Friday News And Views

Well, that didn't take long!

 Changes Made To The Standard Rando v2:

Wednesday in my review of the Standard Rando v2 I made mention of wanting to swap out the handle bars from the Whisky Winston mustache bars to the Whisky carbon drop bars I had sitting around. Well, I went and did it. 

And right off, I knew that change was a smart one, for myself, at any rate. I was feeling far better comfort and I had a better, more aggressive stance on the bike for dealing with winds and what not. So, that seems to have been a good change to make. The image here is of the new set up. 

One thing I didn't mention in my one year review of the bike is that I really like the 'classic' profile that the Standard Rando v2 cuts. It has that level top tube and it just looks more like a 'proper' road bike- Not that there is anything wrong with a sloping top tube style, but this 'older' look is something missing in today's world of carbon swoopiness and metal-formed madness. The Twin Six looks like a right-proper bike, and it seems to really please my eyes in that way. 

Maybe I'm just an old fuddy-duddy. Hmm..... 

Anyway, the drops really do make the bike ride differently because your weight is placed over the wheels in a slightly different way. I think it makes sense for this bike in a way that the Winston Bar did not. I'll have to find another rig for those bars and see if I can find a happy home for them, but for now, I won't be messing with my drop bar set up on this Twin Six. I just need to get some new black handle bar tape soon. Then I will be good to go. 

From Bicycle Retailer and Industry News social Twitter account.

Your Bicycle News Is Being Brought Under One Rule:

Mainstream cycling media just became more homogenized Wednesday when the Outside group acquired "Pink Bike" and "CyclingTips". Maybe you don't care, but it is interesting that almost all the mainstream sites and publications are now owned by one corporation. In looking at history, that almost is never a good thing when it comes to consumers looking for information and for the employees of the 'The Man'. 

Of course, that is not the narrative you'll hear. No, what we got from the press release published on "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" is more akin to a sales pitch, which you would expect from a takeover. It also is interesting to see how this is all geared toward getting readers to support the titles monetarily. The idea is to get readers to subscribe to a 'benefits' scheme called "Outside+". From the 'BRAIN' article:

"Outside+ offers enthusiasts various bundles of content, services, discounts, and other offerings for an annual fee. The membership revenues complement Outside's revenues from advertising, creating a business model for publishing that CEO Robin Thurston said is sustainable."

As we know, advertising was traditionally how publications and websites made their money to continue existing. That model has proven to be harder to sustain in the bicycling world as brands have gone more 'consumer direct' with marketing, using 'influencers', their own published edits, stories, and independent marketing companies.  Publishing concerns like "Outside" found it harder to sustain growth, or to even maintain their status quo. Engaging the end user, as the brands have done, is their next ploy. 

Will it work? Traditionally 'news' has been free, or at least on the internet, that's been the case. Magazine subscriptions have fallen off a cliff and that model is no longer sustainable, or even viable. "Outside" has harnessed every 'horse' in mainstream cycling media to corner the info stream and now will try to get the end users who are 'addicted' to using such sites to pony up some cash in the form of 'benefits and perks'. It is an interesting gambit and we'll have to wait and see if consumers bite. 

Meanwhile, if what is happening to "BRAIN" and BikeReg.com is any indication, consumers will see more corporate generated content. For instance, on "BRAIN" I have noted more press release material which used to be absent from their feed. And while it always has a disclaimer attached, the fact that these releases are being published on THAT site gives it a bit of a newsworthy credibility that it would not otherwise have, nor does this sort of content deserve. There are job openings posted on "BRAIN from across all of 'Outside' corporate holdings, and some other minor editorial changes in tone have been noted. 

BikeReg, the site many use to sign up for events, which has recently been taken over by Outside, also is changing its policies in accordance with the Outside group's wishes. They are going to start sharing data across Outside's various companies and advertisers to "better offer you customized content, and to provide targeted offers and advertising that may be of interest to you. ", and they will be".....sharing data across the Outside family of brands, and with our service providers to support business, professional, marketing, analytics, and technical functions necessary to help us operate our business and promote our services."

So what? Well, corporations have a way of doing things that affects companies under the corporate banner and those who work for those companies. There is no escaping, despite all the 'we'll still be who we are' platitudes you might read. Yes.....I'll give it time, but my take is that this is a dim time for news on cycling. We stand to get news that serves the corporate/advertising agenda first, and even if that is driven by old ways of thinking, or embedded traditionalist/cultural ways of doing things, then that's what people will think is "normal" down the line. Judging from past history, I'm not too hopeful that any of this is a 'good' thing for individual riders.

Answer Pro Taper Carbon handle bar

Remember "Alt Bars"? 

Back almost 20 years ago a big craze began with handle bars that were different than the 'normal' riser flat bar or traditional drop bar. These weird handle bars proliferated at a crazy pace for several years throughout the 00's and while many of them saw an early demise, (Luxy Bar anyone?), some have held on to become standards in the cycling world. 

Handle bars like the venerable Midge Bar, or the Salsa Cowbell, have been around a long time now. The Jones Bar has morphed over the years to become the "Loop" bar we all know by now. Various other oddball handle bars have also crept into the scene and have made a name for themselves. I used to call this family of handle bars "Alt Bars", which of course, is short for 'alternative handle bars'. 

I was perusing Mike Curiak's newest mountain bike recently and noted that he was using the Answer Pro Taper Carbon bars. I remember seeing these a while ago, so they are not 'new', but I had forgotten about their existence until I saw them on Mike's bike. (And isn't that LenzSport Mammoth cool? Criminally underrated bike there)

So, I was thinking that maybe I'd try to order in one of those and try it on my Ti Muk, which has a Carbon Jones Loop Bar on it now. The Answer bar has less sweep, and maybe that is exactly what I am looking for in terms of comfort on the Ti Muk. I often have found myself thinking that the 45° of sweep on the Jones Bar was a tic too much, so that 20° sweep on the Pro Taper? Could be the sweet spot. 

That's the thing with the "Alt Bars". You have to try a few, or a lot, before you settle on one you really get on with. That can be an expensive proposition if, like me and Mike, you won't use anything but carbon bars in cold weather, or at all anytime of year. But we'll see..... I'm still contemplating this. 

The Surly "Corner Bar". Image courtesy of Surly Bikes.

Speaking Of "Alt" Bars....This Could Be "Alt Bar Friday!"

Surly Bikes dropped a nugget on Thursday with the news of a handle bar designed to kind of work like a drop bar but that fit MTB controls only. This truly defines "alt bar" and if it doesn't, nothing else does! 

Surly says that it comes in three wide widths and is made from CroMoly steel, because, this is Surly Bikes we're speaking of here. The handle bar should be available in September from Surly dealers. No pricing was made prominent in their wording on the site, nor was a weight published there, although I think one of their two current YouTube reviews shares that.

Comments: At first glance, I thought this was another rebranded Dajia Far Bar or a knock-off of it. But upon closer inspection, I could see the construction was different. Still, there is more than a passing resemblance there, and I would suspect that two could be set up similarly, albeit with the different controls, of course. The critical difference here is that the placement of the brake levers on the little stubs of the Corner Bar does not determine the position of the 'extensions' like it does on the Far Bar. That is a very good thing, by the way. 

The way MTB controls will shoot the cables and brake hoses out and up is not ideal in a crash-prone sport like mountain biking. That said, if you are bikepacking, or turning a MTB into a gravel rig, then that may not matter. Just remember, when you lay down a bike with these Corner Bars on it, the first thing that hits the deck, usually, are the controls, just like on a road bike. Hydraulic brake fittings may not take a shine to that kind of abuse. 

But otherwise it is a cool idea and offers an alternative way to experience a ride, which is cool.

That's all for this week. Have a fantastic weekend!

Friday News And Views

Well, that didn't take long!

 Changes Made To The Standard Rando v2:

Wednesday in my review of the Standard Rando v2 I made mention of wanting to swap out the handle bars from the Whisky Winston mustache bars to the Whisky carbon drop bars I had sitting around. Well, I went and did it. 

And right off, I knew that change was a smart one, for myself, at any rate. I was feeling far better comfort and I had a better, more aggressive stance on the bike for dealing with winds and what not. So, that seems to have been a good change to make. The image here is of the new set up. 

One thing I didn't mention in my one year review of the bike is that I really like the 'classic' profile that the Standard Rando v2 cuts. It has that level top tube and it just looks more like a 'proper' road bike- Not that there is anything wrong with a sloping top tube style, but this 'older' look is something missing in today's world of carbon swoopiness and metal-formed madness. The Twin Six looks like a right-proper bike, and it seems to really please my eyes in that way. 

Maybe I'm just an old fuddy-duddy. Hmm..... 

Anyway, the drops really do make the bike ride differently because your weight is placed over the wheels in a slightly different way. I think it makes sense for this bike in a way that the Winston Bar did not. I'll have to find another rig for those bars and see if I can find a happy home for them, but for now, I won't be messing with my drop bar set up on this Twin Six. I just need to get some new black handle bar tape soon. Then I will be good to go. 

From Bicycle Retailer and Industry News social Twitter account.

Your Bicycle News Is Being Brought Under One Rule:

Mainstream cycling media just became more homogenized Wednesday when the Outside group acquired "Pink Bike" and "CyclingTips". Maybe you don't care, but it is interesting that almost all the mainstream sites and publications are now owned by one corporation. In looking at history, that almost is never a good thing when it comes to consumers looking for information and for the employees of the 'The Man'. 

Of course, that is not the narrative you'll hear. No, what we got from the press release published on "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" is more akin to a sales pitch, which you would expect from a takeover. It also is interesting to see how this is all geared toward getting readers to support the titles monetarily. The idea is to get readers to subscribe to a 'benefits' scheme called "Outside+". From the 'BRAIN' article:

"Outside+ offers enthusiasts various bundles of content, services, discounts, and other offerings for an annual fee. The membership revenues complement Outside's revenues from advertising, creating a business model for publishing that CEO Robin Thurston said is sustainable."

As we know, advertising was traditionally how publications and websites made their money to continue existing. That model has proven to be harder to sustain in the bicycling world as brands have gone more 'consumer direct' with marketing, using 'influencers', their own published edits, stories, and independent marketing companies.  Publishing concerns like "Outside" found it harder to sustain growth, or to even maintain their status quo. Engaging the end user, as the brands have done, is their next ploy. 

Will it work? Traditionally 'news' has been free, or at least on the internet, that's been the case. Magazine subscriptions have fallen off a cliff and that model is no longer sustainable, or even viable. "Outside" has harnessed every 'horse' in mainstream cycling media to corner the info stream and now will try to get the end users who are 'addicted' to using such sites to pony up some cash in the form of 'benefits and perks'. It is an interesting gambit and we'll have to wait and see if consumers bite. 

Meanwhile, if what is happening to "BRAIN" and BikeReg.com is any indication, consumers will see more corporate generated content. For instance, on "BRAIN" I have noted more press release material which used to be absent from their feed. And while it always has a disclaimer attached, the fact that these releases are being published on THAT site gives it a bit of a newsworthy credibility that it would not otherwise have, nor does this sort of content deserve. There are job openings posted on "BRAIN from across all of 'Outside' corporate holdings, and some other minor editorial changes in tone have been noted. 

BikeReg, the site many use to sign up for events, which has recently been taken over by Outside, also is changing its policies in accordance with the Outside group's wishes. They are going to start sharing data across Outside's various companies and advertisers to "better offer you customized content, and to provide targeted offers and advertising that may be of interest to you. ", and they will be".....sharing data across the Outside family of brands, and with our service providers to support business, professional, marketing, analytics, and technical functions necessary to help us operate our business and promote our services."

So what? Well, corporations have a way of doing things that affects companies under the corporate banner and those who work for those companies. There is no escaping, despite all the 'we'll still be who we are' platitudes you might read. Yes.....I'll give it time, but my take is that this is a dim time for news on cycling. We stand to get news that serves the corporate/advertising agenda first, and even if that is driven by old ways of thinking, or embedded traditionalist/cultural ways of doing things, then that's what people will think is "normal" down the line. Judging from past history, I'm not too hopeful that any of this is a 'good' thing for individual riders.

Answer Pro Taper Carbon handle bar

Remember "Alt Bars"? 

Back almost 20 years ago a big craze began with handle bars that were different than the 'normal' riser flat bar or traditional drop bar. These weird handle bars proliferated at a crazy pace for several years throughout the 00's and while many of them saw an early demise, (Luxy Bar anyone?), some have held on to become standards in the cycling world. 

Handle bars like the venerable Midge Bar, or the Salsa Cowbell, have been around a long time now. The Jones Bar has morphed over the years to become the "Loop" bar we all know by now. Various other oddball handle bars have also crept into the scene and have made a name for themselves. I used to call this family of handle bars "Alt Bars", which of course, is short for 'alternative handle bars'. 

I was perusing Mike Curiak's newest mountain bike recently and noted that he was using the Answer Pro Taper Carbon bars. I remember seeing these a while ago, so they are not 'new', but I had forgotten about their existence until I saw them on Mike's bike. (And isn't that LenzSport Mammoth cool? Criminally underrated bike there)

So, I was thinking that maybe I'd try to order in one of those and try it on my Ti Muk, which has a Carbon Jones Loop Bar on it now. The Answer bar has less sweep, and maybe that is exactly what I am looking for in terms of comfort on the Ti Muk. I often have found myself thinking that the 45° of sweep on the Jones Bar was a tic too much, so that 20° sweep on the Pro Taper? Could be the sweet spot. 

That's the thing with the "Alt Bars". You have to try a few, or a lot, before you settle on one you really get on with. That can be an expensive proposition if, like me and Mike, you won't use anything but carbon bars in cold weather, or at all anytime of year. But we'll see..... I'm still contemplating this. 

The Surly "Corner Bar". Image courtesy of Surly Bikes.

Speaking Of "Alt" Bars....This Could Be "Alt Bar Friday!"

Surly Bikes dropped a nugget on Thursday with the news of a handle bar designed to kind of work like a drop bar but that fit MTB controls only. This truly defines "alt bar" and if it doesn't, nothing else does! 

Surly says that it comes in three wide widths and is made from CroMoly steel, because, this is Surly Bikes we're speaking of here. The handle bar should be available in September from Surly dealers. No pricing was made prominent in their wording on the site, nor was a weight published there, although I think one of their two current YouTube reviews shares that.

Comments: At first glance, I thought this was another rebranded Dajia Far Bar or a knock-off of it. But upon closer inspection, I could see the construction was different. Still, there is more than a passing resemblance there, and I would suspect that two could be set up similarly, albeit with the different controls, of course. The critical difference here is that the placement of the brake levers on the little stubs of the Corner Bar does not determine the position of the 'extensions' like it does on the Far Bar. That is a very good thing, by the way. 

The way MTB controls will shoot the cables and brake hoses out and up is not ideal in a crash-prone sport like mountain biking. That said, if you are bikepacking, or turning a MTB into a gravel rig, then that may not matter. Just remember, when you lay down a bike with these Corner Bars on it, the first thing that hits the deck, usually, are the controls, just like on a road bike. Hydraulic brake fittings may not take a shine to that kind of abuse. 

But otherwise it is a cool idea and offers an alternative way to experience a ride, which is cool.

That's all for this week. Have a fantastic weekend!

Back At Full Throttle

Next in Life Time Fitness' attempt at world gravel domination.

While many of us understand that things are beginning to look up in terms of the pandemic, some are running out there like it's over. The very news of the distribution of the vaccine may be at the root of it. (I got my second shot yesterday, by the way) One example of this could be seen by the slew of news and promotions coming on now concerning races and events. Apparently, we're done listening to experts and the 'race back to normal' is on full throttle, by this measure. Maybe it'll all be alright, maybe it will not be quite so great. Color me skeptical and perhaps overly-cautious.

You may have some strongly held opinions and beliefs concerning that, but it doesn't matter. Economics and people's desires to 'do the stuff' have been bottled up for too long and now the genie (the hope placed in the vaccine's help) is out of the bottle. There is no putting it back in, apparently. And in that vein, concerning gravel based events, an explosion of new events along with the traditional dates being announced have appeared as if from a fog to try to gain our attention. 

One of the big movers and shakers, pre-pandemic, was Life Time Fitness, who had been rumored to have a goal of six major gravel events spread across the calendar year. They started out by buying the DK200, which due to some turmoil ended up becoming the new event called the Unbound Gravel, which will run for the first time this June. Then they also had planned on another new event dubbed the Big Sugar NWA, to be held in Arkansas late in October. Life Time also acquired the Tushar in the Crushar, a July event. Now they have just announced a new event which they plan on having this year in Trinidad, Colorado, dubbed "The'Rad". 

Another announcement was made recently concerning the "Jingle Cross" gravel event, which started out as a ride, but now will become a full-on competitive event.  Now dubbed the Jingle Cross Gravel GX, it will happen on Saturday October 16th. Which is right in the heart of corn harvesting season. Hmm..... Hopefully that won't tic off the farming community! 

I also know of several smaller gravel events kicking off for the first time in 2021, like a new series I heard about in Washington, and a revival of a series in Oregon. So, there is a lot of new gravel activity happening out there. I suspect that there is a lot more I am not hearing about as well. 

Comments: "Corporate Gravel®" will be a big deal going forward. Curated event experiences will be packaged and sold as "adventure" for the masses which will all be scrambling to get out and do things now and going forward. Only a rise in COVID cases would stop this in its tracks, or perhaps rising travel costs, which we are starting to see as well. 

I like to see the smaller, local flavor events with a more 'homemade' atmosphere myself. Not having the rider's every need catered to allows for unique experiences, which cannot happen if more things are 'controlled'. Also, I'm not a huge fan of pre-packaged anything, so whatever these 'big time' events have in store doesn't really speak to me personally. So, I have a bit of a bias to overcome there. I admit that. But live and let live..... 

I will always call out crazy marketing claims though. And some of these bigger events have done some ridiculous marketing in the past. Some claiming to be "World Class events" before they had ever run the event a single time. It used to be that a person, or an event, had to earn that kind of respect. Now they claim it before they even run the event, or have only one or two runnings under their belt. I don't know about you, but that raises some red flags for me.

Back At Full Throttle

Next in Life Time Fitness' attempt at world gravel domination.

While many of us understand that things are beginning to look up in terms of the pandemic, some are running out there like it's over. The very news of the distribution of the vaccine may be at the root of it. (I got my second shot yesterday, by the way) One example of this could be seen by the slew of news and promotions coming on now concerning races and events. Apparently, we're done listening to experts and the 'race back to normal' is on full throttle, by this measure. Maybe it'll all be alright, maybe it will not be quite so great. Color me skeptical and perhaps overly-cautious.

You may have some strongly held opinions and beliefs concerning that, but it doesn't matter. Economics and people's desires to 'do the stuff' have been bottled up for too long and now the genie (the hope placed in the vaccine's help) is out of the bottle. There is no putting it back in, apparently. And in that vein, concerning gravel based events, an explosion of new events along with the traditional dates being announced have appeared as if from a fog to try to gain our attention. 

One of the big movers and shakers, pre-pandemic, was Life Time Fitness, who had been rumored to have a goal of six major gravel events spread across the calendar year. They started out by buying the DK200, which due to some turmoil ended up becoming the new event called the Unbound Gravel, which will run for the first time this June. Then they also had planned on another new event dubbed the Big Sugar NWA, to be held in Arkansas late in October. Life Time also acquired the Tushar in the Crushar, a July event. Now they have just announced a new event which they plan on having this year in Trinidad, Colorado, dubbed "The'Rad". 

Another announcement was made recently concerning the "Jingle Cross" gravel event, which started out as a ride, but now will become a full-on competitive event.  Now dubbed the Jingle Cross Gravel GX, it will happen on Saturday October 16th. Which is right in the heart of corn harvesting season. Hmm..... Hopefully that won't tic off the farming community! 

I also know of several smaller gravel events kicking off for the first time in 2021, like a new series I heard about in Washington, and a revival of a series in Oregon. So, there is a lot of new gravel activity happening out there. I suspect that there is a lot more I am not hearing about as well. 

Comments: "Corporate Gravel®" will be a big deal going forward. Curated event experiences will be packaged and sold as "adventure" for the masses which will all be scrambling to get out and do things now and going forward. Only a rise in COVID cases would stop this in its tracks, or perhaps rising travel costs, which we are starting to see as well. 

I like to see the smaller, local flavor events with a more 'homemade' atmosphere myself. Not having the rider's every need catered to allows for unique experiences, which cannot happen if more things are 'controlled'. Also, I'm not a huge fan of pre-packaged anything, so whatever these 'big time' events have in store doesn't really speak to me personally. So, I have a bit of a bias to overcome there. I admit that. But live and let live..... 

I will always call out crazy marketing claims though. And some of these bigger events have done some ridiculous marketing in the past. Some claiming to be "World Class events" before they had ever run the event a single time. It used to be that a person, or an event, had to earn that kind of respect. Now they claim it before they even run the event, or have only one or two runnings under their belt. I don't know about you, but that raises some red flags for me.

Friday News And Views

The TIME Ciclo pedal was to be TIME's entry into the gravel segment.

SRAM Purchases TIME Pedal Business:

Toward the end of 2019 I was contacted by a marketing agency representing TIME and was asked if I wanted to try out a new pedal that they were going to market to gravel riders. It was an embargoed deal and I couldn't talk about it for awhile, but eventually in October of 2019 they announced it. In November I posted my first edition of a three part review on these pedals. The pedals were preproduction units. They were the same as production only these were built in house by TIME, not in their vendor's factory, as the production units were to be built. 

This resulted in my having gotten time in on the pedals before they became available in early 2020. However; TIME was in financial trouble at that point and production was spotty, at best. Some people got pedals, but many did not. To further complicate matters, a small cosmetic flaw was discovered which TIME claimed they wanted to rectify, which was the reason I was given that the pedals ceased to be available for a while. I was told to cease and desist from posting about the pedals. I'm guessing now that was an 'official company directive' to cover them until their financial/ownership issues had been rectified. Of course, then COVID-19 hit , big demand hit, and all that nonsense. So, it's taken until now to finally get things sorted. TIME's frame/fork business was purchased by another company, but curiously, the pedal business was still on the market. Well, last Monday a bombshell announcement revealed that SRAM had purchased that part of TIME. 

Comments: This is big. Shimano has had pedals since the dawn of time, (HA! Sorry!), and SRAM has not really had pedals to speak of. Sure, they did some flat pedals for a while, some Quark power meter meter pedals, and if memory serves, there were some SPD-like SRAM branded pedals for a bit, but for the most part, no.... SRAM now has TIME pedals and they are highly regarded by road cyclists and mountain bikers. Obviously, the gravel segment is covered as well with the Ciclo, which you'd have to believe is a pedal SRAM will want to ramp up production on sooner than later. 

 In a "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" article about the SRAM/TIME story, it is said that SRAM will market the pedals as "Time Sport". This should put Time Sport pedals underneath a lot more riders in the future. While the story claims SRAM won't rebrand these pedals, I find it hard to believe that at some point they won't fold Time Sport into a SRAM branding. Especially when new models start to appear, and as the linked "BRAIN" article intimates, SRAM has a lot of in-house power meter technology, so a power meter pedal is probably coming soon. It would then make sense to have it communicate with SRAM's AXS technology, and be called "SRAM AXS Pedals", as a for instance. We'll see......
 

Media Conglomerate Forms- Aims To Be Your 'Outside' Ecosystem:

Also- while we're thinking about "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News", it was also reported on Monday that the industry specific media's parent company is now known as "Outside" since the company formerly known as "Pocket Outdoor Media" acquired "Outdoor" and several other entities within the active media realm. The formation of this conglomerate means that one corporation now controls a huge portion of your outdoor focused media and outdoor activities focused companies. 

In addition to "BRAIN" and "Outdoor Magazine" the new Outdoor company also owns "Peloton", "Velo News", and several other back packing, snow sports, and yoga based titles. Interestingly, "Outdoor" also now owns "AthleteReg", owner of "Bikereg.com", who also have partnered with USAC. You probably know "Bikereg.com" if you've attended gravel events. 

The CEO of 'Outdoor', Robin Thurston, had his vision for the media empire laid out in the press release sent out and published by all of 'Outdoor's' media outlets which said that, "Thurston's vision is to build what he calls the Amazon Prime of the active lifestyle: a connected, holistic ecosystem of resources — including content, experiences, utilities, community, commerce, education, and services — that can be customized for each active lifestyle enthusiast."

Comments: So, be aware that you may be playing with "The Man" as you go about reading about and doing outside activities. Come to think of it, can we even say 'outside' anymore without violating some trademark? Only half kidding there.......

Maybe you don't care, but I find it rather interesting that a very vocal segment of 'outside' loving gravel enthusiasts are carping on about the 'corporatization of gravel' and how events are 'too corporate' but maybe are not paying attention to what's happening 'in the room' here. Obviously anything 'outside' related is hot now. It only makes sense then that corporate entities are taking note and looking to become a player in the economics of 'outside' activities.  I say just be aware who you are handing over your dinero to. 

Iowa Gravel Series Announced; 

Unbelievably there has never been an Iowa based gravel events series. In fact, there was a dearth of Iowa based gravel events in any form until maybe three years ago. Now that all looks to be changing. 

With several new events on its calendar, the Iowa Gravel Series looks to become the first series of events under one banner in Iowa. The site doesn't give any indications that this is anything other than several events under one banner. For instance, there doesn't seem to be any carry-over for 'points' or any kind of overall series competition, but the series is noteworthy for being aimed at all riders of any skill level. The events are to be 100 milers, and are spread across the state from Northeast Iowa to Southwest Iowa. (NOTE: I did communicate with the series director eventually on Facebook and he said he is working these details out)

There are currently five events listed with four of them being brand new. They are "The Silver City Century, May 8th, the "Waukon One Hundred, June 19th, "Albia" on July 17th, and "Preparation Pisgah" on August 14th. An established event, the Glenwood Gravel event, also has joined up and will happen on September 18th.

The events are going to have GPX files for riders to navigate by and it is claimed that the routes will be "clearly marked" as well. NOTE: I saw nothing about any COVID-19 protocols, so please be aware of that situation and do your research if you are interested in attending these events. NOTE: I have no affiliation with these events. I retired from event productions at the end of 2020. Any questions should not be asked of me concerning these events. I am just passing on the info.  

Comments: Okay, it's about time someone stepped up to the plate and did a series. Also, NEW EVENTS! How cool is that? This should start to give Iowa a reputation for great gravel routes and opportunities. I LOVE that one of their events is out of Waukon, an area I am quite familiar with having run Trans Iowa through there. If you attend that one, get yer climbing gears on! 

I heard through an acquaintance  that more current Iowa events were asked to join the series but declined due to their opinion that the series did not enhance their events. That said, I wouldn't be surprised to see more events added in the future. I do not know the series director, but it is apparent that he is aggressively moving forward with plans to make this a thing in Iowa.

A little disappointed in that there is no nod to our pandemic which is ongoing. While things 'look better', we ain't outta the woods yet, and by seemingly ignoring this, I think it is a bad thing for the series. Hopefully that gets rectified, but otherwise I am glad to see this being rolled out. I hope that the events live up to the high standards that previous Iowa gravel events have pioneered.  

Salsa Cycles Timberjack XT Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

Salsa Cycles Debuts '21 Model Year Timberjacks:

Salsa Cycles on Thursday introduced their new range of Timberjack mountain bikes. This is a new design from the ground up, longer wheel base, slacker head angle, a bit lower in the bottom bracket. So, right in the hardtail-du-jour soup for mountain bikes. 

Mountain bikes used to be a thing that helped you traverse all-terrain. They used to be a bike type that could be best said to have been an all-around bike for anything single track anywhere. But specialty segments broke off that- down hill, enduro, and XC racing to name but a few. The hard tail bike is, kind of, the remnant of that original exploration/touring type of mountain bike that kicked off the genre in the late 70's/early 80's. 

But even these hard tails, as exemplified by the current Timberjack, have evolved to become mostly groomed trail, down hill specialists. That's what seems to sell, so that is what people get. In many ways, bike packing bikes like the Tumbleweed Prospector or a Jones Bikes model (pick any one of them) is more akin to the original spirit of mountain biking than the Timberjack is, and they handle all-terrains reasonably well. Unlike a bike like the Timberjack, and its ilk, which are not all that great where I live, as a for instance. 

A Breezer Lightning, circa 2013.

I tested a Breezer once back in around 2013, I think it was, and that bike was a single track ripper! Sure, it wouldn't do what a Timberjack is capable of on a bermed-out, downhill trail, but it could kill a Timberjack in the Mid-West on single track. Plus, it was an easy bike to climb on, and didn't require loads of steering corrections while doing so. That's a bike type that is sorely missing, in my view, from today's offerings. 

But Salsa Cycles biggest customer is REI co-op, and they buy the lion's share of Fargos, Timberjacks, and other more lower to mid-priced Salsa bikes in the range. They want a bike that has appeal which consumers will part with their dollars for and this is the type of riding more people are attracted to now- the more gravity oriented, groomed trails type riding, and so who is wrong? Not Salsa, not REI. They are just giving the market what it wants to part with their dollars, so I get it. 

The market is in love with this idea, the marketers are all about fulfilling and stoking that idea, and maybe some day things will swing back the other way and we'll think bikes like the Timberjack were really goofy, just as we do when we look at the "NORBA hard tails" from the 90's. (The other extreme, in my mind) Or not....... Who knows? 

I have heard through the grapevine that numbers on new 2021 Salsa bikes available are really limited. It was rumored online that REI received most of the Fargo allotment and Larges and Mediums are sold out already. In February! So, I wouldn't be surprised at all to hear that a Timebrjack is as rare as a hen's tooth and that many people will be scrambling to find one. To be fair, most any 2021 model year bike will be really hard to find. 

It's going to be another one of those years............
 
 That's a wrap for this week. Looking forward to better weather soon, but get out there if you can.

Friday News And Views

The TIME Ciclo pedal was to be TIME's entry into the gravel segment.

SRAM Purchases TIME Pedal Business:

Toward the end of 2019 I was contacted by a marketing agency representing TIME and was asked if I wanted to try out a new pedal that they were going to market to gravel riders. It was an embargoed deal and I couldn't talk about it for awhile, but eventually in October of 2019 they announced it. In November I posted my first edition of a three part review on these pedals. The pedals were preproduction units. They were the same as production only these were built in house by TIME, not in their vendor's factory, as the production units were to be built. 

This resulted in my having gotten time in on the pedals before they became available in early 2020. However; TIME was in financial trouble at that point and production was spotty, at best. Some people got pedals, but many did not. To further complicate matters, a small cosmetic flaw was discovered which TIME claimed they wanted to rectify, which was the reason I was given that the pedals ceased to be available for a while. I was told to cease and desist from posting about the pedals. I'm guessing now that was an 'official company directive' to cover them until their financial/ownership issues had been rectified. Of course, then COVID-19 hit , big demand hit, and all that nonsense. So, it's taken until now to finally get things sorted. TIME's frame/fork business was purchased by another company, but curiously, the pedal business was still on the market. Well, last Monday a bombshell announcement revealed that SRAM had purchased that part of TIME. 

Comments: This is big. Shimano has had pedals since the dawn of time, (HA! Sorry!), and SRAM has not really had pedals to speak of. Sure, they did some flat pedals for a while, some Quark power meter meter pedals, and if memory serves, there were some SPD-like SRAM branded pedals for a bit, but for the most part, no.... SRAM now has TIME pedals and they are highly regarded by road cyclists and mountain bikers. Obviously, the gravel segment is covered as well with the Ciclo, which you'd have to believe is a pedal SRAM will want to ramp up production on sooner than later. 

 In a "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" article about the SRAM/TIME story, it is said that SRAM will market the pedals as "Time Sport". This should put Time Sport pedals underneath a lot more riders in the future. While the story claims SRAM won't rebrand these pedals, I find it hard to believe that at some point they won't fold Time Sport into a SRAM branding. Especially when new models start to appear, and as the linked "BRAIN" article intimates, SRAM has a lot of in-house power meter technology, so a power meter pedal is probably coming soon. It would then make sense to have it communicate with SRAM's AXS technology, and be called "SRAM AXS Pedals", as a for instance. We'll see......
 

Media Conglomerate Forms- Aims To Be Your 'Outside' Ecosystem:

Also- while we're thinking about "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News", it was also reported on Monday that the industry specific media's parent company is now known as "Outside" since the company formerly known as "Pocket Outdoor Media" acquired "Outdoor" and several other entities within the active media realm. The formation of this conglomerate means that one corporation now controls a huge portion of your outdoor focused media and outdoor activities focused companies. 

In addition to "BRAIN" and "Outdoor Magazine" the new Outdoor company also owns "Peloton", "Velo News", and several other back packing, snow sports, and yoga based titles. Interestingly, "Outdoor" also now owns "AthleteReg", owner of "Bikereg.com", who also have partnered with USAC. You probably know "Bikereg.com" if you've attended gravel events. 

The CEO of 'Outdoor', Robin Thurston, had his vision for the media empire laid out in the press release sent out and published by all of 'Outdoor's' media outlets which said that, "Thurston's vision is to build what he calls the Amazon Prime of the active lifestyle: a connected, holistic ecosystem of resources — including content, experiences, utilities, community, commerce, education, and services — that can be customized for each active lifestyle enthusiast."

Comments: So, be aware that you may be playing with "The Man" as you go about reading about and doing outside activities. Come to think of it, can we even say 'outside' anymore without violating some trademark? Only half kidding there.......

Maybe you don't care, but I find it rather interesting that a very vocal segment of 'outside' loving gravel enthusiasts are carping on about the 'corporatization of gravel' and how events are 'too corporate' but maybe are not paying attention to what's happening 'in the room' here. Obviously anything 'outside' related is hot now. It only makes sense then that corporate entities are taking note and looking to become a player in the economics of 'outside' activities.  I say just be aware who you are handing over your dinero to. 

Iowa Gravel Series Announced; 

Unbelievably there has never been an Iowa based gravel events series. In fact, there was a dearth of Iowa based gravel events in any form until maybe three years ago. Now that all looks to be changing. 

With several new events on its calendar, the Iowa Gravel Series looks to become the first series of events under one banner in Iowa. The site doesn't give any indications that this is anything other than several events under one banner. For instance, there doesn't seem to be any carry-over for 'points' or any kind of overall series competition, but the series is noteworthy for being aimed at all riders of any skill level. The events are to be 100 milers, and are spread across the state from Northeast Iowa to Southwest Iowa. (NOTE: I did communicate with the series director eventually on Facebook and he said he is working these details out)

There are currently five events listed with four of them being brand new. They are "The Silver City Century, May 8th, the "Waukon One Hundred, June 19th, "Albia" on July 17th, and "Preparation Pisgah" on August 14th. An established event, the Glenwood Gravel event, also has joined up and will happen on September 18th.

The events are going to have GPX files for riders to navigate by and it is claimed that the routes will be "clearly marked" as well. NOTE: I saw nothing about any COVID-19 protocols, so please be aware of that situation and do your research if you are interested in attending these events. NOTE: I have no affiliation with these events. I retired from event productions at the end of 2020. Any questions should not be asked of me concerning these events. I am just passing on the info.  

Comments: Okay, it's about time someone stepped up to the plate and did a series. Also, NEW EVENTS! How cool is that? This should start to give Iowa a reputation for great gravel routes and opportunities. I LOVE that one of their events is out of Waukon, an area I am quite familiar with having run Trans Iowa through there. If you attend that one, get yer climbing gears on! 

I heard through an acquaintance  that more current Iowa events were asked to join the series but declined due to their opinion that the series did not enhance their events. That said, I wouldn't be surprised to see more events added in the future. I do not know the series director, but it is apparent that he is aggressively moving forward with plans to make this a thing in Iowa.

A little disappointed in that there is no nod to our pandemic which is ongoing. While things 'look better', we ain't outta the woods yet, and by seemingly ignoring this, I think it is a bad thing for the series. Hopefully that gets rectified, but otherwise I am glad to see this being rolled out. I hope that the events live up to the high standards that previous Iowa gravel events have pioneered.  

Salsa Cycles Timberjack XT Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

Salsa Cycles Debuts '21 Model Year Timberjacks:

Salsa Cycles on Thursday introduced their new range of Timberjack mountain bikes. This is a new design from the ground up, longer wheel base, slacker head angle, a bit lower in the bottom bracket. So, right in the hardtail-du-jour soup for mountain bikes. 

Mountain bikes used to be a thing that helped you traverse all-terrain. They used to be a bike type that could be best said to have been an all-around bike for anything single track anywhere. But specialty segments broke off that- down hill, enduro, and XC racing to name but a few. The hard tail bike is, kind of, the remnant of that original exploration/touring type of mountain bike that kicked off the genre in the late 70's/early 80's. 

But even these hard tails, as exemplified by the current Timberjack, have evolved to become mostly groomed trail, down hill specialists. That's what seems to sell, so that is what people get. In many ways, bike packing bikes like the Tumbleweed Prospector or a Jones Bikes model (pick any one of them) is more akin to the original spirit of mountain biking than the Timberjack is, and they handle all-terrains reasonably well. Unlike a bike like the Timberjack, and its ilk, which are not all that great where I live, as a for instance. 

A Breezer Lightning, circa 2013.

I tested a Breezer once back in around 2013, I think it was, and that bike was a single track ripper! Sure, it wouldn't do what a Timberjack is capable of on a bermed-out, downhill trail, but it could kill a Timberjack in the Mid-West on single track. Plus, it was an easy bike to climb on, and didn't require loads of steering corrections while doing so. That's a bike type that is sorely missing, in my view, from today's offerings. 

But Salsa Cycles biggest customer is REI co-op, and they buy the lion's share of Fargos, Timberjacks, and other more lower to mid-priced Salsa bikes in the range. They want a bike that has appeal which consumers will part with their dollars for and this is the type of riding more people are attracted to now- the more gravity oriented, groomed trails type riding, and so who is wrong? Not Salsa, not REI. They are just giving the market what it wants to part with their dollars, so I get it. 

The market is in love with this idea, the marketers are all about fulfilling and stoking that idea, and maybe some day things will swing back the other way and we'll think bikes like the Timberjack were really goofy, just as we do when we look at the "NORBA hard tails" from the 90's. (The other extreme, in my mind) Or not....... Who knows? 

I have heard through the grapevine that numbers on new 2021 Salsa bikes available are really limited. It was rumored online that REI received most of the Fargo allotment and Larges and Mediums are sold out already. In February! So, I wouldn't be surprised at all to hear that a Timebrjack is as rare as a hen's tooth and that many people will be scrambling to find one. To be fair, most any 2021 model year bike will be really hard to find. 

It's going to be another one of those years............
 
 That's a wrap for this week. Looking forward to better weather soon, but get out there if you can.