Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Stinner Bikes

The 32" Watch: Sinner Refugio 32"er: 

Yeah.....another 32"er! I don't think it is shocking to see another 32" wheeled bicycle anymore. Unless Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, or Giant come out with one, this is now not a head-turning deal these days. (If you are a bike nerd, that is) 

So, I think it is time to start paying attention to how this idea of a huge, wagon-wheeled bicycle is being refined. Especially in terms of geometry. 

Stinner presents the titanium Refugio model as a gravel bike. So we're going to start looking at where drop-bar 32" stuff is heading. I will do a bit of cross-comparison to the new Singular Pterodactyl, a drop bar 32"er I featured last week in the FN&V. 

While Singular is being a bit cagey about the geometry of the Pterodactyl, we know a few things from press releases sent out to various online media. The head tube angle is a steep 71° versus Stinner's Refugio 32"er's which ranges from 68° for the Medium, (What will be the smallest size for most 32'ers, the Fargo 32 notwithstanding), to a steep 71.5° on the XXL size. 

Sam Alison, of Singular Cycles, stated on a podcast interview we did with him, that 32"ers would necessarily have to go far greater with bottom bracket drop than with 29"ers. Bottom bracket drop, in case you are unfamiliar with the term, is the distance below a line drawn though both axles of the wheel, horizontal with the ground, that the center of your crank spindle sits. It determines how stable a bike feels and where in space your center of gravity sits in relationship to the wheels. 

Singular Pterodactyl Image courtesy of Singular Cycles

Sam thought something more than 100mm of drop would eventually be where 32"ers end up, and Stinner seems to agree with their bottom bracket drop on the Refugio 32 being 105mm. 

Chain stay lengths are obviously going to have to be longer, as Sam Alison showed us by saying the 32" wheel is roughly 10% larger in diameter than a 29"er wheel is. Stinner seems to have landed on a 455mm length on the Refugio. Typical gravel bikes range from 420mm to 435mm in 700c format.  This seems a tad bit shorter than what one might expect for a 32' wheel based upon Sam's estimates. So, I would look for a 455mm - 465mm range in a "good" design for 32" wheels. This is assuming we are going to stick with 32" x 2.25" - 2.5" tires for the 32" format. 

Stack height is another difficult thing to tackle with the tall 32" wheels.  Note the size small Fargo shown recently with handle bars above the saddle height as an example. Negative rise stems will likely be a thing with 32"ers, if they catch on, in the future. 

There is a long way to go with 32"ers, but I think we are in the "honing in" stages of geometry already with this format.  

Image courtesy of fizik

fizik Announces New Ergolace 2 Shoe Range:

I've been on the hunt for new shoes for gravel travel lately and I have a couple of things I know I like which I have not seen done in combination before. 

I am looking for a shoe which is not race-focused because those are typically too stiff and make my feet hurt, cramp, or both. 

I am looking for grippy soles for walking on things like sketchy dirt roads and up steeps that I cannot ride up, plus be reasonable to walk in for stops at convenience stores and the like. 

Finally, I wanted something lighter in color after speaking with Jeff Kerkove who told me white shoes on gravel rides keep his feet cooler. And yeah.....price matters as well. 

Image courtesy of fizik

Well, fizik just released the new Ergolace 2 range of shoes which have seemingly everything I want. While the white is really off-white, this might be better for gravel usage. 

I like the lightweight uppers with breathable characteristics. The soles look grippy. The upper has a foot entry which is like a cuff, which would keep stones out better. (And possibly make them a pain in the butt to put on?) 

I don't know much about fizik shoes. They said they made the toe box roomier. I don't need this as my feet are shaped like skis and are narrow, but I've had to put up with shoes which did not fit great most of my life due to this. 

At least the prices look reasonable. So, does anyone have any experience with fizik shoes? I'd be curious to read any comments you'd like to share. Typically I have worn Shimano footwear, so that is where I am coming from. You can see the Ergolace range HERE.

Image courtesy of Life Time Fitness

UNBOUND Gravel Features New Twists For Pro Riders: 

The information for the UNBOUND Gravel 200 course was sent out this week and there is a new twist to things which further separates the Pros from the "age groupers" in this event. 

Now instead of the Pro field being mixed into the same area for resupply as everyone else, there will be separated feed zones for the Pro fields at three different spots on the course. There will be no team vehicles or motos allowed in the Pro feed Areas.  

 The rest of the course looks like a mix of a Southern route and a Northern route. Essentially the route loops South, West, North, and back East to Emporia. One thing I noted which may be an issue is that the course looks to be on the Flint Hills Nature Trail coming out of Council Grove for several miles to the Southeast. Whether the trail will be closed to other users during the event is not known at this time, but if it is open, there is a chance for user conflicts. The Flint Hills Nature Trail is a rail way conversion trail and is at railroad grade with a narrow, pea gravel surface. 

A couple of other notable points on course, one of which is the near pass to Cottonwood Falls.  Riders will come within about a mile of the city. The other interesting bit comes not long after this where the course ends a long Northward push at Mile 137.9 and turns West. If a rider were to turn right here and go one mile they could cut off an almost 40 mile section of the Northern loop, but they would miss going through the third checkpoint at Council Grove. Cheaters exist, so this would be a tempting place to do this. (Note: You'd only have to go 20 miles and when you pass through Americus you could resupply.)

Anyway, I'll be interested to see how these bits and more play out in Kansas soon.  

Image courtesy of Enve Composites

Enve Announces New Wide, Aero Gravel Wheel Set:

Enve, the wheel and component brand from Ogden, Utah announced a new wide gravel wheel set with deep aero profiling called the G SES 6.7 Pro. 

Featuring an internal rim width of 35mm and a deep aero section of 60mm front/67 mm rear, this wheel set promises great aero results with tire from 44mm in width " and larger tires", according to the webpage for this product. (Up to 52mm listed in 'Features')

The wheel set weighs a claimed 1,580 grams. The G SES 6.5 Pro wheels are offered only in 700c and standard 12mm through axle dimensions of 100mm front, 142mm rear. Hubs are Enve's Innerdrive hubs with straight pull spokes. The brake rotor mounting is Center Lock standard.Maximum allowable tire pressure is 50psi. 

The price for a set of G SES 6.5 Pro wheels is $1,400.00 USD.  

Comments: That is a really wide internal rim width! I tested some 30.5mm internal rim width rims in 2021 with a couple of different gravel tires and was not all that impressed. So running what ENVE says will work at 44mm seems a bit dodgy to me.  

My assessment in 2021 was that such a wide width internally would work best on 700 x 50mm tires and wider. However; in 2021 there weren't really many gravel bikes with this sort of clearance. Now?

Well, an aero MTB wheel makes sense now with wider XC MTB tires. Let's be honest, this is what people are really doing. They can call it "gravel", but really? We know what's up here!  

New Guitar Ted Podcast Episode #107

Okay, here is another podcast drop to check out which started out innocently enough as a compare and contrast between two gravel racing bikes. Then....

Well we went off the rails a few times. Then I got into some esoteric changes in the upcoming Unbound 200. (See above) Nobody probably cares but me about those things, but I talked about it all anyway. 

Anywho... If you want to listen to this one, check it out HERE on our Spotify home page, or find the Guitar Ted Podcast on your favorite podcast provider's sites. 

That's a wrap for the week. Get out and ride those bicycles! 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of fizik

Hot & Humid FN&V!

fizik Announces Limited Edition Gravel Shoes:

Two limited edition shoes were announced on Tuesday of this week by fizik. One high-end shoe and one much more moderately priced shoe. First up we have the Atlas in "Black Mamba", a bright highlighter orange and green/yellow hue with black trim.

The Atlas features a BOA closure and a rubber coated sole for best traction off the bike. There is a TPU toe cap to help protect those toes also. The sole has a Nylon insert for stiffness but it is rated at a "5" stiffness, so it would be a shoe you could walk in some if need be. Weight is claimed at 355 grams.

Available in the usual sizes for around $169.00USD.

Image courtesy of fizik

Next up we have the Ferox in Team Amani colors. This is a carbon-soled shoe with dual retention and lighter weight. 

The Ferox has a woven upper mesh over a PU laminate. The X-1 carbon sole has a rubber covering for better grip. The stiffness rating here is "10" and again, it is available in all of fizik's usual sizes. 

Price on the Team Amani Ferox is set at $309.00USD.

You can see more at fizik.com

Comments: fizik has some pretty cool looking options for the gravel ridier. These newest ones may not appeal to more shy or conservative personalities, but I like the bold colors and the Ferox looks like it could avoid that dreaded "too hot in black" situation I was warned about by Jeff Kerkove, my co-conspirator in Trans Iowa. 

I'd love to try fizik shoes, but the thing is that I do not need new gravel shoes now. Shimano saw to that by sending me a few pairs over the years here. But someday......

Image courtesy of Ritchey Design

Ritchey Design Announces Montebello All-Road Bike:

Ritchey Design sent out a press release on Tuesday of this week detailing the new Montebello model. This is a bicycle meant for riding roads and miles and miles of them. 

Featuring clearances for up to a 40mm tire without fenders and 36mm with them, the Montebello promises a comfortable ride. It features longer chain stays (329mm 429mm) and a low bottom bracket (80mm or 78mm, depending on size) which should lend the rider a planted feel in corners and on rougher roads. 

It's steel, of course, being a Ritchey, and features Ritchey's penchant for straight 1 1/8th steer tube forks. The new fork, dubbed the WCS Carbon Brevet Fork, has porteur or lowrider mounts and a threaded hole in the fork crown for a light mount or front rack mounting. The fork also has internal routing for a dynamo light. 

A Montebello frameset will set you back $1,699,00 USD. You can see more at RitcheyLogic.com

Image courtesy of Ritchey Design.

Comments: Now this is a road bike! Not what Tour riders ride - this Montebello is it! I can get behind a bike like this for a large swath of riders that wouldn't have a lot of "gravel" to ride but who want to explore the back roads and lesser trafficked areas of wherever it is that they live. 

Plus it could do gravel, with the ability to use a 40mm tire. The geometry is great, the details make it versatile, and it isn't a touring sled that would feel wooden unladen. THIS would have been my choice for a bike that wasn't labeled "gravel" in 2011 when I was looking for a bike to do gravel roads. 

And with racks and fenders it becomes the perfect commuting rig for many. Yeah, I think Ritchey knocked this one out of the park.

Gravel Worlds recent series of videos celebrates what makes gravel special.

A Word About The Gravel Family:

The concept of riders meeting at various gravel events and having a "family reunion' of sorts was something that started back in the late 2000's. It was part of what made the early gravel scene not only special, but why it unmistakably grew the fan base for gravel into the fastest growing form of cycling in the USA. 

Gravel Worlds grabbed that idea and dubbed it the "Gravel Family". While Gravel Worlds has evolved and changed dramatically from where it came from, the organizers try to keep one foot on the ground and relate to their entire field from the fastest Pros to the back-of-the-pack riders. In an effort to show that they are putting some real equity into this they have started releasing some great videos which show some of the stories that are integral to the concept of the "Gravel Family". You can watch the one I grabbed the screen shot from HERE which features Isabel Berry.

Check that out and I think you will agree that this is what it is all about in terms of why gravel is where it is at today. 

That's a wrap on this week! Have a great weekend and thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Madrone Derailleur

 We Can Rebuild It!

Madrone Derailleur Shown:

In the "I Missed This Earlier" files we have today the item originally shown this past April at Sea Otter called the Madrone Derailleur. 

This alternative to SRAM or Shimano for 12 speed MTB is rebuildable, according to Madrone, who also makes replacement parts for 12 speed SRAM AXS and Eagle rear derailleurs along with sealed bearing pulleys. 

This new complete rear derailleur can work with SRAM or Shimano by simply swapping out the cam on the derailleur body. 

The Madrone Derailleur is still in the prototype stage and is promised to be available later in the year. Asking price is $395.00USD.

Comments: These "alt derailleurs" always fascinate me, I don't know why, because they are very expensive and typically don't hold up well or are "unobtanium" for the average rider. Maybe Madrone's efforts will prove otherwise. I know that the INGRID rear derailleur, for instance, an all-CNC'ed piece, is about $750.00 and supposedly rebuildable also, but man! A Di2 GRX 12 speed rear mech is just over four hundred bucks. Mechanical GRX is just over a hundred bucks. Hard to justify these alt rear mechs that may or may not hold up under stressful gravel use. 

From Mid-South's Instagram

Mid-South Announces Mega-Mid-South For September:

Many "big-time" gravel events have added 300-ish mile, self-supported gravel challenges in recent years. The first to do it was DK200/Unbound with the originally named DKXL, (now just Unbound XL). Then Gravel Worlds popped off with "The Long Voyage", a 300-ish mile loop. Now it is Mid-South's turn and they are dubbing their event the "Mega-Mid-South". 

It will be a 300 mile loop that will encompass some of the previous Mid-South routes. The event will occur September 18th, 2024 and will start at 8:00am in front of District Bicycles in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The event has no entry fee and will require all participants to be responsible for themselves. Featuring over 15,000ft of elevation, this event will be held in the heart of central Oklahoma on Oklahoma's red dirt roads. 

Comments: I have no idea if any of these longer routes these gravel events put out there are inspired by Trans Iowa, with the exception of the XL (DKXL), which I was told directly from the RD at the time (Jim Cummings) was inspired by Trans Iowa. But I gotta believe a little of what Trans Iowa stood for is embodied in those events. Especially when I see "You Are Responsible For Yourself" used in the marketing. And I know Bobby Wintle is well aware of what Trans Iowa was and is a fan. Maybe....

But whatever. This is right up my alley. I love the idea. My only thing would be to have NO GPS files and make everyone use a cue sheet navigation with cues not available until they left. But hey! I am an old school, lost soul in a techno-world. I get it. You cannot fathom doing a course by paper cues. It makes your brain hurt thinking about it. I say, "Exactly!" But yeah....

Image courtesy of Esker Bikes

Esker Announces Steel Lorax, Smokey Frames And Completes:

Esker Cycles announced on Tuesday of this week that their Smokey hard tail MTB and their Lorax adventure bikes would now be offered in steel framed versions. These models are also available in titanium. 

Emphasizing ease of maintenance both models feature external cable routing (!!) and threaded bottom brackets. 44mm head tubes will also be used across both models. Both models feature many accessory mounting points as well. 

The steel Smokey will be available as a frame only for 1K. Then both the Smokey and Lorax can be had with forks at $1,600.00 or starting at $3,000.00 for completes. See Esker Cycles for details. 

Comments: I took a look at the Esker Cycles Lorax and liked a lot about that bike. However; the sizing is weird. I am at the extreme end for a large at 6'1" and smack dab in the range for an XL. Then I look at the differences and the XL seems too big, but.... I don't know. I remember Salsa Cycles back around the late 2000's and their sizing which was putting me in a similar pickle between their Medium and Large. Neither was really "right" for me. Maybe that's where I am getting the weird vibes about Esker's sizing. 

Image courtesy of fizik.

fizik Introduces New "Road Meets Gravel" Shoe:

Combining elements of the latest road shoes with a walkable sole and two-bolt cleat interface, fizik launched their newest shoe called the Beat on Wednesday of this week.

The uppers are fabric and have a lace-up closure, The soles are a Nylon reinforced TPU, (yes, the same stuff those tubes are made from), and the shoe comes in a white, a beige/tan that fizik calls "Desert", and black with the white and tan shoes having multi-colored soles. All three retail for $179.99USD.

The stiffness rating of the sole is "4", so not the stiffest soles out there. fizik claims this will aid in comfort over rougher roads. The Beat also features a wider toe box, according to the press release, which fizik claims is a new shape for the company.  The shoes weigh a claimed 355 grams. 

Image courtesy of fizik.

Comments:

Look! A white shoe for gravel! This gets the "Jeff Kerkove" seal of approval for hot weather riding. (He told me the reasons for white shoes a year ago that made a lot of sense.) 

I'm not sure about those TPU multi-colored soles though. Pick orange or purple, but the fade? Meh... It probably won't matter once they get scarred up from pedal mashing, walking on concrete and gravel, and with a nice coating of limestone dust all over them. 

It's a bit curious that fizik went with such a flexible sole. But at this price-point, you don't normally get a lot of features and expensive materials. So, if the idea was to reach the more recreational, "semi-serious" rider, this shoe makes sense. You get what looks like a top of the range road shoe at a much nicer price and a shoe that could cross over to gravel, road, or adventure cycling where walking is a much bigger part of the picture. 

Image courtesy of fizik

Getting back to that theory of Jeff's concerning white shoes. He told me a year ago while we were riding the GCHoF ride in Emporia that white shoes were preferable because the typical black shoe uppers were heat absorbers and as Jeff said to me then, "Who wants hotter feet? I know I don't!". 

So, on one hand this seems to make sense. On the other hand, my gravel shoes look dingy and cruddy 90% of the time and washing them is not all that effective in bringing back the "new". So, I could imagine what a white shoe will end up looking like after a few rides. Maintenance city, man! Too much fussing around for me. 

But I get it. I understand the heat absorption thing. I was standing outside the other day when it was 90-something degrees and the humidity was pretty bad in a dark colored t-shirt and you could feel the shirt start to cook in a few minutes. So, I buy into that theory, Jeff, I just don't know if I could put up with white shoes after a few rides on our gravel roads and then have to look at those dingy shoes afterward.

That's a wrap on this week. Good Luck to all the RAGBRAI riders! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Ze Mango ze Tango!

 Chris King Brings Matte Mango Back:

Despite the dark times of the late 90's/early 2000's, Chris King has been a stalwart against the "Age of Black". Those days when cycling went dark and everybody was trying to make their bikes as black as possible. I never did get on with that ide.

Black........ Boring!

 Well, that is, unless you add in splashes of color, and Chris King was about the only game in town for many years. Then other companies started bringing the color, and well, Chris King had to "innovate", so they started doing odd anodized colors, like Coffee Brown, and then matte finishes in various anodized colors. They were successes, but there was a problem.

Despite CK's experiences in the anodization process, which they fully control and know inside and out, variances in batch colors affected certain runs, especially that Matte Mango color, so CK pulled that from the line about 18 months ago. But now that the process of anodizing Matte Mango has been refined, King felt compelled to bring the color back again and make it a part of their regular line once more. Those hues include Black, Matte Black, Two Tone Black Gold, Midnight, Matte Turquoise, Red, Silver, Gold, and 3D Violet.

The fizik Ergolace GTX shoe (Image courtesy of fizik)

And More Colorful Stuff For Your Viewing Pleasure:

Colors other than black or white, (mostly seen in the roadie side of cycling) were also once rare. But over the past several years components and apparel have taken on more colorful patterns and hues. 

Take for instance the collaboration here between PEdALED and fizik with the brick red and tan Ergolace GTX shoes. That's a bold look, and fizik isn't the only company stepping outside the traditional boundaries of what cycling apparel and components have been. 

My first job in cycling was at a shop in Cedar Falls, Iowa where I worked for a man named Tom Webb who said something to the effect of, "Cycling is a colorful sport. Your stuff should reflect that. It's fun, so why not?" I found that sentiment to have a great impact upon me and I have always remembered the late Mr. Webb's philosophy on cycling apparel and components. 

I know colors are really hard on retailers because then we start getting into fashion and that usually has a shelf-life measured in months. What was 'cool' for anodized bits one season could be next season's pariah. Having a bunch of 3D Violet bits in a case that no one wants makes for bad profit and loss statements. 

Or that's how it used to be, at any rate. Now? Well, it seems color sells and I think more companies are emboldened to stick their necks out with more risky options, like the fizik shoes here. 

Grip Idea:

Recently I have tested out the new evolution of Ergon's GP1, the GP1 Evo, (seen here) and it got me to thinking about those Redshift Sports Cruise Control grips and others like those (seen here). That made me wonder why in the heck haven't I been using those Cruise Control grips lately? 

So, that was one thing. The next part is that I don't think I have ridden my gen I Fargo at all this year. Not even once. Crime committed!

It just so happens that I have a Kitchen Sink bar from Redshift on the Fargo. So..... Those Cruise Control grips are going on there, and I have a few other tweaks in mind for that bike which also will be implemented. That's my next project and I have a goal in mind to make the bike rideable with the new updates. Look for more on that ride idea in tomorrow's post. 

I hope to get all this fixed up and test ridden soon, so stay tuned here for a post detailing the changes and I am really looking forward to riding the Fargo again real soon. I cannot believe I haven't ridden it for so long! 

Big Discounts Expected For Black Friday:

In other Turkey Day related news, the feeling I get from different sources is that this early Holiday season will be marked by some incredible deals on bicycles, components, and accessories. 

I am already getting hit in my inbox with messages from companies telling me to be on the look-out for deals the weekend after Thanksgiving, and especially that day known as "Black Friday"

Pre-holiday discounting is already on the upswing. I have also noted several 25%-30% deals on apparel and other stuff out there. It just continues to point to the fact that the industry is bloated in terms of inventory and will be seeking to offer deals "too good to be true" for the end of 2023. 

So, let's say that all this massive discounting of overstock is successful. Will people be looking to buy during the opening months of 2024? Why would they be, if, as is somewhat hoped for by the business, people have all they need going into the New Year? 

It doesn't bode well, and I suspect that either way, successful sell-off or no, that depressed sales will be the norm and overstock will take a while to trickle out over the next six months to a year. And I would think that current manufacturing orders are down by a lot. Once the glut moves through, you may see another short-supply situation again until the market can finally find its bearings. And who knows how long that will take. 

At any rate, this situation brought on by the crazy daze of the pandemic are going to affect the cycling marketplace for months to come, maybe over a year yet. 

That's it for today! Have a fantastic weekend and thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions.

Friday News And Views

MicroShift "Sword" (Image courtesy of MicroShift)

MicroShift Appeals To Techno-Grouches Out There:

 MicroShift could be said to be that company that does the things that neither SRAM nor Shimano are interested in doing. For years now the company has been best known as the "alt" gear company that does those oddball bar end shifters, 8/9/10 speed derailleurs, cassettes, and now, a gravel group set. Of course they did a gravel group. 

But hold on! They did the "microshift" thing here as well and made the stuff ten speed in 1X or 2X which can be converted from 1X to 2X and back again, with a parts switch or two. Oh! And this is decidedly mechanical. No weird electronics or hydraulic fluids here!

Looking though their site, I find many of their features for this group, named "Sword", by the way, as being very "Shimano-esque". The textured hoods (GRX), the high-pivot brake levers (again - GRX), and the crank set bolt pattern, (very Shimano looking) Makes one wonder.... 

Even their front derailleur cable adjuster looks like a direct copy of Shimano's. Of course, we all know they are not copying SRAM here with anything front derailleur related! Ha ha! It's almost as if MicroShift is the secret "backwards Skunk Works" division of Shimano. But I have no clue what is really going on with the company. It's just that their stuff has a very heavy Shimano vibe. 

Ten speed...... Okay, other than tickling the retro-grouch's fancy, I am a bit in wonderment as to why they chose that format to go after. My inclination would have been that 11 speed is that level at which current riders are at where they are maybe saying, "Why do we need 12 speeds anyway?"The question about 11 speed was answered a decade ago, so going backward to 10 speeds? Okay then....

The Velo Vetta Monarch aero shoe. (Image courtesy of Velo Vetta)

Now Your Shoes Can Be Truly Aero:

It used to be that throwing on an aero-bootie cover on your shoes was enough for those times where you were time-trialing or doing a triathlon. Well, now there are areo-shoes so your bootie thingies are now out of fashion. (I guess)

Yep! These shoes are from a company called Velo Vetta and retail for about 400 bucks. The design moves the BOA type closure dial to the back end of the shoe and that bit is then fared into the shoe, kind of like a boat tail. The uppers then can be more sleek and smooth. 

I'll be waiting for the gravel version. (I'm only half joking)

California Proposes Law To License eBike Riders:

In an effort to reduce and prevent HPC/eBike deaths and injuries amongst minors, California law may soon prevent anyone under the age of 12 years to operate an electrically assisted bike and would put in place a licensing procedure for anyone using a HPC/eBike who already was not a licensed motor vehicle operator in the state. (Story here)

Comments: I've stated for years that electric motors and bicycles would eventually lead to a similar situation which moped operators found themselves in back in the 1980's. 

In those days there were no licensing requirements to operate a moped and they went about the same speeds as a Class 3 electric bicycle. Eventually enough of the youth, who were the primary users of said vehicles, were injured or killed that laws came into effect, essentially classing those motor pedelecs with motorcycles. They were subject to the same laws and licensing requirements, and then, well.....moped ceased to be a thing in the USA. 

We are on the same trajectory regarding electrically assisted bicycles and also with UTV's, which are drawing scrutiny for similar reasons in rural areas. Eventually both will be required to be licensed, insured, and classes will be required, just as with any motorized vehicle, to gain the privilege of using one of these things. 

Will that "kill" the market for those vehicles? Not likely. But it will prevent many from engaging in operations of those vehicles.

Fizik Debuts Shoe With Late 80's Vibe:

The new Vento Ferox Carbon shoe from fizik is probably the shoe Don Johnson would have worn had he ridden a bicycle on "Miami Vice" . This color scheme is totally 80's with the grid pattern, the pastel color palette, and grey soles. Honestly, I think I've worked on a few Huffys with this same color scheme and it makes me feel a bit annoyed! 

They paid attention to detail with this scheme though, I'll grant them that. Look at the toe cleat plugs. They are the same sickly-aqua/greenish-blue that the accents on the uppers are. Also - These are a perfect shoe for my pink BMC MCD bike. If they weren't 300+ bucks, and if I already didn't have like six pairs of really nice cycling shoes, I might get them just for that reason alone.

Salsa Cycles' Marketing Snafu Reveals New Name For Fat Bike:

Embargoes on information are commonplace in the bicycle business. I think I'm sitting on info for at least three embargoes right at the moment. It would have been four embargoes except for a mistake made by someone in Salsa Cycles marketing department.

Sometime mid-morning yesterday, I received an email from a reader here that was very strange. The email he forwarded me, that is, was strange. It was a typical embargoed information email I usually see from Salsa Cyles, except that the reader who sent it to me was a friend, not in the media. 

Whoops!

So, there was a bit of time which passed, as in a few hours, and then I got the email my friend got. THEN even more hours passed and another email lands in my inbox from an actual person, apologizing for the snafu, and still insisting the embargo be adhered to. Umm..... The cat's been outta the bag for half a day now. Right?

Anyway, another email went out to consumers explaining the mess and which told them briefly that there would be news about Beargrease and Heyday! (Yes, the exclamation point is part of the rebrand) Anyway, the whole thing is goofy now and well...... It's not as though these bikes are anything "new", it's paint changes, some spec news, and a new name for an old model. Which the original email consumers weren't supposed to get - but did - details specifically. (Hint: That bike in the image sent to consumers is not a Mukluk, even though it may look like one.) I'll have more details next week in this space.....

That's it for this week! Have a great weekend and ride those bicycles!

Friday News And Views

MicroShift "Sword" (Image courtesy of MicroShift)

MicroShift Appeals To Techno-Grouches Out There:

 MicroShift could be said to be that company that does the things that neither SRAM nor Shimano are interested in doing. For years now the company has been best known as the "alt" gear company that does those oddball bar end shifters, 8/9/10 speed derailleurs, cassettes, and now, a gravel group set. Of course they did a gravel group. 

But hold on! They did the "microshift" thing here as well and made the stuff ten speed in 1X or 2X which can be converted from 1X to 2X and back again, with a parts switch or two. Oh! And this is decidedly mechanical. No weird electronics or hydraulic fluids here!

Looking though their site, I find many of their features for this group, named "Sword", by the way, as being very "Shimano-esque". The textured hoods (GRX), the high-pivot brake levers (again - GRX), and the crank set bolt pattern, (very Shimano looking) Makes one wonder.... 

Even their front derailleur cable adjuster looks like a direct copy of Shimano's. Of course, we all know they are not copying SRAM here with anything front derailleur related! Ha ha! It's almost as if MicroShift is the secret "backwards Skunk Works" division of Shimano. But I have no clue what is really going on with the company. It's just that their stuff has a very heavy Shimano vibe. 

Ten speed...... Okay, other than tickling the retro-grouch's fancy, I am a bit in wonderment as to why they chose that format to go after. My inclination would have been that 11 speed is that level at which current riders are at where they are maybe saying, "Why do we need 12 speeds anyway?"The question about 11 speed was answered a decade ago, so going backward to 10 speeds? Okay then....

The Velo Vetta Monarch aero shoe. (Image courtesy of Velo Vetta)

Now Your Shoes Can Be Truly Aero:

It used to be that throwing on an aero-bootie cover on your shoes was enough for those times where you were time-trialing or doing a triathlon. Well, now there are areo-shoes so your bootie thingies are now out of fashion. (I guess)

Yep! These shoes are from a company called Velo Vetta and retail for about 400 bucks. The design moves the BOA type closure dial to the back end of the shoe and that bit is then fared into the shoe, kind of like a boat tail. The uppers then can be more sleek and smooth. 

I'll be waiting for the gravel version. (I'm only half joking)

California Proposes Law To License eBike Riders:

In an effort to reduce and prevent HPC/eBike deaths and injuries amongst minors, California law may soon prevent anyone under the age of 12 years to operate an electrically assisted bike and would put in place a licensing procedure for anyone using a HPC/eBike who already was not a licensed motor vehicle operator in the state. (Story here)

Comments: I've stated for years that electric motors and bicycles would eventually lead to a similar situation which moped operators found themselves in back in the 1980's. 

In those days there were no licensing requirements to operate a moped and they went about the same speeds as a Class 3 electric bicycle. Eventually enough of the youth, who were the primary users of said vehicles, were injured or killed that laws came into effect, essentially classing those motor pedelecs with motorcycles. They were subject to the same laws and licensing requirements, and then, well.....moped ceased to be a thing in the USA. 

We are on the same trajectory regarding electrically assisted bicycles and also with UTV's, which are drawing scrutiny for similar reasons in rural areas. Eventually both will be required to be licensed, insured, and classes will be required, just as with any motorized vehicle, to gain the privilege of using one of these things. 

Will that "kill" the market for those vehicles? Not likely. But it will prevent many from engaging in operations of those vehicles.

Fizik Debuts Shoe With Late 80's Vibe:

The new Vento Ferox Carbon shoe from fizik is probably the shoe Don Johnson would have worn had he ridden a bicycle on "Miami Vice" . This color scheme is totally 80's with the grid pattern, the pastel color palette, and grey soles. Honestly, I think I've worked on a few Huffys with this same color scheme and it makes me feel a bit annoyed! 

They paid attention to detail with this scheme though, I'll grant them that. Look at the toe cleat plugs. They are the same sickly-aqua/greenish-blue that the accents on the uppers are. Also - These are a perfect shoe for my pink BMC MCD bike. If they weren't 300+ bucks, and if I already didn't have like six pairs of really nice cycling shoes, I might get them just for that reason alone.

Salsa Cycles' Marketing Snafu Reveals New Name For Fat Bike:

Embargoes on information are commonplace in the bicycle business. I think I'm sitting on info for at least three embargoes right at the moment. It would have been four embargoes except for a mistake made by someone in Salsa Cycles marketing department.

Sometime mid-morning yesterday, I received an email from a reader here that was very strange. The email he forwarded me, that is, was strange. It was a typical embargoed information email I usually see from Salsa Cyles, except that the reader who sent it to me was a friend, not in the media. 

Whoops!

So, there was a bit of time which passed, as in a few hours, and then I got the email my friend got. THEN even more hours passed and another email lands in my inbox from an actual person, apologizing for the snafu, and still insisting the embargo be adhered to. Umm..... The cat's been outta the bag for half a day now. Right?

Anyway, another email went out to consumers explaining the mess and which told them briefly that there would be news about Beargrease and Heyday! (Yes, the exclamation point is part of the rebrand) Anyway, the whole thing is goofy now and well...... It's not as though these bikes are anything "new", it's paint changes, some spec news, and a new name for an old model. Which the original email consumers weren't supposed to get - but did - details specifically. (Hint: That bike in the image sent to consumers is not a Mukluk, even though it may look like one.) I'll have more details next week in this space.....

That's it for this week! Have a great weekend and ride those bicycles!