Two Ways To Tour

Frame bags or....

 How Do You Carry Your Cargo For Overnights?

With Tour Divide in full swing, and a press release I received prompting my thoughts, I wanted to dive into the two ways to tour.  I have extensive experience with racks and bags, but while I do have all the stuff here to do a rackless type set up, I have not actually spent much time using this way of touring. My thoughts on the matter may be skewed, but I thought this exercise would be a fun one to consider.

Racks and bags have been the default way to tour for decades. When I participated in two fully-self-contained tours in the 90's, racks and bags were the only option. However; when the Great Divide Race/Tour Divide got rolling in the 2000's, rackless type set ups quickly became a thing based upon certain advantages this style of touring has. Okay- I can hear some of you already saying "bikepacking". But let's be honest: Bikepacking is touring. You can do this off-pavement or on pavement. Being a temporary homeless person via bicycle is essentially no different either way you decide to carry your stuff. So, let's get on with deciding which way is best.

....fully racked and bagged?

Full disclosure: I wrote a bit on this back in 2023. So, why dig into this again? Well, for a few reasons. First of all being that N.Y. Roll and I have a believe more and more people are tiring of |racing and want to have experiences via bicycle in a more non-competitive, relaxed manner. Focusing more on camaraderie and shared experiences instead, and what better way to do this than by touring?

Secondly, more rack options are becoming available which are easier to install and take off, making it easy to configure your bicycle for specific rides and not having to dedicate a bike to being "the bag-bike". Furthermore; frame bags are fine, but they have to be custom-made to fit, and again - dedicated to a specific bicycle. The "convertible" and versatile set ups, which often do not even require a bicycle to be rack compatible, are making touring and sub-24's easier than ever.

Frame bags have to be custom-fitted to a specific bicycle for best results. However; they are easily removed, unlike many racks. 

As I stated, I have a lot of frame bags, seat packs, top tube bags, and other bags as well. It was not until recently when I started reviewing some Old Man Mountain gear that I was reintroduced to racked touring options.One of the many features of their gear is one which I found fascinating, and that was the ability of thir racks to fit almost any type of bicycle.

It used to be racks only went on bicycles with rack mounts. Those eyeletted frames and forks were most often found on hard tails, touring bikes, and hybrid bicycles made from metal. Carbon fiber bikes? Yeah......rrrright! (Said in a Patrick Warburton voice) But no more! Even carbon bikes, full-suspension bikes, and non-eyeletted bikes can all have racks nowadays.

Who said you had to use racks or frame bags? Why not both!

And now quick-mount/dismount racks are making things even easier for those who want to just pop on a rack, attach a couple of panniers, and go have a picnic, or an over-night trip. So, choosing a rack system over a frame bag system is becoming less of a defined line. Heck, you can even use both types of systems on one bike.

There are finer points to discuss and you can get way into the weeds when it comes to bikepacking/touring stuff, but I think all those details only dampen the itch to go out and try something. I'd caution against too much thinking about details which really don't matter a lot. I will say a few things here which I have learned over the years which may help you out though, and are important to consider. I did mention three things to think about in the previous post mentioned above, and those are Weight, Wheels/Tires, and Comfort. I'll add a few things here and the first has to do with weight. 

Brakes: More weight means more to stop when the time comes. Your brakes need to be in tip-top shape. Not only that, but if your brakes are rim brakes, this means your rims need to be in good shape as well. Rims wear out at the braking track, so if those wheels are old, and your brake track feels concave when you check it out, it may be time for new wheels. (And your spokes and hubs will be better as well.) Disc brake pads wear out, as do rotors, and these points of possible failure are imperceptibly fine lines which, if crossed, can be catastrophic to you and your adventure. Cables, housings, and brake lines/fluid, (if using hydraulic brakes) should be in good order as well.

Air Pressure: Heavier loads will require you to adjust your air pressure upward. Using what usually works for your normal riding isn't going to be correct for loaded riding. Make sure to check tire recommendations and rim spec so you do not go overboard, but raising your air pressure somewhat from normal will be a best practice for loaded touring. 

Attention To Details: I know I intimated earlier to not sweat the small stuff too much, but if you plan on spending hours in the saddle to get somewhere, then those niggling bits you've been meaning to address should be taken care of before you embark on your voyage.  That dangling bit of bar tape, the stem that is slightly off center, or the squeaky seat you've been putting up with should be cleared up so you have one or two less things to stress you out mentally while you are traveling by bicycle. This isn't a point about "do this or that" as much as it is about getting mentally comfortable for long hours in the saddle. Little things you could get cleaned up before hand will bug the crap out of you on longer rides if you don't address them.

Racks or frame bags? Just get out there!

So, back to the way to go - Racks and bags or frame bags? You can go back and forth on either one, but whichever way you go, there are a lot more important things to think about hen going touring for a day or a month. The main thing should be "the main thing" and that would be just to get out there and do it.

Plus, who said you had to use racks and bags or frame bags? Use whatever you can get your hands on, and works for you, and get out there.

Also, I am writing this to myself more than any of you dear readers. I need to just get out there and do an overnight trip. I've had one planned for several years which I've wanted to do, and time keeps slipping away. It is a problem I need to address myself, so I am not trying to be preachy or whatever.

Hopefully I make the trip happen this Summer. Stay tuned.... 

Friday News And Views

 NAHBS Show Canceled For 2022:

In a reecent "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" article, it was revelaed last week that the North American Handmade Bicycle show was not going to happen in 2022. The show, scheduled to occur in Denver Colorado, was cancelled by the organizer due to a claimed "lack of interest by the vendors ". 

A long Facebook thread was posted afterword, mostly bemoaning the cancellation of the show, but there were several interesting comments. Some claimed that they were interested in showing at NAHBS and had tried to get information on the show, but were left with dead ends and unanswered e-mails. The show's director, Don Walker, claimed to have been having health issues which were also making it difficult to put on a show of such magnitude.

MADE To Occur September 2023:

As if on cue, a new gathering of frame builders and attendant cycling component and accessories brands have committed to a new "show" called MADE. This hasn't been 'officially' announced as of this past Wednesday when I found a mention of the gathering on Instagram stories. 

The show site claims the following:(Note- Use of shouty all-caps is from their site)

• MADE CELEBRATES THE ART OF BUILDING
• MADE SERVES BUILDERS, MAKERS, MEDIA AND THE CUSTOM COMMUNITY
• MADE LIVES AT THE INTERSECTION OF BIKE AND CULTURE
• MADE IS DEDICATED TO SHARING STORIES OF BUILDERS AND MAKERS TO THE WORLD

Furthermore the site informs us that this is a 'multi-day trade event" and that there will be consumer and 'industry-only' days where media can gain access to brands for content creation and 'community building'. 

The gathering is set for Portland, Oregon and the site claims that this will be mostly held outdoors. UPDATED: Story on MADE appeared on the "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" site HERE.

Comments: The timing of this comes at a point right after the NAHBS announcement. Make of that what you will. However; in the previously mentioned Facebook thread, there were mentions of a possible "alternative" to NAHBS, or that there should be one. This appears to be that alternative. It also is highly likely that the Portland custom builder scene had a hand in getting this off the ground, since the event is in Portland, Oregon. 

There were a lot of criticisms leveled at Don Walker's NAHBS organization, and well, now you have people setting up a show which I am sure they feel addresses all of those concerns.One of the big criticisms of NAHBS was that it got away from the custom builder/component cottage industry types and became a de facto Big Corporate show where the "little guy" was overshadowed by the bigger entities like SRAM, Shimano, and more. That's my take from what I read about this situation. If I have that wrong, I'm all ears..... Time will tell all. I'm keeping an eye on this. 

Sarah Cooper and myself at Trans Iowa v12

Trans Iowa Stories Series Ends:

This coming Sunday the Epilogue for the Trans Iowa Stories will post marking the end of the series I have run every Sunday since June of 2019.

The idea was sparked at the close of Trans Iowa v14 by a commenter here that suggested that I probably had a lot of good stories from 'behind the scenes' about the event over its 14 year run. 

It's been difficult in many ways to tell anything 'new' about Trans Iowa. The Trans Iowa related posts here on the blog probably number into the 100's. But the thing is, after a decade plus of posts, you cannot assume that everyone has read the blog that diligently all these years. So, while it is true that the Trans Iowa Stories series has a lot of 're-told' stories, it does have a fair amount of stuff in there I never told before the series. 

I tried to be conscious of that all throughout the writing process. I hope that some of that was noticed. And now the writing process is through. Now what? 

Hmm.......that's a great question. Initially the idea was to make this a book. The thing is, there is just far too much material here. You have no idea, for example, how many images I have that I collected for the series which have not been used, and deserve to be seen. The visual history of Trans Iowa could literally fill volumes. Then there is the written text....... Whoa! That would be a pretty thick book if I were to publish this series in its entirety as a book. 

So, a lot of decisions are needing to be made. The direction of the book, if there is to be one, needs to be determined first. Should it be culled down to the most amazing stories? Maybe 30? That would be a long read in itself. Or, maybe this is best told in images, so a photographic piece, which would have some captions, maybe some light commentary. As I have said, I couldn't possibly even use all the images, so again- use maybe 30-ish? 

Lots of questions, no answers yet. Stay tuned..........

And Don't Forget: The "GTDRI Stories" series kicks off on Sundays starting in August.

EVOC shows new bikepacking range: Image courtesy of ©EVOC / Baschi Bender

EVOC Shows New Bikepacking Range:

Late this year EVOC will have a new range of bikepacking bags on hand which have been improved over the outgoing range. 

Improvements include an upgrade to the BOA closures, new hidden vents which allow roll-top bags to close easier, and the range is now fully waterproof with waterproofed zippers, welded seams,and waterproofed  materials.Velcro straps have been replaced with cut-to-size hypalon Velcro straps.

The range consists of two different sizes of seat packs, a half-frame bag, top tube bags, and a  handle bar bag. They come in two colors, a "steel" and a "carbon grey". These EVOC bags should be available this Fall. Prices range from $40.00 for the smaller items in the range to $150.00USD. https://evocsports.us/

Comments: I have not used EVOC bags before, but they seem to be very popular with some of the ultra-endurance cyclists in Europe, in particular. I imagine that they are now fully waterproof that their popularity will only increase. Good looking colors that should appeal to most riders and look fine with most paint schemes. The pricing seems fair as well. 

Personally, I have not ever liked the look of a half-frame bag when it hangs down away from the frame. I don't have any technical or performance reasons for that, it's just my personal opinion. So, that makes the EVOC half-frame bag not very appealing to me. But maybe you don't care about that? Then this might be a good deal. The rest of the range looks fine to me.  

Patent drawing image from www.wheelbased.com

 SRAM Patent On New Rotor Design:

The "wheelbased.com" Instagram page which showed patent drawings submitted by different bicycle companies had been dormant for some time. However; suddenly it is back again and boy! Have the floodgates opened! If you like to ferret out tech and future developments in bicycle design, this account is worth a follow.

Well, one of the more recent postings that seems realistic for production is this new composite rotor from SRAM. It uses a "spray-on" steel coating over an aluminum core. The advantages are that brake temperatures can be reduced. Shimano has been doing something similar with their "IceTech" for several years already. 

There are some other pretty far-out electronic things happening which may or may not come about. But this brake rotor deal will likely be produced for SRAM's higher end brakes in the near future, I would think. Anyway, check out "wheelbased" on Instagram if you haven't already. It is a good account to 'nerd-out' on, if you are in to such things.

That's all for this week! Have a great weekend and we'll see ya back here soon, I hope. Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions! 

Friday News And Views

 NAHBS Show Canceled For 2022:

In a reecent "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" article, it was revelaed last week that the North American Handmade Bicycle show was not going to happen in 2022. The show, scheduled to occur in Denver Colorado, was cancelled by the organizer due to a claimed "lack of interest by the vendors ". 

A long Facebook thread was posted afterword, mostly bemoaning the cancellation of the show, but there were several interesting comments. Some claimed that they were interested in showing at NAHBS and had tried to get information on the show, but were left with dead ends and unanswered e-mails. The show's director, Don Walker, claimed to have been having health issues which were also making it difficult to put on a show of such magnitude.

MADE To Occur September 2023:

As if on cue, a new gathering of frame builders and attendant cycling component and accessories brands have committed to a new "show" called MADE. This hasn't been 'officially' announced as of this past Wednesday when I found a mention of the gathering on Instagram stories. 

The show site claims the following:(Note- Use of shouty all-caps is from their site)

• MADE CELEBRATES THE ART OF BUILDING
• MADE SERVES BUILDERS, MAKERS, MEDIA AND THE CUSTOM COMMUNITY
• MADE LIVES AT THE INTERSECTION OF BIKE AND CULTURE
• MADE IS DEDICATED TO SHARING STORIES OF BUILDERS AND MAKERS TO THE WORLD

Furthermore the site informs us that this is a 'multi-day trade event" and that there will be consumer and 'industry-only' days where media can gain access to brands for content creation and 'community building'. 

The gathering is set for Portland, Oregon and the site claims that this will be mostly held outdoors. UPDATED: Story on MADE appeared on the "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" site HERE.

Comments: The timing of this comes at a point right after the NAHBS announcement. Make of that what you will. However; in the previously mentioned Facebook thread, there were mentions of a possible "alternative" to NAHBS, or that there should be one. This appears to be that alternative. It also is highly likely that the Portland custom builder scene had a hand in getting this off the ground, since the event is in Portland, Oregon. 

There were a lot of criticisms leveled at Don Walker's NAHBS organization, and well, now you have people setting up a show which I am sure they feel addresses all of those concerns.One of the big criticisms of NAHBS was that it got away from the custom builder/component cottage industry types and became a de facto Big Corporate show where the "little guy" was overshadowed by the bigger entities like SRAM, Shimano, and more. That's my take from what I read about this situation. If I have that wrong, I'm all ears..... Time will tell all. I'm keeping an eye on this. 

Sarah Cooper and myself at Trans Iowa v12

Trans Iowa Stories Series Ends:

This coming Sunday the Epilogue for the Trans Iowa Stories will post marking the end of the series I have run every Sunday since June of 2019.

The idea was sparked at the close of Trans Iowa v14 by a commenter here that suggested that I probably had a lot of good stories from 'behind the scenes' about the event over its 14 year run. 

It's been difficult in many ways to tell anything 'new' about Trans Iowa. The Trans Iowa related posts here on the blog probably number into the 100's. But the thing is, after a decade plus of posts, you cannot assume that everyone has read the blog that diligently all these years. So, while it is true that the Trans Iowa Stories series has a lot of 're-told' stories, it does have a fair amount of stuff in there I never told before the series. 

I tried to be conscious of that all throughout the writing process. I hope that some of that was noticed. And now the writing process is through. Now what? 

Hmm.......that's a great question. Initially the idea was to make this a book. The thing is, there is just far too much material here. You have no idea, for example, how many images I have that I collected for the series which have not been used, and deserve to be seen. The visual history of Trans Iowa could literally fill volumes. Then there is the written text....... Whoa! That would be a pretty thick book if I were to publish this series in its entirety as a book. 

So, a lot of decisions are needing to be made. The direction of the book, if there is to be one, needs to be determined first. Should it be culled down to the most amazing stories? Maybe 30? That would be a long read in itself. Or, maybe this is best told in images, so a photographic piece, which would have some captions, maybe some light commentary. As I have said, I couldn't possibly even use all the images, so again- use maybe 30-ish? 

Lots of questions, no answers yet. Stay tuned..........

And Don't Forget: The "GTDRI Stories" series kicks off on Sundays starting in August.

EVOC shows new bikepacking range: Image courtesy of ©EVOC / Baschi Bender

EVOC Shows New Bikepacking Range:

Late this year EVOC will have a new range of bikepacking bags on hand which have been improved over the outgoing range. 

Improvements include an upgrade to the BOA closures, new hidden vents which allow roll-top bags to close easier, and the range is now fully waterproof with waterproofed zippers, welded seams,and waterproofed  materials.Velcro straps have been replaced with cut-to-size hypalon Velcro straps.

The range consists of two different sizes of seat packs, a half-frame bag, top tube bags, and a  handle bar bag. They come in two colors, a "steel" and a "carbon grey". These EVOC bags should be available this Fall. Prices range from $40.00 for the smaller items in the range to $150.00USD. https://evocsports.us/

Comments: I have not used EVOC bags before, but they seem to be very popular with some of the ultra-endurance cyclists in Europe, in particular. I imagine that they are now fully waterproof that their popularity will only increase. Good looking colors that should appeal to most riders and look fine with most paint schemes. The pricing seems fair as well. 

Personally, I have not ever liked the look of a half-frame bag when it hangs down away from the frame. I don't have any technical or performance reasons for that, it's just my personal opinion. So, that makes the EVOC half-frame bag not very appealing to me. But maybe you don't care about that? Then this might be a good deal. The rest of the range looks fine to me.  

Patent drawing image from www.wheelbased.com

 SRAM Patent On New Rotor Design:

The "wheelbased.com" Instagram page which showed patent drawings submitted by different bicycle companies had been dormant for some time. However; suddenly it is back again and boy! Have the floodgates opened! If you like to ferret out tech and future developments in bicycle design, this account is worth a follow.

Well, one of the more recent postings that seems realistic for production is this new composite rotor from SRAM. It uses a "spray-on" steel coating over an aluminum core. The advantages are that brake temperatures can be reduced. Shimano has been doing something similar with their "IceTech" for several years already. 

There are some other pretty far-out electronic things happening which may or may not come about. But this brake rotor deal will likely be produced for SRAM's higher end brakes in the near future, I would think. Anyway, check out "wheelbased" on Instagram if you haven't already. It is a good account to 'nerd-out' on, if you are in to such things.

That's all for this week! Have a great weekend and we'll see ya back here soon, I hope. Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions! 

Ti Muk II Ride Report

A little "Dirt Home From Work" action to test out the Ti Muk II ride.

Well, with yesterday's announcement out of the way, I figured y'all might want to know what I think about this new rig's ride. I didn't waste any time gettin' to it.

Saturday when we got back with the new-to-me Ti Muk, I couldn't ride as it was pouring rain and lightning outside. So, I waited until Sunday to get a bit better acquainted with this bike, its shifting, and its generator light. That went okay, but getting used to how the Rohloff shifter is indexed will take a little getting used to. It is kind of vague, especially going into a faster/higher gear. I shift one position and I cannot always feel the indexing. But going the other way- to a lower gear- is easier to feel. Plus, it won't shift at all if you have any kind of pressure on the pedals in that direction anyway.

The generator hub is turned on by a big button on the back of the light. I didn't realize this until after I looked up the information on the light on the excellent Peter White Cycles site. I accidentally got it on Sunday and then I noted that the light strobes and didn't have a solid beam. I figured I would have to look the model information up, and when I did, I found out that the light has a sensor and automatically switches to a solid beam when it is dark. Hmm..... technology. Okay, cool. I haven't double checked this yet, but I will get around to that soon. I did find out that the tail light has a standby function. I figured it would. Most high end generator lighting systems have this now. So, what it does, when you are moving, is that the hub charges up a capacitor which is part of the generator system. When you stop, the generator stops, but the capacitor, which stores voltage, starts to slowly drain and this voltage keeps the head light and tail light on when you are stopped for a period of time. And that "period of time" seems to be several minutes. Longer than any stop light sequence for sure.

I was stoked to learn that my purple Bike Bag Dude bags fit the new Ti Muk.

I went home Sunday and planned on riding the bike to work on Monday. I decided then to dub it the "Ti Muk II", since it is my second Titanium Mukluk and Salsa Cycles' second, and final, version of this model. So, this will hereafter be known as "Ti Muk II" on this blog. FYI- The history of the Ti Muk model is 2012-13 was the Lynskey made version with bead blasted graphics. The 2014 Mukluk was the first year of Taiwanese made titanium models and had a green painted front section. The last year, 2015, was this bike with the white painted front end. USA made Ti Muks have straight 1 1/8th steer tubes and the Taiwanese Muks have 44mm head tubes compatible with tapered steer tubes. The geometry was changed slightly on the later Taiwanese models also to accommodate front suspension. Thus, the front triangle is slightly different than the earlier Ti Muks.

Tour de Fungus- Check out the blaze orange mushrooms.

This slight difference had me worried that my newest Bike Bag Dude purple frame bag wouldn't fit, but it does, so that was a relief! I should note that Sam gave me a Surly branded Revelate made frame bag for this which fits it perfectly, but I will likely use the BBD bag most of the time. (Although it clashes with the crank set! Hmm.....) Sam also passed on to me a set of Jones H-Bar compatible Revelate pogies. Supposedly the very last set ever made by Revelate. They are nice, ginormous, and will be put to use in colder weather. Not anytime soon! (Thanks Sam!)

The rest of the BBD bags look and fit perfectly on here as well. It should make adventuring a bit easier. The Ti Muk II also has a rack mount, and I am contemplating getting a rack for this. The Alternator model this bike is supposed to have should work well. But I haven't decided whether or not to pull the trigger on that idea. I guess I have plenty of time to figure that out.

Monday I rode to work the regular route and then did the "Dirt Home From Work" route I have done a lot before. I was getting the hang of shifting by the time I was into the middle of my ride home. There is a bit of a trick to it, and sometime soon that will become second nature. The gearing is biased to the low side, as I would expect for a bike like this. That said, I can cruise along at what seems like 12-14mph all day long and that seems to be about 10th gear or so. The jumps between gears are bigger with a Rohloff, so I have tended to fall back on being more like a single speed guy, sticking with a gear a bit too long. The nice thing is that if I found myself stuck in a too-high gear, I simply could stop, shift it way down to a low gear, and start again, all while in the saddle. Or, if momentum could carry me, stop pedaling and swipe down to a much lower gear and then gas it back up, shifting to higher gears as necessary. It's definitely a different experience.

Interestingly, although the geometry is slightly different on the Ti Muk II, it still is really stable. Sam had a lot of spacers set up under the stem and the Carbon H-Bar is "up there", and I wondered if I might not like that. This would be pretty close to how Jeff Jones would probably recommend setting it up though, based upon what Jeff has told me personally. So, I figured I'd give it a solid try.

As it turns out, I think it is pretty close to, if not spot on. I'm at the very least going to run this set up longer term until I can figure it out in a more permanent way. The saddle, however, I think is going to be a different story.

I may like this saddle with a chamois, but I ride a bike like this so much in "civilian clothes", that it has to have a saddle that agrees with me in all situations. I feel like this saddle is a tiny bit too narrow though. Maybe. We will see after some more riding, but Monday's ride was pointing to the "too narrow" verdict by the time I got home. I may only have to tilt it back a bit too. This is set up dead flat and I never run my WTB saddles that way. Always a bit nose up for me. So, that will be the next thing to try. Oddly enough, the saddle height is dead on. Apparently Sam and I have very similar saddle height requirements. (As do Ben Witt and I. Weird!)

I did also notice something I was a bit surprised by. Both on Sunday's and Monday's rides it was quite noticeable that this bike has a pretty springy rear end, but only when seated. It isn't as stiff feeling when pedaling in the saddle as the old Ti Muk was, and that was far better than an aluminum Mukluk. That with a larger diameter seat post than a US made Ti Muk like my older one. So, that is pretty remarkable. The combination of the smooth riding rear and the Carbon H-Bar and Advocate fork make for a pretty nice riding bike, really.

More on this bike in the future. I have to get some details on the wiring harness tucked away and tidied up, then this will be fully operational.

Ti Muk II Ride Report

A little "Dirt Home From Work" action to test out the Ti Muk II ride.

Well, with yesterday's announcement out of the way, I figured y'all might want to know what I think about this new rig's ride. I didn't waste any time gettin' to it.

Saturday when we got back with the new-to-me Ti Muk, I couldn't ride as it was pouring rain and lightning outside. So, I waited until Sunday to get a bit better acquainted with this bike, its shifting, and its generator light. That went okay, but getting used to how the Rohloff shifter is indexed will take a little getting used to. It is kind of vague, especially going into a faster/higher gear. I shift one position and I cannot always feel the indexing. But going the other way- to a lower gear- is easier to feel. Plus, it won't shift at all if you have any kind of pressure on the pedals in that direction anyway.

The generator hub is turned on by a big button on the back of the light. I didn't realize this until after I looked up the information on the light on the excellent Peter White Cycles site. I accidentally got it on Sunday and then I noted that the light strobes and didn't have a solid beam. I figured I would have to look the model information up, and when I did, I found out that the light has a sensor and automatically switches to a solid beam when it is dark. Hmm..... technology. Okay, cool. I haven't double checked this yet, but I will get around to that soon. I did find out that the tail light has a standby function. I figured it would. Most high end generator lighting systems have this now. So, what it does, when you are moving, is that the hub charges up a capacitor which is part of the generator system. When you stop, the generator stops, but the capacitor, which stores voltage, starts to slowly drain and this voltage keeps the head light and tail light on when you are stopped for a period of time. And that "period of time" seems to be several minutes. Longer than any stop light sequence for sure.

I was stoked to learn that my purple Bike Bag Dude bags fit the new Ti Muk.

I went home Sunday and planned on riding the bike to work on Monday. I decided then to dub it the "Ti Muk II", since it is my second Titanium Mukluk and Salsa Cycles' second, and final, version of this model. So, this will hereafter be known as "Ti Muk II" on this blog. FYI- The history of the Ti Muk model is 2012-13 was the Lynskey made version with bead blasted graphics. The 2014 Mukluk was the first year of Taiwanese made titanium models and had a green painted front section. The last year, 2015, was this bike with the white painted front end. USA made Ti Muks have straight 1 1/8th steer tubes and the Taiwanese Muks have 44mm head tubes compatible with tapered steer tubes. The geometry was changed slightly on the later Taiwanese models also to accommodate front suspension. Thus, the front triangle is slightly different than the earlier Ti Muks.

Tour de Fungus- Check out the blaze orange mushrooms.

This slight difference had me worried that my newest Bike Bag Dude purple frame bag wouldn't fit, but it does, so that was a relief! I should note that Sam gave me a Surly branded Revelate made frame bag for this which fits it perfectly, but I will likely use the BBD bag most of the time. (Although it clashes with the crank set! Hmm.....) Sam also passed on to me a set of Jones H-Bar compatible Revelate pogies. Supposedly the very last set ever made by Revelate. They are nice, ginormous, and will be put to use in colder weather. Not anytime soon! (Thanks Sam!)

The rest of the BBD bags look and fit perfectly on here as well. It should make adventuring a bit easier. The Ti Muk II also has a rack mount, and I am contemplating getting a rack for this. The Alternator model this bike is supposed to have should work well. But I haven't decided whether or not to pull the trigger on that idea. I guess I have plenty of time to figure that out.

Monday I rode to work the regular route and then did the "Dirt Home From Work" route I have done a lot before. I was getting the hang of shifting by the time I was into the middle of my ride home. There is a bit of a trick to it, and sometime soon that will become second nature. The gearing is biased to the low side, as I would expect for a bike like this. That said, I can cruise along at what seems like 12-14mph all day long and that seems to be about 10th gear or so. The jumps between gears are bigger with a Rohloff, so I have tended to fall back on being more like a single speed guy, sticking with a gear a bit too long. The nice thing is that if I found myself stuck in a too-high gear, I simply could stop, shift it way down to a low gear, and start again, all while in the saddle. Or, if momentum could carry me, stop pedaling and swipe down to a much lower gear and then gas it back up, shifting to higher gears as necessary. It's definitely a different experience.

Interestingly, although the geometry is slightly different on the Ti Muk II, it still is really stable. Sam had a lot of spacers set up under the stem and the Carbon H-Bar is "up there", and I wondered if I might not like that. This would be pretty close to how Jeff Jones would probably recommend setting it up though, based upon what Jeff has told me personally. So, I figured I'd give it a solid try.

As it turns out, I think it is pretty close to, if not spot on. I'm at the very least going to run this set up longer term until I can figure it out in a more permanent way. The saddle, however, I think is going to be a different story.

I may like this saddle with a chamois, but I ride a bike like this so much in "civilian clothes", that it has to have a saddle that agrees with me in all situations. I feel like this saddle is a tiny bit too narrow though. Maybe. We will see after some more riding, but Monday's ride was pointing to the "too narrow" verdict by the time I got home. I may only have to tilt it back a bit too. This is set up dead flat and I never run my WTB saddles that way. Always a bit nose up for me. So, that will be the next thing to try. Oddly enough, the saddle height is dead on. Apparently Sam and I have very similar saddle height requirements. (As do Ben Witt and I. Weird!)

I did also notice something I was a bit surprised by. Both on Sunday's and Monday's rides it was quite noticeable that this bike has a pretty springy rear end, but only when seated. It isn't as stiff feeling when pedaling in the saddle as the old Ti Muk was, and that was far better than an aluminum Mukluk. That with a larger diameter seat post than a US made Ti Muk like my older one. So, that is pretty remarkable. The combination of the smooth riding rear and the Carbon H-Bar and Advocate fork make for a pretty nice riding bike, really.

More on this bike in the future. I have to get some details on the wiring harness tucked away and tidied up, then this will be fully operational.

Bike Bag Dude Frame Bags: Overview

The new BBD kit on the Fat Fargo

In my Odin's Gear Review, (seen HERE), I mentioned that the Bike Bag Dude Chaff Bags had been redesigned. Bike Bag Dude reached out to see if I wanted to check out those and a new Top Tube bag they are producing now. Well, it wasn't long until a couple of those Chaff Bags, a new top tube bag, and a frame bag showed up for the Fat Fargo yesterday. Let's take a quickie tour around the bike to see what I have here.

The big deal for Bike Bag Dude is now they have a complimentary "Top Tube Bag" to go along with the frame bags and Chaff Bags they always have done. The Top Tube Bag is similar to other "gas tank" style bags out there, which vary in shape and quality quite a bit.

This one is fully seam taped and the zipper has a nice little "garage" to park it under when things are shut up. Plus there are two tabs to pull everything in to keep it from hitting your knees whilst pedaling out of the saddle. The sides are padded to help this bag retain its shape when it isn't completely stuffed with.......well, stuff! Straps are made from a Velcro product dubbed "One Wrap" which isn't a traditional hook and loop closure material. It is more supple and grips like crazy, but comes apart when you want it to without a lot of effort, unlike some super-gnarly Velcro I've encountered with other bags.

The size of this bag is 11" long by 3 inches in width by 4.5" high at the stem end.

The Top Tube Bag can be anchored at the tail to the frame bag, which allows easy one handed open/closing of the bag. 

The Top Tube Bag and Chaff Bag. All BBD bags come with these nice, embroidered patches.

The new Chaff Bag is pretty much the same deal as the old Chaff Bag, just bigger. The original, and still available Chaff Bag is 100mm in diameter, but that is a bit of a snug fit on a man-sized paw. So, Bike Bag Dude now offers this in a 120mm diameter option, which I found so far to be perfect for reaching into all the way to the bottom.

The other dimensions are the same for both bags with the overall height being 10 inches. Perfect for water bottles and whatever else you might want at hand as you are riding. The Chaff Bag is also available in several colors to matchy-match your other bags, or not if you don't roll that way. Of course, the Top Tube Bag and frame bag can also be ordered in several different colors.

The frame bag features an "upper level"easily big enough for many water bladders,

The "lower level" is a great place to store heavier objects to help keep the center of gravity lower. 

The left side features this "map pocket" which is great for storage of flatter objects or actual maps and cues. 

So, the frame bag is essentially the same as my previous BBD frame bag which resides on the Ti Muk these days. However; there is one new addition here which is different. On the left side there is a long, horizontal zippered opening for a "map pocket". It isn't super deep, and I can easily touch the bottom of it, as I am in the image above.

I like this pocket idea, since I am not real big on keeping cues out on my handle bars all the time, as many folks do. I can easily unzip, reach in, grab the cues, read 'em, and replace them into the frame bag while riding. That keeps my handle bar area less cluttered and the extra protection of the bag should help preserve them in inclement weather.

Of course, you can put whatever you want in there, as long as it is flattish, or very thin. Things like a bunch of gels, a packable wind/rain jacket, or beef jerky would be a few things I could think of here. That's the beauty of working with someone like Bike Bag Dude- you can customize the bag to your preferences, within reason.

Bike Bag Dude is located in Australia. The time from initial contact to delivery on these items for me was 29 days. Prices vary, but are in line with what most custom bag makers charge. Again, colors and special touches are possible. The process was quite easy as well. I just sent an image of the bike, dimensions, and with a few messages, the bags were constructed in a very professional and correct way. Durability of these bags is top notch. I've battered and abused my previous Chaff Bags and my frame bag for over three years with little to no degradation of the fabric or seams. Trust me- I've abused them! Plus, BBD bags have traveled the world and been used in the biggest ultra-distance events on the planet by top athletes. Sometimes in disguise due to sponsorship arrangements! It's good stuff, and the BBD folks are easy to deal with.

Look for an update after I've put these through their paces. I'll be reviewing the Top Tube Bag for RidingGravel.com.

NOTE: Bike Bag Dude sent over their Top Tube Bag, Chaff Bag, and frame bag at no charge for test and review. I was not bribed nor paid for this post and I will always strive to give my honest thoughts and views throughout.

 

Bike Bag Dude Frame Bags: Overview

The new BBD kit on the Fat Fargo

In my Odin's Gear Review, (seen HERE), I mentioned that the Bike Bag Dude Chaff Bags had been redesigned. Bike Bag Dude reached out to see if I wanted to check out those and a new Top Tube bag they are producing now. Well, it wasn't long until a couple of those Chaff Bags, a new top tube bag, and a frame bag showed up for the Fat Fargo yesterday. Let's take a quickie tour around the bike to see what I have here.

The big deal for Bike Bag Dude is now they have a complimentary "Top Tube Bag" to go along with the frame bags and Chaff Bags they always have done. The Top Tube Bag is similar to other "gas tank" style bags out there, which vary in shape and quality quite a bit.

This one is fully seam taped and the zipper has a nice little "garage" to park it under when things are shut up. Plus there are two tabs to pull everything in to keep it from hitting your knees whilst pedaling out of the saddle. The sides are padded to help this bag retain its shape when it isn't completely stuffed with.......well, stuff! Straps are made from a Velcro product dubbed "One Wrap" which isn't a traditional hook and loop closure material. It is more supple and grips like crazy, but comes apart when you want it to without a lot of effort, unlike some super-gnarly Velcro I've encountered with other bags.

The size of this bag is 11" long by 3 inches in width by 4.5" high at the stem end.

The Top Tube Bag can be anchored at the tail to the frame bag, which allows easy one handed open/closing of the bag. 

The Top Tube Bag and Chaff Bag. All BBD bags come with these nice, embroidered patches.

The new Chaff Bag is pretty much the same deal as the old Chaff Bag, just bigger. The original, and still available Chaff Bag is 100mm in diameter, but that is a bit of a snug fit on a man-sized paw. So, Bike Bag Dude now offers this in a 120mm diameter option, which I found so far to be perfect for reaching into all the way to the bottom.

The other dimensions are the same for both bags with the overall height being 10 inches. Perfect for water bottles and whatever else you might want at hand as you are riding. The Chaff Bag is also available in several colors to matchy-match your other bags, or not if you don't roll that way. Of course, the Top Tube Bag and frame bag can also be ordered in several different colors.

The frame bag features an "upper level"easily big enough for many water bladders,

The "lower level" is a great place to store heavier objects to help keep the center of gravity lower. 

The left side features this "map pocket" which is great for storage of flatter objects or actual maps and cues. 

So, the frame bag is essentially the same as my previous BBD frame bag which resides on the Ti Muk these days. However; there is one new addition here which is different. On the left side there is a long, horizontal zippered opening for a "map pocket". It isn't super deep, and I can easily touch the bottom of it, as I am in the image above.

I like this pocket idea, since I am not real big on keeping cues out on my handle bars all the time, as many folks do. I can easily unzip, reach in, grab the cues, read 'em, and replace them into the frame bag while riding. That keeps my handle bar area less cluttered and the extra protection of the bag should help preserve them in inclement weather.

Of course, you can put whatever you want in there, as long as it is flattish, or very thin. Things like a bunch of gels, a packable wind/rain jacket, or beef jerky would be a few things I could think of here. That's the beauty of working with someone like Bike Bag Dude- you can customize the bag to your preferences, within reason.

Bike Bag Dude is located in Australia. The time from initial contact to delivery on these items for me was 29 days. Prices vary, but are in line with what most custom bag makers charge. Again, colors and special touches are possible. The process was quite easy as well. I just sent an image of the bike, dimensions, and with a few messages, the bags were constructed in a very professional and correct way. Durability of these bags is top notch. I've battered and abused my previous Chaff Bags and my frame bag for over three years with little to no degradation of the fabric or seams. Trust me- I've abused them! Plus, BBD bags have traveled the world and been used in the biggest ultra-distance events on the planet by top athletes. Sometimes in disguise due to sponsorship arrangements! It's good stuff, and the BBD folks are easy to deal with.

Look for an update after I've put these through their paces. I'll be reviewing the Top Tube Bag for RidingGravel.com.

NOTE: Bike Bag Dude sent over their Top Tube Bag, Chaff Bag, and frame bag at no charge for test and review. I was not bribed nor paid for this post and I will always strive to give my honest thoughts and views throughout.

 

Becker Gear Frame Bag

My Fargo frame bag from Becker Gear

The recent addition of a Becker Gear bag to my Fargo Gen 1 has been an awesome thing to have. I wanted to spend a little time talking about this bag since it has some very different features than my other frame bag does.

First off, it is light enough, but it isn't all about being the lightest bag on the planet. The bag feels beefy in terms of its construction, and that's important to me since it will get abused a bit, (and already has!), so good seams, tough zippers, and stout construction are paramount. I should add that it fits really well, and that leads me to the process of how this bag came to be.

I live in Iowa, and Tupper Becker lives in Fairbanks Alaska. So, how did Tupps get my bag to fit as well as it does when we are thousands of miles apart? I sent him a template of my frame "space", if you will, that's how.

All fitted to the bike and ready to Adventure!

Take yourself a big, flat piece of cardboard, then cut it down to fit snugly inside your main frame triangle, marking where things like cable guides might be, or water bottle bosses are at. I made careful notations right on the cardboard and then sent it to Becker Gear via the post in a bubble wrapped envelope. Tupper Becker then gets this and with his experience and talent, turns this road map into a useable frame bag that fits your bike like a glove.

This one that I have has a main compartment accessible from the drive side of the bike via a big, beefy zipper that pulls open easily and shuts just as easily, even with over sized stuff like size 11 1/2 shoes laying in there.  The other side has a big beefy zipper as well, but this opens a very narrow compartment suitable for things like maps, flat objects, and the like. That's it, but I have found that this cavernous opening and big volume capacity really is nice. The Fargo Gen 1 really makes this work well.

I have to cut back and heal the straps to length and then I want to pack this thing up after which time I will give my thoughts on how this bag fares as an adventure tool for bikepacking or just for utility purposes like commuting and general urban riding, Because you don't have to be a big, back country nutter to have a frame bag, ya know?

More soon.....

Becker Gear Frame Bag

My Fargo frame bag from Becker Gear

The recent addition of a Becker Gear bag to my Fargo Gen 1 has been an awesome thing to have. I wanted to spend a little time talking about this bag since it has some very different features than my other frame bag does.

First off, it is light enough, but it isn't all about being the lightest bag on the planet. The bag feels beefy in terms of its construction, and that's important to me since it will get abused a bit, (and already has!), so good seams, tough zippers, and stout construction are paramount. I should add that it fits really well, and that leads me to the process of how this bag came to be.

I live in Iowa, and Tupper Becker lives in Fairbanks Alaska. So, how did Tupps get my bag to fit as well as it does when we are thousands of miles apart? I sent him a template of my frame "space", if you will, that's how.

All fitted to the bike and ready to Adventure!

Take yourself a big, flat piece of cardboard, then cut it down to fit snugly inside your main frame triangle, marking where things like cable guides might be, or water bottle bosses are at. I made careful notations right on the cardboard and then sent it to Becker Gear via the post in a bubble wrapped envelope. Tupper Becker then gets this and with his experience and talent, turns this road map into a useable frame bag that fits your bike like a glove.

This one that I have has a main compartment accessible from the drive side of the bike via a big, beefy zipper that pulls open easily and shuts just as easily, even with over sized stuff like size 11 1/2 shoes laying in there.  The other side has a big beefy zipper as well, but this opens a very narrow compartment suitable for things like maps, flat objects, and the like. That's it, but I have found that this cavernous opening and big volume capacity really is nice. The Fargo Gen 1 really makes this work well.

I have to cut back and heal the straps to length and then I want to pack this thing up after which time I will give my thoughts on how this bag fares as an adventure tool for bikepacking or just for utility purposes like commuting and general urban riding, Because you don't have to be a big, back country nutter to have a frame bag, ya know?

More soon.....

Friday News And Views

Riding Off Into The Sunset

Last evening I spent time with Brian, a coworker of mine, who is leaving after today to start a new chapter of his life in Minneapolis Minnesota as he is going to attend the University of Minnesota in pursuit of his medical degree.

We started out with a nice ride around on our great bike path system here and afterward there were "adult beverages" consumed, which eventually resulted in the late posting of this edition of "Friday News And Views".

But it was totally worth it.

The shop was filled with laughter and the guys all seemed to have a great time. So missing posting last night so it appeared here "on schedule" isn't a big deal. Not investing time with people? That is a big deal, to me anyway, and I am glad I went.

Good luck in Minnesota, Brian. You'll be missed at the shop!

Very red

Becker Sewing And Design

The Fargo Gen 1 got gussied up the other day when a box showed up bearing a red Becker Sewing & Design frame bag.

Head honch, Tupper Becker, lives up there in Fairbanks Alaska where he does some amazing work for cyclists and mushers. Some of his sled bags are really amazing. His company's motto is "Our gear is tougher than you are", and it probably is, since his designs get tested in some of the world's harshest conditions.

This bag is already field tested as I used it last evening to ferry a sixer of bottled beer to Brian's going away gig. I had room to spare and I look forward to stuffing this bag with actual camping gear and what not for adventures on the Fargo. The Gen 1 Fargo is a good choice for a frame bag, since the frame's main triangle is so big. That's a result of this version not being suspension corrected, which allows for the maximum volume for a frame bag. This one is a bit more voluminous than the bag on my MukTruk, as an example.

But let's say you don't have such a huge main triangle, or that you are a smaller person. Does having a frame bag make any sense? I think so, just look at my son's Mukluk here. That's the XS size and it's got the tiniest frame triangle you'll likely find on most any bike. The frame bag Tupps sewed up for this is amazing in detail and fits the bike great. Yes.........it's tiny, but there is room in there to put stuff in which otherwise would have to go on your back.

I'll be talking more about these bags in detail, but for now I just wanted to show them off and introduce you folks to Becker Sewing and Design which can make you your own bag for your adventures in most any color and configuration you can imagine.

TIMP Update:

As the month of August runs out the TIMP will cease to be anymore. The last scheduled run on the course is an ITT attempt by multiple Trans Iowa finisher and Tour Divide finisher, Mike Johnson. You can follow along with his progress today HERE.

I wish Mike all the best as he rolls across the state. He let me know he plans on doing this in 38 hours, so keep checking back. There will be soft B Maintenance roads and possibly bad weather for Mike to deal with, so it'll be a tough ride, no doubt, possibly made tougher, depending on the weather.

That's a wrap on this late edition of Friday News And Views. Have a safe and enjoyable weekend!

Friday News And Views

Riding Off Into The Sunset

Last evening I spent time with Brian, a coworker of mine, who is leaving after today to start a new chapter of his life in Minneapolis Minnesota as he is going to attend the University of Minnesota in pursuit of his medical degree.

We started out with a nice ride around on our great bike path system here and afterward there were "adult beverages" consumed, which eventually resulted in the late posting of this edition of "Friday News And Views".

But it was totally worth it.

The shop was filled with laughter and the guys all seemed to have a great time. So missing posting last night so it appeared here "on schedule" isn't a big deal. Not investing time with people? That is a big deal, to me anyway, and I am glad I went.

Good luck in Minnesota, Brian. You'll be missed at the shop!

Very red

Becker Sewing And Design

The Fargo Gen 1 got gussied up the other day when a box showed up bearing a red Becker Sewing & Design frame bag.

Head honch, Tupper Becker, lives up there in Fairbanks Alaska where he does some amazing work for cyclists and mushers. Some of his sled bags are really amazing. His company's motto is "Our gear is tougher than you are", and it probably is, since his designs get tested in some of the world's harshest conditions.

This bag is already field tested as I used it last evening to ferry a sixer of bottled beer to Brian's going away gig. I had room to spare and I look forward to stuffing this bag with actual camping gear and what not for adventures on the Fargo. The Gen 1 Fargo is a good choice for a frame bag, since the frame's main triangle is so big. That's a result of this version not being suspension corrected, which allows for the maximum volume for a frame bag. This one is a bit more voluminous than the bag on my MukTruk, as an example.

But let's say you don't have such a huge main triangle, or that you are a smaller person. Does having a frame bag make any sense? I think so, just look at my son's Mukluk here. That's the XS size and it's got the tiniest frame triangle you'll likely find on most any bike. The frame bag Tupps sewed up for this is amazing in detail and fits the bike great. Yes.........it's tiny, but there is room in there to put stuff in which otherwise would have to go on your back.

I'll be talking more about these bags in detail, but for now I just wanted to show them off and introduce you folks to Becker Sewing and Design which can make you your own bag for your adventures in most any color and configuration you can imagine.

TIMP Update:

As the month of August runs out the TIMP will cease to be anymore. The last scheduled run on the course is an ITT attempt by multiple Trans Iowa finisher and Tour Divide finisher, Mike Johnson. You can follow along with his progress today HERE.

I wish Mike all the best as he rolls across the state. He let me know he plans on doing this in 38 hours, so keep checking back. There will be soft B Maintenance roads and possibly bad weather for Mike to deal with, so it'll be a tough ride, no doubt, possibly made tougher, depending on the weather.

That's a wrap on this late edition of Friday News And Views. Have a safe and enjoyable weekend!