Two Things

 

 Testing 1,2,3....

 Just testing out this shiny new laptop I got Friday for this BRAN gig coming up in a couple of weeks. 

I need to be able to update the blog from the road, and well.....  Dragging a PC around isn't very practical. So this laptop was procured and it should provide me with the means to do some writin' on the road. 

I'm still testing this thing out and hopefully images won't be too hard to get the way I want them. You know, technology isn't my best area of expertise, although I will advocate for myself a little here and claim a bit of competency in dealing with new things. 

So, wish me well. 

And for the tech nerds out there I will head off any questions in the comments and let you know what device we ended up with. It is a Lenovo Yoga (I say "Yoda", but Mrs. Guitar Ted doesn't like that!)

So, there ya go. Stay tuned for more from the Yoda laptop soon. 

Note: The above part was posted on the laptop. Now back to the regular PC.... 

Joe Meiser with a Ti Fargo 32 (Image by Steve Fuller)

The 32" Watch: Ti Fargo 32 Completes Century Gravel Ride:

Have you, like me, been thinking a 32"er might be good for gravel road riding? Well, apparently Quality Bicycle Products' own Joe Meiser, a former Trans Iowa winner, thinks it does. He just used a 32"er Ti Fargo to complete the century distance at this past weekend's Heywood Ride. 

Thanks to volunteer Steve Fuller, we have this image and a few details. Apparently Joe chose Teravail Ciclos carbon rims and had these laced to Berd hubs with the Berd spokes which, I would imagine, results in a very lightweight wheel set. 

Those are the Teravail Cannonball 32" tires on there as well. Steve got a quick ride on it and said the bike felt pretty natural to him. It is an XL size, by the way. 

32" Fargos will be available in titanium and steel coming later this year. See your Salsa Cycles dealer for more details. 

And....

I have seen an image of another prototype 32"er which I have been told will work with drop bars or flat bars which will be offered "very soon." This will be coming from a company not known primarily as a bicycle company, by the way. 

Stay tuned..... 

Thoughts On The 32"er Fargo

Note: The images shared in this article were provided as part of the Teravail tire and rim release.  Commentary is Guitar Ted's.

Titanium Fargo 32'er. Image courtesy of Teravail

 This announcement by Salsa Cycles is perhaps one of the worst kept secrets in the cycling industry, that I am aware of, for quite some time. Rumors and sightings of the 32"er Fargo prototypes have been circulating around the internet for months. 

Now that the bike is out in the open, what can we infer from its release? Technical specs will  be everywhere on the internet, undoubtedly, and will be debated. What I am interested in is what impact this may have regarding 29"ers and 32"ers going forward. 

Image courtesy of Teravail

With the tires this bike is being sold with, and with the option of using a Teravail Camrock or Cannonball, it seems as though QBP/Salsa/Teravail are all in on 32"ers, at least for the short term. 

Salsa Cycles, as reported in a recent "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" report, is one of the top five brands at the retail level in the USA.With a steel Fargo 32"er and a titanium one, it would be apparent that Salsa is betting on robust sales of 32" wheeled Fargos, at least in the short term. Salsa certainly has the presence at the retail level to support larger numbers of bikes in 32" wheels. 

That same "BRAIN" article showed a big drop off for retail presence for many other brands. Of course, Trek is number one with Specialized right behind. Cannondale ranks up there as well as Giant. These are brands which typically are more conservative with newer ideas in niche areas of cycling. However; I would expect something from one or more of the Big Four brands sooner than later if Salsa sees brisk sales of Fargos with giant wheels. 

Image courtesy of Teravail

The Fargo was the original "Adventure by Bike" product and certainly this new Fargo will be aimed at taller folk for bike packing and gravel uses. The mountain bike DNA the Fargo has always had will make this a decent mild single track bike. I think 32" wheels and the Fargo is a good fit. But what about other bikes? 

Well, we will see. It all depends upon how the marketplace sees 32"ers. Will they be pigeonholed into XC MTB? Will the big wheels find a home in the bikepacking crowd? What about drop bar bikes for gravel? I think all of this will be offered up front, but what catches on is anyone's guess. 

In the end, you still won't be putting many medium sized people on these bikes and smaller folk won't even have the option. (Although Salsa is offering a small in the Fargo, surprisingly) In this scenario I see 29"ers still being the dominant wheel size. Then the question becomes "Will the industry support two different wheel sizes? If history is any indication, the answer has to be "No". For example, the 27.5"er wheels are still around, but they are being shed from the gravel side faster than a speeding bullet and are becoming rarer in MTB all the time. Same situation with the once ballyhooed "Plus-sized" wheels. 

My gut tells me the industry will not suffer two major wheel sizes for long. I could be wrong. But history says I'm probably right.  

UPDATE: Check out this VIDEO from Bikepacking.com where Neil Beltechenko reviews the new Titanium Fargo.  

In the video it is revealed that the Fargo 32 will only be frame/fork/through axles/head set/seat collar at first with the steel bike coming in the Fall of 2026. Standard Boost spacing , which is a bit of a surprise, and a size small!  Whisky Mtn carbon fork, (for now). Prices: $3,499.00 titanium and $1,799.00 steel. 

Gravel Grinder News: Salsa Announces Flway Gravel Racing Bike

Flyway DLX Red XPLR

 Note: All images and information in this article were provided by Salsa Cycles. Comments are Guitar Ted's and are his own.

Today Salsa Cycles has released information and images for the replacement model for the Warbird called Flyway. It is an evolution of the previous Warbird models using an updated version of the Class 5 VRS vibration reduction as in the past, but with an updated feature set for 2026 and beyond. 

Here are the main talking points for the Flyway.

• 5th Generation Design
• Six Sizes: XS, S, Med, ML, L, XL  
• 70.5° Head tube angle
• 425mm Chain Stays
• 76mm Bottom Bracket Drop
• Two Levels of carbon fiber layup. With the DLX frame you save 150 grams over the other models in the range. The separate frame set on offer is the DLX layup, by the way. 
• Class 5 VRS now 20% more compliant than before.
• Tire Clearance - Up to 50mm tires.
• Geometry accommodates 40mm suspension forks only.
• IS52 head tube accommodates internally routed cabling.
• UDH compatible, no mechanical 2X set ups. 2X can be used if electronic. 
• T-47 Bottom Bracket
• Fork: 420mm Axle to Crown, accommodates up to a 700 x 57mm tire.

Flyway DLX Force XPLR

Cargo Capacity: 

It's a Salsa, so you know cargo carrying capacity has been addressed. The Flyway features several ways to carry your stuff. 

• Main Triangle Bottle Mounts: 2 on XS, and Small. Three on everything else. 
• Two sets of Three-Pack Mounts on the fork
• Direct Mount compatible with custom frame bags.
• Top Tube Mounts
• Rack Compatible with Salsa Rack-Lock or Post-Lock
• Low-rider Front Rack Mounts

Model Range:

The top two models in the Flyway range have the DLX, lighter carbon frame. They both are SRAM equipped 1X drive trains with XPLR. Then the new suspension fork equipped model comes in with a SRAM Rival drive train matched up with a Rock Shox Rudy fork and a dropper post. Next up we have the Flyway Apex Eagle AXS with the last model in the line having the lone Shimano drive train offered in the Flway GRX 610. 

Prices:

•  Flyway DLX RED: $11,999 USD, $16,999 CAD
• Flyway DLX Force: $7,999 USD, $11,299 CAD
• Flyway Rival Sus: $5,499 USD, $6,999 CAD
• Flyway Apex: $4,499 USD, $5,499 CAD
• Flyway GRX 610: $3,499 USD, $4,299 CAD
• Flyway DLX Frameset: $2,799 USD, $3,999 CAD

 

Flyway Rival Sus

Flyway Apex

Flyway GRX 610

Comments:

The Warbird was long overdue for a refresh and the name change isn't a big surprise given how QBP has been sanitizing its brand's nomenclature over the past several years. The good news here is that what the Warbird was has been evolved into a better bike in most ways. (Still not a fan over internally routed everything) 

This bike works in several ways in my opinion. It has race bike capabilities without foregoing adventure/fun based riding. Too may times we are seeing racing gravel bikes coming out with nothing more than a few bottle mounts. Kudos to Salsa for sticking to their heritage formed in adventure based cycling.  

Some may bemoan the lack of big tire clearance in the rear. However; it should be noted that Salsa has an updated Cutthroat coming out (announced today as well) and that bike handles up to a 700 x 2.4" rear tire with the capability of mounting road/MTB hybrid drive trains. Technically speaking, any bicycle with a road based design,(read most gravel bikes) shouldn't have wider than 50mm tires because comprising drive train efficiency to squeeze in MTB rubber with a road bike drive train is going a bit too far, in my opinion.  

Finally, there is no other way to say this, but prices for the new generation of Salsa gravel racing bikes has ballooned. Previous models with similar drive trains were much less expensive.  Are we blaming tariffs, higher shipping costs, or just a general uptick in inflation? Whatever it is, you'll have to lean on that electronic transfer of funds a little harder to be able to obtain a new Flyway. 

Note: Apologies for the image quality in this post but these images are from the resources Salsa sent me to use. Also, a new Cutthroat was also dropped today but I decided to focus on the new Flyway here. No news on a Fargo today, but I've been told by a trusted source that the new Fargo is due late Summer/early Fall. See Salsa Cycles website for the latest details. 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Wolf Tooth

Wolf Tooth Expands Colors To Standard Outboard BSA and T-47 Bottom Brackets:

Wolf Tooth recently announced it has expanded its Color Shop options to include standard BSA threaded outboard bearing bottom brackets and threaded T-47 bottom brackets as well. 

Now offered in nine colors including black and silver, these common bottom bracket standards can help add a pop of color to any bike build. They are also serviceable as well. 

Comments: The Wolf Tooth bottom brackets have been around a while now but I have not tested these yet. This will likely happen this year. I have a bike in mind to get one of these for. So, look for this to be a review shared on these pages soon.

Unfortunately it appears the older SRAM crank sets with the 24mm/22mm spindles are not supported by the Wolf Tooth bottom brackets. Since SRAM has exclusively gone to DUB spindles I assume some companies are seeing less of a need to support this older standard. Perhaps it is a sign to be aware of in case you are running older TruVativ or SRAM crank sets. 

Image courtesy of Singular Cycles social media.

The 32" Watch: Singular Albatross With Drop Bars:

On Monday of this past week, Singular Cycles' own Sam Alison shared a view of the upcoming Albatross 32"er set up with drop bars. 

His comment on the image stated he had the Albatross prototyped with a bit shorter reach than he would have for himself so it might be tried across a wider range of folks. However; he noted this played right into his hands to be able to try it out with a drop bar set up.  

Albatross preorders are open at the moment at Singular Cycles site.  Just drop Sam a line by way of the contact segment of the site. 

Comments: Now this is more what I would have in mind for a 32"er for myself. It reminds me a lot of a Gen I Fargo, to be honest. I'm quite certain this would make for a great bike in the Kansan Flint Hills, or in places in Iowa where rough Level B Roads exist. 

Bonus 32" Content: If you haven't already seen the Vital MTB interview with a Maxxis product manager concerning 32" wheels and tires, give this video a listen. There is a bit of chatter up front, but the You Tube video has chapters so you can jump around at will to get the gist of things. Also, please read this clear-headed take on 32"ers by Sklar Bikes.Note what he says about forthcoming suspension fork offsets for 32"ers. 

It is quite eye-opening and I think you might find the push for "the next big thing" in cycling is going to be 32"ers, like it or no. Whether or not it lasts, like 29"ers, or fades away like plus bikes and 27.5"ers is yet to be seen. 

Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame Announces New Awards:

Next week we should know who the inductees for the 2026 class of the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame will be. Stay tuned for the announcement here. Until then, we have learned there will be three new awards handed out at the inductions ceremony.

First there are the two GCHoF Athletes of the Year. Two awards to help determine which gravel racers "had an exceptional single year of impact from the previous calendar year". The award recognizes the athletes based upon more than results by including examining their character off the bike. 

The GCHoF says "Honorees lead with respect, humility, and generosity toward competitors, fans, and the gravel community embodying what it truly means to be a champion on and off the bike."

The awards in this category have already been announced. They went to Rosa Kloser and Matt Beers.  

The third award will be one which recognizes an individual who went above and beyond to give back to the sport of gravel cycling. Called the GCHoF Community Impact Award, this one will be open to athletes, promoters, industry professionals, volunteers, and fans. UPDATED: We now have learned Chase Wark has won the Community Impact Award. Congratulations to all the award winners. It's rather curious also that GCHoF's own PR writer didn't even know of these awards until they were announced. Interesting.....

Comments: A curious addition to the Hall's activities. These awards seem to be an "end-of-year" performance oriented recognition type thing. If this is close to the mark, wouldn't it make more sense for those awards to be announced in November, October, or after the season ending Grand Prix event/UCI gravel event? And if these are performative based awards, wouldn't those be the purview of a sanctioning body? The media? Who determines these things anyway? As I stated, a "rather curious", and kind of hollow addition to what is supposedly an organization meant "...to preserve the stories of those individuals who have been so instrumental in creating an environment that allowed gravel cycling to flourish."

Image courtesy of Aerobag

Airbag System Promises Injury Reduction/Prevention For Racers:

We have all seen it before if we've watched any bunch sprints in Pro cycling. The pile-up which causes scrapes and in worse case scenarios, broken bones and more. A perennial issue in racing, the Aerobag company has set out to provide a solution which promises less injury in the case of a crash. 

Aerobag, funded through the EU, is hoping to get more teams to adopt this system which is minimally intrusive and high-tech for the protection of elite racers. It really isn't meant for anyone else at this point, but the system is fascinating and is being used by one Pro men's team already. Click the link to learn more.  

Comments: While the limited user focus is understandable, this sort of tech is likely going to be looked at as something to be integrated into future accessory and clothing items for casual cyclists. 

In fact, it doesn't take much of a leap to see how these technologies could be integrated into e-Bikes and helmets for commuters. If this tech proves successful in prevention of injuries, I would look for this sort of application sooner than later. It is obvious the investment into this tech by the EU isn't meant to stop at Pro road cyclists. This is just a proof of concept test for rolling this out to a wider audience where the investment into this effort could be recouped.  

Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

Salsa Cycles Introduces Wanderosa e-Gravel FS Bikes:

Well, the full reveal of the full-suspension "gravel bike" from Salsa happened yesterday. The three bike range is dubbed "Wanderosa", and consists of three identical carbon fiber 110mm rear/120mm front suspended chassis equipped with Fazua electric motors. Yep. E-gravel here. 

Comments: Okay, let's get this out of the way right up front: These are not gravel bikes. I know......Salsa will argue otherwise, but all this amounts to is an e-assisted down country full suspension bike. Can it be a gravel bike? Well..... An old 1940's Schwinn cruiser can be a "gravel bike" if you actually are riding it on a crushed rock road. Again, "gravel" is completely meaningless here and the wrong name to be using for any of the bikes under this moniker. 

So, whatever you want to call this bike's category, the fact is the Wanderosa is an electrified full suspension bike probably best suited for trails and single track. Your mileage may vary here, but this is what I am seeing. Oh......and it happens to have a drop bar. Yep. Got it.... 

Finally, these bikes are for? (Customer base) At an 8K - 13K price range for these three bikes, I would guess the folks barely scraping by to make rent and car payments are not going to be even sniffing ownership of a bicycle like this. So, yeah..... Not a lot of folks can even attain to this level of investment into a bike with such a niche use case scenario. 
 

That's a wrap on this frigid week for the FN&V. Have a great weekend and ride a bicycle if you can!

Bikes Of 2025: Salsa Cycles Fargo (Gen I)

 It's another end-of-year period on the blog. You know what that means? Yep! Another round of my bikes I used in 2025. This round-up will not include some of the bikes I did not use this year much, or at all. I focus only on the bikes that played a big role in my riding during this year.  As always, any changes or future plans for any bike I feature will also be detailed. I hope that you enjoy this year's round-up.

This bicycle might be the most recognizable bike I have. Most folks know well what it looks like and what this bike has meant to me over the years.. I received this bike in late 2008 as a gift of sorts. Ostensibly I was only to have been riding it for a demo, but ....... Well, you had to be there, I guess. Anyway, this bike means a lot to me because of the person behind it, who had the idea for the bike, and essentially was the one who coined the term, "Adventure by Bike;". Well, if it wasn't Jason Boucher who coined the term, he certainly was a big proponent of the saying and the ideal behind the saying. 

I have encouraged Jason to tell his story about the Fargo for years, and he has teased us with a few details, but maybe one day we'll get the full enchilada. Maybe......

I use the Fargo for occasions which I am going to be finding myself in territory I am unfamiliar with. Why? Because the Fargo is like a horse which doesn't let its rider fall off under any circumstances. I have bonded with the bike since day one. I trust the bike, it is very comfortable and capable, and I reach for it every time I feel anxious about a ride. 

The Fargo Gen I has also been a bike I have had very meaningful rides on throughout the years. So, it was the only choice for the Ride For Jacob this past August. I just could not imagine using any other bike for that ride on that particular day. 

Not surprisingly, there is not much left on the Fargo which was on the bike when I received it 18 years ago. There is the head set. I know I have not touched that part. Then maybe the rear and front derailleurs are original to the bike. I think that is all. 

As far as changing anything in the near future goes, well I would like a premium wheel set for it. Something with carbon rims, nice hubs, and sturdy spokes. But it doesn't have to have those things. I just need to ride the Fargo more. And the plan is to do just that. 

This will be the bike which goes with me to the Flint Hills in April for the L.O.G. Ride. I hear Wabaunsee County is pretty rough, and this is right up the Fargo's alley. I will likely be doing some training rides previous to going on the trip on the Fargo as well. Then, I don't know. I'm sure something will come up like the next Ride For Jacob, whenever that happens in 2026. 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Wilde Bicycle Co. 

Wilde Bicycle Co. Announces Heighliner Titanium Adventure Bike:

Due to a leak of information, Wilde Bicycle Co has decided to release the information and pre-orders on its newest model dubbed the Heighliner. 

Featuring clearance for 29" 2.25" tires, fully internal cable housing, and UDH compatibility, this new model is Wilde Bicycle Co. head Jeffrey Frane's favorite bike currently. In fact, he designed the geometry himself. 

The frame has double-butted titanium tubing with a T-47 bottom bracket. There are two water bottle mounts in the front triangle, one Three-Pack mount under the down tube, and a top tube bag accessory mount on the top tube. 

The frame is made at the ORA factory in Taiwan. Pre-orders for a June 2026 delivery are open now. Price for the frame and fork is $3,300.00. The details can be reviewed on the webpage for the Heighliner HERE. 

Image courtesy of Moots

Moots Announces Scrambler Adventure Bike:

Moots released information yesterday on a new model called the Scrambler. This drop-bar, wide tired bicycle is designed around a 100mm travel suspension fork.  

Available as a frame only or with a Rock Shox SID fork and Shimano GRX/XT build, the bike will only be available for  -according to the press release - "a limited time".  (End of January 2026, to be exact)

Tire clearance is stated at 20" x 2.4" maximum. The frame is a Boost spaced frame. Completes will ship with Chris King MTN30 AL29" wheels. Tires will be the WTB MACRO 29" X 2.4".  

For details see Moots page for this model HERE.  

A Gen 2 Fargo pictured in 2015.

The "OG" Would Like To Have A Word:

This trend to 29"er MTB sized rubber, drop bars, and a penchant for telescopic front forks in the realm of "Gravel™" these days reminds me of something....

I cannot quite put my finger on it now. Was it some bike back in 2008 or 2009 with a marketing tagline which went something like "Adventure by Bike"?

Anyway, you get my point by now, I am sure. It was inevitable we'd see all things garvel eventually reach a point where the lines were blurred and what we were looking at now became what we already have seen for sixteen years now.  

You'll note I did not write any "Comments" for the first two entries. This is the comment section on those two entries. Welcome to "Adventure by Bike" Moots and Wilde. There's plenty of room on the couch here and for the rest of you brands who think they have discovered something here.  

I'm not criticizing here, but unless you remind people of the past, they will make up their own stories. So, check the history and be informed.  

Image courtesy of Vittoria Tire

Vittoria Announces Future Availability Of Eco-Friendly Brown Hued Tires:

On the heels of my recent post concerning these tires (HERE), it has come to light recently that Vittoria Tire is indeed going to sell the eco-friendly, brown gravel tires. Tires which have been claimed to be faster than their carbon black infused siblings. 

The full range of Vittoria's PRO gravel catalog will eventually be available in this compound and casing made with 92% renewable, recyclable materials. 

Vittoria claims this brown-hued compound is 5% faster, has 19% more grip, and has 18% better puncture resistance than its current gravel tire range. 

All this performance and earth-friendliness comes at a price though.  Tires in the range are well over $100.00 each at $112.99. This compares to Vittoria's current range which runs at $81.99 for each tire. 

Comments: Wooo! That's a big jump in performance at a big jump in price. Would you be willing to slap on nearly $225.00 of tires, (before shipping and taxes), and have your bike seen with brown rubber? Yeah..... That's a big ask, but I'm willing to bet a lot of people are going to give this a go on their gravel bike. 

A comment left indicating the Luxy Bar redux is a possibility. 

Do You Really Want It? Then Say So!

Thursday (yesterday) an long ago memory was stirred when I saw "Brant Richards" pop up in my email.  

Brant Richards was heavily involved in UK MTB as a writer and parts designer up until about seven years ago when he and a partner opened up a boutique clothing business called HebTroCo. But before the trousers came into Brant's life, he designed a lot of cool stuff like the On One Inbred, some nice forks, steel frames for trail MTB, and this odd flared drop bar called the Luxy Bar. 

Now Brant seems as though he's back into bicycles, at least for a bit. He hit me up yesterday asking what I thought about a reissue Luxy Bar. So lokk, if you ever wanted one, wanted another one, or are "Luxy-Curious", give a shout. Hit the comments and say something. 

If you don't ask, you won't receive anything.  

That's it for this week! Get out and ride those bicycles! 

Friday News And Views

S-Phyre SH-RX910 (Image Courtesy of Shimano)

Shimano Offers New Range-Topping Gravel Racing Shoe:

Shimano quietly introduced a new range-topping gravel racing shoe this past week called the S-Phyre RX910. S-Phyre is typically reserved for all-out racing performance footwear in Shimano's nomenclature. 

Shimano gave the RX910 a slightly curved sole for better walk-ability.  Enhancing pedal stability was done by adding Shimano's "pontoon" plate under the cleats which features two rubber stabilizers adjacent to the cleat pocket. These stabilizers contact the SPD pedal body to give riders a better platform for pedaling. These also enhance off the bike walk-ability. 

The RX910's have a TPU upper, two drain holes in the soles to allow for faster drying of feet in case of wet weather, or water crossings, and on-the-fly adjustable BOA closures. The new SH-RX910 S-Phyre gravel shoes come in White, Black, Deep Sea Blue, and Blue. The RX910 has a suggested retail price of $480.00 USD. 

The Guitar Ted Podcast Episode #86:

A new episode just dropped this week where N.Y. Roll and I discuss the new Trek Checkpoint, new Surly Straggler, and that new, upcoming Salsa Cycles FS drop bar bike which should debut in a month. 

You can check out the Guitar Ted Podcast on most any podcast platform, or find the latest episode HERE on the Spotify page for the show.  

 I had a thought, which I expressed on this episode, which was about this new drop bar FS Salsa rig. I was wondering, "Is this going to be the Cutthroat FS?" 

If the image is true to the bike in the teaser, it is pretty plain to see this bike is no gravel bike. There is a decent amount of travel, a high bottom bracket, and beefy looking tires there. A bikepacking FS rig in carbon? To me this makes sense if it is a FS Cutthroat, but Salsa has probably decided upon some other name for this bike. 

We only have to wait one more month to find out.... 

Found On Ratio Tech's social media

Ratio Technology To Introduce T-Style Rear Mech:

There are many stories out now concerning Ratio Technology and their development of a T-Style mount rear derailleur. Ratio Technology already offers kits to convert SRAM components to have more speeds, or to be compatible with wide-range, 1X cassettes and drop bar levers.  

Digging a little further it appears as though this rear derailleur will also be compatible with regular hangars by removing the direct, co-axial mount and swapped out for a bit which will make the rear derailleur mount like traditional rear mechs. 

I also read on another post where this rear derailleur will be compatible with several drive train formats, making this perhaps the most versatile rear derailleur in existence. As long as you are pulling a cable, that is! 

There is even a hint of this thing being made in a silver color. That would be pretty radical! I'll be keeping my eye out for more about this system and I may get some Ratio bits in for testing for next season.  

From the GCHoF social media post

Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame Seeks Nominations:

The Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame soft-launched their window for nominations on October 1st. This will be open until November 30th according to a social media post put out by the GCHoF. 

The GCHoF does their nominations by a democratic process wherein anyone can send in a nomination with the following guidelines: 

"Your submission should clearly describe the nominee’s achievements and contributions, including specific examples such as events they have organized, races they have competed in, advocacy work, or initiatives that have helped grow and shape the gravel cycling community. "

Nominations must be at least 200 words long and up to 600 words in length, according to the GCHoF site. Click the link above for more details. 

Comments: It is no secret that (a) I am in the GCHoF, (b) that I have criticized their nomination process in the past, and (c) there is a glaring omission amongst the inductees. I will continue to hold my positions on these points until something changes to help me understand why certain alternatives are not explored for nominations. The way they do things now is a recipe for inclusion of folks at the exclusion of some who should be in the GCHoF from a historical and influential background. The Board knows my position, they know how I would like to see this handled, and this is all that matters. They can decide how this goes from this point on. 

But unless things change I don't see how there is any possibility for several seminal, pioneering gravel folks to ever see inclusion. It will become a "who's who" of gravel racers and promoters from the last ten years and forward. And I will leave it at this...... That is a sad state of affairs. 

Image courtesy of Canyon Bikes

Canyon Enters Wheel Market With Carbon Gravel Wheel Set:

Canyon, the direct-to-consumer brand, has just announced a new gravel wheel set. This complete wheel set will feature DT Swiss Spline 350 hubs, hookless rim design, and a 30mm deep rim profile. Boasting a 27mm internal rim width, these wheels will be good for the wider tire trend sweeping the racing fields at gravel events these days. 

The Canyon wheels, called the GR 30, will retail for around 1K here in the States but list for 899 Euros on Canyon's site HERE. Total weight for the set is claimed to be 1,600 grams by Canyon. 

Comments: You know Gravel™ is the hot ticket when a brand starts out by rolling out a new product and does so in the Gravel™ category first. This was my first impression. 

Secondly, these are not all that lightweight. There are alloy rimmed wheels which match this weight, so I'm not all that impressed by these wheels. Besides this, the entire hookless thing has me spooked and I'm not buying into the design. I just don't see why we need this and I'd rather stick with proven technology if the benefit is negligible or cancelled out by failures, which have been reported with hookless bead wheel sets. Finally, not all tires are hookless compatible, but all tires can be used with hooked design rims. I know which I'd rather be using. 

That's a wrap for this week! Get out and ride those bicycles!

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles social media

Salsa Cycles Teases Drop Bar MTB:

On Tuesday of this past week, Salsa Cycles dropped a teaser for a new bicycle which is said to be coming to their dealers in January of 2026. 

Tagged only with the words "Curioser and Curioser", the silhouette of the bike is shown against a murky, forest-like scene. Perhaps this hints at the model's new name.

Comments: Whooo-boy! The comments on this are just what you'd expect from the mostly-negative peanut gallery. I won't get into their thoughts as they are not really going to do anything but be noise here.  

What I will say is this looks like stab at a niche which may be pretty far off most folks radar. My guess is this is a "fast bikepacking" platform. But this is just a guess. I highly doubt it is a drop bar alternative for trail riding only, but obviously, it probably will be capable of doing just that. My first impression when seeing this was it could be a full-sus gravel bike, but I think the travel on the fork looks a bit long for this to be pigeon-holed as just a gravel bike. Besides, look at the height of the bottom bracket. This looks much more off-road than on-road. 

I guess we will all find out together in January!

Image courtesy of Mondraker Bicycles.

Mondraker Offers Arid Carbon Unlimited Frameset:

On Wednesday Mondraker Bicycles announced a new version of their Arid Carbon gravel bike called the Arid Carbon Unlimited. This new frame set is painted in a color-shifting "Eclipse" scheme which will look different depending upon the viewer's angle of sight and lighting conditions.  

The frame also features a lighter version of the  Stealth Air Carbon Fork which has the accessory mounts removed for a sleeker look and 60 gram lighter weight. 

Prices in the press release were not given in US dollars, but looking at the listed retail pricing my guess is this would be around $2,500.00 before any tariffs. This is assuming it will even be available in the USA. With this in mind, I still think this is a high-end frame set worth seeking out for its geometry and promised smoother riding qualities.   

Image courtesy of Castelli

Castelli Partners With Polartec For New AirCore™ Jacket Tech:

Castelli released news of a new Perfetto RoS jacket on Tuesday of this past week which uses a new fabric which may radicalize how we view rain wear.  

The inside joke regarding any weather protective jackets has always been you get wetter on the inside than you would on the outside when wearing a rain jacket while cycling. I've tried several rain jackets and this has mostly been the case. I did have one Endura made, Niner Bikes branded soft shell jacket which was the only cycling jacket I ever had which kept me warm, dry, and was almost wind proof and had a little resistance to wetness. But yeah, most claims of "breathability" in rain wear is laughable at best. 

To understand this one must know a lot of the details and tech behind poor weather wear for cycling. Most, if not all, rain wear has three layers. In the simplest terms, the rain is kept at bay while this three layer fabric supposedly allows your perspiration to find its way through to get evaporated into the atmosphere. Trouble is, this happens at such a slow rate in most jackets as to be largely ineffective. 

Then Shakedry, a magical, single layer fabric came out around eight years ago or so which actually did the magic trick of being waterproof and kept you dry inside of it. However; it was difficult to make and was limited by its non-stretchy, and less durable nature. Then it was found to have high levels of PFC's which were being linked to cancer. A ban on PFC's in several countries has led to the discontinuation of Shakedry jackets. Back to the same ol'-same ol"? No.... Not according to Castelli. 

Castelli went to Polartec and asked them to create a new fabric with no PFC's which would repel water and wind yet be actually breathable, not just breathable in theory. So, the claim is now being made. The new AirCore™ fabric, spun from recycled polyesters, is this new wonder-fabric which will breath and repel water and wind. 

This fabric will be an exclusive to Castelli and its sister brand, Sporful, for cycling, but look for AirCore™ to show up in other brand's outwear this Winter. We will see if the mystical combination of weather-proofness and dry interior performance during active use will become a reality.  

Image courtesy of Specialized Bicycles

Specialized Releases Details On Gen4 Diverge:

Specialized on Tuesday released details on a new version of the Diverge, their gravel bike, and there are several new features and tweaks to cover here.

First off, the Future Shock system gets an upgrade on the higher end models with hydraulic damping and adjustability for rider weight and preferences. The geometry has been tweaked by way of a longer front-center for each size matched up with a slack head angle and 5mm lower bottom bracket across the range. Tire clearance is up to 700 X 50mm, and alloy models now get down tube frame storage capabilities. Prices start at 2K and range up to 10K for the top-end model. Se the range HERE. 

Comments: The social media commentary on gravel bikes, including this one, is hilarious. Many think 2017 MTB's are "old school", that gravel bikes are "just pretend flat bar hard tail MTB's", and seeing many trying to wrap their minds around an 85mm bottom bracket drop is particularly fun. 

Anyway, this new Diverge was developed through feedback from Specialized sponsored Pro gravel racers, so anyone making comments on these bicycles being lacking, or dumb in any way are just not getting the message. Racers want what racers believe they need to go faster. Much of what they believe is data-driven, so this is not just a bunch of marketing hoo-ha cooked up to strip the riding populace of their hard-earned dollars. 

Oddly enough, many of the details which the Pros seem to want in a gravel bike align with what I think works best for "just riding around", on gravel. Besides the lack of versatility which racers do not need or want, I'm in. This is the only nit I would have with the Diverge.  

Image courtesy of Santa Cruz Bicycles

New Stigmata HTSQD Colorway Debuts:

Santa Cruz showed off this special colorway of their Stigmata gravel bike recently which can be had as a full-build or frame and fork. The frame and fork combo is listed at $2,799.00 USD. 

The frame/fork combo can be seen HERE. 

Comments: N.Y. Roll has an older Stigmata, and he seems to like it well enough to keep it around for now. I like this newer version, maybe as a more racy option for myself, at any rate. 

The geometry on this is a bit longish and sizing this bike is a bit of a conundrum fror me. I think I'd opt for the Large but with a 52.5cm seat tube length it would require quite a lot of seat post extension. I suppose this is by design to accommodate dropper posts, which these MTB-centric brands like to put on their gravel bikes. 

Cool colors, at any rate. I do like this about the new Stiggy. 

That's a wrap for this week! Have a great weekend and ride those bicycles!

Friday News And Views

Gravel Amplifier:  Farmhouse Classic

Many years ago gravel events were much more intimate and often reflected a very personal touch which was imprinted on the event by the organizer. It was not uncommon for the event to start at a home, for instance, or start at someone's private property.

Such was the case with the early Farmhouse Classic gravel event organized by Joe Fox, owner of Cycle City bicycle shop now in Kansas City, Missouri. Joe had the event start at a farm in Northwest Missouri, not far from Kansas City. While I never had the chance to ride the event then, it did have a high reputation as being one of those  events you thought of when thinking about "grassroots gravel".

Last year, on our way down to Mid-South, we stopped in at Cycle City and I had the chance to chat with Joe Fox. Joe has been a gravel rider in many events going way back, including Trans Iowa, the event I used to run. During our conversation, I mentioned the Farmhouse Classic and I told Joe he should consider bringing it back again. Joe quickly brushed the suggestion off and made a few remarks about it being a big commitment and how he was pretty tied up running a shop nowadays. Totally understandable stuff

But, for whatever reasons, I see now that Joe has indeed resurrected the Farmhouse Classic. (I'm sure my suggestion had little to do with this happening, by the way)  It is set up now to be a benefit for the Parkhill Bison Composite NICA Team. There are 68 mile, 35 mile, and 20 mile ride options. The event will occur on July 19th out of Lathrop, Missouri, which is located Northeast of Kansas City, Missouri.

Journeyer CUES 11 Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

 Journeyer CUES 10 & 11 Speed Bikes:

Salsa Cycles announced this week the availability of Shimano CUES groups on their Journeyer gravel/adventure bike frames. CUES is Shimano's group set specifically made to work through several speed and set up types. So, there is a 9 speed, 10 speed, and 11 speed CUES all with cross compatibility using derailleurs, shifters, and crank sets across the range including drop bar and flat bar versions.  For a more detailed look at CUES see my article on the group HERE.

The drop bar CUES was a highly anticipated version of this mechanical shifted group as it was hoped that it would reduce costs and make a gravel bike more accessible to the masses. Salsa has dropped both 10 speed and 11 speed CUES equipped Journeyers now, so how do they stack up?

Journeyer CUES 10 (Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles)

Well, for context here a frame set is available foor the Journeyer which includes a carbon Waxwing v2 fork. The cost for the frame set is $799.00. The CUES 10 equipped version clocks in at $1,699.00 and the 11 speed CUES Journeyer is $1,999.00.

Okay, bicycle prices have increased by quite a bit. It used to be you could get an entry level road bike for under 1K. This Salsa model was called the Journeyman when it came out in the late twenty-teens and the base model was under 1K.

Comments: So, we're still talking base, entry level stuff here and now - just to get in on a Salsa, you are looking at over $500.00 more these days. This is if you want a Salsa Cycles bike. Plus, CUES is not getting rave reviews on the bicycle mechanic pages I scroll routinely. 

Of course, alternatives exist and one no6table choice in this category is State Bicycle Co.  Their All-Road 6061 gravel bike compares with the CUES 11 Journeyer. It has a 1X 11 speed "State Bicycle Co." drive train, (read: MicroShift Sensah derailleurs and shifters. Also a group set with mixed reviews), and a carbon fiber fork as well. It retails on State's site for $300 bucks less than the Salsa CUES 10 Journeyer. So, a pretty competitive price, but you do not get a dealer back-up, and all that might come with that. So, yeah..... Apples and oranges, but this is how the market stacks up these days on the entry level gravel bike end of things.

Image courtesy of TRP

Vistar/Classified Wireless Group Set Details Announced:

TRP sent out an email blast to its customer email list last week detailing its Vistar wireless group sets for gravel and road. Featuring wireless shifters and rear derailleur, the group is also paired with Classified's two speed internal geared rear hub. 

Users can leverage the TRP Vistar app to customize shifting, set up the system as a sequentially geared system, or use it manually as a 2 X 12/13. Cassettes are made from one block of metal and there are two ranges each for road and gravel to choose from. 

Comments: Since the system is app based, it probably will be upgradeable to future 13 and 14 speed systems. The Classified rear hub is kind of an acquired taste in that you need to buy into the limited range of Classified compatible wheel sets, although the choices are expanding all the time at this point. Still - none of your old wheel sets will work. Plus you have to buy a "Smart through axle" which acts as the receiver for the signal to make the rear internal gear switch. ($165.00) Plus a bar-end mounted controller unit as well. ($65.00)

If one could just use the system as a 1 X 12 and buy the derailleur, shifters, and controller unit, the price isn't so bad, but to get a two gear addition, equivalent to a front derailleur, which requires a special wheel and cassette? I still do not see the value in this way of doing things. 

NOTE: There is something you'll hear about next week which will really make Vistar/Classified look less attractive. Stay tuned.... 

Portrait of Charlie Farrow at Trans Iowa by Michael Roe

Tailwinds To Mr. Farrow On His Tour Divide Attempt:

Tour Divide starts today and one of the participants in this year's running is Charlie Farrow of Duluth, Minnesota.

You may not know Charlie, and I don't blame you. I know him from his participation in Trans Iowa for several years. Charlie has forged a legendary status just within the confines of Trans Iowa, but there is so much more to the man. Most people are completely unaware of his feats of cycling endurance. I wrote a bit about Charlie specifically in my Trans Iowa Stories series. This post gives you a taste of what Charlie's legacy is, and his story is still being written. 

As with many great figures in sports and elsewhere, Charlie Farrow would not like this being said of him. He would pass it off as his being just a guy living his life, most likely, if I know him at all. In my opinion, Charlie is a "cycling renaissance man", eschewing the electronic gadgets, latest gear, and instead he does things in his own, unique way. For instance, Charlie never used a cell phone during Trans Iowa, even though it was required equipment. Once, during Trans Iowa v8, he was so lost he had to wait until he reached a small town to use a phone so he could call me to get directions from where he was back to the course.

I have been told by my friend Ari Andonopoulos, a good friend of Charlie's, about Charlie's Summer rides where he takes off, with out connections to the World other than a sending of a post card occasionally from his route as he piled on the miles. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Charlie does Tour Divide without a GPS tracker and no cell phone. It's just the way he rolls.

Tailwinds, Charlie! I hope you reach your goal!

That's a wrap for this week! Get out there and ride those bicycles!
 

Sea Otter: Left-Overs

Vittoria's T50 gravel tire (Image courtesy of Vittoria)

Vittoria Simplifies Tire Names, Introduces New T50 Tire:

Vittoria is going to move away from its current naming conventions for its gravel tire line up. Apparently the Mezcal will also be switching to this new way of naming Vittoria's gravel range.

In effect, the new naming convention will help riders determine what tire is best for their riding intentions. So, a smoother, faster tire, like the Terreno Zero, will be a T10. Something more aggressive will have a much higher "T" score going all the way to 100. Vittoria will support this with a "tire-finder" on their site which will ask riders questions to help funnel them to tires which fit their riding needs best.

To illustrate this range we have the new Terreno T50, so, a tire right smack-dab in the middle of the new range and as one would expect, is being marketed as an all-arounder.  This tire is punture-protected, has a sidewall protection, and will come in a new "tan" sidewall along with the standard black. Gone are the grey sidewalls of the past. This tire currently is only offered in 700 x 40mm.

Comments: Okay...... I don't know if this new tire-finder way of naming these tires will make all that much difference. Initially, as Vittoria works through changing the range this Summer, my thought would be if someone is looking for a Mezcal and doesn't see any, (because now it is a "T" something tire), they won't buy Vittoria. But maybe the "Mezcal" part lives alongside the "T" bit for awhile, easing the transition. Otherwise, I don't see this "T" thing as a big benefit to the consumer. Most riders are going to listen to their group-think advisors online anyway, since bike shops are fading, and media cannot possibly cover every tire.

Moots Routt in the California Dreamin' ano scheme. (Image courtesy of Moots)

Moots Calfornia Dreamin' Limited Edition Routt:

Look at it. It is anodized titanium, high-end parts, and costs an eye-watering amount of money. Twenty-five will be made available by Moots. It's called "California Dreamin'". Got it....

Moving on.... 

Image courtesy of Maxxis Tires

Maxxis Debuts New Compound Across Gravel Tire Range:

Maxxis Tires announced a new compound for their rubber used across their four tire gravel range. Called "HYPR-X", this new compound is going to be integrated throughout the range during 2025.

The new compound borrows from Maxxis' HYPR road tire compound which is known for low rolling resistance. This is mixed with Maxxis' XC racing tire compound called "MaxxisSpeed". The result will be a tough, low rolling resistance compound for gravel.

Maxxis claims the new gravel oriented HYPR-X will lend riders 19% better cornering traction over the previous compound used and 25% less rolling resistance.  A new, even stronger Nylon will be used for the casings in the 120TPI tires which Maxxis says will "vastly increase tread durability". The EXO sidewall protection will also be applied to the range. All sizes in the gravel range will now be tubeless ready. Note the new tire hot patches, which will replace current branding. All tires will ship in new, recyclable paper packaging as well.

The Reaver and Rambler in 700 x 45mm will be the first to get the new compound  and casing with the other tires and sizes in the range to follow. See more on Maxxis' site. 

Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

Salsa Revamps Full Sus Range:

Salsa Cycles announced last Thursday they had revamped the entire full suspension range of bikes, including e-bike FS. I'm not going to go into detail on the entire range, but I will speak to the one bike in the whole range which I found interesting: The 'entry level' Spearfish C Eagle Transmission.

 This bike has 120mm front/rear travel via Rock Shox SID range dampers. Decent wheels and tires, a good geometry, and that 'Dusty Rose' hue looks pretty cool.

Comments: I am amused this bike costs 5G. The range-topping Spearfish C DLX XO is over twice as expensive. So....I could buy two C Eagle Transmission models and have money left over compared to the XO model?

Ridiculous. How did we get here?  

Courtesy of Sage Titanium's Instagram

Sage Titanium "Dropinator" Points To MTB Trend In Gravel:

Sage Titanium showed off a new bike at Sea Otter which grafted gravel bike geometry with a 100mm suspension fork. The bike dubbed "The Dropinator" also has  a dropper seat post, 1X SRAM drive train, and Rock Shox Attendant Control electronics for the fork and dropper post. 

Comments: As I have often stated here on these digital pages, 40mm - 50mm of "gravel suspension fork t5ravel" is functionally useless. You can see here 100mm is where the action is going to be, that is if this takes off as a "thing".  

I've also said the Fargo/Cutthroat class of drop bar MTB was already doing this sort of job, but what I see here is a trend toward taking the concept to a racier, lighter chassis than a bikepacking bike has.

But in the end, this all points to what is happening in the upper echelons of Pro XC MTB, just with a drop bar variant thrown in. Keeping in mind this bicycle debuted at an event which had been a XC MTB event up until this year. Does this have any bearing on the reason the bike exists? Possibly, but I think more so this points, once again, to "gravel" being the hot ticket. If we can disguise a hard tail XC rocket ship as a drop bar gravel bike with a suspension fork and call it "monster gravel", or whatever they end up calling this concept, then you have something to get folks excited about.

In the end, I think this concept is fine. I did something similar with a Gen 2 Fargo and an 80mm travel Reba fork once. But it was not a "gravel bike".  It just wasn't the same on actual unpaved roads, which is where a gravel bike really shines. Drop bar MTB is really cool, and I do like it, but again - this Sage model and bikes like this are a drop bar MTB bikes. Let's not kid ourselves here.