Friday News And Views

 Rene Herse TPU Tubes On Test:

I went ahead and took shiggy's suggestion in the comments last week and ordered a set of Rene Herse TPU tubes for testing here. These will be going into a set of wheels with tires which will remain constant throughout this riding season to see how TPU tubes hold up. 

The Rene Herse TPU tubes, besides being clear, have the distinction of having aluminum valve stems with removable cores. So no flimsy plastic/TPU stems here! Hooray! 

However: I am going to ding Rene Herse's shipping department. They threw these two boxes into a bubble interior paper envelope and shipped them USPS. This flimsy envelope allowed the boxes with the tubes inside to get crushed. The boxes looked a bit beaten up coming out of the envelope. I actually adjusted this one seen here for the image to make it look not so sad. 

Hopefully the tubes are none the worse for wear! I'll be finding out soon enough. I'll have a full opening review on these soon. I expect these will work out well. I've been having pretty good experiences so far with TPU tubes and I am considering swapping over a few more bikes to these tubes. They are radically light, ride like tubeless, but do not need topping up with sealant after six months and these hold air even better than a tubeless tire typically does. 

So, I expect "great things" with these tubes. Stay tuned... 

Image courtesy of J. Zuniga

Running Back The R.A.G.?

N.Y. Roll and I are thinking about running back this t-shirt design I call "R.A.G." It was inspired during the last recon for the last gravel event I ever did.  We saw a lone Bald Eagle in a field alongside the road during the Spring time when everything was brown and dead. 

I was inspired and spouted out something about "Real American Gravel" which ended up on this t-shirt design because N.Y. Roll wanted to have the event we were putting on be for, and inspired by, veterans of the military. 

I had a few left overs of this shirt and since the event in question never happened and that was four years ago, I decided to donate the remainder to the Collective and sell them there. One of our board members, Joe Zuniga, a veteran himself, picked one up and gave it to his friend in Texas who wears it proudly. (The image is of Joe's friend) 

This inspired N.Y. Roll to ask me if we should run this back again, and to be honest, I've been thinking about this as well. So, what do you think? Let us know in the comments. 

Image courtesy of SRAM

Gravel Bike Tech Infiltrates Classics Bike Set Up:

The Spring Classics are beginning now over in Europe and all the cobble-specific tricks are being trotted out for those Pro riders to gain whatever advantage they can with them.

One of the more recent developments comes from the world of gravel bikes. Recent online purveyors of Pro race bike set up articles are ballyhooing the usage by some teams of 1X "mullet" set ups which have pie-plate sized rear cogs for the lower gearing necessary toi climb some of those steep Belgian hills.  

That is neat. However, the cobbled classics are their own beast and if we are honest, these races have always demanded unique and sometimes unusual solutions to provide the riders with their best possible outcomes. Drive train solutions for these races have always been a bit different due to their mostly flat profiles, with a few notable exceptions. 

I'm not going to get too excited about Pros using gravel gearing. It is not a big deal, really. But it is ironic, in a way, because roadies used to make snide remarks about gravel riding and racing back in the day, and here they are using stuff which grew out of the discipline. Nice. 

Welcome To Iowa Weather:

Wednesday we had a blizzard, Today it snowed, and this coming Monday it might be a record warm day here in Waterloo, Iowa. 

That's Spring in this area for you! It makes it rough to plan for rides and sometimes it can be downright disgusting.  Furthermore; it can really play havoc with the gravel roads. 

Fortunately - or maybe unfortunately - we are pretty dry and need the moisture, so the roads won't be too awful with frost heaves and big muddy patches, at least I don't think so. But yeah....roller coaster weather is always a treat. 

Things should smooth out soon enough, but when you are itching to get out, setbacks like we had this week are no fun. On the flip side, Iowa's cycling season should kick into high gear next week. Bike shops beware!

Where We Came From: The Lincoln Scene -

I had the honor and privilege of having two genuine gravel cycling pioneers as guests on the "Guitar Ted Podcast" Thursday. N.Y. Roll listened as Matt Gersib and Matt Wills unfolded the tale of their cycling journeys. Their stories intertwine since the two are friends and have been for decades. 

Their stories are informative and will show how several facets of cycling, technology, and the times had to come into focus at the right time to foster a community of gravel cyclists. Cyclists who influenced gravel cycling in a significant way to the point - in my opinion - that gravel cycling would have not been what it has become without this scene. 

If you care about gravel cycling, and if you want to know a bit of the story regarding how it all got started, I cannot recommend this episode enough. Check it out HERE or wherever you get your podcast feed from.
 

That's a wrap for this week! It's a slow news week, but with Mid-South next weekend, you can expect more newsy stuff. Get out and ride those bikes!

Gravel Comes Back To The Tour

It won't be as challenging as Iowa gravel, but crushed rock roads are back in Le Tour.

The pinnacle of Professional road racing on bicycles is certainly the Tour de France. No other Pro road event approaches the scrutiny, passion, and importance to riders and sponsors that this event has over the decades. 

So, when the 2024 Tour de France route was unveiled to a well-heeled, high fashion wearing crowd of Pro cyclists and media there was a lot of attention placed upon one stage in particular. That would be stage #9. A stage that has a high dosage of white crushed rock,

Now, I want to put this into perspective here. Stage 9's length overall is 123+ miles or 199Km. Out of that there will be 14 separate gravel sectors that will total all of approximately 20 miles. Breaking that down, that's an average sector length of a little more than 1.4 miles at a crack. These short gravel sectors will be sprinkled throughout the last 3/4's of the event with none occurring until after 30 miles into the stage. 

So, nothing like what we think of as "gravel racing". But for these pros, the mixing in of narrow, Champagne department French rural farm roads is raising some valid concerns and technical challenges. 

I've seen images of the actual roads that will be used and they are maybe wide enough for a farm tractor of average size. You could get a Ford F-150 down these, but there is essentially no room for an oncoming truck to get by you. These roads are ancient cart roads that were made long before there were cars and trucks. 

The gravel looks to be of a finer gauge than that used here in the Mid-West and in the images I've seen, two clear tracks existed where vehicles have pushed the larger crushed rock aside, essentially making these roads quite attractive to the average gravel cyclist in the Mid-West here. They look nothing like the carpet of chunky crushed limestone I am familiar with, that's for sure!

So, that's my take on the technical aspects of the roads there. Now what this really points to is how the UCI is using this to bring more awareness to its own Gravel World Series and how this is certainly a marketing move to show that the UCI is indeed aware of its history and the importance of gravel cycling today. How the UCI parlays that into more beneficial aspects of events promotions for themselves will be seen later, I am sure. But make no mistake, gravel appearing in the Tour was not done to be cute.

Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame: Comments On The Hall of Fame

The goods I got from my induction

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

So, there are a few things I have to comment on regarding this hall of fame thing now that I have had a while to ruminate upon it. I'm not going to gloss over a few points here, and I have some good things to say, so we'll see how it balances out here shortly....

First off, and I've mentioned this before, for a first class of inductees, there is- on the surface of it - some glaring omissions. But there are a couple of mitigating circumstances here, so this is difficult, but necessary, I think, to talk about.

The irony was not lost on me - nor upon one or two other folks - that we held the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in the 'gravel city that Jim and Joel built'. Let's face it- There is no DK200 or Unbound gravel without Jim Cummings and Joel Dyke. Both should have been first class inductees. Why weren't they?

Let's take the case of Joel Dyke. Joel was - amongst many other things - not a person who sought the lime light. Because of that, because he left the event altogether around 2011, because he didn't do anything really notable in gravel cycling in a larger sense afterward, and because he died an untimely death several years ago now, his name is lost on most folks nowadays. But his impact is immense, and he deserves to be included into the GCHoF. 

On the side, the induction committee had to rely purely upon regular rider submissions, and their stories about why whomever they nominated belonged in the GCHoF. Stories which should have been included with each nomination. Well, Joel actually was nominated, but his "story" was a one sentence one that was pretty generic. (My source for this point was a high level individual in the GCHoF organization)  Essentially, the nomination had no story to go with it, so many on the committee had nothing to go on. I think this is a tragic oversight - that it wasn't clear that a "story" on a nominee means - you know - a story with a beginning, body, and an end. But be that as it may, Joel will get in posthumously, I am sure of that.

Erik Mathy coaxing a horse in for a portrait.

Now Jim Cummings legacy is a little more tricky to navigate. His dismissal from the event he co-founded and his social media activities kind of cloud his ability to be nominated now. There are those who will hope that he never gets in a hall of fame for gravel. But I think that anyone with those feelings is short-sighted and not really thinking this through with a clearer mind. 

I think if you weigh Jim's contributions, his intent with regard to the event he helped create, and his promoting of said event, well, that's a body of outstanding work. Consider also that Jim's efforts, along with Joel Dyke and later, with LeLan Dains' and Kristi Mohn's assistance, helped to directly launch what is now Mid-South, the Mississippi Gravel Series, and many other events like those. Jim's efforts helped to bring in many new riders, bicycle companies, and media attention to gravel cycling. The influences are immense, and Jim was at the controls for most of that time when gravel was coming up through the ranks to become a Professional sport. Think about him this way- If he hadn't had such a great influence, who would care at all about his social media posts and the name of his event? Right......

Someday Jim Cummings has to be in this hall of fame, or it will be laughable. Kind of like 'Pete Rose' laughable. But we'll see......

Otherwise I think this class is pretty good. As far as the future goes? Ya gotta get nominated and ya gotta have a story for the committee to study. I know events like Barry-Roubaix and the folks behind it are something that needs to be in there. The old "ultra-cross" events of the East and Southeast should be represented. The early Michigan gravel scene is worth a look. California's early group/training events on back roads seems to me to be a seminal influence on things. 

More Mid-West grassroots stuff is worth a look too. But I don't know how the GCHoF will take those ideas and implement them into a cohesive story. Time will tell.....

Image takers and other creatives need a space in the GCHoF. I know Eric Benjamin, the "Adventure Monkey", was a really big influence on the gravel scene early on. The things that were done like those old movies that the PCL and that North Central Cyclery did for events is worthy of inclusion because those were seen by a lot of people online. Heck, even Zach Dundas' book which included a bit about T.I.v3, or the movie by Jeff Frings called "300 Miles of Gravel", which won a regional Emmy in 2012 should be considered somehow. 

Anyway, enough ideas. I've got too many of those! 

My final thoughts are more personal. One thing that bugged me a bit was that my plaque said "Mark Stevenson" and you all know almost no one knew me by that name when I was doing all the gravel stuff, so "Guitar Ted" probably would have been my choice to add on there. Obviously- it wasn't my choice, so..... 

It was a costly trip for me to only have been there less than 24 hours. Lodging was free but the rental and gas money- so far- is on my dime and that was substantial. (UPDATE: I have been promised a reimbursement on my fuel costs for the trip, but my rental car is still on my tab) I'll tell ya- I won't be going anywhere anytime soon because of this trip. Can't afford to. 

But I got to meet a lot of people I was curious about. I got a lot of "Thank You's" and congratulations- recognition of my work I've put in since 2004/5 on cycling and gravel cycling in specific. My little offering to improve cycling has been noted, and will be visible at the Hall of Fame for some time into the future. That's humbling and I am very grateful for this honor.

And of course, I've already mentioned how grateful I was for meeting and hanging out with Erik Mathy. That was awesome, and I sure hope that another such adventure with Erik is in the cards in the future. But if it is not, I was extremely blessed to have had the experience I had. That was the cherry on top that I wasn't expecting at all. 

And now all this is behind me. Honestly, I don't expect that I will be of much note to anyone outside of a small group of people in the future. Cycling media, unsurprisingly, completely ignored the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame ceremonies. There was absolutely zero press there, no questions from any press members, and - you know- they were there. Like right in town. They were there for Unbound and the road racing on gravel surfaces. Talk about getting snubbed.....

And like I said, I was not at all surprised that media wasn't in attendance or interested. Media is behind "Roadie Gravel", not what gravel events have been since I started in this gig. The media could care less about that because it is not "real racing" to their way of thinking and it doesn't register on their interest scale. Grassroots gravel isn't about personalities that win races. So, it doesn't "sell" in their mind. It isn't "top-shelf" in terms of fitness or - most importantly- in terms of making money. Both for the racers and themselves. So, a "Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame" is ridiculous, and it doesn't feature anyone they can, or ever could be, interested in. 

But that's fine. I understand their viewpoint and really, their interest or non-interest doesn't change the fact that the people that went into the GCHoF were the ones that their successes are built on. Without us, they would have what? A string of failed stage races, a shriveled criterium scene, and an anemic MTB XC scene? Yeah, they have a lot to be thankful for, and I know it. Maybe they do, maybe they do not.....

Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame: Comments On The Hall of Fame

The goods I got from my induction

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

So, there are a few things I have to comment on regarding this hall of fame thing now that I have had a while to ruminate upon it. I'm not going to gloss over a few points here, and I have some good things to say, so we'll see how it balances out here shortly....

First off, and I've mentioned this before, for a first class of inductees, there is- on the surface of it - some glaring omissions. But there are a couple of mitigating circumstances here, so this is difficult, but necessary, I think, to talk about.

The irony was not lost on me - nor upon one or two other folks - that we held the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in the 'gravel city that Jim and Joel built'. Let's face it- There is no DK200 or Unbound gravel without Jim Cummings and Joel Dyke. Both should have been first class inductees. Why weren't they?

Let's take the case of Joel Dyke. Joel was - amongst many other things - not a person who sought the lime light. Because of that, because he left the event altogether around 2011, because he didn't do anything really notable in gravel cycling in a larger sense afterward, and because he died an untimely death several years ago now, his name is lost on most folks nowadays. But his impact is immense, and he deserves to be included into the GCHoF. 

On the side, the induction committee had to rely purely upon regular rider submissions, and their stories about why whomever they nominated belonged in the GCHoF. Stories which should have been included with each nomination. Well, Joel actually was nominated, but his "story" was a one sentence one that was pretty generic. (My source for this point was a high level individual in the GCHoF organization)  Essentially, the nomination had no story to go with it, so many on the committee had nothing to go on. I think this is a tragic oversight - that it wasn't clear that a "story" on a nominee means - you know - a story with a beginning, body, and an end. But be that as it may, Joel will get in posthumously, I am sure of that.

Erik Mathy coaxing a horse in for a portrait.

Now Jim Cummings legacy is a little more tricky to navigate. His dismissal from the event he co-founded and his social media activities kind of cloud his ability to be nominated now. There are those who will hope that he never gets in a hall of fame for gravel. But I think that anyone with those feelings is short-sighted and not really thinking this through with a clearer mind. 

I think if you weigh Jim's contributions, his intent with regard to the event he helped create, and his promoting of said event, well, that's a body of outstanding work. Consider also that Jim's efforts, along with Joel Dyke and later, with LeLan Dains' and Kristi Mohn's assistance, helped to directly launch what is now Mid-South, the Mississippi Gravel Series, and many other events like those. Jim's efforts helped to bring in many new riders, bicycle companies, and media attention to gravel cycling. The influences are immense, and Jim was at the controls for most of that time when gravel was coming up through the ranks to become a Professional sport. Think about him this way- If he hadn't had such a great influence, who would care at all about his social media posts and the name of his event? Right......

Someday Jim Cummings has to be in this hall of fame, or it will be laughable. Kind of like 'Pete Rose' laughable. But we'll see......

Otherwise I think this class is pretty good. As far as the future goes? Ya gotta get nominated and ya gotta have a story for the committee to study. I know events like Barry-Roubaix and the folks behind it are something that needs to be in there. The old "ultra-cross" events of the East and Southeast should be represented. The early Michigan gravel scene is worth a look. California's early group/training events on back roads seems to me to be a seminal influence on things. 

More Mid-West grassroots stuff is worth a look too. But I don't know how the GCHoF will take those ideas and implement them into a cohesive story. Time will tell.....

Image takers and other creatives need a space in the GCHoF. I know Eric Benjamin, the "Adventure Monkey", was a really big influence on the gravel scene early on. The things that were done like those old movies that the PCL and that North Central Cyclery did for events is worthy of inclusion because those were seen by a lot of people online. Heck, even Zach Dundas' book which included a bit about T.I.v3, or the movie by Jeff Frings called "300 Miles of Gravel", which won a regional Emmy in 2012 should be considered somehow. 

Anyway, enough ideas. I've got too many of those! 

My final thoughts are more personal. One thing that bugged me a bit was that my plaque said "Mark Stevenson" and you all know almost no one knew me by that name when I was doing all the gravel stuff, so "Guitar Ted" probably would have been my choice to add on there. Obviously- it wasn't my choice, so..... 

It was a costly trip for me to only have been there less than 24 hours. Lodging was free but the rental and gas money- so far- is on my dime and that was substantial. (UPDATE: I have been promised a reimbursement on my fuel costs for the trip, but my rental car is still on my tab) I'll tell ya- I won't be going anywhere anytime soon because of this trip. Can't afford to. 

But I got to meet a lot of people I was curious about. I got a lot of "Thank You's" and congratulations- recognition of my work I've put in since 2004/5 on cycling and gravel cycling in specific. My little offering to improve cycling has been noted, and will be visible at the Hall of Fame for some time into the future. That's humbling and I am very grateful for this honor.

And of course, I've already mentioned how grateful I was for meeting and hanging out with Erik Mathy. That was awesome, and I sure hope that another such adventure with Erik is in the cards in the future. But if it is not, I was extremely blessed to have had the experience I had. That was the cherry on top that I wasn't expecting at all. 

And now all this is behind me. Honestly, I don't expect that I will be of much note to anyone outside of a small group of people in the future. Cycling media, unsurprisingly, completely ignored the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame ceremonies. There was absolutely zero press there, no questions from any press members, and - you know- they were there. Like right in town. They were there for Unbound and the road racing on gravel surfaces. Talk about getting snubbed.....

And like I said, I was not at all surprised that media wasn't in attendance or interested. Media is behind "Roadie Gravel", not what gravel events have been since I started in this gig. The media could care less about that because it is not "real racing" to their way of thinking and it doesn't register on their interest scale. Grassroots gravel isn't about personalities that win races. So, it doesn't "sell" in their mind. It isn't "top-shelf" in terms of fitness or - most importantly- in terms of making money. Both for the racers and themselves. So, a "Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame" is ridiculous, and it doesn't feature anyone they can, or ever could be, interested in. 

But that's fine. I understand their viewpoint and really, their interest or non-interest doesn't change the fact that the people that went into the GCHoF were the ones that their successes are built on. Without us, they would have what? A string of failed stage races, a shriveled criterium scene, and an anemic MTB XC scene? Yeah, they have a lot to be thankful for, and I know it. Maybe they do, maybe they do not.....

Dropper Post Madness

Seen on social media Sunday.

 The "dropper post". That thing mountain bikers came up with to make descents and cornering more stable and safe. If you are a mountain biker, well.....you know. I don't have to convince you of the benefits. 

But when it came to other disciplines of cycling, dropper posts were, well.....'that mountain biker thing', and many were not going to give that component a chance because....'mountain biking'. Really, what other reason is there?

Weight? Hmm..... maybe. I could see that, but if you wouldn't even try one just based upon that reason alone, well, why would you ever ride a time trial bike, aero wheel sets, or use wider tires? All weigh more than their traditional roadie counterparts do, (in the case of a time trial bike, it is a sum of the parts, but a "real road bike" still weighs less). 

So pushing off the dropper post just because it weighs more than a traditional post is taking the easy way out of thinking about this component. I mean, mountain bikers would never be using suspension if the weight argument wasn't quickly put aside due to the overwhelming benefits of suspension in many cases. 

The Otso Cycles Waheela S was one of several new gravel bikes outfitted with a dropper post in 2018.

 I tried a dropper post on a gravel bike in 2018. It was a component that was being pushed forward, yes- by mountain biking- but gravel folks were somewhat more open to trying that idea. Anyway, I gave it a go, and at that time, I said that the dropper post was an advantage on descents for gravel riders, and probably roadies too. It wasn't even close to a subjective opinion. I had demonstratively proven that a dropper post was a clear cut advantage on descents by my using it on a Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational that year. 

I was easily cruising away from my riding partners on descents due to the aero advantage lent by getting lower on the bike. This is why the UCI outlawed the "Super Tuck" as riders were using the position to get more aero and have more control over their bicycles. So, on one hand the advantage was clear, but on the other hand, why roadies didn't figure this out several years ago is a mystery to me. 

They used dropper posts, yes. Mavic even had them on their Service Course bikes at the tour one year. But they weren't there to make riders more secure on descents and more aero. They were there so riders of different leg lengths could be fitted more quickly. (What?!!) Talk about being in denial......

But now, all of a sudden, this dropper post thing seems all new and real because some guy won a "monument" of cycling with it. It would be high comedy for many of us out here who have known this for years if it wasn't so seemingly daft. But - there ya go! Roadies using dropper posts for what they were meant for.

Dropper Post Madness

Seen on social media Sunday.

 The "dropper post". That thing mountain bikers came up with to make descents and cornering more stable and safe. If you are a mountain biker, well.....you know. I don't have to convince you of the benefits. 

But when it came to other disciplines of cycling, dropper posts were, well.....'that mountain biker thing', and many were not going to give that component a chance because....'mountain biking'. Really, what other reason is there?

Weight? Hmm..... maybe. I could see that, but if you wouldn't even try one just based upon that reason alone, well, why would you ever ride a time trial bike, aero wheel sets, or use wider tires? All weigh more than their traditional roadie counterparts do, (in the case of a time trial bike, it is a sum of the parts, but a "real road bike" still weighs less). 

So pushing off the dropper post just because it weighs more than a traditional post is taking the easy way out of thinking about this component. I mean, mountain bikers would never be using suspension if the weight argument wasn't quickly put aside due to the overwhelming benefits of suspension in many cases. 

The Otso Cycles Waheela S was one of several new gravel bikes outfitted with a dropper post in 2018.

 I tried a dropper post on a gravel bike in 2018. It was a component that was being pushed forward, yes- by mountain biking- but gravel folks were somewhat more open to trying that idea. Anyway, I gave it a go, and at that time, I said that the dropper post was an advantage on descents for gravel riders, and probably roadies too. It wasn't even close to a subjective opinion. I had demonstratively proven that a dropper post was a clear cut advantage on descents by my using it on a Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational that year. 

I was easily cruising away from my riding partners on descents due to the aero advantage lent by getting lower on the bike. This is why the UCI outlawed the "Super Tuck" as riders were using the position to get more aero and have more control over their bicycles. So, on one hand the advantage was clear, but on the other hand, why roadies didn't figure this out several years ago is a mystery to me. 

They used dropper posts, yes. Mavic even had them on their Service Course bikes at the tour one year. But they weren't there to make riders more secure on descents and more aero. They were there so riders of different leg lengths could be fitted more quickly. (What?!!) Talk about being in denial......

But now, all of a sudden, this dropper post thing seems all new and real because some guy won a "monument" of cycling with it. It would be high comedy for many of us out here who have known this for years if it wasn't so seemingly daft. But - there ya go! Roadies using dropper posts for what they were meant for.

Where Did It All Go Wrong?

This is the bike in question, not that it matters to this discussion.

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Thursday the bicycle media wonks went nuts over a new Specialized road bike. It's a racy, racing bike type bicycle with a feather-weight frame and fork, electronic shifting, and costs - at a minimum- 10K+ and tops out at over 12K dollars. 

The bike is being ballyhooed as a "return to classic road bike lines", and a "bike not just for racers". The light weight is being lauded and all that with disc brakes and room for 32mm tires! (Although it comes stock with 26mm tires.) 

Comments: This isn't new. It isn't different. It's not a "return to" anything, and it absolutely is a racing bike. It's like the cycling media was shown a thoroughbred race horse and they said it was the best cart horse they ever saw. What? I know it's been some time since any of the "Big Four" (Cannondale, Specialized, Trek, Giant) have introduced such a machine, but by reading the comments, you'd think this thing was "The Everyman's Bike®" or some return to a style that we'd needed to have. Well, this was the disconnect that made my head spin. 

Apparently I wasn't the only one left scratching my head wondering just what it was these cycling oriented sites were seeing that I was not seeing. Or to be more correct, why these sites weren't calling this just another racing bike derived rig for a small niche of the populace. Because that's exactly what it is. That it was released by a brand named "Specialized" makes it only more ironic. 

There was a bit of commentary from writer/commentator on cycling issues, Peter Flax, on Twitter, and a response he got from classic frame builder, Richard Sachs, which clearly illustrates this disconnect and why we find ourselves looking at these odd comments from the cycling media on this bike, and others like it. 

Now, to be fair, Specialized and many of the reviews do not go to the ProTour/aero thing when looking at this bike. No- they say it isn't "that bike" for the most part, but it is a road racer derived design, so really, what Mr. Flax says in his Tweet pretty much nails it. 

I've been banging this drum for years. I've been saying all along that bike shops are selling the wrong bikes (road race derived designs) to the average rider to their detriment. I also have noted that flat bar, so-called "hybrid bikes", or now more commonly referred to as "fitness bikes", have outsold nearly every category of bikes for years. Yet you see little development, ad dollars, or marketing for this category. Bike companies have ignored those riders in favor of sponsoring ProTour teams, ballyhooing the "marquee" bikes which those athletes ride, and demanding technology be developed for these bikes over that of what the average person needs and wants. 

I will give you an example: In 2007 I was invited by Trek to partake in a release event for some new mountain bikes coming from the then still relevant Gary Fisher Bikes company and Trek. Mr. Fisher was on hand, of course, and at one point after a presentation in Santa Cruz, he pulled me aside and told me he wanted to show me something special. 

It was a 27 speed bike based on the Dutch city bike style with a completely automatic, electronic drive train. You didn't have to shift. The bike had sensors that determined what the rider needed in gear ratio and shifted accordingly based on power output and speed. Gary told me to take it for a ride, and to make sure I rode the steepest hills up and down, so I would get the full treatment. 

The bike was amazing! All I had to do was pedal. The bike decided my gear ratios, and shifted flawlessly to each as I went up steep inclines along the ocean in Santa Cruz, and then back down again. It wasn't a prototype either. This bike was production-ready. So.......what the heck happened? How is it that the industry hasn't produced a bike like this in the 13 years that I know this sort of technology has existed.? Richard Sachs, in response to the Peter Flax Tweet above, clues us in: (via Twitter again)

Boom! That is the most succinct, elucidated reasoning for what we've seen in the bicycle industry in North America since I've been involved in it. Yes- we had mountain bikes, but that idea was wrested away from being the people's bike by the mid-90's and it was turned into this daredevil, back country, enduro thing and most average folk feel left out. Then the "Lance Effect" hit and we got a double dose of roadie influenced bikes. 

Now you can point fingers at the gravel scene and claim we're not far off this whole roadified design misadventure, and I wouldn't argue with you there. The thing is, bike companies cannot seem to resist the siren call of road racer design and ethos. Big ProTour events are held up as the pinnacle of cycling, and what mere mortal can ever hope to attain to such lofty heights? And if you are a pretender, well your fantasy "F1-type Experience For The Street" awaits you. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it isn't serving the masses needs either. Again- the industry caters to such a small niche of the population by foisting these bikes on us time and again, that it is no wonder that the "pie' has not grown. 

HPC's and electrified this-and-thats have also been pointed to as being the new "Bike Of The People", but when most of these are 2K and up, are they really "for the people"? No- they are not, and neither is this fancy, lightweight, wonder bike that costs 10K, and others like it.

Where Did It All Go Wrong?

This is the bike in question, not that it matters to this discussion.

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Thursday the bicycle media wonks went nuts over a new Specialized road bike. It's a racy, racing bike type bicycle with a feather-weight frame and fork, electronic shifting, and costs - at a minimum- 10K+ and tops out at over 12K dollars. 

The bike is being ballyhooed as a "return to classic road bike lines", and a "bike not just for racers". The light weight is being lauded and all that with disc brakes and room for 32mm tires! (Although it comes stock with 26mm tires.) 

Comments: This isn't new. It isn't different. It's not a "return to" anything, and it absolutely is a racing bike. It's like the cycling media was shown a thoroughbred race horse and they said it was the best cart horse they ever saw. What? I know it's been some time since any of the "Big Four" (Cannondale, Specialized, Trek, Giant) have introduced such a machine, but by reading the comments, you'd think this thing was "The Everyman's Bike®" or some return to a style that we'd needed to have. Well, this was the disconnect that made my head spin. 

Apparently I wasn't the only one left scratching my head wondering just what it was these cycling oriented sites were seeing that I was not seeing. Or to be more correct, why these sites weren't calling this just another racing bike derived rig for a small niche of the populace. Because that's exactly what it is. That it was released by a brand named "Specialized" makes it only more ironic. 

There was a bit of commentary from writer/commentator on cycling issues, Peter Flax, on Twitter, and a response he got from classic frame builder, Richard Sachs, which clearly illustrates this disconnect and why we find ourselves looking at these odd comments from the cycling media on this bike, and others like it. 

Now, to be fair, Specialized and many of the reviews do not go to the ProTour/aero thing when looking at this bike. No- they say it isn't "that bike" for the most part, but it is a road racer derived design, so really, what Mr. Flax says in his Tweet pretty much nails it. 

I've been banging this drum for years. I've been saying all along that bike shops are selling the wrong bikes (road race derived designs) to the average rider to their detriment. I also have noted that flat bar, so-called "hybrid bikes", or now more commonly referred to as "fitness bikes", have outsold nearly every category of bikes for years. Yet you see little development, ad dollars, or marketing for this category. Bike companies have ignored those riders in favor of sponsoring ProTour teams, ballyhooing the "marquee" bikes which those athletes ride, and demanding technology be developed for these bikes over that of what the average person needs and wants. 

I will give you an example: In 2007 I was invited by Trek to partake in a release event for some new mountain bikes coming from the then still relevant Gary Fisher Bikes company and Trek. Mr. Fisher was on hand, of course, and at one point after a presentation in Santa Cruz, he pulled me aside and told me he wanted to show me something special. 

It was a 27 speed bike based on the Dutch city bike style with a completely automatic, electronic drive train. You didn't have to shift. The bike had sensors that determined what the rider needed in gear ratio and shifted accordingly based on power output and speed. Gary told me to take it for a ride, and to make sure I rode the steepest hills up and down, so I would get the full treatment. 

The bike was amazing! All I had to do was pedal. The bike decided my gear ratios, and shifted flawlessly to each as I went up steep inclines along the ocean in Santa Cruz, and then back down again. It wasn't a prototype either. This bike was production-ready. So.......what the heck happened? How is it that the industry hasn't produced a bike like this in the 13 years that I know this sort of technology has existed.? Richard Sachs, in response to the Peter Flax Tweet above, clues us in: (via Twitter again)

Boom! That is the most succinct, elucidated reasoning for what we've seen in the bicycle industry in North America since I've been involved in it. Yes- we had mountain bikes, but that idea was wrested away from being the people's bike by the mid-90's and it was turned into this daredevil, back country, enduro thing and most average folk feel left out. Then the "Lance Effect" hit and we got a double dose of roadie influenced bikes. 

Now you can point fingers at the gravel scene and claim we're not far off this whole roadified design misadventure, and I wouldn't argue with you there. The thing is, bike companies cannot seem to resist the siren call of road racer design and ethos. Big ProTour events are held up as the pinnacle of cycling, and what mere mortal can ever hope to attain to such lofty heights? And if you are a pretender, well your fantasy "F1-type Experience For The Street" awaits you. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it isn't serving the masses needs either. Again- the industry caters to such a small niche of the population by foisting these bikes on us time and again, that it is no wonder that the "pie' has not grown. 

HPC's and electrified this-and-thats have also been pointed to as being the new "Bike Of The People", but when most of these are 2K and up, are they really "for the people"? No- they are not, and neither is this fancy, lightweight, wonder bike that costs 10K, and others like it.

Friday News And Views

Police Bike Fallout:

Social unrest in many US cities has resulted in many skirmishes between protesters and Law Enforcement personnel which has been captured by anyone with a working smart phone. Much of the focus has been on police abuses of power, and in some instances, police with bicycles have been shown using these bikes in tactics taught for crowd control. Police using bicycles as a tool, (or weapons, depending upon your point of view), has aroused some concerns over which brands 'support' this by selling their bicycles to Law Enforcement departments. Trek bikes, being the most prominent in these instances, has been tagged by many as being offensive for not pulling support from Law Enforcement. Many have called for Trek to issue a public statement that they would no longer sell these bikes.

Coverage of the issue has been world-wide as seen here. Instead of pulling support for Law Enforcement bike sales, Trek quietly removed links to pages for the bikes on their site and then Trek President, John Burke, made the following blog post detailing Trek's in house plan to address its systemic racism in five steps.

Many hours later, after the blog post went up, Trek did finally address the police bike situation with the following statement:

 “Recently we have seen photos and video of Trek bikes that have been used by police in ways that are abhorrent and vastly different from their intended use. For over 25 years, we have seen police on bikes, out of cruisers and offices, building relationships in the neighborhoods they serve. The past two weeks have turned the view of police on bikes from a community asset to a liability. A positive outcome of the recent protests is that we are starting to see real police reform being discussed at local and national levels. We believe bikes can play a positive role by continuing to get officers out of cars and armored trucks and into the community where trust can be built.”

While many were disappointed that Trek did not axe their police bike program publicly, (and we really do not know if they have or have not), the five step plan detailed in the Trek blog post was hailed by some observers as being bold and a great step forward. I would agree. It looks that way up front for sure.

But the proof is in the pudding, and there is really no way to know if what this five step program details will be accomplished. I mean, who is going to check in on this in a year? What evidence will be shown that anything was done? I don't know...... Maybe Trek will publicly hold itself accountable, and maybe we all forget about this in a few years. I don't know, but this does bear watching.

 Colorado Classic Proposes Plan To Hold Race:

The Pro Women's event, the Colorado Classic, has proposed an interesting plan to go forward with its tentative date of August 27th-30th. The race organizers have essentially stripped down the event to only have essential personnel on site, with no spectators allowed. They have set up live streaming plans and a network to disseminate images to an online viewership.

Colorado, noted for some of the more strict stay at home orders in the US during the early stages of the pandemic, has not fully lifted its restrictions as of June. Organizers of the Colorado Classic have submitted their plans, including a change of venue for the final day from ending in Denver to ending the event at the Red Rocks Amphitheater. The Colorado Classic does not have a confirmation from the State that it can, in fact, go forward with its plans. The press release had this to say:

".....State approval to host the event has not yet been granted but conditions are changing daily. The race organizers are targeting an early July date for the next update release of information and will provide more details to the media at that time."

Comments: Indeed, conditions are changing daily. Tuesday this week it was reported that 14 states had rising cases of COVID-19 and many in the medical field expect to see spiking cases due to states re-opening too soon, or from the mass protests held across the country recently. The Iowa State Fair, which has only been cancelled once due to WWII, cancelled their plans to hold a fair in August this year and will plan for a 2021 return. Obviously, the situation is fluid and whether or not the Colorado Classic still happens is up in the air. It is impressive to see the determination from the event organizers to put together a plan though, and it reflects the vacuum of 'goals' out there for professional road cyclists to train for. 

Perhaps the lesson here is to just ride your bicycles for the joy of it.  

Waiting.......

Standard Rando Update:

The "Saffron" yellow Standard Rando frame and carbon fork are still coming to me and I have an update on when that will be. The frame and fork were supposed to have come by now, but the hang up was in that the painted to match fork wasn't quite right, according to Twin Six.

They gave me options. I could defer until the forks were in and done right, probably in July. I could switch to the steel fork and get the frame and fork right away. The third option was to pay a small fee, get the steel fork now, and then get the carbon fork when it was in and right.

I deferred and decided to wait until the carbon fork was in and right only because I really do not want the steel fork, and I do not need another fork around here just taking up space. Besides, it would be school bus yellow, and what, if any, other bike would that work for? The word was that both forks 'ride stiff', so I figured that there was no advantage to get the steel fork. The advantage of a lighter weight carbon fork won out there. So, I probably won't be building my Standard Rando up for a while yet. Andy, the guy I work for now, has his already, since he went with a steel fork right away.

In the meantime I have sourced a bottom bracket and I have found my Cane Creek head set that will work on this bike. So, those two critical components are on hand which I need to get the bike going. The rest of the stuff I should have. There will be a bit of swapping of parts as well. I am going to switch over the Redshift ShockStop stem and seat post which are on the Black Mountain Cycles MCD. The drive train will be the Force 1 SRAM stuff I have around here in a box. Now that said, there is a thought bubbling here that I may do this bike as a single speed. There is an extenuating circumstance which may modify my desire to do that. It's a situation that is still fluid, so I cannot say now. Hopefully that situation will sort itself out while I am waiting on the Standard Rando to show up.

Finally, wheels..... I have been contemplating setting up this one as a 650B bike, but.... I don't know. It will pull 650B duties, but I think I'll keep it 'dual-purpose' for now and set it up initially with the 700c wheel set I have in mind for this bike. I'm thinking that will be how I use it most anyway.

That's all for this week! I hope that you all can get out and enjoy some bicycle riding this weekend!

Friday News And Views

Police Bike Fallout:

Social unrest in many US cities has resulted in many skirmishes between protesters and Law Enforcement personnel which has been captured by anyone with a working smart phone. Much of the focus has been on police abuses of power, and in some instances, police with bicycles have been shown using these bikes in tactics taught for crowd control. Police using bicycles as a tool, (or weapons, depending upon your point of view), has aroused some concerns over which brands 'support' this by selling their bicycles to Law Enforcement departments. Trek bikes, being the most prominent in these instances, has been tagged by many as being offensive for not pulling support from Law Enforcement. Many have called for Trek to issue a public statement that they would no longer sell these bikes.

Coverage of the issue has been world-wide as seen here. Instead of pulling support for Law Enforcement bike sales, Trek quietly removed links to pages for the bikes on their site and then Trek President, John Burke, made the following blog post detailing Trek's in house plan to address its systemic racism in five steps.

Many hours later, after the blog post went up, Trek did finally address the police bike situation with the following statement:

 “Recently we have seen photos and video of Trek bikes that have been used by police in ways that are abhorrent and vastly different from their intended use. For over 25 years, we have seen police on bikes, out of cruisers and offices, building relationships in the neighborhoods they serve. The past two weeks have turned the view of police on bikes from a community asset to a liability. A positive outcome of the recent protests is that we are starting to see real police reform being discussed at local and national levels. We believe bikes can play a positive role by continuing to get officers out of cars and armored trucks and into the community where trust can be built.”

While many were disappointed that Trek did not axe their police bike program publicly, (and we really do not know if they have or have not), the five step plan detailed in the Trek blog post was hailed by some observers as being bold and a great step forward. I would agree. It looks that way up front for sure.

But the proof is in the pudding, and there is really no way to know if what this five step program details will be accomplished. I mean, who is going to check in on this in a year? What evidence will be shown that anything was done? I don't know...... Maybe Trek will publicly hold itself accountable, and maybe we all forget about this in a few years. I don't know, but this does bear watching.

 Colorado Classic Proposes Plan To Hold Race:

The Pro Women's event, the Colorado Classic, has proposed an interesting plan to go forward with its tentative date of August 27th-30th. The race organizers have essentially stripped down the event to only have essential personnel on site, with no spectators allowed. They have set up live streaming plans and a network to disseminate images to an online viewership.

Colorado, noted for some of the more strict stay at home orders in the US during the early stages of the pandemic, has not fully lifted its restrictions as of June. Organizers of the Colorado Classic have submitted their plans, including a change of venue for the final day from ending in Denver to ending the event at the Red Rocks Amphitheater. The Colorado Classic does not have a confirmation from the State that it can, in fact, go forward with its plans. The press release had this to say:

".....State approval to host the event has not yet been granted but conditions are changing daily. The race organizers are targeting an early July date for the next update release of information and will provide more details to the media at that time."

Comments: Indeed, conditions are changing daily. Tuesday this week it was reported that 14 states had rising cases of COVID-19 and many in the medical field expect to see spiking cases due to states re-opening too soon, or from the mass protests held across the country recently. The Iowa State Fair, which has only been cancelled once due to WWII, cancelled their plans to hold a fair in August this year and will plan for a 2021 return. Obviously, the situation is fluid and whether or not the Colorado Classic still happens is up in the air. It is impressive to see the determination from the event organizers to put together a plan though, and it reflects the vacuum of 'goals' out there for professional road cyclists to train for. 

Perhaps the lesson here is to just ride your bicycles for the joy of it.  

Waiting.......

Standard Rando Update:

The "Saffron" yellow Standard Rando frame and carbon fork are still coming to me and I have an update on when that will be. The frame and fork were supposed to have come by now, but the hang up was in that the painted to match fork wasn't quite right, according to Twin Six.

They gave me options. I could defer until the forks were in and done right, probably in July. I could switch to the steel fork and get the frame and fork right away. The third option was to pay a small fee, get the steel fork now, and then get the carbon fork when it was in and right.

I deferred and decided to wait until the carbon fork was in and right only because I really do not want the steel fork, and I do not need another fork around here just taking up space. Besides, it would be school bus yellow, and what, if any, other bike would that work for? The word was that both forks 'ride stiff', so I figured that there was no advantage to get the steel fork. The advantage of a lighter weight carbon fork won out there. So, I probably won't be building my Standard Rando up for a while yet. Andy, the guy I work for now, has his already, since he went with a steel fork right away.

In the meantime I have sourced a bottom bracket and I have found my Cane Creek head set that will work on this bike. So, those two critical components are on hand which I need to get the bike going. The rest of the stuff I should have. There will be a bit of swapping of parts as well. I am going to switch over the Redshift ShockStop stem and seat post which are on the Black Mountain Cycles MCD. The drive train will be the Force 1 SRAM stuff I have around here in a box. Now that said, there is a thought bubbling here that I may do this bike as a single speed. There is an extenuating circumstance which may modify my desire to do that. It's a situation that is still fluid, so I cannot say now. Hopefully that situation will sort itself out while I am waiting on the Standard Rando to show up.

Finally, wheels..... I have been contemplating setting up this one as a 650B bike, but.... I don't know. It will pull 650B duties, but I think I'll keep it 'dual-purpose' for now and set it up initially with the 700c wheel set I have in mind for this bike. I'm thinking that will be how I use it most anyway.

That's all for this week! I hope that you all can get out and enjoy some bicycle riding this weekend!

Friday News And Views

Walton Heirs Move Rapha From Portland To Bentonville:

News dropped on Wednesday that cycling apparel company, Rapha, based in the UK, was moving its Portland, Oregon based US operations to Bentonville, Arkansas. The move is believed to be motivated by the Walton brothers, heirs of the WalMart fortune, who own the parent company of Rapha.

It has been widely reported that the Walton heirs are cycling fans and that they have built up the Bentonville area into a destination spot for mountain bikers, and now are bringing assets that will attract road and gravel cyclists to the area as well. Related to the Rapha move is the relocation of Allied Cycles, also owned by a company which is owned itself by the Waltons. Allied, in case you weren't aware, makes high end US carbon road and gravel bikes. The Waltons are also involved in the WalMart brand, Viathon, which is also selling higher end carbon road and mountain bikes via WalMart outlets and online.

To say that the Walton heirs have transformed the Bentonville area into an attractive place for cycling companies to relocate is a mild understatement. There are rumblings of other cycling companies wanting to come to this area as well. Lower housing costs for employees, lower cost of living, and centralized shipping are reasons stated for this, but you have to figure that the investments made by the Walton heirs are the key here.

Keep in mind that Life Time events' new Big Sugar gravel event is based out of this area, and that the recent USAC-Gravel pow-wow was held in the town as well. The Walton money is central to all this activity. Question: What happens when the money dries up? Well, nobody knows you when you are down and out, right Portland?

The Robert Axle Project "Drive Thru" chain management tool

Gizmo Alert: Robert Axle Project's Drive Thru:

You may have heard of the Robert Axle Project, (no! it isn't a band!), and if you have, you know that they do axles, (duh!), and through axles of various thread pitches and lengths are their game. Well, they just came out with this new gizmo called a "Drive Thru". It's kind of like the Pedros Chain Keeper, only for through axles, and a lot better made too.

This particular one will work on my gravel bikes with the 12mm X 1.0 thread pitch through axle standard. They have these in 1.5 and 1.75 thread pitches as well. There is no reason these wouldn't work for mountain and road bikes as well.

Here's the thing- The obvious use is for when you are cleaning your bike and don't want the chain slapping all around your chain stay. But there are other reasons to have this too. Transporting your bike without wheels? Or how about while you are doing rear tire swaps, or maintenance on the drive train and don't want to get chain cleaning/lube spooge on your tires? I'm sure you can come up with other ideas here.

The Drive Thru has a wheel and it does rotate, and it can slide back and forth on the axle. So, you could check shifting without the rear wheel in the bike, or fool around with your front derailleur without a rear wheel. It's made from aluminum and a sort of plastic, maybe nylon reinforced? Not sure because the site doesn't tell us. But it is another level above a Pedros Chain Keeper and obviously, that tool is for a quick release anyway. Yes, it costs $35.00, but it is something you'll have around for years and something you probably will find really useful.

Note: The Robert Axle Project sent over the Drive Thru for test and review to RidingGravel.com at no charge. I was not bribed nor paid for this review and I will always strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout. 

Too chunky for the UCI?  Image from the T.I.v9 course

 The UCI Sets Guidelines For Gravel Road Sectors In Pro Events: 

Recently, "Velo News" ran this article which tells how the UCI, (Pro Cycling's governing arm) is going to set guidelines for the inclusion of gravel sectors in Pro level road events.

You can go read the details, but essentially what this means is that the UCI can summarily veto any gravel sector in an event that they deem as being unsafe or that hinders spectators and follow cars from being used. They have also informed promoters that they will even go so far as to not register events as sanctioned on their calendar if the protocols are not followed.

I'm going to make a few observations. First- this is a good hint at what would happen should there ever be a Pro level gravel series in the U.S.A. run by USAC. Secondly, I bet there are a LOT of people that won't see any issues with the directives, especially the ones that talk about rider safety. But here's the thing- what is "safe" in their domain? Hard to say from what we can read here, but I'm betting this would be a very arbitrary, subjectively applied rule. I mean, what are they going to do? Measure gravel with a gauge to insure the correct grind? This would be an impossible task, by the way, since gravel conditions can, and often do, change by the mile. Look at my image here. It's from the course of Trans Iowa v9.

This image shows a section of about a mile, mile and a half, where the depth, size of rock, and roughness of those stones was exemplary. Just about the chunkiest gravel I've ever seen on a road, with the exception of a mile of fist sized rocks strewn across about a mile plus of the original Dirty Kanza course in 2006. The riders did this section, and no one was injured. But how would the UCI see that? I'm betting they wouldn't accept it. Too hard. 

But again, I don't know for sure. I'm spit-ballin' here, but my point is that the sanitization of sectors of gravel, or the outright elimination of them, since it will be such a pain to include them, in Pro Tour events is going to happen. First of all, the whole "follow car" thing is such a backwards deal. We ride bicycles to get away from cars, but here are about 20 of them, plus motos, screaming around the course. It's an anathema for gravel cycling folk here. We don't want that. It's not the vibe we all went for when we decided to start riding gravel events. Self-support means you don't have to have that garbage out there. Those rolling trains of machinery are not necessary.

I could go on, but this points out, to me at least, one of the main reasons why the UCI can buzz off. They don't get it, and I, for one, don't care about seeing Pro level gravel racing under their stranglehold. It would instantly become exactly what gravel cycling is not.

But.......there already is a Gravel Worlds!

 But Wait! There's More Craziness!

Thursday a story broke that the founder of the Eroica events, rides that feature vintage road bikes, riders wearing vintage apparel, and often ridden on unimproved roads, wants to instigate a "Gravel Worlds". Apparently, the Eroica founder, Giancarlo Brocci, approached the UCI with his ideas in January this year.

Mr. Brocci's ideas are pretty interesting and very non-traditional from a UCI perspective, so I do not know how far they will get towards putting on this event. Eroica events have some pretty strict rules regarding the types of bikes and apparel to be worn, but obviously those would not be in play for this "Gravel Worlds" idea Mr. Brocci proposes. What is in play is almost unbelievable. Mr. Brocci suggests a minimum body fat rating for riders so they cannot go below a level which would promote doing unhealthy things. He also advocates drinking in moderation for the participants. He even goes as far as saying he wants to ban computers and power meters. (!!) But some of his ideals seem very in tune with the core U.S. gravel scene.

Things like self-supported racing, a keen eye towards banning cheaters, no doping, and his Gravel Worlds would be at least 300K and start at night. (Now that's my kind of thinking right there!) So, who knows? I feel like this man has his heart in the right place, but I also feel like his take on things is 180° opposite of the UCI's, and with current established Euro promoters. I could be all wrong, but I just don't see it happening with these two groups.

But again, a very interesting development and as I said earlier- 2020 seems to be starting up hot as the year "gravel" reaches the top levels of sport in cycling. Yeah..... Just as with 29"ers, I never saw this coming. I find the whole thing surreal. (Is it April 1st?)


Okay, that's it for this week! Get out and ride those bikes and thanks for reading!

Friday News And Views

Walton Heirs Move Rapha From Portland To Bentonville:

News dropped on Wednesday that cycling apparel company, Rapha, based in the UK, was moving its Portland, Oregon based US operations to Bentonville, Arkansas. The move is believed to be motivated by the Walton brothers, heirs of the WalMart fortune, who own the parent company of Rapha.

It has been widely reported that the Walton heirs are cycling fans and that they have built up the Bentonville area into a destination spot for mountain bikers, and now are bringing assets that will attract road and gravel cyclists to the area as well. Related to the Rapha move is the relocation of Allied Cycles, also owned by a company which is owned itself by the Waltons. Allied, in case you weren't aware, makes high end US carbon road and gravel bikes. The Waltons are also involved in the WalMart brand, Viathon, which is also selling higher end carbon road and mountain bikes via WalMart outlets and online.

To say that the Walton heirs have transformed the Bentonville area into an attractive place for cycling companies to relocate is a mild understatement. There are rumblings of other cycling companies wanting to come to this area as well. Lower housing costs for employees, lower cost of living, and centralized shipping are reasons stated for this, but you have to figure that the investments made by the Walton heirs are the key here.

Keep in mind that Life Time events' new Big Sugar gravel event is based out of this area, and that the recent USAC-Gravel pow-wow was held in the town as well. The Walton money is central to all this activity. Question: What happens when the money dries up? Well, nobody knows you when you are down and out, right Portland?

The Robert Axle Project "Drive Thru" chain management tool

Gizmo Alert: Robert Axle Project's Drive Thru:

You may have heard of the Robert Axle Project, (no! it isn't a band!), and if you have, you know that they do axles, (duh!), and through axles of various thread pitches and lengths are their game. Well, they just came out with this new gizmo called a "Drive Thru". It's kind of like the Pedros Chain Keeper, only for through axles, and a lot better made too.

This particular one will work on my gravel bikes with the 12mm X 1.0 thread pitch through axle standard. They have these in 1.5 and 1.75 thread pitches as well. There is no reason these wouldn't work for mountain and road bikes as well.

Here's the thing- The obvious use is for when you are cleaning your bike and don't want the chain slapping all around your chain stay. But there are other reasons to have this too. Transporting your bike without wheels? Or how about while you are doing rear tire swaps, or maintenance on the drive train and don't want to get chain cleaning/lube spooge on your tires? I'm sure you can come up with other ideas here.

The Drive Thru has a wheel and it does rotate, and it can slide back and forth on the axle. So, you could check shifting without the rear wheel in the bike, or fool around with your front derailleur without a rear wheel. It's made from aluminum and a sort of plastic, maybe nylon reinforced? Not sure because the site doesn't tell us. But it is another level above a Pedros Chain Keeper and obviously, that tool is for a quick release anyway. Yes, it costs $35.00, but it is something you'll have around for years and something you probably will find really useful.

Note: The Robert Axle Project sent over the Drive Thru for test and review to RidingGravel.com at no charge. I was not bribed nor paid for this review and I will always strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout. 

Too chunky for the UCI?  Image from the T.I.v9 course

 The UCI Sets Guidelines For Gravel Road Sectors In Pro Events: 

Recently, "Velo News" ran this article which tells how the UCI, (Pro Cycling's governing arm) is going to set guidelines for the inclusion of gravel sectors in Pro level road events.

You can go read the details, but essentially what this means is that the UCI can summarily veto any gravel sector in an event that they deem as being unsafe or that hinders spectators and follow cars from being used. They have also informed promoters that they will even go so far as to not register events as sanctioned on their calendar if the protocols are not followed.

I'm going to make a few observations. First- this is a good hint at what would happen should there ever be a Pro level gravel series in the U.S.A. run by USAC. Secondly, I bet there are a LOT of people that won't see any issues with the directives, especially the ones that talk about rider safety. But here's the thing- what is "safe" in their domain? Hard to say from what we can read here, but I'm betting this would be a very arbitrary, subjectively applied rule. I mean, what are they going to do? Measure gravel with a gauge to insure the correct grind? This would be an impossible task, by the way, since gravel conditions can, and often do, change by the mile. Look at my image here. It's from the course of Trans Iowa v9.

This image shows a section of about a mile, mile and a half, where the depth, size of rock, and roughness of those stones was exemplary. Just about the chunkiest gravel I've ever seen on a road, with the exception of a mile of fist sized rocks strewn across about a mile plus of the original Dirty Kanza course in 2006. The riders did this section, and no one was injured. But how would the UCI see that? I'm betting they wouldn't accept it. Too hard. 

But again, I don't know for sure. I'm spit-ballin' here, but my point is that the sanitization of sectors of gravel, or the outright elimination of them, since it will be such a pain to include them, in Pro Tour events is going to happen. First of all, the whole "follow car" thing is such a backwards deal. We ride bicycles to get away from cars, but here are about 20 of them, plus motos, screaming around the course. It's an anathema for gravel cycling folk here. We don't want that. It's not the vibe we all went for when we decided to start riding gravel events. Self-support means you don't have to have that garbage out there. Those rolling trains of machinery are not necessary.

I could go on, but this points out, to me at least, one of the main reasons why the UCI can buzz off. They don't get it, and I, for one, don't care about seeing Pro level gravel racing under their stranglehold. It would instantly become exactly what gravel cycling is not.

But.......there already is a Gravel Worlds!

 But Wait! There's More Craziness!

Thursday a story broke that the founder of the Eroica events, rides that feature vintage road bikes, riders wearing vintage apparel, and often ridden on unimproved roads, wants to instigate a "Gravel Worlds". Apparently, the Eroica founder, Giancarlo Brocci, approached the UCI with his ideas in January this year.

Mr. Brocci's ideas are pretty interesting and very non-traditional from a UCI perspective, so I do not know how far they will get towards putting on this event. Eroica events have some pretty strict rules regarding the types of bikes and apparel to be worn, but obviously those would not be in play for this "Gravel Worlds" idea Mr. Brocci proposes. What is in play is almost unbelievable. Mr. Brocci suggests a minimum body fat rating for riders so they cannot go below a level which would promote doing unhealthy things. He also advocates drinking in moderation for the participants. He even goes as far as saying he wants to ban computers and power meters. (!!) But some of his ideals seem very in tune with the core U.S. gravel scene.

Things like self-supported racing, a keen eye towards banning cheaters, no doping, and his Gravel Worlds would be at least 300K and start at night. (Now that's my kind of thinking right there!) So, who knows? I feel like this man has his heart in the right place, but I also feel like his take on things is 180° opposite of the UCI's, and with current established Euro promoters. I could be all wrong, but I just don't see it happening with these two groups.

But again, a very interesting development and as I said earlier- 2020 seems to be starting up hot as the year "gravel" reaches the top levels of sport in cycling. Yeah..... Just as with 29"ers, I never saw this coming. I find the whole thing surreal. (Is it April 1st?)


Okay, that's it for this week! Get out and ride those bikes and thanks for reading!