650B For Gravel: Dead, Dying, Or Dormant?

Back in 2016 WTB shocked the gravel world with the "Road Plus" idea. It was a 650B sized tire, but not in the traditional 42mm size. This tire was a 47mm width and brought with it more volume than the skinnier 650B tires did for road bikes. 

The first tire they debuted, the Horizon, was a slick tire, but it did okay on gravel. Then the Byway came along, and the Venture, and the Sendero. Meanwhile, other brands jumped onboard. Panaracer, Terrene, IRC, and others all started offering 650B X 47-50mm tires. 

The gravel bicycle manufacturers responded with advertising for swappable wheel sizes. Salsa Cycles Journeyman was sold with either wheel size, as an example. Other brands advertised their versatility in that they could support 650B wheels.

Wheel manufacturers came onboard, of course, and many company's press releases contained new information on wheels including that smaller diameter wheel, the 650B size. But in the last few years, the heat for 650B has seemed to cool off some. I've noted less tire news. I've noted fewer 650B alternative choices in wheel news. I've noted less talk about 650B in new bicycle introductions as well. 

My old T-6 Standard Rando with 650B Terrene tires.

Now, we have to take things in some context here. The past two-plus years we've seen economic weirdness. Supply chain issues still persist, and those issues certainly have affected the more niche categories of cycling than others. So, we can probably point to the pandemic as a reason we are not seeing more 650B news. 

That said, I still find it odd that the marketing talk has cooled way off for 650B. I'm not sure we can read a lot into that just yet, and more time will be needed to really get a handle on what is up with this wheel size. 

However; if I had to make a comment on where I thought 650B was in terms of relevancy to gravel/backroad riding right now, I would say that 650B is definitely waning in popularity. At least on the high-end, and on the OEM side. There are riders committed to the size, I am sure of that, and I don't think that this tire size will go away for gravel, but I also do not think it will be as prominent or an option many times going into the future. 

I do think 650B has a place in cycling. Rando riders like that size. Smaller statured folk need that size. So, I think the 650B wheel has its place, but I also believe that most adult humans should ride the biggest wheel available for their size, and for most of us that is 700c right now. 

650B For Gravel: Dead, Dying, Or Dormant?

Back in 2016 WTB shocked the gravel world with the "Road Plus" idea. It was a 650B sized tire, but not in the traditional 42mm size. This tire was a 47mm width and brought with it more volume than the skinnier 650B tires did for road bikes. 

The first tire they debuted, the Horizon, was a slick tire, but it did okay on gravel. Then the Byway came along, and the Venture, and the Sendero. Meanwhile, other brands jumped onboard. Panaracer, Terrene, IRC, and others all started offering 650B X 47-50mm tires. 

The gravel bicycle manufacturers responded with advertising for swappable wheel sizes. Salsa Cycles Journeyman was sold with either wheel size, as an example. Other brands advertised their versatility in that they could support 650B wheels.

Wheel manufacturers came onboard, of course, and many company's press releases contained new information on wheels including that smaller diameter wheel, the 650B size. But in the last few years, the heat for 650B has seemed to cool off some. I've noted less tire news. I've noted fewer 650B alternative choices in wheel news. I've noted less talk about 650B in new bicycle introductions as well. 

My old T-6 Standard Rando with 650B Terrene tires.

Now, we have to take things in some context here. The past two-plus years we've seen economic weirdness. Supply chain issues still persist, and those issues certainly have affected the more niche categories of cycling than others. So, we can probably point to the pandemic as a reason we are not seeing more 650B news. 

That said, I still find it odd that the marketing talk has cooled way off for 650B. I'm not sure we can read a lot into that just yet, and more time will be needed to really get a handle on what is up with this wheel size. 

However; if I had to make a comment on where I thought 650B was in terms of relevancy to gravel/backroad riding right now, I would say that 650B is definitely waning in popularity. At least on the high-end, and on the OEM side. There are riders committed to the size, I am sure of that, and I don't think that this tire size will go away for gravel, but I also do not think it will be as prominent or an option many times going into the future. 

I do think 650B has a place in cycling. Rando riders like that size. Smaller statured folk need that size. So, I think the 650B wheel has its place, but I also believe that most adult humans should ride the biggest wheel available for their size, and for most of us that is 700c right now. 

The Return Of Brown Season

The snow melted, the rains came back, the temperature rose, and the mud returned.

Last week at this time I was in full-on winter commuting mode and we had snow all over the place with icy patches to boot. This week? Well, one week later the highs are in the upper 40's, the snow is gone, and ice has been replaced with wet leaves. Both are very slippery and treacherous, but landing on mud and wet leaves beats hitting concrete hard dirt and ice any day. That is, if you were to crash.

The weather has gone to a wet, moist, and definitely late Fall-like feel. it's so weird having had an interruption by Winter, and how that icy cold has basically altered the way the leaves are falling, the way the leaves are decaying, and how that is working into the soil already in the woods. There are patches where the water in puddles is so stained by the tannins from leaves that it is orange-yellow or deep brown. Many trees still have green leaves on them, which never had a chance to turn colors, because we had such a quick, deep freeze a few weeks ago. It's been an odd Fall, for sure, and I am just glad it came back for a bit.

I have a component I needed to test out on my bike, so I went off to Lower Hartman to check out the single track. I'm not hip to the modernized names that CVAST (the local soft trails association) has given these trails. I remember them by their old names. I went down old Shirey Way to a deer trail and bushwhacked through that toward the old "John's Trail", which I have spoken of here before.

John's Trail was a quickly made affair. I recall we laid it out in a day along an old deer trail, for the most part. Oddly enough it was one of the trails that managed to survive all the major floods and is mostly intact as far as its original layout. Only the far West end has been modified from the way it used to be. But no one really cares about any of that anymore. I'm probably one of very, very few people that even knows anything about the old Lower Hartman trails and their origins these days. I don't mean to brag, but all the younginz probably don't have a clue as to the who, what, or why many of these trails were put in back in the 90's. And none of them bother to find out, which is why I say no one cares.

Its as if you were a million miles from civilization, but this is within maybe four city blocks of residential areas.

Well, I had a wonderful pre-work ride. It was almost foggy, drippy, and there was zero wind. One of those days when everything seemed drenched in peace. I almost didn't go to work! (Not that there is much to go for these days, but anyway.....) It was a good respite from the stress which has characterized things in my life of late. Good stuff! I highly recommend a good woods ride on a quiet day.

The Cedar Valley has a healthy and active beaver population. Evidenced by this fallen sapling.

I have all my fender action going on here with the Ti Muk 2, which needed testing, and it all came through in flying colors. No mess on me, and mostly none on the bike. I have one more place I want to try a shield for splashing muck and that is behind the seat tube. I think I am going to try to fabricate this out of milk jugs. We'll see. I'm in no big hurry to do that though.

I did note that the Terrene Cake Eaters were slipping on wet rocks and roots under the leaves. Probably due to my "commuting tire pressures". I am not too concerned by this. If I were to lower the pressures a couple of psi, I think that would make a huge difference in the way these tires worked over such things in these conditions. Overall though, I am really pleased with the Cake Eaters. They roll pretty well, and yet they display good grip, and last week in the snow they were mildly impressive, so I am keeping those on for now.

I did stick on the old Revelate/Salsa/Surly frame bag meant for this bike and I have to say that while the quality is good, I am not a big fan of how it was fitted for this bike, and the internal divider is vertical, not horizontal. Soooo...... That's coming off. I really don't need it either, so after a bit of cleaning up I think it's going on the Garage Sale Page here. My purple Bike Bag Dude one is going back on, despite it being not quite right, but then, it was made to fit the 2012 Ti Muk, not the 2015 one! Still, it is close enough and it has a LOT more room than the original bag here.

This bike will be slop-season/Winter ready soon. I have to re-check sealant levels, and then I should be good to go through most of the season to come.

The Return Of Brown Season

The snow melted, the rains came back, the temperature rose, and the mud returned.

Last week at this time I was in full-on winter commuting mode and we had snow all over the place with icy patches to boot. This week? Well, one week later the highs are in the upper 40's, the snow is gone, and ice has been replaced with wet leaves. Both are very slippery and treacherous, but landing on mud and wet leaves beats hitting concrete hard dirt and ice any day. That is, if you were to crash.

The weather has gone to a wet, moist, and definitely late Fall-like feel. it's so weird having had an interruption by Winter, and how that icy cold has basically altered the way the leaves are falling, the way the leaves are decaying, and how that is working into the soil already in the woods. There are patches where the water in puddles is so stained by the tannins from leaves that it is orange-yellow or deep brown. Many trees still have green leaves on them, which never had a chance to turn colors, because we had such a quick, deep freeze a few weeks ago. It's been an odd Fall, for sure, and I am just glad it came back for a bit.

I have a component I needed to test out on my bike, so I went off to Lower Hartman to check out the single track. I'm not hip to the modernized names that CVAST (the local soft trails association) has given these trails. I remember them by their old names. I went down old Shirey Way to a deer trail and bushwhacked through that toward the old "John's Trail", which I have spoken of here before.

John's Trail was a quickly made affair. I recall we laid it out in a day along an old deer trail, for the most part. Oddly enough it was one of the trails that managed to survive all the major floods and is mostly intact as far as its original layout. Only the far West end has been modified from the way it used to be. But no one really cares about any of that anymore. I'm probably one of very, very few people that even knows anything about the old Lower Hartman trails and their origins these days. I don't mean to brag, but all the younginz probably don't have a clue as to the who, what, or why many of these trails were put in back in the 90's. And none of them bother to find out, which is why I say no one cares.

Its as if you were a million miles from civilization, but this is within maybe four city blocks of residential areas.

Well, I had a wonderful pre-work ride. It was almost foggy, drippy, and there was zero wind. One of those days when everything seemed drenched in peace. I almost didn't go to work! (Not that there is much to go for these days, but anyway.....) It was a good respite from the stress which has characterized things in my life of late. Good stuff! I highly recommend a good woods ride on a quiet day.

The Cedar Valley has a healthy and active beaver population. Evidenced by this fallen sapling.

I have all my fender action going on here with the Ti Muk 2, which needed testing, and it all came through in flying colors. No mess on me, and mostly none on the bike. I have one more place I want to try a shield for splashing muck and that is behind the seat tube. I think I am going to try to fabricate this out of milk jugs. We'll see. I'm in no big hurry to do that though.

I did note that the Terrene Cake Eaters were slipping on wet rocks and roots under the leaves. Probably due to my "commuting tire pressures". I am not too concerned by this. If I were to lower the pressures a couple of psi, I think that would make a huge difference in the way these tires worked over such things in these conditions. Overall though, I am really pleased with the Cake Eaters. They roll pretty well, and yet they display good grip, and last week in the snow they were mildly impressive, so I am keeping those on for now.

I did stick on the old Revelate/Salsa/Surly frame bag meant for this bike and I have to say that while the quality is good, I am not a big fan of how it was fitted for this bike, and the internal divider is vertical, not horizontal. Soooo...... That's coming off. I really don't need it either, so after a bit of cleaning up I think it's going on the Garage Sale Page here. My purple Bike Bag Dude one is going back on, despite it being not quite right, but then, it was made to fit the 2012 Ti Muk, not the 2015 one! Still, it is close enough and it has a LOT more room than the original bag here.

This bike will be slop-season/Winter ready soon. I have to re-check sealant levels, and then I should be good to go through most of the season to come.

First Ti Muk 2 Winter Ride

The 'sled-necks" were a wee bit excited that it snowed a touch Sunday night/Monday morning.

Well, you just knew it was coming. Snow! Winter has made its presence known in Northeastern Iowa. Sunday night and into Monday morning, we received about 4" max. maybe 3.5". Anyway, it was an odd snow, since it would have been this powdery fluff, had it happened a month from now. It wasn't though, as it absorbed a lot of moisture from the ground since it hasn't really froze here yet. That kept it from blowing around a lot too, which kept it piled up more than it would have been otherwise.

Sheltered areas had the most snow, but open areas were scoured of the white stuff by 20+ mph winds unless there were ruts or things that the snow could drift behind. A mixed bag of conditions then. Perfect for checking out how this Ti Muk would handle versus the old Mukluks I have ridden.

This would also be the first time in a long time I have used a tubeless set up on snow, and the first time I've used tubeless tires on proper tubeless rims for fat biking on snow. Would that make a difference? These were questions I wanted answers for, even though the snow wasn't much to write home about. So, I planned on tracking in some of my commute to work, as it crosses a couple of grassy, open areas, and goes down a few alleys as well. I didn't want any surprises on Tuesday when I went in for work. I wanted to know what ice conditions might be, and it was certainly cold enough for ice!

Cruising some levee tops.

I found some snow at a depth that made my feet touch the snow at times, so it was fairly deep. I was most struck by this bike's stability in snow. Sometimes changing consistency or changes in the terrain under the snow can upset the bike- especially the front wheel- but this bike seems to be more immune to that. Well, so far anyway. I couldn't fault its handling, that's for sure.

The Rohloff 14 speed internal geared hub has a super low gear and I had spinny gearing for days. That may have been a reason I had more stability? Not sure. The Terrene Cake Eater tires were grippy on ascents of the levee. No issues there. Speaking of the Rohloff, I was also wondering if the weight distribution of the drive train may have been part of the reason for the feelings of stability and traction. I'm certain it has something to do with what I was experiencing. All in all, this Mukluk displayed better handling in snow, so far, and I'll have to report back whenever I can after we have more snow and conditions more conducive to fat biking in that snow.

Stay tuned......

First Ti Muk 2 Winter Ride

The 'sled-necks" were a wee bit excited that it snowed a touch Sunday night/Monday morning.

Well, you just knew it was coming. Snow! Winter has made its presence known in Northeastern Iowa. Sunday night and into Monday morning, we received about 4" max. maybe 3.5". Anyway, it was an odd snow, since it would have been this powdery fluff, had it happened a month from now. It wasn't though, as it absorbed a lot of moisture from the ground since it hasn't really froze here yet. That kept it from blowing around a lot too, which kept it piled up more than it would have been otherwise.

Sheltered areas had the most snow, but open areas were scoured of the white stuff by 20+ mph winds unless there were ruts or things that the snow could drift behind. A mixed bag of conditions then. Perfect for checking out how this Ti Muk would handle versus the old Mukluks I have ridden.

This would also be the first time in a long time I have used a tubeless set up on snow, and the first time I've used tubeless tires on proper tubeless rims for fat biking on snow. Would that make a difference? These were questions I wanted answers for, even though the snow wasn't much to write home about. So, I planned on tracking in some of my commute to work, as it crosses a couple of grassy, open areas, and goes down a few alleys as well. I didn't want any surprises on Tuesday when I went in for work. I wanted to know what ice conditions might be, and it was certainly cold enough for ice!

Cruising some levee tops.

I found some snow at a depth that made my feet touch the snow at times, so it was fairly deep. I was most struck by this bike's stability in snow. Sometimes changing consistency or changes in the terrain under the snow can upset the bike- especially the front wheel- but this bike seems to be more immune to that. Well, so far anyway. I couldn't fault its handling, that's for sure.

The Rohloff 14 speed internal geared hub has a super low gear and I had spinny gearing for days. That may have been a reason I had more stability? Not sure. The Terrene Cake Eater tires were grippy on ascents of the levee. No issues there. Speaking of the Rohloff, I was also wondering if the weight distribution of the drive train may have been part of the reason for the feelings of stability and traction. I'm certain it has something to do with what I was experiencing. All in all, this Mukluk displayed better handling in snow, so far, and I'll have to report back whenever I can after we have more snow and conditions more conducive to fat biking in that snow.

Stay tuned......

State Of Tubelessness: 2019

Although most tires I test now are tubeless rated, a rare few are not, such as this Tioga Binary.

Note: For the last "State Of Tublessness" address, see the two part report HERE and HERE. 

It is 2019, and almost every new tire design is tubeless rated now, with rare exceptions to the rule. Road tires being the main category where tubes still rule. However; that seems poised to be changing soon as well.

Perhaps no where else in cycling, besides triathlon, does "race on Sunday, sell on Monday" rule what consumers do. Road racers in the Pro ranks have every item down to the last bit of bar tape and GPS data crunching software scrutinized by the cycling media. The writers of this material, produced from races such as the Tour de France and others, drive sales of gear and ideas to a large degree yet in 2019. While this may not be as strong a dynamic as it once was, it still is a major influencer on consumer's buying habits.

With that said, I noted that several media observers at the Tour were commenting on the uptick in tubeless racing tires and wheel usage at this year's Tour. It may take a few years, but if the product produces wins and is seen as a performance enhancing product, my bet is that road cyclists will be flocking to tubeless set ups within a short period of time. These same roadies probably already own gravel and/or MTB bikes that are tubeless, so the technology is not alien to most seasoned cyclists.

So, anymore, if a company produces a new model of tire that is not tubeless rated, it is an oddity, but that happened recently with Tioga's Binary model which I recently reviewed. While this seems weird, there was/is a really good reason that this didn't show up as a tubeless rated casing. I cannot tell you why that is due to an agreement, just that someday soon, a tubeless Binary will emerge, and no one will remember this first salvo into the gravel tire market by Tioga, as the tubeless rated version will, no doubt, be the one everyone will buy. But suffice it to say that tubed tires will, most likely, always be around. They just won't be the high end, performance models once tubelessness gets figured out.

My new-to-me Ti Muk 2 is tubeless. Fat bike tubelessness is a piece of "cake" now.

So, speaking of "figuring it out".....

One of my biggest pet peeves about fat bikes for the first several years that these beasts were available on a wide scale was that the tire and wheel technology was from the dark ages of cycling. Rims were horrible, tires were department store quality, and getting anything to set up tubeless was.....yeah, RIGHT! That was a whole garage-science fair time in fat bike history right there. The Rube Goldberg machine-like manners in which one had to engage in to set a fat bike tire up tubeless was, in a word, ludicrous. Happily now we can leave all that behind since "real tubeless tires" and wheels exist which make all that nonsense unnecessary.

This was never made more clear to me than when I set up my Terrene Tires Cake Eaters on the Whiskey carbon fat bike rims recently. The set up was super easy to do. They have performed above my expectations so far, retaining air better than my tubed fat bike wheels and tires, while rolling far easier than those old dinosaurs. There probably is no better candidate for tubeless tires in the bicycle world than fat bikes. The amount of tube scrubbing tire is just one reason why. I have some past experience with this as well.

I had set up some fat bike tires as tubeless back in the day using some, ahem!, rather sketchy techniques that including double sided mounting tape, Gorilla tape, and several hours of labor to achieve tubeless Nirvana. And it was "worth it" as far as results. The conversion saved a tiny bit of weight, but in terms of rolling resistance, the effect was greatly noticeable and made riding a fat bike far easier than with tubes. However; once the sealant dried up and the tape started to fail, well...... It was too much hassle to keep it maintained, so I went back to tubes until, one day, I could use proper tires and rims. And let me tell ya, it is still really worth it. But now, the maintenance part is super easy. Tubeless tires and rims for fat bikes are the way to go, hands down.

While the effects of rolling resistance lessen as the tube/tire size decreases, it is still there. I have a friend who just went tubeless on his gravel bike and was amazed by the way it rode better. So, while there are several benefits to this way of doing things, we can not ignore a few of the downsides. There are some major bummers, and therefore tubeless tires for bicycles still is not going to be for everyone. Futzing with sealant, maintaining the sealant levels, dealing with a different way of tire to rim interface, and having a few "no go" fits and difficulties with that sort of thing can really put people off. For some, especially those who are familiar with the "Ways Of The Toob", straying from the familiar path is just not tenable. Better to have your peace and sanity than a few less watts of rolling resistance and ride comfort.

Look for further musings on tubelessness in the future.

State Of Tubelessness: 2019

Although most tires I test now are tubeless rated, a rare few are not, such as this Tioga Binary.

Note: For the last "State Of Tublessness" address, see the two part report HERE and HERE. 

It is 2019, and almost every new tire design is tubeless rated now, with rare exceptions to the rule. Road tires being the main category where tubes still rule. However; that seems poised to be changing soon as well.

Perhaps no where else in cycling, besides triathlon, does "race on Sunday, sell on Monday" rule what consumers do. Road racers in the Pro ranks have every item down to the last bit of bar tape and GPS data crunching software scrutinized by the cycling media. The writers of this material, produced from races such as the Tour de France and others, drive sales of gear and ideas to a large degree yet in 2019. While this may not be as strong a dynamic as it once was, it still is a major influencer on consumer's buying habits.

With that said, I noted that several media observers at the Tour were commenting on the uptick in tubeless racing tires and wheel usage at this year's Tour. It may take a few years, but if the product produces wins and is seen as a performance enhancing product, my bet is that road cyclists will be flocking to tubeless set ups within a short period of time. These same roadies probably already own gravel and/or MTB bikes that are tubeless, so the technology is not alien to most seasoned cyclists.

So, anymore, if a company produces a new model of tire that is not tubeless rated, it is an oddity, but that happened recently with Tioga's Binary model which I recently reviewed. While this seems weird, there was/is a really good reason that this didn't show up as a tubeless rated casing. I cannot tell you why that is due to an agreement, just that someday soon, a tubeless Binary will emerge, and no one will remember this first salvo into the gravel tire market by Tioga, as the tubeless rated version will, no doubt, be the one everyone will buy. But suffice it to say that tubed tires will, most likely, always be around. They just won't be the high end, performance models once tubelessness gets figured out.

My new-to-me Ti Muk 2 is tubeless. Fat bike tubelessness is a piece of "cake" now.

So, speaking of "figuring it out".....

One of my biggest pet peeves about fat bikes for the first several years that these beasts were available on a wide scale was that the tire and wheel technology was from the dark ages of cycling. Rims were horrible, tires were department store quality, and getting anything to set up tubeless was.....yeah, RIGHT! That was a whole garage-science fair time in fat bike history right there. The Rube Goldberg machine-like manners in which one had to engage in to set a fat bike tire up tubeless was, in a word, ludicrous. Happily now we can leave all that behind since "real tubeless tires" and wheels exist which make all that nonsense unnecessary.

This was never made more clear to me than when I set up my Terrene Tires Cake Eaters on the Whiskey carbon fat bike rims recently. The set up was super easy to do. They have performed above my expectations so far, retaining air better than my tubed fat bike wheels and tires, while rolling far easier than those old dinosaurs. There probably is no better candidate for tubeless tires in the bicycle world than fat bikes. The amount of tube scrubbing tire is just one reason why. I have some past experience with this as well.

I had set up some fat bike tires as tubeless back in the day using some, ahem!, rather sketchy techniques that including double sided mounting tape, Gorilla tape, and several hours of labor to achieve tubeless Nirvana. And it was "worth it" as far as results. The conversion saved a tiny bit of weight, but in terms of rolling resistance, the effect was greatly noticeable and made riding a fat bike far easier than with tubes. However; once the sealant dried up and the tape started to fail, well...... It was too much hassle to keep it maintained, so I went back to tubes until, one day, I could use proper tires and rims. And let me tell ya, it is still really worth it. But now, the maintenance part is super easy. Tubeless tires and rims for fat bikes are the way to go, hands down.

While the effects of rolling resistance lessen as the tube/tire size decreases, it is still there. I have a friend who just went tubeless on his gravel bike and was amazed by the way it rode better. So, while there are several benefits to this way of doing things, we can not ignore a few of the downsides. There are some major bummers, and therefore tubeless tires for bicycles still is not going to be for everyone. Futzing with sealant, maintaining the sealant levels, dealing with a different way of tire to rim interface, and having a few "no go" fits and difficulties with that sort of thing can really put people off. For some, especially those who are familiar with the "Ways Of The Toob", straying from the familiar path is just not tenable. Better to have your peace and sanity than a few less watts of rolling resistance and ride comfort.

Look for further musings on tubelessness in the future.

Interesting Commutes

I've been commuting mostly on the Ti Muk 2 as pictured here of late.

My commute to the bike shop where I work hasn't changed much at all for 17 years. You'd think by now I'd have seen a lot of stuff, but really, besides seeing LeRoy from time to time, things are fairly boring. LeRoy is a guy that walks in the area of my commute everyday. I don't see him all the time, as our timing varies, but when I do, he gives me a hearty, "Hello!", and we often high-five each other, and even chat once in a while. But yeah, that is about the extent of my "excitement". That's changed dramatically this year, for whatever reason.

I guess it started last year when I saw the guy on a motorcycle blasting down a part of the paved bike path, but this year it has been pretty much non-stop weirdness. From strangers on the bike path doing unmentionable things to seeing a car on the side of the bike path just the other day with two lost people aboard. Why that car ended up there, I've no idea, but later on I saw how they exited and got back to the highway by climbing an embankment and cutting across a grassy field. Don't ask. I have no idea what was up with that.

Then my route has been disrupted as well. University Avenue in Waterloo is under construction. About a good quarter mile of my route is unrideable now so I have to detour around the mayhem of construction vehicles, piping, and other flotsam and jetsam created by the wave of construction going on. Just yesterday I had to dodge a big D9 Cat which was pulling out a stuck dump truck from a dirt hole it sank into. Several days I have had to bunny hop one foot diameter plastic pipe laying across my path which is being used as part of the new infrastructure for the new road being put in.

With all the wet weather we have had and the uncertainty of my route from day to day, the Ti Muk 2 has been pressed into commuter duty. No matter what I'm up against, the big, fat wheels can handle it. Mud, dirt, cutting across rough construction areas, or just cruising new bike path. It all is done capably and calmly on the Ti Muk 2. The new Terrene Cake Eaters roll really smoothly too.

The Rohloff drive train is pretty interesting. I have learned that thinking of this bike as having a clutch has made shifting easier. I spin the bike up, stop pedaling, shift two higher gears up, pedal, and so forth. Downshifts are similarly done and just hesitating a hair makes those shifts come easy as well. Just like pushing in a clutch on a manual shifted car. Anyway, that's how I think of it. Now I can zoom right along and shift willy-nilly whenever I want. It took a while to get the hang of it, but it works great.

At least the commuting rides have become interesting and fun. I never know what I might see, (and some of it I haven't wanted to!), plus the constant change along University Avenue is keeping me on my toes.

Interesting Commutes

I've been commuting mostly on the Ti Muk 2 as pictured here of late.

My commute to the bike shop where I work hasn't changed much at all for 17 years. You'd think by now I'd have seen a lot of stuff, but really, besides seeing LeRoy from time to time, things are fairly boring. LeRoy is a guy that walks in the area of my commute everyday. I don't see him all the time, as our timing varies, but when I do, he gives me a hearty, "Hello!", and we often high-five each other, and even chat once in a while. But yeah, that is about the extent of my "excitement". That's changed dramatically this year, for whatever reason.

I guess it started last year when I saw the guy on a motorcycle blasting down a part of the paved bike path, but this year it has been pretty much non-stop weirdness. From strangers on the bike path doing unmentionable things to seeing a car on the side of the bike path just the other day with two lost people aboard. Why that car ended up there, I've no idea, but later on I saw how they exited and got back to the highway by climbing an embankment and cutting across a grassy field. Don't ask. I have no idea what was up with that.

Then my route has been disrupted as well. University Avenue in Waterloo is under construction. About a good quarter mile of my route is unrideable now so I have to detour around the mayhem of construction vehicles, piping, and other flotsam and jetsam created by the wave of construction going on. Just yesterday I had to dodge a big D9 Cat which was pulling out a stuck dump truck from a dirt hole it sank into. Several days I have had to bunny hop one foot diameter plastic pipe laying across my path which is being used as part of the new infrastructure for the new road being put in.

With all the wet weather we have had and the uncertainty of my route from day to day, the Ti Muk 2 has been pressed into commuter duty. No matter what I'm up against, the big, fat wheels can handle it. Mud, dirt, cutting across rough construction areas, or just cruising new bike path. It all is done capably and calmly on the Ti Muk 2. The new Terrene Cake Eaters roll really smoothly too.

The Rohloff drive train is pretty interesting. I have learned that thinking of this bike as having a clutch has made shifting easier. I spin the bike up, stop pedaling, shift two higher gears up, pedal, and so forth. Downshifts are similarly done and just hesitating a hair makes those shifts come easy as well. Just like pushing in a clutch on a manual shifted car. Anyway, that's how I think of it. Now I can zoom right along and shift willy-nilly whenever I want. It took a while to get the hang of it, but it works great.

At least the commuting rides have become interesting and fun. I never know what I might see, (and some of it I haven't wanted to!), plus the constant change along University Avenue is keeping me on my toes.

Ti Muk 2 Upgrade Path: Part 2

The Cake Eater 26" X 4.0" tires on the Ti Muk 2

Last week I outlined my "upgrade path" for the Ti Muk 2. As I stated then, the first order of business was to swap out the tires. I received the Cake Eater tires shortly afterward and set them up this past weekend.

Now, when I picked the bike up from Sam, I had no idea if the tires were set up tubeless or not. We never got around to talking about that. But when I dismounted the 45NRTH tires, I found out that they were set up tubeless. This was a process I was dreading a bit, having dealt with taking off fat bike tires set up tubeless at the shop where I work at. I knew about the Mulefut rims and how hard they were to deal with. But we just don't see a lot of Whiskey rims come through, so I wasn't experienced with that rim myself. Not tubeless anyway. So, I was really hoping that these weren't going to be the dreaded Mulefut experience. Thankfully, they were actually easier than some 29"er rims I've dealt with.

I did have to patch up the tape job on one wheel a bit, but overall, the set up was straight forward. Tip: When mounting up a fat bike tire first place the wheel inside of the carcass of the tire. Both beads should be outward of the rim. Then start working over each bead until it is inside the rim well. This technique is far easier than using the traditional mounting technique most of us use to mount other tires.

The Cake Eater tires are about 300 grams lighter a piece than what I was running. I used the "MG" home made sealant and the tires never weeped, burped, or did anything odd. They held pressure overnight. So far, so good.

I rode them to and from work yesterday and the smoother ride was readily apparent as was the speed. I was running about 10psi, but I think I can go a pound, maybe two lower and get some more smoothness out of them on harder surfaces. Coasting downhill was faster and so I know the rolling resistance of those 45NRTH tires was much higher. The Cake Eaters are not as voluminous nor quite as wide as the Flow/Dunderbeist tires I was using. Obviously, they also are not as knobby either. That's all to the good for my purposes for Summer and Fall riding.

So, the next bit to get is a rear rack. Then I will tidy up the generator light wiring. My friend Tony came into the shop and looked at my light mount. He has a similar one and Jones Bars as well. He advised me on a great way to mount the light mount and how he ran the wiring. So, when I get the rack I'll do that all at once.

That should about wrap up the upgrades. the fork? Meh....... I could live without that, and the expense is more than the benefit I might derive from it. Plus I have a fork made from metal. I like that idea. So, I am leaning toward not getting that upgrade.

More soon......

Ti Muk 2 Upgrade Path: Part 2

The Cake Eater 26" X 4.0" tires on the Ti Muk 2

Last week I outlined my "upgrade path" for the Ti Muk 2. As I stated then, the first order of business was to swap out the tires. I received the Cake Eater tires shortly afterward and set them up this past weekend.

Now, when I picked the bike up from Sam, I had no idea if the tires were set up tubeless or not. We never got around to talking about that. But when I dismounted the 45NRTH tires, I found out that they were set up tubeless. This was a process I was dreading a bit, having dealt with taking off fat bike tires set up tubeless at the shop where I work at. I knew about the Mulefut rims and how hard they were to deal with. But we just don't see a lot of Whiskey rims come through, so I wasn't experienced with that rim myself. Not tubeless anyway. So, I was really hoping that these weren't going to be the dreaded Mulefut experience. Thankfully, they were actually easier than some 29"er rims I've dealt with.

I did have to patch up the tape job on one wheel a bit, but overall, the set up was straight forward. Tip: When mounting up a fat bike tire first place the wheel inside of the carcass of the tire. Both beads should be outward of the rim. Then start working over each bead until it is inside the rim well. This technique is far easier than using the traditional mounting technique most of us use to mount other tires.

The Cake Eater tires are about 300 grams lighter a piece than what I was running. I used the "MG" home made sealant and the tires never weeped, burped, or did anything odd. They held pressure overnight. So far, so good.

I rode them to and from work yesterday and the smoother ride was readily apparent as was the speed. I was running about 10psi, but I think I can go a pound, maybe two lower and get some more smoothness out of them on harder surfaces. Coasting downhill was faster and so I know the rolling resistance of those 45NRTH tires was much higher. The Cake Eaters are not as voluminous nor quite as wide as the Flow/Dunderbeist tires I was using. Obviously, they also are not as knobby either. That's all to the good for my purposes for Summer and Fall riding.

So, the next bit to get is a rear rack. Then I will tidy up the generator light wiring. My friend Tony came into the shop and looked at my light mount. He has a similar one and Jones Bars as well. He advised me on a great way to mount the light mount and how he ran the wiring. So, when I get the rack I'll do that all at once.

That should about wrap up the upgrades. the fork? Meh....... I could live without that, and the expense is more than the benefit I might derive from it. Plus I have a fork made from metal. I like that idea. So, I am leaning toward not getting that upgrade.

More soon......

Ti Muk 2 Upgrade Path

 

Now that I have had the Ti Muk 2 for a bit I have a few things I want to get upgraded/straightened out on it. One thing is going to happen very soon here, the next thing fairly quickly, and the third thing probably not for a long time- if ever. 

The imminent upgrade happening is tires. the Ti Muk 2 came to me with Flowbeist and Dunderbeist tires which are great for traction but have a LOT of "rolling thunder", and they can be a lot of work on harder surfaces. Plus, I probably should save these for Winter and true off road.

So, I have a set of Terrene Cake Eaters coming. Lower knobs. Still has traction, but more for drier conditions and not bad on gravel. I have a big idea which a couple of other guys are wanting to join me for and those 45NRTH tires are just too rumbly and slow for this idea. Once those tires come in I will probably go tubless on the Whiskey carbon rims and see how that goes.

The second upgrade, which will happen soon is getting a rear rack. The reason for the rack is to get that rear generator light away from the rear tire and off that seat stay. It is in a position now that almost guarantees that I will destroy it. So, a rear rack settles that issue, and allows me versatility in carrying stuff, maybe even using panniers. The only question is what rack? Obviously the Salsa Alternator Rack is a good choice. If I can find a 170mm spaced one. Then I like the looks of the Tubus, but OMG! The thing is a tank. I don't need anything that gnarly. But anyway, whatever I get, I can then put that light on the back where it belongs and have a lead dress for the wiring that is tidy and safe.

The final upgrade is being considered, and I know what I want, but it will be so expensive, and not 100% necessary. I'm thinking about the fork. Salsa has a Kingpin Deluxe Fork with dynamo routing. Obviously that would really clean up the routing for the front end and make it more protected against harsh conditions. But.......five hundred clams. Ouch!

Stay tuned......more soon.

Ti Muk 2 Upgrade Path

 

Now that I have had the Ti Muk 2 for a bit I have a few things I want to get upgraded/straightened out on it. One thing is going to happen very soon here, the next thing fairly quickly, and the third thing probably not for a long time- if ever. 

The imminent upgrade happening is tires. the Ti Muk 2 came to me with Flowbeist and Dunderbeist tires which are great for traction but have a LOT of "rolling thunder", and they can be a lot of work on harder surfaces. Plus, I probably should save these for Winter and true off road.

So, I have a set of Terrene Cake Eaters coming. Lower knobs. Still has traction, but more for drier conditions and not bad on gravel. I have a big idea which a couple of other guys are wanting to join me for and those 45NRTH tires are just too rumbly and slow for this idea. Once those tires come in I will probably go tubless on the Whiskey carbon rims and see how that goes.

The second upgrade, which will happen soon is getting a rear rack. The reason for the rack is to get that rear generator light away from the rear tire and off that seat stay. It is in a position now that almost guarantees that I will destroy it. So, a rear rack settles that issue, and allows me versatility in carrying stuff, maybe even using panniers. The only question is what rack? Obviously the Salsa Alternator Rack is a good choice. If I can find a 170mm spaced one. Then I like the looks of the Tubus, but OMG! The thing is a tank. I don't need anything that gnarly. But anyway, whatever I get, I can then put that light on the back where it belongs and have a lead dress for the wiring that is tidy and safe.

The final upgrade is being considered, and I know what I want, but it will be so expensive, and not 100% necessary. I'm thinking about the fork. Salsa has a Kingpin Deluxe Fork with dynamo routing. Obviously that would really clean up the routing for the front end and make it more protected against harsh conditions. But.......five hundred clams. Ouch!

Stay tuned......more soon.

News Season:Surly Redesigned The Ice Cream Truck

The sparkly green redesigned Ice Cream Truck- Image courtesy of Surly Bikes

Well, it is that time again. Eurobike is going on and all the hoopla surrounding the Tour de France is as well, so news about new bikes is coming out all over.

I don't think we will be seeing anything radically different coming out. But this bike from Surly......well, I was kind of surprised by a few things here. 

Obviously I'm talking about a fat bike here, and the Ice Cream Truck in particular. But let's take a trip back three model years ago, (so.....Summer 2014, really), and take a quick look at the Blackborow from Salsa Cycles. That bike introduced the world to an aluminum bike that could swallow 5.1" X 26" fat bike tires on 100mm rims, had a 440mm chain stay length, a bent seat tube, a slackish head angle, and lowered bottom bracket. It also featured the lowest stand over clearance of any fat bike from QBP brands ever, so far.

I bring that old, (four year old, as a matter of fact), info up because this Surly bike is now basically a steel equivalent of the Blackborow. The old ICT was not quite as nimble and, well, shreddy, as the Blackborow and that was maybe okay. It also couldn't handle the Vee Tire 2XL tires which were slightly over 5" wide when mounted on 100mm rims. The Blackborow could do that. But now the new ICT's numbers mirror those of the old Blackborow, which doesn't exist anymore, and I think this is a good thing.

My Blackborow DS overlooking the Cedar River

 The missing Blackborow left a big hole in QBP's fat bike arsenal. (That new long tailed thing doesn't count) The short chain stays married to big honking tires is an eye opener for the snow conditions we get here and for the muddy trails that sometimes happen along the rivers around here. My Blackborow DS kills it in looser snow, powdery crap, and busts trail better than anything I've tried, plus I can easily pop the front end up and over things anytime. 

Being able to hover over the rear tire for ultimate driving traction while unweighting the front wheel is about the only way I can traverse my commute in Winter sometimes. A long tailed doohickey wasn't going to cut it. Plus, I already have a longer wheel based fat bike for times when punching through crust is an issue. The Blackborow also had the best tire clearances, better than the Carbon Mukluk, and better than the old ICT. But now the new ICT is here and I would hazard a guess that it would be one of the better Winter fat bikes around here that you can get soon. (August, they are saying.)

So, the other interesting thing is that Surly is saying this bike can handle 26 X 5.1" tires on 100mm rims. The thing is, they don't make a tire that big. Will they? Are they coming out soon? I've asked this before, and I still believe that Surly has something up their sleeve when it comes to the monster truck sized rubber. And then there is the 26" part of that equation. I was, frankly, kind of shocked Surly didn't use this new design as a way to introduce a 27.5 X 4.5" fat bike tire. They do mention that the new ICT can handle that though........ Hmm.........

Terrene Tires "Johnny 5", which is....five inches wide!

Which leads me to the news about the Terrene "Johnny 5" fat bike tire. Terrene claims this is really five full inches wide, and a claim I saw said 1700 grams, which would be right in the pocket for a tubeless ready, big lugged tire like this.

Stud pockets are there which makes this tire a bit more attractive for some, but to be honest, unless the roadway is entirely glare ice, (rare),I wouldn't need studs for 5" tires. Maybe others will find that they need the extra traction, so there ya go. Stud pockets for you.

The long, laterally placed side/edge knobs are appealing to me. That's the one area where a front tire needs stability in the powder and even in slimy mud. It could be the difference between washing out or forward progress.

Now, if they roll well, which is asking a lot here, I would totally move up to these tires. Mostly because of the width and tubelessness. Then I would need tubeless, 100mm wide rims, and that means new hubs, and......money, money, money. I may just live with what I have for now. It works and I don't need a bike like that very often. 

The bike I could use wouldn't take tires this big, but the story about that can wait. This is about "news" on 2019 stuff. I'll have more about why we won't see much innovation in bicycles for next year in my next post on new stuff for 2019. 

News Season:Surly Redesigned The Ice Cream Truck

The sparkly green redesigned Ice Cream Truck- Image courtesy of Surly Bikes

Well, it is that time again. Eurobike is going on and all the hoopla surrounding the Tour de France is as well, so news about new bikes is coming out all over.

I don't think we will be seeing anything radically different coming out. But this bike from Surly......well, I was kind of surprised by a few things here. 

Obviously I'm talking about a fat bike here, and the Ice Cream Truck in particular. But let's take a trip back three model years ago, (so.....Summer 2014, really), and take a quick look at the Blackborow from Salsa Cycles. That bike introduced the world to an aluminum bike that could swallow 5.1" X 26" fat bike tires on 100mm rims, had a 440mm chain stay length, a bent seat tube, a slackish head angle, and lowered bottom bracket. It also featured the lowest stand over clearance of any fat bike from QBP brands ever, so far.

I bring that old, (four year old, as a matter of fact), info up because this Surly bike is now basically a steel equivalent of the Blackborow. The old ICT was not quite as nimble and, well, shreddy, as the Blackborow and that was maybe okay. It also couldn't handle the Vee Tire 2XL tires which were slightly over 5" wide when mounted on 100mm rims. The Blackborow could do that. But now the new ICT's numbers mirror those of the old Blackborow, which doesn't exist anymore, and I think this is a good thing.

My Blackborow DS overlooking the Cedar River

 The missing Blackborow left a big hole in QBP's fat bike arsenal. (That new long tailed thing doesn't count) The short chain stays married to big honking tires is an eye opener for the snow conditions we get here and for the muddy trails that sometimes happen along the rivers around here. My Blackborow DS kills it in looser snow, powdery crap, and busts trail better than anything I've tried, plus I can easily pop the front end up and over things anytime. 

Being able to hover over the rear tire for ultimate driving traction while unweighting the front wheel is about the only way I can traverse my commute in Winter sometimes. A long tailed doohickey wasn't going to cut it. Plus, I already have a longer wheel based fat bike for times when punching through crust is an issue. The Blackborow also had the best tire clearances, better than the Carbon Mukluk, and better than the old ICT. But now the new ICT is here and I would hazard a guess that it would be one of the better Winter fat bikes around here that you can get soon. (August, they are saying.)

So, the other interesting thing is that Surly is saying this bike can handle 26 X 5.1" tires on 100mm rims. The thing is, they don't make a tire that big. Will they? Are they coming out soon? I've asked this before, and I still believe that Surly has something up their sleeve when it comes to the monster truck sized rubber. And then there is the 26" part of that equation. I was, frankly, kind of shocked Surly didn't use this new design as a way to introduce a 27.5 X 4.5" fat bike tire. They do mention that the new ICT can handle that though........ Hmm.........

Terrene Tires "Johnny 5", which is....five inches wide!

Which leads me to the news about the Terrene "Johnny 5" fat bike tire. Terrene claims this is really five full inches wide, and a claim I saw said 1700 grams, which would be right in the pocket for a tubeless ready, big lugged tire like this.

Stud pockets are there which makes this tire a bit more attractive for some, but to be honest, unless the roadway is entirely glare ice, (rare),I wouldn't need studs for 5" tires. Maybe others will find that they need the extra traction, so there ya go. Stud pockets for you.

The long, laterally placed side/edge knobs are appealing to me. That's the one area where a front tire needs stability in the powder and even in slimy mud. It could be the difference between washing out or forward progress.

Now, if they roll well, which is asking a lot here, I would totally move up to these tires. Mostly because of the width and tubelessness. Then I would need tubeless, 100mm wide rims, and that means new hubs, and......money, money, money. I may just live with what I have for now. It works and I don't need a bike like that very often. 

The bike I could use wouldn't take tires this big, but the story about that can wait. This is about "news" on 2019 stuff. I'll have more about why we won't see much innovation in bicycles for next year in my next post on new stuff for 2019. 

Friday News And Views

Terrene Tire's new Chunk 2.6" X 29"

Dialing Plus Back:

Over the last several years mountain bikers have been presented with an onslaught of "plus" sized tires. Mostly in the 27.5" size. The thought was that it was going to be a midway point between the traction and stability of fat bikes with a splash of lighter weight and speed that smaller tires possess. However; hard charging riders in the enduro ranks and weekend warriors running higher speeds in mountainous terrain have found that those puffy tires are just a little too forgiving. Especially in terms of sidewall stiffness. To get a tire constructed to withstand the forces that this sort of riding introduces, and keep the 2.8"-3.0" widths, the tire would be too heavy. So, the idea was to dial back the width a bit and beef up the tire casing, keeping weights in check, but also keeping some of that volume.


This new Terrene model is a good example of what the industry is moving toward in the future. In fact, 2019 will be rife with bikes with this sort of tire size and tire manufacturers are already making tires like this for the aftermarket. Oddly enough, 29+ seems to be somewhat free of this phenomena, but I think that this is due to the more slow speed applications 29+ is generally used for. (You don't see 29+ being enduro'ed, bruh!) So, I think 29+ is a bit exempt from this issue.

I find the whole 29" X 2.6" thing fascinating from another perspective, myself. That being that ten years ago many of us would have given almost anything to get our hands on a tire this size! Now they are here, along with the bikes that make them worthwhile. Pretty crazy to consider how far things have come.

Ti gravel e-bike from Russia, anyone?

It Seems Like Everyone Wants To Press The Easy Button:

Electric motors on two wheeled vehicles, (call them whatever you'd like, here they are motorcycles), have their place, I suppose. Commuting in places where the temperatures and conditions are relatively the same all year long is one place. (SoCal, Southwest, maybe), but really, not very many other places are ripe for your year-round electric motorcyclist. So, manufacturers have decided that electricity is best applied to cycling situations where physical prowess was/is the only way you were going to get from point to point on a bicycle. Mountain biking is one prime example where it seems making the experience "easier" is "okay".

But now I'm seeing "gravel electric powered rigs" being pushed, and the press release copy doesn't lie. Check this out: "They can ride like an ordinary bike and connect an electric drive when it is necessary. For example, when driving uphill or at high speed against the wind. Using a finely tuned electric drive, the cyclist can dose the load and not overload the muscles and joints. This allows you to travel much longer than you can afford on the basis of your physical shape....."In other words, "make it easier". This is what most of this electric motorcycle stuff is really all about, pressing the easy button. Anyone that says any different is either naive or in denial.

Physically disabled or disadvantaged people are one of the reasons often pushed for bikes like this, and where that truly is the case- a person would otherwise never be able to gain/regain the fitness and skill levels necessary to cycle again- I am all for this stuff. But you and I are both well aware that this market is tiny. That's not accounting for the growth of this segment. Commuting/car replacement is another semi-legitimate argument for these rigs, (I'd wager that insurance and legal licensing for some is an issue and pushes numbers up here), and that's cool, but again, that doesn't account for the numbers here. The "white elephant" in the room no one is talking about is that many folks get these because "it makes riding a bicycle easier". And really, isn't that why people flocked to automobiles in the early 20th Century? Because it was easier than riding a bicycle? (Not to mention horse riding.)

It's ludicrous to believe that these contraptions turn non-cyclists into cyclists as well. There is zero data that is reliable to show that this is happening. Human nature is to gravitate toward easier and not harder physical activities. In fact, I am still of the thought that if government cracked down and made these motorized vehicles get inspected and licensed/insured, like most other types of motorized vehicles, then the market would dry right up. This goes for ATV/Quads, golf carts, or any other unlicensed/uninsured modes of transportation. In fact, New York did crack down on these electrified two wheeled rigs, much to the outcry of fans of these electric motorcycles, and the market was severely curtailed there. These regulations have since been rescinded.

Get in GW- Maybe Be A Winner Of A Frame Set From Lauf!

Gravel Worlds To Give Away A Lauf True Grit Frameset:

Okay, let's get right to the nitty-gritty. Lauf has promised the Pirates of the Gravel Worlds team that they will be able to give away a Lauf True Grit frame set to someone who is entered into the 150 mile or 75 mile length events of Gravel Worlds. The drawing will be on August 18th during the awards ceremony for Gravel Worlds at SchillingBridge, which is also home to the start/finish of Gravel Worlds.

So, get in on Gravel Worlds by registering here. Never been to this event? Well.....let me tell ya....

There are "big deal" gravel events and that's cool. There are "dirt bag", grassroots gravel events and those are fun. Gravel Worlds is truly a balanced approach offering elements of both of those extremes. The Pirate Cycling League guys haven't ever forgotten their roots in grassroots gravel grinding, but they are also right there when it comes to "premier,"world class" gravel events. While the whole "gravel worlds" thing may be a bit pretentious, it makes sense when you come and experience the event and you understand where the Pirates are coming from.

The challenge is real at Gravel Worlds, but so are the people involved. I love this event, and what the PCL does to keep it the fun event that it is, I know, is not an easy balancing act, but they pull it off year after year. I mean, the chance to win a frame set is nice, but don't go to Gravel Worlds just for that. It is way more than that, and winner's jerseys, or whatever. Way, way more than that. Just go, and you'll understand.

It's a Goodyear tire! (Looks very MSO-ish, don't cha think?)

Goodyear Bicycle Tires Reappear:

After about a 40 plus year absence, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company has reentered the bicycle tire market place.  You've probably seen the stories already on the innergoogles about these tires.

The full story isn't really being told here, is what I am thinking. Think about it- why would Goodyear get back into bicycle tires? The marketplace is crowded, for one thing, and from what I can see here, Goodyear isn't bringing anything earth shattering in terms of technologies to bicycles. Not like Continental has with Black Chili, or Vittoria with Graphene. It's just another choice from a name that has almost no cache' with the performance cyclist segment. Now I could totally see Goodyear tires as a "mart bike" product. But for the market they seem to be after? It just seems weird to me. Maybe I just don't get it.

I'm sure they are fine tires, but I just cannot shake the feeling that this is a toe-hold to getting someplace else in terms of market share. Maybe I'm wrong. Anyway, it is a curious introduction, to say the least.

Okay, that's it for this week. Have a great weekend and keep the rubber side down!

Friday News And Views

Terrene Tire's new Chunk 2.6" X 29"

Dialing Plus Back:

Over the last several years mountain bikers have been presented with an onslaught of "plus" sized tires. Mostly in the 27.5" size. The thought was that it was going to be a midway point between the traction and stability of fat bikes with a splash of lighter weight and speed that smaller tires possess. However; hard charging riders in the enduro ranks and weekend warriors running higher speeds in mountainous terrain have found that those puffy tires are just a little too forgiving. Especially in terms of sidewall stiffness. To get a tire constructed to withstand the forces that this sort of riding introduces, and keep the 2.8"-3.0" widths, the tire would be too heavy. So, the idea was to dial back the width a bit and beef up the tire casing, keeping weights in check, but also keeping some of that volume.


This new Terrene model is a good example of what the industry is moving toward in the future. In fact, 2019 will be rife with bikes with this sort of tire size and tire manufacturers are already making tires like this for the aftermarket. Oddly enough, 29+ seems to be somewhat free of this phenomena, but I think that this is due to the more slow speed applications 29+ is generally used for. (You don't see 29+ being enduro'ed, bruh!) So, I think 29+ is a bit exempt from this issue.

I find the whole 29" X 2.6" thing fascinating from another perspective, myself. That being that ten years ago many of us would have given almost anything to get our hands on a tire this size! Now they are here, along with the bikes that make them worthwhile. Pretty crazy to consider how far things have come.

Ti gravel e-bike from Russia, anyone?

It Seems Like Everyone Wants To Press The Easy Button:

Electric motors on two wheeled vehicles, (call them whatever you'd like, here they are motorcycles), have their place, I suppose. Commuting in places where the temperatures and conditions are relatively the same all year long is one place. (SoCal, Southwest, maybe), but really, not very many other places are ripe for your year-round electric motorcyclist. So, manufacturers have decided that electricity is best applied to cycling situations where physical prowess was/is the only way you were going to get from point to point on a bicycle. Mountain biking is one prime example where it seems making the experience "easier" is "okay".

But now I'm seeing "gravel electric powered rigs" being pushed, and the press release copy doesn't lie. Check this out: "They can ride like an ordinary bike and connect an electric drive when it is necessary. For example, when driving uphill or at high speed against the wind. Using a finely tuned electric drive, the cyclist can dose the load and not overload the muscles and joints. This allows you to travel much longer than you can afford on the basis of your physical shape....."In other words, "make it easier". This is what most of this electric motorcycle stuff is really all about, pressing the easy button. Anyone that says any different is either naive or in denial.

Physically disabled or disadvantaged people are one of the reasons often pushed for bikes like this, and where that truly is the case- a person would otherwise never be able to gain/regain the fitness and skill levels necessary to cycle again- I am all for this stuff. But you and I are both well aware that this market is tiny. That's not accounting for the growth of this segment. Commuting/car replacement is another semi-legitimate argument for these rigs, (I'd wager that insurance and legal licensing for some is an issue and pushes numbers up here), and that's cool, but again, that doesn't account for the numbers here. The "white elephant" in the room no one is talking about is that many folks get these because "it makes riding a bicycle easier". And really, isn't that why people flocked to automobiles in the early 20th Century? Because it was easier than riding a bicycle? (Not to mention horse riding.)

It's ludicrous to believe that these contraptions turn non-cyclists into cyclists as well. There is zero data that is reliable to show that this is happening. Human nature is to gravitate toward easier and not harder physical activities. In fact, I am still of the thought that if government cracked down and made these motorized vehicles get inspected and licensed/insured, like most other types of motorized vehicles, then the market would dry right up. This goes for ATV/Quads, golf carts, or any other unlicensed/uninsured modes of transportation. In fact, New York did crack down on these electrified two wheeled rigs, much to the outcry of fans of these electric motorcycles, and the market was severely curtailed there. These regulations have since been rescinded.

Get in GW- Maybe Be A Winner Of A Frame Set From Lauf!

Gravel Worlds To Give Away A Lauf True Grit Frameset:

Okay, let's get right to the nitty-gritty. Lauf has promised the Pirates of the Gravel Worlds team that they will be able to give away a Lauf True Grit frame set to someone who is entered into the 150 mile or 75 mile length events of Gravel Worlds. The drawing will be on August 18th during the awards ceremony for Gravel Worlds at SchillingBridge, which is also home to the start/finish of Gravel Worlds.

So, get in on Gravel Worlds by registering here. Never been to this event? Well.....let me tell ya....

There are "big deal" gravel events and that's cool. There are "dirt bag", grassroots gravel events and those are fun. Gravel Worlds is truly a balanced approach offering elements of both of those extremes. The Pirate Cycling League guys haven't ever forgotten their roots in grassroots gravel grinding, but they are also right there when it comes to "premier,"world class" gravel events. While the whole "gravel worlds" thing may be a bit pretentious, it makes sense when you come and experience the event and you understand where the Pirates are coming from.

The challenge is real at Gravel Worlds, but so are the people involved. I love this event, and what the PCL does to keep it the fun event that it is, I know, is not an easy balancing act, but they pull it off year after year. I mean, the chance to win a frame set is nice, but don't go to Gravel Worlds just for that. It is way more than that, and winner's jerseys, or whatever. Way, way more than that. Just go, and you'll understand.

It's a Goodyear tire! (Looks very MSO-ish, don't cha think?)

Goodyear Bicycle Tires Reappear:

After about a 40 plus year absence, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company has reentered the bicycle tire market place.  You've probably seen the stories already on the innergoogles about these tires.

The full story isn't really being told here, is what I am thinking. Think about it- why would Goodyear get back into bicycle tires? The marketplace is crowded, for one thing, and from what I can see here, Goodyear isn't bringing anything earth shattering in terms of technologies to bicycles. Not like Continental has with Black Chili, or Vittoria with Graphene. It's just another choice from a name that has almost no cache' with the performance cyclist segment. Now I could totally see Goodyear tires as a "mart bike" product. But for the market they seem to be after? It just seems weird to me. Maybe I just don't get it.

I'm sure they are fine tires, but I just cannot shake the feeling that this is a toe-hold to getting someplace else in terms of market share. Maybe I'm wrong. Anyway, it is a curious introduction, to say the least.

Okay, that's it for this week. Have a great weekend and keep the rubber side down!