Friday News And Views

An image found online of the new SRAM DB8 Mineral Oil brake.

SRAM Quietly Introduces Mineral Oil Based Brake System:

Buried in the news after Sea Otter was a tidbit that may indicate a sea change in brake technology at SRAM. They are introducing a mineral oil based brake system, breaking tradition with SRAM's previous hydraulic brake efforts which have all been DOT brake fluid based systems. SRAM claims that they are making these brakes to meet a lower price point and that their high end CODE brakes, which are still DOT fluid based, are more powerful and a better performer overall. SRAM DB8 brakes are not quite here yet but should start appearing on complete builds soon and when available aftermarket should be a bit less than $140.00/wheel. 

The DB8 is based on the same design as the CODE brake and uses the same pads, but that's where the comparisons end. SRAM,in an effort to differentiate the brake from their DOT line, is introducing a new bleed kit and their mineral oil is green in color and not the same as Shimano's, Magura's, or Tektro's. 

Comments: SRAM making this announcement is a bit of a shocker as they were staunchly in the DOT fluid camp. It also is no news to anyone who works on bicycles that SRAM's history with brakes is a checkered one, to be polite about it. It also is no big surprise that SRAM has yet another bleed kit for mechanics to have to stock. What is that? Four bleed kits now? Five if you count the one for the Reverb dropper post. 

Yeah.... I'm not a SRAM brake fan, and while I am glad that they finally have a mineral oil option, I am withholding any judgement calls until I see that this new DB8 is worthy. I sure hope what this signals is a change away from the very toxic and troublesome DOT fluid based brakes of their past. 

I also am hopeful that SRAM brings mineral oil braking to the gravel/road side as well. We'll see, but this development is a big surprise and bears watching.  

Iowa Wind and Rock This Weekend:

This is the time of year that I get a bit nostalgic. The times the Sun rises and sets, the time of season, the song of birds, the smell of the Earth. It all reminds me of gravel riding and ultra-distance gravel riding at that. The descendant of Trans Iowa, which is Iowa Wind and Rock, is set to take place tomorrow morning. 

I would be remiss if I did not wish all who are partaking in that event tailwinds and much success in your quest to overcome this challenge.

Surly Porteur House Bag:

Apparently this Porteur House bag is a new offering from Surly Bikes which was made to sit perfectly on their 24 Pack Rack. It is made from Cordura Nylon and has inner liners in three of the main compartments to keep your cargo dry. The bag seems pretty reasonably priced at $120.00 USD. 

Comments: This thing is freaking ginormous! Naming it "house" is appropriate here as it might just hold all of the essential household items one might need to become an amateur homeless bike person. 

They also make a "Petite Porteur" bag which goes on the 8 Pack rack. That is still pretty huge, despite its name. I've been looking at something along these lines for my Big Dummy, which can use a Surly rack on there and it would allow me a bit more versatility in carrying capacity and options. I'd not go for that big one though. Too much!

The only thing holding me back there is that those types of carrying options can make the front wheel pretty floppy when trying to park, or just move the bike. I sure wish I could find one of those dual-legged Big Dummy kickstands. That would go a long way toward me going all-in on getting a rack and the Petite Porteur bag.

Police fear this idea could spread. (Image courtesy of SFGATE)

Armed Thieves May Be Waiting For You Trailside:

 I was doomscrolling twitter the other day when a Tweet by @bikehugger caught my attention. Apparently, in the hills above Oakland, California, an "alarming trend" is raising fears amongst local cyclists. 

In a story posted by Amy Graf of "SFGATE", you can read how mountain bikers are being robbed of their bikes and more at gunpoint. Police think a couple of the incidents may be related, but fear that copy-catters may pick up on the idea. 

Comments: I get this to mean that bicycles are so hard to come by that thieves are targeting folks out in the woods and then taking these bikes and profiting off them either by way of reselling or parting out the bikes. It would make sense since we are seeing supply trucks getting hijacked for parts and bicycles. 

My concern would be that this spreads and we start seeing this occur in other places. I can see how it could be appealing with the advent of expensive electrified bikes and normally powered bikes reaching into the 10K+ range. Even I have been chased down a local street here by young people demanding that I give them my bicycle. Those efforts have come to naught- so far - but what if I am approached by an armed person? 

It's a troubling thing to hear about, and a cautionary tale for anyone going on a remote destination vacation near an urban area. 

The Jamis Citizen (Image courtesy of Jamis Bikes)

The New Pricing Reality:

As long as I've been in the cycling industry, (1993), I've always gauged how expensive the sport was by the threshold for entry level pricing at the independent bike shop level. While this model is eroding away due to D2C schemes and HPC bikes, it still seems okay to look at the industry like this. 

So, I've been eager to see anything since the pandemic started which would give a true baseline feel for pricing at the bike shop level for bicycles. Well, now I think I have that sense for what is going on now.

While supply chain issues are sure to affect us throughout 2022 and into next year, I think things are settling out and becoming clearer. I knew prices would go up, but by how much?

Well, I saw a shop advertising Jamis Citizen models which are your garden variety hybrid/bike path bikes. The sort of pavement bike which brands sell thousands of, yet you barely see them mentioned in advertising or in reviews, etc. Yet this "bread and butter" level is the lifeblood of most shops across the nation. This or an equivalent MTB style bike. 

And the price? Well, now what used to cost a bit more than $300.00 pre-pandemic is now $500.00. The Jamis Citizen shown here is a 1 X 7, no suspended bits hybrid, which is your base bike shop level quality bike. (Meaning barely above department store levels) The next level up, the Jamis Citizen 2, a 3 X 8 speed bike, with sus fork and seat post, goes for $659.99, and represents what used to be probably the hottest selling type of hybrid bike at one time a few years back. Those days are gone, but back then a bike like this probably was $150.00+ cheaper. 

So, by that gauge, prices have increased by quite a big jump. I would suspect similar price hikes throughout any bicycle company's range these days.
 

That's it for this week. have a fantastic weekend and get out and ride if you can.

Friday News And Views

An image found online of the new SRAM DB8 Mineral Oil brake.

SRAM Quietly Introduces Mineral Oil Based Brake System:

Buried in the news after Sea Otter was a tidbit that may indicate a sea change in brake technology at SRAM. They are introducing a mineral oil based brake system, breaking tradition with SRAM's previous hydraulic brake efforts which have all been DOT brake fluid based systems. SRAM claims that they are making these brakes to meet a lower price point and that their high end CODE brakes, which are still DOT fluid based, are more powerful and a better performer overall. SRAM DB8 brakes are not quite here yet but should start appearing on complete builds soon and when available aftermarket should be a bit less than $140.00/wheel. 

The DB8 is based on the same design as the CODE brake and uses the same pads, but that's where the comparisons end. SRAM,in an effort to differentiate the brake from their DOT line, is introducing a new bleed kit and their mineral oil is green in color and not the same as Shimano's, Magura's, or Tektro's. 

Comments: SRAM making this announcement is a bit of a shocker as they were staunchly in the DOT fluid camp. It also is no news to anyone who works on bicycles that SRAM's history with brakes is a checkered one, to be polite about it. It also is no big surprise that SRAM has yet another bleed kit for mechanics to have to stock. What is that? Four bleed kits now? Five if you count the one for the Reverb dropper post. 

Yeah.... I'm not a SRAM brake fan, and while I am glad that they finally have a mineral oil option, I am withholding any judgement calls until I see that this new DB8 is worthy. I sure hope what this signals is a change away from the very toxic and troublesome DOT fluid based brakes of their past. 

I also am hopeful that SRAM brings mineral oil braking to the gravel/road side as well. We'll see, but this development is a big surprise and bears watching.  

Iowa Wind and Rock This Weekend:

This is the time of year that I get a bit nostalgic. The times the Sun rises and sets, the time of season, the song of birds, the smell of the Earth. It all reminds me of gravel riding and ultra-distance gravel riding at that. The descendant of Trans Iowa, which is Iowa Wind and Rock, is set to take place tomorrow morning. 

I would be remiss if I did not wish all who are partaking in that event tailwinds and much success in your quest to overcome this challenge.

Surly Porteur House Bag:

Apparently this Porteur House bag is a new offering from Surly Bikes which was made to sit perfectly on their 24 Pack Rack. It is made from Cordura Nylon and has inner liners in three of the main compartments to keep your cargo dry. The bag seems pretty reasonably priced at $120.00 USD. 

Comments: This thing is freaking ginormous! Naming it "house" is appropriate here as it might just hold all of the essential household items one might need to become an amateur homeless bike person. 

They also make a "Petite Porteur" bag which goes on the 8 Pack rack. That is still pretty huge, despite its name. I've been looking at something along these lines for my Big Dummy, which can use a Surly rack on there and it would allow me a bit more versatility in carrying capacity and options. I'd not go for that big one though. Too much!

The only thing holding me back there is that those types of carrying options can make the front wheel pretty floppy when trying to park, or just move the bike. I sure wish I could find one of those dual-legged Big Dummy kickstands. That would go a long way toward me going all-in on getting a rack and the Petite Porteur bag.

Police fear this idea could spread. (Image courtesy of SFGATE)

Armed Thieves May Be Waiting For You Trailside:

 I was doomscrolling twitter the other day when a Tweet by @bikehugger caught my attention. Apparently, in the hills above Oakland, California, an "alarming trend" is raising fears amongst local cyclists. 

In a story posted by Amy Graf of "SFGATE", you can read how mountain bikers are being robbed of their bikes and more at gunpoint. Police think a couple of the incidents may be related, but fear that copy-catters may pick up on the idea. 

Comments: I get this to mean that bicycles are so hard to come by that thieves are targeting folks out in the woods and then taking these bikes and profiting off them either by way of reselling or parting out the bikes. It would make sense since we are seeing supply trucks getting hijacked for parts and bicycles. 

My concern would be that this spreads and we start seeing this occur in other places. I can see how it could be appealing with the advent of expensive electrified bikes and normally powered bikes reaching into the 10K+ range. Even I have been chased down a local street here by young people demanding that I give them my bicycle. Those efforts have come to naught- so far - but what if I am approached by an armed person? 

It's a troubling thing to hear about, and a cautionary tale for anyone going on a remote destination vacation near an urban area. 

The Jamis Citizen (Image courtesy of Jamis Bikes)

The New Pricing Reality:

As long as I've been in the cycling industry, (1993), I've always gauged how expensive the sport was by the threshold for entry level pricing at the independent bike shop level. While this model is eroding away due to D2C schemes and HPC bikes, it still seems okay to look at the industry like this. 

So, I've been eager to see anything since the pandemic started which would give a true baseline feel for pricing at the bike shop level for bicycles. Well, now I think I have that sense for what is going on now.

While supply chain issues are sure to affect us throughout 2022 and into next year, I think things are settling out and becoming clearer. I knew prices would go up, but by how much?

Well, I saw a shop advertising Jamis Citizen models which are your garden variety hybrid/bike path bikes. The sort of pavement bike which brands sell thousands of, yet you barely see them mentioned in advertising or in reviews, etc. Yet this "bread and butter" level is the lifeblood of most shops across the nation. This or an equivalent MTB style bike. 

And the price? Well, now what used to cost a bit more than $300.00 pre-pandemic is now $500.00. The Jamis Citizen shown here is a 1 X 7, no suspended bits hybrid, which is your base bike shop level quality bike. (Meaning barely above department store levels) The next level up, the Jamis Citizen 2, a 3 X 8 speed bike, with sus fork and seat post, goes for $659.99, and represents what used to be probably the hottest selling type of hybrid bike at one time a few years back. Those days are gone, but back then a bike like this probably was $150.00+ cheaper. 

So, by that gauge, prices have increased by quite a big jump. I would suspect similar price hikes throughout any bicycle company's range these days.
 

That's it for this week. have a fantastic weekend and get out and ride if you can.

Friday News And Views

Let's look at these flowers from my yard and try to forget about the rain.

Trails Close Due To Flood Damage As More Rain Hits The Area:

Wednesday it was learned that a major connector trail from down town Cedar Falls to the George Wyth State Park had been closed due to flood damage and also from damage incurred when a person drove a car down that part of the trail.

This is on top of the closure of the River Loop Trail in Waterloo for repair of a sewage line that ruptured and is sending raw sewage into the Cedar River.

As if that weren't bad enough, now we are supposed to have possibly severe weather and up to two inches of rain through Sunday. What do you suppose our water logged ground and swollen rivers will do with that? Yeah..... Hopefully it isn't as bad as they say it might be.

Then there is the chances for bad weather as I try to get to Nebraska. I'll have to be on guard for any severe weather and gauge my chances carefully before trying to drive through any potential storms. Saturday looks better down that way than Friday, but I have to get there safely first. If I manage to miss the bad weather, things should be okay, but I imagine the roads will be wet to start out with for the event.

Stay tuned.......

The Topstone Carbon Ultegra RX. The Kingpin rear end is pretty interesting.

Cannondale Introduces The Topstone Carbon With Kingpin Rear "Suspension". 

Secrets..... For about as long as I've been writing this blog I have had some secret or another I have had to keep under my hat. The Topstone Carbon bike is one of those secrets. Yesterday it was finally announced, so now I can talk about it openly.

I've known much about this bike for about a month, and I saw actual images of one a few weeks ago. In fact, MG, who broke the story on RidingGravel.com yesterday, has one. Of course, if you think about it, we all pretty much knew Cannondale would eventually come out with a carbon version of their Topstone aluminum bike, but the Kingpin rear end was not foreseen.

As far as the bike goes, I am sure there is something to it. It makes sense, and I think the idea is sound, but as with anything that moves on a bike, it eventually will become a problem. How this Kingpin deal wears and acts after a couple of thousand miles is what I am interested in.

I'm a little dismayed at the lack of tire clearances, (40mm tops for 700c) , but I feel this is more of a Domane competitor than it is a gravel bike. The whole geometry package is basically a Synapse, so that kind of tells the story there. Cannondale isn't concerned about working on a solution for the front end of the bike to mitigate vibrations because they are hedging their bets against a fall off in the gravel scene. If that happens, well, with Synapse geometry and a slick 32mm road tire this is right in the Domane/Roubaix bike wheelhouse. Not that this is a bad thing, but I think Cannondale isn't really making a gravel bike in the vein of a Warbird, for example, either.

Next thing ya know they will make brake actuation electronic.

 In The "Answers To Questions Unasked" File: 

I know you've been wondering when these brake manufacturers were going to get rid of those unsightly and snaggy brake lines. They are just always in the way, right? (Said no one ever) Well, Magura is your huckleberry as they have just announced a hidden master cylinder/hydraulic hose/handle bar set up which only leaves the lever sticking out now.

This is radical stuff. It's cool that they can do this, but do we really need it? Sometimes I like to turn the reality of new designs on their head and look at it 180° differently. So, in the case of these levers, what if we all had this sort of set up, and had it for years. Then suddenly we get an introduction of a product with exposed brake lines. What would be "better" about that than the internal, hidden brake stuff? Then I like to take the answers for that and compare to what the marketing says about the "new" way. Magura says the new set up is more crash resistant, (real world data? I just don't see this myself), and the design is "cleaner and more integrated". Soooooo.......it's about looks? 

The way we've been doing things allows for quick and easy stem swaps, handle bar changes, and ease of installation. Brake systems can be moved from bike to bike easier, and replaced without much fuss.

You tell me which way is better. If you want to explore this concept more, the Magura page on this "innovation" is here.

That's it for this week. Have a great Solstice and get out and ride if you can. The days get shorter from here!

Friday News And Views

Let's look at these flowers from my yard and try to forget about the rain.

Trails Close Due To Flood Damage As More Rain Hits The Area:

Wednesday it was learned that a major connector trail from down town Cedar Falls to the George Wyth State Park had been closed due to flood damage and also from damage incurred when a person drove a car down that part of the trail.

This is on top of the closure of the River Loop Trail in Waterloo for repair of a sewage line that ruptured and is sending raw sewage into the Cedar River.

As if that weren't bad enough, now we are supposed to have possibly severe weather and up to two inches of rain through Sunday. What do you suppose our water logged ground and swollen rivers will do with that? Yeah..... Hopefully it isn't as bad as they say it might be.

Then there is the chances for bad weather as I try to get to Nebraska. I'll have to be on guard for any severe weather and gauge my chances carefully before trying to drive through any potential storms. Saturday looks better down that way than Friday, but I have to get there safely first. If I manage to miss the bad weather, things should be okay, but I imagine the roads will be wet to start out with for the event.

Stay tuned.......

The Topstone Carbon Ultegra RX. The Kingpin rear end is pretty interesting.

Cannondale Introduces The Topstone Carbon With Kingpin Rear "Suspension". 

Secrets..... For about as long as I've been writing this blog I have had some secret or another I have had to keep under my hat. The Topstone Carbon bike is one of those secrets. Yesterday it was finally announced, so now I can talk about it openly.

I've known much about this bike for about a month, and I saw actual images of one a few weeks ago. In fact, MG, who broke the story on RidingGravel.com yesterday, has one. Of course, if you think about it, we all pretty much knew Cannondale would eventually come out with a carbon version of their Topstone aluminum bike, but the Kingpin rear end was not foreseen.

As far as the bike goes, I am sure there is something to it. It makes sense, and I think the idea is sound, but as with anything that moves on a bike, it eventually will become a problem. How this Kingpin deal wears and acts after a couple of thousand miles is what I am interested in.

I'm a little dismayed at the lack of tire clearances, (40mm tops for 700c) , but I feel this is more of a Domane competitor than it is a gravel bike. The whole geometry package is basically a Synapse, so that kind of tells the story there. Cannondale isn't concerned about working on a solution for the front end of the bike to mitigate vibrations because they are hedging their bets against a fall off in the gravel scene. If that happens, well, with Synapse geometry and a slick 32mm road tire this is right in the Domane/Roubaix bike wheelhouse. Not that this is a bad thing, but I think Cannondale isn't really making a gravel bike in the vein of a Warbird, for example, either.

Next thing ya know they will make brake actuation electronic.

 In The "Answers To Questions Unasked" File: 

I know you've been wondering when these brake manufacturers were going to get rid of those unsightly and snaggy brake lines. They are just always in the way, right? (Said no one ever) Well, Magura is your huckleberry as they have just announced a hidden master cylinder/hydraulic hose/handle bar set up which only leaves the lever sticking out now.

This is radical stuff. It's cool that they can do this, but do we really need it? Sometimes I like to turn the reality of new designs on their head and look at it 180° differently. So, in the case of these levers, what if we all had this sort of set up, and had it for years. Then suddenly we get an introduction of a product with exposed brake lines. What would be "better" about that than the internal, hidden brake stuff? Then I like to take the answers for that and compare to what the marketing says about the "new" way. Magura says the new set up is more crash resistant, (real world data? I just don't see this myself), and the design is "cleaner and more integrated". Soooooo.......it's about looks? 

The way we've been doing things allows for quick and easy stem swaps, handle bar changes, and ease of installation. Brake systems can be moved from bike to bike easier, and replaced without much fuss.

You tell me which way is better. If you want to explore this concept more, the Magura page on this "innovation" is here.

That's it for this week. Have a great Solstice and get out and ride if you can. The days get shorter from here!

If You Have Time To Lean.....

Part 1 of the swap session completed

The cold and flu season has caught up with us here at Guitar Ted Laboratories. So, I haven't been out on the bicycle of late, trying to recover and all, ya know. So, I kind of feel like I haven't been doing what I should be doing. My bikes have been leaning, not moving. And you know what they say about when you have time to lean.

So, I was just sent some brakes and shifters from Gevenalle. The package came with a front derailleur as well. Now the plan was set all along that this stuff was going on the Tamland. That meant that I would be removing a full brake set, front derailleur, and shifters. Avid and Ultegra stuff. Nice stuff that works pretty well.

So, that stuff couldn't just sit around and lean either. What to do? Well, I came up with a plan. See, there is another bicycle I have that has SRAM on it and, well, I just do not think that SRAM road stuff is very good. I held off judgment on it until I had a lot of rides on the stuff, but I can say that, for me, the SRAM road stuff is slower shifting, feels clunky compared to Shimano, and worse, the levers are much harder to actuate from the drops than Shimano's are.

Now I had almost everything I needed to switch the Twin Six Standard Rando to Shimano from SRAM. Everything but a rear derailleur and a crank set. Okay, well it just so happens that I had a slightly defective long cage Ultegra rear derailleur in the bin. I looked at it and sure enough, I was able to get it to be perfectly functional. The crank? Well, that isn't going to be critical to overcoming my complaints, so that stays.......for the time being. 

Old school, reliable, and actually lighter than the Ultegra one.

 Well, enough about that, what about the Raleigh? Well, as long time blog readers here probably know, I really have enjoyed the Gevenalle, (formerly Retroshift), shifters, which ironically enough, cannot be shifted from the drops! That fact doesn't escape me, but I have learned to be able to execute shifts and return to the drops just fine, not unlike going to a downtube shifter and back. A step backwards? Perhaps. It used to be called Retroshift after all.

But they are dead simple not only in execution, but also in ease of use, and quite forgiving of inclement conditions. Stick your Gevenalle shifter into a mud hole when you crash, and you can get up and go with the confidence that the sifters not only survived, but work flawlessly. Now from where I sit, that isn't a common occurrence, but copious amounts of gritty dust? That's a commonly seen issue, and Gevenalle shifters are pretty much impervious to dust and grit.

Now they have mated the shifter to a TRP hydraulic drop bar lever. Hydraulic brakes? Yes. They are not 100% necessary, this is true, but they are easier to use. Less effort at the lever for better braking power? As a mechanic who has pulled wrenches for 20 + years, I'll take that advantage. I bet those who are dead tired on a ride and have to negotiate a 35mph downhill on loose gravel will also appreciate the easy modulation of a disc brake using hydraulic fluids. How these hold up, actually work in the field, and how they stack up ergonomically are things I am interested in discovering.

Stay tuned on that.

But the weekend wasn't a complete wash because I was sick, and now, well........I cannot wait to get out riding again!

If You Have Time To Lean.....

Part 1 of the swap session completed

The cold and flu season has caught up with us here at Guitar Ted Laboratories. So, I haven't been out on the bicycle of late, trying to recover and all, ya know. So, I kind of feel like I haven't been doing what I should be doing. My bikes have been leaning, not moving. And you know what they say about when you have time to lean.

So, I was just sent some brakes and shifters from Gevenalle. The package came with a front derailleur as well. Now the plan was set all along that this stuff was going on the Tamland. That meant that I would be removing a full brake set, front derailleur, and shifters. Avid and Ultegra stuff. Nice stuff that works pretty well.

So, that stuff couldn't just sit around and lean either. What to do? Well, I came up with a plan. See, there is another bicycle I have that has SRAM on it and, well, I just do not think that SRAM road stuff is very good. I held off judgment on it until I had a lot of rides on the stuff, but I can say that, for me, the SRAM road stuff is slower shifting, feels clunky compared to Shimano, and worse, the levers are much harder to actuate from the drops than Shimano's are.

Now I had almost everything I needed to switch the Twin Six Standard Rando to Shimano from SRAM. Everything but a rear derailleur and a crank set. Okay, well it just so happens that I had a slightly defective long cage Ultegra rear derailleur in the bin. I looked at it and sure enough, I was able to get it to be perfectly functional. The crank? Well, that isn't going to be critical to overcoming my complaints, so that stays.......for the time being. 

Old school, reliable, and actually lighter than the Ultegra one.

 Well, enough about that, what about the Raleigh? Well, as long time blog readers here probably know, I really have enjoyed the Gevenalle, (formerly Retroshift), shifters, which ironically enough, cannot be shifted from the drops! That fact doesn't escape me, but I have learned to be able to execute shifts and return to the drops just fine, not unlike going to a downtube shifter and back. A step backwards? Perhaps. It used to be called Retroshift after all.

But they are dead simple not only in execution, but also in ease of use, and quite forgiving of inclement conditions. Stick your Gevenalle shifter into a mud hole when you crash, and you can get up and go with the confidence that the sifters not only survived, but work flawlessly. Now from where I sit, that isn't a common occurrence, but copious amounts of gritty dust? That's a commonly seen issue, and Gevenalle shifters are pretty much impervious to dust and grit.

Now they have mated the shifter to a TRP hydraulic drop bar lever. Hydraulic brakes? Yes. They are not 100% necessary, this is true, but they are easier to use. Less effort at the lever for better braking power? As a mechanic who has pulled wrenches for 20 + years, I'll take that advantage. I bet those who are dead tired on a ride and have to negotiate a 35mph downhill on loose gravel will also appreciate the easy modulation of a disc brake using hydraulic fluids. How these hold up, actually work in the field, and how they stack up ergonomically are things I am interested in discovering.

Stay tuned on that.

But the weekend wasn't a complete wash because I was sick, and now, well........I cannot wait to get out riding again!

Drop Bar Hydro Levers: That Happened

SRAM announces Red Hydro disc lever/calipers

Late 2011: During cyclo-cross season an image leaked out of a hydraulic road bike lever in development by SRAM. (Or so we were led to believe back then.) I remember thinking, "It's only a working proto-type. Maybe it won't even look this bad when it comes out. Nah....they wouldn't bring out something that clunky and ugly. No way! "

Doh! I was sooooo wrong!

SRAM not only made what is possibly the ugliest lever since Campy's dreaded Icarus cantilever mtb levers, they even made hydraulic caliper brakes to hedge any bets that the UCI might ban the disc brake deal for CX and/or road. (<==Note: My speculation there, excepting that the levers are butt ugly.)

Well, leaving that aside, here's what I think about these and their possible use on drop bar rigs for dirt. I'll leave the question of thier road worthiness to others.

Okay, so they are drop bar compatible, and SRAM even made a wise decision by making a version compatible with SRAM 10 speed systems. That opens up a cornucopia of possibilities for those who have been itching for a drop bar mtb hydro set up, or for a fat bike, or for a monster cross rig, a gravel grinder, etc.

Possibilities, but not without some downside. For one, these are basically Avid brakes and the track record for them has been a mixed bag. SRAM also notes that these road hydro levers are about modulation, not power, so for a fully off road drop bar rig, they still may not be workable. That said, a SRAM spokesman is quoted as saying something to the effect that these new hydro brakes are similar to BB-7's. In my experience, that's been enough power. Your mileage may vary. So, you have all of that to deal with here.

You won't be seeing those hydro levers here anytime soon.

The levers are said to have been lengthened to allow operation from the drops to be enhanced. That's a good thing. However; SRAM levers have a reputation in the gravel scene for disintegrating and losing their shift paddle, or to stop operating entirely. While many do not see these issues with SRAM levers, I've witnessed and heard about so many that I am loathe to try SRAM brifters on any of my gravel rigs. Thus the bar end shifters on my Vaya, which are pretty bomber in terms of reliability.

Also I am thinking that I do not need more powerful brakes on gravel or dirt, and BB-7's modulate just fine. My thoughts are also that I do not have to ever worry about brake bleeds, or pads that drag that I can not adjust, and everything I have for brakes now is field serviceable, inexpensive, and works fine.

Nope! Not buying into this dealio. I still think that a finer, higher quality mechanical disc brake is going to be best for gravel roads and even mountain biking on most XC trails. So, what would entice me away from mechanical disc brakes for a drop bar set up?

Maybe a drop bar lever that wasn't a shift lever and could be mated to some really light weight hydraulic mtb style brake calipers. Maybe an electronic shift drive train would make sense with that sort of lever. Otherwise I can't see doing an ultra-spendy brake set up that is also tied to a shifter. I would rather stick with a mechanical system. But that's just my take. What do you think?

Drop Bar Hydro Levers: That Happened

SRAM announces Red Hydro disc lever/calipers

Late 2011: During cyclo-cross season an image leaked out of a hydraulic road bike lever in development by SRAM. (Or so we were led to believe back then.) I remember thinking, "It's only a working proto-type. Maybe it won't even look this bad when it comes out. Nah....they wouldn't bring out something that clunky and ugly. No way! "

Doh! I was sooooo wrong!

SRAM not only made what is possibly the ugliest lever since Campy's dreaded Icarus cantilever mtb levers, they even made hydraulic caliper brakes to hedge any bets that the UCI might ban the disc brake deal for CX and/or road. (<==Note: My speculation there, excepting that the levers are butt ugly.)

Well, leaving that aside, here's what I think about these and their possible use on drop bar rigs for dirt. I'll leave the question of thier road worthiness to others.

Okay, so they are drop bar compatible, and SRAM even made a wise decision by making a version compatible with SRAM 10 speed systems. That opens up a cornucopia of possibilities for those who have been itching for a drop bar mtb hydro set up, or for a fat bike, or for a monster cross rig, a gravel grinder, etc.

Possibilities, but not without some downside. For one, these are basically Avid brakes and the track record for them has been a mixed bag. SRAM also notes that these road hydro levers are about modulation, not power, so for a fully off road drop bar rig, they still may not be workable. That said, a SRAM spokesman is quoted as saying something to the effect that these new hydro brakes are similar to BB-7's. In my experience, that's been enough power. Your mileage may vary. So, you have all of that to deal with here.

You won't be seeing those hydro levers here anytime soon.

The levers are said to have been lengthened to allow operation from the drops to be enhanced. That's a good thing. However; SRAM levers have a reputation in the gravel scene for disintegrating and losing their shift paddle, or to stop operating entirely. While many do not see these issues with SRAM levers, I've witnessed and heard about so many that I am loathe to try SRAM brifters on any of my gravel rigs. Thus the bar end shifters on my Vaya, which are pretty bomber in terms of reliability.

Also I am thinking that I do not need more powerful brakes on gravel or dirt, and BB-7's modulate just fine. My thoughts are also that I do not have to ever worry about brake bleeds, or pads that drag that I can not adjust, and everything I have for brakes now is field serviceable, inexpensive, and works fine.

Nope! Not buying into this dealio. I still think that a finer, higher quality mechanical disc brake is going to be best for gravel roads and even mountain biking on most XC trails. So, what would entice me away from mechanical disc brakes for a drop bar set up?

Maybe a drop bar lever that wasn't a shift lever and could be mated to some really light weight hydraulic mtb style brake calipers. Maybe an electronic shift drive train would make sense with that sort of lever. Otherwise I can't see doing an ultra-spendy brake set up that is also tied to a shifter. I would rather stick with a mechanical system. But that's just my take. What do you think?

Friday News And Views

SRAM XX1 Cassette

XX1: The Future Of Drive Trains?- 

 I had the chance to actually handle some XX1 drive train parts yesterday at the shop. The XX1 group is the newest technical advancement in drive trains for mountain biking.

SRAM saw that a lot of racers were not using the inner ring on their 2X10 set ups, so they developed an 11 speed system with the "bail out" gear on the cassette instead of on the crank set. This eliminated the front derailleur, shifter, and cable and housing on the left side. That makes XX1 lighter than XX, but the actual component pieces are heavier.

SRAM put a lot of neat little details into this. For instance, the rearmost cog is actually dished to help it clear the spokes. The cassette carrier is threaded and screws onto the cassette. That carrier has two cartridge bearings on each end to support the massive looking cassette, which is incredibly light, by the way. The carrier reveals the free hub pawls, and since the cassette is removed with a Shimano Hyperdrive lockring tool, you can get in there to clean out things anytime you want to.

The derailluer is also quite interesting. It has a Type 2 clutch to arrest movement of the cage, which stabilizes the chain. Interestingly SRAM used a roller bearing clutch to do this with. Shimano uses a band clamp. SRAM claims a no maintenance use for the Type 2 clutch mechanism for the life of the derailleur.

Downside here is that the entire system with the derailleur, cassette, crankset, shifter, and chain is about $1700.00. So, it isn't for everybody. There also is no option currently for a fatbike, which I think this system would be great for.

San Marco Pirelli damped saddle

Engine Mounts: 

 One of the ongoing pursuits of the cycling industry has been how to design components to absorb vibrations. This is important, since any vibrations or shocks that reach a rider have to be absorbed by that rider, which causes fatigue and loss of power, and at worst can cause failure physically and failure with components on the bicycle. Several ways of taking care of this problem have been attempted in the past. Suspension on mountain bikes is a good example of this, but even the tires and the air pressure you run them at are important in combating vibrations and road shock.

Lately I have seen several seat post based solutions to this problem. A few new ones on me were witnessed at Interbike. Now another one crops up from Cantitoe Road here. Elastomeric isolation from the rest of the bike for the rider is nothing new. (Note the Pirelli designed donuts on the saddle rails of that Selle San Marco saddle I have pictured here.) However; it could be a very effective way to get the job done. Just like engine mounts in a car isolate the activity of the engine from the rest of the car, the Cantitoe Road design could be a great product. However, typically this sort of idea has been problematic in its applications in bicycle components. We'll see how this pans out, but I like the idea.

Whoops! Not yet....

Hydraulic Road Shifter/Brake levers: 

 First off- yes, they are coming. It is not a hoax, something that is being pushed off, or a teaser. SRAM was going to pimp these at Interbike, but for technical reasons in other areas decided to hold off on these. They are just now making the rounds at cyclo-cross races.

Of course, everyone is wondering what Shimano will do. I hadn't heard anything until just recently, and this article in "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" confirms it. Shimano is coming on board with the disc brakes for roadies too.

A few points from the BRAIN article are worth noting. First, that Shimano is involved and plans on coming out with something. Shimano is primarily a research and development company. They likely have had a prototype road disc set up for several years and now can fast track it into production. Secondly- that the CEO for Formula's German arm is quoted as saying, "Shimano will be right from the beginning the leader of the market". That tells me the stuff will be dialed and will be spec'ed everywhere. Thirdly- That standards for road bikes are set for another sea change. You already have different head sets and bottom brackets across several different design standards. Now the wheels and wheel attachment standards will also change. I wouldn't at all be surprised to see road bikes get their rear axle spacing bumped out to 135mm as well. This means that road bikes from now back to the early 90's will become obsolete. Expect choices in wheels and other components to go the way of Campy Nuevo Record. (E-bay, Craigs List, and swap meets.)

A Few Words On T.I.V9:

Tomorrow the registration for Veterans will come to a close. I do not know how many spots the Vets will leave unclaimed, but I am certain there will be a fair number. These unclaimed spots, (if any), will be rolled into the pool available to the Rookies starting Monday. 

Look for a roster update later today and again on Saturday. I will then post what total number will be available to the Rookie Class on the T.I.V9 site.  Rookies will surely fill out their chunk of the roster in a few days or less. Things get kicked off for them on Monday. I have been getting a lot of questions and requests from individuals concerning the way things will work, which tells me interest is high. I am especially pleased to be hearing from several women who are considering jumping in. 

Could be a record year! 

I saw a few kind words were posted by T.I. Vet, John Karrasch on his blog. I admire John for his "never quit" attitude he displayed at last spring's Trans Iowa. You can check out what he had to say here, and read a few suggestions for those looking to attempt T.I.V9 as well.  

Fat Bike Summit: Last night on "The Guitar Ted Show" I had the pleasure of chatting with Jay Petervary and Scott Fitzgerald concerning the upcoming Fat Bike Summit which will feature seminars, information, group rides, a race, and demos of fat bikes in some awesome groomed snow trail country in Idaho. Jay mentioned that there is over 800 miles of snowy goodness out there to ride, so check out the links here and maybe get yourself out there come late January to enjoy the "Moab of Fatbiking".

3GR: It will occur again on Saturday at 8:30am at Gateway Park.

Friday News And Views

SRAM XX1 Cassette

XX1: The Future Of Drive Trains?- 

 I had the chance to actually handle some XX1 drive train parts yesterday at the shop. The XX1 group is the newest technical advancement in drive trains for mountain biking.

SRAM saw that a lot of racers were not using the inner ring on their 2X10 set ups, so they developed an 11 speed system with the "bail out" gear on the cassette instead of on the crank set. This eliminated the front derailleur, shifter, and cable and housing on the left side. That makes XX1 lighter than XX, but the actual component pieces are heavier.

SRAM put a lot of neat little details into this. For instance, the rearmost cog is actually dished to help it clear the spokes. The cassette carrier is threaded and screws onto the cassette. That carrier has two cartridge bearings on each end to support the massive looking cassette, which is incredibly light, by the way. The carrier reveals the free hub pawls, and since the cassette is removed with a Shimano Hyperdrive lockring tool, you can get in there to clean out things anytime you want to.

The derailluer is also quite interesting. It has a Type 2 clutch to arrest movement of the cage, which stabilizes the chain. Interestingly SRAM used a roller bearing clutch to do this with. Shimano uses a band clamp. SRAM claims a no maintenance use for the Type 2 clutch mechanism for the life of the derailleur.

Downside here is that the entire system with the derailleur, cassette, crankset, shifter, and chain is about $1700.00. So, it isn't for everybody. There also is no option currently for a fatbike, which I think this system would be great for.

San Marco Pirelli damped saddle

Engine Mounts: 

 One of the ongoing pursuits of the cycling industry has been how to design components to absorb vibrations. This is important, since any vibrations or shocks that reach a rider have to be absorbed by that rider, which causes fatigue and loss of power, and at worst can cause failure physically and failure with components on the bicycle. Several ways of taking care of this problem have been attempted in the past. Suspension on mountain bikes is a good example of this, but even the tires and the air pressure you run them at are important in combating vibrations and road shock.

Lately I have seen several seat post based solutions to this problem. A few new ones on me were witnessed at Interbike. Now another one crops up from Cantitoe Road here. Elastomeric isolation from the rest of the bike for the rider is nothing new. (Note the Pirelli designed donuts on the saddle rails of that Selle San Marco saddle I have pictured here.) However; it could be a very effective way to get the job done. Just like engine mounts in a car isolate the activity of the engine from the rest of the car, the Cantitoe Road design could be a great product. However, typically this sort of idea has been problematic in its applications in bicycle components. We'll see how this pans out, but I like the idea.

Whoops! Not yet....

Hydraulic Road Shifter/Brake levers: 

 First off- yes, they are coming. It is not a hoax, something that is being pushed off, or a teaser. SRAM was going to pimp these at Interbike, but for technical reasons in other areas decided to hold off on these. They are just now making the rounds at cyclo-cross races.

Of course, everyone is wondering what Shimano will do. I hadn't heard anything until just recently, and this article in "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" confirms it. Shimano is coming on board with the disc brakes for roadies too.

A few points from the BRAIN article are worth noting. First, that Shimano is involved and plans on coming out with something. Shimano is primarily a research and development company. They likely have had a prototype road disc set up for several years and now can fast track it into production. Secondly- that the CEO for Formula's German arm is quoted as saying, "Shimano will be right from the beginning the leader of the market". That tells me the stuff will be dialed and will be spec'ed everywhere. Thirdly- That standards for road bikes are set for another sea change. You already have different head sets and bottom brackets across several different design standards. Now the wheels and wheel attachment standards will also change. I wouldn't at all be surprised to see road bikes get their rear axle spacing bumped out to 135mm as well. This means that road bikes from now back to the early 90's will become obsolete. Expect choices in wheels and other components to go the way of Campy Nuevo Record. (E-bay, Craigs List, and swap meets.)

A Few Words On T.I.V9:

Tomorrow the registration for Veterans will come to a close. I do not know how many spots the Vets will leave unclaimed, but I am certain there will be a fair number. These unclaimed spots, (if any), will be rolled into the pool available to the Rookies starting Monday. 

Look for a roster update later today and again on Saturday. I will then post what total number will be available to the Rookie Class on the T.I.V9 site.  Rookies will surely fill out their chunk of the roster in a few days or less. Things get kicked off for them on Monday. I have been getting a lot of questions and requests from individuals concerning the way things will work, which tells me interest is high. I am especially pleased to be hearing from several women who are considering jumping in. 

Could be a record year! 

I saw a few kind words were posted by T.I. Vet, John Karrasch on his blog. I admire John for his "never quit" attitude he displayed at last spring's Trans Iowa. You can check out what he had to say here, and read a few suggestions for those looking to attempt T.I.V9 as well.  

Fat Bike Summit: Last night on "The Guitar Ted Show" I had the pleasure of chatting with Jay Petervary and Scott Fitzgerald concerning the upcoming Fat Bike Summit which will feature seminars, information, group rides, a race, and demos of fat bikes in some awesome groomed snow trail country in Idaho. Jay mentioned that there is over 800 miles of snowy goodness out there to ride, so check out the links here and maybe get yourself out there come late January to enjoy the "Moab of Fatbiking".

3GR: It will occur again on Saturday at 8:30am at Gateway Park.

Being A Traveling Man And Other Thoughts

<===The Truck With No Name

Today I'll be spending a lot of time inside this red steel, plastic, and rubber cocoon going up to the Twin Cities and back again. It all has something to do with Shimano. I'll know more when I get back, but how much I'll be able to talk about, I do not know yet. Stay tuned.....

This might sound ironic, but I am not a huge fan of the actual traveling bit. Not by automobile, and definitely not by aeroplane. Maybe I have some of my Grandpa in me. He never went anywhere! Well, not as long as I knew him, he didn't. Not sure why that was.....

But, be that as it may, traveling gets you to do things, see places, and most importantly- meet people, you otherwise would not get to. So, I always weigh the traveling against those factors, and try to see what comes out in the balance. This particular trip better be a good one! That's all I'm saying right now. I had to cut back on one attractive facet of it already, which made the whole deal distasteful right out of the gate. That and having to set up all the scheduling with work, family, and my other goings on. So, we'll see later.

Three Strikes: Okay, so what's the deal with SRAM DoubleTap shifters? I know of three that have had the shift levers just fall off now. Three. Makes me think something isn't quite right there. I mean, I haven't heard of any big, catastrophic failures with STI levers or Campy Ergo shifters, for that matter. Not that it doesn't happen, but when a SRAM shift lever falls off, it means you are relegated to high gear in whatever ranges you have up front. Not too appealing of a scenario, especially for gravel travel, where I would likely use such shifters.

Methinks I will be staying away from those until something is done to address that issue. Besides, I don't even have the proper gear to run the stuff anyway, so in the end, it isn't a big deal for me. Maybe those of you with SRAM stuff may want to keep an eye on that, just in case.

And Speaking Of STI...Has anyone got an opinion on the newer STI levers? I'll give you mine: They stink! Well, compared to the old ones they do. The old ones with the "non-aero" cabling. Those were "easy-peasey" to change cables on, had a neat, clean appearance, and were reliable as the day was long. The newer ones have absolutely gone backwards in every way, with the possible exception of reliability. Cabling is overly complex, and the appearance looks incomplete. Shimano needs to do something about this, especially the brake cable re-fitting. It is just stupid compared to the previous generation shifters. The shifter cables? Well, they are no better, actually, now that I think of it.  New STI? Fail. If the old STI came out after this newest generation we would all be jumping for joy, that's how much better it is.

And More On Drop Bar Levers! While I am on the subject of drop bar levers, I came across something interesting yesterday. An older Cannondale touring bike came in with a set of Magura hydraulic drop bar levers and brakes. You remember those Magura brakes that Tomac used and the trials guys are crazy about? Same ones actuated by a Magura drop bar lever. I know some guys are huge fans of these brakes, but I don't particularly care for the clunky look and funky set up. What is cool is that it reminds me of what we're going to start seeing really soon- drop bar hydraulic STI/DoubleTap shifters. I know, I know.......there are cable actuated hydro-box-dohickeys. They are a kludge too. Don't think so? Then tell me why folks keep trying to hide the master cylinders under their stems and in front of the head tubes? I'll tell you why- because it looks stupid and everyone wants it to be part of the lever, that's why.  I believe it will happen, and when it does, the Fargo, Badger, Gryphon, and Karate Monkey will be getting switched over at some point.

Have a great Tuesday, ya'all!

Being A Traveling Man And Other Thoughts

<===The Truck With No Name

Today I'll be spending a lot of time inside this red steel, plastic, and rubber cocoon going up to the Twin Cities and back again. It all has something to do with Shimano. I'll know more when I get back, but how much I'll be able to talk about, I do not know yet. Stay tuned.....

This might sound ironic, but I am not a huge fan of the actual traveling bit. Not by automobile, and definitely not by aeroplane. Maybe I have some of my Grandpa in me. He never went anywhere! Well, not as long as I knew him, he didn't. Not sure why that was.....

But, be that as it may, traveling gets you to do things, see places, and most importantly- meet people, you otherwise would not get to. So, I always weigh the traveling against those factors, and try to see what comes out in the balance. This particular trip better be a good one! That's all I'm saying right now. I had to cut back on one attractive facet of it already, which made the whole deal distasteful right out of the gate. That and having to set up all the scheduling with work, family, and my other goings on. So, we'll see later.

Three Strikes: Okay, so what's the deal with SRAM DoubleTap shifters? I know of three that have had the shift levers just fall off now. Three. Makes me think something isn't quite right there. I mean, I haven't heard of any big, catastrophic failures with STI levers or Campy Ergo shifters, for that matter. Not that it doesn't happen, but when a SRAM shift lever falls off, it means you are relegated to high gear in whatever ranges you have up front. Not too appealing of a scenario, especially for gravel travel, where I would likely use such shifters.

Methinks I will be staying away from those until something is done to address that issue. Besides, I don't even have the proper gear to run the stuff anyway, so in the end, it isn't a big deal for me. Maybe those of you with SRAM stuff may want to keep an eye on that, just in case.

And Speaking Of STI...Has anyone got an opinion on the newer STI levers? I'll give you mine: They stink! Well, compared to the old ones they do. The old ones with the "non-aero" cabling. Those were "easy-peasey" to change cables on, had a neat, clean appearance, and were reliable as the day was long. The newer ones have absolutely gone backwards in every way, with the possible exception of reliability. Cabling is overly complex, and the appearance looks incomplete. Shimano needs to do something about this, especially the brake cable re-fitting. It is just stupid compared to the previous generation shifters. The shifter cables? Well, they are no better, actually, now that I think of it.  New STI? Fail. If the old STI came out after this newest generation we would all be jumping for joy, that's how much better it is.

And More On Drop Bar Levers! While I am on the subject of drop bar levers, I came across something interesting yesterday. An older Cannondale touring bike came in with a set of Magura hydraulic drop bar levers and brakes. You remember those Magura brakes that Tomac used and the trials guys are crazy about? Same ones actuated by a Magura drop bar lever. I know some guys are huge fans of these brakes, but I don't particularly care for the clunky look and funky set up. What is cool is that it reminds me of what we're going to start seeing really soon- drop bar hydraulic STI/DoubleTap shifters. I know, I know.......there are cable actuated hydro-box-dohickeys. They are a kludge too. Don't think so? Then tell me why folks keep trying to hide the master cylinders under their stems and in front of the head tubes? I'll tell you why- because it looks stupid and everyone wants it to be part of the lever, that's why.  I believe it will happen, and when it does, the Fargo, Badger, Gryphon, and Karate Monkey will be getting switched over at some point.

Have a great Tuesday, ya'all!