Friday News And Views

My old co-worker, Carl Buchanan with a "bike shop horror" from '06.

Mechanics Petition For Banning "Unfixable Bikes":

 
Recently a petition has been going around for the "banning of the manufacture of 'unfixable bicycles'."

Typically the bane of average shop mechanics, these "mart-bikes" almost always are made for floor appeal first and foremost, with the slight possibility of actually riding them way down the list of priorities. 

The petition states that such "bicycle-shaped objects" are really disheartening for children and lower income adults who typically rely on these bikes for mobility. The petition states that these bikes result in repair bills that eclipse the value of the bike and cause undue stress and harm. Following is a bullet point list of 'demands'. 

"We call on you to:
- Set a minimum durability standard for bicycles to last at least 500 riding hours before breaking down,
- Design bikes to be serviceable and hold adjustment, with replaceable and upgradable components, and
- Stop creating and selling bikes that are made to fall apart."

Comments: While I can sympathize with the plight of the mechanic, I think this petition is misdirected. Part of the onus here is on the consumer. If people understood what constitutes a "real bicycle" versus what you get at a big box store, it might make a difference in a few cases. But also- and this is probably the real issue, we can lay a LOT of the blame here on the bicycle industry at the higher levels. These are not necessarily the brands you see on 'mart bikes', but on the bike shop quality bikes. They have consistently and constantly driven technology, materials, and therefore costs, through to such a point that now an "entry level" bike-shop bike costs North of $600.00! 

I once had a great conversation on this subject with the legendary Gary Fisher. He had a great idea, which was to make the same parts over and over for years. Parts which were once 'top-shelf'- he proposed 8 speed XTR as an example- and with the same parts never changing, costs could come way down. Mate those to a simple frame, and boom! Inexpensive, high-quality bicycles for the masses. 

But when you change parts, colors, frame designs, and all that year-to-year, costs are harder to contain. And obviously inflation and all of that comes into play. However; when I see what smaller companies like State Bicycles can sell a bike for, I cannot help but imagine where prices could go if standardization of parts and pieces were maximized for the inexpensive bikes to meet entry level cyclist's needs.  

Hammerhead Purchased By SRAM:

Wednesday news broke that Hammerhead, the cycling computer company which makes the Karoo 2 computer, was acquired by SRAM and added to their portfolio of companies which includes Rock Shox, Zipp, TIME, and Quark, according to an article in "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News". 

Details of the acquisition were not released and SRAM claims all operations at Hammerhead will continue on as before. 

Comments: Obviously there is a plan here and I don't think it will take a genius to see where SRAM is going with Hammerhead's technology. SRAM's new move into an all-integrated system for MTB and road with its AXS wireless groups and further integration with Rock Shox products means that a centralized control unit would be a boon to those existing systems. 

I expect that SRAM will leverage Hammerhead's tech and release their own, proprietary AXS computer head utilizing the same radio frequency established for the SRAM wireless technologies already in place.  A touch screen control unit that would be easily configurable, upgradeable, and one that has a user-friendly, "smart phone-like" interface makes sense for SRAM. 

My question is how does this affect the future for Hammerhead Karoo users in the future?  Will SRAM demands on resources from Hammerhead cause the company to lose focus on their original business? Does that mean that my Hammerhead Karoo 2 becomes a paperweight sooner than it might have anyway? Time will tell, but whenever a take-over like this happens and the press release says "things will continue on as before with the company we bought" I am VERY skeptical.

"Vaccine Pass" Required For Tour Participants?

Recently in the news a new law passed in France may have an impact on professional races held in France including the Tour de France this coming July. 

Apparently any professional will be compelled to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to participate in any sports in France from this point forward. This would also include cycling, despite it being an out of doors activity, mainly due to hotel/motel considerations for team members and staff. Travel considerations would also be subject to the laws if the teams used public airlines, trains, or buses. Additionally, any person going to France to spectate will also have to prove proof of vaccination to enter motels, hotels, restaurants, and bars and to use public transportation. 

While most teams are reporting high percentages of their rosters as being vaccinated, some are not, which may dictate that certain team members not participate in the Tour or other French races. Furthermore, the new French law also stipulates that a booster vaccine shot must be proven to have been taken by any athlete who has been vaccinated for four months or longer.

Similar restrictions exist in Italy, and in some Middle Eastern countries.  The UCI has not formulated its 2022 vaccine protocols yet and said that for the time being teams should respect each nation's laws. 

Comments: Once again, the pandemic strikes. However; some experts are saying we are entering the 'endemic phase' of this viral wave and that the case numbers will show that by the end of this year. Meanwhile other nations are taking a bit of a conservative approach as the Omicron variant rages across the world. In the USA? Events are taking registrants as if nothing is going on. It's a very odd situation. 

I'm not saying we are (the USA) wrong or right, but you'd think that some mention of protocols for the health and safety of riders would still be alluded to, if in fact anything is going to be done at all. We'll see..... It is interesting to note that the industry get together called "CABDA", to be held in Chicago next month, has been cancelled. Meanwhile, the Iowa Bicycle Expo, to be held in Des Moines, Iowa, is full throttle, and will be held this month. Confused? 

Yeah......

The Enduo Track chain ring and chain. (Image courtesy of New Motion Labs)

Enduo Evolve Chain Reminds Of Skip-Tooth Chains Of Past:

Recently a new chain and chain ring design caught my eye as it reminded me of something which looked similar used pre-WWII on many single speed bicycles. The "Enduo Evolve" chain is a bit different take on how a chain works. the company which makes this new chain is called New Motion Labs and they claim a significant energy savings over conventional chains. 

Essentially what a 'normal chain' does when it interfaces with a sprocket is that the chain slides in the 'valley' between the teeth of a sprocket, which causes friction. Furthermore; the roller on one side bears most of the load for energy transfer, and that gets concentrated at the point where the chain pin is inserted into the outer chain plate. All of this wastes energy, according to New Motion Labs. 

They solve the problem by utilizing a 'skip tooth' design and interfacing two links of chain in a 'valley' which then spreads the load against the sprocket teeth and eliminates the sliding of rollers against chain rings. Therefore; it is claimed; the Enduo Evolve chain saves watts.  

Comments: Looking through the New Motion Labs site, their claims make sense. However; it is obvious that this is a single ring/cog drive train set up only. The Enduo Evolve chain is not designed for side loading/shifting and is obviously far too wide anyway. But perhaps for track racing and BMX? It could be pretty good there. I'd give it a whirl on a single speed gravel bike. But I think where this is really meant to go is in the electrified bike, motorcycle, and manufacturing directions. 

Okay, that's a wrap on this week! Stay warm and get outside if you can this weekend! 

Friday News And Views

My old co-worker, Carl Buchanan with a "bike shop horror" from '06.

Mechanics Petition For Banning "Unfixable Bikes":

 
Recently a petition has been going around for the "banning of the manufacture of 'unfixable bicycles'."

Typically the bane of average shop mechanics, these "mart-bikes" almost always are made for floor appeal first and foremost, with the slight possibility of actually riding them way down the list of priorities. 

The petition states that such "bicycle-shaped objects" are really disheartening for children and lower income adults who typically rely on these bikes for mobility. The petition states that these bikes result in repair bills that eclipse the value of the bike and cause undue stress and harm. Following is a bullet point list of 'demands'. 

"We call on you to:
- Set a minimum durability standard for bicycles to last at least 500 riding hours before breaking down,
- Design bikes to be serviceable and hold adjustment, with replaceable and upgradable components, and
- Stop creating and selling bikes that are made to fall apart."

Comments: While I can sympathize with the plight of the mechanic, I think this petition is misdirected. Part of the onus here is on the consumer. If people understood what constitutes a "real bicycle" versus what you get at a big box store, it might make a difference in a few cases. But also- and this is probably the real issue, we can lay a LOT of the blame here on the bicycle industry at the higher levels. These are not necessarily the brands you see on 'mart bikes', but on the bike shop quality bikes. They have consistently and constantly driven technology, materials, and therefore costs, through to such a point that now an "entry level" bike-shop bike costs North of $600.00! 

I once had a great conversation on this subject with the legendary Gary Fisher. He had a great idea, which was to make the same parts over and over for years. Parts which were once 'top-shelf'- he proposed 8 speed XTR as an example- and with the same parts never changing, costs could come way down. Mate those to a simple frame, and boom! Inexpensive, high-quality bicycles for the masses. 

But when you change parts, colors, frame designs, and all that year-to-year, costs are harder to contain. And obviously inflation and all of that comes into play. However; when I see what smaller companies like State Bicycles can sell a bike for, I cannot help but imagine where prices could go if standardization of parts and pieces were maximized for the inexpensive bikes to meet entry level cyclist's needs.  

Hammerhead Purchased By SRAM:

Wednesday news broke that Hammerhead, the cycling computer company which makes the Karoo 2 computer, was acquired by SRAM and added to their portfolio of companies which includes Rock Shox, Zipp, TIME, and Quark, according to an article in "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News". 

Details of the acquisition were not released and SRAM claims all operations at Hammerhead will continue on as before. 

Comments: Obviously there is a plan here and I don't think it will take a genius to see where SRAM is going with Hammerhead's technology. SRAM's new move into an all-integrated system for MTB and road with its AXS wireless groups and further integration with Rock Shox products means that a centralized control unit would be a boon to those existing systems. 

I expect that SRAM will leverage Hammerhead's tech and release their own, proprietary AXS computer head utilizing the same radio frequency established for the SRAM wireless technologies already in place.  A touch screen control unit that would be easily configurable, upgradeable, and one that has a user-friendly, "smart phone-like" interface makes sense for SRAM. 

My question is how does this affect the future for Hammerhead Karoo users in the future?  Will SRAM demands on resources from Hammerhead cause the company to lose focus on their original business? Does that mean that my Hammerhead Karoo 2 becomes a paperweight sooner than it might have anyway? Time will tell, but whenever a take-over like this happens and the press release says "things will continue on as before with the company we bought" I am VERY skeptical.

"Vaccine Pass" Required For Tour Participants?

Recently in the news a new law passed in France may have an impact on professional races held in France including the Tour de France this coming July. 

Apparently any professional will be compelled to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to participate in any sports in France from this point forward. This would also include cycling, despite it being an out of doors activity, mainly due to hotel/motel considerations for team members and staff. Travel considerations would also be subject to the laws if the teams used public airlines, trains, or buses. Additionally, any person going to France to spectate will also have to prove proof of vaccination to enter motels, hotels, restaurants, and bars and to use public transportation. 

While most teams are reporting high percentages of their rosters as being vaccinated, some are not, which may dictate that certain team members not participate in the Tour or other French races. Furthermore, the new French law also stipulates that a booster vaccine shot must be proven to have been taken by any athlete who has been vaccinated for four months or longer.

Similar restrictions exist in Italy, and in some Middle Eastern countries.  The UCI has not formulated its 2022 vaccine protocols yet and said that for the time being teams should respect each nation's laws. 

Comments: Once again, the pandemic strikes. However; some experts are saying we are entering the 'endemic phase' of this viral wave and that the case numbers will show that by the end of this year. Meanwhile other nations are taking a bit of a conservative approach as the Omicron variant rages across the world. In the USA? Events are taking registrants as if nothing is going on. It's a very odd situation. 

I'm not saying we are (the USA) wrong or right, but you'd think that some mention of protocols for the health and safety of riders would still be alluded to, if in fact anything is going to be done at all. We'll see..... It is interesting to note that the industry get together called "CABDA", to be held in Chicago next month, has been cancelled. Meanwhile, the Iowa Bicycle Expo, to be held in Des Moines, Iowa, is full throttle, and will be held this month. Confused? 

Yeah......

The Enduo Track chain ring and chain. (Image courtesy of New Motion Labs)

Enduo Evolve Chain Reminds Of Skip-Tooth Chains Of Past:

Recently a new chain and chain ring design caught my eye as it reminded me of something which looked similar used pre-WWII on many single speed bicycles. The "Enduo Evolve" chain is a bit different take on how a chain works. the company which makes this new chain is called New Motion Labs and they claim a significant energy savings over conventional chains. 

Essentially what a 'normal chain' does when it interfaces with a sprocket is that the chain slides in the 'valley' between the teeth of a sprocket, which causes friction. Furthermore; the roller on one side bears most of the load for energy transfer, and that gets concentrated at the point where the chain pin is inserted into the outer chain plate. All of this wastes energy, according to New Motion Labs. 

They solve the problem by utilizing a 'skip tooth' design and interfacing two links of chain in a 'valley' which then spreads the load against the sprocket teeth and eliminates the sliding of rollers against chain rings. Therefore; it is claimed; the Enduo Evolve chain saves watts.  

Comments: Looking through the New Motion Labs site, their claims make sense. However; it is obvious that this is a single ring/cog drive train set up only. The Enduo Evolve chain is not designed for side loading/shifting and is obviously far too wide anyway. But perhaps for track racing and BMX? It could be pretty good there. I'd give it a whirl on a single speed gravel bike. But I think where this is really meant to go is in the electrified bike, motorcycle, and manufacturing directions. 

Okay, that's a wrap on this week! Stay warm and get outside if you can this weekend! 

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Update

One of the two test bikes for the next round of "Lube-Off" craziness.

 Your voices were heard! Thank you so much for all the comments last Monday concerning which lubricants I should look at for the next round of the "Guitar Ted Lube-Off" tests. I got some great responses and suggestions. Kudos to those who included links in their comments. That was super helpful! A couple of notes I wanted to touch on before I continued though....

- There was a suggestion made for a couple of lubes I had already tested. Rock & Roll Gold and Lilly Lube. Both pretty 'good' but no cigar when pitted against DuMonde Tech. 

- Secondly, there were a lot of suggestions for a Silca lubricant called "Synergetic". However; maybe many of you had not noted that this lube is listed as a WET lube. Typically those don't fare well at all in dusty crushed rock environments. I usually am looking for a DRY lubricant for gravel road uses. Silca did have a wax based lube on their site which maybe would be the ticket for gravel travel, but none of you folks mentioned that. So, I passed on the Silca lubricants based on those factors. 

So, what did get ordered up? 

One of you mentioned a new NFS formula for gravel that is called Blue Devil Chain Lube. It is specifically aimed at gravel road use, and to my knowledge, it is the only chain lubricant that claims this distinction. Many of you called for the original NixFrixShun formula to be included in the test, but I thought this new formula, (claimed to be better than the original, by the way) would be of more interest since it has the "Gravel®" tag. 

Next I noted some calls for the SCC Slick drive train lubricant to be included into the test. I read up on this lube and found that the claims of self-cleaning and ease of application sounded- well, too good to be true! But I am listening to you folks and if you've had some good results, I'm willing to give this a try. It claims to keep the drive train really clean, and that is the goal here. I am sure gravel road usage will give it a difficult testing, so we will see how it goes. 

Now some of you mentioned "Smoove Lube" and I did look at that, but it wasn't as compelling to me as these other two. That's not to say I will never look at that lube. It just isn't going to be in this round of the "Lube-Off". I've done three lubes at once and frankly, it is just too much to do in one round. So, I am sticking to two lubes this time. But Smoove Lube is now on my radar. Thanks for the suggestion! 

Okay! Both samples of lubricant have been bought and paid for with my own damn money and are on the way. Neither of these companies knows what I am up to, as far as I know, and I have nothing to gain from featuring these products here. This is simply a test for my own satisfaction and maybe we will all learn something from it. Simple as that. 

So, stay tuned for the kick-off of the next round of the "Lube-Off" as soon as these orders arrive at the G-Ted Productions headquarters. 

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Update

One of the two test bikes for the next round of "Lube-Off" craziness.

 Your voices were heard! Thank you so much for all the comments last Monday concerning which lubricants I should look at for the next round of the "Guitar Ted Lube-Off" tests. I got some great responses and suggestions. Kudos to those who included links in their comments. That was super helpful! A couple of notes I wanted to touch on before I continued though....

- There was a suggestion made for a couple of lubes I had already tested. Rock & Roll Gold and Lilly Lube. Both pretty 'good' but no cigar when pitted against DuMonde Tech. 

- Secondly, there were a lot of suggestions for a Silca lubricant called "Synergetic". However; maybe many of you had not noted that this lube is listed as a WET lube. Typically those don't fare well at all in dusty crushed rock environments. I usually am looking for a DRY lubricant for gravel road uses. Silca did have a wax based lube on their site which maybe would be the ticket for gravel travel, but none of you folks mentioned that. So, I passed on the Silca lubricants based on those factors. 

So, what did get ordered up? 

One of you mentioned a new NFS formula for gravel that is called Blue Devil Chain Lube. It is specifically aimed at gravel road use, and to my knowledge, it is the only chain lubricant that claims this distinction. Many of you called for the original NixFrixShun formula to be included in the test, but I thought this new formula, (claimed to be better than the original, by the way) would be of more interest since it has the "Gravel®" tag. 

Next I noted some calls for the SCC Slick drive train lubricant to be included into the test. I read up on this lube and found that the claims of self-cleaning and ease of application sounded- well, too good to be true! But I am listening to you folks and if you've had some good results, I'm willing to give this a try. It claims to keep the drive train really clean, and that is the goal here. I am sure gravel road usage will give it a difficult testing, so we will see how it goes. 

Now some of you mentioned "Smoove Lube" and I did look at that, but it wasn't as compelling to me as these other two. That's not to say I will never look at that lube. It just isn't going to be in this round of the "Lube-Off". I've done three lubes at once and frankly, it is just too much to do in one round. So, I am sticking to two lubes this time. But Smoove Lube is now on my radar. Thanks for the suggestion! 

Okay! Both samples of lubricant have been bought and paid for with my own damn money and are on the way. Neither of these companies knows what I am up to, as far as I know, and I have nothing to gain from featuring these products here. This is simply a test for my own satisfaction and maybe we will all learn something from it. Simple as that. 

So, stay tuned for the kick-off of the next round of the "Lube-Off" as soon as these orders arrive at the G-Ted Productions headquarters. 

A New Round Of The Guitar Ted "Lube-Off" Begins

New Wippermann Connex 11SB 11 speed chain

 NOTE: The Guitar Ted "Lube-Off" is an occasional series here on the blog where I pit chain lubrication products against each other to see what- if any- chain lubrication products are good for riding on gravel. These reviews are my opinions only and are not meant to be taken as the final word on any of these products. 

A couple of the G-Ted gravel sleds are due for new chains so I figured what the heck?! Why not start up another round of the "Lube-Off"? Okay, so with that, I want to kick off this latest round with a short introduction of my two most impressive lubricants so far and then get into the chains I am testing for RidingGravel.com that go with this round. First up, the long running 'top-dog' of lubricants in my opinion, the DuMonde Tech lubricants in either "Light" or full-strength versions. 

I first was introduced to DuMonde Tech lubricants for bicycle chains via Mike Curiak at Trans Iowa v1. Although, I should mention that Mike does not recall that he used DuMonde Tech there, I clearly remember otherwise. Regardless, that's where I got interested in that chain lube. Eventually I tracked some down and it has won every "Lube-Off" since. 

The other really good lubricant I have tried is Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry Lube. It came about when I ran into the Muc-Off line a few years back testing tubeless tire sealants. Muc-Off C3 is really pretty good stuff and nearly knocked off DuMonde Tech here from its lofty throne. Now with these new chains I have in, I will introduce two new lubricants to the "Lube-Off" and see which, if any of the two, can approach the goodness of the two top dogs in "Lube-Off" history. 

And those lubes are.... 

 Well, this time I am going to take 'reader's suggestions'. This means you get to pick the two lubes I will pit against DuMonde Tech and Muc-Off C3. But before you fire up your comments, you'll want to read which lubricants I have already tested so you won't be adding a suggestion that will be rejected. Here following is a short list of popular lubricants I have already tested and have not measured up....

• aMTBer Products
• Squirt
• Lilly Lube
• Tri-Flow
• WD-40 Lube
• WPL Lube
• ProLink Gold
• Pedros Chainj
• Chain-L Lube
• Rock & Roll Lube
• Smooth Operator Lube
• Boeshield T-9 

So if your suggestion is not on that list, throw in a shout out in the comments and I will pick two. If no one suggests anything- or only one, I'll add whatever I want. Ha! So, hit the comments with your ideas. Now one more thing here....

Brassy! Wippermann Connex 11SG chain.

Some of you have in the past, and probably are already thinking I should try some chain wax- or in other words, do a complex task involving cleaning, melting wax in a crock pot, and dipping a cleaned chain in it and hanging that up to dry, THEN putting the chain on your bike and riding it. Well, that's not going to happen. I'll tell you why, because the mere process of waxing a chain makes it a loser in my "Lube-Off" from the get-go- before a pedal has been turned. Why? 

The application process is waaaay too fussy. While I do clean the bejesus out of my chain before lubricant application, I do not want to have to do that waxing process, and.......a crock pot? Not happening here. So, I apologize to you folk who are rabid chain-wax fanatics, but you won't ever see me test that. Not when DuMonde Tech already is nine times easier to use and the prep to apply it is not something I need to have electricity for and ruin a good kitchen appliance to do. 

Okay.... Now what about those chains? Well, the black one is a Wippermann Connex 11sB BLACK EDI chain. The 'gold' one is a Wipperman Connex SG 11 speed chain. (Note- the Connex SG is not listed on the Wippermann site so I linked to a source that sells the chain) Wippermann chains show up well in wear tests and with gravel use, long-wear claims are high on my list of desirable chain characteristics. I've used one Wippermann chain before on a derailleur set up and it worked well, as I recall. The Connex quick link is a really easy one to use and is reusable, unlike many quick links you may think are reusable. 

So, the chain review will be on Riding Gravel, but get those chain lube suggestions in to me and I will then get on to getting those lubes and moving on. OR- I will choose two lubricants and move on. Your choice, readers! 

Note: The Wippermann Chains were purchased by Guitar Ted with his own damn money and this post is not being paid for, nor is Guitar Ted being bribed for his opinions.

A New Round Of The Guitar Ted "Lube-Off" Begins

New Wippermann Connex 11SB 11 speed chain

 NOTE: The Guitar Ted "Lube-Off" is an occasional series here on the blog where I pit chain lubrication products against each other to see what- if any- chain lubrication products are good for riding on gravel. These reviews are my opinions only and are not meant to be taken as the final word on any of these products. 

A couple of the G-Ted gravel sleds are due for new chains so I figured what the heck?! Why not start up another round of the "Lube-Off"? Okay, so with that, I want to kick off this latest round with a short introduction of my two most impressive lubricants so far and then get into the chains I am testing for RidingGravel.com that go with this round. First up, the long running 'top-dog' of lubricants in my opinion, the DuMonde Tech lubricants in either "Light" or full-strength versions. 

I first was introduced to DuMonde Tech lubricants for bicycle chains via Mike Curiak at Trans Iowa v1. Although, I should mention that Mike does not recall that he used DuMonde Tech there, I clearly remember otherwise. Regardless, that's where I got interested in that chain lube. Eventually I tracked some down and it has won every "Lube-Off" since. 

The other really good lubricant I have tried is Muc-Off C3 Ceramic Dry Lube. It came about when I ran into the Muc-Off line a few years back testing tubeless tire sealants. Muc-Off C3 is really pretty good stuff and nearly knocked off DuMonde Tech here from its lofty throne. Now with these new chains I have in, I will introduce two new lubricants to the "Lube-Off" and see which, if any of the two, can approach the goodness of the two top dogs in "Lube-Off" history. 

And those lubes are.... 

 Well, this time I am going to take 'reader's suggestions'. This means you get to pick the two lubes I will pit against DuMonde Tech and Muc-Off C3. But before you fire up your comments, you'll want to read which lubricants I have already tested so you won't be adding a suggestion that will be rejected. Here following is a short list of popular lubricants I have already tested and have not measured up....

• aMTBer Products
• Squirt
• Lilly Lube
• Tri-Flow
• WD-40 Lube
• WPL Lube
• ProLink Gold
• Pedros Chainj
• Chain-L Lube
• Rock & Roll Lube
• Smooth Operator Lube
• Boeshield T-9 

So if your suggestion is not on that list, throw in a shout out in the comments and I will pick two. If no one suggests anything- or only one, I'll add whatever I want. Ha! So, hit the comments with your ideas. Now one more thing here....

Brassy! Wippermann Connex 11SG chain.

Some of you have in the past, and probably are already thinking I should try some chain wax- or in other words, do a complex task involving cleaning, melting wax in a crock pot, and dipping a cleaned chain in it and hanging that up to dry, THEN putting the chain on your bike and riding it. Well, that's not going to happen. I'll tell you why, because the mere process of waxing a chain makes it a loser in my "Lube-Off" from the get-go- before a pedal has been turned. Why? 

The application process is waaaay too fussy. While I do clean the bejesus out of my chain before lubricant application, I do not want to have to do that waxing process, and.......a crock pot? Not happening here. So, I apologize to you folk who are rabid chain-wax fanatics, but you won't ever see me test that. Not when DuMonde Tech already is nine times easier to use and the prep to apply it is not something I need to have electricity for and ruin a good kitchen appliance to do. 

Okay.... Now what about those chains? Well, the black one is a Wippermann Connex 11sB BLACK EDI chain. The 'gold' one is a Wipperman Connex SG 11 speed chain. (Note- the Connex SG is not listed on the Wippermann site so I linked to a source that sells the chain) Wippermann chains show up well in wear tests and with gravel use, long-wear claims are high on my list of desirable chain characteristics. I've used one Wippermann chain before on a derailleur set up and it worked well, as I recall. The Connex quick link is a really easy one to use and is reusable, unlike many quick links you may think are reusable. 

So, the chain review will be on Riding Gravel, but get those chain lube suggestions in to me and I will then get on to getting those lubes and moving on. OR- I will choose two lubricants and move on. Your choice, readers! 

Note: The Wippermann Chains were purchased by Guitar Ted with his own damn money and this post is not being paid for, nor is Guitar Ted being bribed for his opinions.

Friday News And Views

Rain- Lots of it. (Radar image from Thursday morning)

Rain Seeks To Dampen Spirits:

We went a long time in July and most of August without any rain to speak of. The creeks were nearly depleted, and some small ones actually were dried up. The state climatologist was talking about drought conditions just two weeks ago. Now? Ha!

There is a flash flood warning and the rivers are closing in on flood stages again. Feast or famine, it would seem. But the main thing from my perspective is that this raining constantly nonsense is getting on my nerves. I don't like it when I have to drive to work. I don't like it when I have to modify my rides to keep myself from becoming a potential lightning rod.

Today and tomorrow are looking like "more of the same" in terms of thunderstorms, but the good news is that looking ahead it appears that some cooler, drier weather is on tap. Farmers, cyclists, and the general population here will, no doubt, be rejoicing. Well.....maybe the cyclo cross racers will be digging the rain. Hard to say. Otherwise, I am looking forward to some actual Fall weather riding conditions here. Some of my favorite times to ride are in the season of Fall and typically that doesn't last too long.

Cranking up the G-Ted Lube-Off challenge again. These are the contenders.

Guitar Ted "Lube-Off" Challenge Cranks Up Again:

It's been quite some time since I have had a "Lube-Off Challenge" on the blog, but this is going to happen again this Fall here.

"What is a "Lube-Off"", you say? Well, it is where I pit one bicycle chain lube against another and ride them on gravel (mostly) to determine whether they are worth using, actually do the job the lube claims, and ultimately, if I might recommend it. A couple new challengers are in the house currently to see if they measure up, and to see whether either can knock off long time champeen, DuMonde Tech.

To start out here, I have two versions of Muc-Off's C3 Ceramic Chain Lube. A "wet" version and a "dry" version. I'll be starting out with the "dry" version, although, judging from the first subject in today's FN&V, maybe it should be the "wet" lube! Ha! No.......I'll eventually get to the "wet" version when conditions are more favorable for that. Maybe when Winter hits? We'll see.....

The other contender here is Squirt Lube, the wax based chain lube in the water based carrier. I have several sample bottles I need to blow through anyway, so I am throwing this massively popular chain lube into the mix for the Lube-Off as well.

Stay tuned for periodic updates on how this Lube-Off is progressing.

NOTE: Muc-Off sent their lubes to RidingGravel.com for test and review, while Squirt was obtained as a schwag bag items at various versions of Gravel Worlds. I am not being paid, nor bribed to conduct the Lube-Off and any thoughts or opinions are my own. 

The C.O.G. Masters Are Watching You!

C.O.G. 100 Reactions:

Since the C.O.G. 100 announcements earlier this week, (OH! Did you miss THIS? ) , we've heard some folks are saying that they are excited about the second coming of single speed only style gravel grindin'. We're glad that you are excited about the event, although we sometimes worry about your life choices regarding the eschewing of dangly bits. But as long as you are willing to accept the consequences of creaky knees in your elder years, we cannot really say anything other than hurrah! We're happy to see that you are excited about our nutty ideas.

Now that we're all in, N.Y. Roll and I are talking about recon of the new course. Oh......yes! There will be a new course with new hills and challenges. There will be the "token Level B Road", and there will be good times. Maybe we will even cook up something special for this year's event. You never know what will come of our "think tank" sessions. Anyway, recon. Getting back to that now......

N.Y. Roll and I are talking about doing this on our bicycles. Why not? We love riding as much as anybody. Heck, I may even pull out one of my single speed devices to ride this new course on. It will make for good research and we will have a really good idea of what the route will have in store for the C.O.G. 100 posse when it is unleashed upon the gravel come March 28th, 2020. So, tentatively we are looking at doing this in October. Hopefully that works out, since N.Y. Roll is supposedly going out to ride unPaved of the Susquehanna River Valley. I was supposed to be going to that as well, but a situation has arisen which is going to keep me at home. Nothing alarming, but something I need to be around for. Anyway..... I apologize for being cagey on that point. All in due time. Anyway....

Thanks for all the support for our C.O.G. 100 event. N.Y. Roll and I are super stoked and will be coming out with details on the event soon.
 

That's all for this week! get out and ride those bicycles!

Friday News And Views

Rain- Lots of it. (Radar image from Thursday morning)

Rain Seeks To Dampen Spirits:

We went a long time in July and most of August without any rain to speak of. The creeks were nearly depleted, and some small ones actually were dried up. The state climatologist was talking about drought conditions just two weeks ago. Now? Ha!

There is a flash flood warning and the rivers are closing in on flood stages again. Feast or famine, it would seem. But the main thing from my perspective is that this raining constantly nonsense is getting on my nerves. I don't like it when I have to drive to work. I don't like it when I have to modify my rides to keep myself from becoming a potential lightning rod.

Today and tomorrow are looking like "more of the same" in terms of thunderstorms, but the good news is that looking ahead it appears that some cooler, drier weather is on tap. Farmers, cyclists, and the general population here will, no doubt, be rejoicing. Well.....maybe the cyclo cross racers will be digging the rain. Hard to say. Otherwise, I am looking forward to some actual Fall weather riding conditions here. Some of my favorite times to ride are in the season of Fall and typically that doesn't last too long.

Cranking up the G-Ted Lube-Off challenge again. These are the contenders.

Guitar Ted "Lube-Off" Challenge Cranks Up Again:

It's been quite some time since I have had a "Lube-Off Challenge" on the blog, but this is going to happen again this Fall here.

"What is a "Lube-Off"", you say? Well, it is where I pit one bicycle chain lube against another and ride them on gravel (mostly) to determine whether they are worth using, actually do the job the lube claims, and ultimately, if I might recommend it. A couple new challengers are in the house currently to see if they measure up, and to see whether either can knock off long time champeen, DuMonde Tech.

To start out here, I have two versions of Muc-Off's C3 Ceramic Chain Lube. A "wet" version and a "dry" version. I'll be starting out with the "dry" version, although, judging from the first subject in today's FN&V, maybe it should be the "wet" lube! Ha! No.......I'll eventually get to the "wet" version when conditions are more favorable for that. Maybe when Winter hits? We'll see.....

The other contender here is Squirt Lube, the wax based chain lube in the water based carrier. I have several sample bottles I need to blow through anyway, so I am throwing this massively popular chain lube into the mix for the Lube-Off as well.

Stay tuned for periodic updates on how this Lube-Off is progressing.

NOTE: Muc-Off sent their lubes to RidingGravel.com for test and review, while Squirt was obtained as a schwag bag items at various versions of Gravel Worlds. I am not being paid, nor bribed to conduct the Lube-Off and any thoughts or opinions are my own. 

The C.O.G. Masters Are Watching You!

C.O.G. 100 Reactions:

Since the C.O.G. 100 announcements earlier this week, (OH! Did you miss THIS? ) , we've heard some folks are saying that they are excited about the second coming of single speed only style gravel grindin'. We're glad that you are excited about the event, although we sometimes worry about your life choices regarding the eschewing of dangly bits. But as long as you are willing to accept the consequences of creaky knees in your elder years, we cannot really say anything other than hurrah! We're happy to see that you are excited about our nutty ideas.

Now that we're all in, N.Y. Roll and I are talking about recon of the new course. Oh......yes! There will be a new course with new hills and challenges. There will be the "token Level B Road", and there will be good times. Maybe we will even cook up something special for this year's event. You never know what will come of our "think tank" sessions. Anyway, recon. Getting back to that now......

N.Y. Roll and I are talking about doing this on our bicycles. Why not? We love riding as much as anybody. Heck, I may even pull out one of my single speed devices to ride this new course on. It will make for good research and we will have a really good idea of what the route will have in store for the C.O.G. 100 posse when it is unleashed upon the gravel come March 28th, 2020. So, tentatively we are looking at doing this in October. Hopefully that works out, since N.Y. Roll is supposedly going out to ride unPaved of the Susquehanna River Valley. I was supposed to be going to that as well, but a situation has arisen which is going to keep me at home. Nothing alarming, but something I need to be around for. Anyway..... I apologize for being cagey on that point. All in due time. Anyway....

Thanks for all the support for our C.O.G. 100 event. N.Y. Roll and I are super stoked and will be coming out with details on the event soon.
 

That's all for this week! get out and ride those bicycles!

When The Simplest Thing Fails

The Raleigh Tamland Two- Highly evolved, not much stock here anymore!

I was doing maintenance on a couple of my gravel rigs yesterday. The first up in the stand was the Twin Six Standard Rando. I wasn't happy with the SRAM cheapo cassette that was on it as it was making a racket whenever I shifted due to the individual cogs not being secured perfectly. I opted for a lower geared cassette, an 11-36T, and in eleven speed, of course. The cogs are mounted on a carrier for the last three, largest cogs, and the others are made more precisely and should not rattle. I have the same model cassette on the Tamland Two which has worked really well.

I thought I might need a chain also, but when I checked it with my tool for wear it was well within spec. Such a waste to pull it off, so I left it on there. I am chalking the longevity up to using DuMonde Tech lube which I have used on that chain for a while and on the Tamland's chain for ever. That chain also checked out good as well. The Tamland just needed a bit of fresh lube on its chain and a refresh on sealant. Then it was out for a bit of a test ride.

I noted a "clunk" which was hard to repeat. Was it the chain not shifting quite right? Hmm.....nope! What about that bottom bracket? I couldn't remember ever replacing it. It could be time for it to go. However; the noise wasn't tied to pedaling. Weird. What was it?

Bad part! Bad part! Go to the bin!

I got off my bike and grabbed the rear wheel and tried to see if the hub bearing maybe had loosened up. To my surprise, I could wiggle the wheel and recreate the clunk. That White Industries hub had a bad bearing already? Well....... I do ride it in severe dusty conditions a lot. It was possible, but I had ridden other wheels more miles on gravel with no ill effect. Maybe the axle was broken? Gah! That would suck!

But once the wheel was pulled I could not find fault with the hub at all. Hmmm...... What about that QR lever? Now, I'd be real surprised if it was that, because the wheel moved a lot when it was clamped in the frame. But whatever..... I had to try it to see if I could eliminate that as a reason for my troubles. I grabbed a good Shimano skewer, they are the best, you know, and slammed the wheel with that Shimano skewer installed into the frame and clamped it up.

No more wiggle, no more noise!

A simple part swapped in and no more issues. Shimano skewers are always a sure bet.

I'm not sure what company made that skewer, but it won't ever get used again after that! It is ironic that Shimano makes such a dead reliable skewer and hardly anyone else can seem to come close. Most skewers that you see are external cam skewers and most of those are junk. Then you have some internal cam skewers which can be relied upon other than Shimano, (Velocity USA's are pretty good), but those are rare. I have a set sold by FSA that were designed like Mavic/Simplex skewers and those are pretty decent, but they are an oddball design.

Obviously, through axles get rid of a lot of this, but they also have their own issues. One being that no one wants to pay SRAM or Shimano/Fox a royalty for their good designs and they come up with their own. Some are good, some are........dumb. Some are so difficult to get to work properly you may as well just use a bolt, and some other through axles are bolts! So don't just say QR's are dumb and everyone should use a through axle, becuase there are some real clunkers in the through axle world too.

The bottom line is that a simple part like a skewer should just work, and when it doesn't, and fails, I find that to be rather amazing. Just quit trying to make it different so you can avoid the fees and make simple parts that actually work!

When The Simplest Thing Fails

The Raleigh Tamland Two- Highly evolved, not much stock here anymore!

I was doing maintenance on a couple of my gravel rigs yesterday. The first up in the stand was the Twin Six Standard Rando. I wasn't happy with the SRAM cheapo cassette that was on it as it was making a racket whenever I shifted due to the individual cogs not being secured perfectly. I opted for a lower geared cassette, an 11-36T, and in eleven speed, of course. The cogs are mounted on a carrier for the last three, largest cogs, and the others are made more precisely and should not rattle. I have the same model cassette on the Tamland Two which has worked really well.

I thought I might need a chain also, but when I checked it with my tool for wear it was well within spec. Such a waste to pull it off, so I left it on there. I am chalking the longevity up to using DuMonde Tech lube which I have used on that chain for a while and on the Tamland's chain for ever. That chain also checked out good as well. The Tamland just needed a bit of fresh lube on its chain and a refresh on sealant. Then it was out for a bit of a test ride.

I noted a "clunk" which was hard to repeat. Was it the chain not shifting quite right? Hmm.....nope! What about that bottom bracket? I couldn't remember ever replacing it. It could be time for it to go. However; the noise wasn't tied to pedaling. Weird. What was it?

Bad part! Bad part! Go to the bin!

I got off my bike and grabbed the rear wheel and tried to see if the hub bearing maybe had loosened up. To my surprise, I could wiggle the wheel and recreate the clunk. That White Industries hub had a bad bearing already? Well....... I do ride it in severe dusty conditions a lot. It was possible, but I had ridden other wheels more miles on gravel with no ill effect. Maybe the axle was broken? Gah! That would suck!

But once the wheel was pulled I could not find fault with the hub at all. Hmmm...... What about that QR lever? Now, I'd be real surprised if it was that, because the wheel moved a lot when it was clamped in the frame. But whatever..... I had to try it to see if I could eliminate that as a reason for my troubles. I grabbed a good Shimano skewer, they are the best, you know, and slammed the wheel with that Shimano skewer installed into the frame and clamped it up.

No more wiggle, no more noise!

A simple part swapped in and no more issues. Shimano skewers are always a sure bet.

I'm not sure what company made that skewer, but it won't ever get used again after that! It is ironic that Shimano makes such a dead reliable skewer and hardly anyone else can seem to come close. Most skewers that you see are external cam skewers and most of those are junk. Then you have some internal cam skewers which can be relied upon other than Shimano, (Velocity USA's are pretty good), but those are rare. I have a set sold by FSA that were designed like Mavic/Simplex skewers and those are pretty decent, but they are an oddball design.

Obviously, through axles get rid of a lot of this, but they also have their own issues. One being that no one wants to pay SRAM or Shimano/Fox a royalty for their good designs and they come up with their own. Some are good, some are........dumb. Some are so difficult to get to work properly you may as well just use a bolt, and some other through axles are bolts! So don't just say QR's are dumb and everyone should use a through axle, becuase there are some real clunkers in the through axle world too.

The bottom line is that a simple part like a skewer should just work, and when it doesn't, and fails, I find that to be rather amazing. Just quit trying to make it different so you can avoid the fees and make simple parts that actually work!

Cogs: How Many Do You Really Need?

Cogs: Some say "All You Need Is One".

Friday in my "Friday News And Views" post, I was talking about upgrading my Black Mountain Cycles rig from 9 speed to an 11 speed drive train. There was a comment left asking if there had been any studies done on the differences, (if any), in efficiencies between the older 7/8 speed stuff and the 11 speed drive trains of today. There was also an expression of the oft heard/read feelings of many cyclists that "we don't need no stinkin' 11 speeds!", or 10 speed, or 9 speed........

In fact, that sentiment goes all the way back to when 6 speed drive trains were introduced in the 1980's. ......well.....Probably when the first multi-speed hub gear was developed and came out against the single speed, fixed gear bike is when that happend.

Anyway.....

So, here is my reaction to all of that. First, it must be pointed out that whenever the cycling world sees a change, there is a lot of resistance to that change. The hackles get raised, the fur stands on end, and you can find many comments of rejection, sarcasm, and downright nastiness aimed at anyone who might suggest that some new thing is "good". I could name six component changes right off the top off my head that caused the sale of pitch forks and torches to increase for a time. But who would now say that threaded steer tubes and head sets are "better"? (Besides Grant and his Disciples of Antiquity), Or who would say that suspension forks have no business in mountain biking?

Generally speaking? No one would argue those points today. But go back to when those things were introduced, and others I have not mentioned...... Whoo Boy! Talk about negativity!

So, if you merely mention the fact that 11 speed drive trains are "the new kid on the block" in terms of most bicycle drive trains, you can be sure the rebels will be out in force against it. Funny........you don't here much quibbling about 8 and 9 speed stuff anymore. But back when that came out?

Yeah........ Major uproar! 

 So, anybody that says "we don't need (fill in the blank) speed drive trains", well, that falls on deaf ears here. That kind of talk is fully expected to occur.

The once hated, "we don't need it" 9 speed cassette. Now loved by millions.

Now, with that said, I would say two other things about adding "more gears" to a bicycle.

First- Closer ratios mean more efficient motors. Look at the automobile industry as your example. In the 1960's, automatic transmissions were 2 speed or 3 speeds at most. Now in 2017 they are often 6,7, or more speeds, or "constantly variable" in order to increase efficiency of the motor. Closer ratios, so the motor does not fluctuate in revolutions per minute (RPM), and can be kept in its most efficient powerband. This is exactly why we have more ratios today than we did ten years ago. Closer ratios keep the rider in a cadence and power output range that is most efficient for the rider in question. That's harder to do if you have major jumps between ratios in a similar range of ratios overall. Like a 2 speed Powerglide equipped car would "wind out the RPM's" at about 70mph, then shift, and the engine would suddenly be loping along at several thousand RPM's lower, so too will the cyclist have major adjustments with greater leaps between the gears. 11 speed, theoretically, should provide the rider with a way to maintain momentum, accelerate easier, and do all of that without drastic changes in power output and cadence. (Assuming for a 2X set up, not 1 X 11, or 1 X 12 which compromises on this and is actually worse than 2X 10 in this regard.)

Second- The way things are being jammed into the same spaces as we have had for decades is the "real issue" here. Look, the first thing you should try to wrap your mind around is just where the "meat is being cut from". Thinking about chains and cogs, there are two major parameters that have not changed in decades. Those being the pitch of the chain (one half inch) and the width of the chain roller pins between the inner chain plates. Everything else has changed. The metal has been removed from the over all width of the chain and the cogs to make more fit in the same space we've been using since the 1980's. So, chains are thinner, overall, and cogs are thinner to make fitting eleven in an axle spacing that hasn't budged in years possible. Less "beef" means accelerated wear, right? 

Well, to a degree, that is certainly true, but not to the degree that one might think. Material technologies have been brought to bear that were not in use ten years ago. Certainly, they weren't even possible twenty years ago. Bevels, chamfers, and shaping have made chains able to move from cog to cog so much more efficiently it isn't even an argument. This causes less wear, so getting thinner cogs and chain plates are not the deal breaker they would have been without these advancements.

So, the benefits are many, the detriments are fewer. That is why we have 11 speed cassettes today. Could all the newer technology be brought to bear on a premium level 8 speed cassette and chain? Sure they could. Totally possible. It would last longer, shift better, and have a marginal effect upon many cyclists who wouldn't care about big jumps between ratios. But you are not going to see that from SRAM or Shimano because that is not a market that is profitable for them.

And I still say all you really need is one gear!

Cogs: How Many Do You Really Need?

Cogs: Some say "All You Need Is One".

Friday in my "Friday News And Views" post, I was talking about upgrading my Black Mountain Cycles rig from 9 speed to an 11 speed drive train. There was a comment left asking if there had been any studies done on the differences, (if any), in efficiencies between the older 7/8 speed stuff and the 11 speed drive trains of today. There was also an expression of the oft heard/read feelings of many cyclists that "we don't need no stinkin' 11 speeds!", or 10 speed, or 9 speed........

In fact, that sentiment goes all the way back to when 6 speed drive trains were introduced in the 1980's. ......well.....Probably when the first multi-speed hub gear was developed and came out against the single speed, fixed gear bike is when that happend.

Anyway.....

So, here is my reaction to all of that. First, it must be pointed out that whenever the cycling world sees a change, there is a lot of resistance to that change. The hackles get raised, the fur stands on end, and you can find many comments of rejection, sarcasm, and downright nastiness aimed at anyone who might suggest that some new thing is "good". I could name six component changes right off the top off my head that caused the sale of pitch forks and torches to increase for a time. But who would now say that threaded steer tubes and head sets are "better"? (Besides Grant and his Disciples of Antiquity), Or who would say that suspension forks have no business in mountain biking?

Generally speaking? No one would argue those points today. But go back to when those things were introduced, and others I have not mentioned...... Whoo Boy! Talk about negativity!

So, if you merely mention the fact that 11 speed drive trains are "the new kid on the block" in terms of most bicycle drive trains, you can be sure the rebels will be out in force against it. Funny........you don't here much quibbling about 8 and 9 speed stuff anymore. But back when that came out?

Yeah........ Major uproar! 

 So, anybody that says "we don't need (fill in the blank) speed drive trains", well, that falls on deaf ears here. That kind of talk is fully expected to occur.

The once hated, "we don't need it" 9 speed cassette. Now loved by millions.

Now, with that said, I would say two other things about adding "more gears" to a bicycle.

First- Closer ratios mean more efficient motors. Look at the automobile industry as your example. In the 1960's, automatic transmissions were 2 speed or 3 speeds at most. Now in 2017 they are often 6,7, or more speeds, or "constantly variable" in order to increase efficiency of the motor. Closer ratios, so the motor does not fluctuate in revolutions per minute (RPM), and can be kept in its most efficient powerband. This is exactly why we have more ratios today than we did ten years ago. Closer ratios keep the rider in a cadence and power output range that is most efficient for the rider in question. That's harder to do if you have major jumps between ratios in a similar range of ratios overall. Like a 2 speed Powerglide equipped car would "wind out the RPM's" at about 70mph, then shift, and the engine would suddenly be loping along at several thousand RPM's lower, so too will the cyclist have major adjustments with greater leaps between the gears. 11 speed, theoretically, should provide the rider with a way to maintain momentum, accelerate easier, and do all of that without drastic changes in power output and cadence. (Assuming for a 2X set up, not 1 X 11, or 1 X 12 which compromises on this and is actually worse than 2X 10 in this regard.)

Second- The way things are being jammed into the same spaces as we have had for decades is the "real issue" here. Look, the first thing you should try to wrap your mind around is just where the "meat is being cut from". Thinking about chains and cogs, there are two major parameters that have not changed in decades. Those being the pitch of the chain (one half inch) and the width of the chain roller pins between the inner chain plates. Everything else has changed. The metal has been removed from the over all width of the chain and the cogs to make more fit in the same space we've been using since the 1980's. So, chains are thinner, overall, and cogs are thinner to make fitting eleven in an axle spacing that hasn't budged in years possible. Less "beef" means accelerated wear, right? 

Well, to a degree, that is certainly true, but not to the degree that one might think. Material technologies have been brought to bear that were not in use ten years ago. Certainly, they weren't even possible twenty years ago. Bevels, chamfers, and shaping have made chains able to move from cog to cog so much more efficiently it isn't even an argument. This causes less wear, so getting thinner cogs and chain plates are not the deal breaker they would have been without these advancements.

So, the benefits are many, the detriments are fewer. That is why we have 11 speed cassettes today. Could all the newer technology be brought to bear on a premium level 8 speed cassette and chain? Sure they could. Totally possible. It would last longer, shift better, and have a marginal effect upon many cyclists who wouldn't care about big jumps between ratios. But you are not going to see that from SRAM or Shimano because that is not a market that is profitable for them.

And I still say all you really need is one gear!

Cutting Edge Technology Unleashed In New York City

Cutting edge technology in '97. 1897, that is. And a women is first to buy in.

I was over at my Mom and step-Dad's place the other day. My step-dad gave me some newspaper clippings from the "The New York Sunday Telegraph" dated 31 October 1897.

Inside a manila envelope were some tattered remnants of a news paper which seemed to feature a lot of theatrical news. On one page there were several images devoted to "the first chainless bicycle sold in New York".

I think it is fascinating myself, but obviously, with the world the way that it is now, the context of this story has been lost on us. You see, a chainless bicycle with same sized wheels was a technological marvel in 1897. The import of such a bicycle in a city would not be unlike someone buying a driverless car today. It would be something unheard of previously, and don't you know, bicycles were cutting edge technology in 1897.

The woman in the image, whose name was Anna Held, was said to be "the first" person to purchase such a bicycle in New York City. Was that correct? I have no way of knowing, but isn't it interesting that the first person claimed to have purchased such a contraption was a woman? In 1897? I think that is remarkable given the times.

Well, my step-Dad found these floating around in the bottom of a safe he opened recently. He thought I should have the clippings since they have a bicycle related story. The images are crisp, clean, and not like any black and white images I've ever seen in a newspaper. Remarkable, really. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were fake, they are that nice looking. I am going to find the correct place for these to end up at. It certainly isn't with me.