Friday News And Views

The Trimm "one lite" GPS computer (Image courtesy of Trimm

 Another GPS Option:

Recently a reader of the blog here tipped me off to another interesting GPS based cycling computer option. The company is a Korean based company called Trimm and the model they sell which I figure is analogous to most Garmin, Wahoo, and Hammerhead users is the "One Lite"

It has a similar "smart-phone" type format and uses a Gorilla Glass screen which puts this in a similar class as many of the top-flite GPS units offered by the companies I mentioned above. This One Lite model weighs in at sub-60 grams though, and is supposedly thinner than an iPhone. And it costs less than $200.00USD.

The unit has a feature which many might find interesting- A solar powered attachment that can keep the computer charged all the time. (You can see a bit of the cord to the solar panel in the image here) There is a short, sub-12 minute review of the unit here on YouTube. 

Comments: If you look at the YouTube review, it seems as though this thing has a leg up on Garmin's extremely expensive solar powered unit. Even without the solar panel, the runtime is 50 hours if you use their speed sensor on your bike. Pretty impressive. Oh, and for an extra $50.00 you can go with the Trimm One and get an aluminum case in 8 different colors, and color screen with the solar charge feature at only a slight weight penalty of a claimed 62 grams. 

I assume it does turn-by-turn navigation, but the YouTube reviewer doesn't specifically call this out. I think it does or what's the point of importing route files, right? Anyway... That's a reasonable price and if it works as advertised, it could be a big disrupter in this field. 

"One-eyed" Zeke Shepherd.

Kansas City Bike Mechanic Gets Hit:

Apparently in the early morning hours of Saturday October 22nd, Kansas City bicycle mechanic, Zeke Shepherd was involved in a hit and run while riding his bicycle. The person who hit him has not been found at this point, as far as I know. 

Zeke, known as "One-Eyed Zeke' to many of us here in Iowa, is a good guy. I had a tiny slice of time spent with him during a Gent's Race deal once upon a time. Anyway, Zeke is pretty banged up, will require a long recovery, and his employer, "velogaragekc", has set up a GoFundme page to help defray his recovery expenses. 

The bicycle community has been really very supportive of me, and I know Zeke will get a big boost from his cycling brothers and sisters out there. Please, consider donating to his cause, if you are so led. 

Image courtesy of Canyon Bikes

Will "KIS" Be Coming To Your Bike Soon?

Steering stabilization ideas for bicycles are nothing new. You can see them often on cargo bikes, where they are more for self-centering the wheel while the bike is parked. Hopey's steering damper or Cane Creek's Viscoset may also come to mind here. But whatever the level of technology, the idea is to overcome wheel flop in certain situations.

I've followed along with some interest in this because of my affinity for riding my fat bike in deeper snowy conditions. Mike Curiak, being a big influencer in that regard. However; there are other instances where a steering damper, or self-centering steering device, would be welcomed. Canyon apparently thinks so too, and so they are offering this proprietary system they call "KIS". That stands for "Keep It Stable". 

It works internally, inside the top tube of their 29"er enduro model only- for now. It is a coil sprung self-centering device that is adjustable at the "anchor" in the top tube via a 4mm hex head bolt. The other end is attached to the cam which itself is clamped over the steer tube and that attached to the coil springs by a synthetic material in the form of two bands. 

Image courtesy of Canyon Bikes

The effect of the KIS system is that of more stability on loose, off-camber to flat turns and a more stable front wheel during slow speed climbs, according to accounts I have read. So, for those times when your body has to make sudden corrections either at the bars or through the pedals, this KIS thing helps calm that down and therefore saves the rider energy. 

Comments: So, to answer my header for this, the answer? No- This won't be coming to your gravel bike anytime soon, and probably not to most mountain bikes either, although, it may make sense for some of you. In which case, the Cane Creek Viscoset would be the likely choice. Anytime you see something like Canyon's KIS system, you have to figure that most companies wouldn't be interested in the licensing fee to use the technology. That's going to limit how much you see of this as well.

To my mind, as I look at this, it seems like an over-thought self-centering spring the likes of which I have seen on cargo bikes. This KIS thing is far more elegantly done, and no doubt works well. I could see this as standard issue technology for cargo bikes in the future. 

But for most bikes? No. I don't see this as being a thing. You have no idea how much friction in a headset/steering causes weird handling until you've ridden a bike with a severely indexed headset race, or a bike with a head set adjusted too tightly. I have done all of that, and it isn't my cup of tea. Not for regular riding. 

But maybe for the fat bike......

The GR3 Image courtesy of Argonaut Cycles

Argonaut Cycles Launches GR3 Bike:

Argonaut Cycles announced a new bicycle today for gravel racing, the GR3 model. This bike is touted as the custom made, hand-laid carbon answer for specific customer physiology and terrain needs. Claiming that "professional gravel racing is the ultimate testing grounds", Argonaut has focused on high-performance, extreme "GravelFirst" geometry, and their marketing focuses heavily on what they think makes for a great racing bike on gravel with a side of mountain biking to spice things up even more. Although that last bit is inferred, not specifically called out. Just looking at their chosen imagery and descriptions points me in that direction immediately. 

Sporting a very short 415mm chain stay length, a 75mm bottom bracket drop, and a very slack (for gravel) 68.5° head angle probably nudged me to thinking "long, slack, and low", like current enduro bike geometry. The marketing also points to their professional athlete that they sponsor having an experience on the GR3 that "... also enhanced her descending abilities to the point where she has seen multiple podiums atop her GR3 and racked up numerous QOM’s for downhill segments!"

Comments: I received a press release for this bike that made it sound as though that they were eager to send over a review bike. I gotta say, first off- I am honored anytime I get an offer like this. Secondly, I hesitate to review a bike that is super-pigeonholed as a "racing bike" with the force of hype that this release has in it. Thirdly, I hesitate to accept an offer to review a bike that I understand is expensive, but one that most of my audience wouldn't ever be able to afford. I mean, sixty five hundred for a frame set? That's $6500.00 for those who may have missed that.

Look, I get it- Racing at the top levels is spectacular and maybe a lot of us wish we were "those folks" and a bike like this maybe can make you feel like a super-hero at times. Maybe.... But my contention is that this is exactly what we do not need for the majority of the riding public. This bike doesn't put "more butts on bikes", as the saying goes. It caters to Pro racers, Pro racer-wannabees, and people with a  LOT of disposable income. That's not many people. And.....that's not me. 

Oh yeah, and Evil Bikes Chamois Hagar would like to have a word with you.....We've seen this before already. Anyway.... 

That's a wrap for today! Have a great weekend and don't eat all the Halloween candy!

Friday News And Views

The Trimm "one lite" GPS computer (Image courtesy of Trimm

 Another GPS Option:

Recently a reader of the blog here tipped me off to another interesting GPS based cycling computer option. The company is a Korean based company called Trimm and the model they sell which I figure is analogous to most Garmin, Wahoo, and Hammerhead users is the "One Lite"

It has a similar "smart-phone" type format and uses a Gorilla Glass screen which puts this in a similar class as many of the top-flite GPS units offered by the companies I mentioned above. This One Lite model weighs in at sub-60 grams though, and is supposedly thinner than an iPhone. And it costs less than $200.00USD.

The unit has a feature which many might find interesting- A solar powered attachment that can keep the computer charged all the time. (You can see a bit of the cord to the solar panel in the image here) There is a short, sub-12 minute review of the unit here on YouTube. 

Comments: If you look at the YouTube review, it seems as though this thing has a leg up on Garmin's extremely expensive solar powered unit. Even without the solar panel, the runtime is 50 hours if you use their speed sensor on your bike. Pretty impressive. Oh, and for an extra $50.00 you can go with the Trimm One and get an aluminum case in 8 different colors, and color screen with the solar charge feature at only a slight weight penalty of a claimed 62 grams. 

I assume it does turn-by-turn navigation, but the YouTube reviewer doesn't specifically call this out. I think it does or what's the point of importing route files, right? Anyway... That's a reasonable price and if it works as advertised, it could be a big disrupter in this field. 

"One-eyed" Zeke Shepherd.

Kansas City Bike Mechanic Gets Hit:

Apparently in the early morning hours of Saturday October 22nd, Kansas City bicycle mechanic, Zeke Shepherd was involved in a hit and run while riding his bicycle. The person who hit him has not been found at this point, as far as I know. 

Zeke, known as "One-Eyed Zeke' to many of us here in Iowa, is a good guy. I had a tiny slice of time spent with him during a Gent's Race deal once upon a time. Anyway, Zeke is pretty banged up, will require a long recovery, and his employer, "velogaragekc", has set up a GoFundme page to help defray his recovery expenses. 

The bicycle community has been really very supportive of me, and I know Zeke will get a big boost from his cycling brothers and sisters out there. Please, consider donating to his cause, if you are so led. 

Image courtesy of Canyon Bikes

Will "KIS" Be Coming To Your Bike Soon?

Steering stabilization ideas for bicycles are nothing new. You can see them often on cargo bikes, where they are more for self-centering the wheel while the bike is parked. Hopey's steering damper or Cane Creek's Viscoset may also come to mind here. But whatever the level of technology, the idea is to overcome wheel flop in certain situations.

I've followed along with some interest in this because of my affinity for riding my fat bike in deeper snowy conditions. Mike Curiak, being a big influencer in that regard. However; there are other instances where a steering damper, or self-centering steering device, would be welcomed. Canyon apparently thinks so too, and so they are offering this proprietary system they call "KIS". That stands for "Keep It Stable". 

It works internally, inside the top tube of their 29"er enduro model only- for now. It is a coil sprung self-centering device that is adjustable at the "anchor" in the top tube via a 4mm hex head bolt. The other end is attached to the cam which itself is clamped over the steer tube and that attached to the coil springs by a synthetic material in the form of two bands. 

Image courtesy of Canyon Bikes

The effect of the KIS system is that of more stability on loose, off-camber to flat turns and a more stable front wheel during slow speed climbs, according to accounts I have read. So, for those times when your body has to make sudden corrections either at the bars or through the pedals, this KIS thing helps calm that down and therefore saves the rider energy. 

Comments: So, to answer my header for this, the answer? No- This won't be coming to your gravel bike anytime soon, and probably not to most mountain bikes either, although, it may make sense for some of you. In which case, the Cane Creek Viscoset would be the likely choice. Anytime you see something like Canyon's KIS system, you have to figure that most companies wouldn't be interested in the licensing fee to use the technology. That's going to limit how much you see of this as well.

To my mind, as I look at this, it seems like an over-thought self-centering spring the likes of which I have seen on cargo bikes. This KIS thing is far more elegantly done, and no doubt works well. I could see this as standard issue technology for cargo bikes in the future. 

But for most bikes? No. I don't see this as being a thing. You have no idea how much friction in a headset/steering causes weird handling until you've ridden a bike with a severely indexed headset race, or a bike with a head set adjusted too tightly. I have done all of that, and it isn't my cup of tea. Not for regular riding. 

But maybe for the fat bike......

The GR3 Image courtesy of Argonaut Cycles

Argonaut Cycles Launches GR3 Bike:

Argonaut Cycles announced a new bicycle today for gravel racing, the GR3 model. This bike is touted as the custom made, hand-laid carbon answer for specific customer physiology and terrain needs. Claiming that "professional gravel racing is the ultimate testing grounds", Argonaut has focused on high-performance, extreme "GravelFirst" geometry, and their marketing focuses heavily on what they think makes for a great racing bike on gravel with a side of mountain biking to spice things up even more. Although that last bit is inferred, not specifically called out. Just looking at their chosen imagery and descriptions points me in that direction immediately. 

Sporting a very short 415mm chain stay length, a 75mm bottom bracket drop, and a very slack (for gravel) 68.5° head angle probably nudged me to thinking "long, slack, and low", like current enduro bike geometry. The marketing also points to their professional athlete that they sponsor having an experience on the GR3 that "... also enhanced her descending abilities to the point where she has seen multiple podiums atop her GR3 and racked up numerous QOM’s for downhill segments!"

Comments: I received a press release for this bike that made it sound as though that they were eager to send over a review bike. I gotta say, first off- I am honored anytime I get an offer like this. Secondly, I hesitate to review a bike that is super-pigeonholed as a "racing bike" with the force of hype that this release has in it. Thirdly, I hesitate to accept an offer to review a bike that I understand is expensive, but one that most of my audience wouldn't ever be able to afford. I mean, sixty five hundred for a frame set? That's $6500.00 for those who may have missed that.

Look, I get it- Racing at the top levels is spectacular and maybe a lot of us wish we were "those folks" and a bike like this maybe can make you feel like a super-hero at times. Maybe.... But my contention is that this is exactly what we do not need for the majority of the riding public. This bike doesn't put "more butts on bikes", as the saying goes. It caters to Pro racers, Pro racer-wannabees, and people with a  LOT of disposable income. That's not many people. And.....that's not me. 

Oh yeah, and Evil Bikes Chamois Hagar would like to have a word with you.....We've seen this before already. Anyway.... 

That's a wrap for today! Have a great weekend and don't eat all the Halloween candy!

Friday News And Views

The Sigma ROX 4.0 GPS computer

Going "GPS-ing" Again:

Well, lookee here. I got a hold of this GPS computer in an offer to test and review it for RidingGravel.com. Of course, the Standard Disclaimer applies here. With that out of the way...

It's a Sigma product. They are a German based manufacturer of cycling computers that has been around for a long time. You generally don't hear a lot about the company here in the USA, but they've always been around. I've used a Sigma wireless computer recently on a bike here and it worked just fine for me. I know the company has had quality control issues in the past, but honestly, so have most of the cycling computer companies at one time or another. So, par for the course there. 

Anyway, I have this Sigma ROX 4.0 GPS computer to try out. It has a bit bigger screen and is a bit thinner than the old Lezyne Super GPS I used to use, and it is far smaller than that dreadful Karoo 2 I tried. Small is okay if you have big enough graphics and if it actually works. That may seem like a silly thing to have to specify, but - ya know..... (See that Karoo link) 

I'll have more on this one, but I'll tell you this straight away: I already am further down the road using this computer than I ever was with that Karoo.  It seems to be intuitive, simple to use, and guess what? It's got that elevation tracker I was interested in. Stay tuned..........

Douze Cycles partners with Toyota in France Image courtesy of Douze Cycles

Automotive Companies Make Inroads To Cycling Sector:

The news on HPC (Hybrid Powered Cycles) seems to be constantly flowing but a trend I've noted is how automotive companies are pivoting to get into the electrified/motorized cycling market. We've already noted here how Ford, Harley Davidson, and Yamaha are either partnering with electrified cycling companies or are doing their own thing outright. 

I read now that Toyota has an agreement in France to place Douze Cycles cargo bikes, which use mid-motor designs from Broze and Shimano, into Toyota dealerships. Furthermore, in the article I read, it states that automotive component companies are looking to pivot into manufacturing bits for electrified bicycles now since ICE vehicles are being outlawed in the EU. Makes perfect sense when you think about it. 

Comments: As if the "wild, wild West" nature of online HPC sales wasn't enough, now the cycling sector may see the automotive sector take over a big chunk of electrified bicycle sales. Think about how the automobile business has the budgets and the R&D horsepower to make that happen. Think about how traditional bicycle companies are more about impractical, extremely expensive, go-fast HPC's and not bikes for the average person. Add in that the very customer the cycling industry hopes to convert to pedaling already haunts the doorways of auto dealerships, and not bicycle shops, and perhaps we can see where this might be going here. 

Auto dealerships are already well on their way to electrified car and truck sales and servicing. Adding in a staff of trained specialist in electric motors and systems for bicycles would be an easy thing here compared to the resistance seen in the cycling service sectors. Plus, the image held by consumers already is that car mechanics have a leg up on electronic systems for cars whereas bicycle technicians are often seen as less than knowledgeable on more technical electronic systems. 

I've said it here before: If the auto industry turns to electrified two-wheeled transportation as a serious product for sales and production, the cycling industry will be left behind. 

First "Post-Pandemic" Gravel Season Winds Down:

I think a lot of us have already forgotten that 2022 was really the first year since March 2020 that we've seen anything "normal" in terms of gravel events. I wanted to take a moment to note this fact and to take stock of 2022's gravelly adventures in the USA and beyond.

Everything kind of kicked off this year as if nothing had happened. No "Protocols" , no special instructions to distance, wear masks, or the like were noted. I'd say, for the most part, it was an unsaid thing right out of the gate in 2022 that events were going to run as they had up to March 2020. Was that the right call? I guess it was. I mean, I didn't ever read or hear about any negative outcomes, although I'm sure an example or two exists.

The UCI got into the gravel game. I figured this to happen in 2021, but I am betting that this was the plan and the pandemic postponed the plan. However that went, what you saw in the news wasn't the entire story on that series and world championships. 

One event was cancelled due to low numbers. Another had a very poor showing. Then you had a participant in the final event, the so-called "worlds", say the following: " I think I would call this the Bike Path World Championships with some gravel". That was a quote from an interview of Nathan Peter-Haas, a rider in the event. So, you won't see this in the mainstream media, but the series and final event was quite a bit less than a smashing success. Meanwhile, US based events were slammed and did quite well with numbers and competitive fields. 

Anyway, now the gravel scene, and cycling in general is seemingly free to evolve naturally once again. It will be interesting to see how 2023 goes. 

Wolf Tooth Resolve dropper post. (Image courtesy of Wolf tooth)

Wolf Tooth Introduces Self-Bleeding Dropper Post:

One of the negatives to running a dropper post is that they can suck air into their systems which can result in unwanted sag when seated and poor performance. Wolf Tooth engineers have been developing an answer to this issue over the past four years and are ready to unveil the new Resolve post. 

Apparently, every time the post is activated during a ride, the internal cartridge system self-bleeds and keeps air out of the inner workings. 

This means less maintenance and less annoying sag. This won't come cheaply though, as the retail price is set at $349.95. The post is available now in 30.9mm and 31.6mm diameters and can handle round or ovalized saddle rails. Travel is at 125mm, 160mm, or 200mm and Wolf Tooth claims the stack height of the post is a minimal 32mm and the insertion depth is shorter which should make this fit more bikes. 

Comments: I don't have many bikes here that could run a dropper post, but this one sounds pretty good. Matched up with a Wolf Tooth dropper lever and I'd think it would make for a great set up. I'd probably use one on my fat bike, because a dropper makes getting going in deep snow a much easier task than with a rigid post. 

The whole "self-bleeding" thing? Well, I don't know about that. If it works, that's great, but that's a steep price to find out when a rigid post is what? Sub-100? Hmm....

That's a wrap for this week! Thanks for reading Guitar ted Productions and have a fantastic weekend.

Friday News And Views

The Sigma ROX 4.0 GPS computer

Going "GPS-ing" Again:

Well, lookee here. I got a hold of this GPS computer in an offer to test and review it for RidingGravel.com. Of course, the Standard Disclaimer applies here. With that out of the way...

It's a Sigma product. They are a German based manufacturer of cycling computers that has been around for a long time. You generally don't hear a lot about the company here in the USA, but they've always been around. I've used a Sigma wireless computer recently on a bike here and it worked just fine for me. I know the company has had quality control issues in the past, but honestly, so have most of the cycling computer companies at one time or another. So, par for the course there. 

Anyway, I have this Sigma ROX 4.0 GPS computer to try out. It has a bit bigger screen and is a bit thinner than the old Lezyne Super GPS I used to use, and it is far smaller than that dreadful Karoo 2 I tried. Small is okay if you have big enough graphics and if it actually works. That may seem like a silly thing to have to specify, but - ya know..... (See that Karoo link) 

I'll have more on this one, but I'll tell you this straight away: I already am further down the road using this computer than I ever was with that Karoo.  It seems to be intuitive, simple to use, and guess what? It's got that elevation tracker I was interested in. Stay tuned..........

Douze Cycles partners with Toyota in France Image courtesy of Douze Cycles

Automotive Companies Make Inroads To Cycling Sector:

The news on HPC (Hybrid Powered Cycles) seems to be constantly flowing but a trend I've noted is how automotive companies are pivoting to get into the electrified/motorized cycling market. We've already noted here how Ford, Harley Davidson, and Yamaha are either partnering with electrified cycling companies or are doing their own thing outright. 

I read now that Toyota has an agreement in France to place Douze Cycles cargo bikes, which use mid-motor designs from Broze and Shimano, into Toyota dealerships. Furthermore, in the article I read, it states that automotive component companies are looking to pivot into manufacturing bits for electrified bicycles now since ICE vehicles are being outlawed in the EU. Makes perfect sense when you think about it. 

Comments: As if the "wild, wild West" nature of online HPC sales wasn't enough, now the cycling sector may see the automotive sector take over a big chunk of electrified bicycle sales. Think about how the automobile business has the budgets and the R&D horsepower to make that happen. Think about how traditional bicycle companies are more about impractical, extremely expensive, go-fast HPC's and not bikes for the average person. Add in that the very customer the cycling industry hopes to convert to pedaling already haunts the doorways of auto dealerships, and not bicycle shops, and perhaps we can see where this might be going here. 

Auto dealerships are already well on their way to electrified car and truck sales and servicing. Adding in a staff of trained specialist in electric motors and systems for bicycles would be an easy thing here compared to the resistance seen in the cycling service sectors. Plus, the image held by consumers already is that car mechanics have a leg up on electronic systems for cars whereas bicycle technicians are often seen as less than knowledgeable on more technical electronic systems. 

I've said it here before: If the auto industry turns to electrified two-wheeled transportation as a serious product for sales and production, the cycling industry will be left behind. 

First "Post-Pandemic" Gravel Season Winds Down:

I think a lot of us have already forgotten that 2022 was really the first year since March 2020 that we've seen anything "normal" in terms of gravel events. I wanted to take a moment to note this fact and to take stock of 2022's gravelly adventures in the USA and beyond.

Everything kind of kicked off this year as if nothing had happened. No "Protocols" , no special instructions to distance, wear masks, or the like were noted. I'd say, for the most part, it was an unsaid thing right out of the gate in 2022 that events were going to run as they had up to March 2020. Was that the right call? I guess it was. I mean, I didn't ever read or hear about any negative outcomes, although I'm sure an example or two exists.

The UCI got into the gravel game. I figured this to happen in 2021, but I am betting that this was the plan and the pandemic postponed the plan. However that went, what you saw in the news wasn't the entire story on that series and world championships. 

One event was cancelled due to low numbers. Another had a very poor showing. Then you had a participant in the final event, the so-called "worlds", say the following: " I think I would call this the Bike Path World Championships with some gravel". That was a quote from an interview of Nathan Peter-Haas, a rider in the event. So, you won't see this in the mainstream media, but the series and final event was quite a bit less than a smashing success. Meanwhile, US based events were slammed and did quite well with numbers and competitive fields. 

Anyway, now the gravel scene, and cycling in general is seemingly free to evolve naturally once again. It will be interesting to see how 2023 goes. 

Wolf Tooth Resolve dropper post. (Image courtesy of Wolf tooth)

Wolf Tooth Introduces Self-Bleeding Dropper Post:

One of the negatives to running a dropper post is that they can suck air into their systems which can result in unwanted sag when seated and poor performance. Wolf Tooth engineers have been developing an answer to this issue over the past four years and are ready to unveil the new Resolve post. 

Apparently, every time the post is activated during a ride, the internal cartridge system self-bleeds and keeps air out of the inner workings. 

This means less maintenance and less annoying sag. This won't come cheaply though, as the retail price is set at $349.95. The post is available now in 30.9mm and 31.6mm diameters and can handle round or ovalized saddle rails. Travel is at 125mm, 160mm, or 200mm and Wolf Tooth claims the stack height of the post is a minimal 32mm and the insertion depth is shorter which should make this fit more bikes. 

Comments: I don't have many bikes here that could run a dropper post, but this one sounds pretty good. Matched up with a Wolf Tooth dropper lever and I'd think it would make for a great set up. I'd probably use one on my fat bike, because a dropper makes getting going in deep snow a much easier task than with a rigid post. 

The whole "self-bleeding" thing? Well, I don't know about that. If it works, that's great, but that's a steep price to find out when a rigid post is what? Sub-100? Hmm....

That's a wrap for this week! Thanks for reading Guitar ted Productions and have a fantastic weekend.

Hammerhead Karoo 2: Part 3

After a promising beginning, things went downhill.

 Readers may remember that at the end of last year I got a Hammerhead Karoo 2 GPS computer from Mrs. Guitar Ted for a gift for Christmas and our anniversary. There was the introductory post here, and a follow-up here, but I haven't written about this unit in quite some time, and there is a good reason for that- Specifically, it has been a very frustrating, very complicated device to use in the way that I want.

The first strike was when I did the Gents Race back in April. Supposedly you were capable of having turn-by-turn directions with the Karoo 2. Well, I got the device to upload the route ahead of the event, and I figured I was good to go. However; the device did not work as I expected and the route would not load. In fact, the head malfunctioned and I ended up turning it off. Here's a bit of what I wrote about that experience last April concerning the issues Ihad.

"I tried starting it as we rolled out of town, but it wasn't very intuitive to use (in my opinion) and so the Gents Race course I had would not start. I bailed on that and tried to just start a ride. The ride screen would come up, start compiling data briefly, then the screen would go blank. Meanwhile the thing was randomly barking out turn prompts (with the screen totally dark) and I got frustrated and just canned any notions of using it for the time being."

That experience soured me so badly on the computer that I put it on my desk and forgot about it until recently. The Hall of Fame Ride would be a good reason to use it again, right? So, I went to Strava, where N.Y. Roll had the route, and tried to upload the file for the ride to my Hammerhead. Nope! Gotta be a Strava account holder for that! Well, I don't want to open a Strava account for any reason, so I copied the route by hand over to Ride With GPS which I do have an account on and which is linked to the Hammerhead dashboard. 

No problem, right? Wrong! I had to go through all the Hammerhead prompts and it still wouldn't work. I finally figured out you have to restart the computer you are using to get the file to upload. Yeah....thanks for not telling me that, Hammerhead! Well, now, THAT should have done it, because Hammerhead claims that you do not have to do anything else. Your route, once uploaded to your dashboard, will automatically be found on your Karoo 2. Right?

WRONG. No route for you! Despite trying all the tricks, nothing would show up on my Karoo 2 head. I spent three to four hours on this and nothing to show for it. 

I remembered liking this page. It was gone in June- couldn't find it.

Well, I remembered a page on one of the ride files that I liked as a computer and it showed elevation, speed, time of day, and kept a graph of your climbing. Kinda neat, right? 

Well, that was gone in June. Was it an update that took it away? Did I somehow erase that page? I don't know, but what I did have to work with was garbage. I did not like anything about the readouts, and I had not edited anything. 

Then I had Mrs. Guitar Ted look into my problem. She was able to determine that the unit was having issues staying tethered via Bluetooth to the computer, and this perhaps was why my route was not getting uploaded to the Karoo 2 head. NOTE: This is the same computer I used back in April when the route for the Gents Race did auto-upload. After spending about 45 minutes trying different things, she gave up and suggested that perhaps the Karoo 2 has a bad chip.

I also had Hammerhead sponsored athlete Amanda Nauman chime in via Twitter asking about my problem and once described to her, she was at a loss as to why the dashboard and head unit weren't communicating with each other as well. She suggested I contact Hammerhead, and so I have sent them a query as of Monday this week. 

So, the Hammerhead Karoo 2 has been a very frustrating, very disappointing experience. Initially it was seemingly easy to set up, but turn-by-turn navigation did not work, uploading route files was problematic, or not possible at all, and the dashboard was overly complex. The entire experience was maddeningly empty and devoid of any accomplishment or sense of knowing you knew how to make it work. I'm not sure if Hammerhead's recent sale to SRAM has anything to do with this, but I am extremely disappointed in what I have now. My old Lezyne Super GPS was a thousand times easier to use, but it did not support turn-by-turn navigation without it being tethered to a phone, which, at that point, I may just as well use a phone app. 

 More soon....
 

Note: Hammerhead did not know I was reviewing this and I was not paid, nor bribed for this review.  

Hammerhead Karoo 2: Part 3

After a promising beginning, things went downhill.

 Readers may remember that at the end of last year I got a Hammerhead Karoo 2 GPS computer from Mrs. Guitar Ted for a gift for Christmas and our anniversary. There was the introductory post here, and a follow-up here, but I haven't written about this unit in quite some time, and there is a good reason for that- Specifically, it has been a very frustrating, very complicated device to use in the way that I want.

The first strike was when I did the Gents Race back in April. Supposedly you were capable of having turn-by-turn directions with the Karoo 2. Well, I got the device to upload the route ahead of the event, and I figured I was good to go. However; the device did not work as I expected and the route would not load. In fact, the head malfunctioned and I ended up turning it off. Here's a bit of what I wrote about that experience last April concerning the issues Ihad.

"I tried starting it as we rolled out of town, but it wasn't very intuitive to use (in my opinion) and so the Gents Race course I had would not start. I bailed on that and tried to just start a ride. The ride screen would come up, start compiling data briefly, then the screen would go blank. Meanwhile the thing was randomly barking out turn prompts (with the screen totally dark) and I got frustrated and just canned any notions of using it for the time being."

That experience soured me so badly on the computer that I put it on my desk and forgot about it until recently. The Hall of Fame Ride would be a good reason to use it again, right? So, I went to Strava, where N.Y. Roll had the route, and tried to upload the file for the ride to my Hammerhead. Nope! Gotta be a Strava account holder for that! Well, I don't want to open a Strava account for any reason, so I copied the route by hand over to Ride With GPS which I do have an account on and which is linked to the Hammerhead dashboard. 

No problem, right? Wrong! I had to go through all the Hammerhead prompts and it still wouldn't work. I finally figured out you have to restart the computer you are using to get the file to upload. Yeah....thanks for not telling me that, Hammerhead! Well, now, THAT should have done it, because Hammerhead claims that you do not have to do anything else. Your route, once uploaded to your dashboard, will automatically be found on your Karoo 2. Right?

WRONG. No route for you! Despite trying all the tricks, nothing would show up on my Karoo 2 head. I spent three to four hours on this and nothing to show for it. 

I remembered liking this page. It was gone in June- couldn't find it.

Well, I remembered a page on one of the ride files that I liked as a computer and it showed elevation, speed, time of day, and kept a graph of your climbing. Kinda neat, right? 

Well, that was gone in June. Was it an update that took it away? Did I somehow erase that page? I don't know, but what I did have to work with was garbage. I did not like anything about the readouts, and I had not edited anything. 

Then I had Mrs. Guitar Ted look into my problem. She was able to determine that the unit was having issues staying tethered via Bluetooth to the computer, and this perhaps was why my route was not getting uploaded to the Karoo 2 head. NOTE: This is the same computer I used back in April when the route for the Gents Race did auto-upload. After spending about 45 minutes trying different things, she gave up and suggested that perhaps the Karoo 2 has a bad chip.

I also had Hammerhead sponsored athlete Amanda Nauman chime in via Twitter asking about my problem and once described to her, she was at a loss as to why the dashboard and head unit weren't communicating with each other as well. She suggested I contact Hammerhead, and so I have sent them a query as of Monday this week. 

So, the Hammerhead Karoo 2 has been a very frustrating, very disappointing experience. Initially it was seemingly easy to set up, but turn-by-turn navigation did not work, uploading route files was problematic, or not possible at all, and the dashboard was overly complex. The entire experience was maddeningly empty and devoid of any accomplishment or sense of knowing you knew how to make it work. I'm not sure if Hammerhead's recent sale to SRAM has anything to do with this, but I am extremely disappointed in what I have now. My old Lezyne Super GPS was a thousand times easier to use, but it did not support turn-by-turn navigation without it being tethered to a phone, which, at that point, I may just as well use a phone app. 

 More soon....
 

Note: Hammerhead did not know I was reviewing this and I was not paid, nor bribed for this review.  

Hammerhead Karoo 2: Part 1

Smashed Lezyne Super, Karoo 2, iPhone 12 (L-R)

 Hammerhead Karoo 2 Review: Part 1

Last August my Lezyne Super got crushed in a mishap at Gravel Worlds. The search was on from then to get a GPS compatible computer for use on my adventures. 

Last September in this "FN&V" post, I mentioned the three GPS compatible computers that I was looking at. I ended up telling Mrs. Guitar Ted not long ago that the one I picked would be a great holiday gift for me. She concurred and so she purchased a Hammerhead Karoo 2 GPS computer for me. It arrived last Friday. This experience will be documented here as I get to know this computer and use it. I will comment as this review progresses. 

Why A Karoo 2? I landed on the Karoo 2 because it seemed to me to have the easiest to use UI (User Interface) and for me that is really important. Secondly, it is a nice size, and the graphics are color, and the display was said to be quite crisp and easy to read. Another very important point for me. Finally, I liked that the Karoo 2 had audible navigation prompts and that it did not require my phone to work that feature. 

The price is reasonable, and the company upgrades the unit's software on a regular basis. Also good points as I looked at this. Things I didn't like? Proprietary mount, (although there is a way to use Garmin-type mounts), it is a new company on the scene, (I don't have a track record to rely on), and subsequently this isn't a product with long term use out there either. 

First Impressions: The box is classy and the packaging is well thought out and largely devoid of anything you cannot recycle. In fact, there was very little other than cardboard here. Nice! While this is a rather fleeting thing to be happy about, it does matter to me that a company doesn't generate more waste than it needs to and what it does is recyclable. 

Secondly, the unit is.....well, not really all that impressive. I mean, we've all seen smart phones and devices that resemble a smart phone. The Karoo 2 is just another device in that it has a very nice, sleek, 'smart-phone-like' look. You can refer to the image above for size. That's an iPhone 12, just a stock issue one, not a Plus-size or a mini, so you can see that the Karoo 2 is somewhat smaller than that. It is thicker than an iPhone buy about 2.5X's. You can see also that the Karoo 2 is quite a bit larger than my old Lezyne computer as well. 

The first thing the unit did was update itself to the latest version of the software.

Start-Up: I grabbed the "User Manual" and checked it out first. If you get one of these don't bother reading it unless you want to understand all the warnings and stuff about batteries, etc. That's all that paper is worth. The real set up and 'manual'. if you will, comes as you get taken through the unit after power up. But first, right when you turn the unit on, it updates itself to the latest software. Cool! 

I should mention that on the Hammerhead site you can pre-set up your unit after you order it. I did not do that. I waited until the update was done, (about five minutes, probably less), and then the unit walked me through, well......it walked Mrs. Guitar Ted through the set-up. She grabbed it at about this point and did that stuff for me.

Not that I couldn't do it, but she is the tech-person in this relationship and well, she took over! Not that I mind, it's all good with me. But at any rate, it seemed to go without a hiccup for her until she handed it back to me when it came to preferences and whatnot. At that point I was prompted to add maps, choose how measurements were done, (metric, Imperial), and to add any apps I use. Simple enough. 

Once I chose all those things the system updated and it was ready to use. there is a virtual 'tour' of the functions that the Karoo 2 has which I went through. This, essentially, is the user manual. 

The UI for the Karoo 2 should be pretty intuitive for anyone that has a smart phone. Swipes and touch screen keyboard inputs, and four buttons on the case are how you navigate the Karoo 2. The touch screen is very sensitive and I had no issues with getting swipes and keyboard inputs to be recognized. In that way it seems to be on par with my iPhone experiences. 

The Karoo 2 allows you to add in your 'Rider Profile" and to input record keeping on any number of bicycles you want to add. This is rather useful for me as I have several bikes which get ridden throughout the year. I could have a 'stable' of bikes with my old Lezyne computer, but it would only hold information on four bikes. For many folks, that's plenty, but for myself it was limiting. 

It may be that I don't use many of the bike profiles and if I do not, it will be because I only have the one mount I can use now. I could swap the mount, (tedious, not very likely I will keep up with that), or I could see about getting some Garmin type mounts, which might be cheaper than the Karoo 2's mount. It also may be lighter and more compact too. That Karoo mount is a chunk! But the unit weighs 330+ grams too, so I get it. You definitely do not want this thing falling off your bike! Speaking of which- The Karoo 2 has a lanyard which you can use as a sort of safety in case the unit decides to jump ship. 

Following are a few more screen shots.....

Swipe left or right for another screen view. Lower left icon takes you to shut down prompt. Lower right arrow icon takes you to ride start page. My camera's sensor was a bit overwhelmed by the light intensity of the Karoo 2's screen.

Ride start page. You can customize what you see here.

Here is the page where you can access data, add profiles, or input parameters.

Here is my page with my bicycles added. Each bike will have its own mileage.

So Far... I had a bit of difficulty with the Hammerhead online dashboard as it was giving me fits concerning a password. Their self-generated one, which I chose, did not work. Then I asked for a code to input my own password which they said was going to be e-mailed to me and I did not see an e-mail. (Checked spam folder, nothing!) So, that is an outstanding issue yet.

Otherwise I have no problems so far. The unit itself is easy to navigate, once you get by the intimidating first steps of figuring out what to do first. To be fair, the online site is a better way to step into ownership. Flying by the seat of your pants with the out-of-the-box experience is a bit tough at first.

The screen is bright! It seems easy to read so far, but I'll get back to you all once I've ridden with this thing. It seems to start up fairly quickly, mine took about a minute to fire up. It acquires a satellite signal fairly quickly as well. My Lezyne could take up to five minutes sometimes. The altitude setting can be manually input, but I chose the automatic set up and it came out spot on. So, everything seems to be pretty good. 

Maps were acquired via the cloud and I have not checked those out, but there again- I will be doing updates aplenty here on this unit as I go along. So, stay tuned for more on the Hammerhead Karoo 2 to come! In the meantime, if you have any questions, fire away.

Note: The Karoo 2 is a Holiday gift from my wife and Hammerhead has no idea I am even doing this review to my knowledge.

Hammerhead Karoo 2: Part 1

Smashed Lezyne Super, Karoo 2, iPhone 12 (L-R)

 Hammerhead Karoo 2 Review: Part 1

Last August my Lezyne Super got crushed in a mishap at Gravel Worlds. The search was on from then to get a GPS compatible computer for use on my adventures. 

Last September in this "FN&V" post, I mentioned the three GPS compatible computers that I was looking at. I ended up telling Mrs. Guitar Ted not long ago that the one I picked would be a great holiday gift for me. She concurred and so she purchased a Hammerhead Karoo 2 GPS computer for me. It arrived last Friday. This experience will be documented here as I get to know this computer and use it. I will comment as this review progresses. 

Why A Karoo 2? I landed on the Karoo 2 because it seemed to me to have the easiest to use UI (User Interface) and for me that is really important. Secondly, it is a nice size, and the graphics are color, and the display was said to be quite crisp and easy to read. Another very important point for me. Finally, I liked that the Karoo 2 had audible navigation prompts and that it did not require my phone to work that feature. 

The price is reasonable, and the company upgrades the unit's software on a regular basis. Also good points as I looked at this. Things I didn't like? Proprietary mount, (although there is a way to use Garmin-type mounts), it is a new company on the scene, (I don't have a track record to rely on), and subsequently this isn't a product with long term use out there either. 

First Impressions: The box is classy and the packaging is well thought out and largely devoid of anything you cannot recycle. In fact, there was very little other than cardboard here. Nice! While this is a rather fleeting thing to be happy about, it does matter to me that a company doesn't generate more waste than it needs to and what it does is recyclable. 

Secondly, the unit is.....well, not really all that impressive. I mean, we've all seen smart phones and devices that resemble a smart phone. The Karoo 2 is just another device in that it has a very nice, sleek, 'smart-phone-like' look. You can refer to the image above for size. That's an iPhone 12, just a stock issue one, not a Plus-size or a mini, so you can see that the Karoo 2 is somewhat smaller than that. It is thicker than an iPhone buy about 2.5X's. You can see also that the Karoo 2 is quite a bit larger than my old Lezyne computer as well. 

The first thing the unit did was update itself to the latest version of the software.

Start-Up: I grabbed the "User Manual" and checked it out first. If you get one of these don't bother reading it unless you want to understand all the warnings and stuff about batteries, etc. That's all that paper is worth. The real set up and 'manual'. if you will, comes as you get taken through the unit after power up. But first, right when you turn the unit on, it updates itself to the latest software. Cool! 

I should mention that on the Hammerhead site you can pre-set up your unit after you order it. I did not do that. I waited until the update was done, (about five minutes, probably less), and then the unit walked me through, well......it walked Mrs. Guitar Ted through the set-up. She grabbed it at about this point and did that stuff for me.

Not that I couldn't do it, but she is the tech-person in this relationship and well, she took over! Not that I mind, it's all good with me. But at any rate, it seemed to go without a hiccup for her until she handed it back to me when it came to preferences and whatnot. At that point I was prompted to add maps, choose how measurements were done, (metric, Imperial), and to add any apps I use. Simple enough. 

Once I chose all those things the system updated and it was ready to use. there is a virtual 'tour' of the functions that the Karoo 2 has which I went through. This, essentially, is the user manual. 

The UI for the Karoo 2 should be pretty intuitive for anyone that has a smart phone. Swipes and touch screen keyboard inputs, and four buttons on the case are how you navigate the Karoo 2. The touch screen is very sensitive and I had no issues with getting swipes and keyboard inputs to be recognized. In that way it seems to be on par with my iPhone experiences. 

The Karoo 2 allows you to add in your 'Rider Profile" and to input record keeping on any number of bicycles you want to add. This is rather useful for me as I have several bikes which get ridden throughout the year. I could have a 'stable' of bikes with my old Lezyne computer, but it would only hold information on four bikes. For many folks, that's plenty, but for myself it was limiting. 

It may be that I don't use many of the bike profiles and if I do not, it will be because I only have the one mount I can use now. I could swap the mount, (tedious, not very likely I will keep up with that), or I could see about getting some Garmin type mounts, which might be cheaper than the Karoo 2's mount. It also may be lighter and more compact too. That Karoo mount is a chunk! But the unit weighs 330+ grams too, so I get it. You definitely do not want this thing falling off your bike! Speaking of which- The Karoo 2 has a lanyard which you can use as a sort of safety in case the unit decides to jump ship. 

Following are a few more screen shots.....

Swipe left or right for another screen view. Lower left icon takes you to shut down prompt. Lower right arrow icon takes you to ride start page. My camera's sensor was a bit overwhelmed by the light intensity of the Karoo 2's screen.

Ride start page. You can customize what you see here.

Here is the page where you can access data, add profiles, or input parameters.

Here is my page with my bicycles added. Each bike will have its own mileage.

So Far... I had a bit of difficulty with the Hammerhead online dashboard as it was giving me fits concerning a password. Their self-generated one, which I chose, did not work. Then I asked for a code to input my own password which they said was going to be e-mailed to me and I did not see an e-mail. (Checked spam folder, nothing!) So, that is an outstanding issue yet.

Otherwise I have no problems so far. The unit itself is easy to navigate, once you get by the intimidating first steps of figuring out what to do first. To be fair, the online site is a better way to step into ownership. Flying by the seat of your pants with the out-of-the-box experience is a bit tough at first.

The screen is bright! It seems easy to read so far, but I'll get back to you all once I've ridden with this thing. It seems to start up fairly quickly, mine took about a minute to fire up. It acquires a satellite signal fairly quickly as well. My Lezyne could take up to five minutes sometimes. The altitude setting can be manually input, but I chose the automatic set up and it came out spot on. So, everything seems to be pretty good. 

Maps were acquired via the cloud and I have not checked those out, but there again- I will be doing updates aplenty here on this unit as I go along. So, stay tuned for more on the Hammerhead Karoo 2 to come! In the meantime, if you have any questions, fire away.

Note: The Karoo 2 is a Holiday gift from my wife and Hammerhead has no idea I am even doing this review to my knowledge.

Friday News And Views

 Ride With GPS Debuts New Technology:

This week Ride With GPS debuted a new "Surface Types" technology for route finding and planning that, in many ways, is the pinnacle of what many riders will want out of technology for route finding. 

What is most impressive, to my mind anyway, is that Ride With GPS thought this through and realized that the information necessary to make this work would largely need to be tweakable by the users themselves. This is because, as I have preached on for years, due to the fact that there is no currently available information which you can rely upon 100% for surface data. 

This is due to the fact that most all of the GPS road data to date is focused on where people will most likely be wanting information- namely paved highways and interstate highways. NOT on gravel and dirt roads, which, let's face it, only a very small percentage of people even care about. So, as a result I have found blockages of roads which occurred decades ago which are still listed as through-roads, or as having bridges, etc. That this misinformation on roads and surface types exists should be no surprise then. This is also why, when I have seen people touting 'route surface type resources' in the past who relied purely on data focused on and for pavement users, I cried foul. 

This new Surface Types feature on Ride With GPS will be similarly handcuffed- at first- But if users take the opportunity to edit and make suggestions, as Ride With GPS says they will be able to do, then all the other sector features, elevation data, and mileage splits for paved/unpaved bits will suddenly start to become what we've dreamed of having as a resource. A dream since the times of the earliest modern-day gravel grinder events. 

I have checked the routes I have saved (private) on Ride With GPS to see how it does. On some it is spot on. The gravel to pavement ratio is correct. But on some older routes it isn't picking up on the gravel that is really there in many spots. This is where the rider input will be critical. 

I believe Ride With GPS, due to its oft used integration with GPS navigation head units widely in use by cyclists and events now, will be successful where others were not. Time will tell....

The Search Continues:

Which brings me to GPS units for my uses. I've been doing a bunch of research, and THANK YOU to the readers here for your valuable suggestions, by the way. I really appreciate those and I have been informed greatly by what you have shared. 

So, where am I on all of this? Well, I have it slightly narrowed down to a Garmin 830, a Garmin 130, or the Karoo 2 from Hammerhead. Disparate choices, I know....

The Garmin 130 does more of what I want and less of what I do not want, but it is tiny, harder to see, (old eyes here!), and it doesn't have a color screen. Honestly, that all may not matter if prompts are audible during the turn by turn navigation. (I don't think that they are audible, but I cannot confirm this via the web so far) It also happens to be the least expensive option I am looking at as well. This makes buying the mounts it doesn't come with less of a pain. 

The 830 is bigger, has color screen display, and audible turn by turn navigation prompts. It also has alerts for help if I get into trouble, (something Mrs. Guitar Ted would like) and it has rerouting/back to start functions which would be kind of nice to have sometimes as well. It is more expensive though, and that is a concern. Along with it comes a slew of stuff I'll never use also. Maybe a 530 here?

Pretty much the same story with the Karoo 2 from Hammerhead. I like this one because it seems to be backed by a company that is trying to update the unit with newer features on a regular basis, (thus giving me more value for the money spent, potentially) and that perhaps bodes well for issues which Garmin and Wahoo seem to have which are not being addressed for their users. Should a Karoo 2 start 'locking up', I would hope that their aggressive plan to update their units in the field would address such an issue quickly. But again- it has lots of stuff I'll never use and it also is spendy to purchase. 

Still looking and researching.......

Mosaic Cycles Announces GT-X Series:

If you are a well heeled cyclist with a penchant for adventure cycling off-pavement then the new Mosaic Cycles GT-X series might be for you. Offered in a full custom, double butted titanium version or as a stock geometry, single wall version in titanium, the bikes are capable of being drop bar or flat bar, depending upon rider preference, due to the geometry having a longer front center than a standard drop bar bike would. 

Tire clearances are 29" X 2.25" or narrower, but keep in mind that the bottom bracket drop is 75mm, so a 650B set may not work, and Mosaic does not give any indication that it would either. However; while it does not give the 650B fans any love, this bike does go the non-sus corrected route, and I like that simplicity and aesthetic. 

But you'd better open the credit limits up. The base GT-2X is $4500.00 for the frame only, and a GT-1X frame and fork are nearly 7G!! Don't look at me to be one who will be getting one of these rigs. I don't make anywhere near the kind of income to be looking at such bikes!

Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Episode #91:

Keeping things local, Andy and I interviewed Dan Roberts of the Snaggy Ridge 105 gravel event recently. That event takes place October 2nd in Tipton, Iowa. 

I met Dan first at one of the Iowa Gravel Expos that N.Y. Roll and I put on a few years ago. He showed up to promote his event and has been to a couple of these since to do the same. It sounds like a great event and if you can get in, you should. I realize a LOT of stuff is going down in the Fall, but this event deserves your attention. 

Plus, RidingGravel.com is sponsoring it, and I am sending over some schwag to help support the event. So if you go you could score a few items and have a great day in the saddle to boot. Check it out!

Plus, you can listen to our podcast with Dan here. We had a lot of fun talking with him and playing our game called "Function or Fashion" as well. You can hear that podcast wherever you get your podcast feed from as also. Thanks!

This Wentworth tire comes in a 700 X 40 or 50mm and in 650B

American Classic Is Back! With Tires?!

 American Classic, the brand started by Bill Shook in 1982, was well known as a wheel and component company for years until slow sales in the business for them caused them to shutter the company in 2018. 

The assets of the company were offered for sale at that point along with all intellectual properties, but as of now no official industry news has been announced as to whether or not that sale has happened. Although this news article about the brand relaunch states that the sale did occur, but offers no clear details.

At any rate, now the brand appears to be back and with tires. Of course, they are selling gravel oriented tires and they offer quite a wide range from a mostly smooth treaded type to full-on, aggressive MTB-like tires. All offerings in their gravel range are available in 700c X 40mm, or 700c X 50mm widths along with 650B X 47mm sizes in black or tan wall sides. Prices are all the same, a paltry $35.00 per tire!

Comments: Wow! Tires? That pricing! Okay, here's the thing, with tire prices on the rise and many tires being out of stock, and with American Classic being a brand off the radar for a few years, this is probably an attention getting move - an introductory offer, if you will.  I am guessing the pricing, and stock of tires, will be gone rather quickly. Once the brand is established, (if it ever is as a tire brand), I suspect that you will see pricing increase dramatically. 

That 35 buck price - if the tires are decent - is basically at retail cost. I would be immensely surprised if they are making any money at that price, again- if the tires actually measure up to what the competition is offering. Normally gravel tires with high quality casings and rubber compounds are sold is at nearly double that 35 dollar price and even higher in some instances. I mean, you could be getting what you pay for here, which could be not-so-great.

As a brand relaunch, sticking to the gravel category, (with a small nod to the past with some road tires), and going with tires, (a BIG talking point on forums and websites), is a smart move. The buzz created by this launch is a good start. If the product is worthy, and if American Classic can sustain the force of this launch over the long haul, then they may have life for the long term. However; if the product turns out to be lackluster and their stock lists are depleted with no quick restocking? Ooof! It could be the greatest time to relaunch or the worst possible time to relaunch the brand. We will see....

But I have to give American Classic credit for this eye-opening relaunch. It is a pretty bold move. Also- they promise more components to come. Now we will see if it sticks.

And that's a wrap for this week! Have a fantastic weekend and thank you for reading G-Ted Productions!