Salsa Cycles Demo: Quick Impressions

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

Okay, I'm going to hit on some of the bikes I rode Monday at the Salsa Cycles demo held by Europa Cycle & Ski. These are merely impressions from short loops through flat, twisty, buff single track which George Wyth State Park is known for. I may also include comments overheard by others at the demo as well.

Overall: My first impression upon seeing the bikes was, "That's a LOT of carbon fiber!" Salsa Cycles, which had zero carbon fiber in its line up just four years ago now has a ton of it. What was once the "metal brand", with titanium, steel, and aluminum bikes, has become the "carbon fiber" brand, for better or worse. Yes- Salsa still has a few steel bikes, (Vaya, Marrakesh, and Fargo), but the titanium is all gone, and even the aluminum bikes are few in number compared to all the carbon fiber frames and forks the brand has now.

My other impression? "Holy cow! We've got a ton of wheel sizes to choose from now!" That needs no further elucidation.

NY Roll getting set up to test out a Pony Rustler. Yes, those are sandals. Damn Hippy!

 Pony Rustler: While this isn't a new rig for Salsa in 2017, it was by far the most pointed at when you asked "what was your favorite bike to ride today?" The PR has those fat 27.5+ wheels and the Split Pivot suspension. Many folks were amazed at how it wiped out all traces of bumps on the trail. I rode one and here are my thoughts:

The PR is a like a fish out of water here at George Wyth. It really needed rocks, ledges, drop ins, and some speedy down hills to bring out its personality. That said, the thing about full suspension bikes, and I get this from years of reviewing them at my former Twenty Nine Inches gig, is that you really need a couple of rides- good long rides- to really dial the thing in before you can say much about the platform with any gravity to your statements. I had my bike set up to spec by the capable Justin of Salsa Cycles, with proper sag, et cetera, but that was a set up for gnarly terrain. Not what George Wyth has. I felt the bike had potential, and probably would be a great rig, but in all seriousness, I just cannot say anything more than that.

Cutthroat: I was super fortunate that the only Cutthroat there was in my size. I set it up and took it for a fast paced spin of about 15-20 minutes. This bike uses the VRS Class 5 rear stay set up like the Warbird, only beefed up a bit. It is a bike meant to carry a load with frame bags and do off road touring, but it is finding its way into the gravel bike world as well. Note: Carbon Cutthroat is basically what the Ti Fargo was. I wouldn't ever expect Salsa Cycles would ever bring that model back, despite the adamant calls from Salsa that this isn't a "Carbon Fargo" and titanium has been hinted at as maybe coming back. I say no way. This is a Carbon Fargo which, for all intents and purposes is the replacement bike for the Ti Fargo. One ride told me that.

The Cutthroat I rode. A very nice, lightweight "Carbon Fargo".

It's very light, for sure. Especially if you were to spec nice wheels. It's a very responsive bike to pedal input, like a road carbon frame might feel like. And the rear end? Yes, there is a definite feeling of give at times, but as I say, this demo was over mostly buff dirt. A good gravel stomping may reveal other things. The geometry is great. I could use this bike here easily as my "everything bike". Single track, gravel, road commuting. Even the Firestarter fork felt somewhat compliant. I would take a serious look at this bike for long gravel racing or riding. I really, really liked this bike.

Nits: I got the rear end to steer a little differently than the front was going once. It was distinct, and felt like a very flexy wheel. I suspect it was induced by the Schwalbe Thunderburt climbing up a bit of "U" shaped rut in the back while I was trying to steer in the opposite direction. It reminded me of how full suspension 29"ers used to feel in the rear six or seven years ago. I likely wouldn't notice this after riding it more, but it jumped out at me on this test ride. Might be the wheel twisting a bit, or the frame flexing oddly, or.......likely both. Other than this, I really liked this bike with one major reservation- it is carbon fiber. Try riding it on an adventure in Tama County clay a few times, or in like situations at Odin's Revenge where I had so much mud stuck on the tires it ground the Fargo to a dead stop. Gritty mud grinding on carbon chain stays doesn't sound like my idea of "keeping the bike around a long time". Your mileage may vary. Maybe I'm being too cautious, but this is one argument for a titanium or steel bike that isn't going to go away easily. Other than that, this is the bike I would have come home with.

Ahh! More carbon fiber! The Woodsmoke in repose.

Woodsmoke: Probably the oddest bike Salsa has made since that tri-bike/time trial bike they had called the "El Go-Go" back 15 years ago or so. (Really. Check that out sometime)

This is the bike Salsa is making a big deal about, and the radical looking hard tail is definitely an eye catcher. But......how does it ride? I wasn't sure I would be able to speak to this well, since there was no size large to demo, and only this XL was anywhere close to my size. I gave it a go anyway......

I'll tell you one thing, and this has been a perennial issue with Salsa Cycles hard tail mountain bikes and myself, but the sizing of their hard tails and me seem off somehow or another. I had little stand over on this rig, but the reach was dead nuts.  I cannot imagine riding a Large after riding this one with stock stem installed. I likely would need a longer stem on a large, and that kind of defeats the purpose of the "new geometry" for hard tails. Weird..... Even my similarly sized friend thought the same thing, so it isn't just me, I guess.

Out on the trail, the bike spun up far easier than I expected, but it wasn't that "snap", that instant power forward feeling that the Cutthroat had.  It kind of had a wind up to it. Like a flexible metal frame might have. Weird. Something was flexing.

Elevated chain stay bikes have a history going waaaaay back to the 1980's. If you research them, you will find that almost all of the designs, and there were many, had a similar characteristic- flexy bottom brackets. The Woodsmoke has a "half an elevated chain stay" design, and on powering down with the left leg, I could get the rear wheel to almost touch", but not quite, the left chain stay. So, there was the culprit for the "wind up" that I was feeling. No big deal, but it is there. My friend that rode it afterward saw the same thing, and another taller rider actually got the stay to scrape off some mud from the tire that was stuck to it. Is it a flexy wheel? Hmm..... Could be. Something was making the wheel go left though, and not right in the same manner. That's all I can say.

Other than that, the bike was a hoot to ride and easily the best 29+ experience I've had to date. I'm not a solid 29+ kind of guy, but I could ride this bike. It was not as fun as say, the Borealis Echo I rode with 29+ wheels, but it was close. Pops wheelies if you barely try, and is rather fun on twisty single track. BIG triangle for frame bags. Could be a cool bikepacking rig.

Stock image courtesy of Salsa Cycles of a Timberjack

Timberjack: I was super bummed but there was nothing I could ride in a Timberjack frame. My smaller sized friends there could though and they both gave the bike a big thumbs up saying things like it was really fun and a playful, easy to wheelie machine.

To my mind, this bike is the sleeper in the line up. It retails for $1500.00 in the 27.5+ set up and 1G in 29"er guise. It has modern trail geometry, and should be fun to ride for years. Yes......it is aluminum. Big deal. I guess that doesn't bother me when you think about how this bike is to be used.

I like that it uses typical double diamond frame design. Elevated chain stays, even "half elevated chain stays", have not passed the test of time. Maybe I could take a chance, but Woodsmokes are very expensive to get in to, and they won't do anything "better" than this format, unless you are splitting hairs. 27.5+ wheels are faster to spin up, and unless you are Yeti sized, I think they make a smarter choice, especially for folks under 6 foot tall. That's why I was so hoping to try a Timberjack, but that will have to wait till later. Maybe I'll run across one later this Fall.......

Stock image for the Rival Carbon Warbird courtesy of Salsa Cycles

Carbon Warbird: I got to ride the Rival equipped Carbon Warbird around. It was maybe one size smaller than I should have, but it felt really close to "right". Anyway....

I have ridden the aluminum Warbird enough to know that the VRS Class 5 system works. The carbon version is supposed to be better. It probably is, but again, I couldn't really say with any authority based upon the trails we rode. It did have awesome snap and acceleration like the Cutthroat. I thought it felt really good and racy.

The deal with the Warbirds now is that the tire clearances are what they should have always been from the beginning, but they are not a super versatile rig. No rack mounts. no good way to single speed it in the field, and well......it is carbon fiber. (See concerns I voiced above in the Cutthroat take.) But if I rode a lot of pavement and wanted a legit gravel road going capable bike, I would ride this bike all over. There really is nothing wanting in its intended design and purpose. Maybe if they could figure out a way to reduce front end vibrations a bit more, ala Trek's Domane, but other than that, this is a solid choice for fast or competitive gravel road riding.

Muluk Carbon, image courtesy of Salsa Cycles.

Mukluk Carbon X1: I rode the Matte Army Green Mukluk Carbon x1 at the demo and this was to test whether or not there was enough of a "gee-whiz" factor over my Blackborow DS to make me want to save my pennies for this new model. Thankfully for my meager bank account balance, it will be safe from having to sacrifice itself for this rig.

Not because it isn't great. It is. I just don't see any big benefits to going to a carbon frame set, at least not for me. I would much rather get into some fine, lighter weight wheels, and maybe those might have carbon rims. But the new carbon Mukluk feels much like the Blackborow.  I think the cavernous frame opening is a big deal for those who need the space. If it came down to that need, I would pop for this carbon version. I just don't need that much space.

Conclusions: The Woodsmoke has me unconvinced. The Timberjack is a question yet to be answered, and the Pony Rustler, while awesome, is not something I'd get a lot of use out of here. So, as I stated above, the Cutthroat would be the bike I would bring home. It has single track manners that are awesome. It is very fast. It is lightweight compared to any Fargo. It could be a gravel rider's dream. It can handle a massive frame bag. I like it a lot, but I could never take it anywhere I felt it would be messy and wet. Mentally I just cannot go there with carbon fiber because I have seen and heard about chain stays getting ground through and I just cannot abide by that.

But that's me. You maybe do not have those concerns. Otherwise, the Cutthroat is a great rig. I'd love to be able to have one for awhile.

Salsa Cycles Demo: Quick Impressions

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

Okay, I'm going to hit on some of the bikes I rode Monday at the Salsa Cycles demo held by Europa Cycle & Ski. These are merely impressions from short loops through flat, twisty, buff single track which George Wyth State Park is known for. I may also include comments overheard by others at the demo as well.

Overall: My first impression upon seeing the bikes was, "That's a LOT of carbon fiber!" Salsa Cycles, which had zero carbon fiber in its line up just four years ago now has a ton of it. What was once the "metal brand", with titanium, steel, and aluminum bikes, has become the "carbon fiber" brand, for better or worse. Yes- Salsa still has a few steel bikes, (Vaya, Marrakesh, and Fargo), but the titanium is all gone, and even the aluminum bikes are few in number compared to all the carbon fiber frames and forks the brand has now.

My other impression? "Holy cow! We've got a ton of wheel sizes to choose from now!" That needs no further elucidation.

NY Roll getting set up to test out a Pony Rustler. Yes, those are sandals. Damn Hippy!

 Pony Rustler: While this isn't a new rig for Salsa in 2017, it was by far the most pointed at when you asked "what was your favorite bike to ride today?" The PR has those fat 27.5+ wheels and the Split Pivot suspension. Many folks were amazed at how it wiped out all traces of bumps on the trail. I rode one and here are my thoughts:

The PR is a like a fish out of water here at George Wyth. It really needed rocks, ledges, drop ins, and some speedy down hills to bring out its personality. That said, the thing about full suspension bikes, and I get this from years of reviewing them at my former Twenty Nine Inches gig, is that you really need a couple of rides- good long rides- to really dial the thing in before you can say much about the platform with any gravity to your statements. I had my bike set up to spec by the capable Justin of Salsa Cycles, with proper sag, et cetera, but that was a set up for gnarly terrain. Not what George Wyth has. I felt the bike had potential, and probably would be a great rig, but in all seriousness, I just cannot say anything more than that.

Cutthroat: I was super fortunate that the only Cutthroat there was in my size. I set it up and took it for a fast paced spin of about 15-20 minutes. This bike uses the VRS Class 5 rear stay set up like the Warbird, only beefed up a bit. It is a bike meant to carry a load with frame bags and do off road touring, but it is finding its way into the gravel bike world as well. Note: Carbon Cutthroat is basically what the Ti Fargo was. I wouldn't ever expect Salsa Cycles would ever bring that model back, despite the adamant calls from Salsa that this isn't a "Carbon Fargo" and titanium has been hinted at as maybe coming back. I say no way. This is a Carbon Fargo which, for all intents and purposes is the replacement bike for the Ti Fargo. One ride told me that.

The Cutthroat I rode. A very nice, lightweight "Carbon Fargo".

It's very light, for sure. Especially if you were to spec nice wheels. It's a very responsive bike to pedal input, like a road carbon frame might feel like. And the rear end? Yes, there is a definite feeling of give at times, but as I say, this demo was over mostly buff dirt. A good gravel stomping may reveal other things. The geometry is great. I could use this bike here easily as my "everything bike". Single track, gravel, road commuting. Even the Firestarter fork felt somewhat compliant. I would take a serious look at this bike for long gravel racing or riding. I really, really liked this bike.

Nits: I got the rear end to steer a little differently than the front was going once. It was distinct, and felt like a very flexy wheel. I suspect it was induced by the Schwalbe Thunderburt climbing up a bit of "U" shaped rut in the back while I was trying to steer in the opposite direction. It reminded me of how full suspension 29"ers used to feel in the rear six or seven years ago. I likely wouldn't notice this after riding it more, but it jumped out at me on this test ride. Might be the wheel twisting a bit, or the frame flexing oddly, or.......likely both. Other than this, I really liked this bike with one major reservation- it is carbon fiber. Try riding it on an adventure in Tama County clay a few times, or in like situations at Odin's Revenge where I had so much mud stuck on the tires it ground the Fargo to a dead stop. Gritty mud grinding on carbon chain stays doesn't sound like my idea of "keeping the bike around a long time". Your mileage may vary. Maybe I'm being too cautious, but this is one argument for a titanium or steel bike that isn't going to go away easily. Other than that, this is the bike I would have come home with.

Ahh! More carbon fiber! The Woodsmoke in repose.

Woodsmoke: Probably the oddest bike Salsa has made since that tri-bike/time trial bike they had called the "El Go-Go" back 15 years ago or so. (Really. Check that out sometime)

This is the bike Salsa is making a big deal about, and the radical looking hard tail is definitely an eye catcher. But......how does it ride? I wasn't sure I would be able to speak to this well, since there was no size large to demo, and only this XL was anywhere close to my size. I gave it a go anyway......

I'll tell you one thing, and this has been a perennial issue with Salsa Cycles hard tail mountain bikes and myself, but the sizing of their hard tails and me seem off somehow or another. I had little stand over on this rig, but the reach was dead nuts.  I cannot imagine riding a Large after riding this one with stock stem installed. I likely would need a longer stem on a large, and that kind of defeats the purpose of the "new geometry" for hard tails. Weird..... Even my similarly sized friend thought the same thing, so it isn't just me, I guess.

Out on the trail, the bike spun up far easier than I expected, but it wasn't that "snap", that instant power forward feeling that the Cutthroat had.  It kind of had a wind up to it. Like a flexible metal frame might have. Weird. Something was flexing.

Elevated chain stay bikes have a history going waaaaay back to the 1980's. If you research them, you will find that almost all of the designs, and there were many, had a similar characteristic- flexy bottom brackets. The Woodsmoke has a "half an elevated chain stay" design, and on powering down with the left leg, I could get the rear wheel to almost touch", but not quite, the left chain stay. So, there was the culprit for the "wind up" that I was feeling. No big deal, but it is there. My friend that rode it afterward saw the same thing, and another taller rider actually got the stay to scrape off some mud from the tire that was stuck to it. Is it a flexy wheel? Hmm..... Could be. Something was making the wheel go left though, and not right in the same manner. That's all I can say.

Other than that, the bike was a hoot to ride and easily the best 29+ experience I've had to date. I'm not a solid 29+ kind of guy, but I could ride this bike. It was not as fun as say, the Borealis Echo I rode with 29+ wheels, but it was close. Pops wheelies if you barely try, and is rather fun on twisty single track. BIG triangle for frame bags. Could be a cool bikepacking rig.

Stock image courtesy of Salsa Cycles of a Timberjack

Timberjack: I was super bummed but there was nothing I could ride in a Timberjack frame. My smaller sized friends there could though and they both gave the bike a big thumbs up saying things like it was really fun and a playful, easy to wheelie machine.

To my mind, this bike is the sleeper in the line up. It retails for $1500.00 in the 27.5+ set up and 1G in 29"er guise. It has modern trail geometry, and should be fun to ride for years. Yes......it is aluminum. Big deal. I guess that doesn't bother me when you think about how this bike is to be used.

I like that it uses typical double diamond frame design. Elevated chain stays, even "half elevated chain stays", have not passed the test of time. Maybe I could take a chance, but Woodsmokes are very expensive to get in to, and they won't do anything "better" than this format, unless you are splitting hairs. 27.5+ wheels are faster to spin up, and unless you are Yeti sized, I think they make a smarter choice, especially for folks under 6 foot tall. That's why I was so hoping to try a Timberjack, but that will have to wait till later. Maybe I'll run across one later this Fall.......

Stock image for the Rival Carbon Warbird courtesy of Salsa Cycles

Carbon Warbird: I got to ride the Rival equipped Carbon Warbird around. It was maybe one size smaller than I should have, but it felt really close to "right". Anyway....

I have ridden the aluminum Warbird enough to know that the VRS Class 5 system works. The carbon version is supposed to be better. It probably is, but again, I couldn't really say with any authority based upon the trails we rode. It did have awesome snap and acceleration like the Cutthroat. I thought it felt really good and racy.

The deal with the Warbirds now is that the tire clearances are what they should have always been from the beginning, but they are not a super versatile rig. No rack mounts. no good way to single speed it in the field, and well......it is carbon fiber. (See concerns I voiced above in the Cutthroat take.) But if I rode a lot of pavement and wanted a legit gravel road going capable bike, I would ride this bike all over. There really is nothing wanting in its intended design and purpose. Maybe if they could figure out a way to reduce front end vibrations a bit more, ala Trek's Domane, but other than that, this is a solid choice for fast or competitive gravel road riding.

Muluk Carbon, image courtesy of Salsa Cycles.

Mukluk Carbon X1: I rode the Matte Army Green Mukluk Carbon x1 at the demo and this was to test whether or not there was enough of a "gee-whiz" factor over my Blackborow DS to make me want to save my pennies for this new model. Thankfully for my meager bank account balance, it will be safe from having to sacrifice itself for this rig.

Not because it isn't great. It is. I just don't see any big benefits to going to a carbon frame set, at least not for me. I would much rather get into some fine, lighter weight wheels, and maybe those might have carbon rims. But the new carbon Mukluk feels much like the Blackborow.  I think the cavernous frame opening is a big deal for those who need the space. If it came down to that need, I would pop for this carbon version. I just don't need that much space.

Conclusions: The Woodsmoke has me unconvinced. The Timberjack is a question yet to be answered, and the Pony Rustler, while awesome, is not something I'd get a lot of use out of here. So, as I stated above, the Cutthroat would be the bike I would bring home. It has single track manners that are awesome. It is very fast. It is lightweight compared to any Fargo. It could be a gravel rider's dream. It can handle a massive frame bag. I like it a lot, but I could never take it anywhere I felt it would be messy and wet. Mentally I just cannot go there with carbon fiber because I have seen and heard about chain stays getting ground through and I just cannot abide by that.

But that's me. You maybe do not have those concerns. Otherwise, the Cutthroat is a great rig. I'd love to be able to have one for awhile.

Friday News And Views

2017 Anthem X Advanced- Image courtesy of Giant Bicycles

How's That Crow Tasting, Sir?

Okay, first of all, since I am a fan of history, I like to take stories I see in context of history. That way, I feel, we are getting a truer picture of what is going on today. Take, for instance, the quiet refocus on 29"ers from Giant Bicycles.

Giant made waves three years ago when they steadfastly said that 27.5"ers were going to supplant 26" and 29" wheels in their line up of mountain bikes. They basically said that all other wheel sizes would be phased out eventually and that they were going to focus future mtb development on the "tweener' wheel size. Now we see that Giant has turned back on those sentiments and have reintroduced 29"ers into their XC categories.

Okay, so what's the deal here? Well, I think you have to look at two points in history concerning Giant and wheel sizes that may help us make sense of it all. First was the very late entry of Giant to the world of 29"er sales. Giant didn't get into the 29"er game until 2010 with a modest line of hard tail bikes. They arguably were the very last bicycle company of note to enter the 29"er market, which by this time was dominated by Trek/Fisher, and to a lesser degree, Specialized, and every other bicycle maker of note. At the same time, moves were underway to deep six the 26 inch wheeled, long travel mountain bike as the choice for mountain bike riding in the back country and even for competitive, gravity oriented mountain biking. What we didn't know in 2010 was that in two years the 27.5"er, "enduro" bike would be the newest darling of the industry on the dirt side. Which leads to the second point.....

B+ wheels on an OS Bikes Blackbuck: Image courtesy of Bob Poor.

The genesis of this whole B+/27.5+ thing goes back to a chance meeting I had with a fellow by the name of Bob Poor in 2011 at the Interbike Outdoor Demo. I was poked in the back and I turned around to see Bob, (who, if you don't know, has a previous history with big wheels you can read about HERE) who had a very simplistic sketch of a wheel size idea. Using a 584ISO rim and a big, 2.8" tire, Bob theorized that a fatter, cushier, more tractable mtb tire could be slotted into many 29"er hard tail bikes. A "mid-fat" idea, that wouldn't require a new frame, like 29+ did. I liked his train of thought. Bob let on that he had presented the idea to WTB and that they were at work on the idea. I was told to sit on that info, but that it was going to happen. Someday......

So, it made sense that Giant would ditch the different wheel sizes for 27.5 and run with that idea, since the "enduro" thing was happening full tilt by 2013. What Giant hadn't bargained on was that 29"ers weren't going away, and that B+/27.5+ was coming along and would upset the apple cart. The enduring nature of 29"ers caught the attention of these very same "enduro" cycling athletes who pushed to try bigger wheels at these events. Eventually, serious rigs were produced which garnered serious results. So much so that we now have 29"er long travel enduro machines like Trek's Slash 29. Of course, we all know what the impact of B+ wheels has been. So it comes that Giant was essentially put into a corner on their own with the "only 27.5" wheels thing.

So, now they quietly come back with 29"ers. Will their be plus bikes and longer travel 29"ers in their future? We will see......

For another take on this, read the Bike Hugger's article here.

Salsa Cycles Demo Tour: 

2017 Salsa Cycles Timberjack

 I just wanted to give a bit of space here to say that Salsa cycles is coming to Waterloo/Cedar Falls with their demo truck chock full of 2017 bicycles to try out and drool over. There will be Timberjacks, Woodsmokes, Fargos, Bucksaws, Mukluks, and maybe a Pony Rustler or two. You can ride them on the trails of George Wyth State Park from 4:00pm till 7:00pm on Monday, August 15th.

For details go to the Facebook Page Here.

It is a great chance to actually feel and see the newest 2017 stuff from Salsa Cycles. The Woodsmoke is the incredible, raised chain stay, 29+ machine that can also handle 27.5+ and 29"er wheels, the Timberjack is the new 29'er or 27.5+ modern hard tail- slack and long in front, short and steep in the rear- that should make for a playful, fun bike. These two models are brand new, never before seen here bicycles that I think will be exciting to check out.

I'm not sure that there will be any touring Marrakesh's or Vayas on the truck, since I was told it was going to be heavy on the mtb/fat bike side of the equation, but Europa Cycle & Ski does have both of those models on their floor so you can always go there to check those out.

Remember- 4:00pm to 7:00pm only, so don't be late! I'll be there as well, in case you'd like to meet me and say "hello".

Thanks and have a great weekend, y'all!

Friday News And Views

2017 Anthem X Advanced- Image courtesy of Giant Bicycles

How's That Crow Tasting, Sir?

Okay, first of all, since I am a fan of history, I like to take stories I see in context of history. That way, I feel, we are getting a truer picture of what is going on today. Take, for instance, the quiet refocus on 29"ers from Giant Bicycles.

Giant made waves three years ago when they steadfastly said that 27.5"ers were going to supplant 26" and 29" wheels in their line up of mountain bikes. They basically said that all other wheel sizes would be phased out eventually and that they were going to focus future mtb development on the "tweener' wheel size. Now we see that Giant has turned back on those sentiments and have reintroduced 29"ers into their XC categories.

Okay, so what's the deal here? Well, I think you have to look at two points in history concerning Giant and wheel sizes that may help us make sense of it all. First was the very late entry of Giant to the world of 29"er sales. Giant didn't get into the 29"er game until 2010 with a modest line of hard tail bikes. They arguably were the very last bicycle company of note to enter the 29"er market, which by this time was dominated by Trek/Fisher, and to a lesser degree, Specialized, and every other bicycle maker of note. At the same time, moves were underway to deep six the 26 inch wheeled, long travel mountain bike as the choice for mountain bike riding in the back country and even for competitive, gravity oriented mountain biking. What we didn't know in 2010 was that in two years the 27.5"er, "enduro" bike would be the newest darling of the industry on the dirt side. Which leads to the second point.....

B+ wheels on an OS Bikes Blackbuck: Image courtesy of Bob Poor.

The genesis of this whole B+/27.5+ thing goes back to a chance meeting I had with a fellow by the name of Bob Poor in 2011 at the Interbike Outdoor Demo. I was poked in the back and I turned around to see Bob, (who, if you don't know, has a previous history with big wheels you can read about HERE) who had a very simplistic sketch of a wheel size idea. Using a 584ISO rim and a big, 2.8" tire, Bob theorized that a fatter, cushier, more tractable mtb tire could be slotted into many 29"er hard tail bikes. A "mid-fat" idea, that wouldn't require a new frame, like 29+ did. I liked his train of thought. Bob let on that he had presented the idea to WTB and that they were at work on the idea. I was told to sit on that info, but that it was going to happen. Someday......

So, it made sense that Giant would ditch the different wheel sizes for 27.5 and run with that idea, since the "enduro" thing was happening full tilt by 2013. What Giant hadn't bargained on was that 29"ers weren't going away, and that B+/27.5+ was coming along and would upset the apple cart. The enduring nature of 29"ers caught the attention of these very same "enduro" cycling athletes who pushed to try bigger wheels at these events. Eventually, serious rigs were produced which garnered serious results. So much so that we now have 29"er long travel enduro machines like Trek's Slash 29. Of course, we all know what the impact of B+ wheels has been. So it comes that Giant was essentially put into a corner on their own with the "only 27.5" wheels thing.

So, now they quietly come back with 29"ers. Will their be plus bikes and longer travel 29"ers in their future? We will see......

For another take on this, read the Bike Hugger's article here.

Salsa Cycles Demo Tour: 

2017 Salsa Cycles Timberjack

 I just wanted to give a bit of space here to say that Salsa cycles is coming to Waterloo/Cedar Falls with their demo truck chock full of 2017 bicycles to try out and drool over. There will be Timberjacks, Woodsmokes, Fargos, Bucksaws, Mukluks, and maybe a Pony Rustler or two. You can ride them on the trails of George Wyth State Park from 4:00pm till 7:00pm on Monday, August 15th.

For details go to the Facebook Page Here.

It is a great chance to actually feel and see the newest 2017 stuff from Salsa Cycles. The Woodsmoke is the incredible, raised chain stay, 29+ machine that can also handle 27.5+ and 29"er wheels, the Timberjack is the new 29'er or 27.5+ modern hard tail- slack and long in front, short and steep in the rear- that should make for a playful, fun bike. These two models are brand new, never before seen here bicycles that I think will be exciting to check out.

I'm not sure that there will be any touring Marrakesh's or Vayas on the truck, since I was told it was going to be heavy on the mtb/fat bike side of the equation, but Europa Cycle & Ski does have both of those models on their floor so you can always go there to check those out.

Remember- 4:00pm to 7:00pm only, so don't be late! I'll be there as well, in case you'd like to meet me and say "hello".

Thanks and have a great weekend, y'all!

Salsa Cycles Demo Tour Report

Salsa Cycles Demo Tour @ Geo Wyth State Park

Friday evening was the time set for the Salsa Cycles Demo Tour to hit the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area. This was a great opportunity for folks to get acquainted with the brand and for them to try out some of the products on dirt or paved trails.

It was also an opportunity that several of the shop's staff made an effort to check out as well.

I think everyone had a pretty good time, but it was touch and go there with regard to the weather. In the end, it turned out just fine.

I rode my Salsa Cycles Fargo Gen II bike over and as I arrived I saw the Sprinter van and our Salsa Cycles rep, Aaron standing outside chatting on the cell phone. After he had closed his call, I found out the guys had just arrived as well. So, Aaron, the Campy rep, and I set out to getting the demo set up and ready for folks to come and check out. As we were getting things lined up, it sprinkled on us, and although the weather looked okay, you always wonder how sketchy weather will affect things like an outdoor demo of bicycles.

Apparently, it was okay, because we had several folks start showing up and checking out bikes right away. There was some talk of getting me out on some Fulcrum wheels, but I ended up becoming so busy setting up folks with rides that I never got that chance. That's okay though.

Of all the rigs on demo, probably the most ridden were the titanium models. In an era of "carbon this" and "carbon that", I think folks are intrigued by the gray metallic frames and how they might ride.

I'm not sure about this, but however you do it, carbon fiber bikes look and feel like "plastic" many times. Their shapes, which are amazing, don't get me wrong, are "plastic" looking, not what we traditionally see as a Bicycle frame. So maybe titanium, with its decidedly "metal" look, appeals to our basic instincts as far as how we define what a bicycle is. Maybe I'm smokin' crack too. I dunno.....

Anyway.....people were jazzed about titanium Mukluks and El Mariachis that were available to ride test. The lone Fargo also got raves. Steel El Mariachis were also hot items and tested a bunch. Finally, the Horsethief and Spearfish bikes were well received and I was honestly surprised by that, seeing as how we don't really have "big" or even rough trails in the State Park. Still, some of the biggest hoots and hollers out in the woods were for these bikes. 

But for a few minutes there, it almost looked like it would get shut down. Lightning flashed, thunder pealed, and rain drops fell. However; we just kept on keepin' on, and although we got "damp", it never rained hard enough to wet the pavement, and the storms let us be.

My boss with his resto Falcon hiding from the rain.

Later on I set out with four others on my mini-adventure ride. I gave some historical back ground on some of the trails in the area while we enjoyed tacky dirt, bike trail, some gravel, and the occasional sandy spot or two.

I wasn't going to push for an epic ride, since time was limited, but we were gone over an hour, so I guess we rode a fair piece! Everyone seemed to have a good time.

Finally it was time to roll back to the demo area though. I went back at a bit higher pace to push the new Conti X-Kings I had set up on the Fargo tubeless to see how they would hold up. They actually did well, but I think I need to bump up the front tire pressure a hair. They sure are a supple feeling tire, I'll say that much right now.

When we arrived back at the demo, I noticed a co-worker's bike still sitting there. Hmm.....he had left on a demo ride before our group ride had left, so well over an hour had gone by. We made a few casual jokes about his taking the bike home, but I was a bit nervous about his whereabouts. Suddenly someone exclaimed, "There he is!". He had obviously had some issue, because he was shouldering the bike. Turns out the derailleur hangar had bent in slightly and allowed the derailleur to over shift into the spokes. No major carnage, but the chain was jammed so badly behind the cassette, he couldn't ride it. Of course, he was at his furthest point from the demo when it happened.

Other than that, things were deemed successful. The Salsa guys were happy, I was happy, and everyone that came out seemed to have a good time. Thanks Salsa Cycles for coming out to share the bikes and have some good times with us.

Salsa Cycles Demo Tour Report

Salsa Cycles Demo Tour @ Geo Wyth State Park

Friday evening was the time set for the Salsa Cycles Demo Tour to hit the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area. This was a great opportunity for folks to get acquainted with the brand and for them to try out some of the products on dirt or paved trails.

It was also an opportunity that several of the shop's staff made an effort to check out as well.

I think everyone had a pretty good time, but it was touch and go there with regard to the weather. In the end, it turned out just fine.

I rode my Salsa Cycles Fargo Gen II bike over and as I arrived I saw the Sprinter van and our Salsa Cycles rep, Aaron standing outside chatting on the cell phone. After he had closed his call, I found out the guys had just arrived as well. So, Aaron, the Campy rep, and I set out to getting the demo set up and ready for folks to come and check out. As we were getting things lined up, it sprinkled on us, and although the weather looked okay, you always wonder how sketchy weather will affect things like an outdoor demo of bicycles.

Apparently, it was okay, because we had several folks start showing up and checking out bikes right away. There was some talk of getting me out on some Fulcrum wheels, but I ended up becoming so busy setting up folks with rides that I never got that chance. That's okay though.

Of all the rigs on demo, probably the most ridden were the titanium models. In an era of "carbon this" and "carbon that", I think folks are intrigued by the gray metallic frames and how they might ride.

I'm not sure about this, but however you do it, carbon fiber bikes look and feel like "plastic" many times. Their shapes, which are amazing, don't get me wrong, are "plastic" looking, not what we traditionally see as a Bicycle frame. So maybe titanium, with its decidedly "metal" look, appeals to our basic instincts as far as how we define what a bicycle is. Maybe I'm smokin' crack too. I dunno.....

Anyway.....people were jazzed about titanium Mukluks and El Mariachis that were available to ride test. The lone Fargo also got raves. Steel El Mariachis were also hot items and tested a bunch. Finally, the Horsethief and Spearfish bikes were well received and I was honestly surprised by that, seeing as how we don't really have "big" or even rough trails in the State Park. Still, some of the biggest hoots and hollers out in the woods were for these bikes. 

But for a few minutes there, it almost looked like it would get shut down. Lightning flashed, thunder pealed, and rain drops fell. However; we just kept on keepin' on, and although we got "damp", it never rained hard enough to wet the pavement, and the storms let us be.

My boss with his resto Falcon hiding from the rain.

Later on I set out with four others on my mini-adventure ride. I gave some historical back ground on some of the trails in the area while we enjoyed tacky dirt, bike trail, some gravel, and the occasional sandy spot or two.

I wasn't going to push for an epic ride, since time was limited, but we were gone over an hour, so I guess we rode a fair piece! Everyone seemed to have a good time.

Finally it was time to roll back to the demo area though. I went back at a bit higher pace to push the new Conti X-Kings I had set up on the Fargo tubeless to see how they would hold up. They actually did well, but I think I need to bump up the front tire pressure a hair. They sure are a supple feeling tire, I'll say that much right now.

When we arrived back at the demo, I noticed a co-worker's bike still sitting there. Hmm.....he had left on a demo ride before our group ride had left, so well over an hour had gone by. We made a few casual jokes about his taking the bike home, but I was a bit nervous about his whereabouts. Suddenly someone exclaimed, "There he is!". He had obviously had some issue, because he was shouldering the bike. Turns out the derailleur hangar had bent in slightly and allowed the derailleur to over shift into the spokes. No major carnage, but the chain was jammed so badly behind the cassette, he couldn't ride it. Of course, he was at his furthest point from the demo when it happened.

Other than that, things were deemed successful. The Salsa guys were happy, I was happy, and everyone that came out seemed to have a good time. Thanks Salsa Cycles for coming out to share the bikes and have some good times with us.

Friday News And Views

Salsa Cycles Demo Tour:

Today is the day! At 4pm the demo starts at Geoorge Wyth State Park at the "turnaround", Lodge", "shelter", or whatever you know the "end of the road" at the park as. Just drive all the way back in- you'll find it eventually.

You'll get to ride Fargos, Vayas, Mukluks, Spearfish, and Horsethief 29"ers and maybe get an idea of what Salsa is up to next year if you ask nice.

Come on out and bring your I.D., credit card, pedals and shoes, a helmet, and sign a waiver to get a chance to test ride on dirt or pavement right there in Geo Wyth.

And don't forget- I'll be leading a Mini-Fargo/Vaya Adventure Ride at 6:00pm. The ride will take about an hour and will be a modified loop that will take in parts of both sides of the Cedar River.  Hope to see ya'all there. It should be a good time.

Tragic deer suicide!

Guess He Wasn't Rudolph After All: Wednesday I was riding an errand and I took my usual route westward which leads me across an open field and then down into a "ditch" and to the Sergeant Road bike path right as it goes underneath University Avenue.

I stopped short, just before dropping into the ditch, when I saw a young buck laying on its side. I thought at first it was sleeping, but upon closer inspection, I could see that it was, in fact, dead.

I then assumed that perhaps it had been hit by a car up on the overpass, then thrown over the barricade to the ground below. However, there were no signs of an impact. An impact that would have damaged this deer severely had it occurred. I think it actually was disoriented, scared, and tried to jump off the road, only to fall to an untimely death.

I took the image here the following morning on my way to work. By the way- by the time I came home yesterday it had bloated severely, and was decomposing at a rapid rate, leading me to believe that when I saw it Wednesday, I had only just missed the actual leap of death.

I guess I'll find an alternative route for a bit until this "clears up" a little!

Crusty.....

Bio-Hazards, Dirty Triathletes, and Other Disgusting Things: I've said for a long time that folks that wrench on bicycles should get some "bio-hazard pay". Here's a great example of why I think that.

This saddle was to be replaced by the saddle next to it. The old saddle was really crusty. Did it get that way just sitting in the sun.....or some "other way"? Brrr! I don't even want to know, but I had to do the job. Old bar tape that is crustified is another good one to deal with. Oh.....and cleaning tri-bikes tops all of these. Mechanics will know exactly what I mean here.

Oh! But then there is the ancient faux-sheep's hide seat cover! You know- the one someone has been sweating on for ten biking seasons and the owner wants you to save it to transfer to the new bike? Gah! I hate that.

All these things and folks that wear helmets for years without ever washing them just freak me out a bit. (Not to mention the fact that after about 3-4 years the helmet is no good anymore anyway.) All part of the cycling culture, but ya gotta wonder if these same folks are wearing the same socks and underwear everyday, and never washing, or if they slop their food all over their homes like they do their bicycles. (At least I don't have to clean that up if they do!)

 3GR: The 3GR ride will happen from Gateway Park at 8:30am Saturday morning. I'll be doing the route we did the last time we rode from Gateway which should be about two hours or so in length.

It should be pretty hot, so bring plenty of fluids! The roads are dusty but in excellent shape now, so come on out for some fun gravel riding. NOTE: If it is windy out of the south, I have a more east-west rote we may end up doing instead. Also- if the threat of an imminent thunderstorm exists, I won't be coming, but otherwise I will be there Saturday.

Okay- that's a wrap for today. I hope you have some fun on a bicycle this weekend, and if you are local- why not come on over and check out the Salsa bikes? 

Friday News And Views

Salsa Cycles Demo Tour:

Today is the day! At 4pm the demo starts at Geoorge Wyth State Park at the "turnaround", Lodge", "shelter", or whatever you know the "end of the road" at the park as. Just drive all the way back in- you'll find it eventually.

You'll get to ride Fargos, Vayas, Mukluks, Spearfish, and Horsethief 29"ers and maybe get an idea of what Salsa is up to next year if you ask nice.

Come on out and bring your I.D., credit card, pedals and shoes, a helmet, and sign a waiver to get a chance to test ride on dirt or pavement right there in Geo Wyth.

And don't forget- I'll be leading a Mini-Fargo/Vaya Adventure Ride at 6:00pm. The ride will take about an hour and will be a modified loop that will take in parts of both sides of the Cedar River.  Hope to see ya'all there. It should be a good time.

Tragic deer suicide!

Guess He Wasn't Rudolph After All: Wednesday I was riding an errand and I took my usual route westward which leads me across an open field and then down into a "ditch" and to the Sergeant Road bike path right as it goes underneath University Avenue.

I stopped short, just before dropping into the ditch, when I saw a young buck laying on its side. I thought at first it was sleeping, but upon closer inspection, I could see that it was, in fact, dead.

I then assumed that perhaps it had been hit by a car up on the overpass, then thrown over the barricade to the ground below. However, there were no signs of an impact. An impact that would have damaged this deer severely had it occurred. I think it actually was disoriented, scared, and tried to jump off the road, only to fall to an untimely death.

I took the image here the following morning on my way to work. By the way- by the time I came home yesterday it had bloated severely, and was decomposing at a rapid rate, leading me to believe that when I saw it Wednesday, I had only just missed the actual leap of death.

I guess I'll find an alternative route for a bit until this "clears up" a little!

Crusty.....

Bio-Hazards, Dirty Triathletes, and Other Disgusting Things: I've said for a long time that folks that wrench on bicycles should get some "bio-hazard pay". Here's a great example of why I think that.

This saddle was to be replaced by the saddle next to it. The old saddle was really crusty. Did it get that way just sitting in the sun.....or some "other way"? Brrr! I don't even want to know, but I had to do the job. Old bar tape that is crustified is another good one to deal with. Oh.....and cleaning tri-bikes tops all of these. Mechanics will know exactly what I mean here.

Oh! But then there is the ancient faux-sheep's hide seat cover! You know- the one someone has been sweating on for ten biking seasons and the owner wants you to save it to transfer to the new bike? Gah! I hate that.

All these things and folks that wear helmets for years without ever washing them just freak me out a bit. (Not to mention the fact that after about 3-4 years the helmet is no good anymore anyway.) All part of the cycling culture, but ya gotta wonder if these same folks are wearing the same socks and underwear everyday, and never washing, or if they slop their food all over their homes like they do their bicycles. (At least I don't have to clean that up if they do!)

 3GR: The 3GR ride will happen from Gateway Park at 8:30am Saturday morning. I'll be doing the route we did the last time we rode from Gateway which should be about two hours or so in length.

It should be pretty hot, so bring plenty of fluids! The roads are dusty but in excellent shape now, so come on out for some fun gravel riding. NOTE: If it is windy out of the south, I have a more east-west rote we may end up doing instead. Also- if the threat of an imminent thunderstorm exists, I won't be coming, but otherwise I will be there Saturday.

Okay- that's a wrap for today. I hope you have some fun on a bicycle this weekend, and if you are local- why not come on over and check out the Salsa bikes? 

Demo Tour Visit Soon!

Local Plug: 

Salsa Cycles is bringing their demo truck full-o-bikes to Geo Wyth State Park on Friday, June 29th from 4pm till 8pm. 

You can show up, demo a Salsa Cycles bike like a Fargo, Vaya, or Spearfish and test them on Geo Wyth's excellent single track or paved bike paths and service roads.

If you decide to show up, bring your pedals and cycling gear. (Helmets required), and check out these fine bikes. The shop I work at is a Salsa Cycles dealer and this is being done in conjunction with them.Update: Thanks to a comment by "Dave", I am also reminded that you should bring along a credit card. (Precautionary measure in case you ride the bike off into the sunset, never to return. Hint- You'll pay for it!)

Bonus: As an extra special bonus, I will be leading a mini-Fargo/Vaya Adventure Ride which should take in parts of Geo Wyth, the bike paths, and Hartman Reserve. The loop will be about 12-15 miles long and will help folks understand the capabilities of the Fargo and Vaya  bikes.

The Fargo/Vaya Adventure Ride will be technically pretty easy, and there will be stops along the way so I can give some pointers on what the bikes are capable of as we ride through single track, back roads, and paved areas.

Tha Fargo/Vaya mini-Adventure Ride will start about 6pm and should take a little over an hour or so. Helmets required, and waivers signed at the demo truck before you can join. Any questions? Hit me up in the comments section.

See ya on the 29th!

Demo Tour Visit Soon!

Local Plug: 

Salsa Cycles is bringing their demo truck full-o-bikes to Geo Wyth State Park on Friday, June 29th from 4pm till 8pm. 

You can show up, demo a Salsa Cycles bike like a Fargo, Vaya, or Spearfish and test them on Geo Wyth's excellent single track or paved bike paths and service roads.

If you decide to show up, bring your pedals and cycling gear. (Helmets required), and check out these fine bikes. The shop I work at is a Salsa Cycles dealer and this is being done in conjunction with them.Update: Thanks to a comment by "Dave", I am also reminded that you should bring along a credit card. (Precautionary measure in case you ride the bike off into the sunset, never to return. Hint- You'll pay for it!)

Bonus: As an extra special bonus, I will be leading a mini-Fargo/Vaya Adventure Ride which should take in parts of Geo Wyth, the bike paths, and Hartman Reserve. The loop will be about 12-15 miles long and will help folks understand the capabilities of the Fargo and Vaya  bikes.

The Fargo/Vaya Adventure Ride will be technically pretty easy, and there will be stops along the way so I can give some pointers on what the bikes are capable of as we ride through single track, back roads, and paved areas.

Tha Fargo/Vaya mini-Adventure Ride will start about 6pm and should take a little over an hour or so. Helmets required, and waivers signed at the demo truck before you can join. Any questions? Hit me up in the comments section.

See ya on the 29th!