Review: Redshift Sports Short ShockStop Stems - Final Word

  Note: Guitar Ted Productions received a Redshift Sports ShockStop stem at no charge for test and review. Guitar Ted was not paid nor bribed for this review and will strive to give his honest thoughts and opinions throughout. 

Redshift Sports Short ShockStop Stems come in 55mm and 70mm lengths.

The vibration reducing ShockStop Stems have been a staple of my kit for several of my bikes for many years now. In my opinion these devices do a better job of reducing vibrations on gravel rides than a telescopic suspension fork and are more user friendly and versatile than some proprietary stems that do a similar thing. 

So, I am a 'fan' of these stems from Redshift for many reasons. Am I biased in my take on these new shorter Redshift Stems? Only in that I expected the new short version to be as good as the original ShockStop stems are. If there were  any drop off in performance or feel in the new stems I would be very disappointed. The new stems have a completely new inner working as well. Had this been harder to deal with than the previous version that would have been another negative against the new, shorter stems. 

So, is this new version as good as the original design of the ShockStop Stem? The answer is no, it is not 'as good', it is better than the originals.

Gut-shot of the new design's innards.

I found the new version of the ShockStop stem to be better in a couple of significant ways. First was in the ride feel. This shorter stem was obviously going to allow for less leverage from the handle bar, which is how the stem gets activated over vibrations and small bumps. I was concerned that this might make the feel of the shorter stem to be stiffer than the original ShockStop stems. However; I found that not to be the case.

In fact, this stem may be even more compliant than the original version. Of course, this all depends upon how you set the stem up with the internal elastomers. This sets the spring rate of the stem, and therefore it affects ride feel and vibration absorption to a large degree. So, while I was pleased with this stem I tried out of the box, I could tune it further with the included extra elastomers. This leads me to the second way in which the new short version ShockStop is better than the original.

That would have to do with the internal design change made for the shorter version of the ShockStop stem. It is what I would term as a cartridge with two elastomers sitting side by side. This cartridge slides out of the stem's body after removal of the stem face plate and handlebar.  Elastomers are easily slid in and out for tuning. The whole process is easy and intuitive. 

Compared to the original ShockStop guts, which has a long threaded bolt that must be carefully installed along with the elastomers being in the correct orientation, and it becomes easy to see which process is more desirable. Now I have to say that I don't think the difference is that big, but the simplicity and effectiveness of the new design is just more pleasing to work with. 

The ShockStop Stem (and the big tires) made short work of this grassy field traverse.

Final Word: With the perspective that the Redshift ShockStop stems are vibration reducing devices and not suspension, I have to say that this new shorter version of the ShockStop Stem has been a pleasant surprise. I had serious doubts that Redshift could pull this off with such a short stem shaft, but they have, and it works very well. 

I had great feel from any point on my handlebars and the stem lent a smoother, almost vibration free ride over many types of surfaces. That is a welcomed thing when it comes to my hands which are prone to becoming fatigued and numbed by too much vibration absorption. But this goes beyond hands to my shoulders and upper body which all feel some relief from what would otherwise be constant vibrations having to be absorbed by those parts of my body. Something like a vibration absorbing stem may feel like a gimmick to you, but once you've tried one, it shouldn't take much to note that you end a ride feeling fresher and less recovery time will be needed before another outing. 

Again, I am a fan of Redshift's ShockStop Stems, and I had my doubts that a shorter version would be good. I was ready to pan this effort, but much to my relief, I don't have to because this shorter version is not only as good at what it does compared to the original ShockStop Stems, it is even better in some significant ways. If you have a gravel rig that requires a short stem, this may be just what you are looking for to add a bit of comfort and relief to your ride. Check it out if so. 

Redshift Sports site: https://redshiftsports.com/

Note: The first image in this post is courtesy of Redshift Sports. All other images are Guitar Ted Productions.

Review: Redshift Sports Short ShockStop Stems - Mid-Term

 Note: Guitar Ted Productions received a Redshift Sports ShockStop stem at no charge for test and review. Guitar Ted was not paid nor bribed for this review and will strive to give his honest thoughts and opinions throughout. 

The Redshift Sports ShockStop Stem is nothing 'new', but having them available in shorter lengths is. I have the 55mm length but there is also a 70mm stem as well. You can check out all the details and first impressions on this stem HERE. Check out that link for those fine details. 

This post will describe what the ShockStop Stem is and what it is not. Then I will get on to my latest riding experiences with this product. After a few more weeks living with the product and getting in some more rides, I will give my final verdict. 

The stem doesn't look any different from any other stem.

Suspension vs Vibration Reduction:

I've seen stems like this being discussed on forums and on social media and it becomes quite clear that some people expect things out of products like the Redshift ShockStop stem that are not really there. 

Some people speak of "a lack of suspension.." and if that is you, the ShockStop Stem is a misunderstood product. It is not a suspension product. (And even Redshift may disagree with me on this.) It is a vibration damping product. 

Think of the ShockStop stem like this, and perhaps you might have a better understanding of the product. It is like a motor mount in a car. You, as the rider, are the 'motor' and in an automobile, motor vibrations are damped and prevented from affecting the passengers and the handling of the car by motor mounts. These mounts typically have a rubber-like element to them which isolates vibrations and engine movement. The bicycle version Redshift makes works a bit like that, only in reverse. The vibrations coming up through the bike generated at the wheels are isolated by the ShockStop Stem's elastomeric elements and by a slight amount of travel. 

Suspension is a completely different idea where forces exerted on a wheel like potholes, rail road tracks, rocks, or the like cause a wheel to "travel" in some sort of way due to a mechanism (typically telescopic) and a damper controls that wheel and dissipates energy in the form of heat. Vibrations are not really what suspension is meant for. It is a way to keep your wheels in constant contact with the ground and the bicycle moving in the direction the rider intended. Suspension provides better control first. 

Riding Impressions: An example of what the Redshift ShockStop Stem is very good at was something I experienced on a recent ride. I was riding alongside a paved county road on the shoulder. This is where farm tractor traffic is often driven as well. Tractors have a way of leaving impressions of their widely spaced, long bars of tread in the gravel shoulder which when ridden over on a bicycle can cause a pretty severe vibration. The ShockStop Stem, in conjunction with my 29" X 2.8" tires, no doubt, completely erased these inputs. My hands were calm and un-buzzed at the handle bars. 

What the ShockStop Stem wasn't so good at was where I was riding at one point on a dirt road which had been extremely rutted up when it was muddy by tractors and 4 X 4 vehicles. This mud had hardened and was like rock. Every big ridge and exposed rock in this part of the dirt road caused me to be bumped and the bike to be knocked a bit off-line. A suspension fork, tuned correctly, would have erased this easily, but a vibration reducing stem? Not so much. 

To be perfectly clear, the ShockStop Stem did take the edge off those hits, and it is really nice when it does that for you, but it does not improve the handling of the bike to any great degree. That job would be for suspension of some sort. Something with real wheel travel along the lines of 80mm - 120mm. Then we'd be talking some handling improvement talk. 

Navigating the ruts and bumps in this road was not really enhanced by the stem I was using.

So Far... The Redshift ShockStop Stem does a really great job isolating those rattling vibrations and the buzz I often have to endure on our gravel roads when I am not using a bike with the ShockStop Stem. My hands are really susceptible to numbness and aching if I don't have something to absorb vibrations. For myself, having the ShockStop Stem on this bike, (and a few of my other ones as well) makes riding gravel a lot more enjoyable. 

Plus these stems are transferable to most bicycles I want to ride. The stem is not a proprietary, built in piece, and the Redshift Stems are really sturdy. I have had no issues at all with durability regarding this product. The 55mm length works really well, and the travel is noticeable at times. However, mostly the ShockStop Stem just damps out a lot of buzz that would otherwise make my rides not very enjoyable.

Stay tuned for a final review to come in a few weeks.

Working On The Gravel Bus

Before.....

I like to try to get all my bikes ridden in the year, and if I have had one sitting for too long unridden it starts to wear on my brain. I don't like that I don't ride a certain bicycle I have and the longer it goes on the worse I feel about it. 

So, lately one of those bikes on this "list" came off the list as I started to ride the Twin Six Standard Rando v2 again. This is the bike I've dubbed "The Gravel Bus" because of the yellow and black scheme it sports which is not unlike the school bus paint schemes you may be familiar with. 

I decided to use the Gravel Bus for the Delium tire review I did recently and as I was doing that I noted I was feeling pretty beat up after one particular ride. Sore shoulders and rear end. Hmmm.... 

I considered swapping out the saddle, thinking it was the profile of the WTB saddle that was bugging me, but after comparing it to the Silverado I was going to swap over to, I noted the profile was nearly identical to the Silverado, so it wouldn't have been worth swapping to. The Silverado is a very comfortable saddle for me, so I'm chalking it up to a bibs issue. 

But I didn't particularly care for the Delium tires and I had a Redshift Sports ShockStop stem on another bike (that IS on the "List" of bikes to get out on) and I swapped the stem while going ahead with the tire change. 

.....and after.

The Gravel Bus has limited tire clearances, compared to many currently offered gravel bikes, at a claimed 43mm maximum. I ended up sliding in these WTB Raddler 700 X 44mm which are measuring out right at 44mm on GRX wheels with 25mm internal rim width. I've still got 'breathing room' too, so this should be a good pairing and I have always liked how Raddlers handle looser gravel. 

Now I need this ridiculously hot and humid weather to pass so I can test out everything in the country. I'm hopeful that I have hit on a good combination here and I will not have to keep experimenting. But you never know, and perhaps more changes will be coming.  

A Couple Of Changes

I promise this is THE seatpost now!

 There has been a couple of tweaks done recently on two of my bicycles that I thought bore mentioning. They aren't a big deal, necessarily, but I have my reasons that some might find interesting, or at least amusing. 

I will admit I may have a bit of the "Princess and the Pea" syndrome going on here, so please bear that in mind as I detail these changes. 

So I had a bunch of issues with the original seatposts I was trying to use with the Honeman Flyer and found out later that one, especially, was undersized. That slipping seat post thing drove me mad for a bit until I settled upon using a PRO Discover post I had when I realized that set-back seat posts weren't unusable with this new single speed bike. 

Then the Redshift ShockStop Endurance Pro post came along and next thing ya know I am swapping out seat posts with a "boing factor" left and right for a bit. I really thought I might have settled on the Redshift post, the PRO Race model, actually, but I just never really warm up to sus posts. I guess its the changing saddle height thing. It eventually gets on my nerves and I finally couldn't take it anymore with the Honemann Flyer. Especially because I do seated climbing on it more often than not, and you are mashing teh gear then, of course, which activates the post. Not good for me. (Remember - Princess and the Pea!)

So, I was scrounging around for something and came across my "extra" Salsa titanium Regulator post. Yes! It was an extra one because I have four of them! Anyway, I was appalled that it wasn't being used and as I had a search on for a post for the Honemann Flyer I was only too happy to swap the Redshift post out for this titanium one. Now seated climbing is great! 

It's titanium grey, and a bit out of place, maybe, but I don't care at this point. This is THE post now going forward. 

You cannot really see the stem, but it is different. Oh! And there is another Regulator post!

Then I had the case of the Singular Gryphon Mk3. Originally I had this bike set up with the Ragley Luxy Bar which determined the full-length housing runs for the brakes and derailleurs. Then I got that Tumbleweed handlebar, which was nice, really wide, and stressed the cable lengths badly. 

Eventually even a shorter stem wasn't going to help, and then I got the Redshift Short ShockStop Stem and while I was installing that I decided the Tumbleweed bar had to come off. I was not about to re-cable the entire bike for a wider bar. 

So, now I am back to that Luxy Bar and the cables and housings are all happy again. Plus I have the boinger stem on there which makes things extra-comfy. So, there is the Gryphon Mk3 as it stands now. 

Time to ride.

Review: Redshift Sports Short ShockStop Stems

Image courtesy of Redshift Sports

Today Redshift Sports has introduced a new variant of their ShockStop Stem. Many newer gravel bikes are starting to employ a geometry that uses a longer reach/top tube and this requires the use of a shorter than typical for a gravel bike stem. Redshift has a solution for these bikes in their new, "Short" ShockStop Stem offerings. 

To do this Redshift had to come up with a new design internally to allow for the same travel (20m) as their other stem offerings have. This new design allowed Redshift Sports to have new 70mm and 55mm stem offerings which still look like a Redshift stem on the outside, just shorter. 

The new shorter stems join the currently offered range of stems which start now at 55mm, and goes from there to 70mm, 80mm, 90mm, 100mm, 110mm, and 120mm. Currently only the new short stems feature the new internals.

The ShockStop Stem retails for $189.99 USD.

Note the plastic insert as indicated by the blue arrows

What It Is: The new design for the shorter stems relies on a cartridge that holds the elastomers on one side and butts up against the handlebar on the other. This cartridge slides out easily and elastomers are marked clearly for proper insertion. There are extra elastomers provided, as there are with the other design of ShockStop Stems, which can be mixed and matched for different weight riders and ride feel preferences. It should also be noted that these elastomers in the new short design are different and not interchangeable with the previous design elastomers. 

Here you can see the cartridge with the elastomer from the side. There is a second elastomer beside the one you can see here as well.

In this new design elastomer changes are easier as all you have to do is remove the stem faceplate, move the handlebar, extract the cartridge, exchange elastomers, and then reverse the disassembly order to reassemble the stem. No longer do you have the long bolt to deal with as with the earlier design. Remember, this short stem design is only in the 55mm and 70mm options. 

Again, outwardly the new stem looks the same, just stubby! I received the 55mm version and decided to install it on my Singular Cycles Gryphon Mk3. The stem weighed in at 197 grams, so spot on with Redshift's claims. The assembly was easy. No different than any other standard stem, but of course, now I have up to 20mm of vibration eating travel.

The Shock Stop 55mm stem installed.

 First Impressions: I did not quite know what to expect with this new design and that in such a tiny package. What I found out right away was that this stem feels very much like a ShockStop stem. Captain Obvious? Perhaps, but this isn't a typical ShockStop stem either. It just looks like one. 

So Far... So good - for now. We will see after some more riding, but these new shorter options from Redshift Sports seem up to the task and familiar in feel. Honestly, the simplicity of this new version's cartridge-style elastomer carrier would beg the question: "Will the rest of the line see this design carried over?" In my opinion, it is a lot less fussy to deal with and would , perhaps, encourage experimentation with elastomers being that there is much less chance for stripping the long bolt the older design uses. 

Beyond the design though, these newer, short stems should provide more modern geometry gravel bikes and bikepacking rigs that use drop bars the ability to have a vibration damping device in the Short ShockStop Stem.

 Stay tuned for an update to this review coming in a few weeks or so.

Friday News And Views

The FN&V Returns!

Honeman Flyer Gets Redshift:

Yes.....this is the third seatpost that this bike has had in less than three months. I know.... But this is all in the name of testing, and I think that this may be the last time I swap  out a seat post on this bike for a long while. 

It is a Redshift Sports seat post, a new one, and it will be "officially" launched next week. That said, you can find it on their website already if you are interested. I haven't been "unleashed" on this just yet. 

I also got in a ShockStop Pro stem for this bike and that I can say is a component that I recommend highly. I have hand issues and these ShockStop stems really help me a lot. (I talk a little bit about the ShockStop Pro stem in this post.) I rode this set up in Kansas and around here. I will have the opening review in a week. Stay tuned....

Image courtesy of Panaracer

Panaracer Announces Colored Tires For 2024:

For several years now Panaracer has run a limited edition set of Gravel King tires in various colors. This year's models are offered in a "Matcha Green" and in purple with either a skin wall or black wall.

The Gravel King SK, Gravel King X1, and the Gravel King SS in 40mm or 45mm sizes are the tires in the color program this time. If you want a set, it would be best to jump on this sooner than later as they tend to sell out fast.  

Comments: I often see these and think colored tires are a cool idea then I think about the ones I've seen "in the wild" and how dingy they appear. Then I also think about all that color on my bike. That's a lot of dingy, fading color that you have to live with until the tire wears out or you just cannot take it anymore. Then I realize this isn't for me. But if it trips your trigger, well then.....

Image courtesy of Merry Sales

Nerd Alert: IRD Front Derailleur Fiddler:

Have you ever had a situation where you were trying to set up a bicycle with a different crankset and realized that your front derailleur did not travel outward enough to get the chain onto the big ring? Well, if you've been there, you know what I am talking about. It seems that IRD may have a solution for this issue in some instances.

They call it the "Front Derailleur Fiddler". Essentially it is a mount for a "braze on" type front derailleur with a slotted mount which allows for lateral placement of the derailleur over the chain rings. 

Use Example: Let's say you've got an old late 80's/early 90's steel hybrid bike that you are trying to use as a flat bar gravel rig. You need to use this old Campy stuff you have laying around. Assuming the front derailleur is a braze on type, this doohickey will allow you to set that derailleur up so it clears the 42mm tires you are using and still get the chain in the big ring. Boom! 

Something like that, anyway. Obviously this won't solve every use scenario, but it might open up more possibilities for creative drive train use. Thanks IRD! 

Image courtesy of Fulcrum

Fulcrum Unviels New "SHARQ" Wheels:

Yesterday Fulcrum debuted a new all-roads wheel set with a very unique wavy rim profile. Dubbed "SHARQ" the rims feature a new wind-cheating design which Fulcrum has named "2-Wave". 

From Fulcrum's press release we learn that Fulcrum has experimented with rim profiles and the result was that they have a rim that blends the desired traits of reactivity, comfort, and aerodynamics in the best balance of those possible. 

The rim profile varies from 42mm - 47mm and is formed in a way which reduces drag and resistance in crosswinds by a claimed 21% in winds from 0° - 10° and an astounding claim of a 30% reduction in resistance in winds from 10° to 20°. These benchmarks were measured against wheels with similar profile depths. 

The set weighs in at a claimed 1440 grams. The inner rim width is a gravel-friendly 25mm. As with all Fulcrum wheels, the inner rim well is not pierced by spoke holes and does not require tubeless rim tape to be used with tubeless ready tires. The rim also features a "mini-hook" design.

The SHARQ wheels use a proprietary bladed spoke developed by Fulcrum and manufactured in Europe. In fact, all components making up the SHARQ wheels are either made in-house by Fulcrum or by their European based partners with full control over the process exercised by Fulcrum. Back to the spokes: These spokes are 3mm X 0.8mm  and have a special flattened base which interfaces with the Fulcrum hubs so that any twisting of the spokes is prevented. The hubs use ceramic bearings which are cup and cone style. The hubs are through axle design with an adjustment ring to achieve maximum free rolling of the wheels with correct bearing preload. 

The rear hub can be had in the following freehub standards: N3W (Campy), Shimano HG, Shimano Microspline, and SRAM XDR. Cost in USD is set at $2,807.0 and these wheels are available from Fulcrum dealers now. 

Comments: Aero is a trend in gravel and the recently run Unbound showed that in spades. This wheelset was used at Unbound with success. I've been saying for years that "aero" is a thing in gravel and yes - even at slower speeds that us plebeians ride at. Yes - aero wheels are expensive, but with the competition in pre-built wheels being so intense, and with how gravel is still a top category in cycling, my suspicion is that you will begin to see very well designed aero wheels for gravel coming in at much less than these SHARQ wheels cost. 

Image courtesy of Payson McElveen's Instagram

Big Tires For Gravel:

One of the notable trends coming out of Unbound was the use of 700c X 50mm+ tires on fast, carbon, aero gravel bikes in the Pro field. Payson McElveen's example is shown here with a big 29"er XC tire up front and what looks like a 700c X 50mm Maxxis Rambler out back. 

Unbound's sharp chert rock maybe an extreme example where bigger tires make sense. (Note - Big tires have always made sense in the Flint Hills) However; will big, XC 29"er type tires be the rubber of choice for the masses?

In recent years, the 40mm - 42mm tire seemed to be the happy place for most folks. Then wider 45mm - 47mm tires came about and then people started to catch on to the benefits of bigger rubber on gravel and dirt roads. 

If what I am hearing is true, and if what I am noticing is a sign, you will start to see 45mm tires be the "standard" for gravel with a lot more instances where 50mm wide tires are available in similar tread patterns. Bikes will clear 2.1" tires as a normal thing, and drive trains, wheels, and geometries will adapt accordingly. I think you will start to see less tire offerings under 40mm in width too. The focus is shifting to wider, and while you may think, "Hey! Just get a XC hard tail mountain bike!", this trend is not going away. (By the way, have you noticed XC hard tail MTB's are showing up now with 2.4" rubber?)

Image for the podcast by GCHoF'er Linda Guerete

Episode #49: "Postcards From Emporia":

We just dropped a new episode of the Guitar Ted Podcast for everyone to enjoy. In this hour long session N.Y. Roll and I discuss the Unbound Gravel event, (possibly the best weather year ever), and we get into the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame inductees for 2024. You can listen HERE or get the podcast from wherever you get your podcasts from.

I also get into a bit of a rant concerning the way nomination submissions are done with the GCHoF. I feel that, as I wrote here last week, that if we are relying on stories to be uncovered, both historical and impactful to gravel that should be celebrated and preserved, and if we are relying on those submissions to come from an uninformed pool of people who mostly aren't good at telling stories, then we will have limited submissions that truly belong in the GCHoF. 

I think there will be a change in how the GCHoF handles things in the future. That's just my opinion there. To the Board's credit, they are discussing and considering all forms of positive feedback and critiques on their ways of doing things. The GCHoF will evolve, and I believe the people behind the GCHoF will steer this thing into a better place as time goes on. I don't "know" anything about changes in the future for the GCHoF, I just believe they will do what is best in the future based upon the people involved in the GCHoF.
 

That's a wrap on this week's news and views. Have a great weekend and thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions.

Friday News And Views

HiRide fork: Image courtesy of HiRide

 What Is Old Is New Again:

Back in the days when mountain bike design was a hot stew with ever changing ingredients, there was a company known as ActionTec. They were the purveyor of an unusual suspension fork design called the "Pro Shock" which consisted of a coil sprung design based around an extended steer tube and encased within the head tube of a mountain bike. 

The design was somewhat well received and copied when Cannondale came out with a similar idea called a "HeadShok". This idea of a head tube based telescopic suspension fork design had a lot of promise for the gravel bike scene, but both ActionTec and Cannondale's HeadShok were gone before the gravel bike became a hot ticket item in the cycling industry. 

But good ideas never die, they just get re-imagined and turn up again. The case of the head tube based, telescopic suspension fork is just one example. Here we have a new take on the old design called HiRide. 

The HiRide fork uses a similar design but limits travel to a manageable 20mm. This should make it an appealing design with regard to aesthetics and from a geometry perspective where changing the fork axle to crown length/head tube angle/bottom bracket height via fork travel is not conducive to fast paced road/unpaved road riding. 

Comments: The desire to mitigate vibrations is a bit different than absorbing bumps and obstacles on a dirt trail. There is overlap here, to be sure, but tackling what a gravel rider/allroad cyclist needs for more smoothness and less vibration induced fatigue by way of mountain bike suspension philosophy is wrongheaded. Besides, despite the claims on HiRide's site, it shouldn't come as a surprise that if the design is tuned so it doesn't bottom out harshly, your last several milimeters of travel are not going to be effective over anything but harsher bumps. That means that you really have a lot less travel to deal with vibrations than you might think.

Add in the fact that this fork weighs about twice that of a good carbon rigid fork and now you are looking at a penalty that may not be worth the trouble. (The suspension component of the HiRide weighs a claimed 850 grams- That's without the fork) Again- a suspension stem like the Cane Creek or Redshift types is a better way to go here. You're adding maybe a 100 grams over a traditional stem, and getting the same amount of travel tuned for vibration reduction. Seems like a no-brainer to me, but this fork is pretty cool. 

Trek's New Checkpoint ALR driftless model (Image courtesy of Trek)

Trek's New Checkpoint ALR Driftless Shows What 3G Will Get You:

Since the pandemic hit we've heard a lot about this concept of "new-normal", or alternatively, you might think of the "Great Resignation". However you term the sudden change in.....well, about everything! It is apparent that, yes, things are not the same in the '20's as they were in the teens of the 21st Century.

To help illustrate this I present to you an interesting specimen of a gravel bike, the Trek Checkpoint ALR Driftless special edition bike. This bike runs at just shy of 2900 bucks. So, with tax you are looking at plus-3G and change. What do you get for that coin these days?

Well, the bike has GRX 800 bits sprinkled throughout, which is good. I noted that the brake rotors are pretty much bottom of the barrel Shimano ones though. You get a special paint scheme and a frame bag. Okay.... Looking deeper I see a Praxis T-47 bottom bracket, which might be okay, but Praxis stuff doesn't have a very consistent reputation for high quality bits. The wheels are run of the mill Bontrager branded hubs and rims, and the cockpit parts are as well. Then you have the frame. 

It's a highly formed aluminum piece mated to a carbon legged, aluminum steer tube fork. Nothing crazy here. Just pretty straightforward production level fare from a big bicycle brand. Paint notwithstanding, there is nothing really all that great here. So, 3g? 

Hmm, I guess that's where we are at now these days. That's quite a hike in price for what would have easily been 2G five years ago. I just know that I won't miss the guy that wants to have the shop keep the frame bag and knock off $200 bucks off the price and not charge him sales tax. 

Image courtesy of Wolf Tooth

Wolf Tooth Introduces "Espresso" Ano Parts:

Wolf Tooth has been on a color adding spree when it comes to their components that they offer. Recently they added an olive green, and now there is a brown anodized color they are calling "Espresso". 

You can get this option across their range. Take a look here if you are interested. 

Comments: So.....Is Wolf Tooth the new Chris King? With all these anodized color choices, a (mostly) made in the USA manufacturing process, and competitive pricing, I'd venture to say, "Yes". 

While Wolf Tooth doesn't make hubs, they make a lot of other stuff, and in my experience, their product is pretty tough, long lasting, and performs at a high level. I've been very pleased with all the Wolf Tooth products I have either bought, or reviewed. (See Standard Disclaimer for my position on reviewed product)

Now brown ano? Yeah.... Not my thing, but on the right frame set? Could be a killer look. I like the brighter, shouty anodized bits like purple, gold, blue, and the like. But then again- I came up through the 90's MTB scene! That may be why I am about the brighter anodized colors. 

A meme which used an image from the 1st GTDRI

GTDRI Series Starts Sunday:

The 'Trans Iowa Stories" series finished up last Sunday, but have no fear! If you are wondering what you'll read instead of that series, well I have already been hard at work on the next thing.

It's going to be the tales, the behind the scenes stories, and historical significance to the gravel scene which is bound up in the "GTDRI Stories" series. 

Readers will also learn how Trans Iowa and this 'no-drop group ride' held every Summer from 2006 through 2019 are interconnected as well. So it is only fitting that this series follows on the heels of the Trans Iowa series. 

There is no other reason to tell these stories about the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational other than that it has significance to the early gravel scene, some connection to industry changes, and just the shenanigans behind this ride which many have never read about before. 

So, I hope that you enjoy this series which should appear every Sunday here for the foreseeable future. 

Rad Power bikes is being sued for a claim of wrongful death 

U.S. Electrified Bike Market May Be Affected By Litigation:

A wrongful death claim against Rad Power Bikes may affect the future of HPC/electrified bikes in the US dependent upon the outcome of the litigation which is taking place soon. 

An unfortunate fatality has led the parents of a 12 year old girl, who died as a passenger on a Rad Power bike, to file a wrongful death claim against Rad Power, according to this "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" article. 

 Apparently, as part of the lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim that the Rad Power bike had poor geometry and features which were pushed by Rad Power regarding the bike's design that led to a death in this instance. One could see how the outcome of this suit might influence lawmakers to look a bit more closely at the way HPC/electrified bikes are sold and how they are not regulated at this point, despite the "three class" system we have in place now. It also would not be out of the question to see insurance companies start to push for more stringent legislation which would further codify these bicycles as "motor vehicles" with all the attendant safety regulations attached. 

Such insurance law was narrowly avoided in Europe recently, which had it been enacted, may have damped sales of electrified bikes to a detrimental degree, according to industry players. Of course, nothing like that may happen at all here in the U.S., but it doesn't take much of a leap to see how it could, since now we have a high-profile case with a child's death attached to it. Similar issues plagued the moped market in the 1980's leading to its demise. 

Time will tell, but this bears watching. 

Note: "HPC" is my term. It stands for "hybrid powered cycles" since these two-wheeled vehicles have a hybrid of human and electric motor power.

That's it for this week. Have a great weekend and get out and ride! Fall is coming!

Friday News And Views

HiRide fork: Image courtesy of HiRide

 What Is Old Is New Again:

Back in the days when mountain bike design was a hot stew with ever changing ingredients, there was a company known as ActionTec. They were the purveyor of an unusual suspension fork design called the "Pro Shock" which consisted of a coil sprung design based around an extended steer tube and encased within the head tube of a mountain bike. 

The design was somewhat well received and copied when Cannondale came out with a similar idea called a "HeadShok". This idea of a head tube based telescopic suspension fork design had a lot of promise for the gravel bike scene, but both ActionTec and Cannondale's HeadShok were gone before the gravel bike became a hot ticket item in the cycling industry. 

But good ideas never die, they just get re-imagined and turn up again. The case of the head tube based, telescopic suspension fork is just one example. Here we have a new take on the old design called HiRide. 

The HiRide fork uses a similar design but limits travel to a manageable 20mm. This should make it an appealing design with regard to aesthetics and from a geometry perspective where changing the fork axle to crown length/head tube angle/bottom bracket height via fork travel is not conducive to fast paced road/unpaved road riding. 

Comments: The desire to mitigate vibrations is a bit different than absorbing bumps and obstacles on a dirt trail. There is overlap here, to be sure, but tackling what a gravel rider/allroad cyclist needs for more smoothness and less vibration induced fatigue by way of mountain bike suspension philosophy is wrongheaded. Besides, despite the claims on HiRide's site, it shouldn't come as a surprise that if the design is tuned so it doesn't bottom out harshly, your last several milimeters of travel are not going to be effective over anything but harsher bumps. That means that you really have a lot less travel to deal with vibrations than you might think.

Add in the fact that this fork weighs about twice that of a good carbon rigid fork and now you are looking at a penalty that may not be worth the trouble. (The suspension component of the HiRide weighs a claimed 850 grams- That's without the fork) Again- a suspension stem like the Cane Creek or Redshift types is a better way to go here. You're adding maybe a 100 grams over a traditional stem, and getting the same amount of travel tuned for vibration reduction. Seems like a no-brainer to me, but this fork is pretty cool. 

Trek's New Checkpoint ALR driftless model (Image courtesy of Trek)

Trek's New Checkpoint ALR Driftless Shows What 3G Will Get You:

Since the pandemic hit we've heard a lot about this concept of "new-normal", or alternatively, you might think of the "Great Resignation". However you term the sudden change in.....well, about everything! It is apparent that, yes, things are not the same in the '20's as they were in the teens of the 21st Century.

To help illustrate this I present to you an interesting specimen of a gravel bike, the Trek Checkpoint ALR Driftless special edition bike. This bike runs at just shy of 2900 bucks. So, with tax you are looking at plus-3G and change. What do you get for that coin these days?

Well, the bike has GRX 800 bits sprinkled throughout, which is good. I noted that the brake rotors are pretty much bottom of the barrel Shimano ones though. You get a special paint scheme and a frame bag. Okay.... Looking deeper I see a Praxis T-47 bottom bracket, which might be okay, but Praxis stuff doesn't have a very consistent reputation for high quality bits. The wheels are run of the mill Bontrager branded hubs and rims, and the cockpit parts are as well. Then you have the frame. 

It's a highly formed aluminum piece mated to a carbon legged, aluminum steer tube fork. Nothing crazy here. Just pretty straightforward production level fare from a big bicycle brand. Paint notwithstanding, there is nothing really all that great here. So, 3g? 

Hmm, I guess that's where we are at now these days. That's quite a hike in price for what would have easily been 2G five years ago. I just know that I won't miss the guy that wants to have the shop keep the frame bag and knock off $200 bucks off the price and not charge him sales tax. 

Image courtesy of Wolf Tooth

Wolf Tooth Introduces "Espresso" Ano Parts:

Wolf Tooth has been on a color adding spree when it comes to their components that they offer. Recently they added an olive green, and now there is a brown anodized color they are calling "Espresso". 

You can get this option across their range. Take a look here if you are interested. 

Comments: So.....Is Wolf Tooth the new Chris King? With all these anodized color choices, a (mostly) made in the USA manufacturing process, and competitive pricing, I'd venture to say, "Yes". 

While Wolf Tooth doesn't make hubs, they make a lot of other stuff, and in my experience, their product is pretty tough, long lasting, and performs at a high level. I've been very pleased with all the Wolf Tooth products I have either bought, or reviewed. (See Standard Disclaimer for my position on reviewed product)

Now brown ano? Yeah.... Not my thing, but on the right frame set? Could be a killer look. I like the brighter, shouty anodized bits like purple, gold, blue, and the like. But then again- I came up through the 90's MTB scene! That may be why I am about the brighter anodized colors. 

A meme which used an image from the 1st GTDRI

GTDRI Series Starts Sunday:

The 'Trans Iowa Stories" series finished up last Sunday, but have no fear! If you are wondering what you'll read instead of that series, well I have already been hard at work on the next thing.

It's going to be the tales, the behind the scenes stories, and historical significance to the gravel scene which is bound up in the "GTDRI Stories" series. 

Readers will also learn how Trans Iowa and this 'no-drop group ride' held every Summer from 2006 through 2019 are interconnected as well. So it is only fitting that this series follows on the heels of the Trans Iowa series. 

There is no other reason to tell these stories about the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational other than that it has significance to the early gravel scene, some connection to industry changes, and just the shenanigans behind this ride which many have never read about before. 

So, I hope that you enjoy this series which should appear every Sunday here for the foreseeable future. 

Rad Power bikes is being sued for a claim of wrongful death 

U.S. Electrified Bike Market May Be Affected By Litigation:

A wrongful death claim against Rad Power Bikes may affect the future of HPC/electrified bikes in the US dependent upon the outcome of the litigation which is taking place soon. 

An unfortunate fatality has led the parents of a 12 year old girl, who died as a passenger on a Rad Power bike, to file a wrongful death claim against Rad Power, according to this "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" article. 

 Apparently, as part of the lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim that the Rad Power bike had poor geometry and features which were pushed by Rad Power regarding the bike's design that led to a death in this instance. One could see how the outcome of this suit might influence lawmakers to look a bit more closely at the way HPC/electrified bikes are sold and how they are not regulated at this point, despite the "three class" system we have in place now. It also would not be out of the question to see insurance companies start to push for more stringent legislation which would further codify these bicycles as "motor vehicles" with all the attendant safety regulations attached. 

Such insurance law was narrowly avoided in Europe recently, which had it been enacted, may have damped sales of electrified bikes to a detrimental degree, according to industry players. Of course, nothing like that may happen at all here in the U.S., but it doesn't take much of a leap to see how it could, since now we have a high-profile case with a child's death attached to it. Similar issues plagued the moped market in the 1980's leading to its demise. 

Time will tell, but this bears watching. 

Note: "HPC" is my term. It stands for "hybrid powered cycles" since these two-wheeled vehicles have a hybrid of human and electric motor power.

That's it for this week. Have a great weekend and get out and ride! Fall is coming!

Friday News And Views

The Cane Creek eeSilk stem utilizes a clever elastomer set up.

Cane Creek Adds eeSilk Stem To Compliment Their Seatpost:

Last week before I went to Emporia I noticed the news on the new Cane Creek eeSilk Stem. It is another elastomeric based spring, minimalist travel stem engineered for vibration reduction, much like the vaunted Redshift Sports ShockStop stem.

Elastomers are tunable via a clever through-bolt design which places the elastomer material into puzzle-like slots and pockets on top and bottom, near to the stem pivot point placement, which is just ahead of the steer tube.

The stem also has a 'Soft/Firm' switch just ahead of the steer tube junction. This lever stiffens up the stem for harder efforts, or when you do not need so much of the vibration eating capabilities. Stems come in three lengths- 80mm, 90mm, and 100mm, and for a limited time, a "Launch Edition" will be offered which will be in polished anodized silver aluminum. Stems all retail for $229.00 and are available on Cane Creek's site. Note: Images shown courtesy of Cane Creek.

The "Launch Edition" will be offered for a limited time only.

Comments: This is probably going to be a pretty decent stem and I expect it to work well. Obviously, I have not ridden one, yet- I hope to get my hands on one to test. That said, I don't expect it to be a whole lot different from an experiential point of view than what I feel from a Redshift stem. 

That lever! I assume it works on a cam which preloads the elastomers, but I don't know that yet. At any rate, this is an intriguing feature of the eeSilk Stem since it could be used to set it up differently than I would set up a Redshift stem. 

For instance, I could go with a slightly too soft of a set up initially. (Assuming Cane Creek offers several elastomers to swap out, as Redshift does) This would then make the lever a way to set the stem for most of my riding, and then when the going got really rough, I could flip that lever for that section, and then back again when I hit smoother gravel or pavement. You cannot do that with a Redshift stem.

Otherwise the Redshift stem is pretty on par with this, and I think it looks better than the eeSilk stem. This Cane Creek offering telegraphs its intentions pretty much on first glance, while that Redshift stem looks like a regular stem unless you get up real close. Furthermore; Redshift offers more options in length than the Cane Creek stem, and Redshift has a rider stem version as well. 

But this is still a good option. I think it will do well in the market, and any suspension stem like this or the Redshift is miles less money, less maintenance, and far lighter than a 40-50mm travel, telescopic suspension fork, or a Lauf fork. Plus you can easily swap it over to another bike.

FNLD GRVL isn't the only gravel game in Finland.

Formula 1 Star Announces Partnership With SBT GRVL To Promote Event In Finland:

Okay.....hold on a minute here. Did anyone ever have an F-1 racing star putting on a gravel road event on their bingo card? No way! Again- I'm just blown away by what is happening in gravel events now days. Just mind-blowing.

Anyway, last week this news blew up all over the net, so I am covering it here now. Valterri Botas, the famed driver in F-1 racing, has announced that he is putting on an event in his home country of Finland in 2023 and has partnered up in this effort with the SBT GRVL folks out in Colorado. 

Bottas was in attendance at SBT GRVL last year and was smitten by the event, its atmosphere, and the format. He has previously put on duathlons in his home country, so he is no stranger to event promotions. Bottas hinted last year at SBT GRVL that he was interested in doing this, thus the connection with that US based event. 

The event will be dubbed FNLD GRVL, of course, and will happen in the Fall in Lahti Finland. This perked up my ears because I've heard that cities' name and gravel mentioned together before. After a short Google search I was reminded that yes- Lahti is home to one of the Nordic Gravel Series events. So, I have no idea whether or not Bottas is aware of that, but we will see if there is a merger of the two events or if they stay separated. Whatever the case may be, that gravel cycling is on an F-1 driver's radar is pretty crazy to me. 

Unbound Gravel Comments: 

Last weekend Unbound Gravel happened again. I paid a bit of attention as several folks I knew were involved. There were a few notable things which I saw that I thought I would comment on.

One: There was an unfortunate fatality the evening before the event on Friday. According to authorities, a 61 year old Colorado man collided with a truck driven by a local man at an intersection on a gravel road West of Emporia. 

I have actually ridden the road the man died on, and it is fairly unremarkable as far as any features that might make an intersection dangerous. It is a puzzling accident, and without any other hard data, I cannot say more. Certainly it was a tragedy and I wish all the comfort and peace for the family and friends of the deceased rider.

This brings up an important, and very overlooked point. The gravel roads around Emporia are now rife with cyclists three days out from the event and more than a few "tune-up" rides are occurring now then ever before.  One has to wonder how this affects the areas citizens, who are not used to this, and what, if anything, should Life Time be doing to aid in keeping the chaos limited. I mean, this is happening out there because of their event. How long will it be before we see more trouble and how long will locals be willing to put up with riders riding two and three abreast with no indications of deferring to traffic on narrow gravel roads? (Something I witnessed with my adventure with Erik)  I think the onus here is on all parties involved, and the wild growth of this event, without consideration for how side effects are possibly engendering negative outcomes, is something that needs to be addressed.

Two: The weather played a factor in the event, but it was one of the fastest 200's ever. What gives? Well, less heat, that's one thing. It wasn't very warm and the Sun was shrouded for most of the event. Crashes and mechanicals were common due to the mud and rough roads. Given the unusually cooler,  favorable weather, (minus the mud and rain, of course),  it makes sense to me. Get out there on a typically hot, windy day of 200 miles of Flint Hills gravel and you'd see a different result. Also- see my next point for why this event was faster.

Three: Pit stops and support. Originally the event in Emporia was completely self-supported by the rider. Then as numbers of riders grew, a support system at checkpoints was allowed. Only in the designated area could a rider get support, and outside that it was forbidden. But now? 

Checking social media it was easy to find road side rider assistance happening and full-on rider pit stops, ala cyclo cross or 24hr racing, were commonplace for front runners at checkpoints. Riders were pretty much availing themselves of full-on mini-tune-ups, having folks put food in their jersey pockets for them, and hustling them in and out of checkpoints within minutes. This is not my opinion. You can see this on social media.

That wasn't how it was done originally, so you really cannot compare times from, say anything pre-2019 to this. (Maybe Pre-2017?) Anyway, the nature of how the race is executed up front now days is full-on supported, and is 1000% different than how this event was conceived to be in the beginning. 

That's a wrap for this week. Have a safe and fun weekend!

Friday News And Views

The Cane Creek eeSilk stem utilizes a clever elastomer set up.

Cane Creek Adds eeSilk Stem To Compliment Their Seatpost:

Last week before I went to Emporia I noticed the news on the new Cane Creek eeSilk Stem. It is another elastomeric based spring, minimalist travel stem engineered for vibration reduction, much like the vaunted Redshift Sports ShockStop stem.

Elastomers are tunable via a clever through-bolt design which places the elastomer material into puzzle-like slots and pockets on top and bottom, near to the stem pivot point placement, which is just ahead of the steer tube.

The stem also has a 'Soft/Firm' switch just ahead of the steer tube junction. This lever stiffens up the stem for harder efforts, or when you do not need so much of the vibration eating capabilities. Stems come in three lengths- 80mm, 90mm, and 100mm, and for a limited time, a "Launch Edition" will be offered which will be in polished anodized silver aluminum. Stems all retail for $229.00 and are available on Cane Creek's site. Note: Images shown courtesy of Cane Creek.

The "Launch Edition" will be offered for a limited time only.

Comments: This is probably going to be a pretty decent stem and I expect it to work well. Obviously, I have not ridden one, yet- I hope to get my hands on one to test. That said, I don't expect it to be a whole lot different from an experiential point of view than what I feel from a Redshift stem. 

That lever! I assume it works on a cam which preloads the elastomers, but I don't know that yet. At any rate, this is an intriguing feature of the eeSilk Stem since it could be used to set it up differently than I would set up a Redshift stem. 

For instance, I could go with a slightly too soft of a set up initially. (Assuming Cane Creek offers several elastomers to swap out, as Redshift does) This would then make the lever a way to set the stem for most of my riding, and then when the going got really rough, I could flip that lever for that section, and then back again when I hit smoother gravel or pavement. You cannot do that with a Redshift stem.

Otherwise the Redshift stem is pretty on par with this, and I think it looks better than the eeSilk stem. This Cane Creek offering telegraphs its intentions pretty much on first glance, while that Redshift stem looks like a regular stem unless you get up real close. Furthermore; Redshift offers more options in length than the Cane Creek stem, and Redshift has a rider stem version as well. 

But this is still a good option. I think it will do well in the market, and any suspension stem like this or the Redshift is miles less money, less maintenance, and far lighter than a 40-50mm travel, telescopic suspension fork, or a Lauf fork. Plus you can easily swap it over to another bike.

FNLD GRVL isn't the only gravel game in Finland.

Formula 1 Star Announces Partnership With SBT GRVL To Promote Event In Finland:

Okay.....hold on a minute here. Did anyone ever have an F-1 racing star putting on a gravel road event on their bingo card? No way! Again- I'm just blown away by what is happening in gravel events now days. Just mind-blowing.

Anyway, last week this news blew up all over the net, so I am covering it here now. Valterri Botas, the famed driver in F-1 racing, has announced that he is putting on an event in his home country of Finland in 2023 and has partnered up in this effort with the SBT GRVL folks out in Colorado. 

Bottas was in attendance at SBT GRVL last year and was smitten by the event, its atmosphere, and the format. He has previously put on duathlons in his home country, so he is no stranger to event promotions. Bottas hinted last year at SBT GRVL that he was interested in doing this, thus the connection with that US based event. 

The event will be dubbed FNLD GRVL, of course, and will happen in the Fall in Lahti Finland. This perked up my ears because I've heard that cities' name and gravel mentioned together before. After a short Google search I was reminded that yes- Lahti is home to one of the Nordic Gravel Series events. So, I have no idea whether or not Bottas is aware of that, but we will see if there is a merger of the two events or if they stay separated. Whatever the case may be, that gravel cycling is on an F-1 driver's radar is pretty crazy to me. 

Unbound Gravel Comments: 

Last weekend Unbound Gravel happened again. I paid a bit of attention as several folks I knew were involved. There were a few notable things which I saw that I thought I would comment on.

One: There was an unfortunate fatality the evening before the event on Friday. According to authorities, a 61 year old Colorado man collided with a truck driven by a local man at an intersection on a gravel road West of Emporia. 

I have actually ridden the road the man died on, and it is fairly unremarkable as far as any features that might make an intersection dangerous. It is a puzzling accident, and without any other hard data, I cannot say more. Certainly it was a tragedy and I wish all the comfort and peace for the family and friends of the deceased rider.

This brings up an important, and very overlooked point. The gravel roads around Emporia are now rife with cyclists three days out from the event and more than a few "tune-up" rides are occurring now then ever before.  One has to wonder how this affects the areas citizens, who are not used to this, and what, if anything, should Life Time be doing to aid in keeping the chaos limited. I mean, this is happening out there because of their event. How long will it be before we see more trouble and how long will locals be willing to put up with riders riding two and three abreast with no indications of deferring to traffic on narrow gravel roads? (Something I witnessed with my adventure with Erik)  I think the onus here is on all parties involved, and the wild growth of this event, without consideration for how side effects are possibly engendering negative outcomes, is something that needs to be addressed.

Two: The weather played a factor in the event, but it was one of the fastest 200's ever. What gives? Well, less heat, that's one thing. It wasn't very warm and the Sun was shrouded for most of the event. Crashes and mechanicals were common due to the mud and rough roads. Given the unusually cooler,  favorable weather, (minus the mud and rain, of course),  it makes sense to me. Get out there on a typically hot, windy day of 200 miles of Flint Hills gravel and you'd see a different result. Also- see my next point for why this event was faster.

Three: Pit stops and support. Originally the event in Emporia was completely self-supported by the rider. Then as numbers of riders grew, a support system at checkpoints was allowed. Only in the designated area could a rider get support, and outside that it was forbidden. But now? 

Checking social media it was easy to find road side rider assistance happening and full-on rider pit stops, ala cyclo cross or 24hr racing, were commonplace for front runners at checkpoints. Riders were pretty much availing themselves of full-on mini-tune-ups, having folks put food in their jersey pockets for them, and hustling them in and out of checkpoints within minutes. This is not my opinion. You can see this on social media.

That wasn't how it was done originally, so you really cannot compare times from, say anything pre-2019 to this. (Maybe Pre-2017?) Anyway, the nature of how the race is executed up front now days is full-on supported, and is 1000% different than how this event was conceived to be in the beginning. 

That's a wrap for this week. Have a safe and fun weekend!