Fifteen Years Of Fat Biking

Shot taken on January 22nd, 2011

 Hard to believe it, but it has been fifteen years since the first turnkey fat bike, the Salsa Mukluk, came into my life. This bicycle was many people's first introduction to fat biking. 

It also is kind of difficult to understand the impact this bicycle had on cyclists, and even non-cyclists in this community and online. 

First of all, look at this 2011 Salsa Cycles Mukluk and you might think it is pretty unremarkable. The tires do not look all that impressive. The rear caliper is mounted on the seat stay? And what is that..... A triple crank set?!! What kind of dinosaur bike is this anyway?  

But our 2026 perspective belies the reality of what was 2011. Then a fat bike was rare. Most people had never seen one before. A 26" x 3.8" tire was huuuuge! I used to get folks stopping in traffic to watch me roll by. I even had someone film me on their camera phone circa 2014 while riding home from work one day. 

The fat bike was truly an oddity then, and if you did not like attention, well, a fat bike wasn't the bike for you! I got asked a zillion questions about the bike, and most were a variation on a theme which was, "Isn't that hard to pedal?" 

Running tubeless tires on Velocity Dually rims with 26" x 4.0" tires in 2013. 

I was enamored of fat bikes back then. It was an option which opened up cycling in Winter for me. I ended up buying a 2012 Ti Mukluk within a year of getting the first one. I was entering the Triple D fat bike event. I was plunking around frozen trails, sand bars, and in the mud in Summertime. 

I often feel as though the fat bike development curve was one of constant innovation until about 2015. Then it all kind of fell away quickly. It seemed as though all the air got sucked out of the sails and everyone who wanted a fat bike now had one. 

I've owned four fat bikes and built up two for my son. I still have the Ti Muk 2, The Snow Dog, and the Blackborow DS. I also still have one of my son's old fat bikes. I probably only really need one! But the original Mukluk, the one I call the Snow Dog, was a birthday gift and the Blackborow does things nothing else I have will do. I guess if it came down to it, I would let those two go and keep the Ti Muk 2. My son's old fat bike could go as well, although I've had folks say I should keep it. 

Today fat bikes are no big deal. No one gawks at you when you are cruising to the woods. I don't get many questions at all anymore about my fat bikes when I am out on them. Maybe because they do not have electric motors.... 

The Snow Dog 2026

I was a bit amused last Fall when I was riding my Ti Muk 2 home. I have a slight hill going up West 2nd Street and I heard a buzzing noise behind me getting louder and louder. Then suddenly a younger looking individual sitting and not pedaling went whizzing by on a fat bike with an electric motor. 

He probably thought my pedaling a fat bike was rather quaint and arcane. The mere thought of a fat bike you had to pedal. How does that work?

Sometimes I wonder if the fat bike was truly the last innovative bicycle design. The last bicycle which was so different people would stop you on the street to see what it was you were on. Nothing like riding a "gravel bike", and these new 32" wheels won't draw attention either. 

Oh, you might think a 32"er would draw attention. I don't think so. I rode a 36"er which Ben Witt let me borrow for a few months. I commuted on it and not one person reacted to it as being different. No questions about it at all. No side glances. Nothing. 

But ride a fat bike the next day and I was going to know the difference. 

Besides, fat bikes did things no other bicycle could do. They still do those things, but now "those things" are not novel. So, I really do think fat bikes were the last bicycle which made a new category with possibilities to do things older bicycles could not do. Truly an innovation. 

Don't even come at me with the motorized bicycle thing!  

Bonus Content: I reviewed my original Mukluk "with perspective" last year. Read the review here.  

Bikes Of 2025: Salsa Cycles Mukluk (The Snow Dog)

It's another end-of-year period on the blog. You know what that means? Yep! Another round of my bikes I used in 2025. This round-up will not include some of the bikes I did not use this year much, or at all. I focus only on the bikes that played a big role in my riding during this year.  As always, any changes or future plans for any bike I feature will also be detailed. I hope that you enjoy this year's round-up.

2011 Salsa Cycles Mukluk:

The Mukluk, a 50th birthday present from several friends. It is the bike I call "The Snow Dog". Yes, it is a Rush reference. 

The Snow Dog had been in mothballs off and on throughout the time I've owned it, but it was never far away from me and it always surprises me how good it is whenever I do get it out to ride it. Of course, it is frighteningly out of date in terms of fat bikes. It is, in essence, a first gen fat bike. The only thing here which is truly innovative in terms of the first fat bikes is the 170mm rear end. 

But this bike has endeared itself to me and also, it was a birthday present from a group of cherished friends, so it is hard to let go of it. I cannot stand having a bike around I don't use, so I keep going back to it again and again. 

It has uncanny stability, it rides off road really well. It can carry a fair amount of gear, if you want it to do this. But you'd be lucky to squeeze anything bigger than a 4.0 rear tire in there and have any real clearances. The front is a little more forgiving, but yeah.... This is not the bike to go into anything but groomed trail if we are talking about snow riding. There are more capable bikes for that and I happen to have a couple of them! 

So, I don't know....... I should decommission this thing and move on, but I just cannot seem to do that.  Maybe I should plan some big country ride and get it done on the Snow Dog. I know I'd be surprised and pleased by the outcome. 

Naughty

 Last weekend I was down in the Lab doing some maintenance on a couple of bicycles. First up was the pink Black Mountain Cycles MCD. I was going to swap in those wheels using the Rene Herse TPU tubes I have on test here. 

Sounds easy enough. All I had to do was swap the wheels as I had a cassette and rotor already installed on the wheels with the Rene Herse tubes. Then I ran into that common problem I have here where the tolerances between hubs is off enough that the pad drags in the TRP Spyre caliper on the rotor on one side. 

Okay..... Adjust and move on. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, the caliper wouldn't go over far enough to clear the inside pad. Then I noticed the brake pads were really worn out. Time for new pads. Easy enough......riiiiight? Well, this was when I discovered one of the pad adjusters on the caliper was frozen. 

Okay, now is it time to panic? 

I had to retrieve a bag N.Y. Roll left down at the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective, so I left everything and let that marinate in my head whilst I went over to see Mabel the Rhodesian Ridgeback and N.Y. Roll for a bit. N.Y. Roll brought up Avid calipers during our visit. Light bulb! I have several of those! I could swap one in and be done until I figured out what to do with the TRP Spyre caliper.

Now when I got back to the Lab, I started swapping the caliper over. Everything was lining up well. Then I discovered the cable was dragging really badly on something, either a burr on the housing end where it was cut, or ....? The thing is everything worked great until I swapped wheels! Well, this went on into the following day when I discovered the cable had started to unravel inside the housing causing excessive friction. Ugh! Fortunately I had a new cable, I dressed the ends of the housing with a file, and once I put everything back together, it actually worked!   

Naughty brake!

An 11 speed Ultegra rear derailleur shifting an 11-42 9spd cassette? YES!

Then I did one of those "this really should not work, but it does" things on the Snow Dog. I was running a 9spd cassette with a 42T expander cog. I had originally been shifting this with a Grip Shift shifter which was Shimano compatible. 

This worked marginally well as I had indexing in one direction and no indexing the other way. I was not a fan! So, when I came across a nine speed Deore trigger shifter I decided to make the swap. 

Now what is really not supposed to be done is the rear derailleur choice, an 11 speed Ultegra. This should not shift the chain into a 42T cog and it should not work on a 9 speed cassette and chain. 

But it does.

So naughty....

NOTE: A Gravel Grinder News post will drop at 11:00am CST here today. Make sure to check that out. 

The Original Mukluk: Reviewed With Perspective

One of my first rides on the Mukluk in 2011.

 Recently I have been spending more time on my 2011 Salsa Cycles Mukluk fat bike better known here as The Snow Dog. (Yes, it is a reference to the Rush song, "By-Tor and The Snow Dog"

Anyway....

I have not been on the Snow Dog much over the past five to ten years. It just kind of was one of those bikes I didn't reach for in Winter for riding because I had the Blackborow DS and the first Ti Muk. Those two fat bikes were "more capable", in my opinion at that time, than the original Mukluk was. So, when I started riding the Snow Dog again, it was almost as if I had forgotten everything I ever knew about the bike and what I was experiencing was new. 

It might be a good idea to look back and gain some perspective on the original Mukluk that may be forgotten by some folks. First of all, it should be noted that the vast majority of cyclists had never thrown a leg over a fat bike until 2011. 

That was because there weren't any fat bikes that you could just go and buy off a bike shop's floor. It was much more expensive and difficult to obtain one of these bicycles before 2011. The first efforts to make a bike to "float" over sand and snow were spread out across the globe, but most agree that the 1980's were when this idea started to come together to formulate the fat bike as we know it today. You can read a brief history of the fat bike at this Wiki page HERE. 

One of two steel framed prototype Mukluks Salsa Cycles made shown at Interbike 2010

While some say Surly offered "the first commercially available fat bike", I find that to be a bit misleading. Surly offered a frame, fork, tires, and rims. The purchaser was left to finish the build, including building the offset wheels, which was a huge hurdle for many folks, and even some bike shops. Besides these barriers to riding a fat bike, the cost was not "fat bike curious" friendly. It was a big commitment. I remember spec'ing out a fat bike from Surly in 2007 or so and it was going to be over two thousand dollars, and I was getting an employee discount! 

That was a lot for a bike that, well, quite frankly many thought would not work. So, while it is true that Surly made a pathway for many to try a fat bike, it wasn't until 2010 and the announcement that Salsa Cycles would offer an out-of-the-box, turnkey fat bike for a little more than one thousand bucks that interest skyrocketed from all across the USA. 

Surly saw the writing on the wall and so they also went in on offering the Pugsley as a complete bike, but those did not hit the market until a few months after the Mukluk. But suffice it to say, many were now getting their first chances at riding what was, before 2011, nearly a unicorn experience. 

My 2011 Mukluk in its original set up in February of 2011.

Now, with that out of the way, we should think about what these original fat bike designs were all about. There was not a concern for "all-mountain" type handling. In fact, it was more about staying on top of the trail, be that snow or sand, and being able to pedal instead of walking. 

A lot of this can get into the weeds, as far as design, but to boil it down into basics, fat bikes were originally about stability. Weight distribution between the wheels was also a bit of that recipe, for sure, but besides this, it was a typical 26" wheeled design for a mountain bike. There were no "long, slack, and low" designs influencing the earliest fat bike designers. 

Additionally, there was no concern for 1X anything. These were purpose designed to have multiple front chain rings, which - I know - may blow some minds of those younger folks out there. Then you had standard bicycle stuff. Nothing weird or unusual there. So, the reality in 2011 was that this fat bike thing was really about staying stable, moving forward, and that on semi-compacted snow or firm sand. Surfaces that would not support a 2.2" 26"er tire, which would cut into those surfaces and require massive amounts of effort to keep upright and moving forward. 

Fat bikes were not a free pass to ride non-compacted snow, finer, loose sand, or mud. This was a misconception many had at the time when these bikes first came about. That part turned a lot of people off, after a while, and so fat bikes began to be marketed as all-around MTB choices for all terrain. This is when designers started moving away from the previous stability-first designs and more into overall trail handling aspects. By 2015 most fat bikes had lost the older geometry and design specific cues that the original fat bikes had. 

The Snow Dog from a ride last week.

Why would anyone want a fat bike that can only handle up to about a 4.5" tire on 80mm rims, has quick release dropouts, and an axle standard that is not supported anymore? That's the problem with The Snow Dog, but it is still a worthwhile bike if you understand where it will work best. 

I've already given away what it was that slapped me upside the head when I started riding this bike again. Stability. In spades. As an example: My Ti Muk 2, (2015 Salsa Cycles titanium Mukluk) cannot be ridden with no hands for very long. At least not by me! I end up wobbling and swerving right or left not long after I let go of the handle bars. Not so with the original Mukluk. I can ride that thing no-handed with little effort. 

This manifests in slow-speed handling, where I can cut a tight turn, keep the bike upright, and use a lot less effort than I would on my other fat bikes. I wish we had enough snow for groomed trails because I think this bike would really come to life on a packed snow trail. 

We didn't have groomed trails for the first five to six years that I owned this bike, and by the time we did, I had two other fat bikes. So, The Snow Dog kind of got a bad rap for not being great at cutting its own trail, like the Blackborow DS. But then again, these early fat bike designs were meant to be ridden on snow machine tracks and firmer sandy trails. 

The Snow Dog did get ridden on dry single track, and this was where I found the Mukluk was a great trail bike. It handles really well on our typical river bottom dirt trails which wind around the flotsam and jetsam of past floods and the several underbrush plant varieties we have here. 

So, as a plain old mountain bike, it is sort of like an old 1990's mountain bike with 4" wide rubber. No suspension correction either. I was impressed by the single track handling. So much so I wrote a few blog posts back then about why I thought this was more than just a "snow bike".

Of course, it makes a great bike for gravel. If you've ever gotten zinged by the constant barrage of vibrations induced by crushed rock, and thought you might like to try to do something to get rid of that, a fat bike will erase chatter from gravel. Plus these older designs that can only take narrower tires are just perfect for gravel travel. It's the stability thing again.

This bike has its merits. I am coming around to the feeling that it might actually be worthy of some upgrades in componentry soon. Also; if we get any rideable snow late this Winter, I'll try to get out and give an update on this post afterward. 

Stay tuned..

Friday News And Views

 Job Anniversary: 

This past week I observed my third anniversary of starting work at the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective. In case you are unfamiliar with this organization, they are a non-profit organization which benefits the community by recycling used bicycles either back into service or by being responsibly recycled via a local recycling/scrap company. 

We benefit local veterans who need transportation by providing free bicycles and accessories, as well as providing bicycles for other individuals in need. We support various area children's bicycling programs such as bicycle rodeos, Summer programs, and childrens benefit organizations. We also provide safety checks and educational opportunities as well as supporting local events via our Bike Valet program. 

There is more to it than that, but as you might be able to see by now, this is no "bike shop" gig. I get to turn wrenches, do mechanical repairs, and solve problems like I always have done for years, but added into the mix is a genuinely rewarding experience in helping others and making a difference in the community. Things I did not really get out of being a bike shop rat. 

So, I remember this week with gratitude and I don't take this opportunity lightly. It has been an amazing three years, and I cannot believe it has been three years already. But it has and I hope to add more years to that total going forward. If you have a bicycle cooperative/collective/non-profit in your community, I urge you to support that organization in some way this year. Either by volunteering or by donation. These organizations really impact the environment and the people who need bicycles for transportation and recreation.

A Light & Motion bike light on a handlebar (Image courtesy of Grannygear)

Light & Motion Ceases Business Activities:

On January 14th news hit the web concerning the bicycle, scuba, video, and photography lighting company, Light & Motion, who published an announcement that they were ceasing operations immediately. 

A story from "Bikemag" with some comments from the CEO of Light & Motion can be seen by clicking HERE. 

Comments: While many brands have ceased operations after the exit from COVID, this is one of the more well-known brands to close its doors. While Rocky Mountain and GT Bikes have "paused operations", which might leave the door open for some sort of "unpausing", I would assume, this announcement has a bit more of an air of finality to it. 

Citing "political winds" as one of the reasons for the closure, Light & Motion ends with an over 35 year run of manufacturing its products in the USA. It is no secret that the LED lighting segment for cycling is a super-competitive market and that many companies offer excellent lights for very competitive price points. So, by sticking to its guns with regard to doing things stateside, and by having product that was priced at a more premium level, it is not hard to understand how that and the downturn in sales for cycling overall has perhaps forced this action by Light & Motion. 

Snow Dog Update:

Since I rolled out the old Snow Dog again to test those BIKETUBES TPU fat bike tubes, I had to do some updating. I was using an old Archer electronic shifting box deal which could shift incompatible parts, and well, that was no longer an option here. Archer is done as a company and I didn't want to try using the app anymore to set up the thing since it isn't being supported as far as I could tell. 

So I fished out a roll of 4mm derailleur housing in silver and an old SRAM 9 speed shifter. I already had a SRAM rear derailleur mounted, so I figured that would work.

Except this was a SRAM shifter compatible with Shimano. Doh! Okay..... Back to the bins. I fished around and found an 11 speed Ultegra long cage derailleur. Probably the one that came on my Tamland Two? Maybe.... Well, that went on there and with a few adjustments, bingo! I had a working rear derailleur and shifter. 

You may be thinking, "Wait! That's an 11 speed rear derailleur running with a 9 speed chain and shifter? Isn't that forbidden?" And I say, "Don't try this at home, folks!" It's another instance of a mechanic doing what "they say" cannot be done. That's all. I would never tell anyone else this would work. Why? Because, well.....for you it probably wouldn't, and then it would be my fault for saying it does work. That's why. So, I'm saying "this doesn't work", but I'm going with it anyway. 

Remember, it is all fun and games until it breaks. Then if that describes you, and you end up with a failure, or worse, it is because you tried this. It will be your fault. I said it does not work. So there. 

And I will have an update on the tubes soon. 

Image from the Jan. 15th social media post.

Robidoux Roubaix Is Back:

Last August the race director of the Robidoux Roubaix, a gravel race in Western Nebraska, announced that the event was on "indefinite pause" status. 

Specifying a lack of concern by riders for safety and other safety related concerns for race directors of gravel events, the event was taken off the calendar. Now in an Instagram post dated January 15th, the event posted the following quote pulled from a longer statement. 

"It turns out that a little four month break, escaping an unfulfilling 9 to 5, and starting to ride bikes again was enough of a mental boost to remember why I’ve always loved hosting Robidoux!"

Comments: The statement directed readers to register now and that more details would be released about the new routes and more soon.

No mention of the concern about rider safety and conduct at gravel races. This, on one hand, seems odd, but it all may get addressed in future communications, so as of this time, I cannot really comment on this point other than to say the question is there to be answered. What about the previous safety concerns? 

I like that this event came back, however, if just for selfish reasons. I think the area would be a spectacular place to ride, and so I've always had a soft spot in my heart for doing the event. Not that it will ever happen. Especially now with a carless Guitar Ted! 

That's it for this time. Have a great weekend and ride those bicycles!

BIKETUBES 26 X 4.0"-4.5" TPU Tubes: Review

The BIKETUBES TPU fat bike tube.

Note: Guitar Ted purchased three BIKETUBES 26" X 4.0"-4.5" TPU tubes for test/review. BIKETUBES has no knowledge of this review previous to this post and all opinions are Guitar Ted's

The TPU innertube has caused quite a stir since it came aroiund several years ago. Limited sizes, stories of fragility, and the price kept a lot of folks away. However; more sizes, stronger designs, and lower prices have conspired to create something of a buzz around TPU tubes. 

I recently discovered that TPU tubes are now available in fat bike tire sizes with both 26" and 27.5" diameters being covered. There are no really wide sizes yet, but many riders could benefit from the 4.0 - 4.5" width that is being offered at this time. 

I ordered three of these tubes. Two to go in my 2011 Salsa Cycles Mukluk and one as a spare for my Ti Mukluk. This use as a spare or bail-out tube is one of the benefits of TPU tubes. TPU tubes have less mass and take up a lot less space in your kit. I'll get to a comparison between butyl rubber fat bike tubes and these in a bit, but I will give you a spoiler - There is a massive difference! 

These tubes are available on BIKETUBES website and cost me about 68 bucks for three with free shipping. 

What It Is: TPU stands for "Thermoplastic Polyurethane". The material is made into tube shaped "hoses", cut to length, bonded at the ends, and fitted with a valve stem. TPU can be colored, it can be clear, and it is 100% recyclable. TPU tubes can be patched in case of a puncture, (and these tubes come with two patches each) but as of now, no sealant is recommended to be used in a TPU tube. The good news is that TPU tubes are better at resisting punctures than butyl rubber tubes. 

TPU tubes also feature the benefit of very low rolling resistance when used inside a bicycle tire. Research done by a competing TPU tube brand has shown that TPU tubes are almost as low, in terms of rolling resistance, as tubeless, and slightly better than a latex tube would be. This is a very big deal when it comes to fat bikes due to the increased surface area that the TPU tube contacts when inside a tire.

It doesn't take much convincing when it comes to pack size as to which tube I want.

Rolling resistance differences aside, what will really strike you at first is just how crazy light these fat bike TPU tubes are in comparison to a normal fat bike tube. Each TPU tube I purchased weighed in at around 143 -148 grams each with the TPU band and plastic Presta Valve cap. The total weight of butyl rubber tubes I removed was 965gms/2.13lbs. The total weight of the TPU tubes installed in the wheels of my Mukluk is 287 grams/.63lbs. The missing one and a half pounds makes a HUGE difference in rolling weight, not to mention the lowered rolling resistance. 

Installation: TPU tubes are not that much different than butyl tubes when it comes to installation with the exception that TPU can be a little fussy when it comes to giving the tube some shape to get it installed. It is also recommended by many TPU tube brands to lightly talc the insides of the tire. I already had this done so I was good to go. 

TPU is a little less friendly to abuses than butyl rubber during the installation process, so take care to not pinch the tube between the tire and rim, and by no means should you ever use a tool to install the tire. (That goes for butyl rubber tubes also) Proper installation technique will make this very possible. Being a bit gentle with TPU goes a long way toward success. 

My 2011 Mukluk. You cannot see the TPU tubes but they are in there.

My Mukluk still runs the old Larry 3.8 and Big Fat Larry, which is more like a 4.5"- 4.6" tire. The TPU tubes are rated for this range of sizes, and I had no issues getting the tires mounted. I used a SILCA Terra pump which is designed to measure more accurately at low pressures. I went with 8psi front and rear for the initial set up. 

The only negative I see is that the valve stem, which in this case is also made of plastic and could be easy to bend. Care needs to be taken when applying a pump head so as not to damage this stem material, whatever it is. 

The Ride: I took the Mukluk out on some local gravel, dirt, grassy fields, and alleys. The lack of weight was immediately noted, obviously, but what I did not see coming was how these more flexible tubes allow the fat tires to work better. Tubes made of butyl rubber give these tires a stiffer ride by far. I thought I had some fancy, high-TPI fat bike tires on the bike, not these old, stiff Larrys! 

I'm sure the lower rolling resistance is awesome and the weight is better, but I'm telling you that it is the tires and the way they feel 100% different, in a good way, than before is what I am most excited about. The ride was dead smooth and even riding over a small, two to three inch diameter branch was like riding over nothing but smooth pavement. I wouldn't even have known I rode over that but for seeing it coming and hearing it snap when I rode over it. (Note: I've pulled the Redshift ShockStop post since the image was taken and still feel the same about the tires.)

Too bad we don't have any snow to try this out on. I'm very curious to see if this newfound flexibility and smoothness would increase flotation and traction. But maybe later, eh? We've missed out on all the big storms so far this Winter. 

I'll be riding these in the coming weeks and be back with an update. So far, I am very impressed despite the possible fragile valve stems and the steep price.

Friday News And Views

Superbloom is September 6th in Glenwood, IA

 Fat Inflation FN&V

The Guitar Ted Podcast Season 3 Starts:

The Guitar Ted Podcast started up last week with the 64th episode. That is cool but the best part was the surprises. We went into the interview with Julie Borer and Rafal Doloto not really knowing exactly what to expect. 

So, when Julie described her journey in cycling, (based on a question we ask first-timer guests), I was blown away. She had started out by trying to find a cycling group or club to connect with and did not find what she was looking for. Instead of folding and going in some other direction she decided to create what she wasn't seeing.

That eventually led to a women's only gravel event which held their inaugural event last year. Now the Glenwood Superbloom is looking to grow a little bit and continue to reach more women for gravel racing and community fellowshipping. 

I was also blown away by the honesty and transparency of the Loess Hills Enduro event director, Rafal Doloto. His description of the travails involved in being the race director of a grassroots gravel event while trying to balance life responsibilities as a father, husband, and employee were immediately relatable for me. 

Check out the season opener for Season 3 HERE. 

Image courtesy of WTB

WTB i79 Fat Bike Rim:

Sometimes a product is released with so little fanfare, or none at all, that it slips under the radar. Such is the case with this WTB i76 rim. I did not know of its existence until last week when N.Y. Roll called me and brought it up. 

As with all WTB rims the "i76" refers to the rim's internal width, so 76mm in this case. That's perfect for any 3.8" to 4.8" tire. 

Last year about this time WTB announced the Bailiff fat bike tires in 27.5" diameter only. So, when I heard about this new rim from N.Y. Roll and he said it came in a 26"er diameter, I was hopeful that WTB was then going to offer a Bailiff in 26" as well. However; this does not seem to be the case. 

The weights on these rims seem really competitive and being made in alloy, they are a good deal cheaper than carbon rims. The rim bed is designed in a way that the spoke nipples would be recessed into one of the four channels extruded in the rim design and that leaves a smooth inner rim well, making taping for tubeless a breeze. 

I like these rims from what I can see of them online, but I may be getting my hands on a pair to build up for someone soon, so stay tuned for a possible update here.  

Image courtesy of Clik Valve

Clik Valve In For Test/Review:

Last July I reported here on these digital pages concerning a new technology for valves called "Clik Valve". 

A kit with valves, replacement bases, and a pump head to retrofit a pump is on its way to Guitar Ted Productions for evaluation. Note: I am being provided this opportunity at no cost to me, but all opinions and views will be my own. 

I've seen some mechanic feedback on Facebook concerning an early release of this product to certain folks to try out. It seems that tehre is no issue with how it works, but there is some debate about the reasoning for the Clik Valve's existence. 

As you can imagine, some feel there is no reason to change from the 'known' and traditional systems. But we've seen push-back like this before from the cycling masses and it is not unexpected to see this in regard to Clik Valve. 

However; some feel a Schrader Valve should be developed for all cycling disciplines and then this would be a better solution. It is true that more casual cyclists would prefer to see this across all categories of bicycles. It is also true that maximum airflow for tubeless set ups would be enhanced by going with the ubiquitous Schrader Valve. Wider rims across most cycling disciplines would support a Schrader Valve as well. 

I will see what I think of the Clik Valve and if it is truly a step forward and if the applications for it make sense over traditional choices. That should happen soon as the parts are on teh way as of this past Monday. Stay tuned.....

Image courtesy of BIKETUBE

TPU Fat Bike Tubes:

One of the hottest topics for 2024 was TPU tubes for bicycles. My look at WTB's offering last year was one of my Top Ten posts for 2024.

Recently I saw an offer from Biketube for their 26"er TPU fat bike tubes. I decided, based upon my previous experiences with TPU tubes, to purchase some and give them a whirl. 

I will be getting one which will be a spare for the Ti Muk 2 which is set up tubeless. However; I also purchased two more. These will be going in the Snow Dog, my blue Salsa Cycles Mukluk fat bike I've had since 2011. 

So, look for a review to kick in soon on those tubes. Now I have a chore to accomplish! The Snow Dog isn't quite ready for any riding, so I have my work cut out for me in getting it readied to go once the tubes arrive. This will mostly be focused on the drive train as the current set up was done to test the Archer wireless shifting. Unfortunately that company went out of the business of making that product and this will force my hand to make the bike a mechanical shifting bike again.  Stay tuned....

Image courtesy of the Urtopia site.

Urtopia Shows Worlds Lightest, Smallets E-Bike Motor:

At the recently held Consumer and Electronics Show (CES), e-bike brand Urtopia showed a 3-D printed titanium alloy drop bar bike with what Urtopia is claiming to be as the "World's Smallest Motor, Lightest Titanium E-Bike". 

The complete bike weighs in at a claimed 23.8lbs. The e-bike has a 300 watt/hr/Kg solid state battery which helps reduce weight and space concerns. 

The motor has a claimed weight of 2.6lbs and has a peak torque output of 65nm. No battery life data was shared. The bike was a concept but the motor and battery are going to be offered by Urtopia and to other e-bike brands for use in other bicycles. 

Comments: I was passed on my commute home going uphill by a youngster on an e-bike. While it was clear that it was a pedal assisted ride, my mind went to how this type of "bicycle" will be what the future adults in this country will expect when they go "bicycle" shopping in the future. A bike which requires 100% human input to move it will be seen as an antiquity. 

I don't think 100% human powered bicycles will ever go away completely, but as long as we have the ability to make things easier, that is going to be the path of least resistance for humans to take. And humans will almost always take the easiest path, even though it may not be the best path. I'm sure at some point riding a 100% human powered bicycle will be seen much as we see people reacting to riding single speed or fixed gear today - as an unnecessarily hard and perhaps even stupid pursuit. 

It's okay. I've been laughed at before.....

California Fires: You've probably seen some horrific images coming out of California due to the wind-whipped firs around Los Angeles. This has affected many people and will into the future. My prayers to all those affected. 

One bicycle related point here is that the home of long-time bicycle journalist and MTB Hall of Famer, Zapata "Zap" Espinoza, was obliterated in the fire and he and his daughter have lost everything. A GoFundMe has been set up to help assist with their recovery and support. If you feel so led, here is the link.  https://www.gofundme.com/f/zapata-zap-espinozas-postfire-recovery-fund

That's all for this week! Get out and ride those bicycles!

The GTDRI Stories: Fat Tires And Zebras

 "The GTDRI Stories" is a series telling the history, untold tales, and showing the sights from the run of Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitationals. This series will run on Sundays. Thanks for reading!

There are certain rides one does that always stick with you. Maybe you had such a fantastic time with friends that this ride represents a relational highlight for you. Maybe you overcame a personal barrier and went beyond anything you could do. Or, maybe it was a ride where you got lost and ended up having an unexpected adventure. The latter is why this ride I am going to talk about in this edition of "The GTDRI Stories" sticks out for me.

This particular ride was a recon of the upcoming Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational course. I had been eye-balling some roads North of Toledo, Iowa for quite some time. This was an area we went through for Trans Iowa v5 a few years earlier, but we had just skirted the roads I had a mind to check out. So, I made a run down to Toledo to check out a way to get ourselves out of town using the least amount of pavement possible. 

I decided also to make this a recon by bicycle. So I grabbed my new Mukluk, as it had rained the night before, and I knew I might be in for some Level B Action or soft roads. I also was curious at that time as to how a fat bike might work out for gravel riding. I don't think I was the only person on that wavelength! The new fat bikes from Salsa and Surly were causing quite a stir that year, as they were the first fat bikes you could buy as complete, turnkey bicycles with the 3.8" tires. 

My 2011 Salsa Cycles Mukluk as it appeared in 2011. A triple crank? You betcha!

I drove down a long bit of black top road to the Northwest of Toledo looking to find a connector road to gravel to the North, but I was thwarted by a truncated road and even more so by a few downed trees, maybe leftovers from the recent derecho, or newly fallen after being weakened by that event. I could not say, but the point was, I had to turn around and come back the way I had went out.

I went back and looked at the maps and decided to park on the gravel North of town, just off HWY 63, and ride out on a loop I had tried to memorize which would encompass a few roads I was interested in. These roads were not really "on the grid", so there were a few confusing turns that were out there waiting to bait me into making a wrong turn. You can guess what happened next!

I found some pretty spectacular roads on this recon!

The first bit was fairly flat, and then the road went up this really steep hill with a rural church at the summit. Then it went into this gnarly, rutted out Level B Road which was perfect for the fat bike. This was a unique road in that it had a dogleg in it and no other roads crossed its path for almost two miles. 

Love me some wild flowers!

After that fun, I headed back toward the truck, or at least, I thought I was! I made a turn that I thought was the correct road, but it kept on going on, and on, and on! I had no maps with me at the time, not even on my cell phone. So, I was kind of at the mercy of fate for a while and I just had to keep going. I mean, that road would dump me out somewhere, right?

Finally I decided to take a break where the road seemed to start to tip downward a bit. I figured it would be best to rest at the top of a hill than at the foot of some unseen climb. As I looked around, I noted several outbuildings of a farm. A small barn, some sheds, a corn crib. Wait..... Zebras?!! 

Yes, zebras. 

This farm raised zebras. Okay.....that was so random and cool that I had to figure out where I was and somehow put this on the route! But....where was I? That was the big problem that needed figuring out. So, back on the Mukluk and down the hill. It eventually dumped me out on a flat plain at an intersection. Good! I could memorize the street sign, but just in case, I took a photo of it. Alright! I see a highway! Off I went.

As I got to the pavement, I thought I was West of Toledo and intersecting old Highway 30. If that was the case, I needed to go left and I would be back in town in a jiffy and then I'd have to ride North to my truck. But I went about two miles and I came across the road I had originally parked on! Wow! Was I ever turned around! But that meant that the "zebra road" would work for the route. I was stoked! Now all I had to do was finalize the cues and do the ride the following week.

Next: The sixth GTDRI

The GTDRI Stories: Fat Tires And Zebras

 "The GTDRI Stories" is a series telling the history, untold tales, and showing the sights from the run of Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitationals. This series will run on Sundays. Thanks for reading!

There are certain rides one does that always stick with you. Maybe you had such a fantastic time with friends that this ride represents a relational highlight for you. Maybe you overcame a personal barrier and went beyond anything you could do. Or, maybe it was a ride where you got lost and ended up having an unexpected adventure. The latter is why this ride I am going to talk about in this edition of "The GTDRI Stories" sticks out for me.

This particular ride was a recon of the upcoming Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational course. I had been eye-balling some roads North of Toledo, Iowa for quite some time. This was an area we went through for Trans Iowa v5 a few years earlier, but we had just skirted the roads I had a mind to check out. So, I made a run down to Toledo to check out a way to get ourselves out of town using the least amount of pavement possible. 

I decided also to make this a recon by bicycle. So I grabbed my new Mukluk, as it had rained the night before, and I knew I might be in for some Level B Action or soft roads. I also was curious at that time as to how a fat bike might work out for gravel riding. I don't think I was the only person on that wavelength! The new fat bikes from Salsa and Surly were causing quite a stir that year, as they were the first fat bikes you could buy as complete, turnkey bicycles with the 3.8" tires. 

My 2011 Salsa Cycles Mukluk as it appeared in 2011. A triple crank? You betcha!

I drove down a long bit of black top road to the Northwest of Toledo looking to find a connector road to gravel to the North, but I was thwarted by a truncated road and even more so by a few downed trees, maybe leftovers from the recent derecho, or newly fallen after being weakened by that event. I could not say, but the point was, I had to turn around and come back the way I had went out.

I went back and looked at the maps and decided to park on the gravel North of town, just off HWY 63, and ride out on a loop I had tried to memorize which would encompass a few roads I was interested in. These roads were not really "on the grid", so there were a few confusing turns that were out there waiting to bait me into making a wrong turn. You can guess what happened next!

I found some pretty spectacular roads on this recon!

The first bit was fairly flat, and then the road went up this really steep hill with a rural church at the summit. Then it went into this gnarly, rutted out Level B Road which was perfect for the fat bike. This was a unique road in that it had a dogleg in it and no other roads crossed its path for almost two miles. 

Love me some wild flowers!

After that fun, I headed back toward the truck, or at least, I thought I was! I made a turn that I thought was the correct road, but it kept on going on, and on, and on! I had no maps with me at the time, not even on my cell phone. So, I was kind of at the mercy of fate for a while and I just had to keep going. I mean, that road would dump me out somewhere, right?

Finally I decided to take a break where the road seemed to start to tip downward a bit. I figured it would be best to rest at the top of a hill than at the foot of some unseen climb. As I looked around, I noted several outbuildings of a farm. A small barn, some sheds, a corn crib. Wait..... Zebras?!! 

Yes, zebras. 

This farm raised zebras. Okay.....that was so random and cool that I had to figure out where I was and somehow put this on the route! But....where was I? That was the big problem that needed figuring out. So, back on the Mukluk and down the hill. It eventually dumped me out on a flat plain at an intersection. Good! I could memorize the street sign, but just in case, I took a photo of it. Alright! I see a highway! Off I went.

As I got to the pavement, I thought I was West of Toledo and intersecting old Highway 30. If that was the case, I needed to go left and I would be back in town in a jiffy and then I'd have to ride North to my truck. But I went about two miles and I came across the road I had originally parked on! Wow! Was I ever turned around! But that meant that the "zebra road" would work for the route. I was stoked! Now all I had to do was finalize the cues and do the ride the following week.

Next: The sixth GTDRI

Robot Noises For (Almost) Any Bike - Part 3

The Archer Components D-1X unit on the Snow Dog

A while back I tried to ride the Snow Dog, my 2011 Salsa Cycles Mukluk, and I forgot something. I forgot that I had installed the Archer Components D-1X electronic shifting mod on it and the batteries were dead. No wonder! I had the stuff since 2020 and I had never charged the batteries! 

Well, as an update to the previous post I did back at the end of 2020, (HERE), and as a way to actually, you know, get to ride that bike again, I decided I had better learn how this recharging works. 

Frankly, I had no idea that it had been over a year since I last had written up anything on the system, but that is the case. So, here is your update- finally- and a few words about the charging aspect of the system. 

First off, these Archer D-1X's run off special batteries which are sized like AA and AAA batteries, but don't try those! The Archer batteries are a special voltage and your garden variety battery is not recommended. There are two of these batteries in the main "box" on the seat stay of my bike and one in the remote shifter. The battery hatch for the main 'box' is an easily removed - a screw off cap which is located at the front of the 'box', opposite of where the cable exits the unit. Hint: A telescoping, 'pencil' magnet tool will help you extract the batteries without trying to tip the bike oddly.

The Snow Dog set up with the Archer D-1X. You can see the main shifting 'box' on the seat stay

Okay, now to extract the single, smaller sized battery from that remote. It is behind a 'door' located on the bottom side of the remote and held on by two, small hex tool compatible bolts. No big deal, right? just remove those two bolts and grab the battery. Well, it is easy if you have a 1.5mm hex key! 

Who uses 1.5mm hex key head bolts? Archer Components, that's who!

This precipitated a search for said odd-ball tool. That led to a feng shui session in my shop. This felt great, and I was better organized than ever, but I still did not have a 1.5mm hex key! 

Who the heck uses 1.5mm hex socket bolts anyway! 2mm hex keys? I have them all day long. But 1.5mm? Really?!

Anyway, I finally found one on a Park Tool hex key set I had misplaced in another drawer. Hallelujah! Now on to getting these batteries recharged. I wondered how long that would take. 

Well, I never found out via the Archer Components website. It wasn't in the instruction manual that came with the unit. It wasn't with the instructions for the special charger either. Wow! You'd think that might be an important bit for a user of the system to know. Anyway......

The charger works great, but it is a little kludgy.

Only one way to find out how long the batteries take to charge, and that was to observe a charge cycle in real time. That's what I did, not knowing if this would be an hour or three. 

Good news was that the two larger batteries charged up in about one hour. The little battery? Wow! That battery took maybe 20 minutes to charge. And I am pretty sure all the batteries were drained. I am not sure if this adversely affects battery life, or not, but I was good to go in under two hours. 

Conclusions: I'm okay with this system but for a couple weird things that it has going on with it. One: You have to physically turn on and off the shift box or battery life is adversely affected. Two: Those dratted 1.5mm bolts on the remote shifter battery door. Why? There is no good reason for that. Give me some Phillips head screws, or 2mm bolts, but not this odd-ball size that most cyclist won't have a wrench for. 

Go read the link back for more about riding with the D-1X system. It works well, and it is easy to adjust, once you get used to it. I should note that Archer has a new, paddle shifter for flat bars now and the drop bar remote is available as well. This works with 5 speed freewheels all the way up to 11 speed cassettes. It doesn't care if you have a SRAM rear derailleur and a Campy cassette. Whatever. You can make it go, so I think it makes sense from the aspect that you can swap a single set up around to different bikes and enjoy crisp, electronic shifting with no worries about cables and housings. 

And then again, you can always just ride a single speed! 

 NOTE: Archer Components sent over the D1X shifting system to Riding Gravel for test and review at no charge. I am not being paid, nor bribed, to post this here. See the Standard Disclaimer Page.

Robot Noises For (Almost) Any Bike - Part 3

The Archer Components D-1X unit on the Snow Dog

A while back I tried to ride the Snow Dog, my 2011 Salsa Cycles Mukluk, and I forgot something. I forgot that I had installed the Archer Components D-1X electronic shifting mod on it and the batteries were dead. No wonder! I had the stuff since 2020 and I had never charged the batteries! 

Well, as an update to the previous post I did back at the end of 2020, (HERE), and as a way to actually, you know, get to ride that bike again, I decided I had better learn how this recharging works. 

Frankly, I had no idea that it had been over a year since I last had written up anything on the system, but that is the case. So, here is your update- finally- and a few words about the charging aspect of the system. 

First off, these Archer D-1X's run off special batteries which are sized like AA and AAA batteries, but don't try those! The Archer batteries are a special voltage and your garden variety battery is not recommended. There are two of these batteries in the main "box" on the seat stay of my bike and one in the remote shifter. The battery hatch for the main 'box' is an easily removed - a screw off cap which is located at the front of the 'box', opposite of where the cable exits the unit. Hint: A telescoping, 'pencil' magnet tool will help you extract the batteries without trying to tip the bike oddly.

The Snow Dog set up with the Archer D-1X. You can see the main shifting 'box' on the seat stay

Okay, now to extract the single, smaller sized battery from that remote. It is behind a 'door' located on the bottom side of the remote and held on by two, small hex tool compatible bolts. No big deal, right? just remove those two bolts and grab the battery. Well, it is easy if you have a 1.5mm hex key! 

Who uses 1.5mm hex key head bolts? Archer Components, that's who!

This precipitated a search for said odd-ball tool. That led to a feng shui session in my shop. This felt great, and I was better organized than ever, but I still did not have a 1.5mm hex key! 

Who the heck uses 1.5mm hex socket bolts anyway! 2mm hex keys? I have them all day long. But 1.5mm? Really?!

Anyway, I finally found one on a Park Tool hex key set I had misplaced in another drawer. Hallelujah! Now on to getting these batteries recharged. I wondered how long that would take. 

Well, I never found out via the Archer Components website. It wasn't in the instruction manual that came with the unit. It wasn't with the instructions for the special charger either. Wow! You'd think that might be an important bit for a user of the system to know. Anyway......

The charger works great, but it is a little kludgy.

Only one way to find out how long the batteries take to charge, and that was to observe a charge cycle in real time. That's what I did, not knowing if this would be an hour or three. 

Good news was that the two larger batteries charged up in about one hour. The little battery? Wow! That battery took maybe 20 minutes to charge. And I am pretty sure all the batteries were drained. I am not sure if this adversely affects battery life, or not, but I was good to go in under two hours. 

Conclusions: I'm okay with this system but for a couple weird things that it has going on with it. One: You have to physically turn on and off the shift box or battery life is adversely affected. Two: Those dratted 1.5mm bolts on the remote shifter battery door. Why? There is no good reason for that. Give me some Phillips head screws, or 2mm bolts, but not this odd-ball size that most cyclist won't have a wrench for. 

Go read the link back for more about riding with the D-1X system. It works well, and it is easy to adjust, once you get used to it. I should note that Archer has a new, paddle shifter for flat bars now and the drop bar remote is available as well. This works with 5 speed freewheels all the way up to 11 speed cassettes. It doesn't care if you have a SRAM rear derailleur and a Campy cassette. Whatever. You can make it go, so I think it makes sense from the aspect that you can swap a single set up around to different bikes and enjoy crisp, electronic shifting with no worries about cables and housings. 

And then again, you can always just ride a single speed! 

 NOTE: Archer Components sent over the D1X shifting system to Riding Gravel for test and review at no charge. I am not being paid, nor bribed, to post this here. See the Standard Disclaimer Page.

Making Plans For Slop Season

Plenty of room here for fenders

Well, sooner or later things are going to get cold, sloppy, and frozen. So, with that in mind I have been thinking about how I want to tackle things for Winter this year. 

Obviously I have the Snow Dog and the Ti Muk 2 to use when things get really nasty. Fat bikes are really awesome machines, but many days during Winter those bikes are overkill for commuting or for general purpose riding around. That's where my mind has been of late- how do I want to approach this Winter outside of using fat bikes?

Well, I like a single speed, and I like fenders. So, I have been sizing up a few ideas of late and I think I can work it out to where I should have most every base covered. Today's post will deal with my plans for my "Slop Season" bikes. The bikes I'd use when gravel roads are wet, or when slushy streets are free from ice, but messy. 

The past couple of years I have relied upon the Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross bike I have. It did alright in that role, but I have another idea there, which I may cover later on. The thing with the ol' Orange Crush rig is that it has a pretty high bottom bracket which makes things less than stable on uncertain surfaces like snow, mud, or the occasional icy patch. I'd rather have a lower bottom bracket bike for that, and it just so happens that the T-6 Standard Rando v2 is that bike for me.

Test fit with different wheels and tires for now.

I decided to try out this bike with fenders which I have on the BMC Orange Crush bike right now. With a bit narrower tire, and with the option to go 650B (wider tires) as well, since I already have a wheel set all ready to go with that set up, this bike might cover a lot of ground for Winter. I cannot do 650B on the BMC, because it has rim brakes, so this seems like a better way to go right now. 

So far, I only have tried out some narrower wheels and tires. next will be the fenders. Then I'll see how the 650B wheels sit with those. If it all goes as planned I think this bike might see a fair amount of use this Winter. 

I do have a set of 45NRTH 700c X 40 studded tires which I think will go on the BMC after the fenders are gone. Then that bike could be the freeze-melt-re-freeze commuter rig or the bike I use when it snows some- but not enough to warrant a fat bike. 

I also have a thought about what to do with my Karate Monkey. It currently sits with rim brakes, but I think those days are numbered and it will return back to a disc brake bike again so I can use some big, wide rims I have with some big, fat 29"er tires I have and that can be for snow-packed gravel road riding, if that happens. 

See, I have several bicycles, I may as well use them for stuff. Besides the fat bikes mentioned, the other three are all single speed drive trains which means I won't be roaching my precious geared set ups over the wet, snowy, icy Winter months. And if this whole Winter pans out to be a dry, cold dud of a Winter? Then I have had some fun dinking around with bicycles. No big deal....