Friday News And Views

The Gravaa KAPS system explained. (Image courtesy of Gravaa)

Adjustable On-The-Fly Air Pressure For Cycling In The News Again:

 Almost a year ago now in a "FN&V" I wrote about the Scope Atmoz adjustable air pressure system. Now another company is in the news touting the benefits of adjustable on-the-fly air pressure hubs. 

Gravaa has a system called KAPS (Kinetic Air Pressure System) which is also hub based and allows the rider to adjust air pressure up or down at will while riding. The system is so promising that Team Jumbo-Visma of the Pro road circuit is trying it out for the Spring classics in Europe. 

Comments: Gravaa sells the system as a wheel set which costs approximately $4700.00 US, so it likely won't be seen a lot here, but this isn't fairy dust. It's real, and with two companies at it in this space, I suspect this idea will stick. There are claimed benefits which are too big to ignore for racing, that's for sure. And we all know that racing informs what becomes available in the high-end realm of cycling. 

Fat bikes, mountain bikes, cyclo cross, and gravel bikes probably will all have this option available to them in more slickly packaged, high-tech offerings in the near future. Unless the UCI bans this, which, you know, is entirely possible. That said, no other racing that occurs with pneumatic tires has this sort of technology that I am aware of unless it is off-road vehicles, which I could totally see being applicable. Point being, if it isn't allowable in most motorsports, I can see where the UCI might be against this. But for now, it is an intriguing option on the horizon for cyclists. 

Rocky Mountain Solo Carbon 90 (Image courtesy of Rocky Mountain Bikes)

Rocky Mountain Announces Carbon Fiber Gravel Bike:

Rocky Mountain Bikes exhibited a new carbon fiber frame/.fork gravel bike on their website last week and I thought that it was interesting for a couple of reasons. The bike can be seen on their website here in case you want to check it out further. 

Comments: So, one thing that I find fascinating is how a predominantly mountain bike brand interprets a "gravel bike". Do they go with the "mountain bike-ification" of gravel, or what? Are we going to see a suspension fork, 29'er tires, and a dropper post, like what Evil Bikes or some others are doing, or will this be a straight-ahead gravel machine? 

In this case, it is not only a straight-ahead gravel bike, but it has a couple features that I found intriguing. One is that Rocky Mountain opted for a 75mm bottom bracket drop. That's low and pretty much precludes usage of 650B rubber, which some MTB brands like to allow for on their gravel rigs. Not that you couldn't use 650B, but it gets dicey when you drop the BB height that low. 

The other thing was that Rocky did not spec a telescoping suspension fork. That's interesting, and while I could not find a fork specification, it doesn't appear that Rocky Mountain intended for this model to allow for one either. 

I like the geometry, and I think Rocky Mountain hit this one out of the ball park. Nice job! 

The Focus Atlas 8.8 (Image courtesy of Focus)

Focus Debuts Atlas Range With Boost Spacing:

Focus Bikes announced earlier this week that they have a new Atlas range of carbon fiber gravel bikes out which, amongst other things, features Boost axle spacing front and rear. There also is a unique bag carrying function which wasn't clearly spelled out on the webpage, but it may be something of interest. 

Comments: Again, I typically will not feature every press release with a bike for gravel here, but this bike has an obvious change which necessitates a bit of discussion. Boost, if you are not familiar with that term, is an axle spacing utilized by almost every mountain bike now and essentially adds 10mm of width up front and another 6mm out back on a through axle set up. So, 110mm front versus the road based 100mm and 148mm out back versus the typical 142mm through axle standard, which itself is based upon 135mm quick release dimensions. 

You may ask "Why?". Well, this allows for stronger wheels, by allowing for a wider distance between hub flanges to allow for a better spoking angle from hub to rim. Focus is billing this as an adventure bike, or a bikepacking bike, if that makes more sense to you. Loads on the frame typically will handle better with a wheel that has better lateral strength. So, this makes sense to me. 

But what I think this indicates is a wider move in the near future for all gravel bikes. It will make all previous "gravel wheel sets" obsolete, but this along with a move to the so-called direct mount rear derailleur standard is going to be here in the upper end offerings, in my opinion, very soon. 

Your current gravel bikes will be supported yet for a while, but this Boost spacing and direct mount rear derailleur thing is coming and honestly, I think road bikes will also be affected. Especially with the direct mount thing. Having no replaceable hangars will be a boon to future direct-to-consumer sales and self-service bike shop retail, which I believe is the future in cycling retail coming soon. The service industry side of repair/maintenance will benefit as well. 

As seen on Twitter Tuesday

Team Movistar To Add Gravel Squad With Valverde As Lead Rider:

Tuesday on social media news broke about formerly retired Pro Road rider Alejandro Valverde and Team Movistar joining forces to launch the new gravel team for 2023. 

According to this Yahoo Sports article, the 42 year old will be joined by men and women already on Team Movistar and in its esports program. 

Riders will begin by contesting events in Spain but are also aiming at being at the UCI's Gravel World Championships in Italy this Fall. 

Comments: So, is this where old roadies go out to pasture, or....? I think it would be easy to say that, but I think it has a way of giving the series and racing in Europe more legitimacy to the average European rider. Let's not forget that gravel racing is an American invention, at least in its current form, and traction amongst European cyclists for this genre is not anywhere near the fever pitch it is here in America.  

It also is a pathway for the UCI to grow the segment into the sort of professional stature that they are hoping it to become, with similar sponsorship opportunities and ties to the big organizers of cycling events in Europe. "Grassroots" organizing simply is far too difficult there in Europe and this will be how gravel racing is done in the future there, if it continues at all. So, expect similar types of racing, eventually, that you are familiar with on the paved side, if this takes off over there. 

Image courtesy of Panaracer

Panaracer Announced New Limited Edition Colors:

By now you probably are aware that Panaracer releases some colored rubber tires every year. This year's colors are Sunset Orange and Turquoise. You can get these in three models, the Gravel King SK, Gravel King SS, or Gravel King.  Sidewalls are in black or brown. Widths run from 32mm, 38mm, or 43mm. Price is $59.99 each.

You can check them out here. 

Comments: Is this the bicycle fanatic's version of Easter eggs? I mean, they released these on Thursday before Easter. Anyway..... Yeah....these are not my cuppa. Maybe this turns you on? Okay, I'm alright with that, but I find colored tires to be an acquired taste in most cases. Now, I would take a hard look at white or a cream colored tire. Maybe that red that Ritchey used to use, or maybe the Michelin green, so I'm not 100% against the idea. I just don't care for these at all. That's maybe just me....

I will say that I think the slick being named "Gravel King" is pretty goofy. For my money, the SK is where it is at, but those center blocks can have a tendency to fling gravel, so you have to watch out for that around anyone that rides a Gravel King SK.
 

That's it for this week. have a great Easter Weekend!

Friday News And Views

The Gravaa KAPS system explained. (Image courtesy of Gravaa)

Adjustable On-The-Fly Air Pressure For Cycling In The News Again:

 Almost a year ago now in a "FN&V" I wrote about the Scope Atmoz adjustable air pressure system. Now another company is in the news touting the benefits of adjustable on-the-fly air pressure hubs. 

Gravaa has a system called KAPS (Kinetic Air Pressure System) which is also hub based and allows the rider to adjust air pressure up or down at will while riding. The system is so promising that Team Jumbo-Visma of the Pro road circuit is trying it out for the Spring classics in Europe. 

Comments: Gravaa sells the system as a wheel set which costs approximately $4700.00 US, so it likely won't be seen a lot here, but this isn't fairy dust. It's real, and with two companies at it in this space, I suspect this idea will stick. There are claimed benefits which are too big to ignore for racing, that's for sure. And we all know that racing informs what becomes available in the high-end realm of cycling. 

Fat bikes, mountain bikes, cyclo cross, and gravel bikes probably will all have this option available to them in more slickly packaged, high-tech offerings in the near future. Unless the UCI bans this, which, you know, is entirely possible. That said, no other racing that occurs with pneumatic tires has this sort of technology that I am aware of unless it is off-road vehicles, which I could totally see being applicable. Point being, if it isn't allowable in most motorsports, I can see where the UCI might be against this. But for now, it is an intriguing option on the horizon for cyclists. 

Rocky Mountain Solo Carbon 90 (Image courtesy of Rocky Mountain Bikes)

Rocky Mountain Announces Carbon Fiber Gravel Bike:

Rocky Mountain Bikes exhibited a new carbon fiber frame/.fork gravel bike on their website last week and I thought that it was interesting for a couple of reasons. The bike can be seen on their website here in case you want to check it out further. 

Comments: So, one thing that I find fascinating is how a predominantly mountain bike brand interprets a "gravel bike". Do they go with the "mountain bike-ification" of gravel, or what? Are we going to see a suspension fork, 29'er tires, and a dropper post, like what Evil Bikes or some others are doing, or will this be a straight-ahead gravel machine? 

In this case, it is not only a straight-ahead gravel bike, but it has a couple features that I found intriguing. One is that Rocky Mountain opted for a 75mm bottom bracket drop. That's low and pretty much precludes usage of 650B rubber, which some MTB brands like to allow for on their gravel rigs. Not that you couldn't use 650B, but it gets dicey when you drop the BB height that low. 

The other thing was that Rocky did not spec a telescoping suspension fork. That's interesting, and while I could not find a fork specification, it doesn't appear that Rocky Mountain intended for this model to allow for one either. 

I like the geometry, and I think Rocky Mountain hit this one out of the ball park. Nice job! 

The Focus Atlas 8.8 (Image courtesy of Focus)

Focus Debuts Atlas Range With Boost Spacing:

Focus Bikes announced earlier this week that they have a new Atlas range of carbon fiber gravel bikes out which, amongst other things, features Boost axle spacing front and rear. There also is a unique bag carrying function which wasn't clearly spelled out on the webpage, but it may be something of interest. 

Comments: Again, I typically will not feature every press release with a bike for gravel here, but this bike has an obvious change which necessitates a bit of discussion. Boost, if you are not familiar with that term, is an axle spacing utilized by almost every mountain bike now and essentially adds 10mm of width up front and another 6mm out back on a through axle set up. So, 110mm front versus the road based 100mm and 148mm out back versus the typical 142mm through axle standard, which itself is based upon 135mm quick release dimensions. 

You may ask "Why?". Well, this allows for stronger wheels, by allowing for a wider distance between hub flanges to allow for a better spoking angle from hub to rim. Focus is billing this as an adventure bike, or a bikepacking bike, if that makes more sense to you. Loads on the frame typically will handle better with a wheel that has better lateral strength. So, this makes sense to me. 

But what I think this indicates is a wider move in the near future for all gravel bikes. It will make all previous "gravel wheel sets" obsolete, but this along with a move to the so-called direct mount rear derailleur standard is going to be here in the upper end offerings, in my opinion, very soon. 

Your current gravel bikes will be supported yet for a while, but this Boost spacing and direct mount rear derailleur thing is coming and honestly, I think road bikes will also be affected. Especially with the direct mount thing. Having no replaceable hangars will be a boon to future direct-to-consumer sales and self-service bike shop retail, which I believe is the future in cycling retail coming soon. The service industry side of repair/maintenance will benefit as well. 

As seen on Twitter Tuesday

Team Movistar To Add Gravel Squad With Valverde As Lead Rider:

Tuesday on social media news broke about formerly retired Pro Road rider Alejandro Valverde and Team Movistar joining forces to launch the new gravel team for 2023. 

According to this Yahoo Sports article, the 42 year old will be joined by men and women already on Team Movistar and in its esports program. 

Riders will begin by contesting events in Spain but are also aiming at being at the UCI's Gravel World Championships in Italy this Fall. 

Comments: So, is this where old roadies go out to pasture, or....? I think it would be easy to say that, but I think it has a way of giving the series and racing in Europe more legitimacy to the average European rider. Let's not forget that gravel racing is an American invention, at least in its current form, and traction amongst European cyclists for this genre is not anywhere near the fever pitch it is here in America.  

It also is a pathway for the UCI to grow the segment into the sort of professional stature that they are hoping it to become, with similar sponsorship opportunities and ties to the big organizers of cycling events in Europe. "Grassroots" organizing simply is far too difficult there in Europe and this will be how gravel racing is done in the future there, if it continues at all. So, expect similar types of racing, eventually, that you are familiar with on the paved side, if this takes off over there. 

Image courtesy of Panaracer

Panaracer Announced New Limited Edition Colors:

By now you probably are aware that Panaracer releases some colored rubber tires every year. This year's colors are Sunset Orange and Turquoise. You can get these in three models, the Gravel King SK, Gravel King SS, or Gravel King.  Sidewalls are in black or brown. Widths run from 32mm, 38mm, or 43mm. Price is $59.99 each.

You can check them out here. 

Comments: Is this the bicycle fanatic's version of Easter eggs? I mean, they released these on Thursday before Easter. Anyway..... Yeah....these are not my cuppa. Maybe this turns you on? Okay, I'm alright with that, but I find colored tires to be an acquired taste in most cases. Now, I would take a hard look at white or a cream colored tire. Maybe that red that Ritchey used to use, or maybe the Michelin green, so I'm not 100% against the idea. I just don't care for these at all. That's maybe just me....

I will say that I think the slick being named "Gravel King" is pretty goofy. For my money, the SK is where it is at, but those center blocks can have a tendency to fling gravel, so you have to watch out for that around anyone that rides a Gravel King SK.
 

That's it for this week. have a great Easter Weekend!

Friday News And Views

Canfield Yelli-Screamy

Canfield Bikes Announces Third Generation Yelli-Screamy:

Another long-low-slack geometry hard tail? (yawn) But there is a reason I post on this particular model today. It has more to do with its influence and history than it does with this third generation of the bike. 

Go back ten years ago. 2011 was a time, if you can recall, when many said that 29"ers would "never be in the long-travel categories or be all that good for anything playful and fun on real mountains". They were decent XC bikes, sure, but - you know - serious mountain biking? That was the province of 26"ers and the , at that time, new 27.5"ers. 29"ers would certainly never be 'that bike' you would ride on rowdy mountain trails. 

Then Canfield Bikes, and a few other niche brands, started fooling around with 29 inch wheels. The parts were barely  serviceable for such exploits, but they made it work. Canfield found itself a hit with the 29"er "Yelli-Screamy" model, and 29"er freaks were all over this bike when it came out back then. This sudden popularity of small brand hard tail and full suspension bikes with big wheels eventually got the bigger brand's attention. It took a few years, because the industry's dalliance with 27.5" stuff had to run its course first, but then 29"er hard tail and full suspension rigs started dominating the lines of the big brands by the mid to late 'twenty-teens'.  

So, here ya go. A hard tail which was a ground breaking model ten years ago, revamped for 'modern geometry', and at a price for a frame that, amazingly, is still pretty reasonable at $799.99. See Canfield Bikes for more.

First PRO Only "Gravel Event" In Italy:

What?!! You've never heard of Serenissima Gravel? Why, it was the very first PRO only roadie event held on gravel, that's all. (So, what is Strada Bianche then?) But you could be forgiven if you have not heard about this. It really doesn't affect many of us in the gravel community. 

But for some, this may be seen as a 'validation' of gravel as a racing surface. For me? It's nothing but PRO UCI sanctioned road racing on a different surface. Novel for roadies, perhaps, but calling this a 'gravel event' is a big misnomer. See, 'gravel events' are not just about licensed, male, elite athletes with no other riders and no 'culture' besides typical roadie fare. 

No, a 'gravel event' encompasses much more than racing. It is about finding one's limits, learning about how to be a self-sufficient cyclist, learning about caring for others, and it is all-inclusive. It is NOT just for the highest categories of male (and female, one would think) racers. However; Serenissma Gravel held its PRO only event with just one day of males racing. No females. And, of course, you could ride the next day on the course the PROs used (gasp! Really! You let them do that!) in a 'fondo'. Woo.....

But again- some may think this sort of thing is the bee's knees. And that's fine, but it is not 'gravel racing'. This is a gravel event, if you are wondering what I might mean. And so is the next item .....

Remembering When Things Were 'Iffy':

About a year ago this weekend I did something I thought was a bit daring. Some would say I was being a bit cavalier about the situation, and risking too much too soon. I went out of town to volunteer at a gravel event.

And now you think that sounds really mundane, right? I mean.....so what? I went somewhere and did a good deed. Why on earth would that be 'risky'? 

Well, I think we all have kind of forgotten how tense we all were just a year ago with this whole COVID deal still ongoing. (And really, we still are not out of the woods yet) There was no vaccine, there were still social distancing and mask mandates, and fear and anxiety was high. People were unsure of what was 'okay', and doing a bicycle race was barely on that side of the line of being something folks wouldn't get too upset about if you were to engage in that activity. 

I had not driven beyond the bounds of Black Hawk County, at that point, in nearly six months. I had only been in a few towns by bicycle outside of Waterloo in that time, and we went once to Cedar Rapids for a football game my son was in. I had not seen anyone outside of Waterloo in nearly half a year. So, going to volunteer at the Spotted Horse marked a line, a breakthrough of sorts, and socially it was a bit of a shock and a relief. It actually was so uplifting that I felt guilty for doing that when so many other people were left sitting around in fear. 

Like I say, we are still dealing with this pandemic, but a year ago we were still engaged in fear and anxiety at a much higher level than we are now, in my opinion. The Spotted Horse, for me, was a big release of tension and a day which gave me some hope that we would, at some point, be doing things again socially. And that has mostly come true. 

I just wanted to mark this anniversary and say 'thank you' again to Dori, Sarah, and Steve, the RD's of the Spotted Horse. Good luck on your event this weekend.

That's a wrap for this week! Have a great weekend and thank you for reading G-Ted Productions.

Friday News And Views

Canfield Yelli-Screamy

Canfield Bikes Announces Third Generation Yelli-Screamy:

Another long-low-slack geometry hard tail? (yawn) But there is a reason I post on this particular model today. It has more to do with its influence and history than it does with this third generation of the bike. 

Go back ten years ago. 2011 was a time, if you can recall, when many said that 29"ers would "never be in the long-travel categories or be all that good for anything playful and fun on real mountains". They were decent XC bikes, sure, but - you know - serious mountain biking? That was the province of 26"ers and the , at that time, new 27.5"ers. 29"ers would certainly never be 'that bike' you would ride on rowdy mountain trails. 

Then Canfield Bikes, and a few other niche brands, started fooling around with 29 inch wheels. The parts were barely  serviceable for such exploits, but they made it work. Canfield found itself a hit with the 29"er "Yelli-Screamy" model, and 29"er freaks were all over this bike when it came out back then. This sudden popularity of small brand hard tail and full suspension bikes with big wheels eventually got the bigger brand's attention. It took a few years, because the industry's dalliance with 27.5" stuff had to run its course first, but then 29"er hard tail and full suspension rigs started dominating the lines of the big brands by the mid to late 'twenty-teens'.  

So, here ya go. A hard tail which was a ground breaking model ten years ago, revamped for 'modern geometry', and at a price for a frame that, amazingly, is still pretty reasonable at $799.99. See Canfield Bikes for more.

First PRO Only "Gravel Event" In Italy:

What?!! You've never heard of Serenissima Gravel? Why, it was the very first PRO only roadie event held on gravel, that's all. (So, what is Strada Bianche then?) But you could be forgiven if you have not heard about this. It really doesn't affect many of us in the gravel community. 

But for some, this may be seen as a 'validation' of gravel as a racing surface. For me? It's nothing but PRO UCI sanctioned road racing on a different surface. Novel for roadies, perhaps, but calling this a 'gravel event' is a big misnomer. See, 'gravel events' are not just about licensed, male, elite athletes with no other riders and no 'culture' besides typical roadie fare. 

No, a 'gravel event' encompasses much more than racing. It is about finding one's limits, learning about how to be a self-sufficient cyclist, learning about caring for others, and it is all-inclusive. It is NOT just for the highest categories of male (and female, one would think) racers. However; Serenissma Gravel held its PRO only event with just one day of males racing. No females. And, of course, you could ride the next day on the course the PROs used (gasp! Really! You let them do that!) in a 'fondo'. Woo.....

But again- some may think this sort of thing is the bee's knees. And that's fine, but it is not 'gravel racing'. This is a gravel event, if you are wondering what I might mean. And so is the next item .....

Remembering When Things Were 'Iffy':

About a year ago this weekend I did something I thought was a bit daring. Some would say I was being a bit cavalier about the situation, and risking too much too soon. I went out of town to volunteer at a gravel event.

And now you think that sounds really mundane, right? I mean.....so what? I went somewhere and did a good deed. Why on earth would that be 'risky'? 

Well, I think we all have kind of forgotten how tense we all were just a year ago with this whole COVID deal still ongoing. (And really, we still are not out of the woods yet) There was no vaccine, there were still social distancing and mask mandates, and fear and anxiety was high. People were unsure of what was 'okay', and doing a bicycle race was barely on that side of the line of being something folks wouldn't get too upset about if you were to engage in that activity. 

I had not driven beyond the bounds of Black Hawk County, at that point, in nearly six months. I had only been in a few towns by bicycle outside of Waterloo in that time, and we went once to Cedar Rapids for a football game my son was in. I had not seen anyone outside of Waterloo in nearly half a year. So, going to volunteer at the Spotted Horse marked a line, a breakthrough of sorts, and socially it was a bit of a shock and a relief. It actually was so uplifting that I felt guilty for doing that when so many other people were left sitting around in fear. 

Like I say, we are still dealing with this pandemic, but a year ago we were still engaged in fear and anxiety at a much higher level than we are now, in my opinion. The Spotted Horse, for me, was a big release of tension and a day which gave me some hope that we would, at some point, be doing things again socially. And that has mostly come true. 

I just wanted to mark this anniversary and say 'thank you' again to Dori, Sarah, and Steve, the RD's of the Spotted Horse. Good luck on your event this weekend.

That's a wrap for this week! Have a great weekend and thank you for reading G-Ted Productions.

Friday News And Views

BMC URS LT One (Image courtesy of BMC)

 Will Gravel Bikes Have Suspension?:

Yet another stab at making gravel bikes into ultra-short travel MTB's has been unveiled by Swiss bicycle maker BMC. Their newest gravel bike, the URS LT One, has 20mm of hydraulically damped front suspension and a short travel elastomeric based rear suspension. 

The bikes are made in carbon fiber and feature rack and fender mounts along with a 45mm maximum tire clearance. The front fork is routed for a dynamo hub as well. The two versions of this bike offered will be quite expensive with the top of the range being 7K+. 

Comments: BMC dubs this suspension concept "Micro Travel", and at a mere 20mm of movement, I'd say that is pretty spot on marketing. I would also say that it is pretty useless to have the amount of complexity required to achieve such minuscule amounts of movement. The FOX AX fork I have ridden, with 40mm of travel, wasn't capable enough, in my opinion, to make it worth the extra weight and complexity. But this BMC deal is certainly lighter, yes? 

Actually, no, it isn't. Another report on the bike I have read claims that the BMC fork weighs about the same as the Fox AX. Really? And at half the travel? Wow..... Plus it is proprietary to the frame? Ah.....thanks but no thanks. Let's remind ourselves here that a Redshift Sports ShockStop Stem has 20mm of effective travel, weighs 260-300 grams ( depending upon length), and can be put on any bike with an 1 1/8th steer tube at a cost of $160.00. Plus, if you get tired of your ShockStop equipped bike, you can move on to a new bike and keep the stem. 

The ShockStop is easily tuned, has minimal moving parts, and almost zero maintenance. If I am going for 20mm of travel, the price of 160 bucks sounds a lot better than 7K+. Just my opinion.....

So, to answer the question which led this section- No. Not this way, at any rate. 

Oh! And One More Thing About That:

Just the other day. "Velo News" mentioned that "Another retired European road Pro jumps into the US  gravel scene". (Story here) His name is Paul Voss, and he states in the "Velo News" article that he came over to try out gravel racing because of the over-all feeling that it was closer to 'true sport' and that it seemed to have a more relaxed set of rules for participation. He specifically called out the camaraderie amongst riders who were willing to stop and help those that had crashed, had a flat tire, or other issues. 

We've heard this before from former Pro roadies who heard about gravel racing and dropped in to check it out. People like Ted King, in particular, have really understood and exemplified the 'gravel culture' as it was formulated in the Mid-West. But now all this would seem to be something akin to window dressing, at least amongst many of the Pro/former Pro road riders who are doing gravel events now. I reported here last Saturday that some dissatisfaction has been expressed by certain Pro riders over the lack of formal road racing style rules, especially "... if there's money on the line for the win...." 

And one more thing that I will add here- This UCI nonsense really should have zero effect upon the 'gravel scene', as it is mostly having to do with Pro rider issues and money. What they are about is not gravel racing. It's just more and more looking like Pro Road racing on a different surface. Hopefully Mr. Voss won't fall under that spell again.  

Oh yeah....The UCI is also doing a similar series and World Championships for fat bikes too. You're welcome.

Rangefinder Deore 12 (Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles)

Salsa Cycles Announces New Rangefinder Models:

Yesterday, no doubt, you saw the new Rangefinder models from Salsa Cycles. Sporting four different spec types across six different colors, (two colors for each level with Deore 10/MicroShift Advent sharing colors), the new models are Salsa Cycles entry level hard tail MTB's going forward. 

Interestingly, Deore MTB components can be had now in 10, 11, or 12 speed variants. You'll also note that an alternate MicoShift Advent 10 speed choice is available at the same price as the Deore 10 speed. Prices are $1599.00 for the Deore 12, $1399.00 for the Deore 11, and $1099.00 for the Deore 10/Advent 10 speed models. 

Comments: Interestingly, the press release I got had zero information as to spec. Prices are going up, but the entry level Rangefinder holds the line at $1099.00 which is what the 2021 model was. However; I cannot compare the spec, so...... 

I think people are going to be shocked at what a "real" MTB is going to cost in 2022. Sub-grand MTB-looking bicycles are not going to cut it anymore, and let's be honest, they haven't for many years. But I feel this benchmark is going to be ending up well above 1K, more like $1200.00 to $1300.00 now for a "just okay" hard tail that will get you by.  

Specialized Buys Michigan Retail Chain:

After several years of Trek news breaking about the company buying up retail outlets, now it seems Specialized is also turning down that road as well. The news comes from "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" who reported that McClain's Cycle and Fitness has been sold to Specialized.

Specialized hasn't really pursued retail outlets run direct by the company up until this point.  Although, it has long run a few retail stores, mainly in SoCal.Trek, meanwhile, has been on a retail store buying spree over the last several years to the point that many industry insiders reckon that Trek is the largest specialty bicycle retailer in the U.S.A. now. 

In cases where Specialized has lost its footing due to Trek retail store chain takeovers, they have resorted to 'delivery operations' which fulfill online customer orders. But now it would appear that they are being a bit more aggressive in going toe-to-toe with Trek in the retail sector. 

What does it all mean? Time will tell, but it would point to more Brand specific stores, much like single brand car dealerships, in which consumers would then have no choices but for the brand that the store is owned by. This is not new in the bicycle industry, as anyone older can attest to. Schwinn tried the concept starting in the early 1960's and had the nation covered in "Authorized Schwinn Dealerships" by the early 1970's. When the mountain bike came into being, Schwinn failed to capitalize on its popularity until it was too late, which contributed to the company going bankrupt in the late 90's. This- and other factors - ended the 'Schwinn Approved' dealership model. Now it would seem that we are on the verge of seeing this revived in some form by Trek, Specialized, and who knows who else. 

That is all for this week! I hope you all get some riding in and have a safe weekend.

Friday News And Views

BMC URS LT One (Image courtesy of BMC)

 Will Gravel Bikes Have Suspension?:

Yet another stab at making gravel bikes into ultra-short travel MTB's has been unveiled by Swiss bicycle maker BMC. Their newest gravel bike, the URS LT One, has 20mm of hydraulically damped front suspension and a short travel elastomeric based rear suspension. 

The bikes are made in carbon fiber and feature rack and fender mounts along with a 45mm maximum tire clearance. The front fork is routed for a dynamo hub as well. The two versions of this bike offered will be quite expensive with the top of the range being 7K+. 

Comments: BMC dubs this suspension concept "Micro Travel", and at a mere 20mm of movement, I'd say that is pretty spot on marketing. I would also say that it is pretty useless to have the amount of complexity required to achieve such minuscule amounts of movement. The FOX AX fork I have ridden, with 40mm of travel, wasn't capable enough, in my opinion, to make it worth the extra weight and complexity. But this BMC deal is certainly lighter, yes? 

Actually, no, it isn't. Another report on the bike I have read claims that the BMC fork weighs about the same as the Fox AX. Really? And at half the travel? Wow..... Plus it is proprietary to the frame? Ah.....thanks but no thanks. Let's remind ourselves here that a Redshift Sports ShockStop Stem has 20mm of effective travel, weighs 260-300 grams ( depending upon length), and can be put on any bike with an 1 1/8th steer tube at a cost of $160.00. Plus, if you get tired of your ShockStop equipped bike, you can move on to a new bike and keep the stem. 

The ShockStop is easily tuned, has minimal moving parts, and almost zero maintenance. If I am going for 20mm of travel, the price of 160 bucks sounds a lot better than 7K+. Just my opinion.....

So, to answer the question which led this section- No. Not this way, at any rate. 

Oh! And One More Thing About That:

Just the other day. "Velo News" mentioned that "Another retired European road Pro jumps into the US  gravel scene". (Story here) His name is Paul Voss, and he states in the "Velo News" article that he came over to try out gravel racing because of the over-all feeling that it was closer to 'true sport' and that it seemed to have a more relaxed set of rules for participation. He specifically called out the camaraderie amongst riders who were willing to stop and help those that had crashed, had a flat tire, or other issues. 

We've heard this before from former Pro roadies who heard about gravel racing and dropped in to check it out. People like Ted King, in particular, have really understood and exemplified the 'gravel culture' as it was formulated in the Mid-West. But now all this would seem to be something akin to window dressing, at least amongst many of the Pro/former Pro road riders who are doing gravel events now. I reported here last Saturday that some dissatisfaction has been expressed by certain Pro riders over the lack of formal road racing style rules, especially "... if there's money on the line for the win...." 

And one more thing that I will add here- This UCI nonsense really should have zero effect upon the 'gravel scene', as it is mostly having to do with Pro rider issues and money. What they are about is not gravel racing. It's just more and more looking like Pro Road racing on a different surface. Hopefully Mr. Voss won't fall under that spell again.  

Oh yeah....The UCI is also doing a similar series and World Championships for fat bikes too. You're welcome.

Rangefinder Deore 12 (Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles)

Salsa Cycles Announces New Rangefinder Models:

Yesterday, no doubt, you saw the new Rangefinder models from Salsa Cycles. Sporting four different spec types across six different colors, (two colors for each level with Deore 10/MicroShift Advent sharing colors), the new models are Salsa Cycles entry level hard tail MTB's going forward. 

Interestingly, Deore MTB components can be had now in 10, 11, or 12 speed variants. You'll also note that an alternate MicoShift Advent 10 speed choice is available at the same price as the Deore 10 speed. Prices are $1599.00 for the Deore 12, $1399.00 for the Deore 11, and $1099.00 for the Deore 10/Advent 10 speed models. 

Comments: Interestingly, the press release I got had zero information as to spec. Prices are going up, but the entry level Rangefinder holds the line at $1099.00 which is what the 2021 model was. However; I cannot compare the spec, so...... 

I think people are going to be shocked at what a "real" MTB is going to cost in 2022. Sub-grand MTB-looking bicycles are not going to cut it anymore, and let's be honest, they haven't for many years. But I feel this benchmark is going to be ending up well above 1K, more like $1200.00 to $1300.00 now for a "just okay" hard tail that will get you by.  

Specialized Buys Michigan Retail Chain:

After several years of Trek news breaking about the company buying up retail outlets, now it seems Specialized is also turning down that road as well. The news comes from "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" who reported that McClain's Cycle and Fitness has been sold to Specialized.

Specialized hasn't really pursued retail outlets run direct by the company up until this point.  Although, it has long run a few retail stores, mainly in SoCal.Trek, meanwhile, has been on a retail store buying spree over the last several years to the point that many industry insiders reckon that Trek is the largest specialty bicycle retailer in the U.S.A. now. 

In cases where Specialized has lost its footing due to Trek retail store chain takeovers, they have resorted to 'delivery operations' which fulfill online customer orders. But now it would appear that they are being a bit more aggressive in going toe-to-toe with Trek in the retail sector. 

What does it all mean? Time will tell, but it would point to more Brand specific stores, much like single brand car dealerships, in which consumers would then have no choices but for the brand that the store is owned by. This is not new in the bicycle industry, as anyone older can attest to. Schwinn tried the concept starting in the early 1960's and had the nation covered in "Authorized Schwinn Dealerships" by the early 1970's. When the mountain bike came into being, Schwinn failed to capitalize on its popularity until it was too late, which contributed to the company going bankrupt in the late 90's. This- and other factors - ended the 'Schwinn Approved' dealership model. Now it would seem that we are on the verge of seeing this revived in some form by Trek, Specialized, and who knows who else. 

That is all for this week! I hope you all get some riding in and have a safe weekend.

Friday News And Views

SRAM AXS Force- Could a Rival version be on the way?

 SRAM Pricing Increase And Rumors:

The mechanic's world is all buzzing about a 15% price increase across the board for new SRAM replacement parts and groups which reportedly went into effect February 1st. As I have speculated all along, parts prices would be rising due to materials costs and shipping issues all throughout 2021. 

This should also translate to complete, new bikes for 2021 and 2022. What this means for the consumer is that at the lower, entry levels, price increases will be keenly felt. We are seeing it already. "Bike shop quality" bikes are going to probably start in the $500-$600 range now going forward. I also cannot imagine that box store bikes, or "Mall Wart" bikes, as I call them, won't be a lot more expensive as well. Just from a tariff standpoint, because tariffs went into effect on good from China, now including bicycles, on January 1st.  Not that any of those bikes have SRAM parts, but some do. 

Another tidbit being tossed about online is a SRAM Rival AXS group announcement, which some are claiming will happen this Summer. (UPDATE: Some sources are now confirming it is on the way) For the record, I don't know anything and I am not breaching any embargo, since I never was contacted about this. The fact is, many are chattering online about this, and it makes sense. This bodes well for those wanting an electronic group on a new bike at a lower price, but much of this will get offset by rising costs, so a Rival AXS may not have quite the impact it would have had in, say 2019. Additionally, now I am seeing that the mere existence of a Rival AXS may in fact push mechanical drive train parts by the wayside. So, this is indicating that once you go 12 speed, at least in SRAM's ecosystem, you will have to go wireless and electronic.

Speaking of AXS, SRAM announced earlier in the week that they had a 36T compatible AXS for road now, which was obviously necessary since they are up against Shimano GRX Di2 which has already been out over a year now and has been dominating spec on gravel bikes for 2021 and likely 2022. And speaking of Shimano.....

Not to be missing out, but there is a TON of scuttlebutt running amok online concerning Shimano's newest Dura Ace Di2 being wireless, or partially wireless, which would be considered a direct response to SRAM since SRAM has been wireless on electronic groups from the start. Time will tell, but at least 2021 seems like it will reveal a lot of promise for 2022 bikes. 

The Velo Orange Crazy Bars v2. Image courtesy of Velo Orange

Velo Orange Announces Crazy Bars v2:

If you've been a reader here for a long time you know that I have a certain affinity for weird handle bars. I like to call them "Alt Bars", but they are typically handle bars out of the standard box of risers, flats, and roadie drops. 

Well, Velo Orange announced last week that they are coming out with a redesign of their Crazy Bars. While I wasn't a big fan of the first version, this new version looks very intriguing. They tweaked the angle of the sweep to be at 35° and that compares to a Jones Bar which is 45°. I have thought that the Jones Bar had a bit too much sweep, and so this new Crazy Bar sweep is interesting to me now. The extensions, or 'horns' as Velo Orange calls them, which look like old, old school Moots ends, (the OG of bar ends), is something I don't know I'd need. Maybe if I tried that? Maybe. But the good news here is that Velo Orange is going to offer the same bar without the 'horns' and call it the Seine Bar. 

They are going to offer these in silver and black as well, so you can get your black handle bars, if you must! But don't get your hopes up just yet. Velo Orange isn't expecting these until Summer, and the way things are going, that may get pushed back a bit. 

I'm thinking I'd like to try these though. They are wide enough, have a very interesting sweep, and not a ton of rise, so they could be set up in a way I would like them, I think. I'd likely put these on my One One Inbred or maybe even a set could be had for my Blackbuck, but without the horns on that bike. i think they'd work very well on either bike. Now, if these were ever to be made in carbon, which I highly doubt, since this is Velo Orange we are talking about here, I'd put them on my fat bikes. But I will not entertain the thought of alloy bars for my fat bikes anymore. Carbon just keeps my hands a LOT warmer in Winter, and I am not willing to give that up. 

Froome: Not a fan of the road disc scene.

Meet Chris Froome - Retrogrouch:

I don't usually post anything about Pro Roadie personalities here, but a recent story about Tour de France winner, (amongst other high profile races)  Chris Froome, was interesting since he was commenting about components. 

It's only natural for a Pro road rider to be concerned and intimately familiar with how components work. Froome, having spent his career mainly on caliper brakes, has had to make the switch to road disc since he now rides for a team bike sponsor that does not offer a caliper equipped bike. 

At a recent press meeting where Froome was going over the finer points of his new Factor race machine, he mentioned that he wasn't a big fan of disc brakes on road bikes. He didn't like the disc rub, pistons not retracting right, the fussing with his mechanics, and he's not convinced the current road disc brakes are up to severe use as seen on fast, long mountain descents. Hmm......where have I heard those things before? 

It is ironic because when the whole road disc thing happened several companies and entities were saying the same things yet the industry pushed the idea ahead anyway because 'change equals new sales and old technology gets deleted to support more sales.'  I've said it all along- disc brakes are overkill and unnecessary on gravel bikes, but I will also add that wheels are far more swappable with big tires and in different diameters. Something that is difficult to impossible with cantilever based brakes. 

Otso Cycles finally offers a SS option for the Tuning Chip drop out.

Otso Cycles Offer SS Chip For Metal Bikes:

Back when I reviewed the Otso Warakin stainless steel bike I told Otso Cycles that they should offer a single speed option for their Tuning Chip drop outs. It was so obvious that this would work that I was a bit surprised to find out at the beginning of the review that Otso didn't have that option. Not only that, but they didn't seem too interested in doing one either. It seemed so obvious that it would be a benefit to them to offer the option that I thought they were making a bit of a mistake. Otso however was convinced that there just wasn't enough interest in the idea to make it happen.

Well, be that as it may, I liked the Warakin. It was, and still is, a really great bike. I may have gotten one had the single speed option been there before. That said, Otso Cycles has it now and it makes the Warakin even more of a compelling bike. It's got a nice geometry, big tire capability, and it rides nicely in the stainless steel version. You can even get a titanium version of the frame now, which is expensive, but cool. 

Obviously, Otso Cycles finally made the decision to do the single speed option. They claim that they had gotten a lot of interest in the idea. (It is NOT for their carbon bikes though) Again, I can't believe it took nearly four years to happen, but at least it did. Maybe someday there will be room in the stable for a Warakin, and maybe someday I'll get one.  

Podcast And Reminders:

Just a few end of week reminders for you all. First up- The Riding Gravel Radio Ranch posted up two new episodes this week. One featuring endurance athlete legend John Stamstad, who I mentioned last week. The LINK 

You can also find the podcast on your favorite podcast feeds.  

Also- don't forget that there is still a few jerseys and hats left from the C.O.G.100. You can peruse the selection on my Garage Sale page.  I try to keep that list of inventory current, so what you see there is what is left. Own a piece of gravel grinding history!

Finally, I will remind you that merch reflecting the 15th year of Guitar Ted Productions can be had by clicking THIS LINK.  A portion of every sale goes to support my daughter's artistic efforts. I've seen a few of the offerings there on people and they look great. Have a look and see if you want to fly the G-Ted logo (As seen to the left here) 
 

That's a wrap for this week! Stay warm!

Friday News And Views

SRAM AXS Force- Could a Rival version be on the way?

 SRAM Pricing Increase And Rumors:

The mechanic's world is all buzzing about a 15% price increase across the board for new SRAM replacement parts and groups which reportedly went into effect February 1st. As I have speculated all along, parts prices would be rising due to materials costs and shipping issues all throughout 2021. 

This should also translate to complete, new bikes for 2021 and 2022. What this means for the consumer is that at the lower, entry levels, price increases will be keenly felt. We are seeing it already. "Bike shop quality" bikes are going to probably start in the $500-$600 range now going forward. I also cannot imagine that box store bikes, or "Mall Wart" bikes, as I call them, won't be a lot more expensive as well. Just from a tariff standpoint, because tariffs went into effect on good from China, now including bicycles, on January 1st.  Not that any of those bikes have SRAM parts, but some do. 

Another tidbit being tossed about online is a SRAM Rival AXS group announcement, which some are claiming will happen this Summer. (UPDATE: Some sources are now confirming it is on the way) For the record, I don't know anything and I am not breaching any embargo, since I never was contacted about this. The fact is, many are chattering online about this, and it makes sense. This bodes well for those wanting an electronic group on a new bike at a lower price, but much of this will get offset by rising costs, so a Rival AXS may not have quite the impact it would have had in, say 2019. Additionally, now I am seeing that the mere existence of a Rival AXS may in fact push mechanical drive train parts by the wayside. So, this is indicating that once you go 12 speed, at least in SRAM's ecosystem, you will have to go wireless and electronic.

Speaking of AXS, SRAM announced earlier in the week that they had a 36T compatible AXS for road now, which was obviously necessary since they are up against Shimano GRX Di2 which has already been out over a year now and has been dominating spec on gravel bikes for 2021 and likely 2022. And speaking of Shimano.....

Not to be missing out, but there is a TON of scuttlebutt running amok online concerning Shimano's newest Dura Ace Di2 being wireless, or partially wireless, which would be considered a direct response to SRAM since SRAM has been wireless on electronic groups from the start. Time will tell, but at least 2021 seems like it will reveal a lot of promise for 2022 bikes. 

The Velo Orange Crazy Bars v2. Image courtesy of Velo Orange

Velo Orange Announces Crazy Bars v2:

If you've been a reader here for a long time you know that I have a certain affinity for weird handle bars. I like to call them "Alt Bars", but they are typically handle bars out of the standard box of risers, flats, and roadie drops. 

Well, Velo Orange announced last week that they are coming out with a redesign of their Crazy Bars. While I wasn't a big fan of the first version, this new version looks very intriguing. They tweaked the angle of the sweep to be at 35° and that compares to a Jones Bar which is 45°. I have thought that the Jones Bar had a bit too much sweep, and so this new Crazy Bar sweep is interesting to me now. The extensions, or 'horns' as Velo Orange calls them, which look like old, old school Moots ends, (the OG of bar ends), is something I don't know I'd need. Maybe if I tried that? Maybe. But the good news here is that Velo Orange is going to offer the same bar without the 'horns' and call it the Seine Bar. 

They are going to offer these in silver and black as well, so you can get your black handle bars, if you must! But don't get your hopes up just yet. Velo Orange isn't expecting these until Summer, and the way things are going, that may get pushed back a bit. 

I'm thinking I'd like to try these though. They are wide enough, have a very interesting sweep, and not a ton of rise, so they could be set up in a way I would like them, I think. I'd likely put these on my One One Inbred or maybe even a set could be had for my Blackbuck, but without the horns on that bike. i think they'd work very well on either bike. Now, if these were ever to be made in carbon, which I highly doubt, since this is Velo Orange we are talking about here, I'd put them on my fat bikes. But I will not entertain the thought of alloy bars for my fat bikes anymore. Carbon just keeps my hands a LOT warmer in Winter, and I am not willing to give that up. 

Froome: Not a fan of the road disc scene.

Meet Chris Froome - Retrogrouch:

I don't usually post anything about Pro Roadie personalities here, but a recent story about Tour de France winner, (amongst other high profile races)  Chris Froome, was interesting since he was commenting about components. 

It's only natural for a Pro road rider to be concerned and intimately familiar with how components work. Froome, having spent his career mainly on caliper brakes, has had to make the switch to road disc since he now rides for a team bike sponsor that does not offer a caliper equipped bike. 

At a recent press meeting where Froome was going over the finer points of his new Factor race machine, he mentioned that he wasn't a big fan of disc brakes on road bikes. He didn't like the disc rub, pistons not retracting right, the fussing with his mechanics, and he's not convinced the current road disc brakes are up to severe use as seen on fast, long mountain descents. Hmm......where have I heard those things before? 

It is ironic because when the whole road disc thing happened several companies and entities were saying the same things yet the industry pushed the idea ahead anyway because 'change equals new sales and old technology gets deleted to support more sales.'  I've said it all along- disc brakes are overkill and unnecessary on gravel bikes, but I will also add that wheels are far more swappable with big tires and in different diameters. Something that is difficult to impossible with cantilever based brakes. 

Otso Cycles finally offers a SS option for the Tuning Chip drop out.

Otso Cycles Offer SS Chip For Metal Bikes:

Back when I reviewed the Otso Warakin stainless steel bike I told Otso Cycles that they should offer a single speed option for their Tuning Chip drop outs. It was so obvious that this would work that I was a bit surprised to find out at the beginning of the review that Otso didn't have that option. Not only that, but they didn't seem too interested in doing one either. It seemed so obvious that it would be a benefit to them to offer the option that I thought they were making a bit of a mistake. Otso however was convinced that there just wasn't enough interest in the idea to make it happen.

Well, be that as it may, I liked the Warakin. It was, and still is, a really great bike. I may have gotten one had the single speed option been there before. That said, Otso Cycles has it now and it makes the Warakin even more of a compelling bike. It's got a nice geometry, big tire capability, and it rides nicely in the stainless steel version. You can even get a titanium version of the frame now, which is expensive, but cool. 

Obviously, Otso Cycles finally made the decision to do the single speed option. They claim that they had gotten a lot of interest in the idea. (It is NOT for their carbon bikes though) Again, I can't believe it took nearly four years to happen, but at least it did. Maybe someday there will be room in the stable for a Warakin, and maybe someday I'll get one.  

Podcast And Reminders:

Just a few end of week reminders for you all. First up- The Riding Gravel Radio Ranch posted up two new episodes this week. One featuring endurance athlete legend John Stamstad, who I mentioned last week. The LINK 

You can also find the podcast on your favorite podcast feeds.  

Also- don't forget that there is still a few jerseys and hats left from the C.O.G.100. You can peruse the selection on my Garage Sale page.  I try to keep that list of inventory current, so what you see there is what is left. Own a piece of gravel grinding history!

Finally, I will remind you that merch reflecting the 15th year of Guitar Ted Productions can be had by clicking THIS LINK.  A portion of every sale goes to support my daughter's artistic efforts. I've seen a few of the offerings there on people and they look great. Have a look and see if you want to fly the G-Ted logo (As seen to the left here) 
 

That's a wrap for this week! Stay warm!

Should We Or Shouldn't We?

As the year of 2020 slowly trudges toward its inevitable conclusion, we are now running into the Fall where many events that should have already happened have been postponed to. The plumb of all of these must surely be the Tour de France, set to take place mostly in the beginning weeks of September this year. Starting August 28th, this pinnacle of cycling racing is an event- like it or not- which sets the tone for much of what follows behind it in the cycling world. 

Obviously things will necessarily need to be quite a bit different this year. A hint of what it takes to put on such an event was given when the Colorado Classic released details on its protocols that it was to have enacted for its now cancelled event, as I reported on in this FN&V post. A really blunt take on where the TdF sits within current events was recently published here on "Cyclingtips" website which echos much of what was to be at the Colorado Classic. 

The question, "should the event start?", is not just a question for the Tour de France, or the now cancelled Colorado Classic, but this is the question on every event promoter's mind coming into Fall, Winter, and even into next year. Where will we be sitting in regard to COVID-19? Will there be a 'second wave', as it appears there will be in France? Does any event with larger numbers of people planned for participation need to have the same, or similar protocols to what the TdF has? How do you balance all of this against health concerns, economic concerns, and public perceptions? 

Whew! Those are balls that no one wants to juggle with. Will the outcome be a positive or a negative? In my opinion, the Tour this year will be a sort of 'proving grounds'. If this spectacle, which stands to make a LOT of money for a lot of people, can go off with little to no COVID impacts, then I think you see bigger events take note and encouragement from that. However; if the microscope of attention focused upon the Tour sees one crack to exploit concerning this pandemic, you can be sure that the condemnation for any failures will be swift and far reaching. This, in my opinion again, will affect following events to a great extent. 

Should the event even start? Pfffft! It'll be easy to say after the fact. Place your bets now though, and this becomes a sort of gamble. A gamble that may have some dark consequences. In light of that, the prudent person might answer, "No. The TdF should not start." Those with the view that traditions should be upheld, those with a view that  human beings being social creatures, need this sort of thing,  and those who find economic ruin too great an expense for something that needs to not be feared? Well, they may look at this quite differently. And this is really a microcosm of the World's predicament concerning COVID-19, isn't it? The results of running the TdF then might actually have far reaching consequences. 

This isn't an experiment I'd want to conduct, but he we go..........