Two Things

 KOM GPS Mount:

So, I was looking for a GPS mount for the Wahoo Elemnt Roam and all of them I have are being used. I wanted to put the Roam on my Gryphon Mk3 for the upcoming Tree In The Road Ride.  Well, since I was unwilling to dismount any of the mounts I have in place now this left me with no other option than to order a new one.

Shopping online led me to KOM Cycling. I've had good performance and experiences with their products such as their tubeless tools, saddle roll, and tube pack. They offer GPS mounts as well, so I decided to roll with one of their Wahoo compatible mounts. The price is very reasonable, and it comes in colors, so this was appealing also.

The mount is made of injection molded plastic. It seems reasonably lightweight, and it has these killer rubber shims for smaller diameter mounting points. They are molded rubber in a cicular shape, and split, so you can slip one over a bar and not have to hold it in place while trying to mount the GPS holder. These are probably the best shims I've ever seen for an accessory.

Which is kind of sad since I didn't need to use either one sent! The GPS mount has an embedded rubber strip for grip if you do not need those impressive shims. The mount uses the ubiquitous single 3mm hex head bolt to clamp down the mount, and with the embedded rubber strip, this clamp feels rock-solid. I expect no movement there. And the Roam fits snugly with no wiggle or chance it would randomly twist out of the mount. So, I am satisfied and I would buy one again if I need to for another bike.

Image from Facebook post.

Trek Full-Sus Gravel Bike Spotted:

Recent ultra-distance events have revealed a Trek branded full-suspension bike which is not in their catalog as of this writing. 

The bike appears to use a linkage driven rear shock tucked up underneath the junction with the top tube and seat tube. The tires look pretty beefy, which is the trend for adventure bikes, and the bike appears to have geometry which would be more mountian-bikish rather than gravel race/riding geometry.

Apparently there is a Reddit thread on this bike where users claim the name of the model is "Checkout".

Comments: Interesting.... My observation is the average bikepacker is looking for less complexity and ease of field repair. While suspension forks are typically used by many bikepackers, a short travel gravel fork seems, well......pointless.No one has convinced me yet that 40mm of travel can do what 100mm of travel does. The reality is 40mm of travel is handcuffing yourself to a compromise which has the same weight, complexity, and maintenance factors as a 100mm fork which, as well all know, actually works. 

I am not against this idea, however, full-suspension hasn't been a hot bikepacking choice, not that I've noted, so acceptance of a model like the Trek shown here doesn't seem a slam dunk. Obviously, we don't know details either, but if the bike has a high bottom bracket and leans into MTB geometry, with its paltry suspension travel, (at least up front), it would seem to be an odd-ball offering.

But I don't know, it could be a big deal. What do you think? 

Two Things For Today

I suppose I could have called this one a "Randomonium" post, but really this is just about two things that popped up Thursday in my social media observations. One is about the new Specialized Diverge STR and the other is an article about the so-called "Spirit of Gravel". Okay, so let's go.....

A close look at the workings. (Image courtesy of "Cyclist UK")

Thing 1- The Specialized Diverge STR:

Specialized calls this technology their "Suspend The Rider" technology. Aptly named because it doesn't do what most everyone thinks of when you say "dual suspension". Yet almost every single outlet reporting on this bike used that term. 

That's the state of reporting circa 2022. Give people the wrong idea, because it is just easier to do that instead of tell them what they are really looking at. 

Essentially this is a "motor mount" idea. Damping the vibrations of the road from the "motor" (the rider in this case) and the motions of the motor/rider from the chassis. The wheels will still do what they do on a rigid bike, so this is not "a dual suspension" bike, despite what you might be reading out there. 

It's not a bad idea, this Diverge bike, but it does come at a price. Nearly 8K for the cheapest one, it is 200 grams heavier than the outgoing version, (not that big of a deal), and it is far more complex with a lot of places for things to go wrong in the future. You could just get a Redshift Sports ShockStop Seat post, save a bunch of money, add about the same amount of weight, and put it on any gravel bike. 

Once again- you can solve a problem elegantly and simply, or you can do it with an overly complex, expensive solution that is wholly proprietary. Your choice. The idea, at its core, is a sound one. How this Specialized solution was implemented is a bit goofy, in my opinion. 

Image by Jason Boucher from Trans Iowa v9

Thing 2 - The Spirit of Gravel:

I was tagged on a post on Twitter by Andrew Vontz who authored this article on a site called "Why This Is Interesting" on Thursday. It is a post that looks at the culture of gravel and how the corporate monetization, competitive elements, and social media narratives surrounding the gravel scene today are at odds with the origins of the scene and why it has grown at all in the first place. 

You've been around here enough, most likely, that you already know what I think about all of that. If you take the time to read Mr. Vontz's article, I think you'll see that he does a fair job of laying out today's gravel landscape and why it is that things are in upheaval on social media concerning gravel events and what not. He brought up some interesting questions as well. 

First of all, let me say that I was not contacted about this piece and I was not aware of it until it had been published. Had I been made aware of some of the statements Mr. Vontz had made in the opening paragraph concerning Trans Iowa, I could have easily corrected those minor mistakes in his story there. (Or he could have looked at this written historical record. It's as if I try to hide this stuff, ya know?.) 

Anyway.... I guess I should just shut up and feel blessed that I got noticed at all. 

Now, on to his questions....

"Is it in The Spirit of Gravel to use aerobars: handlebar extensions usually reserved for races where drafting is forbidden, and riders can’t be in packs? "

Answer: If the event director allows them, and you disagree, maybe that event is not for you. Additionally, if the event director does not allow their use, and you disagree, maybe that event is not for you. This is a dumb question and waaaay too easy to figure out. Why is this even a debate? 

 "Is it in The Spirit of Gravel for pro athletes to bring teammates and work in a coordinated fashion to shelter a leader and provide them a better shot at winning, as is common practice in road racing? Or should it be every person for themselves as it was in the early days of the sport?"

Answer: Basically, the same as above. If it is allowed, live with it. Otherwise, don't show up to partake in what you think is "unfair". Riders always want things to be different. Their airing of issues on social media makes it seem that some sort of grievance is valid and has to be addressed or riders are being.....I don't know.... Oppressed? Whatever! The problem is that event directors have no backbone because they fear loss of revenue, poor opinions of their events, and of being "cancelled" or otherwise castigated on social media as having a strong opinion. I'd weight the "loss of revenue" thing much more heavily here. 

 "What happens if a rider in the pro women’s race drafts teammates in the race who are men?" (Or a friend, or a husband, or a guy that is cute....you get the idea.)

Answer: Drafting? Who cares? If you can- do it. The real issue here is "winning sponsorships, endorsements, or prize money". Basically, a monetary/support benefit of some sort is at stake. What? You don't think people (racers) would take any advantage to gain a monetary or supportive benefit via winning a "prestigious" or "prize-rich" event? Do actions that are within event rules that allow creative means to gain advantages mean that there is a problem? Yes- The problem is that the people (racers) who didn't figure it out are now feeling "oppressed". Solution: Don't ever go back to that event, or lobby the event director to tighten up the rules. Just don't muddy up the waters with open-airing of complaints if there was no actual rule-breaking involved. 

Additionally, if event directors are not taking this "creative interpretation of rules by riders" thing seriously, then they are failing their position as event directors. One of an event directors number one missions is to figure out how they could cheat at their own event and when they find a way, change the rules, or make a change where needed before the event takes place. Finally, rules decisions must be implemented (DQ's, time penalties, etc.) while the event is happening. Otherwise, you were doing a bad job. Enforce your rules or don't have them.  

There was another question, basically asking the same thing, regarding the "gravel beef" thing concerning hydration packs versus water bottles and not stopping at an aid station...... You get the idea. 

Look, I appreciate the article, but it has nothing at all to do with some nefarious spirit of crushed rock. It has everything to do with the monetization of gravel culture, rider-driven narratives, and weak event directors who are allowing those riders to control the narratives and events. What did ol' Joel Dyke, co-originator of the event now called "Unbound" tell me? "When the money comes in, that will ruin it....", or something to that effect. What a prophet he was! 

Y'all know if you were there in the beginnings that the gravel scene was competitive, racy, and had an edginess to it, but the early event directors and the early participants weren't going to put up with nonsense from riders who thought the events should be run differently. But - ya know - when it means the difference between getting sponsored or not, or in getting that nice boost of prize money or not, or that bump in social media numbers or not, those ol' event directors better let this "Spirit of Gravel" thing go, 'cause this is serious racing now!  

Whatever...... 

Two Things For Today

I suppose I could have called this one a "Randomonium" post, but really this is just about two things that popped up Thursday in my social media observations. One is about the new Specialized Diverge STR and the other is an article about the so-called "Spirit of Gravel". Okay, so let's go.....

A close look at the workings. (Image courtesy of "Cyclist UK")

Thing 1- The Specialized Diverge STR:

Specialized calls this technology their "Suspend The Rider" technology. Aptly named because it doesn't do what most everyone thinks of when you say "dual suspension". Yet almost every single outlet reporting on this bike used that term. 

That's the state of reporting circa 2022. Give people the wrong idea, because it is just easier to do that instead of tell them what they are really looking at. 

Essentially this is a "motor mount" idea. Damping the vibrations of the road from the "motor" (the rider in this case) and the motions of the motor/rider from the chassis. The wheels will still do what they do on a rigid bike, so this is not "a dual suspension" bike, despite what you might be reading out there. 

It's not a bad idea, this Diverge bike, but it does come at a price. Nearly 8K for the cheapest one, it is 200 grams heavier than the outgoing version, (not that big of a deal), and it is far more complex with a lot of places for things to go wrong in the future. You could just get a Redshift Sports ShockStop Seat post, save a bunch of money, add about the same amount of weight, and put it on any gravel bike. 

Once again- you can solve a problem elegantly and simply, or you can do it with an overly complex, expensive solution that is wholly proprietary. Your choice. The idea, at its core, is a sound one. How this Specialized solution was implemented is a bit goofy, in my opinion. 

Image by Jason Boucher from Trans Iowa v9

Thing 2 - The Spirit of Gravel:

I was tagged on a post on Twitter by Andrew Vontz who authored this article on a site called "Why This Is Interesting" on Thursday. It is a post that looks at the culture of gravel and how the corporate monetization, competitive elements, and social media narratives surrounding the gravel scene today are at odds with the origins of the scene and why it has grown at all in the first place. 

You've been around here enough, most likely, that you already know what I think about all of that. If you take the time to read Mr. Vontz's article, I think you'll see that he does a fair job of laying out today's gravel landscape and why it is that things are in upheaval on social media concerning gravel events and what not. He brought up some interesting questions as well. 

First of all, let me say that I was not contacted about this piece and I was not aware of it until it had been published. Had I been made aware of some of the statements Mr. Vontz had made in the opening paragraph concerning Trans Iowa, I could have easily corrected those minor mistakes in his story there. (Or he could have looked at this written historical record. It's as if I try to hide this stuff, ya know?.) 

Anyway.... I guess I should just shut up and feel blessed that I got noticed at all. 

Now, on to his questions....

"Is it in The Spirit of Gravel to use aerobars: handlebar extensions usually reserved for races where drafting is forbidden, and riders can’t be in packs? "

Answer: If the event director allows them, and you disagree, maybe that event is not for you. Additionally, if the event director does not allow their use, and you disagree, maybe that event is not for you. This is a dumb question and waaaay too easy to figure out. Why is this even a debate? 

 "Is it in The Spirit of Gravel for pro athletes to bring teammates and work in a coordinated fashion to shelter a leader and provide them a better shot at winning, as is common practice in road racing? Or should it be every person for themselves as it was in the early days of the sport?"

Answer: Basically, the same as above. If it is allowed, live with it. Otherwise, don't show up to partake in what you think is "unfair". Riders always want things to be different. Their airing of issues on social media makes it seem that some sort of grievance is valid and has to be addressed or riders are being.....I don't know.... Oppressed? Whatever! The problem is that event directors have no backbone because they fear loss of revenue, poor opinions of their events, and of being "cancelled" or otherwise castigated on social media as having a strong opinion. I'd weight the "loss of revenue" thing much more heavily here. 

 "What happens if a rider in the pro women’s race drafts teammates in the race who are men?" (Or a friend, or a husband, or a guy that is cute....you get the idea.)

Answer: Drafting? Who cares? If you can- do it. The real issue here is "winning sponsorships, endorsements, or prize money". Basically, a monetary/support benefit of some sort is at stake. What? You don't think people (racers) would take any advantage to gain a monetary or supportive benefit via winning a "prestigious" or "prize-rich" event? Do actions that are within event rules that allow creative means to gain advantages mean that there is a problem? Yes- The problem is that the people (racers) who didn't figure it out are now feeling "oppressed". Solution: Don't ever go back to that event, or lobby the event director to tighten up the rules. Just don't muddy up the waters with open-airing of complaints if there was no actual rule-breaking involved. 

Additionally, if event directors are not taking this "creative interpretation of rules by riders" thing seriously, then they are failing their position as event directors. One of an event directors number one missions is to figure out how they could cheat at their own event and when they find a way, change the rules, or make a change where needed before the event takes place. Finally, rules decisions must be implemented (DQ's, time penalties, etc.) while the event is happening. Otherwise, you were doing a bad job. Enforce your rules or don't have them.  

There was another question, basically asking the same thing, regarding the "gravel beef" thing concerning hydration packs versus water bottles and not stopping at an aid station...... You get the idea. 

Look, I appreciate the article, but it has nothing at all to do with some nefarious spirit of crushed rock. It has everything to do with the monetization of gravel culture, rider-driven narratives, and weak event directors who are allowing those riders to control the narratives and events. What did ol' Joel Dyke, co-originator of the event now called "Unbound" tell me? "When the money comes in, that will ruin it....", or something to that effect. What a prophet he was! 

Y'all know if you were there in the beginnings that the gravel scene was competitive, racy, and had an edginess to it, but the early event directors and the early participants weren't going to put up with nonsense from riders who thought the events should be run differently. But - ya know - when it means the difference between getting sponsored or not, or in getting that nice boost of prize money or not, or that bump in social media numbers or not, those ol' event directors better let this "Spirit of Gravel" thing go, 'cause this is serious racing now!  

Whatever...... 

Friday News And Views

BMC URS LT One (Image courtesy of BMC)

 Will Gravel Bikes Have Suspension?:

Yet another stab at making gravel bikes into ultra-short travel MTB's has been unveiled by Swiss bicycle maker BMC. Their newest gravel bike, the URS LT One, has 20mm of hydraulically damped front suspension and a short travel elastomeric based rear suspension. 

The bikes are made in carbon fiber and feature rack and fender mounts along with a 45mm maximum tire clearance. The front fork is routed for a dynamo hub as well. The two versions of this bike offered will be quite expensive with the top of the range being 7K+. 

Comments: BMC dubs this suspension concept "Micro Travel", and at a mere 20mm of movement, I'd say that is pretty spot on marketing. I would also say that it is pretty useless to have the amount of complexity required to achieve such minuscule amounts of movement. The FOX AX fork I have ridden, with 40mm of travel, wasn't capable enough, in my opinion, to make it worth the extra weight and complexity. But this BMC deal is certainly lighter, yes? 

Actually, no, it isn't. Another report on the bike I have read claims that the BMC fork weighs about the same as the Fox AX. Really? And at half the travel? Wow..... Plus it is proprietary to the frame? Ah.....thanks but no thanks. Let's remind ourselves here that a Redshift Sports ShockStop Stem has 20mm of effective travel, weighs 260-300 grams ( depending upon length), and can be put on any bike with an 1 1/8th steer tube at a cost of $160.00. Plus, if you get tired of your ShockStop equipped bike, you can move on to a new bike and keep the stem. 

The ShockStop is easily tuned, has minimal moving parts, and almost zero maintenance. If I am going for 20mm of travel, the price of 160 bucks sounds a lot better than 7K+. Just my opinion.....

So, to answer the question which led this section- No. Not this way, at any rate. 

Oh! And One More Thing About That:

Just the other day. "Velo News" mentioned that "Another retired European road Pro jumps into the US  gravel scene". (Story here) His name is Paul Voss, and he states in the "Velo News" article that he came over to try out gravel racing because of the over-all feeling that it was closer to 'true sport' and that it seemed to have a more relaxed set of rules for participation. He specifically called out the camaraderie amongst riders who were willing to stop and help those that had crashed, had a flat tire, or other issues. 

We've heard this before from former Pro roadies who heard about gravel racing and dropped in to check it out. People like Ted King, in particular, have really understood and exemplified the 'gravel culture' as it was formulated in the Mid-West. But now all this would seem to be something akin to window dressing, at least amongst many of the Pro/former Pro road riders who are doing gravel events now. I reported here last Saturday that some dissatisfaction has been expressed by certain Pro riders over the lack of formal road racing style rules, especially "... if there's money on the line for the win...." 

And one more thing that I will add here- This UCI nonsense really should have zero effect upon the 'gravel scene', as it is mostly having to do with Pro rider issues and money. What they are about is not gravel racing. It's just more and more looking like Pro Road racing on a different surface. Hopefully Mr. Voss won't fall under that spell again.  

Oh yeah....The UCI is also doing a similar series and World Championships for fat bikes too. You're welcome.

Rangefinder Deore 12 (Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles)

Salsa Cycles Announces New Rangefinder Models:

Yesterday, no doubt, you saw the new Rangefinder models from Salsa Cycles. Sporting four different spec types across six different colors, (two colors for each level with Deore 10/MicroShift Advent sharing colors), the new models are Salsa Cycles entry level hard tail MTB's going forward. 

Interestingly, Deore MTB components can be had now in 10, 11, or 12 speed variants. You'll also note that an alternate MicoShift Advent 10 speed choice is available at the same price as the Deore 10 speed. Prices are $1599.00 for the Deore 12, $1399.00 for the Deore 11, and $1099.00 for the Deore 10/Advent 10 speed models. 

Comments: Interestingly, the press release I got had zero information as to spec. Prices are going up, but the entry level Rangefinder holds the line at $1099.00 which is what the 2021 model was. However; I cannot compare the spec, so...... 

I think people are going to be shocked at what a "real" MTB is going to cost in 2022. Sub-grand MTB-looking bicycles are not going to cut it anymore, and let's be honest, they haven't for many years. But I feel this benchmark is going to be ending up well above 1K, more like $1200.00 to $1300.00 now for a "just okay" hard tail that will get you by.  

Specialized Buys Michigan Retail Chain:

After several years of Trek news breaking about the company buying up retail outlets, now it seems Specialized is also turning down that road as well. The news comes from "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" who reported that McClain's Cycle and Fitness has been sold to Specialized.

Specialized hasn't really pursued retail outlets run direct by the company up until this point.  Although, it has long run a few retail stores, mainly in SoCal.Trek, meanwhile, has been on a retail store buying spree over the last several years to the point that many industry insiders reckon that Trek is the largest specialty bicycle retailer in the U.S.A. now. 

In cases where Specialized has lost its footing due to Trek retail store chain takeovers, they have resorted to 'delivery operations' which fulfill online customer orders. But now it would appear that they are being a bit more aggressive in going toe-to-toe with Trek in the retail sector. 

What does it all mean? Time will tell, but it would point to more Brand specific stores, much like single brand car dealerships, in which consumers would then have no choices but for the brand that the store is owned by. This is not new in the bicycle industry, as anyone older can attest to. Schwinn tried the concept starting in the early 1960's and had the nation covered in "Authorized Schwinn Dealerships" by the early 1970's. When the mountain bike came into being, Schwinn failed to capitalize on its popularity until it was too late, which contributed to the company going bankrupt in the late 90's. This- and other factors - ended the 'Schwinn Approved' dealership model. Now it would seem that we are on the verge of seeing this revived in some form by Trek, Specialized, and who knows who else. 

That is all for this week! I hope you all get some riding in and have a safe weekend.

Friday News And Views

BMC URS LT One (Image courtesy of BMC)

 Will Gravel Bikes Have Suspension?:

Yet another stab at making gravel bikes into ultra-short travel MTB's has been unveiled by Swiss bicycle maker BMC. Their newest gravel bike, the URS LT One, has 20mm of hydraulically damped front suspension and a short travel elastomeric based rear suspension. 

The bikes are made in carbon fiber and feature rack and fender mounts along with a 45mm maximum tire clearance. The front fork is routed for a dynamo hub as well. The two versions of this bike offered will be quite expensive with the top of the range being 7K+. 

Comments: BMC dubs this suspension concept "Micro Travel", and at a mere 20mm of movement, I'd say that is pretty spot on marketing. I would also say that it is pretty useless to have the amount of complexity required to achieve such minuscule amounts of movement. The FOX AX fork I have ridden, with 40mm of travel, wasn't capable enough, in my opinion, to make it worth the extra weight and complexity. But this BMC deal is certainly lighter, yes? 

Actually, no, it isn't. Another report on the bike I have read claims that the BMC fork weighs about the same as the Fox AX. Really? And at half the travel? Wow..... Plus it is proprietary to the frame? Ah.....thanks but no thanks. Let's remind ourselves here that a Redshift Sports ShockStop Stem has 20mm of effective travel, weighs 260-300 grams ( depending upon length), and can be put on any bike with an 1 1/8th steer tube at a cost of $160.00. Plus, if you get tired of your ShockStop equipped bike, you can move on to a new bike and keep the stem. 

The ShockStop is easily tuned, has minimal moving parts, and almost zero maintenance. If I am going for 20mm of travel, the price of 160 bucks sounds a lot better than 7K+. Just my opinion.....

So, to answer the question which led this section- No. Not this way, at any rate. 

Oh! And One More Thing About That:

Just the other day. "Velo News" mentioned that "Another retired European road Pro jumps into the US  gravel scene". (Story here) His name is Paul Voss, and he states in the "Velo News" article that he came over to try out gravel racing because of the over-all feeling that it was closer to 'true sport' and that it seemed to have a more relaxed set of rules for participation. He specifically called out the camaraderie amongst riders who were willing to stop and help those that had crashed, had a flat tire, or other issues. 

We've heard this before from former Pro roadies who heard about gravel racing and dropped in to check it out. People like Ted King, in particular, have really understood and exemplified the 'gravel culture' as it was formulated in the Mid-West. But now all this would seem to be something akin to window dressing, at least amongst many of the Pro/former Pro road riders who are doing gravel events now. I reported here last Saturday that some dissatisfaction has been expressed by certain Pro riders over the lack of formal road racing style rules, especially "... if there's money on the line for the win...." 

And one more thing that I will add here- This UCI nonsense really should have zero effect upon the 'gravel scene', as it is mostly having to do with Pro rider issues and money. What they are about is not gravel racing. It's just more and more looking like Pro Road racing on a different surface. Hopefully Mr. Voss won't fall under that spell again.  

Oh yeah....The UCI is also doing a similar series and World Championships for fat bikes too. You're welcome.

Rangefinder Deore 12 (Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles)

Salsa Cycles Announces New Rangefinder Models:

Yesterday, no doubt, you saw the new Rangefinder models from Salsa Cycles. Sporting four different spec types across six different colors, (two colors for each level with Deore 10/MicroShift Advent sharing colors), the new models are Salsa Cycles entry level hard tail MTB's going forward. 

Interestingly, Deore MTB components can be had now in 10, 11, or 12 speed variants. You'll also note that an alternate MicoShift Advent 10 speed choice is available at the same price as the Deore 10 speed. Prices are $1599.00 for the Deore 12, $1399.00 for the Deore 11, and $1099.00 for the Deore 10/Advent 10 speed models. 

Comments: Interestingly, the press release I got had zero information as to spec. Prices are going up, but the entry level Rangefinder holds the line at $1099.00 which is what the 2021 model was. However; I cannot compare the spec, so...... 

I think people are going to be shocked at what a "real" MTB is going to cost in 2022. Sub-grand MTB-looking bicycles are not going to cut it anymore, and let's be honest, they haven't for many years. But I feel this benchmark is going to be ending up well above 1K, more like $1200.00 to $1300.00 now for a "just okay" hard tail that will get you by.  

Specialized Buys Michigan Retail Chain:

After several years of Trek news breaking about the company buying up retail outlets, now it seems Specialized is also turning down that road as well. The news comes from "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" who reported that McClain's Cycle and Fitness has been sold to Specialized.

Specialized hasn't really pursued retail outlets run direct by the company up until this point.  Although, it has long run a few retail stores, mainly in SoCal.Trek, meanwhile, has been on a retail store buying spree over the last several years to the point that many industry insiders reckon that Trek is the largest specialty bicycle retailer in the U.S.A. now. 

In cases where Specialized has lost its footing due to Trek retail store chain takeovers, they have resorted to 'delivery operations' which fulfill online customer orders. But now it would appear that they are being a bit more aggressive in going toe-to-toe with Trek in the retail sector. 

What does it all mean? Time will tell, but it would point to more Brand specific stores, much like single brand car dealerships, in which consumers would then have no choices but for the brand that the store is owned by. This is not new in the bicycle industry, as anyone older can attest to. Schwinn tried the concept starting in the early 1960's and had the nation covered in "Authorized Schwinn Dealerships" by the early 1970's. When the mountain bike came into being, Schwinn failed to capitalize on its popularity until it was too late, which contributed to the company going bankrupt in the late 90's. This- and other factors - ended the 'Schwinn Approved' dealership model. Now it would seem that we are on the verge of seeing this revived in some form by Trek, Specialized, and who knows who else. 

That is all for this week! I hope you all get some riding in and have a safe weekend.