Shopping

Image courtesy of Scott Sports

I was looking at "The Fleet" the other day and I am noticing trends in the gravel segment. This has me thinking, 'Is it time for a new gravel bike?'

The tire sizes which are seen as being 'normal' for gravel have ballooned up wider and wider. I no longer have a bike which can handle the widest gravel tires available. 

Then you have geometry. Things have gone a bit lower and slacker in terms of the more 'adventure' oriented gravel bikes. 

And, if I were to heed what my friend N.Y. Roll says, any bike without down tube storage is stupid. 

Well.....that may be a bit aggressive, but it is a fashionable feature to include on a frame these days. . 

 

Image courtesy of Dangerholm social media

I noticed last week a new version of Scott's Addict gravel bike was released. The marketing copy stated this model was more about adventure than racing. Okay....this grabbed my attention. I looked into it a bit deeper. Hmm..... I can see this is what might be best for me. That is, 'if' I were to go shopping now. 

The geometry is very good. They have a GRX equipped 12 speed model in the range. It isn't crazy expensive. It isn't that lovely lilac color of the more expensive model, but....ya know....it's fine. It's okay. I'd likely swap in my BERD spoked wheel set with blue anodized Industry 9 hubs anyway, and those would look weird on a lilac colored frame and fork. 

The eighty-five hundred buck model has a very specific integrated stem too, which as spec'ed, would be too long for me, and this cheaper model has a stem I could easily swap. So, there is that as well. (I've no idea if a frame set is offered)

The new Addict has an interesting fork. The blades bow outward, which Scott claims has the effect of giving the rider more comfort. It also allows for larger tires, and the inside the fork bottle mounts.  

It is an enticing bicycle. For my needs, at any rate. IF I were to get something like this it would immediately replace the Noble GX5 and put the Raleigh Tamland on permanent retirement. (Can't bring myself to get rid of that Tamland since I had a hand in its development) 

Anyway, just dreaming here now. If you have any suggestions you think would be great for me, hit me up in the comments. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions. 

Two Things

700c based Tumbeleweed Sunliner (Image courtesy of Tumbleweed Bicycles)

32" Done Right:

When the idea started looking real concerning 32" wheeled bicycles, I stated here what I thought should happen with this platform. Specifically with regard to wheel axle standards. 

I stated that SuperBoost rear and 150mm OLD front axles should be considered. Some agreed with the rear axle ideas, but most laughed at, or dismissed my thoughts on the front being 150mm wide. 

Well, I feel a little bit validated now due to what I saw and heard listening to the Bikepacking.com video from the MADE Show. (See the written page with the Sunliner 32"er HERE. Scroll WAY down the page!) NOTE - that link won't tell you about the axle spacing. It's only found in the video. 

Anyway, like Daniel from Tumbleweed says, this wider axle in front lends a ton of stability and precision in terms of handling, especially with a load. I experienced this when I transitioned from fat 26"er wheels to 29"er wheels in a fat bike. Those wheels were so much better than most 29"er wheels it was not even a discussion. 

Tumbleweeds are not cheap. But if I were to get a 32"er, the 32" Sunliner would top my list because of this design choice. That and it would make a killer flat bar gravel touring rig. I know someone who might just know about this. Maybe we need to talk....

2012 Salsa Cycles Titanium Warbird

The Evolution Of The Species:

This past weekend marked the anniversary of my trying out the first purposely designed bicycle for gravel racing, the Salsa Cycles Warbird. 

It was August 22nd 2012. I was at a Salsa Cycles demo in the Twin Cities. My test ride was on single track, so..... Not really representative of what I wanted to see in terms of what the bike was capable of, but it was a portent of how many would eventually see "gravel bikes". 

My test rides were on both the titanium and aluminum versions of the bike. Looking back, the original Warbird was analogous to what an "endurance road bike" is in 2026 terms. Maximum tire clearance was 38mm. (!!!) A far cry from the bikes labled "gravel" today which can swallow 29"er rubber with ease. 

It is notable to remember the context of those times though. First of all, it was 2012. The bike was developed over a period of two to three years, so the idea was hatched somewhere around 2008 -2009. Think about this: Gravel racing was a very niche sport. Obviously Salsa Cycles saw the potential for gravel racing to become something more significant, so this bicycle came into existence, but from a lens of nearly twenty years ago, it was a big gamble. 

What was, perhaps, a bit of a saving grace to making this decision was that a Warbird could just as easily have been a cyclo- cross bike, making the "excuse" to buy one a little easier to swallow, perhaps. But this is just my feeling from my recollections of those days. 

Another point: There were no tires for gravel in 2008. Getting Clement ( which became Donnelly after a few years) to jump in with the MSO tire was key to getting the Warbird off the ground, (no pun intended). Remember folks: Tires drive market trends. You can make a "gravel bike", but if Salsa had been stuck putting touring tires in this bike it would have been a big fail. 

Now we have gravel aero bikes, 2.2" wide tires, and carbon everything. But wait! Now there are 32" wheels! (Monster Gravel, right "Bike Rumor? You saw that here first.) So the breed evolves yet again. 

One could say much of this is being perpetuated to keep Gravel™ afloat as a driver in the market. Perhaps this theory has some merit. But I'll say it again: The bicycle industry cannot help itself. Everything it does gravitates toward racing, top level competition, and technical innovations for the sake of technical innovations. It is painfully obvious that the vast majority of cyclists are expected to hang on to where the industry goes or risk getting spat out the back, (shamed), so.....get on board with the latest! 

Or just 'eff it all' and ride for fun. 

Where will it evolve from here? 

The consumer will decide. 

NOTE: Tomorrows post  won't publish until 7:00am CST due to an embargo. 

Ride For Jacob: The Bikes

We saw some pretty interesting bikes at the Ride For Jacob last weekend. I was able to get shots of most of them at our Janesville stop. For a few others I relied on shots from Kevin Fox. They are not posed shots so don't expect anything "professional" here!

No drive side, cranks level, tire patches down stuff here. Just some dusty bicycles in situ. If this trips your trigger then read on. If this offends your sensibilities, well you may want to skip this post and perhaps we'll see ya some other day here on the ol' blog. 

So, with that said, here are the thirteen bicycles used on the Ride For Jacob. 

Rob Evans Otso single speed

Kevin Fox said this doubles as his bike packing bike

Jackie's custom painted Stormchaser

Steve's rare Salsa Cycles Titanium La Cruz. I've only ever seen two of these. 

Doug's Salsa Cycles Journeyman

Tony's Titanium Fargo with a custom WaltWorks steel fork

Tom's Crust Bikes Evasion single speed

Dan's Soul Craft Rohloff drop bar bike

Justin's Lauf True Grit

Jason's W.H. Bradford Designs flat bar gravel bike with Black Sheep titanium handlebar

Dave's Lynskey titanium bike with a Lauf fork. (Image by Kevin Fox)

N.Y. Roll with his drop bar Otso Voytek (Image by Kevin Fox)

Of course, this is my Singular Cycles Peregrine Mk4

And there you have it! Quite the eclectic collection of bicycles. We had MTB drop bar conversions from Trans Iowa, (Kevin's) to rare birds, (Steve's Ti La Cruz), to your "average gravel bike" (Doug's Journeyman), and even a custom bike or two (Jason's W.H.B. Designs, Dan's Soul Craft) 

Single speeds, IGH, and 1X and 2X. Flat bar, drop bar, and weird-bar (Jason's). It just goes to show you that any bike can be a gravel bike as long as it is a bike you like. (Poetry?) Anyway, this is what gravel cycling is all about. Bikes, good people, and FUN.  

Look for a special Virtual Ride For Jacob post tomorrow.  

Press Release: LOOK G85 Cezal Bike

 Note: LOOK Cycle provided all information and images in this article. Comments in Comment section are Guitar Ted's

The LOOK G85 Cezal 

Look Cycle  is showing its new gravel bike, the G85 Cezal, today at Sea Otter which will also be raced in the Sea Otter gravel event by Russel Finsterwald. The G85 Cezal features all the latest gravel tech for 2026.

The LOOK carbon frame is manufactured by LOOK in its french facility so all the technical and design details can be controlled carefully. LOOK went with a progressive geometry, featuring a short wheel base and a slack, 70° head tube angle. Tire clearance is 50mm in the rear (1X drive train only), and up to 57mm in the front with up to 60mm suspension fork travel being an option for the G85 Cezal rider. 

Of course, all cables route internally. There is ample storage in the down tube, and this storage space comes with a pouch for easy retrieval. LOOK also designed the stack and reach of the G85 Cezal so that various rider positioning set ups are possible. 

The frame uses a 27.2mm seat post, which is nice from a versatility standpoint. LOOK also utilizes a 3D Wave Flex System for the seat stays where LOOK claims a tube's shape dictates flexability LOOK employs a wavy shape to the seat stay which LOOK claims is 15% more flexible than a straight tube using exactly the same carbon layup schedule. 

Riders can choose one of two handlebar/stem combinations when picking out their G85 Cezal. One option utilizes LOOK's LS3 stem and Deda Superzero gravel bars which is a lean toward the more adventurous side. Serious racers may want to choose the LOOK fully integrated stem/handlebar option which adds about $940.00USD to the price tag. 

Two models exist in the range for the G85 Cezal. One is the Speckled Purple/Neon Orange SRAM 1 X 13 speed which features SRAM Force XPLR and Fulcrum Soniq Carbon 2WF wheels. This bike retails for approximately $7,650.00USD. 

The Shimano equipped model is the Speckled Sand/Black Shimano GRX Di2 2x12 bike. This one also features those wavy Fulcrum wheels and goes for approximately $6,755.00USD. 

There is also an all black Shimano GRX 800 1X12 mechanical shifted bike with Fulcrum Lite GR2WF traditional wheels and comes in at $4,115.00USD. Finally, a frame set with frame, fork, and through axles in black is available. This frame set is priced at $2,940.00USD. 

Comments:

A sleek looker here. I think LOOK has an interesting take on gravel racing with this bike.The slacker head tube angle being notable with the capability to handle a big 29"er XC racing tire. This speaks to how LOOK sees gravel racing world-wide, and not just a North American based sport anymore. World wide, courses are becoming more than just unpaved roads. So, things like up to 60mm travel gravel suspension forks and big rubber in a road bike racer package are probably going to be more commonplace than not, especially from the European brands. 

Following Up

Image courtesy of BMC Bikes

Last week a couple of posts drew a lot of attention, commentary, and thought-provoking statements. I thought it would be good to follow up on a few things I noted in the comments and maybe put a bow on those two posts for the time being.

First, the posts. The first one I'll link to was the "Current Carbon Gravel Bike Design - What I Would Change" post. The second was the "Road Bike Trends Toward "All-Road" Territory".

Second - You folks who commented. You do know this is on the internet, right? I mean, polite, thoughtful discussions just do not happen on the internet, or so we are led to believe. Ha! So, thank you for being the good people you are. I truly appreciate the decorum and great discussion your comments brought to the posts linked here. 

Okay, so with this said, I wanted to react to a few points made in the comments which I may delve into further in a subsequent post. The first being crank length. I found it interesting that a few of you touched on the aerodynamic aspects of shorter vs longer cranks. This is something which doesn't get spoken about enough. Position on the bike being tangentially important here as well. I say this because longer cranks were used in the past with time trial bikes, so I think crank length is less important to body position on the bike for the finely tuned athlete. 

Image courtesy of SRAM

Obviously there is a dissenting opinion regarding shorter crank arms for riders which was brought up as well. Leonard Zinn, who has done a lot of research into crank length and bicycle riders has a formula which might point to longer crank arms as being bio-mechanically better for you. 

According to Zinn's formula I should be riding 181mm cranks. Ironically I have used 180mm cranks off and on for many years. Most recently on my "Ride For Jacob" last Summer. (Link to my gear review where I discuss what I thought about 180mm cranks)

Another interesting side-point was made in the road bikes becoming gravel bikes post. It had to do with perspectives of riders being different based upon their primary riding style and bike choice before transitioning over to gravel bikes. 

I find this is a valid way to think about gravel riders currently. However; this won't be so easily delineated when riders start on gravel bikes and go into adulthood/age with gravel bikes. I think this is starting now, to be honest. 

At some point, a drop bar bicycle with fatter tires won't be "gravel" or "road", it will just be an all-around bike with drop bars. This has already happened with 29"ers. Back 20 years ago you were riding a 29"er MTB or a "mountain bike" which was understood to be a 26"er, but no one said "twenty-sixer" then. Eventually 29"ers became "mountain bikes". Almost no one calls these bikes 29"ers anymore if they are under 30 years old. 

Once "gravel bikes" become just another bicycle, I think those who grew up on them will not perceive gravel bicycles as having to be "more road" or "more MTB" anymore. 

Okay, those are some initial thoughts I had after the comments on those two posts. Let me know iof you have any further thoughts as well. 
 

 

Road Bike Trends Toward "All-Road" Territory

GP5000's now available in 700 x 35mm (Inage courtesy of Continental Tires)

 Maybe you are a reader here who does not pay attention much to the latest trends in road bikes. That would be understandable if you are a regular here because I do not cover road bikes much, or at all during many months. I may make a mention here or there, but by no means do I tend to bring a lot to the table in regard to this category of bicycle. 

However; I feel this is going to be changing soon now due to where road bikes trends are heading. Just this week Continental announced a 700 x 35mm GP5000 tire. A tire which, just not that long ago was only available in up to a 28mm width. Pirelli has already breached the mid-40mm barrier with one of the their road bike tire models. Vittoria just announced a 700 x 32mm road tire this week as well. 

Trek Madone (Image courtesy of Trek Bikes)

It is also rumored now Trek is considering opening up tire clearances for the next generation of their Madone aero bike. If, say, one could put a 700 x 40mm+ tire in a Madone with confidence, well, does this make a Madone a gravel bike? 

It is a fair question. Take as an example what my parameters for a gravel bike were when I was talking about building a custom gravel bike in 2010. 

I wanted, amongst other things, 700 X 42mm tire clearance. With fenders. Now, since some road tires are being released in nearly this width, and in the case of Pirelli, beyond, how does a road bike from 2026 measure up as a possibility for what I wanted in an "all-roads" bike back in 2010? 

Well, frankly the Madone sucks as an all-road choice from the standpoint of geometry. Another Trek bike is much, much better, and it is the Domane. Current maximum tire size on a Domane is 700 x 38mm. So, I'll use this model as my cross-reference to what I was looking for in an all-roads bike back in 2010. 

The Domane features two of my critical geometry desires well. The bottom bracket drop is listed as being a healthy 78mm in my size 58cm. The head tube angle is listed at 72°. The chain stays are listed at 425mm.

In 2010 I was hoping for a 71.5° head tube angle, something in the realm of 72mm - 75mm bottom bracket drop, and 435mm chain stays. So, the Domane is tantalizingly close. Very close. And if Trek also opens up the tire clearances on the Domane, well.....that's a viable all roads bike right there. 

I'm sure other brands are looking into this trend or the tire makers would not be making such big road tires. It kinda blows my mind when I think about all the customers who balked at 700 x 25mm road tires in the 2010's. Wow..... What a sea change! 

So, yeah. You might start seeing "road bikes" showing up on this page in the near future if this trend continues as I am seeing things go. 

Current Carbon Gravel Bike Design - What I Would Change

Today I thought it would be a fun thought exercise to take each part of a carbon bike design for gravel and critique it with my take on what could be different. My thoughts are going to be constrained to keeping things optimized for what I believe is in the best interest of the average rider, not necessarily for racing.

My opinion being that most brands make bicycles their racers want, or the bike a designer would race, and these designs are not focused on the everyday rider. Racing many times eschews comfort, practicality, and value. Media focuses on these "halo bikes" as being the thing which is "most interesting" to the reader. It would be as if every bicycle rider only rode what the equivalent automobile in racing is for a daily driver. An unaffordable, expensive to maintain, impractical car. Why do we do this in the bicycle industry? It's stupid. 

Anyway....

Image courtesy of Factor Bikes' social media.

I'm going to use this image grab from a Factor Bikes' social media post showing a racing bike from the recent Traka gravel event in Spain which shows a reportedly new Factor gravel bike model. This will serve as a model for the misguided racing focus on gravel bike design. 

Let me first say I am not against having racing bikes. What I am saying is the influence these designs have on everyday gravel rider's bicycle choices is far too great. In fact, it should have little if any impact on gravel bike design. Why? Because the vast majority of riders don't race, and do not need racing bikes. 

My thoughts will correspond to the numbers I have placed on the image starting with the seat post at #1 and going in a clockwise rotation from there to number 7 which will end my thoughts on current design for gravel bikes. 

#1 - Seat Post: This is easy, but any design using an aero seat post generally is adding more discomfort to the rider. This is because most aero seat posts are not designed to flex along their length, like a good carbon seat post does.  

#2 - Integration: The fad these days is to tuck away all the cables out of the wind. This is easier with today's penchant for wireless shifting, but those pesky brake cables still need to be hidden, apparently. This seems fine until you want to change your handlebar/stem combo for reasons of fit, comfort, choice, or all of the above. Integrated bars and stems take away all those choices. Fine for racers. Dumb for everyone else. Let those cables be free! Losing a few watts to air drag is nothing for the average rider, but they will gain choices, and less expensive maintenance costs down the road.  

#3 - Carbon Forks: For the sake of this exercise, metal forks will be excluded. Carbon is wonderfully light, strong, and supposedly "tunable" for ride qualities.  However; no carbon fork manufacturer has decided to take advantage of the tunability of carbon for rider comfort when it comes to forks. Either it cannot be done at all, or it cannot be done without assurance of avoiding failures and thus, liability for injuries, or designers just don't care about comfort in fork designs. I'm choosing the liability fears here, but that is purely speculation on my part. Whatever the case may be, carbon forks are overly-stiff and this is especially true on race designs. 

#4 - MTB Sized Tires: My theory on this is in relation to the point above concerning forks. These big, poofy MTB tires are being employed because forks are too stiff and stems with any built-in forgiveness are not possible due to integration and weight concerns. Ditch the heavier tires, use a commonsense approach to cable management, and maybe make the fork nicer to ride for we who are not the less than 1% of riders who are top-tier racers.  

#5 - Front Derailleurs and 1X: Chain management for a 2X system is now programmable on wireless drive trains. You don't even need to think about "when to shift" anymore, and so, why do we stick to the thought that a massively out of whack chain line on 1X is okay? It isn't. Racers feel 1X is more aero. This is laughable to the ordinary cyclist.  Even if aero is a thing with front derailleurs, and even if a mechanical system relies on the rider to make shifts, a 2X system is more efficient, does not rely on huge jumps in rear cog spacing, and can be made so the parts are less expensive, especially in regard to the cassette. 

#6 - Chain Stay Length: Racers want the rear tire tucked right up underneath their rear ends. Fine for racing, perhaps. It certainly will make you feel faster because, well......you'll feel every bump. Where is the seat on a bus with the roughest ride? Right over the rear axle. Average riders do not need short chain stays. I'm not saying we need really long chain stays either. Just don't put me on a bike with a rear wheel tucked right underneath me. 

#7 - Tire Clearance: Just a thought here on tire clearances. I enjoy my 45mm and 50mm tires, but I also really like lightweight tires. There is a point of diminishing returns with regard to tire width. Especially if you want some kind of tougher casing or puncture protection. I'd rather ride a narrower tire which falls under 600 grams for my do-all roads bike choice. (Note - I did not say "gravel", although that surface is included) If I am mountain biking, I'll choose a proper MTB. I think a distinction is already there and trying to blur those lines is not only unnecessary, but confusing to consumers.  

Okay, those are my takes on current top-end gravel bike design and why I think much of what is being done is the wrong direction for most people.  I know not everyone will agree. I'd love to see what you think about these ideas. Let me know in the comments. 

 Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions 

The 32" Watch: More Gravel

Baum DBM 32"er. (Image courtesy of Baum's social media)

It's Not Just For MTB:

While most 32"ers seen so far are meant as mountain bikes for XC use, there are now some being offered as gravel bikes. I showed a Singular Albatross here last Friday, and now I have come across this Baum Cycles DBM drop bar bike which was built as a gravel bike for a tall client of theirs. 

It is interesting to see a big 32"er frame which makes the wheels look normal. I would suspect their will be a lot of taller folks getting on the 32"er bandwagon now that tires and rim choices have started to become more commonplace for this size wheel. 

Speaking of rims, I was tipped off to this Chinese carbon 32'er rim choice which is sub-300 bucks each. That is a pretty outstanding price. While I am not a big fan of hookless rims, these are meant for MTB tires which would make these rims make more sense then as a hookless option.  

I have heard the 32"ers will appear on gravel bikes and road bikes as well. Look for more sightings as Sea Otter draws nearer in mid-April.  

Note: The Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame class for 2026 will be announced today at 9:00am CST. Look for the announcement and a breakdown of my reactions to each inductee tomorrow here on Guitar Ted Productions.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026! 

Jim Cummins
Kristen Legan
Meg Fisher
Paul Errington

Friday News And Views (Monster Year-End Edition)

Image from Innova Super Gravel webpage.

 Call It "Gravel™" And It Will Sell:

What happens when you take an XC racing chassis, slap a drop bar on it, and call it a "gravel bike"? Well, apparently you sell bicycles. That is what it looks like judging from a few bicycle brands out there now who are trying to figure out how to "innovate" the gravel bike into something the marketing departments hope you will see as a "must have bike". 

The recently released Trek Checkout, and a few other bicycles like this Innova Super Gravel (shown here) seem to have a very striking resemblance to 29"er XC racing bikes from five to ten years ago. 

I wrote up a comparison of the Trek Checkout with an old Gary Fisher XC Trail bike back at the end of September. If you missed the comparison, it may be enlightening to go back and read the article as it will shed some light on what it is that is going on here with these supposed "category defining" gravel bikes. 

I think this is happening due to a few things. One - Road bikes are encroaching on territory formerly covered by the gravel category. Many road bikes can now fit 35mm road tires, which were "gravel tire" widths in the 2010's. Some road bikes in the "road endurance/all-road" category fit even wider tires. No one wants to call these "gravel bikes", even though for a lot of people out there, this is all they would ever need to ride any road they come across. 

Two - "Gravel" is not everywhere. Many places have back roads, pavement, or dirt roads, but many "paths" cross over to single track/MTB type riding. Wider tires, more aggressive trail geometry, and suspension fit this terrain better. The marketing for the Innova Super Gravel shows it on rocky paths and more MTB/XC type terrain. Actual crushed rock roads (gravel) are no where to be seen.  Perhaps this reflects what seems more enticing to ride and this new style of 'Gravel Bike", which is really just XC MTB with drop bars, is what will motivate folks to pop the credit card number in for a charge. 

Three: "Adventure" was removed from XC MTB bikes when racing-focused products took over and gravity oriented machines became the guise entry level MTB bikes took on, if only in form. Part of this swing toward drop bar MTB is labeled as "adventure biking" because MTB has abandoned this adventure off-road category for years. Bike packing was, and is, a partial beneficiary to this as well. However; the lighter, more svelte "gravel bike" with a suspended front end seems to be filling this void where once the mainstay of MTB was residing. News about the 2026 Focus Atlas adventure bike brings to mind the original Fargo, a bicycle who's tagline was "Adventure by Bike" and which created this drop-bar, MTB based adventure category nearly 20 years ago now. 

All these things are being drenched in "gravel" because this is the magic word which conveys a sense of thrill, adventure, and does not carry the pretenses of road cycling or MTB racing/mountain riding. Even though much of what is being put out there as "new", "category defining" and "adventure" is derivative and old news. 

For more on this, see my take on another bike in this vein below....... 

Guitar Ted Podcast To Take Winter Break:

N.Y. Roll and I recorded the final episode of the Guitar Ted Podcast for this season recently. We will be taking our annual Holiday break and recharging the batteries for another season of the show being planned now. 

2025 was a year of growth, according to our end-of-year stats we received recently from a couple of our podcast platforms. We thank you for listening - if you did - over the past year. I have a review of the year on the podcast which will post the last week of this month, so do look for that. 

Season 4 (!!) will start in January with......well, I don't know just yet! We will come up with something, I am sure. We have received a few great suggestions for the podcast and future episodes, and if you would like to voice your opinions on the direction of the show, please do by leaving a comment here or by email @g.ted.productions@gmail.com. 

Image by A. Andonopoulos

Fixing The Bus

What is my friend Ari holding in his hand here? Well.....it is what I am going to "fix the Bus with." 

Yep! The old Twin Six Standard Rando, or what I called "The Gravel Bus", due to its yellow and black paint scheme, is going to become my new fixed gear bicycle. 

Since I stripped the bike down and used its parts to build up my new Singular Cycles Peregrine Mk4, I thought I was just going to sell this frame and fork off. However; I ended up contemplating how I could make a fatter tire fixed gear bicycle. Something akin to the Shogun, but with beefier tires which I could ride on gravel with. This led me to the Paul WORD Fixed Disc Hub and the possibility of converting the Gravel Bus to direct drive.  

Oh....and in case you are not familiar: Fixed gear means you have a cog on a hub which is locked together. You cannot coast. Every inch the wheel travels the cranks are spinning. It is how all bicycles once were in the late 19th Century. Track bikes are still this way. Just thought I'd throw this out there in case you were new to the concept. 

By the way, single speed free wheel bikes are NOT like fixed gear bikes.They are completely different animals. If you have never ridden fixed gear, you should try it out. It really is amazing and you'd get why it is so different straight away. I love riding this way, and so this new build will be getting used quite a bit,, I think. Stay tuned for more on this bike soon. 

Virtual Turkey Burn Ride Recap:

All the reports are in and published. This year we had ten reports and all from the USA. Most everyone had an issue with the big storm which rolled into the country just in time to affect rides for the challenge.

However; I was encouraged greatly because despite the fact many of the challenge takers did not log the mileage to reach a century, either metric or standard, they reported anyway and shared their rides here. I think this is perhaps even more inspiring, since these folks went out in the face of adversity to ride anyway. 

Feedback from the riders was positive and it looks as though many want to participate in this again next year. Whether you reported or not, if you took inspiration from this challenge and rode, ran, swam, or walked outdoors after Thanksgiving, I appreciate this very much. This is the entire motivation for me - To get folks outdoors and trying to stretch themselves a bit physically instead of sitting around, being sucked into the marketing machine, or whatever. Thanks everyone! We'll plan on doing this again next year then!

 

Image courtesy of Knolly Bikes

Knolly Bikes Releases Updated Cache "Gravel" Bike:

The new Cache drop bar bike in titanium is now available from Knolly Bikes, a predominantly mountain cycling oriented company.  

Their geometry isn't anything crazy with a 70.5° head tube angle, 75mm of bottom bracket drop, and 422mm chain stays. But with many companies going wider on tires, you might expect an increase in maximum tire size over the outgoing Cache, and you'd be correct. Now with clearance for a 29" X 2.3" front and a 29" x 2.1" rear tire (1X and 2X), and suspension fork compatibility, ("gravel travel" suspension only), 

Comments: Okay, I don't really care about big tires or not on gravel rides, you can decide on this idea for yourself. However; at the point where companies are going now with 29"er tires, I have to make a demarcation. 

For myself, and going forward, any "gravel bike" with suspension correction and wider than 2.1" rear tire clearance is technically a mountain bike with drop bars. I mean, call a spade a spade.  Personally, I would rather say a bike like the Cache is a "bad Fargo take", or a poor Cutthroat in the case of carbon frames, but this maybe just me being grumpy today. 

Legends Of Gravel (L.O.G. Ride) Update:

I have a few more details to share concerning the April 17th-18th Legends Of Gravel Ride event. Once again - I am not in charge of this ride. So, if you've got beef with anything concerning the ride, I am not the person to bother with those complaints. Just so we are clear.... 

I am being feted at this event, for further clarity, and I was asked to share this information here, since many of you readers of Guitar Ted Productions just might be interested in this subject. 

Finally, the information I was asked to share: An event site is now live and will be updated with specifics on how you can participate in this event if you want to do so. The site is on Facebook, full disclosure, and I know some of you don't travel in the 'metasphere', which is understandable. Have a friend keep tabs on things then. Don't ask me! 

Here is the link. 

Comments: There is a plan for a group lodging opportunity which would cost $100.00/night to stay which includes meals. The ride itself, if that is all you need, is going to be $50.00/person. This is to help defray costs and gets you an event t-shirt. I know, I thought the ride was free at the onset, but I was wrong, and again - I am not one of the organizers. Any event details, costs, or times are subject to change by the organizers. Be aware! 

I think there is a groundswell of interest in this thing, so if you are at all interested it probably would behoove you to pay attention to that Facebook event page. My part in this is to get there and show up ready to ride a couple of days. That is all I am going to do. So, from this point onward I may mention this event in passing, but do not expect timely updates from me. 

From Singular Cycles' social media

The 32 Watch: Singular Cycles Proto

Recently Singular Cycles posted an Instagram story/reel which showed the bike to the left here with the comment: "It's surprisingly normal looking." Reading into it, I assumed this meant "surprisingly normal" because it was a 32"er. I "liked" the post and Sam Alison replied back in a pm confirming my suspicions. I will stop right there. 

Comments: Sooooo...... One would assume this might just be an actual thing, coming from Singular, who are not in the position to just randomly see if something is going to work or not. It would be reasonable to assume this is in an effort to confirm suspicions the idea is marketable.  

I have to thank my brother, MG, for capturing this image. You know, Insta stories go dark after 24hrs. So, here is the evidence which was provided, but only for a short period of time, preserved now for your consideration. What do you think? Would you be interested in something like this? (I have no horse in this race, by the way.)

I think it bears watching. I would be a lot more interested in a drop bar, gravel crusher, but that is just me. I'd want to see wider spaced hubs than 29"ers have. Thinking out loud, I'd want 150mm front and rear spaced. I would think with the longer chain stays this wouldn't be an issue with cranks and it would build a way stronger wheel. The front matching would allow front to rear wheel swaps. You might want this if a cassette failed, or a derailleur failed, and your front, (actually a rear standard) set up with a single speed cog could swap in as a bail-out. Weird? Maybe, but why not? The stronger wheels would be worth the effort with such a big diameter rim. 

And I don't give a rip about telescopic front suspension forks, so there!  

Programming Note: There are two Friday's left in the year. Usually industry news tails off for the holidays, so unless there are compelling reasons to report news or opinions I will likely post end-of-year articles on the following December Fridays. The FN&V will return the first week of January, 2026. 

Have an awesome weekend! Get out and ride those bicycles! 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Onza Tires

 Onza Tires Brings Full Range Of Gravel Tires To Market:

Onza Tires, better known for mountain bike fare, has just announced a new range of gravel tires called "Alegra X". In an effort to guide riders to a "best tire" choice, these tires are arrayed in a ranking to categorize them from least grippy, best rolling resistance to most grippy, higher rolling resistance. With "1" having the fastest tread all the way to "6", with the most off-road ready" tread, Onza expects riders will better be able to dial in an Alegra X model which best suits their needs. 

All models seem to have 120TPI casings, single compound rubber, and a choice of tan or black wall sidewalls. Most are $59.99 USD. Sizes range from 40mm to 50mm, but not all models are available in all sizes or sidewall styles. 

See Onza's website for more details HERE.  

Comments: The ranking system is similar to how Vittoria Tires is doing things now within their range of gravel tires. Onza is not a big name in the States, so it remains to be seen how this range will be accepted. However; in my opinion this looks like a more budget friendly, high-value, low in features range. Tread designs are right in the current fashion trends for gravel, and you might be reminded of several better known brands and models while perusing the Onza range. 

Everything in the Alegra X range looks "safe" as far as how it will work on gravel, and I suspect these will all be okay for most people. However; I don't see much in the way of innovative design or anything overly inspiring here. Most of these tread designs are derivative, and look to be based off designs known to work just fine. Maybe Onza makes a dent here, but there are a LOT of choices in gravel tires in 2025/26, so the competition for space on rider's wheels is intense. 

Image courtesy of Madrone Cycles

Madrone Cycles Offers "Jab" Rebuildable Rear Mech:

Last year I featured the Madrone Cycles rear mech prototype in an FN&V segment. Now the rear derailleur for 1X systems from Shimano or SRAM is available to purchase. 

With a configurable, rebuildable design, the Jab rear mech promises versatility, longevity, and customization based upon the choice of different anodized colors. The Jab has received decent reviews so far, so the product looks promising. 

Prices will range depending upon configuration, but a standard gravel Jab runs about $298.00 USD. A Jab configured with a purple body and for Shimano 11 speed gravel usage, (shown) would run $327.00 USD. 

You can learn more on the page for the Jab HERE. 

Comments: Rebuildable? Okay......when was the last time you thought, "Hey! Why can't I rebuild my rear mech?" Maybe you've destroyed one in a wreck, or in poor conditions. Okay, maybe then. However, most rear derailleurs I have replaced over the past 30 years of repair work were 50% - 100% destroyed. You'd likely have to purchase a new rear mech anyway, unless Madrone sells all the individual parts for the Jab aftermarket. Sure, they sell most of the parts now, but what if you tweak the linkage parallelogram bits?

Then there is the price of admission. Again, as I stated in 2024, you can buy a brand new Shimano GRX rear mech for quite a bit less money. SRAM as well. Obviously, the Madrone offering looks completely cool and rad, but is it worth that much more? This is really what the piece boils down to. The way you answer this question will determine the part's value to you. There is no "wrong" answer here for a consumer, assuming it does its job. It's just that I'm not seeing what question this piece answers from a technical standpoint.  

Courtesy of Salsa Cycles social media

Salsa Reveals Another New Drop Bar Model:

The Mega Mid-South happened last weekend and both the men's and women's events were won on a new Salsa Cycles model which has not been released yet. 

The bike was feted in a Salsa Cycles social media post this week and the name of the model was revealed. The new model is going to be known as the "Flyway". 

This bike will, according to Salsa Cycles, be released this coming February. Details are said to become known about the Flyway in January, most likely because this is when dealers will be informed of those details.  

You may recall another teased new model from Salsa Cycles earlier in the Fall. I reported on this in an FN&V HERE. You may note that bike being a full suspension model with drop bars. This is not the same as the Flyway, which obviously is a hard tail, rigid front fork bike in the image shown here. 

Comments: Salsa Cycles has not redesigned, or tweaked the Warbird gravel racing bike for several years. It is long overdue for a refresh. Could the Flyway be a Warbird replacement? My guess is it will be replacing the Warbird, as Salsa's parent company has been sanitizing model names for several years. The Warbird refresh is a perfect time to axe the "militaristic" nomenclature and christen the refresh with a new, unoffensive name. Besides this, Salsa posted on their Facebook page that this bike is their "..... fifth generation gravel racing bike." Note: This is purely speculation on my part, but we've already seen a few re-namings in Salsa's line, so this would track if it is true.  

We can deduce from the images the  Flyway has a suspension corrected fork, larger tire clearances, and accessory fork mounts. The sloping top tube can be seen in this escape collective post, (paywalled if you want to read the entire post), which indicates dropper post compatibility. I'd also assume there is in-frame storage, full-internal routing, and possibly no support for mechanical group-sets, as is the fashion these days.  

We'll be keeping our eyes open for more on this "new" model after the turn of the New Year.  

The 32 Inch Wheel Watch:

More and more it seems apparent the 32 inch MTB wheel is going to be a thing in 2026. Rumors are being passed around saying more choices in tires are on the way, and more people are starting to move in a direction which points to small production runs of frames and forks for the wheel size. 

While I have ridden a 36"er, I haven't ridden one off-road, so I cannot say what a 32"er would be like. Furthermore, I'm not really interested in spending a bunch of money on an off-road bike I'd barely ever use. 

If I were to get into this wheel size, it would be for gravel, and for my sort of riding, a 32"er wheel makes a ton of sense. So, I am interested in what becomes of this sort of idea, and if it ever became possible, and the tires were there which made sense, I'd probably get one of these newer, bigger wagon wheelers for my stable. 

I think the rolling momentum of such a wheel would be primo for the rolling hills of Iowa. The vibration reducing possibilities are tantalizing for a man of my age who is not getting any younger. A drop bar, single speed 32"er makes a lot of sense to me, and if I would have to use 2"-plus wide tires, I'm good with it as long as the geometry is correct. 

So, while I do not need another gravel bike, I might need  a 32"er, especially if it was something which would extend my years as a gravel cyclist. 

 

Gore To Cease Marketing Cycling Wear:

In a surprise announcement via Gorewear's parent company, WL Gore & Associates GmbH, it has been learned the Gore cycling business will cease operations and remaining inventory will be sold out with no further replacements. 

Citing economic hardships in the business, Gore stated in a letter to retailers obtained by a German bicycle industry publication that they saw no good future prospects for success for the brand. You can read more about the closing of Gorewear in this Bike Radar article HERE. 

Comments: Gore was very aggressive in terms of marketing throughout the last 15 years. They were not shy about sending kit to several outlets, including some I have been associated with in the past. However; it never seemed as though Gore could gain a foothold against the Raphas, MAAP's, and other trendy companies. 

Gore did find itself with a hit when they developed the Shake Dry rain jacket, (shown) which had immediate effect in the marketplace, being heralded as a major technology breakthrough in wet weather cycling gear. However; it had to pull the technology off the market due to PFAS concerns and Gore's own commitments to environmentally friendly products. This was something that was a blow to the company as they never really had any answer to the Shake Dry jacket. 

This news comes on the heels of YT Bikes closure in North America, and with a slew of deep-discount sales for "Pre-Black Friday" within the industry. All of this is not very encouraging heading into Winter. 
 

That's a wrap on this week! Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions! Now get out and ride a bicycle! 

Friday News And Views

 Image courtesy of the Rattlesnake Rumble social media:

Rattlesnake Rumble Gravel Race Announced:

On September 4th an announcement went out saying the Mississippi Gravel Cup Series would end after their series of 2025 events were over. This series had been in existence for eight years and had several events in Mississippi. 

But sad news leaving a void is sometimes followed by good news, and this is the case for those in the Southeastern USA now that a new event has been announced. 

This event, dubbed the Rattlesnake Rumble, takes place in the Desoto National Forest where one of the old Mississippi Gravel Cup events was based out of as well. This event features a few distances and costs only $50.00. If you are interested in this early April 2026 event, check out their BikeReg page HERE. 

Image courtesy of AERON/TPU

TPU Tubes Take Hold:

I've been experimenting with TPU tubes for a couple of years now and it seems many riders are taking the new technology and trusting it for their ride.  

Last weekend one of the C.O.G. 40 riders was using TPU tubes in his tires and seemed to be pretty happy with them. However; I also know at least one dissatisfied former TPU tube user. So, not everyone is onboard with TPU tubes. But more and more folks seem to be checking them out.  

Options are becoming available with more features. Last week I mentioned the SILCA TPU tubes, and I may be getting a set of the new AERON TPU tubes to test soon. One other thing I've noted is the recommended width offerings are becoming more wide-ranged. 

So, instead of a TPU tube being recommended for 35mm - 40mm, I'm seeing thing like recommendations from 32mm - 52mm ! I think the stretch-ability of TPU has been found to be more resilient and accommodating than once thought. But unlike butyl rubber tubes, TPU, once stretched, stays stretched. This may not matter, but it is worth noting. 

Look for more on TPU tubes here soon.  

Image courtesy of Bianchi Bicycles

Bianchi Announces New Aluminum Gravel Model:

Bianchi expanded their range of gravel/allroad bicycles by introducing the aluminum version of their Arcadex adventure/gravel bike. Called the Arcadex AL, this bike comes in three colors with a Shimano GRX 610 12 speed mechanical group set. 

Bianchi also states this bike has tire clearance for up to 50mm tires. There are rack and fender mounts, along with accessory mounts on the fork blades making this a good choice for bike packing and adventures.  

Comments: The geometry here is right in the pocket for what I would consider great handling and stability over most surfaces. The seat tube measurements are a tad on the short size for each size, but this is most likely in deference to the dropper post option this frame supports. I couldn't find an updated price, but I would assume this is a reasonably priced, enthusiasts level bike choice. 

Paris - Ancaster 2026 Registration Open:

The classic Canadian event,  Paris - Ancaster, is going to happen on Sunday, April 26th, 2026. Registration for this event is now open (Here) 

This event, which has been held annually since 1994, was on the UCI Gravel World Series calendar for 2025, but there is no indication yet this will be the case for 2026. 

The event is a point-to-point course with three distance options. The "Cento" is 100km, the "Classic" is the original 70km distance, and the "Brevet" is a 45km distance event. Since the event is point-to-point, the starting lines are different for each distance.  

Comments: The event features farm roads, muddy tracks, and difficult sections which have challenged riders for years. This event was one of the first featured on my "Gravel Grinder News" calendar back almost 20 years ago now. Since then I have heard varying takes on the event with some stating it isn't  really a "gravel" event, but it isn't your typical roadie event either, so....

Image courtesy of the Mid-South

2026 Mid-South Registration Opens:

The 2026 Mid-South will be a two-day event this coming year with dates set on  March 12 - 13th. There are several new changes to this event set to take place. 

First and most interesting is the separation of the Pro categories from the amateurs. This coming March the Pro categories will take the start on Friday. Even more interesting is the choice for the Pro's to do the "Double", a 50k run and the 100 mile bicycle event, on the same day.  

All other categories for cyclists will be contested on Saturday as this event has done since its inception. Amateur runners will compete on Friday as well. 

A new finish line area has been designated which will be set up near the new Stillwater Park and Amphitheater. 

The Mega-Mid-South, a 300 mile ultra-distance event, will take place tomorrow out of District Bicycles where the Mid-South registration party will also be happening. Participants can come down and send off the Mega Mid-South riders and stick around for fun and refreshments. Registration will be held online at the Mid-South's online site.  

Image courtesy of Campagnolo

New Super Record X 13 For Campy Brings Gravel An Italian Option:

Campagnolo has dabbled in the gravel category for several years with its groundbreaking, if not popular, Ekar 13 speed group. Now Campagnolo is putting forth an effort to compete at the highest levels of the gravel racing scene with a new 13 speed group called Super Record X. 

A 1X group, this new choice features two choices in cassettes with a 9 - 42T set or a 10 - 48T set. The jumps between gears are relatively small, and in fact, both cassettes are really similar with the only difference being at the extremes. One having a start at 9T and ending at 42T while the other cassette has the same gears minus the 9T and adding the 48T. 

The other important piece here is the crank set. The new Super Record X gets a power meter crank or a non-power metered crank with chain ring sizes ranging from 38T - 48T and the capability to upgrade to a 52T ring. The arms and ring are matched for best aero characteristics.  Lengths range from 165mm to 175mm. The cranks utilize Campy's longstanding Ultra Torque bottom bracket design. 

The rear derailleur is wireless and electronic, of course, with a removable battery which charges in 60 minutes or less. Campy also has made the cage out of carbon fiber with different sized pulleys. The Universal Mount will work with frames set up with the UDH standard or traditional mounts for derailleurs. Maximum tooth range is 48T. 

The levers are borrowed from the current Super record 13 group with the left lever being the only "new" piece seeing as it has only to activate the front brake. Otherwise the shifting is accomplished with a separate lever behind the brake lever on the right side with the return of the famous Campy "thumb lever" on the inside of the upper lever body. 

See more details at Campy's Super record X site HERE. 

That is a wrap for this week! get out and ride those bicycles!