Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Garmin

 A "Fair & Balanced Computer News" FN&V

Garmin Announces Flagship Cycling GPS Device:

Tuesday Garmin unleashed their latest GPS device, the 1050, on the masses. The news here is a brighter LCD display, new touch-screen abilities, a speaker, an electronic bell, and ability to pay for your coffee. 

The device is available now and costs $699.99.  You can see more on the 1050 on Garmin's site HERE.

I watched a pretty comprehensive YouTube video on this device and it is impressive, but do we really need all this? To my way of thinking, wouldn't it be cool to have the bright LCD screen, great navigation, a few of the safety features, and basic cycling computer metrics and that is it? A 'stripped down' version of this with the same battery? 

I don't need a speaker, an electronic bell, or the ability to pay for a latte'. I'm not saying this is 'bad', I'm just thinking many of us don't really need such a complex device. I know it would never be offered, but you have to wonder if a simpler version of the 1050 wouldn't be wildly popular and cost a lot less than 700 bucks. I mean, when DC Rainmaker's review snippet on YouTube says "Garmin Edge 1050 In-Depth Review 21 things to know.", I'm thinking that is about 15 things to know too many.

Then too, the recently announced Coros Dura, if that company gets that device squared away, is going to put a lot of pressure on this device as it costs a little less than one third of the Garmin and does some pretty neat stuff as well. But then again, Garmin is the 'king' of GPS devices, despite Wahoo and Hammerhead. Time will tell, but at what this 1050 thing costs I'd rather buy something else that wasn't so complex and feature laden, but had the nicer screen and good navigation. But that's just me.....

Image courtesy of Planet Bike

Planet Bike Offers New "Blinky Squared" Taillight:

Planet Bike announced a new blinking taillight for your bicycle recently called "Blinky Squared" It is a 1.25" square unit with 15 LED's arranged in a circular pattern. 

The Blinky Squared has four modes. Two steady modes and two flashing modes. The light has an onboard Lithium-polymer battery that has a run time of up to 15 hours. The light is rated at 30 Lumens. The light recharges via the included USB C cable. Cost for the Blinky Squared is a reasonable $19.99.

The mount is adjusted for use on a seat post and attaches via a rubber "O" ring type strap. Planet Bike suggests that the Blinky Squared is good for daytime usage as well as night for better visibility to motorists. 

Comments: The pace at which lighting technology for cycling has advanced is something I never get over. I mean, twenty bucks gets you this? I find that amazing, and I think it isn't alone in the marketplace at that spec and price. In fact, my favorite taillight currently is the Ravemen TR30M which costs about the same and features 360° visibility with about the same run times. 

It's crazy how little you have to spend and how easy it is to use these lights which can aid in bringing better visibility of cyclists to motorists on roads and in cities. 

Image courtesy of OneUp Components.

OneUp Gets Into Hubs:

OneUp, the company probably best known for its dropper post, has announced a new hub set for Boost spaced MTB's and Adventure bikes. 

Now that DT Swiss' ratchet design mechanism patent has run out, we are starting to see a lot of companies adopt that design and offer hubs using the proven technology. 

OneUp is another of those companies doing this. Their hub comes in a variety of anodized colors in 32 or 28 hole drillings. The cost is pretty reasonable as well. You can buy the hubs separately or as a set. Check out the details on the OneUp site HERE. 

Comments: Wait! Is this the mid-1990's again? It seems like every week I have seen another anodized bit introduced by another company. One might think it is a trend. I, for one, am fine with this as years of black, black, and more black have been pretty boring. Now let's see some silver component groups and we'll be talkin'! Or not.......read on!

Image courtesy of MicroShift.

MicroShift Debuts 9spd Affordable Gravel Groupset:

MicroShift, the component company that makes hay living in the spaces that Shimano and SRAM have left behind, has announced a new "gravel groupset" called Sword Black. 

The groupset was heralded by multiple outlets releasing the news on Wednesday of this week in a coordinated marketing plan, not unlike what many industries are utilizing these days. (That's a story for another time)

The deal here is that we have an "entry level" 9 speed component group which can be purchased as a 1X or 2X set that features low gearing, a square taper bottom bracket interface for the crankset, and a low price of (reportedly) $350.00. That garners you a crankset, levers, cassette, rear derailleur, and in the case of 2X, a front derailleur. 

Comments: It's probably fine for the price. MicroShift have "borrowed" several details from Shimano's GRX groupset even down to the chain ring bolt pattern. It is a mechanical group, obviously, and the marketing makes a big deal out of this fact. It is true that mechanical group sets are fairly straightforward in terms of set-up and adjustment. That said, not everyone understands or can do set-up and adjustments on any bicycle, so this supposed "feature" is perhaps lost on many cyclists. 

And take a look at how MicroShift got to that low gear on the 1X group. Holy "big jumps", Batman! Then you have the 17 tooth disparity between the big and small chainrings on the 2X crankset. I'm not a fan because when you select either front ring you have to make a few compensatory shifts in the rear or you find yourself spinning out or mashing a big gear. 

You know what would cure that? A triple crank. But no one is going to do that. Maybe it is where I live, but these 2X cranks with huge gaps between the rings and cassettes with 4+ tooth jumps are not a 'good thing', in my opinion.Finally, Shimano CUES is only for flat bar shifting now, but I have a feeling that when, not "if", Shimano adds drop bar levers to CUES it will blow this MicroShift stuff out of the water.

That's a wrap on this week. Have a great weekend and ride those bicycles! Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Here We Go! Gravel Worlds Prep On The MCD

Gotta Know Where To Go!

Okay, I had something cleared up this past weekend which was necessary to know what I was going to be doing at the upcoming Gravel Worlds event in Lincoln, Nebraska. I was going either way, it was just a question of for what purpose. That's all I'm a'gunna say 'bout that. I just mention this because I wasn't going to post about Gravel Worlds prep until I had that hurdle cleared. Now that my purpose is clear, I am going to discuss my rig here for my attempt at finishing this 150 mile beast of a ride. 

First off, you probably inferred by my "Water Carriers" posts that something was up, and this is it. Gravel Worlds! I needed to have the ability to carry enough fluids to get from place to place on the route and not be in a deficit. Well, as you know, that has been addressed. 

So, here we have the 'rest of the story', so to speak. First up is navigation. I already showed off my home made cue sheet holder, and the next order of business from a navigational point of view was to get some way to count down the miles so I could follow cue sheets. Now, yes- Gravel Worlds has downloadable GPS navigation for their courses. But the thing is- I do not own a GPS unit that allows me to follow a course. My Lezyne computer is kind of a dinosaur in that you have to have your phone linked up to it to be able to use turn-by-turn navigation, which I always thought was bogus. So, I never bothered to ever try it out. Heck, sometimes I leave my phone at home. I like it that way. So, having to tether my phone to a navigation device seemed dumb to my way of thinking. 

Anyway, so I needed to go the old school route, and thankfully Gravel Worlds does cues yet. Otherwise, honestly- I probably wouldn't go. Any event that assumes you will have an expensive piece of gear to be able to come to their event is not my kind of event. Nuff said.....  

Okay, so I have this Sigma computer on there, and it is a wireless unit, so we'll see how that goes. As long as it counts mileage, it will make my job easier. That and tell me the time, (which I don't really need now since I wear an Apple watch) - that's all I need. So, I'm good to go there once I get the cues from Gravel Worlds and print them out. Elevation gain? Who really cares? It is what it is. Ya gotta ride the course and whatever hills they put in there. Doesn't really matter now or afterward what the numbers are to me. It'll be hard, I know that!

The KOM Tube Strap

Next up we have a storage solution in the KOM Tube Strap. It is a new product for KOM Cycling which they are having me review for RidingGravel.com. I figured Gravel Worlds might make for a good testing ground. (*Standard disclaimer- I am not being paid for this mention, got the product for free, etc....) The idea came to me to try this for Gravel Worlds when I eschewed the idea of using a seat bag and found my Top Tube Garage Bag was getting a bit crowded. I realized this Tube Strap thing-a-ma jig just might clear up some space, if I could figure out where to put it. I tried the obvious- the seat post- but my thighs grazed it and that is a definite no-go with me! But hanging from the top tube? Hmm... 

I tried that and it was a winner. Now, I may not carry what I have in it now- a tube, tire lever, CO2 cartridge inflation system- but I do need to have a spare tube, the tire levers, and I think I'll be throwing on a Stan's NoTubes DART tool. That should do it there.

I could have gone with one of the three tool rolls I have on review, but for some reason I just do not want to do that for Gravel Worlds. I really wanted to keep anything off the saddle or on the seat post proper. Part of my minimizing scheme. That said, I may change my mind here. Stay tuned..... 

The Redshift Sports ShockStop Seat Post and Ravemen Tail Light.

The one and only time I finished Gravel Worlds was a time a used a shock absorbing seat post. I remember it made the wash-boarded out roads livable and it saved me from a lot of saddle fatigue. Over a 150 miles, these sorts of products pay dividends. 

Well, I have at my disposal a Redshift Sports ShockStop seat post which was reviewed for RidingGravel.com once upon a time recently. (*Insert standard disclaimer here) So, I figured, why not use it? It weighs more than the Whiskey carbon post that was in there, but as I said- this is a looooong ride. Comfort and rider freshness is king. This seat post is dialed and works really well. So, I'm using it. By the way, this bike already was fitted with a Redshift Sports ShockStop stem as well. So, I've got that benefit going for me up front also. 

I'm also going to be using one of the Ravemen tail lights, but likely not the one shown. I have one that mounts on the seat stay which is there, but not shown in the image here. The seat stay mounted one has a longer run time, a better mount, and so it won out for the job at Gravel Worlds. (*Disclaimer: I paid for these lights at a discounted rate for test and review on RidingGravel.com)

A look at things as they sit now.

Okay, so I've gotten things dialed in with a bit finer focus now, but there is still work to do. I need to get my nutrition lined up and do a dry run packing that onto the bike. I'll likely tweak out the tube strap cargo, figure out which of a myriad of multi-tools I want onboard, and maybe a few other odd-ball things here and there. But what you see here, minus the dust, is pretty much what I will be pedaling out of Lincoln Nebraska in a couple of weeks time. 

Oh, and there is one major change yet to be revealed. That would be the race-day wheel and tire set up. These wheels and tires are heavier than what I will be using, and that was planned ahead of time. I may get in a quick ride or two, but pretty soon I'll be swapping over to the other set of wheels to make sure everything is copacetic with that wheel and tire combo. 

Questions, thoughts, concerns? Leave me a comment. Otherwise, stay tuned.....

*Standard Disclaimer Page can be found under the header: To save my having to write out my disclaimer for various items and products I use, I have written a "Standard Disclaimer" and made it a page with its own description/explanation. You can access it under the header where it says "Standard Disclaimer". I will only add in disclaimers now if there is a modification, as with the Ravemen lights which I did purchase with my own money, but at a discounted rate. Thanks!

Here We Go! Gravel Worlds Prep On The MCD

Gotta Know Where To Go!

Okay, I had something cleared up this past weekend which was necessary to know what I was going to be doing at the upcoming Gravel Worlds event in Lincoln, Nebraska. I was going either way, it was just a question of for what purpose. That's all I'm a'gunna say 'bout that. I just mention this because I wasn't going to post about Gravel Worlds prep until I had that hurdle cleared. Now that my purpose is clear, I am going to discuss my rig here for my attempt at finishing this 150 mile beast of a ride. 

First off, you probably inferred by my "Water Carriers" posts that something was up, and this is it. Gravel Worlds! I needed to have the ability to carry enough fluids to get from place to place on the route and not be in a deficit. Well, as you know, that has been addressed. 

So, here we have the 'rest of the story', so to speak. First up is navigation. I already showed off my home made cue sheet holder, and the next order of business from a navigational point of view was to get some way to count down the miles so I could follow cue sheets. Now, yes- Gravel Worlds has downloadable GPS navigation for their courses. But the thing is- I do not own a GPS unit that allows me to follow a course. My Lezyne computer is kind of a dinosaur in that you have to have your phone linked up to it to be able to use turn-by-turn navigation, which I always thought was bogus. So, I never bothered to ever try it out. Heck, sometimes I leave my phone at home. I like it that way. So, having to tether my phone to a navigation device seemed dumb to my way of thinking. 

Anyway, so I needed to go the old school route, and thankfully Gravel Worlds does cues yet. Otherwise, honestly- I probably wouldn't go. Any event that assumes you will have an expensive piece of gear to be able to come to their event is not my kind of event. Nuff said.....  

Okay, so I have this Sigma computer on there, and it is a wireless unit, so we'll see how that goes. As long as it counts mileage, it will make my job easier. That and tell me the time, (which I don't really need now since I wear an Apple watch) - that's all I need. So, I'm good to go there once I get the cues from Gravel Worlds and print them out. Elevation gain? Who really cares? It is what it is. Ya gotta ride the course and whatever hills they put in there. Doesn't really matter now or afterward what the numbers are to me. It'll be hard, I know that!

The KOM Tube Strap

Next up we have a storage solution in the KOM Tube Strap. It is a new product for KOM Cycling which they are having me review for RidingGravel.com. I figured Gravel Worlds might make for a good testing ground. (*Standard disclaimer- I am not being paid for this mention, got the product for free, etc....) The idea came to me to try this for Gravel Worlds when I eschewed the idea of using a seat bag and found my Top Tube Garage Bag was getting a bit crowded. I realized this Tube Strap thing-a-ma jig just might clear up some space, if I could figure out where to put it. I tried the obvious- the seat post- but my thighs grazed it and that is a definite no-go with me! But hanging from the top tube? Hmm... 

I tried that and it was a winner. Now, I may not carry what I have in it now- a tube, tire lever, CO2 cartridge inflation system- but I do need to have a spare tube, the tire levers, and I think I'll be throwing on a Stan's NoTubes DART tool. That should do it there.

I could have gone with one of the three tool rolls I have on review, but for some reason I just do not want to do that for Gravel Worlds. I really wanted to keep anything off the saddle or on the seat post proper. Part of my minimizing scheme. That said, I may change my mind here. Stay tuned..... 

The Redshift Sports ShockStop Seat Post and Ravemen Tail Light.

The one and only time I finished Gravel Worlds was a time a used a shock absorbing seat post. I remember it made the wash-boarded out roads livable and it saved me from a lot of saddle fatigue. Over a 150 miles, these sorts of products pay dividends. 

Well, I have at my disposal a Redshift Sports ShockStop seat post which was reviewed for RidingGravel.com once upon a time recently. (*Insert standard disclaimer here) So, I figured, why not use it? It weighs more than the Whiskey carbon post that was in there, but as I said- this is a looooong ride. Comfort and rider freshness is king. This seat post is dialed and works really well. So, I'm using it. By the way, this bike already was fitted with a Redshift Sports ShockStop stem as well. So, I've got that benefit going for me up front also. 

I'm also going to be using one of the Ravemen tail lights, but likely not the one shown. I have one that mounts on the seat stay which is there, but not shown in the image here. The seat stay mounted one has a longer run time, a better mount, and so it won out for the job at Gravel Worlds. (*Disclaimer: I paid for these lights at a discounted rate for test and review on RidingGravel.com)

A look at things as they sit now.

Okay, so I've gotten things dialed in with a bit finer focus now, but there is still work to do. I need to get my nutrition lined up and do a dry run packing that onto the bike. I'll likely tweak out the tube strap cargo, figure out which of a myriad of multi-tools I want onboard, and maybe a few other odd-ball things here and there. But what you see here, minus the dust, is pretty much what I will be pedaling out of Lincoln Nebraska in a couple of weeks time. 

Oh, and there is one major change yet to be revealed. That would be the race-day wheel and tire set up. These wheels and tires are heavier than what I will be using, and that was planned ahead of time. I may get in a quick ride or two, but pretty soon I'll be swapping over to the other set of wheels to make sure everything is copacetic with that wheel and tire combo. 

Questions, thoughts, concerns? Leave me a comment. Otherwise, stay tuned.....

*Standard Disclaimer Page can be found under the header: To save my having to write out my disclaimer for various items and products I use, I have written a "Standard Disclaimer" and made it a page with its own description/explanation. You can access it under the header where it says "Standard Disclaimer". I will only add in disclaimers now if there is a modification, as with the Ravemen lights which I did purchase with my own money, but at a discounted rate. Thanks!