Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of ROTOR

ROTOR Unveils UNO Electronic Shifting Group Set:

ROTOR, the Spanish company best known for oval chain rings and crank sets, had Wheeltop, a Chinese component manufacturer, buy a majority stake in the company last year. Long rumored to be having an electronic group set in the making with Rotor branding, this now has become a reality with UNO. 

The "Gravel Upgrade Kit" version of UNO consists of the levers, hydraulic brake calipers, and the rear derailleur. Compatible with 1X only and with a 46T rear cassette limitation, the group set will cost $948.42 USD (Odd pricing, but likely a conversion from a foreign currency figure) 

The group set's rear derailleur is carbon with 7005 series aluminum bits. ROTOR claim the rear mech will shift up to 15,000 times on one battery charge. Interestingly, this group set is compatible with 10, 11, 12, and 13 speed cassettes as long as the rear cassette does not exceed a 46T low gear.

Comments: Well, another electronic, wireless choice which is breaking the 1K price point. Wheeltop's collaboration here is notable as previous efforts by ROTOR to make a group set were hydraulically controlled. This would appear to be more Wheeltop than not. Wheeltop users on the internet have reported mixed results with their group sets, and how ROTOR's UNO will fare is not known at this time. 

We will have to wait for the results to come in via real world usage, but for now, this marks a further march toward a wireless bicycle era which will feature no cables on bicycles. 

Image courtesy of Velo Orange

Velo Orange Announces Raffle For Charity:

Here's a fun bit of news. Velo Orange is holding a raffle for a Neutrino rolling chassis which has been custom Cerakoted by Weichel Coatings and has components from ATW Builds . Each $5.00 chance gets you in line for possibly winning this size Large Neutrino partial build. 

All proceeds go to helping out the mission of Happy Helpers of the Homeless, a charity who bring meals and support to homeless and poverty stricken men and women every weekend in the Halethorpe, Maryland area. 

The raffle runs through now to October 15th. A winner will be chosen at random the week of October 20th. See all details and rules for this raffle HERE. 

IMage courtesy of IRD Components

Airdrop Seat Post Provides Dropper Feature In Silver Ano:

IRD Components, who do a variety of niche items, have a new Airdrop dropper post which has a few unique features. You'll notice right away it is offered in a silver anodized finish rather than the common black anodization. 

The Airdrop also has no cable running to it or a lever to deal with on your handle bar. Rather, it uses a simple lever located off the seat post head to raise and lower the post through its 100mm of drop. 

The Airdrop comes in the common 27.2mm size only and has an overall length of 400mm. The maximum insertion is listed at 190mm and minimum insertion for the post is listed at 90mm.  

The Airdrop is available on IRD's site and runs $129.00 USD. 

Comments: This is kind of cool for anyone with a silver anodized build who may want to explore a dropper post on a gravel bike. Why would you want to do this? Well, for one, a dropper post can be used as a way to easily mount and dismount a bike by lowering the saddle when stopped. This is of particular benefit if you have a very heavily laden touring bike set up, or if you are bikepacking. 

Secondly, lowering the post on any longer downhill will help you get lower on the bike, and more aero. You'll bomb hills far faster with a dropper post lowered than not. It can be rather eye-opening, actually. Of course, there is the benefit while descending steep, rough terrain as well. 

US Customs Cites Giant For Forced Labor Practices, Holds Imports:

On Wednesday, "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" broke a story in which Giant Bicycles is being investigated for forced labor practices at its Taiwan factories. As a result, all Giant product and other branded product made there is being held at port until the matter is solved.  Giant is reportedly filing a petition to revoke the Withhold Release Order.,

You can read the story HERE.

Comments: This is an interesting development as it is widely known Giant also makes bicycles for several other well known brands. If, in fact, the Withhold Release Order is upheld, this could further disrupt the chain of supply and cause detriment to an already depressed economy for the cycling industry. 

This could also be seen as a bad public relations event, if this ends up becoming a larger issue. 

UPDATE: 9/26/25:  (From Bicycle Retailer and Industry News X Account) UPDATE: Giant clarified to BRAIN this morning that CBP is currently not holding any shipments from the company. The CBP's Withhold Release Order announced Wednesday applies to any products arriving after the order.

Image courtesy of Trek Bikes

That Full Suspension Gravel Bike From Trek Finally Is Official:

On Thursday Trek Bikes finally unleashed the Checkout SL- a 9K carbon fiber full-suspension gravel/bike packing bike. Replete with 55mm wide tires out of the box and the new Rudy XL (released yesterday) on the front. This bike has 60mm of travel up front, and according to a Instagram post I saw, 55mm in the back. 

Rumors and images of this bicycle were floating around the web since around the Unbound event back in early June, so those who caught the pictures then probably are not surprised here. 

And look at the flares and swept tops on this drop bar. Pretty radical for a 2025 release. I happen to like this sort of thing, but it does go in the opposite direction from the racing type handlebars on most newer gravel bikes. 

Comments: Hmm.... Much can be said about a bicycle like this. I will say it looks a little ungainly and the "Miami Vice| color palette is not my cup of tea. (The Checkout SL 5 is a more subdued black, by the way) The images of this bike kitted out for bikepacking look great, but the bare bike is sort of jarring to the eye with the tipped forward rack and MTB-looking fork. 

I could see an aluminum, more budget friendly version of this bike at some point if they sell these things. $8,999.00 for the Checkout SL 7 is no joke though, so you have to wonder if many of these will be sold. Mostly because (a) it is an oddball bike, not really XC MTB and not really gravel, and (b) it is a carbon frame bike. Most bikepackers are looking for Titanium or steel in this space. It is an interesting bicycle, nonetheless. 
 

That's a wrap on this week's news and views. Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions. Get out and ride those bicycles!
 

Friday News And Views

The "Anti-Black Friday" Edition: 

Yeah, this whole "Black Friday" thing is getting long in the tooth, isn't it? I really hope that someday it just goes away.... 

But until then, I am all "anti-Black Friday". What's more, I am not doing any "holiday gift list" stuff this year either. Let me tell ya, the marketing departments aren't liking that decision. They are sympathetic to the anti-Black Friday idea, I feel, but - ya know - it's tradition! Or something like that....

All you need to know is that I am being leveraged to do the whole thing, and I just am not feeling it. So, I won't be shoving discount codes, "deals", or any "holiday gift ideas" down your throats here. You're getting bombarded enough by that garbage by this point anyway, most likely. 

So, I've dug up what I could of some interesting things I've found across the innergoogles for your reading enjoyment today. And as always, Thanks for reading the blog! 

Forget shopping! Get out and ride!

Hopefully You Are Riding!

Of course, the perfect antidote to excessive consumerism is a good bicycle ride. Be that 'round the block or out in the 'burbs', getting out and pedaling is good for you.

But you know that!

Need some motivation? Well, I put out this challenge last week. maybe that would be a nice way to kick off the weekend? Maybe. 

However; don't let that challenge and distance hold you back. Just getting outside and pedaling, or even walking, if you are stuck in the snow like N.Y. Roll is in New York now, is a good idea. Just get outside, breath the air, and move. I like to do that with a bicycle, but you do you. Besides, you probably ate too much yesterday anyway, yes? (If you didn't, good on ya!)

Are More Batteries A Better Thing?

Recently Magura announced a new Vyron dropper seat post that is activated by a wireless Bluetooth remote. The system is pretty technologically advanced, with the wireless thing, of course, but there is also a servo motor which controls oil flow in the post as well. 

Naturally, the system works on a battery, a Lithium-Ion battery, (two, actually), which is replaceable. And when that battery needs replacing? 

Why do we consistently (a) need to turn everything into a "device" controlled by radio waves and batteries with (b) environmentally toxic materials? These batteries typically are not disposed of properly, especially when they are of such a small size, as in the Vyron post. These disposed Lithium-ion batteries contain metals such as cobalt, nickel, and manganese, which are toxic and can contaminate water supplies and ecosystems if they leach out of landfills. 

I mean, bicycles are bad enough in terms of their carbon footprint, environmental impacts due to manufacturing, and in terms of the high-end bicycles, a further reliance on electronics, but a dropper seat post with disposable batteries?   

True- each seatpost mounted battery lasts a claimed year of service, but eventually, these all will probably end up in the landfill. Not to mention the CR 2032 battery used for the remote, which assuredly will not be handled properly at disposal.  That is- unless a concerted effort is made to persuade riders to do otherwise, and I haven't seen that yet. Meanwhile, mechanically operated droppers are working just fine without such concerns. 

Something to consider....

An Acknowledgement And A Lesson:

I read an article the other day that claimed that the youth out there feel that hand written notes are a "waste of time". Yeah.....that was the term used. 

Amazing. 

That's too bad, because these folks are missing out on something wonderful, if, in fact, that article is representative of what the youth out there really think. I am choosing to not believe this at all.

I think people really appreciate being thanked, recognized, encouraged, and well.....noticed. Doesn't a hand written note do those things? Yes, I am here to tell you that a hand written note does those things, because a recent hand written note has done that for me. Although, perhaps I am disqualified from being an example, because I am old. That's really dumb, by the way, if true.

That's my acknowledgement of this particular note. You know who you are that sent it, so "Thank you!"

The lesson? Anyone can do this to help another. It can be a text, a phone call, or a simple note like the one I received. Don't believe for a second it is a "waste of time". 

Update: Okay, this is kind of funny. A day after I wrote this about "Thank You's" I saw the following which is related. As quoted from an Axios Finish Line newsletter I receive nightly:

" Another study by researchers from Kent State University tested the effect of writing letters of gratitude to other people.

• The results were clear: Taking the time to say thank you in writing made people happier, more satisfied with life and even decreased symptoms of depression."

So: On the very unlikely chance that writing a "thank you" doesn't do anything for the recipient, it does something for you.

Reminder: If you are an old reader here, you know what is coming. If you are fairly new, maybe not so much. Here's the deal: The "End-OfYear"posts kick in starting December 1st with my first of many "Bikes Of 2022" postings. There will be four "Rear View 2022" posts, a "Top Ten Posts of 2022", and a "best-of" photo review for the year, all coming up.

Have a great weekend! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions.

Friday News And Views

The "Anti-Black Friday" Edition: 

Yeah, this whole "Black Friday" thing is getting long in the tooth, isn't it? I really hope that someday it just goes away.... 

But until then, I am all "anti-Black Friday". What's more, I am not doing any "holiday gift list" stuff this year either. Let me tell ya, the marketing departments aren't liking that decision. They are sympathetic to the anti-Black Friday idea, I feel, but - ya know - it's tradition! Or something like that....

All you need to know is that I am being leveraged to do the whole thing, and I just am not feeling it. So, I won't be shoving discount codes, "deals", or any "holiday gift ideas" down your throats here. You're getting bombarded enough by that garbage by this point anyway, most likely. 

So, I've dug up what I could of some interesting things I've found across the innergoogles for your reading enjoyment today. And as always, Thanks for reading the blog! 

Forget shopping! Get out and ride!

Hopefully You Are Riding!

Of course, the perfect antidote to excessive consumerism is a good bicycle ride. Be that 'round the block or out in the 'burbs', getting out and pedaling is good for you.

But you know that!

Need some motivation? Well, I put out this challenge last week. maybe that would be a nice way to kick off the weekend? Maybe. 

However; don't let that challenge and distance hold you back. Just getting outside and pedaling, or even walking, if you are stuck in the snow like N.Y. Roll is in New York now, is a good idea. Just get outside, breath the air, and move. I like to do that with a bicycle, but you do you. Besides, you probably ate too much yesterday anyway, yes? (If you didn't, good on ya!)

Are More Batteries A Better Thing?

Recently Magura announced a new Vyron dropper seat post that is activated by a wireless Bluetooth remote. The system is pretty technologically advanced, with the wireless thing, of course, but there is also a servo motor which controls oil flow in the post as well. 

Naturally, the system works on a battery, a Lithium-Ion battery, (two, actually), which is replaceable. And when that battery needs replacing? 

Why do we consistently (a) need to turn everything into a "device" controlled by radio waves and batteries with (b) environmentally toxic materials? These batteries typically are not disposed of properly, especially when they are of such a small size, as in the Vyron post. These disposed Lithium-ion batteries contain metals such as cobalt, nickel, and manganese, which are toxic and can contaminate water supplies and ecosystems if they leach out of landfills. 

I mean, bicycles are bad enough in terms of their carbon footprint, environmental impacts due to manufacturing, and in terms of the high-end bicycles, a further reliance on electronics, but a dropper seat post with disposable batteries?   

True- each seatpost mounted battery lasts a claimed year of service, but eventually, these all will probably end up in the landfill. Not to mention the CR 2032 battery used for the remote, which assuredly will not be handled properly at disposal.  That is- unless a concerted effort is made to persuade riders to do otherwise, and I haven't seen that yet. Meanwhile, mechanically operated droppers are working just fine without such concerns. 

Something to consider....

An Acknowledgement And A Lesson:

I read an article the other day that claimed that the youth out there feel that hand written notes are a "waste of time". Yeah.....that was the term used. 

Amazing. 

That's too bad, because these folks are missing out on something wonderful, if, in fact, that article is representative of what the youth out there really think. I am choosing to not believe this at all.

I think people really appreciate being thanked, recognized, encouraged, and well.....noticed. Doesn't a hand written note do those things? Yes, I am here to tell you that a hand written note does those things, because a recent hand written note has done that for me. Although, perhaps I am disqualified from being an example, because I am old. That's really dumb, by the way, if true.

That's my acknowledgement of this particular note. You know who you are that sent it, so "Thank you!"

The lesson? Anyone can do this to help another. It can be a text, a phone call, or a simple note like the one I received. Don't believe for a second it is a "waste of time". 

Update: Okay, this is kind of funny. A day after I wrote this about "Thank You's" I saw the following which is related. As quoted from an Axios Finish Line newsletter I receive nightly:

" Another study by researchers from Kent State University tested the effect of writing letters of gratitude to other people.

• The results were clear: Taking the time to say thank you in writing made people happier, more satisfied with life and even decreased symptoms of depression."

So: On the very unlikely chance that writing a "thank you" doesn't do anything for the recipient, it does something for you.

Reminder: If you are an old reader here, you know what is coming. If you are fairly new, maybe not so much. Here's the deal: The "End-OfYear"posts kick in starting December 1st with my first of many "Bikes Of 2022" postings. There will be four "Rear View 2022" posts, a "Top Ten Posts of 2022", and a "best-of" photo review for the year, all coming up.

Have a great weekend! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions.

Friday News And Views

The Sigma ROX 4.0 GPS computer

Going "GPS-ing" Again:

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

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

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

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

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

Automotive Companies Make Inroads To Cycling Sector:

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

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

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

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

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

First "Post-Pandemic" Gravel Season Winds Down:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wolf Tooth Introduces Self-Bleeding Dropper Post:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Friday News And Views

The Sigma ROX 4.0 GPS computer

Going "GPS-ing" Again:

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

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

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

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

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

Automotive Companies Make Inroads To Cycling Sector:

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

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

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

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

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

First "Post-Pandemic" Gravel Season Winds Down:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wolf Tooth Introduces Self-Bleeding Dropper Post:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dropper Post Madness

Seen on social media Sunday.

 The "dropper post". That thing mountain bikers came up with to make descents and cornering more stable and safe. If you are a mountain biker, well.....you know. I don't have to convince you of the benefits. 

But when it came to other disciplines of cycling, dropper posts were, well.....'that mountain biker thing', and many were not going to give that component a chance because....'mountain biking'. Really, what other reason is there?

Weight? Hmm..... maybe. I could see that, but if you wouldn't even try one just based upon that reason alone, well, why would you ever ride a time trial bike, aero wheel sets, or use wider tires? All weigh more than their traditional roadie counterparts do, (in the case of a time trial bike, it is a sum of the parts, but a "real road bike" still weighs less). 

So pushing off the dropper post just because it weighs more than a traditional post is taking the easy way out of thinking about this component. I mean, mountain bikers would never be using suspension if the weight argument wasn't quickly put aside due to the overwhelming benefits of suspension in many cases. 

The Otso Cycles Waheela S was one of several new gravel bikes outfitted with a dropper post in 2018.

 I tried a dropper post on a gravel bike in 2018. It was a component that was being pushed forward, yes- by mountain biking- but gravel folks were somewhat more open to trying that idea. Anyway, I gave it a go, and at that time, I said that the dropper post was an advantage on descents for gravel riders, and probably roadies too. It wasn't even close to a subjective opinion. I had demonstratively proven that a dropper post was a clear cut advantage on descents by my using it on a Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational that year. 

I was easily cruising away from my riding partners on descents due to the aero advantage lent by getting lower on the bike. This is why the UCI outlawed the "Super Tuck" as riders were using the position to get more aero and have more control over their bicycles. So, on one hand the advantage was clear, but on the other hand, why roadies didn't figure this out several years ago is a mystery to me. 

They used dropper posts, yes. Mavic even had them on their Service Course bikes at the tour one year. But they weren't there to make riders more secure on descents and more aero. They were there so riders of different leg lengths could be fitted more quickly. (What?!!) Talk about being in denial......

But now, all of a sudden, this dropper post thing seems all new and real because some guy won a "monument" of cycling with it. It would be high comedy for many of us out here who have known this for years if it wasn't so seemingly daft. But - there ya go! Roadies using dropper posts for what they were meant for.

Dropper Post Madness

Seen on social media Sunday.

 The "dropper post". That thing mountain bikers came up with to make descents and cornering more stable and safe. If you are a mountain biker, well.....you know. I don't have to convince you of the benefits. 

But when it came to other disciplines of cycling, dropper posts were, well.....'that mountain biker thing', and many were not going to give that component a chance because....'mountain biking'. Really, what other reason is there?

Weight? Hmm..... maybe. I could see that, but if you wouldn't even try one just based upon that reason alone, well, why would you ever ride a time trial bike, aero wheel sets, or use wider tires? All weigh more than their traditional roadie counterparts do, (in the case of a time trial bike, it is a sum of the parts, but a "real road bike" still weighs less). 

So pushing off the dropper post just because it weighs more than a traditional post is taking the easy way out of thinking about this component. I mean, mountain bikers would never be using suspension if the weight argument wasn't quickly put aside due to the overwhelming benefits of suspension in many cases. 

The Otso Cycles Waheela S was one of several new gravel bikes outfitted with a dropper post in 2018.

 I tried a dropper post on a gravel bike in 2018. It was a component that was being pushed forward, yes- by mountain biking- but gravel folks were somewhat more open to trying that idea. Anyway, I gave it a go, and at that time, I said that the dropper post was an advantage on descents for gravel riders, and probably roadies too. It wasn't even close to a subjective opinion. I had demonstratively proven that a dropper post was a clear cut advantage on descents by my using it on a Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational that year. 

I was easily cruising away from my riding partners on descents due to the aero advantage lent by getting lower on the bike. This is why the UCI outlawed the "Super Tuck" as riders were using the position to get more aero and have more control over their bicycles. So, on one hand the advantage was clear, but on the other hand, why roadies didn't figure this out several years ago is a mystery to me. 

They used dropper posts, yes. Mavic even had them on their Service Course bikes at the tour one year. But they weren't there to make riders more secure on descents and more aero. They were there so riders of different leg lengths could be fitted more quickly. (What?!!) Talk about being in denial......

But now, all of a sudden, this dropper post thing seems all new and real because some guy won a "monument" of cycling with it. It would be high comedy for many of us out here who have known this for years if it wasn't so seemingly daft. But - there ya go! Roadies using dropper posts for what they were meant for.

Friday News And Views

The New Fox Transfer SL Dropper Post.

 FOX Debuts New Dropper For XC/Gravel Bikes:

Dropper posts, the seat posts which have the ability to lower via a mechanical connection to a lever at your handlebar, are generally thought of as a mountain biking thing. The ability to get that saddle down and out of the way is a boon to off-road cyclists on descents. But the aerodynamic benefits to gravel riders seems to be less known. That benefit, perhaps best described when one thinks about that banned 'top tube seated position' that Pro road racers used to use, is definitely something you have to feel to have it be believed. 

FOX, just this week, debuted a new FOX Transfer SL post which has been lightened quite a bit to get around the complaints many gravel and XC MTB riders have about traditional dropper post weight. This new post weighs a little over 300 grams, (327 claimed), which is about 130 grams more than many fancy, carbon seat posts. (Of course, that doesn't include the lever to operate the post, nor the cable and housing)

Posts will be available in 27.2mm, 30.9mm, and 31.6mm at $399.00 for the Factory version and $329.00 for the Elite version. Various dropper lengths will also be available. 

How did FOX drop the weight so far? Well, they made this post operate via a coil spring with only two positions instead of an infinitely settable positioning within limitations of the dropper. FOX claims that most gravel and XC MTB riders only want 'all the way down' or 'all the way up' positions anyway. This allowed FOX to ditch all the air seals, hydraulic fluids, and the attendant mechanisms to house that within the post. 

Comments: So, in other words, FOX remade Specialized's Command Post from almost ten years ago. I happen to have a Command Post and it operates almost identically to this new FOX post. It has two positions: All the way down or what Specialized called a "Cruiser" height. It is a cable operated post, like the new Transfer SL, and the only difference is that Specialized used an air spring versus FOX's coil spring. 

Otherwise this will appeal to those who want light weight and dropper ability. The downsides are that grit and grime from dirt road/gravel road riding will affect the operation of this sort of post negatively, especially when you see that FOX took away all the sealing mechanisms in order to attain the weight target they set. Time will tell, but the seemingly low-tech seat post, which most of us take for granted, undergoes tremendous amounts of stress and torque while riding. Not to mention exposure to dirt, dust, mud, rain, etc. How this post will hold up to all of that is yet to be seen. 

The Cannondale "Bugger" trailer (Image from old Cannondale marketing print)

Cannondale Turns 50:

Hard to believe it, but Cannondale, as a brand, turns 50 years old this month. Back in 1971 the company started by Joe Montgomery offered its first product, a touring trailer towed by the bicycle. The first product of its kind ever offered. 

The idea was to get the load off the back of the cyclist and using the same positioning, the trailer was designed so that the load could be carried with no weight put on the bike at all. This saved wheels from being stressed more than they would have been with the weight bourne by the bicycle. Of course, this all happened at the dawn of the height of bicycle tourism, so the product found an audience fairly quickly. In fact, one could argue that 'bikepacking' was invented by the brand back in the 70's. 

That history can be read on the MOMBAT page for the brand here. I highly recommend that you check it out. Cannondale was not just a bicycle brand! There are a few things I learned there which I had never known before I researched this entry for today's 'FN&V'. 

My introduction to Cannondale was via mountain bikes, of course, and more intimately through my touring days, which you can read about by clicking the "The Touring Series" tab just under the header on the upper right here. I was exposed to cool Cannondale panniers and Cannondale cycling clothing through those experiences. 

Congratulations to Cannondale on 50 years! 

Good Luck Unbound Riders:

Last week I riffed on this new event's name, which has a really weird reason for being in existence. I say that because 99.9% of folks are just rolling over the DK200 into this and basically 'the why' of this has been swept under a rug. Okay....so be it. Not my circus.....

That said, I do wish everyone a safe, fun, successful event.

Looks like the weather will be pretty okay. Basically pretty typical for this event. "High" humidity, which for them is around what? 40%? And there will be wind. Oh yes.... From the South too, so getting back to Emporia will be tougher than going out. 

Lots of Sunshine too, so, as a person who has experienced all of this there in the past, you'd better stay on top of that hydration, measure out your pace, and keep moving. Sitting around will not be a good play unless you are overheating, dehydrated, and hurting. 

The "North" route tends to be the more gnarly way down there, so I suspect that I will hear about a lot of attrition, biffs, flat tires, and stories about dragging tail to Emporia from this one. That's par for the course down there with this sort of weather set up. 

I hear a lot of folks are going with road shoes and pedals. Hope that you do not have to hike-a-bike on some rocky bits with those. Otherwise this event really caters to that sort of set up and the weather is looking to be playing into that set up as well. Should be interesting. 

Anyway, I am not there, obviously, since I have a family to collect tomorrow, which leads me to the next and last entry today......

Been 'Batchin' It: 

So all this week, a short week, I admit, I have been home alone here. My son graduated last week and since the El Paso relatives could not come to celebrate with us, we sent most of the family down to see them. I, of course, stayed behind to take care of our cat, the plants, and to be able to work the days I could. 

So, with the way the timing of everything worked out with this trip, it precluded me from even thinking about going to Emporia. I will be on the road tomorrow to collect my family from the airport down in Des Moines. Yes- we have to go 2 hours to get to an airport sometimes. That's just how it worked out to be the least expensive way for us. 

Never fear though! I will be sneaking in  a ride, I hope, and that will get reported on next week. Until then, be well, stay safe, ride, have fun, and I'll see y'all soon here on G-Ted Productions. Thanks for reading!

Friday News And Views

The New Fox Transfer SL Dropper Post.

 FOX Debuts New Dropper For XC/Gravel Bikes:

Dropper posts, the seat posts which have the ability to lower via a mechanical connection to a lever at your handlebar, are generally thought of as a mountain biking thing. The ability to get that saddle down and out of the way is a boon to off-road cyclists on descents. But the aerodynamic benefits to gravel riders seems to be less known. That benefit, perhaps best described when one thinks about that banned 'top tube seated position' that Pro road racers used to use, is definitely something you have to feel to have it be believed. 

FOX, just this week, debuted a new FOX Transfer SL post which has been lightened quite a bit to get around the complaints many gravel and XC MTB riders have about traditional dropper post weight. This new post weighs a little over 300 grams, (327 claimed), which is about 130 grams more than many fancy, carbon seat posts. (Of course, that doesn't include the lever to operate the post, nor the cable and housing)

Posts will be available in 27.2mm, 30.9mm, and 31.6mm at $399.00 for the Factory version and $329.00 for the Elite version. Various dropper lengths will also be available. 

How did FOX drop the weight so far? Well, they made this post operate via a coil spring with only two positions instead of an infinitely settable positioning within limitations of the dropper. FOX claims that most gravel and XC MTB riders only want 'all the way down' or 'all the way up' positions anyway. This allowed FOX to ditch all the air seals, hydraulic fluids, and the attendant mechanisms to house that within the post. 

Comments: So, in other words, FOX remade Specialized's Command Post from almost ten years ago. I happen to have a Command Post and it operates almost identically to this new FOX post. It has two positions: All the way down or what Specialized called a "Cruiser" height. It is a cable operated post, like the new Transfer SL, and the only difference is that Specialized used an air spring versus FOX's coil spring. 

Otherwise this will appeal to those who want light weight and dropper ability. The downsides are that grit and grime from dirt road/gravel road riding will affect the operation of this sort of post negatively, especially when you see that FOX took away all the sealing mechanisms in order to attain the weight target they set. Time will tell, but the seemingly low-tech seat post, which most of us take for granted, undergoes tremendous amounts of stress and torque while riding. Not to mention exposure to dirt, dust, mud, rain, etc. How this post will hold up to all of that is yet to be seen. 

The Cannondale "Bugger" trailer (Image from old Cannondale marketing print)

Cannondale Turns 50:

Hard to believe it, but Cannondale, as a brand, turns 50 years old this month. Back in 1971 the company started by Joe Montgomery offered its first product, a touring trailer towed by the bicycle. The first product of its kind ever offered. 

The idea was to get the load off the back of the cyclist and using the same positioning, the trailer was designed so that the load could be carried with no weight put on the bike at all. This saved wheels from being stressed more than they would have been with the weight bourne by the bicycle. Of course, this all happened at the dawn of the height of bicycle tourism, so the product found an audience fairly quickly. In fact, one could argue that 'bikepacking' was invented by the brand back in the 70's. 

That history can be read on the MOMBAT page for the brand here. I highly recommend that you check it out. Cannondale was not just a bicycle brand! There are a few things I learned there which I had never known before I researched this entry for today's 'FN&V'. 

My introduction to Cannondale was via mountain bikes, of course, and more intimately through my touring days, which you can read about by clicking the "The Touring Series" tab just under the header on the upper right here. I was exposed to cool Cannondale panniers and Cannondale cycling clothing through those experiences. 

Congratulations to Cannondale on 50 years! 

Good Luck Unbound Riders:

Last week I riffed on this new event's name, which has a really weird reason for being in existence. I say that because 99.9% of folks are just rolling over the DK200 into this and basically 'the why' of this has been swept under a rug. Okay....so be it. Not my circus.....

That said, I do wish everyone a safe, fun, successful event.

Looks like the weather will be pretty okay. Basically pretty typical for this event. "High" humidity, which for them is around what? 40%? And there will be wind. Oh yes.... From the South too, so getting back to Emporia will be tougher than going out. 

Lots of Sunshine too, so, as a person who has experienced all of this there in the past, you'd better stay on top of that hydration, measure out your pace, and keep moving. Sitting around will not be a good play unless you are overheating, dehydrated, and hurting. 

The "North" route tends to be the more gnarly way down there, so I suspect that I will hear about a lot of attrition, biffs, flat tires, and stories about dragging tail to Emporia from this one. That's par for the course down there with this sort of weather set up. 

I hear a lot of folks are going with road shoes and pedals. Hope that you do not have to hike-a-bike on some rocky bits with those. Otherwise this event really caters to that sort of set up and the weather is looking to be playing into that set up as well. Should be interesting. 

Anyway, I am not there, obviously, since I have a family to collect tomorrow, which leads me to the next and last entry today......

Been 'Batchin' It: 

So all this week, a short week, I admit, I have been home alone here. My son graduated last week and since the El Paso relatives could not come to celebrate with us, we sent most of the family down to see them. I, of course, stayed behind to take care of our cat, the plants, and to be able to work the days I could. 

So, with the way the timing of everything worked out with this trip, it precluded me from even thinking about going to Emporia. I will be on the road tomorrow to collect my family from the airport down in Des Moines. Yes- we have to go 2 hours to get to an airport sometimes. That's just how it worked out to be the least expensive way for us. 

Never fear though! I will be sneaking in  a ride, I hope, and that will get reported on next week. Until then, be well, stay safe, ride, have fun, and I'll see y'all soon here on G-Ted Productions. Thanks for reading!

Friday News And Views

 E-Bike Advocates Get Feathers Ruffled By Cowell Accident Coverage:

Over the last weekend, media personality Simon Cowell was injured during "testing of an e-bike", as reported by various media outlets. Apparently the famous judge of singing talent is doing well after a surgery to help him recover from a 'broken back'. So, that's good news at least.

However; many in the bike community were aghast that non-endemic media were, and still are, referring to the vehicle Cowell suffered his injuries on as being an 'electric bicycle'. The vehicle in question, pictured here, is a high-powered electric driven, two-wheeled contraption that looks all the world like a motocross bike. But it can be pedaled. 

Long ago, when I first started covering these HPC's here, (Hybrid Powered Cycles, as I call them), I stated that, "motor + bicycle = motorcycle". The advocates of the HPC's back then said, "Oh no, no, no! This is a 'bicycle' because it can be pedaled!" Then the whole argument about assisted pedaling vs non-assisted pedaling came about. Followed by the "Class" system and the laws drawn up to regulate HPC's, which, for the bicycle nerds, was enough to settle this debate about these being 'motorcycles' once and for all. 

But, as I have often stated, the general public doesn't see things that way. To wit: The Cowell incident. This is a great example of someone with a lot of disposable income looking to have something above the 'pedestrian', low-powered HPC options available under the umbrella of the "Class System" which the HPC advocates say are 'electric bikes'. Essentially, Cowell was on what amounts to an exotic car. An exotic 'e-bike', but the electrified bicycle folks cried foul at that designation. These same advocates argue that the thing Cowell was using is, for all intents and purposes, a motorcycle. Yes- and so is anything with two wheels and a motor. But the bike nerds are not seeing it the way almost everyone else does. 

Bicycling industry observer and opinion writer, Rick Vosper agrees, in a recent Tweet saying, "Be that as it may, that "not-an-ebike" is giving "real" ebikes some serious bad press. And we ignore it—or quibble over designations— at our peril."

And the beat goes on...... 

This social media post shows wind damage from a satellite view.

Derecho Damage Reports Coming In:

 With Monday's derecho event, Eastern Iowa has been buzzing with recovery efforts, and a lot of things have come to light that will affect us for the foreseeable future here. 

My next door neighbor is self-employed and a handyman, so he's been down to Cedar Rapids now for three straight days with his chainsaw helping out residents there to clear downed trees and limbs. He posted a short video and the devastation to the area is widespread and severe. I saw estimations that claimed Category 2 hurricane force winds swept through the area for up to two hours.  

People in Cedar Rapids were particularly hard hit. Thursday they still had no power, no capability to call 911, no GPS in the area, and anything needing kept cold or frozen was beginning to, or already had, spoiled. 

This has caused widespread damage to crops as well, as you can see from the satellite view I posted here which I grabbed off a social media post shared Wednesday. Flattened corn is basically good for nothing but silage, and loses all its value to farmers. Obviously, that's a big, big deal. Loss of trees and damages to properties will be into the millions of dollars and this area will not recover for several years. I remember the derecho that swept through about ten years ago now and it took a few years for things to get back to looking 100% normal again out in the country. This most recent derecho was even more widespread and devastating than that one was. 

You know, I do that "Barns For Jason" thing as a fun way to document barns in the country, but this is a piece of Americana, and of Iowa's rural agricultural history, that is quickly disappearing. This newest derecho probably hastened that by a factor of ten in the areas that it struck. Just one of the many issues that this recent weather event has caused. The fallout from this event will be far reaching in its effects. 

But for now, my immediate concern is that this recovery effort is successful and swift. Cedar Rapids has been battered into submission twice now since 2008's massive flooding and now this wind event, all on top of 2020. My heart goes out to those folks and I am proud of Iowans like my neighbor who have stepped up to lend a helping hand.  

Easton Drops Gravel Dropper Post:

Dropper posts for gravel? Yes. I have tried it and it is a good thing, but........ (There always is a 'but') Are the downsides of a dropper post worth it? That's the real question here. 

Here is the thing- You can descend faster, even on a roller, by dropping the post and getting lower. If you are doing a timed event, that's free speed and time savings. All you have to do is plant your rumpus in the saddle, push the button/lever, and Wheeeeee! Free speed. No effort required. 

Maybe you live out West, or maybe out East, and you have the types of trails/roads that are pretty steep. A little bit of dropper post action might make all the difference there. I get that. A dropper post on the ATRB (Remember yesterday's post?) might be just what the doctor ordered. 

Now the thing here is that dropper posts come with penalties, or compromises, if you want to be kind. Weight is one. Yep- plan on at least doubling the weight of a nice carbon post. Probably more when you consider the lever, wire, and housing involved. Oh, and complexity is increased along with maintenance issues at some point. (Ever do maintenance on a standard post? No? I thought so) 

Obviously, these posts are expensive too. Very high end carbon posts can approach the prices of these droppers, but again- those are lighter and require zero maintenance. Now think about saddle bags. You can get one made for a dropper, but they are few and far between. There are literally thousands of seat bag choices for a standard post. 

And how much would you actually use the darn thing? There maybe is the number one reason not to buy in. But if you do, the Easton post has 50mm of drop, comes in 27.2mm and an overall length of 350mm or 400mm. The post retails for $239.99.  The site for the page on this post is here.

That's it for this week! Have a great weekend!