Friday News And Views

A bare Zipp 101 XPLR rim: Image courtesy of SRAM

 On Wednesday I gave my rundown of opinions on the new SRAM XPLR group. (Read that here if you missed it) Today I want to comment specifically on the rim design for the XPLR 101 wheel from Zipp.

This struck me as odd, but the design has merits which I understand as valid in gravel design. That said, the results- spec-wise and pricing-wise- are puzzling. Let's take a look...

The design for the rim is, basically, a carbon fat bike rim design shrunk down to fit a gravel bike. It has single wall construction which does a couple of things here that make a bit of sense for a gravel road rider. 

First, that single wall construction, theoretically speaking, should be able to flex a bit more freely in a vertical plane than a box section rim, or a triangulated, shallow section rim. There is a reinforced ridge for the spoke beds, and other than that, one might expect a bit less impact resistance, but here we are speaking of gravel riding- not MTB. So Zipp maybe saw this as a way to introduce some rider comfort.  

The second thing a single wall rim does is that it presents - most likely- the least amount of side drag from cross winds that is possible without doing super-aero stuff with the rim design. But if there are any cross-wind benefits, this is probably secondary to this design. 

A possible third benefit might be light weight, but curiously this complete wheel set weighs in at 1665 grams for the pair. That's kinda heavy, and many aluminum wheel sets weigh similarly, cost less, and have similar comfort claims. Add in the asking price of $1800.00 USD and that value prospect seems to go up in a puff of smoked credit card plastic. 

I like that they dared to go to a 27mm wide inner width here, but I'll have a lot more to say to this feature once I get my Project Wide Gravel Wheels going after Gravel Worlds is over. Stay tuned for that...

Remember this? Well- that didn't work out so well!

Finish Line Introduces FiberLink Sealant:

Back in 2018 I noted on another "FN&V" that Finish Line had introduced a sealant which they said would "..last the usable lifetime of the tire". While I did not say exactly what I thought was going on there in that 2018 post, I had serious misgivings about this new 'wonder sealant', and as it turned out, my instincts about it were largely correct. 

Finish Line sealant quickly became a byword amongst mechanics who tried it out as it became known that by using it the tires would not seal up correctly and it made servicing new tubeless set-ups a total nightmare. Riders found that it sealed punctures poorly as well. So, the sealant was quickly dismissed by the consumer and the industry. It wasn't long before Finish Line started looking into its replacement. By 2019 they were already working on that.

Well, after two years, Finish Line have come out with what they are calling "FiberLink" sealant. As you might suspect, it is now a latex based sealant but it is infused with Kevlar® fibers which, as Finish Line claims, should seal punctures more quickly and with a longer lasting effect. My 'instincts' tell me that -this time- this stuff should work pretty well. 

There is only one real question I have, and that is how well will this work with valve stems, (will it clog them more easily because of the fibers?) and how long will it last before it coagulates and becomes ineffective? Typically, any coagulant enhancing substance in a latex based sealant tends to clog valve stems and/or does not last a long time at all in a tire before it needs to be serviced. If Finish Line dodges those pitfalls with its new FiberLink sealant, then this could be a big deal in sealants. We'll see......

My Adidas!- Got No Stones In 'Em! 

Adidas Shoes just announced a new gravel cycling shoe which is brilliantly named. You won't believe what the name they chose for it is! Check it out:

Introducing, the new "Gravel Cycling Shoe"! 

The name just blows me away it is sooo good! Ahem......right then, so really Adidas? Wow... Okay, let's move on.... 

Yeah, so it is a $170.00 shoe with a 'sock' dealio around the ankle to keep dust and small stones out. Hmm.....okay...I can see that. I mean, I do get stones of the smaller size inside my shoes at times. So, that cuff may not be as goofy as it seems at first glance. However; I would say that as of right now, in this air we have had that is so thick and juicy that you feel like you are being enveloped in a warm blanket, in 90°F weather, that a neoprene cuff is not exactly what I would want sealing off my Earth pads from air flow. 

I could be 100% wrong here though. Maybe there is great air-flow around the feet with these... what is the name again? It's so unique and different that you'd think I'd remember....oh yes! The Gravel Cycling Shoe! Yes! That's it.... 

Anyway, there is supposedly a variant on the black theme with some outlandish, 80's inspired brightness. Now those would get you noticed at the local small village convenience store! Thankfully the basic black is much more fitting in rural conservative America. Hey! I own a pink bicycle, I should know! 

The bottoms look like they took scraps of Schwalbe G-One tires and used them for the walkable soles. I would be slipping like a farm animal on ice if I wore those on a soft or wet Level B Road around here. But for dry gravel travel? That's probably okay. Gotta wonder how long those little nubbins would last though. But you know what? If these made your toes happy, who am I to say? Shoes are highly personal fit items and these look okay to me. Price is fair if they perform and last a decent amount of time.  (All images courtesy of Adidas)

Update: New Riding Gravel radio ranch Podcast Out!

The latest gab-fest between myself and Andy of Andy's Bike shop is live now. Check out the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch here or look for it n your favorite podcast feed. 

We typically get 2-3 episodes out a month and sometimes 4! I'm pretty pumped that this has been a steady flow of content now for about two years straight. You can thank, (or blame- however you feel about this), Andy. He was pretty adamant that we get the ball rolling more often with the podcast and for us to make sure we have a constant flow of content there. 

Andy does provide much of the equipment and the space for recording is his office, so he is a big reason why the streak of content has been fairly steady since early 2020. Thank you Andy for that! Of course, it was a goal of mine, as well, to reinvigorate the podcast and get it coming more consistently as it had kind of petered out there in 2019. Or was that 2018? I can't remember... Time flies! 

There is another podcast in the can which should be published really soon and then we have a special guest coming up which I am excited about. Check out tomorrow's post for more on who that is and why I am stoked. Until then.....
 

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

Friday News And Views

A bare Zipp 101 XPLR rim: Image courtesy of SRAM

 On Wednesday I gave my rundown of opinions on the new SRAM XPLR group. (Read that here if you missed it) Today I want to comment specifically on the rim design for the XPLR 101 wheel from Zipp.

This struck me as odd, but the design has merits which I understand as valid in gravel design. That said, the results- spec-wise and pricing-wise- are puzzling. Let's take a look...

The design for the rim is, basically, a carbon fat bike rim design shrunk down to fit a gravel bike. It has single wall construction which does a couple of things here that make a bit of sense for a gravel road rider. 

First, that single wall construction, theoretically speaking, should be able to flex a bit more freely in a vertical plane than a box section rim, or a triangulated, shallow section rim. There is a reinforced ridge for the spoke beds, and other than that, one might expect a bit less impact resistance, but here we are speaking of gravel riding- not MTB. So Zipp maybe saw this as a way to introduce some rider comfort.  

The second thing a single wall rim does is that it presents - most likely- the least amount of side drag from cross winds that is possible without doing super-aero stuff with the rim design. But if there are any cross-wind benefits, this is probably secondary to this design. 

A possible third benefit might be light weight, but curiously this complete wheel set weighs in at 1665 grams for the pair. That's kinda heavy, and many aluminum wheel sets weigh similarly, cost less, and have similar comfort claims. Add in the asking price of $1800.00 USD and that value prospect seems to go up in a puff of smoked credit card plastic. 

I like that they dared to go to a 27mm wide inner width here, but I'll have a lot more to say to this feature once I get my Project Wide Gravel Wheels going after Gravel Worlds is over. Stay tuned for that...

Remember this? Well- that didn't work out so well!

Finish Line Introduces FiberLink Sealant:

Back in 2018 I noted on another "FN&V" that Finish Line had introduced a sealant which they said would "..last the usable lifetime of the tire". While I did not say exactly what I thought was going on there in that 2018 post, I had serious misgivings about this new 'wonder sealant', and as it turned out, my instincts about it were largely correct. 

Finish Line sealant quickly became a byword amongst mechanics who tried it out as it became known that by using it the tires would not seal up correctly and it made servicing new tubeless set-ups a total nightmare. Riders found that it sealed punctures poorly as well. So, the sealant was quickly dismissed by the consumer and the industry. It wasn't long before Finish Line started looking into its replacement. By 2019 they were already working on that.

Well, after two years, Finish Line have come out with what they are calling "FiberLink" sealant. As you might suspect, it is now a latex based sealant but it is infused with Kevlar® fibers which, as Finish Line claims, should seal punctures more quickly and with a longer lasting effect. My 'instincts' tell me that -this time- this stuff should work pretty well. 

There is only one real question I have, and that is how well will this work with valve stems, (will it clog them more easily because of the fibers?) and how long will it last before it coagulates and becomes ineffective? Typically, any coagulant enhancing substance in a latex based sealant tends to clog valve stems and/or does not last a long time at all in a tire before it needs to be serviced. If Finish Line dodges those pitfalls with its new FiberLink sealant, then this could be a big deal in sealants. We'll see......

My Adidas!- Got No Stones In 'Em! 

Adidas Shoes just announced a new gravel cycling shoe which is brilliantly named. You won't believe what the name they chose for it is! Check it out:

Introducing, the new "Gravel Cycling Shoe"! 

The name just blows me away it is sooo good! Ahem......right then, so really Adidas? Wow... Okay, let's move on.... 

Yeah, so it is a $170.00 shoe with a 'sock' dealio around the ankle to keep dust and small stones out. Hmm.....okay...I can see that. I mean, I do get stones of the smaller size inside my shoes at times. So, that cuff may not be as goofy as it seems at first glance. However; I would say that as of right now, in this air we have had that is so thick and juicy that you feel like you are being enveloped in a warm blanket, in 90°F weather, that a neoprene cuff is not exactly what I would want sealing off my Earth pads from air flow. 

I could be 100% wrong here though. Maybe there is great air-flow around the feet with these... what is the name again? It's so unique and different that you'd think I'd remember....oh yes! The Gravel Cycling Shoe! Yes! That's it.... 

Anyway, there is supposedly a variant on the black theme with some outlandish, 80's inspired brightness. Now those would get you noticed at the local small village convenience store! Thankfully the basic black is much more fitting in rural conservative America. Hey! I own a pink bicycle, I should know! 

The bottoms look like they took scraps of Schwalbe G-One tires and used them for the walkable soles. I would be slipping like a farm animal on ice if I wore those on a soft or wet Level B Road around here. But for dry gravel travel? That's probably okay. Gotta wonder how long those little nubbins would last though. But you know what? If these made your toes happy, who am I to say? Shoes are highly personal fit items and these look okay to me. Price is fair if they perform and last a decent amount of time.  (All images courtesy of Adidas)

Update: New Riding Gravel radio ranch Podcast Out!

The latest gab-fest between myself and Andy of Andy's Bike shop is live now. Check out the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch here or look for it n your favorite podcast feed. 

We typically get 2-3 episodes out a month and sometimes 4! I'm pretty pumped that this has been a steady flow of content now for about two years straight. You can thank, (or blame- however you feel about this), Andy. He was pretty adamant that we get the ball rolling more often with the podcast and for us to make sure we have a constant flow of content there. 

Andy does provide much of the equipment and the space for recording is his office, so he is a big reason why the streak of content has been fairly steady since early 2020. Thank you Andy for that! Of course, it was a goal of mine, as well, to reinvigorate the podcast and get it coming more consistently as it had kind of petered out there in 2019. Or was that 2018? I can't remember... Time flies! 

There is another podcast in the can which should be published really soon and then we have a special guest coming up which I am excited about. Check out tomorrow's post for more on who that is and why I am stoked. Until then.....
 

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

SRAM XPLR: Impressions And Commentary

SRAM XPLR eTAP AXS RIVAL

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

ALSO- All imagery and information used in this post is courtesy of SRAM.

Yesterday the poorly kept secret that SRAM was coming out with a gravel group set to compete with Shimano's new GRX components was released and now we know all the details. There are probably 20 other sites breaking down the spec, prices, availability, and which are giving you "first impressions' and ride reviews now. So I will not be delving into that here. Well, not much. If tech spec and ride reviews are what you want, you ain't gettin' that here! But if you want some pithy opinions, stay tuned.........

What It Is: SRAM has delivered a drive train set up with gearing focused on what their folks think 'gravel riders' need based on their wireless eTAP AXS shifting technology and 1X designs. They also have developed a dropper post and suspension fork for gravel within the Rock Shox brand and also a wheel set and handle bar within their Zipp brand. All are under the "XPLR" (say 'explore') range, which, ironically, is fairly non-cross compatible with other SRAM components. More on that in a bit. 

SRAM XPLR RIVAL eTAP AXS REAR DERAILLEUR

It is notable that SRAM is using the same Red AXS, Force AXS, and Rival AXS levers that they already have out. Brakes for the XPLR equipped bike will also come from currently available SRAM disc road groups, although SRAM does say that the post mount "Line" calipers from the MTB side are compatible with SRAM drop bar hydraulic levers. 

Comments: I found it interesting that SRAM walked out all three levels of its road side components within the XPLR range at the same time. Of course, they already had the levers in the bag, so a big part of the puzzle was already in play. 

Secondly, and this is maybe just a weird reaction on my part, but within the fine print on SRAM's big press release on XPLR, the pricing on rear derailleurs notes that 'batteries are not included'. I actually laughed out loud when I read that. Obviously, some folks already are invested in AXS and really would not need more batteries, but at the asking price for these derailleurs, you'd think you'd get a battery. But that may be just me....I mean, the thing is useless without a battery, so.....

But beyond that nit, there is a really interesting thing going on here. XPLR rear derailleurs come in two types- One for the bigger 10-44T cassette and one that will work with a 10-36T cassette. These rear derailleurs are flat top chain compatible only, so no Eagle chain. In fact, SRAM claims that neither the rear derailleur nor the XPLR cassettes will work with anything but a flat top SRAM chain. Also- the 36T max rear derailleur will not be compatible with the 10-44T cassette, but the 44T max rear XPLR derailleurs will work on either cassette. 

You could run the 'mullet' set up, but only with an Eagle rear derailleur , chain, and cassette, so.....the only advantage is that you can run a bigger drive ring on the crank? I guess so. Oh! Yeah, and XPLR is 1X only! get yer filthy front derailleurs and double chain ring cranks away from here! 

SRAM XPLR RED CRANK

Speaking of cranks, there will be two nice ones and one average one. Red and Force have nicer arms and lighter weights but the Rival crank is pretty much your box-stock forging in aluminum. You can get direct mount rings for all three in 38, 40, 42, 44, and 46T sizes only. There will be a power meter chain ring set up available with a four bolt crank arm at some point. Also, the DUB spindle Rival power meter will be available for XPLR. So, it looks as though SRAM have covered the options well there. 

Interestingly, instead of offsetting rings, or crank arms, SRAM just made one spindle length to accommodate both MTB (73mm) and road (68) nominal widths on bottom brackets, (all weird sizes of BB's are pretty much based off those two old standards) It's called the "Wide" option, but there are standard road width cranks as well. Current eTap AXS road cranks are cross-compatible with a swap to a direct mount XPLR chain ring. Of course, everything uses the DUB spindle 

Now SRAM has decided it needed to have some shreddy MTB bits which, in my opinion, are not really necessary in a 'gravel' group set. But, whatever.... They did it and so here are my thoughts on the fork and dropper post.

I found it ironic that Rock Shox did not resurrect the "Ruby" model name, but they went with the similar sounding "Rudy" name instead. (Which reminds me of a great ska song by The Specials, by the way) Anyway.......The Rudy! Can it fail? Maybe.... (Another song reference!) Sorry! Okay.....seriously! 

 ROCK SHOX RUDY XPLR

 30-40mm of travel? Ahh..........yeah, about that. My experience on a 40mm FOX gravel suspension fork tells me that unless Rock Shox has some super-fast reacting damper technology, this is not what gravel riders need. Sharper hits at speed will devour 40mm of travel in a nanosecond. You aren't going to benefit from that little amount of travel and on top of that, you'll have suspension fork maintenance to deal with at some point. Higher frequency vibrations are the name of the game, not absorbing trail obstacles or.....what? I mean, a Redshift ShockStop stem will erase about 90% of anything you'd run across on back roads and gravel roads and it costs and weighs a LOT less than a Rudy. Yeah.....I just have a real hard time seeing the bennies versus the cost. 

Of course, it is a post mount brake caliper standard. It has rebound adjust, with a tiny little screw, and it has lock-out. (Not activated from the bar though) I will credit SRAM/Rock Shox in that some attempt was made to make the fork look a lot less "MTB" and more road-ish. Although, there is a nod to enduro with an accessory fender for the Rudy. I guess I just don't see how trying to push an all-road bike into doing MTB-ish stunts is going to be a good thing for most people. Get a real MTB for trail riding. That's my opinion anyway. But maybe all this MTB-ish leaning is really saying to the MTB designers that current 'long, low, slack' geometry is leaving those that want to go up, down, and all around at speed out of the equation. I think that is what is going on with that. 

ROCK SHOX XPLR REVERB CUTAWAY

Okay, now for the dropper! You may think that I would say similar things about the XPLR Reverb post that I would say about the Rudy. Well, you'd be mistaken. See, there I think that the dropper post is more than 'just an MTB thing'. I like the dropper idea. You can dump the saddle to get more aero on downhills and gain a ton of speed in the process. (See banned PRO roadie riding positions) You can drop the post to make getting on and off your bike a breeze. This is especially helpful when you have a load, like you might when bikepacking or commuting in a city. Yes, dropper posts can help on trails, but these bikes aren't MTB bikes. (Again- maybe we're missing the right MTB for most folks) So, I am all about dropper posts on 'gravel bikes'. 

But this Reverb is AXS (electronic) only and costs a fortune. (Plus, AXS MTB Reverb posts don't have a stellar reputation for reliability as it is.) So, I was a bit disappointed here. But, SRAM is all about wireless everything now, or so it would seem. Which leads me to....

SRAM XPLR vs Shimano GRX: I will limit my comments to features and options, since- obviously- I haven't ridden XPLR.....yet. Anyway, here's where XPLR falls short, in my opinion. First and foremost- There is no mechanically operated XPLR. This may seem like an oversight to some, or it may seem like an old school complaint from the elderly by others. But in my opinion, mechanically operated drive train components are less expensive to buy and maintain over time. For example- A Shimano GRX 600 rear derailleur costs a little over a hundred bucks. A Rival eTap AXS XPLR rear derailleur costs $255.00, and that is the least expensive XPLR rear derailleur, (and remember- it doesn't come with batteries!) 

ZIPP XPLR 101 Wheel

I figure that a whacked rear derailleur in a muddy gravel event is still going to be a fairly common occurrence going forward. That's just one example..... 

Next? Cross-compatibility is limited with XPLR. GRX is compatible with most all the road side of Shimano's line. To wit: I run Ultegra 11 speed levers with a GRX 800 rear derailleur and Ultegra front derailleur with a 11-36 SRAM cassette and a CX series crank with 36/46T rings with a Wippermann chain on my Black Mountain Cycles MCD. Try something like that with XPLR. Not happening if what SRAM says about XPLR is true. You buy into SRAM's proprietary chains, 1X only, two cassette options, and limited options in SRAM's components outside of XPLR. 

Third- A weird wheel set, (which isn't all that light or value packed) a dropper post actuated electronically, and a limited travel suspension fork don't really mean much to me as a non-pavement road rider. Thinking between paved riding and MTB, that space is a wide one, but I'm not sold on the suspension fork, any modern wheel set can be a 'gravel wheel set',  and while I like droppers, the high-end, electronic Reverb deal isn't very accessible.

Which kind of begs a question: Is SRAM's answer to GRX really a 'gravel group', or is it just a minor variation on a SRAM theme with limited options? Sure- you could argue that the wheels and a suspension fork, and a dropper post make a difference, (Which Shimano has most of as well, by the way) but again- these are also variations on a theme with proprietary bits that limit use across SRAM's range. 

Some might lay that question on Shimano as well, but they at least did a truly new lever, (Di2 GRX 800), added new features which could be useful (example- hydraulic "B" levers), and made mechanical and electronic groups, with 1X and 2X 10 and 11 speed options as well. The crank sets are different from anything else they make, which were made to accommodate gravel specific needs. Like SRAM, they have handle bars, wheels, and a dropper post, albeit things that aren't proprietary and super expensive. I guess what I see is one company with a wider and more varied palette of offerings versus a company with basically three electronic 1X only drive trains and the fork and dropper post. 

In the end, XPLR is intriguing. Compelling? Not really, but it is a curious entry into a market that typifies the every-man- the non-racer, adventure seeker, fun time having rider that wants to experience the outdoors and escape modern tethers. XPLR seems to speak to the techie, but at a price, and with some similarities to the tech/device world in the limitations that it places on the end user. (Batteries are included in most techie-device gadgets though, so not the same there) We'll see how it goes, but how SRAM has positioned itself in this market, for the time being, is a very interesting thing to see.

SRAM XPLR: Impressions And Commentary

SRAM XPLR eTAP AXS RIVAL

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

ALSO- All imagery and information used in this post is courtesy of SRAM.

Yesterday the poorly kept secret that SRAM was coming out with a gravel group set to compete with Shimano's new GRX components was released and now we know all the details. There are probably 20 other sites breaking down the spec, prices, availability, and which are giving you "first impressions' and ride reviews now. So I will not be delving into that here. Well, not much. If tech spec and ride reviews are what you want, you ain't gettin' that here! But if you want some pithy opinions, stay tuned.........

What It Is: SRAM has delivered a drive train set up with gearing focused on what their folks think 'gravel riders' need based on their wireless eTAP AXS shifting technology and 1X designs. They also have developed a dropper post and suspension fork for gravel within the Rock Shox brand and also a wheel set and handle bar within their Zipp brand. All are under the "XPLR" (say 'explore') range, which, ironically, is fairly non-cross compatible with other SRAM components. More on that in a bit. 

SRAM XPLR RIVAL eTAP AXS REAR DERAILLEUR

It is notable that SRAM is using the same Red AXS, Force AXS, and Rival AXS levers that they already have out. Brakes for the XPLR equipped bike will also come from currently available SRAM disc road groups, although SRAM does say that the post mount "Line" calipers from the MTB side are compatible with SRAM drop bar hydraulic levers. 

Comments: I found it interesting that SRAM walked out all three levels of its road side components within the XPLR range at the same time. Of course, they already had the levers in the bag, so a big part of the puzzle was already in play. 

Secondly, and this is maybe just a weird reaction on my part, but within the fine print on SRAM's big press release on XPLR, the pricing on rear derailleurs notes that 'batteries are not included'. I actually laughed out loud when I read that. Obviously, some folks already are invested in AXS and really would not need more batteries, but at the asking price for these derailleurs, you'd think you'd get a battery. But that may be just me....I mean, the thing is useless without a battery, so.....

But beyond that nit, there is a really interesting thing going on here. XPLR rear derailleurs come in two types- One for the bigger 10-44T cassette and one that will work with a 10-36T cassette. These rear derailleurs are flat top chain compatible only, so no Eagle chain. In fact, SRAM claims that neither the rear derailleur nor the XPLR cassettes will work with anything but a flat top SRAM chain. Also- the 36T max rear derailleur will not be compatible with the 10-44T cassette, but the 44T max rear XPLR derailleurs will work on either cassette. 

You could run the 'mullet' set up, but only with an Eagle rear derailleur , chain, and cassette, so.....the only advantage is that you can run a bigger drive ring on the crank? I guess so. Oh! Yeah, and XPLR is 1X only! get yer filthy front derailleurs and double chain ring cranks away from here! 

SRAM XPLR RED CRANK

Speaking of cranks, there will be two nice ones and one average one. Red and Force have nicer arms and lighter weights but the Rival crank is pretty much your box-stock forging in aluminum. You can get direct mount rings for all three in 38, 40, 42, 44, and 46T sizes only. There will be a power meter chain ring set up available with a four bolt crank arm at some point. Also, the DUB spindle Rival power meter will be available for XPLR. So, it looks as though SRAM have covered the options well there. 

Interestingly, instead of offsetting rings, or crank arms, SRAM just made one spindle length to accommodate both MTB (73mm) and road (68) nominal widths on bottom brackets, (all weird sizes of BB's are pretty much based off those two old standards) It's called the "Wide" option, but there are standard road width cranks as well. Current eTap AXS road cranks are cross-compatible with a swap to a direct mount XPLR chain ring. Of course, everything uses the DUB spindle 

Now SRAM has decided it needed to have some shreddy MTB bits which, in my opinion, are not really necessary in a 'gravel' group set. But, whatever.... They did it and so here are my thoughts on the fork and dropper post.

I found it ironic that Rock Shox did not resurrect the "Ruby" model name, but they went with the similar sounding "Rudy" name instead. (Which reminds me of a great ska song by The Specials, by the way) Anyway.......The Rudy! Can it fail? Maybe.... (Another song reference!) Sorry! Okay.....seriously! 

 ROCK SHOX RUDY XPLR

 30-40mm of travel? Ahh..........yeah, about that. My experience on a 40mm FOX gravel suspension fork tells me that unless Rock Shox has some super-fast reacting damper technology, this is not what gravel riders need. Sharper hits at speed will devour 40mm of travel in a nanosecond. You aren't going to benefit from that little amount of travel and on top of that, you'll have suspension fork maintenance to deal with at some point. Higher frequency vibrations are the name of the game, not absorbing trail obstacles or.....what? I mean, a Redshift ShockStop stem will erase about 90% of anything you'd run across on back roads and gravel roads and it costs and weighs a LOT less than a Rudy. Yeah.....I just have a real hard time seeing the bennies versus the cost. 

Of course, it is a post mount brake caliper standard. It has rebound adjust, with a tiny little screw, and it has lock-out. (Not activated from the bar though) I will credit SRAM/Rock Shox in that some attempt was made to make the fork look a lot less "MTB" and more road-ish. Although, there is a nod to enduro with an accessory fender for the Rudy. I guess I just don't see how trying to push an all-road bike into doing MTB-ish stunts is going to be a good thing for most people. Get a real MTB for trail riding. That's my opinion anyway. But maybe all this MTB-ish leaning is really saying to the MTB designers that current 'long, low, slack' geometry is leaving those that want to go up, down, and all around at speed out of the equation. I think that is what is going on with that. 

ROCK SHOX XPLR REVERB CUTAWAY

Okay, now for the dropper! You may think that I would say similar things about the XPLR Reverb post that I would say about the Rudy. Well, you'd be mistaken. See, there I think that the dropper post is more than 'just an MTB thing'. I like the dropper idea. You can dump the saddle to get more aero on downhills and gain a ton of speed in the process. (See banned PRO roadie riding positions) You can drop the post to make getting on and off your bike a breeze. This is especially helpful when you have a load, like you might when bikepacking or commuting in a city. Yes, dropper posts can help on trails, but these bikes aren't MTB bikes. (Again- maybe we're missing the right MTB for most folks) So, I am all about dropper posts on 'gravel bikes'. 

But this Reverb is AXS (electronic) only and costs a fortune. (Plus, AXS MTB Reverb posts don't have a stellar reputation for reliability as it is.) So, I was a bit disappointed here. But, SRAM is all about wireless everything now, or so it would seem. Which leads me to....

SRAM XPLR vs Shimano GRX: I will limit my comments to features and options, since- obviously- I haven't ridden XPLR.....yet. Anyway, here's where XPLR falls short, in my opinion. First and foremost- There is no mechanically operated XPLR. This may seem like an oversight to some, or it may seem like an old school complaint from the elderly by others. But in my opinion, mechanically operated drive train components are less expensive to buy and maintain over time. For example- A Shimano GRX 600 rear derailleur costs a little over a hundred bucks. A Rival eTap AXS XPLR rear derailleur costs $255.00, and that is the least expensive XPLR rear derailleur, (and remember- it doesn't come with batteries!) 

ZIPP XPLR 101 Wheel

I figure that a whacked rear derailleur in a muddy gravel event is still going to be a fairly common occurrence going forward. That's just one example..... 

Next? Cross-compatibility is limited with XPLR. GRX is compatible with most all the road side of Shimano's line. To wit: I run Ultegra 11 speed levers with a GRX 800 rear derailleur and Ultegra front derailleur with a 11-36 SRAM cassette and a CX series crank with 36/46T rings with a Wippermann chain on my Black Mountain Cycles MCD. Try something like that with XPLR. Not happening if what SRAM says about XPLR is true. You buy into SRAM's proprietary chains, 1X only, two cassette options, and limited options in SRAM's components outside of XPLR. 

Third- A weird wheel set, (which isn't all that light or value packed) a dropper post actuated electronically, and a limited travel suspension fork don't really mean much to me as a non-pavement road rider. Thinking between paved riding and MTB, that space is a wide one, but I'm not sold on the suspension fork, any modern wheel set can be a 'gravel wheel set',  and while I like droppers, the high-end, electronic Reverb deal isn't very accessible.

Which kind of begs a question: Is SRAM's answer to GRX really a 'gravel group', or is it just a minor variation on a SRAM theme with limited options? Sure- you could argue that the wheels and a suspension fork, and a dropper post make a difference, (Which Shimano has most of as well, by the way) but again- these are also variations on a theme with proprietary bits that limit use across SRAM's range. 

Some might lay that question on Shimano as well, but they at least did a truly new lever, (Di2 GRX 800), added new features which could be useful (example- hydraulic "B" levers), and made mechanical and electronic groups, with 1X and 2X 10 and 11 speed options as well. The crank sets are different from anything else they make, which were made to accommodate gravel specific needs. Like SRAM, they have handle bars, wheels, and a dropper post, albeit things that aren't proprietary and super expensive. I guess what I see is one company with a wider and more varied palette of offerings versus a company with basically three electronic 1X only drive trains and the fork and dropper post. 

In the end, XPLR is intriguing. Compelling? Not really, but it is a curious entry into a market that typifies the every-man- the non-racer, adventure seeker, fun time having rider that wants to experience the outdoors and escape modern tethers. XPLR seems to speak to the techie, but at a price, and with some similarities to the tech/device world in the limitations that it places on the end user. (Batteries are included in most techie-device gadgets though, so not the same there) We'll see how it goes, but how SRAM has positioned itself in this market, for the time being, is a very interesting thing to see.

Friday News And Views

 Who Started This Gravel Bike Nonsense Anyway?

The "Global Cycling Network" is a site and You Tube channel that is very popular. They have a great sense of humor and their videos are always very well produced and written. More like a television production, really. Anyway, last weekend I was alerted to watch their latest (at that time) video on gravel cycling and "who is to blame for it and 'gravel bikes'". 

Well, much to my surprise and enjoyment, they mentioned Trans Iowa and had former Trans Iowa rider and winner of T.I.v5, Joe Meiser on, and he mentions me by name in the interview GCN did with him. (See the video here) The piece was done in association with Salsa Cycles, by the way, so that would account for maybe why I got mentioned, I suppose, but either way, I was pleasantly surprised to see the piece. 

Even if you don't agree about any part I had to play in things, check out the video. It's pretty well done, and the opening bit is hilarious. 

An excerpt from the latest LOOK Bicycles Press Release

LOOK, This Isn't Funny:

I heard about a weird press release a while back out of LOOK Bicycles which featured news about a gravel racing team they were going to support. I eventually must have made the cut to be on their radar as I received the same release only a day later. This was late last week when I saw this. 

So, things start out well enough with the typical marketing banter about gravel, how exciting and popular it is, and how this team is going to be at certain high profile European based gravel events and hopes to be at "....UNBOUND Gravel, the most prestigious event on the American calendar,". 

Okay, that's all fine. No harm, no foul. But then you scroll down and the team members are presented. The image shown here is the first you see- the "Team manager"? Ah........My first reaction was, "It's not April 1st, is it?" Wow! And the other three member's profiles are no better. We have Rémi Aubert, AKA "The Doctor", shown in clinical whites with a .....wait for it.....a hypodermic needle in hand! The next rider is nicknamed "The Gardener", and is shown with a gardening shovel on his shoulder with the tag line of " Legend says that the road is never the same after he has ridden it". I don't even understand that. Must be a French thing. Anyway....

I suppose this was meant to be 'funny' and somehow be genuine and 'down-to-earth', like grassroots gravel, but it sorely misses the mark. It certainly doesn't seem serious, and I still don't know if I should laugh, (it is a joke?) or what I should think of that press release. One thing is for sure- That's maybe the weirdest press release I've ever been sent! 

PRO Vibe Evo handle bar. Image courtesy of Shimano.

Isn't It About Time For Handlebars To Evolve?

For all of the evolution in design we see- from pedals, drive trains, wheels, brakes, and even the clothes we wear for cycling- handle bars seem to have been overlooked. While we get a few different shapes, and maybe a stem clamp diameter change every 20 tears or so, the basic handle bar remains pretty much as it has been for over a century. 

Well, maybe that is all about to change. In my opinion, the only reason handle bars haven't changed radically is due to the archaic way that the controls are attached to them. Especially on drop bar bikes. The ancient band clamp mechanism works, certainly, but it also limits the bar to a certain diameter and shape for much of its length on drop bars. 

The advent of electronic shifting has kind of accelerated the idea of having your shifter work, and mount, in brand new ways. Shift pods, buttons, or other triggering gizmos are going to free up how we shift. Think about the hybridization of mechanical and electronics, as with the Archer Components (scroll down page linked) system I tried last year.  That button system could be molded right into a handle bar of any shape or size. Brake lever perches could be adapted to slide along a track to accommodate different ergonomic needs. It could be pretty interesting.

Obviously 'standards' would need to be set within the industry. This is why a component giant like Shimano should be watched closely as they have the horsepower to set trends. Did you know that it was Shimano, in cahoots with Fox, that got the industry to switch from 20mm through axles to 15mm ones? And flat mount brakes? Who do you suppose started that deal? 

So, when Shimano introduces a new handlebar with integrated grips and an aero shape, it gets me to thinking, maybe something else is coming along these lines. Something for gravel with integrated vibration damping grips, remote 'pod' shifters, and who knows? Maybe even a hybridized electric/mechanical shifting set up. 

SRAM AXS Rival may have a companion gravel group soon called "XPLR".

SRAM to Counter GRX With Rumored "XPLR" Gravel Group:

Rumors are flying that SRAM is about to unleash a new wireless gravel group set of its own to compete with Shimano's GRX groups. 

Rumors have it that the group will be a 1X12 featuring a 10-42t cassette. The name for the group is said to be "XPLR", which is interesting since the tire company Donnelly uses that same name for its gravel tire range. 

Along with the 12 speed rumors scuttlebutt is that there will be a companion dropper seat post and a Rock Shox branded gravel front suspension fork. When these parts will become available, or even announced, is not yet known, but web watchers have reported that some online retailers have already posted listings for the parts, (no images), so introduction seems imminent. 

Stay tuned......
 

Gravel Promenade Tomorrow With N.Y. Roll:

Yes, you too can ride with the great N.Y. Roll! He has a little gravel soiree' lined up for ya. It's about 77 gravelly miles out in Eastern and Southern Black Hawk County. He is leaving at 8:00am sharp from Prairie Grove Park which is in South Waterloo. 

I've ridden all of this, unless he's going places out of Black Hawk County that I haven't been to, and I can vouch for the 'cool' factor here. It's a great route and you will have a good time of it if you go. You should go too, ya know. N.Y. Roll doesn't think anyone will show up, so prove him wrong, why don't-cha?
 

That's a wrap for this week! I hope that y'all get outside and enjoy a ride or two! Thanks for reading G-Ted Productions.

Friday News And Views

 Who Started This Gravel Bike Nonsense Anyway?

The "Global Cycling Network" is a site and You Tube channel that is very popular. They have a great sense of humor and their videos are always very well produced and written. More like a television production, really. Anyway, last weekend I was alerted to watch their latest (at that time) video on gravel cycling and "who is to blame for it and 'gravel bikes'". 

Well, much to my surprise and enjoyment, they mentioned Trans Iowa and had former Trans Iowa rider and winner of T.I.v5, Joe Meiser on, and he mentions me by name in the interview GCN did with him. (See the video here) The piece was done in association with Salsa Cycles, by the way, so that would account for maybe why I got mentioned, I suppose, but either way, I was pleasantly surprised to see the piece. 

Even if you don't agree about any part I had to play in things, check out the video. It's pretty well done, and the opening bit is hilarious. 

An excerpt from the latest LOOK Bicycles Press Release

LOOK, This Isn't Funny:

I heard about a weird press release a while back out of LOOK Bicycles which featured news about a gravel racing team they were going to support. I eventually must have made the cut to be on their radar as I received the same release only a day later. This was late last week when I saw this. 

So, things start out well enough with the typical marketing banter about gravel, how exciting and popular it is, and how this team is going to be at certain high profile European based gravel events and hopes to be at "....UNBOUND Gravel, the most prestigious event on the American calendar,". 

Okay, that's all fine. No harm, no foul. But then you scroll down and the team members are presented. The image shown here is the first you see- the "Team manager"? Ah........My first reaction was, "It's not April 1st, is it?" Wow! And the other three member's profiles are no better. We have Rémi Aubert, AKA "The Doctor", shown in clinical whites with a .....wait for it.....a hypodermic needle in hand! The next rider is nicknamed "The Gardener", and is shown with a gardening shovel on his shoulder with the tag line of " Legend says that the road is never the same after he has ridden it". I don't even understand that. Must be a French thing. Anyway....

I suppose this was meant to be 'funny' and somehow be genuine and 'down-to-earth', like grassroots gravel, but it sorely misses the mark. It certainly doesn't seem serious, and I still don't know if I should laugh, (it is a joke?) or what I should think of that press release. One thing is for sure- That's maybe the weirdest press release I've ever been sent! 

PRO Vibe Evo handle bar. Image courtesy of Shimano.

Isn't It About Time For Handlebars To Evolve?

For all of the evolution in design we see- from pedals, drive trains, wheels, brakes, and even the clothes we wear for cycling- handle bars seem to have been overlooked. While we get a few different shapes, and maybe a stem clamp diameter change every 20 tears or so, the basic handle bar remains pretty much as it has been for over a century. 

Well, maybe that is all about to change. In my opinion, the only reason handle bars haven't changed radically is due to the archaic way that the controls are attached to them. Especially on drop bar bikes. The ancient band clamp mechanism works, certainly, but it also limits the bar to a certain diameter and shape for much of its length on drop bars. 

The advent of electronic shifting has kind of accelerated the idea of having your shifter work, and mount, in brand new ways. Shift pods, buttons, or other triggering gizmos are going to free up how we shift. Think about the hybridization of mechanical and electronics, as with the Archer Components (scroll down page linked) system I tried last year.  That button system could be molded right into a handle bar of any shape or size. Brake lever perches could be adapted to slide along a track to accommodate different ergonomic needs. It could be pretty interesting.

Obviously 'standards' would need to be set within the industry. This is why a component giant like Shimano should be watched closely as they have the horsepower to set trends. Did you know that it was Shimano, in cahoots with Fox, that got the industry to switch from 20mm through axles to 15mm ones? And flat mount brakes? Who do you suppose started that deal? 

So, when Shimano introduces a new handlebar with integrated grips and an aero shape, it gets me to thinking, maybe something else is coming along these lines. Something for gravel with integrated vibration damping grips, remote 'pod' shifters, and who knows? Maybe even a hybridized electric/mechanical shifting set up. 

SRAM AXS Rival may have a companion gravel group soon called "XPLR".

SRAM to Counter GRX With Rumored "XPLR" Gravel Group:

Rumors are flying that SRAM is about to unleash a new wireless gravel group set of its own to compete with Shimano's GRX groups. 

Rumors have it that the group will be a 1X12 featuring a 10-42t cassette. The name for the group is said to be "XPLR", which is interesting since the tire company Donnelly uses that same name for its gravel tire range. 

Along with the 12 speed rumors scuttlebutt is that there will be a companion dropper seat post and a Rock Shox branded gravel front suspension fork. When these parts will become available, or even announced, is not yet known, but web watchers have reported that some online retailers have already posted listings for the parts, (no images), so introduction seems imminent. 

Stay tuned......
 

Gravel Promenade Tomorrow With N.Y. Roll:

Yes, you too can ride with the great N.Y. Roll! He has a little gravel soiree' lined up for ya. It's about 77 gravelly miles out in Eastern and Southern Black Hawk County. He is leaving at 8:00am sharp from Prairie Grove Park which is in South Waterloo. 

I've ridden all of this, unless he's going places out of Black Hawk County that I haven't been to, and I can vouch for the 'cool' factor here. It's a great route and you will have a good time of it if you go. You should go too, ya know. N.Y. Roll doesn't think anyone will show up, so prove him wrong, why don't-cha?
 

That's a wrap for this week! I hope that y'all get outside and enjoy a ride or two! Thanks for reading G-Ted Productions.