Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of SOMA

SOMA Introduces Big 6 Yokozuna Calipers For Road/Gravel:

An announcement via social media by SOMA Fabrications was made last week which was a bit of a surprise. SOMA is now offering a Yokozuna branded cable pull, hydraulic caliper with six pistons!

SOMA has this to say about this product:

 "Yokozuna BIG6: Quite easily the most powerful hybrid hydraulic ROAD brake from Yokozuna. Just having 6 pistons (vs 2 and 4) and bigger pads doesn’t automatically gives a brake system more power. You have to engineer the brake to push those pistons with more force, too. And the BIG6 does just that! "

The calipers feature three differently sized pistons made from 7075 aluminum. The caliper also ships with compressionless brake housing. The calipers are road pull/short pull specific. The caliper is activated by cable, but the caliper lever pushes mineral oil to activate the pistons in a hybrid type in this hybrid design. Each caliper weighs in at about 160 - 180 grams. Price for each caliper is $295.95. 

You can see more and order these from SOMA's site HERE. 

Comments: Wow! That is a pretty crazy, niche product. I can see maybe using these on a bike like my Gryphon Mk3 if I were doing loaded bikepacking/touring. I could see these coming in clutch in a scenario where you are dealing with steeper terrain and heavier loads. But I don't know if I would need this kind of (potential) power for my typical rides. 

I have a set of TRP Hy/RD calipers and a set of the State Bicycle Co. calipers on bikes which are  both hybrid cable/hydraulic set ups. My take is these types of brakes rely on the housing for the cable to be stiff and compressionless to really get the maximum benefit to this type of design. Another thing I've found is the hybrid type calipers tend to lack modulation and feel more "on - off" than I prefer. 

Also, like previous Yokozuna branded calipers, you can find nearly identical calipers branded as "Juin Tech". But unlike previous examples, the Juin Techs are actually more expensive than SOMA's price on the Big 6 calipers. 

SILCA Confirms Its Products Compatible With Clik Valve:

Thanks to reader "Steve" here, I was pointed to a video from SILCA where Josh from SILCA explains how SILCA pumps are compatible with Clik Valve. 

In my Final Review of the Clik Valve system, I hinted about the possibility of using a Presta Valve pump on a Clik Valve and how this might work.  Well, as it turns out, it does work, but there is something here I hadn't considered which is covered in the SILCA video. 

Since Clik Valve uses a spring-loaded valve, much like a Schrader valve does, the normal Presta pump has to overcome this spring pressure to get the valve open so you can inflate the tire or tube. SILCA claims this amounts to about six to seven psi. So, you have to accommodate for this if you use a straight Presta pump on a Clik Valve. 

Check out the video for the finer details, but the main point for me is the Clik Valve can be inflated with a standard Presta Valve pump. In case of an emergency, a Clik Valve tubeless set up wouldn't be at a disadvantage if you did need some air and you did not have a Clik Valve compatible pump. 

Also, it is very interesting to see SILCA playing around with Clik Valve and having positive things to say about the design. One would imagine a day very soon where SILCA does license the technology.  

Image courtesy of Castelli

Castelli Announces New Winter Glove/Shoe Covers In PolarTec AirCore™:

Last September, in an FN&V post, I wrote about a new waterproof/windproof breathable fabric development which was made in collaboration with PolarTec and Castelli.  Called AirCore™, it promises a better experience riding in wet and cold weather. 

Now this week Castelli announced additional clothing accessories to the jacket announced in September. The new Espresso 2 shoe covers and gloves utilize AirCore fabric in strategic areas to improve upon the item's ability to ward off cold winds and precipitation while remaining comfortable and easy to use. 

For instance, the glove features a YKK zipper to ease the putting on and the taking off of these gloves. The shoe covers also use a zipper with a protector to prevent Achilles irritation. Reflective elements are included in both pieces to enhance visibility in poor lighting conditions or at night.  

Learn more at Castelli's site.  

 Comments: Winter is going to be here soon, so if you want to continue to be outdoors, looking at your clothing strategies is a must. This new AirCore™ stuff seems like a game changer. I'll be keeping an eye on this for future purchases. 

 Right now it seems pretty expensive and, well.....unproven. I'd like to see how it works for others in teh meantime while I continue to use stuff I know works for me now. 

Wolf Tooth "DEL" Mini-Review:

As mentioned last week, N.Y. Roll had ordered a set of the new Wolf Tooth "DEL" pedals in for his girlfriend. Here is a mini-review on them for you straight from Mr. Roll hisself: 

"7 miles in and this is what I can say. Spindle preload is either high or the bearings need to wear in. I think the later. We did not adjustments, slapped em on an went. Her cleat tension adjust is still at factory setting. 

What I think this pedal may do, the grease and bearings will wear in and have less resistance. Also the DELs will be lighter and the riders will learn that they may have a more predictive pedal position for clipping in. I think other companies will follow."

So, there you go! Good stuff, it seems. You can learn more about this pedal and the other two pedals in Wolf Tooth's range by clicking the link HERE.  

C.O.G. 40 Happening On Sunday:

I'm looking forward to riding 40 miles of (mostly) Tama County gravel and Level B Roads this Sunday at 9:00am from Reinbeck, Iowa. This should be a great, end of season, group ride at a casual pace. 

I haven't heard from very many people so this may end up being a small group ride, unless there is a big surprise waiting for me. Who knows? I don't. 

At least the weather is going to cooperate with us with very little chances for any rain, a Sunny sky, and temperatures at the start in the mid 40's rising to a forecast high of 65°F. Light to moderate breezes from the Southeast mean we will get a tailwind for the second half of the loop. 

There will be a full report on Monday as to who showed up, what the highlights were, and what N.Y. Roll is serving at the rest stop at the halfway point. Stay tuned.....

That's a wrap for this week! get out there and ride those bicycles! Even if it is just around the block!  

Ti Muk 2 Maintenance

Recent test ride after fixing up the Ti Muk 2

Ever since I've had the Ti Muk 2 (My second titanium Mukluk, thus "Ti Muk 2), it never has had a very good rear brake. Not that it mattered a whole lot since I haven't been mountain biking the Ti Muk 2 but rather just using it as a poor weather commuter. 

It isn't very hilly where I go and so both brakes didn't need to be 100% efficient. It was something on my mind, but not anything I needed to get to right away. It also did not help that I primarily use the front brake. 

However; this Fall I knew I had to give the bike a once over. Check sealant, refresh that, and maybe take a closer look at that brake. I knew what the issue was. It had been compromised by contamination emanating from the shifter box/hub connection for the Rohloff 14 speed internal geared hub. 

Like many things, there is always more to the story once you dig into it. I had never addressed the rear brake on this bike before, so I wasn't aware that the Avid BB7 caliper was not able to center over the Rohloff rotor. I could not move the caliper inward enough to get the inner pad to quit rubbing the rotor slightly. I probably did not notice that before because it was lubricated by the internal gear hub oil! Finding that out was kind of a bummer. 

The mess had been cleared up, after several applications of degreaser and isopropyl alcohol. But now what? Well, I had somehow acquired a single TRP Spyre SLC caliper along my travels, and I noted that the caliper mounting holes were larger/longer than the Avid's were. I dry fit the caliper and was able to get a good result. So, that fancy-pants caliper is now doing the job of braking in the rear of the Ti Muk 2. 

I know....it is a drop bar lever caliper. But I do things you should not do. So, don't follow my lead here. It is not recommended. That said, it is working really well for me. So, that problem has been solved. 

Bring it on Winter! I'm ready.

Brake Talk

Image courtesy of Paul Components

I was riding my King Fabrications "Honeman Flyer" the other day when I was struck by how much better my brakes were working compared to when I first put the bike together. Back at that time, I was pretty displeased with how they were working, or better said, not working! 

However; post-Mid-South, they started working really well, and now I would be hard-pressed to change them out for any reason. I had one stop the other day on that bike where I grabbed a bit too much front brake and I lifted the rear wheel off the ground. That's enough braking power for me! Especially when I think about using brakes on gravel. 

This brought me to a remembrance of conversations I had with Ben Witt of Heath Creek Cycles and also some of my research into flat mount calipers at that time. I thought that, perhaps, some of you might benefit from my thoughts on brakes and Ben's suggestions as well.

Growtac Equal Brakes. (Image courtesy of Velo Orange)

My comments and thoughts here are based upon my need for a mechanically operated flat mount caliper only. I may compare to a fully hydraulic system, but this is centered around cable operated brakes for the most part.

"Bougie" Brakes:

I did look at some expensive options for this custom bike because.....it was a custom built frame? I guess that I thought maybe a "high end" brake was fitting in this case. You know, kind of like wearing a silk tie with a tuxedo. You just don't do it any other way. 

But the prices for those calipers was, and still is, eye-watering. Wow! The Paul brakes would have been over one third the price of the frame alone. That didn't make sense to me. The Growtac Equal brakes were another high end offering that also gets rave reviews, but again, those were still pretty expensive. A little over one hundred dollars less than the Paul brakes, but yeah.... Why? 

You might say that "they work almost as well as hydraulic brakes and far better than other mechanical options.", but a fully hydraulic system, (With no shifting needs. This was for a single speed bike) like the TRP Hylex, which comes with levers and hoses, costs under $400.00 for a pair. So, right in line with Growtacs , which do not include levers, and less than Paul's which are caliper only. 

Shimano RS305 mechanical flat mount calipers. (Image from AliExpress)

Secret Weapon?:

Ben informed me of a mechanical flat mount caliper that I was unaware of previous to his telling me about them. The Shimano RS305 calipers, which Ben spoke pretty highly of, are dirt cheap. I've seen these for under sixty bucks for a pair! 

They come with resin pads with Ice Tech fins. Ben says they work very well. His word is good enough for me to say that I probably would have liked them on my new bike as well. That said, I wasn't 100% on-board with putting a cheap Shimano caliper on my custom bike. Yeah, probably a little bit of snobbery going on there, but mostly it was the look of that brake that turned me off. Too plain for this wild looking build!

I ended up with TRP Spyre calipers

So, I ended up with TRP Spyre calipers in the end. I already had them on hand, so that was a big reason why I went that direction with the brakes. As I said, they were not very impressive at first. So how is it that they are so good now? I think it all has to do with two things: Set up and bedding in of the pads with the rotors. 

Most of the issues with mechanically activated calipers, in my experience as a mechanic and personally, have been with how the brake caliper was set up to begin with. It is ultra-important to get this correct. The piston, or pistons, have to be set up so that the pads don't deflect the rotor when the brake is applied. Get that right and you are more than halfway there. 

Secondly, it is now my belief that getting your pads and rotors bedded in really well will bring your brakes to life. In my case, with the Honeman Flyer, I believe it was the abrasive red dirt of Oklahoma that helped get the pads and rotors happy with each other. That and the long descents which saw me dragging the brakes a bit more than I would in Iowa. 

Whatever the case may have been, it took a good bedding in to bring out the best in these brakes, and now I wouldn't change them out for anything else. And if I had to buy the Spyres? You can get a pair right now on eBay for under a hundred bucks and they are around $150.00 or slightly less for a pair at many online retailers.

Friday News And Views

An image found online of the new SRAM DB8 Mineral Oil brake.

SRAM Quietly Introduces Mineral Oil Based Brake System:

Buried in the news after Sea Otter was a tidbit that may indicate a sea change in brake technology at SRAM. They are introducing a mineral oil based brake system, breaking tradition with SRAM's previous hydraulic brake efforts which have all been DOT brake fluid based systems. SRAM claims that they are making these brakes to meet a lower price point and that their high end CODE brakes, which are still DOT fluid based, are more powerful and a better performer overall. SRAM DB8 brakes are not quite here yet but should start appearing on complete builds soon and when available aftermarket should be a bit less than $140.00/wheel. 

The DB8 is based on the same design as the CODE brake and uses the same pads, but that's where the comparisons end. SRAM,in an effort to differentiate the brake from their DOT line, is introducing a new bleed kit and their mineral oil is green in color and not the same as Shimano's, Magura's, or Tektro's. 

Comments: SRAM making this announcement is a bit of a shocker as they were staunchly in the DOT fluid camp. It also is no news to anyone who works on bicycles that SRAM's history with brakes is a checkered one, to be polite about it. It also is no big surprise that SRAM has yet another bleed kit for mechanics to have to stock. What is that? Four bleed kits now? Five if you count the one for the Reverb dropper post. 

Yeah.... I'm not a SRAM brake fan, and while I am glad that they finally have a mineral oil option, I am withholding any judgement calls until I see that this new DB8 is worthy. I sure hope what this signals is a change away from the very toxic and troublesome DOT fluid based brakes of their past. 

I also am hopeful that SRAM brings mineral oil braking to the gravel/road side as well. We'll see, but this development is a big surprise and bears watching.  

Iowa Wind and Rock This Weekend:

This is the time of year that I get a bit nostalgic. The times the Sun rises and sets, the time of season, the song of birds, the smell of the Earth. It all reminds me of gravel riding and ultra-distance gravel riding at that. The descendant of Trans Iowa, which is Iowa Wind and Rock, is set to take place tomorrow morning. 

I would be remiss if I did not wish all who are partaking in that event tailwinds and much success in your quest to overcome this challenge.

Surly Porteur House Bag:

Apparently this Porteur House bag is a new offering from Surly Bikes which was made to sit perfectly on their 24 Pack Rack. It is made from Cordura Nylon and has inner liners in three of the main compartments to keep your cargo dry. The bag seems pretty reasonably priced at $120.00 USD. 

Comments: This thing is freaking ginormous! Naming it "house" is appropriate here as it might just hold all of the essential household items one might need to become an amateur homeless bike person. 

They also make a "Petite Porteur" bag which goes on the 8 Pack rack. That is still pretty huge, despite its name. I've been looking at something along these lines for my Big Dummy, which can use a Surly rack on there and it would allow me a bit more versatility in carrying capacity and options. I'd not go for that big one though. Too much!

The only thing holding me back there is that those types of carrying options can make the front wheel pretty floppy when trying to park, or just move the bike. I sure wish I could find one of those dual-legged Big Dummy kickstands. That would go a long way toward me going all-in on getting a rack and the Petite Porteur bag.

Police fear this idea could spread. (Image courtesy of SFGATE)

Armed Thieves May Be Waiting For You Trailside:

 I was doomscrolling twitter the other day when a Tweet by @bikehugger caught my attention. Apparently, in the hills above Oakland, California, an "alarming trend" is raising fears amongst local cyclists. 

In a story posted by Amy Graf of "SFGATE", you can read how mountain bikers are being robbed of their bikes and more at gunpoint. Police think a couple of the incidents may be related, but fear that copy-catters may pick up on the idea. 

Comments: I get this to mean that bicycles are so hard to come by that thieves are targeting folks out in the woods and then taking these bikes and profiting off them either by way of reselling or parting out the bikes. It would make sense since we are seeing supply trucks getting hijacked for parts and bicycles. 

My concern would be that this spreads and we start seeing this occur in other places. I can see how it could be appealing with the advent of expensive electrified bikes and normally powered bikes reaching into the 10K+ range. Even I have been chased down a local street here by young people demanding that I give them my bicycle. Those efforts have come to naught- so far - but what if I am approached by an armed person? 

It's a troubling thing to hear about, and a cautionary tale for anyone going on a remote destination vacation near an urban area. 

The Jamis Citizen (Image courtesy of Jamis Bikes)

The New Pricing Reality:

As long as I've been in the cycling industry, (1993), I've always gauged how expensive the sport was by the threshold for entry level pricing at the independent bike shop level. While this model is eroding away due to D2C schemes and HPC bikes, it still seems okay to look at the industry like this. 

So, I've been eager to see anything since the pandemic started which would give a true baseline feel for pricing at the bike shop level for bicycles. Well, now I think I have that sense for what is going on now.

While supply chain issues are sure to affect us throughout 2022 and into next year, I think things are settling out and becoming clearer. I knew prices would go up, but by how much?

Well, I saw a shop advertising Jamis Citizen models which are your garden variety hybrid/bike path bikes. The sort of pavement bike which brands sell thousands of, yet you barely see them mentioned in advertising or in reviews, etc. Yet this "bread and butter" level is the lifeblood of most shops across the nation. This or an equivalent MTB style bike. 

And the price? Well, now what used to cost a bit more than $300.00 pre-pandemic is now $500.00. The Jamis Citizen shown here is a 1 X 7, no suspended bits hybrid, which is your base bike shop level quality bike. (Meaning barely above department store levels) The next level up, the Jamis Citizen 2, a 3 X 8 speed bike, with sus fork and seat post, goes for $659.99, and represents what used to be probably the hottest selling type of hybrid bike at one time a few years back. Those days are gone, but back then a bike like this probably was $150.00+ cheaper. 

So, by that gauge, prices have increased by quite a big jump. I would suspect similar price hikes throughout any bicycle company's range these days.
 

That's it for this week. have a fantastic weekend and get out and ride if you can.

Friday News And Views

An image found online of the new SRAM DB8 Mineral Oil brake.

SRAM Quietly Introduces Mineral Oil Based Brake System:

Buried in the news after Sea Otter was a tidbit that may indicate a sea change in brake technology at SRAM. They are introducing a mineral oil based brake system, breaking tradition with SRAM's previous hydraulic brake efforts which have all been DOT brake fluid based systems. SRAM claims that they are making these brakes to meet a lower price point and that their high end CODE brakes, which are still DOT fluid based, are more powerful and a better performer overall. SRAM DB8 brakes are not quite here yet but should start appearing on complete builds soon and when available aftermarket should be a bit less than $140.00/wheel. 

The DB8 is based on the same design as the CODE brake and uses the same pads, but that's where the comparisons end. SRAM,in an effort to differentiate the brake from their DOT line, is introducing a new bleed kit and their mineral oil is green in color and not the same as Shimano's, Magura's, or Tektro's. 

Comments: SRAM making this announcement is a bit of a shocker as they were staunchly in the DOT fluid camp. It also is no news to anyone who works on bicycles that SRAM's history with brakes is a checkered one, to be polite about it. It also is no big surprise that SRAM has yet another bleed kit for mechanics to have to stock. What is that? Four bleed kits now? Five if you count the one for the Reverb dropper post. 

Yeah.... I'm not a SRAM brake fan, and while I am glad that they finally have a mineral oil option, I am withholding any judgement calls until I see that this new DB8 is worthy. I sure hope what this signals is a change away from the very toxic and troublesome DOT fluid based brakes of their past. 

I also am hopeful that SRAM brings mineral oil braking to the gravel/road side as well. We'll see, but this development is a big surprise and bears watching.  

Iowa Wind and Rock This Weekend:

This is the time of year that I get a bit nostalgic. The times the Sun rises and sets, the time of season, the song of birds, the smell of the Earth. It all reminds me of gravel riding and ultra-distance gravel riding at that. The descendant of Trans Iowa, which is Iowa Wind and Rock, is set to take place tomorrow morning. 

I would be remiss if I did not wish all who are partaking in that event tailwinds and much success in your quest to overcome this challenge.

Surly Porteur House Bag:

Apparently this Porteur House bag is a new offering from Surly Bikes which was made to sit perfectly on their 24 Pack Rack. It is made from Cordura Nylon and has inner liners in three of the main compartments to keep your cargo dry. The bag seems pretty reasonably priced at $120.00 USD. 

Comments: This thing is freaking ginormous! Naming it "house" is appropriate here as it might just hold all of the essential household items one might need to become an amateur homeless bike person. 

They also make a "Petite Porteur" bag which goes on the 8 Pack rack. That is still pretty huge, despite its name. I've been looking at something along these lines for my Big Dummy, which can use a Surly rack on there and it would allow me a bit more versatility in carrying capacity and options. I'd not go for that big one though. Too much!

The only thing holding me back there is that those types of carrying options can make the front wheel pretty floppy when trying to park, or just move the bike. I sure wish I could find one of those dual-legged Big Dummy kickstands. That would go a long way toward me going all-in on getting a rack and the Petite Porteur bag.

Police fear this idea could spread. (Image courtesy of SFGATE)

Armed Thieves May Be Waiting For You Trailside:

 I was doomscrolling twitter the other day when a Tweet by @bikehugger caught my attention. Apparently, in the hills above Oakland, California, an "alarming trend" is raising fears amongst local cyclists. 

In a story posted by Amy Graf of "SFGATE", you can read how mountain bikers are being robbed of their bikes and more at gunpoint. Police think a couple of the incidents may be related, but fear that copy-catters may pick up on the idea. 

Comments: I get this to mean that bicycles are so hard to come by that thieves are targeting folks out in the woods and then taking these bikes and profiting off them either by way of reselling or parting out the bikes. It would make sense since we are seeing supply trucks getting hijacked for parts and bicycles. 

My concern would be that this spreads and we start seeing this occur in other places. I can see how it could be appealing with the advent of expensive electrified bikes and normally powered bikes reaching into the 10K+ range. Even I have been chased down a local street here by young people demanding that I give them my bicycle. Those efforts have come to naught- so far - but what if I am approached by an armed person? 

It's a troubling thing to hear about, and a cautionary tale for anyone going on a remote destination vacation near an urban area. 

The Jamis Citizen (Image courtesy of Jamis Bikes)

The New Pricing Reality:

As long as I've been in the cycling industry, (1993), I've always gauged how expensive the sport was by the threshold for entry level pricing at the independent bike shop level. While this model is eroding away due to D2C schemes and HPC bikes, it still seems okay to look at the industry like this. 

So, I've been eager to see anything since the pandemic started which would give a true baseline feel for pricing at the bike shop level for bicycles. Well, now I think I have that sense for what is going on now.

While supply chain issues are sure to affect us throughout 2022 and into next year, I think things are settling out and becoming clearer. I knew prices would go up, but by how much?

Well, I saw a shop advertising Jamis Citizen models which are your garden variety hybrid/bike path bikes. The sort of pavement bike which brands sell thousands of, yet you barely see them mentioned in advertising or in reviews, etc. Yet this "bread and butter" level is the lifeblood of most shops across the nation. This or an equivalent MTB style bike. 

And the price? Well, now what used to cost a bit more than $300.00 pre-pandemic is now $500.00. The Jamis Citizen shown here is a 1 X 7, no suspended bits hybrid, which is your base bike shop level quality bike. (Meaning barely above department store levels) The next level up, the Jamis Citizen 2, a 3 X 8 speed bike, with sus fork and seat post, goes for $659.99, and represents what used to be probably the hottest selling type of hybrid bike at one time a few years back. Those days are gone, but back then a bike like this probably was $150.00+ cheaper. 

So, by that gauge, prices have increased by quite a big jump. I would suspect similar price hikes throughout any bicycle company's range these days.
 

That's it for this week. have a fantastic weekend and get out and ride if you can.

Blackborow DS: Front Brake Cable Mod

A glaring fault with 2015 Mukluks and Blackborows

I've perhaps been a bit over-enthusiastic about my 2015 Blackborow DS, and if you've been cruising around here since last November, you might agree. Most everything about the bicycle I am pretty happy about. There is one mighty glaring negative to the "happy-happy-joy-joy" though, and that is how Salsa decided to route the front brake housing/cable, or in the case of hydraulic Mukluk set ups, the brake hose.

In all cases, the cable/hose routing runs to the inside of the fork leg at a point that is within millimeters of the widest part of the tire casing. Not only that, but as the cable/hose enters the cable guide from above, it tends to come within a whisker of contacting the tire.

Only through a judicious shortening of the stock cable, or by adding an unsightly cable tie, can you avoid having the front brake housing/hose hit the tire. This would not be a "deal breaker" if the cable guide had been mounted a bit further up the fork leg, so as to avoid the widest part of the tire casing, but as you can plainly see by my images, that is not the case on the Blackborow, nor is it much different on current Mukluks. This placement causes mud, snow, ice, and dirt to accumulate right where you don't want it to, clogging the fork and in extreme cases, it can stop the front wheel from rotating freely. I know- there was this one foray into a muddy, clay filled construction site, and....... You get the picture.

Another look without the wheel in place.

Furthermore, the stainless steel guide, which is attached by a nice button head Allen bolt to a threaded boss in the fork blade, cuts into the housing as it sways around above the guide due to bumpy terrain and steering inputs. From the standpoint of being an "out of bounds", adventuring bike, this design for the brake hose/housing guide seems to be a poor one, in my opinion.

I decided to defer to the design choice for a while to see if it was just me, or if it was actually going to be a problem that I would have to be concerned with. On all fronts mentioned, I turned out to be correct in my initial analysis. That meant that I needed to make a modification, and I had a pretty good idea of what it was that would rectify the problems. This post outlines a really simple, easy solution that anyone should be able to employ to make their 2015 Mukluk or Blackborow with a rigid Salsa fork a better bike.

NOTE: Before I continue I should say that this is a modification of the brake cable housing/hose guide only. It may or may not void a warranty, and is not advocated by Salsa Cycles, so consult with your Salsa Cycles dealer ahead of doing anything before making this mod. Also- Unless you are comfortable doing some handiwork with a hammer and vice, and if you are not very skilled as a craftsman, you should defer to a more talented person or take this idea to the local bike shop.

Okee-doekee? Let's move on then..........

You'll need a plastic covered "P-clamp", a ball peen hammer, and something round, steel, and that is approximately 5mm in diameter. 

After gathering the parts and tools above, flatten the "P-clamp" out by first bending it apart by hand until you can flatten it out with a hammer on a flat steel surface, like the vice above. Then, using the rounded end with the pre-made hole as a guide, hold the flattened "P-clamp" up to the mounting bolt for the brake guide, center the bolt in the hole in the end of the "P-clamp", and holding the flattened "P-clamp parallel to the ground as the bike sits on the floor, note where the flattened end of the "P-clamp" clears the fork blade to the rear of the bike. Mark this point with a Sharpie or a small piece of tape. This is where you will want the "P-clamp" to start a loop to hold the cable housing/brake hose. The loop you will put into the "P-clamp" must clear the back of the fork leg, so measure twice- bend once!

Your formed "P-clamp" should look something like this when you are done.

 Start bending the strip of plastic covered metal at the point you determined from the step above. Using your 5mm diameter steel object, (I chose a Torx wrench, as seen above), bend the "P-clamp as closely as you can around the steel form. Once you get around past 90 degrees or so, you can start using the ball peen hammer to bend the strap further and form it more closely to conform with the radius of your steel form.

This might be the most difficult part for many of you, so if you are not comfortable wielding a hammer on a vice to form metal, you may want to seek out assistance with this step.  It is critical that the opening you, (or whomever does the work), forms is round and not ovalized. Otherwise it doesn't matter how it looks unless you are OCD about how things look. Then, well.......that's another story. You will notice that in my example the ends overlap. I needed to trim off the "shorter" tab.

Trimmed, deburred and ready to install.

I actually "over-engineered" this idea by drilling a 3mm hole into the overlapping ends, flaring the hole, tapping it, and bolting it together, thinking I didn't want the overlapping ends to be pulled apart while riding, but you will see here in a minute that this wasn't necessary. So, I have an extra hole in mine for no reason, but it is lighter this way. <===Har-har!

Anyway, I bent the overlapping, shorter tab upward and trimmed it back with some heavy duty end cutters. I then deburred that with a file, and also rounded off any other sharp edges. After I was satisfied that I had everything as good as I could make it, I went ahead and installed the new brake cable housing/hose guide in place using the same button head bolt that came with the original guide.

Hmm.....well, I shouldn't have drilled and tapped that extra hole- since it was unnecessary, but there it is.....

With the new guide installed, it became apparent that I didn't need the extra security of another fastener, since the overlapped portion is trapped under the outer part of the clamp and the fork blade. It is highly unlikely it will ever pull apart. So, if I had this to do over again, I would skip that extra part of the process and use the simpler idea instead. Above the new clamp you can see the damage done by the original guide to the brake housing. This will be impossible with my new guide since it doesn't clamp directly on to the housing and is plastic coated. But that isn't all......

Perfectly out of the way now!

By routing the cable housing behind the fork blade, the profile of the fork blade is cleaned up and clearance is enhanced. Now the only thing that can gather muck is the button head fastener and the thickness of the flattened "P-clamp" that sticks out just a bit from the inside of the fork blade.

You'll also note that the entrance from above to the guide is placed well away from the tire, not as it is with Salsa's solution, and there is no way that the cable will ever come in contact with the tire in this arrangement. One unforeseen advantage to setting up the brake cable/hose guide this way was that now I do not have to thread the Anything Cage straps around the brake cable housing, but I can route those straps underneath and directly onto the fork blade. This may help to avoid further damage to cable housings down the road.

Take away my extra hole gaff, and this solution is far superior to the stock arrangement in every way. It enhances tire to fork clearances, and it is safer, in my opinion, since there is no way the guide can damage the cable housing, nor is there any further cause for concern with the tire snagging the cable housing at some point. Plus, the cost to make this improvement is a simple "P-clamp" and a bit of time.Plus, if you use a new "P-clamp" and don't drill the extra hole, yours will look better than mine does. So, ya know- there is that to shoot for as well!

I've got to say that this detail is curious as it comes stock from Salsa. Looking at the Makwa carbon fork, or the previous steel Enabler fork shows elegant solutions that are functional and clean as far as cable routing goes. At least it is an easy to fix flaw in an otherwise great bike. If you have any questions about what I did here, feel free to e-mail me at g.ted.productions@gmail.com or leave a comment in the comments section. I'll answer your questions the best I know how.

Blackborow DS: Front Brake Cable Mod

A glaring fault with 2015 Mukluks and Blackborows

I've perhaps been a bit over-enthusiastic about my 2015 Blackborow DS, and if you've been cruising around here since last November, you might agree. Most everything about the bicycle I am pretty happy about. There is one mighty glaring negative to the "happy-happy-joy-joy" though, and that is how Salsa decided to route the front brake housing/cable, or in the case of hydraulic Mukluk set ups, the brake hose.

In all cases, the cable/hose routing runs to the inside of the fork leg at a point that is within millimeters of the widest part of the tire casing. Not only that, but as the cable/hose enters the cable guide from above, it tends to come within a whisker of contacting the tire.

Only through a judicious shortening of the stock cable, or by adding an unsightly cable tie, can you avoid having the front brake housing/hose hit the tire. This would not be a "deal breaker" if the cable guide had been mounted a bit further up the fork leg, so as to avoid the widest part of the tire casing, but as you can plainly see by my images, that is not the case on the Blackborow, nor is it much different on current Mukluks. This placement causes mud, snow, ice, and dirt to accumulate right where you don't want it to, clogging the fork and in extreme cases, it can stop the front wheel from rotating freely. I know- there was this one foray into a muddy, clay filled construction site, and....... You get the picture.

Another look without the wheel in place.

Furthermore, the stainless steel guide, which is attached by a nice button head Allen bolt to a threaded boss in the fork blade, cuts into the housing as it sways around above the guide due to bumpy terrain and steering inputs. From the standpoint of being an "out of bounds", adventuring bike, this design for the brake hose/housing guide seems to be a poor one, in my opinion.

I decided to defer to the design choice for a while to see if it was just me, or if it was actually going to be a problem that I would have to be concerned with. On all fronts mentioned, I turned out to be correct in my initial analysis. That meant that I needed to make a modification, and I had a pretty good idea of what it was that would rectify the problems. This post outlines a really simple, easy solution that anyone should be able to employ to make their 2015 Mukluk or Blackborow with a rigid Salsa fork a better bike.

NOTE: Before I continue I should say that this is a modification of the brake cable housing/hose guide only. It may or may not void a warranty, and is not advocated by Salsa Cycles, so consult with your Salsa Cycles dealer ahead of doing anything before making this mod. Also- Unless you are comfortable doing some handiwork with a hammer and vice, and if you are not very skilled as a craftsman, you should defer to a more talented person or take this idea to the local bike shop.

Okee-doekee? Let's move on then..........

You'll need a plastic covered "P-clamp", a ball peen hammer, and something round, steel, and that is approximately 5mm in diameter. 

After gathering the parts and tools above, flatten the "P-clamp" out by first bending it apart by hand until you can flatten it out with a hammer on a flat steel surface, like the vice above. Then, using the rounded end with the pre-made hole as a guide, hold the flattened "P-clamp" up to the mounting bolt for the brake guide, center the bolt in the hole in the end of the "P-clamp", and holding the flattened "P-clamp parallel to the ground as the bike sits on the floor, note where the flattened end of the "P-clamp" clears the fork blade to the rear of the bike. Mark this point with a Sharpie or a small piece of tape. This is where you will want the "P-clamp" to start a loop to hold the cable housing/brake hose. The loop you will put into the "P-clamp" must clear the back of the fork leg, so measure twice- bend once!

Your formed "P-clamp" should look something like this when you are done.

 Start bending the strip of plastic covered metal at the point you determined from the step above. Using your 5mm diameter steel object, (I chose a Torx wrench, as seen above), bend the "P-clamp as closely as you can around the steel form. Once you get around past 90 degrees or so, you can start using the ball peen hammer to bend the strap further and form it more closely to conform with the radius of your steel form.

This might be the most difficult part for many of you, so if you are not comfortable wielding a hammer on a vice to form metal, you may want to seek out assistance with this step.  It is critical that the opening you, (or whomever does the work), forms is round and not ovalized. Otherwise it doesn't matter how it looks unless you are OCD about how things look. Then, well.......that's another story. You will notice that in my example the ends overlap. I needed to trim off the "shorter" tab.

Trimmed, deburred and ready to install.

I actually "over-engineered" this idea by drilling a 3mm hole into the overlapping ends, flaring the hole, tapping it, and bolting it together, thinking I didn't want the overlapping ends to be pulled apart while riding, but you will see here in a minute that this wasn't necessary. So, I have an extra hole in mine for no reason, but it is lighter this way. <===Har-har!

Anyway, I bent the overlapping, shorter tab upward and trimmed it back with some heavy duty end cutters. I then deburred that with a file, and also rounded off any other sharp edges. After I was satisfied that I had everything as good as I could make it, I went ahead and installed the new brake cable housing/hose guide in place using the same button head bolt that came with the original guide.

Hmm.....well, I shouldn't have drilled and tapped that extra hole- since it was unnecessary, but there it is.....

With the new guide installed, it became apparent that I didn't need the extra security of another fastener, since the overlapped portion is trapped under the outer part of the clamp and the fork blade. It is highly unlikely it will ever pull apart. So, if I had this to do over again, I would skip that extra part of the process and use the simpler idea instead. Above the new clamp you can see the damage done by the original guide to the brake housing. This will be impossible with my new guide since it doesn't clamp directly on to the housing and is plastic coated. But that isn't all......

Perfectly out of the way now!

By routing the cable housing behind the fork blade, the profile of the fork blade is cleaned up and clearance is enhanced. Now the only thing that can gather muck is the button head fastener and the thickness of the flattened "P-clamp" that sticks out just a bit from the inside of the fork blade.

You'll also note that the entrance from above to the guide is placed well away from the tire, not as it is with Salsa's solution, and there is no way that the cable will ever come in contact with the tire in this arrangement. One unforeseen advantage to setting up the brake cable/hose guide this way was that now I do not have to thread the Anything Cage straps around the brake cable housing, but I can route those straps underneath and directly onto the fork blade. This may help to avoid further damage to cable housings down the road.

Take away my extra hole gaff, and this solution is far superior to the stock arrangement in every way. It enhances tire to fork clearances, and it is safer, in my opinion, since there is no way the guide can damage the cable housing, nor is there any further cause for concern with the tire snagging the cable housing at some point. Plus, the cost to make this improvement is a simple "P-clamp" and a bit of time.Plus, if you use a new "P-clamp" and don't drill the extra hole, yours will look better than mine does. So, ya know- there is that to shoot for as well!

I've got to say that this detail is curious as it comes stock from Salsa. Looking at the Makwa carbon fork, or the previous steel Enabler fork shows elegant solutions that are functional and clean as far as cable routing goes. At least it is an easy to fix flaw in an otherwise great bike. If you have any questions about what I did here, feel free to e-mail me at g.ted.productions@gmail.com or leave a comment in the comments section. I'll answer your questions the best I know how.

"It" May Never Happen: Part 3- Brakes

Now on to the promised post about brakes- disc or cantilevers. There is a bit about what I think to be found in the first post- here. Check that out to see where I am coming from.

Secondly, I must post the TK inspired disclaimer, one more time:


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

First of all, I know there are a lot of bicycle mechanics, bicycle enthusiasts, and especially you bike geeks, that come here and read what I am writing about. The following screed about brakes is not about you guys and gals. This is about why I think it makes sense for the average Joe and Jill to have a certain kind of brake. The bike I am talking about, (seen in the second part of this series here), is the "all-arounder" that I think makes sense for the meat and potatoes of the cycling populace. Yes- I would likely "like" it as well, but that's beside the point!

Secondly, I am neither for, nor against disc brakes on road bikes. I can see why there are reasons someone may want disc brakes on a road bike, but I also see reasons why they are not such a great idea as well. I find it amusing that some folks just blindly accept that disc brakes "solve all the problems" and that cantilever brakes are "retro-grouch components" worthy of the dust bin. The truth, in my opinion, is somewhere in the middle of those two thoughts.

Let me start out with a scenario: Let's say disc brakes were the only choice you have ever had in brakes for cycling. Okay? So, along comes some whiz-bang engineer who declares that a wheel's rim can do double duty!

It can be a rotor and a rim, all at the same time! We simply move the caliper outwards, which should give us great power and modulation, if the "calipers" are correctly designed and set up. This will allow us to ditch the weight of that stainless steel rotor, make the mounting points less heavy, and less of a strain on the frame and wheels. The hub flanges can now be centered and wheels should theoretically be stronger. Overall, we think the system will actually save several grams over current disc brake technology.

What if that was the way things went? Sure- we know the pitfalls of caliper and cantilever brakes: Hard to set up, don't work sometimes in inclement weather, and are less powerful. Right? Isn't that the "party line" on cantilever brakes these days?

• Hard To Set Up: And disc brakes are not? Especially mechanical disc brakes, which any mechanic will tell you, need to be meticulously set up with proper housings to get maximum braking potential. Of course, no one ever had a disc rotor rubbing, a bent rotor, or a rotor that made noises. Yeah- disc brakes are definitely better than cantilevers in this way. No question, right? Let's not even give credence to the existence of disc brake facing tools, bleeder kits, or shims, because disc brakes rule, and they are just better than cantilever brakes. Duh!
• Cantilever Brakes Don't Work As Well In Bad Weather: Hmm...yeah, probably not. Because, no one ever had disc brake pads wear out in a single ride in bad weather. (Those racers at Moab that one year- that was all a set up by retrogrouch cantilever lovers. Lies!) No one ever had disc brakes make horrible turkey gobbling noises whenever they get wet. (Anyone who says they have is lying, of course.) And everyone knows that the minute it gets ugly out, everyone runs out and finds their cantilever brakes suck, and won't stop them at all, and swear off cycling forever. They should ride disc brakes. Dummies! No one ever lived that rode cantilever brakes in inclement weather, everyone knows this. 
• Cantilevers Are Less Powerful: Yep, another no-brainer. Hydraulic disc brakes rule! (Never mind that trials riders- arguably the cyclists who need the most powerful brakes in cycling, have used hydraulic, canti mounted rim brakes for..... well never mind. They obviously don't count!)

Of course, I jest, but you get the picture. There are reasons that both kinds of brakes suck, don't work, and maybe wouldn't be the best. In the instance of the "all-arounder" bike, I submit that cantilever brakes, or caliper brakes that are actuated by hydraulic levers may, in fact, be the cats pajamas. Let the wheel do the job of two components, but get rid of the Bowden cable actuated calipers. I have had it suggested that having disc wheels allows the use of different wheel sizes in the same bike, but the average cyclist? Are they going to do this? I don't think so. One wheel set, durable, versatile, and that's all they'll be wanting, thank you very much. I'll grant you that when a spoke does break, the rim brake is not as desirable, but again- disc brakes are not without faults.

Okay, food for thought, for sure. That's it for this series for now. Thanks for reading.

"It" May Never Happen: Part 3- Brakes

Now on to the promised post about brakes- disc or cantilevers. There is a bit about what I think to be found in the first post- here. Check that out to see where I am coming from.

Secondly, I must post the TK inspired disclaimer, one more time:


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

First of all, I know there are a lot of bicycle mechanics, bicycle enthusiasts, and especially you bike geeks, that come here and read what I am writing about. The following screed about brakes is not about you guys and gals. This is about why I think it makes sense for the average Joe and Jill to have a certain kind of brake. The bike I am talking about, (seen in the second part of this series here), is the "all-arounder" that I think makes sense for the meat and potatoes of the cycling populace. Yes- I would likely "like" it as well, but that's beside the point!

Secondly, I am neither for, nor against disc brakes on road bikes. I can see why there are reasons someone may want disc brakes on a road bike, but I also see reasons why they are not such a great idea as well. I find it amusing that some folks just blindly accept that disc brakes "solve all the problems" and that cantilever brakes are "retro-grouch components" worthy of the dust bin. The truth, in my opinion, is somewhere in the middle of those two thoughts.

Let me start out with a scenario: Let's say disc brakes were the only choice you have ever had in brakes for cycling. Okay? So, along comes some whiz-bang engineer who declares that a wheel's rim can do double duty!

It can be a rotor and a rim, all at the same time! We simply move the caliper outwards, which should give us great power and modulation, if the "calipers" are correctly designed and set up. This will allow us to ditch the weight of that stainless steel rotor, make the mounting points less heavy, and less of a strain on the frame and wheels. The hub flanges can now be centered and wheels should theoretically be stronger. Overall, we think the system will actually save several grams over current disc brake technology.

What if that was the way things went? Sure- we know the pitfalls of caliper and cantilever brakes: Hard to set up, don't work sometimes in inclement weather, and are less powerful. Right? Isn't that the "party line" on cantilever brakes these days?

• Hard To Set Up: And disc brakes are not? Especially mechanical disc brakes, which any mechanic will tell you, need to be meticulously set up with proper housings to get maximum braking potential. Of course, no one ever had a disc rotor rubbing, a bent rotor, or a rotor that made noises. Yeah- disc brakes are definitely better than cantilevers in this way. No question, right? Let's not even give credence to the existence of disc brake facing tools, bleeder kits, or shims, because disc brakes rule, and they are just better than cantilever brakes. Duh!
• Cantilever Brakes Don't Work As Well In Bad Weather: Hmm...yeah, probably not. Because, no one ever had disc brake pads wear out in a single ride in bad weather. (Those racers at Moab that one year- that was all a set up by retrogrouch cantilever lovers. Lies!) No one ever had disc brakes make horrible turkey gobbling noises whenever they get wet. (Anyone who says they have is lying, of course.) And everyone knows that the minute it gets ugly out, everyone runs out and finds their cantilever brakes suck, and won't stop them at all, and swear off cycling forever. They should ride disc brakes. Dummies! No one ever lived that rode cantilever brakes in inclement weather, everyone knows this. 
• Cantilevers Are Less Powerful: Yep, another no-brainer. Hydraulic disc brakes rule! (Never mind that trials riders- arguably the cyclists who need the most powerful brakes in cycling, have used hydraulic, canti mounted rim brakes for..... well never mind. They obviously don't count!)

Of course, I jest, but you get the picture. There are reasons that both kinds of brakes suck, don't work, and maybe wouldn't be the best. In the instance of the "all-arounder" bike, I submit that cantilever brakes, or caliper brakes that are actuated by hydraulic levers may, in fact, be the cats pajamas. Let the wheel do the job of two components, but get rid of the Bowden cable actuated calipers. I have had it suggested that having disc wheels allows the use of different wheel sizes in the same bike, but the average cyclist? Are they going to do this? I don't think so. One wheel set, durable, versatile, and that's all they'll be wanting, thank you very much. I'll grant you that when a spoke does break, the rim brake is not as desirable, but again- disc brakes are not without faults.

Okay, food for thought, for sure. That's it for this series for now. Thanks for reading.

Monday News And Views

The Germans Are Coming! Yes folks, those Europeans are starting to discover big wheels and the Germans seem to be finally convinced they are not "trekking bikes". Take a look at this German forum link here. Also, a German brand by the name of "Bulls", (gotta love trans-cultural brand meanings!), has a press release here touting the benefits of the big wheels.

Twenty Nine Inches is also testing another German brand's bike, and that can be seen here. So, what could this all mean? Well, the German mtb market has traditionally led the way in terms of innovations and style in Europe, so with the additions of 29"ers to many of these brands lines, it could mean big things.....eventually, for 29"ers everywhere. Imagine more 29"er tires from Hutchinson, Michelin, Schwalbe, and Continental, for instance. Imagine a Magura Durin 29"er fork. Imagine more wheel offerings from Mavic and DT Swiss. More brands from Europe will bring more 29"er specific products. It could be huge for the 29"er marketplace here. I think it will be, given some time. In five years, things will be vastly different. Just stay tuned!

It Isn't Supposed To Work, But It Does: In the "don't try this at home" file, I have this to share. My Dos Niner, with Tiagra STI levers, is pulling Avid BB-7 Mtn calipers, and while that isn't supposed to work, it does. At least for me! You can see I have light around the rotor at the pads, and in the other pic, I have the lever bottomed out on the bar, (a Salsa Woodchipper), which if I did while riding would totally have the wheels locked up. Usually I never get anywhere that close to the bar in actual usage. The downside? The "window" of modulation- the point where pads contact the rotor to full lock up- is about a pull of about 5mm with these levers. It's scary to modulate, because they are almost- but not quite- "On-Off" levers/calipers. I have some Problem Solvers doohickeys that are going on to see if that will make things better, or worse. Stay tuned!

Wots In Th'box?: (Image cred: Salsa Cycles) This sneak peek has been driving some folks nuts. It is on the Salsa Cycles site. Today sometime they are supposedly taking the curtain down that shrouds this project in mystery. I don't know how much of this ol' Cagey McCagerson and his Crew are going to release, so I won't say anything now. I wish they would let the cat outta the bag, as it were, because I am almost 99% sure what it is and it is hard to keep quiet about such an exciting product.

Suffice it to say that Mr. McCagerson was right when he said to me several years ago that Salsa Cycles would continue to bring out bikes that I would want. I know I want this new one, because I've been wanting something like this for years.

Dang it! Why do you always have to be right about me and Salsa bikes, McCagerson? We must be on some kinda similar wavelength or sumpthin. Weird!

Well, anyway, I'll be watching the Salsa site with great interest today!

Monday News And Views

The Germans Are Coming! Yes folks, those Europeans are starting to discover big wheels and the Germans seem to be finally convinced they are not "trekking bikes". Take a look at this German forum link here. Also, a German brand by the name of "Bulls", (gotta love trans-cultural brand meanings!), has a press release here touting the benefits of the big wheels.

Twenty Nine Inches is also testing another German brand's bike, and that can be seen here. So, what could this all mean? Well, the German mtb market has traditionally led the way in terms of innovations and style in Europe, so with the additions of 29"ers to many of these brands lines, it could mean big things.....eventually, for 29"ers everywhere. Imagine more 29"er tires from Hutchinson, Michelin, Schwalbe, and Continental, for instance. Imagine a Magura Durin 29"er fork. Imagine more wheel offerings from Mavic and DT Swiss. More brands from Europe will bring more 29"er specific products. It could be huge for the 29"er marketplace here. I think it will be, given some time. In five years, things will be vastly different. Just stay tuned!

It Isn't Supposed To Work, But It Does: In the "don't try this at home" file, I have this to share. My Dos Niner, with Tiagra STI levers, is pulling Avid BB-7 Mtn calipers, and while that isn't supposed to work, it does. At least for me! You can see I have light around the rotor at the pads, and in the other pic, I have the lever bottomed out on the bar, (a Salsa Woodchipper), which if I did while riding would totally have the wheels locked up. Usually I never get anywhere that close to the bar in actual usage. The downside? The "window" of modulation- the point where pads contact the rotor to full lock up- is about a pull of about 5mm with these levers. It's scary to modulate, because they are almost- but not quite- "On-Off" levers/calipers. I have some Problem Solvers doohickeys that are going on to see if that will make things better, or worse. Stay tuned!

Wots In Th'box?: (Image cred: Salsa Cycles) This sneak peek has been driving some folks nuts. It is on the Salsa Cycles site. Today sometime they are supposedly taking the curtain down that shrouds this project in mystery. I don't know how much of this ol' Cagey McCagerson and his Crew are going to release, so I won't say anything now. I wish they would let the cat outta the bag, as it were, because I am almost 99% sure what it is and it is hard to keep quiet about such an exciting product.

Suffice it to say that Mr. McCagerson was right when he said to me several years ago that Salsa Cycles would continue to bring out bikes that I would want. I know I want this new one, because I've been wanting something like this for years.

Dang it! Why do you always have to be right about me and Salsa bikes, McCagerson? We must be on some kinda similar wavelength or sumpthin. Weird!

Well, anyway, I'll be watching the Salsa site with great interest today!