Bikes Of 2022: Black Mountain Cycles MCD

 It's the end of the year and time to review what's up with the bikes I used over the course of 2022. You'll get a brief overview, any changes made, and what the future has in store for each bike listed. Enjoy!

The Black Mountain Cycles MCD has been a staple on here since I got it back in 2018. I kind of thought of this bike as being my present for doing Trans Iowa all those years, and when the last Trans Iowa happened in 2018 I had this bike on order already. 

Since the initial build of the MCD, I have swapped in several other bits and accessories doing testing for Riding Gravel. (Standard Disclaimer) Much of what is on it now is from review work for the site, but the frame, fork, head set, bottom bracket, and the current handle bars are all parts and pieces I bought. 

In the relatively short time I've owned this bike I have had some great adventures on it. One adventure I was looking forward to having on this bike did not happen as planned due to scheduling conflicts, but I think that next year this bike will play a big part in a two-day adventure I have planned. Hopefully I can make that happen with some things that are happening now that should change the amount of time I should have to pull a two-day trip off like the one I have in mind.

Testing for a fully loaded gravel tour went well last Summer.

So, that will likely be a change in status for the MCD next year, at least for a while, as I reinstall the rack and perhaps I may look into putting a front rack on there as well. I tried it this past Summer with a bikepacking type handle bar roll and I wasn't digging the higher center of gravity that the weight had on the steering. I have some nice Jaand Mini Mountain panniers which would work well with a front rack, and that may end up becoming my set-up. Or not..... Anyway....

That and wheel swaps, testing and reviewing things, and just riding more is what will be in store for this bike soon. 

Stay tuned for more Bikes Of 2022 soon.

Bikes Of 2022: Black Mountain Cycles MCD

 It's the end of the year and time to review what's up with the bikes I used over the course of 2022. You'll get a brief overview, any changes made, and what the future has in store for each bike listed. Enjoy!

The Black Mountain Cycles MCD has been a staple on here since I got it back in 2018. I kind of thought of this bike as being my present for doing Trans Iowa all those years, and when the last Trans Iowa happened in 2018 I had this bike on order already. 

Since the initial build of the MCD, I have swapped in several other bits and accessories doing testing for Riding Gravel. (Standard Disclaimer) Much of what is on it now is from review work for the site, but the frame, fork, head set, bottom bracket, and the current handle bars are all parts and pieces I bought. 

In the relatively short time I've owned this bike I have had some great adventures on it. One adventure I was looking forward to having on this bike did not happen as planned due to scheduling conflicts, but I think that next year this bike will play a big part in a two-day adventure I have planned. Hopefully I can make that happen with some things that are happening now that should change the amount of time I should have to pull a two-day trip off like the one I have in mind.

Testing for a fully loaded gravel tour went well last Summer.

So, that will likely be a change in status for the MCD next year, at least for a while, as I reinstall the rack and perhaps I may look into putting a front rack on there as well. I tried it this past Summer with a bikepacking type handle bar roll and I wasn't digging the higher center of gravity that the weight had on the steering. I have some nice Jaand Mini Mountain panniers which would work well with a front rack, and that may end up becoming my set-up. Or not..... Anyway....

That and wheel swaps, testing and reviewing things, and just riding more is what will be in store for this bike soon. 

Stay tuned for more Bikes Of 2022 soon.

Brown Season: Ride Edited

Escape Route: Hoff Road

 Well, technically speaking, it is still Winter, but what I am looking at is early Spring here. "Shoulder Season", some call it. I say it is "Brown Season" because everything is dead and some shade of brown. Anyway, the point is, it sure doesn't look like Winter, so I am calling this here little ride report a "Brown Season" report. Winter could come back, sure, but so far it is looking more and more like Spring around here.

Sunday was the primo day for riding, but I had other things going on. I missed a 50+ degree day and Sun. Monday was great, by anyone's February standards around here, and so I left for a ride in the morning with a temperature of 36°F and a stiff Easterly wind at 20mph with gusts up close to 30mph. 

Hey! I'll take it. The thing is, I was in a mind to do some longer miles, but that all changed once I got out into the teeth of that wind. My thought originally was go to ride the North parts of Black Hawk County, but the wind direction made me change my mind and I ended up departing from Prairie Grove Park again. I thought maybe I would retrace my route I took with Ben last Fall, but again- that wind! I decided it best to edit my ride on the fly.

New bottles to test and that Redshift Sports seat post there as well.

I ended up chasing the rural garbage truck for a bit there.

One of the new wrinkles to my 2022 and beyond (maybe) is that I will be doing a lot more weekday riding as opposed to weekends like most folks. Already I have run into something I never see on a weekend. A rural garbage truck! Apparently they do things 'old school' for waste removal yet in Black Hawk County. The truck was operated by two men and they hand-loaded the bin with the refuse they were picking up. Kinda like the old days when I was a kid, only the one guy that wasn't driving was always hanging off the back of the truck. 

Is that a hint of something green in that field to the right? I think it is!

Going East was......brutal. It was about as bad as it gets. Cold, rough, and I was barely moving. But I was moving, and steady pace would get me to Ansborough and I figured I could turn South there. When I reached that corner it was as if a giant took his big hands off my handlebars, and instead of feeling that constant push-back, I could move freely again. 

So, another edit was coming. I had already figured on not going East anymore, but going South was no picnic, despite the freedom of movement. In fact, I was thinking I might get blown over if the wind were to gust suddenly. So, I ended up cutting off to the West and man! Was that ever easier!

Storm clouds gathering in the North.

The first dog of 2022 was a chaser!

I wasn't too sad about doing a short ride after all. At least I got out, found out a few things, and got some exercise and a bit of a mind scrub. I also discovered we now have a new four-footed creature to deal with on Aker Road now. 

I heard the little pipsqueak first, then I saw the frantic movements of a black, furry, four-footed devil in a cow pasture. He was sporting for some fun, and was in a mood to chase, but he was hemmed in by the fencing. Not to be deterred, the dog headed for a break in the fence, (running away from me to get there) and then around and onward!

The little mutt made a beeline for me, but I could see that his angle of attack was way off. (This isn't my first rodeo) and so I decided it was time for some 'dog-sprints'. I wound up the drive train and saw that I had a good jump on the creature, so I hit the big ring and off we went.

The dog came out on the road alright, but I waited for a bit to put in a big effort, and when I pulled away a bit, the dog gave over. Whew! I was running out of gas too, so I was pleased to see that I had outrun the ankle-biter. So, if you are North of Wasburn Road on Aker this dog is at the farm on the East side of the road just North of the intersection. 

Don't say I never told ya anything......

Brown Season: Ride Edited

Escape Route: Hoff Road

 Well, technically speaking, it is still Winter, but what I am looking at is early Spring here. "Shoulder Season", some call it. I say it is "Brown Season" because everything is dead and some shade of brown. Anyway, the point is, it sure doesn't look like Winter, so I am calling this here little ride report a "Brown Season" report. Winter could come back, sure, but so far it is looking more and more like Spring around here.

Sunday was the primo day for riding, but I had other things going on. I missed a 50+ degree day and Sun. Monday was great, by anyone's February standards around here, and so I left for a ride in the morning with a temperature of 36°F and a stiff Easterly wind at 20mph with gusts up close to 30mph. 

Hey! I'll take it. The thing is, I was in a mind to do some longer miles, but that all changed once I got out into the teeth of that wind. My thought originally was go to ride the North parts of Black Hawk County, but the wind direction made me change my mind and I ended up departing from Prairie Grove Park again. I thought maybe I would retrace my route I took with Ben last Fall, but again- that wind! I decided it best to edit my ride on the fly.

New bottles to test and that Redshift Sports seat post there as well.

I ended up chasing the rural garbage truck for a bit there.

One of the new wrinkles to my 2022 and beyond (maybe) is that I will be doing a lot more weekday riding as opposed to weekends like most folks. Already I have run into something I never see on a weekend. A rural garbage truck! Apparently they do things 'old school' for waste removal yet in Black Hawk County. The truck was operated by two men and they hand-loaded the bin with the refuse they were picking up. Kinda like the old days when I was a kid, only the one guy that wasn't driving was always hanging off the back of the truck. 

Is that a hint of something green in that field to the right? I think it is!

Going East was......brutal. It was about as bad as it gets. Cold, rough, and I was barely moving. But I was moving, and steady pace would get me to Ansborough and I figured I could turn South there. When I reached that corner it was as if a giant took his big hands off my handlebars, and instead of feeling that constant push-back, I could move freely again. 

So, another edit was coming. I had already figured on not going East anymore, but going South was no picnic, despite the freedom of movement. In fact, I was thinking I might get blown over if the wind were to gust suddenly. So, I ended up cutting off to the West and man! Was that ever easier!

Storm clouds gathering in the North.

The first dog of 2022 was a chaser!

I wasn't too sad about doing a short ride after all. At least I got out, found out a few things, and got some exercise and a bit of a mind scrub. I also discovered we now have a new four-footed creature to deal with on Aker Road now. 

I heard the little pipsqueak first, then I saw the frantic movements of a black, furry, four-footed devil in a cow pasture. He was sporting for some fun, and was in a mood to chase, but he was hemmed in by the fencing. Not to be deterred, the dog headed for a break in the fence, (running away from me to get there) and then around and onward!

The little mutt made a beeline for me, but I could see that his angle of attack was way off. (This isn't my first rodeo) and so I decided it was time for some 'dog-sprints'. I wound up the drive train and saw that I had a good jump on the creature, so I hit the big ring and off we went.

The dog came out on the road alright, but I waited for a bit to put in a big effort, and when I pulled away a bit, the dog gave over. Whew! I was running out of gas too, so I was pleased to see that I had outrun the ankle-biter. So, if you are North of Wasburn Road on Aker this dog is at the farm on the East side of the road just North of the intersection. 

Don't say I never told ya anything......

Goodbye MCD - Hello Mod. Zero!

The MCD model from Black Mountain Cycles is no more...

 So, a while back now I noted that Black Mountain Cycles was out of MCD frames and forks. I was watching their social media casually for any news on new colors. That's what Mike Varley, (who essentially is Black Mountain Cycles) does- he doesn't change the model much if at all. He just orders new frames and forks in two new colors. That model has worked for over a decade for him.

Well, no solid news was forthcoming and I had been hearing that frame/fork sellers on the smaller end of the scale were getting pushed aside for larger orders by their Far East manufacturing partners. I figured that didn't bode well for Black Mountain Cycle's future in frames and forks. 

Then, via a trusted friend, I got word that the MCD and the Road Plus models were getting axed from the line up with a possibility of a new model that combined the best of both into one. I did not say anything at the time, but now Mike Varley himself has posted on the BMC site about this development. 

So, it's true! No more MCD's! There will be a new model, combining the Road Plus and MCD. There will be a few changes with the new "Mod. Zero" too. But I think that in the long view this will be seen as a really good thing, and here are my reasons why I think that is so- in no particular order. 

• 44mm Head Tube: Mike Varley doggedly stuck to the 1 1/8th inch standard straight steer tube for a LONG time after it was out of fashion. The move to the 44mm head tube is wise from a few standpoints. One- Obviously a tapered steer tube carbon fork could be substituted in for the steel fork. This may not strike you as a positive, but here's the deal- Carbon forks have been around for 30+ years and the industry has them figured out. The benefits of a steel fork are largely negated when you put a disc brake on the fork. The extra reinforcement necessary makes the steel fork heavier, less lively, and therefore not as much the advantage as you might desire. Plus, you can minimize stack height, relative to what you can do with 1 1/8th straight head tubes, to the max for those who want that. (And there are those who do want that)
• Replaceable Rear Derailleur Hangar: While it is true that you can bend a steel drop out back into shape, it is better to just bolt a new hangar on. If the hangar is made from stout aluminum and is designed so that it has a good base for the derailleur to operate off of, this is a better way to go. Plus bending a steel drop out that also has a through-axle receptacle integrated into it is a lot harder to do anyway. Besides, who has the tools to bend back a derailleur hangar in the field? With a replaceable hangar you can just bolt a new one on and done!  
  
• Flat Mount Brakes: While I despise flat mount brakes, it is high-time Mike did this. Your choices and applications open up, and well.......it is the way of the World now. Plus, as Mike says, it looks a bit better overall. 
• Proper Wide-650B Clearances: This is probably more a nod to the folks who were Road Plus buyers. But be that as it may, it does appeal to me if I were to be thinking more off than on roads. The versatility of the new bike model is greater then the two older ones, and I could see a knobbly XC-ish 27.5"er for backcountry explorations. And also- big, wide smoothies are going to fit better as well. I'd consider those for a road tour, as a for instance. 

Mike Varley's sample he is testing for the BMC "Mod. Zero" model. (Image courtesy of Black Mountain Cycles.)

Mr. Varley states in his blog post (linked above) that the 700c clearances will not change significantly from what I have with my MCD. Still, as Mike says- "50-ish" millimeters. I'm actually okay with that as those bigger 29"er tires start weighing quite a bit. And besides, I am a bigger fan of the 42mm-47mm sizes for my riding. Also of note- If you wanted bigger tires on an MCD type of bike, Mike offers the LaCabra. 

Image of the Mod. Zero decal from Black Mountain Cycles' Instagram

As for geometry, we don't have any solid details. Mike only alludes to the subject of geometry when he said of the old MCD and Road Plus bikes that they were "very close in terms of basic geometry. What- if any- tweaks would be made to Mod. Zero are not known at this time. 

I would make a suggestion or two- But Mike has probably made his mind up already. But what the heck! Here is what I would like to see from the "Mod. Zero". 

• An ever so slightly slacker head tube angle. It would really help with bigger tires and more extreme terrain, but it also is awesome on gravel. 
• Maybe a tic more fork offset to bring back a bit quicker handling, but also to 'kick out' that front tire a hair more to gain a bit more compliance and toe-overlap room. 
• Mike is combining the old 650B "road plus tire" sized bike with the old 700c compatible rig, so bottom bracket drop cannot get too crazy. That said, my Twin Six Standard Rando does just fine on 650B wheels with a 75mm bottom bracket drop. I'd LOVE to see that on the new "Mod. Zero", but I'd be really pleased if it were 72.5mm as well. 
• Do I spy bottle mounts on the fork? A huge plus in my mind if that is the plan.
  

Now for the million dollar question: Will Guitar Ted be getting one? If you read the linked post from Mike, you already know that these bikes won't be seen here until mid-2023 at the earliest. So, yeah..... Here's where I am at with my fleet of gravel machines.....

I'm likely to retire the Noble Bikes GX5 by sometime around 2023-ish. While it is a great bike, it is going to be five years old by 2023 and being a carbon frame, ridden on gravel, and that not too kindly, well..... It may very well be okay, but I expect that newer designs and technologies may start making that bike a bit off the back in terms of what I can test on there. Maybe not. We will see. And it has to survive that long, which- being a carbon bike- is no guarantee. 

Then I have that old Tamland Two I keep threatening to retire but keeps coming back. That bike will be nine years old in 2023. And the Fargo? ha! So, yeah..... I could see a Mod Zero for Riding Gravel duties. This depends on the finer details which I don't have yet, and I cannot predict what I'll be doing next month much less than a year and a half from now. I don't really need a Mod. Zero, but I might be able to use one for work purposes. So, if I am still doing RidingGravel.com I would consider one seriously. If I am not? I have a perfectly fine BMC MCD.

Goodbye MCD - Hello Mod. Zero!

The MCD model from Black Mountain Cycles is no more...

 So, a while back now I noted that Black Mountain Cycles was out of MCD frames and forks. I was watching their social media casually for any news on new colors. That's what Mike Varley, (who essentially is Black Mountain Cycles) does- he doesn't change the model much if at all. He just orders new frames and forks in two new colors. That model has worked for over a decade for him.

Well, no solid news was forthcoming and I had been hearing that frame/fork sellers on the smaller end of the scale were getting pushed aside for larger orders by their Far East manufacturing partners. I figured that didn't bode well for Black Mountain Cycle's future in frames and forks. 

Then, via a trusted friend, I got word that the MCD and the Road Plus models were getting axed from the line up with a possibility of a new model that combined the best of both into one. I did not say anything at the time, but now Mike Varley himself has posted on the BMC site about this development. 

So, it's true! No more MCD's! There will be a new model, combining the Road Plus and MCD. There will be a few changes with the new "Mod. Zero" too. But I think that in the long view this will be seen as a really good thing, and here are my reasons why I think that is so- in no particular order. 

• 44mm Head Tube: Mike Varley doggedly stuck to the 1 1/8th inch standard straight steer tube for a LONG time after it was out of fashion. The move to the 44mm head tube is wise from a few standpoints. One- Obviously a tapered steer tube carbon fork could be substituted in for the steel fork. This may not strike you as a positive, but here's the deal- Carbon forks have been around for 30+ years and the industry has them figured out. The benefits of a steel fork are largely negated when you put a disc brake on the fork. The extra reinforcement necessary makes the steel fork heavier, less lively, and therefore not as much the advantage as you might desire. Plus, you can minimize stack height, relative to what you can do with 1 1/8th straight head tubes, to the max for those who want that. (And there are those who do want that)
• Replaceable Rear Derailleur Hangar: While it is true that you can bend a steel drop out back into shape, it is better to just bolt a new hangar on. If the hangar is made from stout aluminum and is designed so that it has a good base for the derailleur to operate off of, this is a better way to go. Plus bending a steel drop out that also has a through-axle receptacle integrated into it is a lot harder to do anyway. Besides, who has the tools to bend back a derailleur hangar in the field? With a replaceable hangar you can just bolt a new one on and done!  
  
• Flat Mount Brakes: While I despise flat mount brakes, it is high-time Mike did this. Your choices and applications open up, and well.......it is the way of the World now. Plus, as Mike says, it looks a bit better overall. 
• Proper Wide-650B Clearances: This is probably more a nod to the folks who were Road Plus buyers. But be that as it may, it does appeal to me if I were to be thinking more off than on roads. The versatility of the new bike model is greater then the two older ones, and I could see a knobbly XC-ish 27.5"er for backcountry explorations. And also- big, wide smoothies are going to fit better as well. I'd consider those for a road tour, as a for instance. 

Mike Varley's sample he is testing for the BMC "Mod. Zero" model. (Image courtesy of Black Mountain Cycles.)

Mr. Varley states in his blog post (linked above) that the 700c clearances will not change significantly from what I have with my MCD. Still, as Mike says- "50-ish" millimeters. I'm actually okay with that as those bigger 29"er tires start weighing quite a bit. And besides, I am a bigger fan of the 42mm-47mm sizes for my riding. Also of note- If you wanted bigger tires on an MCD type of bike, Mike offers the LaCabra. 

Image of the Mod. Zero decal from Black Mountain Cycles' Instagram

As for geometry, we don't have any solid details. Mike only alludes to the subject of geometry when he said of the old MCD and Road Plus bikes that they were "very close in terms of basic geometry. What- if any- tweaks would be made to Mod. Zero are not known at this time. 

I would make a suggestion or two- But Mike has probably made his mind up already. But what the heck! Here is what I would like to see from the "Mod. Zero". 

• An ever so slightly slacker head tube angle. It would really help with bigger tires and more extreme terrain, but it also is awesome on gravel. 
• Maybe a tic more fork offset to bring back a bit quicker handling, but also to 'kick out' that front tire a hair more to gain a bit more compliance and toe-overlap room. 
• Mike is combining the old 650B "road plus tire" sized bike with the old 700c compatible rig, so bottom bracket drop cannot get too crazy. That said, my Twin Six Standard Rando does just fine on 650B wheels with a 75mm bottom bracket drop. I'd LOVE to see that on the new "Mod. Zero", but I'd be really pleased if it were 72.5mm as well. 
• Do I spy bottle mounts on the fork? A huge plus in my mind if that is the plan.
  

Now for the million dollar question: Will Guitar Ted be getting one? If you read the linked post from Mike, you already know that these bikes won't be seen here until mid-2023 at the earliest. So, yeah..... Here's where I am at with my fleet of gravel machines.....

I'm likely to retire the Noble Bikes GX5 by sometime around 2023-ish. While it is a great bike, it is going to be five years old by 2023 and being a carbon frame, ridden on gravel, and that not too kindly, well..... It may very well be okay, but I expect that newer designs and technologies may start making that bike a bit off the back in terms of what I can test on there. Maybe not. We will see. And it has to survive that long, which- being a carbon bike- is no guarantee. 

Then I have that old Tamland Two I keep threatening to retire but keeps coming back. That bike will be nine years old in 2023. And the Fargo? ha! So, yeah..... I could see a Mod Zero for Riding Gravel duties. This depends on the finer details which I don't have yet, and I cannot predict what I'll be doing next month much less than a year and a half from now. I don't really need a Mod. Zero, but I might be able to use one for work purposes. So, if I am still doing RidingGravel.com I would consider one seriously. If I am not? I have a perfectly fine BMC MCD.

Water Carriers: Update #5

What it looks like post last weekend's 60 miler.

 So the big test of my water carrying system was last weekend when I rode with N.Y. Roll. My biggest concern was how the three bottles I would need to be able to access while riding would work out. 

The upper one on the down tube had been moved upward a bit, perhaps making that one harder to grab and reinstall. The Chaff Bag bottle may be tough to use as it was up against the make-shift cue sheet holder. The only way you really can find out if these sorts of things will work is to actually go on a ride and see. So, of course, that's what happened over the weekend. 

I have to say that most of my fears were unfounded. Yeah....that top bottle took a bit of a different move to get in and out, but it wasn't what I would call 'difficult'. I moved the strap on the Chaff Bag a bit which canted out the bag's top a bit to make the bottle clear the cue sheet holder. So, that worked. All in all, everything did what it was supposed to do. 

The big Jett Green bottle stayed put. The Wolf Tooth strap and B-Rad held it like a champ, and it was super easy and quick to get the bottle out and replace it again when stopped for refilling. The bottom bottle, the Jet+, was rock solid and I never noticed it while riding. I believe I have everything I need locked in with a few changes elsewhere to the set up.

One will be that I may end up using this Topeak Burrito Pack for my flat repair kit and that would go under the saddle. I have nothing there now and adding that pack would open up a bit more space in the Top Tube Garage Bag for nutritional stuff and whatnot. I'm still debating on whether or not to run two lights. I don't think I will, mainly because Gravel Worlds is only dark for about 30 minutes after the start and then whenever you roll in after - oh, say 8:00pm or so, depending on cloud cover. I might have maybe four hours max in darkness. If it is longer than that, well..... I probably am a DNF. 

Finally, the wheels and tires here are training wheels and tires. I have a lighter set up that I will race/ride on when the time comes. Stay tuned for that coming soon.....

Water Carriers: Update #5

What it looks like post last weekend's 60 miler.

 So the big test of my water carrying system was last weekend when I rode with N.Y. Roll. My biggest concern was how the three bottles I would need to be able to access while riding would work out. 

The upper one on the down tube had been moved upward a bit, perhaps making that one harder to grab and reinstall. The Chaff Bag bottle may be tough to use as it was up against the make-shift cue sheet holder. The only way you really can find out if these sorts of things will work is to actually go on a ride and see. So, of course, that's what happened over the weekend. 

I have to say that most of my fears were unfounded. Yeah....that top bottle took a bit of a different move to get in and out, but it wasn't what I would call 'difficult'. I moved the strap on the Chaff Bag a bit which canted out the bag's top a bit to make the bottle clear the cue sheet holder. So, that worked. All in all, everything did what it was supposed to do. 

The big Jett Green bottle stayed put. The Wolf Tooth strap and B-Rad held it like a champ, and it was super easy and quick to get the bottle out and replace it again when stopped for refilling. The bottom bottle, the Jet+, was rock solid and I never noticed it while riding. I believe I have everything I need locked in with a few changes elsewhere to the set up.

One will be that I may end up using this Topeak Burrito Pack for my flat repair kit and that would go under the saddle. I have nothing there now and adding that pack would open up a bit more space in the Top Tube Garage Bag for nutritional stuff and whatnot. I'm still debating on whether or not to run two lights. I don't think I will, mainly because Gravel Worlds is only dark for about 30 minutes after the start and then whenever you roll in after - oh, say 8:00pm or so, depending on cloud cover. I might have maybe four hours max in darkness. If it is longer than that, well..... I probably am a DNF. 

Finally, the wheels and tires here are training wheels and tires. I have a lighter set up that I will race/ride on when the time comes. Stay tuned for that coming soon.....

Country Views: Tire Testing

Escape Route: Shaulis Road bike trail .

 Tires that need testing cannot be ignored, so Wednesday I had that on my schedule of things to get done. That and a dentist visit with the family. (We always schedule dental visits as a family) So, the appointment with the tooth doctor was in the late morning, which meant that a post-lunch jaunt down to Petrie Road's Level B Maintenance section was on my schedule for the afternoon. 

I was planing on testing the new Pirelli Cinturato H Gravel tires which are on the HED wheels I have. Those are mounted to the Black Mountain Cycles MCD and those are the wheels which have been giving me a problem of late. I maybe mentioned here earlier that the rear wheel was loose and a quick tightening of the rear through axle seemed to solve that problem. However; the issue cropped up again on Tuesday so.......what?! How the heck does that happen? Well, once I mentioned it to Andy at work Tuesday he made an astute diagnosis. He said he thought it could be that the end caps on the axle were unthreading and that a quick re tightening of that would help. 

So, before I was to head out Wednesday I tried that idea out and - indeed - the axle end caps were loose. A couple of 15mm cone wrenches and some torque later and I was good to go. So, with the temperatures comfortably into the 60's and light breezes about, I didn't have to fret too much about clothing. That's a nice change! Spring is starting to turn the corner toward Summer. 

 

That field to the right has a lot of corn poking through its surface now.

It was a stunning day out for a bicycle ride.

Getting rolling out from Prairie Grove Park, I headed out my 'normal' direction to get to Petrie Road and dirt. I usually go East to West on Petrie because it is easier and a well worn path in my brain. Coming at it from the West is possible, of course, but going South on Holmes Road isn't my most favorite thing, I cannot say why. Especially since I often come back on Holmes going the opposite direction and that never seems to get old. 

 

Weird. I guess old habits die young. Anyway, as I got going South on Ansborough, I saw a quick movement in the left side ditch. I caught sight of two small foxes, likely still kits, judging by their size. While one dove for the cover of a small culvert in heavy grass, the other paused to watch me roll on by. Cute little devils! I think that's my first time for seeing immature foxes in Iowa. I see plenty of grown ones around though. 

There were a few wet spots yet from last weekend's rains.

Looking South down Aker Road.

I found the Level B section to have quite the varied state of conditions. Dry, fist sized rocks start things out and then quickly turn to sand, which can be treacherous or compacted enough to be no problem. This time the sand was present but the Cinturatos seem to deal with it rather well. After this it is a lot of rutted out dirt and clay with spots where water is still pooled up. Then a steep descent and down into some clay and black earth flats where more water is sitting. I actually biffed it down in the West end of the road when my front tire washed out on some slimy, muddy earth. 

I tumbled off the bike harmlessly into some tall grasses on the left side of the roadway. I quickly popped back up laughing at my situation. The bike was fine, just a bit muddy. No big deal! I gingerly remounted and carried on. It didn't take long for my legs and left arm to start itching from the contact with the grasses. I haven't fallen in grass for a while so the sensation was a bit sharper this time. Nothing serious, just annoying. 

Patterns in the field and in the sky.

A quick stop to listen to the birds in the trees on the banks of Prescott's Creek.

So the ride was a success. I found out what I needed to know about the Cinturato tires. (Review coming soon on RidingGravel.com) Then it was time to pack the bike up in the SUV, (I swapped vehicles with Mrs. Guitar Ted for the day), and onward to home. It was one of those days I wished that I could have ridden all day. The weather was near to perfection. Not 'too' anything. Just the right amounts of all the things. 

Glad to have gotten out at all, really. This weekend is shaping up to be a soggy affair. We will see......

Country Views: Tire Testing

Escape Route: Shaulis Road bike trail .

 Tires that need testing cannot be ignored, so Wednesday I had that on my schedule of things to get done. That and a dentist visit with the family. (We always schedule dental visits as a family) So, the appointment with the tooth doctor was in the late morning, which meant that a post-lunch jaunt down to Petrie Road's Level B Maintenance section was on my schedule for the afternoon. 

I was planing on testing the new Pirelli Cinturato H Gravel tires which are on the HED wheels I have. Those are mounted to the Black Mountain Cycles MCD and those are the wheels which have been giving me a problem of late. I maybe mentioned here earlier that the rear wheel was loose and a quick tightening of the rear through axle seemed to solve that problem. However; the issue cropped up again on Tuesday so.......what?! How the heck does that happen? Well, once I mentioned it to Andy at work Tuesday he made an astute diagnosis. He said he thought it could be that the end caps on the axle were unthreading and that a quick re tightening of that would help. 

So, before I was to head out Wednesday I tried that idea out and - indeed - the axle end caps were loose. A couple of 15mm cone wrenches and some torque later and I was good to go. So, with the temperatures comfortably into the 60's and light breezes about, I didn't have to fret too much about clothing. That's a nice change! Spring is starting to turn the corner toward Summer. 

 

That field to the right has a lot of corn poking through its surface now.

It was a stunning day out for a bicycle ride.

Getting rolling out from Prairie Grove Park, I headed out my 'normal' direction to get to Petrie Road and dirt. I usually go East to West on Petrie because it is easier and a well worn path in my brain. Coming at it from the West is possible, of course, but going South on Holmes Road isn't my most favorite thing, I cannot say why. Especially since I often come back on Holmes going the opposite direction and that never seems to get old. 

 

Weird. I guess old habits die young. Anyway, as I got going South on Ansborough, I saw a quick movement in the left side ditch. I caught sight of two small foxes, likely still kits, judging by their size. While one dove for the cover of a small culvert in heavy grass, the other paused to watch me roll on by. Cute little devils! I think that's my first time for seeing immature foxes in Iowa. I see plenty of grown ones around though. 

There were a few wet spots yet from last weekend's rains.

Looking South down Aker Road.

I found the Level B section to have quite the varied state of conditions. Dry, fist sized rocks start things out and then quickly turn to sand, which can be treacherous or compacted enough to be no problem. This time the sand was present but the Cinturatos seem to deal with it rather well. After this it is a lot of rutted out dirt and clay with spots where water is still pooled up. Then a steep descent and down into some clay and black earth flats where more water is sitting. I actually biffed it down in the West end of the road when my front tire washed out on some slimy, muddy earth. 

I tumbled off the bike harmlessly into some tall grasses on the left side of the roadway. I quickly popped back up laughing at my situation. The bike was fine, just a bit muddy. No big deal! I gingerly remounted and carried on. It didn't take long for my legs and left arm to start itching from the contact with the grasses. I haven't fallen in grass for a while so the sensation was a bit sharper this time. Nothing serious, just annoying. 

Patterns in the field and in the sky.

A quick stop to listen to the birds in the trees on the banks of Prescott's Creek.

So the ride was a success. I found out what I needed to know about the Cinturato tires. (Review coming soon on RidingGravel.com) Then it was time to pack the bike up in the SUV, (I swapped vehicles with Mrs. Guitar Ted for the day), and onward to home. It was one of those days I wished that I could have ridden all day. The weather was near to perfection. Not 'too' anything. Just the right amounts of all the things. 

Glad to have gotten out at all, really. This weekend is shaping up to be a soggy affair. We will see......

Bikes of 2019 - Black Mountain Cycles MCD

The BMC MCD, or as my daughter dubbed it- The Bubblegum Princess.

About Fall time in 2017, Mike Varley of Black Mountain Cycles let the cat out of the bag that he was signing off on the final design for a disc brake version of the popular "Monster Cross" model he has offered since 2011.

To say that I was stoked would be a mild understatement. See, I had often been considering getting another Monster Cross frame and fork, especially since Mike had gravitated toward a more "gravel friendly" geometry, added a new, fancy fork, and had offered some rad colors over the ensuing years since I had purchased my frame and fork, #49 in the run, by the way.

The thing was, Mike has doggedly held to cantilever brakes, and in 2017, well, it was painfully obvious that testing wheels for Riding Gravel was going to require that I had a disc compatible frame and fork. Not only that, but 12mm through axles were also beginning to overtake quick releases as the primary form of wheel attachment. Mike addressed both of my concerns with the MCD, (Monster Cross Disc).

When I saw his prototype bike he had built for himself, I was sold. However; when he announced a limited run of pink for the first offering, I contacted him immediately. "Put my name down for a pink one!", I wasn't about to wait for pre-orders to open. I definitely wanted one of these.

I've used this for gravel events and for RidingGravel.com testing purposes since I got it built up during the Summer of 2018. The mainstays of the original build are all there, but wheels and tires change with some regularity. I won't get into the current build, that is mostly Shimano Ultegra/Whisky carbon, and TRP brakes, but I will list a few future upgrades this bike will be seeing.

• Chris King bottom bracket. Hopefully in purple!
• A purple seat collar. 
• Shimano GRX rear derailleur in 11 speed. 
• A little longer front through axle. The PMW one I have doesn't engage all the threads in the fork. That bugs me. 
• Maybe- GRX levers, front derailleur, and crank set. (Not necessary, but GRX stuff is very good)

Yeah, this bike is pretty much spot on. I would dump the bottom bracket a few more millimeters, if I had my say, but this works so well with 650B X 47mm tires that, well.....maybe leave it as is. Look for this to show up at gravel rides next year. This or the next bike on the "Bikes of 2019" list. Stay tuned.......

Bikes of 2019 - Black Mountain Cycles MCD

The BMC MCD, or as my daughter dubbed it- The Bubblegum Princess.

About Fall time in 2017, Mike Varley of Black Mountain Cycles let the cat out of the bag that he was signing off on the final design for a disc brake version of the popular "Monster Cross" model he has offered since 2011.

To say that I was stoked would be a mild understatement. See, I had often been considering getting another Monster Cross frame and fork, especially since Mike had gravitated toward a more "gravel friendly" geometry, added a new, fancy fork, and had offered some rad colors over the ensuing years since I had purchased my frame and fork, #49 in the run, by the way.

The thing was, Mike has doggedly held to cantilever brakes, and in 2017, well, it was painfully obvious that testing wheels for Riding Gravel was going to require that I had a disc compatible frame and fork. Not only that, but 12mm through axles were also beginning to overtake quick releases as the primary form of wheel attachment. Mike addressed both of my concerns with the MCD, (Monster Cross Disc).

When I saw his prototype bike he had built for himself, I was sold. However; when he announced a limited run of pink for the first offering, I contacted him immediately. "Put my name down for a pink one!", I wasn't about to wait for pre-orders to open. I definitely wanted one of these.

I've used this for gravel events and for RidingGravel.com testing purposes since I got it built up during the Summer of 2018. The mainstays of the original build are all there, but wheels and tires change with some regularity. I won't get into the current build, that is mostly Shimano Ultegra/Whisky carbon, and TRP brakes, but I will list a few future upgrades this bike will be seeing.

• Chris King bottom bracket. Hopefully in purple!
• A purple seat collar. 
• Shimano GRX rear derailleur in 11 speed. 
• A little longer front through axle. The PMW one I have doesn't engage all the threads in the fork. That bugs me. 
• Maybe- GRX levers, front derailleur, and crank set. (Not necessary, but GRX stuff is very good)

Yeah, this bike is pretty much spot on. I would dump the bottom bracket a few more millimeters, if I had my say, but this works so well with 650B X 47mm tires that, well.....maybe leave it as is. Look for this to show up at gravel rides next year. This or the next bike on the "Bikes of 2019" list. Stay tuned.......

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: The Contenders (So Far)

Muc-Off "Dry" version of their C3 Ceramic lube. (With UV gizmo)

The weekend was the pits as far as getting any riding in for me. Saturday was sketchy and I had errands. Then on Sunday, it rained a lot of the day and I woke up with a splitting head ache. (No alcohol involved) I have had a mild head cold of late and it kind of kicked into gear Sunday. No matter. It wasn't a great day for riding anyway.

So, in the meantime I dug into maintenance and some projects down in the "Lab" here at Guitar Ted Production's headquarters. One of those tasks was to get the three bikes I had in mind to use for the test set up with the lubes for the new "Guitar Ted Lube-Off" challenge, which I mentioned in the "FN&V" on Friday, of course. So, here we go, the three challengers, the bikes, and news on something that I just became aware of Friday.

Muc Off C3 Ceramic Lube/ Noble Bikes GX5: The new contender, Muc Off, with the C3 Ceramic lube, is on the Noble Bikes GX5 for this test. This bike has a SRAM Force 1X 11 drive train. The chain and the rest of the drive train is in pretty good shape.

Squirt Lube/ Fargo Gen I: The well known Fargo Gen I is the bike I chose to use the Squirt lube on. The drive train on the Fargo Gen I is a 3 X 9 and it is in a pretty worn state, but not out of spec......yet! I am expecting to find that I will need to be upgrading the bike with new parts soon. That said, it has shifted great and I have experienced no issues with it since I began riding this set up this year again.

DuMonde Tech/ Black Mountain Cycles MCD: Finally, the last bike in the test is the BMC MCD, otherwise known as the "Bubblegum Princess". The drive train on this bike is a 2X 11 set up and it has a ton of life left in it yet. This bike started out with DuMonde Tech lubricant and the chain is still the original one I started with last year when the bike was new.

The "Bubblegum Princess", as seen at the Solstice 100 earlier this year.

How The Chains Were Prepared: The BMC MCD was originally set up with DuMonde Tech on a brand new chain by stripping off the stock grease/coating and then applying the DuMonde Tech lube as prescribed by DuMonde Tech. I think I have re-applied a couple of times. DuMonde Tech recommends that when you hear chain noise that you put a drop on each roller and then continue use. So, currently the chain hasn't been lubed in a LONG time but until I hear anymore noises, I am not re-applying lube.

The Muc Off instructions were to strip the chain of any lube and dirt, dry it off, and apply a liberal dosage of the C3 lube to the chain. Muc Off says that it is recommended to let the lube set up for several hours before riding, but I am letting these all sit for a day+ at least, so no worries there. Muc Off also supplies you with what looks like a little key fob/key ring dealie. In reality, this is a tiny UV light emitter. Muc Off advises the end user to use the UV light to see if your lube application got the C3 down into the rollers and pins of your chain.

Muc Off C3 chain lube UV's out to a light blue color, which you can see by using the supplied UV emitter that comes in the box with the lube. 

In the image above you can see how the C3 has penetrated the pin/plate interface somewhat. This is kind of interesting since it seems like 80% of what I put on is......gone. If the UV thing is any indication, that is. Hmmm.... It feels like it has tons of lube on it, but we'll see. I'll get around to talking about the "touch test" in a second......

For the Squirt lube I did a similar clean-dry-lube procedure as I did for the Muc Off. Oh! By the way, I used Muc Off's Bio Chain Degreaser to clean these followed up with a water rinse, according to Muc Off's instructions. Okay, with that out of the way, Squirt recommends one drop of lube per roller, but that it is okay if you go a little bit more liberally than that. I did something toward the "little more liberal" approach. Squirt then recommends that you let the bike sit overnight. I did this.

Touch Test: The "Touch Test" is what I do to see if (a) a chain has any lube on it, and how much, (b) to see the condition of the lube, If it is dirty, and how much "grit" is in it, and (c) to see if the chain is "dry", rusty, or has a lot of friction. So, we can eliminate "c", somewhat, from consideration here, but the other two points are valid to look in to here. The test is performed by taking my index finger tip, "rolling" the rollers of the chain from the side that engages the teeth of the drive train components, and then observing any residue that is left behind on my finger tip. Sometimes I also focus on what the "feel" is, as I roll those rollers, since, as with dry lube, you often don't get any residue off on your finger tip.

Results: Muc Off C3 felt slick, but left no residue on my finger after a day. I did get some after 3 hours. This was a bit of a surprise seeing as how the UV test revealed very little lube there, at least from what I could see. Hmm..... My recommendation would be to let the Muc Off C3 sit overnight after an application. The Squirt Lube felt dry. Like a dry chain, but maybe a bit less friction? No residue to speak of there either. Impressive. Squirt says an application of their standard lube, which is what I am using here, should last up to 6 hours of road riding. (They haven't seen the "roads" I am gonna ride though!) DuMonde Tech generally doesn't feel like anything is on the chain, and after dusting mine off on the BMC, I found this to be true again. No residue after wiping down with a dry cotton cloth.

Okay, Squirt says to go 6 hours before a re-application of their lube, so I think that should make for a good time to check back in on things. That means I have 18 hours of riding to do! Oh! And about that bit of a surprise I mentioned from Friday- I have heard from Grannygear that there is a new lube that someone wants RidingGravel.com to test, so if that comes in time to insert that into this Lube-Off, there will be a fourth contender. Stay tuned......UPDATED 2/4/20: That lube mentioned in this paragraph didn't show up until late December of last year. I have a few hours on it, but it did not make the test. I plan on doing an updated "Lube Off" post in 2020 once I have six hours on that lube. It's Winetr now, so hang on.....


NOTE:  I was not asked to do this test, and I am doing it out of my own curiosity. There is no "prize" for coming out on top. No sponsorship, no personal connection with Squirt, Muc-Off, or DuMonde tech here.  The products used for this "Lube-Off" came from various events, or were sent to me to try at no charge. I am not being bribed, nor paid for this "Lube-Off", and any thoughts and opinions are only my own. Your results may vary.

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: The Contenders (So Far)

Muc-Off "Dry" version of their C3 Ceramic lube. (With UV gizmo)

The weekend was the pits as far as getting any riding in for me. Saturday was sketchy and I had errands. Then on Sunday, it rained a lot of the day and I woke up with a splitting head ache. (No alcohol involved) I have had a mild head cold of late and it kind of kicked into gear Sunday. No matter. It wasn't a great day for riding anyway.

So, in the meantime I dug into maintenance and some projects down in the "Lab" here at Guitar Ted Production's headquarters. One of those tasks was to get the three bikes I had in mind to use for the test set up with the lubes for the new "Guitar Ted Lube-Off" challenge, which I mentioned in the "FN&V" on Friday, of course. So, here we go, the three challengers, the bikes, and news on something that I just became aware of Friday.

Muc Off C3 Ceramic Lube/ Noble Bikes GX5: The new contender, Muc Off, with the C3 Ceramic lube, is on the Noble Bikes GX5 for this test. This bike has a SRAM Force 1X 11 drive train. The chain and the rest of the drive train is in pretty good shape.

Squirt Lube/ Fargo Gen I: The well known Fargo Gen I is the bike I chose to use the Squirt lube on. The drive train on the Fargo Gen I is a 3 X 9 and it is in a pretty worn state, but not out of spec......yet! I am expecting to find that I will need to be upgrading the bike with new parts soon. That said, it has shifted great and I have experienced no issues with it since I began riding this set up this year again.

DuMonde Tech/ Black Mountain Cycles MCD: Finally, the last bike in the test is the BMC MCD, otherwise known as the "Bubblegum Princess". The drive train on this bike is a 2X 11 set up and it has a ton of life left in it yet. This bike started out with DuMonde Tech lubricant and the chain is still the original one I started with last year when the bike was new.

The "Bubblegum Princess", as seen at the Solstice 100 earlier this year.

How The Chains Were Prepared: The BMC MCD was originally set up with DuMonde Tech on a brand new chain by stripping off the stock grease/coating and then applying the DuMonde Tech lube as prescribed by DuMonde Tech. I think I have re-applied a couple of times. DuMonde Tech recommends that when you hear chain noise that you put a drop on each roller and then continue use. So, currently the chain hasn't been lubed in a LONG time but until I hear anymore noises, I am not re-applying lube.

The Muc Off instructions were to strip the chain of any lube and dirt, dry it off, and apply a liberal dosage of the C3 lube to the chain. Muc Off says that it is recommended to let the lube set up for several hours before riding, but I am letting these all sit for a day+ at least, so no worries there. Muc Off also supplies you with what looks like a little key fob/key ring dealie. In reality, this is a tiny UV light emitter. Muc Off advises the end user to use the UV light to see if your lube application got the C3 down into the rollers and pins of your chain.

Muc Off C3 chain lube UV's out to a light blue color, which you can see by using the supplied UV emitter that comes in the box with the lube. 

In the image above you can see how the C3 has penetrated the pin/plate interface somewhat. This is kind of interesting since it seems like 80% of what I put on is......gone. If the UV thing is any indication, that is. Hmmm.... It feels like it has tons of lube on it, but we'll see. I'll get around to talking about the "touch test" in a second......

For the Squirt lube I did a similar clean-dry-lube procedure as I did for the Muc Off. Oh! By the way, I used Muc Off's Bio Chain Degreaser to clean these followed up with a water rinse, according to Muc Off's instructions. Okay, with that out of the way, Squirt recommends one drop of lube per roller, but that it is okay if you go a little bit more liberally than that. I did something toward the "little more liberal" approach. Squirt then recommends that you let the bike sit overnight. I did this.

Touch Test: The "Touch Test" is what I do to see if (a) a chain has any lube on it, and how much, (b) to see the condition of the lube, If it is dirty, and how much "grit" is in it, and (c) to see if the chain is "dry", rusty, or has a lot of friction. So, we can eliminate "c", somewhat, from consideration here, but the other two points are valid to look in to here. The test is performed by taking my index finger tip, "rolling" the rollers of the chain from the side that engages the teeth of the drive train components, and then observing any residue that is left behind on my finger tip. Sometimes I also focus on what the "feel" is, as I roll those rollers, since, as with dry lube, you often don't get any residue off on your finger tip.

Results: Muc Off C3 felt slick, but left no residue on my finger after a day. I did get some after 3 hours. This was a bit of a surprise seeing as how the UV test revealed very little lube there, at least from what I could see. Hmm..... My recommendation would be to let the Muc Off C3 sit overnight after an application. The Squirt Lube felt dry. Like a dry chain, but maybe a bit less friction? No residue to speak of there either. Impressive. Squirt says an application of their standard lube, which is what I am using here, should last up to 6 hours of road riding. (They haven't seen the "roads" I am gonna ride though!) DuMonde Tech generally doesn't feel like anything is on the chain, and after dusting mine off on the BMC, I found this to be true again. No residue after wiping down with a dry cotton cloth.

Okay, Squirt says to go 6 hours before a re-application of their lube, so I think that should make for a good time to check back in on things. That means I have 18 hours of riding to do! Oh! And about that bit of a surprise I mentioned from Friday- I have heard from Grannygear that there is a new lube that someone wants RidingGravel.com to test, so if that comes in time to insert that into this Lube-Off, there will be a fourth contender. Stay tuned......UPDATED 2/4/20: That lube mentioned in this paragraph didn't show up until late December of last year. I have a few hours on it, but it did not make the test. I plan on doing an updated "Lube Off" post in 2020 once I have six hours on that lube. It's Winetr now, so hang on.....


NOTE:  I was not asked to do this test, and I am doing it out of my own curiosity. There is no "prize" for coming out on top. No sponsorship, no personal connection with Squirt, Muc-Off, or DuMonde tech here.  The products used for this "Lube-Off" came from various events, or were sent to me to try at no charge. I am not being bribed, nor paid for this "Lube-Off", and any thoughts and opinions are only my own. Your results may vary.