Friday News And Views

Cross-State Route Announced In Texas:

Last week I received a press release stating that a new bikepacking/hiking/horseback trail across Texas was being introduced. Called "xTx", the trail consists of paved roads, "back roads", gravel, and possibly some single track. 

Starting at Orange, Texas, just Northeast of Huston, the trail meanders Westward until it reaches the Big Bend area of Texas where the trail takes a wild South then North trek and then it darts straight West to El Paso. 

The trail, a 1,500 mile route, according to xTx, was conceived of by Charlie Gandy and is an effort of Bike Texas, a non-profit organization. A "test ride" of the first 100 miles of the trail is set to happen on March 10th out of Orange, Texas. You can find out more by checking out their site HERE. 

Comments: This is interesting, especially in light of the work already done by The Spinistry to establish cycling routes on back roads and gravel that cross Texas. I know the Spinistry's routes are pretty well vetted out and verified. This new xTx route seems a bit on the rushed side, seeing as it was conceived of only just last year. 

Then there is the gratuitous zig-zag across the Big Bend area in order to include some admittedly spectacular mountains, but if you've ever been in West Texas, (I have) it is a truly unforgiving area. I would rather skip both the most Southern and Northern extremes of the route there and shoot straight over to El Paso. But that's just me. 

Image courtesy of Twin Six

Twin Six Releases New Standard Rando Color:

Twin Six's Standard Rando v2 frame and fork is really a great platform for anything from - well....randonneuring to gravel, commuting to light touring/bikepacking. The frame was redesigned in 2020 and ever since then T-6 has offered the model in various colors. I happen to have one in the original "Saffron" yellow. 

The new hue is called "Cheeky", but to my eyes it looks like a lavender color. I like it. It would be pretty rad with a bunch of ultra-violet anodized bits on there. Or pink ano..... Ah! I'd better stop. It will drive me crazy and I don't need another one of these! 

But maybe you are looking for a new whip to get out there on this year? I think the asking price of $850.00 USD for the frame and steel fork is pretty reasonable. 

New MTB Festival Announced:

Wilde Bicycles led by Jeffrey Frane has announced the inaugural Midwest Mountain Bike Fest happening June 20-22nd in Cuyuna, Minnesota. 

The event will feature an expo where riders will be able to try out various mountain bike offerings from different brands. There will be group rides, clinics, happy hours, and raffles. 

 “It’s time for a new generation of cycling events, ones not rooted in competition but in fellowship and stewardship. This is the chance to truly engage all of the riding community to come together for one magnificent weekend. It’s going to be a good old fashioned dirt party, on some of the best trails around..” - Event Director Jeff Frane

More information will be available on the event site: midwestmountainbikefest.com. 

Comments: This idea is an excellent one and ever since "Dirt Rag's" Dirt Fest there really hasn't been anything quite like this which I have been aware of East of the Rockies. Cuyuna is a destination trail system that is not that far away from Iowa and many other upper Mid-Westerners, so hopefully there will be a good turnout for what is planned to be a yearly event. 

Image courtesy of SILCA

New SILCA Ultimate Sealant Formula Released:

SILCA announced that they have a version 2 of their Ultimate Sealant out now that has been in development for two and a half years. 

The new sealant has shortened carbon fiber strands which are claimed to remain more isolated in the new natural and synthetic latex liquid. This is allowing for sealant puncture protection for up to 6mm holes, as claimed by SILCA. 

Another complaint against the original formula was that it was not injectionable through the valve stem. This has now been addressed with the new sealant's ability to be injected through the valve, as seen in the accompanying image here. 

SILCA is so confident in this new formula's performance that they are offering a $500.00 "Bad Day Bonus" to those sponsored athletes who use this sealant in Life Time's Grand Prix. Here's a quote from a recent email blast sent out by SILCA: "...we're offering a $500 Bad Day Bonus to any SILCA-sponsored GP athlete who has a puncture that doesn't seal during a Life Time Grand Prix race."

You can check out this sealant by clicking HERE. 

Slop Season To Begin Next Week:

Well, this past week is pretty much utterly forgettable. We were below zero more than we were above zero, and the bitter winds made things even worse than the ambient air temperature would lead you to believe. 

I'm happy this will all be left behind soon, but now we will have the transition  to Spring I call "Slop Season". The time for fenders and lots of post-ride cleaning! 

Temperatures are said to be going up into the upper 40's for a bit, and that will clear the way for some country riding, I hope, which will be nice after being cooped up the last two weeks or so. 

I'll probably start off on the Karate Monkey single speed with those Nice Bars on it because the tires are wider and I am not worried about the drive train bits or the finish on the bike, which is over two decades old by now. A few more scratches or a bit more wear and tear on the Campstove Green powdercoat won't make much difference anymore. 

If I manage to get out, look for a ride report later in the week next week. 

Guitar Ted Podcast Episode #67:

So, I was hoping this would have come out a week ago, but I wasn't up to recording the day which N.Y. Roll and I wanted to record on. So....

You can listen to us carry on this week, or any time after now, really, and hear what we have to say about air pressures, N.Y. Roll's fat bike race, and other nonsense. The episode can be accessed on any podcast provider's platform by searching "Guitar Ted Podcast" or you can listen on Spotify HERE. 

I am starting to line up a few guests for upcoming episodes which will feature news about a certain statewide gravel resource, gravel pioneers and their stories, and more. N.Y. Roll and I are really excited about presenting conversations with the first modern-day gravel riders and sharing history you'll never get anywhere else.
 

Until then, thanks for Reading Guitar Ted Productions! Get out and ride those bikes!

Shop Work Between Storms

 Last week when I got out for a ride on that wet gravel I noted that my drive train had a serious "skip" to it that felt like a worn out chain. I was thinking I still had that old gold-colored Wipperman chain on this bike, but no! I had a brand new Shimano 11 speed chain on it. 

I had forgotten I had swapped out parts. I did not use a new cassette, but an old XTR one that N.Y. Roll had downloaded to me a while back that he thought might still have some life left in it. 

Guess it did not.

Soooo.... I decided to bail on that cassette and just get a brand new one coming. I went with my old tried and true choice, a SRAM PG 1130 model that has 11-36T cassette cog range. It's not the 40T low I had with that old XTR but hey! I've been getting along fine with the 36T low all this time, so no big deal there. 

Anyway, once that gets here I should be sorted, but I am taking a look at some new chain rings and perhaps a new crankset. I still rather prefer my 36/46 cyclo-cross inspired ring set, but we will see. 

The next order of business was to get those Planet Bike Cascadia ALX fenders off my bench and on to my Raleigh Tamland 2. I really have been pretty happy with the Cascadia ALX since I made the switch several years ago now. They are a LOT more stable and quiet than the Planet Bike Freddy Fenders I used to use which were great fenders, but noisy and really floppy, especially in the rear. While the Cascadia ALX's are more expensive and heavier, I think that trade off is more than worth it. 

The Planet Bike Cascadia ALX fenders over 700 X 44mm WTB Raddler tires.

Gotta love that old Raleigh! When I told the Raleigh team in 2012 that this bike should fit 700 X 42mm tires with fenders they knocked the final product out of the park. There are not too many gravel bikes out there that can do what you are looking at here: 700c X 44mm tires on 25mm internal width rims and fenders? With clearance to spare? 

Yep. 

Now I'm set for 'slop-season' riding which is about what we've been getting here, but for the actual cold wind chills and colder days interspersed between days up into the 40's. Monday it actually rained here all day. Today? It is supposed to start snowing and we're set to see 4"-8" of heavy, wet snow. Oh joy! 

Looks like we might actually have a fat bike season ahead of us here.

Shop Work Between Storms

 Last week when I got out for a ride on that wet gravel I noted that my drive train had a serious "skip" to it that felt like a worn out chain. I was thinking I still had that old gold-colored Wipperman chain on this bike, but no! I had a brand new Shimano 11 speed chain on it. 

I had forgotten I had swapped out parts. I did not use a new cassette, but an old XTR one that N.Y. Roll had downloaded to me a while back that he thought might still have some life left in it. 

Guess it did not.

Soooo.... I decided to bail on that cassette and just get a brand new one coming. I went with my old tried and true choice, a SRAM PG 1130 model that has 11-36T cassette cog range. It's not the 40T low I had with that old XTR but hey! I've been getting along fine with the 36T low all this time, so no big deal there. 

Anyway, once that gets here I should be sorted, but I am taking a look at some new chain rings and perhaps a new crankset. I still rather prefer my 36/46 cyclo-cross inspired ring set, but we will see. 

The next order of business was to get those Planet Bike Cascadia ALX fenders off my bench and on to my Raleigh Tamland 2. I really have been pretty happy with the Cascadia ALX since I made the switch several years ago now. They are a LOT more stable and quiet than the Planet Bike Freddy Fenders I used to use which were great fenders, but noisy and really floppy, especially in the rear. While the Cascadia ALX's are more expensive and heavier, I think that trade off is more than worth it. 

The Planet Bike Cascadia ALX fenders over 700 X 44mm WTB Raddler tires.

Gotta love that old Raleigh! When I told the Raleigh team in 2012 that this bike should fit 700 X 42mm tires with fenders they knocked the final product out of the park. There are not too many gravel bikes out there that can do what you are looking at here: 700c X 44mm tires on 25mm internal width rims and fenders? With clearance to spare? 

Yep. 

Now I'm set for 'slop-season' riding which is about what we've been getting here, but for the actual cold wind chills and colder days interspersed between days up into the 40's. Monday it actually rained here all day. Today? It is supposed to start snowing and we're set to see 4"-8" of heavy, wet snow. Oh joy! 

Looks like we might actually have a fat bike season ahead of us here.

Making Plans For Slop Season

Plenty of room here for fenders

Well, sooner or later things are going to get cold, sloppy, and frozen. So, with that in mind I have been thinking about how I want to tackle things for Winter this year. 

Obviously I have the Snow Dog and the Ti Muk 2 to use when things get really nasty. Fat bikes are really awesome machines, but many days during Winter those bikes are overkill for commuting or for general purpose riding around. That's where my mind has been of late- how do I want to approach this Winter outside of using fat bikes?

Well, I like a single speed, and I like fenders. So, I have been sizing up a few ideas of late and I think I can work it out to where I should have most every base covered. Today's post will deal with my plans for my "Slop Season" bikes. The bikes I'd use when gravel roads are wet, or when slushy streets are free from ice, but messy. 

The past couple of years I have relied upon the Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross bike I have. It did alright in that role, but I have another idea there, which I may cover later on. The thing with the ol' Orange Crush rig is that it has a pretty high bottom bracket which makes things less than stable on uncertain surfaces like snow, mud, or the occasional icy patch. I'd rather have a lower bottom bracket bike for that, and it just so happens that the T-6 Standard Rando v2 is that bike for me.

Test fit with different wheels and tires for now.

I decided to try out this bike with fenders which I have on the BMC Orange Crush bike right now. With a bit narrower tire, and with the option to go 650B (wider tires) as well, since I already have a wheel set all ready to go with that set up, this bike might cover a lot of ground for Winter. I cannot do 650B on the BMC, because it has rim brakes, so this seems like a better way to go right now. 

So far, I only have tried out some narrower wheels and tires. next will be the fenders. Then I'll see how the 650B wheels sit with those. If it all goes as planned I think this bike might see a fair amount of use this Winter. 

I do have a set of 45NRTH 700c X 40 studded tires which I think will go on the BMC after the fenders are gone. Then that bike could be the freeze-melt-re-freeze commuter rig or the bike I use when it snows some- but not enough to warrant a fat bike. 

I also have a thought about what to do with my Karate Monkey. It currently sits with rim brakes, but I think those days are numbered and it will return back to a disc brake bike again so I can use some big, wide rims I have with some big, fat 29"er tires I have and that can be for snow-packed gravel road riding, if that happens. 

See, I have several bicycles, I may as well use them for stuff. Besides the fat bikes mentioned, the other three are all single speed drive trains which means I won't be roaching my precious geared set ups over the wet, snowy, icy Winter months. And if this whole Winter pans out to be a dry, cold dud of a Winter? Then I have had some fun dinking around with bicycles. No big deal....

Making Plans For Slop Season

Plenty of room here for fenders

Well, sooner or later things are going to get cold, sloppy, and frozen. So, with that in mind I have been thinking about how I want to tackle things for Winter this year. 

Obviously I have the Snow Dog and the Ti Muk 2 to use when things get really nasty. Fat bikes are really awesome machines, but many days during Winter those bikes are overkill for commuting or for general purpose riding around. That's where my mind has been of late- how do I want to approach this Winter outside of using fat bikes?

Well, I like a single speed, and I like fenders. So, I have been sizing up a few ideas of late and I think I can work it out to where I should have most every base covered. Today's post will deal with my plans for my "Slop Season" bikes. The bikes I'd use when gravel roads are wet, or when slushy streets are free from ice, but messy. 

The past couple of years I have relied upon the Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross bike I have. It did alright in that role, but I have another idea there, which I may cover later on. The thing with the ol' Orange Crush rig is that it has a pretty high bottom bracket which makes things less than stable on uncertain surfaces like snow, mud, or the occasional icy patch. I'd rather have a lower bottom bracket bike for that, and it just so happens that the T-6 Standard Rando v2 is that bike for me.

Test fit with different wheels and tires for now.

I decided to try out this bike with fenders which I have on the BMC Orange Crush bike right now. With a bit narrower tire, and with the option to go 650B (wider tires) as well, since I already have a wheel set all ready to go with that set up, this bike might cover a lot of ground for Winter. I cannot do 650B on the BMC, because it has rim brakes, so this seems like a better way to go right now. 

So far, I only have tried out some narrower wheels and tires. next will be the fenders. Then I'll see how the 650B wheels sit with those. If it all goes as planned I think this bike might see a fair amount of use this Winter. 

I do have a set of 45NRTH 700c X 40 studded tires which I think will go on the BMC after the fenders are gone. Then that bike could be the freeze-melt-re-freeze commuter rig or the bike I use when it snows some- but not enough to warrant a fat bike. 

I also have a thought about what to do with my Karate Monkey. It currently sits with rim brakes, but I think those days are numbered and it will return back to a disc brake bike again so I can use some big, wide rims I have with some big, fat 29"er tires I have and that can be for snow-packed gravel road riding, if that happens. 

See, I have several bicycles, I may as well use them for stuff. Besides the fat bikes mentioned, the other three are all single speed drive trains which means I won't be roaching my precious geared set ups over the wet, snowy, icy Winter months. And if this whole Winter pans out to be a dry, cold dud of a Winter? Then I have had some fun dinking around with bicycles. No big deal....

Making Up For It

Making for the muck. It's all about testing!

Recently I was lamenting the fact that we went through the transition from Winter to Spring without much of a "slop season' in between. Usually I wouldn't mind that much. It makes for cleaner bikes and longer lasting drive train bits, that's for sure. However; there are a couple of things I am tasked with which sometimes requires bad weather and bad conditions to accomplish my goals. 

Well, as if on cue, the rains came this week and soaked out everything. So now we have mud, puddles, wet dirt, and more to slog through and that's exactly what I have been doing when I have time to get out. In particular, I needed to get that Showers Pass jacket review done and I need to abuse these WTB Proterra wheels more.

We also need rain for more than just my own personal desires, of course, so I am happy to see it coming down. I was a bit surprised that Thursday and Friday were sort of wet days since the forecast said these days would be Sunny. Ha! So much for that! 

But again, that's fine. Things that grow need the water. We were uncommonly dry last Fall and early Spring, so even this wet stretch won't be enough to make it through the rest of Spring. We'll need to see even more rain yet, and hopefully it comes at regular intervals. 

I'll be out today and I'll be interested to see how this rain has affected the roads. As dry as things were, I'm betting that the roads will absorb the moisture up really well. in fact, it wouldn't surprise me at all to find the roads dusty yet. Especially if the County has kept up with laying down even more crushed rock, which I fully expect that they will have. 

I maybe won't be getting a big ride in. there are home duties calling. I have to set up a new bed for my son, and I have to get the lawn mower ready for the year. But definitely there has to be a ride put in. I also have concocted a couple of ideas for rides coming up soon. These will be different than I've done for quite some time. I also will have a big 100 miler in the works soon. So, consistency in the riding is important. 

Stay tuned....

Making Up For It

Making for the muck. It's all about testing!

Recently I was lamenting the fact that we went through the transition from Winter to Spring without much of a "slop season' in between. Usually I wouldn't mind that much. It makes for cleaner bikes and longer lasting drive train bits, that's for sure. However; there are a couple of things I am tasked with which sometimes requires bad weather and bad conditions to accomplish my goals. 

Well, as if on cue, the rains came this week and soaked out everything. So now we have mud, puddles, wet dirt, and more to slog through and that's exactly what I have been doing when I have time to get out. In particular, I needed to get that Showers Pass jacket review done and I need to abuse these WTB Proterra wheels more.

We also need rain for more than just my own personal desires, of course, so I am happy to see it coming down. I was a bit surprised that Thursday and Friday were sort of wet days since the forecast said these days would be Sunny. Ha! So much for that! 

But again, that's fine. Things that grow need the water. We were uncommonly dry last Fall and early Spring, so even this wet stretch won't be enough to make it through the rest of Spring. We'll need to see even more rain yet, and hopefully it comes at regular intervals. 

I'll be out today and I'll be interested to see how this rain has affected the roads. As dry as things were, I'm betting that the roads will absorb the moisture up really well. in fact, it wouldn't surprise me at all to find the roads dusty yet. Especially if the County has kept up with laying down even more crushed rock, which I fully expect that they will have. 

I maybe won't be getting a big ride in. there are home duties calling. I have to set up a new bed for my son, and I have to get the lawn mower ready for the year. But definitely there has to be a ride put in. I also have concocted a couple of ideas for rides coming up soon. These will be different than I've done for quite some time. I also will have a big 100 miler in the works soon. So, consistency in the riding is important. 

Stay tuned....

I Missed The Mud.......A Little!

Wet, soft roads, like these in Spring of 2018, were absent this year.

Well, it would seem that we went from Winter straight into Spring with barely any transition at all. The roads all around Iowa are seemingly coming out of Winter with flying colors and in a rather unprecedented state, they are even getting fresh gravel already. That's usually something that waits until April sometime. 

And here I was, thinking we'd have a typical transition from Winter to Spring with at least two weeks of "slop season" riding. I tacked on fenders and clip-on mudguards all to no avail. They simply were not needed this year at all. In fact, I stripped two bikes of their fenders already, and may succumb to taking them off my Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross rig. I have not ridden that bike without fenders for over five years. 

So, big deal, right? That's a good thing. Well......maybe, except we need the moisture and it is super dry out there now, even with this rain we are getting. I am just kind of shocked we haven't seen any moisture in the roads. It is a pain to deal with when you want to bicycle, but not having any? That's not good for anyone. So, I kind of missed the mud, to be honest, and I hope that it doesn't continue to be overly dry out there. 

The other side note to all of this is that I am supposed to be reviewing this rain jacket and, well..... Hopefully I can get out in this and put an end to this review I'm doing. It has rained before this, of course, but it was freezing cold and coming down in the form of 'soft snow'. Like big flakes of snow that had just been melted enough that you could call it rain. Not anything I'd want to ride in.

I'm not sure why, but my iPhone camera just cannot replicate the color of this bike correctly.

Sunday I rode the Standard Rando v2 around the neighborhood to get my daily exercise in. No big deal. Just enough to spin out the legs and to stress the knee I tweaked Saturday a bit so it wouldn't get stiff. That all worked out, but as I was riding it I kept debating in my mind whether or not I am going to keep riding the Winston Bar on there. Unfortunately, no decision was made. 

I guess I'll just keep riding it the way it is for the time being until I get inspired to do something different. I'm not necessarily missing a drop bar, but I'm not sure the Winston Bar is 100% right for this bike. It's really good, so don't get me wrong. It is probably just a case of over-thinking things. I guess I should forget about missing 'slop-season' and the Winston Bar and shut up and ride.

I Missed The Mud.......A Little!

Wet, soft roads, like these in Spring of 2018, were absent this year.

Well, it would seem that we went from Winter straight into Spring with barely any transition at all. The roads all around Iowa are seemingly coming out of Winter with flying colors and in a rather unprecedented state, they are even getting fresh gravel already. That's usually something that waits until April sometime. 

And here I was, thinking we'd have a typical transition from Winter to Spring with at least two weeks of "slop season" riding. I tacked on fenders and clip-on mudguards all to no avail. They simply were not needed this year at all. In fact, I stripped two bikes of their fenders already, and may succumb to taking them off my Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross rig. I have not ridden that bike without fenders for over five years. 

So, big deal, right? That's a good thing. Well......maybe, except we need the moisture and it is super dry out there now, even with this rain we are getting. I am just kind of shocked we haven't seen any moisture in the roads. It is a pain to deal with when you want to bicycle, but not having any? That's not good for anyone. So, I kind of missed the mud, to be honest, and I hope that it doesn't continue to be overly dry out there. 

The other side note to all of this is that I am supposed to be reviewing this rain jacket and, well..... Hopefully I can get out in this and put an end to this review I'm doing. It has rained before this, of course, but it was freezing cold and coming down in the form of 'soft snow'. Like big flakes of snow that had just been melted enough that you could call it rain. Not anything I'd want to ride in.

I'm not sure why, but my iPhone camera just cannot replicate the color of this bike correctly.

Sunday I rode the Standard Rando v2 around the neighborhood to get my daily exercise in. No big deal. Just enough to spin out the legs and to stress the knee I tweaked Saturday a bit so it wouldn't get stiff. That all worked out, but as I was riding it I kept debating in my mind whether or not I am going to keep riding the Winston Bar on there. Unfortunately, no decision was made. 

I guess I'll just keep riding it the way it is for the time being until I get inspired to do something different. I'm not necessarily missing a drop bar, but I'm not sure the Winston Bar is 100% right for this bike. It's really good, so don't get me wrong. It is probably just a case of over-thinking things. I guess I should forget about missing 'slop-season' and the Winston Bar and shut up and ride.

Well, That Was Fun!

The first day above 32°F happened on Monday of this week and we are to be well above freezing for several days now. With the Sun riding high in the sky now, and longer days on tap, it won't be long before we are done fat biking in the snow. Maybe even now the trails are too far gone for it. It was fun while it lasted. 

The only thing I regret is that for about two weeks straight fat biking conditions were primo but the temperatures were beastly. And many of those days it was just far too windy to cope. I even had to break out my ATV pogies for that time as it was too good not to go out but too windy not to have pogies. 

Side note: These cheapo ATV pogies, (purchased at a local Farm & Fleet store for around 20 bucks) are perfect for Jones Bars. Plus, they go up to about your elbows. I like that when the conditions call for that. They are also super easy to take off and put back on again, require no fancy end plug gizmos, and have internal chemical heat pockets in case you are insane and want to ride in an apocalyptic snow storm or something. Anyway......

So, yeah, what fat biking on snow I got to do was fantastic and the fat bike season of 2020/2021 was pretty top notch, I'd say. The snow actually was of the variety that it had consistency, not the generally 'sandy' type snow which we get a lot of here anymore that makes riding on snow impossible no matter how wide the tires are. I liken that type of snow to hour glass sand. Super fine, granular, and will not hold together for anything. Basically worthless for fat biking on. Fortunately this season had none of that type of snow at all. 

But now we are watching that snow we did get turn to water and drain away. It is now full-on "Slop Season". That period of time between good, rideable snow and dry-ish roads and trails leading into Spring. A messy, ugly time where getting on the road, or as in my case, gravel road, is often difficult due to refrozen run-off, sand from road treatment, and soft roads in the country. But I am armed with fenders and wider tires. 

Bring it on!

Well, That Was Fun!

The first day above 32°F happened on Monday of this week and we are to be well above freezing for several days now. With the Sun riding high in the sky now, and longer days on tap, it won't be long before we are done fat biking in the snow. Maybe even now the trails are too far gone for it. It was fun while it lasted. 

The only thing I regret is that for about two weeks straight fat biking conditions were primo but the temperatures were beastly. And many of those days it was just far too windy to cope. I even had to break out my ATV pogies for that time as it was too good not to go out but too windy not to have pogies. 

Side note: These cheapo ATV pogies, (purchased at a local Farm & Fleet store for around 20 bucks) are perfect for Jones Bars. Plus, they go up to about your elbows. I like that when the conditions call for that. They are also super easy to take off and put back on again, require no fancy end plug gizmos, and have internal chemical heat pockets in case you are insane and want to ride in an apocalyptic snow storm or something. Anyway......

So, yeah, what fat biking on snow I got to do was fantastic and the fat bike season of 2020/2021 was pretty top notch, I'd say. The snow actually was of the variety that it had consistency, not the generally 'sandy' type snow which we get a lot of here anymore that makes riding on snow impossible no matter how wide the tires are. I liken that type of snow to hour glass sand. Super fine, granular, and will not hold together for anything. Basically worthless for fat biking on. Fortunately this season had none of that type of snow at all. 

But now we are watching that snow we did get turn to water and drain away. It is now full-on "Slop Season". That period of time between good, rideable snow and dry-ish roads and trails leading into Spring. A messy, ugly time where getting on the road, or as in my case, gravel road, is often difficult due to refrozen run-off, sand from road treatment, and soft roads in the country. But I am armed with fenders and wider tires. 

Bring it on!

Friday News And Views

Early "Slop Season" road from 2018

Entering The Slop Season:

Well, we're just about to the end of February and that means that "Slop Season" is just around the corner. "What is that?", you might ask. Well, it is when the roads are in the process of thawing out and the frost draws up out of the ground. This makes the roads soft, wet, muddy, and therefore, sloppy. Slop Season. Get it?

This is a hard time in the cycling season for many folks. Traditionally, roadie season cycling was about the only game in town, but with deaths, injuries, and too many close calls to name, most of us aren't going out for road rides these days. Not with distracted drivers and just plain bad, lazy drivers out on the roads. I know we like to blame electronic devices for much of the mayhem that affects us cyclists, but I'm here to tell you that just plain old bad driving skills and poor decisions are killing more than we care to admit.

Anyway....

The point is, the trails for off road are not suitable to ride on, road cycling is too dangerous, and gravel roads are there , but you'd better be prepared for some gooey-going.  When Winter fades and Spring edges in, the gravel roads can be pretty bad. This is when I bust out the wider tires and fenders. Remember those? British folk call 'em mudguards. That's actually exactly what they are during "Slop Season" here.

I also will ride single speeds. In fact, the old "Orange Crush" BMC is set up specifically to tackle "Slop Season" this year with a single speed set up and mudguards. Derailleur drive trains can get destroyed in the slop or the rear derailleur can be completely ripped off your bike! Single speeds get around all that, plus they are easier to maintain. But yeah....I'll also still run a fully geared bike. The BMC MCD with full mudguards will be fitted with the fatter 650B tires which allow for a bit less of a "pizza cutter" effect on the softer roads.

I'm sure Winter will make a final appearance or maybe two, but Slop Season is nigh, and there is no stopping it.

A nod to the grassroots gravel events. Where gravel gets its "realness" from.

 A Good Word;

You know I've banged on about how the entire gravel scene is basically a grassroots scene, built by the populace, not by the marketing machine. But we're becoming victims of our own, homegrown success. Now the slick, fancy messages from the traditional cycling media and the former roadie Pros turned gravel grinders have been making a raucous noise about how this is "the new thing", when in fact, it most certainly is not "the new thing", and especially not because they say it is so. There's this thing called "history". They might want to look into that.

Anyway, I welcome them regardless. I welcome them to what we've been doing for about a decade and a half now. Hope they have fun. But enough about what I think. I'm not the only one seeing this. A gravel rider and friend of mine from South Dakota, Craig Groseth, has similar thoughts, only maybe his are more concisely and clearly laid out than my ramblings are. If you care to check out what he has written, click HERE.

I met Craig while grinding away in central Nebraska at Odin's Revenge. Woo! That was some kinda tough right there, and I do miss that event, and seeing Craig also. I guess they have a new event out that way which is set to take in some of that Odin's area. I just cannot get out there this year due to the new job, but it looks tasty.

Anyway, Craig is a great guy and I just wanted to point out another take on the scene. Thank you, Craig!

Specialized CG-R seat post

 Seat Post Shoot-Out:

Several years ago MG and I ran a seat post shoot-out on the old "Gravel Grinder News" site. We had that Ergon/Canyon leaf spring deal, a Niner RDO post, and I think something titanium was thrown in the mix as well. Anyway.....

Now we have the Kinekt suspension post, the new Redshift Sports ShockStop post, and the old Cane Creek Thudbuster suspension post. I'm going to pit my experiences with these posts against some fully rigid offerings like the new PRO Discover Carbon post with Dyneema, and this guy here......a Specialized CG-R. 

I've wanted to get my hands on one of these posts for years. It has been around since at least 2012, as near as I can tell, and I remember trying to get one for our old shoot-out. Unfortunately it never materialized. But here is a used one I got my hands on, and I am going to check it out. It gets great reviews, from what I can see, but there are a few things that are nits on this post as well. One being the 25mm of setback. Not everyone is going to get along with that! Some also allude to the post's shaft being where all the comfort comes from and not so much from the funky head design, but I will try to see if I can figure out what is going on with this particular post, along with the others as well.


That's all for this week! Have a great weekend!

Friday News And Views

Early "Slop Season" road from 2018

Entering The Slop Season:

Well, we're just about to the end of February and that means that "Slop Season" is just around the corner. "What is that?", you might ask. Well, it is when the roads are in the process of thawing out and the frost draws up out of the ground. This makes the roads soft, wet, muddy, and therefore, sloppy. Slop Season. Get it?

This is a hard time in the cycling season for many folks. Traditionally, roadie season cycling was about the only game in town, but with deaths, injuries, and too many close calls to name, most of us aren't going out for road rides these days. Not with distracted drivers and just plain bad, lazy drivers out on the roads. I know we like to blame electronic devices for much of the mayhem that affects us cyclists, but I'm here to tell you that just plain old bad driving skills and poor decisions are killing more than we care to admit.

Anyway....

The point is, the trails for off road are not suitable to ride on, road cycling is too dangerous, and gravel roads are there , but you'd better be prepared for some gooey-going.  When Winter fades and Spring edges in, the gravel roads can be pretty bad. This is when I bust out the wider tires and fenders. Remember those? British folk call 'em mudguards. That's actually exactly what they are during "Slop Season" here.

I also will ride single speeds. In fact, the old "Orange Crush" BMC is set up specifically to tackle "Slop Season" this year with a single speed set up and mudguards. Derailleur drive trains can get destroyed in the slop or the rear derailleur can be completely ripped off your bike! Single speeds get around all that, plus they are easier to maintain. But yeah....I'll also still run a fully geared bike. The BMC MCD with full mudguards will be fitted with the fatter 650B tires which allow for a bit less of a "pizza cutter" effect on the softer roads.

I'm sure Winter will make a final appearance or maybe two, but Slop Season is nigh, and there is no stopping it.

A nod to the grassroots gravel events. Where gravel gets its "realness" from.

 A Good Word;

You know I've banged on about how the entire gravel scene is basically a grassroots scene, built by the populace, not by the marketing machine. But we're becoming victims of our own, homegrown success. Now the slick, fancy messages from the traditional cycling media and the former roadie Pros turned gravel grinders have been making a raucous noise about how this is "the new thing", when in fact, it most certainly is not "the new thing", and especially not because they say it is so. There's this thing called "history". They might want to look into that.

Anyway, I welcome them regardless. I welcome them to what we've been doing for about a decade and a half now. Hope they have fun. But enough about what I think. I'm not the only one seeing this. A gravel rider and friend of mine from South Dakota, Craig Groseth, has similar thoughts, only maybe his are more concisely and clearly laid out than my ramblings are. If you care to check out what he has written, click HERE.

I met Craig while grinding away in central Nebraska at Odin's Revenge. Woo! That was some kinda tough right there, and I do miss that event, and seeing Craig also. I guess they have a new event out that way which is set to take in some of that Odin's area. I just cannot get out there this year due to the new job, but it looks tasty.

Anyway, Craig is a great guy and I just wanted to point out another take on the scene. Thank you, Craig!

Specialized CG-R seat post

 Seat Post Shoot-Out:

Several years ago MG and I ran a seat post shoot-out on the old "Gravel Grinder News" site. We had that Ergon/Canyon leaf spring deal, a Niner RDO post, and I think something titanium was thrown in the mix as well. Anyway.....

Now we have the Kinekt suspension post, the new Redshift Sports ShockStop post, and the old Cane Creek Thudbuster suspension post. I'm going to pit my experiences with these posts against some fully rigid offerings like the new PRO Discover Carbon post with Dyneema, and this guy here......a Specialized CG-R. 

I've wanted to get my hands on one of these posts for years. It has been around since at least 2012, as near as I can tell, and I remember trying to get one for our old shoot-out. Unfortunately it never materialized. But here is a used one I got my hands on, and I am going to check it out. It gets great reviews, from what I can see, but there are a few things that are nits on this post as well. One being the 25mm of setback. Not everyone is going to get along with that! Some also allude to the post's shaft being where all the comfort comes from and not so much from the funky head design, but I will try to see if I can figure out what is going on with this particular post, along with the others as well.


That's all for this week! Have a great weekend!

Epic "Slop Season" Begins

Saturated road from T.I.v2. I hear the roads look like this in the country now too.

The Winter is dead, but Spring is spilling Winter's "blood" with a hard swing to warmer temperatures and rain. All that water, in the form of snow, ice, and frost, is playing havoc with the gravel roads right now. In fact, I saw a pretty epic video on Facebook Tuesday evening of a road North of Cedar Falls. I hear it is very bad, as in even 4X4's are having issues getting around.

So, with thoughts of going exploring on gravel roads dashed, (because, what would be the point?), I decided that prudence was necessary and stayed within the bounds of the city. It is no picnic in town either, by the way. Pot holes are popping up everywhere and we aren't even into the meat of pot hole season yet. These are some of the worst, biggest, and the largest amount of pot holes that I can recall in many years.

Water was running off the snow banks alongside the roads like someone had left a garden hose on somewhere. A huge garden hose! I had to pick my way through my loop in the cemetery where there was some ice and on the unpaved parts, it was possible to ride, but barely. My tires were doing the "pizza cutter" thing, and resistance was very high. I decided my plan for laps in the cemetery was not a good one, so I headed over to the Byrnes Park area to climb some hills.

Running a single speed, with 180mm cranks, you can find that cadence and just crank, (slowly) away and grind right up the inclines. Now, I haven't been on a single speed since mid-January, so I knew I wasn't going to be quite "single speed fit" and a little resistance was going to go a long way. I figured I maybe had an hour in me to putz around the wet, sloppy neighborhoods and then I had better hang it up.

Lots of snow melted today, but there is a LOT of snow to melt!

I think I am going to be really happy with the BMC "Orange Crush" set up as a single speed. I was having fun cranking away and the bike is really suited to being a single speed rig. I do have a wish though, and that is for a bolt on, single speed specific rear wheel, so now that I am pretty sure this is the direction I want to go with this bike, I am going to start tracking down a set of rims and I probably will use hubs I have already.

Those would be the old Surly "Jim Brown" edition New Disc Hubs that I got over ten years ago now. I used to run them on the Karate Monkey, but I switched that over to rim brakes and the "chocolate chip" wheel set has brown, no-rim brake Velocity rims on it. So, those wheels aren't much good to me with those rims. I am going to look at getting some Blunt SS rims, (Editor's Note: Reader Exhausted_Auk reminded me that Blunt SS is a disc only rim.) Cliffhangars I think, and I'll lace up those hubs. Or.......

Since the disc part is no good for me here, I may look at getting brand new hubs. Silver, of course, would be the obvious choice, and rim brake only. I'll have to look into that..... Then I could keep the all silver thing going and not have to have a black, or brown, component on the bike.

But anyway...... Enough about that. Slop Season is here and man! It is treacherous and I have no idea when it might straighten out enough to make for decent riding. I think Saturday will be another day of poking around to see how things are going, and then maybe I'll have a better idea. Thankfully it looks as though windy, sunny, no rain days are forecast for much of the weekend and through next week.

Epic "Slop Season" Begins

Saturated road from T.I.v2. I hear the roads look like this in the country now too.

The Winter is dead, but Spring is spilling Winter's "blood" with a hard swing to warmer temperatures and rain. All that water, in the form of snow, ice, and frost, is playing havoc with the gravel roads right now. In fact, I saw a pretty epic video on Facebook Tuesday evening of a road North of Cedar Falls. I hear it is very bad, as in even 4X4's are having issues getting around.

So, with thoughts of going exploring on gravel roads dashed, (because, what would be the point?), I decided that prudence was necessary and stayed within the bounds of the city. It is no picnic in town either, by the way. Pot holes are popping up everywhere and we aren't even into the meat of pot hole season yet. These are some of the worst, biggest, and the largest amount of pot holes that I can recall in many years.

Water was running off the snow banks alongside the roads like someone had left a garden hose on somewhere. A huge garden hose! I had to pick my way through my loop in the cemetery where there was some ice and on the unpaved parts, it was possible to ride, but barely. My tires were doing the "pizza cutter" thing, and resistance was very high. I decided my plan for laps in the cemetery was not a good one, so I headed over to the Byrnes Park area to climb some hills.

Running a single speed, with 180mm cranks, you can find that cadence and just crank, (slowly) away and grind right up the inclines. Now, I haven't been on a single speed since mid-January, so I knew I wasn't going to be quite "single speed fit" and a little resistance was going to go a long way. I figured I maybe had an hour in me to putz around the wet, sloppy neighborhoods and then I had better hang it up.

Lots of snow melted today, but there is a LOT of snow to melt!

I think I am going to be really happy with the BMC "Orange Crush" set up as a single speed. I was having fun cranking away and the bike is really suited to being a single speed rig. I do have a wish though, and that is for a bolt on, single speed specific rear wheel, so now that I am pretty sure this is the direction I want to go with this bike, I am going to start tracking down a set of rims and I probably will use hubs I have already.

Those would be the old Surly "Jim Brown" edition New Disc Hubs that I got over ten years ago now. I used to run them on the Karate Monkey, but I switched that over to rim brakes and the "chocolate chip" wheel set has brown, no-rim brake Velocity rims on it. So, those wheels aren't much good to me with those rims. I am going to look at getting some Blunt SS rims, (Editor's Note: Reader Exhausted_Auk reminded me that Blunt SS is a disc only rim.) Cliffhangars I think, and I'll lace up those hubs. Or.......

Since the disc part is no good for me here, I may look at getting brand new hubs. Silver, of course, would be the obvious choice, and rim brake only. I'll have to look into that..... Then I could keep the all silver thing going and not have to have a black, or brown, component on the bike.

But anyway...... Enough about that. Slop Season is here and man! It is treacherous and I have no idea when it might straighten out enough to make for decent riding. I think Saturday will be another day of poking around to see how things are going, and then maybe I'll have a better idea. Thankfully it looks as though windy, sunny, no rain days are forecast for much of the weekend and through next week.

Slop Season Begins

Riding just after ice-out and before the frost comes up puts you in weird places.

The snow is on the run, and even if we do get dusted again with the white stuff, it ain't lasting long anymore. Eventually the Sun wins out, and Spring will get here. Spring fever has already taken hold of residents here as we hit the 50's today- nearly 60- and motorcycles came out along with lots of folks just hungry to experience warmer temperatures, be that on bikes, walking, or whatever.

Bicycling during this time in the Mid-West is tricky. Off road trails are, for the most part, off limits for quite a while yet. Paved trails are hit and miss. Under the overpasses and under bridges there are still a lot of icy and snowy patches. Tree lined trails will take a while to clear off. Roads are mostly cleared, but pot holes are appearing like zits on a teenager's face before prom now, so it is pretty sketchy. Add in the left over detritus of sand and other Winter trash and it can be a minefield for a road bike.

Gravel can be good, or it can be peanut butter mud, or both on the same ride. Frost heaves are likely, and those weeping muddy patches will start appearing like bleeding scars running down the limestone veins of Iowa. In the meantime, you'd better have yer mud guards, (fenders to us Yankees), on, because the slop is everywhere and keeping dry is tantamount to keeping warm now.

Then there is the challenge of what to wear. Starting out in the morning you may have booties or Winter footwear on, a wind breaker, a wool jersey, and some decent gloves. By noon you might be looking for a place to stash that stuff because you might be frying inside those layers. The wind might make this even more tricky to gauge. Oh yes........there will be lots of wind. 

But give me a bike and an open gravel road. I'm ready no matter how sloppy and difficult it might be. 

Slop Season Begins

Riding just after ice-out and before the frost comes up puts you in weird places.

The snow is on the run, and even if we do get dusted again with the white stuff, it ain't lasting long anymore. Eventually the Sun wins out, and Spring will get here. Spring fever has already taken hold of residents here as we hit the 50's today- nearly 60- and motorcycles came out along with lots of folks just hungry to experience warmer temperatures, be that on bikes, walking, or whatever.

Bicycling during this time in the Mid-West is tricky. Off road trails are, for the most part, off limits for quite a while yet. Paved trails are hit and miss. Under the overpasses and under bridges there are still a lot of icy and snowy patches. Tree lined trails will take a while to clear off. Roads are mostly cleared, but pot holes are appearing like zits on a teenager's face before prom now, so it is pretty sketchy. Add in the left over detritus of sand and other Winter trash and it can be a minefield for a road bike.

Gravel can be good, or it can be peanut butter mud, or both on the same ride. Frost heaves are likely, and those weeping muddy patches will start appearing like bleeding scars running down the limestone veins of Iowa. In the meantime, you'd better have yer mud guards, (fenders to us Yankees), on, because the slop is everywhere and keeping dry is tantamount to keeping warm now.

Then there is the challenge of what to wear. Starting out in the morning you may have booties or Winter footwear on, a wind breaker, a wool jersey, and some decent gloves. By noon you might be looking for a place to stash that stuff because you might be frying inside those layers. The wind might make this even more tricky to gauge. Oh yes........there will be lots of wind. 

But give me a bike and an open gravel road. I'm ready no matter how sloppy and difficult it might be. 

Slop Season Advantages

A "B Level" experience within two blocks of home.

"Slop Season" is the name I've given to that time between Winter and Spring when everything looses that pristine, snow white cover, becomes ugly brown, black, and grey, and everything is saturated in snow melt and grime. Sounds terrible, right? Who'd want to subject themselves to riding in that stuff, much less their equipment?

Well......I would, for one. 

Blame it on the "boy" in me, but mud, wet stuff, and the general dun colors of everything mean Winter is over and Spring is about to, well.......spring!  To me, it is a beautiful message wrapped up in an ugly package. It is fun getting out with less layers, seeing the Sun ride up higher into the sky, and watching Nature come alive again. Plus splashing through puddles and grinding through mud is different than plowing through eight inches of white stuff and breathing in sub-zero air.

Just last weekend it was almost 20 below zero, and yesterday we flirted with 50 degrees above zero. Polar opposites, and yes- pun intended! Winter was fun, (besides the being sick part), and now it is time to enjoy the benefits of "Slop Season" for a short time before actual Springtime conditions set in.

Advantages?, you say? Why yes.....yes indeedy.

Mud and soft conditions are a "resistance" workout. It usually gets windier out there this time of year as well, which adds to that effect. This can make you stronger. Also, the trying conditions test your mental capacities, and can add to your handling skill set. However, for me I just find joy in being in a different climatic condition and watching the season turn from the saddle of my bicycle. Hopefully I get the benefits of the Slop Season advantages along the way.

Slop Season Advantages

A "B Level" experience within two blocks of home.

"Slop Season" is the name I've given to that time between Winter and Spring when everything looses that pristine, snow white cover, becomes ugly brown, black, and grey, and everything is saturated in snow melt and grime. Sounds terrible, right? Who'd want to subject themselves to riding in that stuff, much less their equipment?

Well......I would, for one. 

Blame it on the "boy" in me, but mud, wet stuff, and the general dun colors of everything mean Winter is over and Spring is about to, well.......spring!  To me, it is a beautiful message wrapped up in an ugly package. It is fun getting out with less layers, seeing the Sun ride up higher into the sky, and watching Nature come alive again. Plus splashing through puddles and grinding through mud is different than plowing through eight inches of white stuff and breathing in sub-zero air.

Just last weekend it was almost 20 below zero, and yesterday we flirted with 50 degrees above zero. Polar opposites, and yes- pun intended! Winter was fun, (besides the being sick part), and now it is time to enjoy the benefits of "Slop Season" for a short time before actual Springtime conditions set in.

Advantages?, you say? Why yes.....yes indeedy.

Mud and soft conditions are a "resistance" workout. It usually gets windier out there this time of year as well, which adds to that effect. This can make you stronger. Also, the trying conditions test your mental capacities, and can add to your handling skill set. However, for me I just find joy in being in a different climatic condition and watching the season turn from the saddle of my bicycle. Hopefully I get the benefits of the Slop Season advantages along the way.