Friday News And Views

The FS-i hard tail in throwback 90's Team Edition colors.

Cannondale Issues Throwback Scheme:

Throwbacks. You know, NFL jerseys, NASCAR paint schemes, reissue vintage shoe designs, etc.... Everyone is doing the nostalgia trick these days. So, bicycle companies were ripe for jumping in, and why not? Some of these old liveries were pretty classy.

Take the heyday of the 90's NORBA era Cannondale Team frames. That simple, yet classy looking red with yellow lettering was easily recognized back then as being Cannondale's colors. Cannondale decided to reissue this classic scheme on their top end hard tail 29"er frame with a painted to match Ocho Lefty fork. You can squint your eyes and see Tinker Juarez big ringing it up a climb, right?

All it needs to finish it off is a Magic Motorcycle crank and a negative rise stem. Boom! Don't forget the skinwall tires.

There is another color available on this frame, which is the late 90's/early 00's Team Blue, which I never liked all that much. Too bad they didn't stick with red. Oh, yeah.......this is very limited and very expensive. But you probably figured that out already.

12 speed, Eagle compatible bar end and thumb shifters. Image courtesy of Bikepacking.com

Eagle Compatible Microshift Bar End And Thumbshifters Debut:

I get that some of you out there are big fans of Eagle wide range 1X set ups. I came across this story at Bikepacking.com and figured I would share it here. Basically it is the Microshift bar end and thumbshifter models tweaked to be used with 12 speed Eagle cassettes or Microshift's own cassette.

The story goes that you can use these as index shifters or as a friction shifter. Not sure how that would go as a friction shifter, but hey! In a pinch, it would get you back to the shed. Plus, these sorts of shifters are the kind of component that would survive in the worst sorts of conditions where others might fail more easily. I'm a big fan of this sort of thing myself.

As of now there are no prices or availability on these components. They were shown at the recently held Taipei Cycle show which is a show for the industry to get a handle on what is available to spec on future models. These likely will be offered separately and perhaps even a company like Gevanelle will get on board and do a version with the TRP brake lever.

It's really PINK!

There's A New Sealant In Town:

Tubeless tire sealants come and go. I've tried so many that I cannot remember them all. Probably every type you have heard about and some that you haven't heard about. Anyway, most of them are not worth the bother. Some were really good, but for whatever reason, they never got off the ground. One in particular I liked was GEAX sealant. It came in an aerosol can kind of like a mini whipped cream can. It sealed punctures like nobody's business. But many people never heard of it.

Of course, you have your Stan's. The stuff all sealants are judged against. The upstart Orange Seal is probably #2 on the list, and then there is........everybody else. That Finish Line stuff? Pfffft! Don't even try it. Not even close to being as good as Orange Seal.

But I tried a new sealant to me recently that has impressed me. Muc-Off is the brand name and No Puncture Hassle Tubeless Sealant is in the game now. You can read my linked review for the details.

But here we go again- will this even ever get on people's radar? Sealants are "not to be messed with", so folks just default to Stan's. Ya gotta hand it to them. They have really cornered the market on sealant, and Orange Seal, while a big contender, is still a long ways away from dethroning Stan's. To get a foothold in the door isn't easy, but I sure hope folks give Muc-Off sealant a try, if only because they have a nice packaging set up which is reusable and a couple other neat tricks.

The Almanzo 100 and concurrent events are changing venue.

Bombshell Announcement On Venue Change:

Friday night at midnight the Almanzo (Read: Chris Skogen) events announced a venue change was in store. Citing the philosophy embodied in the statement "......we don’t go where we’re not wanted.", Skogen let on that the city of Spring Valley had an exchange with him that was "...less than welcoming". He then went on to say that he had contacted Preston, Minnesota, a town on the course for the last nine years, about hosting. Apparently they already do a town festival on the weekend of May Skogen has chosen to run the Almanzo and they were not capable of providing enough support for an event the magnitude of Almanzo. Apparently, negotiations are underway at this point to hold the event in Northfield, Minnesota. This would be approximately 80 miles away from Spring Valley.

Comments: This is a major shift in the Almanzo. It has traditionally always been a Southeast Minnesota event, which started originally in Rochester, Minnesota, and moved to Spring Valley after about four years.  The move means that assuredly almost none of the original courses for the Almanzo 100 will be in use again. No mention was made regarding the Royal 165 or the 380 mile Alexander courses which also originated out of Spring Valley. It would be pretty incredible if all three courses were changed before next May, but again- no word on this yet.

What is interesting is that now the starting town, assuming that all negotiations and plans go forward with Northfield, will only be about 40-50 miles from the Twin Cities, which always was Almanzo's biggest draw as far as riders which attended the event was concerned.Attendance will probably be higher as long as the weather is not heinous, given that Skogen continues with his "no limits" roster, which he has doggedly held to for quite some time.

Northfield stands to benefit greatly. At the time Almanzo happens, the two local colleges should be done with classes. (Or close to it), and there shouldn't be any issues with filling all the spots in the local motels. Camping is being discussed and the local economy stands to benefit greatly from the weekend. How the locals will take it is quite another thing, but we'll stay tuned on that and see how it goes....

That's all I have this week for FN&V. Have a great weekend! Enjoy Global Fat Bike Day, if you are so inclined.

Friday News And Views

The FS-i hard tail in throwback 90's Team Edition colors.

Cannondale Issues Throwback Scheme:

Throwbacks. You know, NFL jerseys, NASCAR paint schemes, reissue vintage shoe designs, etc.... Everyone is doing the nostalgia trick these days. So, bicycle companies were ripe for jumping in, and why not? Some of these old liveries were pretty classy.

Take the heyday of the 90's NORBA era Cannondale Team frames. That simple, yet classy looking red with yellow lettering was easily recognized back then as being Cannondale's colors. Cannondale decided to reissue this classic scheme on their top end hard tail 29"er frame with a painted to match Ocho Lefty fork. You can squint your eyes and see Tinker Juarez big ringing it up a climb, right?

All it needs to finish it off is a Magic Motorcycle crank and a negative rise stem. Boom! Don't forget the skinwall tires.

There is another color available on this frame, which is the late 90's/early 00's Team Blue, which I never liked all that much. Too bad they didn't stick with red. Oh, yeah.......this is very limited and very expensive. But you probably figured that out already.

12 speed, Eagle compatible bar end and thumb shifters. Image courtesy of Bikepacking.com

Eagle Compatible Microshift Bar End And Thumbshifters Debut:

I get that some of you out there are big fans of Eagle wide range 1X set ups. I came across this story at Bikepacking.com and figured I would share it here. Basically it is the Microshift bar end and thumbshifter models tweaked to be used with 12 speed Eagle cassettes or Microshift's own cassette.

The story goes that you can use these as index shifters or as a friction shifter. Not sure how that would go as a friction shifter, but hey! In a pinch, it would get you back to the shed. Plus, these sorts of shifters are the kind of component that would survive in the worst sorts of conditions where others might fail more easily. I'm a big fan of this sort of thing myself.

As of now there are no prices or availability on these components. They were shown at the recently held Taipei Cycle show which is a show for the industry to get a handle on what is available to spec on future models. These likely will be offered separately and perhaps even a company like Gevanelle will get on board and do a version with the TRP brake lever.

It's really PINK!

There's A New Sealant In Town:

Tubeless tire sealants come and go. I've tried so many that I cannot remember them all. Probably every type you have heard about and some that you haven't heard about. Anyway, most of them are not worth the bother. Some were really good, but for whatever reason, they never got off the ground. One in particular I liked was GEAX sealant. It came in an aerosol can kind of like a mini whipped cream can. It sealed punctures like nobody's business. But many people never heard of it.

Of course, you have your Stan's. The stuff all sealants are judged against. The upstart Orange Seal is probably #2 on the list, and then there is........everybody else. That Finish Line stuff? Pfffft! Don't even try it. Not even close to being as good as Orange Seal.

But I tried a new sealant to me recently that has impressed me. Muc-Off is the brand name and No Puncture Hassle Tubeless Sealant is in the game now. You can read my linked review for the details.

But here we go again- will this even ever get on people's radar? Sealants are "not to be messed with", so folks just default to Stan's. Ya gotta hand it to them. They have really cornered the market on sealant, and Orange Seal, while a big contender, is still a long ways away from dethroning Stan's. To get a foothold in the door isn't easy, but I sure hope folks give Muc-Off sealant a try, if only because they have a nice packaging set up which is reusable and a couple other neat tricks.

The Almanzo 100 and concurrent events are changing venue.

Bombshell Announcement On Venue Change:

Friday night at midnight the Almanzo (Read: Chris Skogen) events announced a venue change was in store. Citing the philosophy embodied in the statement "......we don’t go where we’re not wanted.", Skogen let on that the city of Spring Valley had an exchange with him that was "...less than welcoming". He then went on to say that he had contacted Preston, Minnesota, a town on the course for the last nine years, about hosting. Apparently they already do a town festival on the weekend of May Skogen has chosen to run the Almanzo and they were not capable of providing enough support for an event the magnitude of Almanzo. Apparently, negotiations are underway at this point to hold the event in Northfield, Minnesota. This would be approximately 80 miles away from Spring Valley.

Comments: This is a major shift in the Almanzo. It has traditionally always been a Southeast Minnesota event, which started originally in Rochester, Minnesota, and moved to Spring Valley after about four years.  The move means that assuredly almost none of the original courses for the Almanzo 100 will be in use again. No mention was made regarding the Royal 165 or the 380 mile Alexander courses which also originated out of Spring Valley. It would be pretty incredible if all three courses were changed before next May, but again- no word on this yet.

What is interesting is that now the starting town, assuming that all negotiations and plans go forward with Northfield, will only be about 40-50 miles from the Twin Cities, which always was Almanzo's biggest draw as far as riders which attended the event was concerned.Attendance will probably be higher as long as the weather is not heinous, given that Skogen continues with his "no limits" roster, which he has doggedly held to for quite some time.

Northfield stands to benefit greatly. At the time Almanzo happens, the two local colleges should be done with classes. (Or close to it), and there shouldn't be any issues with filling all the spots in the local motels. Camping is being discussed and the local economy stands to benefit greatly from the weekend. How the locals will take it is quite another thing, but we'll stay tuned on that and see how it goes....

That's all I have this week for FN&V. Have a great weekend! Enjoy Global Fat Bike Day, if you are so inclined.

A Visit From An Old Friend

1992 Klein Attitude

Warning: Way Back Machine Post: 

When I started off road biking on an actual  off road bicycle, (as opposed to just riding any ol' bike in the woods), it was on a Mongoose Sycamore. It was an okay bike, but at the time, the shop where I had purchased it had a screaming pink frame with a custom build that would have fit me to a tee, but it was about $200.00 more than I wanted to spend. That bike was super sweet, and deeply discounted.

I always kicked myself for not getting it, and "settling" for the Sycamore. Not that the Sycamore was "bad", it was just barely enough bike for what I was doing then. That pink number was a purpose built single track shredder. It would have been all that I needed.

Well, the Sycamore was showing the kinks in its armor when I took it down to the local bike shop at the time, Advantage Cyclery in Cedar Falls. The owner took me aside and kindly explained how I needed the "right tool for the job" that I was doing. It all made sense. So, in late summer of 1991, I started looking for a new rig.

I got stacks of catalogs, magazines, talked to lots of folks, and the owner of Advantage. Finally, in very early 1992, I decided on a Klein in Sunset Linear Fade.

Do Your Eyes Hurt Yet?

The Sunset Linear Fade was waaaay bright and had pink in it, like that bike I let get away. The cool thing about the paint job was that from a direct front view, it was yellow, from the side- orange, and from the back- pink. It was perfectly eye searing and I thought it was awesome. Yeah- I bought it for the paint job! Well- that and it had a press fit bottom bracket and a press fit, over sized bearing head set. Low maintenance and way ahead of its time.

The problem was- for me- that the frame was ultra-stiff. Crazy stiff! So stiff that even small "G-outs" on our local trails would rebound the back end into the air. I crashed so many times due to this bike it wasn't funny. At least it wasn't to me.

So one day at work a former shop race team bike came in. It was a Park Pre 925 in the neon yellow/blue colors. It was steel, my size, and rode about 10,000 times better than the Klein did. I picked it up and the Klein slowly started getting less and less rides. In a last ditch effort to make it work, I had a custom aluminum spacer machined so I could insert a Softride suspension stem into the steer tube. It helped, but I didn't like the weird monkey motion that it induced. So.....in 1996, I sold the bike.

I knew it was still in town, and I am amazed to say that it pretty much, (with exception of the rear wheel and saddle), is exactly the way I had it in 1996. It came in for servicing the other day, and I got to clean it up one last time.

Just like the old days. See ya down the trail, old friend!

A Visit From An Old Friend

1992 Klein Attitude

Warning: Way Back Machine Post: 

When I started off road biking on an actual  off road bicycle, (as opposed to just riding any ol' bike in the woods), it was on a Mongoose Sycamore. It was an okay bike, but at the time, the shop where I had purchased it had a screaming pink frame with a custom build that would have fit me to a tee, but it was about $200.00 more than I wanted to spend. That bike was super sweet, and deeply discounted.

I always kicked myself for not getting it, and "settling" for the Sycamore. Not that the Sycamore was "bad", it was just barely enough bike for what I was doing then. That pink number was a purpose built single track shredder. It would have been all that I needed.

Well, the Sycamore was showing the kinks in its armor when I took it down to the local bike shop at the time, Advantage Cyclery in Cedar Falls. The owner took me aside and kindly explained how I needed the "right tool for the job" that I was doing. It all made sense. So, in late summer of 1991, I started looking for a new rig.

I got stacks of catalogs, magazines, talked to lots of folks, and the owner of Advantage. Finally, in very early 1992, I decided on a Klein in Sunset Linear Fade.

Do Your Eyes Hurt Yet?

The Sunset Linear Fade was waaaay bright and had pink in it, like that bike I let get away. The cool thing about the paint job was that from a direct front view, it was yellow, from the side- orange, and from the back- pink. It was perfectly eye searing and I thought it was awesome. Yeah- I bought it for the paint job! Well- that and it had a press fit bottom bracket and a press fit, over sized bearing head set. Low maintenance and way ahead of its time.

The problem was- for me- that the frame was ultra-stiff. Crazy stiff! So stiff that even small "G-outs" on our local trails would rebound the back end into the air. I crashed so many times due to this bike it wasn't funny. At least it wasn't to me.

So one day at work a former shop race team bike came in. It was a Park Pre 925 in the neon yellow/blue colors. It was steel, my size, and rode about 10,000 times better than the Klein did. I picked it up and the Klein slowly started getting less and less rides. In a last ditch effort to make it work, I had a custom aluminum spacer machined so I could insert a Softride suspension stem into the steer tube. It helped, but I didn't like the weird monkey motion that it induced. So.....in 1996, I sold the bike.

I knew it was still in town, and I am amazed to say that it pretty much, (with exception of the rear wheel and saddle), is exactly the way I had it in 1996. It came in for servicing the other day, and I got to clean it up one last time.

Just like the old days. See ya down the trail, old friend!

The Way It Was- What's In My Work Stand!

Mike over at Black Mountain Cycles gets his fair share of cool vintage rides in his shop, but he is at the epicenter of modern day mountain biking, so that makes sense. But out here in the "hinterlands", a cool vintage mtb isn't as common. When you see one roll through the shop, it's cause for a pause! Take this gem of a Giant Cadex that I had the pleasure of working on yesterday.

That's first generation XTR stuff there my friends! Still one of the prettiest cranks ever made,in my opinion. And those are the original clipless pedal for mountain biking there too. The Shimano M-737, I believe. Note the blue alloy chain ring bolts and Ringle' bottle cages, which were good looking, but didn't work all that well. But hey! They were good looking!

XTR continues here with the brakes. Notice the "eyeball" straddle cable mount. The seat binder is a Ringle' piece, and you can see the carbon fiber/aluminum construction of the Cadex frame here. Glued wonder bike! By the way, these frames were not all that light. Rather heavy actually.

Okay, here's the most amazing thing, in my mind, about the whole bike. These are original Tioga Psycho John Tomac signature "butterscotch" skin wall tires. I don't think I've ever seen these before, and to see them in this outstanding condition is unheard of. These tires generally succumbed to dry rot at an alarming rate. Those are Marwi titanium spokes that are "rainbow" anodized with blue alloy nipples

A rare cream colored Rock Shox mag 21 SL fork graces the front along with another "eyeball" hangar on the brake cable. XTR head set too. Note that the pads up front were changed out to Ritchey pads. Another amazing thing about the bike is that all the cable housings are XTR branded! You can see the hint of blue Ringle' skewers here, as well.

First generation XTR hubs.......mmmmmmmmm.......can you say smooooooth!?

Muy Caliente'! A Selle San Marco HP saddle with Salsa "Pepperman" embroidery. In primo condition no less! All a top another XTR piece. That's right, a beautiful XTR seat post graced this rig too.

And the rear derailleur, shifters, and front derailleur were all XTR along with the bottom bracket. The only odd thing about this whole bike, which was detailed out to include blue alloy presta valve caps, was that the stem and handlebar were a rather pedestrian Zoom branded ensemble. I would have expected something on the order of a Ringle' stem and Answer Hyperlite bar, but the bar ends were Tioga "Power Studs" in a matching ano blue with no scratches!

This bike is a great "period piece" and reflects the gear of the day circa 1995. A top notch rig, albeit with the Zoom stuff, and a great representation of the "lug and glue" school of frame construction which reached a zenith about this time.

The Way It Was- What's In My Work Stand!

Mike over at Black Mountain Cycles gets his fair share of cool vintage rides in his shop, but he is at the epicenter of modern day mountain biking, so that makes sense. But out here in the "hinterlands", a cool vintage mtb isn't as common. When you see one roll through the shop, it's cause for a pause! Take this gem of a Giant Cadex that I had the pleasure of working on yesterday.

That's first generation XTR stuff there my friends! Still one of the prettiest cranks ever made,in my opinion. And those are the original clipless pedal for mountain biking there too. The Shimano M-737, I believe. Note the blue alloy chain ring bolts and Ringle' bottle cages, which were good looking, but didn't work all that well. But hey! They were good looking!

XTR continues here with the brakes. Notice the "eyeball" straddle cable mount. The seat binder is a Ringle' piece, and you can see the carbon fiber/aluminum construction of the Cadex frame here. Glued wonder bike! By the way, these frames were not all that light. Rather heavy actually.

Okay, here's the most amazing thing, in my mind, about the whole bike. These are original Tioga Psycho John Tomac signature "butterscotch" skin wall tires. I don't think I've ever seen these before, and to see them in this outstanding condition is unheard of. These tires generally succumbed to dry rot at an alarming rate. Those are Marwi titanium spokes that are "rainbow" anodized with blue alloy nipples

A rare cream colored Rock Shox mag 21 SL fork graces the front along with another "eyeball" hangar on the brake cable. XTR head set too. Note that the pads up front were changed out to Ritchey pads. Another amazing thing about the bike is that all the cable housings are XTR branded! You can see the hint of blue Ringle' skewers here, as well.

First generation XTR hubs.......mmmmmmmmm.......can you say smooooooth!?

Muy Caliente'! A Selle San Marco HP saddle with Salsa "Pepperman" embroidery. In primo condition no less! All a top another XTR piece. That's right, a beautiful XTR seat post graced this rig too.

And the rear derailleur, shifters, and front derailleur were all XTR along with the bottom bracket. The only odd thing about this whole bike, which was detailed out to include blue alloy presta valve caps, was that the stem and handlebar were a rather pedestrian Zoom branded ensemble. I would have expected something on the order of a Ringle' stem and Answer Hyperlite bar, but the bar ends were Tioga "Power Studs" in a matching ano blue with no scratches!

This bike is a great "period piece" and reflects the gear of the day circa 1995. A top notch rig, albeit with the Zoom stuff, and a great representation of the "lug and glue" school of frame construction which reached a zenith about this time.