Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Ergon

 Ergon Redesigns Flagship Grip:

Ergon announced yesterday that their iconic "winged" design grip has been refreshed and released for use. Using a manufacturing process that reduces waste to near-zero, and using refined rubber and natural cork (GP-1 BioKork Evo) , this grip represents a responsibly produced product that is 100% manufactured in Germany and is SGS certified. Using SGS certified, pollutant-free, medical grade rubber, the grip meets German toy and food standards. 

In the case of the BioKork GP-1 Evo, the grip contains 40% organically grown cork from Portugal and the rest is manufactured to SGS standards in Germany. 

The aluminum clamp is integrated into the GP-1 Evo and BioKork Evo grips and now features a hidden hex head clamping bolt. 

Prices are $39.95 for the GP-1 Evo and $49.95 for the BioKork GP-1 Evo. These are available now via Ergon's Amazon partners or from bike shops with a Quality Bicycle Products account. 

Comments: the much-copied, flagship grip from Ergon gets a long awaited refresh but it seems to have retained its basic features which made it a revolutionary grip in 2005 when it arrived on the scene here in the US. I know that I have personally gained much from having these grips installed on my bicycles since 2005, which has increased comfort and reduced hand numbness for me to a great degree. 

Interesting from my viewpoint is that Trans Iowa was Ergon's first sponsorship activation in the USA back in 2005. Ergon supplied each of the starting riders a set of the then unknown grips. It is safe to say that this sponsorship not only enhanced Trans Iowa as a concept for an event, but set Ergon off in an upward trajectory with endurance cyclists and mountain bikers immediately. Ergon also graciously allowed Jeff and I our own sets of GP-1 grips which was how I was introduced to the grip's benefits. 

Check out the Ergon GP-1 grips here. Thank you to Ergon for the information and image used in this post. 

Guitar Ted Podcast Episode #30:

Well, we've put up another episode of the "GTP" again, and we covered the discontinued  Cross Check model, plus a whole bunch of other stuff. You can listen HERE if you care to. I'd be honored if you decide to listen in on any of our episodes. 

This Cross Check thing kind of caught me by surprise. The discontinuation bit and the reaction from riders. Apparently, Surly doing this struck a nerve in many of you. Has Surly done a disservice to its original ethos? Has Surly "lost its way" lately? Seems that many of those who are lamenting the loss of the Cross Check, 1X1, and the Long Haul Trucker seem to think so. And what about the old Pugs? That's gone too. 

My feeling is that this all started back in the early twenty-teens. I spent time in the bowels of the QBP mother ship at different Frostbike gatherings and I could see the "foundation issues" within the organization. Any company worth its salt has a strong core of people. Humans that drive the thing and have passion for that mission are necessary for the end product's appeal to the customer base. Those "foundational" people all started to fall away in the twenty-teens. The mold had been cast for what has happened now, to a degree. 

Of course, a world-wide pandemic, economic upheavals, and other factors come into play here, but a lot of what we see now is the fall-out of stuff that had its beginnings over a decade ago now. That's my take. But the reasons why we are at where we are at with Surly's products have just served to lead us to the current state of affairs. That's all it is. That's something that cannot be undone. Things change, times end, and so I remember the Cross Check with fondness for where it took us.  

Image courtesy of Mavic USA.

Mavic Introduces All-Road Wheels & Shoes:

Mavic. Remember them? Well, they are back again and now have a USA office. They just introduced two sets of wheels and a couple of shoes for riders of gravel and dirt. 

What is interesting is that Mavic decided to enter the complete wheel market in the entry level. These are aluminum rimmed wheels with the patented Mavic FORE rim design which leaves no spoke hole drillings which would require rim tape. These rims don't need that as the rim well is solid aluminum. 

The hub for the rear wheel uses what Mavic calls "ID360" design, but basically what it is is a star ratchet system. DT Swiss used to have the exclusive patent on that design but it has run out now, so you will see that offered in several wheel designs in the future and this is one of them. 

The wheels are not what you'd call "impressively light weight". The All Road S weighs in at 1700 grams and the SL version weighs 45 grams less. However; there is some versatility in the axle standards as Mavic says that you can get 15mm end caps for front wheels and a QR end cap for rear wheels in this range. (Note: It wasn't clear if a QR end cap is available for front wheels.) The wheels ship with the now standard 12mm through axle compatible end caps. Prices set at $530.00 USD for the All Road S and $830.00 USD for the All Road SL wheels. 

Image courtesy of Mavic USA

The shoes I would be interested in are these Cosmic BOA SPD kicks with a faux leather upper and a fiberglass reinforced Nylon sole. The BOA dial is the one that you can micro-adjust on the fly, which is a nice feature. 

The perforations promise some air flow and the rubber walking tread areas on the bottom promise safe walking in convenience stores when you are looking for that savory slice of Casey's pizza! 

These come in a brown (shown) and black, but since Jeff Kerkove told me about dark shoes making your feet hotter I have been wishing for lighter colored footwear. So, that's a bummer here because you cannot get that with these shoes. 

Comments: I like the shoes, and the wheels are kind of a head scratcher. I mean, yeah.....if my stock wheels on - say a Journeyer - were up for replacement, these would be marginally better for not a whole lot of cash. However; wheels are so competitively priced now that you can get a nice set of carbon rimmed wheels for about the same price as the All Road SL's. So, it's a bit puzzling on that side as to why Mavic would choose to go into the high-end aluminum complete wheel market and not have something on offer that is lighter weight. 

LeMond All-Road Prolog - A Gravel eBike from LeMond?

So when Greg LeMond decided to start an independent bicycle company I assumed, as I am sure many of you all did, that there would be a drop bar bike of some type immediately. 

But there wasn't.

It was electrified flat bar bikes, then a Dutch inspired ebike, and after all that, I figured, well.....maybe LeMond isn't into drop bar bikes anymore. Weird thought, but ya know..... 

Well, then this All - Road bike debuts, and it is kind of impressive. Especially when I think about that Specialized bike I talked about last week. This LeMond bike costs significantly less, has better range, and weighs under 30lbs. Plus it comes with Panaracer Gravel Kings at 700 X 43mm size with room to spare. 

Adding in some proper geometry, and you know what? I'd ride this sans motor. I am not interested in electrified bikes, but a gravel bike from LeMond? That'd be pretty cool.

That's all for this week! Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

 

LeMond Confirms Gravel, Road Offerings To Come:

In the past several FN&V posts you've read about the LeMond company's new carbon fiber efforts in the cycling realm. I have been convinced that there would be road and gravel bikes coming from LeMond and was also convinced HPC's (Hybrid Powered Cycles) would be a part of this venture as well, which was confirmed last week. 

In a recent "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" article, the gravel and road lines are also confirmed as something LeMond is bringing to the market. The road bikes coming in November with the gravel bike line to follow later. 

Comments: In LeMond's lead up to these revelations, they stated that these bikes would be something "surprising" considering the brand's history, but are they really all that surprising? I don't think so. Here's the thing: In 2020 and beyond, if you do not have an electrified bike, you are not being smart. It's where the money is in cycling. Market data supports this assumption every time new figures are released. Of course, someday that won't be the case, but for now? Yeah, you have to have motors on your bikes. 

Then consider gravel, (which is the wrong name for this category, but whatever.....), again- you'd be nuts not to offer something here. This is another growth category in cycling. Not to the extent that HPC's are, but there are no other growth markets in cycling. None. So, yeah, why not do a gravel bike? 

Then we are talking LeMond here, right? Three time Tour de France winner and World Champion? Road racing bikes have to be a part of the brand. That's obvious. So, where is the surprise? I really don't see it. Now if there were, say, a tandem, or a mountain bike, or say something for kids? Big surprise there. But also a dumb move in the marketplace. None of those categories are movers on the high end, which is what LeMond bikes will be marketed as. These are going to be high dollar machines. 

The "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" piece also mentioned LeMond is going to try to bring the manufacturing of the carbon frames to the US and Europe. That would be a big deal if it happens. Also, a World Tour Team is in the plans as well. Again, not surprising, but that might be interesting to see. It also makes me wonder if LeMond might also dip their toes into gravel racing. At least in the US, that would be something that would make sense. 

The Nordest Ti gravel bike

Gravel Trends In 2021 and Beyond:

I've noticed a few things lately that are becoming trends in the gravel bike marketplace. Most having to do with where the influences come from regarding geometry for the future gravel bikes. As I see things, designers are taking cues from mountain biking or from road biking and ending up with very different bikes. Let's take a brief look......

Mountain: Bikes like the Evil Chamois Hagar are probably the best known of the type I see as being influenced heavily by MTB design. But they are not the only ones. Their is a bunch of small, third tier brands that are doing similar designs. Take for instance the Nordest Super Albarda Ti and CrMo gravel bikes. (Pictured here is the Ti model) 

They have decided on a long front/center, a slack sub-69° head angle matched with a deep bottom bracket drop. The company called "Hudski" also offers a similar design in aluminum but with a higher bottom bracket on their Doggler model, which- by the way- has flat bars. So, this seems to be something that is catching on. Big tire clearances are here, along with all the "Adventure Warts™", and all are not suspension corrected. 

Road: Then we come to the road-ish designs, which, in my opinion, are evolution of road racing bikes to better reflect the all-around uses of road bikes, or......yes...more of what I was talking about ten years ago. Bikes like the Trek Domane Disc, the Giant Contend ALR Disc, and the new LOOK 765 Optimum+. All bikes that can take up to a 38mm-40mm tire easily. Geometry is being adjusted on these bikes to have slacker head tube angles. the new LOOk bike has a 70.5° head angle! 

The thing here is all of these bikes do not have the extra water carrying capacities that the normal "gravel" bike might have these days, and yes- maybe we really have become addicted to fat tires in this space. So, a 38mm-40mm tire may not turn you on, but ten years ago we would have swooned over having such choices. That said, to my mind, these more "road-ish" choices are probably all the gravel bike most folks will ever need. 

The more mountain bike-like of the lot are NOT where we need to go to get more butts on bikes. To my way of thinking, they are neither good at gravel nor good at mountain biking, and definitely would not be the best geo for roads. So, if you are trying to get more MTB folks into "gravel", hey! I've got an idea: Make a nice hard tail MTB that isn't all slacked out, long, and goofy. You know, like you used to do 10-15 years ago? THOSE would be rad gravel bikes that could "send it" too. Remember when you used to use bikes like that? I do. 

Campagnolo Ekar 13spd cassette

Campagnolo Debuts Ekar Gravel Group-set:

The rumored Campagnolo 13 speed gravel specific group-set has been officially unveiled as of Thursday this week. The group-set was developed to compete with Shimano GRX specifically and to some extent, SRAM's AXS, although that is not a specifically gravel group. 

The expected clutch rear derailleur is here and the group is 1X specific. 13 speeds are spread fairly evenly until the last 3-4 cogs where bigger jumps occur. There are three ranges for the cassette with a 9-36, 9-42, and a 10-44 spread being offered. Front chain wheels are wide-narrow toothed, of course, and are offered in sizes 38,40, 42, and 44T. Campy uses a typical paddle/thumb lever shifter on the right side with a simple brake lever only on the left side since there is no front derailleur option. Hydraulic brakes, of course, and the typical UltraTorque bottom bracket. 

Comments: While this is "gravel specific" it should be noted that Campy has been used successfully at gravel events for well over a decade now. At any rate, now you have what 4,500 canvassed 'gravel riders' told Campy they wanted- a 1X specific, 13 speed, (because one or two more cogs is better, ya know?), group-set. 

Listen, if you didn't already know it, 11, 10, and 9 speed cogs wear out fast. But any 1X group will be hard pressed not to have these ultra-short life cogs if they want wide range gearing. The chain engagement on those smaller cogs is so acute, and in terms of times a tooth engages a chain link, not advantageous, due to the fact that wear is accelerated on the chain and cogs in those faster gears. Secondly, and I've banged on this for a long time, your chain line will also be severe in those faster gears, (and in the lower ones as well), so that this will also affect wear. Not to mention, it isn't as efficient as having a double front ring set up. But 4.500 gravel riders know better, so 1X is all you get, and Campy says so. 

But have no fear! You can buy a new Ekar cassette and 13 speed specific chain for $300.00 or so. Yes, Campy is not cheap, and the entire group-set will likely only be found on upper end bikes from the likes of Pinarello, Ridley, and on Specialized's Diverge with the Campy option. 

In the end I am very skeptical when companies start adding cogs, especially at the expense of front derailleurs. The trade-offs to have 1X that 'works' are many, and I am not convinced it is worth it from several standpoints. In fact, other than a simpler to understand drive train and maybe a mud clearance benefit, I just do not see why 1x is even necessary. Especially in an era where front derailleur/front chain ring technology is perhaps at its very best, not to mention electronic shifting, which essentially can take any complexities of understanding how to properly make a 2X work and eliminate those concerns altogether. 

But we've been programmed to understand that adding rear cogs and 1X fronts are "better" and an "advancement" in technology and performance. I'm not buying into it folks. I think you should be skeptical as well. That's my take. 

That's it for this week. Have a great weekend and enjoy some Fall riding if you can!

Friday News And Views

 

LeMond Confirms Gravel, Road Offerings To Come:

In the past several FN&V posts you've read about the LeMond company's new carbon fiber efforts in the cycling realm. I have been convinced that there would be road and gravel bikes coming from LeMond and was also convinced HPC's (Hybrid Powered Cycles) would be a part of this venture as well, which was confirmed last week. 

In a recent "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" article, the gravel and road lines are also confirmed as something LeMond is bringing to the market. The road bikes coming in November with the gravel bike line to follow later. 

Comments: In LeMond's lead up to these revelations, they stated that these bikes would be something "surprising" considering the brand's history, but are they really all that surprising? I don't think so. Here's the thing: In 2020 and beyond, if you do not have an electrified bike, you are not being smart. It's where the money is in cycling. Market data supports this assumption every time new figures are released. Of course, someday that won't be the case, but for now? Yeah, you have to have motors on your bikes. 

Then consider gravel, (which is the wrong name for this category, but whatever.....), again- you'd be nuts not to offer something here. This is another growth category in cycling. Not to the extent that HPC's are, but there are no other growth markets in cycling. None. So, yeah, why not do a gravel bike? 

Then we are talking LeMond here, right? Three time Tour de France winner and World Champion? Road racing bikes have to be a part of the brand. That's obvious. So, where is the surprise? I really don't see it. Now if there were, say, a tandem, or a mountain bike, or say something for kids? Big surprise there. But also a dumb move in the marketplace. None of those categories are movers on the high end, which is what LeMond bikes will be marketed as. These are going to be high dollar machines. 

The "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" piece also mentioned LeMond is going to try to bring the manufacturing of the carbon frames to the US and Europe. That would be a big deal if it happens. Also, a World Tour Team is in the plans as well. Again, not surprising, but that might be interesting to see. It also makes me wonder if LeMond might also dip their toes into gravel racing. At least in the US, that would be something that would make sense. 

The Nordest Ti gravel bike

Gravel Trends In 2021 and Beyond:

I've noticed a few things lately that are becoming trends in the gravel bike marketplace. Most having to do with where the influences come from regarding geometry for the future gravel bikes. As I see things, designers are taking cues from mountain biking or from road biking and ending up with very different bikes. Let's take a brief look......

Mountain: Bikes like the Evil Chamois Hagar are probably the best known of the type I see as being influenced heavily by MTB design. But they are not the only ones. Their is a bunch of small, third tier brands that are doing similar designs. Take for instance the Nordest Super Albarda Ti and CrMo gravel bikes. (Pictured here is the Ti model) 

They have decided on a long front/center, a slack sub-69° head angle matched with a deep bottom bracket drop. The company called "Hudski" also offers a similar design in aluminum but with a higher bottom bracket on their Doggler model, which- by the way- has flat bars. So, this seems to be something that is catching on. Big tire clearances are here, along with all the "Adventure Warts™", and all are not suspension corrected. 

Road: Then we come to the road-ish designs, which, in my opinion, are evolution of road racing bikes to better reflect the all-around uses of road bikes, or......yes...more of what I was talking about ten years ago. Bikes like the Trek Domane Disc, the Giant Contend ALR Disc, and the new LOOK 765 Optimum+. All bikes that can take up to a 38mm-40mm tire easily. Geometry is being adjusted on these bikes to have slacker head tube angles. the new LOOk bike has a 70.5° head angle! 

The thing here is all of these bikes do not have the extra water carrying capacities that the normal "gravel" bike might have these days, and yes- maybe we really have become addicted to fat tires in this space. So, a 38mm-40mm tire may not turn you on, but ten years ago we would have swooned over having such choices. That said, to my mind, these more "road-ish" choices are probably all the gravel bike most folks will ever need. 

The more mountain bike-like of the lot are NOT where we need to go to get more butts on bikes. To my way of thinking, they are neither good at gravel nor good at mountain biking, and definitely would not be the best geo for roads. So, if you are trying to get more MTB folks into "gravel", hey! I've got an idea: Make a nice hard tail MTB that isn't all slacked out, long, and goofy. You know, like you used to do 10-15 years ago? THOSE would be rad gravel bikes that could "send it" too. Remember when you used to use bikes like that? I do. 

Campagnolo Ekar 13spd cassette

Campagnolo Debuts Ekar Gravel Group-set:

The rumored Campagnolo 13 speed gravel specific group-set has been officially unveiled as of Thursday this week. The group-set was developed to compete with Shimano GRX specifically and to some extent, SRAM's AXS, although that is not a specifically gravel group. 

The expected clutch rear derailleur is here and the group is 1X specific. 13 speeds are spread fairly evenly until the last 3-4 cogs where bigger jumps occur. There are three ranges for the cassette with a 9-36, 9-42, and a 10-44 spread being offered. Front chain wheels are wide-narrow toothed, of course, and are offered in sizes 38,40, 42, and 44T. Campy uses a typical paddle/thumb lever shifter on the right side with a simple brake lever only on the left side since there is no front derailleur option. Hydraulic brakes, of course, and the typical UltraTorque bottom bracket. 

Comments: While this is "gravel specific" it should be noted that Campy has been used successfully at gravel events for well over a decade now. At any rate, now you have what 4,500 canvassed 'gravel riders' told Campy they wanted- a 1X specific, 13 speed, (because one or two more cogs is better, ya know?), group-set. 

Listen, if you didn't already know it, 11, 10, and 9 speed cogs wear out fast. But any 1X group will be hard pressed not to have these ultra-short life cogs if they want wide range gearing. The chain engagement on those smaller cogs is so acute, and in terms of times a tooth engages a chain link, not advantageous, due to the fact that wear is accelerated on the chain and cogs in those faster gears. Secondly, and I've banged on this for a long time, your chain line will also be severe in those faster gears, (and in the lower ones as well), so that this will also affect wear. Not to mention, it isn't as efficient as having a double front ring set up. But 4.500 gravel riders know better, so 1X is all you get, and Campy says so. 

But have no fear! You can buy a new Ekar cassette and 13 speed specific chain for $300.00 or so. Yes, Campy is not cheap, and the entire group-set will likely only be found on upper end bikes from the likes of Pinarello, Ridley, and on Specialized's Diverge with the Campy option. 

In the end I am very skeptical when companies start adding cogs, especially at the expense of front derailleurs. The trade-offs to have 1X that 'works' are many, and I am not convinced it is worth it from several standpoints. In fact, other than a simpler to understand drive train and maybe a mud clearance benefit, I just do not see why 1x is even necessary. Especially in an era where front derailleur/front chain ring technology is perhaps at its very best, not to mention electronic shifting, which essentially can take any complexities of understanding how to properly make a 2X work and eliminate those concerns altogether. 

But we've been programmed to understand that adding rear cogs and 1X fronts are "better" and an "advancement" in technology and performance. I'm not buying into it folks. I think you should be skeptical as well. That's my take. 

That's it for this week. Have a great weekend and enjoy some Fall riding if you can!

Friday News And Views

LOOK Pedals' Geo City.

Iconic Pedal Maker Makes Ironic Pedal Debut:

The cycling industry missed most of its debut product events this year, so things are trickling out at odd times now. One of this week's strangest debuts comes from classic clipless pedal maker, LOOK. This is the company that invented "clipless" pedals back in the 1980's. They have pretty much hung their hat on that fact since. However; it is no secret that flat pedals, or normal pedals, as most people would think of them, are now very popular amongst mountain bikers and urban bikers. So, LOOK felt compelled to respond with two new models. 

One is a bit on the goofy side. The LOOK  Geo City is a flat with replaceable VIBRAM® rubber inserts in different colors. There are trail inserts and urban inserts with slightly differing raised block/patterns and compounds for grip. They go for around $70.00 retail. The draw here , I suppose, is fashion. You can customize the look via the inserts, but other than for casual city use, these don't move my needle much. 

The LOOK Geo City Vision

There is a variant on the theme though that does kind of make sense to me. LOOK has a Geo City Vision model which includes LED lighting in the pedal's edges. These lights are rechargeable and the Geo City is upgrade-able to the lighted version. However; the price is twice that of the Geo City pedals at $140.00 suggested retail. Still, for urban commuting, it is a compelling idea. 

In a study done for Bontrager, they stated that any reflective or lighted elements on a cyclist that moved in an up and down motion were much more noticeable by motorists than stationary reflective or lighted elements. This would suggest that these LOOK Geo City Vision pedals would be a nice addition to a commuter's arsenal of lighting. 

LOOK claims the lights are water resistant and have been thoroughly tested to withstand the elements. I should hope so, at the price they ask, it would be very disappointing to have the lights be less than totally durable. 

LOOK's other pedal entry is a rather mundane take on the typical aluminum flat for trail riding called the Trail ROC. It also retails at $70.00. Ho-hum. There are a ton of flats that look like this. I also think it is ironic that LOOK would feel compelled to enter this very competitive market, but that's their business. In my opinion, the Geo City Vision is the most interesting intro of the lot here. 

This broken rear derailleur used to cost about $12.00 to replace.

The Bikes & Parts Shortage Continues:

As many of you out there are finding out, or already know, bikes and parts for bikes are hard to come by these days. It isn't just high end stuff either. Even the least expensive Shimano bits are hard to source these days. Take this broken Shimano derailleur, pictured here to the left. 

This came in on a department store kid's bike, and like probably a third of these, it was destroyed in contact with the rear wheel as it spun around. This is a super-common failure mode for cheesy rear derailleurs. No big deal, right? These retailed at around $12.00 a pop in 2019. Try to find a hangar mount type like this today. As a bike shop, our supply lines are dried up. So, the customer sourced this rear derailleur for himself. He got it on Amazon, of course, and guess how much it cost? 

$30.00!!!

Yep! Supply and demand, I guess. But that's just one example of how 2020 has gone haywire in outdoor retail. The big question is, "When will it all end?" No one really knows the answer to this, but a great article in the latest posting by "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" gives some solid clues. 

In that article, industry commentator, Rick Vosper says his sources are telling him that we can expect shortages on bicycles and accessories for the next 12-18 months. That's the end of 2021 folks. We're talking things being a mess until 2022. Maybe. I wouldn't doubt that this hangs on in some form or another for most of 2021 though. 

This is an interesting take on the industry though, and if you are curious as to how things might shake out, it is well worth a read. Inventory levels will be leveraged by the big brands and dealers will have to absorb a lot of high end product placement on their floors and in their warehouses to get the meat and potatoes bikes everyone is hungry for. And what if things fall off as far as demand? Hard to say. It is an election year and there is a LOT of uncertainty surrounding this election cycle. I'm betting dealers will be cautious and will sit on their hands for a while to see how this shakes out in November. 

The men's model- a HPC- promised by LeMond.

 

LeMond Introduces HPC Models:

The 'surprise' bikes that LeMond had promised via their social media recently have been released, at least the identity of them has been- prices and actual availability information have yet to be released. They are electrified bikes, or as I term them- HPC's. This is one of the things I figured that would be released by LeMond. The other thing I expect to be released sometime in the future will be a gravel oriented rig, but we will see. 

I'll give LeMond credit, the style of these bikes is done well. The urban style is cool and sleek. Of course, this is carbon fiber, so you get organic, flowing lines, but I do like what they've done for an electrified bike style. Most are ugly. This is decidedly not ugly. 

Now I will also say that this same frame, the HPC one shown here, could just as easily be a drop bar bike. It's not hard to imagine it. Secondly, LeMond used a hub motor, so a 'traditional' powered frame would be simple to manufacture. This makes sense for, what essentially is, a start-up brand. Modular product makes more sense than making a bunch of different frames. Although I should also say that this frame isn't a 'one-size-fits-all' bike either. In fact, LeMond also introduced a mixte' frame- in carbon fiber- alongside this as well. So that alone shows that they have some daring in their design portfolio as well. 

Teravail Introduces A New Tire:

 This week Teravail announced a new tire called the Washburn. They are offering it in three sizes- 700 X 38mm, 700 X 42mm, and 650B X 47mm in tan and blackwall versions for each size. They also have the Durable casing or the Light and Supple options for each.

This is an interesting take on a gravel tire. It is most like a Riddler/Byway mixture. It should be a fast tire, but maybe best on drier grounds versus something like a Teravail Rutland. At any rate, you have to hand it to Teravail who have been really making some decent moves of late. It wasn't all that long ago that their gravel tire line up was a lot less appealing to me. Their older designs were stiff and just odd.

Now with the Rutland, re-vamped Cannonball, and this new Washburn tire, they have a lot of bases covered with competitive and unique designs. My only beef with this Washburn tire is that Teravail did not offer it in a 29" X 2.1"er size or close to that. This seems like a great pattern for Cutthroats or Fargos. Maybe that will happen sometime down the line. 

Well, that's a wrap for this week! Time is wasting! Get out and ride where you can.

Friday News And Views

LOOK Pedals' Geo City.

Iconic Pedal Maker Makes Ironic Pedal Debut:

The cycling industry missed most of its debut product events this year, so things are trickling out at odd times now. One of this week's strangest debuts comes from classic clipless pedal maker, LOOK. This is the company that invented "clipless" pedals back in the 1980's. They have pretty much hung their hat on that fact since. However; it is no secret that flat pedals, or normal pedals, as most people would think of them, are now very popular amongst mountain bikers and urban bikers. So, LOOK felt compelled to respond with two new models. 

One is a bit on the goofy side. The LOOK  Geo City is a flat with replaceable VIBRAM® rubber inserts in different colors. There are trail inserts and urban inserts with slightly differing raised block/patterns and compounds for grip. They go for around $70.00 retail. The draw here , I suppose, is fashion. You can customize the look via the inserts, but other than for casual city use, these don't move my needle much. 

The LOOK Geo City Vision

There is a variant on the theme though that does kind of make sense to me. LOOK has a Geo City Vision model which includes LED lighting in the pedal's edges. These lights are rechargeable and the Geo City is upgrade-able to the lighted version. However; the price is twice that of the Geo City pedals at $140.00 suggested retail. Still, for urban commuting, it is a compelling idea. 

In a study done for Bontrager, they stated that any reflective or lighted elements on a cyclist that moved in an up and down motion were much more noticeable by motorists than stationary reflective or lighted elements. This would suggest that these LOOK Geo City Vision pedals would be a nice addition to a commuter's arsenal of lighting. 

LOOK claims the lights are water resistant and have been thoroughly tested to withstand the elements. I should hope so, at the price they ask, it would be very disappointing to have the lights be less than totally durable. 

LOOK's other pedal entry is a rather mundane take on the typical aluminum flat for trail riding called the Trail ROC. It also retails at $70.00. Ho-hum. There are a ton of flats that look like this. I also think it is ironic that LOOK would feel compelled to enter this very competitive market, but that's their business. In my opinion, the Geo City Vision is the most interesting intro of the lot here. 

This broken rear derailleur used to cost about $12.00 to replace.

The Bikes & Parts Shortage Continues:

As many of you out there are finding out, or already know, bikes and parts for bikes are hard to come by these days. It isn't just high end stuff either. Even the least expensive Shimano bits are hard to source these days. Take this broken Shimano derailleur, pictured here to the left. 

This came in on a department store kid's bike, and like probably a third of these, it was destroyed in contact with the rear wheel as it spun around. This is a super-common failure mode for cheesy rear derailleurs. No big deal, right? These retailed at around $12.00 a pop in 2019. Try to find a hangar mount type like this today. As a bike shop, our supply lines are dried up. So, the customer sourced this rear derailleur for himself. He got it on Amazon, of course, and guess how much it cost? 

$30.00!!!

Yep! Supply and demand, I guess. But that's just one example of how 2020 has gone haywire in outdoor retail. The big question is, "When will it all end?" No one really knows the answer to this, but a great article in the latest posting by "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" gives some solid clues. 

In that article, industry commentator, Rick Vosper says his sources are telling him that we can expect shortages on bicycles and accessories for the next 12-18 months. That's the end of 2021 folks. We're talking things being a mess until 2022. Maybe. I wouldn't doubt that this hangs on in some form or another for most of 2021 though. 

This is an interesting take on the industry though, and if you are curious as to how things might shake out, it is well worth a read. Inventory levels will be leveraged by the big brands and dealers will have to absorb a lot of high end product placement on their floors and in their warehouses to get the meat and potatoes bikes everyone is hungry for. And what if things fall off as far as demand? Hard to say. It is an election year and there is a LOT of uncertainty surrounding this election cycle. I'm betting dealers will be cautious and will sit on their hands for a while to see how this shakes out in November. 

The men's model- a HPC- promised by LeMond.

 

LeMond Introduces HPC Models:

The 'surprise' bikes that LeMond had promised via their social media recently have been released, at least the identity of them has been- prices and actual availability information have yet to be released. They are electrified bikes, or as I term them- HPC's. This is one of the things I figured that would be released by LeMond. The other thing I expect to be released sometime in the future will be a gravel oriented rig, but we will see. 

I'll give LeMond credit, the style of these bikes is done well. The urban style is cool and sleek. Of course, this is carbon fiber, so you get organic, flowing lines, but I do like what they've done for an electrified bike style. Most are ugly. This is decidedly not ugly. 

Now I will also say that this same frame, the HPC one shown here, could just as easily be a drop bar bike. It's not hard to imagine it. Secondly, LeMond used a hub motor, so a 'traditional' powered frame would be simple to manufacture. This makes sense for, what essentially is, a start-up brand. Modular product makes more sense than making a bunch of different frames. Although I should also say that this frame isn't a 'one-size-fits-all' bike either. In fact, LeMond also introduced a mixte' frame- in carbon fiber- alongside this as well. So that alone shows that they have some daring in their design portfolio as well. 

Teravail Introduces A New Tire:

 This week Teravail announced a new tire called the Washburn. They are offering it in three sizes- 700 X 38mm, 700 X 42mm, and 650B X 47mm in tan and blackwall versions for each size. They also have the Durable casing or the Light and Supple options for each.

This is an interesting take on a gravel tire. It is most like a Riddler/Byway mixture. It should be a fast tire, but maybe best on drier grounds versus something like a Teravail Rutland. At any rate, you have to hand it to Teravail who have been really making some decent moves of late. It wasn't all that long ago that their gravel tire line up was a lot less appealing to me. Their older designs were stiff and just odd.

Now with the Rutland, re-vamped Cannonball, and this new Washburn tire, they have a lot of bases covered with competitive and unique designs. My only beef with this Washburn tire is that Teravail did not offer it in a 29" X 2.1"er size or close to that. This seems like a great pattern for Cutthroats or Fargos. Maybe that will happen sometime down the line. 

Well, that's a wrap for this week! Time is wasting! Get out and ride where you can.

Friday News And Views

Rendering of the Canyon pedal-car concept taken from the web.

 Canyon Unveils Concept Evolution Of HPC Vehicle:

The electrification of bicycles continues to evolve toward the end states that (maybe) are inevitable and Canyon recently unveiled a concept further pointing to this. Two wheeled vehicles with motors are going to shed the pedals in this evolution. Canyon, with this 'car-like' HPC, have also pointed out why things are going to go the total electric motor route. Car or motorcycle- this is where it will end up someday. 

The electric motor assisted pedal-car is essentially Canyon's answer to "what do riders need in four season climates, or demanding climates, to feel more comfortable using a HPC?" Well, apparently they need four wheels instead of two, for starters. But something Canyon said in their press release is telling:

"How do you bring total weather protection to an e-bike? This is the question our designers and engineers had to answer with the Future Mobility Concept. The solution is a totally-sealable passenger compartment surrounded by an innovative, panoramic capsule that strikes the perfect blend of form and function."

On one hand, you can't blame Canyon. European cities are far more compact, with smaller spaces for vehicles, than America. The electrification of bicycles is wildly popular there with units sold figures consistently breaking records year-to-year. Business is booming. Finding ways to encourage the extension of this wave of HPC popularity then only makes sense from a business standpoint. 

Rendering showing interior concept.

On the other hand, it seems silly to make a four wheeled, recumbent hybrid powered cycle (HPC) which is fully enclosed unless you ditch the exercise bit and go fully motorized. Why? Because motorcars have been a proven concept for well over a century and deal with things like humidity, for one, quite efficiently. Electric powered cars would handle such a challenge far better than having a sweat producing component of providing forward motion involved in the design. Imagine how fogged up the interior of this pedal-car gets on a cool, rainy day, for instance.  

Are there solutions to help overcome humidity and other concerns? Probably- yes. This is merely a concept, and as such, not a working, or even final prototype. Obviously it may never come to fruition. The obvious answer is 'just go to the end game' and make it a motorcar. Also, these vehicles already exist in many forms. They've been available on-line for years. Canyon just happens to be the first big bicycle company to hop in this space. 

Obvious comparisons to Cannondale's failed moto cross bike are not really good ones, but yeah.... The competition for this space- electric cars- is going to be intense and Canyon would be but an insect sized player on the field of behemoths. In my opinion, this never happens, but it is interesting to see Canyon's take on such a vehicle.  

HED Wheels Renames Gravel Wheel Line "Emporia":

The new HED wheels Emporia logo

In a surprise move yesterday, HED Wheels made it known that their "Eroica" line of gravel/back road wheels will now be renamed "Emporia", reflecting the heritage of gravel grinding in the U.S.A. and the influence that "The Event Formerly Known As Dirty Kanza" has had over this genre. Of course, Emporia, Kansas is the home of that now unnamed event. HED said in a press release that: "This change is being made out of respect to the international ride series “L’Eroica”." 

That ride series is focused upon an old school style, European racing bike heritage and while much of what L'Eroica does is off-pavement, it isn't the crushed rock style racing we have come to know in the U.S.A. "Emporia" does seem more fitting then. So, okay.......HED renamed their wheels, (and introduced a carbon rimmed one-  the Emporia GC3 Pro, a claimed 1395 gram wheel set with a 26mm internal rim dimension), but what about the event? Does HED using "Emporia" point to anything here? 

You've got to think that the city of Emporia knows about this deal HED Wheels is doing, right? And in asking about using that name, you'd have to think that there may have been a bit of communication with the DK event folks, right? Maybe, maybe not. I'm spit-ballin' here, but "The Emporia 200" does have a certain ring to it, no?  It is a name that would fit the event and benefit the town, certainly, and it sounds like a race name. It isn't goofy, like "Mid-South", (sorry folks, I am not a fan), and it seems that it shouldn't offend many folks. (There ALWAYS will be someone offended, right? ) 

Check out what else HED said in the presser: 
"In our opinion, no one has done more to promote gravel riding and adventure culture than the people and city of Emporia, KS. From the creation of gravel racing’s most well-known events to introducing many of us to the beauty of the Flint Hills, Emporia has left its mark on American cycling and we’re excited to celebrate the city through the new name of our gravel line."

Anyway, that name for the event seems logical to me. I know......I'm a crazy person. Never mind.  

 

From a recent Instagram story

LeMond Bikes To Restart Again(?): 

The troubled tale of LeMond Bikes has been a tale of strange accusations, lawsuits, and stop-and-go production since Greg LeMond was still racing back in the late 80's/early 90's. Now it would appear that bicycles bearing the three time Tour de France champ's name will be available again.  

Wednesday, on social media accounts belonging to LeMond, it was teased that the brand would be offering bicycles again soon. And it was stated that they may not be the types of bicycles one would expect from LeMond. Of course, that is the sort of cagey vaguery one might expect to raise expectations. However; if recent posts on social media are clues, (and one would suspect that they should be), then we might make a couple of guesses here. 

Greg showed up at the Chequamegon Fat Tire 40 one year and won on a mountain bike. This has been brought up again recently and why? Also, a Greg LeMond liveried cyclo cross bike has appeared on social media as well. Finally, during the surfacing of LeMond bicycles in 2013, it was hinted at that gravel bikes were on their radar. Seven years later and one might say that this gravel bike idea would be a good one to pursue. 

Obviously, road racing bikes have to be in the mix. I mean, this is Greg LeMond we are speaking of here, right? But when they say, "bicycles you might not expect from Greg LeMond", mountain bikes, cyclo cross bikes, and gravel rigs might be a few items that make the cut. Heck, I recall the Poprad, a very popular bike in the early gravel scene, and obviously this would be a cyclo cross bike offering, but you know LeMond is looking around and seeing all this gravel bike stuff. I'd be really surprised if they didn't offer something for gravel. 

Maybe even electrified bicycles as well. That's the other big mover in the industry now. Ya gotta think something with an electric motor is also on their radar. 

Anyway, I'm keeping my eyes on this. LeMond has always had a penchant for a slightly different take on things which may be a facet of the newest edition of LeMond bikes. Let's hope so. Another "me-too" offering is not what anyone wants to see from Greg LeMond.  

That's it for this week. Have a great weekend- It's Labor Day Weekend in the USA, so get out and ride!

Friday News And Views

Rendering of the Canyon pedal-car concept taken from the web.

 Canyon Unveils Concept Evolution Of HPC Vehicle:

The electrification of bicycles continues to evolve toward the end states that (maybe) are inevitable and Canyon recently unveiled a concept further pointing to this. Two wheeled vehicles with motors are going to shed the pedals in this evolution. Canyon, with this 'car-like' HPC, have also pointed out why things are going to go the total electric motor route. Car or motorcycle- this is where it will end up someday. 

The electric motor assisted pedal-car is essentially Canyon's answer to "what do riders need in four season climates, or demanding climates, to feel more comfortable using a HPC?" Well, apparently they need four wheels instead of two, for starters. But something Canyon said in their press release is telling:

"How do you bring total weather protection to an e-bike? This is the question our designers and engineers had to answer with the Future Mobility Concept. The solution is a totally-sealable passenger compartment surrounded by an innovative, panoramic capsule that strikes the perfect blend of form and function."

On one hand, you can't blame Canyon. European cities are far more compact, with smaller spaces for vehicles, than America. The electrification of bicycles is wildly popular there with units sold figures consistently breaking records year-to-year. Business is booming. Finding ways to encourage the extension of this wave of HPC popularity then only makes sense from a business standpoint. 

Rendering showing interior concept.

On the other hand, it seems silly to make a four wheeled, recumbent hybrid powered cycle (HPC) which is fully enclosed unless you ditch the exercise bit and go fully motorized. Why? Because motorcars have been a proven concept for well over a century and deal with things like humidity, for one, quite efficiently. Electric powered cars would handle such a challenge far better than having a sweat producing component of providing forward motion involved in the design. Imagine how fogged up the interior of this pedal-car gets on a cool, rainy day, for instance.  

Are there solutions to help overcome humidity and other concerns? Probably- yes. This is merely a concept, and as such, not a working, or even final prototype. Obviously it may never come to fruition. The obvious answer is 'just go to the end game' and make it a motorcar. Also, these vehicles already exist in many forms. They've been available on-line for years. Canyon just happens to be the first big bicycle company to hop in this space. 

Obvious comparisons to Cannondale's failed moto cross bike are not really good ones, but yeah.... The competition for this space- electric cars- is going to be intense and Canyon would be but an insect sized player on the field of behemoths. In my opinion, this never happens, but it is interesting to see Canyon's take on such a vehicle.  

HED Wheels Renames Gravel Wheel Line "Emporia":

The new HED wheels Emporia logo

In a surprise move yesterday, HED Wheels made it known that their "Eroica" line of gravel/back road wheels will now be renamed "Emporia", reflecting the heritage of gravel grinding in the U.S.A. and the influence that "The Event Formerly Known As Dirty Kanza" has had over this genre. Of course, Emporia, Kansas is the home of that now unnamed event. HED said in a press release that: "This change is being made out of respect to the international ride series “L’Eroica”." 

That ride series is focused upon an old school style, European racing bike heritage and while much of what L'Eroica does is off-pavement, it isn't the crushed rock style racing we have come to know in the U.S.A. "Emporia" does seem more fitting then. So, okay.......HED renamed their wheels, (and introduced a carbon rimmed one-  the Emporia GC3 Pro, a claimed 1395 gram wheel set with a 26mm internal rim dimension), but what about the event? Does HED using "Emporia" point to anything here? 

You've got to think that the city of Emporia knows about this deal HED Wheels is doing, right? And in asking about using that name, you'd have to think that there may have been a bit of communication with the DK event folks, right? Maybe, maybe not. I'm spit-ballin' here, but "The Emporia 200" does have a certain ring to it, no?  It is a name that would fit the event and benefit the town, certainly, and it sounds like a race name. It isn't goofy, like "Mid-South", (sorry folks, I am not a fan), and it seems that it shouldn't offend many folks. (There ALWAYS will be someone offended, right? ) 

Check out what else HED said in the presser: 
"In our opinion, no one has done more to promote gravel riding and adventure culture than the people and city of Emporia, KS. From the creation of gravel racing’s most well-known events to introducing many of us to the beauty of the Flint Hills, Emporia has left its mark on American cycling and we’re excited to celebrate the city through the new name of our gravel line."

Anyway, that name for the event seems logical to me. I know......I'm a crazy person. Never mind.  

 

From a recent Instagram story

LeMond Bikes To Restart Again(?): 

The troubled tale of LeMond Bikes has been a tale of strange accusations, lawsuits, and stop-and-go production since Greg LeMond was still racing back in the late 80's/early 90's. Now it would appear that bicycles bearing the three time Tour de France champ's name will be available again.  

Wednesday, on social media accounts belonging to LeMond, it was teased that the brand would be offering bicycles again soon. And it was stated that they may not be the types of bicycles one would expect from LeMond. Of course, that is the sort of cagey vaguery one might expect to raise expectations. However; if recent posts on social media are clues, (and one would suspect that they should be), then we might make a couple of guesses here. 

Greg showed up at the Chequamegon Fat Tire 40 one year and won on a mountain bike. This has been brought up again recently and why? Also, a Greg LeMond liveried cyclo cross bike has appeared on social media as well. Finally, during the surfacing of LeMond bicycles in 2013, it was hinted at that gravel bikes were on their radar. Seven years later and one might say that this gravel bike idea would be a good one to pursue. 

Obviously, road racing bikes have to be in the mix. I mean, this is Greg LeMond we are speaking of here, right? But when they say, "bicycles you might not expect from Greg LeMond", mountain bikes, cyclo cross bikes, and gravel rigs might be a few items that make the cut. Heck, I recall the Poprad, a very popular bike in the early gravel scene, and obviously this would be a cyclo cross bike offering, but you know LeMond is looking around and seeing all this gravel bike stuff. I'd be really surprised if they didn't offer something for gravel. 

Maybe even electrified bicycles as well. That's the other big mover in the industry now. Ya gotta think something with an electric motor is also on their radar. 

Anyway, I'm keeping my eyes on this. LeMond has always had a penchant for a slightly different take on things which may be a facet of the newest edition of LeMond bikes. Let's hope so. Another "me-too" offering is not what anyone wants to see from Greg LeMond.  

That's it for this week. Have a great weekend- It's Labor Day Weekend in the USA, so get out and ride!