Friday News And Views

GRX goes to 12 speed mechanical (Image by Matt Gersib)

Leaked Images Show Shimano GRX 12 Speed:

In a leaked set of images from the recently run Unbound Gravel event, we have learned what we thought was pretty much a given at thie point. That being that Shimano will be offering 12 speed GRX very soon. 

My good friend MG caught these images and we posted them up on Riding Gravel last Friday. There was another media person that saw the same 12 speed mechanical GRX on a racer's bike elsewhere as well. Following is what I know so far...

There is no Di2 12spd GRX being shown or anywhere in sight as of now. I am betting that probably won't happen this year. Due to over-supply issues in the industry everything is being slowed down and introductions of new stuff will be pushed back until this glut starts to clear out from warehouses. I would bet Di2 12spd GRX will happen, but probably not soon. Meanwhile, we have 12 speed mechanical GRX to drool over, or make fun of, depending upon your point of view.

Some rumors are flying around about this new 12 speed GRX having a MicroSpline hub to accommodate current MTB cassettes. This has been confirmed by at least one site, but not officially by Shimano. So, a lot of current fancy-pants carbon wheel sets could become "old hat" - or "not cutting edge", soon. Further cementing this idea is that the other GRX 12 speed group seen at Unbound had a MTB cassette on it. Rumors are rampant that new GRX will accommodate wider range MTB cassettes for 1X usage to compete with SRAM. This would point toward MicroSpline as well. I think this is a given with the new 12spd GRX. However; that doesn't mean Shimano won't offer a traditional HyperGlide freehub for GRX. All we know now is that new 12spd GRX will most likely have MicroSpline hub compatibility.

Otherwise there is a new design for the brake caliper and a tweak to the brake lever pivot. The pivot placement for the current Di2 GRX is now coming over to 12 speed mechanical. Beyond that there isn't really much to say here other than that it is significant that Shimano released mechanical 12 speed GRX first. 

This should be a shot across the bow to those who are lamenting the death of mechanically shifted group sets with more than 11 speeds. Obviously, that is no longer a worry now.

Wilde Bikes Introduces Steel Rambler Bike:

Wilde Bikes introduced a new model on Tuesday, the Rambler, a made in Taiwan steel frame and fork bike which can be had in a frameset form or built as a complete.

The bike uses a production model that helps bring the cost down to $1200.00USD for the frame and fork. The bike is designed with a bottom bracket height and geometry which will lend itself to being set up with 650B wheels (up to 2.2") or 29"er wheels and tires. (Up to 2")

The frame will have all the common braze-ons we expect an adventure bike to have these days along with the Three-Pack fork mounts also. The frame has a 142 12mm through axle rear, the fork has 100mm through axle standard with a straight 1 1/8th steer tube. Flat mount brakes and a threaded bottom bracket shell round out the design.

Comments: Is this a Black Mountain Cycles Mod Zero? The two sure look close, don't they? There is not a lot of difference between the two geometry-wise either. That said, I'm a BMC guy and the slightly lower bottom bracket wins me over toward the BMC rather than the Wilde. Although that sparkly paint job on the Wilde is pretty nice. 

American Classic Introduces ProjectP4B:

American Classic, now a tire company, more or less, has announced that certain tires in their range will now be available under the ProjectP4B initiative. This is an effort to benefit the People For Bikes organization. 

If consumers buy the American Classic Torchbearer or Wentworth gravel tire, American Classic is earmarking the profits from those tires to a special Community Grants Program by People For Bikes which aims to create safer routes, bike lanes, and community education opportunities, amongst other benefits. 

Intial offerings in this program include the 700c X 30mm Torchbearer and the 700c X 40mm Wentworth tires. Both are tubeless ready, have 60TPI casings, and have special "hot patch" branding designating these as the Project P4B tires. 

These tires are only available via American Classic's Amazon portal and cost $29.99 each, according to the press release. The retail packaging for these tires is also made from recycled materials and can be recycled after use. 

Comments: Wow! That's cheap! And Wentworths are a pretty decent tire overall. Not your top of the range, high-performance tires, but even at their higher price, which is $45.00 each for a 120TPI tire with puncture protection, these are pretty phenomenal values. Now, despite the slightly lower tech spec, these tires are a crazy good value. 

Michelin Power Adventure Classic (Image from webstore)

Michelin's New Power Adventure Tires:

I didn't catch this back in March, but Michelin overhauled their gravel tire range and along with the new Power Gravel model they have a new design called the Power Adventure. 

Available in seven sizes ranging from a 700 X 30mm to a 700 X 47mm, the tire features a smoother tread and a lower treaded edge for grip in corners. Meant for a 80%/20% pavement to gravel mix, the tire has a puncture protection belt and three 100TPI layers of fabric in the casing. Claimed weight on the 700 X 42mm version is sub-500 grams, which is pretty impressive. You can check the Power Adventure line out HERE. 

Comments:  Power Adventure, Power Gravel...... Did those French marketing folks watch a lot of Power Rangers shows as kids? (HA!) 

Seriously, the trend for smoother treaded "gravel" tires is just another evolution in the market. It is another example that "gravel" is still somewhat misunderstood. You take a look at what Michelin says about the use intents and they mention that the Power Adventure is less about (MTB) trails. 

Huh? See, the entire idea of "gravel" is that we ARE ON ROADS, not mountain bike trails. Unpaved roads preferably, but ROADS nonetheless. This whole misunderstanding of what should have been called "all-roads" is frustrating to me because the industry latched on to a term without considering the consequences of using that term. "All-Roads" is gravel plus other stuff that is road oriented. Single track? No. 

Sorry about the rant, but that stuff gets me going....

And back to this tire, which should work really well on gravel, by the way. We will see. I may have to get a set to try out. If I do, it'll be the classic "tan wall" shown, although you can also get this is black.

That's a wrap for this week. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

GRX goes to 12 speed mechanical (Image by Matt Gersib)

Leaked Images Show Shimano GRX 12 Speed:

In a leaked set of images from the recently run Unbound Gravel event, we have learned what we thought was pretty much a given at thie point. That being that Shimano will be offering 12 speed GRX very soon. 

My good friend MG caught these images and we posted them up on Riding Gravel last Friday. There was another media person that saw the same 12 speed mechanical GRX on a racer's bike elsewhere as well. Following is what I know so far...

There is no Di2 12spd GRX being shown or anywhere in sight as of now. I am betting that probably won't happen this year. Due to over-supply issues in the industry everything is being slowed down and introductions of new stuff will be pushed back until this glut starts to clear out from warehouses. I would bet Di2 12spd GRX will happen, but probably not soon. Meanwhile, we have 12 speed mechanical GRX to drool over, or make fun of, depending upon your point of view.

Some rumors are flying around about this new 12 speed GRX having a MicroSpline hub to accommodate current MTB cassettes. This has been confirmed by at least one site, but not officially by Shimano. So, a lot of current fancy-pants carbon wheel sets could become "old hat" - or "not cutting edge", soon. Further cementing this idea is that the other GRX 12 speed group seen at Unbound had a MTB cassette on it. Rumors are rampant that new GRX will accommodate wider range MTB cassettes for 1X usage to compete with SRAM. This would point toward MicroSpline as well. I think this is a given with the new 12spd GRX. However; that doesn't mean Shimano won't offer a traditional HyperGlide freehub for GRX. All we know now is that new 12spd GRX will most likely have MicroSpline hub compatibility.

Otherwise there is a new design for the brake caliper and a tweak to the brake lever pivot. The pivot placement for the current Di2 GRX is now coming over to 12 speed mechanical. Beyond that there isn't really much to say here other than that it is significant that Shimano released mechanical 12 speed GRX first. 

This should be a shot across the bow to those who are lamenting the death of mechanically shifted group sets with more than 11 speeds. Obviously, that is no longer a worry now.

Wilde Bikes Introduces Steel Rambler Bike:

Wilde Bikes introduced a new model on Tuesday, the Rambler, a made in Taiwan steel frame and fork bike which can be had in a frameset form or built as a complete.

The bike uses a production model that helps bring the cost down to $1200.00USD for the frame and fork. The bike is designed with a bottom bracket height and geometry which will lend itself to being set up with 650B wheels (up to 2.2") or 29"er wheels and tires. (Up to 2")

The frame will have all the common braze-ons we expect an adventure bike to have these days along with the Three-Pack fork mounts also. The frame has a 142 12mm through axle rear, the fork has 100mm through axle standard with a straight 1 1/8th steer tube. Flat mount brakes and a threaded bottom bracket shell round out the design.

Comments: Is this a Black Mountain Cycles Mod Zero? The two sure look close, don't they? There is not a lot of difference between the two geometry-wise either. That said, I'm a BMC guy and the slightly lower bottom bracket wins me over toward the BMC rather than the Wilde. Although that sparkly paint job on the Wilde is pretty nice. 

American Classic Introduces ProjectP4B:

American Classic, now a tire company, more or less, has announced that certain tires in their range will now be available under the ProjectP4B initiative. This is an effort to benefit the People For Bikes organization. 

If consumers buy the American Classic Torchbearer or Wentworth gravel tire, American Classic is earmarking the profits from those tires to a special Community Grants Program by People For Bikes which aims to create safer routes, bike lanes, and community education opportunities, amongst other benefits. 

Intial offerings in this program include the 700c X 30mm Torchbearer and the 700c X 40mm Wentworth tires. Both are tubeless ready, have 60TPI casings, and have special "hot patch" branding designating these as the Project P4B tires. 

These tires are only available via American Classic's Amazon portal and cost $29.99 each, according to the press release. The retail packaging for these tires is also made from recycled materials and can be recycled after use. 

Comments: Wow! That's cheap! And Wentworths are a pretty decent tire overall. Not your top of the range, high-performance tires, but even at their higher price, which is $45.00 each for a 120TPI tire with puncture protection, these are pretty phenomenal values. Now, despite the slightly lower tech spec, these tires are a crazy good value. 

Michelin Power Adventure Classic (Image from webstore)

Michelin's New Power Adventure Tires:

I didn't catch this back in March, but Michelin overhauled their gravel tire range and along with the new Power Gravel model they have a new design called the Power Adventure. 

Available in seven sizes ranging from a 700 X 30mm to a 700 X 47mm, the tire features a smoother tread and a lower treaded edge for grip in corners. Meant for a 80%/20% pavement to gravel mix, the tire has a puncture protection belt and three 100TPI layers of fabric in the casing. Claimed weight on the 700 X 42mm version is sub-500 grams, which is pretty impressive. You can check the Power Adventure line out HERE. 

Comments:  Power Adventure, Power Gravel...... Did those French marketing folks watch a lot of Power Rangers shows as kids? (HA!) 

Seriously, the trend for smoother treaded "gravel" tires is just another evolution in the market. It is another example that "gravel" is still somewhat misunderstood. You take a look at what Michelin says about the use intents and they mention that the Power Adventure is less about (MTB) trails. 

Huh? See, the entire idea of "gravel" is that we ARE ON ROADS, not mountain bike trails. Unpaved roads preferably, but ROADS nonetheless. This whole misunderstanding of what should have been called "all-roads" is frustrating to me because the industry latched on to a term without considering the consequences of using that term. "All-Roads" is gravel plus other stuff that is road oriented. Single track? No. 

Sorry about the rant, but that stuff gets me going....

And back to this tire, which should work really well on gravel, by the way. We will see. I may have to get a set to try out. If I do, it'll be the classic "tan wall" shown, although you can also get this is black.

That's a wrap for this week. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

The Trentasi 36"er gravel bike (Image from 36 POLLICI)

And You Thought 29" Wheels Were Big:

History Lesson: In 2006 Ben Witt hatched an idea to take 36 inch diameter uni-cycling wheels and put them into a bicycle. By early 2007 his idea was reality, and the buzz it created was a low hum in the background that never went away. (Learn more about the initial idea from my post about it here)

At the 2006 Dirty Kanza 200, a frame builder I spoke with proposed that the 36"er idea might be pretty cool for a gravel rig. His idea was that the big wheels would act like a fly wheel, storing energy for the climbs and gaining it back on the down hills. A rolling course might see such a big wheeled rig have an advantage, if the rider was hip to the momentum game. 

Nice theory, but in '06/'07, the technology and specifically, materials technology, had not been applied to this novelty wheel size. Later years saw companies developed around the sales of 36" wheels, most notably here, "Dirty Sixer", who cater to the larger framed humans amongst us. Another notable early proponent of the wheel size was custom bike builder, WaltWorks, who made several examples early on as well. 

Okay, now we have that as a backdrop for this: The 36 Pollici "Trentasei" Gravel Bike. This Italian based company also does MTB's in carbon, aluminum, and combinations of those materials. It was inevitable that something along these lines would eventually be done.

Comments: So, yeah.....like the frame builder back in 2006, I too have often wondered about the 36"er's potential for gravel travel fun. No doubt it would have certain advantages. That said, there are certain elements of such a bike that you cannot design out. The most important of those being wheel weight.

You often hear that wheel weight, and more importantly- where that weight is- will determine how well or not a wheel will perform. Too light and you actually harm the important flywheel effects that carry your energy through your pedaling 'dead spots'. (Think counterweights on a crank shaft as a way to understand that) Too heavy and the inertia factor raises its ugly head and imposes upon your energy reserves whenever you have to accelerate that mass. 

So, yeah....I've actually ridden a 36'er on a regular basis for a bit. I'd guess - and it is only a guess - that 36"er wheels would not be my preferred wheel size. And when you stop to think about where 700c came from, (a story far too long for this post), you will find other good reasons why we landed where we are. It's based in science and math folks. We didn't end up here by accident. 

The American Classic Wentworth from a ride I did in November.

More On The American Classic Company Comes To Light:

In the most recent "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" it was reported that industry veteran Chris Clinton is working for American Classic now as of October 1st. This is not of relevance to many of you readers, but it stands out for me because I know Chris and have dealt with him on various occasions. 

Chris has done tires- mostly- since I have known him. I first met him when he was with Bontrager. Most recently I worked with him on a review of Challenge Tires' new Getaway model. I am glad to see he is at American Classic now as Chris has a wealth of knowledge concerning bicycle tires and should be able to bring a lot of improvements to this range of tires. 

Secondly, and of more import to you, the reader, is that the article mentions Chris as saying that at some point we can expect American Classic wheels again. This should be good news, since the new American Classic company has all the intellectual properties from the original American Classic company. 

I would suspect rim designs, which were excellent, and perhaps even that unique hub design the company had, to be re-introduced in the wheel line. Current wide inner widths for gravel will need to be addressed as the former American Classic gravel wheels would be considered far too narrow internally than the competition offers in 2021 and beyond. Hopefully the American Classic wheel, when it comes out, will feature a gravel tire friendly 24-25mm internal rim width, at least, which I feel is pretty much the sweet spot for internal widths on gravel wheels.

New Member Of The Family:

Meet Felix. He's the newest member of the family around here. Seems that Mrs. Guitar Ted thought that our first feline, Minka, needed a companion. So, last weekend Felix came home to live with us.

He, like Minka before him, came from the Cedar Valley Humane Society shelter. Felix also is a full black cat, (UPDATE: Wait! We found a white patch of fur on his belly!) and we purposely wanted a black cat because they are hardest, (from what I hear) to place with adoptive families. 

So, yeah......no superstitions here. I've actually never thought black cats were unlucky. And, the name, Felix, was specifically chosen to reflect that. Well, that and because I watched Felix The Cat when I was a youngster. 

So far integrating the year and a half old Minka with the 10 week old Felix has been going alright. I mean, they have their moments and it reminds me somewhat of when we had small children. Jealousy, competitiveness, and such things are part of the deal we have to work through. Then you have a baby cat, full of the berries, and it can be a handful. But it is fun and we'll get through. 

Wilde Bicycle Co. Announced- New "Earth Ship" Gravel Bike: 

Monday news broke on a new bicycle company based in Minnesota called the Wilde Bicycle Co. The company is run by former All City Bikes head honcho, Jeff Frane and he is joined in this new venture by Angry Catfish bike shop owners Josh Klauk and Andy Tesh. 

Their company offers US made steel and titanium frames for mountain (Yo-Jeffy) and gravel (Earth Ship), although the press release stated bicycle frames in aluminum would also be offered. 

Frames can be ordered in stock sizes, modified somewhat by semi-custom order, or completely customized frame/fork bicycles can be ordered through Wilde. Earth Ship models in steel start at $2500.00 and in titanium for $3900.00. 

Furthermore; the site states that their geometry is a 'trade secret" and that they do not want their work being copied. While elsewhere it also states that the head and seat tube angles are "fairly traditional". 

Comments: Okay, Jeff Frane has a track record of designing cool bikes at All City. The Angry Catfish guys have experience with manufacturing small batch stuff and have a great business model for selling upscale bicycles. But some of this is a bit odd. USA made frames in "stock" sizes starting at well over 2G? And in a geometry you are keeping "secret"? Let's be honest here- If I am spending nearly three grand on a frame and fork I will know the geometry first. I am betting customers will have this info provided to them. Otherwise, uh.....fairly traditional angles doesn't sound all that "proprietary" to my way of thinking. 

And how much different will this be from an All City Cosmic Stallion? I bet it isn't by very much, if at all. Maybe they have used nicer, thinner frame tubing at Wilde for a nicer ride? I don't know... But that aside, the "DNA" from All City is apparent here. And why wouldn't it be? 

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

Friday News And Views

The Trentasi 36"er gravel bike (Image from 36 POLLICI)

And You Thought 29" Wheels Were Big:

History Lesson: In 2006 Ben Witt hatched an idea to take 36 inch diameter uni-cycling wheels and put them into a bicycle. By early 2007 his idea was reality, and the buzz it created was a low hum in the background that never went away. (Learn more about the initial idea from my post about it here)

At the 2006 Dirty Kanza 200, a frame builder I spoke with proposed that the 36"er idea might be pretty cool for a gravel rig. His idea was that the big wheels would act like a fly wheel, storing energy for the climbs and gaining it back on the down hills. A rolling course might see such a big wheeled rig have an advantage, if the rider was hip to the momentum game. 

Nice theory, but in '06/'07, the technology and specifically, materials technology, had not been applied to this novelty wheel size. Later years saw companies developed around the sales of 36" wheels, most notably here, "Dirty Sixer", who cater to the larger framed humans amongst us. Another notable early proponent of the wheel size was custom bike builder, WaltWorks, who made several examples early on as well. 

Okay, now we have that as a backdrop for this: The 36 Pollici "Trentasei" Gravel Bike. This Italian based company also does MTB's in carbon, aluminum, and combinations of those materials. It was inevitable that something along these lines would eventually be done.

Comments: So, yeah.....like the frame builder back in 2006, I too have often wondered about the 36"er's potential for gravel travel fun. No doubt it would have certain advantages. That said, there are certain elements of such a bike that you cannot design out. The most important of those being wheel weight.

You often hear that wheel weight, and more importantly- where that weight is- will determine how well or not a wheel will perform. Too light and you actually harm the important flywheel effects that carry your energy through your pedaling 'dead spots'. (Think counterweights on a crank shaft as a way to understand that) Too heavy and the inertia factor raises its ugly head and imposes upon your energy reserves whenever you have to accelerate that mass. 

So, yeah....I've actually ridden a 36'er on a regular basis for a bit. I'd guess - and it is only a guess - that 36"er wheels would not be my preferred wheel size. And when you stop to think about where 700c came from, (a story far too long for this post), you will find other good reasons why we landed where we are. It's based in science and math folks. We didn't end up here by accident. 

The American Classic Wentworth from a ride I did in November.

More On The American Classic Company Comes To Light:

In the most recent "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" it was reported that industry veteran Chris Clinton is working for American Classic now as of October 1st. This is not of relevance to many of you readers, but it stands out for me because I know Chris and have dealt with him on various occasions. 

Chris has done tires- mostly- since I have known him. I first met him when he was with Bontrager. Most recently I worked with him on a review of Challenge Tires' new Getaway model. I am glad to see he is at American Classic now as Chris has a wealth of knowledge concerning bicycle tires and should be able to bring a lot of improvements to this range of tires. 

Secondly, and of more import to you, the reader, is that the article mentions Chris as saying that at some point we can expect American Classic wheels again. This should be good news, since the new American Classic company has all the intellectual properties from the original American Classic company. 

I would suspect rim designs, which were excellent, and perhaps even that unique hub design the company had, to be re-introduced in the wheel line. Current wide inner widths for gravel will need to be addressed as the former American Classic gravel wheels would be considered far too narrow internally than the competition offers in 2021 and beyond. Hopefully the American Classic wheel, when it comes out, will feature a gravel tire friendly 24-25mm internal rim width, at least, which I feel is pretty much the sweet spot for internal widths on gravel wheels.

New Member Of The Family:

Meet Felix. He's the newest member of the family around here. Seems that Mrs. Guitar Ted thought that our first feline, Minka, needed a companion. So, last weekend Felix came home to live with us.

He, like Minka before him, came from the Cedar Valley Humane Society shelter. Felix also is a full black cat, (UPDATE: Wait! We found a white patch of fur on his belly!) and we purposely wanted a black cat because they are hardest, (from what I hear) to place with adoptive families. 

So, yeah......no superstitions here. I've actually never thought black cats were unlucky. And, the name, Felix, was specifically chosen to reflect that. Well, that and because I watched Felix The Cat when I was a youngster. 

So far integrating the year and a half old Minka with the 10 week old Felix has been going alright. I mean, they have their moments and it reminds me somewhat of when we had small children. Jealousy, competitiveness, and such things are part of the deal we have to work through. Then you have a baby cat, full of the berries, and it can be a handful. But it is fun and we'll get through. 

Wilde Bicycle Co. Announced- New "Earth Ship" Gravel Bike: 

Monday news broke on a new bicycle company based in Minnesota called the Wilde Bicycle Co. The company is run by former All City Bikes head honcho, Jeff Frane and he is joined in this new venture by Angry Catfish bike shop owners Josh Klauk and Andy Tesh. 

Their company offers US made steel and titanium frames for mountain (Yo-Jeffy) and gravel (Earth Ship), although the press release stated bicycle frames in aluminum would also be offered. 

Frames can be ordered in stock sizes, modified somewhat by semi-custom order, or completely customized frame/fork bicycles can be ordered through Wilde. Earth Ship models in steel start at $2500.00 and in titanium for $3900.00. 

Furthermore; the site states that their geometry is a 'trade secret" and that they do not want their work being copied. While elsewhere it also states that the head and seat tube angles are "fairly traditional". 

Comments: Okay, Jeff Frane has a track record of designing cool bikes at All City. The Angry Catfish guys have experience with manufacturing small batch stuff and have a great business model for selling upscale bicycles. But some of this is a bit odd. USA made frames in "stock" sizes starting at well over 2G? And in a geometry you are keeping "secret"? Let's be honest here- If I am spending nearly three grand on a frame and fork I will know the geometry first. I am betting customers will have this info provided to them. Otherwise, uh.....fairly traditional angles doesn't sound all that "proprietary" to my way of thinking. 

And how much different will this be from an All City Cosmic Stallion? I bet it isn't by very much, if at all. Maybe they have used nicer, thinner frame tubing at Wilde for a nicer ride? I don't know... But that aside, the "DNA" from All City is apparent here. And why wouldn't it be? 

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

Another Word On The Classics

A recent image of my American Classic Wentworth tire.

At the beginning of October I gave my impressions of the American Classic 700 X 40mm Wentworth tires which I had purchased to check out and review. (Yes, I paid for these tires) I should say that American Classic is not sponsoring this post, nor are they aware of what I am writing here. to my knowledge.

Okay, I have come to some conclusions and also, I have been made aware of some information regarding these tires since I am also reviewing this model in its larger size for RidingGravel.com. (Note- I did not pay for those tires and the Standard Disclaimer does apply there. Since I will be referencing those tires here, I thought I'd mention that.) 

Alright then, with all that out of the way, let's look at some things I have learned along the way about American Classic tires in general. First of all, my measurements after mounting both the Wentworth models, which came up significantly short of what American Classic was claiming, caught the attention of the marketing guy at the agency which was dealing with me on the 700 X 50 Wentworth review. Apparently, from what I was told, there was a batch of 700c X 40mm tires from American Classic from across their range of models which were, for some reason, undersized. I was informed that American Classic was aware of the issue and that they had taken actions to rectify those issues. This did not, however, cover the 700 X 50mm Wentworths and I was told that there would be an inquiry into that, but as of now, I have no word on this back from my contact. 

So, in the meantime some commenters here and on Riding Gravel's various social and web presences have informed me that their American Classic tires are true to measure out of the gate. So, I am left to assume that (a) American Classic did rectify the situation and that going forward you can expect consistently 'right-sized' tires, or that (b) American Classic tires are inconsistent in terms of sizing due to manufacturing/materials issues in light of cost or some other decisions made on the maker's end. Which it is will be found out over time. I hope it is "a" and not "b". But I do not know. All I know is that out of the six tires I have handled from American Classic across three models and two different sizes that all were undersized upon initial mounting.

Finally, I also wanted to share that I have found that these tires stretch quite a bit. In fact, now the 700c X (claimed) 40mm Wentworths are actually 39.5mm and 39.7mm now. Still, not quite 40's, but far more acceptable than when I first mounted these and almost 1.2mm wider than they were at the beginning of October. By the way, both measurements were at 40psi. 

Just as an aside, the 700 X (supposedly) 50mm Wentworths are still measuring sub-47mm in width, which is really disappointing. 

Okay, so how do these ride? Well, refer to my earlier post above. The width and lack of volume on these is a detriment on loose gravel. Smoother, grittier, dirt and limestone surfaces suit this tire much better. At least in this width. The larger Wentworth is actually great on deep, loose gravel. However, both suffer from the same issues and because of these issues, the American Classics would not be amongst my favorite gravel tires. 

First up, they weigh more than their counterparts do in the marketplace when you compare apples to apples. In that regard, you maybe could overlook this due to the cheaper price of the American Classic tires. But they also suffer from higher rolling resistance than other tires I have in their class. I found in my back-to-back roll-down tests that the American Classic Wentworths weren't as good at the test as a 700 X 40mm (really a 38mm) WTB Byway tire, and on harder surfaces it was worse than the WTB Vulpine which is a 700 X 36mm (really a 37mm) tire. It wasn't terribly off the mark, but given its weight disadvantage and slightly stiffer ride feel, I would put it behind many tires out there which would perform better and roll freer than these tires do.

But those tires cost more money. So, again- you get what you pay for. The American Classic 700 X 40mm Wentworth tires are what I would call 'pretty good'. A decent tire at $35.00. But if you are thinking it will perform as well, as, or better than tires costing more? Sorry, I hate to disappoint you, but that simply is not the case. 

See my full Riding Gravel review on these tires and other stuff at RidingGravel.com 

Another Word On The Classics

A recent image of my American Classic Wentworth tire.

At the beginning of October I gave my impressions of the American Classic 700 X 40mm Wentworth tires which I had purchased to check out and review. (Yes, I paid for these tires) I should say that American Classic is not sponsoring this post, nor are they aware of what I am writing here. to my knowledge.

Okay, I have come to some conclusions and also, I have been made aware of some information regarding these tires since I am also reviewing this model in its larger size for RidingGravel.com. (Note- I did not pay for those tires and the Standard Disclaimer does apply there. Since I will be referencing those tires here, I thought I'd mention that.) 

Alright then, with all that out of the way, let's look at some things I have learned along the way about American Classic tires in general. First of all, my measurements after mounting both the Wentworth models, which came up significantly short of what American Classic was claiming, caught the attention of the marketing guy at the agency which was dealing with me on the 700 X 50 Wentworth review. Apparently, from what I was told, there was a batch of 700c X 40mm tires from American Classic from across their range of models which were, for some reason, undersized. I was informed that American Classic was aware of the issue and that they had taken actions to rectify those issues. This did not, however, cover the 700 X 50mm Wentworths and I was told that there would be an inquiry into that, but as of now, I have no word on this back from my contact. 

So, in the meantime some commenters here and on Riding Gravel's various social and web presences have informed me that their American Classic tires are true to measure out of the gate. So, I am left to assume that (a) American Classic did rectify the situation and that going forward you can expect consistently 'right-sized' tires, or that (b) American Classic tires are inconsistent in terms of sizing due to manufacturing/materials issues in light of cost or some other decisions made on the maker's end. Which it is will be found out over time. I hope it is "a" and not "b". But I do not know. All I know is that out of the six tires I have handled from American Classic across three models and two different sizes that all were undersized upon initial mounting.

Finally, I also wanted to share that I have found that these tires stretch quite a bit. In fact, now the 700c X (claimed) 40mm Wentworths are actually 39.5mm and 39.7mm now. Still, not quite 40's, but far more acceptable than when I first mounted these and almost 1.2mm wider than they were at the beginning of October. By the way, both measurements were at 40psi. 

Just as an aside, the 700 X (supposedly) 50mm Wentworths are still measuring sub-47mm in width, which is really disappointing. 

Okay, so how do these ride? Well, refer to my earlier post above. The width and lack of volume on these is a detriment on loose gravel. Smoother, grittier, dirt and limestone surfaces suit this tire much better. At least in this width. The larger Wentworth is actually great on deep, loose gravel. However, both suffer from the same issues and because of these issues, the American Classics would not be amongst my favorite gravel tires. 

First up, they weigh more than their counterparts do in the marketplace when you compare apples to apples. In that regard, you maybe could overlook this due to the cheaper price of the American Classic tires. But they also suffer from higher rolling resistance than other tires I have in their class. I found in my back-to-back roll-down tests that the American Classic Wentworths weren't as good at the test as a 700 X 40mm (really a 38mm) WTB Byway tire, and on harder surfaces it was worse than the WTB Vulpine which is a 700 X 36mm (really a 37mm) tire. It wasn't terribly off the mark, but given its weight disadvantage and slightly stiffer ride feel, I would put it behind many tires out there which would perform better and roll freer than these tires do.

But those tires cost more money. So, again- you get what you pay for. The American Classic 700 X 40mm Wentworth tires are what I would call 'pretty good'. A decent tire at $35.00. But if you are thinking it will perform as well, as, or better than tires costing more? Sorry, I hate to disappoint you, but that simply is not the case. 

See my full Riding Gravel review on these tires and other stuff at RidingGravel.com 

American Classic Wentworth Update

American Classic Wentworth 700 X 50 (really 46)

 So, I finally got these bigger Wentworth tires on a bike here. The so-called 700 x 50's, which aren't 50's, but are 46's. I know.... Confusing! Let's just agree to call these 46's and get on with it, and we'll just forget about that hot patch on the tire for now, okay? 

Okay, with that out of the way, I will say that these seem a bit more reasonable as far as volume and profile for gravel then the so-called 40's are, which are really 38's, but are marked as 40's. (sigh) You get the picture....

I should have written 'for the gravel roads here where I ride'. Because I know that in Southeastern Minnesota, as an example, you can ride 700 X 38's all the day long and be as happy as a pig in the mud. However; try that same width tire down here where we often have big, chunky limestone laid down by the dump truck loads across the entire roadway at a depth of two inches or more and ,well.......38's are no fun. I mean, you can use that width, but it is a lot harder row to hoe than if you were to ride a wider tire. Pick yer poison.....

 So, back to these 50's.....er, 46's, and yeah. I like the volume, I like the flatter crown to the tire. I like how they set up on the Spinergy GXX wheel set I have here. They fit the MCD very nicely with a decent amount of clearance. These tires and wheels could stay on here all year, I think, and the clearances would be just fine. 

I have experienced a bit of a 'draggy' feeling with the smaller Wentworths and I expect that trend to continue with these bigger versions. I've only been able to get out for some neighborhood cruising so far, so stay tuned for a report on ride performance on gravel here soon. And......that may be a bit. See, I have been filling in for the missing Andy this week. (Note- Stay calm! He isn't really missing, I'm sure he is fine where he went on vacation) I have to fill in for him on Saturday as well, so I may not see gravel roads for a bit. 

That said, it won't be long before I find myself with a lot of extra time on my hands as the season winds down here. As long as the weather holds out I should get in several weeks of riding gravel roads until it (a) gets too dag-gone cold, or (b) it snows and the roads ice up. 

More soon....

Note: The Standard Disclaimer applies here to the tires, Spinergy Wheels, and a few things I did not mention, but that are on the bike shown here.

American Classic Wentworth Update

American Classic Wentworth 700 X 50 (really 46)

 So, I finally got these bigger Wentworth tires on a bike here. The so-called 700 x 50's, which aren't 50's, but are 46's. I know.... Confusing! Let's just agree to call these 46's and get on with it, and we'll just forget about that hot patch on the tire for now, okay? 

Okay, with that out of the way, I will say that these seem a bit more reasonable as far as volume and profile for gravel then the so-called 40's are, which are really 38's, but are marked as 40's. (sigh) You get the picture....

I should have written 'for the gravel roads here where I ride'. Because I know that in Southeastern Minnesota, as an example, you can ride 700 X 38's all the day long and be as happy as a pig in the mud. However; try that same width tire down here where we often have big, chunky limestone laid down by the dump truck loads across the entire roadway at a depth of two inches or more and ,well.......38's are no fun. I mean, you can use that width, but it is a lot harder row to hoe than if you were to ride a wider tire. Pick yer poison.....

 So, back to these 50's.....er, 46's, and yeah. I like the volume, I like the flatter crown to the tire. I like how they set up on the Spinergy GXX wheel set I have here. They fit the MCD very nicely with a decent amount of clearance. These tires and wheels could stay on here all year, I think, and the clearances would be just fine. 

I have experienced a bit of a 'draggy' feeling with the smaller Wentworths and I expect that trend to continue with these bigger versions. I've only been able to get out for some neighborhood cruising so far, so stay tuned for a report on ride performance on gravel here soon. And......that may be a bit. See, I have been filling in for the missing Andy this week. (Note- Stay calm! He isn't really missing, I'm sure he is fine where he went on vacation) I have to fill in for him on Saturday as well, so I may not see gravel roads for a bit. 

That said, it won't be long before I find myself with a lot of extra time on my hands as the season winds down here. As long as the weather holds out I should get in several weeks of riding gravel roads until it (a) gets too dag-gone cold, or (b) it snows and the roads ice up. 

More soon....

Note: The Standard Disclaimer applies here to the tires, Spinergy Wheels, and a few things I did not mention, but that are on the bike shown here.

A Word On The Classics

American Classic Wentworth 700 X 40mm* on the Standard Rando v2

 The reemergence of the American Classic name in cycling was a bit of a surprise this past September, as I stated in this "FN&V" post last month. The business model that the company chose was maybe even a bigger surprise. Going consumer direct, with distribution via Amazon, was a cheeky move in light of how traditional branding and marketing in the cycling space is handled. 

I had no idea if this meant that 'traditional marketing' was also being short-circuited. So, I took matters into my own hands and ordered a set up to test and review on RidingGravel.com. Of course, subsequently I ended up being contacted by a marketing company that works through traditional channels and ended up getting more American Classic tires to test. (See Standard Disclaimer page) In this post, I will only be talking about the tires I purchased with my own money, but I will tell you that my findings have been consistent with what was sent out to Riding Gravel as well. 

So, 35 dollar tires, eh? Yep. This in a day when - first of all - you are fortunate to even find tires. The shortages are real folks! Then you have prices, which are typically nearly twice that or more for what I would call 'name branded', well known gravel tires. The 'cheapest' tires previously being Panaracer Gravel King SK's which run about 12 bucks ,on average, more than these AmClassics, and then you get into WTB gravel tires for another ten more than that. But I am here to tell you that by next Spring those prices will be higher. But that's another story....

So, for thirty-five, what do you get?  Well, AmClassic says these are 40mm tires. Nope! Not even close. I mounted these on a pair of Irwin Cycling Aon Carbon 35 wheels and those have a 24mm inner rim width. Pretty 'average' width there and it happens to be what AmClassic recommends for their 700 X 40mm tires. So, at 40psi these measure out at 38.5-ish mm on my digital calipers. Exactly what I would have expected for a tire labeled as "700 X 38mm". But, these are 'supposedly' 700 X 40mm. Hmm.... 

I was impressed with how these were for air retention though. These tires don't leak down much, and that is kind of nice when you run tubeless. I had no issues setting them up tubeless either, other than that these tires were exceedingly tight on the wheels I chose to use with them. 

On smoother bits of gravel, the skinnier AmClassics were okay, but on pavement they felt 'draggy'.

Then the riding commenced. The casings, being undersized as they are, ride like skinny gravel tires. There is not a lot of room for bigger, sharper edged hits, like on broken pavement, to be absorbed. Higher volumes of air in a tire equals more of an ability to absorb impacts. These AmClassic tires in the 38mm width, (because that's really what they are), don't have the same ability to absorb impacts like a 700 X 40-43mm tire does, and it shows. 

On smoother gravel, these tires were 'okay'. I could likely live with them seeing as how they are so inexpensive. But on my roll-down test these tires were below average. I could maybe bump up pressures from my 'high-30's psi' but that would negatively affect their ride feel even more. And I don't think this is an issue with tread pattern. I cannot really fault the tread here. I don't think it is where the problem is with these tires in general. My take is that it is the quality of the casings which are at fault. 

When I got these tires, (and the ones I paid for came first, just so you know), the casings appeared as those I would generally associate with 'cheap' tires. The inner casings were ribbed, sort of, more so than you'd normally see. The materials over the textiles looked and felt thicker, which is another characteristic of cheaper rubber for bicycles. The inner casing's coloring was familiar in this way also. I've handled a LOT of bicycle tires going back to the mid-1990's and certain characteristics are associated with inexpensive tires and these AmClassics lean toward that end of the 'feel' and 'appearances' spectrum than not. 

Does any of that mean these tires are made cheaply? No. Not necessarily, but when matched up with the performance, observed characteristics (especially in width), and considering what you pay for, I am thinking that you are getting no more value for your dollar here than you should expect for 35 bucks. It isn't like these are on par with Gravel King SK's, or a WTB gravel tire, because clearly, this is not the case, in my opinion. I'll sum up my feelings so far with this maxim which comes to mind when I think about these AmClassic tires: "You get what you pay for".

And really, is that such a bad thing?

A Word On The Classics

American Classic Wentworth 700 X 40mm* on the Standard Rando v2

 The reemergence of the American Classic name in cycling was a bit of a surprise this past September, as I stated in this "FN&V" post last month. The business model that the company chose was maybe even a bigger surprise. Going consumer direct, with distribution via Amazon, was a cheeky move in light of how traditional branding and marketing in the cycling space is handled. 

I had no idea if this meant that 'traditional marketing' was also being short-circuited. So, I took matters into my own hands and ordered a set up to test and review on RidingGravel.com. Of course, subsequently I ended up being contacted by a marketing company that works through traditional channels and ended up getting more American Classic tires to test. (See Standard Disclaimer page) In this post, I will only be talking about the tires I purchased with my own money, but I will tell you that my findings have been consistent with what was sent out to Riding Gravel as well. 

So, 35 dollar tires, eh? Yep. This in a day when - first of all - you are fortunate to even find tires. The shortages are real folks! Then you have prices, which are typically nearly twice that or more for what I would call 'name branded', well known gravel tires. The 'cheapest' tires previously being Panaracer Gravel King SK's which run about 12 bucks ,on average, more than these AmClassics, and then you get into WTB gravel tires for another ten more than that. But I am here to tell you that by next Spring those prices will be higher. But that's another story....

So, for thirty-five, what do you get?  Well, AmClassic says these are 40mm tires. Nope! Not even close. I mounted these on a pair of Irwin Cycling Aon Carbon 35 wheels and those have a 24mm inner rim width. Pretty 'average' width there and it happens to be what AmClassic recommends for their 700 X 40mm tires. So, at 40psi these measure out at 38.5-ish mm on my digital calipers. Exactly what I would have expected for a tire labeled as "700 X 38mm". But, these are 'supposedly' 700 X 40mm. Hmm.... 

I was impressed with how these were for air retention though. These tires don't leak down much, and that is kind of nice when you run tubeless. I had no issues setting them up tubeless either, other than that these tires were exceedingly tight on the wheels I chose to use with them. 

On smoother bits of gravel, the skinnier AmClassics were okay, but on pavement they felt 'draggy'.

Then the riding commenced. The casings, being undersized as they are, ride like skinny gravel tires. There is not a lot of room for bigger, sharper edged hits, like on broken pavement, to be absorbed. Higher volumes of air in a tire equals more of an ability to absorb impacts. These AmClassic tires in the 38mm width, (because that's really what they are), don't have the same ability to absorb impacts like a 700 X 40-43mm tire does, and it shows. 

On smoother gravel, these tires were 'okay'. I could likely live with them seeing as how they are so inexpensive. But on my roll-down test these tires were below average. I could maybe bump up pressures from my 'high-30's psi' but that would negatively affect their ride feel even more. And I don't think this is an issue with tread pattern. I cannot really fault the tread here. I don't think it is where the problem is with these tires in general. My take is that it is the quality of the casings which are at fault. 

When I got these tires, (and the ones I paid for came first, just so you know), the casings appeared as those I would generally associate with 'cheap' tires. The inner casings were ribbed, sort of, more so than you'd normally see. The materials over the textiles looked and felt thicker, which is another characteristic of cheaper rubber for bicycles. The inner casing's coloring was familiar in this way also. I've handled a LOT of bicycle tires going back to the mid-1990's and certain characteristics are associated with inexpensive tires and these AmClassics lean toward that end of the 'feel' and 'appearances' spectrum than not. 

Does any of that mean these tires are made cheaply? No. Not necessarily, but when matched up with the performance, observed characteristics (especially in width), and considering what you pay for, I am thinking that you are getting no more value for your dollar here than you should expect for 35 bucks. It isn't like these are on par with Gravel King SK's, or a WTB gravel tire, because clearly, this is not the case, in my opinion. I'll sum up my feelings so far with this maxim which comes to mind when I think about these AmClassic tires: "You get what you pay for".

And really, is that such a bad thing?

Friday News And Views

 Double Posting Of Trans Iowa Stories For This Weekend:

Last weekend a Trans Iowa Series post was scheduled but another one was inadvertently scheduled to drop at the same time. This caused a technical issue which I could not resolve, so I ended up pushing both posts back a week.

That mistake is on me, and to the fans and readers of the series, I apologize. 

The good news is that both of those posts will appear this Sunday, one following a little after the other time-wise. They will appear as originally intended also, so you won't be missing a thing that I originally formatted for you to see. 

So, that's a brief note, for those who care, about what happened to last week's 'Trans Iowa Stories' post and what to look forward to for this Sunday. Now with that, I should be back on track and hopefully there will be one post for each of the following Sundays for the remainder of the year. Look for the series to wrap up sometime early in 2022. 

Rides Requiring Proof Of Vaccination:

Recently the news that the Mid-South was requiring proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID test, to get into their 2022 event spread amongst the gravel community. Now word is out that a smaller event out in Vermont organized by the group that puts on the well known Rasputitsa event is also going the proof of vax route. 

While the "Grateful" isn't a big nationally known event, the fact that the organizers are pursuing the proof of vax/negative test route seems to point to a trend in the gravel event scene. It also seems to be consistent with many concerts. sporting events, and with what some businesses are doing. 

Andy and I speculated about this on the podcast recording this week and my take is that this is probably being driven by three elements. 1- A Sense of Social Responsibility where promoters feel compelled to protect and care for their riders in the best way they can. 2 - Legal Ramifications where the possibility that being sued over COVID transmissions, or deaths/health issues may loom over an event, especially when that event is charging a healthy entry fee. 3 - Insurance requirements where it may be possible that municipalities and/or event insurance providers are leveraging event promoters to require proofs of vaccination to hold an event under their insurance/oversight. 

Now, you may have issues with the whole proof of vax/testing thing, and that is a completely valid discussion and far too big a deal for this column. I'll just say this- you don't have to go participate in any events, much less those that require proofs of vax/negative COVID tests. You could organize your own rides. You are free to ride how you want to ride. 

That's a very important thing to remember in all of this. 

The Whisky Parts Co. Spanos Bar

Big Week At Riding Gravel:

The bits and baubles came rolling in over the past week for testing and review on RidingGravel.com. (See the Standard Disclaimer Page here)

Amongst the products that were received are some unusual things. How about some woven cloth bar tape? No.....not the traditional type. This is quite a bit different stuff from Grepp. They claim it is reusable, washable, and that it has superior grip properties over traditional tapes. 

Then there is the American Classic tire, the Wentworth, which I purchased with my own money, by the way, and will be checking out here and on Riding Gravel. 

Then there is the Topeak Gravel Gear Bag, which is not maybe what you think it is. This is an organizer with tools and spaces for tubes and things which you strap to you frame for the rare case that you may need to repair a tire in the field. 

Finally, there is the Whisky Parts Co. Spano Bar, (pictured) which is a carbon fiber drop bar with some unique features. It has flattened tops, a squished profile for the bar in the drops, and a very short reach and drop. 

So, I've spent the week getting all these things set up and checked over for longer rides to come soon. Most of the blurbs I write will be over at Riding Gravel, but you'll probably see this stuff in images and mentions over the next several weeks.

A newMTB trail system is planned near Copper Creek in Des Moines.

New Mountain Bike Trails In The DSM;

Recently, AXIOS Des Moines reported that a new mountain bike park is set to be implemented which would connect Des Moines and the Pleasant Hill areas. 50 acres of undeveloped land have been purchased for the project which will include an area to buffer rain run off to help prevent flooding and improve water quality in the area. 

The park, named the Copper Creek MTB Park, is envisioned as a way to satisfy recreational cyclist who have been using local trails at an ever increasing rate. Plus, this should draw more tourism to the area due to the other local cycling attractions and Iowa's dearth of public lands devoted to off-pavement cycling.

For more details on the project see this link.

NOTE- I'll have a missive on the UCI/Gravel World Championships and series for tomorrow. Otherwise, that's a wrap for this week! Enjoy your weekend and get some riding in!

Friday News And Views

 Double Posting Of Trans Iowa Stories For This Weekend:

Last weekend a Trans Iowa Series post was scheduled but another one was inadvertently scheduled to drop at the same time. This caused a technical issue which I could not resolve, so I ended up pushing both posts back a week.

That mistake is on me, and to the fans and readers of the series, I apologize. 

The good news is that both of those posts will appear this Sunday, one following a little after the other time-wise. They will appear as originally intended also, so you won't be missing a thing that I originally formatted for you to see. 

So, that's a brief note, for those who care, about what happened to last week's 'Trans Iowa Stories' post and what to look forward to for this Sunday. Now with that, I should be back on track and hopefully there will be one post for each of the following Sundays for the remainder of the year. Look for the series to wrap up sometime early in 2022. 

Rides Requiring Proof Of Vaccination:

Recently the news that the Mid-South was requiring proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID test, to get into their 2022 event spread amongst the gravel community. Now word is out that a smaller event out in Vermont organized by the group that puts on the well known Rasputitsa event is also going the proof of vax route. 

While the "Grateful" isn't a big nationally known event, the fact that the organizers are pursuing the proof of vax/negative test route seems to point to a trend in the gravel event scene. It also seems to be consistent with many concerts. sporting events, and with what some businesses are doing. 

Andy and I speculated about this on the podcast recording this week and my take is that this is probably being driven by three elements. 1- A Sense of Social Responsibility where promoters feel compelled to protect and care for their riders in the best way they can. 2 - Legal Ramifications where the possibility that being sued over COVID transmissions, or deaths/health issues may loom over an event, especially when that event is charging a healthy entry fee. 3 - Insurance requirements where it may be possible that municipalities and/or event insurance providers are leveraging event promoters to require proofs of vaccination to hold an event under their insurance/oversight. 

Now, you may have issues with the whole proof of vax/testing thing, and that is a completely valid discussion and far too big a deal for this column. I'll just say this- you don't have to go participate in any events, much less those that require proofs of vax/negative COVID tests. You could organize your own rides. You are free to ride how you want to ride. 

That's a very important thing to remember in all of this. 

The Whisky Parts Co. Spanos Bar

Big Week At Riding Gravel:

The bits and baubles came rolling in over the past week for testing and review on RidingGravel.com. (See the Standard Disclaimer Page here)

Amongst the products that were received are some unusual things. How about some woven cloth bar tape? No.....not the traditional type. This is quite a bit different stuff from Grepp. They claim it is reusable, washable, and that it has superior grip properties over traditional tapes. 

Then there is the American Classic tire, the Wentworth, which I purchased with my own money, by the way, and will be checking out here and on Riding Gravel. 

Then there is the Topeak Gravel Gear Bag, which is not maybe what you think it is. This is an organizer with tools and spaces for tubes and things which you strap to you frame for the rare case that you may need to repair a tire in the field. 

Finally, there is the Whisky Parts Co. Spano Bar, (pictured) which is a carbon fiber drop bar with some unique features. It has flattened tops, a squished profile for the bar in the drops, and a very short reach and drop. 

So, I've spent the week getting all these things set up and checked over for longer rides to come soon. Most of the blurbs I write will be over at Riding Gravel, but you'll probably see this stuff in images and mentions over the next several weeks.

A newMTB trail system is planned near Copper Creek in Des Moines.

New Mountain Bike Trails In The DSM;

Recently, AXIOS Des Moines reported that a new mountain bike park is set to be implemented which would connect Des Moines and the Pleasant Hill areas. 50 acres of undeveloped land have been purchased for the project which will include an area to buffer rain run off to help prevent flooding and improve water quality in the area. 

The park, named the Copper Creek MTB Park, is envisioned as a way to satisfy recreational cyclist who have been using local trails at an ever increasing rate. Plus, this should draw more tourism to the area due to the other local cycling attractions and Iowa's dearth of public lands devoted to off-pavement cycling.

For more details on the project see this link.

NOTE- I'll have a missive on the UCI/Gravel World Championships and series for tomorrow. Otherwise, that's a wrap for this week! Enjoy your weekend and get some riding in!