Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Pirelli USA.

Pirelli Announces New Offerings In SmarTube Tubes:

Pirelli offers its own version of a TPU tube, tubes that are not butyl rubber, as in traditional tubes, but made from TPU material which is much lighter and can be similar in characteristics to a latex tube but with far better air retention than a latex tube. 

Pirelli announced two new SmarTube offerings, but we are most concerned here with the SmarTube X as it has offerings in sizes for gravel/all-road bikes. 

SmarTube X in the 622-40/622-50 size (fits 40mm to 50mm tires) is three times thicker than the original SmarTube and therefore much more resistant to punctures. yet the tubes are far smaller when stored and take up much less room in a bag or jersey pocket than a similarly sized butyl tube does. 

Available in Schrader or Presta valves, these tubes should provide excellent air retention as well. Currently these are not quite yet available. ETA is set as the end of September. Pricing - SmarTubes are  $39.90/each. 

Comments: I find tubes to be useful in bikes I don't ride often, and I usually carry one on every ride, no matter the bike, just in case. So, these TPU based tubes are pretty nice from that standpoint of space savings, and weighing less. I have tried the Tubolito TPU tubes and have found that they seem to work well. 

Forty bucks a pop is steep, but for the sheer space saving and weight saving benefits, I could see it for someone who runs tubeless and needs an emergency bail-out option that may as well be minimalist if you have to carry that. I also see TPU tubes as being a nice way to get a tubed bike closer to tubeless benefits without going tubeless. You don't get the pinch flat resistance, but other than that, the more robust SmarTube X seems like a decent choice for those not wanting to do the tubeless dance. 

OMM's Basket (Image courtesy of OMM)

A Basket For The Old Man:

Old Man Mountain just released the news publicly about a product they were showing privately at the MADE Show recently. It's a new aluminum basket made to fit most of their current rack line. 

• Stamped and welded aluminum construction is corrosion proof and designed to last.   
• Molle compatible: Customize your basket with accessories designed for Molle mounting pattern.
• Compatible with basket bags designed for “137” baskets.
• Bolts directly to OMM Divide, Divide Fat, Elkhorn, and Pizza Rack for a reliable and rattle free connection.

I'll admit, I am not a basket guy, so a lot of those specs are lost on me, but if the thing bolts directly to an Elkhorn or Divide rack, then I bet these will be rock solid additions to most any bike. These are available now from Old Man Mountain for $80.00. (As are the Ponderosa Panniers and Juniper Trunk Bag I am testing now) For more on this rack, see HERE. 

Image courtesy of 45NRTH

45NRTH Risor Wool Gloves:

 I posted about it being "Light Season" earlier this week, and well....glove season isn't far behind! In that vein, I have been sent a press release from 45NRTH detailing a couple of their glove offerings. One of them caught my eye which is named "Risor"

The Risor is a Merino wool blend glove that will get you by on cool, Fall rides, but it's more than that. This is a perfect liner glove for a Winter mitten, or larger full-fingered gloves. So, it can be a three-season use glove and being that it uses Merino wool, it will stay warm even if you sweat it out. Well, mostly, as it does have a synthetic fabric outer layer to it. 

But that combination of fabrics does give a wool blend glove a longer lifespan, in my experience, so that's good, plus 45NRTH have put that synthetic fabric in places where it matters most for wear. I also like the length of this glove for keeping cold air at bay since you would be able to overlap that cuff with a long sleeved jersey, or jacket, or another glove. 

I guess I should also mention that 45NRTH says this glove is touch-screen compatible. In my experience most gloves that claim this are not all that compatible with touch screens, so take that with a grain of salt. But there- 45NRTH says these gloves work with touch-screens. 

Anyway, I always am on the lookout for nice liner-type handwear for cold weather and this glove looks like it is pretty well thought out. You can pick up a pair for $45.00. Plus, if black isn't your jam it comes in a nice light blue color as well.

Image courtesy of Wolf Tooth

Wolf Tooth Offers 12spd GRX Chainrings:

The "johnny-on-the-spot" award for this week goes to Wolf Tooth, who have offered 12 speed replacement rings for Shimano's new 12 speed GRX before almost anyone has even ridden the stuff yet. 

That's pretty amazing! However, the press release I got says that not only can you get 36T-46T round chain rings, but that you can get the same sizes in oval chain rings, plus Wolf Tooth is promising to have an expansion of offerings going up to 52T!

These rings feature Wolf Tooth's "Drop Stop" design and the GRX 12 compatible version is dubbed "Drop Stop ST", so don't mix that up with the various other versions available there for 11 speed SRAM, Shimano, Campy, and the rest. 

52 teeth rings, eh? Will we be seeing a time trial stage at Unbound using aero gravel bikes? HA! You heard it here first! 

Maybe Wolf Tooth could be persuaded to do inner rings for Shimano 2X GRX 12's and then I could get my preferred 46T/36T set up. Hmm.... Anyway, you can check out the details here on Wolf Tooth's site. 

Gravel with a friend...

Special Guest Gravel Grinding:

Today I should be out on a special ride with someone I haven't seen for many years. That will be going on this morning. Hopefully everything comes together to make this happen.

And you know, there is always the "if factor" and things may not pan out, but "if" they do, I'll have a special Country Views post coming up showing just who this individual is and where we rode. Hopefully.... 

Stay tuned on that one.

In the meantime, have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by to read "Guitar Ted Productions"!

Review: Tubolito Tubes: Final Word

The Tubolito Tubes were run on my Tamland Two.

 (Note- The Standard Disclaimer applies here. Please familiarize yourself with that disclaimer if you have not already so you understand the situation with this product review. Thank you!) 

 This review of the Tubolito Tubes will be my final take on these orange hoops of wonder for the time being. I will have an update here first, then I will close out this series of posts. If you missed my last update, you can reference that here. I'm going to start things off with an update to what I stated in that earlier linked post, so it may be a good idea to check that out first. 

The Update: After I posted and related my experience with the S-CX Tubolito, the marketing rep reached out and discussed my problem with me. I ended up getting a replacement Tubolito S-CX because it was thought that I may have received a defective Tubolito. So, I waited until I received that, installed it in the front wheel of the Raleigh Tamland Two, and re-tested that. 

Initially I had gone with 40psi, so that's where I started again and the test ride went well. 24 hours later and the tire was not flat! This was definitely better! Now, all along the rear Tubolito has done very well in regard to air retention. Now I would be able to compare the two types of Tubolito tubes without dealing with the defective front that I started out with, which led me to a false conclusion on that Tubolito. 

So, it has been a solid week since I have had the new front Tubolito installed and I have ridden the bike a few times. Air retention on the front is as good, if not perhaps a little better than, the rear Tubolito which is the 'heavier-duty' one of the pair. Okay, so I think I've put that issue, and any questions about air retention, to bed now. 

Final Words: I think these Tubolito tubes are a definite option for anyone that isn't going to go tubeless for whatever reasons, or that maybe has a bike that isn't going to get used enough to make tubeless worthwhile. This might be a bike you only ride occasionally, or for a short season. Tubes make a lot more sense in these situations. Just air up and go when you want to ride. A tubeless set up will cause issues eventually with dried up sealant, coagulated sealant puddled in one spot of a stationary tire, and cause more headaches with maintaining/correcting issues that arise due to sporadic bike riding and tubeless usage. 

Obviously, if you live in an area where punctures are commonplace these might not be the best option. However; if you have a tubeless set up and want a back-up option in case of catastrophic tubeless failure or for a puncture/tear that won't seal? Tubolito tubes could be a very compact, lightweight, reliable option there.

I liked the way that they rode. The interesting thing about this review for me was that I had ridden the front wheel with a typical tube and then with the new Tubolito. I could notice a difference if I focused on it. The Tubolito allowed the front tire to act better over bumpy ground, like a grassy dike I rode during the test. I've no doubt that the rolling resistance is better with Tubolito tubes vs regular butyl tubes. Better than tubeless? Meh..... I'm not willing to go that far, but these Tubolito tubes feel pretty nice. 

If you puncture a Tubolito, there is a specific patch kit for that.

Would I run Tubolito tubes exclusively? No. I'm a tubeless guy for sure, but with that said, I am keeping the Tubolito tubes in the Tamland Two indefinitely. This is a bike that I have an attachment to, but a bike that I don't get to ride a whole lot anymore. So, tubeless tires don't make any sense for this bike since it sits long periods of time between uses. 

That the Tubolito tubes have air retention equal to, or better than regular butyl tubes, in my experience, that makes sense then to leave the Tubolito tubes in there. That way whenever I can ride this bike I only have to air up the tires and go. I lose little to nothing compared to a tubeless set up, at least on the gravel roads around here. 

I would also strongly consider a Tubolito spare for longer gravel events, bikepacking, or touring where space and weight concerns make carrying regular tubes a nuisance. You can easily pack two Tubolito tubes in the same space it takes for one butyl tube, and the weight is astronomically lighter. 

Downsides? Yes, they are expensive. They don't come in every size out there. Yes, they could be punctured or pinched. (There is a patch kit especially for Tubolito tubes, so that might assuage the puncture fears a bit) But Tubolito tubes, in their standard weight, are more puncture resistant than standard tubes are, so..... It's a gamble, but perhaps one worth taking.

I wasn't 100% convinced these were a good idea when I heard about them. Now that I have seen these and dug in a bit deeper, I can see what they do that tubes and tubeless do not do well. So, there is a place for a Tubolito in my kit from now on. You? Perhaps the price and the fact that you may never use tubes again would make this a not-so-great idea. I get that. These are not for everyone, but they are an interesting and viable option for many.

Review: Tubolito Tubes: Final Word

The Tubolito Tubes were run on my Tamland Two.

 (Note- The Standard Disclaimer applies here. Please familiarize yourself with that disclaimer if you have not already so you understand the situation with this product review. Thank you!) 

 This review of the Tubolito Tubes will be my final take on these orange hoops of wonder for the time being. I will have an update here first, then I will close out this series of posts. If you missed my last update, you can reference that here. I'm going to start things off with an update to what I stated in that earlier linked post, so it may be a good idea to check that out first. 

The Update: After I posted and related my experience with the S-CX Tubolito, the marketing rep reached out and discussed my problem with me. I ended up getting a replacement Tubolito S-CX because it was thought that I may have received a defective Tubolito. So, I waited until I received that, installed it in the front wheel of the Raleigh Tamland Two, and re-tested that. 

Initially I had gone with 40psi, so that's where I started again and the test ride went well. 24 hours later and the tire was not flat! This was definitely better! Now, all along the rear Tubolito has done very well in regard to air retention. Now I would be able to compare the two types of Tubolito tubes without dealing with the defective front that I started out with, which led me to a false conclusion on that Tubolito. 

So, it has been a solid week since I have had the new front Tubolito installed and I have ridden the bike a few times. Air retention on the front is as good, if not perhaps a little better than, the rear Tubolito which is the 'heavier-duty' one of the pair. Okay, so I think I've put that issue, and any questions about air retention, to bed now. 

Final Words: I think these Tubolito tubes are a definite option for anyone that isn't going to go tubeless for whatever reasons, or that maybe has a bike that isn't going to get used enough to make tubeless worthwhile. This might be a bike you only ride occasionally, or for a short season. Tubes make a lot more sense in these situations. Just air up and go when you want to ride. A tubeless set up will cause issues eventually with dried up sealant, coagulated sealant puddled in one spot of a stationary tire, and cause more headaches with maintaining/correcting issues that arise due to sporadic bike riding and tubeless usage. 

Obviously, if you live in an area where punctures are commonplace these might not be the best option. However; if you have a tubeless set up and want a back-up option in case of catastrophic tubeless failure or for a puncture/tear that won't seal? Tubolito tubes could be a very compact, lightweight, reliable option there.

I liked the way that they rode. The interesting thing about this review for me was that I had ridden the front wheel with a typical tube and then with the new Tubolito. I could notice a difference if I focused on it. The Tubolito allowed the front tire to act better over bumpy ground, like a grassy dike I rode during the test. I've no doubt that the rolling resistance is better with Tubolito tubes vs regular butyl tubes. Better than tubeless? Meh..... I'm not willing to go that far, but these Tubolito tubes feel pretty nice. 

If you puncture a Tubolito, there is a specific patch kit for that.

Would I run Tubolito tubes exclusively? No. I'm a tubeless guy for sure, but with that said, I am keeping the Tubolito tubes in the Tamland Two indefinitely. This is a bike that I have an attachment to, but a bike that I don't get to ride a whole lot anymore. So, tubeless tires don't make any sense for this bike since it sits long periods of time between uses. 

That the Tubolito tubes have air retention equal to, or better than regular butyl tubes, in my experience, that makes sense then to leave the Tubolito tubes in there. That way whenever I can ride this bike I only have to air up the tires and go. I lose little to nothing compared to a tubeless set up, at least on the gravel roads around here. 

I would also strongly consider a Tubolito spare for longer gravel events, bikepacking, or touring where space and weight concerns make carrying regular tubes a nuisance. You can easily pack two Tubolito tubes in the same space it takes for one butyl tube, and the weight is astronomically lighter. 

Downsides? Yes, they are expensive. They don't come in every size out there. Yes, they could be punctured or pinched. (There is a patch kit especially for Tubolito tubes, so that might assuage the puncture fears a bit) But Tubolito tubes, in their standard weight, are more puncture resistant than standard tubes are, so..... It's a gamble, but perhaps one worth taking.

I wasn't 100% convinced these were a good idea when I heard about them. Now that I have seen these and dug in a bit deeper, I can see what they do that tubes and tubeless do not do well. So, there is a place for a Tubolito in my kit from now on. You? Perhaps the price and the fact that you may never use tubes again would make this a not-so-great idea. I get that. These are not for everyone, but they are an interesting and viable option for many.

Review: Tubolito Tubes Part 1.5

 Just this past Tuesday I posted my first review of the Tubolito tubes I received. (See post here) Since the beginning of this week I have noted an issue which has prompted me to make an early call on one of the two Tubolito tubes I have in hand.

As you may recall, one of the Tubolito tubes is the standard 'weight' one with 2X's the puncture resistance of a standard butyl tube. The other, which is supposedly about the same strength as a standard butyl tube, is the S-CX version which weighs about half as much as the standard Tubolito. That is to say it is not just light, but it is crazy light. So, the issue was with the lighter weight, S-CX Tubolito. 

I found that air retention is not very good. I went down to retrieve the bike I have that tube installed on to ride it Monday and the front tire was flat. Hmm..... I pumped it back up to 40psi and heard no immediate issues, nor noted a drastic drop in pressure within a few minutes. So, not a catastrophic leak. Then I did a 24hr leak down test. The result the next morning was another flat front tire. I did not have time to dig into this until Wednesday when I removed the Tubolito and did a dunk tank test to see if I could ascertain whether or not I had a puncture or failure so small it allowed the tube to leak down slowly. I found no evidence whatsoever of a slow leak or failure on the part of the Tubolito. 

The dunk test found no defects in the tube and no punctures either.

 So, my hypothesis is that the lighter, S-CX version of the Tubolito is much like a latex tube in terms of air retention. The Tubolito site does not seem to refer to any S-CX air retention data, not that I could find, so this may actually be intended. It would make sense here as Tubolito calls the S-CX the "ultimate spare tube" solution. So, I'm taking a cue here and pulling that Tubolito and packing it as a spare for now.

It is interesting to note the way the Tubolito tubes are joined together at one point as shown above.

Interestingly, the rear mounted Tubolito, the standard one, has retained air as stated by Tubolito. That is to say much like a standard butyl tube. Which, as you might recall from your experiences, is very good. So, as far as using a Tubolito for a 'daily use' situation, I already have decided that the standard version is the way to go here and that a S-CX, or any lightweight Tubolito, is best used as an emergency spare. A way to 'get you back to the start', and then to change that out as soon as can be done. 

A Kenda 700 X 35mm-42mm tube on the left, the Tubolito S-CX on the right. Note the size difference.

The Tubolito came out of the tire round, and somewhat thinner. Great care is necessary in handling the S-CX!

Also- the question of whether a Tubolito is a 'one-and-done' product seems to have been answered by one of G-Ted Productions' readers in the comments on Tuesday's post, (Thank You!), but I can now confirm that with careful handling, an S-CX Tubolito can be salvaged and re-used again. Big emphasis on the 'careful handling' bit though! This tube came out feeling very fragile and thin-walled. Like a stretched balloon for a child's birthday party, only maybe even a bit thinner! I imagine a slight tug on the valve stem, or even if one folded the Tubolito incorrectly, that this could permanently damage the S-CX Tubolito very easily. So, yeah.....be careful in how you handle this thing!

More soon....

NOTE: Please read the Standard Disclaimer page for an understanding of my relationship with products reviewed on G-Ted Productions. Thank you!

Review: Tubolito Tubes Part 1.5

 Just this past Tuesday I posted my first review of the Tubolito tubes I received. (See post here) Since the beginning of this week I have noted an issue which has prompted me to make an early call on one of the two Tubolito tubes I have in hand.

As you may recall, one of the Tubolito tubes is the standard 'weight' one with 2X's the puncture resistance of a standard butyl tube. The other, which is supposedly about the same strength as a standard butyl tube, is the S-CX version which weighs about half as much as the standard Tubolito. That is to say it is not just light, but it is crazy light. So, the issue was with the lighter weight, S-CX Tubolito. 

I found that air retention is not very good. I went down to retrieve the bike I have that tube installed on to ride it Monday and the front tire was flat. Hmm..... I pumped it back up to 40psi and heard no immediate issues, nor noted a drastic drop in pressure within a few minutes. So, not a catastrophic leak. Then I did a 24hr leak down test. The result the next morning was another flat front tire. I did not have time to dig into this until Wednesday when I removed the Tubolito and did a dunk tank test to see if I could ascertain whether or not I had a puncture or failure so small it allowed the tube to leak down slowly. I found no evidence whatsoever of a slow leak or failure on the part of the Tubolito. 

The dunk test found no defects in the tube and no punctures either.

 So, my hypothesis is that the lighter, S-CX version of the Tubolito is much like a latex tube in terms of air retention. The Tubolito site does not seem to refer to any S-CX air retention data, not that I could find, so this may actually be intended. It would make sense here as Tubolito calls the S-CX the "ultimate spare tube" solution. So, I'm taking a cue here and pulling that Tubolito and packing it as a spare for now.

It is interesting to note the way the Tubolito tubes are joined together at one point as shown above.

Interestingly, the rear mounted Tubolito, the standard one, has retained air as stated by Tubolito. That is to say much like a standard butyl tube. Which, as you might recall from your experiences, is very good. So, as far as using a Tubolito for a 'daily use' situation, I already have decided that the standard version is the way to go here and that a S-CX, or any lightweight Tubolito, is best used as an emergency spare. A way to 'get you back to the start', and then to change that out as soon as can be done. 

A Kenda 700 X 35mm-42mm tube on the left, the Tubolito S-CX on the right. Note the size difference.

The Tubolito came out of the tire round, and somewhat thinner. Great care is necessary in handling the S-CX!

Also- the question of whether a Tubolito is a 'one-and-done' product seems to have been answered by one of G-Ted Productions' readers in the comments on Tuesday's post, (Thank You!), but I can now confirm that with careful handling, an S-CX Tubolito can be salvaged and re-used again. Big emphasis on the 'careful handling' bit though! This tube came out feeling very fragile and thin-walled. Like a stretched balloon for a child's birthday party, only maybe even a bit thinner! I imagine a slight tug on the valve stem, or even if one folded the Tubolito incorrectly, that this could permanently damage the S-CX Tubolito very easily. So, yeah.....be careful in how you handle this thing!

More soon....

NOTE: Please read the Standard Disclaimer page for an understanding of my relationship with products reviewed on G-Ted Productions. Thank you!

Review: Tubolito Tubes - Part 1

Tubolito tubes in background- patch kit up front.

 NOTE: Please read the Standard Disclaimer Page for reference in terms of review product and my relationship with the product. Thank you! 

Okay, so recently I made mention here that I received a surprise in the American Classic tire box I was expecting for a review for RidingGravel.com. Inside with those tires were two Tubolito tubes and a patch kit for the tubes. So, since I hadn't been asked to review that stuff for RidingGravel.com, I'm going to do that here on this blog. Now you know....

Again, this is not a paid review and I was sent this stuff at no charge. I am doing the review without the knowledge of Tuboloito or its distributors and marketing folks. 

Now with that said, here's my impressions of this product. It is something many riders use as a fail-safe against tubeless failures, but Tubolito suggests that you can use these as 'daily-driver' tubes for your wheels. Many of you said in comments to me that you haven't used this product in that way, so I decided to use these on one of my bikes and we'll see how they perform and hold up. In this post I will impart how it is to use one of these in place of your tubeless set up, which is the most likely scenario from the sounds of it. 

Of course, I did this in a controlled setting, not out along a roadside, but I'll try to impart my take on what it may be like to change out to a Tubolito in an emergency situation despite that. Okay- here we go!

These things are incredibly light.

I'll assume a situation where the tire is intact, but for whatever reason, your sealant failed to seal a puncture. Okay? Obviously you know that at this point you need to bail on the tubeless and peel off one bead from the rim and pull the valve stem for your tubeless set up. Note: This may require that you carry a small pliers of some sort because typically the Presta nut is darn near impossible to take off by hand at this point. Be forewarned that just using fingers may not cut it for that job! Some Presta nuts have flats built in which allow for a small wrench to fit them, but at any rate, know what you need ahead of the emergency and have it packed. If you do not plan in advance for this, you may be stopped in your tracks already, which means nothing beyond this point will matter. 

Now that you have that valve removed, you may want to use a rag or a wipe, (What! You don't pack a rag or wipes?! You heathen!) to wipe up any excess goop (sealant) in the tire. But keep in mind that Tubolito tubes are sealant resistant, according to their information, so if you cannot remove that stuff, then you should be okay. I wiped up as much as I could from the rim wells, but I wasn't super picky, just like you might not be out in the field. 

Note: For my purposes in testing I used a non-tubeless tire to set up the Tubolito tubes with, so I did not have excess goop on the tires. In this case, I grabbed some old Bruce Gordon Rock & Road tires I had. They are 700 X 42mm and the Tubolito tubes I was sent are rated for that size range. In fact, this tube is good for up to 700 X 47mm tires. Curiously it also is suggested for 650B X 30mm tires. Anyway, I'll get to that in a minute. 

The Tubolito is plasticky and feels rather like a prophylactic - if you know what I mean.

With a slight amount of air to give it shape here. Note- You can see the light through this a bit.

So, in the hand these feel and look nothing like a typical bicycle inner tube. They feel slippery, plasticky, and rather like a condom! Airing it up to give it some shape, the tube doesn't fill out in a circular shape, but sections want to stay straight and small folds develop where it bends instead of curving. 

Tubolito recommends no more than a few psi outside of a tire because once a Tubolito stretches it does not return to its previous form and doing this to an unrestricted Tubolito may damage it beyond usefulness. So, don't blow this thing up beyond just giving it some shape. Now, stuffing this into the tire is fairly straight forward with one caveat. Remember how Tubolito says this size can work for 650B? Yeah, this thing comes out a tad smaller in diameter due to that, so be prepared to wrestle with that a bit as well. 

Once you've assured yourself that the Tubolito is in the rim well, you can slip the bead of the tire back into place and begin to air up the tire. That part is no different than any other tire, as far as what air pressures to use. Use your normal pressures here. (See the caveat in the next paragraph though) Note that on the Tubolito site they give you a graph showing the rolling resistance comparisons between a normal tube, a 'super-light' butyl tube, latex tubes, and tubeless versus the Tubolito. The charts show the Tubolito to not be quite as good as tubeless and latex tubes, but much better than butyl rubber tubes. So, you are not losing too much here by having to use a Tubolito.  

No Presta valve nuts here!

 Because the Tubolito has a valve stem seemingly made from the same material as the rest of the tube, and because you cannot use a Presta valve nut, pushing a pump head on is a bit more difficult. It would probably behoove one to use care when pushing a pump head on because these things cost North of 30 bucks by a fair amount and one would be pretty sore if they were to ruin one of these by bending the Presta valve up or by ripping the stem off the tube somehow. Not that there is any evidence that this may happen given by Tubolito, but I would be cautious nonetheless. 

Now, you've gotten yourself back on the go. From this point the this post will focus on how I am using these tubes as 'daily driver' tubes in my set up using the Rock&Road tires. My set up was fairly normal, given that I used a tubeless rim and some used tires. The problems getting the tires to seat properly probaly were not related to the Tubolito, just situational to this particular pairing. Once I managed that it has been nothing to really write about.

I am using the aluminum Irwin wheels on my Raleigh Tamland Two for this test.

 The tires were set at 38-ish psi and rode as I would have expected. I did not feel that there was any real difference between this and a tubeless tire that would be comparable to the Rock&Roads. In fact, I had Vee Tire Rocketman tires on here before set up tubeless and this felt basically the same as that set up. 

Okay, so why would anyone want to use expensive tubes? One reason might be weight savings. The rear Tubolito was the standard CX/Gravel tube and weighed 61 grams. That's a lot lighter than the tube I had been using with this tire, (which I just so happened to still have in the tires when I grabbed them from the hook), and the weight savings was 70 grams on average between the two tires. That's roughly 2.5 ounces. Considering the fact that you would also have had at least 4 ounces of sealant in a tubeless tire, and that these 42mm Rock&Roads weigh around 500 grams, and adding in the additional weight of a tubeless valve stem, this set up is arguably a lot lighter than a similar tubeless set up. You could use the S-CX version of this tube, as I did with the front, and save even more. That tube weighed 36 grams. 

But let's say that you aren't about the weight, but the ride feel is what you are after. Okay, I would be very hard pressed to discern any real differences between tubeless and Tubolitoed here. (Is that even a word? I guess it is now!) Yes, the rolling resistance numbers are not as good as tubeless, (or latex tubed), but they are not terrible either. You say, "But what about puncture protection?" 

Fair question.

Tubolito claims that the standard version of the Tubolito is twice as strong as a standard butyl rubber tube and that the lighter, S-CX version, is the same strength as a standard rubber tube. They say it takes twice the force to puncture, and in the case of a S-CX Tubolito tube, the same as it would a standard rubber tube. If you puncture a lot, then maybe this isn't for you. I don't have that issue here, so for my uses, it makes sense to try this. (Of course, now I've doomed myself to running across a nail in the next few days!)

Now here is another downside: Tubolito does not recommend that you pass the Tubolito from one tire to the next, as these stretch out once and that's it. In fact, Tubolito recommends you replace the Tubolito if you change tires. If you are a consistent tire swapper, then these are probably a bad deal. If, however, you live on a set of tires until they die? Then this may be a good bet. 

So, going forward I am going to use this set up as if I were running tubeless. I'm not trying to aviod any rubbish-filled gutters, needle-sharp thorns in the dirt, or sharp-edged strikes from broken pavement. I'll ride the gravel as if I were on any other set up. (Carrying a butyl tube as a back-up!) We will see how it goes throughout the Fall. 

Stay tuned......

Review: Tubolito Tubes - Part 1

Tubolito tubes in background- patch kit up front.

 NOTE: Please read the Standard Disclaimer Page for reference in terms of review product and my relationship with the product. Thank you! 

Okay, so recently I made mention here that I received a surprise in the American Classic tire box I was expecting for a review for RidingGravel.com. Inside with those tires were two Tubolito tubes and a patch kit for the tubes. So, since I hadn't been asked to review that stuff for RidingGravel.com, I'm going to do that here on this blog. Now you know....

Again, this is not a paid review and I was sent this stuff at no charge. I am doing the review without the knowledge of Tuboloito or its distributors and marketing folks. 

Now with that said, here's my impressions of this product. It is something many riders use as a fail-safe against tubeless failures, but Tubolito suggests that you can use these as 'daily-driver' tubes for your wheels. Many of you said in comments to me that you haven't used this product in that way, so I decided to use these on one of my bikes and we'll see how they perform and hold up. In this post I will impart how it is to use one of these in place of your tubeless set up, which is the most likely scenario from the sounds of it. 

Of course, I did this in a controlled setting, not out along a roadside, but I'll try to impart my take on what it may be like to change out to a Tubolito in an emergency situation despite that. Okay- here we go!

These things are incredibly light.

I'll assume a situation where the tire is intact, but for whatever reason, your sealant failed to seal a puncture. Okay? Obviously you know that at this point you need to bail on the tubeless and peel off one bead from the rim and pull the valve stem for your tubeless set up. Note: This may require that you carry a small pliers of some sort because typically the Presta nut is darn near impossible to take off by hand at this point. Be forewarned that just using fingers may not cut it for that job! Some Presta nuts have flats built in which allow for a small wrench to fit them, but at any rate, know what you need ahead of the emergency and have it packed. If you do not plan in advance for this, you may be stopped in your tracks already, which means nothing beyond this point will matter. 

Now that you have that valve removed, you may want to use a rag or a wipe, (What! You don't pack a rag or wipes?! You heathen!) to wipe up any excess goop (sealant) in the tire. But keep in mind that Tubolito tubes are sealant resistant, according to their information, so if you cannot remove that stuff, then you should be okay. I wiped up as much as I could from the rim wells, but I wasn't super picky, just like you might not be out in the field. 

Note: For my purposes in testing I used a non-tubeless tire to set up the Tubolito tubes with, so I did not have excess goop on the tires. In this case, I grabbed some old Bruce Gordon Rock & Road tires I had. They are 700 X 42mm and the Tubolito tubes I was sent are rated for that size range. In fact, this tube is good for up to 700 X 47mm tires. Curiously it also is suggested for 650B X 30mm tires. Anyway, I'll get to that in a minute. 

The Tubolito is plasticky and feels rather like a prophylactic - if you know what I mean.

With a slight amount of air to give it shape here. Note- You can see the light through this a bit.

So, in the hand these feel and look nothing like a typical bicycle inner tube. They feel slippery, plasticky, and rather like a condom! Airing it up to give it some shape, the tube doesn't fill out in a circular shape, but sections want to stay straight and small folds develop where it bends instead of curving. 

Tubolito recommends no more than a few psi outside of a tire because once a Tubolito stretches it does not return to its previous form and doing this to an unrestricted Tubolito may damage it beyond usefulness. So, don't blow this thing up beyond just giving it some shape. Now, stuffing this into the tire is fairly straight forward with one caveat. Remember how Tubolito says this size can work for 650B? Yeah, this thing comes out a tad smaller in diameter due to that, so be prepared to wrestle with that a bit as well. 

Once you've assured yourself that the Tubolito is in the rim well, you can slip the bead of the tire back into place and begin to air up the tire. That part is no different than any other tire, as far as what air pressures to use. Use your normal pressures here. (See the caveat in the next paragraph though) Note that on the Tubolito site they give you a graph showing the rolling resistance comparisons between a normal tube, a 'super-light' butyl tube, latex tubes, and tubeless versus the Tubolito. The charts show the Tubolito to not be quite as good as tubeless and latex tubes, but much better than butyl rubber tubes. So, you are not losing too much here by having to use a Tubolito.  

No Presta valve nuts here!

 Because the Tubolito has a valve stem seemingly made from the same material as the rest of the tube, and because you cannot use a Presta valve nut, pushing a pump head on is a bit more difficult. It would probably behoove one to use care when pushing a pump head on because these things cost North of 30 bucks by a fair amount and one would be pretty sore if they were to ruin one of these by bending the Presta valve up or by ripping the stem off the tube somehow. Not that there is any evidence that this may happen given by Tubolito, but I would be cautious nonetheless. 

Now, you've gotten yourself back on the go. From this point the this post will focus on how I am using these tubes as 'daily driver' tubes in my set up using the Rock&Road tires. My set up was fairly normal, given that I used a tubeless rim and some used tires. The problems getting the tires to seat properly probaly were not related to the Tubolito, just situational to this particular pairing. Once I managed that it has been nothing to really write about.

I am using the aluminum Irwin wheels on my Raleigh Tamland Two for this test.

 The tires were set at 38-ish psi and rode as I would have expected. I did not feel that there was any real difference between this and a tubeless tire that would be comparable to the Rock&Roads. In fact, I had Vee Tire Rocketman tires on here before set up tubeless and this felt basically the same as that set up. 

Okay, so why would anyone want to use expensive tubes? One reason might be weight savings. The rear Tubolito was the standard CX/Gravel tube and weighed 61 grams. That's a lot lighter than the tube I had been using with this tire, (which I just so happened to still have in the tires when I grabbed them from the hook), and the weight savings was 70 grams on average between the two tires. That's roughly 2.5 ounces. Considering the fact that you would also have had at least 4 ounces of sealant in a tubeless tire, and that these 42mm Rock&Roads weigh around 500 grams, and adding in the additional weight of a tubeless valve stem, this set up is arguably a lot lighter than a similar tubeless set up. You could use the S-CX version of this tube, as I did with the front, and save even more. That tube weighed 36 grams. 

But let's say that you aren't about the weight, but the ride feel is what you are after. Okay, I would be very hard pressed to discern any real differences between tubeless and Tubolitoed here. (Is that even a word? I guess it is now!) Yes, the rolling resistance numbers are not as good as tubeless, (or latex tubed), but they are not terrible either. You say, "But what about puncture protection?" 

Fair question.

Tubolito claims that the standard version of the Tubolito is twice as strong as a standard butyl rubber tube and that the lighter, S-CX version, is the same strength as a standard rubber tube. They say it takes twice the force to puncture, and in the case of a S-CX Tubolito tube, the same as it would a standard rubber tube. If you puncture a lot, then maybe this isn't for you. I don't have that issue here, so for my uses, it makes sense to try this. (Of course, now I've doomed myself to running across a nail in the next few days!)

Now here is another downside: Tubolito does not recommend that you pass the Tubolito from one tire to the next, as these stretch out once and that's it. In fact, Tubolito recommends you replace the Tubolito if you change tires. If you are a consistent tire swapper, then these are probably a bad deal. If, however, you live on a set of tires until they die? Then this may be a good bet. 

So, going forward I am going to use this set up as if I were running tubeless. I'm not trying to aviod any rubbish-filled gutters, needle-sharp thorns in the dirt, or sharp-edged strikes from broken pavement. I'll ride the gravel as if I were on any other set up. (Carrying a butyl tube as a back-up!) We will see how it goes throughout the Fall. 

Stay tuned......

Modern Day Tube

Tubolito products received for test and review.

 Tubes in bicycle tires. Anyone who has ridden a bicycle knows about those rubber hoops inside the tires. It is one of those things only bicyclists really know about, and then not all bicyclists know about them. (I am consistently amazed by riders who do not know they have tubes in their tires.) 

I remember when I was between bicycle mechanic jobs. I worked on cars at an auto repair shop for five and a half years. When I first started the job, my boss was amazed when I mentioned something about tubes in bicycle tires. He said, "You guys still use tubes?", in an incredulous tone of voice. 

Yeah.....we still use those things! And they can be the downfall of a good ride, a race, or your commute to work. Even if you run tubeless, you probably have a spare tube tucked away, you know, just in case. I doubt bicycle tubes will ever go the way of the dinosaur, but one thing is for sure- they have changed.

I think it was the late 90's when I first saw a butyl rubber alternative for a bicycle tube. It was touted as more puncture resistant, lighter than butyl rubber tubes, and that it would be longer lasting. One caveat- You had to buy the exact size to fit your tire. Apparently these were not very stretchable tubes. Subsequently the idea did not go over well, although I had a 16" one around for years as a spare for my Burley Flat Bed trailer. 

That was that. It looked like butyl rubber was going to be the king forever. Then a few years ago I heard about these Tubolito things. I checked them out in a news story I saw, probably on "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News". Hmm.... Little orange rolls with an erotic looking nipple capped in black. Weird. They reminded me of those failed plasticky clear-ish tubes from the 90's. I saw the price and gulped. What! Over 30 bucks for a tube! To pack as a spare? Ah........hard pass. 

But then the marketing dude for American Classic tires sent out a few samples of the new models that are hitting the roads now and with them he stuffed in a few Tubolito products. (See Standard Disclaimer page) So, since I try to be open-minded, (but I don't always succeed in that), I figured I better check this deal out again. I went to their site and poked around a bit. there is some compelling evidence there as to why anyone might want to use one of these, not just as a spare, but to actually ride with. Okay....I'll check it out then.

They are still pretty spendy though. 

More soon.....

Modern Day Tube

Tubolito products received for test and review.

 Tubes in bicycle tires. Anyone who has ridden a bicycle knows about those rubber hoops inside the tires. It is one of those things only bicyclists really know about, and then not all bicyclists know about them. (I am consistently amazed by riders who do not know they have tubes in their tires.) 

I remember when I was between bicycle mechanic jobs. I worked on cars at an auto repair shop for five and a half years. When I first started the job, my boss was amazed when I mentioned something about tubes in bicycle tires. He said, "You guys still use tubes?", in an incredulous tone of voice. 

Yeah.....we still use those things! And they can be the downfall of a good ride, a race, or your commute to work. Even if you run tubeless, you probably have a spare tube tucked away, you know, just in case. I doubt bicycle tubes will ever go the way of the dinosaur, but one thing is for sure- they have changed.

I think it was the late 90's when I first saw a butyl rubber alternative for a bicycle tube. It was touted as more puncture resistant, lighter than butyl rubber tubes, and that it would be longer lasting. One caveat- You had to buy the exact size to fit your tire. Apparently these were not very stretchable tubes. Subsequently the idea did not go over well, although I had a 16" one around for years as a spare for my Burley Flat Bed trailer. 

That was that. It looked like butyl rubber was going to be the king forever. Then a few years ago I heard about these Tubolito things. I checked them out in a news story I saw, probably on "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News". Hmm.... Little orange rolls with an erotic looking nipple capped in black. Weird. They reminded me of those failed plasticky clear-ish tubes from the 90's. I saw the price and gulped. What! Over 30 bucks for a tube! To pack as a spare? Ah........hard pass. 

But then the marketing dude for American Classic tires sent out a few samples of the new models that are hitting the roads now and with them he stuffed in a few Tubolito products. (See Standard Disclaimer page) So, since I try to be open-minded, (but I don't always succeed in that), I figured I better check this deal out again. I went to their site and poked around a bit. there is some compelling evidence there as to why anyone might want to use one of these, not just as a spare, but to actually ride with. Okay....I'll check it out then.

They are still pretty spendy though. 

More soon.....

Friday News And Views

Pirelli Smartube is a lightweight TPU tube alternative.

New Tube Technology In 2021? Pirelli Smartube:

Pirelli announced recently that they have a butyl tube alternative in a product they have named "Smartube". It is made from TPU, a material which allows Pirelli to claim that these new Smartube tubes have twice the puncture resistance than butyl tubes and weigh far less. 

They also are compact. Maybe you've seen the Tubolito tubes before? These are similar only they are designed to go with Pirelli's bicycle tires. (Not sure why you couldn't use them with other, appropriately sized tires, so there is that as well.)

The 'gravel sized' Smartube weighs 49 grams, so yes- a lot lighter! Like Tubolito tubes, these Smartubes are expensive. The suggested retail is $36.90 for each. They come in many sizes to fit tires specifically, which is important with these tubes as they do not stretch as well as a butyl rubber tube does. 

Comments: So, who would buy tubes that cost nearly 40 bucks a piece? Well, not many would! However; if you are in an event, say like last weekend's UG in Emporia, an event known to be tough on tires, then packing several of these Smartubes would save a LOT of weight and space. Bikepacking is another niche where weight and space savings might make these appealing as a back-up to tubeless set ups. 

One interesting thing to note here= Pirelli strictly advises against using the Smartube with a rim brake set up. I'm guessing that is because of heat. Perhaps the chances of excessive heat build up on the rim is a recipe for Smartube failure. That may be a bit of a bummer since many folks using road racing style bikes would perhaps be a prime candidate for these tubes. 

This would be a great idea if I were to go touring again with a disc brake bike. But for my normal gravel travels? I'm perhaps a bit too 'cheap' in my bones to pop for a tube I may never use that cost nearly 40 dollars. Your mileage may vary......

Revonte One Drive HPC drive system eliminates derailleurs.

More On That Derailleur-less HPC Drive System:

Last December I posted about this 'more-moto-like' drive system for HPC bikes. Now some more details are known about Revonte's "One Drive" system for Hybrid Powered Cycles (HPC's) and this probably could go full-throttle only as well. The leap is only a matter of tweaking some software. 

According to the trade news site, "Bike Europe", in a recent article, they tell the story about the developers behind this drive system. many of the team are former Nokia employees, and so these designers and software engineers took a different approach to designing a drive system. It is mostly a software controlled system, and therefore a design which can be modified to work on bikes ranging from cargo, mountain, urban, to road. This eliminates the need to develop different drive systems for different types of bikes. They can do this via a planetary system of gears and a CVT type arrangement of them, making for a theoretically 'infinite' amount of gears within the gear range. 

Interestingly, the system doesn't focus on weight or traditional bike drive train design. This is completely the opposite of where most big-brand electrified bikes are coming from. One downfall could be that the system relies so heavily on digitized mechanisms and internet connectivity. If something fails on either the digital platform or the internet, the bike becomes a boat anchor. With more traditionally based HPC designs, you could possibly ride home, albeit with a very heavy bike! 

But what I find interesting is how this takes away a lot of limitations that traditional frame, wheel, and drive design has which force bicycles to be a certain format which brings about the look we are all familiar with. This drive system will likely free up designers of HPC's to go with more moto-inspired designs. One more step towards these things being more not-a-bicycle anymore. 

Wolf Tooth's new WT-1 Chain Lube

Wolf Tooth Gets Into The Lube Game:

This week a new chain lube hits the market. Wolf Tooth introduces the new WT-1 chain lubrication product which Wolf Tooth claims takes the place of 'wet', and 'dry' chain lubes, and does cleaning, chain protecting, while lasting a claimed 3-5 times longer than competing chain lubrication products. 

Here is a bit of what Wolf Tooth has to say about WT-1 from the press release I was sent:

"As a synthetic chain lubricant, WT-1 will improve the mechanical efficiency of a drivetrain while lasting 3-5x longer than most other chain lubes because it binds so well with chains. As a chain treatment, WT-1 will clean a chain by pushing dirt and debris to the surface where it can be wiped away, then it will protect the chain in all riding conditions and allow cyclists to ride longer between applications."

The new WT-1 comes in 0.5 fluid ounce bottles for $6.95 USD or in 2.0 fluid ounce bottles for $18.95 USD. You can check out all the details on Wolf Tooth's site here. 

Comments: I know what you might be thinking: "Well, there ya go, Guitar Ted! Another lube for the "Lube-Off"!", and you'd be right. I may have to grab a bottle of this stuff for the next round. Honestly, as I stated in my update on the SCC Tech Lube a couple of days ago, this seems to be the trend in chain lubricants- a full-spectrum type lube. the idea of "wet" and "dry" lubricants seems to be falling out of favor of late. Also, I noted that Wolf Tooth tells you to expect a bit of dirty (black) residue to get worked out of a chain that you use this on. Sounds a LOT like the SCC Tech and Blue Devil lubricants I am trying out right now. In fact, it may be SCC Tech Lube. A person I know and respect on Facebook seems to believe this is a collaboration between Wolf Tooth and SCC Tech. Could be, but I haven't seen this substantiated officially.

Stay tuned, I may be trying this, (or I already am trying this), and another reader suggested lube, very soon. Also- NOTE: Info and images for this entry on the "FN&V" was provided by Wolf Tooth in a press release.

Supply Chain Woes To Continue For Shimano Components Due To COVID-19: 

While we here in the U.S. seem to be leaving the pandemic behind, this is not at all the case worldwide. Late last night news broke that the Shimano factory in Malaysia, responsible for the bulk of manufacturing of low end to mid-range bicycle componentry, is completely shut down. "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" reports that the factory, at 60% capacity since June 1st due to rising COVID-19 cases in Malaysia and subsequent lockdown, has been closed until further notice. 

Case numbers in the country continue to be reported at levels which have caused the Malaysian government to deepen the lockdown and this state will remain until at least June 21st when the government there will review the situation once again. According to the BRAIN article, only 4% of the Malaysian populace has been vaccinated. 

Comments: This is really bad news for the bicycle industry. Shimano, who have had the bulk of component spec on bikes which this Malaysian factory would have been making parts for, will also be hurt by this, no doubt. However; what we can expect is that there will be even further delays and lack of lower end to mid-priced bikes available for even longer than we had once thought. 

Could other factories/brands step up and take the slack up? Doubtful- Why would they if they are already running at capacity and could not build machines and buildings fast enough to avert the lengthening of shortages? Plus, once things finally do come around, Shimano is likely going to pick that spec business back up again. There simply is no other choice for this segment of the market that makes good enough components at the quantities that Shimano gets out of their Malaysian facilities. Not at this point in time, at any rate.

So, yeah...... Get settled in. This is going to take a long time to sort out. I think it is an even bigger point here to keep others in mind world-wide that are not as fortunate as us in America and elsewhere that are enjoying the freedom from lockdowns, masks, and loss of income. Bicycles not getting made is not a deal breaking situation. People dying and getting long-term illnesses and mental damage from this pandemic? That's far more important to deal with here. 

Update On T.I. Shirt Deal: Ari has the details on the shirts which are to raise money for a possible T.I. book HERE.

That's a wrap for this week. Stay cool, get some riding in, and have a great weekend. Thanks for reading! 

Friday News And Views

Pirelli Smartube is a lightweight TPU tube alternative.

New Tube Technology In 2021? Pirelli Smartube:

Pirelli announced recently that they have a butyl tube alternative in a product they have named "Smartube". It is made from TPU, a material which allows Pirelli to claim that these new Smartube tubes have twice the puncture resistance than butyl tubes and weigh far less. 

They also are compact. Maybe you've seen the Tubolito tubes before? These are similar only they are designed to go with Pirelli's bicycle tires. (Not sure why you couldn't use them with other, appropriately sized tires, so there is that as well.)

The 'gravel sized' Smartube weighs 49 grams, so yes- a lot lighter! Like Tubolito tubes, these Smartubes are expensive. The suggested retail is $36.90 for each. They come in many sizes to fit tires specifically, which is important with these tubes as they do not stretch as well as a butyl rubber tube does. 

Comments: So, who would buy tubes that cost nearly 40 bucks a piece? Well, not many would! However; if you are in an event, say like last weekend's UG in Emporia, an event known to be tough on tires, then packing several of these Smartubes would save a LOT of weight and space. Bikepacking is another niche where weight and space savings might make these appealing as a back-up to tubeless set ups. 

One interesting thing to note here= Pirelli strictly advises against using the Smartube with a rim brake set up. I'm guessing that is because of heat. Perhaps the chances of excessive heat build up on the rim is a recipe for Smartube failure. That may be a bit of a bummer since many folks using road racing style bikes would perhaps be a prime candidate for these tubes. 

This would be a great idea if I were to go touring again with a disc brake bike. But for my normal gravel travels? I'm perhaps a bit too 'cheap' in my bones to pop for a tube I may never use that cost nearly 40 dollars. Your mileage may vary......

Revonte One Drive HPC drive system eliminates derailleurs.

More On That Derailleur-less HPC Drive System:

Last December I posted about this 'more-moto-like' drive system for HPC bikes. Now some more details are known about Revonte's "One Drive" system for Hybrid Powered Cycles (HPC's) and this probably could go full-throttle only as well. The leap is only a matter of tweaking some software. 

According to the trade news site, "Bike Europe", in a recent article, they tell the story about the developers behind this drive system. many of the team are former Nokia employees, and so these designers and software engineers took a different approach to designing a drive system. It is mostly a software controlled system, and therefore a design which can be modified to work on bikes ranging from cargo, mountain, urban, to road. This eliminates the need to develop different drive systems for different types of bikes. They can do this via a planetary system of gears and a CVT type arrangement of them, making for a theoretically 'infinite' amount of gears within the gear range. 

Interestingly, the system doesn't focus on weight or traditional bike drive train design. This is completely the opposite of where most big-brand electrified bikes are coming from. One downfall could be that the system relies so heavily on digitized mechanisms and internet connectivity. If something fails on either the digital platform or the internet, the bike becomes a boat anchor. With more traditionally based HPC designs, you could possibly ride home, albeit with a very heavy bike! 

But what I find interesting is how this takes away a lot of limitations that traditional frame, wheel, and drive design has which force bicycles to be a certain format which brings about the look we are all familiar with. This drive system will likely free up designers of HPC's to go with more moto-inspired designs. One more step towards these things being more not-a-bicycle anymore. 

Wolf Tooth's new WT-1 Chain Lube

Wolf Tooth Gets Into The Lube Game:

This week a new chain lube hits the market. Wolf Tooth introduces the new WT-1 chain lubrication product which Wolf Tooth claims takes the place of 'wet', and 'dry' chain lubes, and does cleaning, chain protecting, while lasting a claimed 3-5 times longer than competing chain lubrication products. 

Here is a bit of what Wolf Tooth has to say about WT-1 from the press release I was sent:

"As a synthetic chain lubricant, WT-1 will improve the mechanical efficiency of a drivetrain while lasting 3-5x longer than most other chain lubes because it binds so well with chains. As a chain treatment, WT-1 will clean a chain by pushing dirt and debris to the surface where it can be wiped away, then it will protect the chain in all riding conditions and allow cyclists to ride longer between applications."

The new WT-1 comes in 0.5 fluid ounce bottles for $6.95 USD or in 2.0 fluid ounce bottles for $18.95 USD. You can check out all the details on Wolf Tooth's site here. 

Comments: I know what you might be thinking: "Well, there ya go, Guitar Ted! Another lube for the "Lube-Off"!", and you'd be right. I may have to grab a bottle of this stuff for the next round. Honestly, as I stated in my update on the SCC Tech Lube a couple of days ago, this seems to be the trend in chain lubricants- a full-spectrum type lube. the idea of "wet" and "dry" lubricants seems to be falling out of favor of late. Also, I noted that Wolf Tooth tells you to expect a bit of dirty (black) residue to get worked out of a chain that you use this on. Sounds a LOT like the SCC Tech and Blue Devil lubricants I am trying out right now. In fact, it may be SCC Tech Lube. A person I know and respect on Facebook seems to believe this is a collaboration between Wolf Tooth and SCC Tech. Could be, but I haven't seen this substantiated officially.

Stay tuned, I may be trying this, (or I already am trying this), and another reader suggested lube, very soon. Also- NOTE: Info and images for this entry on the "FN&V" was provided by Wolf Tooth in a press release.

Supply Chain Woes To Continue For Shimano Components Due To COVID-19: 

While we here in the U.S. seem to be leaving the pandemic behind, this is not at all the case worldwide. Late last night news broke that the Shimano factory in Malaysia, responsible for the bulk of manufacturing of low end to mid-range bicycle componentry, is completely shut down. "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" reports that the factory, at 60% capacity since June 1st due to rising COVID-19 cases in Malaysia and subsequent lockdown, has been closed until further notice. 

Case numbers in the country continue to be reported at levels which have caused the Malaysian government to deepen the lockdown and this state will remain until at least June 21st when the government there will review the situation once again. According to the BRAIN article, only 4% of the Malaysian populace has been vaccinated. 

Comments: This is really bad news for the bicycle industry. Shimano, who have had the bulk of component spec on bikes which this Malaysian factory would have been making parts for, will also be hurt by this, no doubt. However; what we can expect is that there will be even further delays and lack of lower end to mid-priced bikes available for even longer than we had once thought. 

Could other factories/brands step up and take the slack up? Doubtful- Why would they if they are already running at capacity and could not build machines and buildings fast enough to avert the lengthening of shortages? Plus, once things finally do come around, Shimano is likely going to pick that spec business back up again. There simply is no other choice for this segment of the market that makes good enough components at the quantities that Shimano gets out of their Malaysian facilities. Not at this point in time, at any rate.

So, yeah...... Get settled in. This is going to take a long time to sort out. I think it is an even bigger point here to keep others in mind world-wide that are not as fortunate as us in America and elsewhere that are enjoying the freedom from lockdowns, masks, and loss of income. Bicycles not getting made is not a deal breaking situation. People dying and getting long-term illnesses and mental damage from this pandemic? That's far more important to deal with here. 

Update On T.I. Shirt Deal: Ari has the details on the shirts which are to raise money for a possible T.I. book HERE.

That's a wrap for this week. Stay cool, get some riding in, and have a great weekend. Thanks for reading!