Choosing For The L.O.G.

The current state of the Gen I Fargo

 In a little less than three weeks from now I hopefully will be in Kansas for the Legends of Gravel ride. I have ridden quite a bit in Kansas, so I do have somewhat of an idea of what I am getting myself into there. But bicycle choice for an event is always something I end up tripping myself over anyway. It seems inevitable. 

The obvious choice would be to go with my Gen I Fargo. I've ridden this bike down there before and I know it would do quite well. My only concern is for the tires. 

While you do not hear about all the flat tires you used to hear about down there, the chance for tire failure is much higher than anywhere else I might be riding near me. Yes....goat heads, sharp rocks, and thorns reside waiting to assail your tires in other parts of the USA, but around here flat tires are rare. So, it doesn't take much of an increase in risk factor to raise my level of concern, and the Flint Hill demand respect. 

N.Y. Roll has offered me his pair of Vittoria Mezcals to put on this bike. I could do that. I have those Schwalbe G-One AllRoads. I also have a pair of Cannonball tires from Teravail I could use. Actually, the Cannonballs were on this Fargo at one time. Back when my Maxxis Ikons failed just before the DK20 and I had to buy the Cannonballs which were, at that time, the Official Tire of the DK200. (Now Continental is the Official Tires of Unbound) 

Anyway... I'm changing tires, because the ones on there now are not going to be up to the task. 

The Noble GX5

The other bike under consideration is my Noble GX5. The reasoning behind taking this bike would be the lighter weight of this bike. 

Generally I haven't taken this bike anywhere I would be on a remote, longer ride because it only has three bottle mounts. The original fork had no accessory mounts. So, with limited water carrying capabilities, I would end up using another bike instead. 

However; now that it has the State Bicycle Co Monster Fork on there, I have bottle mounts and this alleviates the water carrying issue. A bonus to this fork is that it will clear a 29"er X 2.1" tire. So, that would maybe be handy in the Flint Hills. 

My only concern is this bike does not have a Redshift Sports ShockStop stem on it. I could snatch one off another bike though. If I decide to go with the Noble I'd make the switch. It would be a lot nicer on the body if I did!

The third choice would be the Singular Gryphon. It's got big tires and a ShockStop stem already. It also has one of my favorite drop bars in the Ragley Luxy Bar. It's heavy though, and I'm not in the greatest shape right at the moment due to all the wonky weather we've had since the beginning of the year. 

Gotta make up my mind soon. Stay tuned....

A Look At Events For 2026

Well, it seems every year I have written up a post concerning what I am going to be planning for in terms of events for the year. A few things have changed since last year and I have a couple of things I want to accomplish before next Winter on the bike. 

Keep in mind this is a list of plans. Many times our plans do not work out. I am no exception to the rule. So, while I may have a strong desire to do the events I am about to list, it doesn't mean it will happen. 

Okay, with the disclaimer out there saying I am not 100% in charge of the future, here we go with what I have on my plate for 2026 in terms of gravel events. 

Leading up to April my goal is to just put in some decent, three to four hour rides weekly. This should get me into riding shape. I do not plan on doing any events, but I may crack off a longer ride if the weather and timing lines up. We will see. My main focus will be just getting out there. 

The "big" deal this year will hopefully be this Legends Of Gravel ride in April down in the Flint Hills of Kansas. 

Once again, in case you haven't heard of this, here is a link to a post about this ride.  

I will also add again the fact that I am not in charge of the organizing nor do I have any influence on how this ride is set up. I was asked to come, (along with certain others) so the ride is named what it is named because of this. 

Link to registration:  https://www.bikereg.com/legends-of-gravel

Once I get beyond this point in the year I have to bring focus to what the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective is doing. May and June are the busiest months there, and extracurricular events are at their height during this point in the season for the organization. Due to these things, I am not considering any events during those times, especially since I am taking off time in April from my job there already. 

This means things like a planned bike packing trip around West Central Nebraska I was invited to are not in the cards for me. It was a nice thing to have included me in the invitation, but I just cannot leave people hanging who are depending upon my participation. Further,ore, being on a limited income, I cannot afford the time off either.  

At some point in July or August I will be doing another ride in honor of my son, Jacob Stevenson. This will get announced when I see a time window for the ride maybe in June. I want to do around a metric to maybe a full century ride on a course somewhat local to Waterloo. 

Details will be fine tuned as the Spring and Summer go along, but this is an important ride for me and I will make GT's Ride For Jacob happen. Worst case scenario is I do it alone on a weekday when I am off work, because typically Saturdays I have to work. But this is all yet to be determined. 

Then the only other thing I am committing to is the Virtual Turkey Burn Challenge in November. Other than this idea, I probably will end up doing something with N.Y. Roll at some point during the year, but we haven't had any discussions on an idea, and it remains to be seen if we do or if we do not do a ride like the Tree In The Road Ride we did last year. 

Besides those ideas, I just want to focus on getting outside, riding as much as I can, and having fun. I don't need for, want to do, or have much interest in attending the "big organized rides" like Unbound, Gravel Worlds, or Mid South again. I'd rather ride for an adventure, and in other places, than do those things over and over again. 

And that's about it. So, nothing hugely exciting here, but if I get to ride all of what I have outlined here it will be a big year of riding for me. I do not expect it all to happen though, except for the ones I have stated I really want to do, (really only a few), and if this is all I get in, well that'd be great too. 

Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

 

Image courtesy of Shimano North America

GRX717 Di2 Introduced As Shimano's Budget Gravel Group:

On December 16th, news came out regarding a new level of GRX gravel components from Shimano. This new GRX717 level is electronic, 12 speed, 1X only, and is priced to compete with  SRAM's more entry level offerings. 

The new 717 is wireless, just like its more expensive sibling. In fact, it is practically a mash-up of current 105/Deore wireless 12 speed components with GRX branding. The 717 rear derailleur features the same WideLink design, ability to reset after a blow to the cage, and the same low-profile design as Deore MTB Di2.  

Levers are essentially 105 design, lacking the grippier hoods of the top-tier GRX Di2 12 speed. It bears mentioning the hoods are textured a little bit though. 

Crank set options include a 40T and 42T option. The rear cassette is meant to be a 10-51T range 12 speed MicroSpline compatible cassette. It should be noted also that all 12 speed wireless Di2 is interchangeable. So....say you want flat bar GRX, you just add flat bar Di2 Deore shifters and you are there. Other possibilities are available as long as you stick to the Shimano 12 speed wireless Di2 ecosystem. 

Comments: Prediction - Shimano sees more spec with this offering. They had ceded this segment of the market to SRAM by not having a more budget friendly option for electronic 12 speed shifting. Now that this is out there, Shimano only is missing a top-tier, super light Di2 gravel racing group. 

Special Statement Concerning The Virtual Turkey Burn Ride Challenge:

I was made aware of a VTBRC report which may have been sent and was received in the spam folder of my email instead of the regular email folder. Now I am aware this is a possibility, and now I have to wonder if other reports went to the same folder. The thing is, I never look at what is in the folder, I simply delete the whole thing every day. 

So, from comments left on the blog it seems at least one report met this fate and perhaps others have as well. I apologize for this! I was not thinking such a thing would become a problem, but there it is. 

So, in the future I will be more careful when deleting the spam file during times I expect reports on rides like the VTBRC. I sincerely hope those of you who sent in reports will forgive me of this oversight and I would be 100% good with publishing those reports if you let me know you'd like to do this. 

This little machine saved my bacon

Fixed Gear Build:

The Standard Rando v2 is being converted into a fixed gear bike and things have been progressing slowly with this build all December long. 

I ran into a situation which had me in a bit of a pickle. I was building the front wheel when I discovered one spoke was not accepting a nipple. This after I had everything laced up and ready to tension. 

To make matters worse, it was the only silver spoke I had which would fit this application, and I did not have access to a bike shop, as this happened at an odd time. 

So, I grabbed my Hozan Spoke Screwing Machine, an extra long silver spoke, and got to work. I first cut the spoke down to the proper length. Then I mounted the Spoke Screwing machine in my vise. A few minutes later and I had a replacement spoke ready to install. Problem solved!  

These little machines can be a life saver. While one could thread spokes for an entire wheel build with this little guy, I wouldn't recommend it. This is best suited for spoke replacements running up to a handful of spokes in number. More than a half dozen and you'll get real tired, real fast of the tediousness of the process. You have to be patient with this machine! 

These are still available, so if you think you'd like one, you should be able to find one easily enough. By the way, I'll have a lot more on this build coming up here on the blog soon.  

L.O.G. Ride  Logo Updated:

I received an email a while back here from Jesse Petersen, a reader of these digital pages and a graphic designer, by the looks of it. He took my caveman drawing of the L.O.G. Ride logo, "cleaned it up a bit", and sent it my way so it can be used by the promoters of the ride. 

(That is right, I'm not in charge of this ride. I just came up with an idea for a logo)

If you want to know more about the Legends Of Gravel Ride, seek the page out on Facebook for all the news. And thank you Jesse for an awesome "clean up" job on my artwork! 

I did get confirmation that the registration should be up by now, or any day now. The Legends of Gravel will have two levels you can sign up for. One: Anyone wanting to stay at the Lodge, and Two: Those staying elsewhere, but wanting to join the ride. Sorry, this is all I know at this time, but you can check out BikeReg and search "Legends of Gravel" to learn more, or go to the Facebook group page for this event.  

Adventure Cycling Debuts Golden Gravel Trail Route:

The Adventure Cycling organization is about to celebrate its 50th year. To do this they decided to draw up a mostly gravel road route from Oregon to the Mississippi River on Missouri's border. The route will total 3,700 miles and will be released to the public in March of this year on their Ride With GPS  account. 

Route diagram courtesy of Adventure Cycling

The route is described on the Adventure Cycling blog page (HERE) as being somewhat similar to the Great Divide Route (Tour Divide), and riders should expect similar experiences. 

Adventure Cycling reminds riders who want to ride this route that it is not going to be 100% perfect and will likely need tweaking in its infancy. 

Comments: Obviously this is what Adventure Cycling is all about, but also it is noteworthy they chose a mostly (reportedly 70% gravel) gravel route. NOT a paved route. Also notable is their West-East routing versus what the Great Plains Gravel Route does, which is to meander North-South. Also, The Spinistry is developing a route which will traverse the entire nation East to West on mostly unpaved roads, (See the next story for more). So, the Adventure Cycling folks are not the only group doing things like this. 

It stands to reason a route like this would be done, as gravel is more safely traversed these days due to distracted drivers on paved roads. But then again - You need to know even in the remotest places you could still get smoked by an inattentive driver. Just ask Jay Petervary. 

So, when will the race be announced? (Only half kidding)

TUBA Trail: The Longest Off-Pavement Route Being Developed:

In other long route news of the unpaved sort, N.Y. Roll and I were able to pin down the industrious Kevin Lee of the Spinistry for a chat. Our conversation centered around the newest off-pavement route for bike packing and touring, the TUBA Trail. 

Kevin and The Spinistry are no strangers to long off-pavement routes. They have developed the RAT 1000, a route across Texas and have been maintaining it for several years already. In fact, the RAT 1000 route idea is the genesis for the idea for the TUBA Trail. 

I won't dive into too much of the detail on this new trail route, but you can check out the conversation we had with Kevin by listening to the latest Guitar Ted Podcast HERE. (Spotify home page link, but you can find the show on most major podcast platforms.) 

I enjoyed hearing about how Kevin pays attention to details which I related to having routed Trans Iowa over the years I did that. I also appreciated Kevin's mentioning the costs involved in doing route finding, a thing most riders tend not to appreciate.  

I also wanted to thank Kevin again for his time and for sharing the news of the TUBA Trail, which is set to be completed sometime this year.  

Image courtesy of Singular Cycles

The 32" Watch: One More For The Album:

Singular Cycles posted this image on their socials and asked for names for this new model with 32" wheels. Most Singular models are named for avians, so the bulk of the suggestions were of this nature. 

Comments: This is a good look at what this model may look like in production. If I had to guess, this appears to be titanium. I hope Sam Alison is thinking about a steel version because a titanium version would be quite pricey. Nice, but expensive for sure. 

I've no idea for a name for this, but I'm sure it will be appropriately named. One thing you can always count on from Singular Cycles, and that is they have always done things with class. From aesthetics to the names for their models, it is hard to find fault with anything the company has done. Not that Singular is perfect, mind you. Far from it. I will only say other "big wheeled" purveyors do not have the same level of attention to detail when it comes to how their products are presented and perceived in the marketplace. It doesn't hurt any to have bicycles which handle and ride nicely also, and Singular has a reputation for this as well. 

So, I expect nothing less than a really well sorted and classy looking 32"er from Singular. My proclivities run more toward trying a 32 inch wheel out in a drop bar format. Maybe Sam could name it the  "Hræsvelgr". I think that would be appropriate. 

Give me that and a reissued Luxy Bar. I might have to get rid of a bike to bring one like this in.  

Thanks for reading! Get out and put in your first ride of 2026, if you have not already!

Announcing The L.O.G. Ride

 

Design by Jesse Petersen

 

Announcing the L.O.G. Ride:

When: April 17th - 18th, 2026

Where: Eskridge, Kansas 

What: Two days of gravel riding in the Flint Hills with fellowship and fun in between. 

Why: To get together with like-minded riders and celebrate the "legends" of the gravel scene who show up.  

Details: First of all, there will be finer details in the coming days. So, check back here on Guitar Ted Productions for any updates.  Times, how to register, and more will be revealed very soon. The plan is to close up the registration before the end of the year. 

Technically the ride is free to enter, but there will be obligatory tasks for each person who chooses to enter this ride. The organizers are going to divvy up tasks to pull the ride off and will split costs amongst the signed on roster. You'll know what your part in pulling off the ride is once the registration has been closed as all who sign on will become part of a group text to discuss how things will be portioned out as to tasks and then costs will be determined. All signers will know their obligations and will need to contribute to the ride fund by mid-January. 

Included in the ride structure will be food, beverage, accommodations for riders to spend the night, (a possible group housing opportunity is being discussed to help defray costs), and options for either the Friday ride, Saturday ride, or both. 

Registrants will enter via post card, because of course! 

Background: 

Last year I was approached by Warren Weibe, a resident of Kansas, to come down and ride in the Flint Hills. He felt his nephews should know where this whole gravel thing started from and he said I was someone who could not only be an example, but a representative of the genre for them. Well.....maybe that is a debatable thing, but the point is, this ride did not happen this year for various reasons. 

 Now Warren hasn't given up on the idea, and he has partnered with Ryan "Uncle Dudley" Dudley from the old "Ride for Masie's Pride" and other gravel rides. Between the two they are determined to have me down to the Flint Hills to ride. 

I chose the date, they are doing everything else, including the naming of the ride, fine details, and whatnot. I decided to come up with the logo, and this may not get used, but that is fine because I am not in charge of this one. I was just asked to spread the word on this platform and a few of my social media accounts. 

From Ryan Dudley's Facebook account concerning the L.O.G. ride:

"Legends of Gravel, aka L.O.G. ride, is an event Warren Wiebe and I are putting together. The tentative plan is that we'll be operating out of Wild Olives Lodge at Lake Wabaunsee. The idea is that a bunch of old farts, the legends of gravel are going to ride bicycles in the Flint Hills for a couple of days. Maybe some youngsters will want to hang out and ride with us old farts. Guitar Ted is a pioneer of gravel. He's also going to be the 'Big Dill of the Flint Hills' for this amazing gathering of silverbacks. So many more details to come, very soon."

Look for more details to come out very soon. Any questions? Feel free to ask in the comments or e-mail me @g.ted.productions@gmail.com and I will collect those queries and forward them on.