The Virtual Turkey Burn Challenge Bike: Update

 The Virtual Turkey Burn Challenge which will be happening  November 28th - December 1st will be done on this Fargo. I had changed up the set up in terms of the stem/handle bar position recently and I needed to take that out on a bit of a test ride to see how that was going to suit me. 

The original intentions for the Fargo were that it would be a drop bar, mountain bike adventure machine. In light of that, the drop bars were supposed to be set up so that the primary position would be hands in the drops. That's why Gen I Fargos have tall stack heights despite being non-suspension corrected. 

Now you may be thinking, "Hold on there a minute, Guitar Ted! What's all this "stack height" and "non-suspension corrected" stuff have to do with my preference in handlebar set up?" Well, seeing as how Fargos get - what shall we say? Personalized? Set up in odd ways according to whims of their owners? Hmm.... I think you catch my drift here. What I am saying is "original intentions" mean nothing to many Fargo owners. But if you want to know, riding in the drops is how it was meant to be done. 

So that's how I set mine up. See those black grips, those Redshift Sports Cruiser grips? Now imagine that that spot is where a flat bar and its grip would be in space, lower the head tube a bit, level out the top tube a bit, and if you are still following me here what we would end up with is a box-stock El Mariachi from 2008. 

Besides the bar/stem changes I needed to make sure the drivetrain was up to snuff. As I was checking that out I was reminded of how darn reliable, simple, and maintenance-free those Gevenalle shifters are. Now, of course, these are really just perches for old school bar end shifters. 

Mine are Shimano Ultegra 9 speed shifters. They probably will never wear out. Heck, they've been on this bike or my Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross bike for so long now that I cannot remember how old they are without checking the blog archives here. I do know that when I got these red (now faded to pink) anodized shifter perches the company was called Retroshift! So, that's been a while now. 

The other bit that I was thinking about with regard to the Fargo here was how my crank set is completely not on the cutting edge!  Nine speed, triple rings, and arms at 180mm long! I mean, you cannot get anymore "out of date" with what is hot now than this crankset. 

But there you go. This Fargo Gen I is a kind of a throw-back, kind of a 'classic which is being copied now' type of  bike all wrapped up in a durable "Fun Guy Green" powdercoat. It's a bike that I've been on during many an adventure. I sure hope that the Virtual Turkey Burn will be another fine chapter in this bicycle's annals. 

Yeah, so mechanically I am good to go. Now I have a route in mind and I just need to plot it out, see what weather I am going to get to deal with, and go from there. 

Stay tuned....

If You Have Time To Lean.....

Part 1 of the swap session completed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stay tuned on that.

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

If You Have Time To Lean.....

Part 1 of the swap session completed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stay tuned on that.

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

Low Gears For Grindin'

Looking back on how I set up my older gravel road riding rigs, I usually opted for a set up with a 34T low gear in the cassette as a minimum, and in the 9 speed days, one could use Shimano STI levers and a big ol' Shimano long cage derailleur to get the job done. Then things got weirder with a lot of bicycle componentry. The story is long and sordid, so I won't get into that, but now with things going to eleven speed the older ways don't work quite so well anymore.

Take for instance my Raleigh Tamland Two, which runs the newer Ultegra 11 speed stuff. Even with a 32T low in the cassette, the front chain ring is a 36T on the small side, and that is no where near the low gear I needed on my GTDRI last July. Unfortunately, they haven't managed to get the XT level 11 speed stuff out there yet, but when it comes I will be slapping on a 11-36T cassette on that Tamland and then we'll be talking.

Fortunately, Gevenalle, (formerly Retroshift), has made their shifters available in a 10 speed version that works with a Shimano DynSys rear derailleur. That means that at least I can move some of the old 9 speed stuff out and get into 10 speed gear and keep the big gears going out back until the days of 10 speed come to an end. I've got my Vaya set up with an SLX clutch style rear derailleur with these shifters now and so far it has been great. I hope to get some good gravel road miles soon on this set up. Gotta get some fitness back after a January of doom.

Low Gears For Grindin'

Looking back on how I set up my older gravel road riding rigs, I usually opted for a set up with a 34T low gear in the cassette as a minimum, and in the 9 speed days, one could use Shimano STI levers and a big ol' Shimano long cage derailleur to get the job done. Then things got weirder with a lot of bicycle componentry. The story is long and sordid, so I won't get into that, but now with things going to eleven speed the older ways don't work quite so well anymore.

Take for instance my Raleigh Tamland Two, which runs the newer Ultegra 11 speed stuff. Even with a 32T low in the cassette, the front chain ring is a 36T on the small side, and that is no where near the low gear I needed on my GTDRI last July. Unfortunately, they haven't managed to get the XT level 11 speed stuff out there yet, but when it comes I will be slapping on a 11-36T cassette on that Tamland and then we'll be talking.

Fortunately, Gevenalle, (formerly Retroshift), has made their shifters available in a 10 speed version that works with a Shimano DynSys rear derailleur. That means that at least I can move some of the old 9 speed stuff out and get into 10 speed gear and keep the big gears going out back until the days of 10 speed come to an end. I've got my Vaya set up with an SLX clutch style rear derailleur with these shifters now and so far it has been great. I hope to get some good gravel road miles soon on this set up. Gotta get some fitness back after a January of doom.

WW4M: Retroshift Shifters

Yup, it is another "What Works For Me" post. This time another product I used at Odin's Revenge, and on other rides....the Retroshifters. Yesterday's post on the Chaff Bag can be seen here.

I've written a bunch about the Retroshifters here before, so I am not going to go over the details on the technical side, like I did yesterday for the Chaff Bag. However; the reason this series even started  was due to a question I received at Odin's Revenge, "So, how do you like those Retroshifters?" So they have that distinction.

Retroshift was a sponsor of Odin's, so maybe that also figured into the prompting of the question. Well, however that is, I thought that maybe more folks were wondering if I liked these or not. So, here's the deal.....

Previous to running Retroshifters I was a bar end and STI/brifter user on my gravel rigs. Bar end shifters are still cool, and my new "Gravel Mutt" will be sporting those things. STI Shimano shifters were fine for getting quick shifts from the drops, but I have a certain love/hate relationship with them when shifting from the hoods, and the darn mechanisms would gum up sometimes requiring a good cleaning with a solvent. Oh.....and sometimes the shifter paddle would rattle on the brake levers. Yeah, easily taken care of, but still that's another thing you have to do sometimes, right?

Plus, getting a new set of levers for another gravel bike can be really expensive. Well, that is if you want something above Tiagra level, or something like a Rival shifter. I am running a few drop bar bikes and may get a few more going. That adds up in a hurry.

So while you can always cut costs and run bar end shifters, I thought Retroshift's solution was nifty. Putting that lever up there where you can shift easily from the hoods is nice, but I found out that convenience, reliability, and price were not the only things cool about Retroshifters. I found out I really liked the new positions for my hands and the leverage I can get for seated climbing is nice. All because I use the shifter mounts and shifters like mini-bar ends, in a sense.

Those new ergonomic plusses really were nice, and no more rattling, cleaning out gummed up mechanisms, and no more partial braking when I shift from the hoods. Retroshifters have really become a favorite of mine, and I never have to worry about them jamming or breaking. They have that "low maintenance" ease of use and living with them, and I like that.

So, yeah....they work for me. Really well. You know, I could take them off tomorrow and bin 'em easily since I have plenty of idle STI levers now! So you know I must think highly of them, and I do. In fact, if the Gravel Mutt is a keeper, I think it won't be long before a set of Retroshifters shows up on it. We'll see...... Note: Retroshift did not pay, nor bribe me for this post. I always strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.

WW4M: Retroshift Shifters

Yup, it is another "What Works For Me" post. This time another product I used at Odin's Revenge, and on other rides....the Retroshifters. Yesterday's post on the Chaff Bag can be seen here.

I've written a bunch about the Retroshifters here before, so I am not going to go over the details on the technical side, like I did yesterday for the Chaff Bag. However; the reason this series even started  was due to a question I received at Odin's Revenge, "So, how do you like those Retroshifters?" So they have that distinction.

Retroshift was a sponsor of Odin's, so maybe that also figured into the prompting of the question. Well, however that is, I thought that maybe more folks were wondering if I liked these or not. So, here's the deal.....

Previous to running Retroshifters I was a bar end and STI/brifter user on my gravel rigs. Bar end shifters are still cool, and my new "Gravel Mutt" will be sporting those things. STI Shimano shifters were fine for getting quick shifts from the drops, but I have a certain love/hate relationship with them when shifting from the hoods, and the darn mechanisms would gum up sometimes requiring a good cleaning with a solvent. Oh.....and sometimes the shifter paddle would rattle on the brake levers. Yeah, easily taken care of, but still that's another thing you have to do sometimes, right?

Plus, getting a new set of levers for another gravel bike can be really expensive. Well, that is if you want something above Tiagra level, or something like a Rival shifter. I am running a few drop bar bikes and may get a few more going. That adds up in a hurry.

So while you can always cut costs and run bar end shifters, I thought Retroshift's solution was nifty. Putting that lever up there where you can shift easily from the hoods is nice, but I found out that convenience, reliability, and price were not the only things cool about Retroshifters. I found out I really liked the new positions for my hands and the leverage I can get for seated climbing is nice. All because I use the shifter mounts and shifters like mini-bar ends, in a sense.

Those new ergonomic plusses really were nice, and no more rattling, cleaning out gummed up mechanisms, and no more partial braking when I shift from the hoods. Retroshifters have really become a favorite of mine, and I never have to worry about them jamming or breaking. They have that "low maintenance" ease of use and living with them, and I like that.

So, yeah....they work for me. Really well. You know, I could take them off tomorrow and bin 'em easily since I have plenty of idle STI levers now! So you know I must think highly of them, and I do. In fact, if the Gravel Mutt is a keeper, I think it won't be long before a set of Retroshifters shows up on it. We'll see...... Note: Retroshift did not pay, nor bribe me for this post. I always strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.

Trans Iowa V9: Announcing The Winner

Oh.......not the winner of T.I.V9! No, no, no! This is about the winner of the Retroshift contest that closed February 28th. The contest was open to folks on the T.I.V9 roster only, and you had to tell me why you should get Retroshifters for your T.I. rig.

Well, our winner of the Retroshift contest is Monika Sattler. Here is her short essay on why she thought she should ride Retroshifters on her Trans Iowa rig:

"So there are three big reasons why I would be a great candidate to race the Retroshifters for TI:

First: To personify the "Retro" in these cyclocross retroshifters to its full extent, the rider should be European, because cyclocross originates from Europe. So a good reason to let a German use it. 

Thus, me :)

Second: While checking out the website of Retroshift, I barely see any women! That can be easily changed. So why not a German woman! Thus, me :)

Third, the motto of the retroshifter is "Strong, light weight and fast!" Well, I dont want to make too many conclusions here but that's me! :)"

 

Pretty compelling reasons, if I do say so myself! 

 

So, Monika will be getting here Retroshift set soon, and she will get it installed and start riding it on her CX bike. We'll be tracking Monika's ride throughout Trans Iowa to see how she, and the Retroshifters- fare during the event. Retroshift also has provided us with another set of the levers which will be given out as prizing at Trans Iowa V9.

 

 We'd like to extend our congratulations to Monika on winning these components. Thanks to all who entered the Retroshift contest. It wasn't easy to pick the winner! We also would like to thank Retroshift for sending us these components as a sponsorship for Trans Iowa.  

Trans Iowa V9: Announcing The Winner

Oh.......not the winner of T.I.V9! No, no, no! This is about the winner of the Retroshift contest that closed February 28th. The contest was open to folks on the T.I.V9 roster only, and you had to tell me why you should get Retroshifters for your T.I. rig.

Well, our winner of the Retroshift contest is Monika Sattler. Here is her short essay on why she thought she should ride Retroshifters on her Trans Iowa rig:

"So there are three big reasons why I would be a great candidate to race the Retroshifters for TI:

First: To personify the "Retro" in these cyclocross retroshifters to its full extent, the rider should be European, because cyclocross originates from Europe. So a good reason to let a German use it. 

Thus, me :)

Second: While checking out the website of Retroshift, I barely see any women! That can be easily changed. So why not a German woman! Thus, me :)

Third, the motto of the retroshifter is "Strong, light weight and fast!" Well, I dont want to make too many conclusions here but that's me! :)"

 

Pretty compelling reasons, if I do say so myself! 

 

So, Monika will be getting here Retroshift set soon, and she will get it installed and start riding it on her CX bike. We'll be tracking Monika's ride throughout Trans Iowa to see how she, and the Retroshifters- fare during the event. Retroshift also has provided us with another set of the levers which will be given out as prizing at Trans Iowa V9.

 

 We'd like to extend our congratulations to Monika on winning these components. Thanks to all who entered the Retroshift contest. It wasn't easy to pick the winner! We also would like to thank Retroshift for sending us these components as a sponsorship for Trans Iowa.  

Beginnings Of Endings

Last version 2012

The ground clear of snow, and with it, skinny tired outdoor riding, is coming to an end. But that's a signal that the big, fat tired riding is about to start up. Endings and beginnings. The beginnings of endings.....er....something like that, anyway!

So here I am- merrily going about my days when it comes to pass that the weatherman says a big, nasty snow storm is coming, and hey! there is a week until Christmas? Whoa....hold on a minute. 

One last, spirited, but too short, a ride on the "Orange Crush". In its final version for 2012. That's one of the things I really like about this bike. I can re-imagine it several different ways. It is going to change again for sure. Some things are going to come off. Some things will stay put, while yet other things need upgrading.

Yesterday morning was weird with this granular, "dandruff-like" precipitation on the ground and fog. A precursor to the big snow coming later today, I understand. Well, the BMC needed to be ridden one last time to end the year right. The tires and frame felt incredibly smooth, and when I checked them at work, it was no wonder why that was. 23psi or so in the rear? Wow. I don't think I'd ever run them that low before. And I was curb poppin' and not taking it easy at all.

I'm going to do something about this...

Amongst the changes I foresee are getting the front rack leveled, or pitching it. I didn't have the time to mess with this earlier, but now that the Orange Crush will be sidelined for awhile, it is time to get after this. I have an idea, so we'll see if it works or no.

The next thing is to upgrade some components. Brakes, fenders, and bottom bracket. Although I won't probably go year long with fenders, I will probably do something hammered and metallic. The STX brakes have done yeoman's service, but there are better cantis and lighter out there. The bike is worth it, so I will take a look at what is out there. The bottom bracket is toast. Well.....not totally toast, but it is getting gritchy. (That's a word that describes a bearing's smoothness, or lack thereof, by the way.) I will turn to Chris King for a suitable, anodized, replacement.

There may be other changes, but I am not at liberty to speak of a few of them. I will be keeping the Retroshifters on board though. These things are dead reliable and I like the simplicity which should prove to be durable in the long haul. My brifters have already shown signs of degradation, and if I had subjected them to the brutal dust we had this year, the wear would have accelerated. The Retroshifters should outlast a brifter by a long shot despite the severe conditions I've abused them in.

More on the end of the year stuff coming in the final daze of 2012 here. Stay tuned.....

Note: The Guitar Ted Show has been scheduled for Thursday evening at 7:30pm. We'll be talking more about Trans Iowa. Tune in or plan to call with your questions and comments.

Beginnings Of Endings

Last version 2012

The ground clear of snow, and with it, skinny tired outdoor riding, is coming to an end. But that's a signal that the big, fat tired riding is about to start up. Endings and beginnings. The beginnings of endings.....er....something like that, anyway!

So here I am- merrily going about my days when it comes to pass that the weatherman says a big, nasty snow storm is coming, and hey! there is a week until Christmas? Whoa....hold on a minute. 

One last, spirited, but too short, a ride on the "Orange Crush". In its final version for 2012. That's one of the things I really like about this bike. I can re-imagine it several different ways. It is going to change again for sure. Some things are going to come off. Some things will stay put, while yet other things need upgrading.

Yesterday morning was weird with this granular, "dandruff-like" precipitation on the ground and fog. A precursor to the big snow coming later today, I understand. Well, the BMC needed to be ridden one last time to end the year right. The tires and frame felt incredibly smooth, and when I checked them at work, it was no wonder why that was. 23psi or so in the rear? Wow. I don't think I'd ever run them that low before. And I was curb poppin' and not taking it easy at all.

I'm going to do something about this...

Amongst the changes I foresee are getting the front rack leveled, or pitching it. I didn't have the time to mess with this earlier, but now that the Orange Crush will be sidelined for awhile, it is time to get after this. I have an idea, so we'll see if it works or no.

The next thing is to upgrade some components. Brakes, fenders, and bottom bracket. Although I won't probably go year long with fenders, I will probably do something hammered and metallic. The STX brakes have done yeoman's service, but there are better cantis and lighter out there. The bike is worth it, so I will take a look at what is out there. The bottom bracket is toast. Well.....not totally toast, but it is getting gritchy. (That's a word that describes a bearing's smoothness, or lack thereof, by the way.) I will turn to Chris King for a suitable, anodized, replacement.

There may be other changes, but I am not at liberty to speak of a few of them. I will be keeping the Retroshifters on board though. These things are dead reliable and I like the simplicity which should prove to be durable in the long haul. My brifters have already shown signs of degradation, and if I had subjected them to the brutal dust we had this year, the wear would have accelerated. The Retroshifters should outlast a brifter by a long shot despite the severe conditions I've abused them in.

More on the end of the year stuff coming in the final daze of 2012 here. Stay tuned.....

Note: The Guitar Ted Show has been scheduled for Thursday evening at 7:30pm. We'll be talking more about Trans Iowa. Tune in or plan to call with your questions and comments.

Retroshift Update

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

It's getting to be cyclo cross season all across the U.S. now and one of the products I have been using all year fits right in with cyclo cross action- those being the Retroshift shifter mounts and levers. You can check out my last update on the Fargo with those shifters here.

Retroshift CXV Model

My perspective will be coming from that of a gravel grinder rider. I know cyclo cross can be a very abusive environment for components, but gravel grinding is no less so. My two sets of Retroshifters have been subjected to copious amounts of sweat and limestone dust. All with no detriment to the performance of these mechanisms.

And no wonder, when you think about it. These are dead simple, and therefore reliable, shifters and brake levers. There just isn't really much that can go wrong. The bar end shifters that mount on Retroshift levers are the ancestors of the first mountain bike thumb shifters, themselves co-opted from flat bar touring bikes. These shifters are simple, reliable, and have a friction option in case things get wonky with your rear mech alignment. That's a good thing for long, solo gravel adventures.

I  have a set of the CXV model levers, which are intended for linear pull brakes, or mechanical "mountain" type disc brakes. These would work quite nicely on your disc equipped cyclo cross bike, and leave the shift levers at your finger tips, without resorting to expensive "brifters", or having to use the less common road style mechanical calipers. They pull enough cable to make my Avid BB-7's feel really great, and at least as good as many hydraulic calipers out there. Of course, great housings, and a careful eye to the details of setting up the caliper are also key to a great brake feel on these Avids.

I also have had the pleasure of using the CX2 set on my Black Mountain Cycles "Orange Crush" rig. (My name for the BMC, not the official model name) These are the set for anyone using "road" mech disc brakes or the traditional cantilever brakes. I am pulling a set of old Shimano STX cantis with mine.

The Retroshift CX2 model.

Obviously these are the set for your traditionally braked cyclo cross rig. I have had great performance with my set on the steel BMC frame.

There is a difference in the feel between the CXV and the CX2 levers having to do with the shape and feel of the hoods. The hoods of the CX2 set have an "old school" feel, are more minimalistic, and smaller than the CXV's hoods.

The CXV's, in contrast, have a more modern hood feel, are girthy in the hand, and have a better transition to the bar, in my opinion. The blade on the CXV is also a bit more substantial and curves and twists more dramatically to allow for an easier reach from the drops.

My preference is for the CXV shape, but I can and do ride the CX2's for many long miles with no issues. You'll have to decide what is right for you.

Some folks will lament the lack of a big protrusion, such as the latest STI levers have, which seem to lend themselves to being used as a climbing aid when seated. I would submit that the bar end sticking out from the lever on a Retroshift lever can be used in a similar way here. In fact, that odd ball looking lever on the brake blade really comes in handy not only for climbing, but as another place to drape the hands when cruising long grinder climbs or on the flats. Leaving your hands draped around the shifter also can work as a way to shift the lever at a moments notice as well.

And speaking of shifting, it may take you awhile to get accustomed to shifting, but if you are like me, it becomes second nature soon enough, and you may even invent your own grip positions for shifting on the fly, like I have. The only negative here is that it is impossible to shift from the drops without removing your hand to shift. Bummer that, but not a deal killer here. I have found my own personal way of shifting in these instances which requires a bit more of a motion, but is swift enough for my purposes. For some who never ride anywhere but the drops, these shifters may not work for you. 

Fargo V1 w/Retroshift CXV's

So- what do I think after using these for most of 2012? I have two sets of STI levers sitting in the bin, and two sets of bar end mounts as well. If I didn't really like the Retroshift levers, I could swap out to more "standard" style shifters in a heartbeat.

These Retroshifters appeal to me for their simplicity, robustness, and ease of use. They miss the mark as far as aesthetic appeal, shifting from the drops, and you may not like the hood shapes offered. I can forgive the looks, since the functionality is high, along with the durability factor as well. Shifting from the drops? Hasn't been a big issue for me, not as much as I thought it might. Hood shapes work just fine for me, so basically, there isn't much not to like here for my riding.

I'll close out by saying I don't think these are really for mountain biking, and to be honest, I'm not sure about the cyclo cross angle, since I just don't do that activity. (They say they work just peachy though.)For gravel, back roads, back-country touring, and for a killer commuter set up that is bomb-proof, this stuff makes a ton of sense.

Retroshift Update

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

It's getting to be cyclo cross season all across the U.S. now and one of the products I have been using all year fits right in with cyclo cross action- those being the Retroshift shifter mounts and levers. You can check out my last update on the Fargo with those shifters here.

Retroshift CXV Model

My perspective will be coming from that of a gravel grinder rider. I know cyclo cross can be a very abusive environment for components, but gravel grinding is no less so. My two sets of Retroshifters have been subjected to copious amounts of sweat and limestone dust. All with no detriment to the performance of these mechanisms.

And no wonder, when you think about it. These are dead simple, and therefore reliable, shifters and brake levers. There just isn't really much that can go wrong. The bar end shifters that mount on Retroshift levers are the ancestors of the first mountain bike thumb shifters, themselves co-opted from flat bar touring bikes. These shifters are simple, reliable, and have a friction option in case things get wonky with your rear mech alignment. That's a good thing for long, solo gravel adventures.

I  have a set of the CXV model levers, which are intended for linear pull brakes, or mechanical "mountain" type disc brakes. These would work quite nicely on your disc equipped cyclo cross bike, and leave the shift levers at your finger tips, without resorting to expensive "brifters", or having to use the less common road style mechanical calipers. They pull enough cable to make my Avid BB-7's feel really great, and at least as good as many hydraulic calipers out there. Of course, great housings, and a careful eye to the details of setting up the caliper are also key to a great brake feel on these Avids.

I also have had the pleasure of using the CX2 set on my Black Mountain Cycles "Orange Crush" rig. (My name for the BMC, not the official model name) These are the set for anyone using "road" mech disc brakes or the traditional cantilever brakes. I am pulling a set of old Shimano STX cantis with mine.

The Retroshift CX2 model.

Obviously these are the set for your traditionally braked cyclo cross rig. I have had great performance with my set on the steel BMC frame.

There is a difference in the feel between the CXV and the CX2 levers having to do with the shape and feel of the hoods. The hoods of the CX2 set have an "old school" feel, are more minimalistic, and smaller than the CXV's hoods.

The CXV's, in contrast, have a more modern hood feel, are girthy in the hand, and have a better transition to the bar, in my opinion. The blade on the CXV is also a bit more substantial and curves and twists more dramatically to allow for an easier reach from the drops.

My preference is for the CXV shape, but I can and do ride the CX2's for many long miles with no issues. You'll have to decide what is right for you.

Some folks will lament the lack of a big protrusion, such as the latest STI levers have, which seem to lend themselves to being used as a climbing aid when seated. I would submit that the bar end sticking out from the lever on a Retroshift lever can be used in a similar way here. In fact, that odd ball looking lever on the brake blade really comes in handy not only for climbing, but as another place to drape the hands when cruising long grinder climbs or on the flats. Leaving your hands draped around the shifter also can work as a way to shift the lever at a moments notice as well.

And speaking of shifting, it may take you awhile to get accustomed to shifting, but if you are like me, it becomes second nature soon enough, and you may even invent your own grip positions for shifting on the fly, like I have. The only negative here is that it is impossible to shift from the drops without removing your hand to shift. Bummer that, but not a deal killer here. I have found my own personal way of shifting in these instances which requires a bit more of a motion, but is swift enough for my purposes. For some who never ride anywhere but the drops, these shifters may not work for you. 

Fargo V1 w/Retroshift CXV's

So- what do I think after using these for most of 2012? I have two sets of STI levers sitting in the bin, and two sets of bar end mounts as well. If I didn't really like the Retroshift levers, I could swap out to more "standard" style shifters in a heartbeat.

These Retroshifters appeal to me for their simplicity, robustness, and ease of use. They miss the mark as far as aesthetic appeal, shifting from the drops, and you may not like the hood shapes offered. I can forgive the looks, since the functionality is high, along with the durability factor as well. Shifting from the drops? Hasn't been a big issue for me, not as much as I thought it might. Hood shapes work just fine for me, so basically, there isn't much not to like here for my riding.

I'll close out by saying I don't think these are really for mountain biking, and to be honest, I'm not sure about the cyclo cross angle, since I just don't do that activity. (They say they work just peachy though.)For gravel, back roads, back-country touring, and for a killer commuter set up that is bomb-proof, this stuff makes a ton of sense.

Fargo Lives Again: Part II

Fargo Gen I w/Retroshift CXV

The Saturday 3GR was the first big ride since I've gotten the Fargo back up and running again. It went off without a hitch as far as the Fargo was concerned. In this post, I want to give my take on the Retroshift CXV levers/mounts and what changes are in store for the Fargo as I go forward.

Retroshift CXV: These are the newest offering from The Goats at Retroshift. Like I mentioned before here, the levers are Tektro RL-520 Long Pull levers that will work with linear pull brakes, or "mountain mechanical disc brakes" from Avid and others. The Retroshift guys are actually offering these as complete set ups with bar end levers, or you can still source your own bar end shifters and mate them up with these levers/mounts. That's what I did with the Fargo.

The installation was straight forward and cable routing on the Fargo was easy-peezy since everything routes down the down tube, which makes cabling simpler than a top tube routed rig, but that said- It can be done.

 The Good: The Retroshift CXV has a great hood shape which I love on the slightly flared Midge Bar. It fills the hand, and lends lots of surface area to spread out hand pressure, which is ideal for rough surfaces.

I also like that the shifters are "right there" at the ready when you are riding in the hoods. Just like a good bar end shifter, the Retroshift gives you the crisp, positive feel and shifts are accomplished with relative ease. Bonus: A degree of redundancy is offered by the re-purposed bar end shifter, since it can shift in friction mode if need be. This is a nice feature if you find yourself on longer, epic length rides self-supported, or in a CX race if you would happen to bend your hangar a bit in a crash. Just flip the ring and twist over to friction mode and carry on.

Oddly enough, the shifter also feels good in the hand and gives your fingers another place to grip and rest upon. Well.....I happen to like it. Maybe others won't find that to be the case.

The levers themselves are just good ol' Tektro performers. They do the job well. Hooked up to my Avid BB-7's, the feel is great with plenty of modulation and power. Good enough for any mountain biking, and definitely way more than I will need on gravel rides. That's a good thing.

The Not So Good: Really only two things here are kind of downers concerning the Retroshift style. Both in terms of looks and function. First- it is weird looking. There......I said it. The Retroshifter looks like a tumor on a brake lever when you first lay eyes on it. Now- they have gone the extra mile to smooth out the mount and give it some pop with a slew of anodized color choices, but it still looks like someone put a thumb shifter on a brake lever. Kind of an "ugly duckling", but a functional duck at that!

That said, I am used to it now. But if this is new to you, it definitely is going to jump out at you. I guess we can quote the great architect, Louis Sullivan here:

"It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic,
Of all things physical and metaphysical,
Of all things human and all things super-human,
Of all true manifestations of the head,
Of the heart, of the soul,
That the life is recognizable in its expression,
That form ever follows function. This is the law."

If there ever was a bicycle component that fit that, it is the Retroshift lever/mount. (So- maybe that is a good thing then.)

 The other thing, (and this something I've pointed out before), is that you can not shift from the drops. This makes "true mountain biking" a bit tougher, and may not play well if you are set to ride in the drops most of the time.  I will admit that this perturbs me sometimes when I'm descending, and I want a couple gears higher, or I want to preselect a gear for the coming climb. I've figured out how to make it work, but it isn't as easily done as it is with a full on "brifter" set up. 


The other very minor quibble is about the "flying cable runs", but who am I kidding? I'm not too worried about aerodynamics here, and I can only possibly be concerned if I wanted to lash a handle bar bag for a bike packing set up to this bike. That said, I think it would all clear nicely. 


So- that's it in a nutshell. The Retroshift CXV is a definite winner in terms of performance, feel, and function. It may not win any contests for artistic beauty, but they will get you home in fine fashion from whatever bike ride you take them on. For adventure cycling, touring, and obviously, cyclo-cross set ups using linear pull or mechanical disc brakes for mountain bikes, these should rate high on your radar if you are using drop bars. 

Changes In The Wind: While I am pretty happy with the current set up, (and totally stoked to be on this Fargo again after a hiatus), I am considering a few changes here. 


First, the gearing on the crankset isn't optimal. I am probably going to either add a true middle ring, or go back to the original XT crankset with a 44T/32T/22T set up. 


Then I am going to set up a "light gravel road" set of wheels using some old Bontrager Race X Lite wheels and Bontrager XR-1 tires set up tubeless. That will shave some significant weight where it counts most, and the XR-1 tires simply flat out fly on gravel without loosing much volume and comfort. I'll still have the current wheel set for more off-road/mountain bike type rides. 


Finally, I am going to invest in some frame bags for this one and do some S24 camping. It's high time I do something like that. 


Note: Retroshift sent these CXV levers for test/review at no charge. I am not being paid nor bribed for this review, and I strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout. The Shimano 9 speed bar end shifters were purchased out of pocket by me.

Fargo Lives Again: Part II

Fargo Gen I w/Retroshift CXV

The Saturday 3GR was the first big ride since I've gotten the Fargo back up and running again. It went off without a hitch as far as the Fargo was concerned. In this post, I want to give my take on the Retroshift CXV levers/mounts and what changes are in store for the Fargo as I go forward.

Retroshift CXV: These are the newest offering from The Goats at Retroshift. Like I mentioned before here, the levers are Tektro RL-520 Long Pull levers that will work with linear pull brakes, or "mountain mechanical disc brakes" from Avid and others. The Retroshift guys are actually offering these as complete set ups with bar end levers, or you can still source your own bar end shifters and mate them up with these levers/mounts. That's what I did with the Fargo.

The installation was straight forward and cable routing on the Fargo was easy-peezy since everything routes down the down tube, which makes cabling simpler than a top tube routed rig, but that said- It can be done.

 The Good: The Retroshift CXV has a great hood shape which I love on the slightly flared Midge Bar. It fills the hand, and lends lots of surface area to spread out hand pressure, which is ideal for rough surfaces.

I also like that the shifters are "right there" at the ready when you are riding in the hoods. Just like a good bar end shifter, the Retroshift gives you the crisp, positive feel and shifts are accomplished with relative ease. Bonus: A degree of redundancy is offered by the re-purposed bar end shifter, since it can shift in friction mode if need be. This is a nice feature if you find yourself on longer, epic length rides self-supported, or in a CX race if you would happen to bend your hangar a bit in a crash. Just flip the ring and twist over to friction mode and carry on.

Oddly enough, the shifter also feels good in the hand and gives your fingers another place to grip and rest upon. Well.....I happen to like it. Maybe others won't find that to be the case.

The levers themselves are just good ol' Tektro performers. They do the job well. Hooked up to my Avid BB-7's, the feel is great with plenty of modulation and power. Good enough for any mountain biking, and definitely way more than I will need on gravel rides. That's a good thing.

The Not So Good: Really only two things here are kind of downers concerning the Retroshift style. Both in terms of looks and function. First- it is weird looking. There......I said it. The Retroshifter looks like a tumor on a brake lever when you first lay eyes on it. Now- they have gone the extra mile to smooth out the mount and give it some pop with a slew of anodized color choices, but it still looks like someone put a thumb shifter on a brake lever. Kind of an "ugly duckling", but a functional duck at that!

That said, I am used to it now. But if this is new to you, it definitely is going to jump out at you. I guess we can quote the great architect, Louis Sullivan here:

"It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic,
Of all things physical and metaphysical,
Of all things human and all things super-human,
Of all true manifestations of the head,
Of the heart, of the soul,
That the life is recognizable in its expression,
That form ever follows function. This is the law."

If there ever was a bicycle component that fit that, it is the Retroshift lever/mount. (So- maybe that is a good thing then.)

 The other thing, (and this something I've pointed out before), is that you can not shift from the drops. This makes "true mountain biking" a bit tougher, and may not play well if you are set to ride in the drops most of the time.  I will admit that this perturbs me sometimes when I'm descending, and I want a couple gears higher, or I want to preselect a gear for the coming climb. I've figured out how to make it work, but it isn't as easily done as it is with a full on "brifter" set up. 


The other very minor quibble is about the "flying cable runs", but who am I kidding? I'm not too worried about aerodynamics here, and I can only possibly be concerned if I wanted to lash a handle bar bag for a bike packing set up to this bike. That said, I think it would all clear nicely. 


So- that's it in a nutshell. The Retroshift CXV is a definite winner in terms of performance, feel, and function. It may not win any contests for artistic beauty, but they will get you home in fine fashion from whatever bike ride you take them on. For adventure cycling, touring, and obviously, cyclo-cross set ups using linear pull or mechanical disc brakes for mountain bikes, these should rate high on your radar if you are using drop bars. 

Changes In The Wind: While I am pretty happy with the current set up, (and totally stoked to be on this Fargo again after a hiatus), I am considering a few changes here. 


First, the gearing on the crankset isn't optimal. I am probably going to either add a true middle ring, or go back to the original XT crankset with a 44T/32T/22T set up. 


Then I am going to set up a "light gravel road" set of wheels using some old Bontrager Race X Lite wheels and Bontrager XR-1 tires set up tubeless. That will shave some significant weight where it counts most, and the XR-1 tires simply flat out fly on gravel without loosing much volume and comfort. I'll still have the current wheel set for more off-road/mountain bike type rides. 


Finally, I am going to invest in some frame bags for this one and do some S24 camping. It's high time I do something like that. 


Note: Retroshift sent these CXV levers for test/review at no charge. I am not being paid nor bribed for this review, and I strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout. The Shimano 9 speed bar end shifters were purchased out of pocket by me.

Quit Doggin' Me Girl!

Or- The 3GR Ride Report:

Well- I knew it would happen someday, and yesterday was that day. No one else showed up at the 3GR ride. But, how could you blame anyone? I mean, I had to move it from Gateway Park, since the Sturgis Falls celebration was going on.  I chose Traer as the meet-up spot instead, so I figured that not many would even consider coming that far.

Too bad. It was awesome! 

B Road Awesomeness

 Like I said, there would be "B Maintenance Roads", (MMR in other necks of other woods), and they were perfect. Smooth, dry, and fast.

The skies were overcast too, which kept the temperatures at a comfortable level for the entire ride. That said, it was plenty humid! I did actually sweat....a lot!

Another point of note: The winds were "breezy". Not gale force, as they have been most of the spring, but actually a non-factor today. That was a first for a 3GR. See.......you should have come!

I rode south from Traer and went looking for the B Roads, which are not hard to find south of town there. In fact, I found one I need to go back and ride. I didn't do it yesterday because I had a plan. The Plan must be adhered to for a 3GR ride, whether or not anyone else shows up.

Barns For Jason

I actually rode on several different B Maintenance roads and every one was fun. I know, Trans Iowa freaks will be cursing my name, because a B Road means walking in April, but in June it means awesomeness.

The hills weren't too bad in this part, but a couple were steep and short. I felt pretty good though, and the Retroshifted Fargo was keeping me moving forward just fine. There were some patches of deeper gravel, but the wider tires on the Fargo were keeping things stable with no bouncing around or hunting for smoother lines.

Just point and shoot, as they say! And I did. I took a bunch of photos with my point and shoot, and that bit was fun as well. Got a lot of great images that I will be using for Gravel Grinder News headers.

Run Doggie, Run!

About halfway through my planned loop, I sensed something behind me. I turned to look over my shoulder only to see a smallish Black Labrador dog chasing me down. It wasn't barking at all, just charging down the gravel road straight for me. I said a few kind words to it, and it shot right on by me.

Well, my new found road companion kept running ahead of me for the time being, so I pulled out the camera and shot the image here. Pocketing the camera, I decided I'd better talk to this critter some more, and try to convince her to go home.

She would have none of it. In fact, she was a cunning little cur, and she was running directly in front of me. Then she'd look over her shoulder at me, wet tongue lolling out of her mouth, and brake check me. I about ran over her several times because of this. I don't think it was a malicious thing. I suppose she wanted me to stop this incessant racing and just cuddle in the ditch awhile.

Trans Iowa V7 riders should remember this hill

I would have none of it. In fact, I started dog-fighting, (in the aerial sense of the term), with this mutt. She'd veer one way, I would counter. This all at 14-16 miles per hour. Then I decided to try and out-sprint her. I went hard, but at 22.5mph, I couldn't go faster where I was at, and the dog was right there beside me. Frothing at the mouth now, she was so worked.

I knew it would be a matter of time before she gave in, but it had been 3 miles going on now. I crossed Highway 96 and she went right on ahead of me. At the very next farm house, something distracted her nose, and she veered left to go investigate it. That was my cue to hit the gas and disappear down the road. I knew she didn't have much left in the tank for a chase to bridge up, and I was right. 

The view from Ridge Road

By now I was heading down to cross Wolf Creek and then up to the Wolf Creek Wall. This was the hill featured in "300 Miles of Gravel" trailer that documented Trans Iowa V7. I crawled up and over The Wall, and then the subsequent roller-coaster stretch of 170th which took me to K Avenue and finally up to the water tower at the intersection of Ridge Road.

That's a difficult stretch of riding right there, and I highly recommend it to anyone that needs "hill work".

Ridge Road is a gravel stretch I have not visited in way too long a time now. I forgot how fun, scenic, and interesting it actually is to ride. So I was super happy to have ridden it again Saturday, and you can bet I'll be visiting again real soon. In fact, the last time I rode much of Ridge Road was in 2010 at night with David Pals. Wow!

I'm not going to wait that long again! You can bet on that. Then it was down to the flats around Wolf Creek and the short little back road to the iron bridge outside of Traer. I made it almost a perfect two hour jaunt. That was a good little ride. One of these days, I would like to show some of you new folks to gravel grinding this loop, because it is a ton of fun, and you just never know what sort of adventure awaits you out there.

Ain't that right little doggie? (Hope ya made it home safe!)

Quit Doggin' Me Girl!

Or- The 3GR Ride Report:

Well- I knew it would happen someday, and yesterday was that day. No one else showed up at the 3GR ride. But, how could you blame anyone? I mean, I had to move it from Gateway Park, since the Sturgis Falls celebration was going on.  I chose Traer as the meet-up spot instead, so I figured that not many would even consider coming that far.

Too bad. It was awesome! 

B Road Awesomeness

 Like I said, there would be "B Maintenance Roads", (MMR in other necks of other woods), and they were perfect. Smooth, dry, and fast.

The skies were overcast too, which kept the temperatures at a comfortable level for the entire ride. That said, it was plenty humid! I did actually sweat....a lot!

Another point of note: The winds were "breezy". Not gale force, as they have been most of the spring, but actually a non-factor today. That was a first for a 3GR. See.......you should have come!

I rode south from Traer and went looking for the B Roads, which are not hard to find south of town there. In fact, I found one I need to go back and ride. I didn't do it yesterday because I had a plan. The Plan must be adhered to for a 3GR ride, whether or not anyone else shows up.

Barns For Jason

I actually rode on several different B Maintenance roads and every one was fun. I know, Trans Iowa freaks will be cursing my name, because a B Road means walking in April, but in June it means awesomeness.

The hills weren't too bad in this part, but a couple were steep and short. I felt pretty good though, and the Retroshifted Fargo was keeping me moving forward just fine. There were some patches of deeper gravel, but the wider tires on the Fargo were keeping things stable with no bouncing around or hunting for smoother lines.

Just point and shoot, as they say! And I did. I took a bunch of photos with my point and shoot, and that bit was fun as well. Got a lot of great images that I will be using for Gravel Grinder News headers.

Run Doggie, Run!

About halfway through my planned loop, I sensed something behind me. I turned to look over my shoulder only to see a smallish Black Labrador dog chasing me down. It wasn't barking at all, just charging down the gravel road straight for me. I said a few kind words to it, and it shot right on by me.

Well, my new found road companion kept running ahead of me for the time being, so I pulled out the camera and shot the image here. Pocketing the camera, I decided I'd better talk to this critter some more, and try to convince her to go home.

She would have none of it. In fact, she was a cunning little cur, and she was running directly in front of me. Then she'd look over her shoulder at me, wet tongue lolling out of her mouth, and brake check me. I about ran over her several times because of this. I don't think it was a malicious thing. I suppose she wanted me to stop this incessant racing and just cuddle in the ditch awhile.

Trans Iowa V7 riders should remember this hill

I would have none of it. In fact, I started dog-fighting, (in the aerial sense of the term), with this mutt. She'd veer one way, I would counter. This all at 14-16 miles per hour. Then I decided to try and out-sprint her. I went hard, but at 22.5mph, I couldn't go faster where I was at, and the dog was right there beside me. Frothing at the mouth now, she was so worked.

I knew it would be a matter of time before she gave in, but it had been 3 miles going on now. I crossed Highway 96 and she went right on ahead of me. At the very next farm house, something distracted her nose, and she veered left to go investigate it. That was my cue to hit the gas and disappear down the road. I knew she didn't have much left in the tank for a chase to bridge up, and I was right. 

The view from Ridge Road

By now I was heading down to cross Wolf Creek and then up to the Wolf Creek Wall. This was the hill featured in "300 Miles of Gravel" trailer that documented Trans Iowa V7. I crawled up and over The Wall, and then the subsequent roller-coaster stretch of 170th which took me to K Avenue and finally up to the water tower at the intersection of Ridge Road.

That's a difficult stretch of riding right there, and I highly recommend it to anyone that needs "hill work".

Ridge Road is a gravel stretch I have not visited in way too long a time now. I forgot how fun, scenic, and interesting it actually is to ride. So I was super happy to have ridden it again Saturday, and you can bet I'll be visiting again real soon. In fact, the last time I rode much of Ridge Road was in 2010 at night with David Pals. Wow!

I'm not going to wait that long again! You can bet on that. Then it was down to the flats around Wolf Creek and the short little back road to the iron bridge outside of Traer. I made it almost a perfect two hour jaunt. That was a good little ride. One of these days, I would like to show some of you new folks to gravel grinding this loop, because it is a ton of fun, and you just never know what sort of adventure awaits you out there.

Ain't that right little doggie? (Hope ya made it home safe!)