990's. 

Compare this to what has happened to 26"/559ISO diameter tires and wheels. Once the darling of every high end mountain bike line, with scads of high end wheel and tire offerings, this wheel size has shrunk down to resemble the standing of 27"/630ISO in a very short period of time. It's really one of the startling, untold stories of the bicycling world. 

Think back ten years ago. In 2010 26" wheels were in a heated race for market supremacy with- ironically - a 622ISO based wheel, once again, fitted with 2"+ sized rubber, dubbed "29"ers".  At the time many said there was no way that 26" MTB would ever fade away. 29"ers were just too big and cumbersome for many things off-road riders wanted to do. Meanwhile, in 2007, Kirk Pacenti hacked a tire down to 27.5" size, claiming this 'new' MTB wheel/tire combo, presented as half the good stuff of 26" mixed with the other half of the good stuff from 29", was now going to be the "Next Big Thing". 

Of course, three tire sizes for off road was ridiculous. One of them, or two of them, had to go. Without beating the story to death, we all know which bird got pushed out of the nest. It was 26"ers that were doomed to the dust heap of forgotten tire and wheel sizes. 

I'd say that without fat bikes, anything 559ISO would pretty much be replacement type fare, just as with 27'/630ISO stuff. The 27.5" thing became a MTB size, which you all know now, but it isn't really 'new'. It is a derivative of an old French utilitarian/tandem/commuter wheel known as 650B in the French and 584ISO by the bike industry. In fact, it is a variant on 26" diameter wheels in reality. However; that has been pretty much lost to the depths of time now. 

What matters now is that, for all intents and purposes, adult, lightweight, sporting bikes are either 650B/584ISO or 700c/622ISO and the old 26" MTB and 27" road sizes are dinosaurs of our past. I think it is a fascinating turn of events, and the Kona Dew Plus was a sharp reminder of what has happened in a very short period of time.

When 26 Is Like 27

Kona Bikes Dew Plus

WARNING: Intense bike nerding out to follow. Please move on if the consideration of the minutiae of bike tire and wheel technology finds you falling asleep!

 I had a chance to build up a Kona Dew Plus yesterday at Andy''s Bike Shop and it got me to thinking. "Twenty Six is like Twenty Seven". If you know your wheel size history, you'll understand. No- this is not my goofy understanding of math coming to the fore. But yeah....I can see where you might think that. My math skills are not what you might call 'very good'. 

Anyway..... Years ago there were tons of bicycles sold at retail which had the 630ISO bead diameter. These were commonly known as "27 inch tires". They are slightly bigger in diameter than 700c, which is the modern road bike derived size that also supports 29'er MTB and most all gravel tires. So, what happened to twenty seven inch tires and wheels? 

Well, they were phased out in the 1980's when Mavic and some other racing oriented companies moved to the ISO622 diameter sized wheel, or otherwise known as 700c (French designation). These tires and wheels were slightly smaller in diameter, but more importantly, they were lighter. Most manufacturers copied this for their designs on road racing style and lightweight bikes going forward. 27"/630ISO became a 'dead' wheel size, but of course, there are a million of these bikes out there yet, so tires are still available, albeit in limited options. Since 27"/630ISO is now relegated to having no new development, the 'replacement' tires and wheels tend to be- but not always- very low quality items. This has been the norm since I started in the bicycle business in the early 1990's. 

Compare this to what has happened to 26"/559ISO diameter tires and wheels. Once the darling of every high end mountain bike line, with scads of high end wheel and tire offerings, this wheel size has shrunk down to resemble the standing of 27"/630ISO in a very short period of time. It's really one of the startling, untold stories of the bicycling world. 

Think back ten years ago. In 2010 26" wheels were in a heated race for market supremacy with- ironically - a 622ISO based wheel, once again, fitted with 2"+ sized rubber, dubbed "29"ers".  At the time many said there was no way that 26" MTB would ever fade away. 29"ers were just too big and cumbersome for many things off-road riders wanted to do. Meanwhile, in 2007, Kirk Pacenti hacked a tire down to 27.5" size, claiming this 'new' MTB wheel/tire combo, presented as half the good stuff of 26" mixed with the other half of the good stuff from 29", was now going to be the "Next Big Thing". 

Of course, three tire sizes for off road was ridiculous. One of them, or two of them, had to go. Without beating the story to death, we all know which bird got pushed out of the nest. It was 26"ers that were doomed to the dust heap of forgotten tire and wheel sizes. 

I'd say that without fat bikes, anything 559ISO would pretty much be replacement type fare, just as with 27'/630ISO stuff. The 27.5" thing became a MTB size, which you all know now, but it isn't really 'new'. It is a derivative of an old French utilitarian/tandem/commuter wheel known as 650B in the French and 584ISO by the bike industry. In fact, it is a variant on 26" diameter wheels in reality. However; that has been pretty much lost to the depths of time now. 

What matters now is that, for all intents and purposes, adult, lightweight, sporting bikes are either 650B/584ISO or 700c/622ISO and the old 26" MTB and 27" road sizes are dinosaurs of our past. I think it is a fascinating turn of events, and the Kona Dew Plus was a sharp reminder of what has happened in a very short period of time.

Could The Fargo Gen 1 Be Replaced?

The 2008 addition of this Fargo to my stable made a HUGE impact on me.

The first iteration of Salsa Cycle's Fargo still makes many cyclist's top bike list. Why? It is a design that has stood the test of time, for sure, but what is it about this drop bar mountain bike that still stirs the heart?

Another good question is: "What bike could you get today that comes closest to what the Gen I Fargo was?

Obviously, you cannot just run out and buy a new Gen I Fargo, (or any 2020 bike, really), so it makes sense to look at what is out there that mimics the Gen I Fargo. Yes- you can get any number of custom frames or small company deals. I'm not going to look there. I'm talking about bikes you could get at a shop, that have normal stock levels, (when there is no pandemic, natch), and that are big enough companies that distribution and support are non-issues. This would fit what the Salsa Cycles Fargo is/was for adventure riders. Other considerations:

• Must be steel frame and fork
• Must have non-suspension corrected, (or nearly so) fork.
• Should feature many braze on attachment points
• Must not have modern 'trail bike' geometry, or any inkling of that
• Should have modern feature set for up-to-date drive trains, etc.

That pares things down significantly! For instance, many over the years have suggested to me that Trek's 920 model is a good Gen I Fargo replacement bike. Sorry! Not a steel frame and fork, and yes- that is a huge Big Deal. Completely different ride feel, especially in a touring frame tube spec bike. Even modern day Fargos fail because they are built with completely different steel tubing now and are kind of the evolutionary extreme of what the Fargo was best at. The new Fargos are really skewed to the MTB side, and all you have to do is look at the fork length and some other details to see that.

So, following are two bicycles that nearly meet the criteria, and maybe do for many of us that love Gen I Fargos. If I had to replace my Fargo Gen I tomorrow, these two examples I am showing here would make a strong case for joining my stable of bikes. There may be others, and feel free to suggest them, as long as they fit the criteria I've outlined here in my bullet points.

Now- on to the bikes.........

The Breezer Radar Pro

 Breezer Bikes Radar Pro: I had the pleasure of test riding a Breezer Radar for Riding Gravel in 2018. The newer Radar bikes are very similar. It is easy to see the Fargo influences here. Non-suspension corrected fork, multi-geared front crank, that rake to the top tube, and, of course, those skinny steel tubes.

The geometry is nice on this bike. Nothing I would change, really, in that regard. The Radar Expert I rode was stable and felt 'okay', but needed component upgrades in the bars, stem, and seat post to really bring it up to anything near the Fargo Gen 1's ride quality. If anything, where the Radar fails is in the basic bones of the bike- the frame.

The steel tubing used on the example I had was nothing to write home about. It was really pretty basic. It did not contribute to the ride quality, that's for certain. The frame and fork also are not through-axle compatible, and in 2020, that is a big miss. You just have to have through axles these days to accommodate the latest in wheels. Yeah.....I could get by, but considering that and the frame tubing's very basic nature, well, I'd probably have to have this be a last option before I'd want to add this bike. It is close, but not a 'replacement' for my Fargo. Still, it wouldn't be bad for anyone not spoiled by knowing what a Gen I Fargo was like. For what you can get now, it is a good option.

The Kona Sutra ULTD

Kona Sutra ULTD: While I have never laid eyes on one of these, much less ridden one, the Kona Bikes Sutra line gets a lot of good mentions and some have pointed this bike out to me as being something I might like. I'd have to say that 'on paper', this is a very interesting Fargo Gen I replacement bike to me.

The geometry is a bit more progressive than the Fargo Gen I, but is probably the closest I've come across too. A touch slacker head tube angle here, maybe a hair deeper on the bottom bracket, but all things I could accept easily. That 55mm fork offset is key. Added to that is Kona's reputation for nice steel frames and this one looks like a real good candidate for replacing what I've got and it has modern amenities like through axles, braze-ons aplenty,  and decent tire clearances.

Plus, you can get a frame set only. kinda just like, well.......a Salsa Fargo! 

Now the big question is, "Would I pull the trigger on this bike?" Good question. I'd like to check one out in person first. That would either put me at ease with what I have, or it might push me over the edge. There is a thing that happened recently which just might provide me with an easy way to check one of these out. (hint-hint) and we will have to see if that comes through or not. Stay tuned.....

I will say that a no-single speed option is a bit disappointing. But beyond that? Hmm......The Sutra ULTD is pretty tempting. That old Fargo will never go away, but as it ages, making upgrades becomes more of an issue. I'm not ready to park it just yet, but if the right bike came along? Yeah, I'd seriously consider it if it ticked all the boxes and put a little extra in the pot to make it sweeter. Things like that aforementioned single speed option and an ability to run 650B X 2.8"ers. (Not really interested in 3.0"er 650B tires, by the way) Now if that bike came along? Yeah, that'd be really hard to resist.

Got any other good suggestions folks? Let me know in the comments.

Could The Fargo Gen 1 Be Replaced?

The 2008 addition of this Fargo to my stable made a HUGE impact on me.

The first iteration of Salsa Cycle's Fargo still makes many cyclist's top bike list. Why? It is a design that has stood the test of time, for sure, but what is it about this drop bar mountain bike that still stirs the heart?

Another good question is: "What bike could you get today that comes closest to what the Gen I Fargo was?

Obviously, you cannot just run out and buy a new Gen I Fargo, (or any 2020 bike, really), so it makes sense to look at what is out there that mimics the Gen I Fargo. Yes- you can get any number of custom frames or small company deals. I'm not going to look there. I'm talking about bikes you could get at a shop, that have normal stock levels, (when there is no pandemic, natch), and that are big enough companies that distribution and support are non-issues. This would fit what the Salsa Cycles Fargo is/was for adventure riders. Other considerations:

• Must be steel frame and fork
• Must have non-suspension corrected, (or nearly so) fork.
• Should feature many braze on attachment points
• Must not have modern 'trail bike' geometry, or any inkling of that
• Should have modern feature set for up-to-date drive trains, etc.

That pares things down significantly! For instance, many over the years have suggested to me that Trek's 920 model is a good Gen I Fargo replacement bike. Sorry! Not a steel frame and fork, and yes- that is a huge Big Deal. Completely different ride feel, especially in a touring frame tube spec bike. Even modern day Fargos fail because they are built with completely different steel tubing now and are kind of the evolutionary extreme of what the Fargo was best at. The new Fargos are really skewed to the MTB side, and all you have to do is look at the fork length and some other details to see that.

So, following are two bicycles that nearly meet the criteria, and maybe do for many of us that love Gen I Fargos. If I had to replace my Fargo Gen I tomorrow, these two examples I am showing here would make a strong case for joining my stable of bikes. There may be others, and feel free to suggest them, as long as they fit the criteria I've outlined here in my bullet points.

Now- on to the bikes.........

The Breezer Radar Pro

 Breezer Bikes Radar Pro: I had the pleasure of test riding a Breezer Radar for Riding Gravel in 2018. The newer Radar bikes are very similar. It is easy to see the Fargo influences here. Non-suspension corrected fork, multi-geared front crank, that rake to the top tube, and, of course, those skinny steel tubes.

The geometry is nice on this bike. Nothing I would change, really, in that regard. The Radar Expert I rode was stable and felt 'okay', but needed component upgrades in the bars, stem, and seat post to really bring it up to anything near the Fargo Gen 1's ride quality. If anything, where the Radar fails is in the basic bones of the bike- the frame.

The steel tubing used on the example I had was nothing to write home about. It was really pretty basic. It did not contribute to the ride quality, that's for certain. The frame and fork also are not through-axle compatible, and in 2020, that is a big miss. You just have to have through axles these days to accommodate the latest in wheels. Yeah.....I could get by, but considering that and the frame tubing's very basic nature, well, I'd probably have to have this be a last option before I'd want to add this bike. It is close, but not a 'replacement' for my Fargo. Still, it wouldn't be bad for anyone not spoiled by knowing what a Gen I Fargo was like. For what you can get now, it is a good option.

The Kona Sutra ULTD

Kona Sutra ULTD: While I have never laid eyes on one of these, much less ridden one, the Kona Bikes Sutra line gets a lot of good mentions and some have pointed this bike out to me as being something I might like. I'd have to say that 'on paper', this is a very interesting Fargo Gen I replacement bike to me.

The geometry is a bit more progressive than the Fargo Gen I, but is probably the closest I've come across too. A touch slacker head tube angle here, maybe a hair deeper on the bottom bracket, but all things I could accept easily. That 55mm fork offset is key. Added to that is Kona's reputation for nice steel frames and this one looks like a real good candidate for replacing what I've got and it has modern amenities like through axles, braze-ons aplenty,  and decent tire clearances.

Plus, you can get a frame set only. kinda just like, well.......a Salsa Fargo! 

Now the big question is, "Would I pull the trigger on this bike?" Good question. I'd like to check one out in person first. That would either put me at ease with what I have, or it might push me over the edge. There is a thing that happened recently which just might provide me with an easy way to check one of these out. (hint-hint) and we will have to see if that comes through or not. Stay tuned.....

I will say that a no-single speed option is a bit disappointing. But beyond that? Hmm......The Sutra ULTD is pretty tempting. That old Fargo will never go away, but as it ages, making upgrades becomes more of an issue. I'm not ready to park it just yet, but if the right bike came along? Yeah, I'd seriously consider it if it ticked all the boxes and put a little extra in the pot to make it sweeter. Things like that aforementioned single speed option and an ability to run 650B X 2.8"ers. (Not really interested in 3.0"er 650B tires, by the way) Now if that bike came along? Yeah, that'd be really hard to resist.

Got any other good suggestions folks? Let me know in the comments.

2 650B Or Not 2 650B: That Is The Question

Last March I thought 650B tires were the bomb on this ride.

The 650B tire/wheel size seems like a bit of an odd man out in the gravel world. I see that size sometimes, but not a lot. I'm not really sure why that is either. I have a guess or two, but I don't know enough to say for sure.

I do know that I vacillate back and forth between thinking these wheels are great, and then back to not even caring if I ever rode another 650B wheel again in my life. Generally speaking, for my tastes, diameter is "king" and unless a smaller wheel is exceptional at something, I don't get too excited. That said, there have been more than a few times I thought the wheel size was rad.

I think there are a few things I need to see out of a 650B wheel before I get too excited. First of all, don't even come around here with a 650B wheel with a tire narrower than the Road Plus standard, which is 47mm. In fact, I am beginning to feel that is too small. Poofy tires, if they must exist, must be exactly that- big, voluminous, and worth their weight. Using a 42mm tire in a 650B format seems......backward, especially when most gravel bikes worth their salt can fit a 43mm tire with ease in a 700c diameter. Remember- diameter is king, and if you are going to go smaller, then you need to make up for that smaller diameter with air volume. Otherwise, why bother? 

For example, when Surly came out with the Extraterrestrial tire in 26" diameter, they did not offer it in a 26" X 2.1....noooo. They went right out to 2.5" and good for them. If you ever ride one, you'll get it. They are awesome at about 20psi tubeless. Almost makes me want to run 26"ers again it does!

Smaller diameter, but super volume and super smooth ride. Make it worthwhile if you drop down a size in diameter and go wide, or go home. I'm not at all interested in 650B X (anything less than) 47mm. Nope. Give me a big, voluminous 650B, and maybe I'll fall in love with that. So then, why not just go wide and keep it 700c? Yes indeed- why not? 

700 X 50? Why yes. Don't mind if I do.

 The trouble is that then you end up with a bike that almost cannot be anything but a Fargo or clone thereof. I was online the other night perusing Kona's line up for 2020 at the suggestion of a reader here. They make the Sutra model which sports 700c X 50mm tires, but it isn't a whole lot different than a Fargo and has limitations which a Fargo does not have regarding the drive train and tire clearances. (Or you could see that the other way around too.) The 700c X 45+ size tires start to get into a territory that road based drive trains were never meant to live in. That and the emasculation of MTB gearing choices down to a single chain ring has really pinched the rider that understands wide range gearing that promotes a straight chain line. Your choices are more limited than ever on the mountain biking side of things.

So, 650B to the rescue. I guess. There you can get that wider tire stuffed into a frame and still get away with a road based, wide range drive train. You lose that diameter component, but the choices are greater when looking at gearing and all. I'll be checking out some more tire choices and running 650B sizes in the future, and I'll probably still be going back and forth about it.

Stay tuned....

2 650B Or Not 2 650B: That Is The Question

Last March I thought 650B tires were the bomb on this ride.

The 650B tire/wheel size seems like a bit of an odd man out in the gravel world. I see that size sometimes, but not a lot. I'm not really sure why that is either. I have a guess or two, but I don't know enough to say for sure.

I do know that I vacillate back and forth between thinking these wheels are great, and then back to not even caring if I ever rode another 650B wheel again in my life. Generally speaking, for my tastes, diameter is "king" and unless a smaller wheel is exceptional at something, I don't get too excited. That said, there have been more than a few times I thought the wheel size was rad.

I think there are a few things I need to see out of a 650B wheel before I get too excited. First of all, don't even come around here with a 650B wheel with a tire narrower than the Road Plus standard, which is 47mm. In fact, I am beginning to feel that is too small. Poofy tires, if they must exist, must be exactly that- big, voluminous, and worth their weight. Using a 42mm tire in a 650B format seems......backward, especially when most gravel bikes worth their salt can fit a 43mm tire with ease in a 700c diameter. Remember- diameter is king, and if you are going to go smaller, then you need to make up for that smaller diameter with air volume. Otherwise, why bother? 

For example, when Surly came out with the Extraterrestrial tire in 26" diameter, they did not offer it in a 26" X 2.1....noooo. They went right out to 2.5" and good for them. If you ever ride one, you'll get it. They are awesome at about 20psi tubeless. Almost makes me want to run 26"ers again it does!

Smaller diameter, but super volume and super smooth ride. Make it worthwhile if you drop down a size in diameter and go wide, or go home. I'm not at all interested in 650B X (anything less than) 47mm. Nope. Give me a big, voluminous 650B, and maybe I'll fall in love with that. So then, why not just go wide and keep it 700c? Yes indeed- why not? 

700 X 50? Why yes. Don't mind if I do.

 The trouble is that then you end up with a bike that almost cannot be anything but a Fargo or clone thereof. I was online the other night perusing Kona's line up for 2020 at the suggestion of a reader here. They make the Sutra model which sports 700c X 50mm tires, but it isn't a whole lot different than a Fargo and has limitations which a Fargo does not have regarding the drive train and tire clearances. (Or you could see that the other way around too.) The 700c X 45+ size tires start to get into a territory that road based drive trains were never meant to live in. That and the emasculation of MTB gearing choices down to a single chain ring has really pinched the rider that understands wide range gearing that promotes a straight chain line. Your choices are more limited than ever on the mountain biking side of things.

So, 650B to the rescue. I guess. There you can get that wider tire stuffed into a frame and still get away with a road based, wide range drive train. You lose that diameter component, but the choices are greater when looking at gearing and all. I'll be checking out some more tire choices and running 650B sizes in the future, and I'll probably still be going back and forth about it.

Stay tuned....

Mini-Vacation Time

My attendance at "Reveal The Path" was followed by an extended weekend stay with Ben Witt up in Northfield, Minnesota. Obviously, being that it was Friday, Ben and his wife were working, so Mrs. Guitar Ted and I hung out for the day.

Shopping in Northfield

Now Mrs. Guitar Ted is a book nut, kinda like I am a bike nut. Used book stores are like a magnet for her. Northfield actually has a nice one called Monkey See- Monkey Read. Oddly enough, I happen to know the proprietor of the establishment, Jerry, who himself is a bike nut.

Weird, huh?

Well, it gets weirder, in a good way. See, Jerry got involved in selling the  AfricaBike , which are made and distributed by Kona and involves a project to help Africans with bicycles. Jerry had sold several of these over the past few years from his used book store, but only had two left. He is getting to the point where he is going to end his involvement with the selling of bicycles out of a bookstore, so these two bikes had attractive pricing on them as well.

Okay, so the other part of this story is that Mrs. Guitar Ted has always, always wanted a Kona Bike. Didn't matter to her what type of bike, as long as it was a Kona. (I have no idea why Kona. It is what it is, as far as I know!)

Mrs. Guitar Ted on her Kona

Well, Jerry and I get to talking and next thing ya know, we're leaving with a Kona AfricaBike for Mrs. Guitar Ted.

It's pretty cool. Single speed, bolt on hubs, coaster rear with linear pull front brakes, integrated rear rack, a front basket, and of course, it is steel. Oddly enough, the flat black paint job is my wife's second favorite color for a bike as well.

The integrated rear rack has a  four bolt pattern of braze ons that you can mount a platform deck, or a basket on. That's our next project for this bike, which I hope will be getting a lot of use real soon.

Now that wasn't all we did, and the entire day was fun. We walked everywhere we went. Had a ton of fun. In the evening, Mrs. Guitar Ted wanted to go shopping with Ben's wife, so Ben and I planned on hanging out down at Mike's Bikes, kind of like we do every February.

That entailed a bunch of tom-foolery with beers involved. My favorite part of the evening was getting to hear more early Marin clunker stories from Mike himself. I learned more about the Koski Brothers, Joe Breeze, the switch from steel Schwinn S2 rims to Ukai aluminum rims, and early disc brake experiments.

Yesterday was spent mostly at Ben's shop hanging out where I got to see Ben's Big Dummy- Fat-Lite set up. He has Marge Lite rims shod with 2.4" Bontrager XR-1 tires which yields a width of 70mm on the tires. I rode it around and it was really smooove. 

Then we came back home and hung out with our family to see some fireworks. A great way to cap off a nice, relaxing time off. 

Mini-Vacation Time

My attendance at "Reveal The Path" was followed by an extended weekend stay with Ben Witt up in Northfield, Minnesota. Obviously, being that it was Friday, Ben and his wife were working, so Mrs. Guitar Ted and I hung out for the day.

Shopping in Northfield

Now Mrs. Guitar Ted is a book nut, kinda like I am a bike nut. Used book stores are like a magnet for her. Northfield actually has a nice one called Monkey See- Monkey Read. Oddly enough, I happen to know the proprietor of the establishment, Jerry, who himself is a bike nut.

Weird, huh?

Well, it gets weirder, in a good way. See, Jerry got involved in selling the  AfricaBike , which are made and distributed by Kona and involves a project to help Africans with bicycles. Jerry had sold several of these over the past few years from his used book store, but only had two left. He is getting to the point where he is going to end his involvement with the selling of bicycles out of a bookstore, so these two bikes had attractive pricing on them as well.

Okay, so the other part of this story is that Mrs. Guitar Ted has always, always wanted a Kona Bike. Didn't matter to her what type of bike, as long as it was a Kona. (I have no idea why Kona. It is what it is, as far as I know!)

Mrs. Guitar Ted on her Kona

Well, Jerry and I get to talking and next thing ya know, we're leaving with a Kona AfricaBike for Mrs. Guitar Ted.

It's pretty cool. Single speed, bolt on hubs, coaster rear with linear pull front brakes, integrated rear rack, a front basket, and of course, it is steel. Oddly enough, the flat black paint job is my wife's second favorite color for a bike as well.

The integrated rear rack has a  four bolt pattern of braze ons that you can mount a platform deck, or a basket on. That's our next project for this bike, which I hope will be getting a lot of use real soon.

Now that wasn't all we did, and the entire day was fun. We walked everywhere we went. Had a ton of fun. In the evening, Mrs. Guitar Ted wanted to go shopping with Ben's wife, so Ben and I planned on hanging out down at Mike's Bikes, kind of like we do every February.

That entailed a bunch of tom-foolery with beers involved. My favorite part of the evening was getting to hear more early Marin clunker stories from Mike himself. I learned more about the Koski Brothers, Joe Breeze, the switch from steel Schwinn S2 rims to Ukai aluminum rims, and early disc brake experiments.

Yesterday was spent mostly at Ben's shop hanging out where I got to see Ben's Big Dummy- Fat-Lite set up. He has Marge Lite rims shod with 2.4" Bontrager XR-1 tires which yields a width of 70mm on the tires. I rode it around and it was really smooove. 

Then we came back home and hung out with our family to see some fireworks. A great way to cap off a nice, relaxing time off. 

Friday News And Views

Kona Raijin Prototype: (Image Courtesy Kona Cog blog)

More Tennessee Titanium: Lynskey Performance in Tennessee is cranking out titanium bikes under its own brand name, plus at least three other brands that I know about, maybe more. At any rate, I find it rather amusing to see this Kona proto coming out which should be available later this spring.

Signature Lynskey design touches abound here, and one starts to wonder when the brand on the down tube starts to lose its meaning. Sure......it's got a 69.5 degree head angle, but beyond this, what is really any different than a Lynskey or a Salsa Cycles offering? Not a whole lot.

Now, I realize I am riding a Lynskey made rig, and I have ridden a few others made by them. They do great work. My point isn't that "Lynskey is bad", my point is that if you are bothering to have one manufactured by them, you might want to somehow make a strong visual distinction from the "standard issue" Lynskey cues. I don't think anyone would bat an eyelash at first glance at this bike if it had a sandblasted Salsa Cycles logo on the down tube. Ya know?

That said, I am sure the Raijin is a cool riding rig. Gotta wonder what the chain stay length is here. I noticed its screaming non-disclosure in the blog posted specs. One other possibly telling cue: The rear tire is a Maxxis Ikon. Not a voluminous, wide tire. Maybe that's all that would fit with mud clearance with the sliders pulled all the way forward as they are here. If so, that won't fly too well with the forum-freaks. We'll see.

WTB Frequency Rims: Ya know, so many times I get e-mails about what rims to use for tubeless applications on big wheeled rigs. It seems so many choices are already laced to hubs. Well, not everyone wants pre-built wheels. It is something of a problem in the marketplace. Especially when one choice, (Stan's), seems to be the only thing that comes to most folks minds these days. (Not that Mr. Koziak minds, but it would be nice to have some competition here.)

Well, that is why things like the new WTB Frequency rims are going to be cool. These are looking like some pretty well thought out rims here. The bead seat is optimized more toward the UST side of things, and the sealing tape and sealant is right from Stan's playbook. Solid, reliable stuff there.

Then WTB's design work is added on top. "I-Beam" extrusions have been a feature of WTB rims since the late 90's. I used a set of Lazerbeam rims once back in my 26"er days and was really impressed with the lightweight/toughness combination they exhibited. I would suspect that the 29"er version, with current refinements, would be as good if not better. WTB also optimized the spoke drilling angles and added the "Unbendium Bulge" for strength. Good, smart stuff. 

Anyway, these are available now in 26 or 29 inch versions with 19mm or 23mm inside rim well dimension variants to choose from. MSRP on the 26 and 29 inch versions are $75.00 and $80.00 respectively. Now you know.

On One Scandal 29: Image courtesy of shedfire

Okay- So What Would You Suggest? Getting back to the Kona thing, I would have suggested that (perhaps) they should have veered from the "typical Lynskey" look and found a signature. Used to be that Kona had that rad top tube slope, big head tube, and an extended set tube with a forward facing slot at the seat collar.

You know the bike in the image doesn't look like a Lynskey. It looks like an On One bike. You know this from the signature seat stay arrangement.

So, ya know......that's what I am talking about. Get something unique out there. (Whoa! Never thought I'd write that about 29"ers, but they are mainstream now days.) The Kona Raijin isn't really much to crow about in terms of its looks. It does have some unique stats, but I dunno.......

Maybe I'm wrong here, but it just strikes me as a bit "ho-hum".

Okay, well.......enjoy the non-winter! Get out and ride a bike, take some pictures, and have an adventure.