Project Wide Gravel Wheels v2: A Tire Swap & Impressions

 The last time I posted on the Project Wide Gravel Wheels v2 (PWGWv2) I mentioned that I wasn't all that impressed by the results I saw with a 700 X 42mm Resolute mounted up on the 30.5mm internal width Spank rims. I then made mention of possibly trying some wider tires, but not too wide, because if the tire I tried got much above 50mm in width, it wouldn't fit a gravel bike in my stable. The Black Mountain Cycles MCD actually being the only gravel bike that I own which I could even consider trying this idea. 

So, over the weekend I grabbed a set of Cannonball tires which I had tested for Riding Gravel and which are listed as 700 X 47mm in width. (Standard Disclaimer) I popped those onto the Spank rims easily with my newly resuscitated Topeak Joe Blow floor pump. The results were compared directly to the 700 X 47mm Rutland tires which I have mounted to some Spinergy GX wheels which have a 24mm internal rim width. The Cannonballs looked bigger and wider. Not by a little bit either.  

I measured the Cannonball tires on 24mm internal width rims during the Riding Gravel test and at that time they barely crossed the 49mm wide barrier. On the Spank rims? I measured these Cannonball tires out at 50.17mm in width. Whoa! Would they fit the Black Mountain Cycles MCD? I slapped on the rear tire first, because I knew that would be the deciding factor. 

It fit!

For dry use only! There isn't much clearance here!

So, now what? Well, an important factor which I detailed out in the last update on the PWGWv2, (go back to see that via the very first hyperlink in this post), was how a tire's profile can be altered by internal rim width. Too skinny or too wide is too much. How did the Cannonball look? On a 24mm internal width rim, the 700 X 47mm Cannonball was quite rounded. I felt that this was to the tire's detriment on looser surfaces. Now with the Cannonball tires on the 30.5mm internal rim width Spank rims, the profile of the tire is predictably flatter, since as the bead of each side of a tire casing gets further apart, the crown of the profile of the tire flattens out. This occurred beautifully on the Cannonball and I think it is an improvement in this instance. 

From Sunday's ride.

So, what about that Rutland in 47mm width? How do I think that would do? This tire tends to be a flatter crowned tire than the Cannonball, so my guess is that a 30.5mm internal rim width would be too much for that tire. It will flatten the crown profile even further, and that would only take away speed and to some extent, handling. 

My take away here is that the PWGWv2 is 'good' in very limited circumstances. It depends upon the tire used, and those tires have to be wider than 45mm. Also, I do not have the proper bicycle to explore the options that would, perhaps, make even more sense than the Cannonball tires do. I would need a bicycle rated for 29"er X 2.4" tires, minimum, to get everything out of these wheels that is there. At that point, these are not really "wide gravel wheels" anymore, so my conclusion from the last update holds true. 700c rims for gravel bikes probably should be in the 24mm-26mm range for internal rim widths so that they will work on gravel bikes using 700 X 38mm-45mm tires. Wider internal rim widths start to degrade a gravel tire's performance, especially on the lower end of the tire width spectrum, and on the wider end, tires may not fit frames anymore. 

Going forward, I plan on ride testing the PWGWv2 with these Cannonball tires and reporting back with a final word and plans for this wheel set's future. 

Project Wide Gravel Wheels v2: A Tire Swap & Impressions

 The last time I posted on the Project Wide Gravel Wheels v2 (PWGWv2) I mentioned that I wasn't all that impressed by the results I saw with a 700 X 42mm Resolute mounted up on the 30.5mm internal width Spank rims. I then made mention of possibly trying some wider tires, but not too wide, because if the tire I tried got much above 50mm in width, it wouldn't fit a gravel bike in my stable. The Black Mountain Cycles MCD actually being the only gravel bike that I own which I could even consider trying this idea. 

So, over the weekend I grabbed a set of Cannonball tires which I had tested for Riding Gravel and which are listed as 700 X 47mm in width. (Standard Disclaimer) I popped those onto the Spank rims easily with my newly resuscitated Topeak Joe Blow floor pump. The results were compared directly to the 700 X 47mm Rutland tires which I have mounted to some Spinergy GX wheels which have a 24mm internal rim width. The Cannonballs looked bigger and wider. Not by a little bit either.  

I measured the Cannonball tires on 24mm internal width rims during the Riding Gravel test and at that time they barely crossed the 49mm wide barrier. On the Spank rims? I measured these Cannonball tires out at 50.17mm in width. Whoa! Would they fit the Black Mountain Cycles MCD? I slapped on the rear tire first, because I knew that would be the deciding factor. 

It fit!

For dry use only! There isn't much clearance here!

So, now what? Well, an important factor which I detailed out in the last update on the PWGWv2, (go back to see that via the very first hyperlink in this post), was how a tire's profile can be altered by internal rim width. Too skinny or too wide is too much. How did the Cannonball look? On a 24mm internal width rim, the 700 X 47mm Cannonball was quite rounded. I felt that this was to the tire's detriment on looser surfaces. Now with the Cannonball tires on the 30.5mm internal rim width Spank rims, the profile of the tire is predictably flatter, since as the bead of each side of a tire casing gets further apart, the crown of the profile of the tire flattens out. This occurred beautifully on the Cannonball and I think it is an improvement in this instance. 

From Sunday's ride.

So, what about that Rutland in 47mm width? How do I think that would do? This tire tends to be a flatter crowned tire than the Cannonball, so my guess is that a 30.5mm internal rim width would be too much for that tire. It will flatten the crown profile even further, and that would only take away speed and to some extent, handling. 

My take away here is that the PWGWv2 is 'good' in very limited circumstances. It depends upon the tire used, and those tires have to be wider than 45mm. Also, I do not have the proper bicycle to explore the options that would, perhaps, make even more sense than the Cannonball tires do. I would need a bicycle rated for 29"er X 2.4" tires, minimum, to get everything out of these wheels that is there. At that point, these are not really "wide gravel wheels" anymore, so my conclusion from the last update holds true. 700c rims for gravel bikes probably should be in the 24mm-26mm range for internal rim widths so that they will work on gravel bikes using 700 X 38mm-45mm tires. Wider internal rim widths start to degrade a gravel tire's performance, especially on the lower end of the tire width spectrum, and on the wider end, tires may not fit frames anymore. 

Going forward, I plan on ride testing the PWGWv2 with these Cannonball tires and reporting back with a final word and plans for this wheel set's future. 

Friday News And Views

New Spinergy GXX gravel wheels

Spinergy Launches New Carbon GXX Gravel Wheels:

Last year I got to test out a set of Spinergy GX gravel wheels with the company's famous PBO fiber spokes. The wheels presented a different take on spokes which, in my view, do have a positive effect on ride quality for the gravel rider.

The one knock on the Spinergy offerings, in my view, was that their carbon rimmed model featured a now-too-skinny inner rim width. Well, now Spinergy has introduced a wheel set which addresses this shortcoming and more with the Carbon GXX wheels.

The new GXX features a trendy 24mm inner rim dimension and a foam-filled carbon rim construction, which Spinergy claims is more adept at absorbing gravel road induced vibrations than a typical carbon gravel rim would. Claimed weight is around 1500gms and the MSRP on the GXX wheel set is marked at $999.00USD.

The aluminum version which I tested actually weighs slightly less, so I suppose the benefit here would be that foam-filled carbon rim damping claim. Same PBO spokes, so no change there. The hubs are now Center Lock, but otherwise the same. It would be interesting to compare and contrast the new GXX with the GX wheels. I happen to still have those GX wheels around as long-term test mules, so it could be a possibility.

No- It isn't 2000 calling. These are making a come-back in 2020!

Shimano Announces Retro-RAGBRAI Footwear Comeback:

If you could suddenly transport yourself back about 20 years to late July in Iowa and find yourself on RAGBRAI, you would have noticed a bunch of the folks you were riding with were using a new cycling specific sandal from Shimano.

Back in the day, I remember a Shimano shoe representative telling us that Shimano almost killed off the sandal because the only place it ever really sold was in the Mid-West. Outside of RAGBRAI, it was dead to the world, for the most part, according to this man, and I've heard similar tales since. Eventually, Shimano did discontinue these and introduced another model in its place which featured three straps and that was immediately panned by the folks who had purchased the originals.

Many went as far as patching up their old Shimano sandals with shoe-goo and pieces of glued on rubber on the soles until they were rotting away. I recall several cyclists locally that swore by the things and were heartbroken when they finally had to give them up. But, as they say, "That was That", and time marched on. I figured these things were simply a footnote of the past. But oh no! I was sooooo wrong!

Apparently, according to the Shimano press release, a pair surfaced recently in Vietnam, of all places, and they were in supposed "mint" condition. (Odd word that- "mint"- to describe an object in pristine condition) Anyway, supposedly these odd sandals fetched the princely sum of $900.00 at auction, prompting Shimano to take a closer look. Apparently, Shimano feels it is worthwhile to issue a reproduction of the sandal for sale coming available in late October of this year. Available in sizes 38-48, the retro-tastic sandals are to retail for $130.00, but will be available only once in a limited run.

The Tweet sent out by Sea Otter announcing the cancellation of the 2020 event.

 Sea Otter Cancels for 2020:

Sea Otter, which had been postponed until September of 2020 from its original April date, has now completely called off any event for 2020. Well.....at least in the real world. 

They did announce a "Sea Otter Play" digital based event where virtual trade show booths will be shared and event challenges folks can do on their own where they live are going to be issued. Part of the ride challenges will be a fundraiser for COVID-19 relief efforts.

The "Sea Otter Play" event will happen virtually online in September.

Comments: Not at all surprised by this what with the uptick in cases this Summer. But what I take away from this announcement is two things. First- Does holding virtual trade shows work? Let's say there is some measure of success to be tangibly felt in terms of impact and dollars from holding a virtual show. If that turns out to be the case, what becomes of having live events like trade shows in the future? There is a lot of upside, in terms of cost savings, to the industry to have a show be virtual and not 'in-person' where travel expenses, shipping, and booth production costs could possibly be eliminated. Of course, there is the intangible, personal face-to-face thing, which is hard to deny, but.....

It's an intriguing idea, and considering how this pandemic is radicalizing our world, I don't think this idea is all that far fetched.

Secondly- If Sea Otter, a big social gathering and racing scene, is cancelling, what do you do if you are one of those bigger gravel events, like the soon-to-be renamed DK200? My take is- and especially for the DK200- is to just call it all off. I see no reason at all to risk having COVID-19 shared amongst unwitting riders who then take it home to who knows who. Small, locally generated gatherings? Maybe. I'd say under 100, have no pre-event gatherings or post-event gatherings and provide staggered start time options. But you know, do what ya gotta do folks. I'm just a guy in Iowa......

I've cancelled anything for 2020. I'm almost of the mind that someone on Twitter said they were considering. That being to never again go to any gravel event that decides to go ahead with a 2020 event. In cases like the old DK200, it is unconscionable to think you can have upwards of 2000 plus folks (if they would come anyway) in Emporia, Kansas and expose those citizens to whatever possibilities of COVID-19 all these folks bring with them. I think that is reckless thinking to feel that any event on that scale, or even a tenth of that scale, could get away with that idea without causing some issues.

That's all for this week. Have a safe and happy 4th of July weekend- if you are coming here from the US. otherwise, keep the rubber side down and get in a ride or three!

Friday News And Views

New Spinergy GXX gravel wheels

Spinergy Launches New Carbon GXX Gravel Wheels:

Last year I got to test out a set of Spinergy GX gravel wheels with the company's famous PBO fiber spokes. The wheels presented a different take on spokes which, in my view, do have a positive effect on ride quality for the gravel rider.

The one knock on the Spinergy offerings, in my view, was that their carbon rimmed model featured a now-too-skinny inner rim width. Well, now Spinergy has introduced a wheel set which addresses this shortcoming and more with the Carbon GXX wheels.

The new GXX features a trendy 24mm inner rim dimension and a foam-filled carbon rim construction, which Spinergy claims is more adept at absorbing gravel road induced vibrations than a typical carbon gravel rim would. Claimed weight is around 1500gms and the MSRP on the GXX wheel set is marked at $999.00USD.

The aluminum version which I tested actually weighs slightly less, so I suppose the benefit here would be that foam-filled carbon rim damping claim. Same PBO spokes, so no change there. The hubs are now Center Lock, but otherwise the same. It would be interesting to compare and contrast the new GXX with the GX wheels. I happen to still have those GX wheels around as long-term test mules, so it could be a possibility.

No- It isn't 2000 calling. These are making a come-back in 2020!

Shimano Announces Retro-RAGBRAI Footwear Comeback:

If you could suddenly transport yourself back about 20 years to late July in Iowa and find yourself on RAGBRAI, you would have noticed a bunch of the folks you were riding with were using a new cycling specific sandal from Shimano.

Back in the day, I remember a Shimano shoe representative telling us that Shimano almost killed off the sandal because the only place it ever really sold was in the Mid-West. Outside of RAGBRAI, it was dead to the world, for the most part, according to this man, and I've heard similar tales since. Eventually, Shimano did discontinue these and introduced another model in its place which featured three straps and that was immediately panned by the folks who had purchased the originals.

Many went as far as patching up their old Shimano sandals with shoe-goo and pieces of glued on rubber on the soles until they were rotting away. I recall several cyclists locally that swore by the things and were heartbroken when they finally had to give them up. But, as they say, "That was That", and time marched on. I figured these things were simply a footnote of the past. But oh no! I was sooooo wrong!

Apparently, according to the Shimano press release, a pair surfaced recently in Vietnam, of all places, and they were in supposed "mint" condition. (Odd word that- "mint"- to describe an object in pristine condition) Anyway, supposedly these odd sandals fetched the princely sum of $900.00 at auction, prompting Shimano to take a closer look. Apparently, Shimano feels it is worthwhile to issue a reproduction of the sandal for sale coming available in late October of this year. Available in sizes 38-48, the retro-tastic sandals are to retail for $130.00, but will be available only once in a limited run.

The Tweet sent out by Sea Otter announcing the cancellation of the 2020 event.

 Sea Otter Cancels for 2020:

Sea Otter, which had been postponed until September of 2020 from its original April date, has now completely called off any event for 2020. Well.....at least in the real world. 

They did announce a "Sea Otter Play" digital based event where virtual trade show booths will be shared and event challenges folks can do on their own where they live are going to be issued. Part of the ride challenges will be a fundraiser for COVID-19 relief efforts.

The "Sea Otter Play" event will happen virtually online in September.

Comments: Not at all surprised by this what with the uptick in cases this Summer. But what I take away from this announcement is two things. First- Does holding virtual trade shows work? Let's say there is some measure of success to be tangibly felt in terms of impact and dollars from holding a virtual show. If that turns out to be the case, what becomes of having live events like trade shows in the future? There is a lot of upside, in terms of cost savings, to the industry to have a show be virtual and not 'in-person' where travel expenses, shipping, and booth production costs could possibly be eliminated. Of course, there is the intangible, personal face-to-face thing, which is hard to deny, but.....

It's an intriguing idea, and considering how this pandemic is radicalizing our world, I don't think this idea is all that far fetched.

Secondly- If Sea Otter, a big social gathering and racing scene, is cancelling, what do you do if you are one of those bigger gravel events, like the soon-to-be renamed DK200? My take is- and especially for the DK200- is to just call it all off. I see no reason at all to risk having COVID-19 shared amongst unwitting riders who then take it home to who knows who. Small, locally generated gatherings? Maybe. I'd say under 100, have no pre-event gatherings or post-event gatherings and provide staggered start time options. But you know, do what ya gotta do folks. I'm just a guy in Iowa......

I've cancelled anything for 2020. I'm almost of the mind that someone on Twitter said they were considering. That being to never again go to any gravel event that decides to go ahead with a 2020 event. In cases like the old DK200, it is unconscionable to think you can have upwards of 2000 plus folks (if they would come anyway) in Emporia, Kansas and expose those citizens to whatever possibilities of COVID-19 all these folks bring with them. I think that is reckless thinking to feel that any event on that scale, or even a tenth of that scale, could get away with that idea without causing some issues.

That's all for this week. Have a safe and happy 4th of July weekend- if you are coming here from the US. otherwise, keep the rubber side down and get in a ride or three!

GTDRI '19: Gear And Final Thoughts

The BMC post-GTDRI '19

The gear rundown for the GTDRI was pretty simple and had pretty much zero defects. Starting out with the bike, which is the pink Black Mountain Cycles MCD frame/fork. I won't say a whole lot more than my one year review said here other than those rough Level B Roads were traversed with no problem.

The Shimano shifters and derailleurs were spot on. the Whiskey carbon bar and seat post were perfectly smooth. I will highlight two items on the bike which I thought made the day and without them, it would have been a harsher ride.

One certainly is the Redshift Sports ShockStop stem. I've been using this for two solid years now and it has shown no signs of looseness or that the elastomeric spring is crushing/damaged/giving up. I know of several instances where having that stem meant having control versus not having it while bombing Level B roads at 30+ mph. Besides the benefits of vibration damping, that absorption of the big hits- just taking the edge off and keeping my ability to be in control- is worth the price of the stem right there.

The second thing is the Spinergy GX gravel wheels. Yes.....they look pretty. That's nice and all, but if they don't stay true, hold my tubeless tires well, or if they were heavy, they wouldn't be on my bike. I don't care how nice they look. They are stiffer than some other blingy wheels I've tried and cost less than any of them. PBO spokes are weird, yes, I understand the hesitance to getting into such a wheel from that standpoint. However; it has been my observation over the years that these spokes can withstand a fair amount of use and abuse. I'm not too worried about it, to be honest. And as I have already said, if I can pound on them as hard as I did during the GTDRI, I have full confidence in their integrity. Plus, they have a custom program now and a chance to win wheels. Check it out here.

The computer tells the story

Well, as for my thoughts on the day, it was a success overall. People along for the ride seemed really happy with the route and there was enough rain, or maybe not enough, I suppose, to make it interesting. The Level B roads I put in the route were, frankly, spectacular. Now, the having that happen, that was purely speculation on my part, because remember- I did not recon the route at all. I knew from seeing these roads, while passing by many of them during various Trans Iowa recons, that they looked interesting. That's all.

My back issue was probably responsible for my early demise, but the fall at around Mile 50 probably sped that demise up. I still am not "right" and the muscles will take time to heal. But I was happy I made it as far as I did. I wasn't sure I'd even be able to ride at all Friday evening.

I made it 70 miles and a little bit more. Probably 2+ of that was walking. Still- My average speed, according to GPS from the Lezyne, was over 11mph! I find that hard to believe. I think my GPS is trying to butter me up because I don't necessarily feel compelled to use it all that much. Anyway, the last several times I have checked into my average speed on different courses, I have been surprised by what I have done in that regard. Still, I'd like to double check that against a wireless CatEye or something. I'm still suspicious.

On the nutritional front I was pretty happy. I've been trying some new things and they have been working. I also learned that Starbucks Double Shot Latte is an eye opener. I never once had the urge to just fall asleep on the bike, as I have had happen at Gravel Worlds last year and during other long events. This isn't the being tired that I experienced this GTDRI. That was pure fatigue. This "falling asleep while riding" is something different because my body isn't tired. It's my mind just shutting down. Sugary Coca-Cola snaps me right out of that funk, but that comes with its downsides. This Starbucks thing? That may be the ticket. 

One other interesting bit was that the average temperature was just under 80°F for the ride with a high of 102°F at one point near to the end of my ride. The Sun did come out in scorching fashion right at the end there, but 102? Meh! Not buying it, but......who knows? I just know I was baking while walking those final couple of miles on gravel. Concerning data, I was rather disappointed in the cues that Plot-a-Route generated. they were completely useless unless you were well versed in how the county roads are marked and even then it was super confusing. I am going to have to apologize for that. I maybe could have gone into the cues and cleaned that up, but I'm not sure the Plot-a-Route cues are editable.

If I can get around to it, I am going to do proper cues and put them on PDF and attach a link to the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational site for future reference. This is a course I'd like to do again.

Maybe next year?

GTDRI '19: Gear And Final Thoughts

The BMC post-GTDRI '19

The gear rundown for the GTDRI was pretty simple and had pretty much zero defects. Starting out with the bike, which is the pink Black Mountain Cycles MCD frame/fork. I won't say a whole lot more than my one year review said here other than those rough Level B Roads were traversed with no problem.

The Shimano shifters and derailleurs were spot on. the Whiskey carbon bar and seat post were perfectly smooth. I will highlight two items on the bike which I thought made the day and without them, it would have been a harsher ride.

One certainly is the Redshift Sports ShockStop stem. I've been using this for two solid years now and it has shown no signs of looseness or that the elastomeric spring is crushing/damaged/giving up. I know of several instances where having that stem meant having control versus not having it while bombing Level B roads at 30+ mph. Besides the benefits of vibration damping, that absorption of the big hits- just taking the edge off and keeping my ability to be in control- is worth the price of the stem right there.

The second thing is the Spinergy GX gravel wheels. Yes.....they look pretty. That's nice and all, but if they don't stay true, hold my tubeless tires well, or if they were heavy, they wouldn't be on my bike. I don't care how nice they look. They are stiffer than some other blingy wheels I've tried and cost less than any of them. PBO spokes are weird, yes, I understand the hesitance to getting into such a wheel from that standpoint. However; it has been my observation over the years that these spokes can withstand a fair amount of use and abuse. I'm not too worried about it, to be honest. And as I have already said, if I can pound on them as hard as I did during the GTDRI, I have full confidence in their integrity. Plus, they have a custom program now and a chance to win wheels. Check it out here.

The computer tells the story

Well, as for my thoughts on the day, it was a success overall. People along for the ride seemed really happy with the route and there was enough rain, or maybe not enough, I suppose, to make it interesting. The Level B roads I put in the route were, frankly, spectacular. Now, the having that happen, that was purely speculation on my part, because remember- I did not recon the route at all. I knew from seeing these roads, while passing by many of them during various Trans Iowa recons, that they looked interesting. That's all.

My back issue was probably responsible for my early demise, but the fall at around Mile 50 probably sped that demise up. I still am not "right" and the muscles will take time to heal. But I was happy I made it as far as I did. I wasn't sure I'd even be able to ride at all Friday evening.

I made it 70 miles and a little bit more. Probably 2+ of that was walking. Still- My average speed, according to GPS from the Lezyne, was over 11mph! I find that hard to believe. I think my GPS is trying to butter me up because I don't necessarily feel compelled to use it all that much. Anyway, the last several times I have checked into my average speed on different courses, I have been surprised by what I have done in that regard. Still, I'd like to double check that against a wireless CatEye or something. I'm still suspicious.

On the nutritional front I was pretty happy. I've been trying some new things and they have been working. I also learned that Starbucks Double Shot Latte is an eye opener. I never once had the urge to just fall asleep on the bike, as I have had happen at Gravel Worlds last year and during other long events. This isn't the being tired that I experienced this GTDRI. That was pure fatigue. This "falling asleep while riding" is something different because my body isn't tired. It's my mind just shutting down. Sugary Coca-Cola snaps me right out of that funk, but that comes with its downsides. This Starbucks thing? That may be the ticket. 

One other interesting bit was that the average temperature was just under 80°F for the ride with a high of 102°F at one point near to the end of my ride. The Sun did come out in scorching fashion right at the end there, but 102? Meh! Not buying it, but......who knows? I just know I was baking while walking those final couple of miles on gravel. Concerning data, I was rather disappointed in the cues that Plot-a-Route generated. they were completely useless unless you were well versed in how the county roads are marked and even then it was super confusing. I am going to have to apologize for that. I maybe could have gone into the cues and cleaned that up, but I'm not sure the Plot-a-Route cues are editable.

If I can get around to it, I am going to do proper cues and put them on PDF and attach a link to the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational site for future reference. This is a course I'd like to do again.

Maybe next year?

Friday News And Views

Geezer Ride 2018:

Last year I tried putting on a Geezer Ride, but it got put off by the weather twice and I finally just gave up on it due to my busy schedule in 2018. That was a bit of a regret for last year. However; this time the Geezer Ride is planned and hopefully it will go off on its date of Saturday, October 5th. 

In another change, this time the Geezer Ride goes North! During one of the past Geezer Rides, a couple of fellows came down who are affiliated with Cresco Bikes. They expressed interest in doing a Geezer Ride, but due to injuries and what not, it did not happen last year. (Another reason there were no Geezer Rides in 2018) That health issue has been overcome, seemingly, for one of the organizers, and it appears that the group out of Cresco Bikes has a great route, not very hilly, but interesting, for us to tackle this Fall.

This would not be the first time that a Geezer Ride route was not planned by me. This occurred a few years back when we had the Geezer Ride out of North English. That ride, in fact, was an inspiration for part of the last route for Trans Iowa v14. It took us through some Amish country, and we had a fantastic time. This route that is being planned by the Cresco Bikes folks is, apparently, going to have some cool stuff on it as well, so I look forward to being a part of this.

Stay tuned- I'll have more detailed information as the date draws nearer.

The Black Mountain Cycles MCD did really well- once again.

Gear Review For The Solstice 100:

The report of my wanderings in the Nebraska countryside are well detailed in my three Solstice 100 posts from earlier in the week. This little bit will be about some of the gear I used during, and before and after the event.

Of course, the Bubblegum Princess was used, (Black Mountain Cycles MCD) and it performed flawlessly. This bike is so comfortable and smooth. The shifting (Shimano) and the brakes (TRP Spyre) both were quiet and fault-free. The tires and wheels were WTB Resolute 42's on Spinergy wheels. No flats, no issues.

I wore a Twin Six Standard Wool jersey over a Bontrager base layer with liner shorts from Zoic and Showers Pass shorts. The socks were wool, Hiwassee brand, and the shoes were older Shimano MTB shoes. I wore an aero helmet from Bolle', which surprisingly was quite cool and comfortable.

One big plus in the gear department wasn't used on the ride, but it sure helped me get to the ride and back again. It was the Silca Maratona Minimo Gear Bag which I just reviewed for RidingGravel.com. You can click through to read the review if you want to. All I'll say here is that I doubt I ever forget my shoes for an event again. The bag is good. I like it.

So, gear-wise, I was not let down at all. It was a failure to be prepared on my part in terms of fitness. I also screwed up navigating, somehow, and that also contributed to my failure. But as far as gear goes, I was spot on. I wouldn't have changed a thing there.

The new version of the All City Electric Queen.

 Enough Of The "Shred-Tails" Already:

Mountain bike "fashion" has swung this way and that throughout the decades. First it was all about touring/exploration. then it was XC racing, then Free Ride, and "Long Travel", then "Enduro", and on and on. It used to be that the base MTB bike was a hard tail. You started there, and then you branched off. Hard tail MTB's were declared "dead" in the late 90's/early 00"s, but 29"ers brought them back. Somehow they persist. Yet, it could be said today that the "hard tail" is dead. The "all-purpose", go anywhere, do anything MTB has become what I call the "shred-tail". Long, slack, and low, it is a tool bent by the designers for going down. Fast.

The slack head angle on a lot of these rigs handles like a wheel barrow in tight single track. Most "younginz" have zero experience on a bike that actually shreds tight single track, and can do fire roads, and can do berms. Because the pendulum of geometry has swung so far to the "playful, down hill oriented, fast, shreddy, jumping, popping, wide open trail type of bike that it suffers on anything but groomed, buff single track with long sight lines.

Anyway, All City claims that this new fashioned rig "climbs well" and does all the "fun stuff". yeah....hmmm. I bet it does. Ya know, I recall the days of the old geometry 29"ers, and the fast, razor sharp steering and climbing abilities of my old Bontrager Race 26'er. Now those bikes climbed and were awesome in tight single track.

I'd rip my old OS Bikes Blackbuck any day in the woods here over a slack front end, long traveled, short rear ended "shred tail" that is the norm now. But I can also see where 27.5 X 2.8's on the Electric Queen could be a blast as well. I just think these shred-tail rigs are compromised in the "all arounder" category hard tails used to live in, but are seemingly extinct as far as choices go nowadays. (Or are they? Read on...)

The New Jones LWB Complete

Then Just When You Think All Is Lost:

So, are there any hard tails that aren't "shred-tails"? Why, yes there are. Here's a great example of one- The new Jones Bikes LWB Complete which was just announced recently.

I've spent some time speaking with Jeff Jones, the designer of this bike, and he would not like it if this was called a mountain bike, because in his parlance, it's just a great bicycle. Good for anything- road, gravel, mountain, touring, and....well, you get the idea. But there is no denying the fact that Jeff Jones was selling these designs as mountain bikes first, and that's probably how they are best known.

That said, Jeff Jones would also tell you that his design, unconventional as it may be, does the climbing, descending, and single track shredding all well because it was designed to excel at everything. To my way of thinking, this is a great example of what an "all-arounder" is. I'm sure there are others, but it does stand out from the herd and according to its owners, some who I know personally, the Jones Bike is just a great bicycle.

So, there you go- the hard tail lives.

That's a wrap for this week. have a great weekend and keep on riding!

Friday News And Views

Geezer Ride 2018:

Last year I tried putting on a Geezer Ride, but it got put off by the weather twice and I finally just gave up on it due to my busy schedule in 2018. That was a bit of a regret for last year. However; this time the Geezer Ride is planned and hopefully it will go off on its date of Saturday, October 5th. 

In another change, this time the Geezer Ride goes North! During one of the past Geezer Rides, a couple of fellows came down who are affiliated with Cresco Bikes. They expressed interest in doing a Geezer Ride, but due to injuries and what not, it did not happen last year. (Another reason there were no Geezer Rides in 2018) That health issue has been overcome, seemingly, for one of the organizers, and it appears that the group out of Cresco Bikes has a great route, not very hilly, but interesting, for us to tackle this Fall.

This would not be the first time that a Geezer Ride route was not planned by me. This occurred a few years back when we had the Geezer Ride out of North English. That ride, in fact, was an inspiration for part of the last route for Trans Iowa v14. It took us through some Amish country, and we had a fantastic time. This route that is being planned by the Cresco Bikes folks is, apparently, going to have some cool stuff on it as well, so I look forward to being a part of this.

Stay tuned- I'll have more detailed information as the date draws nearer.

The Black Mountain Cycles MCD did really well- once again.

Gear Review For The Solstice 100:

The report of my wanderings in the Nebraska countryside are well detailed in my three Solstice 100 posts from earlier in the week. This little bit will be about some of the gear I used during, and before and after the event.

Of course, the Bubblegum Princess was used, (Black Mountain Cycles MCD) and it performed flawlessly. This bike is so comfortable and smooth. The shifting (Shimano) and the brakes (TRP Spyre) both were quiet and fault-free. The tires and wheels were WTB Resolute 42's on Spinergy wheels. No flats, no issues.

I wore a Twin Six Standard Wool jersey over a Bontrager base layer with liner shorts from Zoic and Showers Pass shorts. The socks were wool, Hiwassee brand, and the shoes were older Shimano MTB shoes. I wore an aero helmet from Bolle', which surprisingly was quite cool and comfortable.

One big plus in the gear department wasn't used on the ride, but it sure helped me get to the ride and back again. It was the Silca Maratona Minimo Gear Bag which I just reviewed for RidingGravel.com. You can click through to read the review if you want to. All I'll say here is that I doubt I ever forget my shoes for an event again. The bag is good. I like it.

So, gear-wise, I was not let down at all. It was a failure to be prepared on my part in terms of fitness. I also screwed up navigating, somehow, and that also contributed to my failure. But as far as gear goes, I was spot on. I wouldn't have changed a thing there.

The new version of the All City Electric Queen.

 Enough Of The "Shred-Tails" Already:

Mountain bike "fashion" has swung this way and that throughout the decades. First it was all about touring/exploration. then it was XC racing, then Free Ride, and "Long Travel", then "Enduro", and on and on. It used to be that the base MTB bike was a hard tail. You started there, and then you branched off. Hard tail MTB's were declared "dead" in the late 90's/early 00"s, but 29"ers brought them back. Somehow they persist. Yet, it could be said today that the "hard tail" is dead. The "all-purpose", go anywhere, do anything MTB has become what I call the "shred-tail". Long, slack, and low, it is a tool bent by the designers for going down. Fast.

The slack head angle on a lot of these rigs handles like a wheel barrow in tight single track. Most "younginz" have zero experience on a bike that actually shreds tight single track, and can do fire roads, and can do berms. Because the pendulum of geometry has swung so far to the "playful, down hill oriented, fast, shreddy, jumping, popping, wide open trail type of bike that it suffers on anything but groomed, buff single track with long sight lines.

Anyway, All City claims that this new fashioned rig "climbs well" and does all the "fun stuff". yeah....hmmm. I bet it does. Ya know, I recall the days of the old geometry 29"ers, and the fast, razor sharp steering and climbing abilities of my old Bontrager Race 26'er. Now those bikes climbed and were awesome in tight single track.

I'd rip my old OS Bikes Blackbuck any day in the woods here over a slack front end, long traveled, short rear ended "shred tail" that is the norm now. But I can also see where 27.5 X 2.8's on the Electric Queen could be a blast as well. I just think these shred-tail rigs are compromised in the "all arounder" category hard tails used to live in, but are seemingly extinct as far as choices go nowadays. (Or are they? Read on...)

The New Jones LWB Complete

Then Just When You Think All Is Lost:

So, are there any hard tails that aren't "shred-tails"? Why, yes there are. Here's a great example of one- The new Jones Bikes LWB Complete which was just announced recently.

I've spent some time speaking with Jeff Jones, the designer of this bike, and he would not like it if this was called a mountain bike, because in his parlance, it's just a great bicycle. Good for anything- road, gravel, mountain, touring, and....well, you get the idea. But there is no denying the fact that Jeff Jones was selling these designs as mountain bikes first, and that's probably how they are best known.

That said, Jeff Jones would also tell you that his design, unconventional as it may be, does the climbing, descending, and single track shredding all well because it was designed to excel at everything. To my way of thinking, this is a great example of what an "all-arounder" is. I'm sure there are others, but it does stand out from the herd and according to its owners, some who I know personally, the Jones Bike is just a great bicycle.

So, there you go- the hard tail lives.

That's a wrap for this week. have a great weekend and keep on riding!

Friday News And Views

PBO spokes on the Spinergy GX wheels are.......different.

Non-Metallic Wonders:

Many times we assume certain things are always going to be a certain way. The Sun is coming up tomorrow, you will pay taxes, and some day you will die. Pretty sure bets. But sometimes we think things are going to always be a certain way......until they aren't. 

Such were my thoughts about spokes early into my mechanic career. Steel is what spokes are made of. Why wouldn't they be? They are about perfect for the job at hand, and if things are designed and assembled correctly, they can last the lifetime of a bicycle. Then someone made spokes out of titanium. Hmm.......that wasn't as good. Then someone made spokes out of carbon fiber. Yeah...... Not so much. Then someone made spokes out of aluminum, and you know what? That works, but they are odd and not common. Then I saw PBO spokes in the late 90's. What the what? Yep- fiber based spokes. Okay, well Tioga did that tension disc thingie, maybe there is something to this too.....

So, anyway, I have these wheels from Spinergy with the PBO spokes to review for RidingGravel.com and I have to say that yes- there is something to this. But anytime you are going up against a widely accepted and proven technology, the question that begs to be asked is "why go a different direction?" It's a fair question to ask about the PBO spokes too. I will have to ride these quite a bit more to answer that question, but to my mind it's going to take a pretty substantial benefit to beat steel spokes. We'll see.......

Colored treads......again.

Panaracer Does Colored Treads And New Sealant:

I remember colored rubber tires when I was a kid. Then that disappeared and came back again in the late 70's/early 80's with BMX. Then it kind of went away again until the 1990's when colors popped up on Michelin MTB tires, some other barnds too, and then it went away again. Urban fixie riding had a dalliance with colored tires. Schwalbe kind of dabbled in it for a while. Then nothing again....Until now.....

Panaracer has revived colored rubber tires in its Gravel King series, (what else would it be!) and they just announced three more limited edition tires. I maybe can see myself riding the Ivory colored tires, but the other two colors are.....not for me. I actually really like Gravel King SK's and recommend them often to those who ask me. But the colored ones, not so much. That said, there is a Gravel King SK tire I have my eyes on, but it isn't a skinny one!

Panaracer sealant, yada,yada,yada....Look at the tire!

In an image sent to me in a press release about Panaracer's new sealant with Walnut shell chunks in it, (really!), I saw a tire I am interested in. The 700 X 50mm Gravel King SK skin wall tire. Yes! I like that idea a lot.

See, it is about time to switch up tires on the old Fargo, and I've been wanting something 50-ish wide and the Gravel King SK 700 X 50mm tire seems about right for the job. That it could be skin wall is even better. Maybe I might even try that new fangled walnut shell infused sealant of Panaracer's as well. We'll see, because I make my own sealant which has never been a problem for me, and there are other killer sealants on the market also. (I recommend Orange Seal and the Muc Off sealant) So, Panaracer has some high hurdles in the sealant game to leap over before I would be impressed. But they do make a good tire, and the Gravel King is about as good as there is for gravel travel out there. So, this 50mm one has my eye. Stay tuned.....

The press release said something about a more puncture resistant Gravel King and that 650B sizes were available. I could see a 650B X 50mm tire on a couple of my rigs at times. I'll have to look into that as well. I know Donnelly does a 650B X 50mm MSO, but it is black wall. I know........picky, picky, picky! 

Saturday snow in late April? Yep.

 Just When You Thought Winter Was Gone:

Well, that's a slap in the face! Last weekend it got up into the high 80's both days. Sure, it was windy as all get out, but it was so warm. Not at all humid either. Just glorious. Now a week later, the bill comes due.

 That bill is in the form of much colder weather, snow in some places, and rain everywhere else. Temperatures for highs Saturday will hover around the 40's in most places in the state. 50's if you are lucky. Then Saturday night/Sunday morning it is going to freeze. Like really freeze!

But I gotta be honest, this freeze is not at all unusual. I think for at least the last few Trans Iowas, and I know many of them, it has been under 32° at some point during the night Saturday or early Sunday morning. So, a sub-freezing night at this time of year is nothing new. But snow is odd, and rainy weather plus sub-freezing temperatures makes for a bone chilling weather pattern. Break out the thermal tights! (Where did I put those again?)

That is a wrap for this week. Hope that you get out and ride some. I'm going to try to get out at some point.

Friday News And Views

PBO spokes on the Spinergy GX wheels are.......different.

Non-Metallic Wonders:

Many times we assume certain things are always going to be a certain way. The Sun is coming up tomorrow, you will pay taxes, and some day you will die. Pretty sure bets. But sometimes we think things are going to always be a certain way......until they aren't. 

Such were my thoughts about spokes early into my mechanic career. Steel is what spokes are made of. Why wouldn't they be? They are about perfect for the job at hand, and if things are designed and assembled correctly, they can last the lifetime of a bicycle. Then someone made spokes out of titanium. Hmm.......that wasn't as good. Then someone made spokes out of carbon fiber. Yeah...... Not so much. Then someone made spokes out of aluminum, and you know what? That works, but they are odd and not common. Then I saw PBO spokes in the late 90's. What the what? Yep- fiber based spokes. Okay, well Tioga did that tension disc thingie, maybe there is something to this too.....

So, anyway, I have these wheels from Spinergy with the PBO spokes to review for RidingGravel.com and I have to say that yes- there is something to this. But anytime you are going up against a widely accepted and proven technology, the question that begs to be asked is "why go a different direction?" It's a fair question to ask about the PBO spokes too. I will have to ride these quite a bit more to answer that question, but to my mind it's going to take a pretty substantial benefit to beat steel spokes. We'll see.......

Colored treads......again.

Panaracer Does Colored Treads And New Sealant:

I remember colored rubber tires when I was a kid. Then that disappeared and came back again in the late 70's/early 80's with BMX. Then it kind of went away again until the 1990's when colors popped up on Michelin MTB tires, some other barnds too, and then it went away again. Urban fixie riding had a dalliance with colored tires. Schwalbe kind of dabbled in it for a while. Then nothing again....Until now.....

Panaracer has revived colored rubber tires in its Gravel King series, (what else would it be!) and they just announced three more limited edition tires. I maybe can see myself riding the Ivory colored tires, but the other two colors are.....not for me. I actually really like Gravel King SK's and recommend them often to those who ask me. But the colored ones, not so much. That said, there is a Gravel King SK tire I have my eyes on, but it isn't a skinny one!

Panaracer sealant, yada,yada,yada....Look at the tire!

In an image sent to me in a press release about Panaracer's new sealant with Walnut shell chunks in it, (really!), I saw a tire I am interested in. The 700 X 50mm Gravel King SK skin wall tire. Yes! I like that idea a lot.

See, it is about time to switch up tires on the old Fargo, and I've been wanting something 50-ish wide and the Gravel King SK 700 X 50mm tire seems about right for the job. That it could be skin wall is even better. Maybe I might even try that new fangled walnut shell infused sealant of Panaracer's as well. We'll see, because I make my own sealant which has never been a problem for me, and there are other killer sealants on the market also. (I recommend Orange Seal and the Muc Off sealant) So, Panaracer has some high hurdles in the sealant game to leap over before I would be impressed. But they do make a good tire, and the Gravel King is about as good as there is for gravel travel out there. So, this 50mm one has my eye. Stay tuned.....

The press release said something about a more puncture resistant Gravel King and that 650B sizes were available. I could see a 650B X 50mm tire on a couple of my rigs at times. I'll have to look into that as well. I know Donnelly does a 650B X 50mm MSO, but it is black wall. I know........picky, picky, picky! 

Saturday snow in late April? Yep.

 Just When You Thought Winter Was Gone:

Well, that's a slap in the face! Last weekend it got up into the high 80's both days. Sure, it was windy as all get out, but it was so warm. Not at all humid either. Just glorious. Now a week later, the bill comes due.

 That bill is in the form of much colder weather, snow in some places, and rain everywhere else. Temperatures for highs Saturday will hover around the 40's in most places in the state. 50's if you are lucky. Then Saturday night/Sunday morning it is going to freeze. Like really freeze!

But I gotta be honest, this freeze is not at all unusual. I think for at least the last few Trans Iowas, and I know many of them, it has been under 32° at some point during the night Saturday or early Sunday morning. So, a sub-freezing night at this time of year is nothing new. But snow is odd, and rainy weather plus sub-freezing temperatures makes for a bone chilling weather pattern. Break out the thermal tights! (Where did I put those again?)

That is a wrap for this week. Hope that you get out and ride some. I'm going to try to get out at some point.