Saying Goodbye To May

This pretty much sums up May- Wet, cool, windy, and rough roads.

You know, I cannot say that I can remember a May that was so consistently wet, cool, windy, and that produced the rough roads we've had this Spring before. . (Really, the roads are just a carry-over from April.)

Anyway, this has been a tough month in that so many chances I had to get some ride time in were wash outs due to rain, or really heavy winds, which made for a pretty depressed Guitar Ted at times. I try not to let it get me down, but I have a responsibility to my readers (reviewing stuff) and I feel like I am letting myself down by not being as "ready" as I could be to do things like June 8ths Prairie Burn 100. At least Memorial Day Weekend didn't turn into the wash-out it was forecast to be. That allowed at least a couple of rides.

Saturday I got out and decided to just head South as the West wind was stiff and I was definitely NOT feeling it Saturday. In fact, it was a struggle to ride for most of the loop I got in, and I cannot really pinpoint why. I felt......blah. Not until almost the very end did I feel anything positive about the ride, other than it was just good to be out riding. And maybe that all has to do with being pretty stressed out lately. I won't go into details here, but wrenching at work, this upcoming DK200 "All Things Gravel" expo trip, My daughter graduating from high school tonight, coupled with my wife and daughter going to El Paso to visit at the same time as my trip, while my son stays home with a family friend, is all a bit much right now. I'll be glad when this week is over. Then maybe I can breathe a bit easier and have a good time at Prairie Burn.

Barns For Jason

At least I was able to decompress a little bit on Saturday's ride. It was certainly nice enough out. The Sun was riding high and the puffy, white cumulus clouds were hurrying on the back of the wind. The clouds were leaving shadows upon the landscape which were moving and changing the contrast continually as I rode along. I think it was in the 80's, and the air wasn't too humid, actually. It felt nice out.

Barns For Jason

Some roads were still wet and pock-marked. Some were still showing signs of having been mud at one point, but were solid as rock. Those roads had ruts which were pretty tough to navigate at times. Some roads were perfectly fine, with fresher, deep gravel. There weren't too many spots anymore that were that deep, sandyish gravel which is basically a fluffing up from frost. That seems to be past us now. I am glad for that.

Very few fields have been left alone. Most are planted around here. (Oh! And another Barns For Jason!)

Either Mario Cipollini is a gravel grinder, or someone loves a Disney movie.

I've been giving that unusual Tioga saddle a ride lately. Hmm.......not sure that is going to cut the mustard with me. I have bouts of thinking it is fine, and then I have times when I am sure it is hurting me. It's "oh-so-close" to being spot on, and I think this is why I am having issues. I remember thinking similar thoughts about the fizik brand Aliante saddle. That saddle was a bit too rounded for me, and I think that is exactly the same thing going on with the Tioga. I like a bit flatter saddle but keep the "depression in the middle", or "the bucket", as I call it, of WTB saddles like the Pure and SST. The Silverado has this to a lesser extent, but I like that one better, I think, than the Tioga.

The Undercover Saddle by Tioga. Not completely in love here, but I'm trying!

I'm going to "nose up" this Tioga saddle before I give up on it. That is how I have to have my WTB saddles, or I don't like them. So, I'll give that a shot before dismissing this saddle. Trouble is I did that with the Aliante and it helped....a tiny bit....but I took it off my Tamland eventually anyway. Still, ya gotta give it a solid try, so I will.

Tioga says the padding has a vibration absorbing character. The good news is I think they have that right on. There is something to that claim. The trouble becomes that this is a saddle and they are so personal as for fit, that regardless of the vibration damping claim, it has to actually interface with yer undercarriage, if you catch my meaning there.

Bin it!

I did get out and ride again on Memorial Day in the afternoon for a short ride. I didn't get out into the country as it was wicked windy........again! In fact, tornadoes were spotted about 60 miles North of here. It was a very wet Monday morning as well, so the gravel may not have been all that great. Hard for me to say.

But, I settled on a set up for the Prairie Burn that is complete with the exception of the saddle. (The Tioga may have to go) I set up my WTB Resolutes on these Spinergy wheels and tested that out. I think that combo will be a winning one, as far as it working, that is. The Prairie Burn isn't a race, so there won't be any winners.

It was a fine, relaxing weekend. I need it. Today the madness starts!

Saying Goodbye To May

This pretty much sums up May- Wet, cool, windy, and rough roads.

You know, I cannot say that I can remember a May that was so consistently wet, cool, windy, and that produced the rough roads we've had this Spring before. . (Really, the roads are just a carry-over from April.)

Anyway, this has been a tough month in that so many chances I had to get some ride time in were wash outs due to rain, or really heavy winds, which made for a pretty depressed Guitar Ted at times. I try not to let it get me down, but I have a responsibility to my readers (reviewing stuff) and I feel like I am letting myself down by not being as "ready" as I could be to do things like June 8ths Prairie Burn 100. At least Memorial Day Weekend didn't turn into the wash-out it was forecast to be. That allowed at least a couple of rides.

Saturday I got out and decided to just head South as the West wind was stiff and I was definitely NOT feeling it Saturday. In fact, it was a struggle to ride for most of the loop I got in, and I cannot really pinpoint why. I felt......blah. Not until almost the very end did I feel anything positive about the ride, other than it was just good to be out riding. And maybe that all has to do with being pretty stressed out lately. I won't go into details here, but wrenching at work, this upcoming DK200 "All Things Gravel" expo trip, My daughter graduating from high school tonight, coupled with my wife and daughter going to El Paso to visit at the same time as my trip, while my son stays home with a family friend, is all a bit much right now. I'll be glad when this week is over. Then maybe I can breathe a bit easier and have a good time at Prairie Burn.

Barns For Jason

At least I was able to decompress a little bit on Saturday's ride. It was certainly nice enough out. The Sun was riding high and the puffy, white cumulus clouds were hurrying on the back of the wind. The clouds were leaving shadows upon the landscape which were moving and changing the contrast continually as I rode along. I think it was in the 80's, and the air wasn't too humid, actually. It felt nice out.

Barns For Jason

Some roads were still wet and pock-marked. Some were still showing signs of having been mud at one point, but were solid as rock. Those roads had ruts which were pretty tough to navigate at times. Some roads were perfectly fine, with fresher, deep gravel. There weren't too many spots anymore that were that deep, sandyish gravel which is basically a fluffing up from frost. That seems to be past us now. I am glad for that.

Very few fields have been left alone. Most are planted around here. (Oh! And another Barns For Jason!)

Either Mario Cipollini is a gravel grinder, or someone loves a Disney movie.

I've been giving that unusual Tioga saddle a ride lately. Hmm.......not sure that is going to cut the mustard with me. I have bouts of thinking it is fine, and then I have times when I am sure it is hurting me. It's "oh-so-close" to being spot on, and I think this is why I am having issues. I remember thinking similar thoughts about the fizik brand Aliante saddle. That saddle was a bit too rounded for me, and I think that is exactly the same thing going on with the Tioga. I like a bit flatter saddle but keep the "depression in the middle", or "the bucket", as I call it, of WTB saddles like the Pure and SST. The Silverado has this to a lesser extent, but I like that one better, I think, than the Tioga.

The Undercover Saddle by Tioga. Not completely in love here, but I'm trying!

I'm going to "nose up" this Tioga saddle before I give up on it. That is how I have to have my WTB saddles, or I don't like them. So, I'll give that a shot before dismissing this saddle. Trouble is I did that with the Aliante and it helped....a tiny bit....but I took it off my Tamland eventually anyway. Still, ya gotta give it a solid try, so I will.

Tioga says the padding has a vibration absorbing character. The good news is I think they have that right on. There is something to that claim. The trouble becomes that this is a saddle and they are so personal as for fit, that regardless of the vibration damping claim, it has to actually interface with yer undercarriage, if you catch my meaning there.

Bin it!

I did get out and ride again on Memorial Day in the afternoon for a short ride. I didn't get out into the country as it was wicked windy........again! In fact, tornadoes were spotted about 60 miles North of here. It was a very wet Monday morning as well, so the gravel may not have been all that great. Hard for me to say.

But, I settled on a set up for the Prairie Burn that is complete with the exception of the saddle. (The Tioga may have to go) I set up my WTB Resolutes on these Spinergy wheels and tested that out. I think that combo will be a winning one, as far as it working, that is. The Prairie Burn isn't a race, so there won't be any winners.

It was a fine, relaxing weekend. I need it. Today the madness starts!

The Undercover Saddle

There is a hint in that cut out which tips you off as to what is "Undercover" here.

Bicycle saddles are a big business. Why? Because we are all so different, ride different types of bicycles, and sit in different positions. That's why. There is no "one" saddle for everyone, and there never will be, except for the one that fits you. 

Out of the gazillions of saddles out there, it may be difficult, expensive, and painful to find "The One", but when you do, you will know it. No one has to tell you.

Fortunately today there is more to whittling down the pile of prospective posterior perches than there used to be. Twas once upon a time that you spoke with the local honch rider and asked him what he found worked for him and his 5,000 mile a year habit. Then all you could go on was hearsay, legend, and healthy doses of bovine excrement masquerading as advice. Now we have sit bone measurements and marketing B.S. masquerading as advice.

Okay.....not much has changed. Anyway.......

In my quest to find "The One" I have gone through a few contenders. There was the WTB SST, the Bontrager Inform, (the OG ones, NOT the second gen ones), then I found WTB Pure V's, and Brooks Cambium saddles. Last year I came across a new contender- the WTB Silverado in the wider, 143mm width. What a great perch.

The original Tioga saddle, the Spyder, is the ancestor of the Undercover. Image by Capt. Bob.

Now there are more saddles coming out everyday, and just recently I was asked to check out a saddle by Tioga. You might remember that brand from the old mountain bike days. They have a tire I am checking out now for RidingGravel.com called the Binary. Anyway, this is their newest saddle offering. It's dubbed the Undercover. I think I know why.

You see, over ten years ago I was sent another Tioga saddle called the Spyder. It essentially was a hogged out saddle shell with no cover. This new saddle has a very Spyder-ish looking undercarriage with some integrated cushioning material which is all under a cover. get it? Undercover?

Anyway.....

While the original Spyder was suspect for its cheese grater-like look and propensity toward cracking at the webbing, this Undercover saddle looks more logical. Plus, it seems to be right in the ball park of what the WTB Silverado is for length, width, shape, and contour. Obviously, they are not exact, and the Undercover has a lot more going on tech-wise, but initial impressions are good right now.

Plus, Grannygear is doing a shoot-out of saddles for Riding Gravel. This Tioga saddle will be featured in it. So, it will get pitted against some stout competition, and we will have more words to look at to decide if one of the pile-o-saddles Grannygear has might be "The One" for you. Or it all may be a steaming pile of bovine excrement. One or the other. In the end, (see what I did there?) a saddle choice is so personal that it might seem ludicrous to do any sort of "review" of a saddle. But that won't stop Grannygear and I from trying.

Note: Tioga sent the undercover saddle for test and review to Guitar Ted at no charge. He was not paid, nor bribed for this post, and he will strive to give his honest thoughts and views throughout.

The Undercover Saddle

There is a hint in that cut out which tips you off as to what is "Undercover" here.

Bicycle saddles are a big business. Why? Because we are all so different, ride different types of bicycles, and sit in different positions. That's why. There is no "one" saddle for everyone, and there never will be, except for the one that fits you. 

Out of the gazillions of saddles out there, it may be difficult, expensive, and painful to find "The One", but when you do, you will know it. No one has to tell you.

Fortunately today there is more to whittling down the pile of prospective posterior perches than there used to be. Twas once upon a time that you spoke with the local honch rider and asked him what he found worked for him and his 5,000 mile a year habit. Then all you could go on was hearsay, legend, and healthy doses of bovine excrement masquerading as advice. Now we have sit bone measurements and marketing B.S. masquerading as advice.

Okay.....not much has changed. Anyway.......

In my quest to find "The One" I have gone through a few contenders. There was the WTB SST, the Bontrager Inform, (the OG ones, NOT the second gen ones), then I found WTB Pure V's, and Brooks Cambium saddles. Last year I came across a new contender- the WTB Silverado in the wider, 143mm width. What a great perch.

The original Tioga saddle, the Spyder, is the ancestor of the Undercover. Image by Capt. Bob.

Now there are more saddles coming out everyday, and just recently I was asked to check out a saddle by Tioga. You might remember that brand from the old mountain bike days. They have a tire I am checking out now for RidingGravel.com called the Binary. Anyway, this is their newest saddle offering. It's dubbed the Undercover. I think I know why.

You see, over ten years ago I was sent another Tioga saddle called the Spyder. It essentially was a hogged out saddle shell with no cover. This new saddle has a very Spyder-ish looking undercarriage with some integrated cushioning material which is all under a cover. get it? Undercover?

Anyway.....

While the original Spyder was suspect for its cheese grater-like look and propensity toward cracking at the webbing, this Undercover saddle looks more logical. Plus, it seems to be right in the ball park of what the WTB Silverado is for length, width, shape, and contour. Obviously, they are not exact, and the Undercover has a lot more going on tech-wise, but initial impressions are good right now.

Plus, Grannygear is doing a shoot-out of saddles for Riding Gravel. This Tioga saddle will be featured in it. So, it will get pitted against some stout competition, and we will have more words to look at to decide if one of the pile-o-saddles Grannygear has might be "The One" for you. Or it all may be a steaming pile of bovine excrement. One or the other. In the end, (see what I did there?) a saddle choice is so personal that it might seem ludicrous to do any sort of "review" of a saddle. But that won't stop Grannygear and I from trying.

Note: Tioga sent the undercover saddle for test and review to Guitar Ted at no charge. He was not paid, nor bribed for this post, and he will strive to give his honest thoughts and views throughout.