Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Colnago

 A Relatively Quiet Week Edition of the FN&V

Colnago Announces Rim Brake C 68 Frameset:

Rim brakes for road bikes have not been an option from many brands now for a few years. Especially on upper end bikes. This has raised some ire amongst road bike fans as the simplicity and - more importantly - lightweight of rim brake design, is still something many riders desire from a new road bike.

Now top-end brand Colnago has announced a US $7,750.00 carbon fiber rim brake frameset. The C-68 Rim Brake model is definitely a throwback to ten years ago when quick release wheels and non-hydraulic brake levers were still being offered in top-range drive train choices from Campagnolo, SRAM and Shimano. 

Comments: Should bikes like this still be considered range-topping bikes, or even bikes that average roadies could buy? The industry seems bent upon making every top-end bike, (and even mid-range bikes) 'feats of electronic technology and proprietary parts' instead of beautifully crafted, simple machines that draw the best out of humans. Bikes that show sustainability versus bikes that use batteries which will take energy and effort to recycle safely. 

Bicycles already have issues with being 'green' without the electronics and hydraulic fluids. Tires need to be recycled on a much larger scale than they are now, including tubes. This is happening, that is not the problem. The problem is that what is happening is a drop in the bucket. Then you have carbon fiber....

Ah! Do we need this Colnago to exist? Probably not. But at least it is an example that can be pointed to for the viability of mechanically operated brakes, at the minimum. 

Image courtesy of Iowa DNR

New Adventure Riding Opportunity In North Central Iowa:

A Facebook friend alerted me to a new opportunity for cycling in a reclaimed wetland wildlife preserve located just off I-35 near Swaledale and South of Thornton, Iowa. It is the Union Hills Wildlife and Waterfowl Production Area. 

Here is what was sent to me about the area and its cycling opportunities:

 " Just wanted to share an incredible ride that is now open at the Union Hills Wildlife Area south of Mason City and just west of I35. The DNR just mowed trails throughout the area that is one of the few places you get an idea of how North Central Iowa Looked like before settlement with pothole lakes and moraines with Bur Oak groves throughout."

 Area conservation groups and the State DNR have been working for several years to reclaim the area for wildlife and birding. The area boasts a section of native prairie that has never been plowed and many areas where one can "get lost" and feel as though they left civilization behind.

Apparently the trails are most easily ridden on fatter tires. So, a "plus bike" or fat bike might be best so as to not leave ruts and tear up the trails. This is a new opportunity, so don't "eff it up" folks. Keep your pizza-cutter tires on the gravel! Also, this area is heavily hunted during duck season, so please be aware of hunting seasons and maybe avoid this area then. Please be respectful of all the work that has gone into this and be kind to anyone you run across there if you go. If anyone has more information on this area and would like to share, let me know.

Image courtesy of Ritchey Design

Tom Ritchey To Show Off Brazing Skills At MADE Show:

In the beginnings of the modern mountain biking era, Tom Ritchey was single-handedly supplying frames, forks, and his "Bull Moose" handle bars for his customers. Tom hand-brazed each component and frame. Then the demand for his products took off and he was unable to keep pace with all the orders. Subsequently "a few hundred frames" were sold without their proper forks. 

Apparently, according to a recent Ritchey press release, Tom saw folks with his frames trying to source forks. “I've been witnessing this for years — where people don't have the fork or bar that was designed to go with their Ritchey frame, and they're scrounging around for them. I started seeing replacement parts for my frames that were missing details. They were made by others, and they weren’t doing them right. Now, after all these years I’m helping these fans do it right.” — Tom Ritchey

To help rectify this, owners of  original " Mountain Bikes by Ritchey " frames will be able to purchase Bi-Plane forks and Bull Moose bars brazed up by the man himself. Furthermore, Tom will be doing a seminar and lecture at the MADE show. He also can be seen brazing in the Ritchey booth, #358, on Saturday, August 24 at noon.

Ritchey will be doing this work under the moniker "Mountain Bikes by Tom" and a further announcement will be made at the show. For details on the MADE Show go HERE.

PCL Shirt Lands:

Ahoy! The newest PCL t-shirt has just arrived on the scene from Lincoln, Nebraska. This time I have one of the original logos for the Pirate Cycling League featuring a mustachioed skeleton astride a drop bar single speed. 

In case you are newer here the Pirate Cycling League is a loose-knit band of cyclists who identify as gravel riders, (mostly) that typify the original free-spirit and independent nature of gravel cycling. The group grew out of training rides for mountain biking which were typically held on gravel roads around Lincoln. 

These cyclists, who were really thinking about getting in miles for racing on dirt originally, ended up becoming a prototype gravel group who then found themselves putting on semi-formal "events" throughout the year. The group eventually was responsible for Gravel Worlds existence, although the PCL has officially now parted ways with Garmin Gravel Worlds. 

Since the split, the group has been putting out the occasional t-shirt and riding kit as well. If you want to support the PCL and become a "member" of the group, you only have to be cool and buy a shirt or jersey when they put one out. I've been purchasing PCL jerseys and tees for over a decade. You can find the group on Facebook. 

Image courtesy of Tumbleweed Bicycles

Tumbleweed Sunliner:

Tumbleweed Bicycles announced their third model yesterday, a flat bar bikepacking bike with no suspension correction. The bike is called the Sunliner. 

With tire clearance for 29" X 3.0" tires, the Sunliner should appeal to anyone wanting a simple machine with big tire capabilities. That non-sus corrected fork also allowed Tumbleweed to maximize the space in the front triangle for the largest frame bag size. 

There are tons of rack mounts, bottle cage mounts, and fender mounts on the Sunliner. It should work great for carrying about anything you'd want on an off-road tour and with the design intent for a swept back handlebar, it should prove to be a comfortable, all-day riding bike. 

Frame and fork goes for US $1,400.00 with completes starting at $3,775.00.
 

Okay, that's a wrap on this week's news and my views. Keep ridin' those bikes!

A Tale Of Two New Frame Sets

The new Twin Six Standard Rando v2 in Saffron.

This past week a couple new frames were introduced in steel. That's weird and really awesome. I am happy to have this happening in 2020. Carbon and aluminum stuff comes out all the time. Big whoop! But steel stuff isn't as common, (unless your company is run by QBP), and two steel frame intros in the space of one week? That's crazy.

I thought it might be fun to check these two introductions out and cross-compare the two to see which, if any of them, are in the wheelhouse of what I'd call a 'good gravel bike'.

The first frame under the microscope will be the new Ritchey Outback v2. It is redesigned for adventure and features a new Ritchey Adventure fork in carbon with the requisite 'three-pack' bosses made famous by Salsa Cycles. The frame has the integrated cup head set style and a straight steer tube. The fork features an integrated crown race as well. Through axles front and rear, of course, as well as the now standard flat mount disc brake caliper mounting points on the chain stay and fork leg. The frame holds two water bottles in my size within the front triangle. It has rack and fender mounts as well.

The geometry chart tells us that the Outback has a relatively shallow bottom bracket drop in my size at 68mm. The head angle is a nice 71° though, but the chain stays are long at 453mm. Tire clearances are listed as 650B X 2" and 700c X 48mm. That's pretty generous.

Next up we have the Twin Six Standard Rando v2. This is pretty much a tweak on the first Standard Rando with the major differences being a new through axles and flat mount disc brake caliper mounts. The original Standard Rando also had a straight 1 1/8th head tube/fork steer tube arrangement, but the new one has a 44mm head tube which will accept a tapered steer tube. A more traditional pressed cup head set is also retained. While the Standard Rando features a steel fork, a carbon version, painted to match, is available as an upgrade.

The new Ritchey Outback v2 frame set in "Guac y Crema".

Water bottle capacity has been expanded on the T-6 with three bottle mounts on the internal side of the front triangle, and the appearance of the 'three-pack bosses' again on the steel fork. Plus, the T-6 has an under the down tube water bottle boss set as well. (I don't know that the carbon upgrade fork has those triple bosses, by the way.) UPDATE: It appears from a T-6 Instagram post that the carbon fork does indeed have the three-pack bosses.

The geometry of the Standard Rando has not changed since the first one came out. 72° head tube angle, 75mm bottom bracket drop, and 435mm chain stay lengths here. Tire clearance is 700 X 43mm or 650B X 48mm tires here, so not quite as generous as the Ritchey. However; the T-6 can be ordered with painted-to-match fenders. Rack mounts exist, of course. It also can be set up as a single speed with the appropriate bottom bracket.

Comparison: Tom Ritchey has his ideas of 'what works' based upon his riding style and where he rides. It shows in all the bikes with his name on the downtube. Typically his skinnier tire, off-road going bikes feature high bottom brackets, and the Outback follows suit. The bike strikes me as more of a touring bike, but the lighter gauge tubing would reflect a nicer ride quality than a typical touring bike might have. The integrated head set is okay until it isn't. Of course, you are stuck with the included Ritchey headset as well. Not necessarily a bad thing as long as Ritchey keeps making parts. The fork 'matchy-matches' the head set, so again- you are most likely stuck with that choice as well. Hopefully the carbon lay-up for the fork is forgiving. Gotta hand it to the Outback on tire clearances though.

The T-6 has a LOT lower bottom bracket, a touch steeper head angle, and shorter stays at 435mm vs Ritchey's long 453mm ones. Yes- the T-6 limits your 700c tire size to a 43mm, but that should be okay, as long as it plays out to be that for clearances. The original T-6 Standard Rando also claimed that for clearance, but it really was more like a 40mm limit in reality. If the new one has 43mm with a little room to spare? I'm okay with that.

For an adventure bike to limit you to four water bottles is a bit.....weird. Maybe Tom Ritchey doesn't need much water. (NOTE- I have  since found out, via a comment and some more research, that the Outback has a mount under the down tube, although their spec page doesn't list this fact) I don't know, but the T-6 has room, (in my size) for six bottles of water. I'd need all six on a longer ride in Summer. The Outback could be your bike packing rig/touring bike, and the T-6 would be a much more adept light, longer distance gravel sled. Oh yeah....speaking of sleds. That Outback frame and fork probably is lighter than the Twin Six's frame and steel fork. I had an original T-6 SR, and it was definitely NOT light. If the new one is anything like the old one for tubing, well.....you know what to expect there. 

My old Standard Rando from Twin Six.

So, which one does it for me? Which frame set would be the better Iowa gravel traveler? There is no question in my mind. It is the Standard Rando. The Outback is probably the better 'mountain bike' of the two, but I already have a great drop bar mountain bike in the Fargo. And if you want to know, the Gen I Fargo beats the pants off that Outback in my opinion as well.

Anyway... The T-6 Standard Rando has that all important lower bottom bracket which brings a stable feel in loose gravel. A higher bottom bracket, like my Orange Crush #49 has, (which happens to be about exactly what the Outback's is, by the way), is total sketch on loose gravel down hills. That's why I don't go far afield with the BMC anymore. I'll take the new MCD, or another gravel bike with a lower BB first.

Yes....that lower BB gets you in the weeds with 650B wheels and tires. But I'm okay with that for as little as I'd run the smaller wheels. The old T-6 I had rode smoooooth! I would hope that this newer one would too, and with expanded capabilities in water carrying, it fits my way of riding better as well. The Outback curiously does not provide this option. Another interesting bit is that the fit numbers are almost identical for my size between the two contenders with the exception of stack height where the T-6 is slightly higher. A good thing, probably. I don't know though because the new Salsa Stormchaser is literally slammed and I am getting on with that just fine.

Go figure......

So, the search for the Tamland 2 replacement may end up being the new T-6 Standard Rando in the School Bus Yellow scheme. I know, I know...... They call it Saffron Yellow. Tell me that frame doesn't remind you of a school bus. It's totally school bus yellow. The other color is black. Blecch! Not happening here. Give me the "Don't Hit Me Yellow" over black any day.

Seriously though. This frame, at $700.00 is a steal if it is what I think it is. This may end up being the next test sled at the G-Ted Headquarters. Stay tuned.........

A Tale Of Two New Frame Sets

The new Twin Six Standard Rando v2 in Saffron.

This past week a couple new frames were introduced in steel. That's weird and really awesome. I am happy to have this happening in 2020. Carbon and aluminum stuff comes out all the time. Big whoop! But steel stuff isn't as common, (unless your company is run by QBP), and two steel frame intros in the space of one week? That's crazy.

I thought it might be fun to check these two introductions out and cross-compare the two to see which, if any of them, are in the wheelhouse of what I'd call a 'good gravel bike'.

The first frame under the microscope will be the new Ritchey Outback v2. It is redesigned for adventure and features a new Ritchey Adventure fork in carbon with the requisite 'three-pack' bosses made famous by Salsa Cycles. The frame has the integrated cup head set style and a straight steer tube. The fork features an integrated crown race as well. Through axles front and rear, of course, as well as the now standard flat mount disc brake caliper mounting points on the chain stay and fork leg. The frame holds two water bottles in my size within the front triangle. It has rack and fender mounts as well.

The geometry chart tells us that the Outback has a relatively shallow bottom bracket drop in my size at 68mm. The head angle is a nice 71° though, but the chain stays are long at 453mm. Tire clearances are listed as 650B X 2" and 700c X 48mm. That's pretty generous.

Next up we have the Twin Six Standard Rando v2. This is pretty much a tweak on the first Standard Rando with the major differences being a new through axles and flat mount disc brake caliper mounts. The original Standard Rando also had a straight 1 1/8th head tube/fork steer tube arrangement, but the new one has a 44mm head tube which will accept a tapered steer tube. A more traditional pressed cup head set is also retained. While the Standard Rando features a steel fork, a carbon version, painted to match, is available as an upgrade.

The new Ritchey Outback v2 frame set in "Guac y Crema".

Water bottle capacity has been expanded on the T-6 with three bottle mounts on the internal side of the front triangle, and the appearance of the 'three-pack bosses' again on the steel fork. Plus, the T-6 has an under the down tube water bottle boss set as well. (I don't know that the carbon upgrade fork has those triple bosses, by the way.) UPDATE: It appears from a T-6 Instagram post that the carbon fork does indeed have the three-pack bosses.

The geometry of the Standard Rando has not changed since the first one came out. 72° head tube angle, 75mm bottom bracket drop, and 435mm chain stay lengths here. Tire clearance is 700 X 43mm or 650B X 48mm tires here, so not quite as generous as the Ritchey. However; the T-6 can be ordered with painted-to-match fenders. Rack mounts exist, of course. It also can be set up as a single speed with the appropriate bottom bracket.

Comparison: Tom Ritchey has his ideas of 'what works' based upon his riding style and where he rides. It shows in all the bikes with his name on the downtube. Typically his skinnier tire, off-road going bikes feature high bottom brackets, and the Outback follows suit. The bike strikes me as more of a touring bike, but the lighter gauge tubing would reflect a nicer ride quality than a typical touring bike might have. The integrated head set is okay until it isn't. Of course, you are stuck with the included Ritchey headset as well. Not necessarily a bad thing as long as Ritchey keeps making parts. The fork 'matchy-matches' the head set, so again- you are most likely stuck with that choice as well. Hopefully the carbon lay-up for the fork is forgiving. Gotta hand it to the Outback on tire clearances though.

The T-6 has a LOT lower bottom bracket, a touch steeper head angle, and shorter stays at 435mm vs Ritchey's long 453mm ones. Yes- the T-6 limits your 700c tire size to a 43mm, but that should be okay, as long as it plays out to be that for clearances. The original T-6 Standard Rando also claimed that for clearance, but it really was more like a 40mm limit in reality. If the new one has 43mm with a little room to spare? I'm okay with that.

For an adventure bike to limit you to four water bottles is a bit.....weird. Maybe Tom Ritchey doesn't need much water. (NOTE- I have  since found out, via a comment and some more research, that the Outback has a mount under the down tube, although their spec page doesn't list this fact) I don't know, but the T-6 has room, (in my size) for six bottles of water. I'd need all six on a longer ride in Summer. The Outback could be your bike packing rig/touring bike, and the T-6 would be a much more adept light, longer distance gravel sled. Oh yeah....speaking of sleds. That Outback frame and fork probably is lighter than the Twin Six's frame and steel fork. I had an original T-6 SR, and it was definitely NOT light. If the new one is anything like the old one for tubing, well.....you know what to expect there. 

My old Standard Rando from Twin Six.

So, which one does it for me? Which frame set would be the better Iowa gravel traveler? There is no question in my mind. It is the Standard Rando. The Outback is probably the better 'mountain bike' of the two, but I already have a great drop bar mountain bike in the Fargo. And if you want to know, the Gen I Fargo beats the pants off that Outback in my opinion as well.

Anyway... The T-6 Standard Rando has that all important lower bottom bracket which brings a stable feel in loose gravel. A higher bottom bracket, like my Orange Crush #49 has, (which happens to be about exactly what the Outback's is, by the way), is total sketch on loose gravel down hills. That's why I don't go far afield with the BMC anymore. I'll take the new MCD, or another gravel bike with a lower BB first.

Yes....that lower BB gets you in the weeds with 650B wheels and tires. But I'm okay with that for as little as I'd run the smaller wheels. The old T-6 I had rode smoooooth! I would hope that this newer one would too, and with expanded capabilities in water carrying, it fits my way of riding better as well. The Outback curiously does not provide this option. Another interesting bit is that the fit numbers are almost identical for my size between the two contenders with the exception of stack height where the T-6 is slightly higher. A good thing, probably. I don't know though because the new Salsa Stormchaser is literally slammed and I am getting on with that just fine.

Go figure......

So, the search for the Tamland 2 replacement may end up being the new T-6 Standard Rando in the School Bus Yellow scheme. I know, I know...... They call it Saffron Yellow. Tell me that frame doesn't remind you of a school bus. It's totally school bus yellow. The other color is black. Blecch! Not happening here. Give me the "Don't Hit Me Yellow" over black any day.

Seriously though. This frame, at $700.00 is a steal if it is what I think it is. This may end up being the next test sled at the G-Ted Headquarters. Stay tuned.........

Foundry Overland: A Nice Cyclo Cross Bike

It sure ain't no "gravel road bike"!

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

The Foundry brand released details on their new rig yesterday, and sure 'nuff- it's a metal bike! Hooray! I applaud the brand for straightening out it's marketing and product offering with this model. To my mind, "Foundry" and "metal" framed bicycles seem like a no-brainer, but apparently it took a few years for that to come around up in Bloomington, Minnesota. Glad it finally did, and I look for more of the same/similar with regard to future product offerings from the brand.

However........

In their marketing of this new "Overland" model, they say the following....

"The Overland was developed to be the only bike you need when it comes to gravel and cyclocross."

The quote should have read as follows:

"The Overland was developed to be the only cyclo cross bike you need when it comes to gravel and cyclocross". 

Why? Because what we have here is a hard core, no compromises, mean, nasty cyclo cross bike. The geometry says so. High bottom bracket, steepish angles, and low trail all add up to what every cyclo cross racer wants in a bike. That's awesome. Love it for the cyclo cross guys, but don't tell me you designed this for gravel road riding. 

First of all, there really is nothing at all in the Overland, besides a bigger tire clearance, that calls out "gravel road bike" to my way of thinking here. I am not going to re-hash all the reasons why that is, but long time readers can all tic off the reasons for themselves, I am sure. Secondly, and maybe most importantly, Foundry took the "safe route" by gunning for classic CX geometry rather than something "untested', (although the Raleigh Tamland/Willard models seem to be faring well with their more daring take on geo), and......ya know.....cyclo cross bikes are good enough for gravel racing/riding. So they say..... Heck, if ya listen to Tom Ritchey talk, you don't even need a cyclo cross bike for cyclo cross, because a road bike is a "gravel bike" and ergo, a road bike is a cyclo cross bike, a mountain bike, etc...  Whatever.

Regardless- it is a good looking bike.....for a cyclo cross bike!

In the end, it won't matter, most likely, because this will appeal to those who want a "do-it-all" cyclo cross bike. It will do cross really well, and since most folks probably won't care about the geometry for gravel, it will suit them fine. I will say that calling a dyed in the wool cross bike "the only bike you need" for gravel and cross isn't saying this bike is "new" in terms of geometry though. It really isn't saying anything "new" because this thought is the majority opinion for many when it comes to cyclo cross geometry and the bikes made specifically for cyclo cross racing. Which.....by the way....isn't anything like gravel road racing, nor like the geometry for which gravel road riding would be best served. That would be more like classic road bike geometry with a slacker head angle thrown in for good measure.

But hey! It's a good turn for Foundry and the bike looks great.......for a cyclo cross bike!

Foundry Overland: A Nice Cyclo Cross Bike

It sure ain't no "gravel road bike"!

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

The Foundry brand released details on their new rig yesterday, and sure 'nuff- it's a metal bike! Hooray! I applaud the brand for straightening out it's marketing and product offering with this model. To my mind, "Foundry" and "metal" framed bicycles seem like a no-brainer, but apparently it took a few years for that to come around up in Bloomington, Minnesota. Glad it finally did, and I look for more of the same/similar with regard to future product offerings from the brand.

However........

In their marketing of this new "Overland" model, they say the following....

"The Overland was developed to be the only bike you need when it comes to gravel and cyclocross."

The quote should have read as follows:

"The Overland was developed to be the only cyclo cross bike you need when it comes to gravel and cyclocross". 

Why? Because what we have here is a hard core, no compromises, mean, nasty cyclo cross bike. The geometry says so. High bottom bracket, steepish angles, and low trail all add up to what every cyclo cross racer wants in a bike. That's awesome. Love it for the cyclo cross guys, but don't tell me you designed this for gravel road riding. 

First of all, there really is nothing at all in the Overland, besides a bigger tire clearance, that calls out "gravel road bike" to my way of thinking here. I am not going to re-hash all the reasons why that is, but long time readers can all tic off the reasons for themselves, I am sure. Secondly, and maybe most importantly, Foundry took the "safe route" by gunning for classic CX geometry rather than something "untested', (although the Raleigh Tamland/Willard models seem to be faring well with their more daring take on geo), and......ya know.....cyclo cross bikes are good enough for gravel racing/riding. So they say..... Heck, if ya listen to Tom Ritchey talk, you don't even need a cyclo cross bike for cyclo cross, because a road bike is a "gravel bike" and ergo, a road bike is a cyclo cross bike, a mountain bike, etc...  Whatever.

Regardless- it is a good looking bike.....for a cyclo cross bike!

In the end, it won't matter, most likely, because this will appeal to those who want a "do-it-all" cyclo cross bike. It will do cross really well, and since most folks probably won't care about the geometry for gravel, it will suit them fine. I will say that calling a dyed in the wool cross bike "the only bike you need" for gravel and cross isn't saying this bike is "new" in terms of geometry though. It really isn't saying anything "new" because this thought is the majority opinion for many when it comes to cyclo cross geometry and the bikes made specifically for cyclo cross racing. Which.....by the way....isn't anything like gravel road racing, nor like the geometry for which gravel road riding would be best served. That would be more like classic road bike geometry with a slacker head angle thrown in for good measure.

But hey! It's a good turn for Foundry and the bike looks great.......for a cyclo cross bike!

Musings On The Name

Mountain Bike: The name conjures up some of your favorite memories on a bicycle, or maybe it brings to mind a certain favorite bicycle you had, perhaps your first good mountain bike. Perhaps it makes you think of riding your favorite trails. Whatever that "name" does for you, that's a personal thing. I was just wondering if it is the right name for what we are doing.

Think about it: A large part of North America, (or the world, for that matter), is not mountainous. Experts seem to think the percentage is about 23-25% of the earth's surface is mountainous, and of course, most of the world's population doesn't live on a mountain. So, if you are not riding on a mountain, are you a "mountain biker"? I dunno. My feeling is that we got the name all wrong for this activity in the first place.

<==What the heck are these guys doing if it isn't being done on a mountain?

A long, long time ago, if you went off-road on a purpose built machine for the job, you would very possibly be on a "Mountain Bike" brand bicycle. Yep! That's right, the name coined by some mechanic some where for the new crop of off road bicycles was used as a brand name by Charlie Kelly and Gary Fisher to sell frames and forks brazed by Tom Ritchey and assembled by Kelly/Fisher. Everything else was, well.......something else!

Like many things in this culture, folks caught on to the imagery that "mountain bike" conjured up in their minds and pretty soon, "Mountain Bike" became "mountain bike" as we now know it. I should add that many early companies called their off road bikes "All Terrain Bikes", which if you stop to think about it, makes a heck of a lot more sense than "mountain bike" does for all the types of bicycles we think of as "mountain bikes".

But who am I kidding? The whole idea that the name is wrong and should be changed is like tilting at windmills. It ain't-a-gonna happen! But that doesn't stop me from thinking that maybe it should be changed.

Have a great weekend ya'all!

Musings On The Name

Mountain Bike: The name conjures up some of your favorite memories on a bicycle, or maybe it brings to mind a certain favorite bicycle you had, perhaps your first good mountain bike. Perhaps it makes you think of riding your favorite trails. Whatever that "name" does for you, that's a personal thing. I was just wondering if it is the right name for what we are doing.

Think about it: A large part of North America, (or the world, for that matter), is not mountainous. Experts seem to think the percentage is about 23-25% of the earth's surface is mountainous, and of course, most of the world's population doesn't live on a mountain. So, if you are not riding on a mountain, are you a "mountain biker"? I dunno. My feeling is that we got the name all wrong for this activity in the first place.

<==What the heck are these guys doing if it isn't being done on a mountain?

A long, long time ago, if you went off-road on a purpose built machine for the job, you would very possibly be on a "Mountain Bike" brand bicycle. Yep! That's right, the name coined by some mechanic some where for the new crop of off road bicycles was used as a brand name by Charlie Kelly and Gary Fisher to sell frames and forks brazed by Tom Ritchey and assembled by Kelly/Fisher. Everything else was, well.......something else!

Like many things in this culture, folks caught on to the imagery that "mountain bike" conjured up in their minds and pretty soon, "Mountain Bike" became "mountain bike" as we now know it. I should add that many early companies called their off road bikes "All Terrain Bikes", which if you stop to think about it, makes a heck of a lot more sense than "mountain bike" does for all the types of bicycles we think of as "mountain bikes".

But who am I kidding? The whole idea that the name is wrong and should be changed is like tilting at windmills. It ain't-a-gonna happen! But that doesn't stop me from thinking that maybe it should be changed.

Have a great weekend ya'all!