WTB Solano, Solano SL Saddles: Review

 Note: WTB sent two Solano saddles to Guitar Ted Productions at no cost for test and review. WTB has not paid for, nor bribed Guitar Ted for these reviews. All opinions and images, unless noted, belong to Guitar Ted/Guitar Ted Productions.

The new WTB Solano saddle

Today WTB releases three new saddles in their range of Fusion Form based saddles. Two are called "Solano" - The Solano SL and Solano. The third is the familiar Rocket name, but is a completely different saddle than its previous namesake. Guitar Ted Productions received the two Solano variants, so this review will focus on those models.

The Solano SL

What It Is... The new saddles feature WTB's Fusion Form base and padding especially formed to support the sit bones and give the rider enhanced comfort on medium to long rides. The Solano features a bit more padding than the SL, and so it is the model recommended for riders who tend to push hard pedaling in the saddle. Meanwhile the Solano SL is aimed at riders doing shorter, more intense rides. 

Both saddles feature a relief  contour in the center so there will be less pressure on the perineum and less frontal pressure. The Solano features 4mm of extra padding under the sit bones, compared to the SL, and an extra 2mm of padding in the middle and nose of the saddle. Otherwise both saddle's shapes are the same between models.

Other shared features include the "Love Channel" and "Comfort Zone" relief/comfort features, a Microfiber cover, DNA and DNAx padding, The Fusion Form base, and the available Medium or Wide widths. The Solano is available with Carbon, Titanium, or CroMoly rails while the Solano SL is available in only Carbon or Titanium railed models.

Pricing is commensurate with saddle rail material, so Carbon railed models are $209.95/€209.00/£210.00, Titanium models are $119.95/€119.00/£120.0, and the CroMoly railed saddles are $95.95/€94.90/£95.00. Some OEM models may show up with steel saddle rails and stainless steel saddle rails but the information I was provided shows these saddles are not available separately at this time.

 

The WTB Solano on Guitar Ted's King Fabrications "Honeman Flyer" single speed.

First Impressions: The Solano and Solano SL saddles were in somewhat short supply when I was offered samples in February. So I received one Solano in a Medium and the Solano SL in the Wide size. It is notable in regard to sizing that WTB offers no "Narrow" size, but the recommendations for sizing are for Medium, a sit bone width of  110 - 125, with the saddle measuring 142mm, and for Wide the suggested range is 125mm - 155mm and the saddle is 157mm in width.

I had to think this over a bit, but my reasoning for choosing the bicycles I did to do this review was based on seated positioning on each bike. I put the wider SL on my Titanium Mukluk. This bike has a more upright seated position and my reasoning was a wider saddle provides a bit more support when more weight is biased on the saddle. So, the narrower Solano went on my Honeman Flyer as this bike has a more even distribution of weight, front to rear, and I am bent over more as a result as well.

The saddles are of the "short nose/broad back" type so prevalent now days. The measurements for length of each saddle is 240mm. So they look a bit stubby and minimalist on the bike. I guess I'm still used to seeing longer saddles on bicycles!

In terms of shape these saddles are not far off from traditional WTB shapes like the Silverado or the similarly stubby Gravelier. Seated on the Solano I found familiarity there as well. The Microfiber cover, a staple in the WTB saddle line now, is smooth and doesn't grab at shorts or other clothing, so movements are made without snagging, which is welcome.

The Solano has a bit more "cush" in the hand if you press your fingers into the DNA padding, but it is firm and consistent. I really felt no big difference between the two sadlles I have here despite the minimal padding on the SL and my more upright position on it.

Overall, I was impressed by the quality of construction, and as far as initial rides went, I found these saddles to be quite comfortable to the point that I forgot about them. Which is a good thing, as longtime readers of reviews know. Now this is all well and fine, but what about multiple hour rides? 

Ride Feel: Actually I think both saddles were really good. I do get along with WTB's saddle shapes, for the most part, and so the fact that these two didn't bother me was not a big surprise.

I was pleased most with the narrower of the two, and if I had to go buy one I would get the Medium. A multi-hour gravel ride proved to be no problem, as far as this saddle goes, and I never had any issues with soreness or numbness at all.

The Solano wasn't what I would call "compliant", but it was not too hard or harsh at all. Firm might be a word one would use.  Definitely racy feeling. I also could move around at will, which I mentioned before, but this was the case whether I was wearing street clothes or a proper bib short. Now....there are not a lot of places to move to on this saddle. The short, truncated nose prevents a lot of fore-aft movement. I kind of miss being able to do this, but it was not a deal-breaker in my opinion. Just an observation.

So Far... There will be more rides and - hopefully - longer rides to see how I feel after such an adventure on this Solano perch. I suppose I need to say the usual "saddles are a personal thing" bit here, and this is true. But I have noted some saddles might feel fine up to three hours or so. You may think you've found "The One". Then you ride six hours and the last two of those are complete saddle agony. I've experienced this, and it is something I want to explore with regard to the Solano.  

Right now? This is a good, well made, fairly priced saddle from a company with a history of producing some classic saddle shapes over the decades. The Solano looks to slot in as the next "hit saddle" in WTB's long history. Time, and distance, will tell. Stay tuned....

Look for this saddle and all of WTB's products at their website here: www.wtb.com

WTB (New) Silverado Saddle: Review

NOTE: WTB sent over a Silverado titanium railed saddle to Guitar Ted Productions at no charge for test and review. I was not paid, nor bribed for this review and I always strive to give my honest thoughts and views throughout. 

Recently I found out that WTB had redesigned its evergreen model, the Silverado. This model is, I am pretty sure, the longest running current model saddle that WTB still offers. It also happens to be one of my very favorite saddles. Especially so since WTB has offered the 143mm wide version. 

So, when I heard the news I was a bit dismayed. "There they go again! Taking away a dead simple choice for me and now I guess its back to trying new saddles again!", which is always a fun adventure. Hours and hours of riding might have to be done just to figure out if a saddle will work or not. So, when you find "that" saddle, it is time to get ahold of several, because when you least expect it, that saddle will go out of production. 

Great! Just great.....

But my contact at WTB also loves his Silverados and told me he was very critical during the design process and wanted to make sure "his" saddle wasn't ruined by the redesign. He claimed that WTB had succeeded in that effort. 

We'll let my behind be the judge of THAT! (HA!)

The New Silverado:

The new Siverado is one of the new-school saddles which are shorter in the nose, but not so much as far as the typical wide rear end that most newer shorter nosed saddles have. Kind of a hybrid here. WTB also used the same technology they used on the Gravelier called "Fusion Form". It is WTB's balancing of stiffness and flexibility which is achieved by using varying amounts of reinforcing fiber in the nylon base. This allows WTB to tune each model of their saddle range to their intended purposes.

The Silverado is tuned for an aggressive, forward leaning rider much like the Gravelier. Fusion Form also allows the padding to be recessed into the base more creating a thinner profile saddle without sacrificing comfort. 

Pressure mapping revealed to WTB's designers that a flatter profile and shorter nose length were optimal for the new range of Silverado saddles. So, these are 265mm in length now, but you do have the choice between narrow (133mm) and medium (143mm) widths in four rail configurations (CroMo steel, Stainless Steel, Titanium, and Carbon Fiber) The Titanium railed, medium width Silverado tested retails for $142.00 USD. For more details see the website. https://www.wtb.com/products/silverado?variant=40106918346829

Impressions: 

Okay, so looking at this thing, the new Silverado, and then looking at the old Silverado, well, it is almost comical. That silly looking thin, long nose on the old one seems out of place now. Kind of like when I see a 1990's 135mm stem on an old 26"er. I guess this new-school short-nosed saddle thing is becoming more and more "normal" looking to my eyes.

I wouldn't call this "flat", but it is less dished out than the old Silverado was, for sure.

The padding on this new saddle seems a bit more plush than it does on the old Silverado, although WTB claims the padding is the same thickness. Must be a Fusion Form thing, I guess.There is the "Comfort Zone" cut-out underneath, a feature used for quite some time on WTB saddles now, and the Microfiber synthetic cover is always a nice touch. 

I have a Gravelier, and to my old eyes, the Gravelier seems a bit wider through the mid-section than the Silverado does, but both are the same short length. I could see that the new Silverado was flatter in profile, but it isn't completely flat. There still is a slight "kick-up" to the tail, but nothing like the older WTB saddles which were really dramatically kicked-up at the tail-end. 

The "Comfort Zone" cut-out.

I was replacing a fairly current Volt titanium railed saddle and when I compared weights, I was a bit taken aback. In fact, I noted straight away that the new Silverado had more heft than the Volt I was removing had. The scales proved this out to be true.

The Volt weighed in at 216 grams and the new Silverado? 246 grams. That's a significant difference, but hey! Who cares how much the saddle weighs if it is a pain in the butt? So, on the bike it went and I torqued it on per spec for the seat post, then it was off for a very brief test ride. 

More Impressions:

Okay, so like I said up there in the beginning, it may take hours and hours of riding to figure out whether or not the new Silverado is an improvement or just a painful experiment. Initially all I can say is that it has no glaring faults. I think I could ride this for a bit, at any rate. More will be said later on the subject of long ride comfort. 

Overall the Silverado seems similar to the old Silverado in the back half, but that short nose is evident. The padding seems nicer on the new one. That should bode well. But where is that extra 30 grams coming from? Seems odd. If the dimensions are smaller then "less" should equal "less", not more. 

I have a query in to WTB concerning my questionable math. We'll see what they say. Until then, it is time to ride this thing. I'll be back with more soon...

Review Briefs

 As many of you know, I get in a fair amount of stuff to review on Riding Gravel and sometimes just to give feedback on/test for others. I figured I may as well shoot a few words this way on some things being currently tested and reviewed by giving a few, brief thoughts on those items. As always, The Standard Disclaimer applies.

WTB Gravelier Saddle:

I've already mentioned this one last Friday, but in case you missed it, I have been riding this saddle for a little over a month now.  

I have to say, it really is a pretty nice saddle. Not every saddle will accommodate every butt, however; if you have a fairly aggressive seated position on a drop bar gravel bike, this is worth looking in to. 

I would liken it most to a Silverado WTB-wise, but if you've ridden anything that is meant for high performance road/gravel riding in the last 30 years it is about that same family - fairly stiff, not overly padded, and it provides perineal relief. Its 143mm wide and pretty short, but I have to say that it fits me great and that's coming off a 143mm Silverado. 

I rode this for around six hours at the Gents Race, so if that didn't kill me I think I'm good to go. In fact, it felt pretty darn fine to me. 

Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M Tires: Looking at that same image above you can see the Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M tire I have on my Twin Six Standard Rando now. This one is a 40mm and I also have a set of the 45's on my Black Mountain Cycles MCD at the moment.

This has risen to become one of my favorite tires. If I were going to ride somewhere that called out for a puncture protected tire, this one would get the call. I like it a little better than the Vittoria Terreno Dry in this size only because it rides a bit better, but that's a good puncture protected tire as well. 

The Easton EC90 AX Carbon drop bars here on my T6 Standard Rando

Easton EC90 AX Carbon Drop Bars:

These are pretty much a set of road racing bars. They are uber-light, carbon, comfortable, but......they are road bars. Not gravel handlebars. No flare to speak of here, although Easton claims there is 6° of it, you cannot tell there is anything flared here at all.

I mean, they are fine bars. They ride well, but I miss my flared drops and in rougher terrain or on looser gravel, a flared drop just is easier to control. I would recommend these to recovering roadies and those who have to have no-flare bars because "aero" and "watts" and well, you know who you are if that means anything to you. 

These handlebars are nice though. Smooth feeling, even in rough stuff, but you sacrifice control in rougher, looser terrain with them. 

Shimano SPhyre Ridescape Sunglasses: 

These were newly designed Sunglasses which were supposedly going to help with line definition and contrast on gravel rides in bright Sunshine. The magnetically fixed lenses were of the wraparound, shield type and frameless. They are light, very comfortable, and look good on my face, in my opinion. 

 When I first tried these, and every time I used them afterward, I had the uncanny feeling that my vision was clouded. Could be. My old eyes ain't what they used ta be, that's fer sure! But no.....it was something else. I almost felt like there was a fine film I was looking through when I wore these, and the colors as seen through the lenses were greenish-yellow and, well, not very pleasant. 

Finally I got out some older eyewear I have that I've always been very happy to look through. A pair of Spy "Happy Lenses" equipped casual glasses and an older than dirt pair of Oakley Jawbones. Once I sat down and compared, it was immediately apparent what the problem was. It wasn't just the SPhyre's weird color tinting, but these glasses were making glare worse instead of better. I was seeing everything with a haze of yellowish glare, and that was the "film I was looking through" thing after all. It was readily apparent that the Spy and Oakley glasses were far superior at cutting glare, rendering true colors, and had my eyes seeing things as they could be only without the burning sensation of the Sun in my retinas. 

So, yeah. The Shimano glasses? Not good. 

That's a wrap on reviews in brief for now. Stay tuned for more in the near future.

Review Briefs

 As many of you know, I get in a fair amount of stuff to review on Riding Gravel and sometimes just to give feedback on/test for others. I figured I may as well shoot a few words this way on some things being currently tested and reviewed by giving a few, brief thoughts on those items. As always, The Standard Disclaimer applies.

WTB Gravelier Saddle:

I've already mentioned this one last Friday, but in case you missed it, I have been riding this saddle for a little over a month now.  

I have to say, it really is a pretty nice saddle. Not every saddle will accommodate every butt, however; if you have a fairly aggressive seated position on a drop bar gravel bike, this is worth looking in to. 

I would liken it most to a Silverado WTB-wise, but if you've ridden anything that is meant for high performance road/gravel riding in the last 30 years it is about that same family - fairly stiff, not overly padded, and it provides perineal relief. Its 143mm wide and pretty short, but I have to say that it fits me great and that's coming off a 143mm Silverado. 

I rode this for around six hours at the Gents Race, so if that didn't kill me I think I'm good to go. In fact, it felt pretty darn fine to me. 

Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M Tires: Looking at that same image above you can see the Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M tire I have on my Twin Six Standard Rando now. This one is a 40mm and I also have a set of the 45's on my Black Mountain Cycles MCD at the moment.

This has risen to become one of my favorite tires. If I were going to ride somewhere that called out for a puncture protected tire, this one would get the call. I like it a little better than the Vittoria Terreno Dry in this size only because it rides a bit better, but that's a good puncture protected tire as well. 

The Easton EC90 AX Carbon drop bars here on my T6 Standard Rando

Easton EC90 AX Carbon Drop Bars:

These are pretty much a set of road racing bars. They are uber-light, carbon, comfortable, but......they are road bars. Not gravel handlebars. No flare to speak of here, although Easton claims there is 6° of it, you cannot tell there is anything flared here at all.

I mean, they are fine bars. They ride well, but I miss my flared drops and in rougher terrain or on looser gravel, a flared drop just is easier to control. I would recommend these to recovering roadies and those who have to have no-flare bars because "aero" and "watts" and well, you know who you are if that means anything to you. 

These handlebars are nice though. Smooth feeling, even in rough stuff, but you sacrifice control in rougher, looser terrain with them. 

Shimano SPhyre Ridescape Sunglasses: 

These were newly designed Sunglasses which were supposedly going to help with line definition and contrast on gravel rides in bright Sunshine. The magnetically fixed lenses were of the wraparound, shield type and frameless. They are light, very comfortable, and look good on my face, in my opinion. 

 When I first tried these, and every time I used them afterward, I had the uncanny feeling that my vision was clouded. Could be. My old eyes ain't what they used ta be, that's fer sure! But no.....it was something else. I almost felt like there was a fine film I was looking through when I wore these, and the colors as seen through the lenses were greenish-yellow and, well, not very pleasant. 

Finally I got out some older eyewear I have that I've always been very happy to look through. A pair of Spy "Happy Lenses" equipped casual glasses and an older than dirt pair of Oakley Jawbones. Once I sat down and compared, it was immediately apparent what the problem was. It wasn't just the SPhyre's weird color tinting, but these glasses were making glare worse instead of better. I was seeing everything with a haze of yellowish glare, and that was the "film I was looking through" thing after all. It was readily apparent that the Spy and Oakley glasses were far superior at cutting glare, rendering true colors, and had my eyes seeing things as they could be only without the burning sensation of the Sun in my retinas. 

So, yeah. The Shimano glasses? Not good. 

That's a wrap on reviews in brief for now. Stay tuned for more in the near future.

Friday News And Views (SOE)

 NOTE: Today is Day Two of Sea Otter which is happening at the Laguna Seca Raceway near Monterrey, California. The "FN&V" will feature several news bits from the show as a result. 

State Bicycle Company partners with Taco Bell (Image courtesy of State Bicycle Co.)

State Bicycle Company And Taco Bell Collaborate On Bicycle & Apparel:

Taco Bell - You may have downed a few products from this fast food joint after a ride session or two over the years. I remember Taco Bell as being my mainstay food source as a young mechanic back in the 90's. ("Bean & Green"!) Well, jokes and anecdotes aside, the restaurant chain has a new collaboration out as of yesterday with the State Bicycle Company. They used their "DGAF Klunker" as a canvass to do a livery on reflecting the purple, yellow, white, and pink colors of Taco Bell. The bike will also be available with accessories like the $69.99 tank bag, (shown), and even a bib short and jersey set will be for sale along with the bike. (The kit actually isn't bad looking, by the way)

Comments: No price on the bike. Hmm... Anyway, this probably will sell out. While I no longer am a fan of Taco Bell, due to an unfortunate experience in their Waterloo, Iowa outlet, I suppose the popularity and novelty of this will help sales along just fine. You don't see a lot of collaborations that aren't (a) done on the worst quality bicycles, or (b) that aren't extremely expensive to buy. This is one that actually makes sense and is (kind of) cool. 

WTB Introduces The "Gravelier" Saddle:

You've seen this saddle before. No, really! You've seen it several times here on the blog before its "official" release yesterday. This is the saddle I currently have on my Twin Six Standard Rando v2 since, oh, mid-March, I would guess. 

That aside, the saddle was released to the public yesterday at Sea Otter. I have a review of it already along with some input from MG who also got one of these to ride. That can be found at Riding Gravel. 

Comments:  Well, I resisted the "wide-short" saddle thing for years thinking I had already found what I wanted in WTB's Silverado saddle in the medium width. However; last year I grew to love that new Ergon saddle which is one of these new breeds of saddle and now that I've tried this one, well.... 

It's really quite good. I think that the Ergon saddle edges this one out only because the foam that Ergon uses for padding gives you a bit more comfort than the WTB one does, but had I never ridden that Ergon one, yeah.... It's the bees knees. 

As a side note, WTB sent me the carbon railed version, which is something I'd not tried before. I guess its okay. I mean, it's crazy light! It isn't any stiffer, really, and maybe it does something to attenuate vibrations, but I don't know. I mean, I don't get on it and think, "Wow! These carbon rails are the bomb!", because I simply do not notice them. AND - I hope I never really do, if you know what I mean!

Chris King re-introduces 3D Violet (Image courtesy of Chris King)

It's NOT Purple! Chris King Makes 3D Violet Available Again:

While not technically a Sea Otter release, Chris King has announced that you will now be able to get any of their current component offerings in the famous 3D Violet hue once again. 

This includes the reintroduced 6 bolt disc hub line. So, anyone out there that doesn't like Center Lock, well there you go! 

Comments: Did you know that, according to the press release I was sent, that Chris King made their first 3D Violet parts back in 1988? It was in response to what was going on in the BMX world, where the anodized color was taking off. I did not know that until I received that presser. 

I just remember "violet" (purple) anodizing being a huge deal in the early 1990's MTB scene. Of course, then there were the other colors that followed. Probably the next most famous being turquoise ano, (blue) which dominated for about a year. Ah! Those days were the days, right? You could get anodized bits in all the colors of the rainbow. And now? Well, quietly, colored components have made something of a comeback, and I can't say that this makes me sad.

Limar Air Atlas (Image courtesy of LIMAR)

Limar Introduces Revamped Helmet Line:

Limar helmets have revamped their entire helmet line and there are several enhancements to the new helmets. The most "gravel" of the choices being the "Air Atlas" helmet which is Limar's aero, super-lightweight offering. 

It features their "Fidlock" magnetic buckle, seven front air vents, four NACA vents, six rear vents, and six inner air channels. 

There also is an optional aerodynamic fairing attachment for the rear of this helmet that Limar calls "UFO". It helps with airflow over the helmet and Limar claims that in wind tunnel testing that it can save up to an additional 0.7 watts at 40K/hr over just the bare Air Atlas helmet. 

Price for the Air Atlas is $319.95

Comments: I know that for a lot of you this aero thing seems like nonsense, that you are not going fast enough to benefit from it, and that it is too expensive. You are only right on one point. Aero is a thing and if you ride long distances in the country, this is where you will see a big difference. Hey, you can ignore it all you want to, but the science and physics are right there for anyone to check out.

But yeah, at three hundred, nineteen bucks? Woof! That's a lot for a skid-lid. And a lot of aero stuff is also very spendy. So, I get it. Plus, a general rant here on helmet sizing: Ya know, some of us out here have large noggins. I cannot use a Limar helmet as their size Large only goes up to 62cm and my head is 63cm. No go... I guess big-headed folks are out of luck here. (Hint: Bontrager makes a helmet which goes up to 66cm in their Starvos and their aero Circuit Wavecell goes to 63cm. Both fit me perfectly) 

The Salsa Cycles e-gravel bike, the Confluence

Salsa Cycles Surprises At Sea Otter With Confluence E-gravel Bike:

My friend Grannygear is at Sea Otter again this year. He lives near enough that he can drive a few hours and attend, so he generally agrees to do me a favor and scour the show for gravel stuff. Well, this year he came across a surprise find at Salsa Cycles booth.

The booth featured an e-bike called the Confluence which is an aluminum framed gravel bike with a hub drive motor and GRX components in fkat or drop bar versions. Kind of like a high-end Journeyer idea here. Unfortunately, I don't have any more details at this time about the bikes. 

Comments: Salsa Cycles seems to be making a big move toward e-bike models with this introduction, and no wonder, these electrified bikes are all the rage in Europe where it is said that over half of all bikes sold at retail are electric now. Previous to this, Salsa had no real presence in the e-bike area. My instincts tell me that we are due to see a whole lot more electrification from Salsa going forward. 

The booth was festooned with "Salsa Cycles Electric" banners which tells me that the focus going forward will be electric for Salsa. This was kept under wraps pretty well, as I had no inkling of this release, but it does make a lot of sense for Salsa's Euro dealers and the REI Coop customers that Salsa sells to.

The IWAR Team and I in 2020

Good Luck To The Iowa Wind And Rock Riders & Promoters!

This weekend marks the running of the fifth Iowa Wind And Rock event (IWAR). The forecast for the festivities is looking like a typical late April deal. Chilly at night, decent during the day, and yeah, most probably windy. This is Iowa after all! 

The event is run by Sarah Cooper, Steve Fuller, and Dori Jansma. They will be starting out of  the parking lot of a Fareway Grocery store in Winterset, Iowa at 4:00am. Yes.... That's four in the morning! 

I wanted to extend my best wishes for the event, the riders, and especially for the Race Directors and their Volunteers. This event is obviously a take on Trans Iowa, an extension of it, perhaps, and since that is the case, I understand intimately what it takes to do such an endeavor.

So, here's to all involved! May you all see success and gain something you did not have before you started after it is over. I'll be watching from afar.....

That's it for this week! Have a great weekend and get in a ride!

Friday News And Views (SOE)

 NOTE: Today is Day Two of Sea Otter which is happening at the Laguna Seca Raceway near Monterrey, California. The "FN&V" will feature several news bits from the show as a result. 

State Bicycle Company partners with Taco Bell (Image courtesy of State Bicycle Co.)

State Bicycle Company And Taco Bell Collaborate On Bicycle & Apparel:

Taco Bell - You may have downed a few products from this fast food joint after a ride session or two over the years. I remember Taco Bell as being my mainstay food source as a young mechanic back in the 90's. ("Bean & Green"!) Well, jokes and anecdotes aside, the restaurant chain has a new collaboration out as of yesterday with the State Bicycle Company. They used their "DGAF Klunker" as a canvass to do a livery on reflecting the purple, yellow, white, and pink colors of Taco Bell. The bike will also be available with accessories like the $69.99 tank bag, (shown), and even a bib short and jersey set will be for sale along with the bike. (The kit actually isn't bad looking, by the way)

Comments: No price on the bike. Hmm... Anyway, this probably will sell out. While I no longer am a fan of Taco Bell, due to an unfortunate experience in their Waterloo, Iowa outlet, I suppose the popularity and novelty of this will help sales along just fine. You don't see a lot of collaborations that aren't (a) done on the worst quality bicycles, or (b) that aren't extremely expensive to buy. This is one that actually makes sense and is (kind of) cool. 

WTB Introduces The "Gravelier" Saddle:

You've seen this saddle before. No, really! You've seen it several times here on the blog before its "official" release yesterday. This is the saddle I currently have on my Twin Six Standard Rando v2 since, oh, mid-March, I would guess. 

That aside, the saddle was released to the public yesterday at Sea Otter. I have a review of it already along with some input from MG who also got one of these to ride. That can be found at Riding Gravel. 

Comments:  Well, I resisted the "wide-short" saddle thing for years thinking I had already found what I wanted in WTB's Silverado saddle in the medium width. However; last year I grew to love that new Ergon saddle which is one of these new breeds of saddle and now that I've tried this one, well.... 

It's really quite good. I think that the Ergon saddle edges this one out only because the foam that Ergon uses for padding gives you a bit more comfort than the WTB one does, but had I never ridden that Ergon one, yeah.... It's the bees knees. 

As a side note, WTB sent me the carbon railed version, which is something I'd not tried before. I guess its okay. I mean, it's crazy light! It isn't any stiffer, really, and maybe it does something to attenuate vibrations, but I don't know. I mean, I don't get on it and think, "Wow! These carbon rails are the bomb!", because I simply do not notice them. AND - I hope I never really do, if you know what I mean!

Chris King re-introduces 3D Violet (Image courtesy of Chris King)

It's NOT Purple! Chris King Makes 3D Violet Available Again:

While not technically a Sea Otter release, Chris King has announced that you will now be able to get any of their current component offerings in the famous 3D Violet hue once again. 

This includes the reintroduced 6 bolt disc hub line. So, anyone out there that doesn't like Center Lock, well there you go! 

Comments: Did you know that, according to the press release I was sent, that Chris King made their first 3D Violet parts back in 1988? It was in response to what was going on in the BMX world, where the anodized color was taking off. I did not know that until I received that presser. 

I just remember "violet" (purple) anodizing being a huge deal in the early 1990's MTB scene. Of course, then there were the other colors that followed. Probably the next most famous being turquoise ano, (blue) which dominated for about a year. Ah! Those days were the days, right? You could get anodized bits in all the colors of the rainbow. And now? Well, quietly, colored components have made something of a comeback, and I can't say that this makes me sad.

Limar Air Atlas (Image courtesy of LIMAR)

Limar Introduces Revamped Helmet Line:

Limar helmets have revamped their entire helmet line and there are several enhancements to the new helmets. The most "gravel" of the choices being the "Air Atlas" helmet which is Limar's aero, super-lightweight offering. 

It features their "Fidlock" magnetic buckle, seven front air vents, four NACA vents, six rear vents, and six inner air channels. 

There also is an optional aerodynamic fairing attachment for the rear of this helmet that Limar calls "UFO". It helps with airflow over the helmet and Limar claims that in wind tunnel testing that it can save up to an additional 0.7 watts at 40K/hr over just the bare Air Atlas helmet. 

Price for the Air Atlas is $319.95

Comments: I know that for a lot of you this aero thing seems like nonsense, that you are not going fast enough to benefit from it, and that it is too expensive. You are only right on one point. Aero is a thing and if you ride long distances in the country, this is where you will see a big difference. Hey, you can ignore it all you want to, but the science and physics are right there for anyone to check out.

But yeah, at three hundred, nineteen bucks? Woof! That's a lot for a skid-lid. And a lot of aero stuff is also very spendy. So, I get it. Plus, a general rant here on helmet sizing: Ya know, some of us out here have large noggins. I cannot use a Limar helmet as their size Large only goes up to 62cm and my head is 63cm. No go... I guess big-headed folks are out of luck here. (Hint: Bontrager makes a helmet which goes up to 66cm in their Starvos and their aero Circuit Wavecell goes to 63cm. Both fit me perfectly) 

The Salsa Cycles e-gravel bike, the Confluence

Salsa Cycles Surprises At Sea Otter With Confluence E-gravel Bike:

My friend Grannygear is at Sea Otter again this year. He lives near enough that he can drive a few hours and attend, so he generally agrees to do me a favor and scour the show for gravel stuff. Well, this year he came across a surprise find at Salsa Cycles booth.

The booth featured an e-bike called the Confluence which is an aluminum framed gravel bike with a hub drive motor and GRX components in fkat or drop bar versions. Kind of like a high-end Journeyer idea here. Unfortunately, I don't have any more details at this time about the bikes. 

Comments: Salsa Cycles seems to be making a big move toward e-bike models with this introduction, and no wonder, these electrified bikes are all the rage in Europe where it is said that over half of all bikes sold at retail are electric now. Previous to this, Salsa had no real presence in the e-bike area. My instincts tell me that we are due to see a whole lot more electrification from Salsa going forward. 

The booth was festooned with "Salsa Cycles Electric" banners which tells me that the focus going forward will be electric for Salsa. This was kept under wraps pretty well, as I had no inkling of this release, but it does make a lot of sense for Salsa's Euro dealers and the REI Coop customers that Salsa sells to.

The IWAR Team and I in 2020

Good Luck To The Iowa Wind And Rock Riders & Promoters!

This weekend marks the running of the fifth Iowa Wind And Rock event (IWAR). The forecast for the festivities is looking like a typical late April deal. Chilly at night, decent during the day, and yeah, most probably windy. This is Iowa after all! 

The event is run by Sarah Cooper, Steve Fuller, and Dori Jansma. They will be starting out of  the parking lot of a Fareway Grocery store in Winterset, Iowa at 4:00am. Yes.... That's four in the morning! 

I wanted to extend my best wishes for the event, the riders, and especially for the Race Directors and their Volunteers. This event is obviously a take on Trans Iowa, an extension of it, perhaps, and since that is the case, I understand intimately what it takes to do such an endeavor.

So, here's to all involved! May you all see success and gain something you did not have before you started after it is over. I'll be watching from afar.....

That's it for this week! Have a great weekend and get in a ride!