Friday News And Views

Luke Hoffman, Executive Director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition. (Image courtesy of the IBC)

 Iowa Bicycle Coalition Hires New Executive Director:

Recently the Iowa Bicycle Coalition announced the hire of Luke Hoffman to fill its Executive Director position after former Executive Director, Mark Wyatt announced his departure. The Iowa Bicycle Coalition, an organization that promotes safe cycling in Iowa, educational programs, policy change at the government level, and growing a support community amongst cyclists in Iowa, now looks to Mr. Hoffman to drive these initiatives. 

Hoffman, a life-long cyclists from Iowa, will transition into the executive Director role with the aid of former Executive Director, Mark Wyatt who is staying on briefly to smooth out the change in leadership. Hoffman is already hard at work learning about the influencers and important issues in the Iowa cycling scene. 

Comments: The Iowa Bicycle Coalition mostly has been felt, in my experience, as the organization that implements changes at the Iowa Statehouse level through lobbying. The organizer also generally has a big presence at the Iowa Bicycle Expo, with their Iowa Bicycle Summit, usually held in January in Des Moines, Iowa. I spoke at the Iowa Bicycle Summit in 2017. 

Mr. Hoffman has already reached out to me, which I found pretty impressive since I don't generally see myself as being "that big of a deal", which...... I probably should, but I don't, generally, so the call caught me by surprise a bit. But since I've started working at The Cedar Valley Bicycle collective my aims have been more in alignment with what the Coalition is all about, so this is a good thing. 

Good luck to Mr. Hoffman in his endeavors! I loo forward to possibly meeting him at some point in the future. 

Time to dig back into this.

Second (Third? Fourth?) Chances:

You may not have noticed but I have not been using a GPS computer for cycling since early Summer. Boy! I gotta say that the rides I have gotten in have been just fine without that frustrating device. 

But a recent chat with a local runner in the Cedar Valley has me thinking I need to either figure this out or move on and never be a part of you folks that use GPS stuff. Well....at least not until things get figured out better.

See, the local runner, unprompted by myself, brought up a lot of the same things that drives me nuts about GPS units. His experiences were very similar to mine, plus he had some that were maybe more related to running that I did not have experiences with. 

But the chat did serve to bring to mind that I need to definitively figure out where I am headed in the near future. Either I use these things or I do not. I want to make up my mind and move on. The issue cannot be left undecided or I will end up wondering "what if" and that's no good. 

So, here are a few reasons I do not need GPS: Training, racing, navigation, data, and communication. I can do all of that stuff without a GPS at all. Would GPS computers like the Wahoo I have make things easier? Maybe..... It hasn't so far though. 

You might be thinking that I definitely need a GPS to do an event with. No, not really, I don't. While it is true that many race courses guidance is only provided via GPS, those tracks are almost always made available far ahead of the event on sites like Ride With GPS, and guess what? You can download cues for those, or, most likely, I'd write my own up and use the hard copy during the event. 

Oh yeah, and I don't do Strava or anything like that. I find that to be totally uninteresting. 

You might think that a GPS computer distance data would be more accurate than my hard-wired computer. Actually, that answer is "no" as well. Even my running friend, who used a traditional distance roll-out device to set up a quarter mile interval training route, has seen GPS not get the 1/4 mile splits correct on several other runners GPS units. And my roll-out measurement on my computer yields results that have consistently been dead-on with Iowa DOT mile markers. So, no- you don't need a GPS for that either. 

So the scales are tipped heavily against GPS in my view. Not only that, but I still have not been able to get one to work consistently well enough to be convinced otherwise. But I am going to try again. Stay tuned....

Speaking Of Technology...

The landscape for logistics for long, ultra-endurance events is changing due to technology. It's something that seems obvious when you stop to think about it. 

Maybe the pandemic put this sort of an idea on people's radar, but whatever it was, finding food and water became a heck of a lot easier than ever. It used to be that if you missed a store during open hours you were out of luck. But not anymore!

Riders have figured out how to leverage technology to gain an advantage over the long distance cycling challenges which are "self-supported" type events. Phone apps are one way this is being done. 

Call ahead and have an order placed outside in a bag with your name on it. Boom! When you get there, you have some savory vittles and maybe water waiting for you. Of course, it's risky. The village mutt might take advantage of your late arrival, but hey! It's take that risk or go without. 

Want to geek out on exactly how far down a rabit hole people go with regard to this? Check out THIS LINK and be amazed. Heck, I don't even understand half of that! It does reinforce my assertion that people will find every way possible to make an event easier within the rules, and sometimes outside of them.

Redshift Sports Expands Seatpost Offerings:

Redshift Sports makes a nice suspension seat post, but it only came in one diameter- 27.2mm. Well, now that will no longer be the case going forward. 

Redshift ShockStop Seatposts will now come in a few popular sizes and in some longer lengths. This should be of particular interest to fat bikers who ride in Winter on post-holed trails as this sort of seat post will totally change your riding. 

It should be noted that some of the sizes will not come into stock until late December of this year and January of 2024. You can check these out HERE. Note- This is the original ShockStop seatpost. The "PRO" model does not come in any other size but 27.2mm. 

Comments: Besides my take on these posts for snow riding with fat bikes, the ShockStop seatpost is a really well done suspension post. I like that the original is adjustable. You can make it really compliant or stiffen it up as much as you'd probably ever need to. (I mean, if you're going to make it nearly rigid, why bother at all) 

These are also a great post for bikes that do not have a lot of exposed seat post and allow some "give" to those riders with bikes like that which you wouldn't otherwise have available to you. Of course, these aren't for everyone, but this is a nice expansion in offerings for a suspension seat post in terms of sizes.

That's all for this week! Have a great weekend and get out for a ride if you can!

Cycling And Technology: Controlling Your Ride?

A snippet of a data screen. (Image courtesy of SRAM)

 Did you know about SRAM AXS Web? I didn't until yesterday. I've often half-joked that electronic shifting, sensors, rider output data, and controllers could feasibly run your derailleurs automatically based on performance and terrain/weather metrics. It looks as though that might very well be possible at some point.

So, SRAM AXS Web has been around since 2020, but little has been said about it until recently. Apparently features of it will be a part of the upcoming Hammerhead Karoo 3. So, just what is so fantastic about this idea/technology?

Take a look at the image here. It shows something already available to anyone, and not necessarily pigeonholed to SRAM users either. The SRAM AXS web can detect what gearing you use and when, how often it was used, and theoretically that could be integrated with your performance metrics. 

Now think about weather data. How could all of that performance data, how your body works in certain gearing on whatever terrain you are riding, and component performance data - How could that be integrated with wind speed, temperature, and humidity? 

Could a certain cadence and gear selection based off input data like that inform you on what to select as a rider for the next shift? Or could we expect that at some point, you'll just be able to pedal, hold a certain power output level that you can sustain, and the bike will use sensor data to select gearing to optimize all that for the best outcome? 

Hmm....

As a mechanic, I can see how this could be used to determine wear patterns and let mechanics know when to swap out chains, cassettes, and chain rings. If finely grained enough, power to spin the drive train could be set at a base level and compared after use to see at what point bearings and components in the drive train are less efficient. 

You could have AI (Artificial Intelligence) involved quite easily. What a world!

Or, ya know, you could just ignore all of that and ride for the fun of it all.

Cycling And Technology: Controlling Your Ride?

A snippet of a data screen. (Image courtesy of SRAM)

 Did you know about SRAM AXS Web? I didn't until yesterday. I've often half-joked that electronic shifting, sensors, rider output data, and controllers could feasibly run your derailleurs automatically based on performance and terrain/weather metrics. It looks as though that might very well be possible at some point.

So, SRAM AXS Web has been around since 2020, but little has been said about it until recently. Apparently features of it will be a part of the upcoming Hammerhead Karoo 3. So, just what is so fantastic about this idea/technology?

Take a look at the image here. It shows something already available to anyone, and not necessarily pigeonholed to SRAM users either. The SRAM AXS web can detect what gearing you use and when, how often it was used, and theoretically that could be integrated with your performance metrics. 

Now think about weather data. How could all of that performance data, how your body works in certain gearing on whatever terrain you are riding, and component performance data - How could that be integrated with wind speed, temperature, and humidity? 

Could a certain cadence and gear selection based off input data like that inform you on what to select as a rider for the next shift? Or could we expect that at some point, you'll just be able to pedal, hold a certain power output level that you can sustain, and the bike will use sensor data to select gearing to optimize all that for the best outcome? 

Hmm....

As a mechanic, I can see how this could be used to determine wear patterns and let mechanics know when to swap out chains, cassettes, and chain rings. If finely grained enough, power to spin the drive train could be set at a base level and compared after use to see at what point bearings and components in the drive train are less efficient. 

You could have AI (Artificial Intelligence) involved quite easily. What a world!

Or, ya know, you could just ignore all of that and ride for the fun of it all.

Friday News And Views

Jones Bicycles Debuts 29" X 3.25" Crux Tires:

Back when fat bikes were getting hot there were rumors that a 29" fat bike tire might get produced. That wasn't really a very soild thought though, since mold making machines were barely able to crank out 2.5" width 29"er tires at that point and the over-all diameter of such a tire as a 29' X 3.25" tire would easily exceed anything that could make a tire at that point. 

That said, tire companies that weren't necessarily the biggest dogs in the performance bicycle marketplace started doing odder sized tires just to gain a foothold in the market. (See reference to an example below) Vee Tire and Duro Tires are two brands that, while you may not know it, make tons of bicycle tires for lower end bikes and other brands. They just do not have their name front and center when it comes to tires made under their company name. 

You've likely heard about Vee Tire, and you may have used them on a bike, but they are not a "Maxxis" or "Kenda" in the marketplace. Duro is almost unheard of in the performance tire market for bicycles, although they have made popular DH tires in the past. 

So, it wasn't too surprising then when Vee Tire made there Bulldozer model into a 29" X 3.25" tire, which then Jones Bikes adopted as their featured tire on many of their Jones Bikes builds for bikepacking. Now Jones has worked with Duro Tires to bring another, tubeless ready 29" X 3.25" tire in the Crux model. You can check them out here. 

Ultima Multipath Long Range (Image courtesy of Ultima)

Interesting Molded Composite HPC :

Electrified two wheeled contraptions are a dime a dozen, so when I see one that I actually am interested in, you can bet that there is a good reason why. This bike by Ultima from France is just such an example.

It features technology borrowed from automobile manufacturing and uses an injection molded composite technique to create a unique, monocoque, single-piece structure for the frame and the fork is made in much the same way. I've chosen to highlight Ultima's "Long Range" version of their bike to show here because it has the most radical fork design and is meant for all-roads/terrain. 

Essentially a trekking bike, the Ultima Long range has a single-sided fork, ala a Lefty, with a unique parallelogram linkage suspension, which as far as I can discern is based on a "blade", or leaf spring design. (I could be wrong, but the website isn't 100% clear without me doing more digging)
 

The disc brake arrangement is kind of interesting. It would allow for the rider to remove the front wheel without removing the caliper, but since the caliper is basically upside down, I cannot imagine that debris would not want to collect in the pad area, not to mention moisture. 

But besides this odd design choice, it is a very interesting bicycle. Typically any injection molded type designs in the past have not been successful due to breakage or a lack of stiffness which led to poor user experiences. Examples of this that you may have heard of are GT mountain bikes from the early 2000's and Ross, who were resurrected briefly in the early 2000's and used an injection molded hard tail frame for a few models. 

Ultima is using recycled plastic in this frame and fork and their goal is to use 100% recycled plastic for the French produced frame and fork by 2025. Hopefully they can pull it off, but time will tell. 

The bike weighs a claimed 45lbs plus a little and costs well North of 4K, which in light of many offerings on the market is not bad at all. It's just going to come down to how this frame and fork technology holds up under daily usage.

Drunken Rhino (Image courtesy of Nextie)

Drunken Rhinos & Mammoths: What?!

The world of fat bikes just got a little fatter recently  when Nextie, the Far East carbon rim manufacturer, announced that they have made a 128mm wide carbon fat bike rim with a 120mm internal rim width. Following is a bit of the announcement as seen on Facebook:

"We thought the Xiphias 105mm rim had been compatible enough for the biggest tires currently on the market. But according to the needs of one of our loyal customer fans, who is a fat-bike enthusiast, the Xiphias 105mm is still not wide enough, especially for the ground with very thick snow. Wider rims are much more beneficial. So we decided to design and to develop the world's widest carbon bicycle rim - the Drunken Rhinoceros 128mm. Even though it's an extremely niche product, it's our duty to push the boundaries of carbon fiber cycling if one product could meet the needs of our wide range of customers from all the world."

The identity of the "loyal customer" wasn't hard to figure out for me. That would be Mike Curiak, who is solely responsible for this product's existence. He typically has been the driving force behind fat biking in "trail-less", ungroomed areas where there have been less people and more solitude. You can see Mike's bike he tested these on and read more about how to get the rims here. 

In the Facebook comments on Nextie's announcement a link was made available to a bike that probably has the widest Over Lock Dimension (OLD) of any production bicycle that I am aware of. The Mammoth Empire, apparently available from the Philippines, has an over 200mm bolt-on rear hub. 

Snip from a YouTube video on the Mammoth Empire fat bike

Okay, so you've got these huge rear traingle widths, a big, wide carbon fiber rim, and what tire? Well, actually, the big tire came first. That would be the Vee Tire Snowshoe 2XL at 5.05" in width, and it is at least that wide. I've seen side by side comparisons with the Bud and Lou Surly 4.8"ers and the Vee 2XL is noticeably bigger. 

But......could we be on the verge of seeing something even wider come out? 

Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions! Have a great weekend!

Friday News And Views

Jones Bicycles Debuts 29" X 3.25" Crux Tires:

Back when fat bikes were getting hot there were rumors that a 29" fat bike tire might get produced. That wasn't really a very soild thought though, since mold making machines were barely able to crank out 2.5" width 29"er tires at that point and the over-all diameter of such a tire as a 29' X 3.25" tire would easily exceed anything that could make a tire at that point. 

That said, tire companies that weren't necessarily the biggest dogs in the performance bicycle marketplace started doing odder sized tires just to gain a foothold in the market. (See reference to an example below) Vee Tire and Duro Tires are two brands that, while you may not know it, make tons of bicycle tires for lower end bikes and other brands. They just do not have their name front and center when it comes to tires made under their company name. 

You've likely heard about Vee Tire, and you may have used them on a bike, but they are not a "Maxxis" or "Kenda" in the marketplace. Duro is almost unheard of in the performance tire market for bicycles, although they have made popular DH tires in the past. 

So, it wasn't too surprising then when Vee Tire made there Bulldozer model into a 29" X 3.25" tire, which then Jones Bikes adopted as their featured tire on many of their Jones Bikes builds for bikepacking. Now Jones has worked with Duro Tires to bring another, tubeless ready 29" X 3.25" tire in the Crux model. You can check them out here. 

Ultima Multipath Long Range (Image courtesy of Ultima)

Interesting Molded Composite HPC :

Electrified two wheeled contraptions are a dime a dozen, so when I see one that I actually am interested in, you can bet that there is a good reason why. This bike by Ultima from France is just such an example.

It features technology borrowed from automobile manufacturing and uses an injection molded composite technique to create a unique, monocoque, single-piece structure for the frame and the fork is made in much the same way. I've chosen to highlight Ultima's "Long Range" version of their bike to show here because it has the most radical fork design and is meant for all-roads/terrain. 

Essentially a trekking bike, the Ultima Long range has a single-sided fork, ala a Lefty, with a unique parallelogram linkage suspension, which as far as I can discern is based on a "blade", or leaf spring design. (I could be wrong, but the website isn't 100% clear without me doing more digging)
 

The disc brake arrangement is kind of interesting. It would allow for the rider to remove the front wheel without removing the caliper, but since the caliper is basically upside down, I cannot imagine that debris would not want to collect in the pad area, not to mention moisture. 

But besides this odd design choice, it is a very interesting bicycle. Typically any injection molded type designs in the past have not been successful due to breakage or a lack of stiffness which led to poor user experiences. Examples of this that you may have heard of are GT mountain bikes from the early 2000's and Ross, who were resurrected briefly in the early 2000's and used an injection molded hard tail frame for a few models. 

Ultima is using recycled plastic in this frame and fork and their goal is to use 100% recycled plastic for the French produced frame and fork by 2025. Hopefully they can pull it off, but time will tell. 

The bike weighs a claimed 45lbs plus a little and costs well North of 4K, which in light of many offerings on the market is not bad at all. It's just going to come down to how this frame and fork technology holds up under daily usage.

Drunken Rhino (Image courtesy of Nextie)

Drunken Rhinos & Mammoths: What?!

The world of fat bikes just got a little fatter recently  when Nextie, the Far East carbon rim manufacturer, announced that they have made a 128mm wide carbon fat bike rim with a 120mm internal rim width. Following is a bit of the announcement as seen on Facebook:

"We thought the Xiphias 105mm rim had been compatible enough for the biggest tires currently on the market. But according to the needs of one of our loyal customer fans, who is a fat-bike enthusiast, the Xiphias 105mm is still not wide enough, especially for the ground with very thick snow. Wider rims are much more beneficial. So we decided to design and to develop the world's widest carbon bicycle rim - the Drunken Rhinoceros 128mm. Even though it's an extremely niche product, it's our duty to push the boundaries of carbon fiber cycling if one product could meet the needs of our wide range of customers from all the world."

The identity of the "loyal customer" wasn't hard to figure out for me. That would be Mike Curiak, who is solely responsible for this product's existence. He typically has been the driving force behind fat biking in "trail-less", ungroomed areas where there have been less people and more solitude. You can see Mike's bike he tested these on and read more about how to get the rims here. 

In the Facebook comments on Nextie's announcement a link was made available to a bike that probably has the widest Over Lock Dimension (OLD) of any production bicycle that I am aware of. The Mammoth Empire, apparently available from the Philippines, has an over 200mm bolt-on rear hub. 

Snip from a YouTube video on the Mammoth Empire fat bike

Okay, so you've got these huge rear traingle widths, a big, wide carbon fiber rim, and what tire? Well, actually, the big tire came first. That would be the Vee Tire Snowshoe 2XL at 5.05" in width, and it is at least that wide. I've seen side by side comparisons with the Bud and Lou Surly 4.8"ers and the Vee 2XL is noticeably bigger. 

But......could we be on the verge of seeing something even wider come out? 

Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions! Have a great weekend!

Friday News And Views

SRAM's new T Type derailleur attachment .

SRAM Announces Eagle T Type:

SRAM announced a radical new MTB drive train set up, (they claim it is now a "transmission, not a drive train), in a new "hangar-less" rear derailleur attachment arrangement that is 8 years in the making. 

They have refined other bits of the T Type Eagle system, but the only real "innovation" here is the way the rear derailleur attaches to the frame now. Instead of a hangar that attaches to one side with the derailleur attaching to that, the derailleur "sandwiches" the drop out and is skewered by the through axle, creating a much more stable platform. 

Comments: While this changes a long standing standard, this is actually something that makes a lot of sense. But first, let's clear up something in terms of what is going on here and what SRAM is calling it. 

Derailleurs used to attach directly to frames. Back then, a drop out had a provision for a derailleur to screw into to mount it. The "sandwich" idea utilized by SRAM was impossible due to the fact that a quick release axle had to be able to exit the drop out in some way, making a drop out have to have an "opening" to allow the axle to pass through. This prevented a "sandwich" style derailleur attachment scheme, which admittedly would be a lot more stable. 

So, SRAM saying this is a "hangar-less" design is nothing more than a bit of a marketing twist. What they have is a derailleur which mounts directly on the inside piece and has a "passive" part on the outside that only comes into play when a side-force is exerted on the derailleur. (See the image) The frame's through axle mounting hole supports the whole she-bang. Replaceable derailleur hangars were a part of the frame- a separate part, that is. You could say the "hangar" now is actually integrated into the derailleur with the T Type, and is no longer a part of the frame. That would be more of an accurate marketing angle. 

But whatever.... 

It's a great idea nonetheless. However; it is extremely expensive and completely proprietary. Even the chain, cassettes, and obviously the derailleur itself will not work with other Eagle drive train bits, or on many other frames. Although SRAM claims it is compatible now with over 200 different MTB frames and more are coming. 

But for now, you either have to buy a whole new bike, or shell out at least $1500.00+ bucks to have the privilege of having marginally better shifting. How it will affect MTB, road bikes, or gravel bikes in the future? Yet to be seen, but take my word for it- This will be spread across all SRAM bicycle groups at some point.   

The Cardinal Bar by Wilde (Image courtesy of Wilde Bikes)

Wilde Introduces The Cardinal Bar:

Wilde Bikes partnered up with BMX bike legends S&M Bikes to produce this new moto-inspired bar called the Cardinal Bar. 

The bar is offered in Transparent Black, Transparent Gold, or Clear. All three finishes are a powdercoat type finish. The bars will be 830mm wide, have a 7° upsweep, a 22mm clamp diameter, a 73mm rise, and a 15° backsweep. Bars will be handmade in California at a cost of $130.00 each. The bars weigh in at 793 grams. 

Comments: Another cruiser inspired bar for the fashion-conscious bike packer.  Not that there is anything wrong with that, but this bar is not really all that practical. It does look cool though. I imagine some will find its stout, all-steel construction to be a benefit in rough, rowdy MTB terrain, or for dirt jumping, but there are a lot of bars for that already, and I doubt that is who Wilde is marketing toward anyway. 

But, if this speaks to you, then who am I to say. At least there is an opportunity for prospective buyers of this bar to decorate it with a customized cross-bar protector. If you're going to be fashionable, you may as well go all-in. 

The Arclight PRO shown with no light modules.

Redshift Sports Announces Arclight PRO Pedals:

 This week Redshift Sports announced its new Arclight PRO pedals with their LED light modules that turn white or red depending upon their orientation on the bike. 

These pedals can also be clipless, or not, flats with or without traction pins,half clipless, half flat, or just clipless due to their modular design. 

I wrote up a post on all the features and technical details for Riding Gravel here. 

Comments:  I have these installed on my Gryphon Mk3 for now and will be doing the testing mostly with that bike. That said, these pedals seem to be a good "one-stop" solution for all your pedal needs. I'm not aware of any other pedal that does what this one will/can do. 

That said, maybe it is a "Jack of all trades, Master of none.." We'll see about that, but I like that it is night-time commuter friendly and that it can support clipless pedal usage as well as flat pedal usage. Now I don't have to choose a bike based on which pedals I have installed. With these, I could have flats with pins on one side and a clipless set up on the other. 

As always, The Standard Disclaimer applies. 

From the Brake Ace site.

Brake Ace Brings Data Acquisition To Your Bicycle's Brakes. 

Brake Ace, a new start-up which has just cleared their Kickstarter goal, is a company that wants to help you improve your bicycle's performance via data acquisition and analysis.

The system works with a little sensor that mounts on an adapter under your caliper and it measures how much you use your brakes and with the amount of force you apply. This data is then sent via a Bluetooth signal to an app on your smart phone. Data can be analyzed and the company offers coaching to help you improve your braking technique and therefore to go faster. 

Comments: It's expensive and really meant for racers on mountain bike courses for now, but this is the sort of thing that tends to show up on consumer products sooner or later. I thought that this is sort of the wave of the future, in a way. 

I mean, you can easily see how data concerning your biomechanics, breathing, heart rate, power output, and environmental data points could all be mashed up into some whiz-bang system that shifted your bike for you when it was most advantageous for you to do that. It could indicate when you should brake, on a known course, making adjustments for weather and road conditions.  

We hear about self-driving cars all the time. What makes you think bicycles won't fall under the cloud of techno-controls? 

UCI Adjusts Points Considerations For Start Positions At Gravel World Championships:

The UCI has been working on tweaks to points considerations for athletes which determine starting grid positions at their World Championship gravel event. Apparently, last year at the inaugural Gravel World Championships held by the UCI, points gathered in other disciplines of cycling counted fully. So, the leading athletes of the gravel series, who had dedicated their entire season to the gravel series, were in such a deficit in terms of points to riders from other disciplines that they were relegated to mid-pack starting grid positions. 

You can read the full details on what happened and how the UCI addressed this for the coming year in this Cyclingnews.com story.

Comments: Yikes!! This brings those rainbow jerseys won last year for gravel into question. The situation certainly was not at all fair to the athletes who dedicated a full season to the UCI gravel series. But the plum prizes went to those who swooped in and poached those jerseys based upon preferred starting positions - and obvious talent. It's a hard situation to judge, but giving someone a head start in a series championship that they had not participated in up to that point seems distasteful, at the least, and cheating at the worst.  

And what does this say about the UCI, who obviously gave their blessing to the way it was done last year and only changed up the points considerations after a hue and cry went up from those who were wronged? This and the seemingly blind eye most of the endemic media have concerning this story makes me think a whole lot less of the UCI's legitimacy in terms of gravel events. Now we have riders in the USA who will be vying for spots to go to this year's UCI version of a gravel worlds and the points system, even adjusted as it has been claimed, will end up biting them as well. Unless.... Unless those racers come to the 'dark side' and race a full UCI points season too. Same song, second verse.

Nice!  

This is one of the reasons we were all against sanctioning bodies for gravel racing back in the day. What a mess! Not to mention that the entire "preferred start" thing makes me want to vomit. Gah! 
 

That's a wrap for this week. Have a great weekend and thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

SRAM's new T Type derailleur attachment .

SRAM Announces Eagle T Type:

SRAM announced a radical new MTB drive train set up, (they claim it is now a "transmission, not a drive train), in a new "hangar-less" rear derailleur attachment arrangement that is 8 years in the making. 

They have refined other bits of the T Type Eagle system, but the only real "innovation" here is the way the rear derailleur attaches to the frame now. Instead of a hangar that attaches to one side with the derailleur attaching to that, the derailleur "sandwiches" the drop out and is skewered by the through axle, creating a much more stable platform. 

Comments: While this changes a long standing standard, this is actually something that makes a lot of sense. But first, let's clear up something in terms of what is going on here and what SRAM is calling it. 

Derailleurs used to attach directly to frames. Back then, a drop out had a provision for a derailleur to screw into to mount it. The "sandwich" idea utilized by SRAM was impossible due to the fact that a quick release axle had to be able to exit the drop out in some way, making a drop out have to have an "opening" to allow the axle to pass through. This prevented a "sandwich" style derailleur attachment scheme, which admittedly would be a lot more stable. 

So, SRAM saying this is a "hangar-less" design is nothing more than a bit of a marketing twist. What they have is a derailleur which mounts directly on the inside piece and has a "passive" part on the outside that only comes into play when a side-force is exerted on the derailleur. (See the image) The frame's through axle mounting hole supports the whole she-bang. Replaceable derailleur hangars were a part of the frame- a separate part, that is. You could say the "hangar" now is actually integrated into the derailleur with the T Type, and is no longer a part of the frame. That would be more of an accurate marketing angle. 

But whatever.... 

It's a great idea nonetheless. However; it is extremely expensive and completely proprietary. Even the chain, cassettes, and obviously the derailleur itself will not work with other Eagle drive train bits, or on many other frames. Although SRAM claims it is compatible now with over 200 different MTB frames and more are coming. 

But for now, you either have to buy a whole new bike, or shell out at least $1500.00+ bucks to have the privilege of having marginally better shifting. How it will affect MTB, road bikes, or gravel bikes in the future? Yet to be seen, but take my word for it- This will be spread across all SRAM bicycle groups at some point.   

The Cardinal Bar by Wilde (Image courtesy of Wilde Bikes)

Wilde Introduces The Cardinal Bar:

Wilde Bikes partnered up with BMX bike legends S&M Bikes to produce this new moto-inspired bar called the Cardinal Bar. 

The bar is offered in Transparent Black, Transparent Gold, or Clear. All three finishes are a powdercoat type finish. The bars will be 830mm wide, have a 7° upsweep, a 22mm clamp diameter, a 73mm rise, and a 15° backsweep. Bars will be handmade in California at a cost of $130.00 each. The bars weigh in at 793 grams. 

Comments: Another cruiser inspired bar for the fashion-conscious bike packer.  Not that there is anything wrong with that, but this bar is not really all that practical. It does look cool though. I imagine some will find its stout, all-steel construction to be a benefit in rough, rowdy MTB terrain, or for dirt jumping, but there are a lot of bars for that already, and I doubt that is who Wilde is marketing toward anyway. 

But, if this speaks to you, then who am I to say. At least there is an opportunity for prospective buyers of this bar to decorate it with a customized cross-bar protector. If you're going to be fashionable, you may as well go all-in. 

The Arclight PRO shown with no light modules.

Redshift Sports Announces Arclight PRO Pedals:

 This week Redshift Sports announced its new Arclight PRO pedals with their LED light modules that turn white or red depending upon their orientation on the bike. 

These pedals can also be clipless, or not, flats with or without traction pins,half clipless, half flat, or just clipless due to their modular design. 

I wrote up a post on all the features and technical details for Riding Gravel here. 

Comments:  I have these installed on my Gryphon Mk3 for now and will be doing the testing mostly with that bike. That said, these pedals seem to be a good "one-stop" solution for all your pedal needs. I'm not aware of any other pedal that does what this one will/can do. 

That said, maybe it is a "Jack of all trades, Master of none.." We'll see about that, but I like that it is night-time commuter friendly and that it can support clipless pedal usage as well as flat pedal usage. Now I don't have to choose a bike based on which pedals I have installed. With these, I could have flats with pins on one side and a clipless set up on the other. 

As always, The Standard Disclaimer applies. 

From the Brake Ace site.

Brake Ace Brings Data Acquisition To Your Bicycle's Brakes. 

Brake Ace, a new start-up which has just cleared their Kickstarter goal, is a company that wants to help you improve your bicycle's performance via data acquisition and analysis.

The system works with a little sensor that mounts on an adapter under your caliper and it measures how much you use your brakes and with the amount of force you apply. This data is then sent via a Bluetooth signal to an app on your smart phone. Data can be analyzed and the company offers coaching to help you improve your braking technique and therefore to go faster. 

Comments: It's expensive and really meant for racers on mountain bike courses for now, but this is the sort of thing that tends to show up on consumer products sooner or later. I thought that this is sort of the wave of the future, in a way. 

I mean, you can easily see how data concerning your biomechanics, breathing, heart rate, power output, and environmental data points could all be mashed up into some whiz-bang system that shifted your bike for you when it was most advantageous for you to do that. It could indicate when you should brake, on a known course, making adjustments for weather and road conditions.  

We hear about self-driving cars all the time. What makes you think bicycles won't fall under the cloud of techno-controls? 

UCI Adjusts Points Considerations For Start Positions At Gravel World Championships:

The UCI has been working on tweaks to points considerations for athletes which determine starting grid positions at their World Championship gravel event. Apparently, last year at the inaugural Gravel World Championships held by the UCI, points gathered in other disciplines of cycling counted fully. So, the leading athletes of the gravel series, who had dedicated their entire season to the gravel series, were in such a deficit in terms of points to riders from other disciplines that they were relegated to mid-pack starting grid positions. 

You can read the full details on what happened and how the UCI addressed this for the coming year in this Cyclingnews.com story.

Comments: Yikes!! This brings those rainbow jerseys won last year for gravel into question. The situation certainly was not at all fair to the athletes who dedicated a full season to the UCI gravel series. But the plum prizes went to those who swooped in and poached those jerseys based upon preferred starting positions - and obvious talent. It's a hard situation to judge, but giving someone a head start in a series championship that they had not participated in up to that point seems distasteful, at the least, and cheating at the worst.  

And what does this say about the UCI, who obviously gave their blessing to the way it was done last year and only changed up the points considerations after a hue and cry went up from those who were wronged? This and the seemingly blind eye most of the endemic media have concerning this story makes me think a whole lot less of the UCI's legitimacy in terms of gravel events. Now we have riders in the USA who will be vying for spots to go to this year's UCI version of a gravel worlds and the points system, even adjusted as it has been claimed, will end up biting them as well. Unless.... Unless those racers come to the 'dark side' and race a full UCI points season too. Same song, second verse.

Nice!  

This is one of the reasons we were all against sanctioning bodies for gravel racing back in the day. What a mess! Not to mention that the entire "preferred start" thing makes me want to vomit. Gah! 
 

That's a wrap for this week. Have a great weekend and thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

The RP Designs "Smart-Cockpit Bar" (Image courtesy of RP Designs)

 Electronic Devices In Your Handle Bar:

RP Designs has announced their "Smart-Cockpit MTB Edition" handle bar which is made from carbon fiber and has an integrated computer with a 5" touch screen embedded into it. 

The website for the product has the following to say about the computer features: "The exposed weave carbon fiber body is completed with fully-integrated Smart-Cockpit custom touch screen computer. Apple Carplay/ Android Auto connectivity and Cytech training app (powered by Strava) are pre-loaded on the system to provide you with all the training information and motivation you need for that next PB."

The bar also features fully integrated brake hose routing and instant cred due to that fancy outer layer of carbon with a weave that will definitely let all those in the car park know that you have a carbon bar. The price for such notoriety and electronic technology? $790.00. 

Comments: When I saw this, I figured this guy would be totally on-board with the idea. (sarcasm alert - "this guy' rants about electronic shifting, et alia, on social media a lot)  Anyway, yeah...... Whoo! I guess if I were really out there doing the MTB thing, my thought would be that this touch screen thing is going to look a lot like a smashed window, and if not that, like a mass of swirly scratches, in pretty short order. 

Troubles On Morgan Hill:

Last week it was widely reported in cycling media that Specialized has laid off 8% of its work force world wide. Reports out of the U.S. and U.K. seem to indicate that the layoffs were across several job types. 

Specialized put out a statement which read, in part, the following:

“This past week, Specialized made the incredibly difficult decision to say goodbye to 8% of teammates around the world. With the global economy changing faster than anticipated and rapid changes within cycling, the organisation adjustment will allow the brand to be adaptive whilst still investing in innovation.”

One report stated that some in the cycling industry are speculating that signs are pointing to Specialized readying itself for a purchase. The company has brought in several new C-suite people and coupled with the trimming of staff, these signs have many in the cycling world troubled.  Also noteworthy is the severe over-stock situations being noted across the cycling industry which only adds to the negative outlook.

 Comments: With recent news that Giant has asked for a delay of payment to suppliers, and news that sales of bicycles at the U.K. retailer Halfords has fallen below pre-COVID levels, the scene is set for a rocky 2023 in cycling retail and wholesale. What will happen will be affected by a large degree on consumer spending habits come Spring. If we don't see consumers spending on new bicycles and gear at least at the levels we had seen in 2019, as in the case of Halfords, I think the U.S. cycling industry is in for a very bumpy ride. 

Oh! And on the same day the Specialized lay-off news hit, Specialized was also feted in another news article telling of the company's purchase of Pearl Izumi's former digs for a cool 14.9 million bucks. Not a good look there, I would think. 

New Podcast Alert:

N.Y. Roll and I recorded another new podcast and it posted on Monday evening. This time we speculate on the 2023 selling season for the bike industry, we talk about retail experiences, and more. You can check it out HERE. 

Also- We are trying to amplify under-the-radar gravel events with the podcast, so if you know of a cool event that needs a boost, let me know and we'll try to keep that segment of the podcast going as a standard bit. We also would appreciate any suggestions for interview. You can comment here or, as always, hit me up at g.ted.productions@gmail.com. 

Thanks for checking the podcast out!
 

IRC Announces Partnerships With Belgian Waffle Ride, UNBOUND:

An announcement in the form of two separate press releases hit my inbox this week letting me know that IRC Tire had become the "official tire" of both UNBOUND Gravel and the Belgian Waffle ride. The presser specifically called out the Boken DoubleCross model. You can see an image from the UNBOUND  announcement alongside here. 

Comments:  IRC said in the release that IRC "designed the Boken DoubleCross for this event". Hmm... I smell "Marketing". 

It doesn't take much sleuthing to find reviews of the Boken DoubleCross going back to 2019, so whether IRC had the Flint Hills in mind when they designed this tire or not is debatable. They could have, of course, but it could also be out of convenience for this sponsorship.The presser makes it sound  like this is a new development. Okay..... 

The other thing I think about here is "What does anything like this sponsorship mean other than money/support for the event?" By my count this is the third "official tire" the Kansan event has had over the years. (IRC, Panaracer, Teravail) The name gets plastered all over the event page, anywhere the event is advertised, and provides a "feather in the cap" for social media marketing for IRC, but does anything like this make a real dent in rider choice of tire? Hmm..... I'm sure IRC would like to know that as well. 

And that little "seal of approval" that the BWR and UNBOUND post on these releases- Does that have any real bearing on what works on their courses? Maybe. Maybe it is fluff. Hard to know since there is no metric to go by on that. And maybe nobody really cares....

Okay, that's a wrap on another FN&V. Have a great weekend and try to get outside and enjoy yourself!

Friday News And Views

The RP Designs "Smart-Cockpit Bar" (Image courtesy of RP Designs)

 Electronic Devices In Your Handle Bar:

RP Designs has announced their "Smart-Cockpit MTB Edition" handle bar which is made from carbon fiber and has an integrated computer with a 5" touch screen embedded into it. 

The website for the product has the following to say about the computer features: "The exposed weave carbon fiber body is completed with fully-integrated Smart-Cockpit custom touch screen computer. Apple Carplay/ Android Auto connectivity and Cytech training app (powered by Strava) are pre-loaded on the system to provide you with all the training information and motivation you need for that next PB."

The bar also features fully integrated brake hose routing and instant cred due to that fancy outer layer of carbon with a weave that will definitely let all those in the car park know that you have a carbon bar. The price for such notoriety and electronic technology? $790.00. 

Comments: When I saw this, I figured this guy would be totally on-board with the idea. (sarcasm alert - "this guy' rants about electronic shifting, et alia, on social media a lot)  Anyway, yeah...... Whoo! I guess if I were really out there doing the MTB thing, my thought would be that this touch screen thing is going to look a lot like a smashed window, and if not that, like a mass of swirly scratches, in pretty short order. 

Troubles On Morgan Hill:

Last week it was widely reported in cycling media that Specialized has laid off 8% of its work force world wide. Reports out of the U.S. and U.K. seem to indicate that the layoffs were across several job types. 

Specialized put out a statement which read, in part, the following:

“This past week, Specialized made the incredibly difficult decision to say goodbye to 8% of teammates around the world. With the global economy changing faster than anticipated and rapid changes within cycling, the organisation adjustment will allow the brand to be adaptive whilst still investing in innovation.”

One report stated that some in the cycling industry are speculating that signs are pointing to Specialized readying itself for a purchase. The company has brought in several new C-suite people and coupled with the trimming of staff, these signs have many in the cycling world troubled.  Also noteworthy is the severe over-stock situations being noted across the cycling industry which only adds to the negative outlook.

 Comments: With recent news that Giant has asked for a delay of payment to suppliers, and news that sales of bicycles at the U.K. retailer Halfords has fallen below pre-COVID levels, the scene is set for a rocky 2023 in cycling retail and wholesale. What will happen will be affected by a large degree on consumer spending habits come Spring. If we don't see consumers spending on new bicycles and gear at least at the levels we had seen in 2019, as in the case of Halfords, I think the U.S. cycling industry is in for a very bumpy ride. 

Oh! And on the same day the Specialized lay-off news hit, Specialized was also feted in another news article telling of the company's purchase of Pearl Izumi's former digs for a cool 14.9 million bucks. Not a good look there, I would think. 

New Podcast Alert:

N.Y. Roll and I recorded another new podcast and it posted on Monday evening. This time we speculate on the 2023 selling season for the bike industry, we talk about retail experiences, and more. You can check it out HERE. 

Also- We are trying to amplify under-the-radar gravel events with the podcast, so if you know of a cool event that needs a boost, let me know and we'll try to keep that segment of the podcast going as a standard bit. We also would appreciate any suggestions for interview. You can comment here or, as always, hit me up at g.ted.productions@gmail.com. 

Thanks for checking the podcast out!
 

IRC Announces Partnerships With Belgian Waffle Ride, UNBOUND:

An announcement in the form of two separate press releases hit my inbox this week letting me know that IRC Tire had become the "official tire" of both UNBOUND Gravel and the Belgian Waffle ride. The presser specifically called out the Boken DoubleCross model. You can see an image from the UNBOUND  announcement alongside here. 

Comments:  IRC said in the release that IRC "designed the Boken DoubleCross for this event". Hmm... I smell "Marketing". 

It doesn't take much sleuthing to find reviews of the Boken DoubleCross going back to 2019, so whether IRC had the Flint Hills in mind when they designed this tire or not is debatable. They could have, of course, but it could also be out of convenience for this sponsorship.The presser makes it sound  like this is a new development. Okay..... 

The other thing I think about here is "What does anything like this sponsorship mean other than money/support for the event?" By my count this is the third "official tire" the Kansan event has had over the years. (IRC, Panaracer, Teravail) The name gets plastered all over the event page, anywhere the event is advertised, and provides a "feather in the cap" for social media marketing for IRC, but does anything like this make a real dent in rider choice of tire? Hmm..... I'm sure IRC would like to know that as well. 

And that little "seal of approval" that the BWR and UNBOUND post on these releases- Does that have any real bearing on what works on their courses? Maybe. Maybe it is fluff. Hard to know since there is no metric to go by on that. And maybe nobody really cares....

Okay, that's a wrap on another FN&V. Have a great weekend and try to get outside and enjoy yourself!

Playing The Long-Game In Cycling Gear

 I read a lovely article about sustainable choices for cycling gear and kit from 'cyclingnews.com' which you can check out here, if you like. It's titled "Buy it for life cycling tech - The antidote to Black Friday". The article was endearing to me, and this made me step back and think about why that article tickled my sensibilities so. 

When it comes to a lot of things surrounding "sustainable" gear, I think much of that thought is tied directly to what bicycle mechanics see come through their work stands. It doesn't take very long for a mechanic, or any service person, for that matter, to understand the difference between marketing hype, the desire to own the "shiny new thing", and what actually is reliable, long-lasting, sensible kit. 

Call it being a "retro-grouch", or "old school", and if you do, it is usually with a sneer and disdain for the individual who uses things that seem outdated or backward. Heaven help the person who actually promotes said gear, as they will be likened to some crazy old prophet who should just go away, or worse, be stoned, for their opinions on such matters. But is using old technology a bad decision? Not if you use it for reasons of durability, ease of use, ease of maintenance, or other prudent, practical reasons. 

And using such stuff really plays into the whole "bicycling is good for the planet" theme. A thought which most cyclists probably subscribe to, since much of this sort of cycling kit is long-lasting. Certain components and gear don't require being completely replaced because of sustainable design, and therefore such things put much less pressure on our resources when we choose to use them. 

And of course, there are some new things which fall into this category. I think that article I read mentioned in the first paragraph above did a great job of featuring some newer technology. For example, the disc brakes and modern design messenger bags, but I would also go further than that. Following is just one example of many, I am sure, which could be put forth.

A smartly designed set of carbon disc brake wheels should last for a decade-plus.

While it may seem that carbon rimmed, disc brake wheels would not be on the list of things that would fall into the sustainable cycling gear category, they actually can be something that lasts for a very long term. 

Again, they have to have serviceable hubs, readily available spokes, and smart design. I think a wheel set like the GRX Carbon wheels I am reviewing for RidingGravel.com now are just such a wheel set. They have serviceable cup and cone bearings, spokes made of steel that are readily replaceable, and the rim is smartly designed. I see no reason why a person could not ride these for a decade or more. 

Dead-reliable. Super-low maintenance.

That said, many of the older steel framed, friction shifted, basic bicycles are game for this longer view of cycling sustainably. These sorts of bicycles will be around longer than any of your newer electrified bikes, 12 speed carbon wonder bikes, or anything with electronically shifted derailleurs. 

But these are not very fashionable choices, are they? These bicycles won't likely get you noticed, have any rear-rack social status, or be pawns in conversations meant to impress others. No one cares about my 1986 vintage Schwinn High Sierra. But it just works. Friction shifted, roller cam brakes, leather saddle, and even older Mongoose wheels from 1984! 

The bicycle industry really doesn't seem to want this trend to take off either. The industry seems conflicted. They "plan obsolescence" on one hand (increasing gear count, electrification) and preach the benefits to the planet and to human health from cycling on the other hand. Sustainable kit doesn't make money as fast and in such quantities if you choose to use it. The cycling industry would rather have you feel that "my bike is old" and there are new, shiny 2023 bikes to look at. The idea is formed that "you really need to have THIS to do it faster!" This thing is LIGHTER! You can do those things with more ease than ever! 

And sometimes these things are necessary, good, and make it so more people can ride bicycles. That's cool. But there is a place for sustainability and practicality within all of that which gets pushed back and ignored by much of the cycling community. This is not healthy or a good use of resources.

It is a rebellious thought to reject the marketing strategies of the day. "Black Friday" and all that it stands for is at odds with "what works", is sustainable, and is reliable in terms of cycling kit. In the end, you do you. I happen to believe in a more sustainable outlook on cycling. Call it "buying for life" or just smart. Call it being dumb, being a retro-grouch, or backwards for the sake of being contrary, (I may resemble that last one a bit, actually!), but I think we could do with a bit more of it in the cycling world.