Gravel Was Young and Fat Bikes Were Hot!

 In celebration of the twentieth year of this blog, I have a few tales to tell. This post is one of them. This series will occur off and on throughout this anniversary year, I hope to illuminate some behind-the-scenes stories and highlights from the blog during this time. Enjoy!

In 2013 we were experiencing huge growth in two areas: Fat bikes and gravel events. One could say that 2013 was the "heyday" of both things. On fat bikes because this was the zenith of their popularity. The almost rabid appetite for any news on fat bikes was amazing. On gravel events because there was a plethora of what I would say were the "adventure/experiential/grassroots/altruist" type of events which were being fueled by passion and an appetite for adventure and experiences.

I was enamored of fat bikes, like many were and I already had two in my stable. Keep in mind that a turnkey fat bike wasn't available three years prior to this. So, my owning an aluminum and a titanium framed fat bike in 2013 was saying something.

Saying "you were nuts!", most likely, and maybe that was correct. I had done two Triple D fat bike events by January of 2013 and was headed for one more in 2014. I managed to finish all three which are accomplishments I am proud of yet today. 

It is funny when I look back at things because, as it is with many things we do the first time, there was a lot of "pioneering" going on. I had a few posts on the blog here dealing with how to set up fat bike wheels tubeless. I even had one of the first tubeless wheel sets and tires for a fat bike, which I used for the 2015 Triple D. (Thanks Velocity USA!) 

Finishing up the 2013 Triple D. Michael Lemberger clapping.

Things were so new to me that I decided to just ride the Triple D like I did for all my training rides and commuting, with a messenger bag! Hey! It worked great. 

Fat bikes were changing about as fast as PC's in the 2000's with new stuff being rumored about and coming out all year. What is crazy is that by 2015 my four year old Mukluk was outdated already! 

Even my titanium Mukluk, a year newer than my original, was outdated and trying to keep up with all the carbon frames, tubeless options, and the front suspension craze, (remember that?) was just too much. I bought a 2014 Blackborow DS which, at that time, took the biggest tires and rims you could get, and decided I was done. Well, I did get the 2015 Ti Muk, but that was a special deal. More about that in an upcoming post. 

2013 Odin's Revenge

Gravel cycling arguably reached the pinnacle of its "early era" during this time. The range and quality of experiences on offer at gravel events was never more varied and exciting. Now days you expect chip timing, a finish line arch, yada, yada, yada. Go to another event? Same thing, different time and place. But nothing could have been further from the truth during those early days of gravel grinding. 

It was an adventure which involved all aspects of the event experience. Getting there, meeting people, seeing how things were (or were not) organized. Getting out into country you'd never have dreamed of seeing, and of course, having that along with weather, friends, and whatever circumstances popped up throughout a day on a bicycle were just outstanding. Many of these event experiences were the way they were because the events were new, or not very old. The "word" hadn't gotten out about them, and mainstream cycling media turned their noses up at gravel cycling then. They thought it was "not racing" so it wasn't worthy of any coverage. 

Of course, my "Gravel Grinder News" website and this blog did cover these things and traffic here was growing exponentially because of the way things were back then. People were hungry for this style of riding and competing. It was so obvious, but the pride that mainstream cycling media had and their dogged stance that only a UCI-type event was "legitimate racing", stymied what could have been a huge sea change in the way we see competitive events today. Of course, gravel cycling got so big that they eventually had to pay attention, and that is why you hear about Unbound, SBT GRVL, Gravel Worlds, and other US events on unpaved roads. 

More soon....

Fat Tires On Gravel: From Krampus To Gryphon - The Inspiration

 Continuing on with this series concerning my thoughts and experiences with 29+ tires and gravel, we will look at the bike that inspired it all for me. That being Mike Johnson's 29+ fat bike conversion of a Ti Mukluk from Salsa Cycles. 

Well, it was Mike's bike and the event where I saw it in action. This specific use instance really resonated with me due to the difficulty of this particular ride. The ride? It was the 2014 edition of Odin's Revenge, a classic gravel grinder which took place in Gothenburg, Nebraska. If you are curious about this now retired event, see my "Lament For Odin's Revenge", written in 2016, or my "Gravel History With Guitar Ted: Odin's Revenge", written in 2022. 

Mike Johnson had done Odin's Revenge in its inaugural year of 2012 and was impressed with the "backside" of the course's sandy "gravel" which confounded skinnier tires and was still very difficult with a MTB tire. So he decided that his attempt at the course for 2014 would be done on a fat bike conversion to 29+ wheels. He had a nice 2012 Salsa Cycles titanium Mukluk and had the wheel set built and set up with 29 X 3.0 Surly Knard tires. 

Ostensibly this was all done just to tackle that sandy, North of I-80 section of Odin's, but Mike had no idea that in 2014 at Odin's he would have the perfect set up. The weather made that particular bike a coveted bike by many other riders that day, and I was one of them. 

A pre-event thunderstorm turned the 2014 Odin's Revenge course into a quagmire.

It was a perfect storm:(Sorry for the pun!) The Odin's course, a course with many dirt roads, then add in an over-night thunderstorm, and top it all off with Mike's bike choice. The combination proved that Mike's bike was to be the class of the field in as far as capability to ride went. 

Mike has always been a better, faster athlete than I. So, after the start, he was up the road from me. But I could discern his tracks versus the other riders in the wet gravel and especially in the dirt. Mike's wheels were barely making an impression in the road while other riders with skinnier, "gravel" tires were cutting into the surface more and working a LOT harder to get down the road. 

In the foreground you can discern the way skinnier tires were cutting into the saturated surface.

As I labored heavily to get to the first checkpoint that year aboard my Salsa Cycles Fargo Gen I, I realized by looking at the evidence that the tires left behind that Mike had it made. He was expending a LOT less energy than I, or most of his fellow riders, and that I ultimately needed a set up like this for myself. 

There was literally miles of this. (Rider David Mizelle)

The day ended for me when I determined that I would get to the first checkpoint far to late to make the second one, especially in those conditions and with my bike. I rode 47 miles and it was the hardest 47 miles I have ever ridden. By the time I, and my riding partner for most of that day, Don Daly, had reached CP#1, we were in the top ten of the field. But only because so many riders had dropped out already behind us. The roads were just too hard to ride through on skinny tires. 

On the way home I just could not shake how Mike's bike was so capable in those difficult conditions and how miserably inefficient even a Fargo with 2.2" tires was in comparison. By the time I had gotten home my mind was buzzing with ideas. I had a Ti Muk like Mike's. Could I do this with my Mukluk? Maybe I needed a new bike?

Well, a development that occurred in 2014 set me off in another direction. I also did explore the possibility of a Mukluk like Mike's bike. I'll cover all of that in the next two posts in this series. I'll talk about each bike and idea, and why ultimately none of those bikes passed muster with me. 

Next: The Experimental Phase

Fat Tires On Gravel: From Krampus To Gryphon - The Inspiration

 Continuing on with this series concerning my thoughts and experiences with 29+ tires and gravel, we will look at the bike that inspired it all for me. That being Mike Johnson's 29+ fat bike conversion of a Ti Mukluk from Salsa Cycles. 

Well, it was Mike's bike and the event where I saw it in action. This specific use instance really resonated with me due to the difficulty of this particular ride. The ride? It was the 2014 edition of Odin's Revenge, a classic gravel grinder which took place in Gothenburg, Nebraska. If you are curious about this now retired event, see my "Lament For Odin's Revenge", written in 2016, or my "Gravel History With Guitar Ted: Odin's Revenge", written in 2022. 

Mike Johnson had done Odin's Revenge in its inaugural year of 2012 and was impressed with the "backside" of the course's sandy "gravel" which confounded skinnier tires and was still very difficult with a MTB tire. So he decided that his attempt at the course for 2014 would be done on a fat bike conversion to 29+ wheels. He had a nice 2012 Salsa Cycles titanium Mukluk and had the wheel set built and set up with 29 X 3.0 Surly Knard tires. 

Ostensibly this was all done just to tackle that sandy, North of I-80 section of Odin's, but Mike had no idea that in 2014 at Odin's he would have the perfect set up. The weather made that particular bike a coveted bike by many other riders that day, and I was one of them. 

A pre-event thunderstorm turned the 2014 Odin's Revenge course into a quagmire.

It was a perfect storm:(Sorry for the pun!) The Odin's course, a course with many dirt roads, then add in an over-night thunderstorm, and top it all off with Mike's bike choice. The combination proved that Mike's bike was to be the class of the field in as far as capability to ride went. 

Mike has always been a better, faster athlete than I. So, after the start, he was up the road from me. But I could discern his tracks versus the other riders in the wet gravel and especially in the dirt. Mike's wheels were barely making an impression in the road while other riders with skinnier, "gravel" tires were cutting into the surface more and working a LOT harder to get down the road. 

In the foreground you can discern the way skinnier tires were cutting into the saturated surface.

As I labored heavily to get to the first checkpoint that year aboard my Salsa Cycles Fargo Gen I, I realized by looking at the evidence that the tires left behind that Mike had it made. He was expending a LOT less energy than I, or most of his fellow riders, and that I ultimately needed a set up like this for myself. 

There was literally miles of this. (Rider David Mizelle)

The day ended for me when I determined that I would get to the first checkpoint far to late to make the second one, especially in those conditions and with my bike. I rode 47 miles and it was the hardest 47 miles I have ever ridden. By the time I, and my riding partner for most of that day, Don Daly, had reached CP#1, we were in the top ten of the field. But only because so many riders had dropped out already behind us. The roads were just too hard to ride through on skinny tires. 

On the way home I just could not shake how Mike's bike was so capable in those difficult conditions and how miserably inefficient even a Fargo with 2.2" tires was in comparison. By the time I had gotten home my mind was buzzing with ideas. I had a Ti Muk like Mike's. Could I do this with my Mukluk? Maybe I needed a new bike?

Well, a development that occurred in 2014 set me off in another direction. I also did explore the possibility of a Mukluk like Mike's bike. I'll cover all of that in the next two posts in this series. I'll talk about each bike and idea, and why ultimately none of those bikes passed muster with me. 

Next: The Experimental Phase

Gravel History With Guitar Ted: Odin's Revenge

Something I saw roadside at the 2013 Odin's Revenge

Last week a "Facebook Memory" thing popped up and it was the image to the left here. It was something I saw at a gravel road race event called "Odin's Revenge". A little deal put on by some folks in and around Gothenburg, Nebraska. 

It struck me how many people that knew about the event, or had done it, were commenting in glowing terms about this, now defunct, gravel event. It was an event that left a big impression on you, if you had a part in it. So much so that one former participant in the event dedicated an entire page on his blog to gather all the stories from that event. 

It also struck me as to how that event was a prime example of the "Rise of Gravel"- if you will - as a popular activity. It is exemplary of almost every facet of "grassroots gravel" and how these old events (and some still today) are not so much contested to see which single individual outpaced everyone else as much as they were put on to see if you could outpace yourself. It was about the challenge- a personal goal- and the camaraderie forged in the mutual testing of physical prowess, mental fortitude, and the ability to process calories. In the end, there was a "winner" proclaimed, but every person that rode in the event was considered that as well. Experiences were held in higher regard than the placements. There was just something really special about all of that.

This then is a brief, and all too far short of the mark telling of Odin's Revenge's history, and its place in gravel grinding history. It is a telling of a story that I hope will begin to impart that reason, or reasons, why this event engenders such reverence six years after the last Odin's Revenge event was held.

All images from various Odin's Revenge years by me, except where indicated

The first time I remember hearing about Odin's, as we referred to it then, was in 2012 from Mike Johnson, a Trans Iowa rider at that time, and who was going to do the Tour Divide in 2013. He had gotten word of this event and was going to use it as training for his attempt. He came back from doing Odin's in 2012 and at that time I was putting on weekly gravel road group rides which Mike often attended. During one of those rides Mike unfurled the tale of Odin's from his perspective. I recall that he highly recommended that I go out and try it. So, when registration for the second Odin's opened up, I made plans to attend with Matt Gersib. 

Many older gravel events back in the day were more "home-grown" affairs, and Odin's was just such an event. So much so that when we made plans to go out, we were encouraged to stay at one of the Race Director's houses in Gothenburg. We weren't the only two that were invited as there was a full house, and the Quigley's put on a spread for us to have for breakfast that would have rivaled Granny's Thanksgiving dinner. This is just one example of why I say "grassroots gravel" events were like being invited over to someone's home for a get-together, because it was exactly that in many cases. 

Some of the pre-race meetings were held the night before in a KOA campground. Chad Quigley presiding in 2014.

So, Odin's was not pretentious. It wasn't a fancy-pants deal. But they had good, solid people running the event. The "DSG" group, as they referred to themselves as. I asked one time about the acronym, and one of them, Matt, told me that when the idea for Odin's was floated that a local said something to the effect that they were "dumb s#*ts" for even thinking about a gravel/dirt road event in their rural area. So, as the story was told to me, they adopted the slur and called themselves the "Dumb $h1t Guys", or DSG for short.

Once you rode out of the Platte River Valley, things got interesting. REAL interesting!

Of course, you had to have a route. An interesting, challenging course. Gothenburg Nebraska is right along I-80, and when you put "I-80" and "Nebraska" together most people's eye's glaze over. But then you know, if you've ridden Odin's, that they have never ventured out of the Platte River Valley, because after you get about five miles or so away from the interstate to the North or South, you will find a dramatically different landscape with some very unique features. 

Things would start out mild in the hills.....

......and they could get pretty wild!

The course! Yeah.... It's nothing like anywhere I've ever ridden before. Odin's truly had everything. Mind-numbing flats and gridded out roads near the river, big, rollers on white rock gravel, and then there were those crazy road cuts with big, dusty piles of sandy moon dust, or rutted out dirt and grass covered slots in the steep hills. 

Oh yeah, hills. Nebraska is NOT flat, and especially the Odin's course which I would say had more climbing than any Emporia based super-duper gravel event you may have heard about. Probably more than Gravel Worlds too. And it was on all those surface types making bike choice really interesting.

The fact that Odin's was in mid-June also played into the deal since out in East-Central Nebraska, it gets really hot that time of year and there are NO trees. It's nigh unto impossible to find shade on the course, unless you hide beneath an imposing dirt cut, and that wasn't very smart because that seemed to focus heat, not give relief from it. 

Riders gathered at Walkers Steakhouse in Gothenburg for the 2015 running of the event.

Of course, having a challenging, scenic, and fun route is just one part of a successful gravel event. You need the social part as well, and Odin's had that vibe down pat over its five year run. We met and finished at the KOA Kampground for the first few editions and then the DSG guys moved the pre-event to Walker's Steakhouse, an amazing 70's period piece of a restaurant. 

Either way it was done, the vibe was stellar at all the Odin's events. There was craft beer, folk music, and people just enjoying good hangs with each other. You hear a lot about the "Gravel Family" now days, almost as if that is some marketing shtick. But we old gravel geezers know what the term really stems from, and Odin's was one of the scenes that perpetuated that legend. 

A checkpoint at one of the Odin's events.

Matt Gersib rolls in to finish an Odin's Revenge. No fancy finish lines here!

So, there you have it. Low-key production, great social vibe and hang, and a doozy of a course that many who rode on will say to this day was one of the toughest, most scenic, and fun courses they have ridden. 

Odin's five year run spanned the time from "pre-Gravel®" up to when Gravel® became a 'thing' in cycling culture. The DSG Guys never took Odin's to the level beyond the home-spun, honest, transparent, and simple level which it remained at for its five year run. Although, it very well could have become one of the gems of gravel grinding, had the DSG Guys wanted to go that route. There is no doubt in my mind that this event had the potential to rival anything out there, had the town and businesses gotten in behind it and supported it. I do not think you'd have ever seen thousands of riders out there in the hills around Gothenburg, but no one could have predicted what happened in Emporia Kansas back in the beginnings of that event either. Who knows? Maybe it is better off being that legendary event only a few ever got to try out. 

A stretch of the infamous "Government Pocket Road"on the Odin's course.

"The Mud Year" This was slick, like oil-slick! Sticky mud too. Treacherous!

Personally, I had my hardest riding I've ever done at that event. the infamous "Mud Year", which for Odin's was actually 2014, saw me exhausted after reaching the first checkpoint only 48 miles into the course. I think it took me something like 6 hours to traverse that distance! 

And I bonked, I saw visions, I sweat profusely, and tore myself down mentally and physically there. I never finished one of those events. Maybe one year I could have, but I'll not ever get that chance now....

Me during the 2015 version of Odin's Revenge (Image by Outz-Trullinger)

 So, I have a lot invested into that event, and it has a place in my heart. Take that to mind as you read all this, but I still hold that Odin's Revenge is one of the best gravel/back road/adventure events ever put on in this niche of cycling. There could be other events similar to this, and I know an event is being run just a bit further West of Gothenburg over similar terrain. So, if you wanted a taste of what this was like, there is that opportunity. But an event, as I have hopefully shown, is more than a course in a certain geographical area. It's really about the people putting it on, and dare I say- its also about who shows up. Together, all of it makes for a certain stew that is hard to replicate.

Gravel History With Guitar Ted: Odin's Revenge

Something I saw roadside at the 2013 Odin's Revenge

Last week a "Facebook Memory" thing popped up and it was the image to the left here. It was something I saw at a gravel road race event called "Odin's Revenge". A little deal put on by some folks in and around Gothenburg, Nebraska. 

It struck me how many people that knew about the event, or had done it, were commenting in glowing terms about this, now defunct, gravel event. It was an event that left a big impression on you, if you had a part in it. So much so that one former participant in the event dedicated an entire page on his blog to gather all the stories from that event. 

It also struck me as to how that event was a prime example of the "Rise of Gravel"- if you will - as a popular activity. It is exemplary of almost every facet of "grassroots gravel" and how these old events (and some still today) are not so much contested to see which single individual outpaced everyone else as much as they were put on to see if you could outpace yourself. It was about the challenge- a personal goal- and the camaraderie forged in the mutual testing of physical prowess, mental fortitude, and the ability to process calories. In the end, there was a "winner" proclaimed, but every person that rode in the event was considered that as well. Experiences were held in higher regard than the placements. There was just something really special about all of that.

This then is a brief, and all too far short of the mark telling of Odin's Revenge's history, and its place in gravel grinding history. It is a telling of a story that I hope will begin to impart that reason, or reasons, why this event engenders such reverence six years after the last Odin's Revenge event was held.

All images from various Odin's Revenge years by me, except where indicated

The first time I remember hearing about Odin's, as we referred to it then, was in 2012 from Mike Johnson, a Trans Iowa rider at that time, and who was going to do the Tour Divide in 2013. He had gotten word of this event and was going to use it as training for his attempt. He came back from doing Odin's in 2012 and at that time I was putting on weekly gravel road group rides which Mike often attended. During one of those rides Mike unfurled the tale of Odin's from his perspective. I recall that he highly recommended that I go out and try it. So, when registration for the second Odin's opened up, I made plans to attend with Matt Gersib. 

Many older gravel events back in the day were more "home-grown" affairs, and Odin's was just such an event. So much so that when we made plans to go out, we were encouraged to stay at one of the Race Director's houses in Gothenburg. We weren't the only two that were invited as there was a full house, and the Quigley's put on a spread for us to have for breakfast that would have rivaled Granny's Thanksgiving dinner. This is just one example of why I say "grassroots gravel" events were like being invited over to someone's home for a get-together, because it was exactly that in many cases. 

Some of the pre-race meetings were held the night before in a KOA campground. Chad Quigley presiding in 2014.

So, Odin's was not pretentious. It wasn't a fancy-pants deal. But they had good, solid people running the event. The "DSG" group, as they referred to themselves as. I asked one time about the acronym, and one of them, Matt, told me that when the idea for Odin's was floated that a local said something to the effect that they were "dumb s#*ts" for even thinking about a gravel/dirt road event in their rural area. So, as the story was told to me, they adopted the slur and called themselves the "Dumb $h1t Guys", or DSG for short.

Once you rode out of the Platte River Valley, things got interesting. REAL interesting!

Of course, you had to have a route. An interesting, challenging course. Gothenburg Nebraska is right along I-80, and when you put "I-80" and "Nebraska" together most people's eye's glaze over. But then you know, if you've ridden Odin's, that they have never ventured out of the Platte River Valley, because after you get about five miles or so away from the interstate to the North or South, you will find a dramatically different landscape with some very unique features. 

Things would start out mild in the hills.....

......and they could get pretty wild!

The course! Yeah.... It's nothing like anywhere I've ever ridden before. Odin's truly had everything. Mind-numbing flats and gridded out roads near the river, big, rollers on white rock gravel, and then there were those crazy road cuts with big, dusty piles of sandy moon dust, or rutted out dirt and grass covered slots in the steep hills. 

Oh yeah, hills. Nebraska is NOT flat, and especially the Odin's course which I would say had more climbing than any Emporia based super-duper gravel event you may have heard about. Probably more than Gravel Worlds too. And it was on all those surface types making bike choice really interesting.

The fact that Odin's was in mid-June also played into the deal since out in East-Central Nebraska, it gets really hot that time of year and there are NO trees. It's nigh unto impossible to find shade on the course, unless you hide beneath an imposing dirt cut, and that wasn't very smart because that seemed to focus heat, not give relief from it. 

Riders gathered at Walkers Steakhouse in Gothenburg for the 2015 running of the event.

Of course, having a challenging, scenic, and fun route is just one part of a successful gravel event. You need the social part as well, and Odin's had that vibe down pat over its five year run. We met and finished at the KOA Kampground for the first few editions and then the DSG guys moved the pre-event to Walker's Steakhouse, an amazing 70's period piece of a restaurant. 

Either way it was done, the vibe was stellar at all the Odin's events. There was craft beer, folk music, and people just enjoying good hangs with each other. You hear a lot about the "Gravel Family" now days, almost as if that is some marketing shtick. But we old gravel geezers know what the term really stems from, and Odin's was one of the scenes that perpetuated that legend. 

A checkpoint at one of the Odin's events.

Matt Gersib rolls in to finish an Odin's Revenge. No fancy finish lines here!

So, there you have it. Low-key production, great social vibe and hang, and a doozy of a course that many who rode on will say to this day was one of the toughest, most scenic, and fun courses they have ridden. 

Odin's five year run spanned the time from "pre-Gravel®" up to when Gravel® became a 'thing' in cycling culture. The DSG Guys never took Odin's to the level beyond the home-spun, honest, transparent, and simple level which it remained at for its five year run. Although, it very well could have become one of the gems of gravel grinding, had the DSG Guys wanted to go that route. There is no doubt in my mind that this event had the potential to rival anything out there, had the town and businesses gotten in behind it and supported it. I do not think you'd have ever seen thousands of riders out there in the hills around Gothenburg, but no one could have predicted what happened in Emporia Kansas back in the beginnings of that event either. Who knows? Maybe it is better off being that legendary event only a few ever got to try out. 

A stretch of the infamous "Government Pocket Road"on the Odin's course.

"The Mud Year" This was slick, like oil-slick! Sticky mud too. Treacherous!

Personally, I had my hardest riding I've ever done at that event. the infamous "Mud Year", which for Odin's was actually 2014, saw me exhausted after reaching the first checkpoint only 48 miles into the course. I think it took me something like 6 hours to traverse that distance! 

And I bonked, I saw visions, I sweat profusely, and tore myself down mentally and physically there. I never finished one of those events. Maybe one year I could have, but I'll not ever get that chance now....

Me during the 2015 version of Odin's Revenge (Image by Outz-Trullinger)

 So, I have a lot invested into that event, and it has a place in my heart. Take that to mind as you read all this, but I still hold that Odin's Revenge is one of the best gravel/back road/adventure events ever put on in this niche of cycling. There could be other events similar to this, and I know an event is being run just a bit further West of Gothenburg over similar terrain. So, if you wanted a taste of what this was like, there is that opportunity. But an event, as I have hopefully shown, is more than a course in a certain geographical area. It's really about the people putting it on, and dare I say- its also about who shows up. Together, all of it makes for a certain stew that is hard to replicate.

Friday News And Views

The Hutchinson Touareg. a tire I really liked.

 Hutchinson Reportedly Pulls Product From North American Market:

News reached me earlier this week that Hutchinson Tire has pulled its products from the North American Market. I have to say that this comes from an industry source and that this is a fairly reliable person. I have also seen distributors close out remaining Hutchinson stock lists and that's also another indication that this story is probably true. 

Comments: I was gutted, to be honest, when I heard the news. Why? Because the Touareg, Hutchinson's newest gravel tire offering, is really pretty good. I happen to enjoy it on gravel, and it is one of the most reliable, easy to get along with tires for 'just riding' in a tubeless format that you could get. 

I also find it rather odd when a company makes a 'big push' to get into the North American market with new product intros, marketing to reviewers, and thus to readers/riders, and by making a foothold in with distributors. They advertise in the media/social media realms, and they push reps to talk about the products. All that to pull the plug within a year, or as in some cases I'm aware of, less time than that. It just seems like these companies think that they can swoop in and take away a bunch of cash right out of the gate, when in fact it may take a commitment of years to make any headway. I feel that Hutchinson just cut off their own nose here by pulling out, in my opinion, far too soon. But what do I know.....

This may have to do with supply chain issues, raw materials shortages, or some combination thereof. In that case, it is understandable, but still pretty sad. That said, as I mentioned, I've seen this game played before in much better times as well. It still baffles me. 

Remembering Odin's Revenge- This was from 2014.

Remembering Odin's:

These 'book of faces' memories deals bring up some things sometimes that I have kind of forgotten about, but - at least in this sort of case- it is a good thing social media does. In this case it was a memory of being at Odin's Revenge, a grassroots gravel event which once was held in West-Central Nebraska. 

Odin's was held out of a town named Gothenburg, so now maybe you might understand the connection to Norse mythology. Anyway, the point is that I- and many others who were daring enough to try this event- have some awesome memories of riding in this unique area. 

Not only that, but the way it was put on is something that only the people who were involved could have done, or ever will do. It is an unrepeatable experience. See- I liken these sorts of events to a family invitation to a shin-dig at the family farm. They invite you in, it has an intimate, unique flair which the 'family' imbues upon it, and you partake of the offerings - or not- and come away with an intensely unique experience that cannot be duplicated, imitated, or reproduced by any other 'family'. Each has their own flavor, if you will. 

And Odin's had a very unique, tasty, and intoxicating, (literally and figuratively!) flavor. I am not going to wax on and on with tales of my adventures out there. However; I will point out that if you have a chance to do a unique, small, grassroots event, you may want to really try to make it to that particular event. It will be sure to have its unique 'flavor' and you know- it isn't going to last forever. You've got a window of opportunity- on your end or on the event's- and when that window closes? 

Poof!

That event, or your ability to do it- or both, is gone forever. Such was the case with Odin's. The event directors just decided to stop it one year and that's that. I am glad I made it to a few of the versions of that event during its run. Obviously, I am speaking from a rider's viewpoint, but I have the unique perspective of having been 'that guy' that shut down a few events as well. So, listen.....I think I have a good perspective on this. Go. Do those smaller events, those unique, grassroots types of deals. Do them this year. Or if they are Spring events- next Spring then. That is- if you care about experiencing great times and supporting these folks that pour their hearts into their events.

That's what I think about now when I think about Odin's Revenge. A unique flavor put out by passionate, committed people that cared deeply. Thank you for what you did for us. You know who you are..... 

Stan's NoTubes Updates Rims;

I recently was remarking how Stan's old trail rim from the 00's, the Flow, was originally only 28mm outer rim width. Well, that was three generations of Stan's rims ago now as Stan's NoTubes has introduced a new range of "MK4" rims. 

The big news here is a new design of the offset spoke bed idea and new, wider inner rim widths. Of course, the Flow carries on as the top of the range trail/enduro/DH rim offering and is now at 30mm wide for an internal rim width. 

My attention is on the Crest rim here, as that is the rim Stan's designates as their 'gravel' category rim within their range. That rim has a 25mm internal rim width, so that is right in the pocket for what I am seeing from the industry in terms of 'gravel' rim dimensions. (Again- why are we so stuck on calling this category 'gravel'? It's very limiting and, really, pretty ignorant, but whatevs......) The Crest MK4 rims are about 400 grams each, have a welded seam, and go for $129.00 each, according to the press release I was sent. 

Comments: Stan's presents a different option with this rim for all-road, adventure type riding. That offset spoke bed is unusual in this category, but not totally unheard of. Stan's also says this rim is available now, so it isn't vaporware, apparently. That's nice to hear in these times, but I have not tried to get these, so I am not 100% on that claim by Stan's. 

I'm not a big fan of Stan's rims due to their insistence on using a slightly larger bead seat diameter than anyone else in the world. It works for some tires, and it doesn't work well, or at all, for some others. Stan's did this originally for tires that were not tubeless ready so one could convert them to tubeless, but in 2021? Unless I hear otherwise, I am of the mind that Stan's use of this slightly oversized bead seat diameter is unnecessary anymore. But besides that, good stuff here.   

That's it for this week. It is a big holiday weekend in the USA, so please be careful out there! Get some riding in and have fun!

Friday News And Views

The Hutchinson Touareg. a tire I really liked.

 Hutchinson Reportedly Pulls Product From North American Market:

News reached me earlier this week that Hutchinson Tire has pulled its products from the North American Market. I have to say that this comes from an industry source and that this is a fairly reliable person. I have also seen distributors close out remaining Hutchinson stock lists and that's also another indication that this story is probably true. 

Comments: I was gutted, to be honest, when I heard the news. Why? Because the Touareg, Hutchinson's newest gravel tire offering, is really pretty good. I happen to enjoy it on gravel, and it is one of the most reliable, easy to get along with tires for 'just riding' in a tubeless format that you could get. 

I also find it rather odd when a company makes a 'big push' to get into the North American market with new product intros, marketing to reviewers, and thus to readers/riders, and by making a foothold in with distributors. They advertise in the media/social media realms, and they push reps to talk about the products. All that to pull the plug within a year, or as in some cases I'm aware of, less time than that. It just seems like these companies think that they can swoop in and take away a bunch of cash right out of the gate, when in fact it may take a commitment of years to make any headway. I feel that Hutchinson just cut off their own nose here by pulling out, in my opinion, far too soon. But what do I know.....

This may have to do with supply chain issues, raw materials shortages, or some combination thereof. In that case, it is understandable, but still pretty sad. That said, as I mentioned, I've seen this game played before in much better times as well. It still baffles me. 

Remembering Odin's Revenge- This was from 2014.

Remembering Odin's:

These 'book of faces' memories deals bring up some things sometimes that I have kind of forgotten about, but - at least in this sort of case- it is a good thing social media does. In this case it was a memory of being at Odin's Revenge, a grassroots gravel event which once was held in West-Central Nebraska. 

Odin's was held out of a town named Gothenburg, so now maybe you might understand the connection to Norse mythology. Anyway, the point is that I- and many others who were daring enough to try this event- have some awesome memories of riding in this unique area. 

Not only that, but the way it was put on is something that only the people who were involved could have done, or ever will do. It is an unrepeatable experience. See- I liken these sorts of events to a family invitation to a shin-dig at the family farm. They invite you in, it has an intimate, unique flair which the 'family' imbues upon it, and you partake of the offerings - or not- and come away with an intensely unique experience that cannot be duplicated, imitated, or reproduced by any other 'family'. Each has their own flavor, if you will. 

And Odin's had a very unique, tasty, and intoxicating, (literally and figuratively!) flavor. I am not going to wax on and on with tales of my adventures out there. However; I will point out that if you have a chance to do a unique, small, grassroots event, you may want to really try to make it to that particular event. It will be sure to have its unique 'flavor' and you know- it isn't going to last forever. You've got a window of opportunity- on your end or on the event's- and when that window closes? 

Poof!

That event, or your ability to do it- or both, is gone forever. Such was the case with Odin's. The event directors just decided to stop it one year and that's that. I am glad I made it to a few of the versions of that event during its run. Obviously, I am speaking from a rider's viewpoint, but I have the unique perspective of having been 'that guy' that shut down a few events as well. So, listen.....I think I have a good perspective on this. Go. Do those smaller events, those unique, grassroots types of deals. Do them this year. Or if they are Spring events- next Spring then. That is- if you care about experiencing great times and supporting these folks that pour their hearts into their events.

That's what I think about now when I think about Odin's Revenge. A unique flavor put out by passionate, committed people that cared deeply. Thank you for what you did for us. You know who you are..... 

Stan's NoTubes Updates Rims;

I recently was remarking how Stan's old trail rim from the 00's, the Flow, was originally only 28mm outer rim width. Well, that was three generations of Stan's rims ago now as Stan's NoTubes has introduced a new range of "MK4" rims. 

The big news here is a new design of the offset spoke bed idea and new, wider inner rim widths. Of course, the Flow carries on as the top of the range trail/enduro/DH rim offering and is now at 30mm wide for an internal rim width. 

My attention is on the Crest rim here, as that is the rim Stan's designates as their 'gravel' category rim within their range. That rim has a 25mm internal rim width, so that is right in the pocket for what I am seeing from the industry in terms of 'gravel' rim dimensions. (Again- why are we so stuck on calling this category 'gravel'? It's very limiting and, really, pretty ignorant, but whatevs......) The Crest MK4 rims are about 400 grams each, have a welded seam, and go for $129.00 each, according to the press release I was sent. 

Comments: Stan's presents a different option with this rim for all-road, adventure type riding. That offset spoke bed is unusual in this category, but not totally unheard of. Stan's also says this rim is available now, so it isn't vaporware, apparently. That's nice to hear in these times, but I have not tried to get these, so I am not 100% on that claim by Stan's. 

I'm not a big fan of Stan's rims due to their insistence on using a slightly larger bead seat diameter than anyone else in the world. It works for some tires, and it doesn't work well, or at all, for some others. Stan's did this originally for tires that were not tubeless ready so one could convert them to tubeless, but in 2021? Unless I hear otherwise, I am of the mind that Stan's use of this slightly oversized bead seat diameter is unnecessary anymore. But besides that, good stuff here.   

That's it for this week. It is a big holiday weekend in the USA, so please be careful out there! Get some riding in and have fun!

Friday News And Views

Early "Slop Season" road from 2018

Entering The Slop Season:

Well, we're just about to the end of February and that means that "Slop Season" is just around the corner. "What is that?", you might ask. Well, it is when the roads are in the process of thawing out and the frost draws up out of the ground. This makes the roads soft, wet, muddy, and therefore, sloppy. Slop Season. Get it?

This is a hard time in the cycling season for many folks. Traditionally, roadie season cycling was about the only game in town, but with deaths, injuries, and too many close calls to name, most of us aren't going out for road rides these days. Not with distracted drivers and just plain bad, lazy drivers out on the roads. I know we like to blame electronic devices for much of the mayhem that affects us cyclists, but I'm here to tell you that just plain old bad driving skills and poor decisions are killing more than we care to admit.

Anyway....

The point is, the trails for off road are not suitable to ride on, road cycling is too dangerous, and gravel roads are there , but you'd better be prepared for some gooey-going.  When Winter fades and Spring edges in, the gravel roads can be pretty bad. This is when I bust out the wider tires and fenders. Remember those? British folk call 'em mudguards. That's actually exactly what they are during "Slop Season" here.

I also will ride single speeds. In fact, the old "Orange Crush" BMC is set up specifically to tackle "Slop Season" this year with a single speed set up and mudguards. Derailleur drive trains can get destroyed in the slop or the rear derailleur can be completely ripped off your bike! Single speeds get around all that, plus they are easier to maintain. But yeah....I'll also still run a fully geared bike. The BMC MCD with full mudguards will be fitted with the fatter 650B tires which allow for a bit less of a "pizza cutter" effect on the softer roads.

I'm sure Winter will make a final appearance or maybe two, but Slop Season is nigh, and there is no stopping it.

A nod to the grassroots gravel events. Where gravel gets its "realness" from.

 A Good Word;

You know I've banged on about how the entire gravel scene is basically a grassroots scene, built by the populace, not by the marketing machine. But we're becoming victims of our own, homegrown success. Now the slick, fancy messages from the traditional cycling media and the former roadie Pros turned gravel grinders have been making a raucous noise about how this is "the new thing", when in fact, it most certainly is not "the new thing", and especially not because they say it is so. There's this thing called "history". They might want to look into that.

Anyway, I welcome them regardless. I welcome them to what we've been doing for about a decade and a half now. Hope they have fun. But enough about what I think. I'm not the only one seeing this. A gravel rider and friend of mine from South Dakota, Craig Groseth, has similar thoughts, only maybe his are more concisely and clearly laid out than my ramblings are. If you care to check out what he has written, click HERE.

I met Craig while grinding away in central Nebraska at Odin's Revenge. Woo! That was some kinda tough right there, and I do miss that event, and seeing Craig also. I guess they have a new event out that way which is set to take in some of that Odin's area. I just cannot get out there this year due to the new job, but it looks tasty.

Anyway, Craig is a great guy and I just wanted to point out another take on the scene. Thank you, Craig!

Specialized CG-R seat post

 Seat Post Shoot-Out:

Several years ago MG and I ran a seat post shoot-out on the old "Gravel Grinder News" site. We had that Ergon/Canyon leaf spring deal, a Niner RDO post, and I think something titanium was thrown in the mix as well. Anyway.....

Now we have the Kinekt suspension post, the new Redshift Sports ShockStop post, and the old Cane Creek Thudbuster suspension post. I'm going to pit my experiences with these posts against some fully rigid offerings like the new PRO Discover Carbon post with Dyneema, and this guy here......a Specialized CG-R. 

I've wanted to get my hands on one of these posts for years. It has been around since at least 2012, as near as I can tell, and I remember trying to get one for our old shoot-out. Unfortunately it never materialized. But here is a used one I got my hands on, and I am going to check it out. It gets great reviews, from what I can see, but there are a few things that are nits on this post as well. One being the 25mm of setback. Not everyone is going to get along with that! Some also allude to the post's shaft being where all the comfort comes from and not so much from the funky head design, but I will try to see if I can figure out what is going on with this particular post, along with the others as well.


That's all for this week! Have a great weekend!

Friday News And Views

Early "Slop Season" road from 2018

Entering The Slop Season:

Well, we're just about to the end of February and that means that "Slop Season" is just around the corner. "What is that?", you might ask. Well, it is when the roads are in the process of thawing out and the frost draws up out of the ground. This makes the roads soft, wet, muddy, and therefore, sloppy. Slop Season. Get it?

This is a hard time in the cycling season for many folks. Traditionally, roadie season cycling was about the only game in town, but with deaths, injuries, and too many close calls to name, most of us aren't going out for road rides these days. Not with distracted drivers and just plain bad, lazy drivers out on the roads. I know we like to blame electronic devices for much of the mayhem that affects us cyclists, but I'm here to tell you that just plain old bad driving skills and poor decisions are killing more than we care to admit.

Anyway....

The point is, the trails for off road are not suitable to ride on, road cycling is too dangerous, and gravel roads are there , but you'd better be prepared for some gooey-going.  When Winter fades and Spring edges in, the gravel roads can be pretty bad. This is when I bust out the wider tires and fenders. Remember those? British folk call 'em mudguards. That's actually exactly what they are during "Slop Season" here.

I also will ride single speeds. In fact, the old "Orange Crush" BMC is set up specifically to tackle "Slop Season" this year with a single speed set up and mudguards. Derailleur drive trains can get destroyed in the slop or the rear derailleur can be completely ripped off your bike! Single speeds get around all that, plus they are easier to maintain. But yeah....I'll also still run a fully geared bike. The BMC MCD with full mudguards will be fitted with the fatter 650B tires which allow for a bit less of a "pizza cutter" effect on the softer roads.

I'm sure Winter will make a final appearance or maybe two, but Slop Season is nigh, and there is no stopping it.

A nod to the grassroots gravel events. Where gravel gets its "realness" from.

 A Good Word;

You know I've banged on about how the entire gravel scene is basically a grassroots scene, built by the populace, not by the marketing machine. But we're becoming victims of our own, homegrown success. Now the slick, fancy messages from the traditional cycling media and the former roadie Pros turned gravel grinders have been making a raucous noise about how this is "the new thing", when in fact, it most certainly is not "the new thing", and especially not because they say it is so. There's this thing called "history". They might want to look into that.

Anyway, I welcome them regardless. I welcome them to what we've been doing for about a decade and a half now. Hope they have fun. But enough about what I think. I'm not the only one seeing this. A gravel rider and friend of mine from South Dakota, Craig Groseth, has similar thoughts, only maybe his are more concisely and clearly laid out than my ramblings are. If you care to check out what he has written, click HERE.

I met Craig while grinding away in central Nebraska at Odin's Revenge. Woo! That was some kinda tough right there, and I do miss that event, and seeing Craig also. I guess they have a new event out that way which is set to take in some of that Odin's area. I just cannot get out there this year due to the new job, but it looks tasty.

Anyway, Craig is a great guy and I just wanted to point out another take on the scene. Thank you, Craig!

Specialized CG-R seat post

 Seat Post Shoot-Out:

Several years ago MG and I ran a seat post shoot-out on the old "Gravel Grinder News" site. We had that Ergon/Canyon leaf spring deal, a Niner RDO post, and I think something titanium was thrown in the mix as well. Anyway.....

Now we have the Kinekt suspension post, the new Redshift Sports ShockStop post, and the old Cane Creek Thudbuster suspension post. I'm going to pit my experiences with these posts against some fully rigid offerings like the new PRO Discover Carbon post with Dyneema, and this guy here......a Specialized CG-R. 

I've wanted to get my hands on one of these posts for years. It has been around since at least 2012, as near as I can tell, and I remember trying to get one for our old shoot-out. Unfortunately it never materialized. But here is a used one I got my hands on, and I am going to check it out. It gets great reviews, from what I can see, but there are a few things that are nits on this post as well. One being the 25mm of setback. Not everyone is going to get along with that! Some also allude to the post's shaft being where all the comfort comes from and not so much from the funky head design, but I will try to see if I can figure out what is going on with this particular post, along with the others as well.


That's all for this week! Have a great weekend!