Friday News And Views

 The Final FN&V Of 2022!

Well, take a sip of that coffee and congratulate yourself for making it through another entire year of the 'FN&V", your weekly, end-of-week review of news, thoughts, and opinions here on "Guitar Ted Productions".

I've cooked up a special one for y'all today, so I hope that you enjoy this. But first, a bit of trivia concerning this staple of my blog over the years. 

This wasn't planned to be on Fridays. In fact, I think a 'news and views' type of post has appeared on every day but Sunday here on this blog since 2005. The Friday slot wasn't a weekly thing until recently, in terms of this blog, as well, which may surprise some of you. 

But now the "FN&V" has become, on average, the most read post I do every week. There are posts that get a lot more hits than my Friday missives, but on average, more of you dear readers are here today than any other day of the week. So, a tip-o-the-cup to your reading neighbors and cheers! 

New Site Seeks To Be Gravel Event Calendar Hub:

Back in 2008 I was asked by readers of this blog to start a "gravel event calendar", which I did, hosting it on the sidebar of this very blog throughout 2008. There weren't many events back then!

But things changed, I started a calendar in 2009 on a separate site, that morphed into the Riding Gravel Events Calendar in 2014, and by 2019 I had over 600 events which I had listed on the site, most of which I had researched and found out about on my own time. That's right, I would estimate that less than ten percent of those 600+ events were submitted to be on that old calendar.

As you might imagine then, I was very busy with updating that calendar throughout the year. It took probably ten hours a week to maintain it. That's on top of doing all the other stuff I did. It wasn't tenable, and when COVID came along, I took the cue to stop and that was that. Along the way I made a great resource for many for several years. I unwittingly also contributed to some other 'gravel oriented sites' calendars as well, with many of my event descriptions getting copied and pasted word for word into these other "calendar of events".

That's why when I came across this last week that I smiled. I wish this man good will and fortunes on his efforts. It won't be easy, or very sustainable, to simply rely on submissions and word of mouth to get events put on that calendar. (Ask anyone who has compiled events about that) Especially when sites like BikeReg are a de-facto event calendar with major reach and influence. That's why I'd be shocked if this "Gravel Calendar" isn't drawing dates off BikeReg,, or the massive Gran Fondo gravel calendar of events.by the way.

 The calendar is also probably getting data from its partners. The Gravel Calendar has partnered with the Gravel Cyclist website and the Pure Gravel site to "help bolster their calendars", which I take to mean that they are sharing information across their websites to gather more events. That should ease things a tiny bit.

Again- best of luck to all involved. 

Dream Engine in steel (Image courtesy of Wilde Bikes)

Wilde Bikes Introduces The "Dream Engine" In Steel, Titanium:

In case you missed this last week, Wilde Bikes debuted a new "Fargo-like" adventure bike dubbed the Dream Engine. The bike, available as a frame set or built to various spec, is going to be offered in steel and titanium. 

Interestingly, the bike uses a Cutthroat carbon fork by Salsa Cycles, further tying the comparison to the venerable Fargo, which itself is offered in steel and titanium versions. 

These Dream Engine bikes have clearance for 29" X 2.6" tires. The frames also feature stealth dropper routing, and all the accessory mounting points that you would expect on an adventure bike nowadays. Prices are $2,600.00 for the steel frame set and $4,900.00 for the titanium frame set, both coming with custom Jen Green head tube badges. 

Dream Engine in titanium (Image courtesy of Wilde Bikes)

Comments: Well, I have to admit that these are beautiful and well executed examples of a bike with the Fargo influence. They are US built, (but the presser doesn't say by whom), so the pricing is understandable. You are going to pay a premium price for what is essentially a small batch custom frame. 

My only beef with this bike's design is that it cannot be single speed due to the lack of any tensioning system being designed into the frame. (You could use an eccentric bottom bracket, I suppose.) I know, big whoop! You probably are not a single speeder. But you do not have to have a desire to be a one gear person to appreciate the ability to single speed a bike if the derailleur gets destroyed in an incident while you are miles away from anything. 

To my way of thinking, self-extraction from your situation is a prized attribute, and having that ability in a frame set which could be a single speed is a good thing to have in your back pocket, you know, just in case. You may never use that feature, but then again, you may have to. 

So, for that singular reason I would pass on this choice. You are spending a lot of coin to have a bike without a feature that, in my opinion, is a definite "must have" for an off-pavement adventure. Too bad too, it is a beautiful bike. As a gravel pounder? Yeah....I could live without that single speed thing, but not if I am going way off the beaten track. 

Big Changes In Store For Shimano Components?

 Last Thursday I noted a Tweet far down in a thread I was involved in that perked up my ears. It was written by noted cycling journalist, Carlton Reid, who is from the U.K. and has a lot of connections in the cycling business world. In that Tweet, he drops a hint that could signal big changes coming in terms of Shimano group sets in the future.

The context for this Tweet was that "model years" for bicycles are a poor idea, but Shimano, who pretty much steers the ship from behind a curtain when it comes to industry practices, dictates that a model year change shall exist. It does this by introducing new component features and new components nearly every year in March, generally speaking, although Shimano has made introductions in the Fall as well in the past. 

These announcements are years in the making. Component manufacturers and bicycle brands are privy to what is coming out, so that spec can be solidified and parts can be accumulated for production before the public knows about the "new stuff' coming. This is why Mr. Reid probably has some knowledge of what is about to be introduced in March. Someone or another passed along some rather big news along to him, which I believe Mr. Reid is hinting at in his Tweet here.

Another Piece To The Puzzle:

On Friday last week, a few news sources were showing a patent drawing filed by Shimano dated November 2022 that showed a design for a 9 tooth sprocket and lockring. Shimano currently does not support 9 tooth sprockets.  

What Could It Mean? Knowing what I know about Shimano, this has probably got something to do with a complete overhaul of either road components, mountain components, or both simultaneously. I doubt they change GRX, but..... Maybe. 

Does this signal a new standard for free hubs? I would guess that it does, but will Shimano make this compatible with MicroSpline, the newer MTB free hub format they introduced a few years ago? My inclination is that yes- All Shimano rear wheels from 2023 forward will be MicroSpline, 9 tooth cassette compatible. 

That opens up a LOT of possibilities on every front. 1X gravel, MTB, adventure wide range gearing, etc. 13 and 14 speed groups. I know Shimano has had working 14 speed prototype groups since before 2010, so it is not a pipe dream to say that we're headed in that direction.

 Shimano isn't going to produce "new-name" group sets without there being some pretty big changes in those mechanisms. GRX is a new group, relatively speaking, so it would surprise me if they rebrand that after such a short period. But if wholesale changes in either road or MTB happen I could see where that might warrant a new name(s). And Mr. Reid says "several group sets", so I expect a whole nomenclature for group-sets to be retired.

Would that mean no more Dura-Ace, or Ultegra? Or would that mean no more XT or Deore? It's hard to fathom that that sort of legacy would be retired, but reading the Tweet, I don't see any other way to interpret that. (Unless it is an additional group set, but that's not how I read the Tweet)  I guess we will find out in March, won't we? 

Well, that's a wrap on Friday News And Views for today, and for 2022! Once again, THANK YOU for reading these and I'll be back again next week with the start of another year of FN&V posts!

Friday News And Views

 The Final FN&V Of 2022!

Well, take a sip of that coffee and congratulate yourself for making it through another entire year of the 'FN&V", your weekly, end-of-week review of news, thoughts, and opinions here on "Guitar Ted Productions".

I've cooked up a special one for y'all today, so I hope that you enjoy this. But first, a bit of trivia concerning this staple of my blog over the years. 

This wasn't planned to be on Fridays. In fact, I think a 'news and views' type of post has appeared on every day but Sunday here on this blog since 2005. The Friday slot wasn't a weekly thing until recently, in terms of this blog, as well, which may surprise some of you. 

But now the "FN&V" has become, on average, the most read post I do every week. There are posts that get a lot more hits than my Friday missives, but on average, more of you dear readers are here today than any other day of the week. So, a tip-o-the-cup to your reading neighbors and cheers! 

New Site Seeks To Be Gravel Event Calendar Hub:

Back in 2008 I was asked by readers of this blog to start a "gravel event calendar", which I did, hosting it on the sidebar of this very blog throughout 2008. There weren't many events back then!

But things changed, I started a calendar in 2009 on a separate site, that morphed into the Riding Gravel Events Calendar in 2014, and by 2019 I had over 600 events which I had listed on the site, most of which I had researched and found out about on my own time. That's right, I would estimate that less than ten percent of those 600+ events were submitted to be on that old calendar.

As you might imagine then, I was very busy with updating that calendar throughout the year. It took probably ten hours a week to maintain it. That's on top of doing all the other stuff I did. It wasn't tenable, and when COVID came along, I took the cue to stop and that was that. Along the way I made a great resource for many for several years. I unwittingly also contributed to some other 'gravel oriented sites' calendars as well, with many of my event descriptions getting copied and pasted word for word into these other "calendar of events".

That's why when I came across this last week that I smiled. I wish this man good will and fortunes on his efforts. It won't be easy, or very sustainable, to simply rely on submissions and word of mouth to get events put on that calendar. (Ask anyone who has compiled events about that) Especially when sites like BikeReg are a de-facto event calendar with major reach and influence. That's why I'd be shocked if this "Gravel Calendar" isn't drawing dates off BikeReg,, or the massive Gran Fondo gravel calendar of events.by the way.

 The calendar is also probably getting data from its partners. The Gravel Calendar has partnered with the Gravel Cyclist website and the Pure Gravel site to "help bolster their calendars", which I take to mean that they are sharing information across their websites to gather more events. That should ease things a tiny bit.

Again- best of luck to all involved. 

Dream Engine in steel (Image courtesy of Wilde Bikes)

Wilde Bikes Introduces The "Dream Engine" In Steel, Titanium:

In case you missed this last week, Wilde Bikes debuted a new "Fargo-like" adventure bike dubbed the Dream Engine. The bike, available as a frame set or built to various spec, is going to be offered in steel and titanium. 

Interestingly, the bike uses a Cutthroat carbon fork by Salsa Cycles, further tying the comparison to the venerable Fargo, which itself is offered in steel and titanium versions. 

These Dream Engine bikes have clearance for 29" X 2.6" tires. The frames also feature stealth dropper routing, and all the accessory mounting points that you would expect on an adventure bike nowadays. Prices are $2,600.00 for the steel frame set and $4,900.00 for the titanium frame set, both coming with custom Jen Green head tube badges. 

Dream Engine in titanium (Image courtesy of Wilde Bikes)

Comments: Well, I have to admit that these are beautiful and well executed examples of a bike with the Fargo influence. They are US built, (but the presser doesn't say by whom), so the pricing is understandable. You are going to pay a premium price for what is essentially a small batch custom frame. 

My only beef with this bike's design is that it cannot be single speed due to the lack of any tensioning system being designed into the frame. (You could use an eccentric bottom bracket, I suppose.) I know, big whoop! You probably are not a single speeder. But you do not have to have a desire to be a one gear person to appreciate the ability to single speed a bike if the derailleur gets destroyed in an incident while you are miles away from anything. 

To my way of thinking, self-extraction from your situation is a prized attribute, and having that ability in a frame set which could be a single speed is a good thing to have in your back pocket, you know, just in case. You may never use that feature, but then again, you may have to. 

So, for that singular reason I would pass on this choice. You are spending a lot of coin to have a bike without a feature that, in my opinion, is a definite "must have" for an off-pavement adventure. Too bad too, it is a beautiful bike. As a gravel pounder? Yeah....I could live without that single speed thing, but not if I am going way off the beaten track. 

Big Changes In Store For Shimano Components?

 Last Thursday I noted a Tweet far down in a thread I was involved in that perked up my ears. It was written by noted cycling journalist, Carlton Reid, who is from the U.K. and has a lot of connections in the cycling business world. In that Tweet, he drops a hint that could signal big changes coming in terms of Shimano group sets in the future.

The context for this Tweet was that "model years" for bicycles are a poor idea, but Shimano, who pretty much steers the ship from behind a curtain when it comes to industry practices, dictates that a model year change shall exist. It does this by introducing new component features and new components nearly every year in March, generally speaking, although Shimano has made introductions in the Fall as well in the past. 

These announcements are years in the making. Component manufacturers and bicycle brands are privy to what is coming out, so that spec can be solidified and parts can be accumulated for production before the public knows about the "new stuff' coming. This is why Mr. Reid probably has some knowledge of what is about to be introduced in March. Someone or another passed along some rather big news along to him, which I believe Mr. Reid is hinting at in his Tweet here.

Another Piece To The Puzzle:

On Friday last week, a few news sources were showing a patent drawing filed by Shimano dated November 2022 that showed a design for a 9 tooth sprocket and lockring. Shimano currently does not support 9 tooth sprockets.  

What Could It Mean? Knowing what I know about Shimano, this has probably got something to do with a complete overhaul of either road components, mountain components, or both simultaneously. I doubt they change GRX, but..... Maybe. 

Does this signal a new standard for free hubs? I would guess that it does, but will Shimano make this compatible with MicroSpline, the newer MTB free hub format they introduced a few years ago? My inclination is that yes- All Shimano rear wheels from 2023 forward will be MicroSpline, 9 tooth cassette compatible. 

That opens up a LOT of possibilities on every front. 1X gravel, MTB, adventure wide range gearing, etc. 13 and 14 speed groups. I know Shimano has had working 14 speed prototype groups since before 2010, so it is not a pipe dream to say that we're headed in that direction.

 Shimano isn't going to produce "new-name" group sets without there being some pretty big changes in those mechanisms. GRX is a new group, relatively speaking, so it would surprise me if they rebrand that after such a short period. But if wholesale changes in either road or MTB happen I could see where that might warrant a new name(s). And Mr. Reid says "several group sets", so I expect a whole nomenclature for group-sets to be retired.

Would that mean no more Dura-Ace, or Ultegra? Or would that mean no more XT or Deore? It's hard to fathom that that sort of legacy would be retired, but reading the Tweet, I don't see any other way to interpret that. (Unless it is an additional group set, but that's not how I read the Tweet)  I guess we will find out in March, won't we? 

Well, that's a wrap on Friday News And Views for today, and for 2022! Once again, THANK YOU for reading these and I'll be back again next week with the start of another year of FN&V posts!

Calendar Days

 

The calendar for events on gravel was started here in 2008 or so when I got the idea the 'somebody' should do a list of the then current events specifically aimed at gravel riding. There weren't many, I can tell you that, but the list was growing then, and being able to keep track of the budding scene was getting harder to do. My thoughts were centered around just making a list so people could be aware of what was happening.

Well, obviously, no one back then was going to do it, so I did it. This continued into becoming "Gravel Grinder News" and that folded into RidingGravel.com at the end of 2014. All along I kept cataloging events. Hundreds of events. Events I had to, for the most part, track down, update, and modify on my own time. 

Then COVID came along and pretty much upset the apple cart, as it were. Trying to keep tabs on what was cancelled, postponed, or still going to happen was just far too much for one guy to ride herd on. Of course, no events ever really submitted anything to me, not in the past, or during the pandemic. A few here and there, yes, but that was a drop in the bucket when we are talking between 500-600 events throughout the calendar year. This meant that I let the calendar go. Think of a garden with a major weed problem let go for the majority of the growing season. Yeah...... Things were a mess. 

So, I contacted my partner in Riding Gravel, Ben Welnak, and I stated that this situation was not tenable. The calendar was going to be shut down. We decided to leave up what is there as a reference, and if you go look, that message is there. However; people, being people, don't seem to take the time to read that, or even land there to see that message, and I still am getting inquiries as to when such-and-such event is happening, or if I can transfer entries, or if there is camping, etc. As if I were running all these events. It's nonsense, but I still get the emails. 

So, no more. I'm done with the calendar of events. Really, there is no need for it anymore and others do it better than I do. Facebook is a defacto "gravel site" for events, BikeReg.com is searchable for gravel events, as are other event registration services. You don't need me to be doing a list of events anymore, and since it was taxing, and really difficult, with no recompense, why should I keep doing it? I haven't come up with a good answer for that, so the calendar thing is off my plate. 

And I will say that I am quite happy to not have to worry about that anymore. I can now focus that energy elsewhere and get a more rewarding result for my efforts. I felt an explanation of this was necessary and so here that is. 

Thanks to all who relied on that early list and to those who enthusiastically contributed to that list back in the days gone by. To those who looked to that calendar as a reference, I thank you as well. I hope that you all understand where I am coming from now and I am confident that going forward you will all have no problems finding events to attend and support in the future. 

Now, on to bigger and better things......

Calendar Days

 

The calendar for events on gravel was started here in 2008 or so when I got the idea the 'somebody' should do a list of the then current events specifically aimed at gravel riding. There weren't many, I can tell you that, but the list was growing then, and being able to keep track of the budding scene was getting harder to do. My thoughts were centered around just making a list so people could be aware of what was happening.

Well, obviously, no one back then was going to do it, so I did it. This continued into becoming "Gravel Grinder News" and that folded into RidingGravel.com at the end of 2014. All along I kept cataloging events. Hundreds of events. Events I had to, for the most part, track down, update, and modify on my own time. 

Then COVID came along and pretty much upset the apple cart, as it were. Trying to keep tabs on what was cancelled, postponed, or still going to happen was just far too much for one guy to ride herd on. Of course, no events ever really submitted anything to me, not in the past, or during the pandemic. A few here and there, yes, but that was a drop in the bucket when we are talking between 500-600 events throughout the calendar year. This meant that I let the calendar go. Think of a garden with a major weed problem let go for the majority of the growing season. Yeah...... Things were a mess. 

So, I contacted my partner in Riding Gravel, Ben Welnak, and I stated that this situation was not tenable. The calendar was going to be shut down. We decided to leave up what is there as a reference, and if you go look, that message is there. However; people, being people, don't seem to take the time to read that, or even land there to see that message, and I still am getting inquiries as to when such-and-such event is happening, or if I can transfer entries, or if there is camping, etc. As if I were running all these events. It's nonsense, but I still get the emails. 

So, no more. I'm done with the calendar of events. Really, there is no need for it anymore and others do it better than I do. Facebook is a defacto "gravel site" for events, BikeReg.com is searchable for gravel events, as are other event registration services. You don't need me to be doing a list of events anymore, and since it was taxing, and really difficult, with no recompense, why should I keep doing it? I haven't come up with a good answer for that, so the calendar thing is off my plate. 

And I will say that I am quite happy to not have to worry about that anymore. I can now focus that energy elsewhere and get a more rewarding result for my efforts. I felt an explanation of this was necessary and so here that is. 

Thanks to all who relied on that early list and to those who enthusiastically contributed to that list back in the days gone by. To those who looked to that calendar as a reference, I thank you as well. I hope that you all understand where I am coming from now and I am confident that going forward you will all have no problems finding events to attend and support in the future. 

Now, on to bigger and better things......

Friday News And Views

 Twin Six Standard Rando v2 In Slate:

We got our Standard Randos, Andy and I, and then Twin Six comes along and does this. A limited edition color. "Shale" they call it. Andy was beside himself when he saw it as he wants that color over black. I told him, "They gotcha!" That's marketing for ya. Change the color and Bam! New demand for the same ol' thing. Tell me color doesn't matter. Just go ahead.....

But seriously, Twin Six has been doing this very thing with the original Standard Rando all along. The frame never changed, just colors. Surly Bikes does the same thing. Frame details very rarely change, but colors? This changes with the seasons, seemingly. So yes, of course color matters, or these companies and others wouldn't do this. I mean really- it is just paint. The bicycle fundamentally rides exactly the same no matter what color it is. But try and tell yourself you don't care about color. Go ahead..... I'll be here.....

It's genius and maddeningly successful. Part of me wants to laugh and part of me wants to stamp my feet in displeasure when Twin Six introduces another color of this bike. Just wait. I'll see whatever it is they do next and want that color too. It's crazy, I tell you. But I'm all right with the Gravel Bus. It's an awesome bike, so if you are moved by this bike in "Slate", well then, I say 'good on you". You'll love it no matter what color it is. But it matters what color it is. (I wonder if "Slate" is smoother riding?......ARRGH!)

Six Years+ With Ardennes+:

I was refreshing the wheels off the Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross rig the other day, the bike I refer to here as "Orange Crush", and I had to replace the rim tape on the rear one. I then saw something which maybe I hadn't noted before. I cannot recall, but if I knew this I had forgotten all about it. The wheel builder had signed the wheels to me with "Guitar Ted 4-9-14" and added a smiley face and a peace sign symbol.  

Ironically, that wheel builder's name is Andy Tetmeyer. I work for a different guy named Andy Tetmeyer. Yes- they are related. But that's another story... Andy from HED- let's call him that to keep things straight here- got a hold of me in early 2014 to see if I wanted to review the upcoming HED Ardennes+ wheel set. These were going to be HED's first gravel wheel set and, if you can believe it, the set I received was the very first set they made. Andy from HED laced them to Center Lock disc hubs with rim brake rims so I could use these either way. At that time, disc for gravel bikes wasn't a set-in-stone spec standard, so that made sense back then. 

Anyway, these wheels have had several sets of tires reviewed on them and have logged thousands of miles. They are still as true as ever, I just checked them again this week, and still as smooth rolling as ever. Just an amazing wheel set from a time that is long gone, that being the rim brake days. Not that there is anything wrong at all with rim brakes, but you are not going to see new development into rim brake technology, not in general anyway. Too bad. I could stand a new, wide internal width, tubeless rim brake rim. 

And The Bike Those Wheels Have Lived On....

Of course, the wheels mentioned above have spent 99% of their life on the BMC Orange Crush, now a single speed. I got those wheels refreshed, mounted up with tires, and took it out for a spin on Tuesday in the rain. Perfect! I have fenders and a single speed drive train. Bring on the bad weather! 

I set this up single speed last year and I really just think it is a better bike as a single speed. I've got those long, 180mm Sugino cranks on this and that is a nice combination with the higher bottom bracket that the first generation Monster Cross frames have. I can pedal around a corner and not clip a pedal on anything. 

I still have the Gevenalle mounts on the levers, which I can remove, but I haven't gotten around to that just yet. Otherwise this is set for the return of bad weather and Winter riding where a full coverage fender makes sense. I also got a Wolf Tooth B-Rad rail for dual bottle cage set up and a place to strap a repair kit on there as well. This sets me up for longer rides. The front bag? Not available anymore. It was a small manufacturer which made their bags out of the same material as convertible car tops along with real leather trim. It was a bit on the expensive side, as I recall. Something like $160.00 or thereabouts. But this thing looks as good today as it did eight years ago. 

I wouldn't change much on this bike, really. Probably the only thing I'd try is a Brooks Team Professional saddle. I've got an old one I could try on there, I just need to recondition it. Maybe I'll get around to that sometime....

Calendar Freeze:

Since 2008 I have compiled a list of gravel events. First they were just the locally run ones, then I added nationwide ones, and eventually world-wide events were added. This started as a page on a separate blog I had dubbed "Gravel Grinder News", which eventually became its own "dot com" site in 2012. This eventually became a review site and was merged into Ben Welnak's RidingGravel.com in 2015. 

The calendar at the time I merged with Ben's site had about 250+ entries. Since then it has grown to nearly 600 events, well.......that is until COVID came around. Since that happened in March, we froze the calendar. It just was too volatile a situation to keep track of at that point. So many events were cancelling, or postponing, that it was near impossible to devote enough time to it to keep it current. 

Now with things running into the end of the year, and with no vaccine or real change in the situation, we are still left with a very volatile and fluid situation regarding 2021 events. With the amount of estimated work it would take to get the calendar even partially correct, Ben and I have made the decision to freeze the calendar for the foreseeable future. It will be a reference for when events were run pre-COVID. It is what it is. If I had all the time it took, (I do not) to fix the calendar, and if I had recompense, (I do not) for my efforts, I would undertake the monumental task of updating the calendar. However; at this time, frankly? It isn't worth my efforts. 

Also- I do not think it will be missed. I never have seen any real feedback on the calendar, and what feedback I do get is from people thinking I (or Riding Gravel) run the events listed and either are complaining to me or asking questions I cannot possibly answer. So, that is another thing motivating me to back out of pursuing the calendar efforts. 

There are other calendars as well. So, it isn't like I'm the only source for information. In my mind, the genre' is in good hands with those who are doing the work on calendars for gravel events. I wish those sources well, as it will be a very unstable situation going forward until major changes in the pandemic situation occur. 

That's a wrap on this week! Get your layers out, fire up the lights, and ride!

Friday News And Views

 Twin Six Standard Rando v2 In Slate:

We got our Standard Randos, Andy and I, and then Twin Six comes along and does this. A limited edition color. "Shale" they call it. Andy was beside himself when he saw it as he wants that color over black. I told him, "They gotcha!" That's marketing for ya. Change the color and Bam! New demand for the same ol' thing. Tell me color doesn't matter. Just go ahead.....

But seriously, Twin Six has been doing this very thing with the original Standard Rando all along. The frame never changed, just colors. Surly Bikes does the same thing. Frame details very rarely change, but colors? This changes with the seasons, seemingly. So yes, of course color matters, or these companies and others wouldn't do this. I mean really- it is just paint. The bicycle fundamentally rides exactly the same no matter what color it is. But try and tell yourself you don't care about color. Go ahead..... I'll be here.....

It's genius and maddeningly successful. Part of me wants to laugh and part of me wants to stamp my feet in displeasure when Twin Six introduces another color of this bike. Just wait. I'll see whatever it is they do next and want that color too. It's crazy, I tell you. But I'm all right with the Gravel Bus. It's an awesome bike, so if you are moved by this bike in "Slate", well then, I say 'good on you". You'll love it no matter what color it is. But it matters what color it is. (I wonder if "Slate" is smoother riding?......ARRGH!)

Six Years+ With Ardennes+:

I was refreshing the wheels off the Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross rig the other day, the bike I refer to here as "Orange Crush", and I had to replace the rim tape on the rear one. I then saw something which maybe I hadn't noted before. I cannot recall, but if I knew this I had forgotten all about it. The wheel builder had signed the wheels to me with "Guitar Ted 4-9-14" and added a smiley face and a peace sign symbol.  

Ironically, that wheel builder's name is Andy Tetmeyer. I work for a different guy named Andy Tetmeyer. Yes- they are related. But that's another story... Andy from HED- let's call him that to keep things straight here- got a hold of me in early 2014 to see if I wanted to review the upcoming HED Ardennes+ wheel set. These were going to be HED's first gravel wheel set and, if you can believe it, the set I received was the very first set they made. Andy from HED laced them to Center Lock disc hubs with rim brake rims so I could use these either way. At that time, disc for gravel bikes wasn't a set-in-stone spec standard, so that made sense back then. 

Anyway, these wheels have had several sets of tires reviewed on them and have logged thousands of miles. They are still as true as ever, I just checked them again this week, and still as smooth rolling as ever. Just an amazing wheel set from a time that is long gone, that being the rim brake days. Not that there is anything wrong at all with rim brakes, but you are not going to see new development into rim brake technology, not in general anyway. Too bad. I could stand a new, wide internal width, tubeless rim brake rim. 

And The Bike Those Wheels Have Lived On....

Of course, the wheels mentioned above have spent 99% of their life on the BMC Orange Crush, now a single speed. I got those wheels refreshed, mounted up with tires, and took it out for a spin on Tuesday in the rain. Perfect! I have fenders and a single speed drive train. Bring on the bad weather! 

I set this up single speed last year and I really just think it is a better bike as a single speed. I've got those long, 180mm Sugino cranks on this and that is a nice combination with the higher bottom bracket that the first generation Monster Cross frames have. I can pedal around a corner and not clip a pedal on anything. 

I still have the Gevenalle mounts on the levers, which I can remove, but I haven't gotten around to that just yet. Otherwise this is set for the return of bad weather and Winter riding where a full coverage fender makes sense. I also got a Wolf Tooth B-Rad rail for dual bottle cage set up and a place to strap a repair kit on there as well. This sets me up for longer rides. The front bag? Not available anymore. It was a small manufacturer which made their bags out of the same material as convertible car tops along with real leather trim. It was a bit on the expensive side, as I recall. Something like $160.00 or thereabouts. But this thing looks as good today as it did eight years ago. 

I wouldn't change much on this bike, really. Probably the only thing I'd try is a Brooks Team Professional saddle. I've got an old one I could try on there, I just need to recondition it. Maybe I'll get around to that sometime....

Calendar Freeze:

Since 2008 I have compiled a list of gravel events. First they were just the locally run ones, then I added nationwide ones, and eventually world-wide events were added. This started as a page on a separate blog I had dubbed "Gravel Grinder News", which eventually became its own "dot com" site in 2012. This eventually became a review site and was merged into Ben Welnak's RidingGravel.com in 2015. 

The calendar at the time I merged with Ben's site had about 250+ entries. Since then it has grown to nearly 600 events, well.......that is until COVID came around. Since that happened in March, we froze the calendar. It just was too volatile a situation to keep track of at that point. So many events were cancelling, or postponing, that it was near impossible to devote enough time to it to keep it current. 

Now with things running into the end of the year, and with no vaccine or real change in the situation, we are still left with a very volatile and fluid situation regarding 2021 events. With the amount of estimated work it would take to get the calendar even partially correct, Ben and I have made the decision to freeze the calendar for the foreseeable future. It will be a reference for when events were run pre-COVID. It is what it is. If I had all the time it took, (I do not) to fix the calendar, and if I had recompense, (I do not) for my efforts, I would undertake the monumental task of updating the calendar. However; at this time, frankly? It isn't worth my efforts. 

Also- I do not think it will be missed. I never have seen any real feedback on the calendar, and what feedback I do get is from people thinking I (or Riding Gravel) run the events listed and either are complaining to me or asking questions I cannot possibly answer. So, that is another thing motivating me to back out of pursuing the calendar efforts. 

There are other calendars as well. So, it isn't like I'm the only source for information. In my mind, the genre' is in good hands with those who are doing the work on calendars for gravel events. I wish those sources well, as it will be a very unstable situation going forward until major changes in the pandemic situation occur. 

That's a wrap on this week! Get your layers out, fire up the lights, and ride!

Office Work

Spent a LOT of time looking at this over the weekend.

The impending weather of doom over this past weekend made bike riding not a very good option. So...... I figured I may as well get some "unpleasantness" out of the way. Stuff like updating the RidingGravel.com calendar, doing cues for the C.O.G. 100 route, and some other stuff I'd been putting of "for later sometime".

The biggest task was the calendar. I have to chuckle about that, actually. Ten years ago it took more time to find events to add to the list than it did to maintain it. I would chase links, do searches, and try to ferret out details for events when I did find them. It was a big task to build the calendar ten years ago. Now days events pop up quicker than June weeds and just trying to keep ahead of the growth is nearly impossible.

So, when Wordpress decided to change their editing format, you know.......just because, well, it threw a wrench into the works at Riding Gravel that took three months to straighten out. And after several attempts with IT people at Wordpress, via my patient partner, Ben Welnak, they still never could tell us why our interface wasn't very interfaceable. Eventually, one day, it just started working.

Weird.

Anyway, I lost three months of "staying ahead" of new events and updates to old ones because I couldn't add or modify the calendar for that period. Of course, the Winter is when everyone plans and updates and introduces events. Of course it is...... Brilliant.

So, I spent ten hours or so over the weekend just working on the calendar. That doesn't count the other stuff I was up to on the computer, including doing this blog. But I look outside and see 25-30mph winds with drifting snow over ice which formed when things melted and got rained on yesterday. Side note: I saw lightning strikes on Saturday evening. In February......in Iowa. I'm about over this weather, by the way. Now it is supposed to be more January-like with teens for highs and sub-zero lows for the rest of this week into next. March coming in like a Polar Bear, not so much like a Lion.

Good news is that I am getting ahead of the calendar again, so at least something good is coming from this crazy weather.

Office Work

Spent a LOT of time looking at this over the weekend.

The impending weather of doom over this past weekend made bike riding not a very good option. So...... I figured I may as well get some "unpleasantness" out of the way. Stuff like updating the RidingGravel.com calendar, doing cues for the C.O.G. 100 route, and some other stuff I'd been putting of "for later sometime".

The biggest task was the calendar. I have to chuckle about that, actually. Ten years ago it took more time to find events to add to the list than it did to maintain it. I would chase links, do searches, and try to ferret out details for events when I did find them. It was a big task to build the calendar ten years ago. Now days events pop up quicker than June weeds and just trying to keep ahead of the growth is nearly impossible.

So, when Wordpress decided to change their editing format, you know.......just because, well, it threw a wrench into the works at Riding Gravel that took three months to straighten out. And after several attempts with IT people at Wordpress, via my patient partner, Ben Welnak, they still never could tell us why our interface wasn't very interfaceable. Eventually, one day, it just started working.

Weird.

Anyway, I lost three months of "staying ahead" of new events and updates to old ones because I couldn't add or modify the calendar for that period. Of course, the Winter is when everyone plans and updates and introduces events. Of course it is...... Brilliant.

So, I spent ten hours or so over the weekend just working on the calendar. That doesn't count the other stuff I was up to on the computer, including doing this blog. But I look outside and see 25-30mph winds with drifting snow over ice which formed when things melted and got rained on yesterday. Side note: I saw lightning strikes on Saturday evening. In February......in Iowa. I'm about over this weather, by the way. Now it is supposed to be more January-like with teens for highs and sub-zero lows for the rest of this week into next. March coming in like a Polar Bear, not so much like a Lion.

Good news is that I am getting ahead of the calendar again, so at least something good is coming from this crazy weather.