Friday News And Views

Podcasts For Your Weekend Listening Pleasure:

If you happen to have some down time, are travelling, or just want to escape reality for about an hour or so, I've got two suggestions for podcasts this week that I am on. 

You can hear my sultry voice on "The Shiftless Podcast" Episode #32 "Expert Edition With the One & Only Guitar Ted" by clicking HERE. 

In that chat you can hear about the origins of "Guitar Ted", what I think of some facets of the bicycle industry, and my take on the current gravel scene. All that and more there with Kevin and Brad, the two hosts of the show. 

Then, as if that isn't enough of me, I interviewed Jason Strobehn and Matt Gersib of the Gravel Worlds team for the "Guitar Ted Podcast". That show can be heard by clicking HERE. 

That was a tougher show to get out, not due to the guests or N.Y. Roll, but because of my lack of technical skills. I had a learning curve for getting this one up and out there, that's for sure!

I'm calling this episode the "Frankenstein Episode" because I had to "stitch" it together from six different parts and try to make it all sound somewhat cohesive. Which.....it doesn't, but I am learning how to make it all work, like I said. 

Because this took a week longer to get out than I had anticipated, there will end up being another episode coming out on this one's heels. We try to do three episodes a month, minimum, and the days are running short! 

We will have about four new episodes coming out in the next four weeks or so and then we are taking a month off starting around Thanksgiving time until the new year kicks down the door like a shiny super-hero. 

If you are a listener to the podcast, I truly appreciate you, and I know I speak for N.Y. Roll when I say that we are floored by the response we've gotten. The "Guitar Ted Podcast" went live coming in on the coattails of the old "Riding Gravel Radio Ranch" about a year ago now, and the growth has been steady and upwards. So, "Thank you"! 

Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

Salsa Cycles Announces v2 Cowchipper Carbon & Cowbell Carbon Handlebars:

You might remember that the original carbon flared drop bars from Salsa Cycles were recalled early in the year. Well, now they have a new version of the bars out which have addressed the previous bars' shortcomings and is said to be stronger. These are also compatible with Salsa Cycles' EXP Series Anything Cradle

The new carbon bars are $230.00 USD for either model and are available now through Salsa Dealers. There were no design changes made, so these have the same shape, flare, and width availability that the originals had.

Comments: I  checked on Whisky Parts Co. to see if they've gotten a v2 0f their No. 9 12F and No. 9 24F Carbon bars and they do have those for the same prices. (Essentially the same handlebars as the Salsa branded ones) 

My favorites in flared drop bars, the Cowbell and Cowchipper Bars, are perhaps only eclipsed by the Whisky Parts Co, Spano Bar. It's fifty bucks more than a Salsa Cowbell/Cowchipper/Whisky 24F or 12F, but if you want more ergonomics and comfort, the Spano Bar is well worth that extra cash.

Image courtesy of Iowa Wind and Rock

Iowa Wind and Rock Announces 2024 Registration:

It's that time of year again. Registration Season! I feel compelled to feature the announcement that Iowa Wind and Rock is opening registration on November 1st, 2024. 

If you are new to the blog you may not know that this event is essentially an evolution/extension of the event I put on for fourteen years, Trans Iowa. That event being credited as the first of the "Modern Day" gravel events. (For a history of gravel timeline, see "Gravel History With Guitar Ted: The Eras") 

From Iowa Wind and Rock's homepage you can read the following:

"For 14 years, TransIowa, one of the most difficult gravel races in the US, took place in Iowa at the end of April. It was difficult not only because of the terrain, but also due to notoriously fickle Iowa weather, and the challenges it required riders to overcome just to make it to the starting line. The end of TransIowa in 2018 meant that a unique chapter of gravel racing history closed. As Iowans, TransIowa finishers, and people who enjoy stretching personal boundaries, we didn’t want to see this unique opportunity for people to challenge themselves disappear. Iowa Wind and Rock is NOT, nor will it ever be TransIowa. However, we want to provide people a similar challenge – A free, 340ish mile, cue sheet navigated, late spring, Iowa event that allows entrants to challenge themselves, expand their boundaries, and allow them to see what they are capable of."

So, if you've come here and ever wondered if there would be another Trans Iowa event, well....There ya go. Do Iowa Wind and Rock. It's as close as you'll ever get now, and remember folks: These chances don't last forever! Get off yer duff if ya ever thought you might wanna do sumpthin like this and sign up. 

You only live once.

Gravel Worlds Registration Opening Soon:

As long as we're on the registration train, let's make a stop in Lincoln, Nebraska and take a look at Gravel Worlds. 

You can sign up for several distances or even run on gravel. if you want to, and that all starts on November 18th this year. The sign up, that is, NOT the events! 

They even have an ultra-distance, 300 miler called The Long Voyage, if that suits your fancy. Either way, you should check out this one if you haven't. Of course, if you want to find out more, check out the link above and listen to that podcast I mentioned at the top of the post today. 

Okay, that's a wrap for this week! get out and ride and thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!!

Friday News And Views

Guitar Ted Gets Interviewed:

When I was down in Emporia earlier this month I got invited to be on the "Gravel Family Podcast" by Jason Strobehn. He along with co-host  Sofia Gibson, are really getting a lot of great folks on their show and I was honored to have been asked on.

This podcast is a good one from the perspective of history. If you've ever wondered how I got the moniker "Guitar Ted", how Trans Iowa got started, or where I came into reviewing stuff for cycling, this show has all of that plus more packed into less than an hour. 

So, check it out if you have time. The Spotify link is here.  

Thanks to Jason, Sofia, and Lauf Cycles for sponsoring this episode. Thanks to Merchant Cycles in Emporia, KS for the space in front of their shop. Thanks to the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame for the invitation to visit Emporia again. 

Pinion marries a gearbox with a motor

E-Bike Innovations Trend More Toward Motorcycles:

I've said for years that modern motors in modern bicycles would end up losing the pedals at some point and follow the same progression that happened in the early 20th Century with bicycles and motor mixing. Parts would necessarily have to be beefed up, motors would become integrated parts of the frame design, and power would increase to the point that pedaling would be like T-Rex trying to use his forearms. Yeah....pretty much useless. 

 I know bike nerd types will raise heck with those thoughts, but as I review the news and look around me, the evidence of this evolution is undeniable. Take for instance two bits I saw in the news this past week.

One is Pinion's development of a gearbox/motor unit that shifts via electronics and probably will have an automatic version when it comes to market. The rider will simply have to pedal a bit and everything else will run on its own. 

The second bit I saw was from Quiet Cat, a HPC/electrified bike company catering more to the outdoors-man. Their newest bike will have Variable Power Output onboard which will allow the user to run the bike as a Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, or at the maximum output of 1000 watts, by throttle. The rider can use an electronic panel to choose power output level as long as they are stopped.

How is that not a motorcycle? This and a gearbox/motor combo? How far are we away from motorcycles that happen to have pedals? Not very far, I'd say. 

The Bookman "Volume" light. (Image courtesy of Bookman Visibility)

Bookman Volume Light:

This is a bicycle light from Bookman, who I've featured here before. Their product line was mostly about "being seen" lights, not the practical "see-by" lights I need in the darker times of the year. That said, Bookman does combine a nice sense of design and fashion with usability and function. 

Now at Eurobike Bookman has been awarded an Innovation in Design award for their new "Volume" light. An 850 Lumen or 1500 Lumen light that has the potential to be a great light for adventure, long rides, and commuting. 

Not only that, but Bookman have achieved an "out of the box" thinking on design which, to me, is very sensible. For instance, instead of a push button for selecting a light level you may desire, which typically requires a scrolling through all the other modes to get where you want to be, Bookman have utilized a rotary switch. A simple twist of a knob and you get there, where you want the light level to be, more quickly. Bookman claims the idea came from the volume knob on a stereo receiver, thus the product's name. 

Not only that, but they utilize an easily obtainable cylindrical lithium ion rechargeable battery allowing the user of the Volume to swap out batteries during a ride to extend ride times indefinitely. This is much like the old Lezyne Super Drive light which had a similar design. Basically, hearkening back to the old D cell battery flashlight theme from days of yore. 

Then Bookman addressed one of the more maddening idiosyncrasies regarding lights and accessories for bicycles - mounts. They did not invent yet another proprietary mount for this light. Instead, they went with a ubiquitous mount in the cycling world, the Garmin mount. Brilliant! (Sorry, no pun intended!) They even offer a Garmin mount with a GoPro attachment. Now that's using your noggin! I like this light just based upon its design alone. 

Is it any good? How much will it cost? When can anyone get one? I only have one vague answer and that for the last question - Fall 2023. Stay tuned.....

That's all for this week! have a great weekend and get out and ride!

Friday News And Views

Guitar Ted Gets Interviewed:

When I was down in Emporia earlier this month I got invited to be on the "Gravel Family Podcast" by Jason Strobehn. He along with co-host  Sofia Gibson, are really getting a lot of great folks on their show and I was honored to have been asked on.

This podcast is a good one from the perspective of history. If you've ever wondered how I got the moniker "Guitar Ted", how Trans Iowa got started, or where I came into reviewing stuff for cycling, this show has all of that plus more packed into less than an hour. 

So, check it out if you have time. The Spotify link is here.  

Thanks to Jason, Sofia, and Lauf Cycles for sponsoring this episode. Thanks to Merchant Cycles in Emporia, KS for the space in front of their shop. Thanks to the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame for the invitation to visit Emporia again. 

Pinion marries a gearbox with a motor

E-Bike Innovations Trend More Toward Motorcycles:

I've said for years that modern motors in modern bicycles would end up losing the pedals at some point and follow the same progression that happened in the early 20th Century with bicycles and motor mixing. Parts would necessarily have to be beefed up, motors would become integrated parts of the frame design, and power would increase to the point that pedaling would be like T-Rex trying to use his forearms. Yeah....pretty much useless. 

 I know bike nerd types will raise heck with those thoughts, but as I review the news and look around me, the evidence of this evolution is undeniable. Take for instance two bits I saw in the news this past week.

One is Pinion's development of a gearbox/motor unit that shifts via electronics and probably will have an automatic version when it comes to market. The rider will simply have to pedal a bit and everything else will run on its own. 

The second bit I saw was from Quiet Cat, a HPC/electrified bike company catering more to the outdoors-man. Their newest bike will have Variable Power Output onboard which will allow the user to run the bike as a Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, or at the maximum output of 1000 watts, by throttle. The rider can use an electronic panel to choose power output level as long as they are stopped.

How is that not a motorcycle? This and a gearbox/motor combo? How far are we away from motorcycles that happen to have pedals? Not very far, I'd say. 

The Bookman "Volume" light. (Image courtesy of Bookman Visibility)

Bookman Volume Light:

This is a bicycle light from Bookman, who I've featured here before. Their product line was mostly about "being seen" lights, not the practical "see-by" lights I need in the darker times of the year. That said, Bookman does combine a nice sense of design and fashion with usability and function. 

Now at Eurobike Bookman has been awarded an Innovation in Design award for their new "Volume" light. An 850 Lumen or 1500 Lumen light that has the potential to be a great light for adventure, long rides, and commuting. 

Not only that, but Bookman have achieved an "out of the box" thinking on design which, to me, is very sensible. For instance, instead of a push button for selecting a light level you may desire, which typically requires a scrolling through all the other modes to get where you want to be, Bookman have utilized a rotary switch. A simple twist of a knob and you get there, where you want the light level to be, more quickly. Bookman claims the idea came from the volume knob on a stereo receiver, thus the product's name. 

Not only that, but they utilize an easily obtainable cylindrical lithium ion rechargeable battery allowing the user of the Volume to swap out batteries during a ride to extend ride times indefinitely. This is much like the old Lezyne Super Drive light which had a similar design. Basically, hearkening back to the old D cell battery flashlight theme from days of yore. 

Then Bookman addressed one of the more maddening idiosyncrasies regarding lights and accessories for bicycles - mounts. They did not invent yet another proprietary mount for this light. Instead, they went with a ubiquitous mount in the cycling world, the Garmin mount. Brilliant! (Sorry, no pun intended!) They even offer a Garmin mount with a GoPro attachment. Now that's using your noggin! I like this light just based upon its design alone. 

Is it any good? How much will it cost? When can anyone get one? I only have one vague answer and that for the last question - Fall 2023. Stay tuned.....

That's all for this week! have a great weekend and get out and ride!

Friday News And Views

 Inventory Builds Up As Consumer Demand Cools:

You've already seen the ads on your feeds, most likely. The discounting of bicycles and cycling gear is full-on once again. This marks the final swing induced by the pandemic which will affect us all going into 2023. 

Riders will enjoy more choices and bargains on those choices as time marches on toward the holidays. Inventory levels have reached critical mass in some categories with the result being that shipping costs are being forgiven at lower ordering levels for shops and from what I heard, some folks even lost their jobs due to ordering too much stuff at a certain distributor that shall remain nameless.

The inflationary climate has doused the fires of consumer demand as well, sending retailers skittering toward big sales and discounts as we head into the New Year. Some prognosticators of the cycling industry are claiming the fall-out from this may be that retail will suffer and seeing closures is not out of the question. 

Interesting times, to be sure.

The Esker Lorax in titanium (Image courtesy of Esker)

Ti Lorax Introduced:

Last week Esker Cycles announced a couple of new titanium frame offerings- The Walden fat bike and the Lorax gravel bike. 

The Lorax was a steel offering in Esker Cycles previous incarnation, Advocate Cycles. That was back in 2015, but now the Lorax is not Reynolds 531, but titanium. 

It has several mounting options for accessories, as you would expect, tire clearance is a claimed 2" wide for a 700c wheel, and the geometry is pretty good. 75mm bottom bracket drop, 71.5° head tube angles, and a top tube that isn't sloped super crazy so it won't need a really long seat post. The adjustable "Portage" drop outs are cool in case you have to do the single speed bail-out mission. Price with a Wolf Tooth head set, seat collar, and rear through axle is set at $2300.00 USD.

Comments: Not bad, Esker, not bad at all. I always felt as though that the Lorax was a take on the Vaya from Salsa Cycles, and this titanium version does nothing to dispel that notion for me. That's a good thing, because the Vaya is a great, and very underrated, gravel bike choice. I would suspect that this bike would handle very much in the Vaya's vein, which I welcome. 

The price is more than reasonable here, and with a double butted tube set, I would bet that this bike would ride like a dream.

Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Episode #105: The Gravel Amplifier:

Monday afternoon N.Y. Roll and I met at The Stone Castle Estates and recorded the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Podcast #105. We're calling it "The Gravel Amplifier". 

This goes along with the post I made Tuesday which also is about the same thing. But do make sure you click through to the podcast, because there I list a few more events than I did on Tuesday. (See those in the Show Notes)

So, going forward, this could become a series, but that is entirely up to you- the readers. If I get submissions and they pass the sniff test, boom! Amplification happens. If I get radio silence? Then I move on, and nothing gets amplified. I'm not doing the search and destroy for this anymore these days. Here's why......

You'll hear a bit about this if you listen to the podcast, but when I started the Gravel Grinder News calendar in 2009, there was no one else doing what I was doing. As gravel became more popular and more lucrative, players came in to capitalize on my work, and much of what I had dug up and compiled ended up becoming their "content" with no recognition or acknowledgement for where it came from. 

I get it- It's all public knowledge, but it was a cheesy, classless way to obtain a calendar which I did not appreciate. So, I am not going to publish and maintain a calendar to benefit other sites. They can dig up their own stuff. But I will take submissions for certain events, amplify them, and spread the word as best as I can on my channels. So, no calendar of events, but I will help to push those events that otherwise would not get any publicity in cycling media. 

If you are a fan of an event, or like what is happening at an event and want to see it succeed, let me know. Likewise for event promoters. I am here for ya.....

Lay-offs Affect Cyclingtips:

Late on Tuesday afternoon word started to spread via social media that several cuts were made at Outside and especially at Cyclintips, which is a news/technical review site that employs some very well known cycling media personalities. There were several social media posts claiming that Outside had released up to 12% of the staff. (Now confirmed) One person that was confirmed as a lay-off was Senior Editor, Caley Fretz who had joined Cyclingtips in late 2017. 

Lead technical writer for Cyclingtips, James Huang, who retained his position with the company, Tweeted the following on Tuesday evening, "To be clear, I’m still at CyclingTips. But given everyone who was let go, it still feels like I lost a close friend today."

Outside, who had acquired Cyclingtips, Pink Bike, and Trailforks in 2021, also made cuts to Cyclingtips and shut down the mountain bike title, Beta, completely earlier this year in May. 

Comments: As I said, back in May, I don't trust corporations that own a bunch of media titles. But, on the other hand, what should they do? It would seem that most people consume their "news" on social media, podcasts, or on YouTube these days. It would seem that "real", physical magazines are now dinosaurs. It would also appear that trying to get people to give up money to get behind a paywall is not drawing the money/numbers that some thought it might. Advertisers are looking for max-clicks, and apparently, Cyclingtips wasn't drawing big enough numbers. (For a more in-depth look at the situation see this Cycling Industry News article or this from AdWeek)

Interestingly, Pink Bike, which is said to be Outside's biggest draw digitally speaking, is a massive success. It would seem that we are in an era of consolidation/ending of titles and singular, monolithic entities will now control recreational media and, perhaps someday, even your events. (See both Outside and Life Time for examples) 

Lauf, Gravel Worlds, PCL Debut Collab On Seigla Gravel Bike:

Wednesday big news came from the gang at Gravel Worlds. They have partnered with long-time sponsor, Lauf Cycling, to bring a PCL themed Seigla to the masses. 

The Seigla is the newest incarnation of a gravel bike from Lauf  which features the unmistakable Lauf Grit fork, now in its third generation, and clearances for up to 57mm tires. 

Comments: This is a cool collaboration. I like the bike but for its high bottom bracket, which is something I cannot compromise on, but that's maybe just me. 

I love that Lauf and the folks at Gravel Worlds arrived on, what I consider to be, the classic PCL colors of army green and black. I recall that in 2011 at Trans Iowa v7, second place finisher Troy Krause had on the original PCL Army Green/Black jersey and that I just loved that combo. The PCL came out with a reissue of that design which I snagged right away. So, this scheme on the Seigla is a really great idea, to my mind. 

Want one? Check out this link. 
 

 That's all for this week! get out and ride! (Layer up, y'all!) Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

 Inventory Builds Up As Consumer Demand Cools:

You've already seen the ads on your feeds, most likely. The discounting of bicycles and cycling gear is full-on once again. This marks the final swing induced by the pandemic which will affect us all going into 2023. 

Riders will enjoy more choices and bargains on those choices as time marches on toward the holidays. Inventory levels have reached critical mass in some categories with the result being that shipping costs are being forgiven at lower ordering levels for shops and from what I heard, some folks even lost their jobs due to ordering too much stuff at a certain distributor that shall remain nameless.

The inflationary climate has doused the fires of consumer demand as well, sending retailers skittering toward big sales and discounts as we head into the New Year. Some prognosticators of the cycling industry are claiming the fall-out from this may be that retail will suffer and seeing closures is not out of the question. 

Interesting times, to be sure.

The Esker Lorax in titanium (Image courtesy of Esker)

Ti Lorax Introduced:

Last week Esker Cycles announced a couple of new titanium frame offerings- The Walden fat bike and the Lorax gravel bike. 

The Lorax was a steel offering in Esker Cycles previous incarnation, Advocate Cycles. That was back in 2015, but now the Lorax is not Reynolds 531, but titanium. 

It has several mounting options for accessories, as you would expect, tire clearance is a claimed 2" wide for a 700c wheel, and the geometry is pretty good. 75mm bottom bracket drop, 71.5° head tube angles, and a top tube that isn't sloped super crazy so it won't need a really long seat post. The adjustable "Portage" drop outs are cool in case you have to do the single speed bail-out mission. Price with a Wolf Tooth head set, seat collar, and rear through axle is set at $2300.00 USD.

Comments: Not bad, Esker, not bad at all. I always felt as though that the Lorax was a take on the Vaya from Salsa Cycles, and this titanium version does nothing to dispel that notion for me. That's a good thing, because the Vaya is a great, and very underrated, gravel bike choice. I would suspect that this bike would handle very much in the Vaya's vein, which I welcome. 

The price is more than reasonable here, and with a double butted tube set, I would bet that this bike would ride like a dream.

Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Episode #105: The Gravel Amplifier:

Monday afternoon N.Y. Roll and I met at The Stone Castle Estates and recorded the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch Podcast #105. We're calling it "The Gravel Amplifier". 

This goes along with the post I made Tuesday which also is about the same thing. But do make sure you click through to the podcast, because there I list a few more events than I did on Tuesday. (See those in the Show Notes)

So, going forward, this could become a series, but that is entirely up to you- the readers. If I get submissions and they pass the sniff test, boom! Amplification happens. If I get radio silence? Then I move on, and nothing gets amplified. I'm not doing the search and destroy for this anymore these days. Here's why......

You'll hear a bit about this if you listen to the podcast, but when I started the Gravel Grinder News calendar in 2009, there was no one else doing what I was doing. As gravel became more popular and more lucrative, players came in to capitalize on my work, and much of what I had dug up and compiled ended up becoming their "content" with no recognition or acknowledgement for where it came from. 

I get it- It's all public knowledge, but it was a cheesy, classless way to obtain a calendar which I did not appreciate. So, I am not going to publish and maintain a calendar to benefit other sites. They can dig up their own stuff. But I will take submissions for certain events, amplify them, and spread the word as best as I can on my channels. So, no calendar of events, but I will help to push those events that otherwise would not get any publicity in cycling media. 

If you are a fan of an event, or like what is happening at an event and want to see it succeed, let me know. Likewise for event promoters. I am here for ya.....

Lay-offs Affect Cyclingtips:

Late on Tuesday afternoon word started to spread via social media that several cuts were made at Outside and especially at Cyclintips, which is a news/technical review site that employs some very well known cycling media personalities. There were several social media posts claiming that Outside had released up to 12% of the staff. (Now confirmed) One person that was confirmed as a lay-off was Senior Editor, Caley Fretz who had joined Cyclingtips in late 2017. 

Lead technical writer for Cyclingtips, James Huang, who retained his position with the company, Tweeted the following on Tuesday evening, "To be clear, I’m still at CyclingTips. But given everyone who was let go, it still feels like I lost a close friend today."

Outside, who had acquired Cyclingtips, Pink Bike, and Trailforks in 2021, also made cuts to Cyclingtips and shut down the mountain bike title, Beta, completely earlier this year in May. 

Comments: As I said, back in May, I don't trust corporations that own a bunch of media titles. But, on the other hand, what should they do? It would seem that most people consume their "news" on social media, podcasts, or on YouTube these days. It would seem that "real", physical magazines are now dinosaurs. It would also appear that trying to get people to give up money to get behind a paywall is not drawing the money/numbers that some thought it might. Advertisers are looking for max-clicks, and apparently, Cyclingtips wasn't drawing big enough numbers. (For a more in-depth look at the situation see this Cycling Industry News article or this from AdWeek)

Interestingly, Pink Bike, which is said to be Outside's biggest draw digitally speaking, is a massive success. It would seem that we are in an era of consolidation/ending of titles and singular, monolithic entities will now control recreational media and, perhaps someday, even your events. (See both Outside and Life Time for examples) 

Lauf, Gravel Worlds, PCL Debut Collab On Seigla Gravel Bike:

Wednesday big news came from the gang at Gravel Worlds. They have partnered with long-time sponsor, Lauf Cycling, to bring a PCL themed Seigla to the masses. 

The Seigla is the newest incarnation of a gravel bike from Lauf  which features the unmistakable Lauf Grit fork, now in its third generation, and clearances for up to 57mm tires. 

Comments: This is a cool collaboration. I like the bike but for its high bottom bracket, which is something I cannot compromise on, but that's maybe just me. 

I love that Lauf and the folks at Gravel Worlds arrived on, what I consider to be, the classic PCL colors of army green and black. I recall that in 2011 at Trans Iowa v7, second place finisher Troy Krause had on the original PCL Army Green/Black jersey and that I just loved that combo. The PCL came out with a reissue of that design which I snagged right away. So, this scheme on the Seigla is a really great idea, to my mind. 

Want one? Check out this link. 
 

 That's all for this week! get out and ride! (Layer up, y'all!) Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Cervelo's new MTB: Image courtesy of Cervelo

Cervelo Debuts New MTB:

I saw where Cervelo entered the mountain bike market this past week with the unveiling of their newest bicycles, the ZHT-5 series MTB's. I honestly was a bit surprised that Cervelo did not already have a mountain bike in their history of manufacturing bicycles, but there you go. A new frontier for the company and I wish them well in this endeavor.

Comments: Umm....did you see the price for the top of the range? Nearly 10K?!! For a hardtail MTB? That's insane money. I get that it has electronic shifting and all, but wow! That's crazy in my opinion. Now it should be noted that if you take a step down you can spend $4,200.00 less for the GX Eagle AXS model. 

$4,200.00 less. 

I don't know about you, but that leaves me scratching my head. The economics of that makes little sense to my mind. Maybe I'm way off......

Riding Gravel News:

I recently added an update to the Shimano GRX Carbon wheel set review on Riding Gravel. You can go read that if you are interested in that HERE. 

They are pretty good wheels, in my estimation. You can spend less, and you can get lighter wheels at about the same price, but these are Shimano wheels which means that you should be able to get them serviced about anywhere if they would ever need to be serviced. That's kind of an intangible point in terms of value there. 

Also, I have another Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast up with my co-host, N.Y. Roll. If you want to listen to that episode the link is HERE.I've had a few questions about availability on different platforms and I understand that the old feeds aren't working. That's because the podcast is distributed completely differently now due to issues with getting my work posted via the old platform and process I was using. 

Basically, the podcast is starting again from scratch, but at least I know the content will get posted in a timely manner now because I have control over that now. I apologize to anyone who has been disappointed in the change, but it was necessary for me to make some kind of change so that things could flow in a manner that made sense and that was in my hands to do something about.That has happened now, and I understand that the podcast will have to basically grow again from zero.

Tiny Turdette:

I got an email earlier this week from Jen Reed, the RD of "Turds of Misery", (which was actually a rock band's name from the 1970's- really!), and she informed me that there will be no long course event this year. 

But in its place she came up with a 44 mile, filled with Level B Road course. The event is called the "Tiny Turdette", and you can ride it at no charge. Riders are asked to show up at Maquoketa Caves State Park Saturday, October 15th at 10am. 

Jen says that there are no resupply points along the course. It is a fully self-supported ride, and YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF.  That said, Jen says that there are 5 sections of dirt to enjoy along the course. So, check that out if you want to have a fun day on the bike next week. Wish I could be there, but I have to put in my time at the Collective. 

Garmin Gravel Worlds Announces Diversity Future Initiative:

From the press release:

  The Pirate Cycling League, hosts of Garmin Gravel Worlds, have announced their Diversity Future Initiative that will help foster the next generation of cyclists in Lincoln, Nebraska.

In 2023, Garmin Gravel Worlds will donate $2 per rider to a scholarship fund that will support young athletes (Age 12-18) from diverse backgrounds including the BIPOC community, low-income families, and non-binary gender expansive communities.

According to Garmin Gravel Worlds Executive Director and event founder, Corey Godfrey, the initiative is simply to help foster the next generation of cyclists.

“Cycling can be an expensive sport which can create a financial barrier for some,” Godfrey said. “We acknowledge that there are so many kids and families who will never have the opportunity to enjoy cycling because of the that financial barrier to entry. This Diversity Future Initiative and scholarship fund will help support those athletes and eliminate or reduce the financial barrier.”

Garmin Gravel Worlds Director of Operations and Marketing, Jason Strohbehn, said the Diversity Future Initiative will support several local athletes through the local Lancaster Composite team, which competes under the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA).

“Our goal is to raise well over $5,000 that should support 5-8 young athletes and get everything they need to succeed,” Strohbehn said. “Working closely with our local NICA team, this scholarship will provide a bike, equipment, clothing, cycling team, coaching, community, and a supportive environment.

“We want Lincoln, Nebraska to be at the forefront of supporting athletes who are too often left behind, and this scholarship fund could be life changing for many.”

Riders registering for Garmin Gravel Worlds will also have an opportunity to match Gravel Worlds’ $2 donation when they register for any cycling distance for the 2023 event

Comments: I think at one point I suggested that if an event really wanted to make a dent in terms of getting disadvantaged and under-represented folks to their event, maybe they might want to think about paying their way, getting them bikes, and transporting them to their events. Well, I am not suggesting that anyone at Gravel Worlds listens to me, or reads my rants, but this is spot-on to what I was referring to. 

Question: Is the UCI Gravel "World Championships" doing anything like this? How about other U.S. based gravel events? Hmm...... I'm thinking the answer is mostly a big fat "no" on that. Correct me please if I am wrong. I'd like that if I were wrong about that, by the way.  

The Otso "Arctodus" frameset- Image courtesy of Otso Cycles.

Otso Cycles Announces New Arctodus Fat Bike:

There has not been much going on in the world of fat bikes for several years in terms of innovations. However; Otso Cycles has found a way to advance the genre' a bit with the introduction of the Arctodus.

The Arctodus is a CroMoly frame with a carbon fiber fork that has been "future-proofed" to accept tires on 100mm fat bike rims that do not exist yet. But if they did, you could slot in 26" X 5.25'ers, 27.5" X 4.5"ers, or the already available 29"er X 3.0" tires.  

Featuring Otso's "Tuning Chip" rear drop out, owners of the Arctodus will be able to tweak the geometry slightly. The frame is said to accept up to a 36T round chain ring and clear 12 cog cassettes with no tire to chain interference. Otso managed this by offsetting the 12mm X 197 rear end to the drive side by 5mm. Owners will also be able to use an "angle changing head set" from Wolf Tooth to further change the head angle which is a slack, for a fat bike, 68.5°. The fork offset is 51mm. 

Comments: A steel frame set? Interesting. A nod to backcountry type riding and bikepackers should really like this frame for that reason. It'll be interesting also to see if this signals a bigger fat bike tire since they are really making a big deal about the clearances. We'll see, but I'm keeping an eye out here. My old Blackborrow can handle a bigger tire than a 4.8"er too, but maybe not that big!

That's a wrap for this week! Have a safe and happy weekend. Watch out for those harvesters! Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Cervelo's new MTB: Image courtesy of Cervelo

Cervelo Debuts New MTB:

I saw where Cervelo entered the mountain bike market this past week with the unveiling of their newest bicycles, the ZHT-5 series MTB's. I honestly was a bit surprised that Cervelo did not already have a mountain bike in their history of manufacturing bicycles, but there you go. A new frontier for the company and I wish them well in this endeavor.

Comments: Umm....did you see the price for the top of the range? Nearly 10K?!! For a hardtail MTB? That's insane money. I get that it has electronic shifting and all, but wow! That's crazy in my opinion. Now it should be noted that if you take a step down you can spend $4,200.00 less for the GX Eagle AXS model. 

$4,200.00 less. 

I don't know about you, but that leaves me scratching my head. The economics of that makes little sense to my mind. Maybe I'm way off......

Riding Gravel News:

I recently added an update to the Shimano GRX Carbon wheel set review on Riding Gravel. You can go read that if you are interested in that HERE. 

They are pretty good wheels, in my estimation. You can spend less, and you can get lighter wheels at about the same price, but these are Shimano wheels which means that you should be able to get them serviced about anywhere if they would ever need to be serviced. That's kind of an intangible point in terms of value there. 

Also, I have another Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast up with my co-host, N.Y. Roll. If you want to listen to that episode the link is HERE.I've had a few questions about availability on different platforms and I understand that the old feeds aren't working. That's because the podcast is distributed completely differently now due to issues with getting my work posted via the old platform and process I was using. 

Basically, the podcast is starting again from scratch, but at least I know the content will get posted in a timely manner now because I have control over that now. I apologize to anyone who has been disappointed in the change, but it was necessary for me to make some kind of change so that things could flow in a manner that made sense and that was in my hands to do something about.That has happened now, and I understand that the podcast will have to basically grow again from zero.

Tiny Turdette:

I got an email earlier this week from Jen Reed, the RD of "Turds of Misery", (which was actually a rock band's name from the 1970's- really!), and she informed me that there will be no long course event this year. 

But in its place she came up with a 44 mile, filled with Level B Road course. The event is called the "Tiny Turdette", and you can ride it at no charge. Riders are asked to show up at Maquoketa Caves State Park Saturday, October 15th at 10am. 

Jen says that there are no resupply points along the course. It is a fully self-supported ride, and YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF.  That said, Jen says that there are 5 sections of dirt to enjoy along the course. So, check that out if you want to have a fun day on the bike next week. Wish I could be there, but I have to put in my time at the Collective. 

Garmin Gravel Worlds Announces Diversity Future Initiative:

From the press release:

  The Pirate Cycling League, hosts of Garmin Gravel Worlds, have announced their Diversity Future Initiative that will help foster the next generation of cyclists in Lincoln, Nebraska.

In 2023, Garmin Gravel Worlds will donate $2 per rider to a scholarship fund that will support young athletes (Age 12-18) from diverse backgrounds including the BIPOC community, low-income families, and non-binary gender expansive communities.

According to Garmin Gravel Worlds Executive Director and event founder, Corey Godfrey, the initiative is simply to help foster the next generation of cyclists.

“Cycling can be an expensive sport which can create a financial barrier for some,” Godfrey said. “We acknowledge that there are so many kids and families who will never have the opportunity to enjoy cycling because of the that financial barrier to entry. This Diversity Future Initiative and scholarship fund will help support those athletes and eliminate or reduce the financial barrier.”

Garmin Gravel Worlds Director of Operations and Marketing, Jason Strohbehn, said the Diversity Future Initiative will support several local athletes through the local Lancaster Composite team, which competes under the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA).

“Our goal is to raise well over $5,000 that should support 5-8 young athletes and get everything they need to succeed,” Strohbehn said. “Working closely with our local NICA team, this scholarship will provide a bike, equipment, clothing, cycling team, coaching, community, and a supportive environment.

“We want Lincoln, Nebraska to be at the forefront of supporting athletes who are too often left behind, and this scholarship fund could be life changing for many.”

Riders registering for Garmin Gravel Worlds will also have an opportunity to match Gravel Worlds’ $2 donation when they register for any cycling distance for the 2023 event

Comments: I think at one point I suggested that if an event really wanted to make a dent in terms of getting disadvantaged and under-represented folks to their event, maybe they might want to think about paying their way, getting them bikes, and transporting them to their events. Well, I am not suggesting that anyone at Gravel Worlds listens to me, or reads my rants, but this is spot-on to what I was referring to. 

Question: Is the UCI Gravel "World Championships" doing anything like this? How about other U.S. based gravel events? Hmm...... I'm thinking the answer is mostly a big fat "no" on that. Correct me please if I am wrong. I'd like that if I were wrong about that, by the way.  

The Otso "Arctodus" frameset- Image courtesy of Otso Cycles.

Otso Cycles Announces New Arctodus Fat Bike:

There has not been much going on in the world of fat bikes for several years in terms of innovations. However; Otso Cycles has found a way to advance the genre' a bit with the introduction of the Arctodus.

The Arctodus is a CroMoly frame with a carbon fiber fork that has been "future-proofed" to accept tires on 100mm fat bike rims that do not exist yet. But if they did, you could slot in 26" X 5.25'ers, 27.5" X 4.5"ers, or the already available 29"er X 3.0" tires.  

Featuring Otso's "Tuning Chip" rear drop out, owners of the Arctodus will be able to tweak the geometry slightly. The frame is said to accept up to a 36T round chain ring and clear 12 cog cassettes with no tire to chain interference. Otso managed this by offsetting the 12mm X 197 rear end to the drive side by 5mm. Owners will also be able to use an "angle changing head set" from Wolf Tooth to further change the head angle which is a slack, for a fat bike, 68.5°. The fork offset is 51mm. 

Comments: A steel frame set? Interesting. A nod to backcountry type riding and bikepackers should really like this frame for that reason. It'll be interesting also to see if this signals a bigger fat bike tire since they are really making a big deal about the clearances. We'll see, but I'm keeping an eye out here. My old Blackborrow can handle a bigger tire than a 4.8"er too, but maybe not that big!

That's a wrap for this week! Have a safe and happy weekend. Watch out for those harvesters! Thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Guitar Ted Productions Podcast

 Announcing the new 'Guitar Ted Productions Podacst" now on Anchor.fm. I'm going to be sharing news, things I am up to, details regarding Trans Iowa, the Guitar Ted Death ride Invitational, and the "series" on this blog related to that.

I'll also be posting Riding Gravel radio ranch stuff there as well. You can listen to the latest one of those HERE which features Dave Pryor of the unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley.  OR listen by licking the link below right here.

 

Guitar Ted Productions Podcast

 Announcing the new 'Guitar Ted Productions Podacst" now on Anchor.fm. I'm going to be sharing news, things I am up to, details regarding Trans Iowa, the Guitar Ted Death ride Invitational, and the "series" on this blog related to that.

I'll also be posting Riding Gravel radio ranch stuff there as well. You can listen to the latest one of those HERE which features Dave Pryor of the unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley.  OR listen by licking the link below right here.

 

The Radio Ranch Goes On The Road

 This coming Sunday I am supposed to be in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to do an interview with Dave Pryor of the unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley event. 

Dave has been on the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch as a guest more times than anyone else, and is a great interview. This time I suspect it will be the best one yet. 

That's because Dave will have just come off his attempt at Gravel Worlds and I will be expecting a full race report from him on his race and beyond to his take on the event as a whole and how everything went down. 

Our plan, (N.Y. Roll is driving me down, by the way), is to take bicycles and do a bit of an easy spin, then to retire to Dave's motel room and to conduct the interview there with him. I guess I hadn't thought of this, but we'll be stuck in our chamois the entire time. Hmm.... Well, it's like Jeff Kerkove used to say, "Chamois time is training time!". Ha ha! 

So, anyway, look forward to that coming out in the near future. Maybe next week even, and I'll be sure to link to that here when it does.

The Radio Ranch Goes On The Road

 This coming Sunday I am supposed to be in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to do an interview with Dave Pryor of the unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley event. 

Dave has been on the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch as a guest more times than anyone else, and is a great interview. This time I suspect it will be the best one yet. 

That's because Dave will have just come off his attempt at Gravel Worlds and I will be expecting a full race report from him on his race and beyond to his take on the event as a whole and how everything went down. 

Our plan, (N.Y. Roll is driving me down, by the way), is to take bicycles and do a bit of an easy spin, then to retire to Dave's motel room and to conduct the interview there with him. I guess I hadn't thought of this, but we'll be stuck in our chamois the entire time. Hmm.... Well, it's like Jeff Kerkove used to say, "Chamois time is training time!". Ha ha! 

So, anyway, look forward to that coming out in the near future. Maybe next week even, and I'll be sure to link to that here when it does.

Friday News And Views

Hall Of Fame Ride Sunday:

Well, N.Y. Roll's "Hall of Fame Ride" takes place out of Vinton, Iowa this Sunday at 9:00am. (Details on his blog here) 

I do not have any clear idea on who might show up, or how many people will show up. It is Father's Day, a Sunday, and that will limit the participation. There is also a local gravel ride happening the day before as well. 

So, it could be a big group, or it could be just myself and N.Y. Roll- maybe a few others. No problem. As N.Y. Roll himself said- "This doesn't mean that this has to be the only ride for GT." I mean, I'm open to offers to do some other ride to celebrate this, so let me know if it matters to you. 

And if it doesn't register on your radar to do anything like that, I'm good. I'm just saying that if you feel so inclined, let me know. It isn't as if N.Y. Roll's ride is it, and there will not be another chance to ride with me and celebrate this honor with me. But here's the thing- I'm not organizing a ride to celebrate this. That's got to come from someone else, for example, as with N.Y, Roll. So, don't wait for me to announce something I'm organizing, because that ain't-a-gonna happen. Hope that makes sense. 

Episode #95 Riding Gravel Radio Ranch:

Well, since last October the ol' Riding Gravel Radio Ranch microphones have been gathering dust, that is until recently. There were some good reasons for that, but I will not delve into all the nitty-gritty of that here. 

Suffice it to say that with the acquisition of some equipment on my part and with the help of N.Y. Roll, I have resurrected the podcast and a new episode is up now.  

N.Y. Roll is my new co-host and we will be picking up where we left off with gab about gravel, bikepacking, and by interviewing subjects from the field of gravel grinding. I will intersperse this with some comments and thoughts on review items as well. 

The RGRR podcast has been missed by more than a few folks and I was even asked while at the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame induction after-party when I was ever going to get that podcast going again. Well, here ya go.... 

And if you wish I'd just go away, well then, don't hit the link. 

Inflation, Fuel Prices Weigh Heavily On Cycling:

Good news! Supply chain issues show signs of relaxing. Bad news: Gas prices are up and inflation is at record levels. Looks like the stock market tanked as well. Hrrumph! 

Pandemic levels of demand and all those new cyclists? Poof! Gone.... The future looks a bit bleaker now, and even if the supply chain straightens out 100%, it is doubtful that boom times are going to continue when bikes do hit shop floors en-force. 

Gas pricing may be seen as a good thing, but I don't think we are quite at the levels where people are willing to jump ship to cycling from cars just yet. They will drive less, and recreational activities are generally hurt by this first. A news article I read stated that National Park attendance has fallen off a cliff during 2022 so far compared to its record levels set the past two years. 

Actually, I think what is happening is that a two-headed monster is affecting folks that might be cyclists from becoming cyclists- Gas prices aren't high enough to force folks out of cars and bike shop bicycle prices have jumped up, making a bicycle harder to acquire in a financial sense. I just helped a couple young folks at the Bicycle Collective who stated this to me.  They want to cycle, but the cost of buying new bikes was out of their budget. I cannot imagine that this isn't happening more often than we know.

And since inflation has struck the prices of bikes and gear pretty hard, I think this will be a big reason for flat sales in 2022.. I think sales will be hurt especially in the lower end in the near term. Especially when I am hearing people complaining about what big-box stores are charging for bicycles. You know if they are upset about that, well a bike shop hasn't got a chance at their business. 

Ergon CF Allroad Pro Carbon Seat Post- "No Seat Post For You!"

In the world of cycling, there is a maxim, accredited to Keith Bontrager, that goes something like: "Strong, Cheap, Light. Pick Two". I'm going to paraphrase that and say "If you weigh North of 250lbs, You Only Get "Strong and Cheap, but it could be Expensive too!"

Okay, I'm being a bit harsh, because there are a lot of components and bicycles that have high weight limits or none at all. But in the case of seat posts, and carbon seat posts at that, one should pay close attention to weight limits. 

I've broken two carbon seat posts in my life, and I have never broken a metal one. I'm pretty sure I've never even bent a metal one, but let's say I have for argument's sake. I'd rather bend a post, rendering it no good, than break a carbon post any day. I was fortunate both times not to incur an injury. 

So, when I received an Ergon CF Allroad Pro carbon post to review for RidingGravel.com, I was thrilled to try it out, that is until I saw the 240lb weight limit. I'm juuust over that weight these days, but I am not taking any chances. I sent it off to get reviewed by the much lighter Grannygear. 

And- so what? Well, this is another area where I feel that cycling kind of gets it wrong. Maybe the marketing message should be amended to show that this is for a very small percentage of folks who ride. Racers. Lightweight folks. Or......maybe design for heavier people and those who carry stuff on their backs. I get it- Ergon has been working on this post since around 2006. Just getting something out of all that R&D is pretty important, because I cannot believe this product is making any money for Ergon yet. And yes- maybe they are doing a version for heavier people in the future. 

But for now? No seat post for you!  

Note: It has been brought to my attention in the comments that lighter/smaller riders also face similar issues, but in the sense that most products are over-built for them. (Or do not fit, etc.) So, I apologize for not seeing that when I worked on this story about the Ergon post. 

That's it for this week. Have a fantastic weekend!