Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Eddy Merckx Bikes.

Eddy Merckx Bikes Announces Steel Gravel Model:

It isn't often that we see steel as a frame material get a new lease on life as a gravel bike. Today is unusual in that there is news out from Eddy Merckx Bikes that their Strasbourg model is now available in triple butted Columbus steel. 

The bike is welded by one man in Belgium and built up with components of your choosing from SRAM or Shimano. (What?! No Campy Ekar option?) The paint can even be customized per the "Configurator" on the Eddy Merckx site. 

Prices aren't too bad for all of this and there is even a frame set option. Tire clearances are limited, compared to more progressive gravel bikes, at 45mm in 1X and 42mm in 2X set ups. Three sets of bottle bosses are on the main triangle and there are fork mounts as well. The frame features semi-internal routing. The geometry is conservative, but should work for racing or general purpose gravel riding. 

Comments: I wonder if people much younger than I even know who Eddy Merckx is and are aware of his accomplishments. It's been a while since the "Cannibal" has won an event. Perhaps the attacking riding style of Tadej Pogačar in the Giro now and the comparisons of him with Eddy will bring some folks that awareness of Eddy's dominating past. 

That said, it is interesting to note that this gravel bike is named "Strasbourg" because that is the place where Eddy famously won a sprint on a dirt road. So the name for this model seems fitting, yes? 

Image courtesy of SRAM

SRAM Unvieils New Red AXS:

We all knew it was coming, the spy shots have been on the internet for months now. SRAM finally pulled back the curtains to reveal what it claims is the lightest road group set ever, SRAM Red AXS. 

New ergonomics and brake design are said to be more comfortable. The pivot point and mechanics of the brake have been redesigned to yield a brake requiring a claimed 80% less effort to actuate from the hoods and 33% less effort to actuate from the drops. The rotors have also been updated to be lighter weight (aluminum carrier redesign) and have a new design for the brake track which is said to aid in giving the rider more stopping power than the previous generation of SRAM rotors. 

The rear derailleur has a new, larger lower jockey wheel and the maximum allowed cassette low gear is 36T. Several gearing ratios are possible via the different options for crank sets which are 46/33, 48/35, 50/37, 52/39, 54/41, and 56/43. Several crank arm lengths are available ranging from 160mm - 175mm. Power metered cranks are also available. 

New to this group is the integration of the Hammerhead Karoo computer which can be used to control derailleur parameters, shifter functions, and more. SRAM purchased the Hammerhead computer company earlier and the deeper integration of the GPS unit was expected. The Hammerhead Karoo will come with aftermarket purchases of the Red AXS group and on some OEM builds that use SRAM AXS Red. 

Comments: Noting a move to silver polish accents and calipers. Nice! Interestingly in SRAMS's own marketing for this group, they state the reason for the larger jockey wheel in the rear derailleur is, "To match current aesthetic preferences..." Hilarious! 

The integration of the Hammerhead computer is interesting. Hopefully they got those things to work better than the two failures of two separate Karoo 2 GPS navigation units that I experienced. Of course, this assuming that many people will buy into that ecosystem. I look for several Karoo units to be on the "used" marketplaces in the future. 

Look between the cage and the frame. (Image courtesy of Knog)

Knog Introduces Scout Bike Alarm:

A new bike alarm from Knog looks promising for those who need an alert if their bicycle gets moved by anyone including people with ill intentions. 

The Scout Bike Alarm is a rechargeable unit that mounts on any two-bolt water cage mount using Knog's tamper-proof screws. The alarm can be armed with a button or via Knog's iOS app. (Sorry! No Android app at this time) 

If the bike gets moved a loud 80db alarm will sound. The unit will also work with Apple's "Find My" app. LED's show the alarm's status and battery level. The battery is claimed to last 2 - 6 months depending upon frequency of use. The battery is rechargeable via USB-C cable (not included). 

There is a cover for the device if it is used without a bottle cage, or you can mount a bottle cage on top of it for stealth usage. 

The price for the Knog Scout Alarm is @59.95 USD. The unit weighs 25 grams. 

Comments: Ever get the worries when running in for a resupply of water at a convenience store stop? This device could be good for things like that. The fact that you can use a "Find My" app on Apple products also goes a ways in making this device seem worthwhile. 

Perhaps we will all find out together. Supposedly one is on its way to me for testing. Stay tuned.....

Image courtesy of Wheels Manufacturing

Wheels Manufacturing Offering Anodized UDH Hangars:

More anodized bits for your matchy-matchy pleasure. Wheels Manufacturing has UDH rear derailleur hangars which feature any of their current anodized color choices. 

UDH is coming sooner than later for all bicycles and I've noted that gravel bikes being introduced of late feature this sort of hangar now. 

I've got no particular beef with the idea, it is fine, and I suppose stronger as well. Anything to eliminate the umpteen number of puzzle-piece rear hangars that proliferated over the course of the last 30 years. 

But that's another story! The point is, now you have another point where you can accessorize your bike with a bit of color and be "oh-so fashionable". 

That's a wrap for this week. Have a great weekend and ride those bikes! Special shout-out to the Heywood Ride happening tomorrow in Northfield Minnesota. Wish I could be there!

Friday News And Views

Exploded view of a Classified rear hub (Image courtesy of Classified.)

 Classified/Ridley Announce New Gravel Team:

The upstart hub/wheel company, Classified, from Belgium, has just announced a new professional five person gravel racing team. Contesting mostly UCI and Gravel Earth Series events, this team is an expansion for Classified who sponsored a one-man team for 2023. Furthermore, Classified has announced new wheels that are lighter with wider internal rim widths. 

Comments: The press release states that this is the 'first professional factory team in the gravel scene' and
the company boasts former professional road racer Tom Boonen as an investor and team spokesperson. 

It's obvious that racing on the Professional, UCI, sponsored level is seeing a shift to gravel with the UCI Gravel World Series and now with the rival Gravel Earth Series seeing some attention as well. How successful these sorts of ventures are will determine Pro racing's future. Can a gravel based series and a pavement based series coexist on the highest levels of UCI/Pro cycling? Perhaps we are seeing the beginnings of that question being asked. 

And as far as the hub goes, if you are not familiar, I have covered Classified here on these pages before. But essentially it is a two-speed, electronically shifted rear hub that supports a cassette (proprietary) that does what a 2X system on a normal bike would do without a front derailleur or multiple front chain rings.

From "Cyclingnews.com's social media on 1/22/24

SRAM Red AXS Images Leaked:

If you were on social media over the past weekend cruising bicycle related content you may have run across images of a supposed new SRAM Red Axs group.  

Images appeared from a Chinese source showing the claimed new 12 speed SRAM follow up to its top of the range electronic Red group. 

Comments: While little is known at the moment it is entirely feasible that this is, indeed, the new group set. It is a group overdue for a refresh and with the big glut of inventory from last year it would make sense that SRAM are holding back until retailers and bicycle brands can push some of that excess inventory out into the marketplace. 

The obvious thing here is that it appears that SRAM is making a play to dump more grams in an attempt to become the lightest group for road racing. Also notable is the lack of any leaked imagery showing a crank set or a front derailleur, if there actually is a front derailleur. It is possible that this was intended to be a 1X group but Pro teams insisted on a 2X option and SRAM had to wait until it could make that happen. (Just spitballing there, but it is a possibility)

This group is interesting, if indeed the images here are a real look at things to come. Personally? I think what I see isn't all that attractive, but that SRAM aesthetic and design language never really has appealed to me either. Not to mention how it works, which while clever in some ways is kind of a turn-off in others for myself. 

The FOCO Fondo Scratch Lottery (Image courtesy of FOCO Fondo YouTube)

FOCO Fondo #fakelottery Promotion:

Throughout "gravel history" there have been swipes taken at Pro road, the UCI, and even other gravel events. When other gravel based events decide to poke some fun at another gravel event, it usually is directed at one event in particular now that takes place in Emporia, Kansas every early June. That being, of course,  the Unbound events. And previously to Unbound it was directed at the DK200. (Note: I hold the two events as being separate. Your mileage may vary)

Early on, when it was the DK200, there were events like "Kantdu Kanza" or "Sterile Iowan". Now it seems that the FOCO Fondo is taking its turn at poking fun at the Unbound's loterry process in its offering of scratch-type lottery tickets to all its registrants for its June 21'st running of its event this year. 

Comments: Clever. I'll give them that much. That said, this event isn't necessarily all that much different in terms of what it costs than Unbound. In fact, it costs exactly the same amount of money per mile ($1.48/mile)for the 118 mile course to enter the FOCO Fondo as it does to get a ticket to ride the 200 at Unbound. Obviously they are different events, but this hits different than the previous instances of smaller, more grassroots swipes at bigger events. You can watch the You Tue video on the lottery tickets here. 

The new Vamoots 33 (Image courtesy of Moots Cycles)

All-Road Bikes: A New Trend?

Recently I have noted how many companies are starting to make their road bike offerings more 'terrain-friendly' in that they are not bicycles that cannot ride down certain roads. 

It used to be that any road bike was a pretty limited machine due to geometry and tire clearance limitations. Riding a gravel road on 23mm-25mm tires was something you could do, but if you are honest, would you want to? Probably not. Not worth the potential issues and rattling of bones. 

Then "gravel bikes" came along, (Hey! Just ride a cross bike or a touring bike!), and many saw an opportunity to escape the dangerous paved roads filled with distracted drivers who are speeding. The category went nuts compared to what was happening in MTB and traditional road bikes. So, you should not be surprised that those who want to offer a road bike would start to make those road bikes "all-roads" bikes instead of pavement-bound racers. 

The newest Moots road bike, the Vamoots 33, is such a beast. With the capability to accept a 38mm tire, this is truly an "all-roads" capable machine. Reminiscent of road bikes of the mid-20th Century and before which could tackle anything that a vehicle could be driven on. Gravel, bituminous, cement, dirt, or any "road" surface. 

The designers of these bikes often market these bikes by saying that they are versatile, capable bikes that "still can keep up with a club ride", because, you know, we cannot have anyone thinking these are slow bikes. As if going slow or fast depends solely on a bicycle type or design. Pfft! As if going fast as all get out is really all that matters. 

So these bicycles typically stick to skinny-tired, go-fast bike geometry, missing the boat and causing these to not be as stable and, dare I say it- fast - as a bike designed for all-roads. Jumping tire clearances is one piece of the puzzle, but a true "all-roads" bike isn't a racing bike. Racing bike geometry is for pavement racing. 

Thank You!

I just wanted to make sure I thanked all of you readers and friends for the comments on the blog, Facebook posts, messages, and texts regarding my birthday on Tuesday of this week. 

I have been extremely blessed to find myself in the position in Life that I have found myself in. I don't forget that, and I am humbled to have the shout-outs and well wishes. 

The day wasn't anything to write home about, but it was good. We had some light rain and drizzle until around 3:00pm and so I did not go out for a ride in mid-30's temps and wet conditions. But I did get to spend time with my family which is great and more important than a bike ride. Plus Mrs. Guitar Ted got me a turntable to play records on which hasn't happened for me in about 35 years.

That's it for this week! Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions!