One That Got Away

  In celebration of the twentieth year of this blog, I have a few tales to tell. This post is one of them. This series will occur off and on throughout this anniversary year, I hope to illuminate some behind-the-scenes stories and highlights from the blog during this time. Enjoy!

Public Service Announcement: I am entering the final weeks of this series of posts. May 11th, 2025 will mark the start of my 20th year of blogging here on "Guitar Ted Productions". There will be a special post for this upcoming, but for now, please enjoy another look back at this topic from the days gone by on G-Ted Productions. 

Salsa Cycles Stormchaser in its debut color and configuration

I'm sure that if you are a seasoned cyclist there is probably a bicycle in your past which was "one that got away". A bicycle which, for whatever reasons, was one you sold, had stolen, or lost for a reason which you wish you had back again.

Now, you may be romanticizing this old memory, and in reality, maybe that bicycle is not "all that", but maybe it was great. I don't know your story, but for me "that bike" is the original Salsa Cycles Stormchaser which, ironically, was never "mine". It was a review bicycle for RidingGravel.com.

Of course, this was during the early, dark days of the pandemic, and I admit, this may have had something to do with my feelings toward the bike. The Stormchaser was my companion for many lonely gravel grinders that Spring. Rides where I was contemplating all the madness and trying to find peace for my mind and soul. The quiet Black Hawk County countryside helped with this. The Stormchaser was the vehicle which transported me there.

Of course, the Stormchaser was not perfect. Its brutal front fork gave no quarter. The aluminum frame was not the steel feel I prefer in a ride. I probably would have modded the thing to death had Salsa Cycles let me keep the bike. But that shiny, new-penny hue, the simple lines of the bike, and its single-speed purpose were very fetching. I liked the way the bike looked a lot.

I did end up stuffing 50mm tires into the frame and this helped the front end be smoother and not so unforgiving. I likely would have kept the big tires on this bike with a Redshift Sports ShockStop stem and had been just fine.

But......it wasn't meant to be. Salsa Cycles wanted the bike back, and at the time, I could easily see why. Bicycles were in super-short supply. The shop I was working at couldn't get anymore new bikes, and even bicycle staples like tubes and bar tape were non-existent in warehouses all across the country. I imagine the Stormchaser I tested ended up under some customer who had ordered one which Salsa couldn't get from overseas from its supplier. So, yeah....

And it isn't as though I don't have cool, fun to ride bicycles anyway. But in another world, where there was not a pandemic induced shortage, maybe the Stormchaser would have been available to me to keep. I don't know. If this were the case, it is very likely  that I would have not purchased the Twin Six Standard Rando v2 or had the Honeman Flyer built. So, maybe things worked out the way they should have anyway.

And in the end, I have memories and stories on this blog from a time I don't think we want to repeat, ever. But memories of the Stormchaser and my contemplative, peaceful 2020 rides will always bring a smile to my face. I think this is okay, and thanks to Salsa Cycles for even giving me the chance to try this out at a time when they really did not have any reason to allow me to enjoy such a bike. So again, thanks Salsa Cycles! I still am very appreciative of that opportunity.

And that's "the one that got away" story for me. What is yours?

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Esker Cycles

 Hey! It's New Bike Day On The FN&V!

Esker Cycles Introduces The Smokey Ti:

Esker introduced a new bicycle on Monday called the Smokey Ti. It is a long travel, hard tail, titanium framed bicycle with signature Esker features. 

Designed around a 160mm travel fork, the Smokey Ti also features Esker's Portage drop outs which can be used to adjust your wheelbase or to set up the bike as a single speed. 

The Smokey Ti has a slack head angle of 64.5° and comes in four sizes. Frames are $2.500.00, and adding a fork to that brings you to $3,100.00. The single speed complete starts at $4.200.00 and geared completes start at $4,500.00. Contact Esker Cycles for more options. 

Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

Salsa Cycles Updates Stormchaser Model:

Salsa Cycles announced yesterday that the new edition of the Stormchaser is now available. It comes in the traditional single speed issue with a new "Storm Grey" color. This version costs $1,799.00. 

The geared version has an Apex Eagle set up, a Rock Shox Rudy suspension device, and a dropper post, all in a Berry color for $3,199.00. 

The Stormchaser has copious tire clearance, (It will easily take a 700 X 50mm tire), and has the Class 5 VRS stays which give the rider some comfort in the rear end of the bike. The tension for the chain in single speed mode comes via the clever sliding drop outs Salsa developed for this model. 

The Storm Grey single speed. Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

 There is a frame only option in black as well for $1,249.00. It includes a carbon fiber fork, head set, Stealth Dropper Post routing, abrasion plates, and rack and fender mounts. See your Salsa Cycles dealer for details. 

Image courtesy of Otso Cycles

Otso Cycles Announces Hoot Ti Trail Bike:

Otso Cycles announced on Tuesday of this week that they now have a hard tail, long travel, slacked out mountain bike of their own called the "Hoot Ti". As the name suggests, the frame is made out of titanium. 

The frame features 3D printed titanium drop outs and chain stay yoke. The 65° head tube angle on the Hoot Ti is optimized for 140mm travel fork, but Otso worked with Fox to get a 36mm stanchion version made to increase stiffness and lateral rigidity of this fork. The fork features Fox's new Grip X damper, 44mm offset, and bleeders on the lowers. Otso had Fox make the fork with black lowers and black anodized stanchions as well. 

Otso allows for a 150mm travel fork, but cautions against anything longer than that or shorter than 140mm. They claim the geometry will be altered too much affecting the intended handling of the design negatively.  

The Hoot Ti frame can be had for $3,300.00 with completes starting at $6,100.00. See Otso's website HERE for more details.

Image courtesy of Pilot Cycles

Pilot Cycles Debuts Completely 3D Printed Titanium Frame:

Pilot Cycles asks the question, "Have you ever seen a completely 3D printed road bike?" Well, there it is! Pilot, a Dutch company, have claimed to have made the first rideable, tested road bike made completely out of 3D printed titanium. 

The idea was driven by a desire to find a way to make a more sustainable frame for lightweight purposes than what carbon fiber is, but have it be competitive with carbon in performance. Pilot Cycles claims to have achieved this goal. 

You can read about the details HERE. 

The model is called the Seiren, and Pilot claims that by using titanium in this way, the bike can be tuned for ride quality and performance, just as with carbon fiber. Titanium can obviously be recycled into another titanium product, but recycling is very difficult with carbon fiber. 

Comments: One would suspect also that the titanium frame might be more durable, and in testing this has been the case so far. However; we don't know what "real world" lifespan for 3D titanium is just yet, as far as cycling goes. It's all too new to know this. But again, even if it isn't quite the "forever titanium frame" that your drawn tube titanium is, it can be recycled. 

Image courtesy of Ritchey Design/John Watson

Ritchey Design Announces New P-29 Hard Tail:

Ritchey Design announced yesterday that a newly designed P-29 hard tail frame is now available. Using proprietary triple-butted Logic steel tubing this new frame updates the old P-29 with Boost spacing and a capability to handle a 120mm travel suspension fork or a 500mm axle to crown Boost rigid fork. 

The frame can handle up to a 2.3" 29"er tires (depending upon rim choice) and has stealth dropper routing as well. The color is called "Dirt in Blood" and the frame retails for $999.00USD. 

Comments: This is an interesting 29"er frame and I love a few things about it. First is the color and the name of the color which is pretty cool. But practicality-wise I love that this bike is steel, and that it is so inexpensive. Furthermore; I love that Ritchey sent out a press release showing multiple builds of this frame and a couple used Ritchey drop bars. 

I don't like the tire clearance, but 2.3" is plenty for gravel and single track around here. That said, if I were looking to add a MTB to the Guitar Ted stable of bicycles I would strongly consider this one.

Victory Ride Tomorrow!.

Tomorrow will be the 50+ mile "Victory Ride" which was conceived of by Warren Weibe and facilitated by N.Y. Roll as a ride to celebrate 'something' and myself, I guess..... I'm not sure what this is about, really, other than Warren wanted to come up and spend some time with me on a bicycle ride. Maybe I'll get clarification on that and report back Monday. Oh! Yes, there will be a report here. 

I do "know" of about 10-11 of us that will be planning to show up. You may be coming too? If so, the route file from Ride With GPS is HERE. 

Otherwise I have not much more to say about this here. Of course, it is self-supported, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU!, and NO DROP rules are in effect. There likely will be a 'surprise visitor' rider, and maybe more than one. N.Y. Roll and I have our ideas on who that may be, but tomorrow will tell the tale.

Weather looks.....adventurous. Perhaps there will be some moisture. Hmm..... Stay tuned for the report to see how it all went on Monday. 

Until then, thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions and have a safe and happy weekend. Ride those bicycles!

Friday News And Views

The new Stormchaser single speed color- "Silver"

Salsa Cycles Announces New Color For Stormchaser SS Bike:

The pandemic craziness of 2020 was mostly a bummer, with the exception of one bright spot, for me at least. That was that I had a Salsa Cycles Stormchaser single speed around to get out in the country and ride on. 

If I did not already have too many bicycles and single speeds, I'd probably track one of these down. I really enjoyed riding it that much. With the exception of its too-stiff front fork, I absolutely loved riding it. 

Since then the Stormchaser has been offered in a shiny red, a suspension equipped, geared version, and now once again in a new color. Basically all else about this bike remains unchanged from the 2020 bike I rode. (Except that it costs more at $1899.00 USD vs $1499.00 at introduction in '20) I had to laugh a bit when I asked about the press release I got on this bike. It did not say what the color was specifically and it looked like it could be grey, or maybe silver, or pearl white? I asked and the answer was "They tell me it is Silver". 

So, there ya go! Silver it is.

The Otso Fenrir Ti. Image courtesy of Otso Bikes

 Otso Fenrir Ti Announced:

It was a very long time before any good "Fargo-Alternatives" were available and one of the better ones is Otso Bikes Fenrir. Offered in stainless steel, now it is offered in titanium. 

The bike is designed to be built up either with drop bars or flat bars, lending it even more versatility. The tire clearances are 29" X 2.6" or 27.5" X 2.8". A Fenrir Ti frame set with fork is $4050.00USD. 

Comments: The price! (ouch!), but you'd better look around and see that things have all gotten much more expensive in terms of bicycles now. And if history teaches us anything, we are not going back to pre-pandemic levels of pricing again. better suck it up if ya want a new bike. 

So, why this over a Ti Fargo? Well, the Tuning Chip drop out, which thankfully now can be converted to a single speed, is a nice feature. That is a thing that can be useful instead of just a "feature'. The Fargo has its way of doing single speed, but that Alternator plate is not without its drawbacks. This idea, and Trek's very similar drop out, seems to me to be a good solution. 

Otherwise?  Yeah, pretty similar idea, but it wouldn't be a good Fargo alternative if it wasn't similar, so there is that. 

Standard Rando v2 in "Fog" Image courtesy of Twin Six

It's Not You- It Really Is Foggy!

Twin Six recently introduced another new color for their Standard Rando v2. It's called "Fog", and in the images I've seen it looks like the pictures were taken with black & white film. Put Fausto Coppi from some grinding Alpine climb on this and you could easily believe this was a period-correct design from the 1940's. 

This is a favorite bike of mine, but of course, mine is yellow. About as opposite as one can get from this color scheme. That said, everything else about the bike is the same and I know it would ride quite nicely. 

Worth noting (AGAIN! Sorry!) is the price increase here. I got mine right as the pandemic was hitting and it was about 200 bucks less than it is now, but even at $850.00, this frame and fork are a great buy. If you like classic design, steel, and good looking bicycles with an eye toward the understated side, the Standard Rando should be on your radar. There really is nothing else quite like it.  

The Jones Bikes H Bar circa 2002. Image courtesy of Jones Bikes.

Jones Bikes Celebrates 20 Years:

I first heard about Jones Bikes in a magazine. (Remember those?) The weird Space Frame and truss fork idea was out of this world. The first time I saw anything related to the company with my own two eyes was their "H-Bar", which was on a bike used by one of the guys at the first DK200 in 2006. 

Those H-Bars really had my attention. They were possibly one of the first "alt-bars" for a flat bar set up I ever encountered. The swept back extensions fell in line with what I had been reading about flared drop bars at the time and my experience with those made me think that the H-bar might not be a bad idea. 

This is my OS Bikes Blackbuck in 2008 with a set of Titec H-Bars. The design was licensed from Jones Bikes.

 Well, the closest I ever got to trying them out was a Titec version of them. Then later on I used the Jones Carbon Loop Bar on my fat bikes. I know people that own a Jones bike, and they are huge fans, and I've even spoken to The Man him self, but I haven't ever gotten around to trying one of those far out creations yet. 

Anyway, I consider Jones Bikes as being one of the last "innovators" in bicycle design and no one has really ever quite come close to what he has done. Happy Anniversary, Jones Bikes!

That's a wrap for this week. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

The new Stormchaser single speed color- "Silver"

Salsa Cycles Announces New Color For Stormchaser SS Bike:

The pandemic craziness of 2020 was mostly a bummer, with the exception of one bright spot, for me at least. That was that I had a Salsa Cycles Stormchaser single speed around to get out in the country and ride on. 

If I did not already have too many bicycles and single speeds, I'd probably track one of these down. I really enjoyed riding it that much. With the exception of its too-stiff front fork, I absolutely loved riding it. 

Since then the Stormchaser has been offered in a shiny red, a suspension equipped, geared version, and now once again in a new color. Basically all else about this bike remains unchanged from the 2020 bike I rode. (Except that it costs more at $1899.00 USD vs $1499.00 at introduction in '20) I had to laugh a bit when I asked about the press release I got on this bike. It did not say what the color was specifically and it looked like it could be grey, or maybe silver, or pearl white? I asked and the answer was "They tell me it is Silver". 

So, there ya go! Silver it is.

The Otso Fenrir Ti. Image courtesy of Otso Bikes

 Otso Fenrir Ti Announced:

It was a very long time before any good "Fargo-Alternatives" were available and one of the better ones is Otso Bikes Fenrir. Offered in stainless steel, now it is offered in titanium. 

The bike is designed to be built up either with drop bars or flat bars, lending it even more versatility. The tire clearances are 29" X 2.6" or 27.5" X 2.8". A Fenrir Ti frame set with fork is $4050.00USD. 

Comments: The price! (ouch!), but you'd better look around and see that things have all gotten much more expensive in terms of bicycles now. And if history teaches us anything, we are not going back to pre-pandemic levels of pricing again. better suck it up if ya want a new bike. 

So, why this over a Ti Fargo? Well, the Tuning Chip drop out, which thankfully now can be converted to a single speed, is a nice feature. That is a thing that can be useful instead of just a "feature'. The Fargo has its way of doing single speed, but that Alternator plate is not without its drawbacks. This idea, and Trek's very similar drop out, seems to me to be a good solution. 

Otherwise?  Yeah, pretty similar idea, but it wouldn't be a good Fargo alternative if it wasn't similar, so there is that. 

Standard Rando v2 in "Fog" Image courtesy of Twin Six

It's Not You- It Really Is Foggy!

Twin Six recently introduced another new color for their Standard Rando v2. It's called "Fog", and in the images I've seen it looks like the pictures were taken with black & white film. Put Fausto Coppi from some grinding Alpine climb on this and you could easily believe this was a period-correct design from the 1940's. 

This is a favorite bike of mine, but of course, mine is yellow. About as opposite as one can get from this color scheme. That said, everything else about the bike is the same and I know it would ride quite nicely. 

Worth noting (AGAIN! Sorry!) is the price increase here. I got mine right as the pandemic was hitting and it was about 200 bucks less than it is now, but even at $850.00, this frame and fork are a great buy. If you like classic design, steel, and good looking bicycles with an eye toward the understated side, the Standard Rando should be on your radar. There really is nothing else quite like it.  

The Jones Bikes H Bar circa 2002. Image courtesy of Jones Bikes.

Jones Bikes Celebrates 20 Years:

I first heard about Jones Bikes in a magazine. (Remember those?) The weird Space Frame and truss fork idea was out of this world. The first time I saw anything related to the company with my own two eyes was their "H-Bar", which was on a bike used by one of the guys at the first DK200 in 2006. 

Those H-Bars really had my attention. They were possibly one of the first "alt-bars" for a flat bar set up I ever encountered. The swept back extensions fell in line with what I had been reading about flared drop bars at the time and my experience with those made me think that the H-bar might not be a bad idea. 

This is my OS Bikes Blackbuck in 2008 with a set of Titec H-Bars. The design was licensed from Jones Bikes.

 Well, the closest I ever got to trying them out was a Titec version of them. Then later on I used the Jones Carbon Loop Bar on my fat bikes. I know people that own a Jones bike, and they are huge fans, and I've even spoken to The Man him self, but I haven't ever gotten around to trying one of those far out creations yet. 

Anyway, I consider Jones Bikes as being one of the last "innovators" in bicycle design and no one has really ever quite come close to what he has done. Happy Anniversary, Jones Bikes!

That's a wrap for this week. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

From a Tweet by @shedfire from firstcomponents.com

 How Long?

Sorry, but not sorry! I'm giving you the latest I've heard from industry sources concerning 2021 bike and bike parts availability. This image is from a newsletter sent to Brant Richards (former bike/bike parts designer for On One and who did the Luxy Bar, plus more) from an industry supplier called First Component. You may have seen this graphic as it has been making the rounds of social media this past week. As you can see, things are backed up, in some cases up to a year. Some are saying the dates given on the graphic are too generous. Claims of 400-500 day delays are not uncommon.

While the image is of an HPC, don't let that make you think normally powered bicycles are exempt. No.....this applies to those fully human powered rigs as well.

On another front, related to the parts shortages, one of the "Big Four" cycling brands in North America (Trek, Specialized, Giant, Cannondale) is rumored to have told its dealers that bikes they pre-ordered for 2021 are now going to be fulfilled with 2022 models. That means that there will be no more 2021 bikes from this particular brand. I've heard that another one of the "Big Four" has communicated with dealers that any drop bar bikes for 2021 are now no longer available. Basically rolling over to 2022 as well on those. Salsa Cycles dropped their 2021 Fargo model recently and it is being told online from several consumers with experience trying to track one down that mediums and large size 2021 Fargos are sold out for the year already. I've heard 2021 Felt bikes are also gone. I'm sure many other brands are in similar situations, and the 2021 bike season is just getting underway. 

 Meanwhile, industry insider and "Forbes" online contributor, Carlton Reid (@carltonreid on Twitter) posted that an executive from Specialized, addressing the situation, felt that while sales will dip due to shortages at retail for 2021, the expectations are that sales and demand will increase by over 40% by the end of this decade. Really? With consumers attention spans measured in nanoseconds, my question is "How long will it take for consumers to find alternatives to spend their money?" And furthermore, with high unemployment rates, and a shaky economic future, will consumers have the money to spend on recreational things like bicycles in the first place? How many bike shops can survive two years (the latter half of 2020 and all of 2021) without things to sell? I think it is overly-optimistic to think that demand will wait around until 2022 when (hopefully) the supply chain can be firmed up. 

A screen grab from a video for ToeGo Pedals.

From The Weird And Wacky Files:

When I used to attend the Interbike Trade Show there were always these 'fringe' ideas which you could find lurking about the show. Generally these companies were out on the outer border of the Sands Convention Center, or down in the basement, or individuals would merely ride/walk around with their latest oddball creations in the halls of the show. Wherever you found them, it was sure to bring about some dropped jaws, wide eyes, and some derogatory comments whispered amongst the bystanders. 

With in-person trade shows for the cycling industry now either a thing of the past (Interbike) or on hold (pandemic), these 'fringe' ideas have had to find other ways to become noticed. I was made aware of this radical pedal concept from a start-up named "ToeGo" by way of a re-Tweet on Twitter. It's supposedly a much more ergonomic way to pedal a bike than using footwear and standard pedals. 

I gotta say, this is right up there with some of the oddest products I ever saw at Interbike! I'll leave it at that, and only add that I, for one, would not consider such a product for my gravel riding. The mere thought of crushed limestone ricocheting off my piggies is painful enough! No thank you, ToeGo, but good on ya for being bold and going where no one else has gone before. 

The 2020 Salsa Cycles Stormchaser

Remembering Some Good Medicine;

About a year ago I received the Salsa Cycles Stormchaser for review. Of course, this was right about the same time we all went into our shells waiting out the results of a virus we knew little about. Fear, anxiety, and negativity were in abundance, and it was hard to keep your head on straight back then.

This did not escape me, but I tried to keep my focus and having this new bike model from Salsa Cycles to review came about at the right time. Being that it was a single speed and a gravel bike made it something right up my alley, as the saying goes, so it didn't take much for me to shut out the world's troubles and think about what this bike was offering me as a gravel rider.

So, an escape vehicle of sorts, but the Stormchaser led me to something far more than that. I recall one ride in the country South of town when everything was so quiet and peaceful. I got turned around a bit, found my way again, and somewhere near the Southern border of Black Hawk County I stopped and I regained my hope for the future. It was one of those very personal, pivotal moments, of which there were a few of during 2020, that I won't soon forget. The Stormchaser was the vehicle that took me to that moment, so I will always have a soft spot in my heart for that bike in that moment. 

Yesterday Salsa Cycles announced the new colors and spec for the 2021 Stormchaser and Warbird models. That red Stormchaser will be a popular color, I am sure, but hard to find, I bet. As will the Warbirds. But whether or not you like the red Stormchaser or not, for me, there will always be a favorite color for this bike, and that is a shiny copper. This news of the 2021 bikes reminded me of that. 

On An Upswing:

 Well, the gravel is clear and rides have started in earnest. Racing is shaping up for a come-back and the scene looks to be a busy one as we progress through Spring and Summer. Thoughts of big gravel gatherings seem to be on everyone's minds these days. 

I'll be in solo-mode yet for awhile. This pandemic isn't quite over yet and I have patience. I haven't gotten a vaccination and I don't know when I will be getting it yet. I'm sure at some point I will. But until then, I am practicing the same things I have been for a year now.

Tomorrow I will detail out some of my early season plans. I am riding now to get in shape to tackle that stuff I have in mind and to review stuff for RidingGravel.com, of course. Meanwhile, I also will be doing some different rides from remote locations soon. That is something I wanted to do last year, but "The Quest" didn't allow for that. 

So, here's to a great 2021 riding season and I hope that you all stay safe and get some miles in soon, if you aren't already.

Friday News And Views

From a Tweet by @shedfire from firstcomponents.com

 How Long?

Sorry, but not sorry! I'm giving you the latest I've heard from industry sources concerning 2021 bike and bike parts availability. This image is from a newsletter sent to Brant Richards (former bike/bike parts designer for On One and who did the Luxy Bar, plus more) from an industry supplier called First Component. You may have seen this graphic as it has been making the rounds of social media this past week. As you can see, things are backed up, in some cases up to a year. Some are saying the dates given on the graphic are too generous. Claims of 400-500 day delays are not uncommon.

While the image is of an HPC, don't let that make you think normally powered bicycles are exempt. No.....this applies to those fully human powered rigs as well.

On another front, related to the parts shortages, one of the "Big Four" cycling brands in North America (Trek, Specialized, Giant, Cannondale) is rumored to have told its dealers that bikes they pre-ordered for 2021 are now going to be fulfilled with 2022 models. That means that there will be no more 2021 bikes from this particular brand. I've heard that another one of the "Big Four" has communicated with dealers that any drop bar bikes for 2021 are now no longer available. Basically rolling over to 2022 as well on those. Salsa Cycles dropped their 2021 Fargo model recently and it is being told online from several consumers with experience trying to track one down that mediums and large size 2021 Fargos are sold out for the year already. I've heard 2021 Felt bikes are also gone. I'm sure many other brands are in similar situations, and the 2021 bike season is just getting underway. 

 Meanwhile, industry insider and "Forbes" online contributor, Carlton Reid (@carltonreid on Twitter) posted that an executive from Specialized, addressing the situation, felt that while sales will dip due to shortages at retail for 2021, the expectations are that sales and demand will increase by over 40% by the end of this decade. Really? With consumers attention spans measured in nanoseconds, my question is "How long will it take for consumers to find alternatives to spend their money?" And furthermore, with high unemployment rates, and a shaky economic future, will consumers have the money to spend on recreational things like bicycles in the first place? How many bike shops can survive two years (the latter half of 2020 and all of 2021) without things to sell? I think it is overly-optimistic to think that demand will wait around until 2022 when (hopefully) the supply chain can be firmed up. 

A screen grab from a video for ToeGo Pedals.

From The Weird And Wacky Files:

When I used to attend the Interbike Trade Show there were always these 'fringe' ideas which you could find lurking about the show. Generally these companies were out on the outer border of the Sands Convention Center, or down in the basement, or individuals would merely ride/walk around with their latest oddball creations in the halls of the show. Wherever you found them, it was sure to bring about some dropped jaws, wide eyes, and some derogatory comments whispered amongst the bystanders. 

With in-person trade shows for the cycling industry now either a thing of the past (Interbike) or on hold (pandemic), these 'fringe' ideas have had to find other ways to become noticed. I was made aware of this radical pedal concept from a start-up named "ToeGo" by way of a re-Tweet on Twitter. It's supposedly a much more ergonomic way to pedal a bike than using footwear and standard pedals. 

I gotta say, this is right up there with some of the oddest products I ever saw at Interbike! I'll leave it at that, and only add that I, for one, would not consider such a product for my gravel riding. The mere thought of crushed limestone ricocheting off my piggies is painful enough! No thank you, ToeGo, but good on ya for being bold and going where no one else has gone before. 

The 2020 Salsa Cycles Stormchaser

Remembering Some Good Medicine;

About a year ago I received the Salsa Cycles Stormchaser for review. Of course, this was right about the same time we all went into our shells waiting out the results of a virus we knew little about. Fear, anxiety, and negativity were in abundance, and it was hard to keep your head on straight back then.

This did not escape me, but I tried to keep my focus and having this new bike model from Salsa Cycles to review came about at the right time. Being that it was a single speed and a gravel bike made it something right up my alley, as the saying goes, so it didn't take much for me to shut out the world's troubles and think about what this bike was offering me as a gravel rider.

So, an escape vehicle of sorts, but the Stormchaser led me to something far more than that. I recall one ride in the country South of town when everything was so quiet and peaceful. I got turned around a bit, found my way again, and somewhere near the Southern border of Black Hawk County I stopped and I regained my hope for the future. It was one of those very personal, pivotal moments, of which there were a few of during 2020, that I won't soon forget. The Stormchaser was the vehicle that took me to that moment, so I will always have a soft spot in my heart for that bike in that moment. 

Yesterday Salsa Cycles announced the new colors and spec for the 2021 Stormchaser and Warbird models. That red Stormchaser will be a popular color, I am sure, but hard to find, I bet. As will the Warbirds. But whether or not you like the red Stormchaser or not, for me, there will always be a favorite color for this bike, and that is a shiny copper. This news of the 2021 bikes reminded me of that. 

On An Upswing:

 Well, the gravel is clear and rides have started in earnest. Racing is shaping up for a come-back and the scene looks to be a busy one as we progress through Spring and Summer. Thoughts of big gravel gatherings seem to be on everyone's minds these days. 

I'll be in solo-mode yet for awhile. This pandemic isn't quite over yet and I have patience. I haven't gotten a vaccination and I don't know when I will be getting it yet. I'm sure at some point I will. But until then, I am practicing the same things I have been for a year now.

Tomorrow I will detail out some of my early season plans. I am riding now to get in shape to tackle that stuff I have in mind and to review stuff for RidingGravel.com, of course. Meanwhile, I also will be doing some different rides from remote locations soon. That is something I wanted to do last year, but "The Quest" didn't allow for that. 

So, here's to a great 2021 riding season and I hope that you all stay safe and get some miles in soon, if you aren't already.

Gravel Bus Update

A while back I told you all about the noise I tracked down on the Gravel Bus, but I haven't gotten into what I think about the bike. I was going to wait to get around to that when I got a 'Quick Review" of the Standard Rando v2 up on RidingGravel.com, but with the way this year has been going, I have had to keep pushing that back to allow for other stories to go up.

And it may be a while before I get around to posting about this bike there, by the looks of things.

So, I'll go head and share some of my views on the ride and what I think of the bike now that I've had it for about a month now. My initial build spec and more is found here. This won't touch upon any of the specs and whatnot, so click there to find out about the build and gearing.

The ride of the Standard Rando v2 is pretty darn nice, really. I can see why it was I wanted to buy the first one I reviewed. There is just something about a more traditional frame tubing layout. That 'almost-level' top-tube and full length seat tube do something sweet to the ride. Is this bike lighter than the old one? It definitely is lighter, mostly due to the obvious. That carbon fork does shave a fair amount of weight off the Standard Rando v2, that's for sure. However; I often wonder if this version's steel tube spec is a bit lighter as well. There is definitely a bit more tire clearance, but sadly, not enough for these new-crop 700 X 45-48mm tires coming out now. Not that this bike needs that. The Salsa Cycles Stormchaser, which I reviewed for Riding Gravel, definitely needed those big meats to ride smoothly, in my opinion.

Again, that low bottom bracket lends so much stability without resorting to a slack head angle, like the Stormchaser has, so it avoids the tendencies the Stormchaser had to be a bit of a wanderer when ridden slowly up a climb, for instance. In the area of handling, I am happy with the Standard Rando v2.

I've been itching to get this into the test rotation for Riding Gravel, but I have to clear out the tire reviews I have ongoing and maybe then I can slip this one into a wheel review or something else. Barring that, I have been wanting to slap on some fork mounted cages and go for a good, long ride on the Gravel Bus. Soon.......

Gravel Bus Update

A while back I told you all about the noise I tracked down on the Gravel Bus, but I haven't gotten into what I think about the bike. I was going to wait to get around to that when I got a 'Quick Review" of the Standard Rando v2 up on RidingGravel.com, but with the way this year has been going, I have had to keep pushing that back to allow for other stories to go up.

And it may be a while before I get around to posting about this bike there, by the looks of things.

So, I'll go head and share some of my views on the ride and what I think of the bike now that I've had it for about a month now. My initial build spec and more is found here. This won't touch upon any of the specs and whatnot, so click there to find out about the build and gearing.

The ride of the Standard Rando v2 is pretty darn nice, really. I can see why it was I wanted to buy the first one I reviewed. There is just something about a more traditional frame tubing layout. That 'almost-level' top-tube and full length seat tube do something sweet to the ride. Is this bike lighter than the old one? It definitely is lighter, mostly due to the obvious. That carbon fork does shave a fair amount of weight off the Standard Rando v2, that's for sure. However; I often wonder if this version's steel tube spec is a bit lighter as well. There is definitely a bit more tire clearance, but sadly, not enough for these new-crop 700 X 45-48mm tires coming out now. Not that this bike needs that. The Salsa Cycles Stormchaser, which I reviewed for Riding Gravel, definitely needed those big meats to ride smoothly, in my opinion.

Again, that low bottom bracket lends so much stability without resorting to a slack head angle, like the Stormchaser has, so it avoids the tendencies the Stormchaser had to be a bit of a wanderer when ridden slowly up a climb, for instance. In the area of handling, I am happy with the Standard Rando v2.

I've been itching to get this into the test rotation for Riding Gravel, but I have to clear out the tire reviews I have ongoing and maybe then I can slip this one into a wheel review or something else. Barring that, I have been wanting to slap on some fork mounted cages and go for a good, long ride on the Gravel Bus. Soon.......

Goodbye Stormchaser

Last ride on the Stormchaser

Recently I just wrapped up my review on the Salsa Cycles Stormchaser single speed gravel bike. If you want to see the review, it is HERE.

Bicycles sent to me for review are often seen by me as a necessary evil. One more bike kicking around the Lab and one that demands to be ridden, that maybe isn't quite your cup-o-tea. I mean, if you are a responsible bike reviewer, you have to put in the time and effort. I just don't see it any other way. So, that's why some bikes I get in are kind of a drag until they disappear, wherever review bikes end up. I've heard stories......

Anyway, there are times when yes- the bike is actually fun, and maybe it is one you think you should keep around. I remember such a bike back in the old MTB daze when I was reviewing 29"ers. It was a Milwaukee Bikes hard tail, and it just had that certain something. I cannot put my finger on it, but I miss that bike to this day. They actually offered it to me to buy at a very nice price, and I passed on it. Ah! Well, you know......I have a thing for single speed bikes. That was a single speed 29'er, by the way. Anyhow......

This Stormchaser is a very nice bike. I could get along with it well for quite a while, I think. Maybe I'd change a couple of things, but really, for the most part, this is one nice single speed bike. Not that I need a single speed gravel bike, but this is a well thought out piece that would make my single speed gravel experience a better one. I'm convinced of that after my ride Saturday when Steve was up here.

But no..... This bike is "returning to the Mothership", as my friend Grannygear says when he sends review stuff back. It's the less than glamorous part of doing these reviews. You have to clean the rig up, make sure it is as it was sent to you, which in my case means remounting the 42mm Teravail tires. Then you have to pack it back up, which takes a good hour if you do it right. The manufacturer/brand generally sends a 'call tag', which you print out and affix to the (hopefully) original box for the bike which you have had stored safely for up to three months. Then you take it to be shipped, and off it goes to never-never land, not to be seen or heard from again. (More often than not)

I'll admit it. I'll be a bit sad to see this one go. It was a good one. But it is how things are as I review things. Comers and goers. I thought y'all might like to know a bit of the 'behind the scenes' story on how these things typically go.

Goodbye Stormchaser

Last ride on the Stormchaser

Recently I just wrapped up my review on the Salsa Cycles Stormchaser single speed gravel bike. If you want to see the review, it is HERE.

Bicycles sent to me for review are often seen by me as a necessary evil. One more bike kicking around the Lab and one that demands to be ridden, that maybe isn't quite your cup-o-tea. I mean, if you are a responsible bike reviewer, you have to put in the time and effort. I just don't see it any other way. So, that's why some bikes I get in are kind of a drag until they disappear, wherever review bikes end up. I've heard stories......

Anyway, there are times when yes- the bike is actually fun, and maybe it is one you think you should keep around. I remember such a bike back in the old MTB daze when I was reviewing 29"ers. It was a Milwaukee Bikes hard tail, and it just had that certain something. I cannot put my finger on it, but I miss that bike to this day. They actually offered it to me to buy at a very nice price, and I passed on it. Ah! Well, you know......I have a thing for single speed bikes. That was a single speed 29'er, by the way. Anyhow......

This Stormchaser is a very nice bike. I could get along with it well for quite a while, I think. Maybe I'd change a couple of things, but really, for the most part, this is one nice single speed bike. Not that I need a single speed gravel bike, but this is a well thought out piece that would make my single speed gravel experience a better one. I'm convinced of that after my ride Saturday when Steve was up here.

But no..... This bike is "returning to the Mothership", as my friend Grannygear says when he sends review stuff back. It's the less than glamorous part of doing these reviews. You have to clean the rig up, make sure it is as it was sent to you, which in my case means remounting the 42mm Teravail tires. Then you have to pack it back up, which takes a good hour if you do it right. The manufacturer/brand generally sends a 'call tag', which you print out and affix to the (hopefully) original box for the bike which you have had stored safely for up to three months. Then you take it to be shipped, and off it goes to never-never land, not to be seen or heard from again. (More often than not)

I'll admit it. I'll be a bit sad to see this one go. It was a good one. But it is how things are as I review things. Comers and goers. I thought y'all might like to know a bit of the 'behind the scenes' story on how these things typically go.

Country Views: A Ride With Steve

Steve Fuller (R) and N.Y. Roll on a ride Saturday

Saturday was scheduled to be a ride with N.Y. Roll and an old friend I haven't seen for over a year, former Trans Iowa finisher, volunteer, Tour Divide finisher, and now part of the Iowa Wind and Rock/ Iowa Gravel Classic/ Spotted Horse crew, Steve Fuller.

Steve was coming through the area on a trip to pick up a new-to-him Salsa Cycles Warbird. He figured a nice test ride with friends was in the cards so he set up a thread on Facebook Messenger with myself and N.Y. Roll to work out the details. Since Steve wouldn't be back through the area until afternoon, a 1:00pm meet-up time was set, and N.Y. Roll swung by the G-Ted headquarters to collect me at 12:40pm. Off we went to the North side of Waterloo.

The route plan was left up to N.Y. Roll and I. Steve said he wanted to do between 30-50 miles and to keep a chill pace. Perfect! I wasn't 100% sure about how I was going to do anyway since I was still coming back from the huge effort I put in for the Single Speed Century. In fact, I was battling sudden bouts of wanting to fall asleep at random times as late as Friday afternoon! My body felt 'okay' for the first time since the SSC ride on Friday though, so that was a positive. Plus, since I had to use the truck to haul some stuff, I didn't ride my bike Friday either. I suppose a day off was in order. Anyway, the point being I wasn't sure I could hang.

So......what did I do? I decided to ride the Stormchaser single speed one last time for the review I am doing on it for RidingGravel.com. Yep! hair of the dog and all of that! But I also figured Steve would appreciate it since he is a huge fan of Salsa Cycles and I figured since Stormchasers are about as rare as hen's teeth that he may want to check one out close up. I was right in my assumptions and Steve got a kick out of seeing the bike in action.

Round bales in the distance. The corn is up everywhere now, so green is once again the dominant color in the country.

We took Steve up Schenk Road since there is a lot of barn scenery up that way.

Last weekend I said Jeremy and I hit 'the weather jackpot', and well, we did again this weekend also! I suppose the heavy East/Southeast wind could be pointed at as being a bad thing, but whatever! The temperatures were perfect and the humidity was low. We were not stressing about the wind. Here in Iowa, (and elsewhere on the Great Plains), you get used to it, because if you don't, you will go crazy. It isn't worth going crazy over.

Barns for Jason

The "Gnome Sanctuary", so named by N.Y. Roll, seen alongside Schenk Road.

Ironically, Steve and N.Y. Roll were so deep in a conversation that I think they missed the most of the sights of Schenk Road. Well, that is until we passed by the "Gnome Sanctuary", as N.Y. Roll calls it. There we had to stop and consider the handiwork of some resident there depicting a small village of gnome sized buildings. It's amazing what you will find out in the countryside if you are willing to explore it by bicycle.

Barns for Jason: Southern Bremer County here.

Rolling Westward with a tailwind.

We ended up deciding to take in Ivanhoe Road, and since that was the case, I thought about going by the old German schoolhouse, the Maxfield School, that was on the same road to Ivanhoe Road anyway. It was perfect. I figured it would be of some interest to Steve.

As we turned to go West, the wind was at our backs and N.Y. Roll and Steve, being on geared bikes, had an advantage on me. The terrain was flat, so I ran out of a 'comfortable gear' a lot sooner, and they walked away from me for a bit. That didn't last long once they realized I was off the back, and then they slowed their pace a bit.

One of those big Ag sprayer machines coming up the road from the South here. 

N.Y. Roll's bike at the Maxfield Schoolhouse. Looking a little worse for wear these days!

We stopped briefly at the Maxfield School for images and then we hit the road again to show Steve Ivanhoe Road. Steve lit up at one point when he  realized he was physically seeing things with his own eyes he's seen here on the blog. That was a fun moment.

Then we headed South back into Black Hawk County, taking in the new Ivory Road bridge along the way. I suggested we turn East on Marquise Road so we could show Steve the two churches on Burton Avenue. That meant we had a slog into heavy East winds for several miles. We put our heads down and pedaled.

We passed a tanker with whatever they were spraying on a nearby field in it. 

Rest stop on the lawn of the East Janesville Church adjacent to the cemetery.

Steve called for some shade and rest, so the East Janesville Church grounds looked like a great spot to do just that. We hung out for about a half an hour, chatting and taking in some calories. Then it was time to hit the road and finish off the loop. We had one more item to show Steve. The 'iron dinosaurs' on the place on the West side of the road just South of Dunkerton Road on Burton Avenue.

A crew baling 'square bales'. The old school way! You don't see this much in Iowa anymore.

Lots of spraying going on this past weekend. It didn't seem like a great idea, to us, since it was so windy.

We saw the ironwork and then proceeded into town where Steve said he wanted to buy us a round of beers. Well......okay! N.Y. Roll really wanted to have us stop at the German style beer garden downtown first, so that's what we did. Then it was off to Singlespeed for a couple and more conversation.

Steve had to get an image of Waterloo's cement elephant, a remnant of an old recreational park for kids, now located in Exchange Park. 

It was great to see Steve again. He's the 'captain' of the Gent's Race team I have been a part of, so I generally have been able to see him at least once a year, sometimes twice at another event, every year. But with the cancellation of that event, it seemed as though I'd miss seeing those folks at all this year. Getting to see Steve was a treat then. Thanks Steve for coming up! I really enjoyed our afternoon together, and the beers afterward.

Country Views: A Ride With Steve

Steve Fuller (R) and N.Y. Roll on a ride Saturday

Saturday was scheduled to be a ride with N.Y. Roll and an old friend I haven't seen for over a year, former Trans Iowa finisher, volunteer, Tour Divide finisher, and now part of the Iowa Wind and Rock/ Iowa Gravel Classic/ Spotted Horse crew, Steve Fuller.

Steve was coming through the area on a trip to pick up a new-to-him Salsa Cycles Warbird. He figured a nice test ride with friends was in the cards so he set up a thread on Facebook Messenger with myself and N.Y. Roll to work out the details. Since Steve wouldn't be back through the area until afternoon, a 1:00pm meet-up time was set, and N.Y. Roll swung by the G-Ted headquarters to collect me at 12:40pm. Off we went to the North side of Waterloo.

The route plan was left up to N.Y. Roll and I. Steve said he wanted to do between 30-50 miles and to keep a chill pace. Perfect! I wasn't 100% sure about how I was going to do anyway since I was still coming back from the huge effort I put in for the Single Speed Century. In fact, I was battling sudden bouts of wanting to fall asleep at random times as late as Friday afternoon! My body felt 'okay' for the first time since the SSC ride on Friday though, so that was a positive. Plus, since I had to use the truck to haul some stuff, I didn't ride my bike Friday either. I suppose a day off was in order. Anyway, the point being I wasn't sure I could hang.

So......what did I do? I decided to ride the Stormchaser single speed one last time for the review I am doing on it for RidingGravel.com. Yep! hair of the dog and all of that! But I also figured Steve would appreciate it since he is a huge fan of Salsa Cycles and I figured since Stormchasers are about as rare as hen's teeth that he may want to check one out close up. I was right in my assumptions and Steve got a kick out of seeing the bike in action.

Round bales in the distance. The corn is up everywhere now, so green is once again the dominant color in the country.

We took Steve up Schenk Road since there is a lot of barn scenery up that way.

Last weekend I said Jeremy and I hit 'the weather jackpot', and well, we did again this weekend also! I suppose the heavy East/Southeast wind could be pointed at as being a bad thing, but whatever! The temperatures were perfect and the humidity was low. We were not stressing about the wind. Here in Iowa, (and elsewhere on the Great Plains), you get used to it, because if you don't, you will go crazy. It isn't worth going crazy over.

Barns for Jason

The "Gnome Sanctuary", so named by N.Y. Roll, seen alongside Schenk Road.

Ironically, Steve and N.Y. Roll were so deep in a conversation that I think they missed the most of the sights of Schenk Road. Well, that is until we passed by the "Gnome Sanctuary", as N.Y. Roll calls it. There we had to stop and consider the handiwork of some resident there depicting a small village of gnome sized buildings. It's amazing what you will find out in the countryside if you are willing to explore it by bicycle.

Barns for Jason: Southern Bremer County here.

Rolling Westward with a tailwind.

We ended up deciding to take in Ivanhoe Road, and since that was the case, I thought about going by the old German schoolhouse, the Maxfield School, that was on the same road to Ivanhoe Road anyway. It was perfect. I figured it would be of some interest to Steve.

As we turned to go West, the wind was at our backs and N.Y. Roll and Steve, being on geared bikes, had an advantage on me. The terrain was flat, so I ran out of a 'comfortable gear' a lot sooner, and they walked away from me for a bit. That didn't last long once they realized I was off the back, and then they slowed their pace a bit.

One of those big Ag sprayer machines coming up the road from the South here. 

N.Y. Roll's bike at the Maxfield Schoolhouse. Looking a little worse for wear these days!

We stopped briefly at the Maxfield School for images and then we hit the road again to show Steve Ivanhoe Road. Steve lit up at one point when he  realized he was physically seeing things with his own eyes he's seen here on the blog. That was a fun moment.

Then we headed South back into Black Hawk County, taking in the new Ivory Road bridge along the way. I suggested we turn East on Marquise Road so we could show Steve the two churches on Burton Avenue. That meant we had a slog into heavy East winds for several miles. We put our heads down and pedaled.

We passed a tanker with whatever they were spraying on a nearby field in it. 

Rest stop on the lawn of the East Janesville Church adjacent to the cemetery.

Steve called for some shade and rest, so the East Janesville Church grounds looked like a great spot to do just that. We hung out for about a half an hour, chatting and taking in some calories. Then it was time to hit the road and finish off the loop. We had one more item to show Steve. The 'iron dinosaurs' on the place on the West side of the road just South of Dunkerton Road on Burton Avenue.

A crew baling 'square bales'. The old school way! You don't see this much in Iowa anymore.

Lots of spraying going on this past weekend. It didn't seem like a great idea, to us, since it was so windy.

We saw the ironwork and then proceeded into town where Steve said he wanted to buy us a round of beers. Well......okay! N.Y. Roll really wanted to have us stop at the German style beer garden downtown first, so that's what we did. Then it was off to Singlespeed for a couple and more conversation.

Steve had to get an image of Waterloo's cement elephant, a remnant of an old recreational park for kids, now located in Exchange Park. 

It was great to see Steve again. He's the 'captain' of the Gent's Race team I have been a part of, so I generally have been able to see him at least once a year, sometimes twice at another event, every year. But with the cancellation of that event, it seemed as though I'd miss seeing those folks at all this year. Getting to see Steve was a treat then. Thanks Steve for coming up! I really enjoyed our afternoon together, and the beers afterward.