Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Whaleroad

Fourteen Sprockets:

Almost ten years ago now I posted concerning the stir a story caused back then about a patent drawing for a 14 speed Shimano cassette. I wrote about that HERE. It was something Shimano had in its back pocket for years already by that time. So, I knew it was only a matter of time till we saw this in reality. 

But to see it first from a Chinese company called Whaleroad? I did not have this on my 2026 bingo card, as the saying goes. And how about the name of the company? Gotta hand it to the Chinese. When they try to hit on an English language name for a company it doesn't always make sense. It makes for some interesting reactions. 

Anyway - the point Guitar Ted? Ah! Yes...... The point being that I wonder how Whaleroad can pull this off without Shimano having some sort of legal reaction to it. Then my second thought is concerning the "why do this?" question which I am sure many of you are thinking about as well.  

The cassette is an 11T - 46T. The cassette is part of the R7 road group. My feeling is Whaleroad is trying to reduce the differential in tooth count between cogs and to allow a 1X road drivetrain to be competitive with a 2X set up with a similar range of gearing. It is wireless, of course, with the rear derailleur having a removable battery. (SRAM nay have something to say about this as well.) The cassette fits on a standard HG free hub body (Shimano). 

Comments: This may be pointless now, because you probably cannot easily get this stuff, and taking a chance on a new drive train with little track record of success can seem like a bad decision now. And maybe you cannot fathom ever wanting or needing 14 speed cassettes. I get that. We thought 10 speed was crazy in 2010 too.  

But this is coming. Someday new bicycles will have 14 speed cassettes and it will be commonplace. Where it goes from there? I do not know, and maybe more importantly, I do not care. I'm still using 11 speed cassettes and I see no reason to get more than 11 sprockets back there. In fact, two of my bicycles are 9 speed. Think about this - It's 2026 and you can still buy good quality 9 speed components. So, I guess the bottom line here is don't let 14 speed stuff upset your apple cart. You do not have to buy into it. 

Podcast Update:

Just a reminder that the "Guitar Ted Podcast" has been pumping out a new episode about every two weeks. In case you haven't checked out this content, the two latest episodes can be accessed HERE and HERE (Spotify), or from any podcast outlet. 

N.Y. Roll has the new SILCA tires in reserve for his upcoming Twin Six 3X2 32"er build. We talk about our opinions on the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame, cycling in general, and on other subjects as well. We've gotten some great feedback on the episodes so far this year, and we thank you listeners for the encouragement. 

The next and newest episode is one where we talk about the lack of marketing focus on fun and community by cycling brands.I also share my wheel building thoughts.  

It's almost October already! That means we will be coming up on our traditional December mini-break soon. I suspect we will have about 5-6 more episodes before we call it an end to Season #4. If you have any suggestions for content you'd like to hear us speak on, please let me know either in the comments or at g.ted.productions@gmail.com. We listen to any and all feedback and would welcome any suggestions or comments you may have. 

We're having a banner year so far with as many episodes in the can already as we had all of last year. Thanks for the support, and if you are a new listener, Welcome!

Image courtesy of Tailfin

Tailfin Acquired By MVC Group:

It was announced Thursday on several online outlets that the bike packing rack company, Tailfin, had been acquired by the MVC group, a family owned business out of Italy. 

The MVC Group, according to its Linkedin profile, also owns Sportful, Karpos, Castelli and the triathlon brand Zoot. The MVC Group - according to its own press release, is backed by the private equity fund, Equinox.

Comments: I normally do not report on business transactions in the world of cycling, but I was made aware recently that there are some of you folks out there who really do not like "private equity" getting involved in companies you support. or used to support. 

It also dawned on me that the entire thought of private equity funds being involved in a bike packing company acquisition is kind of weird. Bike packing might be the ultimate expression in these times of an independent, self-governed life style. Private equity is seen by some to be one of the things that is wrong with business today and a thing that sucks the life out of brands which were started as family businesses. 

To be fair, the MVC Group is a family business, and maybe this acquisition is a good thing. I do not know. I only point this out since I have found there is a subset of people who find private equity distasteful. At the very least, this high-level business decision seems like an uncomfortable bedfellow with bike packing.

Image courtesy of Teravail 

QBP Brands To Be Sold On Amazon:

Earlier this week news spread across the internet regarding a letter sent to QBP (Quality Bicycle Products) dealers which detailed a strategy QBP would be implementing on the Amazon platform. 

In the communication QBP stated it would become an seller of record and would be offering proprietary brands on Amazon for sale to consumers. A list of those brands included Teravail and 45NRTH amongst others. 

Comments: This should not be a surprise. Independent bicycle shops are becoming scarcer and consumers buying habits have changed dramatically. Amazon is open 24-7, 365. Your local bike shop is not. It is the way it is and this move is, I think, due in part to this new reality. 

By the way, Teravail is blowing out tires at about half price right now on their site. If you are in need of some tires this might be a good time to shop. 

 That's it for this week! Have a great weekend and get out and ride those bicycles!

Friday News And Views

Teravail Cannonball 32"ers Available:

Image courtesy of Teravail

The 32" wheel introductions have most often been focused on MTB product. However; gravel usage has been teased by several manufacturers and now we have a true gravel component in 32" diameter. The first "gravel" tire for 32'ers is the Teravail Cannonball. 

The Cannonball design was intentionally focused on gravel usage, so while this tire in a 2.2" width may strike some as still being XC MTB focused, it is by design intentions a gravel tire. 

The 32" Cannonball features Teravail's Superstructure Casing which is made up of extra-fine, hardened Nylon fibers to help reduce punctures but retain a supple riding casing. The rubber compound is Teravail's Fast Plus which is claimed to be Teravail's fastest rolling rubber compound in their range. 

You can check out either the tan wall or black wall version of the 32" Cannonball by clicking HERE. 

From Wilde Bicycle Co. social media.

32"er News From Wilde Bicycle Co. 

Seen on social media this week: A Wilde Bicycle Co. post teasing a new, as yet unreleased 32"er MTB XC bike. The post indicated this is a test mule for possible future production. 

There were no concrete dates or timelines given as Wilde wants to wait on a suitable suspension fork to test the frame with. 

Comments: Again, 32"ers are being jumped on by smaller, more agile companies which don't have to wait on production lines to be geared up for large runs. 

Although, I have heard through the grapevine that current factory production is not anywhere near maximum levels, and this may also play into how smaller companies have been able to push smaller production runs through for 32"ers. 

However this plays out, my theory is that there is a small amount of 32"er curious, bike nerdy folks who are possible sales targets for 32" wheels and once those folks have their bikes? I think any sort of larger, general cycling population being interested in 32"ers won't be as eager to bite on the unknown. Big brands who aren't going to have 32"ers out until late this year or early in 2027 may find the 32"er market has satisfied their appetite for this wheel size by buying from the smaller companies who were able to pivot to 32"ers more quickly. 

And I could be completely off my rocker. We will see.......
 

Image courtesy of SILCA

SILCA Announces Super-Secret v2 Lubricant:

SILCA Super-Secret lubricant has always fared quite well in my "Guitar Ted Lube-Off" tests and it is my current go-to lubricant for my gravel bikes. It does exceptionally well in dry gravel conditions. However; it wasn't all that great in the wet and so I never really trusted it for Spring, Winter, or if things got wet at any time of the year. 

SILCA has now upped its game with Super-Secret v2 lubricant. The claim is that it is faster, longer lasting, and holds up even in wet conditions. So, I bought some and it will be here shortly. Look for more "Guitar Ted Lube-Off" content soon!

And speaking of the Lube-Off, I last updated the testing HERE.  That was later into last year. I haven't been lax in testing since then, I just haven't updated anything here yet. This will certainly change, obviously, with the new Super-Secret v2 coming here soon. 

 I also have another lube which just arrived and is not yet on the open market. I will be testing it as well. So, this new Lube-Off should be interesting and pitted against the old contenders. Those include Super-Secret v1, the Effetto Mariposa Flowerpower wax lube, and Stan's Dry Lubricant. This Lube-Off should prove to reveal the best lubricant ever for gravel riding. 

I know.....big claim. But I think it will be true, and I am excited to try out these two new lubricants over the end of Summer and into Fall. Stay tuned..... 

New Dura Ace C-50 (mage courtesy of Shimano)

 Do New Dura Ace Wheels Point To What Could Come For Gravel?

On Wednesday Shimano released the poorly held secret that they have new Dura Ace carbon wheels available now. 

These are a range of rim depths and a rear disc wheel for road, triathlon, and perhaps cyclo cross usage. They don't have current "fashionable" inner rim widths for gravel. 

However; what we do see are carbon fiber spokes. The total wheel weight for the 50mm deep Dura Ace wheels (shown) is 1,302 grams for the pair. Curent Shimano RX-880 wheels have a 25mm (vs 23mm for Dura Ace) inner rim width and a 32mm depth vs the 50mm depth of the new Dura Ace. The total weight of the RX-880's is just shy of 1,400 grams at 1,397 grams. This is with stainless steel spokes. 

Obviously trends have changed and Shimano, never one to jump on changes right away, may not be pushing the cutting edges of wheel tech with a new RX series wheel yet. But it is hard to discount what Chinese wheel companies are doing now and for the prices they are doing it at, which are pretty incredibly low. 

Should Shimano come out with an even wider inner rim width gravel wheel set with carbon spokes with a total wheel weight of under 1,400 grams, it would be a huge development. Let's say the newer wheel had a 30mm inner rim width, and carbon spokes. Maybe a 40mm rim depth. It would be very competitive, as long as you bought a bike with those wheels already on it. Dura Ace wheels are well over 2K for the pair, and this is not at all competitive with Chinese gravel wheel sets, many selling for well under 1K for a pair.  

With Shimano you do get a company with service, widespread availability of repair parts, and most bike shops understand and can work on Shimano components. Chinese wheel sets? Hmm..... Not so much. But if you are willing to take a chance..... 

Image courtesy of DT Swiss

DT Swiss Revamps 1800 Wheel Range

Usually we talk about the bougie, expensive wheels here on the FN&V, but not everyone wants, needs, or can afford those carbon fiber wonder-wheels. So, what's a regular Joe or Jill supposed to look for?

How about a reliable, durable, and practical wheel set? This describes DT Swiss' 1800 range of wheels to a "T". 

There are three newly refreshed wheels in the 1800 Spline range now with the Aero (A), Endurance (E), and the Gravel (G) 1800 models. In those three divisions there are some options as well, most notably the option to get a front wheel with a DT Swiss branded Shutter Precision dynamo hub. 

Most of the range goes for a little north of $600.00 USD, so these won't break the bank and you can get solid DT Swiss reliability from the 370 hubs to the spokes and the new rims featuring a 26mm inner width. There are separate rims from this range available also for those looking to build some wheels. 

See the range HERE.  

Image courtesy of Ritchey Design

Ritchey Updates Streem Handlebar:

It seems that the old odball tag which used to be used for flared drop bars is no longer valid. No more "alt-bar" descriptions for these drop bars in 2026. 

Especially since a traditional road drop bar like the Streem now has 10° of flare. This road riding bar now has what Ritchey said in their press release is a design which is "...in line with how riders approach road riding today." And this - "....the compact shape, gentle backsweep, and increasing-radius bends give riders a natural interface for their hands when the road goes long or the pace gets honest. So, backsweep and flare. Hmm..... Gravel has made a dent, it would seem. 

The new Streem is available in aluminum construction in the WCS and Comp ranges with the difference being the WCS has triple-butted tubing. Check out the new bars, which have been priced lower than the outgoing models, and all of Ritchey's handlebar options HERE. 
 

Thanks so much for reading Guitar Ted Productions. Now get out there and ride those bicycles! Summer is fading fast! 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Surly Bikes

 Okay....we're back with a regular FN&I. Finally! This week I'm kicking things off with some items which happened while I was away and reporting on BRAN. 

Surly Brings Back The Steamroller:

After a 23 year run starting in the year 2000, the Surly Steamroller was allowed to pass into the annals of Surly's archives. However, as of June 23rd, you can order a new Steamroller for a limited time. 

Surly didn't mess with the format too much. You still get track bike geometry and clearance for up to a 700 x 38mm tire, but the legal issues surrounding production of brakeless bikes has forced Surly to put cable stops on the frame for brakes. 

Surly says, "once they're gone, they're gone", so if the Anxious Lavender hue appeals to you and you always wanted a new Steamroller, well ya better get on it! $699.00 USD. (What?! Not $666.00?) 

Image courtesy of Thamus Bikes

The 32" Watch: Not Going Anywhere Soon

If you haven't noticed lately, 32" wheels are popping up everywhere. A 32" wheeled bike recently placed top three at a World Cup XC MTB event. Canyon is showing a radical 32"er at Eurobike with a weird, bi-plane handlebar. Esker Cycles is releasing its Lorax model with 32" wheels. Trek reportedly inadvertently showed a 32"er MTB racing bike in its latest documentary film. 

Meanwhile more small builders are producing 32" wheeled bikes for upcoming shows and for customers. 

As noted on these digital pages, we have seen prototype suspension forks for 32" wheels and as of now not many of those forks have shown up yet. This means more 32"ers are coming. (There may be a good reason for the no-show as of now. See below)

My prediction? Many of you readers will see a 32"er by this time next year near you, and many of you will have tried one.The 32"er isn't going anywhere soon, but this doesn't mean they are here to stay either. Think about how entrenched 26"ers were, or how many companies were jumping on 27.5"ers fifteen years ago. The 27.5"er is still hanging on, but I think it is obvious that it is a dead wheel size in gravel and nearly an obscure choice for MTB. The 32" wheel could find itself in a similar situation as these other wheel sizes five years from now. 

Gary Fisher's response to a BikeRumor post about the possible Trek 32"er in the video.

Or not. Time will tell. But I think it is safe to say 32" is an alternative choice which will soon be readily available to anyone soon. So, pretending it is an upcoming trend or curiosity is disingenuous now. So, no more "The 32" Watch" segments. I'll just report on these bikes as another choice from here on out.  

Image courtesy of Shimano

Shimano Keeps Mechanical Shifting Alive:

Shimano recently released news on their Deore and Deore XT level MTB components in a mechanical shifting format.  

XT now features a long cage or short cage rear derailleur in 12 speed for various sized cassettes or a LinkGlide 11 speed version. 

The rear derailleur is also advanced in its abilities to take on hits from trail debris. Manufactured to be able to be mounted on "modern hangars", the Deore XT rear derailleur can be used on any bike meant for derailleur drive trains. The rear pulleys are of a solid design which eliminates debris from catching in the pulleys and causing damage. 

 The rear derailleur now has a dual sprung design which Shimano says increases tension on the chain by 70% helping prevent chain drops and allowing for good shifts even on a worn cassette and chain. 

Deore features much the same upgrades as the XT version with less cost. 

Brakes were also addressed in this news where Shimano has now produced rotors with a 2.2mm thickness. This should provide more robust braking performance over a longer period of time than with the thinner rotors. This is especially critical with regard to modern e-MTB bikes.  

Comments: While SRAM continues to push proprietary electronic groups at least Shimano is keeping the versatility/mechanical shift crowd somewhat happy. XT stuff is impressive and with a mechanical 12 speed option now it should appeal to those who don't want to have batteries to charge or unfixable failures in the field due to software malfunctions. (Which have been reported on SRAM systems by some on social media). 

Image courtesy of Avinox

Avinox Shows Gearbox/E-Motor:

The days when a bicycle becomes more moto are coming sooner than not. The new Avinox E-Bike motor now showing at Eurobike is another step in the full-moto direction. The new motor/gear box eliminates the need for derailleurs and perhaps even traditional shifters. 

While Avinox would likely not agree with my assessment, one has to wonder is this  a step toward full-moto MTB's or is it not? Answering this question is subjective, perhaps, but elimination of key traditional bicycle components and adding more electronic controls and assists - to my way of thinking - is less "bicycle" and "more moto". 

Yes, you will still have to pedal the bike, however, it is getting easier and easier to do so, and at some point, we have to decide if pedals are just another way to have a throttle without having a throttle. 

At any rate, this new Avinox system eliminates the need for a derailleur and shifting can be programmed by the rider. Lots of MTB brands are jumping on this now, so it will be a thing soon out on the trails. See HERE for a list of manufacturers offering this motor and for more details. 

Cannondale Announces Factory MTB Team To Cease At End Of 2026:

Cannondale's Factory Race Teams have competed in MTB events for over three decades but will cease to be after the 2026 season concludes later this year. This according to a news release sent out to Cannondale dealers and the press on Wednesday. 

In its place, Cannondale will introduce a new "Rogues Program". This program will "... bring together professional racers, content creators, community leaders, and emerging voices - a roster larger and more varied than a traditional factory race team" according to Cannondale's release. 

Cannondale seeks to bring its rider experience to more everyday cyclists and to more events by having Rogue Program riders show up at events, group rides, and shops across the USA. Cannondale is also stating it will make a more concerted effort to bring demo rides and event activations to riders which they hope will put more riders on Cannondale bicycles to try them out, and buy them, of course. 

In the release Cannondale states that it still supports the EF cycling team and the women's St. Michaels program. 

Comments: Racing isn't selling bicycles, or so it would seem from this news release. Cannondale is taking a more direct to consumer approach in marketing using influencers, social media, and demo ride experiences instead.  

This will be embraced by the promoters of events as something like a Cannondale expo/demo adds value to their events. Shops also should benefit likewise. As riders, it is a boon to decision making as being able to actually ride a bike before buying is a big deal and should allay concerns over buying consumer direct where there is always that risk that the bike won't be quite what you expected. 

My take ultimately is that this could be a smart marketing decision if implemented correctly. And if it does pan out for Cannondale, look for other brands to follow suit. This should be interesting, but we will have to wait until 2027 to see if it flies or if it dies.  

Hey, Thanks Folks!

A special "thank you" to all who read through the BRAN coverage recently. I was quite amazed by the amount of readers who checked in during the week of BRAN and the week afterward when I did the ride recap. 

I even received advice on how to get my Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM to behave which made the remainder of the week a lot better. So, I really do appreciate those of you who have read the blog and give your feedback on it. 

You never know how odd things like BRAN are going to be received by the audience out there and I was a bit concerned how that would all go over with you all. Apparently it was a good thing. I don't know if I will ever get another opportunity like that, so I had to take it and I am very happy I did on several fronts. 

Thanks again and now it is time to get out there and ride those bicycles! 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Surly Bikes

 Surly Sorceress Trail Bike Debuts:

On Tuesday of this week Surly Bikes dropped a new model into their line called the Sorceress. It is a long. low, slack  steel hardtail 29'er (27.5"er in XS) with the capability to be set up geared or single speed.  

Surly worked with SRAM to develop a new rear drop out which can be set up geared using the SRAM UDH hangar or a chip can be subsituted which allows for a single speed set up. Surly calls this new dropout the "DUH". (Yes, seriously they call it this)  

The geometry is slack with a 65° head tube angle using the suggested 140mm travel fork. The seat tube is minimized for maximum length dropper post use. Chain stay length is 429mm and the bike comes in complete form with Teravail 2.5" Kessel rubber. 

The bike comes in three complete specs and as a frame ($999.00) in Elderberry Tonic or Hot Honey Bling. The single speed is priced at $2,199.00, the Deore 12 speed model is $2,499.00, and the range topping SRAM Eagle 90 is $3,199.00. 

Sorceress drop outs (Image courtesy of Surly Bikes)

Comments: Let's see...... I think it was late 2012 when I reviewed that Diamondback Mason hardtail 29"er. It was about the same bike as this Surly model. So.....nothing new here. 

Yeah, its got that drop out the online sites are all ga-ga over. What is this? Like the 39th variation of a rear drop out Surly has designed over the past 20 years? I don't know......it's all right, I guess. Nothing mind-blowing. 

I'm not sure why Surly decided to make this bike now. Are dealers clamoring for something to sell like this? Are Surly "Humanoids| messaging Surly asking for this? Maybe they are. It just seems like a weird bike for Surly to sell because it hasn't got that "make it your own" thing nor does it really do anything oddball like one used to expect from Surly. Yes....it can be set up and purchased as a single speed. At least they got that part right. 

Image courtesy of Bianchi

Bianchi Releases Limited Edition Infinito Celebrating Paris-Roubaix:

 Paris-Roubaix is this weekend. It might be the most romanticized cycling event in world history. More so than any other "monument" of cycling and perhaps more so than the Tour de France as well. In my opinion, Paris-Roubaix has been more influential in regard to cycling competitions than any other cycling event ever. Just look at gravel events which borrow from either its name, its vibe, or both. 

In light of this, it should come as no surprise then to see a company like Bianchi release a very expensive, very limited edition bicycle to celebrate Paris-Roubaix. 

 The Infinito model was chosen to feature a special paint job with details such as cobbles and a commemorative logo on the seat tube. Only 55 Infinito bikes will feature this livery which points to the 55 kilometers of cobbles in the 2026 edition of Paris-Roubaix. 

See this and all Bianchi's bicycles at www.bianchi.com 

Shimano PD-GR400 flats (Image courtesy of Shimano)

Another Flat Pedal Choice:

I may be a bit behind on discovering these Shimano flat pedals, but the PD-GR400 from Shimano is right up my alley. 

The resin-composite body has nine replaceable grip pins per side and the entire pedal weighs a claimed 394 grams. At a cost of $79.99 direct from Shimano, these pedals seem like a pretty good value. 

I like that they come in different colors as well. Six colors to be exact. I'm showing purple because it is the best color ever, and there is no debate. (Ha!) 

I also like resin composite pedals in the colder times when a metal pedal acts like a heat sink and draws heat out of your foot/shoe combo. Not good! Resin is far less adept at transferring heat, which helps keep those tootsies warm in Winter. 

Anyway, these are not the only choice, but they are another choice I think is worth checking out. Personally I have been a big fan of Fyxation Mesa MP's and I have several sets of them running on different bikes. It looks like Fyxation is on the down and outs though, so I may have to use these Shimano pedals in the future. 

Image courtesy of White Industries

White Industries, Brunk Industries, and Moots Team Up for Titanium Cranks:

An unlikely trio of businesses have teamed up to help produce a made in USA titanium crank set. Brunk Industries does the stamping and forming of the titanium arms. White Industries does the precision machining of the arms and spindles. Moots does the welding of the arms and pedal inserts. 

The cranks will be sold through both White Industries and Moots in several lengths from 165mm, 170mm, and 175mm. Different spindle lengths accommodate MTB, Road, and Gravel drive trains. The cranks us 8 bolt SRAM chain ring mounting standard. Spindles can also be DUB standard or 30mm. Some slight detail differences exist between the Moots and White Industries offerings, mostly in the aesthetic realm. Both brands are selling this crank set for $1350.00 USD.  

Image courtesy of Ergon

Ergon Expands GDH Grip Line Sizing:

Ergon has had the GDH grip in the range for some time now but there was only one diameter/size available. Now there will be three sizes and some new colors as well. 

The news sizes vary 2mm smaller and2mm larger than the original GDH, so if you are a fan of the OG grip, no worries. It is now called Medium sized. 

The grips will all have the "GravityControl" grip compound, progressive damping, and anatomic finger boxes. 

Check out these grips on Ergon\s product page: ergonbike.com/en/lp/gdh-color and US riders can : buy them here. 

Grinduro Returns To PA:

Lockhaven, PA, July 18th, 2026 is the date and place for Grinduro Pennsylvania. Registration is open now. 

Grinduro is timed segment event. This means there are segments where you will be in competition, but there are also segments where you can just cruise and enjoy the ride. 

The event will be going through Sproul State Forest and will feature stunning views, top-notch aid stations, and live entertainment. The event will also feature the following:

• Four timed race segments with plenty of adventure in between
• Festive aid stations with proper fueling and the treats that will lift you spirits
• A lively post-ride celebration and “hootenanny”
• On-site camping available Friday and Saturday
• Possible “Hellbender” salamander sightings all weekend

Proceeds from Grinduro PA will benefit the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League #morekidsonbikes 

That's a wrap on this week. Stay in the saddle and ride!  
 

The Bottom Bracket That Was Too Good

When I built up this bike in '03 I used a UN series BB

A while back, a reader here asked a question in the comments which has inspired this post. It is about one of my favorite bicycle components of all time - the UN series of bottom brackets by Shimano. 

The Background:

First of all, it may be a good thing to consider the context of the times before Shimano created the cartridge bottom bracket. This was when all bicycles in bike shops generally had some sort of square taper spindle bottom bracket which was "fully serviceable". 

What I mean by the term "fully serviceable" is that the component could be torn apart, inspected, have parts replaced, re-lubricated, and reassembled making the potential for the component to last a long time fairly high.

Diagram showing a cup & cone serviceable bottom bracket

While there were variants on the theme, a serviceable bottom bracket was typically made up of a hardened steel spindle, loose ball bearings, also in steel, two "cups", and usually some sort of lock ring. 

In this sort of arrangement it was absolutely critical for the frame to have clean, straight threads inside the bottom bracket shell and that the faces where the bottom bracket tube faced outward on either side be 100% parallel to each other. If these things weren't true, the bottom bracket would wear prematurely, or be unusable due to poor adjustment capabilities. 

The cup and cone set up of this type of bottom bracket required skill to set correctly or the bearings would wear out, along with the cups and spindle, before they should. This adjustment required various different spanners, specific to certain types of bottom brackets. Additionally, this sort of bottom bracket was prone to contamination from wet weather riding, dust, and dirt. 

Take these things and add the dozens of variants (differing spindle lengths and thread types) and a repair shop could quite literally have a machinist's cabinet full of spares to service these bottom brackets. Not to mention the time required to install and adjust these bottom brackets.

The Cartridge Bottom Bracket: 

Along about 1992 Shimano introduced a new bottom bracket which was sealed up inside a metal tube so you could not see the bearings. They called it a "cartridge" type bottom bracket. While the first cartridge style bottom brackets looked very similar to what you can still buy today, there were a couple of weird quirks regarding the originals.  

Originally the plastic cup was on the drive side.

Oddly enough, the plastic non-driveside cup you might be familiar with on a cartridge style Shimano bottom bracket was actually on the driveside originally. Obviously these are left-hand thread and are exceedingly rare. Because the plastic wasn't quite up to the rigors of drive side pressure, Shimano quickly switched the arrangement to what is currently available today. 

Another oddity was the original cartridge style bottom brackets were serviceable. You could take the bearings out, re-grease the unit, and the cones were adjustable via a specialized tool sold by Shimano. I happen to have the tool, oddly enough! 

Additionally, the cartridges were not specific to bottom bracket shell length originally. This difference between 68mm and 73mm shells was accounted for by the shoulder in the inside diameter of the plastic cup. A wider shoulder was for 73mm shells and a narrow shoulder was for the 68mm shells. You could use a cartridge unit in either shell as long as you had the proper non-driveside cup. This reduced the number of variants Shimano had to make since every cartridge worked with both bottom bracket shell widths.

Finally, and most importantly for mechanics, the Shimano cartridge system reduced the number of bottom bracket variants by a very significant amount. There were less spindle length variants and you didn't have to worry about bearing race variations between similar width spindles either. This made stocking bottom brackets easier for shops and easier for manufacturers as well, since Shimano only offered certain spindle lengths. In fact, now you pretty much only have three spindle lengths which cover almost every application.

The original UN series was split up into three levels matching the old DX/LX/XT hierarchy for MTB and the 105/Ultegra/Dura Ace on the road side. XT, and eventually XTR, along with Dura Ace had metal non-driveside cups instead of plastic and were UN-90 series. The mid-level was UN-70 series, and the original entry level cartridges were UN-50 series. Later on lower series cartridge bottom bracket variants were offered to accommodate entry level MTB/Hybrid applications, and some road bike/touring bike applications as well. 

Image from a recent eBay listing for a UN-71 cartridge bottom bracket

Just Too Good!

As I said, these were made so well they were too good! Shimano sealed the units so well they resisted contamination to a great degree, making the units last far longer. While the UN-70 and 90 series were lighter and had better machining, the UN-50 series was so much better than previous serviceable bottom brackets, and went for such ridiculously low prices, everyone used these when they could. Of course, Shimano eventually made less expensive, lower-tier cartridge bottom brackets and those - while possessing the long-wearing traits of the upper end units - were far less quality in terms of bearings and free-movement. 

Eventually Shimano moved on to pipe spindle type bottom brackets around the year 2000. The square taper bottom brackets fell out of favor as crank sets became two-piece with spindles and bearings were housed in separate cups. This was when I started hoarding square taper UN-50 series bottom brackets. 

I've run the same UN-52 BB in this bike since it was built in '07

I ended up with several since I was a mechanic and when folks upgraded, or thought these were bad, I had first crack at owning them. I used a few on bikes I still ride today like my Karate Monkey, my OS Bikes Blackbuck, and my Pofahl Signature. 

I had to replace the one in the Karate Monkey after 4 Winters of abuse, That one was frozen in the frame! I had to remove it piecemeal. 

I maybe have had to replace one other of my used bottom brackets due to it being worn out. 

So, you perhaps can see why Shimano moved on to stiffer pipe spindle bottom brackets and different designs, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with a square taper crank and a Shimano cartridge style bottom bracket. You can purchase brand new UN-55's yet, and used UN-70 series bottom brackets are out there for right around $35.00 - $40.00 each. 

If you have any further questions about these or other components, let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

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!

14 Speed: It Is Nothing New

In the bicycle world of 2025, Shimano has the reputation of making excellent gear, but many riders feel Shimano is not an "innovator". This may be because Shimano's main competitor in the component world is SRAM. SRAM seems to "beat Shimano to the punch" in terms of releases of new technology and gear.

This has been a misinformed take by almost everyone in the cycling world. Unless you are quite familiar with the cycling industry's inner workings, you may be one of those who  have this misinformed take. Shimano innovates behind closed doors and often in ways unfamiliar to Western minds. This can be seen as a detriment to Shimano in terms of their perception amongst the cycling public, or it might just be their strength.

I have often said Shimano was well ahead of everyone else and this was due to a meeting I had with some of then Shimano's Skunk Works test riders in 2010. The setting was a rare Shimano Road Show which was traveling across the USA at select cities. I attended the show in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The event was to celebrate Shimano's DynaSys 10 speed MTB components. Along with the Skunk Works test riders, select engineers and top company officials from Shimano Japan were in attendance. Shimano had never tried a PR effort like this before then, and to my knowledge, they have not done anything quite like it since. 

From a 1999 patent filed by Shimano

I mentioned this meeting on the latest "Guitar Ted Podcast" episode #78. I was told by a Skunk Works rider about Shimano's "secret warehouse" where Shimano kept working prototypes of designs and ideas for the future. At this 2010 meeting I was told Shimano had working group sets up to 14 speed.

A listener to the podcast named "Chris" sent me an email and in it shared these images and the patent filing from 1999 for Shimano 14 speed gearing.

That's 1999. As in 'the last century' people.

Do you suppose SRAM had anything like this sitting around in 1999 that actually worked? While I do not know the answer to the question, I will speculate and say "no", SRAM wasn't anywhere near this level of innovation in 1999.

But you might argue that SRAM not only caught up with Shimano, but has passed them. Look at 13 speed AXS XPLR! Shimano just released wireless electronic groups where SRAM has been at it for several years. So what about this?

Well, remember what I stated above concerning how our Western minds might not perceive how Shimano works?  This was a lesson I learned about the company at the road show in 2010. Shimano is an R&D company. SRAM is a marketing company. There is a BIG difference there.

How a 14 speed cassette might look

Shimano works up ideas, tests them, then they test them again. THEN Shimano releases the tested components to the world. It is a process which is slow, but a process which has gained Shimano a respected place amongst the cycling industry, and is why Shimano has gained the control they have enjoyed for well over three decades.

Shimano is not immune to failures and misses when it comes to what they manufacture and offer to the public. Widespread failures of road HollowTech cranks caused a recall for Shimano. Sometimes things like the Coasting group fall flat and don't seem to make sense at the time of their release. But Shimano has, for the most part, a very respectable track record when it comes to high performance bicycle parts.

SRAM has its successes, but in terms of what I experienced as a mechanic in a shop setting, SRAM was much more prone to being problematic on both the mechanic's side and on the consumer's side, than Shimano.

This wild design for a chain for 14 speed is amazing. 

But we can debate this all day long. The point is Shimano seems to be behind SRAM in terms of when something gets released to the public. But what you may not understand is Shimano has already been where you see SRAM is at now. You just did not see this.

Shimano is not so much concerned about what you think upon a component release. Shimano is concerned about what you think about a component a month after release, a year after a release, or five years after a release. Shimano would rather not have any failures at all, and to help prevent those failures from happening, they would rather test more, and release a product later. 

SRAM, in my experience, wants to get customers excited about a release, out riding the stuff, and if it fails they will send you a new whatever it is that failed. In the meantime, you have a broken part or failed thing which takes time to deal with. But hey! You got a new part and it didn't cost anything, or was just a labor charge. This is based upon what I saw over many years working in a shop environment. SRAM was even offering shops free chains and cassettes at one point for our labor to fix a failed component back in the late 2010's. As I said, SRAM is a marketing company. They win you over with their messaging. Shimano would rather win you over with stuff that works with minimal marketing.

You can debate which way is best, but there is no debate about who innovates and is ahead of the curve. Shimano has very likely had wireless shifting groups for years. You just did not know this. And maybe you just don't care. This is okay. But to say Shimano is not an innovator? Nah.... That is just flat out wrong.  

Friday News And Views

Twenty Years Celebration:

If you've been reading here recently you are most likely aware that this weekend marks the 20th year anniversary of this blog. The actual date is May 11th, which is Sunday.

I've been celebrating each weekend with stories culled from this blog's past. I have been using headers from the past ten years to celebrate as well since earlier this year.

Tomorrow and Sunday will be special anniversary themed posts which will attempt to convey my feelings regarding this auspicious occasion! Ha! So, look for those posts to go up and then the look back will be concluded. I'm not sure what series will replace this, or even if there will be a series! One thing of note about this blog is that many times I have no idea which direction the blog will take until it rounds a corner.

The Latest On The Guitar Ted Podcast:

Last week N.Y. Roll and I recorded a conversation regarding a few different subjects. We really nerded out over geometry for gravel bikes. N.Y. Roll brought the geometry chart in for a 1989 Specialized Rock Combo, a drop bar 26"er MTB many regard as an example of the first "gravel bike". (By the way, and for the record, I do not regard the Rock Combo as anything but a 26"er MTB with drop bars.)

We comped this bike against a current Specialized gravel bike and found some interesting points to discuss. Then we moved on to discussing the tariffs and their impacts on the cycling scene.  There is more to listen to, so I won't spoil it all here. Listen to Episode 74 HERE.  

Episode #75 is recorded but I won't have it out until later this weekend. It's a great chat with Mike Marchand, former DK200 and Gravel Worlds champion. Mike was also a part of the first industry backed gravel racing team. We talked about early events on gravel which inspired events you made have heard of before. All that plus more in Episode #75 coming soon!

Is this a Sensah (Sentyeh) 14 speed rear derailleur? Image nicked off  the web

Moar Gears!

Long ago now, back when DynaSys 10 speed Shimano MTB drive train bits were introduced, I was able to go to Minneapolis, Minnesota for a super-rare Shimano tour/marketing event. At this event were several Shimano "Skunk" riders - Riders Shimano had retained as test riders for the product development.

I was told a LOT of eye-opening stuff while I was there. One Skunk rider told me Shimano had working prototype group sets in every gear range from 11 speed to 14 speed! At the time, I thought 14 speed was probably something I'd never see in my lifetime, but here we are.

While it isn't Shimano, (yet), this Chinese brand known as "Sensah" in the West has shown a 1 X 14 speed group, which is electronic, (natch!), at the recent Shanghai Bicycle Show. Images I've seen, shown on a You Tuber's channel I sometimes view, made the group set look pretty finished and consumer ready. In that same video it was mentioned that SRAM will likely be dropping a 2X13 road group set this Summer. (Didn't they just drop 12's?) 

Gear Wars? I guess... But it seems the march toward more cassette cogs is inevitable. Heck, I haven't moved off 11 speed yet!

Fiber Spokes:

Another 'trend' which seems to have legs now coming out of the Shanghai Bicycle Show are Aramid/polymer fiber spokes, like the BERD spokes I have mentioned here on the blog. Another alternative company making these now from China, called Goosyn, is pushing the idea big time at the show. Used mostly to absorb vibrations from gravel and rougher roads, these spokes are not seen as a road biking alternative, but are used on mountain bikes.

Traditionally BERD spokes have been something of a luxury item since they cost about $8.00 each. That's going to set your wheel price at a pretty premium level, even if you don't consider the carbon fiber rim. 

Now with this sort of push, it will be interesting to see if the competitive market between BERD and Goosyn might start to drive the prices down a bit. Obviously, with the chaos induced tariff situation, things might be a bit murky for the near future, but hopefully more affordable options will be presented because this idea really does work.

Image courtesy of Cannondale

New Cannondale Synapse: Road, All Roads, Or Gravel?

Maybe this bike is everything, eh? Check this thing out. Cannondale's new Synapse, which traditionally has been their "endurance road bike" for over a decade or more, is now a new design with a claimed 20% better ride quality than the outgoing model.

Most of the range is carbon, and eye-watering expensive. But there are reasonably priced models in the range like the one pictured here which is mechanical 105, 2X, with 50/34 gears up front and a 11 - 36T cassette. Pretty decent gearing for most places, and definitely gravel friendly. Oh, and all this for a very decent price of $3,999.00 USD.

But what about tire clearance, and what about the geometry? Well, Cannondale says you can stick a 43mm tire in the back and a 48mm wide tire up front and still have 4mm of clearance around the tires. Yep. That'll play on gravel. They also have pretty decent geometry, with my only nit being the bottom bracket drop is a bit conservative on the two largest sizes. With a hair steeper than 71° at the headtube, I'd say this will work just fine on gravel.

So, here's the deal: Why are we fooling around with anything else?  I mean, this is the all -around bike which most people should buy. Maybe add some utilitarian features to make it more practical, but this is more in the world I think we all wanted when "gravel" bikes were first talked about, at least on this blog. 

The Synapse is not trying to be the next "bro MTB thing", it isn't trying to be super-aero at the expense of versatility. Yes- it could be more practical. (Internally routed cables through the head tube? Yuck!), However; this bike speaks to me as where the whole gravel thing should be headed, especially in how Cannondale is marketing it. Good job here, C'dale! Now let's improve upon this ideal going forward.  

That's a wrap for this week. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions! get out there and ride those bicycles!