Friday News And Views

 Inventory Builds Up As Consumer Demand Cools:

You've already seen the ads on your feeds, most likely. The discounting of bicycles and cycling gear is full-on once again. This marks the final swing induced by the pandemic which will affect us all going into 2023. 

Riders will enjoy more choices and bargains on those choices as time marches on toward the holidays. Inventory levels have reached critical mass in some categories with the result being that shipping costs are being forgiven at lower ordering levels for shops and from what I heard, some folks even lost their jobs due to ordering too much stuff at a certain distributor that shall remain nameless.

The inflationary climate has doused the fires of consumer demand as well, sending retailers skittering toward big sales and discounts as we head into the New Year. Some prognosticators of the cycling industry are claiming the fall-out from this may be that retail will suffer and seeing closures is not out of the question. 

Interesting times, to be sure.

The Esker Lorax in titanium (Image courtesy of Esker)

Ti Lorax Introduced:

Last week Esker Cycles announced a couple of new titanium frame offerings- The Walden fat bike and the Lorax gravel bike. 

The Lorax was a steel offering in Esker Cycles previous incarnation, Advocate Cycles. That was back in 2015, but now the Lorax is not Reynolds 531, but titanium. 

It has several mounting options for accessories, as you would expect, tire clearance is a claimed 2" wide for a 700c wheel, and the geometry is pretty good. 75mm bottom bracket drop, 71.5° head tube angles, and a top tube that isn't sloped super crazy so it won't need a really long seat post. The adjustable "Portage" drop outs are cool in case you have to do the single speed bail-out mission. Price with a Wolf Tooth head set, seat collar, and rear through axle is set at $2300.00 USD.

Comments: Not bad, Esker, not bad at all. I always felt as though that the Lorax was a take on the Vaya from Salsa Cycles, and this titanium version does nothing to dispel that notion for me. That's a good thing, because the Vaya is a great, and very underrated, gravel bike choice. I would suspect that this bike would handle very much in the Vaya's vein, which I welcome. 

The price is more than reasonable here, and with a double butted tube set, I would bet that this bike would ride like a dream.

Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Episode #105: The Gravel Amplifier:

Monday afternoon N.Y. Roll and I met at The Stone Castle Estates and recorded the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Podcast #105. We're calling it "The Gravel Amplifier". 

This goes along with the post I made Tuesday which also is about the same thing. But do make sure you click through to the podcast, because there I list a few more events than I did on Tuesday. (See those in the Show Notes)

So, going forward, this could become a series, but that is entirely up to you- the readers. If I get submissions and they pass the sniff test, boom! Amplification happens. If I get radio silence? Then I move on, and nothing gets amplified. I'm not doing the search and destroy for this anymore these days. Here's why......

You'll hear a bit about this if you listen to the podcast, but when I started the Gravel Grinder News calendar in 2009, there was no one else doing what I was doing. As gravel became more popular and more lucrative, players came in to capitalize on my work, and much of what I had dug up and compiled ended up becoming their "content" with no recognition or acknowledgement for where it came from. 

I get it- It's all public knowledge, but it was a cheesy, classless way to obtain a calendar which I did not appreciate. So, I am not going to publish and maintain a calendar to benefit other sites. They can dig up their own stuff. But I will take submissions for certain events, amplify them, and spread the word as best as I can on my channels. So, no calendar of events, but I will help to push those events that otherwise would not get any publicity in cycling media. 

If you are a fan of an event, or like what is happening at an event and want to see it succeed, let me know. Likewise for event promoters. I am here for ya.....

Lay-offs Affect Cyclingtips:

Late on Tuesday afternoon word started to spread via social media that several cuts were made at Outside and especially at Cyclintips, which is a news/technical review site that employs some very well known cycling media personalities. There were several social media posts claiming that Outside had released up to 12% of the staff. (Now confirmed) One person that was confirmed as a lay-off was Senior Editor, Caley Fretz who had joined Cyclingtips in late 2017. 

Lead technical writer for Cyclingtips, James Huang, who retained his position with the company, Tweeted the following on Tuesday evening, "To be clear, I’m still at CyclingTips. But given everyone who was let go, it still feels like I lost a close friend today."

Outside, who had acquired Cyclingtips, Pink Bike, and Trailforks in 2021, also made cuts to Cyclingtips and shut down the mountain bike title, Beta, completely earlier this year in May. 

Comments: As I said, back in May, I don't trust corporations that own a bunch of media titles. But, on the other hand, what should they do? It would seem that most people consume their "news" on social media, podcasts, or on YouTube these days. It would seem that "real", physical magazines are now dinosaurs. It would also appear that trying to get people to give up money to get behind a paywall is not drawing the money/numbers that some thought it might. Advertisers are looking for max-clicks, and apparently, Cyclingtips wasn't drawing big enough numbers. (For a more in-depth look at the situation see this Cycling Industry News article or this from AdWeek)

Interestingly, Pink Bike, which is said to be Outside's biggest draw digitally speaking, is a massive success. It would seem that we are in an era of consolidation/ending of titles and singular, monolithic entities will now control recreational media and, perhaps someday, even your events. (See both Outside and Life Time for examples) 

Lauf, Gravel Worlds, PCL Debut Collab On Seigla Gravel Bike:

Wednesday big news came from the gang at Gravel Worlds. They have partnered with long-time sponsor, Lauf Cycling, to bring a PCL themed Seigla to the masses. 

The Seigla is the newest incarnation of a gravel bike from Lauf  which features the unmistakable Lauf Grit fork, now in its third generation, and clearances for up to 57mm tires. 

Comments: This is a cool collaboration. I like the bike but for its high bottom bracket, which is something I cannot compromise on, but that's maybe just me. 

I love that Lauf and the folks at Gravel Worlds arrived on, what I consider to be, the classic PCL colors of army green and black. I recall that in 2011 at Trans Iowa v7, second place finisher Troy Krause had on the original PCL Army Green/Black jersey and that I just loved that combo. The PCL came out with a reissue of that design which I snagged right away. So, this scheme on the Seigla is a really great idea, to my mind. 

Want one? Check out this link. 
 

 That's all for this week! get out and ride! (Layer up, y'all!) Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

 Inventory Builds Up As Consumer Demand Cools:

You've already seen the ads on your feeds, most likely. The discounting of bicycles and cycling gear is full-on once again. This marks the final swing induced by the pandemic which will affect us all going into 2023. 

Riders will enjoy more choices and bargains on those choices as time marches on toward the holidays. Inventory levels have reached critical mass in some categories with the result being that shipping costs are being forgiven at lower ordering levels for shops and from what I heard, some folks even lost their jobs due to ordering too much stuff at a certain distributor that shall remain nameless.

The inflationary climate has doused the fires of consumer demand as well, sending retailers skittering toward big sales and discounts as we head into the New Year. Some prognosticators of the cycling industry are claiming the fall-out from this may be that retail will suffer and seeing closures is not out of the question. 

Interesting times, to be sure.

The Esker Lorax in titanium (Image courtesy of Esker)

Ti Lorax Introduced:

Last week Esker Cycles announced a couple of new titanium frame offerings- The Walden fat bike and the Lorax gravel bike. 

The Lorax was a steel offering in Esker Cycles previous incarnation, Advocate Cycles. That was back in 2015, but now the Lorax is not Reynolds 531, but titanium. 

It has several mounting options for accessories, as you would expect, tire clearance is a claimed 2" wide for a 700c wheel, and the geometry is pretty good. 75mm bottom bracket drop, 71.5° head tube angles, and a top tube that isn't sloped super crazy so it won't need a really long seat post. The adjustable "Portage" drop outs are cool in case you have to do the single speed bail-out mission. Price with a Wolf Tooth head set, seat collar, and rear through axle is set at $2300.00 USD.

Comments: Not bad, Esker, not bad at all. I always felt as though that the Lorax was a take on the Vaya from Salsa Cycles, and this titanium version does nothing to dispel that notion for me. That's a good thing, because the Vaya is a great, and very underrated, gravel bike choice. I would suspect that this bike would handle very much in the Vaya's vein, which I welcome. 

The price is more than reasonable here, and with a double butted tube set, I would bet that this bike would ride like a dream.

Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Episode #105: The Gravel Amplifier:

Monday afternoon N.Y. Roll and I met at The Stone Castle Estates and recorded the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Podcast #105. We're calling it "The Gravel Amplifier". 

This goes along with the post I made Tuesday which also is about the same thing. But do make sure you click through to the podcast, because there I list a few more events than I did on Tuesday. (See those in the Show Notes)

So, going forward, this could become a series, but that is entirely up to you- the readers. If I get submissions and they pass the sniff test, boom! Amplification happens. If I get radio silence? Then I move on, and nothing gets amplified. I'm not doing the search and destroy for this anymore these days. Here's why......

You'll hear a bit about this if you listen to the podcast, but when I started the Gravel Grinder News calendar in 2009, there was no one else doing what I was doing. As gravel became more popular and more lucrative, players came in to capitalize on my work, and much of what I had dug up and compiled ended up becoming their "content" with no recognition or acknowledgement for where it came from. 

I get it- It's all public knowledge, but it was a cheesy, classless way to obtain a calendar which I did not appreciate. So, I am not going to publish and maintain a calendar to benefit other sites. They can dig up their own stuff. But I will take submissions for certain events, amplify them, and spread the word as best as I can on my channels. So, no calendar of events, but I will help to push those events that otherwise would not get any publicity in cycling media. 

If you are a fan of an event, or like what is happening at an event and want to see it succeed, let me know. Likewise for event promoters. I am here for ya.....

Lay-offs Affect Cyclingtips:

Late on Tuesday afternoon word started to spread via social media that several cuts were made at Outside and especially at Cyclintips, which is a news/technical review site that employs some very well known cycling media personalities. There were several social media posts claiming that Outside had released up to 12% of the staff. (Now confirmed) One person that was confirmed as a lay-off was Senior Editor, Caley Fretz who had joined Cyclingtips in late 2017. 

Lead technical writer for Cyclingtips, James Huang, who retained his position with the company, Tweeted the following on Tuesday evening, "To be clear, I’m still at CyclingTips. But given everyone who was let go, it still feels like I lost a close friend today."

Outside, who had acquired Cyclingtips, Pink Bike, and Trailforks in 2021, also made cuts to Cyclingtips and shut down the mountain bike title, Beta, completely earlier this year in May. 

Comments: As I said, back in May, I don't trust corporations that own a bunch of media titles. But, on the other hand, what should they do? It would seem that most people consume their "news" on social media, podcasts, or on YouTube these days. It would seem that "real", physical magazines are now dinosaurs. It would also appear that trying to get people to give up money to get behind a paywall is not drawing the money/numbers that some thought it might. Advertisers are looking for max-clicks, and apparently, Cyclingtips wasn't drawing big enough numbers. (For a more in-depth look at the situation see this Cycling Industry News article or this from AdWeek)

Interestingly, Pink Bike, which is said to be Outside's biggest draw digitally speaking, is a massive success. It would seem that we are in an era of consolidation/ending of titles and singular, monolithic entities will now control recreational media and, perhaps someday, even your events. (See both Outside and Life Time for examples) 

Lauf, Gravel Worlds, PCL Debut Collab On Seigla Gravel Bike:

Wednesday big news came from the gang at Gravel Worlds. They have partnered with long-time sponsor, Lauf Cycling, to bring a PCL themed Seigla to the masses. 

The Seigla is the newest incarnation of a gravel bike from Lauf  which features the unmistakable Lauf Grit fork, now in its third generation, and clearances for up to 57mm tires. 

Comments: This is a cool collaboration. I like the bike but for its high bottom bracket, which is something I cannot compromise on, but that's maybe just me. 

I love that Lauf and the folks at Gravel Worlds arrived on, what I consider to be, the classic PCL colors of army green and black. I recall that in 2011 at Trans Iowa v7, second place finisher Troy Krause had on the original PCL Army Green/Black jersey and that I just loved that combo. The PCL came out with a reissue of that design which I snagged right away. So, this scheme on the Seigla is a really great idea, to my mind. 

Want one? Check out this link. 
 

 That's all for this week! get out and ride! (Layer up, y'all!) Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Randomonium

 New Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Podcast #104:

Just a reminder that I have another Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Podcast up now if you are so inclined to listen in. N.Y. Roll is my co-host and we discuss a wide range of topics concerning the Gravel Cycling Hall of fame, gravel history, and more. Here is the link to the podcast.

I moved the distribution and production aspects of the podcast in order to ensure a timely release of episodes. Unfortunately that meant that I had to start from zero, in terms of access to the podcast, so it really helps out if you not only listen, but share the link as well.

Thanks for checking the podcast out. 

Cold Weather Clinic: 

I am putting my 20+ years of cold weather riding experiences and know-how into an hour long clinic on November 3rd, at 6:30pm at the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective in downtown Waterloo. 

While it is obviously impossible to cover everything in an hour or so, I am going to download a significant amount of tips and there is going to be a PDF, (I think) of my clinic available to CVBC members. 

Perhaps I will also pull that and a bit more into a mini-series here on the blog afterward. It might prove useful to you readers out there. At least those who are not busy "zwifting", or whatever it is that you call doing that is. (All I know is that ain't fer me!) 

So, if you have any great cold weather tips you'd like me to pass on, just share them in the comments. I'll take those and what I have, share at the clinic, and then I'll post up a series here on what I have as well later in November. 

Header for the Save RAGBRAI Facebook page.

Is The End Nigh For RAGBRAI?:

This week I found out that there was some drama brewing concerning RAGBRAI again. (Remember all the hullabaloo when "Iowa's Ride" split off?) 

It isn't news to hear that the newspaper business is floundering. No one really reads physical newspapers anymore and digital renderings of newspapers don't seem to attract the advertising revenues that the old print newspapers once did. Large corporate news behemoths, like Gannett, who own the Des Moines Register and the sub-corporation, Ventures Endurance, which runs RAGBRAI now, are experiencing deep financial turmoil. So bad are things looking in from the outside that the former director of RAGBRAI, who just left his post recently, has started a "Save RAGRAI" Facebook page to air his concerns. His perspective could be questioned, seeing as he may have an axe to grind, or he could very well be raising red flags which should be acknowledged. I don't know. 

Comments: Claims of overnight towns from the 2022 route not getting paid, claims that RAGBRAI has not upheld contractual obligations, and claims of non-communication from Venture Endurance don't sound great here, but let's be honest- RAGBRAI isn't going to "die" anytime soon. Here are the facts: With upwards of 20.000 registered riders (claimed by Dieter Drake for 2022 ridership numbers), at $175.00 a pop to register, and considering all the business that can be generated out of those numbers in concessions, souvenirs, etc, the economics of RAGBRAI are just too big to ignore. 

The ride isn't going away but it is looking more and more like it may change. It may change a LOT. Think about the whole "Iowa's Ride" fiasco. Had the pandemic not interfered with that, I can totally imagine how that ride may have eventually taken over the spot in July which RAGBRAI has held. It was certainly apparent that a potential was there, and that potential is still there today.

My belief is that despite what may happen to Gannett, RAGBRAI will survive in some form. And even IF it doesn't, something will arise to take its place on the calendar. There is just too much money and tradition on the table for something like RAGBRAI to just disappear now. In the future? Maybe whatever is left over won't be done in a manner that people find attractive and things will fizzle out. That's an outcome I could see happening also. 

But change seems imminent. There has been a lot of upheaval surrounding RAGBRAI in the past five years and I don't think we've seen what the outcome of those forces on that event will be just yet.

Randomonium

 New Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Podcast #104:

Just a reminder that I have another Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Podcast up now if you are so inclined to listen in. N.Y. Roll is my co-host and we discuss a wide range of topics concerning the Gravel Cycling Hall of fame, gravel history, and more. Here is the link to the podcast.

I moved the distribution and production aspects of the podcast in order to ensure a timely release of episodes. Unfortunately that meant that I had to start from zero, in terms of access to the podcast, so it really helps out if you not only listen, but share the link as well.

Thanks for checking the podcast out. 

Cold Weather Clinic: 

I am putting my 20+ years of cold weather riding experiences and know-how into an hour long clinic on November 3rd, at 6:30pm at the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective in downtown Waterloo. 

While it is obviously impossible to cover everything in an hour or so, I am going to download a significant amount of tips and there is going to be a PDF, (I think) of my clinic available to CVBC members. 

Perhaps I will also pull that and a bit more into a mini-series here on the blog afterward. It might prove useful to you readers out there. At least those who are not busy "zwifting", or whatever it is that you call doing that is. (All I know is that ain't fer me!) 

So, if you have any great cold weather tips you'd like me to pass on, just share them in the comments. I'll take those and what I have, share at the clinic, and then I'll post up a series here on what I have as well later in November. 

Header for the Save RAGBRAI Facebook page.

Is The End Nigh For RAGBRAI?:

This week I found out that there was some drama brewing concerning RAGBRAI again. (Remember all the hullabaloo when "Iowa's Ride" split off?) 

It isn't news to hear that the newspaper business is floundering. No one really reads physical newspapers anymore and digital renderings of newspapers don't seem to attract the advertising revenues that the old print newspapers once did. Large corporate news behemoths, like Gannett, who own the Des Moines Register and the sub-corporation, Ventures Endurance, which runs RAGBRAI now, are experiencing deep financial turmoil. So bad are things looking in from the outside that the former director of RAGBRAI, who just left his post recently, has started a "Save RAGRAI" Facebook page to air his concerns. His perspective could be questioned, seeing as he may have an axe to grind, or he could very well be raising red flags which should be acknowledged. I don't know. 

Comments: Claims of overnight towns from the 2022 route not getting paid, claims that RAGBRAI has not upheld contractual obligations, and claims of non-communication from Venture Endurance don't sound great here, but let's be honest- RAGBRAI isn't going to "die" anytime soon. Here are the facts: With upwards of 20.000 registered riders (claimed by Dieter Drake for 2022 ridership numbers), at $175.00 a pop to register, and considering all the business that can be generated out of those numbers in concessions, souvenirs, etc, the economics of RAGBRAI are just too big to ignore. 

The ride isn't going away but it is looking more and more like it may change. It may change a LOT. Think about the whole "Iowa's Ride" fiasco. Had the pandemic not interfered with that, I can totally imagine how that ride may have eventually taken over the spot in July which RAGBRAI has held. It was certainly apparent that a potential was there, and that potential is still there today.

My belief is that despite what may happen to Gannett, RAGBRAI will survive in some form. And even IF it doesn't, something will arise to take its place on the calendar. There is just too much money and tradition on the table for something like RAGBRAI to just disappear now. In the future? Maybe whatever is left over won't be done in a manner that people find attractive and things will fizzle out. That's an outcome I could see happening also. 

But change seems imminent. There has been a lot of upheaval surrounding RAGBRAI in the past five years and I don't think we've seen what the outcome of those forces on that event will be just yet.

Friday News And Views

Riding Gravel Radio Ranch:

The newest "Riding Gravel Radio Ranch" Episode #103, is out now. (You can get the link here) We're podcasting about once every two weeks now and have the podcast moved to Anchor.fm hosting for a better, more timely distribution of the episodes than we experienced it before. 

I've had some concerns voiced over access. Well, we are growing the podcast from 'ground zero' now and that means our old access was gone and we had to start small and grow it. We are now on Apple podcast as of this episode, so that should help. We are also on Google podcast and on Spotify also. 

So, give it a listen, spread the news, and help this thing grow. I'll have more things to offer in the future, so stay tuned for that as I get to it. As always, please make comments and suggestions if you are so inclined.

From Surly's social media on Tuesday this week.

What's Up At Surly?

These days, social media is the prime vehicle for spreading news and for keeping brands in front of people's eyes.You don't have any media on paper anymore to do that. So, there are no ads to read. There are no "catalogs" either. Independent bike shops don't give you any bandwidth since there are far less of them than there used to be. So, the various social media marketing opportunities are all you really have these days. Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Maybe Tic-Tok and Reddit. If a brand isn't on YouTube you seem to be missing something .

This is why what was witnessed on social media on Tuesday was so puzzling. Surly's social media person posted that - apparently- they were leaving the brand, which, in and of itself, is not such a big deal. But the line that indicated that "It is possible this channel will not be monitored for some time.", that was a bit concerning. Without any new content, that "channell" will go dead really fast. People won't see "Surly" and the brand will fall away from the forefront, because if you don't have it shoved down your eyeballs on socials, then it doesn't exist.

This Surly product was intro'ed by the QBP social, not Surly's

Comments: Of course, what that actually means in terms of Surly the brand and business is purely speculation at this point. But if I were a Surly dealer or fan, this would raise some red flags with me. It'll bear watching, for sure. 

Then again, it all could just be a program to bring all QBP's social media under "one roof", as it were. QBP has mostly run each brand it has as a separate company under the umbrella of QBP. But that may be getting streamlined as cost-cutting measures take hold of the cycling industry.  It would seem foolish, perhaps, to run separate social media departments when you could get that job done by a single department, for example. 

QBP has already had a round of lay-offs. Does this point to more? Could be. We're seeing many companies laying off from all sectors. Saris went bankrupt, The Pro's Closet, an online entity, cut staff, Thule cut 34 jobs and moved its R&D to Swedish headquarters from the USA. MIPS, the helmet technology supplier, saw sales dip 39% in the third quarter according to an industry report. So, if QBP has more cost-cutting to do, it would come as no surprise. Or- Is this a result of the recent lay-offs? That could very well be also.

Shimano RX801 Shoes On Test:

Well, Shimano made some big news this week about its shoe line. They updated the RX8's with the new 801's, but what probably was a bigger deal here was the RX8R, a shoe that adds in a feature found on many Enduro cycling shoes. That would be a "cuff" that is supposedly there to keep debris out and your feet dry. 

It may not seem as though the new RX801's are any different than their predecessor was, but upon careful inspection I found several differences. This is more of an 'evolution' of the RX8. A slightly "tweaked" version of the original, if you will.

One thing I didn't like about the original RX8 was that it was a bit of a pain to put it on and take it off your foot. Shimano addressed this by removing that elastic strap that held the top of the upper to the footbed inside the shoe and by separating the over-flap into what is more like two straps over the instep. 

At first glance, this new shoe seems like no big deal, but when you put the old one on one foot and the new one on the other, you feel a tremendous difference and the new one is definitely better. By the way, MG has the new RX8R, the one with the ankle-high cuff, and he says much the same as I am about the refinements. More soon.... (Standard Disclaimer applies) 

Schmidt Edelux II Dynamo Light. (Image courtesy of Cycle Monkey)

Need A Light:

So, you may recall that my Busch and Mueller IQ-X went belly-up on the Ti Muk II so now I need a light unit for that bike which runs a SON dynamo hub. The logical choice is a Schmidt light to stay with the hub brand I already have. 

I have settled on getting the Edelux II with the Co-Axial Adapter. This new connector set-up looks more durable than the old blade connectors and those fine wires. 

I just have to decide what orientation I want the light in. (You have to chose due to the cut-off beam) So, when I do that, I am going to pull the trigger. That will get me back on the Ti Muk II and that needs to happen sooner than later since, well, you know.  Winter, that's why. 

Otherwise that bike is all good to go. I had just redone the drive train and had just done the hub service. So, having the light go down on me right after all of that was kind of a deflating experience. I guess I was a bit disappointed and, maybe even more so, I was just down about looking at spending a couple hundred plus more than I was prepared to spend. But it isn't as if I don't have the funds now. I just need to do it.

Okay folks, that'll do it for this week. I hope that you all get out for a ride. We're to have our "false Summer" spree here with temps in the 80's for the weekend. The Spotted Horse riders will melt! (Good luck to anyone doing that event this weekend, by the way.) 

Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Riding Gravel Radio Ranch:

The newest "Riding Gravel Radio Ranch" Episode #103, is out now. (You can get the link here) We're podcasting about once every two weeks now and have the podcast moved to Anchor.fm hosting for a better, more timely distribution of the episodes than we experienced it before. 

I've had some concerns voiced over access. Well, we are growing the podcast from 'ground zero' now and that means our old access was gone and we had to start small and grow it. We are now on Apple podcast as of this episode, so that should help. We are also on Google podcast and on Spotify also. 

So, give it a listen, spread the news, and help this thing grow. I'll have more things to offer in the future, so stay tuned for that as I get to it. As always, please make comments and suggestions if you are so inclined.

From Surly's social media on Tuesday this week.

What's Up At Surly?

These days, social media is the prime vehicle for spreading news and for keeping brands in front of people's eyes.You don't have any media on paper anymore to do that. So, there are no ads to read. There are no "catalogs" either. Independent bike shops don't give you any bandwidth since there are far less of them than there used to be. So, the various social media marketing opportunities are all you really have these days. Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Maybe Tic-Tok and Reddit. If a brand isn't on YouTube you seem to be missing something .

This is why what was witnessed on social media on Tuesday was so puzzling. Surly's social media person posted that - apparently- they were leaving the brand, which, in and of itself, is not such a big deal. But the line that indicated that "It is possible this channel will not be monitored for some time.", that was a bit concerning. Without any new content, that "channell" will go dead really fast. People won't see "Surly" and the brand will fall away from the forefront, because if you don't have it shoved down your eyeballs on socials, then it doesn't exist.

This Surly product was intro'ed by the QBP social, not Surly's

Comments: Of course, what that actually means in terms of Surly the brand and business is purely speculation at this point. But if I were a Surly dealer or fan, this would raise some red flags with me. It'll bear watching, for sure. 

Then again, it all could just be a program to bring all QBP's social media under "one roof", as it were. QBP has mostly run each brand it has as a separate company under the umbrella of QBP. But that may be getting streamlined as cost-cutting measures take hold of the cycling industry.  It would seem foolish, perhaps, to run separate social media departments when you could get that job done by a single department, for example. 

QBP has already had a round of lay-offs. Does this point to more? Could be. We're seeing many companies laying off from all sectors. Saris went bankrupt, The Pro's Closet, an online entity, cut staff, Thule cut 34 jobs and moved its R&D to Swedish headquarters from the USA. MIPS, the helmet technology supplier, saw sales dip 39% in the third quarter according to an industry report. So, if QBP has more cost-cutting to do, it would come as no surprise. Or- Is this a result of the recent lay-offs? That could very well be also.

Shimano RX801 Shoes On Test:

Well, Shimano made some big news this week about its shoe line. They updated the RX8's with the new 801's, but what probably was a bigger deal here was the RX8R, a shoe that adds in a feature found on many Enduro cycling shoes. That would be a "cuff" that is supposedly there to keep debris out and your feet dry. 

It may not seem as though the new RX801's are any different than their predecessor was, but upon careful inspection I found several differences. This is more of an 'evolution' of the RX8. A slightly "tweaked" version of the original, if you will.

One thing I didn't like about the original RX8 was that it was a bit of a pain to put it on and take it off your foot. Shimano addressed this by removing that elastic strap that held the top of the upper to the footbed inside the shoe and by separating the over-flap into what is more like two straps over the instep. 

At first glance, this new shoe seems like no big deal, but when you put the old one on one foot and the new one on the other, you feel a tremendous difference and the new one is definitely better. By the way, MG has the new RX8R, the one with the ankle-high cuff, and he says much the same as I am about the refinements. More soon.... (Standard Disclaimer applies) 

Schmidt Edelux II Dynamo Light. (Image courtesy of Cycle Monkey)

Need A Light:

So, you may recall that my Busch and Mueller IQ-X went belly-up on the Ti Muk II so now I need a light unit for that bike which runs a SON dynamo hub. The logical choice is a Schmidt light to stay with the hub brand I already have. 

I have settled on getting the Edelux II with the Co-Axial Adapter. This new connector set-up looks more durable than the old blade connectors and those fine wires. 

I just have to decide what orientation I want the light in. (You have to chose due to the cut-off beam) So, when I do that, I am going to pull the trigger. That will get me back on the Ti Muk II and that needs to happen sooner than later since, well, you know.  Winter, that's why. 

Otherwise that bike is all good to go. I had just redone the drive train and had just done the hub service. So, having the light go down on me right after all of that was kind of a deflating experience. I guess I was a bit disappointed and, maybe even more so, I was just down about looking at spending a couple hundred plus more than I was prepared to spend. But it isn't as if I don't have the funds now. I just need to do it.

Okay folks, that'll do it for this week. I hope that you all get out for a ride. We're to have our "false Summer" spree here with temps in the 80's for the weekend. The Spotted Horse riders will melt! (Good luck to anyone doing that event this weekend, by the way.) 

Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Cervelo's new MTB: Image courtesy of Cervelo

Cervelo Debuts New MTB:

I saw where Cervelo entered the mountain bike market this past week with the unveiling of their newest bicycles, the ZHT-5 series MTB's. I honestly was a bit surprised that Cervelo did not already have a mountain bike in their history of manufacturing bicycles, but there you go. A new frontier for the company and I wish them well in this endeavor.

Comments: Umm....did you see the price for the top of the range? Nearly 10K?!! For a hardtail MTB? That's insane money. I get that it has electronic shifting and all, but wow! That's crazy in my opinion. Now it should be noted that if you take a step down you can spend $4,200.00 less for the GX Eagle AXS model. 

$4,200.00 less. 

I don't know about you, but that leaves me scratching my head. The economics of that makes little sense to my mind. Maybe I'm way off......

Riding Gravel News:

I recently added an update to the Shimano GRX Carbon wheel set review on Riding Gravel. You can go read that if you are interested in that HERE. 

They are pretty good wheels, in my estimation. You can spend less, and you can get lighter wheels at about the same price, but these are Shimano wheels which means that you should be able to get them serviced about anywhere if they would ever need to be serviced. That's kind of an intangible point in terms of value there. 

Also, I have another Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast up with my co-host, N.Y. Roll. If you want to listen to that episode the link is HERE.I've had a few questions about availability on different platforms and I understand that the old feeds aren't working. That's because the podcast is distributed completely differently now due to issues with getting my work posted via the old platform and process I was using. 

Basically, the podcast is starting again from scratch, but at least I know the content will get posted in a timely manner now because I have control over that now. I apologize to anyone who has been disappointed in the change, but it was necessary for me to make some kind of change so that things could flow in a manner that made sense and that was in my hands to do something about.That has happened now, and I understand that the podcast will have to basically grow again from zero.

Tiny Turdette:

I got an email earlier this week from Jen Reed, the RD of "Turds of Misery", (which was actually a rock band's name from the 1970's- really!), and she informed me that there will be no long course event this year. 

But in its place she came up with a 44 mile, filled with Level B Road course. The event is called the "Tiny Turdette", and you can ride it at no charge. Riders are asked to show up at Maquoketa Caves State Park Saturday, October 15th at 10am. 

Jen says that there are no resupply points along the course. It is a fully self-supported ride, and YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF.  That said, Jen says that there are 5 sections of dirt to enjoy along the course. So, check that out if you want to have a fun day on the bike next week. Wish I could be there, but I have to put in my time at the Collective. 

Garmin Gravel Worlds Announces Diversity Future Initiative:

From the press release:

  The Pirate Cycling League, hosts of Garmin Gravel Worlds, have announced their Diversity Future Initiative that will help foster the next generation of cyclists in Lincoln, Nebraska.

In 2023, Garmin Gravel Worlds will donate $2 per rider to a scholarship fund that will support young athletes (Age 12-18) from diverse backgrounds including the BIPOC community, low-income families, and non-binary gender expansive communities.

According to Garmin Gravel Worlds Executive Director and event founder, Corey Godfrey, the initiative is simply to help foster the next generation of cyclists.

“Cycling can be an expensive sport which can create a financial barrier for some,” Godfrey said. “We acknowledge that there are so many kids and families who will never have the opportunity to enjoy cycling because of the that financial barrier to entry. This Diversity Future Initiative and scholarship fund will help support those athletes and eliminate or reduce the financial barrier.”

Garmin Gravel Worlds Director of Operations and Marketing, Jason Strohbehn, said the Diversity Future Initiative will support several local athletes through the local Lancaster Composite team, which competes under the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA).

“Our goal is to raise well over $5,000 that should support 5-8 young athletes and get everything they need to succeed,” Strohbehn said. “Working closely with our local NICA team, this scholarship will provide a bike, equipment, clothing, cycling team, coaching, community, and a supportive environment.

“We want Lincoln, Nebraska to be at the forefront of supporting athletes who are too often left behind, and this scholarship fund could be life changing for many.”

Riders registering for Garmin Gravel Worlds will also have an opportunity to match Gravel Worlds’ $2 donation when they register for any cycling distance for the 2023 event

Comments: I think at one point I suggested that if an event really wanted to make a dent in terms of getting disadvantaged and under-represented folks to their event, maybe they might want to think about paying their way, getting them bikes, and transporting them to their events. Well, I am not suggesting that anyone at Gravel Worlds listens to me, or reads my rants, but this is spot-on to what I was referring to. 

Question: Is the UCI Gravel "World Championships" doing anything like this? How about other U.S. based gravel events? Hmm...... I'm thinking the answer is mostly a big fat "no" on that. Correct me please if I am wrong. I'd like that if I were wrong about that, by the way.  

The Otso "Arctodus" frameset- Image courtesy of Otso Cycles.

Otso Cycles Announces New Arctodus Fat Bike:

There has not been much going on in the world of fat bikes for several years in terms of innovations. However; Otso Cycles has found a way to advance the genre' a bit with the introduction of the Arctodus.

The Arctodus is a CroMoly frame with a carbon fiber fork that has been "future-proofed" to accept tires on 100mm fat bike rims that do not exist yet. But if they did, you could slot in 26" X 5.25'ers, 27.5" X 4.5"ers, or the already available 29"er X 3.0" tires.  

Featuring Otso's "Tuning Chip" rear drop out, owners of the Arctodus will be able to tweak the geometry slightly. The frame is said to accept up to a 36T round chain ring and clear 12 cog cassettes with no tire to chain interference. Otso managed this by offsetting the 12mm X 197 rear end to the drive side by 5mm. Owners will also be able to use an "angle changing head set" from Wolf Tooth to further change the head angle which is a slack, for a fat bike, 68.5°. The fork offset is 51mm. 

Comments: A steel frame set? Interesting. A nod to backcountry type riding and bikepackers should really like this frame for that reason. It'll be interesting also to see if this signals a bigger fat bike tire since they are really making a big deal about the clearances. We'll see, but I'm keeping an eye out here. My old Blackborrow can handle a bigger tire than a 4.8"er too, but maybe not that big!

That's a wrap for this week! Have a safe and happy weekend. Watch out for those harvesters! Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Cervelo's new MTB: Image courtesy of Cervelo

Cervelo Debuts New MTB:

I saw where Cervelo entered the mountain bike market this past week with the unveiling of their newest bicycles, the ZHT-5 series MTB's. I honestly was a bit surprised that Cervelo did not already have a mountain bike in their history of manufacturing bicycles, but there you go. A new frontier for the company and I wish them well in this endeavor.

Comments: Umm....did you see the price for the top of the range? Nearly 10K?!! For a hardtail MTB? That's insane money. I get that it has electronic shifting and all, but wow! That's crazy in my opinion. Now it should be noted that if you take a step down you can spend $4,200.00 less for the GX Eagle AXS model. 

$4,200.00 less. 

I don't know about you, but that leaves me scratching my head. The economics of that makes little sense to my mind. Maybe I'm way off......

Riding Gravel News:

I recently added an update to the Shimano GRX Carbon wheel set review on Riding Gravel. You can go read that if you are interested in that HERE. 

They are pretty good wheels, in my estimation. You can spend less, and you can get lighter wheels at about the same price, but these are Shimano wheels which means that you should be able to get them serviced about anywhere if they would ever need to be serviced. That's kind of an intangible point in terms of value there. 

Also, I have another Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast up with my co-host, N.Y. Roll. If you want to listen to that episode the link is HERE.I've had a few questions about availability on different platforms and I understand that the old feeds aren't working. That's because the podcast is distributed completely differently now due to issues with getting my work posted via the old platform and process I was using. 

Basically, the podcast is starting again from scratch, but at least I know the content will get posted in a timely manner now because I have control over that now. I apologize to anyone who has been disappointed in the change, but it was necessary for me to make some kind of change so that things could flow in a manner that made sense and that was in my hands to do something about.That has happened now, and I understand that the podcast will have to basically grow again from zero.

Tiny Turdette:

I got an email earlier this week from Jen Reed, the RD of "Turds of Misery", (which was actually a rock band's name from the 1970's- really!), and she informed me that there will be no long course event this year. 

But in its place she came up with a 44 mile, filled with Level B Road course. The event is called the "Tiny Turdette", and you can ride it at no charge. Riders are asked to show up at Maquoketa Caves State Park Saturday, October 15th at 10am. 

Jen says that there are no resupply points along the course. It is a fully self-supported ride, and YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF.  That said, Jen says that there are 5 sections of dirt to enjoy along the course. So, check that out if you want to have a fun day on the bike next week. Wish I could be there, but I have to put in my time at the Collective. 

Garmin Gravel Worlds Announces Diversity Future Initiative:

From the press release:

  The Pirate Cycling League, hosts of Garmin Gravel Worlds, have announced their Diversity Future Initiative that will help foster the next generation of cyclists in Lincoln, Nebraska.

In 2023, Garmin Gravel Worlds will donate $2 per rider to a scholarship fund that will support young athletes (Age 12-18) from diverse backgrounds including the BIPOC community, low-income families, and non-binary gender expansive communities.

According to Garmin Gravel Worlds Executive Director and event founder, Corey Godfrey, the initiative is simply to help foster the next generation of cyclists.

“Cycling can be an expensive sport which can create a financial barrier for some,” Godfrey said. “We acknowledge that there are so many kids and families who will never have the opportunity to enjoy cycling because of the that financial barrier to entry. This Diversity Future Initiative and scholarship fund will help support those athletes and eliminate or reduce the financial barrier.”

Garmin Gravel Worlds Director of Operations and Marketing, Jason Strohbehn, said the Diversity Future Initiative will support several local athletes through the local Lancaster Composite team, which competes under the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA).

“Our goal is to raise well over $5,000 that should support 5-8 young athletes and get everything they need to succeed,” Strohbehn said. “Working closely with our local NICA team, this scholarship will provide a bike, equipment, clothing, cycling team, coaching, community, and a supportive environment.

“We want Lincoln, Nebraska to be at the forefront of supporting athletes who are too often left behind, and this scholarship fund could be life changing for many.”

Riders registering for Garmin Gravel Worlds will also have an opportunity to match Gravel Worlds’ $2 donation when they register for any cycling distance for the 2023 event

Comments: I think at one point I suggested that if an event really wanted to make a dent in terms of getting disadvantaged and under-represented folks to their event, maybe they might want to think about paying their way, getting them bikes, and transporting them to their events. Well, I am not suggesting that anyone at Gravel Worlds listens to me, or reads my rants, but this is spot-on to what I was referring to. 

Question: Is the UCI Gravel "World Championships" doing anything like this? How about other U.S. based gravel events? Hmm...... I'm thinking the answer is mostly a big fat "no" on that. Correct me please if I am wrong. I'd like that if I were wrong about that, by the way.  

The Otso "Arctodus" frameset- Image courtesy of Otso Cycles.

Otso Cycles Announces New Arctodus Fat Bike:

There has not been much going on in the world of fat bikes for several years in terms of innovations. However; Otso Cycles has found a way to advance the genre' a bit with the introduction of the Arctodus.

The Arctodus is a CroMoly frame with a carbon fiber fork that has been "future-proofed" to accept tires on 100mm fat bike rims that do not exist yet. But if they did, you could slot in 26" X 5.25'ers, 27.5" X 4.5"ers, or the already available 29"er X 3.0" tires.  

Featuring Otso's "Tuning Chip" rear drop out, owners of the Arctodus will be able to tweak the geometry slightly. The frame is said to accept up to a 36T round chain ring and clear 12 cog cassettes with no tire to chain interference. Otso managed this by offsetting the 12mm X 197 rear end to the drive side by 5mm. Owners will also be able to use an "angle changing head set" from Wolf Tooth to further change the head angle which is a slack, for a fat bike, 68.5°. The fork offset is 51mm. 

Comments: A steel frame set? Interesting. A nod to backcountry type riding and bikepackers should really like this frame for that reason. It'll be interesting also to see if this signals a bigger fat bike tire since they are really making a big deal about the clearances. We'll see, but I'm keeping an eye out here. My old Blackborrow can handle a bigger tire than a 4.8"er too, but maybe not that big!

That's a wrap for this week! Have a safe and happy weekend. Watch out for those harvesters! Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

WTB Adds 40mm Vulpine gravel tire range. (Image courtesy of WTB)

WTB Adds Wider Vulpine To Gravel Tire Range:

 Late last year I was able to review the WTB Vulpine 700 X 36mm tires for Riding Gravel. (HERE) I really liked them, but I was so hoping that WTB would make a wider version, because our gravel here really demands a 40+ size tire, maybe up to a 47mm tire. Anything in that range would be best here, and honestly, most riders want a 40-42mm tire. It is the "sweet-spot" for width on a 700c diameter wheel. 

In the linked review I mention, I had this to say about the 36mm Vulpine: "The Vulpine is- by far– WTB’s best riding tire for gravel yet." I can only imagine that this wider version will not only ride as well, but handle a whole lot better than the 36mm one did. 

And maybe I'll be getting the chance to find out. Stay tuned on that one.....

For now all you need to know is that the 700 X 40mm is available in a 60TPI folding skin wall and the 120TPI black wall SG2 puncture protected version. Available now at WTB.com 

Redshift Sports Announces The Kitchen Sink Handle Bar Bag:

If you have paid attention to my bike set up and read thoroughly here you already know I use a Redshift Sports Kitchen Sink Handle Bar.  One of the comments I made about it back then was that it might make sense to have the space the loop outlines from the front of  the handle bar be a space for a bag.

Well, I am not going to say that I had any influence here, but that is exactly what Redshift Sports has done. They call it- not surprisingly- the Redshift Sports Kitchen Sink handle bar bag. 

Redshift sent me one to try out a while back and I have a review of it on Riding Gravel here. I will say that it is about perfect for this handle bar. Not too big, but not so small it might have been not useful. There are two magnets for the 'flip-top' lid or you can zip it up. I unzipped the top and just used the magnetic closure. It is very secure, very easy to use, and well made. The loops on top can be used to lash another bag, or a jacket to the bag top, or there is an accessory computer mount that wedges into the webbing that might be of interest. 

Anyway, I like it. Standard Disclaimer applies. 

Need A Loop But Want Carbon?   

The new Merit Rodla carbon fiber flared drop bar might be a good choice if you like a Kitchen Sink bar type of idea, but want a lightweight version of that. Merit claims this one is about 365 grams, which is around 200 less than an aluminum Kitchen Sink bar. 

The price is not terrible either at about $220.00 direct from Merit. That seems pretty reasonable for a carbon fiber drop bar. It's got a claimed 25° flare and 110mm of drop with 75mm of reach, so it is pretty spot on with the geometry. 

Comments: Question: Would the Kitchen Sink Handle Bar bag work? Maybe..... Probably not perfectly, if at all. It'd be cool if it did though. Anyway, how about that angle to the extensions? That's the thing though, right? Any of these loop extension drop bars, or with any handle bar that predetermines stem/bar relationships for you, you get what you get. There is no adjustability once the pieces are fixed permanently in space. Might agree with you, might not.

While the bar is reasonably priced, that experimentation with fit is not possible, so it is a big risk to try bars like this when they are this expensive. Get it wrong and good luck getting anywhere close to your money back on it. Plus, you'd have the hassle of hawking it on the innerwebs. Fun!

Otherwise this is a cool idea, and I like the flattened tops too. It would be interesting to try one out.

Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Podcast Episode #101:

The latest podcast is up and ready for you to listen to. As of now I am still working on Apple podcast service but you can access this from Google Podcast, Spotify, or Anchor.fm for now. 

Here's the Link

Thanks for listening, if you do, and for your support!

That's it for this week's "FN&V"! Have a fun weekend and get in some riding!