Do That Again (At Least Once)

I have been saying for several years that I wanted to do a sub24 trip and...... I haven't done one. I don't know why, exactly, it's just that other stuff took precedence, or I let it do so, and I never got around to it. 

But the BRAN trip taught me that I can do this, and it also showed me I had better do it sooner than later or I won't ever do it. 

The gear is all there. I may as well use it. I know it works. There is only one thing I might have to change and that is the sleeping pad. The Thermarest Basecamp is flipping huge. I'd have to find an alternative which wasn't so massive so it did not take up so much space on the bike. Honestly, my old, ancient Thermarest pas might be okay from that standpoint. 

But no excuses. This has to happen at least once more this year. That's the goal. Small, I know, but it would be better than zero. And I have places I can go local to me as well. Maybe they are not that exciting, but that is my perspective. And in the end, it is the options that matter not "how cool/uncool" those places may seem to me. 

So, I better get on this. It's now or maybe never.....
 

Friday News And Views

Bikepacking/Touring Opportunity In Minnesota:

I was cruising social media last week and came across something which I felt was a great idea for a tour. While this exists for all-wheel drive vehicles and dual-sport motorcycles, it is mostly on gravel and minimum maintenance roads. In other words, it is perfect for gravel bikes or bikepacking bikes.

The trail starts and stops in New Albin, Iowa, but it looks to me as though you could start and stop in a few other places. While this is 435 miles in total, I would think shorter loops could be easily fabricated if the 400+ miles is intimidating or not possible due to time constraints.

Heywood Ride promoter Marty Larsen chimed in on the post I saw and commented that the roads used for this route included several of the same roads used for the Heywood 390 route, and recommended it as being great for views and riding. That's a pretty good recommendation right there. 

If you are curious, see the SEMAT site HERE.  

Wolf Tooth offers "Raw Silver" in select sizes. (Image courtesy of Wolf Tooth)

Wolf Tooth Offers Raw Silver Chain Rings:

This week saw the release of some chainrings by Wolf Tooth in a "Raw Silver" color. This is a bit unusual as most of Wolf Tooth's componentry is anodized in bright, colorful hues.

Currently the Raw Silver is only available in SRAM 8-bolt direct mount or 110BCD sizes.  You can see more by checking in on Wolf Tooth's site HERE.

Comments: I like silver components, but I wish for the older style anodization like Shimano used on the original XTR, or for a polished, more shiny look. The Raw is a move in the right direction, but when I think silver, I think of more "pop" than these offerings seem to have. Perhaps seeing them in the flesh would change my mind. 

Image courtesy of FARA Cycling

Gravel Bicycles Evolving:

This past week saw an introduction of the latest generation of gravel bike from the Norwegian company, Fara. Their newest offering, the GR4, can handle 2.2" 29"er tires and still has the capability for a 1X only, 46T chain ring.

The carbon fiber frame and fork also has in-frame storage and accessory mounts for bike packing. The GR4 is only compatible with wireless shifting groups and will not work with any mechanical components at all.

Comments: The geometry of this bike is rather interesting. It is pretty much exactly the same as that Raleigh gravel bike that could take 50mm tires and was that awful tan/brown color. I cannot recall the name of the model, but it came out in 2017, I believe, so this one is nothing new in the light of geometry and tire clearances.

What I've always questioned is this propensity for wanting super-short chain stays. I always think of what the roughest seat on the school bus was, (right over the rear axle) and shake my head. A little of what Joe Breeze said also comes to mind here. He said a longer, uninterrupted tube/carbon shape will have the best ride feel. But apparently you have to feel fast, even though it sucks to ride, to be fast. 

We did get rid of skinny tires, for the most part. Maybe someday short chain stays will also fall out of favor for what really works best for the rider. 

Image courtesy of Wahoo Fitness

Wahoo Fitness Upgrades Kickr Rollr Indoor Trainer:

The entry level Wahoo Kickr Rollr Indoor Trainer has been upgraded with power output capabilities. Now riders can use this trainer to train with power.  

The onboard power output meter is not as accurate as an onboard the bike power meter due to the Kickr Rollr's rear wheel freedom of movement, but you can get a good baseline to work off of despite this. Wahoo indicates that any third party power meter can be connected to the Kickr Rollr for more precise accuracy if so desired.

Because of the Kickr Rollr's design, almost any bicycle can be used with it, which makes this the perfect trainer for multiple rider households. The front wheel is clamped and wedged into the unit, making out of the saddle and harder efforts safer.

Pricing:  US$699.99 / CA$874.99, UK£549.99, EU€599.99. AU$999.99, Japan¥120,000 - Available to buy now.

Wilde Spelljammer (Image by Jarod Bunk)

Wilde Bicycles Offers Limited Run Spelljammer Bike:

Wilde Bicycles announced on Wednesday of last week that they are commissioning a small batch of rim brake "randonnuering" bikes called the Spelljammer..

The bike will be steel, (natch), and fillet brazed by a single artisan in Taiwan. Wilde indicated in the press release that finding anyone to make such a bike in Taiwan is increasingly difficult as the skilled people who know this trade skill are disappearing due to retirement and death. Wilde suspects then that this may be the last bicycles of this type to come out of the island nation. 

Also noteworthy: The rear drop outs are from the same casting designed by Anna Schwinn 

Spelljammer frame sets are $1,600.00 USD and preorders are open now for a Summer 2026 delivery. See the site for more details HERE.

That's a wrap on things for this week. Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions. Now egt out there and ride those bicycles!

Crazy Idea: Testing Again

 Last week I posted on the Velo Orange Eccentric Bottom Bracket and let you know I had decided on switching over to 1X 10 for the drive train. In this update I wanted to share my thoughts after the latest test ride of the newest set-up.

Going without a front derailleur seems like the "smart way to go" for many of you readers, I would guess. I do not prefer it, to be honest. I will admit to being pretty overly sensitive to certain elements of a bicycle's drive train, touch points, or other nuances many people do not even consider a "real thing".  I think many read my thoughts and probably think I am making things up. Well, that simply is not the case for me, at any rate. These things are real.

So, when my chain gets pretty angled going from a single drive ring to one of the lower gears on the cassette, I can feel this. Don't ask me how, but I can shift to a gear I feel is "good" and almost 100% of the time it is the straightest from the cassette to the drive ring possible. So, 1X set ups have never really been my preference as 2X or 3X allows you to keep your chain the straightest and most efficient.

This makes me wonder if I need a lower end range if I would not be better off going smaller on the drive ring. Bigger rear cogs create more extreme chain angles in the lower gears, so sacrificing high speed combinations for the lower end makes sense while allowing me to keep the rear cassette I have now on the bike. I'll have to examine some gear ratio comparisons before I decide, but this is where I am at with the drive train at the moment.

The bearing still needs to be upgraded on the non-drive side of the bottom bracket, although it spun well enough on this test ride. I still need a proper lower cup on the head set. And I still have not found my stash of six bolt rotors. I cannot mount a single speed cog on the front wheel until I settle on what is happening with the drive train. I'm getting closer to being done, but I'm not quite there yet. 

More soon. 

Crazy Idea: Load Testing

The last update on the Singular Cycles Buzzard showed you all what the concept looked like. This time I wanted to share some thoughts about how this bike handles a load and if I think the concept will work or not in real, practical terms.

So, I dug up my bags, some of which I still had loaded from back when I was testing out the Singular Cycles Gryphon Mk3 for this two-day gravel trip I have had planned for.....I don't know.... A long time now. Anyway, I started fitting these to the Buzzard and I quickly came to realize I would benefit from having a custom frame bag for this bike, but I really don't think that is going to happen. And I should just get this along with what I already have, so I resigned myself to doing just this and forgoing any big purchases.

Besides, I probably need to limit my choices down to bare essentials anyway. It isn't as though I am doing some week-long tour. I just need to be able to sleep overnight and get back home again. This seems to be harder to do than it sounds though. But yeah..... That's what I am shooting for here. 

The load was my OR handle bar bag, which if I recall correctly, has my sleep system inside it. Maybe some clothes in there as well? I didn't bother to check. It had weight and this was all I wanted to know. That and how I was going to attach it to the Utility Rack which ended up being pretty simple using the straps native to this bag.

As shown here, there are several loops to use to strap on another dry bag if I need to, so I could get a bit more on there. Plus, if I need a pad, I could use one of the various flat panel ones, (or a windshield insert typically used for shielding the inside of a vehicle from the Sun while parked) as a mattress.

The rear bag had my two-man tent inside of it. This could carry a bit more as well. So, I have options there. Still, a frame nag would have been nice, but yeah....not going there!

I have two cages to mount on the inside, rider facing part of the Utility Bar, but I have not gotten around to mounting those just yet. I did fill the bottles with water though. This made up the load for the initial test. I'll be doing a more detailed, full-load test later on.

I was afraid the handling with this bag on the rack would  be bad. The fork/front end geometry is really critical in this regard. I did not know quite what to expect. About halfway through the test ride I climbed a steep incline which brought my speed down to probably 5mph, I would guess. This is where your geometry and load can bite you with a wandering, hard to steer front end. Surprisingly this was not the case here. I had very stable handling, and no flopping fork to f9ight against, which really was surprising. 

The bike still feels surprisingly light and it handles in a very neutral way. The drive train functions excellently. You would not guess this is a mismatched collection of used parts. The ride is smooth, and I think the rim and tire width combination is really good.

But this set up still needs refinement. I'm not 100% settled on the saddle position, the saddle, or the seat post. I think I want to explore getting a shim so I can size down to a 27.2 mm seat post which I have several of and ones which should prove to be more forgiving than this brute of a 31.6mm post which the Buzzard has now. I also would like a bit more set back and for whatever reason, the tilt function on this Salsa post is not working correctly and I cannot tilt the nose up just the tiny bit more I would like to.

I may swap out grips as these Ergon grips feel a bit harsh on my paws. Hmm...... I guess that is about all, really. This is turning out well, surprisingly. I can find very little to complain about, and this is a parts bin bike using stuff which was never designed to be together.

The next step is to inventory what is in the OR bag and then try a "real-life" set up as a load, mounting the two extra cages and full bottles, and then seeing what I come up with. I'm thinking this is going to actually be a pretty rad bike. So, I am probably going to get the eccentric bottom bracket, (already on the way here, actually) the different seat post and saddle, and install different grips. I have to decide what I want to do about the tire set up. Then....?

I guess this would mean I would actually have to use the thing, right? 

I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.  

Crazy Idea: Not So Crazy Afterall

 Well........there it is! I've test ridden the bike and I am impressed so far. Enough so I am motivated to finish up the idea. While it is ride-able as is, there still is a lot to do before I can say I've accomplished my goals with this bike.

Before I get into what things are on my to-do list, I wanted to give my impressions of what I have here so far. These will include how the machine works and also how it handles. Then I wanted to get into what I do not care for about the bike, and finally I will get to what needs to be done yet.

Impressions: 

My first impression was the bike has poor cable routing and the cable management around the Utility Bar and Rack is, by the nature of the design, flawed. Singular didn't really get the cable stops right on this bike, and so I had to kind of make do where I did run cables. As an example, the front derailleur cable route is along the down tube. Not good when my derailleurs are almost all top-pull for 2X set ups. But then again, who runs front derailleurs anymore........

Next, coming out of the stand, I was amazed at how light this build is. Now.....I'm not saying it is really light, but for what it is, you might be surprised by the weight. I did not put it on a scale, so I have no number to share, but I thought it felt light in the hand, and this with the steel bar, rack, and butyl rubber tubes.

The ride was an eye-opener. I had forgotten how short the wheel base is and I'd never run the Buzzard with a "short" fork before. So it feels nimble and not at all sluggish. Even the wheels felt great despite the rubber tubes and old tires.

The shifters and derailleurs work flawlessly. Ironically I am using an 11 speed cassette with a ten speed chain but there seems to be no negative results.  The low gear on the cassette is a 36T and the inner ring is a 28T, so unless I go mountain hunting I don't think I'll be changing the gearing.

The brakes were great. I still need to equalize the rotor sizes and replace the front Shimano rotor with a SRAM 160mm rotor.  

Cables and front racks off the handle bar. Not compatible!

Things Not So Great:

Well, there is not a lot I don't like, but for starters this bike was never meant to be a bike packing rig so there is only one set of bosses on it for a water bottle. This is why I went with the Utility Rack and Handlebar. These items give me a lot more mounting points for accessories. I'll end up having five water bottle mounts, which includes the two fork mounted bottles. Water won't be an issue.

Then there is the aforementioned cable routing.  

I'm not a fan of not having a single speed bail-out option for a bike like this. Singular decided against providing this option on the Buzzard, which is rare for the brand. At the time it made sense. Who would want a single speed option on a trail oriented hard tail? Well, besides myself and Rich Dillen. 

Things To Do Yet: 

This leads me to what I need to do yet. First off, I'll tackle the single speed option with the Velo Orange eccentric bottom bracket. Then I'll need a "real" head set instead of the cobbled together one I dug up out of my parts bin, which is actually two uppers since the steer tube is 1 1/8th straight tube. Along with this I'll cut down the steer tube and put in a new star nut.

I'm thinking about swapping tires to my Surly Extraterrestrials. Then I'll also go tubeless when I do this. Otherwise I'll end up getting a couple new 29"er tires with some decent grip for off road trails and low enough knobs for gravel.The brake rotor thing I already mentioned. Then I'll be able to swap wheels. I think I have a single speed freewheel to spare also.

In the meantime I think I will do a fully loaded test to see how the bike does ready to go for a bike packing trip. Stay tuned.... 

Crazy Idea: Update 3

Well....it's rideable. It is not 'done'. I will have many things yet to do, or undo, as the case may be, depending upon my ride testing. But I spent all day, off and on, getting everything tidied up so I can actually ride the thing. 

As usual, there were a few snags. But the first thing to get out of the way was to renew the tire for the rear by getting off all the old sealant. This was quite the task, and the thing that took the most time of all.

The Buzzard was set up in a time when I was using "MG's Formula" for tubeless set ups. It is a home made recipe for tubeless goo which my dear friend, Matt Gersib came up with. (Don't ask what it is or how to make it. I've shared this several times here already.)

Anyway, that recipe dries to a skin, similar to how Orange Seal dries. Although, I had several layers in this tire and in places it had formed a kind of tube! So, to get it cleared off the tire casing I had to sit and peel, and peel, and peel. The beads took the longest. This was all of a few hours in total!

I did not have to re-tape the Dually rim though, so this saved a few minutes. Then I had to cable the bike up. But before I had done this, I finished swapping out the pins on the XT flat pedals I have. The pedals came with these worthless nubs which had zero grip. I don't even understand why Shimano would think these would be workable for any situation, but there they were, and out they came.

Cabling was going to be something of a hit and miss thing, since I wasn't sure what I had around to use. Fortunately I found matching silver/grey Jagwire derailleur and brake housings in my cable crate. I used this and then it was time to try and find brake cables.

See, I have almost abandoned flat bar bikes so I have next to nothing for cables. This was also the reason why I had to purchase a pair of excellent Shimano long pull brake levers which I found at the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective.

I found one flat bar cable, but I had to get another one from work yesterday. One check. The other check came when I tried spinning the rear tire after hooking up the cable and it would not turn. What!?

Turns out Shimano Ice Tech rotors do not clear Avid BB-7 calipers, (actually, it was those tabs hanging off the pads) in 160mm size. A 180mm rotor clears fine since the caliper sits far above the riveted section where the aluminum carrier mates with the stainless steel rotor. So...I had to find a SRAM six bolt rotor, and with all this Center Lock nonsense these days, I counted myself fortunate to have found one. Once installed, this solved the problem and I had a free-spinning wheel again.

Cable ties, cable routing decisions, tuning, and finer details were then all taken care of until at about 10:00pm last night I was finished. Now it will all rest on how the bike handles and performs. Looks may be a little off yet, but I did not care as all I need to do at this point is prove the concept. Is this a "crazy idea", or will it actually be a viable bike packing machine?

Stay tuned....... 

Crazy Idea: Update 2

Moving forward with the "Crazy Idea" I have for the old Singular Cycles Buzzard, since the 'hard part' has been done. Building the special front wheel went smoothly, and now it is 'just putting on the bits' which needs done. I was not sure I was going to have what I needed though.

Brakes were top of mind when it came to finishing up this bike. I thought I had one Avid BB-7 caliper, but I was sure I'd need another. I was about to go and pull the trigger on a new caliper, and a set of levers because I was sure I'd need those as well, when a new development changed my course.

Looking in a bin 'one more time' thinking I'd already looked once before there, I was surprised to find three Avid BB-7 calipers and a set of no-name levers. So, I was certainly happy to have found those. Now all I had to do was to find the correct adapters to make the whole set up work.

Disc brake caliper adapters. Remember those?  I used to have a small tool box filled with all the different ones needed to mount 140mm, 160mm, 180mm/185mm, and 200/203mm rotors. Now that I have mostly moved over to bicycles with flat mount brakes, I have also lost/used up all the old adapters I once had. So, now I am scrounging around for a rear adapter for a 180mm rotor.

But....I suppose this is a better deal than having to order all new stuff! 

The next thing is cables and housings. Thankfully I won't have to mess with hydraulic lines on this build. This makes the set up a lot easier, and also less risky should the thing not ride well when I get it done. And riding should happen soon, since I think, minus the one adapter, I have everything I need now to get this together. Now it will all just be getting around to doing it. 

Crazy Idea: Update

Back in mid-June I showed you dear readers this "sketch" I had for the old Singular Buzzard. If you missed the introduction to my nutty thoughts, you can go back and read them HERE. 

The short story, in case you don't go back to read the first post on this, is that I wanted to rebuild the Buzzard, but not as a trail bike. I am going with a "bikepacking/Pugsley" idea, where the rear and front wheels will be interchangeable.

The first order of business was to rebuild the single speed rear hub I have, which was laced to a 26" Marge Lite rim, as seen in the image above/left here. (depending on which platform you are viewing the blog on)

Then, since I wanted to reuse the On One Chunky Monkey 29" x 2.4" tires, I had to clean out all the old sealant. Let me tell you, there was a lot of 'skin to peel' off! But it came out swell, and the tire looked great, even if it is about a dozen years old! By the way, I will have to do the same with the rear, but I haven't gotten around to it quite yet.

With the tire cleaned up, and the 29" Dually rim rebuilt onto the single speed hub, I had to re-tape the rim, and I decided that for now I would insert a tube. This will press the tape down nice and evenly onto the rim's inner walls, and suffice for the time being to test out the idea. If things pan out, I will set up the bike tubeless, or maybe I'll go TPU. We will see when, and if, I get to this point what I decide.
 

The second mock-up looks more promising. I think I am warming up to this idea!

So there is what I have so far. I like what I am seeing now much better. A few points to note here:

• The seat height is correct, so I am happy with the saddle-to-bar drop I am seeing without adding more spacers. The fact that this fork was made for a first generation titanium Mukluk helps in that the steer tube was extra long.
• Speaking of that Enabler fork, this is the key to the entire idea being worthwhile, in my opinion. The context here is that Salsa, for better or worse, based the first iterations of their fat bike on the Surly Pugsley, which had as one of its central ideas the interchangeable front and rear wheel feature. This was done to allow for a "bail-out" option where a failed derailleur or frozen up free hub could be swapped out as an entire wheel assembly for your front wheel which would have a single speed free wheel mounted, or a fixed cog. (Or if you went with only a rear brake, both fixed and free wheel single speed options!)  This meant that the Enabler fork was designed with a 135mm, rear brake specific, quick release drop out spacing. The same as the rear of the Singular Buzzard. 
• The Velo Orange Utility Bar and Utility Rack will be utilized for water bottle mounts as well as cargo-carrying duties. The original set up on the Buzzard was predicated on a MTB usage which was based upon the assumption a rider would be using a hydration pack. This one-bottle set up was not going to cut it as a bikepacking rig, so the additional capacity for the Utility Bar and Rack to handle water bottles is a boon here. Obviously the Enabler Fork also adds two water bottle mounts. So water carrying needs are all covered here.
• I will make use of a Topeak rear seat bag/dry bag carrier for more cargo capacity when necessary. I will also be looking to add a "gas tank" style top tube bag.
• The drive train will be a 2X 11 speed set up utilizing an XTR shifter and  rear derailleur which I was gifted by N.Y. Roll. (The current STX rear mech will be replaced). 

There will be a lot of details to take care of before I get this thing up and running, so I am far from the finish line with this project. However; I am encouraged by the outcome so far. If you have any comments or suggestions, I would welcome them.

Stay tuned.... 

Two Ways To Tour

Frame bags or....

 How Do You Carry Your Cargo For Overnights?

With Tour Divide in full swing, and a press release I received prompting my thoughts, I wanted to dive into the two ways to tour.  I have extensive experience with racks and bags, but while I do have all the stuff here to do a rackless type set up, I have not actually spent much time using this way of touring. My thoughts on the matter may be skewed, but I thought this exercise would be a fun one to consider.

Racks and bags have been the default way to tour for decades. When I participated in two fully-self-contained tours in the 90's, racks and bags were the only option. However; when the Great Divide Race/Tour Divide got rolling in the 2000's, rackless type set ups quickly became a thing based upon certain advantages this style of touring has. Okay- I can hear some of you already saying "bikepacking". But let's be honest: Bikepacking is touring. You can do this off-pavement or on pavement. Being a temporary homeless person via bicycle is essentially no different either way you decide to carry your stuff. So, let's get on with deciding which way is best.

....fully racked and bagged?

Full disclosure: I wrote a bit on this back in 2023. So, why dig into this again? Well, for a few reasons. First of all being that N.Y. Roll and I have a believe more and more people are tiring of |racing and want to have experiences via bicycle in a more non-competitive, relaxed manner. Focusing more on camaraderie and shared experiences instead, and what better way to do this than by touring?

Secondly, more rack options are becoming available which are easier to install and take off, making it easy to configure your bicycle for specific rides and not having to dedicate a bike to being "the bag-bike". Furthermore; frame bags are fine, but they have to be custom-made to fit, and again - dedicated to a specific bicycle. The "convertible" and versatile set ups, which often do not even require a bicycle to be rack compatible, are making touring and sub-24's easier than ever.

Frame bags have to be custom-fitted to a specific bicycle for best results. However; they are easily removed, unlike many racks. 

As I stated, I have a lot of frame bags, seat packs, top tube bags, and other bags as well. It was not until recently when I started reviewing some Old Man Mountain gear that I was reintroduced to racked touring options.One of the many features of their gear is one which I found fascinating, and that was the ability of thir racks to fit almost any type of bicycle.

It used to be racks only went on bicycles with rack mounts. Those eyeletted frames and forks were most often found on hard tails, touring bikes, and hybrid bicycles made from metal. Carbon fiber bikes? Yeah......rrrright! (Said in a Patrick Warburton voice) But no more! Even carbon bikes, full-suspension bikes, and non-eyeletted bikes can all have racks nowadays.

Who said you had to use racks or frame bags? Why not both!

And now quick-mount/dismount racks are making things even easier for those who want to just pop on a rack, attach a couple of panniers, and go have a picnic, or an over-night trip. So, choosing a rack system over a frame bag system is becoming less of a defined line. Heck, you can even use both types of systems on one bike.

There are finer points to discuss and you can get way into the weeds when it comes to bikepacking/touring stuff, but I think all those details only dampen the itch to go out and try something. I'd caution against too much thinking about details which really don't matter a lot. I will say a few things here which I have learned over the years which may help you out though, and are important to consider. I did mention three things to think about in the previous post mentioned above, and those are Weight, Wheels/Tires, and Comfort. I'll add a few things here and the first has to do with weight. 

Brakes: More weight means more to stop when the time comes. Your brakes need to be in tip-top shape. Not only that, but if your brakes are rim brakes, this means your rims need to be in good shape as well. Rims wear out at the braking track, so if those wheels are old, and your brake track feels concave when you check it out, it may be time for new wheels. (And your spokes and hubs will be better as well.) Disc brake pads wear out, as do rotors, and these points of possible failure are imperceptibly fine lines which, if crossed, can be catastrophic to you and your adventure. Cables, housings, and brake lines/fluid, (if using hydraulic brakes) should be in good order as well.

Air Pressure: Heavier loads will require you to adjust your air pressure upward. Using what usually works for your normal riding isn't going to be correct for loaded riding. Make sure to check tire recommendations and rim spec so you do not go overboard, but raising your air pressure somewhat from normal will be a best practice for loaded touring. 

Attention To Details: I know I intimated earlier to not sweat the small stuff too much, but if you plan on spending hours in the saddle to get somewhere, then those niggling bits you've been meaning to address should be taken care of before you embark on your voyage.  That dangling bit of bar tape, the stem that is slightly off center, or the squeaky seat you've been putting up with should be cleared up so you have one or two less things to stress you out mentally while you are traveling by bicycle. This isn't a point about "do this or that" as much as it is about getting mentally comfortable for long hours in the saddle. Little things you could get cleaned up before hand will bug the crap out of you on longer rides if you don't address them.

Racks or frame bags? Just get out there!

So, back to the way to go - Racks and bags or frame bags? You can go back and forth on either one, but whichever way you go, there are a lot more important things to think about hen going touring for a day or a month. The main thing should be "the main thing" and that would be just to get out there and do it.

Plus, who said you had to use racks and bags or frame bags? Use whatever you can get your hands on, and works for you, and get out there.

Also, I am writing this to myself more than any of you dear readers. I need to just get out there and do an overnight trip. I've had one planned for several years which I've wanted to do, and time keeps slipping away. It is a problem I need to address myself, so I am not trying to be preachy or whatever.

Hopefully I make the trip happen this Summer. Stay tuned.... 

When To "Pull The Plug"

Scene from Trans Iowa v6. Image by Steve Fuller.

 It was about 6:30pm on Saturday April 24th, 2010. My co-director of Trans Iowa, David Pals, and I were scrambling around Iowa County trying to re-route the course to eliminate about four sections of Level B Maintenance roads on the original course that would have been unrideable. 

This was a full 14 hours after we had already experienced a massive thunderstorm before the Sun rose which dumped about two inches of rain in a little more than an hour's time accompanied by copious amounts of ground to cloud lightning which had competitors scrambling for cover in muddy ditches. 

A respite of cloudy skies, but no rain, then ensued until late afternoon when the storms came back with redoubled strength, In the meantime, David and I had been redirecting the course around several mud-laden roads and we were making our way toward our next checkpoint in Tama County when we got word from our volunteer, Paul Buchanan, that the road leading to the checkpoint was impassable and under several feet of flood water. 

David and I were at the end of our ropes. We were frazzled, tired, and not just a little scared. Scared for the riders, since it was under our directives that they would be put in some amount of peril going forward. We thought we might be able to save the event from being truncated, so we settled on putting the riders on a paved blacktop road to traverse around the carnage. On our way to check out this possibility, we were stopped dead in our tracks by rain coming down so furiously that we had to stop the car because we were blinded. 

I sat there listening to the fury of that storm briefly. My mind was racing. Should we keep pressing on or should we call this madness off. The car had nearly been blown off the road a few times and the gravel was so soft the car was nearly put into the ditch. The riders were in danger. We were in danger!

I looked at David and asked, "Do you really want to keep driving in this stuff?" And he looked at me and said , "No!", with no hesitation. And that was the moment when we decided to end Trans Iowa v6 at North English, Iowa. 

David Pals, (R) with Travis Braun at the makeshift ending of T.I.v6

It was interesting as we pulled the remaining riders off the road in North English. Some were thankful to make an end of a miserable day. But a few were dismayed that they weren't being allowed to continue. None more so than Jay Petervary. 

It took a little convincing, but he finally saw the logic in what we had decided. Besides, it was what it was. No reason to continue to argue about it.

This subject, the cancellation or ending of an event, has cropped up again with the cancellation of the Traka Gravel Adventure Race in Girona, Spain due to flooding. An article in "Bikepacking.com" entitled "Should Bikepacking Races Be Cancelled Due To Weather?" has stirred up debate on this topic. Thoughts range from agreement, to downright disdain for anyone thinking that an event of this nature should be cancelled. 

Even Jay Petervary has weighed in with his opinion that riders should have a final say in what they can handle or not, to a degree. (I am paraphrasing severely for the sake of brevity here) However; I feel that there is much more complexity to this subject than many are willing to consider here. And to be completely fair, even JP has voiced that this is much more nuanced than some make it out to be. 

I feel I have a unique perspective regarding this subject having run an event of like distance to the Traka Gravel Race which is listed as being about 349 miles in length. Some Trans Iowa courses were right around that figure as well. And of course, as I have outlined above, we had to deal with weather issues, flooding, and more over the course of 14 years of running that event. So, I will say a few words about this based upon my observations and experiences.

Trans Iowa v11 by Wally Kilburg

First of all, you have the rider's side of the story. Athletes who have invested copious amounts of time, effort, money, and thought into a singular event attempt. To have that ripped away from them by a cancellation or by a truncated course is a hard, hard pill to swallow. 

Sometimes the bitter taste of that pill should have been expected. Take the uproar over last season's Unbound where a muddy three mile stretch of road a short way into the 200 mile course ended a lot of folks days. The riders who damaged equipment there were livid and majorly disappointed. No wonder, since they had spent a large sum of money just to get there only to have it all dashed away by the course being routed on an unrideable section of road. I understand that 100%, but again, this is gravel and that does happen at gravel events like Unbound. So, there is a level of responsibility placed on the riders to understand what they are getting into. 

In the case of the Traka Gravel Race, the event was cancelled before anyone even had a chance to ride any miles. That makes that a different thing in the minds of many. But on the other hand, not a lot of that matters to a Race Director, or organization, as long as it is being run by people that care about the well-being of others. Derailleurs can be replaced. You can always try the event again someday. But loss of life, or the high probability of that happening? That's a tough balancing act for any race RD. 

Speaking only for myself, I was willing to take the heat from disappointed racers if I pulled the plug on any event I was involved in. I had to pull the plug on the Big Wheeled Ballyhoo in 2008, as an example, due to flooding, before the event happened. I've had to cancel an event due to a pandemic. So, yeah, I have been there, done that. I took some heat in both instances, but I don't care. At least I could go to sleep at night afterward knowing nothing could happen to people because I did not insist that "the show must go on". 

Dan Hughes marching up a muddy Level B Road during T.I.v13

However; sometime the show does go on. As has been stated, this is a nuanced subject. I've also been in charge of running an event which was on the knife edge of insanity and reason, as an example. I just wrote about such a thing recently here on the blog. You've got to have a stomach for gambling at times as an RD in these sorts of events to allow for competitors to have those experiences that, maybe, should not be allowed. But you roll the dice, no one gets killed, and the people all hold the event in legendary status. However; if one thing goes wrong and someone does die?

Yeah, nobody wants that. So, can you blame RD's for cancelling an event a bit prematurely if you are an adventurous soul? You have to allow for the fact that not everyone is as crazy as you are. And that has to be okay. You don't go to bed at night hearing the voices in their head asking why they didn't do this or that after something goes wrong. The RD that cancels an event in stead of risking it all is only trying to keep their sanity and peace of mind so that they can live at peace and put on an event again in the future. 

Of course, if you do not agree with that you have options as a rider. You do not have to go to those events. And if you do, I would suggest that a little empathy for the race directors in any adverse situation that might arise is a good thing. There is a LOT more going on than you might think, and you may only know a small percentage of that. 

That's my take, but let me know what you think in the comments.

What Will The "Post-Gravel" Era Look Like?

A week or so ago N.Y. Roll asked a question during the recording of the "Guitar Ted Podcast" concerning the post-gravel era when he said, "Are we seeing the end of the Age of Gravel?" 

I found that question to be particularly intriguing. I am a strong believer that there are the beginnings and endings of things. Sometimes you see a cyclical, rise and fall, thing happening with trends and styles, but mainly, it is more of a beginning, middle period, and an ending. 

N.Y. Roll also mentioned in our latest recording (which you can listen to HERE) that we may not know when we are off the "peak of gavel" until after about three years, in his estimation. Hmm..... Okay. Let's assume that's about right for argument's sake. 

In the beginnings of this "Modern Day Gravel" era, we didn't have anything "gravel specific" at all. N.Y. Roll likes to say that we were in a "discovery phase" back then, and I cannot say he's wrong about that. So, it is easy to say we were at "the beginning" then, right? 

Then we had a period of growth, events came on line, more people were showing up to these events and then the cycling industry kicked into gear with gravel specific things about ten years ago now. People became less and less reliant on "self-discovery" and more and more it became an experience you "bought into". Things that were once a conundrum, (how to set up non-tubeless touring tires as tubeless, route discovery, bike choice) were now on a checklist to be procured at your local bike shop or online retailer. 

There were "bucket-list" events, Pros started showing up, prize money went up, and big corporations came in like Life Time Fitness, and even the highest form of competitive bicycle racing has a "world championships". Social media is flooded with gravel-this, gravel that to the point that it becomes white noise. 

"Peak Gravel" anyone?

There isn't anywhere else for "gravel" to go once it permeates everything.

I would submit that , yes, we have reached "Peak Gravel". When the genre has nowhere else to go in terms of reach, well....you are there, my friend!

So, I think it is safe to say that now we're on the backside of gravel cycling's growth curve. How will that look? Well, I think that in terms of cycling, we are in a depressed state, economically, right now. So, it is hard to say with any clarity what will happen right now without another form of cycling to come in and fill the void which will be left as gravel cycling declines in popularity. 

And make no mistake, gravel cycling cannot continue to grow forever, and it won't reach a plateau and stay there either. Evidence is all around us right now that supports this theory. People are selling gravel bikes and stating that they don't ride them, or that the niche of gravel is not for them. Sure....you are going to have that with any type of cycling. I understand that, but you gotta figure that the amount of folks that bought a gravel bike that are selling them off now have a certain element within that subgroup that came out a bit disillusioned with gravel cycling.  

Image courtesy of the Flint Hills Ultra Gravel Tour

There are splinters off the gravel scene proper which also may give us some clues as to what people will gravitate toward in the future. One of those activities is "touring/bikepacking". (Same thing?) Routes are popping up that cater to the gravel cyclist that can be done in a weekend or over several weeks and everything in between. Sites like Gravel Kansas are being populated with curated routes that have a story and historically significant landmarks to discover. I suspect that other states and counties may follow suit with this idea.

We even talked about this on the latest "Guitar Ted Podcast" with Bryan Hansel, a landscape photographer that lives in Northern Minnesota. He discovered an off-road vehicle route being proposed by the Minnesota DNR and went ahead and rode it recently. "Adventure by Bike", a concept initiated by Jason Boucher at Salsa Cycles, may actually make headway as an "alternative gravel style" via bikepacking routes across various states. 

Of course, traditional forms of cycling could certainly make comebacks. I feel that mountain biking is due for a bit of a renaissance. Same for road cycling, but on a much less popular stage due to the inherent risks involving motor vehicle/distracted driver issues. 

Those are my thoughts, but what about you? Have we reached "Peak Gravel"? What will be the "post-gravel" cycling form of choice? Let me know in the comments. 

Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions.

Esker Debuts Hayduke LVS

Be Like J.P.: The Esker Hayduke LVS (Image Courtesy of Esker)

Many of you dear readers have no doubt seen and heard about Jay Petervary's tragic ending to his Great Divide Unearthed ride aboard a prototype long wheelbased bike packing bike from Esker Cycles. Well, good news on two fronts: JP is aggressively attacking rehab, as you'd expect, and making progress. Secondly, Esker Cycles has released the Hayduke LVS for your consideration as a bikepacking/touring platform. 

The frame is made out of titanium with cold-formed tubing. It features the same front triangle as Esker's Hayduke hard tail bike. So, it can handle up to a 120mm travel suspension fork. Tire clearance is up to 29" X 2.8" tires. 

The frame also features 24 accessory mounting points for bolt on frame bags, or water bottle cages. The frame has 6mm rack mounting points and Esker also has created the "MOLLE Rackwald" (Ha!) rack which utilizes the MOLLE accessory/pack mounting standard. The rack is available separately at $300.00. The Hayduke LVS is also compatible with Salsa, Old Man Mountain, and other rear racks.

The Hayduke LVE shown with the MOLLE Rackwald and Cedaero frame bags.

Frame bag companies already set up for making Hayduke LVS bags are as follows: Cedaero, Rogue Panda, and JPacks. I would assume others will follow if this bike goes as well as planned. 

The frame has the new version of the Portage dropouts which can allow a single speed, bail-out option. This dropout also is compatible with the UDH hangar and SRAM Transmission rear derailleurs. 

All images in this post are courtesy of Esker Cycles.

Price: $2950.00 USD or a complete bike can be had for $4950.00 USD. See the webpage for the Hayduke LVS HERE. 

Comments: The concept of this bike is intriguing. It draws obvious comparisons to the old Salsa Cycles Blackborow (v2) which was a fat bike with a very similar profile. A bike JP actually used for his successful Iditarod attempt to Nome, Alaska several years ago. 

I've heard nothing but good things about how that Salsa fat bike handles, climbs, and rides. Esker claims that this is a superior ride quality bike packing rig, and with it being made in titanium, I've no doubt that this is the case. JP seemed plenty pleased with his prototype that was sadly destroyed in the crash he suffered at the hands of motor vehicle operator. 

I'm interested in the bike since it can handle 29 X 2.8" tires, which I would want to run on something like this at times. (Most of the time?) I love the frame material. I am intrigued by the frame pack capacity, although this could be like purses and garages: The bigger they are, the more stuff you fill them with. Maybe unnecessary stuff... 

I'm a bit reticent to consider this on the basis of its price, fair as that may be, and maybe more importantly, because the bike is long, probably ungainly to portage, and a chore (on my end) to park it when not in use. But those are my problems, not necessarily your problems, so take that under advisement. 

Overall I think this is a rad idea for gravel, rough-road, and off-road touring. It should be a really sweet riding bike, but of course, I don't know that, I am speculating here. However; if JP has nothing but good things to say, that's a heady endorsement. Expensive, yes, but worth it if it does the tricks it claims it will do. It will be fun to see what people make of this as time goes on.

Thanks to Esker Cycles for the press release and information used in this post.

Old Man Mountain Juniper Trunk, Ponderosa Panniers: Review

Note: Old Man Mountain sent over a set of Ponderosa Panniers, and Juniper Trunk Bag, and a Divide Rack for test and review at no charge to Guitar Ted Productions. I have not been paid nor bribed for this review and I always strive to give you my honest thoughts and opinions throughout. 

Well, this whole bikepacking idea took a turn when back a few weeks ago I got an email telling me that the Juniper Bag and Ponderosa Panniers were available to me for test/review. So, I agreed to have a look and here they are. 

I'm no stranger to the idea of panniers and rack mounted bags. I've done cross-country, self-contained touring before, (it's what we called it before it was called "bikepacking"), and panniers and racks were integral to making that work for me. We carried tents, clothing, food, and other gear on those tours. So, working out of a pannier isn't something I haven't ever done before and I looked forward to getting these Ponderosa Panniers and the Juniper Trunk Bag on my Singular Cycles Gryphon Mk3 to see how this would all work. 

I was informed by my contact at OMM that the Juniper Trunk Bag would not fit on the Elkhorn Rack I already have on the Gryphon, so they sent out a Divide Rack to help me out there. Update 9/12/23: There was some misunderstanding/miscommunication here which led to my previous statement. The truth of the matter is that the Elkhorn rack is not compatible with the Ponderosa Panniers. The Elkhorn Rack and Juniper Trunk Bag ARE compatible. 

Now, let's take a quick look at each component and then we'll see how it all looks once it all is attached to the Gryphon.  

The Divide Rack

The Divide Rack: Okay, Old Man Mountain prides themselves on racks that won't let you down. Translation: This rack is heavy duty and looks bullet-proof. This one weighed in at 700 grams without any stays or hardware. OMM claims that with all stays and hardware it weighs 980 grams. OMM has said this rack has never let them or their customers down and they stand behind it with a lifetime warranty. Oh....and it is rated to carry 70lbs. That's about 20lbs more than most heavy-duty touring racks are rated for load bearing. 

I've toured with big loads using a rack that wasn't nearly this nice. So, I was excited to see this and with all the hardware provided to fit about anything on two wheels, I think this is a pretty impressive bit of kit. 

The Juniper Trunk: Think "Big Shopping Bag With Roll Top" and you are there.

The Juniper Trunk Bag: While it looks like a handlebar roll in my image here, it really is a big bag, much like a grocery bag, only made out of 100% waterproof TPU fabric. It's got a side zip pocket, but other than that, it is a simple roll-top bag meant for a rack deck. 

The Juniper Trunk unfurled. It is a 10L capacity bag

 It attaches via four cam-clip buckles and straps which are adjustable. The roll top is secured by straps and buckles over each end of the "trunk" and on one end there is a handy light mount. The Velcro patch is embossed with an OMM logo which is so subtle I didn't see it until I was attaching the bag to the rack. From the OMM site:

• 10 Liter capacity per bag.
• Fully welded and waterproof construction made from TPU fabric
• HypalonⓇ reinforcements at all attachment points are more abrasion resistant and provide extra grip where needed
• PFAS/PFC free materials
• Roll top enclosure.
• Waterproof zipper pocket on the outside.
• Minimal branding on Velcro patches.
• Clip light slots on the back.
• Great fitment on all racks with a deck. Perfect fitment for OMM pannier racks.

The Ponderosa Panniers

Ponderosa Panniers: Okay, this is the bit that I was most interested in seeing since I have used and worked with many different pannier set ups over my time as a cyclist and shop mechanic. I've seen what works and what is so-so. 

The frame sheet and my foot for size comparison.

The Ponderosa Panniers are made from the same waterproof fabric as the Juniper Trunk Bag and are 13L capacity, per bag, and that's with the top rolled 3 times. The attachment method is done via a cam-action strap mechanism with large Velcro patches to hold everything down while the bottom attachment is a hook and strap affair to keep the panniers from flopping outward on corners or over rougher terrain. 

Inside there are two frame sheets. Basically two pieces of plastic, these give you better compression action and give form to the bags. The outer sheet in each bag is removable if that isn't your jam though. 

The roll-top functions like it does on the Juniper Trunk, but you can decide to arrange the straps to attach over the bag which kind of makes handles for carrying by hand. Might be convenient at times... (See Comments below for more on that) 

• Removable and replaceable straps
•  Minimal branding on Velcro patches
• Lower attachment/compression strap remains under load to prevent bags from flapping around
• HypalonⓇ reinforcements at all attachment points are more abrasion resistant and provide extra grip where needed.
• Clip light slots on the back.
• Great fitment on all racks designed for panniers. Perfect fitment for OMM pannier racks
• Minimalist weight = 475g (each), 950 grams per pair. Without side compression straps, front framesheet, or side roll top clips.
• Full Featured weight = 560g (each), 1120 grams per pair

Costs: Ponderosa Panniers: $200.00, Juniper Trunk Bag: $125.00, Divide Rack: $168.00

This was hiding under one of the strap attachment points. Hmm..... I have no idea!

Impressions: The quality of all the Old Man Mountain stuff seems to be at a pretty high level. The Elk Horn Rack I was sent last year is solid and shows no signs of weakness no matter what I loaded on it. When I mounted that rack on my pink BMC? Well, my load was a bit much, causing some "tail wag" with that bike, but the Elk Horn was stellar. This Divide Rack, if anything, is even burlier. I suspect I will be impressed with its performance. 

The Juniper Trunk Bag was sent out with the Divide Rack.  Once again, as I was advised that the Juniper Trunk would not be compatible with the Elkhorn Rack I already had. (See UPDATE above) Once the Juniper Trunk was in hand though, I found this statement to be odd. It looked like it would work.....

The Ponderosa Panniers had a different attachment system than I'd ever seen, but I was willing to give it a go. The size seemed perfect for a bag that would stay "out of the way" yet have enough cargo space to prove useful.

If the hardware isn't in the kit to make it work, OMM sells kits that will work.

 Installation & Comments: Anyway, it was time to start mounting things. The Divide Rack was super-easy to install on my Gryphon. I have 29 X 2.8" tires and the rack mounts on the Gryphon are about an inch or so above the rear dropouts on the seat stays. Still, the clearance was juuussst enough to comfortably clear my Teravail Coronado's. Whew! Close, but not too close.

That said, OMM sells kits to help you fit the rack to almost any bicycle, so there is almost always an option that will make their racks work. Even on dual suspension bikes. Thankfully the copious amount of fasteners, spacers, and washers was enough to make it all work on my bike without extras.

Mounting instructions are sewn into the backside of the bag.

Now with that on and leveled up, I was set to mount the panniers. Interestingly, the strapping method OMM uses with the Ponderosa Panniers requires some dexterous maneuvering to attach the panniers to the rack's cross bar. I quickly realized two things.

 First off, these panniers would be a chore to remove, and then also, they would be a chore to remount, and maybe impossibly so if you had a heavy load in the bag. This is because you have to support the bag and its weight, use one hand to guide the upper loop over the rack's cross bar, and then with the other hand you have to loop the strap through a piece of plastic on the upper loop, pull that through, and then attach its hook and loop material to the hook and loop material on the back of the pannier. So like what? Three hands required? It was difficult enough to hook these up in my shop with empty bags and I cannot imagine trying to do that on a trail with a loaded bag.

With that done the lower stabilizing strap was easily attached. I loaded up the panniers with my sleeping bag in one and clothing in the other. Compressing the load down and rolling the top up revealed a very stable, tight to the rack load that looked like it wasn't going anywhere. So, at least all that hassle with the attachment method was worthwhile. Just don't expect me to remove these bags until I'm all through with them!

Now where to put that Juniper Trunk Bag? Even though I was told that it would not work on the Elkhorn Rack on the front of my Gryphon, I was looking at the rack and at the Divide Rack and thinking, "Why not?" So, I tried it and you know what? It went on fine. While I have a ton of experience with the cam type clips and strapping style attachments, I wasn't 100% impressed with how the OMM ones were working. They are not "bad" in any way,. They work just fine. It's just that if you have used Revelate's cams you will see that there is a difference. It'd be nice to see OMM raise the bar in this area since they are a premium product in the marketplace.

That said, the trunk bag is great and held my sleep pad, an ancient Thermarest one, perfectly with room to spare. I feel good about that since now the pad is protected from the elements and I won't have a dusty or wet pad to deal with once I get where I am going.

And there she be! Fully loaded using the OMM products sent for this review.

A Look At The Set-Up: Here is the final set up. I'll go over everything here to let you know what you are looking at. Of course, the bike is my Singular Cycles Gryphon Mk3 with a three by nine speed drive train running Gevenalle shifters and levers operating Shimano derailleurs and State Bicycle Co brakes. I've also got the Enduro bottom bracket in this bike.

The two-man Sierra Designs tent is on the Divide Rack in that Outdoor Research dry bag with the Ponderosa Panniers on the sides. Up front we have the OMM Elkhorn Rack with the Juniper Trunk Bag up top. On the sides we have one Salsa Anything Cage HD and a State Bicycle Co Cargo Rack on the other both holding a Salsa Cycles dry bag. In the cockpit I have two Bike Bag Dude Chaff Bags and a Cedaero top tube bag. I've got five water bottles to drink from as well. (Option to use seven bottles if I utilize the Chaff Bags as water bottle holders)

First Ride Impressions: To simulate my planned trip, I loaded up the bike with full water bottles, clothing, my tent, sleep system, food, and tools/spares. I maybe didn't have everything there. I might have been missing my stove or something, but I did not inventory my bags, I just know that they were all loaded. Anyway, that's how I rode the bike to test ride the set up. And?

The racks and bags were totally silent, as OMM promised, and they were all rock-solidly attached and they did not waver or seem to move at all. Using panniers may not be familiar to many people these days since the advent of "rackless touring" and the prevalence of seat packs, frame bags, and the like. I had this bike set up previous to this current set up in a "hybrid", rackless/racked configuration. I had the tent in a seat pack and nothing else out back. I had a handle bar bag as well.

The front load isn't really any different than before with the exception of the removal of the handle bar bag and the addition of the Juniper Bag, which is now keeping my sleeping pad from being naked! So what has changed is that now the load weight has shifted a little to the rear, and that rear load is lower, and most importantly, more stable on the bike. This has resulted in a better handling bike with less frame flexing and "tail-wagging" than before.

There is something about a long, big seat pack load that really doesn't benefit handling and makes the bike feel squirrely to me in comparison to a load that is lashed tightly to the bike/racks and cannot sway or move at all. This cannot be ignored, and added with the lowered center of gravity, this is a much more pleasurable ship to pilot than it was before.

I've been cooking up a plan with N.Y. Roll for a sub-24 trip using the bike as set up here. Stay tuned...