Where Did It All Go Wrong?

This is the bike in question, not that it matters to this discussion.

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

Thursday the bicycle media wonks went nuts over a new Specialized road bike. It's a racy, racing bike type bicycle with a feather-weight frame and fork, electronic shifting, and costs - at a minimum- 10K+ and tops out at over 12K dollars. 

The bike is being ballyhooed as a "return to classic road bike lines", and a "bike not just for racers". The light weight is being lauded and all that with disc brakes and room for 32mm tires! (Although it comes stock with 26mm tires.) 

Comments: This isn't new. It isn't different. It's not a "return to" anything, and it absolutely is a racing bike. It's like the cycling media was shown a thoroughbred race horse and they said it was the best cart horse they ever saw. What? I know it's been some time since any of the "Big Four" (Cannondale, Specialized, Trek, Giant) have introduced such a machine, but by reading the comments, you'd think this thing was "The Everyman's Bike®" or some return to a style that we'd needed to have. Well, this was the disconnect that made my head spin. 

Apparently I wasn't the only one left scratching my head wondering just what it was these cycling oriented sites were seeing that I was not seeing. Or to be more correct, why these sites weren't calling this just another racing bike derived rig for a small niche of the populace. Because that's exactly what it is. That it was released by a brand named "Specialized" makes it only more ironic. 

There was a bit of commentary from writer/commentator on cycling issues, Peter Flax, on Twitter, and a response he got from classic frame builder, Richard Sachs, which clearly illustrates this disconnect and why we find ourselves looking at these odd comments from the cycling media on this bike, and others like it. 

Now, to be fair, Specialized and many of the reviews do not go to the ProTour/aero thing when looking at this bike. No- they say it isn't "that bike" for the most part, but it is a road racer derived design, so really, what Mr. Flax says in his Tweet pretty much nails it. 

I've been banging this drum for years. I've been saying all along that bike shops are selling the wrong bikes (road race derived designs) to the average rider to their detriment. I also have noted that flat bar, so-called "hybrid bikes", or now more commonly referred to as "fitness bikes", have outsold nearly every category of bikes for years. Yet you see little development, ad dollars, or marketing for this category. Bike companies have ignored those riders in favor of sponsoring ProTour teams, ballyhooing the "marquee" bikes which those athletes ride, and demanding technology be developed for these bikes over that of what the average person needs and wants. 

I will give you an example: In 2007 I was invited by Trek to partake in a release event for some new mountain bikes coming from the then still relevant Gary Fisher Bikes company and Trek. Mr. Fisher was on hand, of course, and at one point after a presentation in Santa Cruz, he pulled me aside and told me he wanted to show me something special. 

It was a 27 speed bike based on the Dutch city bike style with a completely automatic, electronic drive train. You didn't have to shift. The bike had sensors that determined what the rider needed in gear ratio and shifted accordingly based on power output and speed. Gary told me to take it for a ride, and to make sure I rode the steepest hills up and down, so I would get the full treatment. 

The bike was amazing! All I had to do was pedal. The bike decided my gear ratios, and shifted flawlessly to each as I went up steep inclines along the ocean in Santa Cruz, and then back down again. It wasn't a prototype either. This bike was production-ready. So.......what the heck happened? How is it that the industry hasn't produced a bike like this in the 13 years that I know this sort of technology has existed.? Richard Sachs, in response to the Peter Flax Tweet above, clues us in: (via Twitter again)

Boom! That is the most succinct, elucidated reasoning for what we've seen in the bicycle industry in North America since I've been involved in it. Yes- we had mountain bikes, but that idea was wrested away from being the people's bike by the mid-90's and it was turned into this daredevil, back country, enduro thing and most average folk feel left out. Then the "Lance Effect" hit and we got a double dose of roadie influenced bikes. 

Now you can point fingers at the gravel scene and claim we're not far off this whole roadified design misadventure, and I wouldn't argue with you there. The thing is, bike companies cannot seem to resist the siren call of road racer design and ethos. Big ProTour events are held up as the pinnacle of cycling, and what mere mortal can ever hope to attain to such lofty heights? And if you are a pretender, well your fantasy "F1-type Experience For The Street" awaits you. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it isn't serving the masses needs either. Again- the industry caters to such a small niche of the population by foisting these bikes on us time and again, that it is no wonder that the "pie' has not grown. 

HPC's and electrified this-and-thats have also been pointed to as being the new "Bike Of The People", but when most of these are 2K and up, are they really "for the people"? No- they are not, and neither is this fancy, lightweight, wonder bike that costs 10K, and others like it.

Where Did It All Go Wrong?

This is the bike in question, not that it matters to this discussion.

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

Thursday the bicycle media wonks went nuts over a new Specialized road bike. It's a racy, racing bike type bicycle with a feather-weight frame and fork, electronic shifting, and costs - at a minimum- 10K+ and tops out at over 12K dollars. 

The bike is being ballyhooed as a "return to classic road bike lines", and a "bike not just for racers". The light weight is being lauded and all that with disc brakes and room for 32mm tires! (Although it comes stock with 26mm tires.) 

Comments: This isn't new. It isn't different. It's not a "return to" anything, and it absolutely is a racing bike. It's like the cycling media was shown a thoroughbred race horse and they said it was the best cart horse they ever saw. What? I know it's been some time since any of the "Big Four" (Cannondale, Specialized, Trek, Giant) have introduced such a machine, but by reading the comments, you'd think this thing was "The Everyman's Bike®" or some return to a style that we'd needed to have. Well, this was the disconnect that made my head spin. 

Apparently I wasn't the only one left scratching my head wondering just what it was these cycling oriented sites were seeing that I was not seeing. Or to be more correct, why these sites weren't calling this just another racing bike derived rig for a small niche of the populace. Because that's exactly what it is. That it was released by a brand named "Specialized" makes it only more ironic. 

There was a bit of commentary from writer/commentator on cycling issues, Peter Flax, on Twitter, and a response he got from classic frame builder, Richard Sachs, which clearly illustrates this disconnect and why we find ourselves looking at these odd comments from the cycling media on this bike, and others like it. 

Now, to be fair, Specialized and many of the reviews do not go to the ProTour/aero thing when looking at this bike. No- they say it isn't "that bike" for the most part, but it is a road racer derived design, so really, what Mr. Flax says in his Tweet pretty much nails it. 

I've been banging this drum for years. I've been saying all along that bike shops are selling the wrong bikes (road race derived designs) to the average rider to their detriment. I also have noted that flat bar, so-called "hybrid bikes", or now more commonly referred to as "fitness bikes", have outsold nearly every category of bikes for years. Yet you see little development, ad dollars, or marketing for this category. Bike companies have ignored those riders in favor of sponsoring ProTour teams, ballyhooing the "marquee" bikes which those athletes ride, and demanding technology be developed for these bikes over that of what the average person needs and wants. 

I will give you an example: In 2007 I was invited by Trek to partake in a release event for some new mountain bikes coming from the then still relevant Gary Fisher Bikes company and Trek. Mr. Fisher was on hand, of course, and at one point after a presentation in Santa Cruz, he pulled me aside and told me he wanted to show me something special. 

It was a 27 speed bike based on the Dutch city bike style with a completely automatic, electronic drive train. You didn't have to shift. The bike had sensors that determined what the rider needed in gear ratio and shifted accordingly based on power output and speed. Gary told me to take it for a ride, and to make sure I rode the steepest hills up and down, so I would get the full treatment. 

The bike was amazing! All I had to do was pedal. The bike decided my gear ratios, and shifted flawlessly to each as I went up steep inclines along the ocean in Santa Cruz, and then back down again. It wasn't a prototype either. This bike was production-ready. So.......what the heck happened? How is it that the industry hasn't produced a bike like this in the 13 years that I know this sort of technology has existed.? Richard Sachs, in response to the Peter Flax Tweet above, clues us in: (via Twitter again)

Boom! That is the most succinct, elucidated reasoning for what we've seen in the bicycle industry in North America since I've been involved in it. Yes- we had mountain bikes, but that idea was wrested away from being the people's bike by the mid-90's and it was turned into this daredevil, back country, enduro thing and most average folk feel left out. Then the "Lance Effect" hit and we got a double dose of roadie influenced bikes. 

Now you can point fingers at the gravel scene and claim we're not far off this whole roadified design misadventure, and I wouldn't argue with you there. The thing is, bike companies cannot seem to resist the siren call of road racer design and ethos. Big ProTour events are held up as the pinnacle of cycling, and what mere mortal can ever hope to attain to such lofty heights? And if you are a pretender, well your fantasy "F1-type Experience For The Street" awaits you. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it isn't serving the masses needs either. Again- the industry caters to such a small niche of the population by foisting these bikes on us time and again, that it is no wonder that the "pie' has not grown. 

HPC's and electrified this-and-thats have also been pointed to as being the new "Bike Of The People", but when most of these are 2K and up, are they really "for the people"? No- they are not, and neither is this fancy, lightweight, wonder bike that costs 10K, and others like it.

Friday News And Views

Paul Thumbies- New! (But not really) Image courtesy of Paul Components

You Should Totally E-Bay Those!

Wednesday I'm cruising my Twitter feed when I scroll up on some newsy bits from a couple of sources saying that Paul Components has released a SRAM TT shifter compatible mount that turns these bar end shifters into old school thumb shifters. Now normally, I would just scroll right on by something like that. However; I was immediately struck by the fact that someone, (actually it was Tweeted by three different accounts I follow), thought these were "new". "They are not new!", I thought to myself.  Heck, I could walk down into my Lab and grab a pair I've had kicking around for years now. New? I don't think so. I went down, within two minutes had them in hand, and shot an image, then tweeted it out asking if my circa 2011 Paul Thumbies could be "new".

A couple of the accounts I "@'ed" (code for adding an account to a Tweet which then directs said Tweet "at" the account.- Pronounced "at-ed") responded with a social media equivalent of a shrug, and they in turn "@'ed" Paul Components account for a definitive answer.

The answer I got from Paul Components on Twitter

So, I had jumped on getting those at the right time, apparently, because back then, I had no clue they were a very limited edition sort of product. I actually got them for my Ti Mukluk, which I used the right shifter by itself at first since I ran 1 X 10 SRAM to start out with. That didn't last long, the shifter came off, and the pair of mounts has been basically sitting on my bench in my little box of bar end shifter parts ever since. I just don't do much with geared, flat bar bikes these days. Anyway, I thanked Paul Components and figured that was that.

Then one of the accounts that was part of the thread snaps back with "hangs up, dials e-bay......" I replied back that this was a well played comment, but I wasn't looking to make a buck from my newfound knowledge dumped on me by Paul Components. Then another follower of mine on Twitter basically answered that and said "take the money and run!"

Social media. Weird. Sometimes it's a fun, knowledge builder. Other times.....well. 

Ingrid's 12 sped rear derailleur Courtesy of Ingrid's Instagram feed

 They Said It Would Last Forever:

Back on the 1990's heyday of CNC craziness, I purchased a "Made In The USA", CNC'ed, lightweight rear derailleur by a company called ProShift. It was "totally rebuild-able" and theoretically would last "forever" since you would be able to purchase any piece or part of that derailleur and rebuild it. It was VERY EXPENSIVE. I bolted it to my 1992 Klein Attitude and started riding.

Well, one day, under no extraordinary circumstances, I heard a "ker-CHUNK!", felt a tug on the chain, and then no power. I looked down and what was left of that derailleur was dangling from a very slack chain. In fact, the only part that survived was a jockey wheel! Every other part was ripped, twisted, or bent beyond recognition. I boxed up all the bits I could find, shipped it to ProShift, and they sent me another under warranty. That derailleur suffered the same fate exactly two weeks later. Again- the only part that survived was the lower jockey wheel.

Well, I had had enough. I got a "real" rear derailleur, went on my merry way, and ProShift quickly became a thing of mountain bike legend. I was reminded of that story again when I read about an Italian based company called "INGRID".

They have, what looks like CNC'ed metal, in the form of a rear derailleur and are saying "it will last forever because it is rebuild-able". Yeah.......

Once bitten, twice shy.

Flat pedal shoes from Giant Bicycles.

 Shoes To Get The Fargo Ready:

Yes, you read that right. I've got some shoes and that is motivating me to get the Fargo up and running. Why? Because the Fargo has flat pedals on it now. The idea is that I am going off to do some longer gravel rides on flats. To test the shoes. The shoes I have on test for RidingGravel.com. Those shoes.....

Anyway, I think it is high time for some new treads for the Fargo as well. I've got me eye on the new Vittoria Terreno Cross Country tires. They have the Graphene compound and I've had experience with this in their Terreno Dry 40mm tire. Those Graphene infused tires have "something" going on and that is something good. It is an uncanny tire in that it shouldn't grip as well as it does, nor roll as fast as it does, but it does. I've also heard it wears like iron. Too good to be true? Maybe, but I am convinced there is a lot more good to these tires than bad.

So, once the tires are on, I am shooting to do some longer rides on flats and hopefully get ready for the Prairie Burn 100 and the Solstice 100, both events coming up really soon! I need to get some miles in my legs and fast.

That's all for this cold, wet week. Let's hope the weather turns around and warmer weather comes. Oh.....and Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there!

Friday News And Views

Paul Thumbies- New! (But not really) Image courtesy of Paul Components

You Should Totally E-Bay Those!

Wednesday I'm cruising my Twitter feed when I scroll up on some newsy bits from a couple of sources saying that Paul Components has released a SRAM TT shifter compatible mount that turns these bar end shifters into old school thumb shifters. Now normally, I would just scroll right on by something like that. However; I was immediately struck by the fact that someone, (actually it was Tweeted by three different accounts I follow), thought these were "new". "They are not new!", I thought to myself.  Heck, I could walk down into my Lab and grab a pair I've had kicking around for years now. New? I don't think so. I went down, within two minutes had them in hand, and shot an image, then tweeted it out asking if my circa 2011 Paul Thumbies could be "new".

A couple of the accounts I "@'ed" (code for adding an account to a Tweet which then directs said Tweet "at" the account.- Pronounced "at-ed") responded with a social media equivalent of a shrug, and they in turn "@'ed" Paul Components account for a definitive answer.

The answer I got from Paul Components on Twitter

So, I had jumped on getting those at the right time, apparently, because back then, I had no clue they were a very limited edition sort of product. I actually got them for my Ti Mukluk, which I used the right shifter by itself at first since I ran 1 X 10 SRAM to start out with. That didn't last long, the shifter came off, and the pair of mounts has been basically sitting on my bench in my little box of bar end shifter parts ever since. I just don't do much with geared, flat bar bikes these days. Anyway, I thanked Paul Components and figured that was that.

Then one of the accounts that was part of the thread snaps back with "hangs up, dials e-bay......" I replied back that this was a well played comment, but I wasn't looking to make a buck from my newfound knowledge dumped on me by Paul Components. Then another follower of mine on Twitter basically answered that and said "take the money and run!"

Social media. Weird. Sometimes it's a fun, knowledge builder. Other times.....well. 

Ingrid's 12 sped rear derailleur Courtesy of Ingrid's Instagram feed

 They Said It Would Last Forever:

Back on the 1990's heyday of CNC craziness, I purchased a "Made In The USA", CNC'ed, lightweight rear derailleur by a company called ProShift. It was "totally rebuild-able" and theoretically would last "forever" since you would be able to purchase any piece or part of that derailleur and rebuild it. It was VERY EXPENSIVE. I bolted it to my 1992 Klein Attitude and started riding.

Well, one day, under no extraordinary circumstances, I heard a "ker-CHUNK!", felt a tug on the chain, and then no power. I looked down and what was left of that derailleur was dangling from a very slack chain. In fact, the only part that survived was a jockey wheel! Every other part was ripped, twisted, or bent beyond recognition. I boxed up all the bits I could find, shipped it to ProShift, and they sent me another under warranty. That derailleur suffered the same fate exactly two weeks later. Again- the only part that survived was the lower jockey wheel.

Well, I had had enough. I got a "real" rear derailleur, went on my merry way, and ProShift quickly became a thing of mountain bike legend. I was reminded of that story again when I read about an Italian based company called "INGRID".

They have, what looks like CNC'ed metal, in the form of a rear derailleur and are saying "it will last forever because it is rebuild-able". Yeah.......

Once bitten, twice shy.

Flat pedal shoes from Giant Bicycles.

 Shoes To Get The Fargo Ready:

Yes, you read that right. I've got some shoes and that is motivating me to get the Fargo up and running. Why? Because the Fargo has flat pedals on it now. The idea is that I am going off to do some longer gravel rides on flats. To test the shoes. The shoes I have on test for RidingGravel.com. Those shoes.....

Anyway, I think it is high time for some new treads for the Fargo as well. I've got me eye on the new Vittoria Terreno Cross Country tires. They have the Graphene compound and I've had experience with this in their Terreno Dry 40mm tire. Those Graphene infused tires have "something" going on and that is something good. It is an uncanny tire in that it shouldn't grip as well as it does, nor roll as fast as it does, but it does. I've also heard it wears like iron. Too good to be true? Maybe, but I am convinced there is a lot more good to these tires than bad.

So, once the tires are on, I am shooting to do some longer rides on flats and hopefully get ready for the Prairie Burn 100 and the Solstice 100, both events coming up really soon! I need to get some miles in my legs and fast.

That's all for this cold, wet week. Let's hope the weather turns around and warmer weather comes. Oh.....and Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there!

It's Not All About Racing

From a recent Tweet from "The Path Less Pedaled"

This past Friday I was part of a thread on Twitter where someone had opined that the "media" was going to ruin gravel riding by focusing almost exclusively on racing gravel. A few responses came and then this quote from "The Path Less Pedaled", "So burnt out on the default mode as racing".

Okay, a bit of housekeeping on this quote: What "..the default mode.." refers to is how the bicycle industry, and the major media that covers it, almost always uses racing bicycles as its touchstone for any cycling related subject. This has been something I have criticized for years. When a small percentage of bicyclists actually race during any given year versus the overall amount of cyclists, it doesn't make any sense for cycling media and the industry to almost exclusively speak in terms of racing. This is especially bad when it comes to pavement style cycling. But when the industry desperately needs to bring in new cyclists, it really makes no sense at all to focus on something most people that ride bicycles would never do.

Of course, there are publications dedicated to racing. I get that in those instances, but many publications are not, and the default mode from them in reference to cycling is almost always about racing.

No numbers, smiles, and a casual pace. From the '18 GTDRI.

Then there is the basis for many designs of bicycles to be directly or indirectly influenced by racing. That has been a really bad route that the American market has gone down for decades. Look at any European city and most bicycles are definitely not racing bicycles because most people are not racing that ride.

Of course, this has as much to do with culture as it does a misplaced focus on racing, but the cycling industry could have been helping itself by focusing on more practical and fun modes of cycling, but it never got around to it. Not in any serious, long term way.

Yes, there is People For Bikes and some "feel good' donating and lip service being shared by the bigger brands. However; what dominates their social feeds is racing. Their marquee offerings are racing bicycles. There has been somewhat of a shift with the gravel scene poking its dirty little head into the goings on, but even that is getting the "racing treatment" by the brands and marketing wonks. The "default mode" still reigns supreme.

So, this all ties back into what I was talking about late last week with the media stories talking about the "Pro roadie" issue with gravel racing. So, there you go. The reason for the quoted reaction above by the PLP folks. It is such an old, hackneyed way to look at cycling that it becomes tiring when those of us that see the potential of cycling see and here these views again, and again. 

There are good things happening out there though, and I think I speak for some of us when I say that it would be nice if those things got some run in the press, if they influenced new gear, and if the narrative was redirected toward fun and freedom from competition. I know that we in the shops have been touting the "let's have fun" line to sell cycling and not the racing side. yet the industry seems entrenched in the racing side of things. The big brands sponsor race teams, the media focuses on them, and the narrative we all get from both is "race-centric".

Let's not eliminate racing, but let's put it in its place. It isn't what most cyclists do, so why should most companies and media make it the basis of any stories told to all cyclists about cycling. I like some of what I see going on out there. But I also get tired of "the default mode".

It's Not All About Racing

From a recent Tweet from "The Path Less Pedaled"

This past Friday I was part of a thread on Twitter where someone had opined that the "media" was going to ruin gravel riding by focusing almost exclusively on racing gravel. A few responses came and then this quote from "The Path Less Pedaled", "So burnt out on the default mode as racing".

Okay, a bit of housekeeping on this quote: What "..the default mode.." refers to is how the bicycle industry, and the major media that covers it, almost always uses racing bicycles as its touchstone for any cycling related subject. This has been something I have criticized for years. When a small percentage of bicyclists actually race during any given year versus the overall amount of cyclists, it doesn't make any sense for cycling media and the industry to almost exclusively speak in terms of racing. This is especially bad when it comes to pavement style cycling. But when the industry desperately needs to bring in new cyclists, it really makes no sense at all to focus on something most people that ride bicycles would never do.

Of course, there are publications dedicated to racing. I get that in those instances, but many publications are not, and the default mode from them in reference to cycling is almost always about racing.

No numbers, smiles, and a casual pace. From the '18 GTDRI.

Then there is the basis for many designs of bicycles to be directly or indirectly influenced by racing. That has been a really bad route that the American market has gone down for decades. Look at any European city and most bicycles are definitely not racing bicycles because most people are not racing that ride.

Of course, this has as much to do with culture as it does a misplaced focus on racing, but the cycling industry could have been helping itself by focusing on more practical and fun modes of cycling, but it never got around to it. Not in any serious, long term way.

Yes, there is People For Bikes and some "feel good' donating and lip service being shared by the bigger brands. However; what dominates their social feeds is racing. Their marquee offerings are racing bicycles. There has been somewhat of a shift with the gravel scene poking its dirty little head into the goings on, but even that is getting the "racing treatment" by the brands and marketing wonks. The "default mode" still reigns supreme.

So, this all ties back into what I was talking about late last week with the media stories talking about the "Pro roadie" issue with gravel racing. So, there you go. The reason for the quoted reaction above by the PLP folks. It is such an old, hackneyed way to look at cycling that it becomes tiring when those of us that see the potential of cycling see and here these views again, and again. 

There are good things happening out there though, and I think I speak for some of us when I say that it would be nice if those things got some run in the press, if they influenced new gear, and if the narrative was redirected toward fun and freedom from competition. I know that we in the shops have been touting the "let's have fun" line to sell cycling and not the racing side. yet the industry seems entrenched in the racing side of things. The big brands sponsor race teams, the media focuses on them, and the narrative we all get from both is "race-centric".

Let's not eliminate racing, but let's put it in its place. It isn't what most cyclists do, so why should most companies and media make it the basis of any stories told to all cyclists about cycling. I like some of what I see going on out there. But I also get tired of "the default mode".

Fat Bike Chat

Every Tuesday night for the past four weeks there has been a chat on Twitter, (the social network site), that commences at 7:00pm CST and goes for an hour or so. Sometimes longer. I've been partaking of this digitized get together and it seems to be pretty fun.

Twenty2 Cycles Bully

The "chat" is hosted by Twenty2 Cycles and the topics range from what the trends in fat biking are, to what tires work where, and where the races and events are for fat-biking.

Twenty2 Cycles is based in Colorado and have taken to doing lots of frames in titanium, (although they also can work in steel), and they have a fat bike model called the "Bully". The frame looks very well made and to top it off, Twenty2 has some trick sandblasted/polished graphics which really look hot on titanium bikes.

Twenty2 also have a killer page on their site explaining all things fat bike related which you can check out here. So they are really into this fat bike stuff. Makes sense they'd do a "Fat Bike Chat" now, doesn't it?

So, yeah.......about that chat thing. It's pretty easy to just be a lurker, or to join in. Go to Twitter and search the #fatbikechat "hash tag" on Tuesday night next week and see what's being discussed. It's definitely well worth doing. If you'd had been on this week you may have read why cheaper steel fat bike frames are not being made, what width tires are most likely to be desired in the future for fat bikes, and even a rumor about a bigger company possibly getting into fat bikes for 2013.

Yep! It's lively and fun to see what the fat bikers are in to these days. Check it out. Follow @Twenty2Cycles or me, @guitarted1961 on Twitter and you'll be sure not to miss it.

Fat Bike Chat

Every Tuesday night for the past four weeks there has been a chat on Twitter, (the social network site), that commences at 7:00pm CST and goes for an hour or so. Sometimes longer. I've been partaking of this digitized get together and it seems to be pretty fun.

Twenty2 Cycles Bully

The "chat" is hosted by Twenty2 Cycles and the topics range from what the trends in fat biking are, to what tires work where, and where the races and events are for fat-biking.

Twenty2 Cycles is based in Colorado and have taken to doing lots of frames in titanium, (although they also can work in steel), and they have a fat bike model called the "Bully". The frame looks very well made and to top it off, Twenty2 has some trick sandblasted/polished graphics which really look hot on titanium bikes.

Twenty2 also have a killer page on their site explaining all things fat bike related which you can check out here. So they are really into this fat bike stuff. Makes sense they'd do a "Fat Bike Chat" now, doesn't it?

So, yeah.......about that chat thing. It's pretty easy to just be a lurker, or to join in. Go to Twitter and search the #fatbikechat "hash tag" on Tuesday night next week and see what's being discussed. It's definitely well worth doing. If you'd had been on this week you may have read why cheaper steel fat bike frames are not being made, what width tires are most likely to be desired in the future for fat bikes, and even a rumor about a bigger company possibly getting into fat bikes for 2013.

Yep! It's lively and fun to see what the fat bikers are in to these days. Check it out. Follow @Twenty2Cycles or me, @guitarted1961 on Twitter and you'll be sure not to miss it.