Guitar Ted's Ride For Jacob: Gear Review

Now the tale has been told about the first GTRFJ, so it is time for the promised gear review. This will include a bit of commentary on crank length, wheels, and some technical opinions. Then after this I will give a few closing thoughts about this ride. Now on to the review. 

I used my Gen I Fargo, as mentioned previously. This bike is set up in a fairly unique way. I am using a 9 speed cassette with a Deore XT 9 speed triple crank set. 46/36/28 is the tooth count for the crank. The arm length is also odd at 180mm. The shifting is done via an ancient pair of Gevenalle levers. If you are not familiar with Gevenalle, check the link for details on them. 

The brakes are also odd, being the TRP HyRd hydraulic calipers with mechanical actuation. The wheels are actually box-stock Trek Sawyer wheels featuring the venerable Duster rims laced to Shimano disc brake hubs. These are shod with Surly Extraterrestrial tires at 29" X 2.5". The seat post is a Salsa Ti Regulator which is topped with a Brooks Cambium C17 saddle. The handle bar is the Redshift Sports Kitchen Sink bar with lower Cruise Control Grips. The Kitchen Sink handlebar bag is also present, as was a ShockStop stem. My top tube bag is a prototype J-Paks top tube bag which MG gifted me years ago now. I also used a Wahoo Elemnt ROAM as a GPS data collector more than anything else. 

The Gen I Fargo after the GTRFJ

Comments: Well, I know this bike like the back of my hand, so when I say anything about how it rode or how it handled, it is with some deeper perspective. Having said this, I was not really in tune with what to expect from the crank set. Here is my take on the subject after having spun the cranks around for the better part of seven hours.

One hundred and eighty millimeters doesn't seem like a whole lot of difference from 175, but there couldn't be a more noticeable difference in my opinion. Crank revolutions were down in terms of strokes per minute, but leverage was noticeably better. The result was that my legs were less worked over, but my speed was severely impacted. It was really not very comfortable to spin a high cadence, but medium to lower cadences were fine, and using the gears to keep myself in a "RPM sweet-spot", was paramount to getting around. I also found that "kicking" the pedal at the nearest point to six o'clock during a grinding climb was a better technique than trying to spin pure circles as I would on a shorter crank set.  

The wheels and tires were heavy, but they worked, and the tires were extremely comfortable. I ran the front at about 17psi and the rear at about 19psi. There was no squirming in corners, no bouncing, and the damping of vibrations was actually really good.  

I'd rather run lighter wheels and tires, but this is what I have now. This bike deserves some nicer wheels though. As far as the crank set goes, I think I am going back to 175mm, and I have an SLX triple 9 speed crank waiting to go on this bike soon. 

Wearables: I wore a PCL kit from Voler, which is good stuff and it worked quite well. I had on a Twin Six base layer, Mint Socks, and Shimano RX6 shoes. (Now called RX600)

I had an orange bandana on which had been given to me by a former church band mate who is now dead. (A tribute to Larry) I also wore my newer Trek Circuit helmet.  

I kept track of some data on my Apple Watch as well. The iPhone was also invaluable as a navigation tool. Besides these things, I had a pair of Hand-Up gloves in my jersey pocket in case things got too sweaty and the handle bar became too hard to grip.

Everything worked with my kit, so there is really nothing else to add but that I was satisfied with it all.

Final Comments: Now on to my thoughts about this ride. I am going to - most likely - keep doing this ride in honor of Jacob every year I am able. It will be called GT's Ride For Jacob. I will gladly accept anyone who wants to come and ride with me, but I am not binding my putting on this ride based on participation by others. If someone wants to ride, so be it. If not? I'll go anyway.

My feeling is I just want to have a good day on the bike, pass through a few towns, go at it easy, and see some sights. I may move it around some, I may do exactly the same route, (with the roads I missed though!) next year. I don't know. So, if you were wondering if this might be something you could come along and ride, yes - it might be this as well.

Overall I feel good about my ride this year, and since this has a different meaning for me now, it seems new and I am motivated to do this some more. Maybe on a different bike next time though. Stay tuned on this front.....

Thanks for reading my GTRFJ recaps and review. 
 

Two Things

This is my photo of Jim Cummings (L) and Joel Dyke, co-founders of the DK200

The Guitar Ted Podcast Episode #66:

The latest podcast dropped last Friday evening. This one was inspired by you, the readers of Guitar Ted Productions. I received a couple comments which were questions and I took them to the podcast to give you all some longer answers. Plus we get N.Y. Roll's perspective as well. 

I also covered the recent news from the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame. You can refer to the post I made when the news came out by clicking HERE. 

In that post I mentioned the issue I had with Jim Cummings exclusion from the Hall. While some of you may have noticed, some of you may not read the comments to my posts. I received a comment from a GCHoF board member who completely ignored the question of Jim's exclusion and instead restated that the current direction of the GCHoF will be maintained going forward. 

I only bring this up because I reference this in the podcast. So there is some context for my remarks should you choose to listen in. The episode can be accessed HERE on Spotify, or you can find the Guitar Ted Podcast on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts from.

New PCL jersey

New Jersey Day:

The Pirate Cycling League (PCL) is an entity that has been around now for almost 20 years. You could argue that its roots go back further than 2006, but the jersey says 2006, so... I'm going with that. 

One of the latest designs for a jersey from the PCL just arrived here at GT Headquarters and I must say, I like it a lot! This jersey says - to me at least - what it is about gravel cycling that I found attractive in the first place. 

A couple of things come to mind immediately. First, gravel cycling was, at least originally, a rebellion. The act of putting on events, be they competitive or not, on gravel was an act of defiance in several ways. There was the rejection of overly complicated rules, uppity attitudes, and against the licensing/entry fees that seemed to be designed to fleece the rider and enrich....somebody. 

That is reflected in the motorcycle gang-like faux denim look with 'patches' and non-matching fonts. It also is a bit "punk rock" in that way. Knowing the mind(s) behind this, I'm leaning more punk rockish here. 

Then there is the historical aspect. The front features several "patches" which represent notable people and events from the PCL's past. You have "CVO", (Christopher Van Oyen) and the rainbow striped "g" for Randy Gibson. Two "pirates" that we lost far too soon. 

You've got the "TODR" patch (Tour of Dirt Roads), which represents the PCL's first event promoted that took in the area around Lincoln, Nebraska's dirt roads or "MMR's" as they are known as around those parts. 

Then maybe my favorite thing on the jersey is the "Hello" sticker. It hearkens back to a time when events were smaller, less structured, and everyone was interested in everyone else. No pretenses, just humans in honest fellowship. 

I need another jersey like I need a another hole in my head, but this spoke to me and I had to grab one. It will go alongside my other PCL jerseys and I'll likely be wearing this one a bunch during 2024. I know it may not matter to anyone else, but this PCL thing means something - to me, at any rate. 

The PCL's motto, "Ride Free", encapsulates so much of what I like about gravel and some gravel events from the past to the present. It eschews corporatization, barriers to entry, and any attempts to codify the sport by way of rules or a culture driven only by competition. 

Yes, Gravel Worlds was a PCL event until recently. You could say that Gravel Worlds strayed from the molds cast originally by the PCL, and you'd get no argument from me. But now that the PCL has separated itself from Gravel Worlds, I think the ideas behind what the PCL stands for are better represented. That's just my opinion on matters.

Be A Pirate Of The Gravel Seas

New 15th Anniversary PCL Kit now available

 Over the years I have had the opportunity to get to know many of the Lincoln, Nebraska area gravel cyclists, and the community of those cyclists in general, via the Pirate Cycling League/Gravel Worlds folks. My first contact with the gals and guys from the Lincoln, Nebraska area, where the PCL sprang from, was during Trans Iowa v2. 

That was 2006, predating the PCL by about a year or more. So, I've seen this idea/group/organization grow from a distance over the years to become a force in the gravel cycling community. 

And to boot - The PCL has always been there to support me at my events. From the first Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational in 2006, to the aforementioned Trans Iowa event in 2006, and from there right on through to today, the guys and gals of the PCL have been huge supporters of what I have been doing in the gravel cycling space. 

So, I have always tried to support them, and I have done that in many ways. One of those ways was to buy their annually changed jerseys, and now full range of kit, nearly every year. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the beginnings of the PCL. In celebration, the PCL/Gravel Worlds team have designed the jersey you see here as a way to commemorate the League of Pirates that sail the Gravel Seas under their colors. You can support the PCL and get your own jersey, or whatever clothing, HERE. 

Several years ago, the PCL brought back the "OG" jersey for one run and I grabbed this one.

The new jersey is based off of the original PCL jersey offered mostly only to their original group back in the late 2000's/early twenty-teens. I know I saw this design first at Trans Iowa v7 on PCL co-founder Troy Krause as he finished that year and was wearing it for the event. That would have been 2011, so this jersey was around before that, perhaps. 

Well, when the PCL offered a reissue of the design several years after the initial offering, I jumped on it. So, I have a rendering of the OG design. The new 15th Anniversary design is based on this jersey, and it did not make sense to me to have two, nearly identical PCL jerseys when I have enough PCL jerseys that I could wear a different one for eight days in a row and not duplicate my look. 

So, since the PCL now offers their designs in an array of clothing, not just a jersey, I decided to go with a wind jacket. The Voler designed jacket emblazoned with the 15th Anniversary design will go great with my current PCL 'OG design' green jersey, or any of the ones I have, for that matter. Plus, Voler made the right decision and put three pockets on the back of that wind jacket. I love that! 

I should get mine in April some time. Stay tuned for the reveal. Meanwhile, consider supporting the PCL and grab yourself a 15th Anniversary PCL piece of kit. 

NOTE: I have no benefit from, or affiliation with, the PCL and I did not receive any compensation for this post, nor did I get any discount on my jacket. I paid straight retail, so there!

Be A Pirate Of The Gravel Seas

New 15th Anniversary PCL Kit now available

 Over the years I have had the opportunity to get to know many of the Lincoln, Nebraska area gravel cyclists, and the community of those cyclists in general, via the Pirate Cycling League/Gravel Worlds folks. My first contact with the gals and guys from the Lincoln, Nebraska area, where the PCL sprang from, was during Trans Iowa v2. 

That was 2006, predating the PCL by about a year or more. So, I've seen this idea/group/organization grow from a distance over the years to become a force in the gravel cycling community. 

And to boot - The PCL has always been there to support me at my events. From the first Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational in 2006, to the aforementioned Trans Iowa event in 2006, and from there right on through to today, the guys and gals of the PCL have been huge supporters of what I have been doing in the gravel cycling space. 

So, I have always tried to support them, and I have done that in many ways. One of those ways was to buy their annually changed jerseys, and now full range of kit, nearly every year. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the beginnings of the PCL. In celebration, the PCL/Gravel Worlds team have designed the jersey you see here as a way to commemorate the League of Pirates that sail the Gravel Seas under their colors. You can support the PCL and get your own jersey, or whatever clothing, HERE. 

Several years ago, the PCL brought back the "OG" jersey for one run and I grabbed this one.

The new jersey is based off of the original PCL jersey offered mostly only to their original group back in the late 2000's/early twenty-teens. I know I saw this design first at Trans Iowa v7 on PCL co-founder Troy Krause as he finished that year and was wearing it for the event. That would have been 2011, so this jersey was around before that, perhaps. 

Well, when the PCL offered a reissue of the design several years after the initial offering, I jumped on it. So, I have a rendering of the OG design. The new 15th Anniversary design is based on this jersey, and it did not make sense to me to have two, nearly identical PCL jerseys when I have enough PCL jerseys that I could wear a different one for eight days in a row and not duplicate my look. 

So, since the PCL now offers their designs in an array of clothing, not just a jersey, I decided to go with a wind jacket. The Voler designed jacket emblazoned with the 15th Anniversary design will go great with my current PCL 'OG design' green jersey, or any of the ones I have, for that matter. Plus, Voler made the right decision and put three pockets on the back of that wind jacket. I love that! 

I should get mine in April some time. Stay tuned for the reveal. Meanwhile, consider supporting the PCL and grab yourself a 15th Anniversary PCL piece of kit. 

NOTE: I have no benefit from, or affiliation with, the PCL and I did not receive any compensation for this post, nor did I get any discount on my jacket. I paid straight retail, so there!

Jersey Time: Part 2

Craig Schmidt, one of the Gravel Worlds promoters, holding up the first Gravel Worlds jersey.

 Last February I posted about my ordering a new Pirate Cycling League jersey. Well, actually.....I got two designs that they offered. Those just came in to Guitar Ted Productions headquarters, so I thought I might just go ahead and show off all the PCL jerseys I have collected throughout the years. 

The first one I ever got wasn't really just a PCL jersey. No.....it was a Gravel Worlds jersey. No....I did not earn it, so no one has ever seen me wear this thing, and no one ever will. I was just honored by Corey "Cornbread" Godfrey, one of the promoters, by this gift of a GW jersey. Since the PCL puts on the event, it was my first in the collection. You can see an example in the image here to the left. 

Okay, then I am pretty sure the next one I got was this older design with a mostly black background with a red and white design all over it. I have a short sleeved version and a long sleeved thermal version of that jersey. I have to be honest and say that out of all the ones I have, this one is my least favorite design, but it isn't that I don't like it. I do like it, but subsequent designs out of the PCL have been better, in my opinion. After that one I have lost track of which design came before which. So, I'm just going to wing it and throw them out there for your consideration. 

The next one here is a jersey I had to have because it hearkened back to an original PCL jersey from about 2010. It was an army green design with the traditional PCL skull and chain logo. I saw it on Troy Krause originally when he wore the OG design at Trans Iowa v7. When the PCL did a tribute jersey to that one, I had to get it! 

I'm pretty sure this might be the first PCL jersey offered to the 'outsiders' of the PCL

This design was inspired by an earlier one available mostly only to PCL racers.

Again, I cannot remember when I got each of these, or if I got two designs in the same year, or what. So, these are not in any sort of 'order'. Next up is maybe my favorite PCL jersey of all, the red version, which also was done in black. I happen to have both. But for some reason I think the black and red ones were different years. I say that because I have two red ones, and I cannot imagine myself popping for two red ones and a black one. 

I'm getting older. I don't remember everything!

Perhaps my favorite in my PCL collection are the two red PCL jerseys.

This is the black version of the red one above.

The PCL's Gravel Worlds celebrated ten years of gravelly goodness recently, and to honor that, they had a special ten year anniversary jersey made. Well, you know I had to get that one! NOTE: The guard on the sword handles are drop bar shift levers!

Here I am modeling the ten year anniversary Gravel Worlds jersey.

This season's two choices in designs were both so good I could not decide which one to get, so I just got both! I like the red one because of the pattern and the colors they chose, but orange! Yeah, it was going to be way too hard to decide between the two for me. Here they are....

The subtle fade in the red/black pattern was a surprise that I liked.

The orange one is stunning, in my opinion.

You can definitely see a theme with the PCL jerseys and I like that they keep a certain continuity to their yearly offerings. That said, they really do a nice job choosing themes and colors that make each one stand out and I don't seem to be getting bored with what they come out with! 

Also, I certainly do not have every year's designs. I did skip a few years here and there over time and some years had alternate designs I did not choose to acquire. There are a couple I wouldn't mind having, but hey! It isn't like I am lacking for PCL jerseys! 

You may wonder why I get these in the first place. Isn't this a club, or a team that I am not affiliated with? Fair question. So, here's my answer.....

Way back in about 2006, a bunch of Lincoln, Nebraska cyclists came to the second Trans Iowa and became big fans and supporters of the event. Of course, me being new to all of this gravel/endurance stuff, I didn't know anyone. I only found out later that this was a core bunch of the PCL that had come to support what I was doing. In fact, they became inspired to do something for a gravel event themselves, and when I heard about it, I was compelled to reciprocate. It didn't hurt that I was becoming friends with these people too. 

So, when the PCL put out a design for a jersey that anybody could get, I jumped at the chance. Over time, they have created a sort of "PCL diaspora". Adopted pirates of the gravel seas who, like them, just like to ride bikes on gravel. Pretty simple, really. And so I consider myself one of them as I ride displaying 'the colors' and I try to always "Ride Right" and not be a dick to others, because I am pretty sure those are the only bylaws of the PCL. I can dig it. So, I am all-in with that. 

Hope you enjoyed seeing my collection. Thanks for reading!

Jersey Time: Part 2

Craig Schmidt, one of the Gravel Worlds promoters, holding up the first Gravel Worlds jersey.

 Last February I posted about my ordering a new Pirate Cycling League jersey. Well, actually.....I got two designs that they offered. Those just came in to Guitar Ted Productions headquarters, so I thought I might just go ahead and show off all the PCL jerseys I have collected throughout the years. 

The first one I ever got wasn't really just a PCL jersey. No.....it was a Gravel Worlds jersey. No....I did not earn it, so no one has ever seen me wear this thing, and no one ever will. I was just honored by Corey "Cornbread" Godfrey, one of the promoters, by this gift of a GW jersey. Since the PCL puts on the event, it was my first in the collection. You can see an example in the image here to the left. 

Okay, then I am pretty sure the next one I got was this older design with a mostly black background with a red and white design all over it. I have a short sleeved version and a long sleeved thermal version of that jersey. I have to be honest and say that out of all the ones I have, this one is my least favorite design, but it isn't that I don't like it. I do like it, but subsequent designs out of the PCL have been better, in my opinion. After that one I have lost track of which design came before which. So, I'm just going to wing it and throw them out there for your consideration. 

The next one here is a jersey I had to have because it hearkened back to an original PCL jersey from about 2010. It was an army green design with the traditional PCL skull and chain logo. I saw it on Troy Krause originally when he wore the OG design at Trans Iowa v7. When the PCL did a tribute jersey to that one, I had to get it! 

I'm pretty sure this might be the first PCL jersey offered to the 'outsiders' of the PCL

This design was inspired by an earlier one available mostly only to PCL racers.

Again, I cannot remember when I got each of these, or if I got two designs in the same year, or what. So, these are not in any sort of 'order'. Next up is maybe my favorite PCL jersey of all, the red version, which also was done in black. I happen to have both. But for some reason I think the black and red ones were different years. I say that because I have two red ones, and I cannot imagine myself popping for two red ones and a black one. 

I'm getting older. I don't remember everything!

Perhaps my favorite in my PCL collection are the two red PCL jerseys.

This is the black version of the red one above.

The PCL's Gravel Worlds celebrated ten years of gravelly goodness recently, and to honor that, they had a special ten year anniversary jersey made. Well, you know I had to get that one! NOTE: The guard on the sword handles are drop bar shift levers!

Here I am modeling the ten year anniversary Gravel Worlds jersey.

This season's two choices in designs were both so good I could not decide which one to get, so I just got both! I like the red one because of the pattern and the colors they chose, but orange! Yeah, it was going to be way too hard to decide between the two for me. Here they are....

The subtle fade in the red/black pattern was a surprise that I liked.

The orange one is stunning, in my opinion.

You can definitely see a theme with the PCL jerseys and I like that they keep a certain continuity to their yearly offerings. That said, they really do a nice job choosing themes and colors that make each one stand out and I don't seem to be getting bored with what they come out with! 

Also, I certainly do not have every year's designs. I did skip a few years here and there over time and some years had alternate designs I did not choose to acquire. There are a couple I wouldn't mind having, but hey! It isn't like I am lacking for PCL jerseys! 

You may wonder why I get these in the first place. Isn't this a club, or a team that I am not affiliated with? Fair question. So, here's my answer.....

Way back in about 2006, a bunch of Lincoln, Nebraska cyclists came to the second Trans Iowa and became big fans and supporters of the event. Of course, me being new to all of this gravel/endurance stuff, I didn't know anyone. I only found out later that this was a core bunch of the PCL that had come to support what I was doing. In fact, they became inspired to do something for a gravel event themselves, and when I heard about it, I was compelled to reciprocate. It didn't hurt that I was becoming friends with these people too. 

So, when the PCL put out a design for a jersey that anybody could get, I jumped at the chance. Over time, they have created a sort of "PCL diaspora". Adopted pirates of the gravel seas who, like them, just like to ride bikes on gravel. Pretty simple, really. And so I consider myself one of them as I ride displaying 'the colors' and I try to always "Ride Right" and not be a dick to others, because I am pretty sure those are the only bylaws of the PCL. I can dig it. So, I am all-in with that. 

Hope you enjoyed seeing my collection. Thanks for reading!