Friday News And Views

Salsa Cycles Ti Fargo frame set . (Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles)

 Salsa Cycles Ti Fargo For '23:

Monday Salsa Cycles released news that the Ti Fargo was back again for 2023. Besides changing the graphics/logos, nothing else is different here. In fact, this has been the same frame and fork since the 2019 model year. 

My image here is from the last run of the Ti Fargo showing the old logo. The new logo replaces this, (the same "block-ish" logo as can be seen on all their other bikes now), so the image here is not an updated one. 

The price has also been updated on the titanium Fargo as well. Up $600.00 since 2019, it is now sitting at $3349.00 for that frame and fork. This brings up some interesting points in regard to marketing and consumer perceptions.

New Fargo logo (Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles)

Previously, in year-to-year model changes, a manufacturer could spec a frame and a fork completely differently. Not only that, but frame tubing, (on metal models) could be radically different as well. This allowed price increases to be largely hidden by "the new" stuff and consumers could justify the price based upon a spec sheet. 

The Ti Fargo represents where the bicycle industry would like to go- that being no model years. Changes would only occur when a new model was introduced or significant spec changes made a difference, or both at the same time. This could happen at any point in the year and at whatever interval the company deemed good. So, a bike like the Fargo, which has largely stayed the same since the Gen 5 was introduced back in 2017, is a good example of this. Salsa has stuck to yearly changes, but they have been spec changes only. Plus, those yearly changes haven't always happened at the same time, year to year. 

Salsa's new logo (Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

Now the Ti Fargo is a completely different beast. This frame and fork have become something of a commodity. This frame and fork have not changed at all since 2019, and then it was only a fork change. So, you can kind of look at the Ti Fargo as a better indicator of market pricing, since the variables in this product are insignificant over the years since its introduction. 

I may be missing something in the press releases over the years. But as far as I can tell, this is the same tube set, same titanium alloy, and the design hasn't changed one iota since 2018. Granting that the fork change for 2019 may be a cause for a higher price from the 2018 model, I'll go from there to now with my comparison. 

The difference? Price had increased $600.00. That's a lot in four years!

Hutchinson Override (Image courtesy of Hutchinson Tires)

Hutchinson Tires Debuts 700 X 50mm Options;

The line between 29"er and "Gravel" is getting blurred every day now it seems. The bicycles can handle 2" tires and the manufacturers are only to happy to have more tire choices to slap into these bikes now. Hutchinson is the latest to bloat their gravel tires up into 29" sizing. 

The Override, Touareg, and the Tundra are all now available in 700c X 50mm sizes. Well.....if you are in Europe, that is. Hutchinson pulled out of the US market over a year or so ago now. Yes, you could order from overseas here. That's likely to cost you a bit more, but I see places where one can order Hutchinson tires from online.

The Hutch Tundra. (Image courtesy of Hutchinson tires)

The Touareg was, and still is, one of my favorite gravel tires. It also happens to be really, really easy to live with as a tubeless tire. In fact, if you were to ever go tubeless for the first time, I would recommend the Touareg as your first foray into tubelessness. It's sooooo easy to use and live with.

 Comments: These fatty gravel tires are probably best suited to bikepacking/light MTB use. A 2" wide tire won't fit on most gravel bikes, but then again....

Maybe what this is signalling is that there is a bigger trend at play here. The "mountain bike-i-fication" of gravel bikes, perhaps? I see more rumblings on the front telescopic fork idea, and with these bikes with bigger clearances and with these tires? 

I think it is completely misguided and wrong, but I don't run the industry. Off-road trails are a lot harder to get to for riding than back roads are, or gravel is here. I'd wager that is the case for most people. Another thing pushing at the other end is the "gravelification" of road bikes. See.... The bicycle industry is all jacked up. I've said it from the beginning- "These bikes, (gravel, if that is what you have to call them by) are the bikes the every-day rider should be using all the time everywhere where there is a road, paved or unpaved, city or country." Let mountain bikes be MTB's and road racing bikes be their deal over there. Most people don't need either one- road racing or MTB. Stop trying to make road racing bikes "gravel" and "gravel" bikes into MTBs. 

Shimano Issues Bleak 2023 Sales Forecast:

After two years of phenomenal sales increases, Shimano issued a statement recently that says it expects sales figures for the cycling and fishing giant to decrease by about 21%, according to a recent report by an industry trade source. In similar news, a recent report filed by Carlton Reid of "Forbes" online reveals that sales in the U.K. are also down, even in the HPC/electrified bicycle segment.

This goes along with everything else the industry experts are saying. The 2023 season will be a bumpy ride for cycling businesses. Already I am seeing more flash sales, 25% and higher discounts, and brands that have never had sales are having sales now. 

Surly Preamble Flat or Drop bar: Image from a Reddit thread

Surly Bikes Intros New Entry Level Bike Called "Preamble":

Early on Wednesday morning I came across an article reviewing a new Surly entry level bike called the "Preamble". This bike was also leaked on a Reddit thread I came across moments later. 

It seems as though these new Surly steeds are based on a steel (of course) frame spec'ed with MicroShift's 9 speed flat bar and drop bar offerings. Other spec choices show a more off-brand, lower end spec, but for the claimed prices, this seems fair. The Preamble Flat Bar was said to be $999.00 for the flat bar and $1249.00 for the drop bar bike. 

Five sizes will be offered and there seems to be a couple of color choices for each model. The frames also are not your typical "Swiss Army Knife" type, versatile frames. Here on the Preamble it looks like a straight-up, basic set of braze-ons supporting the traditional two water bottle, rack, and fender set up. Tire clearances are also not the typical Surly fare with abilities to go 650B or 700c, but limited to 41mm with either diameter, according to the story I saw. 

Another "not-for-consumer's-eyes" document I was able to dig up easily actually gives alternative spec from the two major players in the market with one being an as-yet under embargo component group. Whoops! So, expect more news about the Preamble soon.

Comments: Ever since Quality Bicycle Products Rich Tauer took over the reins of leadership at the company, there has been a big sea change in the QBP brands both in terms of personnel and product offerings. Surly being maybe the most outstanding example here, and some would say, not in a good way. 

You can take that argument anyway you'd like, I have no dog in the fight, but it is not up for debate that Surly has fundamentally changed its tone and feel in terms of the brand. This move, which mirrors much of what Salsa Cycles has done with the Journeyer and Rangefinder, drops the Surly line-up into an easily digestible product for sale to folks wanting to get into the brand. To my way of thinking, it is the product aimed at the same market Salsa went after with REI stores and its Rangefinder/Journeyer lines.
 

That's a wrap for this week! Have a good one and thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Salsa Cycles Ti Fargo frame set . (Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles)

 Salsa Cycles Ti Fargo For '23:

Monday Salsa Cycles released news that the Ti Fargo was back again for 2023. Besides changing the graphics/logos, nothing else is different here. In fact, this has been the same frame and fork since the 2019 model year. 

My image here is from the last run of the Ti Fargo showing the old logo. The new logo replaces this, (the same "block-ish" logo as can be seen on all their other bikes now), so the image here is not an updated one. 

The price has also been updated on the titanium Fargo as well. Up $600.00 since 2019, it is now sitting at $3349.00 for that frame and fork. This brings up some interesting points in regard to marketing and consumer perceptions.

New Fargo logo (Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles)

Previously, in year-to-year model changes, a manufacturer could spec a frame and a fork completely differently. Not only that, but frame tubing, (on metal models) could be radically different as well. This allowed price increases to be largely hidden by "the new" stuff and consumers could justify the price based upon a spec sheet. 

The Ti Fargo represents where the bicycle industry would like to go- that being no model years. Changes would only occur when a new model was introduced or significant spec changes made a difference, or both at the same time. This could happen at any point in the year and at whatever interval the company deemed good. So, a bike like the Fargo, which has largely stayed the same since the Gen 5 was introduced back in 2017, is a good example of this. Salsa has stuck to yearly changes, but they have been spec changes only. Plus, those yearly changes haven't always happened at the same time, year to year. 

Salsa's new logo (Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

Now the Ti Fargo is a completely different beast. This frame and fork have become something of a commodity. This frame and fork have not changed at all since 2019, and then it was only a fork change. So, you can kind of look at the Ti Fargo as a better indicator of market pricing, since the variables in this product are insignificant over the years since its introduction. 

I may be missing something in the press releases over the years. But as far as I can tell, this is the same tube set, same titanium alloy, and the design hasn't changed one iota since 2018. Granting that the fork change for 2019 may be a cause for a higher price from the 2018 model, I'll go from there to now with my comparison. 

The difference? Price had increased $600.00. That's a lot in four years!

Hutchinson Override (Image courtesy of Hutchinson Tires)

Hutchinson Tires Debuts 700 X 50mm Options;

The line between 29"er and "Gravel" is getting blurred every day now it seems. The bicycles can handle 2" tires and the manufacturers are only to happy to have more tire choices to slap into these bikes now. Hutchinson is the latest to bloat their gravel tires up into 29" sizing. 

The Override, Touareg, and the Tundra are all now available in 700c X 50mm sizes. Well.....if you are in Europe, that is. Hutchinson pulled out of the US market over a year or so ago now. Yes, you could order from overseas here. That's likely to cost you a bit more, but I see places where one can order Hutchinson tires from online.

The Hutch Tundra. (Image courtesy of Hutchinson tires)

The Touareg was, and still is, one of my favorite gravel tires. It also happens to be really, really easy to live with as a tubeless tire. In fact, if you were to ever go tubeless for the first time, I would recommend the Touareg as your first foray into tubelessness. It's sooooo easy to use and live with.

 Comments: These fatty gravel tires are probably best suited to bikepacking/light MTB use. A 2" wide tire won't fit on most gravel bikes, but then again....

Maybe what this is signalling is that there is a bigger trend at play here. The "mountain bike-i-fication" of gravel bikes, perhaps? I see more rumblings on the front telescopic fork idea, and with these bikes with bigger clearances and with these tires? 

I think it is completely misguided and wrong, but I don't run the industry. Off-road trails are a lot harder to get to for riding than back roads are, or gravel is here. I'd wager that is the case for most people. Another thing pushing at the other end is the "gravelification" of road bikes. See.... The bicycle industry is all jacked up. I've said it from the beginning- "These bikes, (gravel, if that is what you have to call them by) are the bikes the every-day rider should be using all the time everywhere where there is a road, paved or unpaved, city or country." Let mountain bikes be MTB's and road racing bikes be their deal over there. Most people don't need either one- road racing or MTB. Stop trying to make road racing bikes "gravel" and "gravel" bikes into MTBs. 

Shimano Issues Bleak 2023 Sales Forecast:

After two years of phenomenal sales increases, Shimano issued a statement recently that says it expects sales figures for the cycling and fishing giant to decrease by about 21%, according to a recent report by an industry trade source. In similar news, a recent report filed by Carlton Reid of "Forbes" online reveals that sales in the U.K. are also down, even in the HPC/electrified bicycle segment.

This goes along with everything else the industry experts are saying. The 2023 season will be a bumpy ride for cycling businesses. Already I am seeing more flash sales, 25% and higher discounts, and brands that have never had sales are having sales now. 

Surly Preamble Flat or Drop bar: Image from a Reddit thread

Surly Bikes Intros New Entry Level Bike Called "Preamble":

Early on Wednesday morning I came across an article reviewing a new Surly entry level bike called the "Preamble". This bike was also leaked on a Reddit thread I came across moments later. 

It seems as though these new Surly steeds are based on a steel (of course) frame spec'ed with MicroShift's 9 speed flat bar and drop bar offerings. Other spec choices show a more off-brand, lower end spec, but for the claimed prices, this seems fair. The Preamble Flat Bar was said to be $999.00 for the flat bar and $1249.00 for the drop bar bike. 

Five sizes will be offered and there seems to be a couple of color choices for each model. The frames also are not your typical "Swiss Army Knife" type, versatile frames. Here on the Preamble it looks like a straight-up, basic set of braze-ons supporting the traditional two water bottle, rack, and fender set up. Tire clearances are also not the typical Surly fare with abilities to go 650B or 700c, but limited to 41mm with either diameter, according to the story I saw. 

Another "not-for-consumer's-eyes" document I was able to dig up easily actually gives alternative spec from the two major players in the market with one being an as-yet under embargo component group. Whoops! So, expect more news about the Preamble soon.

Comments: Ever since Quality Bicycle Products Rich Tauer took over the reins of leadership at the company, there has been a big sea change in the QBP brands both in terms of personnel and product offerings. Surly being maybe the most outstanding example here, and some would say, not in a good way. 

You can take that argument anyway you'd like, I have no dog in the fight, but it is not up for debate that Surly has fundamentally changed its tone and feel in terms of the brand. This move, which mirrors much of what Salsa Cycles has done with the Journeyer and Rangefinder, drops the Surly line-up into an easily digestible product for sale to folks wanting to get into the brand. To my way of thinking, it is the product aimed at the same market Salsa went after with REI stores and its Rangefinder/Journeyer lines.
 

That's a wrap for this week! Have a good one and thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

The Fork Got Boosted!

The new "Firestarter 110 Carbon Deluxe Fork"

The news came out Friday, I believe, but the Ti Fargo was announced as a go again for 2019, which in reality means it will be another small batch that will be gone in a month or so. That is what happened last year. So......was the 2018 Fargo in Titanium really a 2018 model? Same can be said for this run..... Whatever! Marketing!

Leaving that behind the big deal now is that the Firestarter fork is now Boost 110. That means you won't have to be put in the awkward position of getting a non-boost front wheel and a Boost rear. (Or getting the reduction plates for the Alternator to make the rear standard 142mm through axle)

Basically- totally boosted now. But that's not all.....

Now there are four sets of Three Pack bosses, front-ish facing and rear-ish facing. I've always preferred the rearward facing cage position for bottles, myself, but now you have options. Added to this are fender mounts, low rider mounts, and internal routing for a dynamo hub. These are suspension corrected for 100mm travel and have 51mm of fork offset. I find that offset figure interesting since the standard steel fork and previous Firestarter Carbon forks are listed at 45mm offset.

Wheel sizes that work are standard 29"er, 29+, and 27.5+. So, Salsa is still claiming compatibility with all of those differing diameters.

Finally, this may or may not be a sign of things to come. My opinion was that if a Boost spaced Firestarter wasn't produced, it could be the end of the Fargo. But here we have that fork. The Fargo is ten years old as of the release of this so-called 2019 Titanium Fargo. Will their be an anniversary Fargo? Maybe...... I was asked about what I would do for one several years ago at the DK200 by a couple Salsa engineers close to the Fargo. Salsa has done anniversary models before. So, we will see in a month or two when Saddledrive happens, at which time Salsa generally releases news on the next model year.

Whatever happens my Gen I Fargo isn't getting replaced anytime soon.

The Fork Got Boosted!

The new "Firestarter 110 Carbon Deluxe Fork"

The news came out Friday, I believe, but the Ti Fargo was announced as a go again for 2019, which in reality means it will be another small batch that will be gone in a month or so. That is what happened last year. So......was the 2018 Fargo in Titanium really a 2018 model? Same can be said for this run..... Whatever! Marketing!

Leaving that behind the big deal now is that the Firestarter fork is now Boost 110. That means you won't have to be put in the awkward position of getting a non-boost front wheel and a Boost rear. (Or getting the reduction plates for the Alternator to make the rear standard 142mm through axle)

Basically- totally boosted now. But that's not all.....

Now there are four sets of Three Pack bosses, front-ish facing and rear-ish facing. I've always preferred the rearward facing cage position for bottles, myself, but now you have options. Added to this are fender mounts, low rider mounts, and internal routing for a dynamo hub. These are suspension corrected for 100mm travel and have 51mm of fork offset. I find that offset figure interesting since the standard steel fork and previous Firestarter Carbon forks are listed at 45mm offset.

Wheel sizes that work are standard 29"er, 29+, and 27.5+. So, Salsa is still claiming compatibility with all of those differing diameters.

Finally, this may or may not be a sign of things to come. My opinion was that if a Boost spaced Firestarter wasn't produced, it could be the end of the Fargo. But here we have that fork. The Fargo is ten years old as of the release of this so-called 2019 Titanium Fargo. Will their be an anniversary Fargo? Maybe...... I was asked about what I would do for one several years ago at the DK200 by a couple Salsa engineers close to the Fargo. Salsa has done anniversary models before. So, we will see in a month or two when Saddledrive happens, at which time Salsa generally releases news on the next model year.

Whatever happens my Gen I Fargo isn't getting replaced anytime soon.

Thinning The Herd: Part 2

Navigating the Iowan jungle.

Back in the first "Thinning The Herd" post I spoke about the Fargo Gen 2 bike and why it was that I was parting ways with that rig. I sent the frame and fork off to its new owner, and that should be arriving with him this Friday, if not before. So, that chapter in my bicycle fleet is now nearly closed.

Of course, I stripped a bunch of parts off that bike and I alluded to that in the first post linked above. The Gen 2 Fargo was known as the "Fat Fargo" since it was sporting those 27.5+ wheels and tires. This was a key part for another bike, my Fisher. Sure, it was actually a bike sold as a Trek, but c'mon! This is a Fisher bike that came out the year after Trek absorbed Fisher. I'm sure it was meant to be a Fisher.

Now for a bit of history on the Sawyer. The  Sawyer was a 2 X 9 bike with a rigid fork. Trek sold it for two years and then it went away. Obviously, it was a special model made to be an evolution of Gary Fisher's original "Klunker" bike. A model of which made a cameo appearance in the mid-90's as well. In my opinion, the 2011/2012 Sawyer model was the best looking non-custom cruiser styled mountain bike ever. Unfortunately, the absorption of the Fisher brand in to Trek's corporate "borg hive-like" culture killed the marketing of this bike. Essentially was it doomed from the get-go because Trek dealers largely ignored the whimsical, oddball Sawyer and due to the lack of marketing buzz, many riders didn't know what to make of it.

The 27.5+ wheels and this bike were meant for each other.

 Trek sent me a Sawyer to review for Twenty Nine Inches back in the day and when I was done, they, as many companies did, ignored my requests for instructions to send it back. So.......here it is to this day. I liked the Sawyer as it was offered, but it had almost no corporate buzz and getting anything beyond the basics from Trek about it was met with radio silence, for the most part. As I surmised at the time, it was an expensive bike to produce, since it had so many proprietary castings and the frame was difficult to produce. With its triple top tubes having to be precisely bent and welded into place, I can imagine that this frame kept some Trek folks up late at night worrying that they might have a load of misaligned frames on their hands. What is more, it has a split drive side drop out, which is one of the trickest belt compatibility solutions I've ever seen. Had this been a NAHBS one-off custom, it would have been a very popular rig. But it got stuck with a Trek head tube badge and that pretty much killed the "cool factor" right there. Many Sawyers, which were about $1500.00 retail, ended up selling at a grand or even less by 2013 just so dealers could clear them out.

So, like I say, I had this thing setting around so I began to play with it. I had an older Fisher with a 100mm Fox fork, a G2 geometry fork, so I put it on the Sawyer. Then I swapped the geared set up to a Gates Center Track for another review of those parts. Along the way, I had trouble getting comfortable with the gangly, high, and akward Sawyer. It was like a teenager that hadn't matured into its overly large feet and hands. It just never set well with me, and although I was, (and still am) in love with the look, I could never reconcile with how this bike felt despite multiple changes to it. The stock set up seemed to be far better, so I purposed to go back to that to see what I was screwing up with what I had been doing to this bike.

So, the whole 27.5+ thing started blowing up in 2013, and I got sent a set of WTB Trailblazer 2.8"ers to try out. The Sawyer was a perfect candidate for the wheels. I knew people had shoe-horned 29+ wheels into Sawyers, so the clearances were there. The bottom bracket, in a choice made by Trek/Fisher in what I am sure was an influence from Gary himself, was made to have almost zero drop. Putting slightly smaller diameter wheels on the Sawyer would be okay then.

The wheels seemed tailor made for the Sawyer. For the first time the bike seemed "right". I actually had a ton of fun with it set up with the 27.5+ wheels. But I ended up choosing to go with these wheels on the Fargo, which, for a time, proved to be a great choice as well. The Sawyer, in the meantime, languished in the corner of The Lab where it was doomed to sit until I either sold it or got some 27.5+ wheels for it. I never was motivated to build up another 27.5+ set up, so instead, I almost sold the Sawyer a couple of months ago.

Then the realization that I may want a Ti Fargo more than two steel ones came along. I sold the Gen 2 frame and fork, and the wheels were suddenly available again, so.... Now I am planning on keeping this bike around.

Now you know the rest of the story.

Thinning The Herd: Part 2

Navigating the Iowan jungle.

Back in the first "Thinning The Herd" post I spoke about the Fargo Gen 2 bike and why it was that I was parting ways with that rig. I sent the frame and fork off to its new owner, and that should be arriving with him this Friday, if not before. So, that chapter in my bicycle fleet is now nearly closed.

Of course, I stripped a bunch of parts off that bike and I alluded to that in the first post linked above. The Gen 2 Fargo was known as the "Fat Fargo" since it was sporting those 27.5+ wheels and tires. This was a key part for another bike, my Fisher. Sure, it was actually a bike sold as a Trek, but c'mon! This is a Fisher bike that came out the year after Trek absorbed Fisher. I'm sure it was meant to be a Fisher.

Now for a bit of history on the Sawyer. The  Sawyer was a 2 X 9 bike with a rigid fork. Trek sold it for two years and then it went away. Obviously, it was a special model made to be an evolution of Gary Fisher's original "Klunker" bike. A model of which made a cameo appearance in the mid-90's as well. In my opinion, the 2011/2012 Sawyer model was the best looking non-custom cruiser styled mountain bike ever. Unfortunately, the absorption of the Fisher brand in to Trek's corporate "borg hive-like" culture killed the marketing of this bike. Essentially was it doomed from the get-go because Trek dealers largely ignored the whimsical, oddball Sawyer and due to the lack of marketing buzz, many riders didn't know what to make of it.

The 27.5+ wheels and this bike were meant for each other.

 Trek sent me a Sawyer to review for Twenty Nine Inches back in the day and when I was done, they, as many companies did, ignored my requests for instructions to send it back. So.......here it is to this day. I liked the Sawyer as it was offered, but it had almost no corporate buzz and getting anything beyond the basics from Trek about it was met with radio silence, for the most part. As I surmised at the time, it was an expensive bike to produce, since it had so many proprietary castings and the frame was difficult to produce. With its triple top tubes having to be precisely bent and welded into place, I can imagine that this frame kept some Trek folks up late at night worrying that they might have a load of misaligned frames on their hands. What is more, it has a split drive side drop out, which is one of the trickest belt compatibility solutions I've ever seen. Had this been a NAHBS one-off custom, it would have been a very popular rig. But it got stuck with a Trek head tube badge and that pretty much killed the "cool factor" right there. Many Sawyers, which were about $1500.00 retail, ended up selling at a grand or even less by 2013 just so dealers could clear them out.

So, like I say, I had this thing setting around so I began to play with it. I had an older Fisher with a 100mm Fox fork, a G2 geometry fork, so I put it on the Sawyer. Then I swapped the geared set up to a Gates Center Track for another review of those parts. Along the way, I had trouble getting comfortable with the gangly, high, and akward Sawyer. It was like a teenager that hadn't matured into its overly large feet and hands. It just never set well with me, and although I was, (and still am) in love with the look, I could never reconcile with how this bike felt despite multiple changes to it. The stock set up seemed to be far better, so I purposed to go back to that to see what I was screwing up with what I had been doing to this bike.

So, the whole 27.5+ thing started blowing up in 2013, and I got sent a set of WTB Trailblazer 2.8"ers to try out. The Sawyer was a perfect candidate for the wheels. I knew people had shoe-horned 29+ wheels into Sawyers, so the clearances were there. The bottom bracket, in a choice made by Trek/Fisher in what I am sure was an influence from Gary himself, was made to have almost zero drop. Putting slightly smaller diameter wheels on the Sawyer would be okay then.

The wheels seemed tailor made for the Sawyer. For the first time the bike seemed "right". I actually had a ton of fun with it set up with the 27.5+ wheels. But I ended up choosing to go with these wheels on the Fargo, which, for a time, proved to be a great choice as well. The Sawyer, in the meantime, languished in the corner of The Lab where it was doomed to sit until I either sold it or got some 27.5+ wheels for it. I never was motivated to build up another 27.5+ set up, so instead, I almost sold the Sawyer a couple of months ago.

Then the realization that I may want a Ti Fargo more than two steel ones came along. I sold the Gen 2 frame and fork, and the wheels were suddenly available again, so.... Now I am planning on keeping this bike around.

Now you know the rest of the story.

Thinning The Herd

This frame and fork will be going bye-bye.....

So, I have this frame and fork I need to move along. Maybe I've fallen ill, or maybe it is because it is raining as I write this and I am bored, or maybe I am not in my right mind, but yes......

The Gen 2 Fargo frame and fork, (only), are going to be offered up for sale.

Okay, before y'all get fired up and start typing me e-mails about parts- None of the components from the build you see here are for sale! Only the frame and fork, along with the headset, because in my mind, that is part of the frame set. But anyway- don't even ask about the wheels and tires. They are already going on another bike I have. The Cowchippers are staying with me. The ti seat post is already in another bike. Got it?

Just the frame and fork folks. That's it.

Now, with that out of the way, here is why.....

Me on the Gen 2 Fargo at Odin's Revenge. Image by L Trullinger

I haven't ridden the Gen 2 Fargo in over a year. That's a tragedy, and a waste of a good bike. I need to find someone who will use this frame and fork and love it. It is an awesome rig, but if I am not using it, it has to go. Just like the Singular Gryphon, which I wasn't riding, and sold to a happy new owner, I hope this frame and fork find its "happy new owner" soon.

Then there is the thing I've always wanted, and that is to find a Ti Fargo. That's a "grail" bike for me, but it really makes no sense to get a Ti Fargo when I have two Fargos sitting here and one that I never ride anymore. Reason to move said Fargo gets even stronger......

I never used this frame and fork as I had intended, which was as a geared mountain bike with a suspension fork. That was my intention going in to this, but it never really worked out that way. That pretty much nails all the reasons I want to sell this frame and fork.

So, that is news, and if you are wondering, this is on my "Garage Sale" page now. If you are interested or are curious, shoot me an e-mail. g.ted.productions@gmail.com It's a size Large, by the way.

I probably won't get one of these. They are all gone......

So, looking forward, a Ti Fargo is in my future. Just what year model and all is not known. I have a line on a '15 in my size, but I'll have to do some negotiating on that one. So, it is a possibility that this happens sooner than later.

The reasoning here is that titanium rides better, (yes, it really does), and for how I use a Fargo, (gravel, adventure, bad weather, frame bags, etc), titanium makes sense. I hope to get one with Alternators for that bail out possibility and for a possible internal gear set up at some point.

So, there you have it. This isn't probably "thinning the herd" as much as it is a looking to "trade up", but there are no guarantees I'll end up where I want to be in terms of a Ti Fargo. I do mean to get the steel Gen 2 Fargo into someone elses hands though. So, for now, I am going with the "thinning the herd" theme until further notice!

And there will be more future "herd thinning". Some in terms of retired service bikes and some for sale. I may end up with some odds and ends for sale too. I just look around at my stuff and see "too much" in several areas. I have to address that. It isn't good to have a lot and not use it for something. 

Thinning The Herd

This frame and fork will be going bye-bye.....

So, I have this frame and fork I need to move along. Maybe I've fallen ill, or maybe it is because it is raining as I write this and I am bored, or maybe I am not in my right mind, but yes......

The Gen 2 Fargo frame and fork, (only), are going to be offered up for sale.

Okay, before y'all get fired up and start typing me e-mails about parts- None of the components from the build you see here are for sale! Only the frame and fork, along with the headset, because in my mind, that is part of the frame set. But anyway- don't even ask about the wheels and tires. They are already going on another bike I have. The Cowchippers are staying with me. The ti seat post is already in another bike. Got it?

Just the frame and fork folks. That's it.

Now, with that out of the way, here is why.....

Me on the Gen 2 Fargo at Odin's Revenge. Image by L Trullinger

I haven't ridden the Gen 2 Fargo in over a year. That's a tragedy, and a waste of a good bike. I need to find someone who will use this frame and fork and love it. It is an awesome rig, but if I am not using it, it has to go. Just like the Singular Gryphon, which I wasn't riding, and sold to a happy new owner, I hope this frame and fork find its "happy new owner" soon.

Then there is the thing I've always wanted, and that is to find a Ti Fargo. That's a "grail" bike for me, but it really makes no sense to get a Ti Fargo when I have two Fargos sitting here and one that I never ride anymore. Reason to move said Fargo gets even stronger......

I never used this frame and fork as I had intended, which was as a geared mountain bike with a suspension fork. That was my intention going in to this, but it never really worked out that way. That pretty much nails all the reasons I want to sell this frame and fork.

So, that is news, and if you are wondering, this is on my "Garage Sale" page now. If you are interested or are curious, shoot me an e-mail. g.ted.productions@gmail.com It's a size Large, by the way.

I probably won't get one of these. They are all gone......

So, looking forward, a Ti Fargo is in my future. Just what year model and all is not known. I have a line on a '15 in my size, but I'll have to do some negotiating on that one. So, it is a possibility that this happens sooner than later.

The reasoning here is that titanium rides better, (yes, it really does), and for how I use a Fargo, (gravel, adventure, bad weather, frame bags, etc), titanium makes sense. I hope to get one with Alternators for that bail out possibility and for a possible internal gear set up at some point.

So, there you have it. This isn't probably "thinning the herd" as much as it is a looking to "trade up", but there are no guarantees I'll end up where I want to be in terms of a Ti Fargo. I do mean to get the steel Gen 2 Fargo into someone elses hands though. So, for now, I am going with the "thinning the herd" theme until further notice!

And there will be more future "herd thinning". Some in terms of retired service bikes and some for sale. I may end up with some odds and ends for sale too. I just look around at my stuff and see "too much" in several areas. I have to address that. It isn't good to have a lot and not use it for something.