It's About The Tires

Schwalbe G One 29 X 2.25" - Going on the Fargo Gen 1

And Now, The Gravel Worlds Tire Choice!

Tires, tires, and more tires. The last thing to go on your wheels and the first thing that touches the surface of whatever you are riding on. Yes.....tires are important. I have tried hundreds of different tires, and while most are good, not many are great. I suppose this is why we keep searching for that "one" tire that will be "magic", whatever that might mean. I think that changes almost daily.

Anyway.......speaking of "one", I have chosen to try these new, poofy Schwalbe G One Allround tires for the Fargo Gen I bike. They are, of course, tubeless, and they are wider than anything I've had on this bike since......, I think I tried the 27.5 X 2.8" WTB tires on there but they were juuuust too big. And too small a diameter too. Anyway, big, floaty tires are going to be a good choice at Gravel Worlds because (a) I am big and need a bigger tire there, and (b), their gravel is looser and sandier than ours is here.

Wheels will be prepped and then tires will get mounted and tested out this weekend. I think I'll be using some wheels that might come as a bit of a surprise to some of you out there. Stay tuned for that....

Some Extraterrestrials will have a limited edition grey sidewall. Image courtesy of Surly

Surly Does Tubeless (Finally)

Okay, with that "exciting" news out of the way, (HA!), I have fund out just today that Surly have finally made their tire line tubeless. What'd that take? Only about five years too long, but at least they have done it. Yes folks- their entire folding bead tire line up is available tubeless now. You may find certain models "missing", and I would surmise that these have been discontinued. I had to wonder when I saw several e-commerce sites dumping certain Surly tire models at close out pricing a couple of months ago. I figured something was up and now we know. Those closed out tire models are the ones that aren't being carried over, so check out that link to find out if your favorite Surly tire model still exists.

They have the Knard 41's in tubeless now and a 42mm Extraterrestrial in tubeless as well. Both 700c, of course, but 650B variants also exist. I always liked that Knard 41mm tire but I always thought right along with that thought that this tire never should have existed non-tubeless. It was a big miss on Surly's part to not get that tire under more riders. Now? Pfft! There's a million other garvel tires these days. Getting that "foot in the door" opportunity has passed Surly by. But that said- you should try the Knard 41. 

And of all the tires to keep around, they kept the Nate? Weird. Anyway..... Another tire that always should have been tubeless- the 29" X 3" Knard. 'Bout time on that too. Ditto on Bud and Lou. Good job Surly! Hopefully not too late to matter.

Bigger EMP's:

Earlier this year I tried out some 700 X 38mm Donnelly EMP tires on my Black Mountain Cycles "Orange Crush" #49. In fact, I just rode on those tires again last Saturday, and don't ya know- I was wishing for wider ones? Well, wish granted. Donnelly announced a new choice in sizes for the EMP at 700 X 45mm and 650 B X 47mm.

Donnelly EMP tire

These tires are a bit more aggressively treaded than say, a Gravel King SK, or a Riddler for sure, so if you are not into that, look elsewhere, but if you run a lot of dirt roads, or if you get off on sketchier terrain often, give these a look. The 700 X 45mm size makes these a viable "MTB-Lite" sort of tire, I think.

Kind of like a WTB Nano 40, in that regard, which reminds me, I've seen a lot of bikes with Nano 40's lately, and not OEM stock ones either. Weird! The Nano 40 was one of the, if not the first tubeless ready gravel specific tire, and many folks still dig it, but as you know, you are only as good as anything else if you have the latest design in tires. Nano 40's look slow and too knobby to many, but hey! It's good to see folks still digging them and they are just fine on gravel. Especially looser, rockier stuff.

So, there is a bit of "tire news" for y'all. I know I generally keep "newsy" stuff back for Fridays, but this is specific to tires and I am sure I'll find something to jabber about Friday anyway. In fact, I already have two things waiting for Friday anyway.

As always- Thank you for stopping by today!

It's About The Tires

Schwalbe G One 29 X 2.25" - Going on the Fargo Gen 1

And Now, The Gravel Worlds Tire Choice!

Tires, tires, and more tires. The last thing to go on your wheels and the first thing that touches the surface of whatever you are riding on. Yes.....tires are important. I have tried hundreds of different tires, and while most are good, not many are great. I suppose this is why we keep searching for that "one" tire that will be "magic", whatever that might mean. I think that changes almost daily.

Anyway.......speaking of "one", I have chosen to try these new, poofy Schwalbe G One Allround tires for the Fargo Gen I bike. They are, of course, tubeless, and they are wider than anything I've had on this bike since......, I think I tried the 27.5 X 2.8" WTB tires on there but they were juuuust too big. And too small a diameter too. Anyway, big, floaty tires are going to be a good choice at Gravel Worlds because (a) I am big and need a bigger tire there, and (b), their gravel is looser and sandier than ours is here.

Wheels will be prepped and then tires will get mounted and tested out this weekend. I think I'll be using some wheels that might come as a bit of a surprise to some of you out there. Stay tuned for that....

Some Extraterrestrials will have a limited edition grey sidewall. Image courtesy of Surly

Surly Does Tubeless (Finally)

Okay, with that "exciting" news out of the way, (HA!), I have fund out just today that Surly have finally made their tire line tubeless. What'd that take? Only about five years too long, but at least they have done it. Yes folks- their entire folding bead tire line up is available tubeless now. You may find certain models "missing", and I would surmise that these have been discontinued. I had to wonder when I saw several e-commerce sites dumping certain Surly tire models at close out pricing a couple of months ago. I figured something was up and now we know. Those closed out tire models are the ones that aren't being carried over, so check out that link to find out if your favorite Surly tire model still exists.

They have the Knard 41's in tubeless now and a 42mm Extraterrestrial in tubeless as well. Both 700c, of course, but 650B variants also exist. I always liked that Knard 41mm tire but I always thought right along with that thought that this tire never should have existed non-tubeless. It was a big miss on Surly's part to not get that tire under more riders. Now? Pfft! There's a million other garvel tires these days. Getting that "foot in the door" opportunity has passed Surly by. But that said- you should try the Knard 41. 

And of all the tires to keep around, they kept the Nate? Weird. Anyway..... Another tire that always should have been tubeless- the 29" X 3" Knard. 'Bout time on that too. Ditto on Bud and Lou. Good job Surly! Hopefully not too late to matter.

Bigger EMP's:

Earlier this year I tried out some 700 X 38mm Donnelly EMP tires on my Black Mountain Cycles "Orange Crush" #49. In fact, I just rode on those tires again last Saturday, and don't ya know- I was wishing for wider ones? Well, wish granted. Donnelly announced a new choice in sizes for the EMP at 700 X 45mm and 650 B X 47mm.

Donnelly EMP tire

These tires are a bit more aggressively treaded than say, a Gravel King SK, or a Riddler for sure, so if you are not into that, look elsewhere, but if you run a lot of dirt roads, or if you get off on sketchier terrain often, give these a look. The 700 X 45mm size makes these a viable "MTB-Lite" sort of tire, I think.

Kind of like a WTB Nano 40, in that regard, which reminds me, I've seen a lot of bikes with Nano 40's lately, and not OEM stock ones either. Weird! The Nano 40 was one of the, if not the first tubeless ready gravel specific tire, and many folks still dig it, but as you know, you are only as good as anything else if you have the latest design in tires. Nano 40's look slow and too knobby to many, but hey! It's good to see folks still digging them and they are just fine on gravel. Especially looser, rockier stuff.

So, there is a bit of "tire news" for y'all. I know I generally keep "newsy" stuff back for Fridays, but this is specific to tires and I am sure I'll find something to jabber about Friday anyway. In fact, I already have two things waiting for Friday anyway.

As always- Thank you for stopping by today!

Cursing Tires And Other First World Issues

Note the distinct lack of snow. You'd never guess this is a January day.

I rode the Snow Dog to work Tuesday for the first time as I had Monday off. The weather was going downhill fast as I left for the shop. The wind was roaring out of the Northwest and the temperature was sliding down from its peak in the upper 30's and was headed for the single digits. We had seen some rain on Monday, so there was a lot less snow and a lot more ice than you'd like to see in January.

The Snow Dog is shod with tires I got from Fatback Cycles dubbed "Snowshoe" and they are supposed to be 4.25" in width. Yeah....... Well, they are neither very "snowshoe-like" nor are they even four inches wide. But they can be nice tires in one area, and that is on ice. These tires have an uncanny ability to grip ice, and while it isn't "studded tire" grip, it is far better than the "here one moment-gone the next" that Surly tires have on ice. Maybe with the possible exception of my Lous on the Clown Shoe rims. That is a pretty solid set up for riding on ice .

So, there was ice for sure that I had to travel over. It was either that or go around another 3/4's of a mile out of my way to avoid it. Other than that, I really did not need these tires. On paved surfaces, especially, I did not enjoy the Snowshoes. They have an awful tendency for self-steer. That's when your tire feels like a head set that is too tight. Or like a chopper when you turn the bars too far. Anyway, it is not a fun sensation. That coupled with the very high rolling resistance of these tires, and you just feel frustrated. But then again.......I kind of feel bad about complaining. 

Surly Lou 4.8's. No self-steer, good on ice, and far lower rolling resistance.

 I mean, I have three fat bikes! Four if you count my son's, which can work for me, since he is bigger now. I have choices, I have the capability to just shut up and buy another set of tires. I even think, "What if the Snow Dog was my only fat bike? I still would be so blessed! "

So, ya know....... First World problems and all, right? Then there is tubeless.

I once set up the Snowshoe tires tubeless on these very rims. It was revelatory in as far as how much difference it made. The rolling resistance went waaaay down, and the tires had far less self-steer effects as well. Then I got to try them tubeless on a set of Velocity USA Duallys laced to fat bike hubs.

Whoa! 

They were awesome on that set of wheels. Nothing like running them tubed on my Fatback Uma II 70mm rims. So......get another set of Duallys, right? Well, not so fast! I mean, maybe I should try these on the Uma II's tubeless again, no? They were a lot better on these rims tubeless as well, and that would cost a whole lot less money than buying Duallys and setting up these wheels that way. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

I guess it is time I went to the craft store, bought another tub of Latex Mold Builder, and set to mixing up a batch of sealant. Stay tuned........

Cursing Tires And Other First World Issues

Note the distinct lack of snow. You'd never guess this is a January day.

I rode the Snow Dog to work Tuesday for the first time as I had Monday off. The weather was going downhill fast as I left for the shop. The wind was roaring out of the Northwest and the temperature was sliding down from its peak in the upper 30's and was headed for the single digits. We had seen some rain on Monday, so there was a lot less snow and a lot more ice than you'd like to see in January.

The Snow Dog is shod with tires I got from Fatback Cycles dubbed "Snowshoe" and they are supposed to be 4.25" in width. Yeah....... Well, they are neither very "snowshoe-like" nor are they even four inches wide. But they can be nice tires in one area, and that is on ice. These tires have an uncanny ability to grip ice, and while it isn't "studded tire" grip, it is far better than the "here one moment-gone the next" that Surly tires have on ice. Maybe with the possible exception of my Lous on the Clown Shoe rims. That is a pretty solid set up for riding on ice .

So, there was ice for sure that I had to travel over. It was either that or go around another 3/4's of a mile out of my way to avoid it. Other than that, I really did not need these tires. On paved surfaces, especially, I did not enjoy the Snowshoes. They have an awful tendency for self-steer. That's when your tire feels like a head set that is too tight. Or like a chopper when you turn the bars too far. Anyway, it is not a fun sensation. That coupled with the very high rolling resistance of these tires, and you just feel frustrated. But then again.......I kind of feel bad about complaining. 

Surly Lou 4.8's. No self-steer, good on ice, and far lower rolling resistance.

 I mean, I have three fat bikes! Four if you count my son's, which can work for me, since he is bigger now. I have choices, I have the capability to just shut up and buy another set of tires. I even think, "What if the Snow Dog was my only fat bike? I still would be so blessed! "

So, ya know....... First World problems and all, right? Then there is tubeless.

I once set up the Snowshoe tires tubeless on these very rims. It was revelatory in as far as how much difference it made. The rolling resistance went waaaay down, and the tires had far less self-steer effects as well. Then I got to try them tubeless on a set of Velocity USA Duallys laced to fat bike hubs.

Whoa! 

They were awesome on that set of wheels. Nothing like running them tubed on my Fatback Uma II 70mm rims. So......get another set of Duallys, right? Well, not so fast! I mean, maybe I should try these on the Uma II's tubeless again, no? They were a lot better on these rims tubeless as well, and that would cost a whole lot less money than buying Duallys and setting up these wheels that way. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

I guess it is time I went to the craft store, bought another tub of Latex Mold Builder, and set to mixing up a batch of sealant. Stay tuned........

Friday News And Views

26 X 3.8 on L- 26 X 5.2(?) R

Pushing The Limits Of Fat:

In the world of fat bikes, there is a certain contingent that wants to see the "next biggest thing", (pun intended), for whatever reasons. So, it was perhaps inevitable that someone would punch out a tire bigger than the enormous Bud and Lou tires. That tire appears to be the Snowshoe 2XL, (don't get hung up on that name just yet, it may change), and is made by Vee Tire.

Early numbers given by one of its promoters, (likely slightly idyllic), are that this tire measures a true 5.2 inches in width on a 103mm rim at reasonable fat bike pressures. It also was reportedly 32" in diameter, and weighs north of 1600 grams with the studs.

Keeping in mind that this is a pre-production tire, and that there are  no current bikes to fit it, here is my take on such a beast of a tire. First off, the weight seems mighty optimistic. A Surly Lou tire weighs 1580 grams, and this tire is supposedly bigger. Hmm...... Could it weigh as little as they claim? Maybe. If it does, it's got a mighty thin casing.

Secondly, the diameter is out of hand. If it is 32", (and I think it almost has to be taller if it truly has a 5+ inch width and isn't a really flat profile), then you will have to be a pretty tall person to fit this. Making a size Medium with these tires will be a challenge and forget about Small or XS sizes. The 29+ rigs and current 4.8" bikes are already pushing limits in this regard. Keep in mind that those sizes are 31-ish inches in diameter.

Finally, although the promoter of this size claims that there will be a "new 11 speed system" available to work with this tire, it is admitted that only 1X systems and this, as yet unknown 11 speed set up will work. So, you need a proprietary drive train, by the sounds of it. It's hard to imagine that too many folks will be itching to get on with a bike with limited choices that apply to it for such things. Maybe I'm wrong there.....

I think this idea is using the wrong rim diameter. This needs to go to a 24" standard where overall diameter would be more in line with current fat bikes. That said, you're still dealing with a really wide bottom bracket, (minimum 120mm), and likely a compromised drive train. Will it take off? I think what we are seeing is the extreme ends of the fat bike progression, and likely things will settle back to 4-5 inch wide tires and bikes that fit them.

Trans Iowa V11:

Time for a bit of an update on all things Trans Iowa here. First off, I have yet to hear from about 17 folks on the e-mail I sent out two weeks ago. I will be posting those names next week once I get back to the ranch, but if you have not gotten the e-mail, or don't have a clue what I am talking about and you are signed up for T.I.V11, hit me with an e-mail and I'll get you taken care of.

Next up- We're down to 110 official riders. Please let me know if you cannot make it to T.I.v11 if you are signed up. My volunteers and I would appreciate that very much. A side note here- I have no transfers, waiting lists, or the like. So, if you are thinking you wanted to get in and you aren't, well you aren't. Wait till next time please.

Finally, on a more fun note- I have a special shout out to Don Daly of the Dirty Dog Racing Pack. He's doing a killer banner for the pre-race and I think we'll be taking it around to the different checkpoints and finish line as well. I won't spoil it, but it will be instantly familiar and will be a great addition to Trans Iowa V11.

Other than that I am all set to roll on April 12th for the final look at the course and then verify that the cues are still good. Then it will be on to printing them up, separating them into three groups, and getting my kit for the event together. Hopefully a little "tune up" work on the "Truck With No Name" will happen, because it needs it badly. After that, it's on to T.I.V11......

Have a great weekend!

Friday News And Views

26 X 3.8 on L- 26 X 5.2(?) R

Pushing The Limits Of Fat:

In the world of fat bikes, there is a certain contingent that wants to see the "next biggest thing", (pun intended), for whatever reasons. So, it was perhaps inevitable that someone would punch out a tire bigger than the enormous Bud and Lou tires. That tire appears to be the Snowshoe 2XL, (don't get hung up on that name just yet, it may change), and is made by Vee Tire.

Early numbers given by one of its promoters, (likely slightly idyllic), are that this tire measures a true 5.2 inches in width on a 103mm rim at reasonable fat bike pressures. It also was reportedly 32" in diameter, and weighs north of 1600 grams with the studs.

Keeping in mind that this is a pre-production tire, and that there are  no current bikes to fit it, here is my take on such a beast of a tire. First off, the weight seems mighty optimistic. A Surly Lou tire weighs 1580 grams, and this tire is supposedly bigger. Hmm...... Could it weigh as little as they claim? Maybe. If it does, it's got a mighty thin casing.

Secondly, the diameter is out of hand. If it is 32", (and I think it almost has to be taller if it truly has a 5+ inch width and isn't a really flat profile), then you will have to be a pretty tall person to fit this. Making a size Medium with these tires will be a challenge and forget about Small or XS sizes. The 29+ rigs and current 4.8" bikes are already pushing limits in this regard. Keep in mind that those sizes are 31-ish inches in diameter.

Finally, although the promoter of this size claims that there will be a "new 11 speed system" available to work with this tire, it is admitted that only 1X systems and this, as yet unknown 11 speed set up will work. So, you need a proprietary drive train, by the sounds of it. It's hard to imagine that too many folks will be itching to get on with a bike with limited choices that apply to it for such things. Maybe I'm wrong there.....

I think this idea is using the wrong rim diameter. This needs to go to a 24" standard where overall diameter would be more in line with current fat bikes. That said, you're still dealing with a really wide bottom bracket, (minimum 120mm), and likely a compromised drive train. Will it take off? I think what we are seeing is the extreme ends of the fat bike progression, and likely things will settle back to 4-5 inch wide tires and bikes that fit them.

Trans Iowa V11:

Time for a bit of an update on all things Trans Iowa here. First off, I have yet to hear from about 17 folks on the e-mail I sent out two weeks ago. I will be posting those names next week once I get back to the ranch, but if you have not gotten the e-mail, or don't have a clue what I am talking about and you are signed up for T.I.V11, hit me with an e-mail and I'll get you taken care of.

Next up- We're down to 110 official riders. Please let me know if you cannot make it to T.I.v11 if you are signed up. My volunteers and I would appreciate that very much. A side note here- I have no transfers, waiting lists, or the like. So, if you are thinking you wanted to get in and you aren't, well you aren't. Wait till next time please.

Finally, on a more fun note- I have a special shout out to Don Daly of the Dirty Dog Racing Pack. He's doing a killer banner for the pre-race and I think we'll be taking it around to the different checkpoints and finish line as well. I won't spoil it, but it will be instantly familiar and will be a great addition to Trans Iowa V11.

Other than that I am all set to roll on April 12th for the final look at the course and then verify that the cues are still good. Then it will be on to printing them up, separating them into three groups, and getting my kit for the event together. Hopefully a little "tune up" work on the "Truck With No Name" will happen, because it needs it badly. After that, it's on to T.I.V11......

Have a great weekend!

Friday News And Views

Hey there folks! it has been a while since I've done a "News And Views" post, but I had other things to talk about, so.....ya know, I just went with that. Now I have some interesting tidbits to share this Friday with a theme! That would be Frostbike. This annual dealer only open house has turned into a trade show over the years, and has become my favoritist industry event of all. Really! I wouldn't miss it for the world.

A "narrow-wide" chain ring made out of steel (Image courtesy of Surly's facebook page)

Surly Bikes: 

The "1X", (Say "One-By"), drive train phase is coming on strong with riders of all disciplines and there has been a cottage industry that has developed from this phenomenon built solely on the 1X chain ring concept pioneered by SRAM dubbed "narrow-wide" in which teeth on the cog alternate between narrow in profile to wide to accommodate the narrow and wide chain links in a bicycle chain. The concept has been proven to retain the chain on the chain ring so well, that in some cases the more extreme down hill riders have even eschewed the use of a chain retention device on their crankset/bottom bracket area, which was unheard of previous to "narrow-wide". 

Surly Bikes, who have been purveyors of finely crafted stainless steel rings for several years now, have added their take on the "narrow-wide" rings and I am sure this will be something talked up more at Frostbike. But that won't be all those crazy boys and girls will have on tap. Oh no! You can bet on that.

Is it Ginormous, or just a mirage? A cropped image from Surly's Facebook page)

Wut-The-Wut!!

The "innergoogles" went berserk yesterday when Surly posted a goofy image of the staff. In the background there is an Ice Cream Truck fat bike, (or at least what appears to be that), with what appears at first glance to be a HUGE tire and double wide rim. Or.....is it?

Upon further inspection it would appear that the image is a trick of the eye and not the hoped for, even larger than life, big fat bike tire and rim.

Yes.....people still seem to want even larger fat bike tires and rims! That said, I have heard rumors of a 120mm wide rim floating around out there in the wilds. I also happen to know of one individual that told me two years ago now that he was having a set of 120mm rims custom made. Is it going to be Surly that pushes rim size even wider? I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was. If that happens, will there be a bigger, wider tire as well? That I doubt very much, but then again, I was floored when they made the Bud and Lou, so who knows?

Seen on the Foundry Cycles Facebook page: A metal drop out?!!!

Wut-The-Wut!! (Part Two)

Foundry Cycles- The brand with the ironic name. They have a name that conjures up an image of molten metal, forged in the fires of Mount Doom by the dwarves......ummm....wait a minute! 

No, I am sorry. They do plastic bikes! A company by the name of "Foundry" that does carbon fiber only?

Weird!

Then the other day on my Facecrack feed I get this image that is said to be coming to me via Foundry Cycles of what for all the world looks to be a metal drop out. 

Weirder!

Could it be? Is Foundry Cycles going to introduce a metal framed bicycle at Frostbike? Indications seem to point to that, judging solely by this image. We'll see when we get to the show. If that happens then I think it will mark a big shift in focus for this brand. Again......we will see. I'll tell ya one thing- it will make a lot more sense from the brand strategy/marketing perspective than an all carbon fiber line up.  Then there is the following dichotomy involving both Foundry and Surly that I found interesting....

From a Surly blog post in December '13

From Foundry Cycles Facebook page

So.............which is it? I'm thinking that the big meetings in the Q "Borgroom" with these two brands must be pretty entertaining. Either way, coming or going they've got you, it would seem, eh? And speaking of going, it is my turn to do just that, so until next time.......

Have a great weekend and get out there and ride if ya can!

Friday News And Views

Hey there folks! it has been a while since I've done a "News And Views" post, but I had other things to talk about, so.....ya know, I just went with that. Now I have some interesting tidbits to share this Friday with a theme! That would be Frostbike. This annual dealer only open house has turned into a trade show over the years, and has become my favoritist industry event of all. Really! I wouldn't miss it for the world.

A "narrow-wide" chain ring made out of steel (Image courtesy of Surly's facebook page)

Surly Bikes: 

The "1X", (Say "One-By"), drive train phase is coming on strong with riders of all disciplines and there has been a cottage industry that has developed from this phenomenon built solely on the 1X chain ring concept pioneered by SRAM dubbed "narrow-wide" in which teeth on the cog alternate between narrow in profile to wide to accommodate the narrow and wide chain links in a bicycle chain. The concept has been proven to retain the chain on the chain ring so well, that in some cases the more extreme down hill riders have even eschewed the use of a chain retention device on their crankset/bottom bracket area, which was unheard of previous to "narrow-wide". 

Surly Bikes, who have been purveyors of finely crafted stainless steel rings for several years now, have added their take on the "narrow-wide" rings and I am sure this will be something talked up more at Frostbike. But that won't be all those crazy boys and girls will have on tap. Oh no! You can bet on that.

Is it Ginormous, or just a mirage? A cropped image from Surly's Facebook page)

Wut-The-Wut!!

The "innergoogles" went berserk yesterday when Surly posted a goofy image of the staff. In the background there is an Ice Cream Truck fat bike, (or at least what appears to be that), with what appears at first glance to be a HUGE tire and double wide rim. Or.....is it?

Upon further inspection it would appear that the image is a trick of the eye and not the hoped for, even larger than life, big fat bike tire and rim.

Yes.....people still seem to want even larger fat bike tires and rims! That said, I have heard rumors of a 120mm wide rim floating around out there in the wilds. I also happen to know of one individual that told me two years ago now that he was having a set of 120mm rims custom made. Is it going to be Surly that pushes rim size even wider? I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was. If that happens, will there be a bigger, wider tire as well? That I doubt very much, but then again, I was floored when they made the Bud and Lou, so who knows?

Seen on the Foundry Cycles Facebook page: A metal drop out?!!!

Wut-The-Wut!! (Part Two)

Foundry Cycles- The brand with the ironic name. They have a name that conjures up an image of molten metal, forged in the fires of Mount Doom by the dwarves......ummm....wait a minute! 

No, I am sorry. They do plastic bikes! A company by the name of "Foundry" that does carbon fiber only?

Weird!

Then the other day on my Facecrack feed I get this image that is said to be coming to me via Foundry Cycles of what for all the world looks to be a metal drop out. 

Weirder!

Could it be? Is Foundry Cycles going to introduce a metal framed bicycle at Frostbike? Indications seem to point to that, judging solely by this image. We'll see when we get to the show. If that happens then I think it will mark a big shift in focus for this brand. Again......we will see. I'll tell ya one thing- it will make a lot more sense from the brand strategy/marketing perspective than an all carbon fiber line up.  Then there is the following dichotomy involving both Foundry and Surly that I found interesting....

From a Surly blog post in December '13

From Foundry Cycles Facebook page

So.............which is it? I'm thinking that the big meetings in the Q "Borgroom" with these two brands must be pretty entertaining. Either way, coming or going they've got you, it would seem, eh? And speaking of going, it is my turn to do just that, so until next time.......

Have a great weekend and get out there and ride if ya can!

Fat Bike Tire Musings

Vanhelga on Whiskey #9 rim (L) and Lou on Clownshoe (R)

Today I have a few thoughts on fat bike tires. I mentioned it a bit in yesterday's post, but the Lou tires on 100mm rims are revelatory in my experience. It will be interesting to try out my old Big Fat Larrys on the 100mm Clown Shoe rims at some point too. I'll likely do that this Summer. But the thing is, this combo is so much more capable with the conditions I like to ride in that I cannot see myself going back to 4.0"s or skinnier rims. Not for bushwhacking.

The only thing that is missing from the Lou/Clown Shoe combo is that these tires are not tubeless and the rims are not tubeless designed either. (Yes....split tube, yadda,yadda,yadda.... Read on!) If this sort of set up was designed to be tubeless? Wow! That would rule. Which brings me to............

The Vanhelga and Whiskey #9 carbon rims I built up for a customer at the shop where I work were also a revelatory experience. I have been pretty vocal about Surly/45NRTH's products pricing and lack of tubeless features. While this doesn't do anything but make affordability worse, it does bring tubeless functionality to fat bike riders that actually works well, at least it sets up well tubeless.

I've set up a lot of tubeless tires and the Vanhelga/Whiskey #9 combo is amongst the best I've done. Easy inflation with a floor pump, (and no- I didn't use a Bontrager Charger), but the tires were a bear cat to get on the rims. That's good, but in the field serviceability may be tough. (NOTE: Whiskey does not condone the use of tire levers.) That said, I could do the deed bare handed. albeit it took a lot of hand strength and my paws still ache from the effort. That's a small price to pay for tire bead stability at low pressures though, I'd say.

The Vanhelga tires themselves seem really aggressive in terms of tread design. The size is 3.8-ish on the 70mm wide Whiskey rims, so don't go expecting big flotation characteristics here. The grip should be outstanding though. Maybe if I had a "fat bike as mountain bike" set up, I'd consider these. The Vanhelgas are, at any rate, a good view into what could be for all fat bikers. If this sort of set up could be done on aluminum rims, (less expensive), and in the 4.8" size on 100mm wide rims, I'd be very interested.

Fat Bike Tire Musings

Vanhelga on Whiskey #9 rim (L) and Lou on Clownshoe (R)

Today I have a few thoughts on fat bike tires. I mentioned it a bit in yesterday's post, but the Lou tires on 100mm rims are revelatory in my experience. It will be interesting to try out my old Big Fat Larrys on the 100mm Clown Shoe rims at some point too. I'll likely do that this Summer. But the thing is, this combo is so much more capable with the conditions I like to ride in that I cannot see myself going back to 4.0"s or skinnier rims. Not for bushwhacking.

The only thing that is missing from the Lou/Clown Shoe combo is that these tires are not tubeless and the rims are not tubeless designed either. (Yes....split tube, yadda,yadda,yadda.... Read on!) If this sort of set up was designed to be tubeless? Wow! That would rule. Which brings me to............

The Vanhelga and Whiskey #9 carbon rims I built up for a customer at the shop where I work were also a revelatory experience. I have been pretty vocal about Surly/45NRTH's products pricing and lack of tubeless features. While this doesn't do anything but make affordability worse, it does bring tubeless functionality to fat bike riders that actually works well, at least it sets up well tubeless.

I've set up a lot of tubeless tires and the Vanhelga/Whiskey #9 combo is amongst the best I've done. Easy inflation with a floor pump, (and no- I didn't use a Bontrager Charger), but the tires were a bear cat to get on the rims. That's good, but in the field serviceability may be tough. (NOTE: Whiskey does not condone the use of tire levers.) That said, I could do the deed bare handed. albeit it took a lot of hand strength and my paws still ache from the effort. That's a small price to pay for tire bead stability at low pressures though, I'd say.

The Vanhelga tires themselves seem really aggressive in terms of tread design. The size is 3.8-ish on the 70mm wide Whiskey rims, so don't go expecting big flotation characteristics here. The grip should be outstanding though. Maybe if I had a "fat bike as mountain bike" set up, I'd consider these. The Vanhelgas are, at any rate, a good view into what could be for all fat bikers. If this sort of set up could be done on aluminum rims, (less expensive), and in the 4.8" size on 100mm wide rims, I'd be very interested.

Sub-Zero Commuting Fun

Breaking trail

It looked like about 4 inches when I was shoveling it, but the weatherman says we got about 4.8" of fresh, fluffy snow on Monday evening. Time to bust out the snow Dog v2 and try out those Lou tires on 100mm rims. I had shoveled late Monday evening so I wouldn't be all tuckered out from doing that Tuesday morning. That worked out well, and everything was a go, although it was about -11°F when I left the house. That called for pogies, layers, the goggles, and patience when it came to being a bit restricted in movement.

I started out with the Blackborow DS in "high" range, which was okay at first. However; when I had to break my own trail. I was shown that the low range would probably save my heart rate from going sky high. I figured it was about time to practice my "sub-zero gear change" anyway. What better time than the present? I dismounted and all went rather well until my rear brake caliper kept fouling on the rotor. An extra minute or so there sorting that out, but otherwise a successful change and even with heavy mittens on! Now on to a long stretch of snow covered bike trail.

The Blackborow DS with the big, wide tires and rims is a completely different experience than the Mukluks I have had are. Where the Mukluks seemed to be a chore to keep the front wheel underneath you and tracking straight, the Blackie just meanders a bit maybe, but mostly tracks true and the front tire sticks better as well. I have to really foul up in a turn or with body "english" to have the front tire wash out.

Big ATV pogies look like floppy elephant ears!

Another area that showed me something new and pleasing was on the climb through deeper snow by the water tower on University Avenue. The rear tire was just digging! That Lou has an amazing amount of traction. Coupled with the very stable front end, you are only limited by what your legs and lungs can do. And let me tell you what! My "max heart rate" was achieved there. I had to stop just to get it back together at the top of the hill. So even though I cleaned the tough part, my motor was tapped out at the end of that section!

The final thing that impressed me was the way the Blackborow DS went up, over, and through snow piles. Urban snow hi-jinx will be much more fun on the Blackborow. That short wheel base allows for an easily popped up front, and it also lets you make subtle weight shifts which needed to be much more dramatic on the Mukluks. The end result is that along with the front end, traction, and stability, this bike is a big advancement on what I was running before. I will say that I haven't been beaten yet by the limited gearing, unless you count the water tower hill climb, but that could rear its ugly head at some point. Maybe the big tires with their flotation and the Lou's massive traction will get me out of trouble that way. Hard to tell at this point. I do know that if things tilt upward for too long I'm going to feel the limitations of the stock "low range" gear set up. Then again- maybe I should just "sack up" and get stronger! There is that to consider as well.

Another plus on the sheet for the Blackborow DS. I'll be putting this through more snow rides, hopefully, and after that I will write up my final verdict on this bike.

Sub-Zero Commuting Fun

Breaking trail

It looked like about 4 inches when I was shoveling it, but the weatherman says we got about 4.8" of fresh, fluffy snow on Monday evening. Time to bust out the snow Dog v2 and try out those Lou tires on 100mm rims. I had shoveled late Monday evening so I wouldn't be all tuckered out from doing that Tuesday morning. That worked out well, and everything was a go, although it was about -11°F when I left the house. That called for pogies, layers, the goggles, and patience when it came to being a bit restricted in movement.

I started out with the Blackborow DS in "high" range, which was okay at first. However; when I had to break my own trail. I was shown that the low range would probably save my heart rate from going sky high. I figured it was about time to practice my "sub-zero gear change" anyway. What better time than the present? I dismounted and all went rather well until my rear brake caliper kept fouling on the rotor. An extra minute or so there sorting that out, but otherwise a successful change and even with heavy mittens on! Now on to a long stretch of snow covered bike trail.

The Blackborow DS with the big, wide tires and rims is a completely different experience than the Mukluks I have had are. Where the Mukluks seemed to be a chore to keep the front wheel underneath you and tracking straight, the Blackie just meanders a bit maybe, but mostly tracks true and the front tire sticks better as well. I have to really foul up in a turn or with body "english" to have the front tire wash out.

Big ATV pogies look like floppy elephant ears!

Another area that showed me something new and pleasing was on the climb through deeper snow by the water tower on University Avenue. The rear tire was just digging! That Lou has an amazing amount of traction. Coupled with the very stable front end, you are only limited by what your legs and lungs can do. And let me tell you what! My "max heart rate" was achieved there. I had to stop just to get it back together at the top of the hill. So even though I cleaned the tough part, my motor was tapped out at the end of that section!

The final thing that impressed me was the way the Blackborow DS went up, over, and through snow piles. Urban snow hi-jinx will be much more fun on the Blackborow. That short wheel base allows for an easily popped up front, and it also lets you make subtle weight shifts which needed to be much more dramatic on the Mukluks. The end result is that along with the front end, traction, and stability, this bike is a big advancement on what I was running before. I will say that I haven't been beaten yet by the limited gearing, unless you count the water tower hill climb, but that could rear its ugly head at some point. Maybe the big tires with their flotation and the Lou's massive traction will get me out of trouble that way. Hard to tell at this point. I do know that if things tilt upward for too long I'm going to feel the limitations of the stock "low range" gear set up. Then again- maybe I should just "sack up" and get stronger! There is that to consider as well.

Another plus on the sheet for the Blackborow DS. I'll be putting this through more snow rides, hopefully, and after that I will write up my final verdict on this bike.

Blackborow DS: How To Change Gears & More

My new Blackborow DS size Large.

Today I wanted to answer a question I received yesterday concerning how one changes gears on a Blackborow DS. Obviously, there are no shifters and it must be done manually. I will show how it's done in some images and with words. Then I'll have a bit more to say about my impressions concerning the bike.

The Blackborow DS was ridden in the "high" ratio set of gears today, so I will demonstrate here a switch to "low range". It takes all of about three to four minutes to accomplish a gear change. You do not need any special tools and I would recommend a rag to clean your hands since the chain will likely be greasy when you do this, although mine is pretty good looking yet since it is so new!

By the way, you shouldn't, (and cannot), cross chain the bike. I also will add that the rear hub has a full range free hub body, so if you should decide after getting a DS that you have to have gears, all you need are the parts plus a through axle, driveside, derailleur compatible Alternator plate. The cable stops are all there to run the cable to the rear derailleur should you decide to add that dangly bit. Okay, enough about all of that. Now I will get into how to change the gears here.

A closer look at the cogs and drop out. This is the side the axle screws in to. 

Here's the Maxle lever which you flip open like a normal QR, but then you use it like a wing nut and unscrew it.....

....until you can start to pull the axle clear of the wheel/hub. Leave the bike on the ground at this point. 

Then lift the rear of the bike straight up. This allows for some chain slack. See below for further instructions.

• Once the rear of the bike is up and you have created some chain slack, reach down with your hand and starting with the rear cog, grab the chain at the top of the cog, lift and move it over to the next cog. In my case, the inner one.
• This next step is crucial to an easy, smooth gear change. Reach down to the bottom run of the chain near the crank set and guide the chain onto the chain ring of choice, (in my case, the inner one), and push the chain "backwards", as if back pedaling, since the crank and cogs will free wheel backward while the wheels remain static. Make sure the pedals are free to rotate! Guide the chain carefully from the bottom up around to the top until it is on the chain ring. Oh.....you're still holding the bike up, by the way. 
• Once the chain is on the set of gears you want, gently lower the rear of the bike, making sure the rotor passes between the pads in the caliper. Line up the hub and the inner drop out "hoods" and then set the weight of the bike on the hub end caps. Replace the Maxle, screwing it into the drive side drop out snugly, but don't reef on it! Then close the lever. That's it!

The gears swapped and the wheel sitting on the hub end caps before reinstalling the Maxle. 

More Impressions: 

The Blackborow DS was ridden to work in "high" range and that makes a speed sufficient for brisk travel. It can be a chore in fluffy, slushy snow though, and going up longer inclines can get a bit wearisome. I'd say anyone used to a stout gear for mtb should be okay with it. My commute, about 4 miles or so, is mostly uphill and if there is any amount of fresh snow or a stiff wind, I'll probably be dumping it back into the low range. The high range was a chore yesterday, but it should make me stronger if I can get used to it. 

The wheel base feels shorter, but I'll have to confirm that. I feel that it is the reason it is really easy to pop a wheelie or loft the front end of this bike. Stand over is definitely what Salsa says, "the best of any" of their fat bikes. That's by at least an inch over the Beargrease and Mukluk. (Large vs Large sizes)

This is my first time on Clown Shoe rims with any of the bigger tires. I noted that this combination is "flatter" crowned than what I have seen with Surly tires. My titanium Mukluk has a Bud on a Rolling Darryl and is noticeably rounder in profile. This flatter profile manifests itself in a bit of self-steer at lower pressures and at similar pressures to the Bud/RD combo, the Clown Shoe/Lou combo is always a bit more prone to the self-steering feel. I'm okay with that with this bike since I got it for the maximum flotation of its tires and rims. It is also worth noting that the barely 4 inch wide Sterlings (made by Vee Tire) have far worse self-steer feelings at these same pressures than do the Clown Shoe/Lou combo. So, it isn't bad with the Blackborow DS, but it is there.

More on this bike later.....

Blackborow DS: How To Change Gears & More

My new Blackborow DS size Large.

Today I wanted to answer a question I received yesterday concerning how one changes gears on a Blackborow DS. Obviously, there are no shifters and it must be done manually. I will show how it's done in some images and with words. Then I'll have a bit more to say about my impressions concerning the bike.

The Blackborow DS was ridden in the "high" ratio set of gears today, so I will demonstrate here a switch to "low range". It takes all of about three to four minutes to accomplish a gear change. You do not need any special tools and I would recommend a rag to clean your hands since the chain will likely be greasy when you do this, although mine is pretty good looking yet since it is so new!

By the way, you shouldn't, (and cannot), cross chain the bike. I also will add that the rear hub has a full range free hub body, so if you should decide after getting a DS that you have to have gears, all you need are the parts plus a through axle, driveside, derailleur compatible Alternator plate. The cable stops are all there to run the cable to the rear derailleur should you decide to add that dangly bit. Okay, enough about all of that. Now I will get into how to change the gears here.

A closer look at the cogs and drop out. This is the side the axle screws in to. 

Here's the Maxle lever which you flip open like a normal QR, but then you use it like a wing nut and unscrew it.....

....until you can start to pull the axle clear of the wheel/hub. Leave the bike on the ground at this point. 

Then lift the rear of the bike straight up. This allows for some chain slack. See below for further instructions.

• Once the rear of the bike is up and you have created some chain slack, reach down with your hand and starting with the rear cog, grab the chain at the top of the cog, lift and move it over to the next cog. In my case, the inner one.
• This next step is crucial to an easy, smooth gear change. Reach down to the bottom run of the chain near the crank set and guide the chain onto the chain ring of choice, (in my case, the inner one), and push the chain "backwards", as if back pedaling, since the crank and cogs will free wheel backward while the wheels remain static. Make sure the pedals are free to rotate! Guide the chain carefully from the bottom up around to the top until it is on the chain ring. Oh.....you're still holding the bike up, by the way. 
• Once the chain is on the set of gears you want, gently lower the rear of the bike, making sure the rotor passes between the pads in the caliper. Line up the hub and the inner drop out "hoods" and then set the weight of the bike on the hub end caps. Replace the Maxle, screwing it into the drive side drop out snugly, but don't reef on it! Then close the lever. That's it!

The gears swapped and the wheel sitting on the hub end caps before reinstalling the Maxle. 

More Impressions: 

The Blackborow DS was ridden to work in "high" range and that makes a speed sufficient for brisk travel. It can be a chore in fluffy, slushy snow though, and going up longer inclines can get a bit wearisome. I'd say anyone used to a stout gear for mtb should be okay with it. My commute, about 4 miles or so, is mostly uphill and if there is any amount of fresh snow or a stiff wind, I'll probably be dumping it back into the low range. The high range was a chore yesterday, but it should make me stronger if I can get used to it. 

The wheel base feels shorter, but I'll have to confirm that. I feel that it is the reason it is really easy to pop a wheelie or loft the front end of this bike. Stand over is definitely what Salsa says, "the best of any" of their fat bikes. That's by at least an inch over the Beargrease and Mukluk. (Large vs Large sizes)

This is my first time on Clown Shoe rims with any of the bigger tires. I noted that this combination is "flatter" crowned than what I have seen with Surly tires. My titanium Mukluk has a Bud on a Rolling Darryl and is noticeably rounder in profile. This flatter profile manifests itself in a bit of self-steer at lower pressures and at similar pressures to the Bud/RD combo, the Clown Shoe/Lou combo is always a bit more prone to the self-steering feel. I'm okay with that with this bike since I got it for the maximum flotation of its tires and rims. It is also worth noting that the barely 4 inch wide Sterlings (made by Vee Tire) have far worse self-steer feelings at these same pressures than do the Clown Shoe/Lou combo. So, it isn't bad with the Blackborow DS, but it is there.

More on this bike later.....