Review: Ritchey Design SuperLogic Carbon Venturemax Handlebar

The SuperLogic Carbon Venturemax Handlebar

 Recently Ritchey Design put out the news that they now offer a SuperLogic Carbon version of their Venturemax drop handlebar. I was asked if I would like to have a sample sent to me for test and review and I said that I would. So, here we are. 

Ritchey Design sent over a SuperLogic Carbon Venturemax Handlebar for test and review at no charge. I am not being paid nor bribed for this review and I will always strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout. 

I have had a Venturemax alloy bar for several years now and while it was out of rotation for use for a bit I decided to use it on my Honeman Flyer recently. The handlebar brought back good memories of how the Venturemax's flare, slight sweep in the extensions, and the "bio-bend" worked to give me comfort on gravel rides. So, when I saw that Ritchey had given this model the SuperLogic Carbon treatment, I was all-in.

The WCS Carbon allowed Ritchey to dial in 4° of backsweep to the tops.

The use of carbon allowed Ritchey to tweak the design of the Venturemax in ways that would be difficult, very expensive, or impossible to do in alloy. Obviously there is the flattened tops section. By the way, you may want to brush up on the drop bar terminology I use by checking out this article HERE.

Another area that Ritchey was able to massage a bit because of the use of carbon was in the area of the Bio-Bend, the bump in the drops' extensions that defines the look of the Venturemax. It is slightly different than the alloy version's "bump". You also get a 4° backsweep to the tops for better ergonomic fit, a 24° flare to the drops, and interestingly you also get a 6° sweep to the extensions which Ritchey confusingly calls a "flare out". Sweep to the extensions is a rare feature in a flared drop bar, so I took notice of that immediately. 

Internal routing is now an option and the stem and lever clamp areas are nicely textured to prevent movement of components.

The gradations on the drops aid in setting up lever controls.

The reach and drop figures for this bar are shallow and short at 102mm of drop and 76mm of reach. These are some of the most minimal figures in reach and drop you can find. Other features of the SuperLogic Carbon Venturemax are the compatibility with Shimano's EW RS910 Junction box, a 31.8mm clamp diameter, and a claimed weight of 228 grams for the 42cm width. 

These bars are measured a bit differently for width as Ritchey takes the measurement at the initial bend, at the outer edge of the bars, rather than where the hoods would be located. This means that the bars will sit in your hands at the hoods a little narrower than you'd expect. So, for example, the bars I was sent are "46cm" bars. Now the ramps of the drops are lined up with the 6° of sweep in the extensions, meaning that anything following that line will be narrower forward of the tops section. This puts the levers at a canted inward position if you line the levers up with the extensions. Anyone familiar with Salsa Woodchippers knows how this works, although in that case the situation was more extreme. I estimate that these feel a bit more like a 45cm bars in the hoods than a 46cm bar from another brand would feel. So, not a big deal, but it is notable. Also it needs to be pointed out the the extensions are wider than this, with the 24 degrees of flare.

The widths available are 40cm, 42cm, 44cm, and 46cm.  The price for the SuperLogic Carbon Venturemax Handlebar is $249.95 USD. 

First Impressions:

The SuperLogic Carbon Venturemax feels familiar in my hands, as it should since it is pretty close to the alloy version. The flattened tops section should prove to be a comfortable addition to this handlebar, but there is a compromise to this as it limits the area you have to clamp on accessory items. 

There are several ports and holes for the Shimano Di2 feature that are molded into this bar. Everything related to these looks crisply and cleanly executed. These ports also give you a glimpse of the inner portion of the handlebar which looks as clean and smooth as the outside, albeit you see the carbon weave inside and a plain matte finish outside. 

The marketing blurb on the SuperLogic Carbon Venturemax page mentions touring and single track, giving one the impression that this bar is intended for everything from pavement to mild singletrack usage. This gives me the impression that any of my typical gravel rides won't be an issue for the integrity and lifespan of this handlebar. 

I popped the handlebar on my digital scale and it showed me 249 grams for the 46cm width I was sent. That seems pretty fair in my view as this is a wider bar than the one Ritchey based their weight estimate on. I'm not going to grouse over grams as it matters not to me if the bar is super-lightweight if the ride quality is poor. That ride quality bit will be determined later on, obviously. 

I really like that Ritchey used a textured surface for the stem and the levers to grip on to. That and the gradations for positioning the levers is very much appreciated. There is nothing like having that bug in the back of your mind that suggests that your levers are not at the same level. I'd rather not go that route, so the gradations are a nice feature in my opinion. 

Now to get these mounted to a bicycle and start riding. Stay tuned for that to happen soon.

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!

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!

Like A Modernized Gen I

The Tumbleweed Stargazer. Image courtesy of Tumbleweed Bikes.

 In 2008 I laid eyes on my first Fargo. It was ridden to a Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational ride that year at Hickory Hills County Park in Iowa, just a wee bit South of where I live. 

The bike's rider, Jason Boucher, then the Brand Manager of Salsa Cycles, was a very proud 'papa' that day. He was getting out Salsa's latest bike, a bike that would help to redefine the company, give it its own legacy under QBP's ownership, and arguably was the bike that kicked off the whole bikepacking/adventure biking craze which is still happening to this day. 

We got to see an actual production prototype, which was just how the bike came out later in the Fall that year. But we didn't get to see the model name. Jason had covered that up so loose lips could not spill the beans on the bike's name. What he used to cover that name up with- a strip of black electrical tape- became the bike's unofficial name for about a month and a half. "Black Electrical Tape" was a big hit already with many of us 29"er/gravel freaks, and when the name "Fargo" was revealed, well the enthusiasm for this bike was enormous. 

Since that Summer sneak-peek at the GTDRI, the Fargo has gone on to become the longest lived model in Salsa's line. It is there for good reason. The bike is versatile, comfortable, and does what it does very well. However; there was never a bike- a "Fargo Gen I" - like that 2008/9-2010 one. After Salsa started tweaking the bike, all that charm and non-suspension corrected glory went missing. 

The Singular Gryphon- Not influenced by the Fargo!

There have been many very similar bikes which have graced the Earth's byways introduced since. The Singular Gryphon, designed simultaneously alongside the Fargo's timeline, was not influenced by the Fargo. But it never really gained the notoriety that the Fargo did. However; since the Fargo/Gryphon introductions in the late 2000's, we've seen plenty of other players taking cues from the drop bar MTB/Gravel/Bikepacking pages which were largely written by Salsa's Fargo. 

The Bombtrack Beyond, Kona Sutra, Breezer Radar, and many others have tried to bring that Fargo-flavor. Some do it well, others.....? meh! There was just something about those earliest Fargo bikes and many are still coveted rides to this day. However; 2008 was a long time ago in terms of bicycle technologies and standards. So those older Gen I Fargo bikes are starting to get a little long in the tooth. 

Well, Tumbleweed Bikes, who have had one model, the Prospector, for several years now, have just announced a new, drop bar design for fat 27.5" wheels or big 29"er wheels. It's called the Stargazer, but you can totally see this as what a 2008/2009 Fargo would be like if it were updated to 2021 standards. 

 The Stargazer can fit 27.5 X 3.0" tires. (29'ers shown) Image courtesy of Tumbleweed Bikes

The Stargazer has Boost spaced axles front and rear, and those are through axles, of course. There is dropper post routing. The head tube has a 44mm internal diameter to accommodate a tapered steer tube fork. Of course, this final detail could be seen as a regression, but the frame is 1X compatible only. That's the 'modern way' folks, so many will see that as an 'update'. 

But many things which endeared the Fargo Gen I to its fans are still here in the Stargazer. First and foremost is the non-suspension corrected steel fork with a 440mm axle to crown. That fork also has rack mounts along with the triple bosses which are ubiquitous on adventure bikes these days. Rear rack bosses are there, as well as the under-the-downtube bottle bosses. The longer head tube gets those drops up where an adventure biker wants them without the janky 'stack-o-spacers' look. The fork and head angle are right out of the Fargo Gen I stats- 69° and 55mm of offset. 

And the frame and fork are steel, of course. NOT aluminum, not carbon, and nothing weird here- just steel. If you are going after that Fargo theme, steel is a requisite frame and fork material. It is just the way that it is. 

I like that this bike can be fitted with big, fat 27.5" tires or the 2.5" X 29"er tires. I know some may wish for those 3.0" 29"er+ tires, but honestly, those are getting on to be dinosaurs in the bicycle world these days. 29+ is pretty much on its way out, and I can see why Tumbleweed chose to stop at 2.5" for clearance on 29"ers. 

Here's my verdict- At the asking price, this frame and fork is a steal. I think it nails the look and geo numbers are so close, that this may as well be a Fargo Gen I updated. But.....I do not need this! My Gen I Fargo is still a good bike. My Ti Muk can cover a lot of what the Gen I does not. Plus, I'd rather put my money towards a Rohloff "Summer" wheel set for the Ti Muk someday rather than get a whole 'nuther bike, which would be redundant. But for you? Maybe this tics a lot of boxes. Tumbleweed Bikes website.

Like A Modernized Gen I

The Tumbleweed Stargazer. Image courtesy of Tumbleweed Bikes.

 In 2008 I laid eyes on my first Fargo. It was ridden to a Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational ride that year at Hickory Hills County Park in Iowa, just a wee bit South of where I live. 

The bike's rider, Jason Boucher, then the Brand Manager of Salsa Cycles, was a very proud 'papa' that day. He was getting out Salsa's latest bike, a bike that would help to redefine the company, give it its own legacy under QBP's ownership, and arguably was the bike that kicked off the whole bikepacking/adventure biking craze which is still happening to this day. 

We got to see an actual production prototype, which was just how the bike came out later in the Fall that year. But we didn't get to see the model name. Jason had covered that up so loose lips could not spill the beans on the bike's name. What he used to cover that name up with- a strip of black electrical tape- became the bike's unofficial name for about a month and a half. "Black Electrical Tape" was a big hit already with many of us 29"er/gravel freaks, and when the name "Fargo" was revealed, well the enthusiasm for this bike was enormous. 

Since that Summer sneak-peek at the GTDRI, the Fargo has gone on to become the longest lived model in Salsa's line. It is there for good reason. The bike is versatile, comfortable, and does what it does very well. However; there was never a bike- a "Fargo Gen I" - like that 2008/9-2010 one. After Salsa started tweaking the bike, all that charm and non-suspension corrected glory went missing. 

The Singular Gryphon- Not influenced by the Fargo!

There have been many very similar bikes which have graced the Earth's byways introduced since. The Singular Gryphon, designed simultaneously alongside the Fargo's timeline, was not influenced by the Fargo. But it never really gained the notoriety that the Fargo did. However; since the Fargo/Gryphon introductions in the late 2000's, we've seen plenty of other players taking cues from the drop bar MTB/Gravel/Bikepacking pages which were largely written by Salsa's Fargo. 

The Bombtrack Beyond, Kona Sutra, Breezer Radar, and many others have tried to bring that Fargo-flavor. Some do it well, others.....? meh! There was just something about those earliest Fargo bikes and many are still coveted rides to this day. However; 2008 was a long time ago in terms of bicycle technologies and standards. So those older Gen I Fargo bikes are starting to get a little long in the tooth. 

Well, Tumbleweed Bikes, who have had one model, the Prospector, for several years now, have just announced a new, drop bar design for fat 27.5" wheels or big 29"er wheels. It's called the Stargazer, but you can totally see this as what a 2008/2009 Fargo would be like if it were updated to 2021 standards. 

 The Stargazer can fit 27.5 X 3.0" tires. (29'ers shown) Image courtesy of Tumbleweed Bikes

The Stargazer has Boost spaced axles front and rear, and those are through axles, of course. There is dropper post routing. The head tube has a 44mm internal diameter to accommodate a tapered steer tube fork. Of course, this final detail could be seen as a regression, but the frame is 1X compatible only. That's the 'modern way' folks, so many will see that as an 'update'. 

But many things which endeared the Fargo Gen I to its fans are still here in the Stargazer. First and foremost is the non-suspension corrected steel fork with a 440mm axle to crown. That fork also has rack mounts along with the triple bosses which are ubiquitous on adventure bikes these days. Rear rack bosses are there, as well as the under-the-downtube bottle bosses. The longer head tube gets those drops up where an adventure biker wants them without the janky 'stack-o-spacers' look. The fork and head angle are right out of the Fargo Gen I stats- 69° and 55mm of offset. 

And the frame and fork are steel, of course. NOT aluminum, not carbon, and nothing weird here- just steel. If you are going after that Fargo theme, steel is a requisite frame and fork material. It is just the way that it is. 

I like that this bike can be fitted with big, fat 27.5" tires or the 2.5" X 29"er tires. I know some may wish for those 3.0" 29"er+ tires, but honestly, those are getting on to be dinosaurs in the bicycle world these days. 29+ is pretty much on its way out, and I can see why Tumbleweed chose to stop at 2.5" for clearance on 29"ers. 

Here's my verdict- At the asking price, this frame and fork is a steal. I think it nails the look and geo numbers are so close, that this may as well be a Fargo Gen I updated. But.....I do not need this! My Gen I Fargo is still a good bike. My Ti Muk can cover a lot of what the Gen I does not. Plus, I'd rather put my money towards a Rohloff "Summer" wheel set for the Ti Muk someday rather than get a whole 'nuther bike, which would be redundant. But for you? Maybe this tics a lot of boxes. Tumbleweed Bikes website.

PSA: Change Your Drop Bar Tape (More) Often

This is a roll of handle bar tape. You need to get used to seeing this more.

There is a strange undercurrent in the bicycling world where cyclists seem to want to be frugal and not spend money on maintenance when in reality it is in their best interests to do so. I could name several areas of concern, but possibly one of the most concerning is where people insist on making their handle bar tape last, well.......apparently forever. 

This isn't just me saying some cyclists have poor taste, (although one could make that argument here), no- It is much more than that. It is unsanitary, and potentially unsafe from a catastrophic failure standpoint. Let's take a closer look......

When you ride, you sweat. That sweat goes .......somewhere. It either evaporates into the air, gets absorbed by your clothing, or it drips off on to several different places. One of the most common places on a drop bar bike that sweat ingresses is at the hoods/handle bar area. Your bar tape absorbs this sweat, generally, and keeps that sweat trapped against the (usually) aluminum bar where it starts to corrode the bar. This causes what is known as "crevice corrosion" of the aluminum. If left unchecked, this corrosion can cause catastrophic failure of aluminum handle bars. What happens when your handle bar suddenly fails? You don't want to find out. This is especially troublesome with those who use indoor cycling training apps and ride stationary for much of the cooler weather months.

Recently N.Y. Roll had his bike worked on and it required that he have his bars unwrapped. This revealed some nasty corrosion, and in fact, his bar fell in two pieces during this unwrapping! I actually saw the bar and it was about the thickness of a pop can at the point where it had corroded away. N.Y. Roll was lucky, and I bet he will be wrapping his bars more often now.

So, why do people get upset when their handle bar tape doesn't last two years? (Unless they ride only a couple hundred miles a year, then, yeah) I don't get it. Cheapo handle bar tape is actually not too bad these days and you can get a set of rolls to cover your bars for less than three fancy IPA's at a bar. I dunno..... I just don't see the logic in trying to make it over a year on one roll of tape. It just isn't sanitary, (think of wearing the same underwear for a year!), or safe. Why take the risk?

Oh, you say you can't wrap your bars? If you want to learn, it isn't that hard to do. Don't want to bother? Have someone you know that has the skill do it, or, ya know.....your local bike shop could do this. But at any rate, just don't run the same tape for more than a season. It's gross if you do and potentially not safe. Besides, you can change up the look of your bike, use different colors, or, ya know, just be the same-ol-same-ol and use black. Whatever you do, change that bar tape more often!

PSA: Change Your Drop Bar Tape (More) Often

This is a roll of handle bar tape. You need to get used to seeing this more.

There is a strange undercurrent in the bicycling world where cyclists seem to want to be frugal and not spend money on maintenance when in reality it is in their best interests to do so. I could name several areas of concern, but possibly one of the most concerning is where people insist on making their handle bar tape last, well.......apparently forever. 

This isn't just me saying some cyclists have poor taste, (although one could make that argument here), no- It is much more than that. It is unsanitary, and potentially unsafe from a catastrophic failure standpoint. Let's take a closer look......

When you ride, you sweat. That sweat goes .......somewhere. It either evaporates into the air, gets absorbed by your clothing, or it drips off on to several different places. One of the most common places on a drop bar bike that sweat ingresses is at the hoods/handle bar area. Your bar tape absorbs this sweat, generally, and keeps that sweat trapped against the (usually) aluminum bar where it starts to corrode the bar. This causes what is known as "crevice corrosion" of the aluminum. If left unchecked, this corrosion can cause catastrophic failure of aluminum handle bars. What happens when your handle bar suddenly fails? You don't want to find out. This is especially troublesome with those who use indoor cycling training apps and ride stationary for much of the cooler weather months.

Recently N.Y. Roll had his bike worked on and it required that he have his bars unwrapped. This revealed some nasty corrosion, and in fact, his bar fell in two pieces during this unwrapping! I actually saw the bar and it was about the thickness of a pop can at the point where it had corroded away. N.Y. Roll was lucky, and I bet he will be wrapping his bars more often now.

So, why do people get upset when their handle bar tape doesn't last two years? (Unless they ride only a couple hundred miles a year, then, yeah) I don't get it. Cheapo handle bar tape is actually not too bad these days and you can get a set of rolls to cover your bars for less than three fancy IPA's at a bar. I dunno..... I just don't see the logic in trying to make it over a year on one roll of tape. It just isn't sanitary, (think of wearing the same underwear for a year!), or safe. Why take the risk?

Oh, you say you can't wrap your bars? If you want to learn, it isn't that hard to do. Don't want to bother? Have someone you know that has the skill do it, or, ya know.....your local bike shop could do this. But at any rate, just don't run the same tape for more than a season. It's gross if you do and potentially not safe. Besides, you can change up the look of your bike, use different colors, or, ya know, just be the same-ol-same-ol and use black. Whatever you do, change that bar tape more often!

Bike Iowa Pogie Lites Reviewed

A while back I mentioned that the good folks behind Bike Iowa had sent me some of their Pogie Lites. These are basically loosely based on the traditional "pogie", or handle bar covering, which keeps wind and weather off your hands to aid in keeping warm and dry. If you care to know the origins of this sort of product, Neil Beltchenko wrote a bit about the history of this product for Bikepacker.com and you can read that HERE.

Pogies for cycling have become big, stiffer, and somewhat unwieldy in some cases, making them useful only in special situations. Bike Iowa's Scott Sumpter saw this and sought to make a pogie that would be useful in other situations than Arctic type weather. A pogie that was more wide ranging in use, one that wouldn't be cumbersome to remove during a ride, or install during a ride. A pogie for four seasons and not just for flat bar equipped bicycles. Scott had a tall order, but now offers the solution he came up with called Pogie Lites.

Made in "Central Iowa", the $75.00 Pogie Lites are shaped much like traditional pogies with a cinch strap made of webbing which is on the end with the "Bike Iowa" logo. This end goes over your controls and cinches down on your handle bar. The other opening, the wider one, has a structure sewn inside, (a wire, I'm guessing) which keeps the opening, well.......open. This is important for ingress and egress for your hands during riding. This end also features a corded closure with a toggle to tighten the cord down around your wrist. This is similar in nature to what you'd find on most sporting outerwear jackets.

Pogie Lites on my flat bar Ti Mukluk

Bike Iowa claims these light weight pogies fit flat bars, drop bars, or the unusual Jones Bar, of which I have examples of all three here. First up we have a traditional flat bar set up here. I used my Ti Mukluk with the Pogie Lites.

They are super easy to install. The strap on the handle bar is easily loosened to get over the controls and easily tightened to seal out cold winds and weather. The extra strapping can be lodged in the hook and through a loop sewn into the collar. I was impressed with how quickly this all went.

The structure which holds the other end open allows you to sneak your hand in and draw up the pogie over your hand. There is a bit of a learning curve to this part, but once you get the hang of it, one handed operation is easy while the other hand is on the handle bar. While riding it is easy to pull out your hand for any reason and replace it again inside of the pogie. I have to say that you become painfully aware of how often you actually do this when you get pogies of any sort. Kind of like when you start out on a fixed gear bicycle, you are reminded how much of the time you are coasting. Anyway.....

Pogie Lites live up to their name in several ways. First off, they weigh about 3 ounces. The are made of a lightweight material, although it isn't specified on their website what it is exactly. The material is very flexible and that's where the magic of these comes in at. This lightweight, flexible material allows for a few things that typical pogies for cycling do not. One is how you can operate your bicycle's controls from outside the pogie. So, for instance, let's say that you removed your hand to swipe that pesky bit of mucus dangling from your nostril and suddenly you need to brake. You can by grasping the lever from the outside of the pogie. You simply just smash the fabric around the lever and squeeze as you would anyway. It isn't ideal, obviously, but in a pinch, yeah.....it'll work. 

The Pogie Lite on drop bars

This was very evident when I put the Pogie Lites on a set of drop bars so I could use the drops primarily. You can also put them on in the "opposite direction" so your hands would be in a primarily hoods position. But as I had them oriented, I could withdraw my hand from within the Pogie Lite and set my hands on the hoods. I could use the levers for braking and shifting, despite the fact they were covered up. Obviously, you could do this with them oriented in the other position as well, but I haven't tried them that way yet.

I also put the Pogie Lites on my Blackborow DS fat bike which has Jones carbon H-Bars. The Pogie Lites fit these bars very well and in the end, I think they actually worked the best with Jones Bars. But that was only by a slight amount. They really work great on about any bar. Well, just about any bar........

I will say that putting these on the drop bars was a challenge in the way I did it since the smaller end has to go on first, and it has to pass over the brake lever and hood. Some of these brakes with knobby hood protrusions, like SRAM Hydro levers, probably won't fit the Pogie Lites the way I had them oriented. That's only a guess right now though. We have a bike at the shop I should check this out with, but the Pogie Lites barely cleared the hoods on the Sora levers on the Breezer RADAR Expert. Obviously, they probably would be a no-go on levers with side exiting derailleur cables too. I doubt I'd like these on a Gevenalle equipped rig either. Finally, I could see where some folks just wouldn't "get it" when it comes to these as well. Like I said, there is a bit of skill involved in getting on with them and some folks just can't be arsed to figure things out. That's fine.

As far as comfort went, I kept the wind off my hands easily with the Pogie Lites. Therefore my hands were warmer. I didn't use my heavy gloves, but since the Pogie Lites are not insulated at all, I did wear some insulated gloves when I rode with temperatures varying from the teens to the 30's.

The Pogie Lites are really easy to install and remove, plus they are really very packable. You could fold them carefully and stuff them in a jersey pocket easily. Obviously there are a lot of places these could be stowed. I can see just having them along for almost any cool to cold ride in the country, for varied weather commutes, or for fat biking anytime unless it is really crazy windy, way below zero, or both. If that's the case, an insulated pogie is probably the best bet.

In the end, I think this is a very interesting, very useful product that gravel riders, commuters, racers, bike packers, or anyone that wants a bit of comfort in their cycling could make use of. It is a simple product, durable, and easy to take care of. Plus, it is made in the USA by some pretty cool folks I happen to know. That doesn't make Pogie Lites better, it's just icing on the cake, so to speak. Anyway, these are highly recommended. I like 'em.

 Note: I was sent the Pogie Lites for test and review at no charge by Bike Iowa. I was not paid, nor bribed for this review, and I always strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.

Bike Iowa Pogie Lites Reviewed

A while back I mentioned that the good folks behind Bike Iowa had sent me some of their Pogie Lites. These are basically loosely based on the traditional "pogie", or handle bar covering, which keeps wind and weather off your hands to aid in keeping warm and dry. If you care to know the origins of this sort of product, Neil Beltchenko wrote a bit about the history of this product for Bikepacker.com and you can read that HERE.

Pogies for cycling have become big, stiffer, and somewhat unwieldy in some cases, making them useful only in special situations. Bike Iowa's Scott Sumpter saw this and sought to make a pogie that would be useful in other situations than Arctic type weather. A pogie that was more wide ranging in use, one that wouldn't be cumbersome to remove during a ride, or install during a ride. A pogie for four seasons and not just for flat bar equipped bicycles. Scott had a tall order, but now offers the solution he came up with called Pogie Lites.

Made in "Central Iowa", the $75.00 Pogie Lites are shaped much like traditional pogies with a cinch strap made of webbing which is on the end with the "Bike Iowa" logo. This end goes over your controls and cinches down on your handle bar. The other opening, the wider one, has a structure sewn inside, (a wire, I'm guessing) which keeps the opening, well.......open. This is important for ingress and egress for your hands during riding. This end also features a corded closure with a toggle to tighten the cord down around your wrist. This is similar in nature to what you'd find on most sporting outerwear jackets.

Pogie Lites on my flat bar Ti Mukluk

Bike Iowa claims these light weight pogies fit flat bars, drop bars, or the unusual Jones Bar, of which I have examples of all three here. First up we have a traditional flat bar set up here. I used my Ti Mukluk with the Pogie Lites.

They are super easy to install. The strap on the handle bar is easily loosened to get over the controls and easily tightened to seal out cold winds and weather. The extra strapping can be lodged in the hook and through a loop sewn into the collar. I was impressed with how quickly this all went.

The structure which holds the other end open allows you to sneak your hand in and draw up the pogie over your hand. There is a bit of a learning curve to this part, but once you get the hang of it, one handed operation is easy while the other hand is on the handle bar. While riding it is easy to pull out your hand for any reason and replace it again inside of the pogie. I have to say that you become painfully aware of how often you actually do this when you get pogies of any sort. Kind of like when you start out on a fixed gear bicycle, you are reminded how much of the time you are coasting. Anyway.....

Pogie Lites live up to their name in several ways. First off, they weigh about 3 ounces. The are made of a lightweight material, although it isn't specified on their website what it is exactly. The material is very flexible and that's where the magic of these comes in at. This lightweight, flexible material allows for a few things that typical pogies for cycling do not. One is how you can operate your bicycle's controls from outside the pogie. So, for instance, let's say that you removed your hand to swipe that pesky bit of mucus dangling from your nostril and suddenly you need to brake. You can by grasping the lever from the outside of the pogie. You simply just smash the fabric around the lever and squeeze as you would anyway. It isn't ideal, obviously, but in a pinch, yeah.....it'll work. 

The Pogie Lite on drop bars

This was very evident when I put the Pogie Lites on a set of drop bars so I could use the drops primarily. You can also put them on in the "opposite direction" so your hands would be in a primarily hoods position. But as I had them oriented, I could withdraw my hand from within the Pogie Lite and set my hands on the hoods. I could use the levers for braking and shifting, despite the fact they were covered up. Obviously, you could do this with them oriented in the other position as well, but I haven't tried them that way yet.

I also put the Pogie Lites on my Blackborow DS fat bike which has Jones carbon H-Bars. The Pogie Lites fit these bars very well and in the end, I think they actually worked the best with Jones Bars. But that was only by a slight amount. They really work great on about any bar. Well, just about any bar........

I will say that putting these on the drop bars was a challenge in the way I did it since the smaller end has to go on first, and it has to pass over the brake lever and hood. Some of these brakes with knobby hood protrusions, like SRAM Hydro levers, probably won't fit the Pogie Lites the way I had them oriented. That's only a guess right now though. We have a bike at the shop I should check this out with, but the Pogie Lites barely cleared the hoods on the Sora levers on the Breezer RADAR Expert. Obviously, they probably would be a no-go on levers with side exiting derailleur cables too. I doubt I'd like these on a Gevenalle equipped rig either. Finally, I could see where some folks just wouldn't "get it" when it comes to these as well. Like I said, there is a bit of skill involved in getting on with them and some folks just can't be arsed to figure things out. That's fine.

As far as comfort went, I kept the wind off my hands easily with the Pogie Lites. Therefore my hands were warmer. I didn't use my heavy gloves, but since the Pogie Lites are not insulated at all, I did wear some insulated gloves when I rode with temperatures varying from the teens to the 30's.

The Pogie Lites are really easy to install and remove, plus they are really very packable. You could fold them carefully and stuff them in a jersey pocket easily. Obviously there are a lot of places these could be stowed. I can see just having them along for almost any cool to cold ride in the country, for varied weather commutes, or for fat biking anytime unless it is really crazy windy, way below zero, or both. If that's the case, an insulated pogie is probably the best bet.

In the end, I think this is a very interesting, very useful product that gravel riders, commuters, racers, bike packers, or anyone that wants a bit of comfort in their cycling could make use of. It is a simple product, durable, and easy to take care of. Plus, it is made in the USA by some pretty cool folks I happen to know. That doesn't make Pogie Lites better, it's just icing on the cake, so to speak. Anyway, these are highly recommended. I like 'em.

 Note: I was sent the Pogie Lites for test and review at no charge by Bike Iowa. I was not paid, nor bribed for this review, and I always strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.

Minus Ten Review- 5

The night I finished it it was too cold to take it outside for its debut image.

Ten years ago on the blog I was talking about a few things. One was how it feels to drop out of a longer event. Back then this was a new phenomenon to me. I had dropped out at the halfway point of the first DK200 due to a dizzy spell. I had also watched as Trans Iowa riders dealt with the aftermath of their decision to "pull the plug" on their attempt.

Of course, this is a big topic. I could ruminate upon it for a few posts, most likely, but it also must be balanced with knowing when to pull the plug. I feel this balance- wanting to push on, knowing when not to, and dealing with the decision afterward is one of the most fascinating things about ultra-distance, endurance, and (probably)  any tougher challenge one engages in. I've been in that place plenty throughout my riding in gravel events. I have a pretty long list of DNF's and not many finishes. But I keep on trying.....

That aside, I also was yakking about something which, since a decade ago, I haven't seen anyone talk about here since. It has to do with why folks don't commute by bicycle here. While I don't think this is the only reason people don't commute by bicycle, I do think it is an unspoken aspect of commuting that isn't often, if ever, addressed anymore. Here's the quote from back then:

"A couple of years ago, I talked to the German owner of an American bike company who mentioned that one of the reasons he sees why Americans don’t ride to work is they are afraid of sweating and getting dirty. American culture has deemed it that thou shalt not stink and that you shalt have a sweet perfumey aire about them. There’s nothing wrong with a little human smell. "

Then I had just gotten a bicycle built as well. The 2007 project that finally was put together about six months later, the custom Badger drop bar hard tail. In fact, the image of that bike shared again here today was the only image on the blog all week ten years ago! 

Minus Ten Review- 5

The night I finished it it was too cold to take it outside for its debut image.

Ten years ago on the blog I was talking about a few things. One was how it feels to drop out of a longer event. Back then this was a new phenomenon to me. I had dropped out at the halfway point of the first DK200 due to a dizzy spell. I had also watched as Trans Iowa riders dealt with the aftermath of their decision to "pull the plug" on their attempt.

Of course, this is a big topic. I could ruminate upon it for a few posts, most likely, but it also must be balanced with knowing when to pull the plug. I feel this balance- wanting to push on, knowing when not to, and dealing with the decision afterward is one of the most fascinating things about ultra-distance, endurance, and (probably)  any tougher challenge one engages in. I've been in that place plenty throughout my riding in gravel events. I have a pretty long list of DNF's and not many finishes. But I keep on trying.....

That aside, I also was yakking about something which, since a decade ago, I haven't seen anyone talk about here since. It has to do with why folks don't commute by bicycle here. While I don't think this is the only reason people don't commute by bicycle, I do think it is an unspoken aspect of commuting that isn't often, if ever, addressed anymore. Here's the quote from back then:

"A couple of years ago, I talked to the German owner of an American bike company who mentioned that one of the reasons he sees why Americans don’t ride to work is they are afraid of sweating and getting dirty. American culture has deemed it that thou shalt not stink and that you shalt have a sweet perfumey aire about them. There’s nothing wrong with a little human smell. "

Then I had just gotten a bicycle built as well. The 2007 project that finally was put together about six months later, the custom Badger drop bar hard tail. In fact, the image of that bike shared again here today was the only image on the blog all week ten years ago! 

Like, Venture To The Max, Dude

The "Captain America" rig with the Ritchey Venturemax bar

Handle bars that were flared for off road use, and also great for gravel travel, were rare as hen's teeth only a few years ago. I can remember putting On One Midge bars on my Karate Monkey back in '06 or so and thinking how weird that was that you could even do such a thing.

Even before this, getting flared drop bars was no joke. It was really not a very easy thing to find. WTB probably can be blamed for putting flared drop bars on the map, and Specialized/Nitto also helped in that regard, but even those were super rare. Not many folks had a use for such a beast as a flared drop bar.

Compared to those days, you would have to consider thinking about how these days, flared drop bars are almost commonplace. This is the "golden age" of flared drop bars, if you will. There are more companies than ever offering them, and you can even get carbon fiber ones now. I never figured on seeing that happen, by the way.

So, now there are more flared drop bars than you can count with both hands. One of the late comers to the game is Ritchey. They have a "Venturemax" model out, which they have sent me to test for RidingGravel.com. The overall flare, sweep, and drop is probably most like a Cowchipper. That's what I've found the best comparison is. But when you look at the thing, it looks kind of like the cross between a Cowbell and a Bell Lap bar, which were both Salsa Cycles offerings. That "ergo bend" in the drops.......I am not sure about that. 

And I know that now days that everything is trademarked, so coming up with a name for a product is a real pain. Names that are obscure, mythical, ancient cultural things have become names for components and bicycles. It's almost as if you are taking a World History and Ancient Religions classes when you are trying to figure out names for things like tires and forks and the like. So, Ritchey uses a naming convention that is a bit of a uninspired thing in a world of oddball names. Their names are almost campy and hearken back to a time when "valley girls" meant a way that you walked and talked. I mean, "Venturemax"? Like, venture to the max, Dude. 

Well, at least they are consistent with their names. More on the bar to come.....

Ritchey sent the Venturemax drop bar for test and review to RidingGravel.com at no charge. I have not been paid nor bribed for this review and I will strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.

 

Like, Venture To The Max, Dude

The "Captain America" rig with the Ritchey Venturemax bar

Handle bars that were flared for off road use, and also great for gravel travel, were rare as hen's teeth only a few years ago. I can remember putting On One Midge bars on my Karate Monkey back in '06 or so and thinking how weird that was that you could even do such a thing.

Even before this, getting flared drop bars was no joke. It was really not a very easy thing to find. WTB probably can be blamed for putting flared drop bars on the map, and Specialized/Nitto also helped in that regard, but even those were super rare. Not many folks had a use for such a beast as a flared drop bar.

Compared to those days, you would have to consider thinking about how these days, flared drop bars are almost commonplace. This is the "golden age" of flared drop bars, if you will. There are more companies than ever offering them, and you can even get carbon fiber ones now. I never figured on seeing that happen, by the way.

So, now there are more flared drop bars than you can count with both hands. One of the late comers to the game is Ritchey. They have a "Venturemax" model out, which they have sent me to test for RidingGravel.com. The overall flare, sweep, and drop is probably most like a Cowchipper. That's what I've found the best comparison is. But when you look at the thing, it looks kind of like the cross between a Cowbell and a Bell Lap bar, which were both Salsa Cycles offerings. That "ergo bend" in the drops.......I am not sure about that. 

And I know that now days that everything is trademarked, so coming up with a name for a product is a real pain. Names that are obscure, mythical, ancient cultural things have become names for components and bicycles. It's almost as if you are taking a World History and Ancient Religions classes when you are trying to figure out names for things like tires and forks and the like. So, Ritchey uses a naming convention that is a bit of a uninspired thing in a world of oddball names. Their names are almost campy and hearken back to a time when "valley girls" meant a way that you walked and talked. I mean, "Venturemax"? Like, venture to the max, Dude. 

Well, at least they are consistent with their names. More on the bar to come.....

Ritchey sent the Venturemax drop bar for test and review to RidingGravel.com at no charge. I have not been paid nor bribed for this review and I will strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.

 

The Green Monkey Era Begins

There she is! The Green Monkey.

I mentioned last week that I was going to "green up" my Karate Monkey and then I also mentioned that on Monday. The final piece to the puzzle arrived Tuesday and yesterday I got it all put together. The era of the Green Monkey begins now.

This has been a process that has been a long time in coming to this point. I feel pretty confident in saying now that "it is finished".

Again.

Let's hope this time I do not dismantle it and ruin what I had, like I did last time I had the Karate Monkey dialed to perfection. That said, this variation is actually a better one. There are a couple of reasons for that. One thing I should have done a long time ago and the other bit wasn't really a possibility until last year. Both things were critcal in making this version work and work better than before.

When I first got this Campstove Green Karate Monkey in 2003, I set it up with disc brakes, which at that time was a new technology for mountain biking. There was no way I was going to use cantilever brakes, even though they were a known quantity and the '03 Monkeys could accept them. Nope! Even though the cantilevers would be lighter, I wasn't going to do it. That led to frustrations.

I believe Homebrew Components is defunct now, but that is where I got these green anodized bits.

 Anytime I had to, or wanted to remove the rear wheel it was a half an hour ordeal. Loosen the caliper, move the chain tensioner, unbolt the axle, deal with the chain, then reverse the entire procedure when you wanted to reinstall the wheel. Good luck getting that brake caliper in the right spot! Especially out in the field. This time around, I went with rim brakes, and that takes away one step of the procedure. It has been a lot easier dealing with the rear wheel this way. I should have just bit the bullet and gone with some super cool linear pull brakes back then.

The other bit that made all the difference is the Velo Orange Cigne Stem. That has the On One Midge Bars right in the sweet spot. Before this stem, I could get close. I just had to put up with a bit of discomfort at times, but no more. This stem is exactly what I needed to run drop bars on the Karate Monkey.

Other than that, the last thing I needed to get to recreate the old "perfect" version of this bike was a longer crank. I used a 177.5mm Cook Brothers crankset on my original build. That accepts a 110 BCD type sprocket, and when I tried to remove the hidden fifth bolt and nut, it siezed up and I basically haven't gotten that separated ever since. So, I ended up selling a bike recently that had a 180mm White Industries crank set on it, which I kept. I just swapped that over with its green Homebrew Components 38T ring and also matched that with a 17 tooth cog from the same company. (I believe that company is no more, by the way.)

Yes- this is not the saddle I spoke of last Friday.

Finally, sharp eyed readers will notice that the Apple Green Brooks B-17 was not mentioned before, but I did say I had a green Brooks B-17 Special which had turned nearly black. Well, after last Friday's post went live, a regular reader here named Steven contacted me about the Apple Green Brooks he had and wanted to sell. He thought maybe I might like a truly green saddle better.

He was correct. So, a deal was struck and earlier this week the saddle arrived. I mounted it to my Ritchey post and took the Green Monkey for a spin. Everything felt perfect. It is one of those rare, happy bicycling moments when everything just falls to hand and you get that satisfying feeling. Well, I had that feeling and the Karate Monkey has not felt this good while riding since 2007. I am beyond happy with how it all turned out.

While there may be some adjustments, maybe a tire swap, or maybe newer wheels at some point, I don't see anything being changed out from this point forward. I am excited to get this out on gravel, and I know I can ride hours and hours on this thing now. It's gonna be good.

A short explanation about why this was torn apart back in the day now- Well, I have to credit this bike with getting me excited about 29"ers, and also about gravel road riding. I was riding this bike exclusively on gravel in the years 2006-2007. Then when I got entrenched in "Twenty Nine Inches.com", I had to pretty much forsake any gravel riding time for testing and reviewing mountain bike parts. Cue up the hours and hours spent at Camp Ingawanis, Ingawanis Woodlands, and Cedar Bend Park. Gravel was a rarity for me after '07.

So, the Monkey got pressed into commuter duties, but when after four years of Winter's muck and mire made the old UN series bottom bracket go "clunk", I found that the bottom bracket was seized up in the frame. This would have been around 2010. Then I didn't have the time nor gumption to get after that because I wouldn't be able to ride that bike much anyway.

But now things are different. No more mountain biking review duties, and all my focus is back again on gravel riding. Getting the Karate Monkey up and running again made sense now. So, there is your back story.

Now for some good times on the Green Monkey!