Friday News And Views

An image found online of the new SRAM DB8 Mineral Oil brake.

SRAM Quietly Introduces Mineral Oil Based Brake System:

Buried in the news after Sea Otter was a tidbit that may indicate a sea change in brake technology at SRAM. They are introducing a mineral oil based brake system, breaking tradition with SRAM's previous hydraulic brake efforts which have all been DOT brake fluid based systems. SRAM claims that they are making these brakes to meet a lower price point and that their high end CODE brakes, which are still DOT fluid based, are more powerful and a better performer overall. SRAM DB8 brakes are not quite here yet but should start appearing on complete builds soon and when available aftermarket should be a bit less than $140.00/wheel. 

The DB8 is based on the same design as the CODE brake and uses the same pads, but that's where the comparisons end. SRAM,in an effort to differentiate the brake from their DOT line, is introducing a new bleed kit and their mineral oil is green in color and not the same as Shimano's, Magura's, or Tektro's. 

Comments: SRAM making this announcement is a bit of a shocker as they were staunchly in the DOT fluid camp. It also is no news to anyone who works on bicycles that SRAM's history with brakes is a checkered one, to be polite about it. It also is no big surprise that SRAM has yet another bleed kit for mechanics to have to stock. What is that? Four bleed kits now? Five if you count the one for the Reverb dropper post. 

Yeah.... I'm not a SRAM brake fan, and while I am glad that they finally have a mineral oil option, I am withholding any judgement calls until I see that this new DB8 is worthy. I sure hope what this signals is a change away from the very toxic and troublesome DOT fluid based brakes of their past. 

I also am hopeful that SRAM brings mineral oil braking to the gravel/road side as well. We'll see, but this development is a big surprise and bears watching.  

Iowa Wind and Rock This Weekend:

This is the time of year that I get a bit nostalgic. The times the Sun rises and sets, the time of season, the song of birds, the smell of the Earth. It all reminds me of gravel riding and ultra-distance gravel riding at that. The descendant of Trans Iowa, which is Iowa Wind and Rock, is set to take place tomorrow morning. 

I would be remiss if I did not wish all who are partaking in that event tailwinds and much success in your quest to overcome this challenge.

Surly Porteur House Bag:

Apparently this Porteur House bag is a new offering from Surly Bikes which was made to sit perfectly on their 24 Pack Rack. It is made from Cordura Nylon and has inner liners in three of the main compartments to keep your cargo dry. The bag seems pretty reasonably priced at $120.00 USD. 

Comments: This thing is freaking ginormous! Naming it "house" is appropriate here as it might just hold all of the essential household items one might need to become an amateur homeless bike person. 

They also make a "Petite Porteur" bag which goes on the 8 Pack rack. That is still pretty huge, despite its name. I've been looking at something along these lines for my Big Dummy, which can use a Surly rack on there and it would allow me a bit more versatility in carrying capacity and options. I'd not go for that big one though. Too much!

The only thing holding me back there is that those types of carrying options can make the front wheel pretty floppy when trying to park, or just move the bike. I sure wish I could find one of those dual-legged Big Dummy kickstands. That would go a long way toward me going all-in on getting a rack and the Petite Porteur bag.

Police fear this idea could spread. (Image courtesy of SFGATE)

Armed Thieves May Be Waiting For You Trailside:

 I was doomscrolling twitter the other day when a Tweet by @bikehugger caught my attention. Apparently, in the hills above Oakland, California, an "alarming trend" is raising fears amongst local cyclists. 

In a story posted by Amy Graf of "SFGATE", you can read how mountain bikers are being robbed of their bikes and more at gunpoint. Police think a couple of the incidents may be related, but fear that copy-catters may pick up on the idea. 

Comments: I get this to mean that bicycles are so hard to come by that thieves are targeting folks out in the woods and then taking these bikes and profiting off them either by way of reselling or parting out the bikes. It would make sense since we are seeing supply trucks getting hijacked for parts and bicycles. 

My concern would be that this spreads and we start seeing this occur in other places. I can see how it could be appealing with the advent of expensive electrified bikes and normally powered bikes reaching into the 10K+ range. Even I have been chased down a local street here by young people demanding that I give them my bicycle. Those efforts have come to naught- so far - but what if I am approached by an armed person? 

It's a troubling thing to hear about, and a cautionary tale for anyone going on a remote destination vacation near an urban area. 

The Jamis Citizen (Image courtesy of Jamis Bikes)

The New Pricing Reality:

As long as I've been in the cycling industry, (1993), I've always gauged how expensive the sport was by the threshold for entry level pricing at the independent bike shop level. While this model is eroding away due to D2C schemes and HPC bikes, it still seems okay to look at the industry like this. 

So, I've been eager to see anything since the pandemic started which would give a true baseline feel for pricing at the bike shop level for bicycles. Well, now I think I have that sense for what is going on now.

While supply chain issues are sure to affect us throughout 2022 and into next year, I think things are settling out and becoming clearer. I knew prices would go up, but by how much?

Well, I saw a shop advertising Jamis Citizen models which are your garden variety hybrid/bike path bikes. The sort of pavement bike which brands sell thousands of, yet you barely see them mentioned in advertising or in reviews, etc. Yet this "bread and butter" level is the lifeblood of most shops across the nation. This or an equivalent MTB style bike. 

And the price? Well, now what used to cost a bit more than $300.00 pre-pandemic is now $500.00. The Jamis Citizen shown here is a 1 X 7, no suspended bits hybrid, which is your base bike shop level quality bike. (Meaning barely above department store levels) The next level up, the Jamis Citizen 2, a 3 X 8 speed bike, with sus fork and seat post, goes for $659.99, and represents what used to be probably the hottest selling type of hybrid bike at one time a few years back. Those days are gone, but back then a bike like this probably was $150.00+ cheaper. 

So, by that gauge, prices have increased by quite a big jump. I would suspect similar price hikes throughout any bicycle company's range these days.
 

That's it for this week. have a fantastic weekend and get out and ride if you can.

Friday News And Views

An image found online of the new SRAM DB8 Mineral Oil brake.

SRAM Quietly Introduces Mineral Oil Based Brake System:

Buried in the news after Sea Otter was a tidbit that may indicate a sea change in brake technology at SRAM. They are introducing a mineral oil based brake system, breaking tradition with SRAM's previous hydraulic brake efforts which have all been DOT brake fluid based systems. SRAM claims that they are making these brakes to meet a lower price point and that their high end CODE brakes, which are still DOT fluid based, are more powerful and a better performer overall. SRAM DB8 brakes are not quite here yet but should start appearing on complete builds soon and when available aftermarket should be a bit less than $140.00/wheel. 

The DB8 is based on the same design as the CODE brake and uses the same pads, but that's where the comparisons end. SRAM,in an effort to differentiate the brake from their DOT line, is introducing a new bleed kit and their mineral oil is green in color and not the same as Shimano's, Magura's, or Tektro's. 

Comments: SRAM making this announcement is a bit of a shocker as they were staunchly in the DOT fluid camp. It also is no news to anyone who works on bicycles that SRAM's history with brakes is a checkered one, to be polite about it. It also is no big surprise that SRAM has yet another bleed kit for mechanics to have to stock. What is that? Four bleed kits now? Five if you count the one for the Reverb dropper post. 

Yeah.... I'm not a SRAM brake fan, and while I am glad that they finally have a mineral oil option, I am withholding any judgement calls until I see that this new DB8 is worthy. I sure hope what this signals is a change away from the very toxic and troublesome DOT fluid based brakes of their past. 

I also am hopeful that SRAM brings mineral oil braking to the gravel/road side as well. We'll see, but this development is a big surprise and bears watching.  

Iowa Wind and Rock This Weekend:

This is the time of year that I get a bit nostalgic. The times the Sun rises and sets, the time of season, the song of birds, the smell of the Earth. It all reminds me of gravel riding and ultra-distance gravel riding at that. The descendant of Trans Iowa, which is Iowa Wind and Rock, is set to take place tomorrow morning. 

I would be remiss if I did not wish all who are partaking in that event tailwinds and much success in your quest to overcome this challenge.

Surly Porteur House Bag:

Apparently this Porteur House bag is a new offering from Surly Bikes which was made to sit perfectly on their 24 Pack Rack. It is made from Cordura Nylon and has inner liners in three of the main compartments to keep your cargo dry. The bag seems pretty reasonably priced at $120.00 USD. 

Comments: This thing is freaking ginormous! Naming it "house" is appropriate here as it might just hold all of the essential household items one might need to become an amateur homeless bike person. 

They also make a "Petite Porteur" bag which goes on the 8 Pack rack. That is still pretty huge, despite its name. I've been looking at something along these lines for my Big Dummy, which can use a Surly rack on there and it would allow me a bit more versatility in carrying capacity and options. I'd not go for that big one though. Too much!

The only thing holding me back there is that those types of carrying options can make the front wheel pretty floppy when trying to park, or just move the bike. I sure wish I could find one of those dual-legged Big Dummy kickstands. That would go a long way toward me going all-in on getting a rack and the Petite Porteur bag.

Police fear this idea could spread. (Image courtesy of SFGATE)

Armed Thieves May Be Waiting For You Trailside:

 I was doomscrolling twitter the other day when a Tweet by @bikehugger caught my attention. Apparently, in the hills above Oakland, California, an "alarming trend" is raising fears amongst local cyclists. 

In a story posted by Amy Graf of "SFGATE", you can read how mountain bikers are being robbed of their bikes and more at gunpoint. Police think a couple of the incidents may be related, but fear that copy-catters may pick up on the idea. 

Comments: I get this to mean that bicycles are so hard to come by that thieves are targeting folks out in the woods and then taking these bikes and profiting off them either by way of reselling or parting out the bikes. It would make sense since we are seeing supply trucks getting hijacked for parts and bicycles. 

My concern would be that this spreads and we start seeing this occur in other places. I can see how it could be appealing with the advent of expensive electrified bikes and normally powered bikes reaching into the 10K+ range. Even I have been chased down a local street here by young people demanding that I give them my bicycle. Those efforts have come to naught- so far - but what if I am approached by an armed person? 

It's a troubling thing to hear about, and a cautionary tale for anyone going on a remote destination vacation near an urban area. 

The Jamis Citizen (Image courtesy of Jamis Bikes)

The New Pricing Reality:

As long as I've been in the cycling industry, (1993), I've always gauged how expensive the sport was by the threshold for entry level pricing at the independent bike shop level. While this model is eroding away due to D2C schemes and HPC bikes, it still seems okay to look at the industry like this. 

So, I've been eager to see anything since the pandemic started which would give a true baseline feel for pricing at the bike shop level for bicycles. Well, now I think I have that sense for what is going on now.

While supply chain issues are sure to affect us throughout 2022 and into next year, I think things are settling out and becoming clearer. I knew prices would go up, but by how much?

Well, I saw a shop advertising Jamis Citizen models which are your garden variety hybrid/bike path bikes. The sort of pavement bike which brands sell thousands of, yet you barely see them mentioned in advertising or in reviews, etc. Yet this "bread and butter" level is the lifeblood of most shops across the nation. This or an equivalent MTB style bike. 

And the price? Well, now what used to cost a bit more than $300.00 pre-pandemic is now $500.00. The Jamis Citizen shown here is a 1 X 7, no suspended bits hybrid, which is your base bike shop level quality bike. (Meaning barely above department store levels) The next level up, the Jamis Citizen 2, a 3 X 8 speed bike, with sus fork and seat post, goes for $659.99, and represents what used to be probably the hottest selling type of hybrid bike at one time a few years back. Those days are gone, but back then a bike like this probably was $150.00+ cheaper. 

So, by that gauge, prices have increased by quite a big jump. I would suspect similar price hikes throughout any bicycle company's range these days.
 

That's it for this week. have a fantastic weekend and get out and ride if you can.

Friday News And Views

Fox AX TaperCast fork (Image found on Internet)

 Fox To Update Gravel Suspension Fork?

According to several social media accounts and some endemic cycling media, Fox is set to announce a successor to their original gravel suspension fork, which came out in 2017. 

Reportedly this fork will have a three position damper setting, 40mm of travel, and Kashima coated stanchions. Price is rumored to be $1400.00 or so. 

Comments: Pffft! Really?! This seems like a big miss to me. I've covered this ground here before, but for those in the back, or who are new to this....

Forty millimeters of travel does not a suspension fork make. In other words, why have an expensive, heavy fork with minimal amounts of travel when you could be riding a trail bike, you know....an XC hard tail MTB? get you 100mm - 120mm of suspension travel that actually doesn't bottom out when set to be supple? I don't know, maybe I'm the crazy guy here, but a drop bar bike with a measly 40mm of constantly overwhelmed travel (if it is set to work all the time) is not sounding too ideal to me. 

Especially when you can bolt on 20mm of really effective vibration eating travel that doesn't claim to be anything else but just that. That fork may have 40mm of travel but how much does it weigh? And what will it cost me to maintain that fork? And does all that disappear during the other 80-90% of the time I don't need it? No? Yeah....well then.... 

If we are going to ride drop bar bikes with suspension, here's one great option that has been around for years. Quit trying to make a gravel bike something it is not. 

More Bike Parts Thievery In The News:

According to a "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" article posted on Monday, March 21st, there was a theft of PNW branded bicycle parts from a truck on March 16th somewhere in San Bruno, California. The parts were valued, according to the story, at $500,000.00 USD and were headed to PNW's warehouse. 

Authorities and PNW ask consumers to be on the lookout for PNW components at suspicious pricing and to report any suspicious product offerings to PNW Components. PNW makes dropper posts, dropper levers, stems, and other service parts. 

Comments; Supply chain shortages, the increase in demand, inflation, and the ease of internet sales makes piracy of bikes and bike parts a potentially lucrative criminal activity. We're seeing it again now with this latest report of PNW stolen bike parts and the recommendation to look out for "suspicious pricing and product offerings". 

This really hurts the niche brands like PNW who have had shortages for over a year while demand outstrips supply due to several issues out of their control. When they finally get a resupply, then this happens to them. It could be a devastating blow to a smaller company like this. 

Tubolito Announces X-Tubo CX/Gravel Tubes:

Tubolito announced Monday that they have a new re-engineered Tubolito CX/Gravel tube, (which I reviewed last year here) and have named it the "X-Tubo CX/Gravel. 

Tubolito tubes are made from thermoplastic polyurethane, and so they do not have the same traits as a butyl rubber tube, like a susceptibility to punctures, and they do not have the same weight issues as butyl rubber tubes. 

The Tubolito can therefore have very similar low rolling resistances as would your latex rubber tubes, and very nearly that of tubeless set ups without the hassles of tubeless sealant. Now with the X-Tubo, Tubolito is offering those who purchase and register their Tubolito X-Tubo tubes a one year replacement program. If you were to puncture an X-Tubo tube within that year, you could mail in the tube for a replacement from Tubolito. 

X-Tubo CX/Gravel Tubolito tubes can be purchased online here for 29.95 Euros/$35.00USD each. 

Comments: I don't have a lot more to add to the Tubolito opinions that I have already expressed here, but this new version might be a great alternative solution for those who cannot get into tubeless tires for whatever reasons. The one year replacement policy is a pretty decent deal, in my opinion. Again- I am a tubeless guy through and through. After nearly fifteen years of doing the tubeless dance, I have the processes down and I've done hundreds of tubeless set ups on more tires than I can count. So, my experience leads me to success more times than not. You may be new to tubeless, so if it doesn't feel like something you want to mess with, these Tubolito tubes are "next level" tube technology. I would strongly recommend that anyone in that situation take a look at them.

From my perspective I would probably rely on these most as a bail-out solution when and if I had a catastrophic tubeless failure in the field. These Tubolito's weigh next to nothing and pack up to slightly larger than a golf ball in size, so they do not take a lot of room in your repair kit.

Ashton Lambie (center) and MG at the '19 Solstice 100.

Ashton Lambie Joins Jukebox Gravel Racing Team:

World record holder and track cycling champion, Ashton Lambie, is set to join the Jukebox Cycling Team. 

On the team's page for Lambie, it says, "And this season, he plans to focus more on gravel racing, one of his first loves in cycling, while giving his track bike a break "

Comments: Lambie is kind of a hero to us here in the Mid-West. Generally speaking, cycling champions of the World don't come from here, or from America, really. So, he's kind of a "big deal". In fact, Lambie says in a "Nebraska Public Media" story that he is held in high regard in Europe where people ask him to autograph his hero cards for track cycling. 

What I found really interesting about this development is what Lambie says about the future of cycling team organization. He claims that the old ways won't work anymore. Jukebox Cycling employs a rather individualistic approach to sponsorship and racing programs for their athletes. Riders can bring in their own sponsors and focus on events to their liking rather than have to be a part of a multi-member team and ride according to team tactics. (Not that Jukebox Cycling couldn't employ team tactics in an event) 

So, with that I want to wish Ashton Lambie all the best. There are reasons Lambie is highly regarded that go beyond his obvious physical prowess. He happens to be a really nice, down to earth kind of person, and I think this contributes greatly to his popularity. 

Well, that's a wrap on this week! Get out there and ride and thanks for reading G-Ted Productions! 

Friday News And Views

Fox AX TaperCast fork (Image found on Internet)

 Fox To Update Gravel Suspension Fork?

According to several social media accounts and some endemic cycling media, Fox is set to announce a successor to their original gravel suspension fork, which came out in 2017. 

Reportedly this fork will have a three position damper setting, 40mm of travel, and Kashima coated stanchions. Price is rumored to be $1400.00 or so. 

Comments: Pffft! Really?! This seems like a big miss to me. I've covered this ground here before, but for those in the back, or who are new to this....

Forty millimeters of travel does not a suspension fork make. In other words, why have an expensive, heavy fork with minimal amounts of travel when you could be riding a trail bike, you know....an XC hard tail MTB? get you 100mm - 120mm of suspension travel that actually doesn't bottom out when set to be supple? I don't know, maybe I'm the crazy guy here, but a drop bar bike with a measly 40mm of constantly overwhelmed travel (if it is set to work all the time) is not sounding too ideal to me. 

Especially when you can bolt on 20mm of really effective vibration eating travel that doesn't claim to be anything else but just that. That fork may have 40mm of travel but how much does it weigh? And what will it cost me to maintain that fork? And does all that disappear during the other 80-90% of the time I don't need it? No? Yeah....well then.... 

If we are going to ride drop bar bikes with suspension, here's one great option that has been around for years. Quit trying to make a gravel bike something it is not. 

More Bike Parts Thievery In The News:

According to a "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" article posted on Monday, March 21st, there was a theft of PNW branded bicycle parts from a truck on March 16th somewhere in San Bruno, California. The parts were valued, according to the story, at $500,000.00 USD and were headed to PNW's warehouse. 

Authorities and PNW ask consumers to be on the lookout for PNW components at suspicious pricing and to report any suspicious product offerings to PNW Components. PNW makes dropper posts, dropper levers, stems, and other service parts. 

Comments; Supply chain shortages, the increase in demand, inflation, and the ease of internet sales makes piracy of bikes and bike parts a potentially lucrative criminal activity. We're seeing it again now with this latest report of PNW stolen bike parts and the recommendation to look out for "suspicious pricing and product offerings". 

This really hurts the niche brands like PNW who have had shortages for over a year while demand outstrips supply due to several issues out of their control. When they finally get a resupply, then this happens to them. It could be a devastating blow to a smaller company like this. 

Tubolito Announces X-Tubo CX/Gravel Tubes:

Tubolito announced Monday that they have a new re-engineered Tubolito CX/Gravel tube, (which I reviewed last year here) and have named it the "X-Tubo CX/Gravel. 

Tubolito tubes are made from thermoplastic polyurethane, and so they do not have the same traits as a butyl rubber tube, like a susceptibility to punctures, and they do not have the same weight issues as butyl rubber tubes. 

The Tubolito can therefore have very similar low rolling resistances as would your latex rubber tubes, and very nearly that of tubeless set ups without the hassles of tubeless sealant. Now with the X-Tubo, Tubolito is offering those who purchase and register their Tubolito X-Tubo tubes a one year replacement program. If you were to puncture an X-Tubo tube within that year, you could mail in the tube for a replacement from Tubolito. 

X-Tubo CX/Gravel Tubolito tubes can be purchased online here for 29.95 Euros/$35.00USD each. 

Comments: I don't have a lot more to add to the Tubolito opinions that I have already expressed here, but this new version might be a great alternative solution for those who cannot get into tubeless tires for whatever reasons. The one year replacement policy is a pretty decent deal, in my opinion. Again- I am a tubeless guy through and through. After nearly fifteen years of doing the tubeless dance, I have the processes down and I've done hundreds of tubeless set ups on more tires than I can count. So, my experience leads me to success more times than not. You may be new to tubeless, so if it doesn't feel like something you want to mess with, these Tubolito tubes are "next level" tube technology. I would strongly recommend that anyone in that situation take a look at them.

From my perspective I would probably rely on these most as a bail-out solution when and if I had a catastrophic tubeless failure in the field. These Tubolito's weigh next to nothing and pack up to slightly larger than a golf ball in size, so they do not take a lot of room in your repair kit.

Ashton Lambie (center) and MG at the '19 Solstice 100.

Ashton Lambie Joins Jukebox Gravel Racing Team:

World record holder and track cycling champion, Ashton Lambie, is set to join the Jukebox Cycling Team. 

On the team's page for Lambie, it says, "And this season, he plans to focus more on gravel racing, one of his first loves in cycling, while giving his track bike a break "

Comments: Lambie is kind of a hero to us here in the Mid-West. Generally speaking, cycling champions of the World don't come from here, or from America, really. So, he's kind of a "big deal". In fact, Lambie says in a "Nebraska Public Media" story that he is held in high regard in Europe where people ask him to autograph his hero cards for track cycling. 

What I found really interesting about this development is what Lambie says about the future of cycling team organization. He claims that the old ways won't work anymore. Jukebox Cycling employs a rather individualistic approach to sponsorship and racing programs for their athletes. Riders can bring in their own sponsors and focus on events to their liking rather than have to be a part of a multi-member team and ride according to team tactics. (Not that Jukebox Cycling couldn't employ team tactics in an event) 

So, with that I want to wish Ashton Lambie all the best. There are reasons Lambie is highly regarded that go beyond his obvious physical prowess. He happens to be a really nice, down to earth kind of person, and I think this contributes greatly to his popularity. 

Well, that's a wrap on this week! Get out there and ride and thanks for reading G-Ted Productions! 

Friday News And Views

2022 Giant Trance X

More Bicycle Piracy In The News:

Last week, from the industry news source, "Bike Biz", it was reported that a container load of 127 Giant e-MTB's were stolen from a carrier on the A12 highway. 

Thieves cut open the container, transferred the load to another vehicle and drove away. Details of the heist were not provided, but authorities were quick to warn people to be on the lookout for the bikes on the black market and to report any suspicions activity to the authorities. 

Comments: Supply chain issues, theorized by experts to continue on throughout the year, and perhaps longer, are causing these high end bikes to be targets of thieves. I suspect we will be hearing more about such heists in the coming months as the cycling season gets underway.

As spectacular as these heists are, let's also not forget that thieves are watching cycling teams and events as targets for their nefarious schemes. I've read stories about entire Pro team bike fleets being stolen and last year I heard about stolen bikes at a major gravel event. 

If you have a high-end, late model gravel rig or MTB and you are going to a big event, it should be on your to-do list to be extra vigilant when it comes to watching over your bicycles and in terms of security.  

Wolf Tooth's new rotor lock rings come in many colors.

Wolf Tooth Announces New Rotor Lock Rings:

Wolf Tooth Components announced on Tuesday that they were making rotor lock rings for Center Lock rotors in alloy. These will come in several colors including black, silver, green, orange, blue, red, purple, and gold. 

They fit 12, 15, and 20mm axles. The rotor lock rings are made in the USA and cost $15.95 each. 

Comments: Back in the 1990's I remember bike shops had cabinets full of anodized bits and baubles to accessorize your bike. Things went 'dark' in the late 90's and for most of the 'aughts' as black anodized stuff was about all you could find, unless you bought stuff from King or Hope! 

Things changed slowly over the ensuing years and now it appears that one can get all the colored bits they want and have a 'matchy-matchy' look or a 'unicorn vomit' look, depending on how "OCD" you are about anodized accessories. Maybe I ought to grab a pair of the purple ones for my pink BMC! 

UCI Pro Gravel World Tour Dates And Venues Leaked:

According to a "Cyclingtips" article online dated 2/22/22, the UCI Pro Gravel Wold Tour calendar has been leaked. The series has 14 dates and apparently it will kick off in April in the Philippines. 

There are three dates in North America. Two in the US and one in Canada. Interestingly the last date is listed as the "Jingle GX Gravel Race". The series is sponsored by Trek. Another look at this story can be found here on "Cycling News".

Comments: A lot of this was known ahead of these specifics, but the last date is intriguing. It is in Iowa City and the event has been held there for a few years already. Interestingly, Jingle Cross lost its World CX event status and this plumb event on the Gravel World Tour would be a nice alternative. 

Will that final event be the World Championships?  No. That honor will go to Tuscany where the Gravel World Championships will be held, reportedly in mid-October.

Southeast Gravel Series Announces Docu-series Project:

The Southeast Gravel Series, a six event series of gravel events held in the Southeastern USA, has announced a 'docu-series' to cover these evnts which they have dubbed "What Pressure". Here is a bit from the press release I got for this:

" What Pressure will follow gravel cyclists, from pro to amateur, involved in the world of gravel racing within the Southeast Gravel race series. Each episode will run approximately 20 minutes and will highlight a variety of cyclists that makes gravel racing such a unique demographic. "

The event series also announced a hand-cycle category for all of its events as well, marking it as the first event series to feature such a category offering in the gravel events genre'. 

You can see more about the series here: https://southeastgravel.com/ 

Comments: Ever since Tour Divide was documented in "Ride The Divide" gravel event directors and film makers have been eager to promote their events similarly. Of course, gravel event documentaries were done before 2012, such as the one about Trans Iowa in 2008 called "300 Miles of Gravel". But "Ride The Divide", in my mind, was the watershed creation from which this kind of marketing/entertainment idea for gravel events sprang forth from. 

The feature of the series that is probably more important than the docu-series, in my opinion, is the hand-cycle category for these events. That will be interesting to watch unfold. Undoubtedly this will expand the scope of participants even more in the realm of gravel events. This, to my way of thinking, is a bigger deal than a self-serving film series which- in all likelihood- will not be as far-reaching in its impacts as a hand-cycling category could be. But perhaps I will be proven wrong there. 

Be Kind To Your Tires:

Wednesday I saw this Tweet from veteran cycling media writer, James Huang. If you cannot read it, basically what he is saying is that new orders into Maxxis Tires for bicycle tires will be delivered in TWO YEARS from now. 

Let that sink in for a moment.

I also saw another article encouraging cyclists to run their tires longer and to always patch tubes before throwing them out. In other words, expect shortages, and higher prices, on new wheel goods. And as well- shouldn't we all be using up tires and tubes until they are worn out? That's another thing to be thinking about as well. 

I'm seeing people asking about maintenance, where to buy chains and cassettes, and more. This situation is far from over, and with all the events kicking into gear this year with new ones being added seemingly daily, pressure on the supply chain will probably remain at a very high level throughout 2022 and 2023 by the looks of it. 

Some experts were saying that by the end of this year we'd be seeing relief. Ah........I am not so sure about that now anymore.
 

That's a wrap for this end of February "FN&V". Will March come in like a lion, or a lamb? I don't care as long as it gets warmer! Thank you for reading G-Ted Productions! 

Friday News And Views

2022 Giant Trance X

More Bicycle Piracy In The News:

Last week, from the industry news source, "Bike Biz", it was reported that a container load of 127 Giant e-MTB's were stolen from a carrier on the A12 highway. 

Thieves cut open the container, transferred the load to another vehicle and drove away. Details of the heist were not provided, but authorities were quick to warn people to be on the lookout for the bikes on the black market and to report any suspicions activity to the authorities. 

Comments: Supply chain issues, theorized by experts to continue on throughout the year, and perhaps longer, are causing these high end bikes to be targets of thieves. I suspect we will be hearing more about such heists in the coming months as the cycling season gets underway.

As spectacular as these heists are, let's also not forget that thieves are watching cycling teams and events as targets for their nefarious schemes. I've read stories about entire Pro team bike fleets being stolen and last year I heard about stolen bikes at a major gravel event. 

If you have a high-end, late model gravel rig or MTB and you are going to a big event, it should be on your to-do list to be extra vigilant when it comes to watching over your bicycles and in terms of security.  

Wolf Tooth's new rotor lock rings come in many colors.

Wolf Tooth Announces New Rotor Lock Rings:

Wolf Tooth Components announced on Tuesday that they were making rotor lock rings for Center Lock rotors in alloy. These will come in several colors including black, silver, green, orange, blue, red, purple, and gold. 

They fit 12, 15, and 20mm axles. The rotor lock rings are made in the USA and cost $15.95 each. 

Comments: Back in the 1990's I remember bike shops had cabinets full of anodized bits and baubles to accessorize your bike. Things went 'dark' in the late 90's and for most of the 'aughts' as black anodized stuff was about all you could find, unless you bought stuff from King or Hope! 

Things changed slowly over the ensuing years and now it appears that one can get all the colored bits they want and have a 'matchy-matchy' look or a 'unicorn vomit' look, depending on how "OCD" you are about anodized accessories. Maybe I ought to grab a pair of the purple ones for my pink BMC! 

UCI Pro Gravel World Tour Dates And Venues Leaked:

According to a "Cyclingtips" article online dated 2/22/22, the UCI Pro Gravel Wold Tour calendar has been leaked. The series has 14 dates and apparently it will kick off in April in the Philippines. 

There are three dates in North America. Two in the US and one in Canada. Interestingly the last date is listed as the "Jingle GX Gravel Race". The series is sponsored by Trek. Another look at this story can be found here on "Cycling News".

Comments: A lot of this was known ahead of these specifics, but the last date is intriguing. It is in Iowa City and the event has been held there for a few years already. Interestingly, Jingle Cross lost its World CX event status and this plumb event on the Gravel World Tour would be a nice alternative. 

Will that final event be the World Championships?  No. That honor will go to Tuscany where the Gravel World Championships will be held, reportedly in mid-October.

Southeast Gravel Series Announces Docu-series Project:

The Southeast Gravel Series, a six event series of gravel events held in the Southeastern USA, has announced a 'docu-series' to cover these evnts which they have dubbed "What Pressure". Here is a bit from the press release I got for this:

" What Pressure will follow gravel cyclists, from pro to amateur, involved in the world of gravel racing within the Southeast Gravel race series. Each episode will run approximately 20 minutes and will highlight a variety of cyclists that makes gravel racing such a unique demographic. "

The event series also announced a hand-cycle category for all of its events as well, marking it as the first event series to feature such a category offering in the gravel events genre'. 

You can see more about the series here: https://southeastgravel.com/ 

Comments: Ever since Tour Divide was documented in "Ride The Divide" gravel event directors and film makers have been eager to promote their events similarly. Of course, gravel event documentaries were done before 2012, such as the one about Trans Iowa in 2008 called "300 Miles of Gravel". But "Ride The Divide", in my mind, was the watershed creation from which this kind of marketing/entertainment idea for gravel events sprang forth from. 

The feature of the series that is probably more important than the docu-series, in my opinion, is the hand-cycle category for these events. That will be interesting to watch unfold. Undoubtedly this will expand the scope of participants even more in the realm of gravel events. This, to my way of thinking, is a bigger deal than a self-serving film series which- in all likelihood- will not be as far-reaching in its impacts as a hand-cycling category could be. But perhaps I will be proven wrong there. 

Be Kind To Your Tires:

Wednesday I saw this Tweet from veteran cycling media writer, James Huang. If you cannot read it, basically what he is saying is that new orders into Maxxis Tires for bicycle tires will be delivered in TWO YEARS from now. 

Let that sink in for a moment.

I also saw another article encouraging cyclists to run their tires longer and to always patch tubes before throwing them out. In other words, expect shortages, and higher prices, on new wheel goods. And as well- shouldn't we all be using up tires and tubes until they are worn out? That's another thing to be thinking about as well. 

I'm seeing people asking about maintenance, where to buy chains and cassettes, and more. This situation is far from over, and with all the events kicking into gear this year with new ones being added seemingly daily, pressure on the supply chain will probably remain at a very high level throughout 2022 and 2023 by the looks of it. 

Some experts were saying that by the end of this year we'd be seeing relief. Ah........I am not so sure about that now anymore.
 

That's a wrap for this end of February "FN&V". Will March come in like a lion, or a lamb? I don't care as long as it gets warmer! Thank you for reading G-Ted Productions! 

Friday News And Views

Gravel Riders May Have "Upscale Gas Station" Food Choices Soon:

Recently, online news provider "Axios Des Moines" ran a story about Kum & Go convenience stores, who has their headquarters in Des Moines. Apparently they are planning to pivot their business model from a "gas station that serves food" to a "restaurant that serves gas."

Three of the convenience store company's stores in the Des Moines area are going to be remodeled and will feature more restaurant type, healthy food choices and seating areas. The story also states that Kum & Go plans remodels and new food menus across Central Iowa Kum & Go stores starting in May of this year.

Comments: One of the biggest complaints I ever heard while I was running Trans Iowa was that there were poor food/resupply choices at "gas station convenience stores". This was in light of the fact that I utilized these retail stores as resupply points for those who were in the event. It would seem that going forward this may change somewhat.

Personally I have already seen much change in the fare offered at these roadside stops. Most notably in areas where convenience stores are located along limited access roads or Federal and State highways. I imagine rural areas would be amongst the last to see such changes, but as we emerge from the pandemic, I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot less of the fried food offerings and more healthy choices. 

Bicycle Parts Piracy In The Czech Republic:

The stories about supply chain issues with logistics are something I've written about here a lot. The issues don't affect just consumers, but the criminal element has been energized by the situation as well. Pirates- literally - have been boarding container ships under the cover of night, breaking seals on containers, and pilfering the contents. Then after they get their take, they speed away on smaller boats and sell the goods on the black market. Similarly, trains of containers coming out of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles get bottle necked, and thus slowed down enough that thieves can board a car, crack open a container, and throw the contents out along the tracks for their comrades to grab. Now word has come out of the Czech Republic of a high jacking of a semi-tractor trailer filled with Shimano components going to a Czech bicycle manufacturer. 

Aftermath of theft. (Image shared by Bike Fun)

Apparently, thieves observed a truck being loaded with Shimano componentry at a warehouse. They then followed the truck until its driver had to stop for rest/refueling. Then the thieves struck. The thieves reportedly gassed the driver in the cab, cracked open the trailer, and unloaded all but a few low end components. Then they covered their tracks with fire retardant so footprints and finger prints could not be traced.

The components, headed for a bicycle manufacturer, were said to be enough to be able to kit out 10.000 bikes. The manufacturer, Bike Fun, claims that this set back will push availability of their product back a year. They claim that no other options exist for them but to pilfer from components they meant for other bikes and to wait for replacements from Shimano. German police are investigating the case and sharing information in hopes that other events similar to this might be prevented. The story I read claimed that this is a first for Shimano. 

Comments: In light of the world's situation with shipping and supplies, 10,000 bikes worth of Shimano components is noteworthy, but perhaps it may seem to be not all that big of a deal. The thing is, this obviously was done by some higher level organized group and speaks to what sort of value stealing high end components has to would-be criminals. 

When high end bicycle prices exceed 10K retail, it doesn't take much imagination to understand that the component parts must be valuable. Add in an atmosphere where there is a very short supply of parts with high consumer demand, and you can see a scenario where a criminal organization might see getting OEM packaged parts as a money-maker on the black market. 

And also- any sort of hiccup in the supply chain gets amplified. There is no getting around that. So, anytime we see something that is a disruption- no matter how insignificant it may seem to us- it is going to affect things at the consumer level. Pirates suck, unless they are Pirate Cycling League pirates, and those folks are more than okay with me!  

Singular Gryphon v3 (Image courtesy of Singular Cycles)

So, That Happened:

You may have seen the Instagram story on my feed last Tuesday, but if you did not, I ended up pre-ordering a Singular Gryphon mk3. 

This won't show up until this coming Fall, at the earliest, (supply chain issues notwithstanding), and so I have a bit of time to collect the few things I will need to build up this bike.

This will also signal a sea change in my current fleet of bicycles. Nothing obvious to you- the readers- but this will affect a few bikes I have sitting around here as I suspect that I will condense three bikes into this new Gryphon. 

I'll get around to all that in due time, but many of the parts I want to use on this bike will be harvested from the bikes I have around here which aren't getting much use anymore. I will have to seek out a few things to get where I want to be in the end. A hub set with through axles in a single speed specific design, flat mount calipers, and probably new spokes and nipples. Money for all of this will be saved up as the year goes on. Plus, I may have a few things popping up on my Garage Sale page, so check that out throughout the year.

The plan will be to re-lace the polished set of Velocity Dually rims I have to the single speed specific hubs. I will also have a geared set of hubs in the already built DT Swiss 350/Spank 355 wheel set I tried out for gravel duty. That way I can go 1X or single speed. I'll also have a silver component theme here if everything comes together the way I want, at least in single speed mode. 

Well, enough about that. I'll have more later in the year on how things are coming together.

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

Friday News And Views

Gravel Riders May Have "Upscale Gas Station" Food Choices Soon:

Recently, online news provider "Axios Des Moines" ran a story about Kum & Go convenience stores, who has their headquarters in Des Moines. Apparently they are planning to pivot their business model from a "gas station that serves food" to a "restaurant that serves gas."

Three of the convenience store company's stores in the Des Moines area are going to be remodeled and will feature more restaurant type, healthy food choices and seating areas. The story also states that Kum & Go plans remodels and new food menus across Central Iowa Kum & Go stores starting in May of this year.

Comments: One of the biggest complaints I ever heard while I was running Trans Iowa was that there were poor food/resupply choices at "gas station convenience stores". This was in light of the fact that I utilized these retail stores as resupply points for those who were in the event. It would seem that going forward this may change somewhat.

Personally I have already seen much change in the fare offered at these roadside stops. Most notably in areas where convenience stores are located along limited access roads or Federal and State highways. I imagine rural areas would be amongst the last to see such changes, but as we emerge from the pandemic, I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot less of the fried food offerings and more healthy choices. 

Bicycle Parts Piracy In The Czech Republic:

The stories about supply chain issues with logistics are something I've written about here a lot. The issues don't affect just consumers, but the criminal element has been energized by the situation as well. Pirates- literally - have been boarding container ships under the cover of night, breaking seals on containers, and pilfering the contents. Then after they get their take, they speed away on smaller boats and sell the goods on the black market. Similarly, trains of containers coming out of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles get bottle necked, and thus slowed down enough that thieves can board a car, crack open a container, and throw the contents out along the tracks for their comrades to grab. Now word has come out of the Czech Republic of a high jacking of a semi-tractor trailer filled with Shimano components going to a Czech bicycle manufacturer. 

Aftermath of theft. (Image shared by Bike Fun)

Apparently, thieves observed a truck being loaded with Shimano componentry at a warehouse. They then followed the truck until its driver had to stop for rest/refueling. Then the thieves struck. The thieves reportedly gassed the driver in the cab, cracked open the trailer, and unloaded all but a few low end components. Then they covered their tracks with fire retardant so footprints and finger prints could not be traced.

The components, headed for a bicycle manufacturer, were said to be enough to be able to kit out 10.000 bikes. The manufacturer, Bike Fun, claims that this set back will push availability of their product back a year. They claim that no other options exist for them but to pilfer from components they meant for other bikes and to wait for replacements from Shimano. German police are investigating the case and sharing information in hopes that other events similar to this might be prevented. The story I read claimed that this is a first for Shimano. 

Comments: In light of the world's situation with shipping and supplies, 10,000 bikes worth of Shimano components is noteworthy, but perhaps it may seem to be not all that big of a deal. The thing is, this obviously was done by some higher level organized group and speaks to what sort of value stealing high end components has to would-be criminals. 

When high end bicycle prices exceed 10K retail, it doesn't take much imagination to understand that the component parts must be valuable. Add in an atmosphere where there is a very short supply of parts with high consumer demand, and you can see a scenario where a criminal organization might see getting OEM packaged parts as a money-maker on the black market. 

And also- any sort of hiccup in the supply chain gets amplified. There is no getting around that. So, anytime we see something that is a disruption- no matter how insignificant it may seem to us- it is going to affect things at the consumer level. Pirates suck, unless they are Pirate Cycling League pirates, and those folks are more than okay with me!  

Singular Gryphon v3 (Image courtesy of Singular Cycles)

So, That Happened:

You may have seen the Instagram story on my feed last Tuesday, but if you did not, I ended up pre-ordering a Singular Gryphon mk3. 

This won't show up until this coming Fall, at the earliest, (supply chain issues notwithstanding), and so I have a bit of time to collect the few things I will need to build up this bike.

This will also signal a sea change in my current fleet of bicycles. Nothing obvious to you- the readers- but this will affect a few bikes I have sitting around here as I suspect that I will condense three bikes into this new Gryphon. 

I'll get around to all that in due time, but many of the parts I want to use on this bike will be harvested from the bikes I have around here which aren't getting much use anymore. I will have to seek out a few things to get where I want to be in the end. A hub set with through axles in a single speed specific design, flat mount calipers, and probably new spokes and nipples. Money for all of this will be saved up as the year goes on. Plus, I may have a few things popping up on my Garage Sale page, so check that out throughout the year.

The plan will be to re-lace the polished set of Velocity Dually rims I have to the single speed specific hubs. I will also have a geared set of hubs in the already built DT Swiss 350/Spank 355 wheel set I tried out for gravel duty. That way I can go 1X or single speed. I'll also have a silver component theme here if everything comes together the way I want, at least in single speed mode. 

Well, enough about that. I'll have more later in the year on how things are coming together.

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