Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of DT Swiss

DT Swiss Offers Gravel Suspension Forks Aftermarket:

Previous to this announcement the only way you could get a DT Swiss gravel suspension fork was to buy a complete bicycle spec'ed with it. Now this has changed with DT Swiss offering two versions of the fork for sale to anyone wanting them. 

There are two versions of DT Swiss' F-132 gravel suspension fork. The base F 132 with no lock-out feature and the F 132 One with remote lock-out. (Shown in image here) 

The forks both feature 40mm of air-sprung travel with PLAINGAIN (f 132 One) or OPENFLOW (F 132) hydraulic damping.  The F 132 One also has adjustable rebound. 

There are three offset options and an offset finder to best match an offset to your gravel bike's geometry. Both forks can also be fitted with the bike packing adapters allowing up to 3Kg of cargo on each leg.  

Prices for the forks are $1,269.00 USD for the F 132 One and  $893.00 USD for the F 132. You can learn more about these forks on DT Swiss' page on the forks HERE. 

Comments: Okay, up front I will remind you dear readers that I am not at all a fan of "gravel suspension forks" of the telescopic type. (Lauf's fork is fine with me) Why? Because the telescopic forks weigh a lot. A Redshift Sports ShockStop stem weighs under 300 grams, in most instances. A suspension fork weighs up to 4 times that amount or more depending on the model. A gravel suspension fork adds a lot of weight over their rigid, carbon siblings. A typical carbon gravel fork weighs around 600 grams, or over half as much as most telescopic gravel suspension forks. A Redshift ShockStop stem only adds about 160 grams to a typical stem weight (aluminum). 

Then you have the maintenance. Fork maintenance intervals for these DT Swiss forks are better than the competition, but a light service after one year (recommended) and a full servicing after two years (recommended), is probably enough labor cost to buy two more ShockStop stems. And those stems require zero maintenance.  

Finally, you might add that 40mm of travel is better than what the ShockStop offers. Yes, in terms of just the numbers, it is. However; it is what those components are meant to do that matters. I want vibration reduction. I don't use a gravel bike as a mountain bike. Your mileage may vary, but "gravel" should really be called "all-roads" with an emphasis on the ROAD part.  Anything OFF-ROAD is mountain biking. Period. If your riding is more OFF-ROAD than a real suspension fork with at least 100mm of travel is what you should probably be running. Rigid fork riders notwithstanding, but this 40mm of travel stuff is not doing what gravel riders need (excessive weight, more maintenance, little benefit) and it is not doing what MTB riders need (too little travel). A suspension stem like the Redshift example reduces vibrations tremendously. I'm much more interested in the vibration reduction myself. 

But that is MY opinion. Certainly, you do not have to agree.  

Image courtesy of Clik Valve

Clik Valve Offers TPU Tubes:

Clik Valve now offers AeroBlue TPU tubes for road, gravel, MTB, and fat bike uses. The AeroBlue TPU tubes also are e-pump safe having been tested to 130°C/266°F. The metal reinforced composite valve stem stays stable and will take repeated e-pump usage no problem. 

The road/gravel AeroBlue TPU tubes are $24.00 USD each and can be seen HERE.  

 Comments: Clik Valve is so easy to use that this application with TPU tubes is a combination which is so right it cannot be wrong. Connecting a Clik Valve pump is so easy and takes so little effort that there is pretty much no way you'll damage a valve stem. 

"But Guitar Ted, my e-pump doesn't have a Clik Valve adapter!" Gotcha covered!  

I just converted one of my tubeless set ups to Clik Valve recently and I am now looking to add more bikes with these TPU options available now. I want to get a set of these tubes in for a test first, but I have little doubt I'll be happy with these as opposed to a straight up old Presta Valve TPU tube.  

Image courtesy of Wolf Tooth

Wolf Tooth Chooses Unique Marketing Strategy With Pedals:

Wolf Tooth announced on Wednesday that they are making a special run of 150 pairs of Shift pedals in a camo anodized finish. But you can only buy them at select bicycle shops. 

The $290.00 USD pedals for Enduro, Downhill, or extreme MTB will be available through 46 selected bicycle shops in store, or you might get a set if you are lucky from an authorized Wolf Tooth dealer as Wolf Tooth held back 20 pairs for dealers who reach out to them. 

Comments: The product aside, this is an interesting way to market product.  For one thing, Wolf Tooth says this is the "first" offering of a limited edition product through its dealer network. Obviously this leaves the door open for other things. 

But what is interesting to me is that this could lead to a "co-op" approach for LBS dealers. Imagine 20 independent bike shops getting a run of gravel bikes from a Chinese brand. Or a run of clothing, exclusive to certain brick and mortar shops. 

Getting individual bike shops to coordinate a project like I am suggesting may seem laughable to many, but imagine what could happen if dealers decided to band together on mass ordering certain products. There is great potential there. This could be done in a pre-order style, so there would be no overstock issues and exclusivity would make buying in for customers a bit more enticing.  

Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame Nominations Open For 2027:

The next class of Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame folks will be inducted into the hall next June. The nominations for this class are open now and will be accepted through to November 30th. 

To learn how you should nominate someone for inclusion in the GCHoF see THIS PAGE. 

Image courtesy of SILCA

SILCA Offers Omata 'Mechatronic' Cycling Computer:

 You are riding in a group and about 150 yards from your next turn everyone's GPS device starts beeping and squawking as though there were a raft of droids along for the adventure. Maybe this is accepted "cycling culture" in the 2020's, but SILCA now offers an alternative to the digital interference. 

SILCA offers what they claim is the "world's first mechatronic cycling computer" which silently shows speed, distance, and elevation. All while collecting data internally for later consumption. It features an all-analog display using a dial indicator type of look.

The Omata mounts on a typical Garmin or Wahoo cleat mounting standard and is USB rechargeable. It is housed in an aluminum case with a rotating bezel for mode selection. The unit is also ANT+ compatible so power data, heart rate, and cadence can be collected for later reference. 

The Omata is available now and costs an expensive $800.00 USD. You can check out the Imperial version HERE. There is a metric version available as well.  

Comments: I love the idea of a simple, basic computer. I love the no-LED read-out. The form factor is cool. But the price? Yikes! 

Don't get me wrong, it is most likely a very fair price, (see the video for the Omata HERE),  but I am disappointed in the cost as it is prohibitive and I am unlikely to get this for myself. 

That's a wrap on this week. Get out there and ride those bikes! 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Xfusion

Xfusion G.E.T. 30 Gravel Bike Suspension Fork:

A new choice in front suspension for a gravel bike is now offered by Xfusion, a company known maybe more for its value oriented MTB suspension fork offerings. The new fork, dubbed the G.E.T. 30, (Grand Epic Trail) is based on a 30mm diameter stanchion platform and is available in the aforementioned 30mm of travel but can be converted to have 40mm or 50mm of travel. 

The fork also features external rebound adjustment and a lock-out function. There is a "Qflip" lever, designed for drop bars, which can lock out the fork or be used as a dropper post lever which is available separately. 

The damper unit is based on an air spring design for lightweight. It also is adjustable. The damper is Xfusion's Finecut RL2 sealed cartridge design damper which offeres improved oil flow for better small bump sensitivity, according to Xfusion. 

Offsets are available in 45mm or 51mm. The fork with an uncut steer tube weighs a claimed 2.9lbs. Designed for 700c wheels and gravel tires in Matte Black or Gloss Sand.. The G.E.T. 30 starts at $659.00 USD.  

Comments: You all probably know I am not a fan of telescopic, short-travel forks for gravel riding. That aside, this seems like a good alternative to Fox and SRAM/Rock Shox if someone is convinced this is a good idea. (Having a gravel suspension fork.)  

Image courtesy of Stoll Bikes

The 32" Watch: Big Wheels Win, Are Faster:

In the new world in which we live now where 32"er bikes roll on this planet, we now can say one of these monster wheeled bikes has won something. 

The Cape Epic, a multi-stage MTB XC event saw rider Felix Stehli win Stage three with his partner rider. Stehli was riding a production Stoll Bikes 32"er FS bike. 

In other 32"er news, Trans Iowa veteran (v8) rider John Karrasch has an article up on "The Escape Collective" in which he shows his recent testing on the Maxxis Aspen 32"er versus the same model in 29".  

John does a lot of rolling resistance testing on MTB and gravel tires,. He also has a bike fitting business so check out his work  

English Cycles prototype 32'er. Image courtesy of English Cycles

English Cycles, a custom bike builder from Eugene , Oregon, has a new prototype 32"er built as a bike packing rig. 

When I interviewed Sam Alison for the Guitar Ted Podcast recently he mentioned bike packing as being one of the ways 32"ers would likely be used. 

Seems Rob English would agree. His proto is for his testing purposes. In a blog post on the English Cycles site, Rob said he tried to maintain the fit and proportions of his 29"er as much as possible. He goes into great detail about certain aspects of building around this wheel size which is interesting.  

Check out this bike in further detail on the English Cycles' site HERE. 

Heard From Mid-South: Teravail has two 32" tires coming out. They will be based on the Cannonball and Camrock models. 

Rumors: Salsa Cycles Fargo 32"er? Seems to be a rampant rumor and was heard on the Shiftless podcast a week ago. Also: Mavic is rumored to be looking into 32"ers. Stay tuned.... 

 Finally another small builder, BTCHN Bikes, has an Alpina 32"er hardtail available now which looks interesting. Available in Med, L, XL sizes only. Check out the details on their sire HERE.  

The USA Trail Coast to Coast News:

The Spinistry folks are letting their TUBA Trail supporters know that the recon of the route, mostly gravel and dirt, across the USA has been completed. 

We interviewed Kevin Lee of the Spinistry who is the main developer of this trail on our Guitar Ted Podcast earlier this year. (Listen to the episode HERE) Kevin was still in the final stages of the trail's development then, but you get a great idea from the talk we had as to what this trail will be like. 

The trail changed names from TUBA Trail, (Transcontinental Unpaved Bicycle Adventure) to the USA Trail Coast To Coast . The name change reflects this trails status as being the first coast to coast, mainly unpaved trail for bicycle travel/touring. Kevin Lee is quoted in a recent email to TUBA Trail founders which I was able to see as follows: "While there is plenty of room for unpaved riding, we need a name that eliminates confusion and immediately tells the world what we’ve built."

The next stage in this trail's development is a Fall 2026 "dress rehearsal" riding of the route to work out any bugs and then the trail will be formerly opened, barring any issues, afterward.  

For more details see the TUBA Trail Founders page HERE.  

Image courtesy of SRAM

Hammerhead Karoo Share: 

Now Hammerhead Karoo users can share ride routes between devices. SRAM announced the update to the Karoo yesterday in a press release. 

SRAM claims routes and profiles can now be shared "immediately" between Karoo devices. Last minute adds at start lines are now totally possible with Karoo. 

You can learn more about this update and Karoo devices at Hammerhead's site HERE. 

Comments: I tried a Hammerhead Karoo 2 several years ago now and was really disappointed in it. Hopefully SRAM's purchase of Hammerhead has upped the experience quality for users. If you have a Hammerhead, how has it been for you? Let me know in the comments. 

Iowa Wind and Rock Announces Virtual Challenge Opportunity: 

The annual Iowa Wind and Rock event had to be cancelled due to health concerns for the event director. (Fortunately we are expecting a full recovery) 

Instead of the actual event, IWAR is putting out the #NotIWAR challenge. where riders are asked to do a long ride on the weekend of April 17th -  19th. From their Facebook post:

"Although we had to cancel this year's event, there's no reason for your training and fitness to go unused. We'd like to see you, and some friends, challenge yourself with a long ride sometime during the weekend of April 17 - 19. Ideally 100 miles or more, but if the conditions are right, a shorter distance will do. Gravel, bikepacking, singletrack, or mixed surface - it's all good. Just get out and push your limits for a few, or many, hours.

While we're not able to get our community together this year, we think it would be great to have everyone share photos and be able to read stories about their rides! Email works, or better post to IG or FB and use the hashtag #NotIWAR. No promises, but we might try and send something for each one that's submitted as well as gather the submissions and post them on the website as a bit of race history."

So, if you are reading this and think it is a great excuse for a bicycle ride, please consider supporting this idea. Ride a long ride, submit some images and words with the #NotIWAR hashtag, and show some support for this longstanding ultra-gravel ride, and more so for the RD who is recovering from medical procedures which prevented this year's event from happening. 
 

That's a wrap on this week. Happy Spring! get out and ride those bicycles!

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Canyon Bikes

Canyon Unveils New Grail Rift Gravel Bike

Canyon announced on Tuesday of this week a new gravel bike which was the subject of many rumors over the past several months. The bike's main attraction being a suspension fork from DT Swiss tuned especially for gravel riding.

The range-topping Grail CFR Di2 Rift model in carbon fiber (natch!) will fetch a handsome price of $7,849.00 USD.

The bike is aimed at racing, so this is reflected in the geometry. The Grail Rift does not sport the slackest head angle, (71.5 degrees for a Large) and it has a stated 42mm tire clearance, which doesn't seem to be "cutting edge" these days.

The frame has internal storage, which is all the rage for the newest gravel bikes, and the range-topping model shown here has power meter crank arms from 4iii.

Comments: The press was going bonkers over the bike earlier this week, and at the asking price, it is a bargain. However; there are a few things which I've got opinions on which would render this bike, in reality, a rather pedestrian offering.

First off, while the DT Swiss fork has a lock-out option, and it probably works slightly differently than the other short-travel gravel forks out there, it still only has forty millimeters of travel. That is barely over an inch and a half for you folks who are not metric-fluent. Physics is a hard and fast science and there is no free lunch when it comes to what you can do with forty millimeters of travel. Add to this the extra weight of a suspension fork, the required, semi-yearly (at the least) maintenance, and you can see where the telescopic gravel suspension fork may not be all it is cracked up to be.

One can gain better function (absorption of vibrations), lighter weight, a no-maintenance part, and at less cost by going with one of the several gravel suspension stems. Plus, the stem can be transferred to other bikes easily. Of course, I highly recommend Redshift Sports here, but there are other options as well.

Then you have limited tire clearances, which is not ideal, plus the geometry, which steepens as you blow through forty millimeters of travel, by the way, and I just do not see the appeal of this bike. There are a lot better alternatives out there, in my opinion. 

HED Lincoln G25's (Image courtesy of HED Wheels)

HED Wheels Announces Stillwater 50, Lincoln 25 Carbon Gravel Wheels:

HED released information on Tuesday of this past week regarding two new carbon fiber rimmed gravel wheel sets. Named for the cities where two well known gravel events occur, the Limcoln G25 and Stillwater G50 feature wide inner rim widths and hooked beads for best tire retention.

The Stillwater G50 has, as the name implies, a 50mm rim depth. The inner rim width is a generous 28.5mm which HED claims can be paired with tires from 700 x 40mm to 29" x 2.25" wide. Cost for this model is $1,984.00 and wheelsets are estimated to weigh about 1,640 grams.

The Lincoln G25, is as you'd expect, a shallower rim profile of 25nmm, but it has the same internal rim width as the Stillwater.  The price is the same as well. Weight is less at an estimated 1,430 grams a pair.

One other difference is the weight limitation. The Stillwater G50 is limited to riders weighing 240lbs or less while the Lincoln had no weight limitation posted on its webpage. 

Check these wheels out HERE. 

Comments: I had just been checking out HED Wheels site about a week or so ago and saw nothing new, so maybe I had some premonition about this. Ha! Seriously, the honoring of gravel events, by way of naming these wheels after two iconic gravel race's home cities, is pretty cool and follows with the naming convention HED started when they changed the Eroica wheel range to be "Emporia". 

Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame Inducts Its 2025 Class:

Over the last three years I have been in Emporia, Kansas for the induction of the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame nominees. This year, mostly due to my not having a vehicle anymore, I chose to stay at home. But the show must go on, (as if it matters if I am there or not!) so the GCHoF welcomed in four new people into its roster of feted gravel cycling greats.

This year the inductees were Amanda Nauman Sheek, Ted King, LeLan Dains, and John Hobbs. The festivities, held at the historic Grenada Theater,  were attended by a sold-out crowd who all enjoyed a fine meal and drinks. The event is sponsored by Shimano.

Comments: When the GCHoF announced the 2025 class of inductees in January I wrote a detailed post on each inductee and made a case for a glaring omission. You can read the post by clicking HERE if you want my takes on each inductee. 

Image courtesy of a blog reader from a Facebook post

Unbound Gravel Looking To Be Wetter Than Usual For 2025:

Here I have an image forwarded to me from a Facebook post from about a week ago showing the flooding at the time in and around the Unbound 200 course. These images appear to be from the flood plain area surrounding Emporia, Kansas. 

Emporia is in the midst of a confluence of several smaller creeks which feed into the Cottonwood River, which flows just South of the town. It is not uncommon to see flooding around the immediate area. So, if things have calmed down in regard to flooding by now, this may be much adieu about nothing.

Weather conditions should be fair for the event itself, but some low water crossings may have a good amount of water in them for the riders to deal with. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for flooding to rut out remote roads, and cause finer rock to be washed away in valleys where water crosses the road. This removal of finer material can leave chunky, sharp flint hidden under the water, and can cause issues with tires easily.  Whether or not this will be the case on Saturday, we shall soon see.

I've no reason to believe this year will be in any way like "The Mud Year" of 2015, or even like 2023, unless an oddball shower pops up at the right (wrong?) time. This doesn't seem likely for 2025. By the way, I will have an ode to the 10th anniversary of "The Mud Year" coming up for you to read tomorrow, so look for this post to get a feel for what it was like back then. 

Image courtesy of BTCHN Bikes.

 Titanium Flared Drop Bar? BTCHN Bikes Says "Yes!"

I came across a social media post showing a drop bar with welded in corners, which I assumed was titanium, but I inadvertantly lost the "story" and couldn't find it again. Then I found a Tweet on X which revealed the source as BTCHN Bikes, a custom titanium fabricator located in Chico, California.

The key to BTCHN Bikes Ti Drop Bar is a 3D printed 'corner' piece which is then welded to a tops section and a ramp/drop/extensions section on each side. Due to this unique construction method the width and flare of the Ti Drop is customizable. Prices start from $620.00USD and go up depending on finish options. Pre-orders are open now through June 4th, and you can check out this offering HERE. 

Comments: Titanium drop bars. I've always thought this would be a cool idea, since titanium flat bars seem to have quite a following, and titanium has certain attributes which would seem to make it ideal for a flared drop bar, in terms of ride feel. 

However; there was no good way to execute the tight bend from the tops section to the ramps and finally to the extensions. That is, until this new 3D printed idea BTCHN Bikes has was employed. I know we rely on welds every day we ride bicycles, but the thought of a welded handle bar in drop bar form made me a bit uncomfortable for a hot minute. Then I came to my senses and realized I was being silly. Heck, I'm riding handle bars with brazed on extensions now!  Which reminds me..... I need to get on the final review for those!

Anyway, I thought this was an interesting alternative for a flared drop bar which just might prove to be a decent riding bar for gravel. 

That is a wrap for this week folks! Get out there and ride those bicycles!

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of State Bicycle Co.

State Bicycle Co. Launches Gravel Sus Fork:

Further expanding into the gravel bicycle category, State Bicycle Co. originally a fixture of the fixie scene of the 2000's, has just released a gravel suspension fork. 

The 40mm travel air sprung fork with a lock-out feature is said to weigh in at 1600 grams. (Compare to most steel forks this is about 300+ grams heavier. About 2X or more heavier than typical carbon forks) The fork features flat mount disc brake standard, a tapered steer tube (1 1/8th" - 1 1/4") and has a 12mm through axle. Tire clearance is a generous 2.3". Fork offset is 52mm. Axle to crown is 440mm. Price is set at $450.00 USD. 

Details on the fork can be seen at State Bicycle Co's website HERE. 

Comments: Readers of this blog already know that I am very skeptical of the advantages of adding a suspension fork to a "gravel" bike. In fact, it would be fair to say that I remain unconvinced of the necessity of such a device for gravel. I lean more to the vibration reduction side of things and am an advocate for devices like Cane Creek's eeSilk stem or Redshift Sport's ShockStop Stem. Stems are swappable from bike to bike, and with suspension stem options weighing in at less than 300 grams and costing less than $300.00, (more like closer to 200 hundred bucks in some cases), it is easy to see why a gravel suspension fork seems like a not-so-great an idea. 

In my experience, riding a Fox gravel suspension fork, if you set it up for absorbing vibrations (what you'll see most of on gravel) then the fork blows through its travel on pot holes and washboard. Set it up for handling washboard and potholes makes it unusable for the rest of the ride. Essentially you end up carting around an expensive, heavy fork that requires maintenance every 50 to 100 hours of use. 

Yeah..... In my opinion, this is a non-starter. But you do you. If it suits your needs, then the State Bicycle Co fork is a much more budget friendly choice than the big names in gravel suspension. 

Single Speed Gravel - Part Two:

As you well know if you have been reading here this week, I wrote a short series on single speed in general, but this was a response to our first Single Speed Gravel podcast. 

If you want to listen to us discuss a few of the highlights of the series, then you can check out Part 2 of the Single Speed Gravel podcast episode HERE. 

We also feature a bit of gab about another Pennsylvania gravel event and a bit about the next item in the "FN&V" today. 

Just a reminder that we do have some listener engagement opportunities on the GTP site (found at the link) and that we were sponsored once again by CORE4 who have announced there 2024 date, opened registration (HERE) and have made a couple of tweaks to the offerings which you can learn about from listening to the episode. 

Thanks for supporting the podcast and our sponsor, if you do that. 

Image courtesy of Specialized

Gravel eBike For The Well-Heeled Gravelist:

 Every so often I am aghast at the level of entry into cycling's high-end products. I was once again found in this state when reading about Specialized's newest Turbo Creo model, the Turbo Creo 2.  

Base price is 10.5K. That's nuts. 

But advance up to the ladder and climb to the S-Works edition and you'll spend almost twice that!

I read a review of the bike that was conducted at some posh location where the journos were flown in to taste the offerings. The resulting review, while glossy and favorable, as one would expect it to be, showed up some rather interesting results.

I know that battery technology is getting better all the time, so when I saw that a rider can maybe expect about 43 miles on a charge in eco mode, I was left scratching my head. That's not real impressive. Then the tester went out on a ride with a bit more than 2k elevation gain, the rider weighed less than 180lbs, and the battery drained down to 38% level. Mileage? Less than 24 miles. 

For 10K plus some I'd want to see a bit more impressive mileage and battery life numbers. 

It's also interesting to note that the Creo was strictly a road bike in its previous incarnation. Now? Gravel all the way baby! Specialized is telling us that "gravel" is worth something to consumers, and this redesign tells us that in spades. It takes big, 2"+ tires, and it has slacker geometry than the previous iteration. Huh! Quite the change from the days when everyone outside the gravel niche were telling us to just ride a cyclo cross bike!

Image courtesy of SRAM

SRAM Debuts A New HPC Drivetrain:

SRAM announced this week that they have a new electric assist MTB drivetrain out called Eagle Powertrain. 

The motor was designed in conjunction with German manufacturer, Brose and features two new benefits that are unique. Auto Shift and Coast Shift.

Auto Shift is what it sounds like. This can be overridden by the rider if the rider chooses to and then the function will return automatically without the rider having to switch back and forth. The interesting feature here is Coast Shift which allows the crank set to remain stationary while the motor turns the drive train to allow the rear derailleur to shift to another gear. Essentially, the crank set "freewheels", but only when the Coast Shift is activated. 

Comments: While Auto Shift is not all that surprising, (I rode an electric auto shifting bike which was being tested by Gary Fisher in 2007) the Coast Shift is probably the most interesting feature here. I have to chuckle a bit because "coast shifting" has been around for years with internal gear hubs. So, I have to wonder if this SRAM thing is really more about traditionalists doing a novelty exercise in technology. Don't get me wrong, Coast Shift is impressive, but at this point, why are we still dinking around with the external, rear derailleur shifted drive train at all?

It isn't as though most every person that buys these SRAM Powertrain equipped bikes are ever going to purposely ride them unassisted. That's probably not ever going to happen. So, as long as we are doing motor/human hybrid power, why not eliminate the derailleur altogether? Just put a gearbox on these bikes and be done with it already. 

Why pretend that these are "like traditional mountain bikes" when they clearly are not. Efficiency benefits to 100% human powered bicycles will almost always lean towards the external derailleur drive train being most efficient, but if we are adding motors, who cares about human efficiency anymore? Certainly the buying public doesn't, because their efficiency is being assisted. Why have dangly bits that can be sheared off when that reason for the dangly bit has been erased by electric motors and batteries?  

So, nice job, SRAM. very impressive and all, but this is kind of silly. Convince me otherwise.... 

With that, I will sign off for today and hope that you all have a wonderful weekend of riding (hopefully). Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!!

Friday News And Views

The Cane Creek eeSilk stem utilizes a clever elastomer set up.

Cane Creek Adds eeSilk Stem To Compliment Their Seatpost:

Last week before I went to Emporia I noticed the news on the new Cane Creek eeSilk Stem. It is another elastomeric based spring, minimalist travel stem engineered for vibration reduction, much like the vaunted Redshift Sports ShockStop stem.

Elastomers are tunable via a clever through-bolt design which places the elastomer material into puzzle-like slots and pockets on top and bottom, near to the stem pivot point placement, which is just ahead of the steer tube.

The stem also has a 'Soft/Firm' switch just ahead of the steer tube junction. This lever stiffens up the stem for harder efforts, or when you do not need so much of the vibration eating capabilities. Stems come in three lengths- 80mm, 90mm, and 100mm, and for a limited time, a "Launch Edition" will be offered which will be in polished anodized silver aluminum. Stems all retail for $229.00 and are available on Cane Creek's site. Note: Images shown courtesy of Cane Creek.

The "Launch Edition" will be offered for a limited time only.

Comments: This is probably going to be a pretty decent stem and I expect it to work well. Obviously, I have not ridden one, yet- I hope to get my hands on one to test. That said, I don't expect it to be a whole lot different from an experiential point of view than what I feel from a Redshift stem. 

That lever! I assume it works on a cam which preloads the elastomers, but I don't know that yet. At any rate, this is an intriguing feature of the eeSilk Stem since it could be used to set it up differently than I would set up a Redshift stem. 

For instance, I could go with a slightly too soft of a set up initially. (Assuming Cane Creek offers several elastomers to swap out, as Redshift does) This would then make the lever a way to set the stem for most of my riding, and then when the going got really rough, I could flip that lever for that section, and then back again when I hit smoother gravel or pavement. You cannot do that with a Redshift stem.

Otherwise the Redshift stem is pretty on par with this, and I think it looks better than the eeSilk stem. This Cane Creek offering telegraphs its intentions pretty much on first glance, while that Redshift stem looks like a regular stem unless you get up real close. Furthermore; Redshift offers more options in length than the Cane Creek stem, and Redshift has a rider stem version as well. 

But this is still a good option. I think it will do well in the market, and any suspension stem like this or the Redshift is miles less money, less maintenance, and far lighter than a 40-50mm travel, telescopic suspension fork, or a Lauf fork. Plus you can easily swap it over to another bike.

FNLD GRVL isn't the only gravel game in Finland.

Formula 1 Star Announces Partnership With SBT GRVL To Promote Event In Finland:

Okay.....hold on a minute here. Did anyone ever have an F-1 racing star putting on a gravel road event on their bingo card? No way! Again- I'm just blown away by what is happening in gravel events now days. Just mind-blowing.

Anyway, last week this news blew up all over the net, so I am covering it here now. Valterri Botas, the famed driver in F-1 racing, has announced that he is putting on an event in his home country of Finland in 2023 and has partnered up in this effort with the SBT GRVL folks out in Colorado. 

Bottas was in attendance at SBT GRVL last year and was smitten by the event, its atmosphere, and the format. He has previously put on duathlons in his home country, so he is no stranger to event promotions. Bottas hinted last year at SBT GRVL that he was interested in doing this, thus the connection with that US based event. 

The event will be dubbed FNLD GRVL, of course, and will happen in the Fall in Lahti Finland. This perked up my ears because I've heard that cities' name and gravel mentioned together before. After a short Google search I was reminded that yes- Lahti is home to one of the Nordic Gravel Series events. So, I have no idea whether or not Bottas is aware of that, but we will see if there is a merger of the two events or if they stay separated. Whatever the case may be, that gravel cycling is on an F-1 driver's radar is pretty crazy to me. 

Unbound Gravel Comments: 

Last weekend Unbound Gravel happened again. I paid a bit of attention as several folks I knew were involved. There were a few notable things which I saw that I thought I would comment on.

One: There was an unfortunate fatality the evening before the event on Friday. According to authorities, a 61 year old Colorado man collided with a truck driven by a local man at an intersection on a gravel road West of Emporia. 

I have actually ridden the road the man died on, and it is fairly unremarkable as far as any features that might make an intersection dangerous. It is a puzzling accident, and without any other hard data, I cannot say more. Certainly it was a tragedy and I wish all the comfort and peace for the family and friends of the deceased rider.

This brings up an important, and very overlooked point. The gravel roads around Emporia are now rife with cyclists three days out from the event and more than a few "tune-up" rides are occurring now then ever before.  One has to wonder how this affects the areas citizens, who are not used to this, and what, if anything, should Life Time be doing to aid in keeping the chaos limited. I mean, this is happening out there because of their event. How long will it be before we see more trouble and how long will locals be willing to put up with riders riding two and three abreast with no indications of deferring to traffic on narrow gravel roads? (Something I witnessed with my adventure with Erik)  I think the onus here is on all parties involved, and the wild growth of this event, without consideration for how side effects are possibly engendering negative outcomes, is something that needs to be addressed.

Two: The weather played a factor in the event, but it was one of the fastest 200's ever. What gives? Well, less heat, that's one thing. It wasn't very warm and the Sun was shrouded for most of the event. Crashes and mechanicals were common due to the mud and rough roads. Given the unusually cooler,  favorable weather, (minus the mud and rain, of course),  it makes sense to me. Get out there on a typically hot, windy day of 200 miles of Flint Hills gravel and you'd see a different result. Also- see my next point for why this event was faster.

Three: Pit stops and support. Originally the event in Emporia was completely self-supported by the rider. Then as numbers of riders grew, a support system at checkpoints was allowed. Only in the designated area could a rider get support, and outside that it was forbidden. But now? 

Checking social media it was easy to find road side rider assistance happening and full-on rider pit stops, ala cyclo cross or 24hr racing, were commonplace for front runners at checkpoints. Riders were pretty much availing themselves of full-on mini-tune-ups, having folks put food in their jersey pockets for them, and hustling them in and out of checkpoints within minutes. This is not my opinion. You can see this on social media.

That wasn't how it was done originally, so you really cannot compare times from, say anything pre-2019 to this. (Maybe Pre-2017?) Anyway, the nature of how the race is executed up front now days is full-on supported, and is 1000% different than how this event was conceived to be in the beginning. 

That's a wrap for this week. Have a safe and fun weekend!

Friday News And Views

The Cane Creek eeSilk stem utilizes a clever elastomer set up.

Cane Creek Adds eeSilk Stem To Compliment Their Seatpost:

Last week before I went to Emporia I noticed the news on the new Cane Creek eeSilk Stem. It is another elastomeric based spring, minimalist travel stem engineered for vibration reduction, much like the vaunted Redshift Sports ShockStop stem.

Elastomers are tunable via a clever through-bolt design which places the elastomer material into puzzle-like slots and pockets on top and bottom, near to the stem pivot point placement, which is just ahead of the steer tube.

The stem also has a 'Soft/Firm' switch just ahead of the steer tube junction. This lever stiffens up the stem for harder efforts, or when you do not need so much of the vibration eating capabilities. Stems come in three lengths- 80mm, 90mm, and 100mm, and for a limited time, a "Launch Edition" will be offered which will be in polished anodized silver aluminum. Stems all retail for $229.00 and are available on Cane Creek's site. Note: Images shown courtesy of Cane Creek.

The "Launch Edition" will be offered for a limited time only.

Comments: This is probably going to be a pretty decent stem and I expect it to work well. Obviously, I have not ridden one, yet- I hope to get my hands on one to test. That said, I don't expect it to be a whole lot different from an experiential point of view than what I feel from a Redshift stem. 

That lever! I assume it works on a cam which preloads the elastomers, but I don't know that yet. At any rate, this is an intriguing feature of the eeSilk Stem since it could be used to set it up differently than I would set up a Redshift stem. 

For instance, I could go with a slightly too soft of a set up initially. (Assuming Cane Creek offers several elastomers to swap out, as Redshift does) This would then make the lever a way to set the stem for most of my riding, and then when the going got really rough, I could flip that lever for that section, and then back again when I hit smoother gravel or pavement. You cannot do that with a Redshift stem.

Otherwise the Redshift stem is pretty on par with this, and I think it looks better than the eeSilk stem. This Cane Creek offering telegraphs its intentions pretty much on first glance, while that Redshift stem looks like a regular stem unless you get up real close. Furthermore; Redshift offers more options in length than the Cane Creek stem, and Redshift has a rider stem version as well. 

But this is still a good option. I think it will do well in the market, and any suspension stem like this or the Redshift is miles less money, less maintenance, and far lighter than a 40-50mm travel, telescopic suspension fork, or a Lauf fork. Plus you can easily swap it over to another bike.

FNLD GRVL isn't the only gravel game in Finland.

Formula 1 Star Announces Partnership With SBT GRVL To Promote Event In Finland:

Okay.....hold on a minute here. Did anyone ever have an F-1 racing star putting on a gravel road event on their bingo card? No way! Again- I'm just blown away by what is happening in gravel events now days. Just mind-blowing.

Anyway, last week this news blew up all over the net, so I am covering it here now. Valterri Botas, the famed driver in F-1 racing, has announced that he is putting on an event in his home country of Finland in 2023 and has partnered up in this effort with the SBT GRVL folks out in Colorado. 

Bottas was in attendance at SBT GRVL last year and was smitten by the event, its atmosphere, and the format. He has previously put on duathlons in his home country, so he is no stranger to event promotions. Bottas hinted last year at SBT GRVL that he was interested in doing this, thus the connection with that US based event. 

The event will be dubbed FNLD GRVL, of course, and will happen in the Fall in Lahti Finland. This perked up my ears because I've heard that cities' name and gravel mentioned together before. After a short Google search I was reminded that yes- Lahti is home to one of the Nordic Gravel Series events. So, I have no idea whether or not Bottas is aware of that, but we will see if there is a merger of the two events or if they stay separated. Whatever the case may be, that gravel cycling is on an F-1 driver's radar is pretty crazy to me. 

Unbound Gravel Comments: 

Last weekend Unbound Gravel happened again. I paid a bit of attention as several folks I knew were involved. There were a few notable things which I saw that I thought I would comment on.

One: There was an unfortunate fatality the evening before the event on Friday. According to authorities, a 61 year old Colorado man collided with a truck driven by a local man at an intersection on a gravel road West of Emporia. 

I have actually ridden the road the man died on, and it is fairly unremarkable as far as any features that might make an intersection dangerous. It is a puzzling accident, and without any other hard data, I cannot say more. Certainly it was a tragedy and I wish all the comfort and peace for the family and friends of the deceased rider.

This brings up an important, and very overlooked point. The gravel roads around Emporia are now rife with cyclists three days out from the event and more than a few "tune-up" rides are occurring now then ever before.  One has to wonder how this affects the areas citizens, who are not used to this, and what, if anything, should Life Time be doing to aid in keeping the chaos limited. I mean, this is happening out there because of their event. How long will it be before we see more trouble and how long will locals be willing to put up with riders riding two and three abreast with no indications of deferring to traffic on narrow gravel roads? (Something I witnessed with my adventure with Erik)  I think the onus here is on all parties involved, and the wild growth of this event, without consideration for how side effects are possibly engendering negative outcomes, is something that needs to be addressed.

Two: The weather played a factor in the event, but it was one of the fastest 200's ever. What gives? Well, less heat, that's one thing. It wasn't very warm and the Sun was shrouded for most of the event. Crashes and mechanicals were common due to the mud and rough roads. Given the unusually cooler,  favorable weather, (minus the mud and rain, of course),  it makes sense to me. Get out there on a typically hot, windy day of 200 miles of Flint Hills gravel and you'd see a different result. Also- see my next point for why this event was faster.

Three: Pit stops and support. Originally the event in Emporia was completely self-supported by the rider. Then as numbers of riders grew, a support system at checkpoints was allowed. Only in the designated area could a rider get support, and outside that it was forbidden. But now? 

Checking social media it was easy to find road side rider assistance happening and full-on rider pit stops, ala cyclo cross or 24hr racing, were commonplace for front runners at checkpoints. Riders were pretty much availing themselves of full-on mini-tune-ups, having folks put food in their jersey pockets for them, and hustling them in and out of checkpoints within minutes. This is not my opinion. You can see this on social media.

That wasn't how it was done originally, so you really cannot compare times from, say anything pre-2019 to this. (Maybe Pre-2017?) Anyway, the nature of how the race is executed up front now days is full-on supported, and is 1000% different than how this event was conceived to be in the beginning. 

That's a wrap for this week. Have a safe and fun weekend!

Friday News And Views

Fox AX TaperCast fork (Image found on Internet)

 Fox To Update Gravel Suspension Fork?

According to several social media accounts and some endemic cycling media, Fox is set to announce a successor to their original gravel suspension fork, which came out in 2017. 

Reportedly this fork will have a three position damper setting, 40mm of travel, and Kashima coated stanchions. Price is rumored to be $1400.00 or so. 

Comments: Pffft! Really?! This seems like a big miss to me. I've covered this ground here before, but for those in the back, or who are new to this....

Forty millimeters of travel does not a suspension fork make. In other words, why have an expensive, heavy fork with minimal amounts of travel when you could be riding a trail bike, you know....an XC hard tail MTB? get you 100mm - 120mm of suspension travel that actually doesn't bottom out when set to be supple? I don't know, maybe I'm the crazy guy here, but a drop bar bike with a measly 40mm of constantly overwhelmed travel (if it is set to work all the time) is not sounding too ideal to me. 

Especially when you can bolt on 20mm of really effective vibration eating travel that doesn't claim to be anything else but just that. That fork may have 40mm of travel but how much does it weigh? And what will it cost me to maintain that fork? And does all that disappear during the other 80-90% of the time I don't need it? No? Yeah....well then.... 

If we are going to ride drop bar bikes with suspension, here's one great option that has been around for years. Quit trying to make a gravel bike something it is not. 

More Bike Parts Thievery In The News:

According to a "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" article posted on Monday, March 21st, there was a theft of PNW branded bicycle parts from a truck on March 16th somewhere in San Bruno, California. The parts were valued, according to the story, at $500,000.00 USD and were headed to PNW's warehouse. 

Authorities and PNW ask consumers to be on the lookout for PNW components at suspicious pricing and to report any suspicious product offerings to PNW Components. PNW makes dropper posts, dropper levers, stems, and other service parts. 

Comments; Supply chain shortages, the increase in demand, inflation, and the ease of internet sales makes piracy of bikes and bike parts a potentially lucrative criminal activity. We're seeing it again now with this latest report of PNW stolen bike parts and the recommendation to look out for "suspicious pricing and product offerings". 

This really hurts the niche brands like PNW who have had shortages for over a year while demand outstrips supply due to several issues out of their control. When they finally get a resupply, then this happens to them. It could be a devastating blow to a smaller company like this. 

Tubolito Announces X-Tubo CX/Gravel Tubes:

Tubolito announced Monday that they have a new re-engineered Tubolito CX/Gravel tube, (which I reviewed last year here) and have named it the "X-Tubo CX/Gravel. 

Tubolito tubes are made from thermoplastic polyurethane, and so they do not have the same traits as a butyl rubber tube, like a susceptibility to punctures, and they do not have the same weight issues as butyl rubber tubes. 

The Tubolito can therefore have very similar low rolling resistances as would your latex rubber tubes, and very nearly that of tubeless set ups without the hassles of tubeless sealant. Now with the X-Tubo, Tubolito is offering those who purchase and register their Tubolito X-Tubo tubes a one year replacement program. If you were to puncture an X-Tubo tube within that year, you could mail in the tube for a replacement from Tubolito. 

X-Tubo CX/Gravel Tubolito tubes can be purchased online here for 29.95 Euros/$35.00USD each. 

Comments: I don't have a lot more to add to the Tubolito opinions that I have already expressed here, but this new version might be a great alternative solution for those who cannot get into tubeless tires for whatever reasons. The one year replacement policy is a pretty decent deal, in my opinion. Again- I am a tubeless guy through and through. After nearly fifteen years of doing the tubeless dance, I have the processes down and I've done hundreds of tubeless set ups on more tires than I can count. So, my experience leads me to success more times than not. You may be new to tubeless, so if it doesn't feel like something you want to mess with, these Tubolito tubes are "next level" tube technology. I would strongly recommend that anyone in that situation take a look at them.

From my perspective I would probably rely on these most as a bail-out solution when and if I had a catastrophic tubeless failure in the field. These Tubolito's weigh next to nothing and pack up to slightly larger than a golf ball in size, so they do not take a lot of room in your repair kit.

Ashton Lambie (center) and MG at the '19 Solstice 100.

Ashton Lambie Joins Jukebox Gravel Racing Team:

World record holder and track cycling champion, Ashton Lambie, is set to join the Jukebox Cycling Team. 

On the team's page for Lambie, it says, "And this season, he plans to focus more on gravel racing, one of his first loves in cycling, while giving his track bike a break "

Comments: Lambie is kind of a hero to us here in the Mid-West. Generally speaking, cycling champions of the World don't come from here, or from America, really. So, he's kind of a "big deal". In fact, Lambie says in a "Nebraska Public Media" story that he is held in high regard in Europe where people ask him to autograph his hero cards for track cycling. 

What I found really interesting about this development is what Lambie says about the future of cycling team organization. He claims that the old ways won't work anymore. Jukebox Cycling employs a rather individualistic approach to sponsorship and racing programs for their athletes. Riders can bring in their own sponsors and focus on events to their liking rather than have to be a part of a multi-member team and ride according to team tactics. (Not that Jukebox Cycling couldn't employ team tactics in an event) 

So, with that I want to wish Ashton Lambie all the best. There are reasons Lambie is highly regarded that go beyond his obvious physical prowess. He happens to be a really nice, down to earth kind of person, and I think this contributes greatly to his popularity. 

Well, that's a wrap on this week! Get out there and ride and thanks for reading G-Ted Productions! 

Friday News And Views

Fox AX TaperCast fork (Image found on Internet)

 Fox To Update Gravel Suspension Fork?

According to several social media accounts and some endemic cycling media, Fox is set to announce a successor to their original gravel suspension fork, which came out in 2017. 

Reportedly this fork will have a three position damper setting, 40mm of travel, and Kashima coated stanchions. Price is rumored to be $1400.00 or so. 

Comments: Pffft! Really?! This seems like a big miss to me. I've covered this ground here before, but for those in the back, or who are new to this....

Forty millimeters of travel does not a suspension fork make. In other words, why have an expensive, heavy fork with minimal amounts of travel when you could be riding a trail bike, you know....an XC hard tail MTB? get you 100mm - 120mm of suspension travel that actually doesn't bottom out when set to be supple? I don't know, maybe I'm the crazy guy here, but a drop bar bike with a measly 40mm of constantly overwhelmed travel (if it is set to work all the time) is not sounding too ideal to me. 

Especially when you can bolt on 20mm of really effective vibration eating travel that doesn't claim to be anything else but just that. That fork may have 40mm of travel but how much does it weigh? And what will it cost me to maintain that fork? And does all that disappear during the other 80-90% of the time I don't need it? No? Yeah....well then.... 

If we are going to ride drop bar bikes with suspension, here's one great option that has been around for years. Quit trying to make a gravel bike something it is not. 

More Bike Parts Thievery In The News:

According to a "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" article posted on Monday, March 21st, there was a theft of PNW branded bicycle parts from a truck on March 16th somewhere in San Bruno, California. The parts were valued, according to the story, at $500,000.00 USD and were headed to PNW's warehouse. 

Authorities and PNW ask consumers to be on the lookout for PNW components at suspicious pricing and to report any suspicious product offerings to PNW Components. PNW makes dropper posts, dropper levers, stems, and other service parts. 

Comments; Supply chain shortages, the increase in demand, inflation, and the ease of internet sales makes piracy of bikes and bike parts a potentially lucrative criminal activity. We're seeing it again now with this latest report of PNW stolen bike parts and the recommendation to look out for "suspicious pricing and product offerings". 

This really hurts the niche brands like PNW who have had shortages for over a year while demand outstrips supply due to several issues out of their control. When they finally get a resupply, then this happens to them. It could be a devastating blow to a smaller company like this. 

Tubolito Announces X-Tubo CX/Gravel Tubes:

Tubolito announced Monday that they have a new re-engineered Tubolito CX/Gravel tube, (which I reviewed last year here) and have named it the "X-Tubo CX/Gravel. 

Tubolito tubes are made from thermoplastic polyurethane, and so they do not have the same traits as a butyl rubber tube, like a susceptibility to punctures, and they do not have the same weight issues as butyl rubber tubes. 

The Tubolito can therefore have very similar low rolling resistances as would your latex rubber tubes, and very nearly that of tubeless set ups without the hassles of tubeless sealant. Now with the X-Tubo, Tubolito is offering those who purchase and register their Tubolito X-Tubo tubes a one year replacement program. If you were to puncture an X-Tubo tube within that year, you could mail in the tube for a replacement from Tubolito. 

X-Tubo CX/Gravel Tubolito tubes can be purchased online here for 29.95 Euros/$35.00USD each. 

Comments: I don't have a lot more to add to the Tubolito opinions that I have already expressed here, but this new version might be a great alternative solution for those who cannot get into tubeless tires for whatever reasons. The one year replacement policy is a pretty decent deal, in my opinion. Again- I am a tubeless guy through and through. After nearly fifteen years of doing the tubeless dance, I have the processes down and I've done hundreds of tubeless set ups on more tires than I can count. So, my experience leads me to success more times than not. You may be new to tubeless, so if it doesn't feel like something you want to mess with, these Tubolito tubes are "next level" tube technology. I would strongly recommend that anyone in that situation take a look at them.

From my perspective I would probably rely on these most as a bail-out solution when and if I had a catastrophic tubeless failure in the field. These Tubolito's weigh next to nothing and pack up to slightly larger than a golf ball in size, so they do not take a lot of room in your repair kit.

Ashton Lambie (center) and MG at the '19 Solstice 100.

Ashton Lambie Joins Jukebox Gravel Racing Team:

World record holder and track cycling champion, Ashton Lambie, is set to join the Jukebox Cycling Team. 

On the team's page for Lambie, it says, "And this season, he plans to focus more on gravel racing, one of his first loves in cycling, while giving his track bike a break "

Comments: Lambie is kind of a hero to us here in the Mid-West. Generally speaking, cycling champions of the World don't come from here, or from America, really. So, he's kind of a "big deal". In fact, Lambie says in a "Nebraska Public Media" story that he is held in high regard in Europe where people ask him to autograph his hero cards for track cycling. 

What I found really interesting about this development is what Lambie says about the future of cycling team organization. He claims that the old ways won't work anymore. Jukebox Cycling employs a rather individualistic approach to sponsorship and racing programs for their athletes. Riders can bring in their own sponsors and focus on events to their liking rather than have to be a part of a multi-member team and ride according to team tactics. (Not that Jukebox Cycling couldn't employ team tactics in an event) 

So, with that I want to wish Ashton Lambie all the best. There are reasons Lambie is highly regarded that go beyond his obvious physical prowess. He happens to be a really nice, down to earth kind of person, and I think this contributes greatly to his popularity. 

Well, that's a wrap on this week! Get out there and ride and thanks for reading G-Ted Productions!