Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Cameron Jones Instagram

The 32" Watch: Cameron Jones To Race 32"er Scott Bike At Unbound:

With a stern message from Scott that this bike is "only a prototype with no plans for production", the images of a Scott gravel bike with 32" tires has set the internet buzzing since images hit on Tuesday morning earlier this week. 

While Scott can say whatever they want, it would be foolish of them to put out this bike without some sort of plan to at least garner interest in the platform. It may not be this exact bike, but I am going to say Scott has something in the works for 2027. 

However this may turn out, we do know the bike is outfitted with Schwalbe G-One rubber. According to a comment made by Cameron Jones on his Instagram post of this bike, those tires are 32" x 50mm. This would lead me to believe earlier rumors of 32" gravel bikes in the pipeline. 

And look at those deep section carbon wheels. You must know that something like this is not a one-off. I'd look for aero 32"er rims to be a thing very soon. 

Tomorrow will be interesting in Kansas. I would not at all be surprised to see some other 32"ers break cover there also. 

In other 32"er news "Bike Rumor" posted a story about a prototype 32"er DT Swss front suspension fork being spotted at a recent World Cup MTB event along with 32"er DT Swiss wheels.  

Image courtesy of Specialized Bicycles

 Specialized Introduces "The Fastest Gravel Race Bike"

 Claiming the new 5th version of the Specialized Crux is the fastest gravel race bike in existence is a heady claim. But that is what Specialized is saying about this new Crux. 

The version 5 of the Crux leaves the classically shaped round tubes for a predictably more aero tube design, but Specialized did not go all-in on aero. They used data gathered from athletes riding in events like Unbound and inserted the data into their design plans. What came out was a theory that real-world racing conditions - Slower and more technically demanding - trumped aerodynamics to a degree, requiring a different design than what an all-out aero driven design may have demanded. 

Specialized dropped the bottom bracket some and tweaked the head tube angle a bit due to the new trend of running huge tires on gravel bikes. This results in a maximum tire clearance for the Crux 5 of 55mm in width.  Designers did not want to utilize dropped chain stays or longer chain stays so this design is 1X compatible only. 

Of course, it is expensive. But you would have guessed this anyway. Check out the range on Specialized's site HERE.  

Image courtesy of  Pardus

Chinese Brand Commits To European Sales Model:

China's top high-performance cycling brand, Pardus, have announced a commitment to enter the European cycling market with sales support in Europe and by selling through brick and mortar bike shops only. This news came via a press release sent out earlier this week.  

Comments: You may not see much of importance here. However; this bears watching and I think it could be an interesting development for US based cycling companies.  

Watch the You Tube videos of the Shanghai Bicycle Show from this year and you most likely will see Pardus bikes on their stand. Often cited as the most popular Chinese high-performance brand, their integrated manufacturing model, where all facets of frame and fork production are done in-house, could pose to be a formidable force in the European market due to Pardus advantage on price. 

This could push sales away from European Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, and Giant dealers. These brands all are already scrapping and fighting to get every sale they can in an atmosphere where the oxygen is scarce.  

Having a new, heavy-hitter come into the market in Europe could upset things even on these shores. Much more so if a Pardus type brand landed product directly here for sale. I'm keeping an eye on this.  

Image courtesy of Twin Six

The 32" Watch Part Deux - Twin Six 32"er To Be Offered Soon

I was informed by a "reliable source" that pre-orders for the Twin Six 32"er will go live "...in a few weeks.". 

Spec details will be released at the same time the pre-orders go live. As of now, there isn't much to go on concerning this new 32"er offering. 

I do know it was designed to be set up with flat or drop bars. I also know the person riding the prototype is super-stoked on the ride. Stating it is "pure fun". 

I can only speculate based upon past history with Twin Six and say this bike should be a classy looking rig with a reasonable price tag. I wouldn't be shocked if it had an eccentric bottom bracket for single speed but I also wouldn't expect this in titanium from Twin Six, as they typically do not offer the eccentric in their titanium offerings. 

I also know N.Y. Roll is excited about getting one of these. We will have to see what sort of size range Twin Six ends up offering, but my guess is the smallest size would be a Medium and then Large, XL, and perhaps an XXL would be the sizing range which is what we have seen other companies do. (Salsa Cycles notwithstanding) 

Stay tuned for further updates on this bike.

The Unbound Section of the FN&V

Courtesy of @ministerofgravel Instagram

20 Years Later And You Get All This And More:

Of course, I cannot go into this weekend without a nod to the twentieth anniversary of a gravel event which has changed so dramatically it is almost comical. 

In 2006 you got nothing. Basically show up, sign in, "Here's your number and a course map", show up on time the next day and ride. I remember not knowing anything about Emporia, Kansas, the Flint Hills in general, or knowing anything about the event at all. 

Now? 

Well, everyone knows about Emporia, Kansas. Gravel cycling product has the name on it. The event is known world-wide in gravel cycling circles, at least. The Flint Hills? Lots of information on that area out there now. Roads you'd never had a need to hear of now are famous. Geographical points, like Texaco Hill, are known to thousands of riders. 

And if you are one of the few yet clueless to what Unbound courses are like, there is a livestream of the event, or you can get all the information, images, and advice you'd ever want from lots of sites. Even a local known as "The Minister of Gravel" (Neil Taylor,an actual Christian minister), gives detailed course reviews of this years Unbound courses. It was this event preview I watched to learn about what the riders will be facing this year. 

So even I know what to expect, and I'm not even going to the event! Ha! What a change from 20 years ago. The advancements in technology have demystified this once mystical experience and perhaps has turned it into a commodity. I know the 2026 riders will not have anywhere near the types of experiences we used to have, and maybe they like it that way. 

I think that is a loss for anyone who feels that way, but hey - ride on! You'll get an experience, of some sort, and that is what matters most. 

Pretty sure this road is part of the 200 this year. From DK My Way 2017

Is This A Wet Year 200?

Looking at the forecast for tomorrow in Kansas things look wet. Scattered showers should persist over most of Southern Kansas and perhaps up into the Flint Hills due to a weird jet stream pattern which has a lot of Pacific moisture streaming in from the Southwest.  

It would be fitting if in fact it were raining this year since the course is utilizing the same three mile stretch of minimum maintenance roads used in the infamous "Wet Year" of 2015.  

As stated above, you can find out all sorts of stuff you couldn't possibly have known was going on in Emporia ten years ago. One of those things are what bicycle set ups the big-time Pro riders are using. 

I noted a bike run down from one of the top male contenders and it was interesting to hear this one particular racer say the focus is all on the aero. So much so that he had numbers for how a 50mm tire up front is better than the fad of running a XC MTB tire in a 29" X 2+ inch width is for aero. Interestingly this person also stated suspension gravel forks are notoriously not very good aerodynamically. His choice? An inverted Cane Creek design which his team developed fairings for to get it within a half a watt in aero compared to a rigid fork. 

Maybe fat tires and suspension forks are really MTB things? It would seem so from this rider's standpoint. 

If the rains hold off or are minimal this could be the fastest 200 ever because the course is using flatter roads, especially in the last sections, and not the really gnarly, mountain-bikish terrain which was used in recent years. 

Tailwinds to all riding tomorrow out of Emporia!

That'll do it for this week. I'll have a commentary on the inductees to the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame tomorrow. Now, get out there and ride those bicycles! 

Friday News And Views

Image posted by an account "John_Doe" on X social media.

 Rumored Cannondale CAAD14:

Rumors and images have been swirling across the internet of late showing what is purportedly the next CAAD road bike. Cannondale is notable for perpetuating aluminum frame racing bikes, despite everyone else's fascination with carbon fiber, (which Cannondale also does, admittedly).  

Interesting features being discussed online are the return to traditional seat stays, rumored 32mm tire clearances, and fully integrated cabling.  

Comments: I'm not a roadie, far from it. I don't typically show road bikes in this space. However; I found this interesting as it is an example of some classic design cues being seen as "refreshing" in comparison to what is seen on offer from many other brands.  

Are riders being drawn toward classic looks while also desiring modern touches? Perhaps this is what has been missed by other brands who are chasing aero and showing sloping top tube frame design as being what is "cutting edge". Perhaps people are missing bicycles that look like.....bicycles? The only thing missing here is silver componentry. 

What do you think of this?  

Calvin Jones. Image courtesy of Park Tool

Director of Education At Park Tool, Calvin Jones To Retire:

Perhaps you've seen this man's face before. No wonder, as Calvin Jones has become "the face" of Park Tool over the past couple of decades. 

Jone's videos have become a staple resource for home mechanics, bike shop employees, and others interested in knowing how bicycles work over his 28 year tenure as Park Tools' Director of Education. Known for his clear, concise explanations of typical repairs, his video legacy will live on bearing witness to his valuable contributions. 

Jones will still be involved in some Park Tool videos and educational efforts, but he says in Park Tools announcement he plans of doing more riding and will be a contributor to local cycling efforts. 

Comments: Congratulations, Mr. Jones! What a career and your contributions to cycling will always be treasured. In some ways, Calvin Jones is the video equivalent to Sheldon Brown, who if he had lived long enough, would have surely been a staple of You Tube as well. Between those two icons of bicycle mechanics, you should be able to accomplish most any typical bicycle repair. 

Image courtesy of Sam Alison/Singular Cycles

The 32"er Watch: Singular Cycles Albatross:

 Sam Alison of Singular Cycles dropped a few images of the new 32"er bicycle he is testing and planning on releasing later this year in a limited drop. Dubbed the "Albatross" for now, this bike is a 32 inch wheeled MTB design. 

 In the comments on the post seen on Facebook, Sam had a few interesting things to say about the bike's performance and ideal rider size. 

 "The most obvious and immediately noticeable thing is just how well they roll and carry speed. The momentum over rough ground is really quite incredible. 

Climbing traction is also pretty insane..... The long stays, low BB and long contact patch combine to get up just about anything. 

 Of course, it's a big old bike and they are some huge wheels, so you do definitely notice the gyroscopic effect - turn initiation is definitely slower. Practically speaking I think riders will need to be > 6'/183cm for these to make sense."

Sam stated he would have rolling chassis available "soon" for pre-order with delivery hopefully this Spring. Look for details on Singular Cycles site, or reported here soon. 

Image courtesy of SRAM 

SRAM Files Patents For Gear Box E-Bike Drive Train Sans Derailleurs:

Some patent images have been making the rounds on the internet of late showing a drive train system utilizing a gear box. This has been met with interest and with some saying "derailleurs are dead!" Well......maybe for electrified bikes. Which, when you consider the slow evolution of these toward becoming electric motorcycles, makes all the sense in the world.  

By the way, in another, separate filing by SRAM, they have revealed they are playing around with wireless -sans hoses and cables - type brakes. 

Yeah....no.  

Comments: Of course, you might guess this will be all integrated into SRAM's AXS protocol for electronics with a likely addition of automatic shifting. I'd say that is quite likely. 

With weight being less an issue with this type of bicycle, (ahem!), if we can call this a bicycle anymore, you will also probably see automatically adjustable suspension as well. Simply plug in your weight, riding style, and  the bike will self-adjust. Then, to activate your "ride", simply start pedaling at whatever cadence and power you want, and the bike will self-adjust to this input with gearing and power assist adjustments. All you have to do is hang on, guide the bike down the correct course, and be able to use brakes. 

Or you could just play video games. Your choice. 

Honestly, this development isn't surprising, or even shocking. But it probably will be expensive. Yeah.....I'm pretty sure about it. 

Image courtesy of Brembo

Motorsports Brake Giant, Brembo, To Enter DH Bicycle Competition:

Brembo, a name more familiar to F1 and NASCAR aficionados, has released news concerning their partnership with Specialized Bicycles in their DH racing program. 

Brembo will supply braking systems with prototype designs exclusively for the team for now. There was no indication the company will begin production of OE or aftermarket brake systems, but one might assume this is in the cards for the future. 

Featuring 18mm pistons with thermal insulators for heat management, the calipers and levers are both DH specific. Braided steel lines connect the two components in the system. Interestingly, Brembo runs their rotor spokes in the opposite orientation than every other bicycle rotor for disc brakes. Their claim is this is how motorcycle rotors are oriented and causes the rotors to work under tension instead of compression. 

Comments: Interesting development. My take is this is Brembo's dress rehearsal for entering the electric bicycle market. I could be wrong, but this makes more sense than a general entry onto bicycle disc brake systems, since DH is a very demanding category on par with demands for electrified bikes which are heavier and need more powerful brakes. 

So, while it is not out of the realm of possibilities, I do not foresee gravel bikes getting Brembo brakes anytime soon. Perhaps I will be proven wrong, but at any rate, it is an interesting development.  

Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions! Get outside and ride those bicycles!

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles social media

Salsa Cycles Teases Drop Bar MTB:

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

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

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

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

I guess we will all find out together in January!

Image courtesy of Mondraker Bicycles.

Mondraker Offers Arid Carbon Unlimited Frameset:

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

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

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

Image courtesy of Castelli

Castelli Partners With Polartec For New AirCore™ Jacket Tech:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Image courtesy of Specialized Bicycles

Specialized Releases Details On Gen4 Diverge:

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

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

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

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

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

Image courtesy of Santa Cruz Bicycles

New Stigmata HTSQD Colorway Debuts:

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

The frame/fork combo can be seen HERE. 

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

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

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

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

Friday News And Views

2025 Esker Japhy (Image courtesy of Esker Cycles)

You Had Me At "Metal Flake Orange":

Esker Cycles announced an update to their 29" wheeled Japhy steel hard tail frame. There are a few ways to get a Japhy, either complete as a geared bike, complete as a single speed, or as a frame only. 

The updates for 2025 include:

• • Simplified sizing range: SM, MD, LG, XL Updated Geo: 
  • Increased Stack offset with a longer Effective TT
   
• Removed Seatstay Bridge: Increased compliance and ride quality 
• Optimized Dropper Port Location: To ease cable routing 
• Bolt-On Cable Routing: Allowing for bolt-on frame bags and stealthier routing for those using fancy robot shifting…or no shifting at all 
• Custom Chainstay Protector: Its protection for your chainstay…and its custom.

The Japhy frame costs 1K. Not a bad deal these days for a versatile steel hard tail 29"er. Check out all the details and other Esker models at eskercycles.com 

Esker "Woodsy" (Image courtesy of Esker Cycles)

Also, "Howdy" We'd Like To Say There Is A "Woodsy" Too:

In other Esker news, the company released Orion based suspension models in the aluminum "Woodsy" and a shorter travel version of the Woodsy called "Howdy". The Howdy has a titanium variant as well. So does the Woodsy. Both Howdys have 125mm of rear  travel. The longer travel Woodsy has 145m of rear travel. 

All models have up to 29 X 2.6" tire clearance, external cabling, and UDH derailleur hangar compatibility. All models are available as completes or as frame-only.
 

Gravel Amplifier: Get Lost Gravel August 3rd, 2025:

Got an itch to see the mountains from the saddle of your gravel bike? Maybe Get Lost Gravel is your jam then.  

This event will take place out of Red Barn Cycles in Hamilton, Montana. There are two course distances which you can choose from. "The Forge" is their 82 mile course which features over 60 miles of continuous back country gravel and an elevation gain of over 3,000ft. The other distance offered is a shorter course called "The Smelter" which has a big climb on Two Bear Road of 2,500 feet. At the top will be an aid station and everyone that summits will get a special Two Bear Achievement sticker. From there a "ripping descent" is promised back to the start. This course is 47 miles. 

For more information hit that link above. registration is HERE.

Mid South This Weekend:

Last year I experienced Mid South for the first time. It was probably the highlight of my 2024 riding season. Just the enormity of the experience and the new people I was able to meet along with old friends and acquaintances made the weekend trip one to remember. 

Of course, I won't be there this year, but I wanted to take the time here to wish everyone that is going well and I hope all of you bank some incredible memories while you are in Stillwater and the surrounding countryside. 

Interestingly, Mid South has changed their logo, (as seen here) and the tagline for the event is "A Weekend Endurance Festival Celebrating Hard Challenges and the Beauty of Oklahoma Dirt Roads". This tagline is noticeably missing the word "Race" there, and with the words "hard challenges" instead. I like it.

New SRAM brakes? (Image from 'toolboxwars" Threads acct.)

New SRAM XC Brakes?

I was cruising social media the other day and I came across this image of a conspicuously green caliper with a caption of "New brake, new name..." posted on an account called toolboxwars on Threads. A hashtag for SRAM was also there.

Further sleuthing turned up one article online showing the Trek XC team bikes with the brakes at a recent recon of a mountain biking course. 

Of course, this is a new model, which looks production ready, if it is indeed a SRAM caliper. I am going to speculate that this will be a mineral oil brake much like SRAM's Maven brakes, which came out a year ago or more. It makes sense as well since DOT fluid is pretty toxic and mineral oil technology is getting better all the time. 

Sea Otter is just around the corner, so I would guess the news will break on these officially just before the event, or during the event. 

Cannondale Revamps Topstone Gravel Bike:

Cannondale revealed on Tuesday that it had a newly designed Topstone gravel bike range on offer with five new carbon Topstone models available.

The carbon frames feature fully integrated cabling, a storage cavity in the down tube, and multiple accessory mounting points. Still featuring the Kingpin rear suspension, the geometry has been tweaked to address a couple shortcomings which the original Topstone Carbon gravel bike had.

Now with a lower bottom bracket, (74mm drop,) and matched up with a slightly slacker than 71° head tube angle, this new Topstone should feel more planted and stable on looser gravel roads. The steering should still be snappy with the 55mm offset carbon fork. There is also a Lefty Oliver model in teh range as well for those who want the full suspension gravel bike thing. 

The Topsstone Carbon range starts out at $3,400.00 and tops out at $7,300.00 for the Di2 GRX model shown here. See the Topstone page on Cannondale's website HERE for more. 

Image courtesy of Specialized Bicycles.

Specialized Announces New Gravel Tires: 

Tuesday we learned that Specialized has overhauled its tire range and with that has three new gravel tires for 2025 and will be closing out the previous models to simplify their range. Here we see the new Pathfinder Pro TLR which is available in black or tan walls, (shown). 

Specialized claims the new Pathfinder TLR is faster and more cut resistant than the outgoing model. Available in 700 X 35mm, 700 X 40mm, and 700 X 45mm widths. These tires have 120TPI casings and will sell for a reasonable $55.00 each.

There are also the Tracer TLR tires and Terra TLR tires each featuring progressively more aggressive tread designs.  

Comments: In my opinion, aggressive tread design is a waste on crushed rock and harder gravel roads. Obviously it is 100% unnecessary on pavement of any kind. This is why racers are gravitating more and more toward semi-slick designs. 

I feel as though a tread design with some knobs is okay for a "do anything" bike on any roads, but the overtly MTB-ish tread designs are really for dirt trails, which is fine if that is where you ride your gravel bike. From these three tires I would choose the Pathfinder Pro, but maybe you will choose differently. That is why there are choices. Just remember: "Tire tread design is a fashion show". Choose accordingly.

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

Separating Wheat From Chaff: A Look At Specialized's New Crux DSW

Image courtesy of Specialized Bicycles

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

Marketing is often blamed for a lot of 'cloak and dagger' theories proffered up by internet pundits and keyboard warriors. Sometimes there is something to these mostly crackpot theories. Sometimes there is nothing worth mentioning. 

While I could be accused of being one of those aforementioned internet "opinionaters of doom and destruction", I have actually been a part of a successful bike design and I have ridden a lot of takes on what works well on unpaved surfaces in regards to 700c based bicycles. So, it isn't as though I don't have any expertise. That all said, this is still just my opinion on this Crux DSW. Okay? With that all said, here we go...

This is Specialized's take on a bicycle that could do several things. It could be a road bike, it could be a gravel bike, and they claim it can do cyclo cross too. It is made with hydro-formed aluminum sections welded together in a special process they call 'DSW' , Specialized claims this process can allow for the lightest alloy frame ever made for this type of bicycle and that it has similar attributes and ride qualities as carbon fiber. Note that Giant Bicycles has claimed that their hydro-forming could also rival what carbon does and have been saying so for several years now. It isn't just a 'Specialized thing'. 

My Tamland Two in 2014.

While Specialized rightly portrays this bike as a great bicycle to do a lot of things with, their marketing is peppered with the word "gravel", so that is probably the main target audience for the Crux DSW. If that assumption is correct, this is how I am going to judge the bike. Using Specialized's own numbers and claims, I will compare this "cutting edge aluminum bike" to a ten year old design I had an influence on, the Raleigh Tamland Two. 

Since my bike is a 58cm, we will compare this to the 58cm Crux DSW. Keep in mind that the geometry changes slightly in smaller sizes and with the largest sized Crux DSW. 

Specialized makes a big deal about tire clearances. They said that the Crux DSW has 700 X 47mm tire clearance. They also claim that the bike will handle a 650B X 2.1" tire. Compare this to the ten year old Raleigh. I can barely squeeze a 700c X 2.0" tire in that bike, but a 47mm tire is no big deal. The Raleigh handles the 650B X 47mm "Road Plus" WTB tires handily, but I doubt a 2.1"er is going in there. That said, while Specialized can hang their hat on the two-way tire use, 650B is quickly on its way to extinction as a general use gravel wheel size. It won't die off completely because smaller sized people will make good use of that wheel diameter, but 650B in my size is dead. 

Now, let's talk about general geometry. The big numbers for me back ten, twelve years ago, were head angle, bottom bracket drop, and fork offset. Specialized's Crux DSW in a 58cm has a 72.25° head tube angle, a 72mm bottom bracket drop, and a fork offset of 50mm. The Raleigh Tamland Two has a head tube angle of 71.5°, a bottom bracket drop of 72.5mm, and a fork offset of 50mm. 

Chain stay length runs 425mm for the Crux DSW and on my Tamland Two it is 430mm. The seat tube angle is 73.5° on the Crux DSW and it is 72° on the Tamland Two.

The Tamland Two as it sits today.

Interestingly, as I have the Tamland Two set up now, the seat tube angle is 71° and the head tube angle is just a tad under 70°. Of course, I changed out the fork years ago for this Fyxation carbon fork, and that switched things up a bit. 

My Take: Again - Specialized markets this mainly as a "gravel" category bike. So, taking them on their word, I'd say this bike is solidly in the "first generation gravel" category. There really isn't anything here that tells me that Specialized went out of their way to push the gravel bike into new territory, or "innovate" anything here other than maybe that hydro-formed aluminum frame. But - I mean - take a look at what Giant has been doing for years in this area. What is so "new" about this Crux frame, really? 

Spec: My Tamland Two came with a full Ultegra drive train and Tektro Spyre mechanical disc brakes. I believe retail was something like sub - 25 hundred bucks. Maybe $2,400.00? The Crux DSW is $2,600.00 and comes with SRAM Apex 12 speed. The cassette bottoms out at a 44T cog while being driven by a 40T chain wheel. The Tamland had a 50T/36T double with an 11 - 34T cassette. 

Currently I run 46T/36T crank with an 11 - 36T cassette. So, the gearing is not as deep on the Tamland, but it could be, easily, if I went with a 34T/33T inner ring. Basically the same set up I have on the Standard Rando v2. But that's another entire discussion....

The point is that for today's money, the Tamland Two would have cost you $3,100.00. So, the kit on the Crux DSW doesn't look quite so pedestrian. 

My Take, Part 2: So, the Specialized Crux does present a good value. Especially when you consider that the frame is really pretty cool and that you get a decent kit bolted to that. The bike only fails when it comes to Specialized's "most capable gravel bike" marketing hooha. It's obvious that when you look at the details that this bike is "okay", but it is in no way "most capable" when it comes to gravel bikes. I mean, even the Tamland Two had rack and fender mounts, a chain peg, and later Tamland models had a third bottle mount under the downtube. The Crux DSW? I don't see mention of any of that, but I did spy a third bottle mount in the photos of the bike. Finally, the bike was designed with a sub-600mm stack height in my size. That's probably a little short for riders in the category that this bike is marketed to who, generally speaking, are going to want a bit more upright position. There will be a lot of riser stems sold aftermarket for Crux DSW's, in my opinion. 

Conclusions: So when you see a mass intro via several cycling online sites, it usually means that you are going to get some pretty glowing reviews, because these folks have relationships to nurture between the marketing departments and journos. That's just human nature. Me? I don't make my money doing this, and I don't necessarily have anyone to please either, so this is my take on things. Specialized isn't the only company I could have picked on either, but they are the latest to market with a gravel bike that has some pretty debatable claims.

Friday News And Views

Screen shot from Performance Bicycle online.

Question: Does everything happen on Tuesdays?......

 You Know Things Are Bad When....

On Tuesday this week I saw someone posting on social media about Specialized bikes being sold out of Performance Bicycles online. This is a "Wow!" moment in cycling.

Ten years ago the market in specialty retail for cycling was flat. There was pretty much no real gains or losses to be had and most brands were scrambling for their piece of a pie that was not growing significantly, or at all. 

Then COVID hit. You could say that COVID was the excrement that hit the proverbial fan. That sent cycling into a weird trajectory that we are still dealing with in 2024. We knew coming into this year that sales were down, or near to where they were in 2019 in some pockets of the country. We knew that prices were higher, inventory was at an all-time high, and that bills for that inventory were coming due. Added to that, 2025 product is being made and will ship in a short time from now. Something has to give.

That "give" is unprecedented discounting and now - direct to consumer, online retailers like Performance liquidating stock for brands. But Specialized? That is one of the "Big-Four" brands here in North America with a big dealer network and a Pro road team or two, and..... Wow! Really?

The saying goes that "desperate times call for desperate measures", so I see that Specialized is pretty desperate to get rid of their inventory and liquidate it for cash, which they must desperately need. That doesn't bode well for their dealers, but more than that is the perception that Specialized is now a brand that could be had at discount prices. Consumers will remember this, and it will make selling Specialized in the future harder to do at a price that makes carrying the brand sustainable for a local bike shop. 

This is a big deal in cycling in North America. How it all shakes out will be very interesting to see.

Equipt "Sardine" multi-tool.

Equipt Sardine Multi-Tool On Test:

Recently I was contacted by a person I only know from being online who asked if I would like to try out a new multi-tool he had been working on. I stated that, "yes", I would, so he sent me out these "Sardines". (Ha!)

These are designed and tested in Japan and made in Taiwan. The Sardine has the essential hex keys and a Torx fitting for basic repairs and adjustments out in the field. Each end of the Sardine has two tool selections which can be made by simply flipping the end around on its pivot. There is also one more tool in the mid-section of the Sardine, which is hidden in the image. 

The company's name is Equipt, and they also have a plastic holder for the tool which can be mounted off a water bottle cage mount, or accessory bolt mount that your bicycle may have. The Equipt site isn't quite live yet, and I don't know what the Sardine will sell for at this point, but I will be testing this multi-tool out and giving my verdict on it later. You can follow Equipt on Instagram HERE.

Image courtesy of Wolf Tooth Components

Wolf Tooth Announces ReMote Drop Bar Lever:

Wolf Tooth Components announced on Tuesday that a new dropper lever was now available for remote activation of a dropper post on drop bar bikes. Dubbed the "ReMote Drop Bar", the lever mounts to the inside of the drop section of a drop bar just below the shifter/brake lever clamp. 

The design allows for the activation of a dropper post from either the drop position or the hoods position. Wolf Tooth claims that the design is ergonomic for both larger and smaller hand sizes. 

The lever features two stacked cartridge bearings for smooth operation and Wolf Tooth claims that there is no side-to-side play in the lever as a result. The clamp is cleverly designed so that it does not interfere with ergonomics and it has a machined in cable pocket to allow for under-the-tape routing of the cable. 

The ReMote Drop Bar lever retails for $64.95 from Wolf Tooth and is made in the USA. 

Comments: This is a pretty cool lever and it reminds me a lot of the old SunTour Accushift drop bar shifters that were meant to shift SunTour's first indexed shifting systems in the 1980's. Those had a similar "butterfly" design. 

This lever makes me wonder if you could use the ReMote as a friction shifter for drop bars. Hmm.... Probably not enough throw to make it work across many gears. Anyway, a cool new lever for those who use a dropper post on their gravel bikes or drop bar bike set-ups. 

Image courtesy of Velo Orange

Velo Orange Announces A Camera (!):

In a bit of a shocker, Velo Orange introduced a camera to their line on Tuesday of this week. 

A camera?

Yes, a camera. It's called the "Camp Snap", and it hearkens back to the 2000's "point-and-shoot" style, simplistic cameras that were small in size and had little to no controls. While this may seem like a detriment to camera nerds, sometimes having less choices just means you get to use the device more and not worry about the outcome. 

In my experience, I found that my old Fuji Finepix X5 had a certain charm and graininess to the images that gave them a certain character that really popped with a black & white film simulation. Maybe this new Camp Snap, with its 8 megapixel sensor , on-off white balance, and on-off flash is going to be similar. (By the way, that is ALL the Camp Snap's features!)

Image taken with my old Fuli Finepix X5 in B&W mode.

So, I don't know about the Camp Snap, but for sixty-five bucks it might be worth a whirl. I checked online to see what vintage Fuji Finepix X5's are going for and I found a pretty mint one in Japan that had a battery but no card and no cable for $130.00 plus shipping. So, yeah.... I might have to check that Camp Snap out and see what it feels like. 

Image courtesy of KMC

KMC Cassettes Announced

Thursday (What! Not Tuesday?) KMC announced a new line of 10 and 11 speed cassettes made from high-tensile steel. Available in 11 -42 or 11 - 50 teeth ranges in 11 speed and 11 -42 or 11 - 36 in ten speed. Prices are $65.00 for either the ten or eleven speed cassettes. KMC calls the range "React".

The KMC React cassettes are made to fit Shimano HyperGlide type free hub bodies. They have shift ramps engineered to work best with KMC chains, although I would wager that any 10 or 11 speed chain would work fine here. The finish on the cassettes appears to be a dark or black finish, but it is hard to tell from images I have seen online.

The React cassettes can be purchased from various vendors or direct from KMC. 

Comments: This looks like another good, inexpensive option for those running 10 or 11 speed MTB's or 1X gravel bikes. The cassettes are not light, (900+ grams for the 11 - 42 10 speed), but steel cassettes last a bit longer, usually. 

I don't know what, if any, carrier is used, and if these are totally separate cogs, (by the price, I would guess that they are), I'd probably pass on this offering. There isn't a lot of information yet on these since most sites just regurgitated KMC's press release. Hopefully more details will emerge over the next weeks and months.

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

Blurred Lines Or Just Bicycles? Part 2

Specialized Roubaix SL8 Apex Sport (Image courtesy of Specialized)

About three weeks ago I wrote a post concerning the blurred lines with regard to drop bar bicycles. Ten years ago a "drop bar bicycle" was generally a road racing style bike, a touring bike, or maybe a cyclo-cross bike. This new, weird segment being foisted upon the marketplace called "gravel bikes" was just coming on-line at that time. But everyone knew all you really needed was a cyclo-cross bike. These so-called "gravel bikes" were an invention by marketers to cause you to feel that you needed to buy another bicycle. That was all THAT was about. (Remember those comments?) 

Also, as I have written on these pages ad nauseum, these gravel bikes, so-called,were really meant to be "all-roads bikes", and not pigeonholed by a name like "gravel". That is like calling what we now know as "fat bikes" snow bikes. Remember that? That name was dropped pretty quickly when marketers found out that "snow" was a turn-off for consumers. 

I wanted to point those things out because today we have bicycle companies marketing bicycles which are "all-roads" bikes as "endurance road bikes" (Because why? What a weird category!) which are confusing some people because they think they might be gravel bikes. 

What?!!

This one takes up to 38mm tires (Image courtesy of Trek)

With tires from 38mm to 40mm fitting these bikes, what is the difference between these and gravel bikes? 

Well, first you need to understand what a "gravel bike" even is. 

Back in 2012 Salsa Cycles created the category with the introduction of the Warbird Titanium and Aluminum models.The tire clearance? Up to a 38mm width.

In 2012 you'd be lucky to squeeze a 28mm tire into any "road bike" of that time. So, keep that in mind.

The "endurance" name for these current, new "road bikes" is just another way to say "comfort-focused". But saying that would be....what? Marketing suicide? Can't say that now, can we? So "endurance" is the word used because, c'mon? Who doesn't want to have "endurance"?  That sounds a LOT better than "comfort-road bike". 

And what sells? Gravel™! That's what. So if you had an "endurance" road bike that you could ride on "Gravel™", well, that's a winning combination, and you wouldn't have to buy into this trendy BS called Gravel Bikes", right? 

But these are gravel bikes, aren't they? Yes. These are gravel bikes because you could easily ride these on gravel. So, what the heck? 

Is this all just marketing gone haywire? Perhaps a little bit of that is going on here. But there is a silver lining to this. People have more access than ever before to "all-roads bikes", no matter what the media wonks and marketers want to call them. 

I'd say they are just "nice bicycles".

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of State Bicycle Co.

State Bicycle Co. Launches Gravel Sus Fork:

Further expanding into the gravel bicycle category, State Bicycle Co. originally a fixture of the fixie scene of the 2000's, has just released a gravel suspension fork. 

The 40mm travel air sprung fork with a lock-out feature is said to weigh in at 1600 grams. (Compare to most steel forks this is about 300+ grams heavier. About 2X or more heavier than typical carbon forks) The fork features flat mount disc brake standard, a tapered steer tube (1 1/8th" - 1 1/4") and has a 12mm through axle. Tire clearance is a generous 2.3". Fork offset is 52mm. Axle to crown is 440mm. Price is set at $450.00 USD. 

Details on the fork can be seen at State Bicycle Co's website HERE. 

Comments: Readers of this blog already know that I am very skeptical of the advantages of adding a suspension fork to a "gravel" bike. In fact, it would be fair to say that I remain unconvinced of the necessity of such a device for gravel. I lean more to the vibration reduction side of things and am an advocate for devices like Cane Creek's eeSilk stem or Redshift Sport's ShockStop Stem. Stems are swappable from bike to bike, and with suspension stem options weighing in at less than 300 grams and costing less than $300.00, (more like closer to 200 hundred bucks in some cases), it is easy to see why a gravel suspension fork seems like a not-so-great an idea. 

In my experience, riding a Fox gravel suspension fork, if you set it up for absorbing vibrations (what you'll see most of on gravel) then the fork blows through its travel on pot holes and washboard. Set it up for handling washboard and potholes makes it unusable for the rest of the ride. Essentially you end up carting around an expensive, heavy fork that requires maintenance every 50 to 100 hours of use. 

Yeah..... In my opinion, this is a non-starter. But you do you. If it suits your needs, then the State Bicycle Co fork is a much more budget friendly choice than the big names in gravel suspension. 

Single Speed Gravel - Part Two:

As you well know if you have been reading here this week, I wrote a short series on single speed in general, but this was a response to our first Single Speed Gravel podcast. 

If you want to listen to us discuss a few of the highlights of the series, then you can check out Part 2 of the Single Speed Gravel podcast episode HERE. 

We also feature a bit of gab about another Pennsylvania gravel event and a bit about the next item in the "FN&V" today. 

Just a reminder that we do have some listener engagement opportunities on the GTP site (found at the link) and that we were sponsored once again by CORE4 who have announced there 2024 date, opened registration (HERE) and have made a couple of tweaks to the offerings which you can learn about from listening to the episode. 

Thanks for supporting the podcast and our sponsor, if you do that. 

Image courtesy of Specialized

Gravel eBike For The Well-Heeled Gravelist:

 Every so often I am aghast at the level of entry into cycling's high-end products. I was once again found in this state when reading about Specialized's newest Turbo Creo model, the Turbo Creo 2.  

Base price is 10.5K. That's nuts. 

But advance up to the ladder and climb to the S-Works edition and you'll spend almost twice that!

I read a review of the bike that was conducted at some posh location where the journos were flown in to taste the offerings. The resulting review, while glossy and favorable, as one would expect it to be, showed up some rather interesting results.

I know that battery technology is getting better all the time, so when I saw that a rider can maybe expect about 43 miles on a charge in eco mode, I was left scratching my head. That's not real impressive. Then the tester went out on a ride with a bit more than 2k elevation gain, the rider weighed less than 180lbs, and the battery drained down to 38% level. Mileage? Less than 24 miles. 

For 10K plus some I'd want to see a bit more impressive mileage and battery life numbers. 

It's also interesting to note that the Creo was strictly a road bike in its previous incarnation. Now? Gravel all the way baby! Specialized is telling us that "gravel" is worth something to consumers, and this redesign tells us that in spades. It takes big, 2"+ tires, and it has slacker geometry than the previous iteration. Huh! Quite the change from the days when everyone outside the gravel niche were telling us to just ride a cyclo cross bike!

Image courtesy of SRAM

SRAM Debuts A New HPC Drivetrain:

SRAM announced this week that they have a new electric assist MTB drivetrain out called Eagle Powertrain. 

The motor was designed in conjunction with German manufacturer, Brose and features two new benefits that are unique. Auto Shift and Coast Shift.

Auto Shift is what it sounds like. This can be overridden by the rider if the rider chooses to and then the function will return automatically without the rider having to switch back and forth. The interesting feature here is Coast Shift which allows the crank set to remain stationary while the motor turns the drive train to allow the rear derailleur to shift to another gear. Essentially, the crank set "freewheels", but only when the Coast Shift is activated. 

Comments: While Auto Shift is not all that surprising, (I rode an electric auto shifting bike which was being tested by Gary Fisher in 2007) the Coast Shift is probably the most interesting feature here. I have to chuckle a bit because "coast shifting" has been around for years with internal gear hubs. So, I have to wonder if this SRAM thing is really more about traditionalists doing a novelty exercise in technology. Don't get me wrong, Coast Shift is impressive, but at this point, why are we still dinking around with the external, rear derailleur shifted drive train at all?

It isn't as though most every person that buys these SRAM Powertrain equipped bikes are ever going to purposely ride them unassisted. That's probably not ever going to happen. So, as long as we are doing motor/human hybrid power, why not eliminate the derailleur altogether? Just put a gearbox on these bikes and be done with it already. 

Why pretend that these are "like traditional mountain bikes" when they clearly are not. Efficiency benefits to 100% human powered bicycles will almost always lean towards the external derailleur drive train being most efficient, but if we are adding motors, who cares about human efficiency anymore? Certainly the buying public doesn't, because their efficiency is being assisted. Why have dangly bits that can be sheared off when that reason for the dangly bit has been erased by electric motors and batteries?  

So, nice job, SRAM. very impressive and all, but this is kind of silly. Convince me otherwise.... 

With that, I will sign off for today and hope that you all have a wonderful weekend of riding (hopefully). Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!!

In Search Of Vertical Compliance

Redshift Sports' ShockStop Seat Post.

Recently a patent drawing of an oddball looking hard tail design for a frame has been circulating around the innergoogles. You may have seen it. It is supposedly an idea Specialized is seriously working on. If you want a deeper dive on some of the design's attributes, you should read the excellent article on "Wheelbased" on it here. 

In that article, the author, Dan Bacon, covers a lot of the technical mumbo-jumbo behind the testing and theory behind this idea. I will draw some conclusions from some of that. I will also add my thoughts on why I think this is not the greatest idea, although it does look pretty rad. And as we all know, how a bicycle looks is nine-tenths of why it is good. 

But leaving that aside, this bike has several things going on here that would make it a choice I would pass up. But first, there is a historical point that I often refer to when I see a "new" design being proffered up by anyone in the bicycle industry. 

Bicycles were the pinnacle of  technological advancement in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. The brightest minds worked on bicycle design and the financial horsepower put behind bicycle innovations during this time were on a scale that dwarfed anything else going on then, or maybe even nowadays. Bicycle design was the precursor to the aerospace, automobile, and many other design schools and the science behind what works, or more correctly, what would work, was decided back then. The hold-up for the manufacturers to implement the ideas was a lack of materials technology. The theory was in place, but the way to get it done was not- yet. 

Now? Now all these ideas can be done, and because they are so well thought out and backed up by math and science, they often times are better than anything we'd ever come up with now. Almost every time, as a matter of fact. Think about wheel design, or chains. Both things designed in the 19th Century and are basically perfect. They really cannot be out-done by anything else. Not for lack of trying though....  

From: Bicycle Frame with Angled Strut by Specialized, US publication 20230034772

 Okay, so specifically I am not really convinced that eliminating a structural member that helps stabilize both horizontal and lateral forces is a great idea. The testing Specialized did also states that, "These modifications advantageously reduce the vertical stiffness of the bicycle while substantially maintaining or reducing to a lesser extent the horizontal (e.g., lateral and/or torsional) stiffness of the bicycle...."

 Note: Underlined text is my emphasis. 

Typically a bottom bracket area is subject to lateral, horizontal, and torsional forces which can be hard to harness, especially when a rider exerts a lot of force on the pedals at a lower cadence. Say, when climbing, as a for instance. Ever heard a front derailleur rub a chain on climbs but it stops when you reduce pedal pressure and spin more? That's an example of torsional forces at work there. What is happening in space is that your bottom bracket is actually "wobbling". It isn't just moving side-to-side, or up and down in a perfect plane, but it is more of an oscillation, really. This is one reason why elevated chain stay designs have a hard time not breaking, or causing a rear wheel to seem to wobble under power. It isn't that the wheel is wobbling, it is the bottom bracket and frame oscillating.

So, I see a big resemblance to an elevated chain stay design here, and I cannot help but think that oscillation and possibly rear wheel rub on the chain stays won't be an issue here. 

Another thing- That drop out at the seat stay is going to want to become a pivot. There will be a LOT of stress there. Unless Specialized has beefed that up a LOT, I see issues there with breakage and/or too much flex. A through axle will help here, but that won't cure the problem. 

And what about a frame bag with water bottles? Practicality of a full front triangle is short-circuited with this design.

Of course- you front derailleur folks can just look elsewhere. Or.... Maybe this is a Classified rear IGH bike? May as well throw even more proprietary stuff into the mix! Ha! 

My Conclusion: So, this is a novelty bike. It'll sell - if they actually produce it - because "different" and because of "looks cool", and hopefully issues with actual practicality and longevity of service won't interrupt the fashion show here. Vertical compliance will be the story that will be sold on this design, but again- Why have a proprietary design that costs a lot of money, is less practical, and maybe is not as structurally as efficient as a double-diamond frame is when you can just buy a suspension seat post? 

I know....those are not "cool" and they don't look good, right? Gotcha....