Well it's been a long time coming, but it's finally time to go on that long "death ride" that I've been planning all summer long. Just an outgrowth of two things really. One being the desire every summer to go on a long, long, all day bicycle ride. In the past these attempts at cycling overload would result in hours of zombie-like behaviour afterwards due to dehydration and a total lack of an understanding of nutritional needs. ( What?! You can't ride for hours and hours fueled only by a bag of Doritos at the halfway point?) The other factor leading to the incarnation of this ride was the experiences that I have had at both Trans Iowa events and at the Dirty Kanza 200 this past May.
That's pretty much the whole reasoning behind the initializing of "The Death Ride". Now I also have a small test model for what is going to be Trans Iowa V3. It'll be not only fun to throw myself into an all day cycling frenzy, but it will be all for the cause of research!
Speaking of research: I have been doing almost all of my training/ recon rides for GTDRI on my Midge barred Karate Monkey single speed. Hand problems are always one of the issues with long rides and the Midge bar is good, but I wondered if I could maybe make it better. I have been playing with gel pad strips and gel tape which has yeilded a set up that is going to see it's first big test tomorrow. I also am pretty scared off of wearing cycling gloves due to the fact that most of the models I've tried tend to be so compressive that my fingers go numb in a matter of minutes. Also, the openings around the fingers tend to pinch off the blood flow and are just plain uncomfortable for me. Well, I got a tip from a seasoned veteran of endurance and it's pretty low tech/ retro. I'll be testing that out this weekend too. Results might be revealed later!
So the weather might be a bit sketchy. We'll see. The few "B" level roads that are on route could prove to be interesting though. Especially with the constant nature of the rain over the past few days. Only about three to three and a half miles to traverse over the entire course though. The B roads won't kill us, but if they are mucky, they'll sure slow us down! Tell you what: I'd rather that it be cool, partly cloudy, or even that we get rained on sometime during the ride than have it be sunny, humid, and 90 degrees all afternoon. Talk about death!
I'll be posting audio blogs tomorrow from the pass through towns of Traer, Gladbrook, and Steamboat Rock. Look for those later in the morning tomorrow to start popping up. Until then, have a great day and ride your bikes!
Friday, August 18, 2006
G.T.D.R.I. Set To Go!
Well it's been a long time coming, but it's finally time to go on that long "death ride" that I've been planning all summer long. Just an outgrowth of two things really. One being the desire every summer to go on a long, long, all day bicycle ride. In the past these attempts at cycling overload would result in hours of zombie-like behaviour afterwards due to dehydration and a total lack of an understanding of nutritional needs. ( What?! You can't ride for hours and hours fueled only by a bag of Doritos at the halfway point?) The other factor leading to the incarnation of this ride was the experiences that I have had at both Trans Iowa events and at the Dirty Kanza 200 this past May.
That's pretty much the whole reasoning behind the initializing of "The Death Ride". Now I also have a small test model for what is going to be Trans Iowa V3. It'll be not only fun to throw myself into an all day cycling frenzy, but it will be all for the cause of research!
Speaking of research: I have been doing almost all of my training/ recon rides for GTDRI on my Midge barred Karate Monkey single speed. Hand problems are always one of the issues with long rides and the Midge bar is good, but I wondered if I could maybe make it better. I have been playing with gel pad strips and gel tape which has yeilded a set up that is going to see it's first big test tomorrow. I also am pretty scared off of wearing cycling gloves due to the fact that most of the models I've tried tend to be so compressive that my fingers go numb in a matter of minutes. Also, the openings around the fingers tend to pinch off the blood flow and are just plain uncomfortable for me. Well, I got a tip from a seasoned veteran of endurance and it's pretty low tech/ retro. I'll be testing that out this weekend too. Results might be revealed later!
So the weather might be a bit sketchy. We'll see. The few "B" level roads that are on route could prove to be interesting though. Especially with the constant nature of the rain over the past few days. Only about three to three and a half miles to traverse over the entire course though. The B roads won't kill us, but if they are mucky, they'll sure slow us down! Tell you what: I'd rather that it be cool, partly cloudy, or even that we get rained on sometime during the ride than have it be sunny, humid, and 90 degrees all afternoon. Talk about death!
I'll be posting audio blogs tomorrow from the pass through towns of Traer, Gladbrook, and Steamboat Rock. Look for those later in the morning tomorrow to start popping up. Until then, have a great day and ride your bikes!
That's pretty much the whole reasoning behind the initializing of "The Death Ride". Now I also have a small test model for what is going to be Trans Iowa V3. It'll be not only fun to throw myself into an all day cycling frenzy, but it will be all for the cause of research!
Speaking of research: I have been doing almost all of my training/ recon rides for GTDRI on my Midge barred Karate Monkey single speed. Hand problems are always one of the issues with long rides and the Midge bar is good, but I wondered if I could maybe make it better. I have been playing with gel pad strips and gel tape which has yeilded a set up that is going to see it's first big test tomorrow. I also am pretty scared off of wearing cycling gloves due to the fact that most of the models I've tried tend to be so compressive that my fingers go numb in a matter of minutes. Also, the openings around the fingers tend to pinch off the blood flow and are just plain uncomfortable for me. Well, I got a tip from a seasoned veteran of endurance and it's pretty low tech/ retro. I'll be testing that out this weekend too. Results might be revealed later!
So the weather might be a bit sketchy. We'll see. The few "B" level roads that are on route could prove to be interesting though. Especially with the constant nature of the rain over the past few days. Only about three to three and a half miles to traverse over the entire course though. The B roads won't kill us, but if they are mucky, they'll sure slow us down! Tell you what: I'd rather that it be cool, partly cloudy, or even that we get rained on sometime during the ride than have it be sunny, humid, and 90 degrees all afternoon. Talk about death!
I'll be posting audio blogs tomorrow from the pass through towns of Traer, Gladbrook, and Steamboat Rock. Look for those later in the morning tomorrow to start popping up. Until then, have a great day and ride your bikes!
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Cycling News Revamps 29"er vs 26"er Test
Awhile back you might remember cyclingnews.com revealing that they had two Seven Cycles hardtails set up as identically as possible with the "only" difference being the wheel size. One had 29 inch wheels and the other had 26 inch wheels. A hue and cry went up immediately from the 29"er camp, ( including myself) that the 29"er was designed incorrectly and was limited by gearing issues in comparison to the 26"er that they had set up.
Well, to their credit, cyclingnews.com has stepped up to the plate with a totally revamped 29"er to compensate for the differences. They started by having a frame made with more "proper" 29"er geometry including a steeper head angle which brought the trail figure in line with the 26"er. (Interestingly, the bike developes a bit of toe overlap, thus pointing out what 29"er afficiandos have said all along: we need a different 29"er specific fork offset!) Also, they shortened up the chainstays just a bit to get the wheelbase in check. These changes have resulted in a noticeable difference in handling according to their tester, James Huang, who was also quick to point out that the "wheels are still awfully big and substantially heavier".
One of the interesting notes was the "appologetic" on the first iteration of the test 29"er:
"While it is true that our 29er does require a smidge more conviction to snake through twisty terrain, I didn't necessarily find the handling characteristics to be particularly objectionable and I have yet to blow a corner as result."
And that was with 18 inch plus chainstays and a "slack" 71 degree head angle! Maybe 29"ers aren't all that and a bag of chips, but this would indicate that even a poorly concieved example can ride quite well, thank you!
So, it would appear that the new 29"er being tested has narrowed the gap on handling substantially, normalized the test example to better reflect current 29"er frame design, and should result in a more reasonable test than the first bike would have provided us. However; the cyclingnews crew wasn't done yet. They added power meters to both bikes! Kudos!
Now the last hurdle will be the most troublesome and subjective of all: Handling the quirks and characteristics of 29"ers. That's going to be on Mr. Huang's shoulders and whether or not he can manage to learn the nuances of 29"er handling in a reasonably short period of time to allow this story to be completed on schedule remains to be seen. Quite frankly; we may never know the "true" outcome of that question. I assume that he is a quite talented rider, but the 29"er is going to require that he "un-learn" some habits from his 26"er days to get a "fully objective" look at the 29"er, and then we'll all know what works best...........for him!
While I applaud cyclingnews for going above and beyond the call of duty here. While I admit and declare that this might possibly be the very best test of 29"er vs. 26"er to date: There is only one thing we will know without a doubt afterwards. That is what bike James Huang works best on. You see, we humans are all different. (sorry about the "Mr. Obvious" stuff here, but it doesn't appear that this is obvious!) A 29"er won't work for everybody. A 29"er doesn't do "everything" better than a 26"er. Horses for courses. Some folks power output will be maximised on a 29"er at certain courses and on others it might be a 26"er. To make it painfully obvious: You wouldn't attack a DH course on a fully rigid cyclo cross bike, right? Of course not. There is a correct tool for that job.
That is what we hope to find out from this testing. Not which wheel size is "best" as in "overall best", but where 29"ers shine better than 26"ers and vice versa. Perhaps this will begin to show that there is a place for each wheel size in your "quiver" to accomplish different tasks. Personally, I feel better on 29"ers. I like them much better for almost all of my riding. You might disagree, or have different needs. That's okay too.
I'll be watching this test with interest. How about you?
Well, to their credit, cyclingnews.com has stepped up to the plate with a totally revamped 29"er to compensate for the differences. They started by having a frame made with more "proper" 29"er geometry including a steeper head angle which brought the trail figure in line with the 26"er. (Interestingly, the bike developes a bit of toe overlap, thus pointing out what 29"er afficiandos have said all along: we need a different 29"er specific fork offset!) Also, they shortened up the chainstays just a bit to get the wheelbase in check. These changes have resulted in a noticeable difference in handling according to their tester, James Huang, who was also quick to point out that the "wheels are still awfully big and substantially heavier".
One of the interesting notes was the "appologetic" on the first iteration of the test 29"er:
"While it is true that our 29er does require a smidge more conviction to snake through twisty terrain, I didn't necessarily find the handling characteristics to be particularly objectionable and I have yet to blow a corner as result."
And that was with 18 inch plus chainstays and a "slack" 71 degree head angle! Maybe 29"ers aren't all that and a bag of chips, but this would indicate that even a poorly concieved example can ride quite well, thank you!
So, it would appear that the new 29"er being tested has narrowed the gap on handling substantially, normalized the test example to better reflect current 29"er frame design, and should result in a more reasonable test than the first bike would have provided us. However; the cyclingnews crew wasn't done yet. They added power meters to both bikes! Kudos!
Now the last hurdle will be the most troublesome and subjective of all: Handling the quirks and characteristics of 29"ers. That's going to be on Mr. Huang's shoulders and whether or not he can manage to learn the nuances of 29"er handling in a reasonably short period of time to allow this story to be completed on schedule remains to be seen. Quite frankly; we may never know the "true" outcome of that question. I assume that he is a quite talented rider, but the 29"er is going to require that he "un-learn" some habits from his 26"er days to get a "fully objective" look at the 29"er, and then we'll all know what works best...........for him!
While I applaud cyclingnews for going above and beyond the call of duty here. While I admit and declare that this might possibly be the very best test of 29"er vs. 26"er to date: There is only one thing we will know without a doubt afterwards. That is what bike James Huang works best on. You see, we humans are all different. (sorry about the "Mr. Obvious" stuff here, but it doesn't appear that this is obvious!) A 29"er won't work for everybody. A 29"er doesn't do "everything" better than a 26"er. Horses for courses. Some folks power output will be maximised on a 29"er at certain courses and on others it might be a 26"er. To make it painfully obvious: You wouldn't attack a DH course on a fully rigid cyclo cross bike, right? Of course not. There is a correct tool for that job.
That is what we hope to find out from this testing. Not which wheel size is "best" as in "overall best", but where 29"ers shine better than 26"ers and vice versa. Perhaps this will begin to show that there is a place for each wheel size in your "quiver" to accomplish different tasks. Personally, I feel better on 29"ers. I like them much better for almost all of my riding. You might disagree, or have different needs. That's okay too.
I'll be watching this test with interest. How about you?
Cycling News Revamps 29"er vs 26"er Test
Awhile back you might remember cyclingnews.com revealing that they had two Seven Cycles hardtails set up as identically as possible with the "only" difference being the wheel size. One had 29 inch wheels and the other had 26 inch wheels. A hue and cry went up immediately from the 29"er camp, ( including myself) that the 29"er was designed incorrectly and was limited by gearing issues in comparison to the 26"er that they had set up.
Well, to their credit, cyclingnews.com has stepped up to the plate with a totally revamped 29"er to compensate for the differences. They started by having a frame made with more "proper" 29"er geometry including a steeper head angle which brought the trail figure in line with the 26"er. (Interestingly, the bike developes a bit of toe overlap, thus pointing out what 29"er afficiandos have said all along: we need a different 29"er specific fork offset!) Also, they shortened up the chainstays just a bit to get the wheelbase in check. These changes have resulted in a noticeable difference in handling according to their tester, James Huang, who was also quick to point out that the "wheels are still awfully big and substantially heavier".
One of the interesting notes was the "appologetic" on the first iteration of the test 29"er:
"While it is true that our 29er does require a smidge more conviction to snake through twisty terrain, I didn't necessarily find the handling characteristics to be particularly objectionable and I have yet to blow a corner as result."
And that was with 18 inch plus chainstays and a "slack" 71 degree head angle! Maybe 29"ers aren't all that and a bag of chips, but this would indicate that even a poorly concieved example can ride quite well, thank you!
So, it would appear that the new 29"er being tested has narrowed the gap on handling substantially, normalized the test example to better reflect current 29"er frame design, and should result in a more reasonable test than the first bike would have provided us. However; the cyclingnews crew wasn't done yet. They added power meters to both bikes! Kudos!
Now the last hurdle will be the most troublesome and subjective of all: Handling the quirks and characteristics of 29"ers. That's going to be on Mr. Huang's shoulders and whether or not he can manage to learn the nuances of 29"er handling in a reasonably short period of time to allow this story to be completed on schedule remains to be seen. Quite frankly; we may never know the "true" outcome of that question. I assume that he is a quite talented rider, but the 29"er is going to require that he "un-learn" some habits from his 26"er days to get a "fully objective" look at the 29"er, and then we'll all know what works best...........for him!
While I applaud cyclingnews for going above and beyond the call of duty here. While I admit and declare that this might possibly be the very best test of 29"er vs. 26"er to date: There is only one thing we will know without a doubt afterwards. That is what bike James Huang works best on. You see, we humans are all different. (sorry about the "Mr. Obvious" stuff here, but it doesn't appear that this is obvious!) A 29"er won't work for everybody. A 29"er doesn't do "everything" better than a 26"er. Horses for courses. Some folks power output will be maximised on a 29"er at certain courses and on others it might be a 26"er. To make it painfully obvious: You wouldn't attack a DH course on a fully rigid cyclo cross bike, right? Of course not. There is a correct tool for that job.
That is what we hope to find out from this testing. Not which wheel size is "best" as in "overall best", but where 29"ers shine better than 26"ers and vice versa. Perhaps this will begin to show that there is a place for each wheel size in your "quiver" to accomplish different tasks. Personally, I feel better on 29"ers. I like them much better for almost all of my riding. You might disagree, or have different needs. That's okay too.
I'll be watching this test with interest. How about you?
Well, to their credit, cyclingnews.com has stepped up to the plate with a totally revamped 29"er to compensate for the differences. They started by having a frame made with more "proper" 29"er geometry including a steeper head angle which brought the trail figure in line with the 26"er. (Interestingly, the bike developes a bit of toe overlap, thus pointing out what 29"er afficiandos have said all along: we need a different 29"er specific fork offset!) Also, they shortened up the chainstays just a bit to get the wheelbase in check. These changes have resulted in a noticeable difference in handling according to their tester, James Huang, who was also quick to point out that the "wheels are still awfully big and substantially heavier".
One of the interesting notes was the "appologetic" on the first iteration of the test 29"er:
"While it is true that our 29er does require a smidge more conviction to snake through twisty terrain, I didn't necessarily find the handling characteristics to be particularly objectionable and I have yet to blow a corner as result."
And that was with 18 inch plus chainstays and a "slack" 71 degree head angle! Maybe 29"ers aren't all that and a bag of chips, but this would indicate that even a poorly concieved example can ride quite well, thank you!
So, it would appear that the new 29"er being tested has narrowed the gap on handling substantially, normalized the test example to better reflect current 29"er frame design, and should result in a more reasonable test than the first bike would have provided us. However; the cyclingnews crew wasn't done yet. They added power meters to both bikes! Kudos!
Now the last hurdle will be the most troublesome and subjective of all: Handling the quirks and characteristics of 29"ers. That's going to be on Mr. Huang's shoulders and whether or not he can manage to learn the nuances of 29"er handling in a reasonably short period of time to allow this story to be completed on schedule remains to be seen. Quite frankly; we may never know the "true" outcome of that question. I assume that he is a quite talented rider, but the 29"er is going to require that he "un-learn" some habits from his 26"er days to get a "fully objective" look at the 29"er, and then we'll all know what works best...........for him!
While I applaud cyclingnews for going above and beyond the call of duty here. While I admit and declare that this might possibly be the very best test of 29"er vs. 26"er to date: There is only one thing we will know without a doubt afterwards. That is what bike James Huang works best on. You see, we humans are all different. (sorry about the "Mr. Obvious" stuff here, but it doesn't appear that this is obvious!) A 29"er won't work for everybody. A 29"er doesn't do "everything" better than a 26"er. Horses for courses. Some folks power output will be maximised on a 29"er at certain courses and on others it might be a 26"er. To make it painfully obvious: You wouldn't attack a DH course on a fully rigid cyclo cross bike, right? Of course not. There is a correct tool for that job.
That is what we hope to find out from this testing. Not which wheel size is "best" as in "overall best", but where 29"ers shine better than 26"ers and vice versa. Perhaps this will begin to show that there is a place for each wheel size in your "quiver" to accomplish different tasks. Personally, I feel better on 29"ers. I like them much better for almost all of my riding. You might disagree, or have different needs. That's okay too.
I'll be watching this test with interest. How about you?
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
New Look, News and Views
What the...............: Yeah, this is Guitar Ted Productions. You haven't lost your mind! I was just as surprised as you probably were when I checked things out here from work on a break. I had thought a bit about an update, and had talked a bit about it with the mad scientist behind Kerkove Media. The next thing I know, it's done! Thanks for the refresh Jeff, and I think the site looks great. What do you think?
Giro From Head To Toe: You are probably familiar with Giro as a helmet company, but did you know that they are launching a line of cycling footwear too? Looks as though it's going to happen according to a news bit on the Bicycling Retailer and Industry News site. Should be interesting to see what they come up with. That's a pretty competitive marketplace, so I hope for their sake that they come up with some cool stuff.
Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational: The days are passing quickly and soon we'll be out grinding 150 miles of limestone. If you are coming and you have not e-mailed me that you are, please do that now! ( seveneye7@mchsi.com ) There are two other points of interest here. 1. The event will be audio-blogged to this site on Saturday the 19th. For those of you who are interested, I'll try to make it interesting to listen to! 2. Sunrise was the start time, which is after 6am, but I'm thinking we should get started at no later than 6am. If you are one of the guys that has e-mailed me that you are coming, I'll be e-mailing this to you as a bulletin.
Trek World: The Trek World show for dealers only is also this weekend. Guitar Ted Labratories has a special secret camera dude that will be at the event. Look for a detailed report coming up next week. Until then, let's all hope that my camera dude can outwit the crafty and cunning Trek Factory Gnome!
In The Still Waiting Department: "It" still hasn't arrived yet. Maybe "it" won't for awhile due to the filling in of pre-orders for other folks. Hmm................I'm wondering now if "it" might not show up for awhile. Okay for now though. There will be plenty of time that way to get the hardware aquisition machine up and running!
Oh yeah! One More Thing!: This guy rocks! If you ever thought that cycling prowess peaked in your thirties and went downhill from there, then you need to check this guy out. He didn't get that message. And neither should you! Rock on hard man!
Giro From Head To Toe: You are probably familiar with Giro as a helmet company, but did you know that they are launching a line of cycling footwear too? Looks as though it's going to happen according to a news bit on the Bicycling Retailer and Industry News site. Should be interesting to see what they come up with. That's a pretty competitive marketplace, so I hope for their sake that they come up with some cool stuff.
Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational: The days are passing quickly and soon we'll be out grinding 150 miles of limestone. If you are coming and you have not e-mailed me that you are, please do that now! ( seveneye7@mchsi.com ) There are two other points of interest here. 1. The event will be audio-blogged to this site on Saturday the 19th. For those of you who are interested, I'll try to make it interesting to listen to! 2. Sunrise was the start time, which is after 6am, but I'm thinking we should get started at no later than 6am. If you are one of the guys that has e-mailed me that you are coming, I'll be e-mailing this to you as a bulletin.
Trek World: The Trek World show for dealers only is also this weekend. Guitar Ted Labratories has a special secret camera dude that will be at the event. Look for a detailed report coming up next week. Until then, let's all hope that my camera dude can outwit the crafty and cunning Trek Factory Gnome!
In The Still Waiting Department: "It" still hasn't arrived yet. Maybe "it" won't for awhile due to the filling in of pre-orders for other folks. Hmm................I'm wondering now if "it" might not show up for awhile. Okay for now though. There will be plenty of time that way to get the hardware aquisition machine up and running!
Oh yeah! One More Thing!: This guy rocks! If you ever thought that cycling prowess peaked in your thirties and went downhill from there, then you need to check this guy out. He didn't get that message. And neither should you! Rock on hard man!
New Look, News and Views
What the...............: Yeah, this is Guitar Ted Productions. You haven't lost your mind! I was just as surprised as you probably were when I checked things out here from work on a break. I had thought a bit about an update, and had talked a bit about it with the mad scientist behind Kerkove Media. The next thing I know, it's done! Thanks for the refresh Jeff, and I think the site looks great. What do you think?
Giro From Head To Toe: You are probably familiar with Giro as a helmet company, but did you know that they are launching a line of cycling footwear too? Looks as though it's going to happen according to a news bit on the Bicycling Retailer and Industry News site. Should be interesting to see what they come up with. That's a pretty competitive marketplace, so I hope for their sake that they come up with some cool stuff.
Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational: The days are passing quickly and soon we'll be out grinding 150 miles of limestone. If you are coming and you have not e-mailed me that you are, please do that now! ( seveneye7@mchsi.com ) There are two other points of interest here. 1. The event will be audio-blogged to this site on Saturday the 19th. For those of you who are interested, I'll try to make it interesting to listen to! 2. Sunrise was the start time, which is after 6am, but I'm thinking we should get started at no later than 6am. If you are one of the guys that has e-mailed me that you are coming, I'll be e-mailing this to you as a bulletin.
Trek World: The Trek World show for dealers only is also this weekend. Guitar Ted Labratories has a special secret camera dude that will be at the event. Look for a detailed report coming up next week. Until then, let's all hope that my camera dude can outwit the crafty and cunning Trek Factory Gnome!
In The Still Waiting Department: "It" still hasn't arrived yet. Maybe "it" won't for awhile due to the filling in of pre-orders for other folks. Hmm................I'm wondering now if "it" might not show up for awhile. Okay for now though. There will be plenty of time that way to get the hardware aquisition machine up and running!
Oh yeah! One More Thing!: This guy rocks! If you ever thought that cycling prowess peaked in your thirties and went downhill from there, then you need to check this guy out. He didn't get that message. And neither should you! Rock on hard man!
Giro From Head To Toe: You are probably familiar with Giro as a helmet company, but did you know that they are launching a line of cycling footwear too? Looks as though it's going to happen according to a news bit on the Bicycling Retailer and Industry News site. Should be interesting to see what they come up with. That's a pretty competitive marketplace, so I hope for their sake that they come up with some cool stuff.
Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational: The days are passing quickly and soon we'll be out grinding 150 miles of limestone. If you are coming and you have not e-mailed me that you are, please do that now! ( seveneye7@mchsi.com ) There are two other points of interest here. 1. The event will be audio-blogged to this site on Saturday the 19th. For those of you who are interested, I'll try to make it interesting to listen to! 2. Sunrise was the start time, which is after 6am, but I'm thinking we should get started at no later than 6am. If you are one of the guys that has e-mailed me that you are coming, I'll be e-mailing this to you as a bulletin.
Trek World: The Trek World show for dealers only is also this weekend. Guitar Ted Labratories has a special secret camera dude that will be at the event. Look for a detailed report coming up next week. Until then, let's all hope that my camera dude can outwit the crafty and cunning Trek Factory Gnome!
In The Still Waiting Department: "It" still hasn't arrived yet. Maybe "it" won't for awhile due to the filling in of pre-orders for other folks. Hmm................I'm wondering now if "it" might not show up for awhile. Okay for now though. There will be plenty of time that way to get the hardware aquisition machine up and running!
Oh yeah! One More Thing!: This guy rocks! If you ever thought that cycling prowess peaked in your thirties and went downhill from there, then you need to check this guy out. He didn't get that message. And neither should you! Rock on hard man!
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Ergon Grip Review Update
Note: All links will take you to Ergon's site which is in German. To see the products, click on the pdf download links. The new "Joystick" grips can be seen along with the rest of the catalog. I appologize for any inconvenience this might cause but they are a German company after all! Awhile back I did a review on Ergon grips. This post is an update of that review. (Note: I use the full length Ergon grip as pictured in the overhead shot of my Inbred 29"er. The grip is also available for Grip Shift applications as shown in the picture to the left)
As I stated in the original review, the Ergon grip is very posistion sensitive. You really need to play with the tilt of the grip to achieve the optimum set up for your bike and your hands. In the overhead shot, you can hardly tell that the grip has a "tail section" due to the upward tilt of that tail. I made several micro adjustments to find "the right" tilt to the "tail" or flatter section of the grip. It was mostly pointed upwards and towards me as I sat on the bike.
Not long ago, a well respected endurance rider that tried these grips stated that they were wonderful up to about three hours of riding, but that they then became unbearable. Actually, he said that they felt as if they had "bruised" his hands! I thought that was rather odd, until it happened to me!
I used these grips at the Dirty Kanza 200 in May. I only made it about 90 miles or so before I had to drop out due to dizziness. I felt that the grips were a bit troublesome during the event, but it wasn't until afterwards that I experienced the worst part. I felt as though I had smacked my hands on cement for about a week afterwards. The butt ends of my palms were pretty tender, as if I had bruised them. The sensation went away after a week or so, and now I am fine.
Not wanting to give up on the grips, I tried readjusting them just after the Dirty Kanza while my hands were still hurting. I found that a downward tilt, away from my head and pointing the tail section of the grip down from horizontal felt better. This was a radical change from what I had been doing with the Ergons and nothing like my friends run theirs. However; after a couple of months of riding them this way, I must say that I won't be going back to the previous upwards tilt again. The true test is a multi hour ride, but in rides of slightly over three hours upwards to four hours, I have not experienced the "bruising" feeling again. I will say that the grips are slightly tougher to hold on to in rough stuff in this posistion, so beware and use a grippy glove if necessary.
Speaking of rougher riding. Ergon is going to introduce a "rounder" cross section grip ( called the "Joystick") for rough terrain, or for riders that require a better grip for bike manouevering. Look for it to come out soon!
Ergon Grip Review Update
Note: All links will take you to Ergon's site which is in German. To see the products, click on the pdf download links. The new "Joystick" grips can be seen along with the rest of the catalog. I appologize for any inconvenience this might cause but they are a German company after all! Awhile back I did a review on Ergon grips. This post is an update of that review. (Note: I use the full length Ergon grip as pictured in the overhead shot of my Inbred 29"er. The grip is also available for Grip Shift applications as shown in the picture to the left)
As I stated in the original review, the Ergon grip is very posistion sensitive. You really need to play with the tilt of the grip to achieve the optimum set up for your bike and your hands. In the overhead shot, you can hardly tell that the grip has a "tail section" due to the upward tilt of that tail. I made several micro adjustments to find "the right" tilt to the "tail" or flatter section of the grip. It was mostly pointed upwards and towards me as I sat on the bike.
Not long ago, a well respected endurance rider that tried these grips stated that they were wonderful up to about three hours of riding, but that they then became unbearable. Actually, he said that they felt as if they had "bruised" his hands! I thought that was rather odd, until it happened to me!
I used these grips at the Dirty Kanza 200 in May. I only made it about 90 miles or so before I had to drop out due to dizziness. I felt that the grips were a bit troublesome during the event, but it wasn't until afterwards that I experienced the worst part. I felt as though I had smacked my hands on cement for about a week afterwards. The butt ends of my palms were pretty tender, as if I had bruised them. The sensation went away after a week or so, and now I am fine.
Not wanting to give up on the grips, I tried readjusting them just after the Dirty Kanza while my hands were still hurting. I found that a downward tilt, away from my head and pointing the tail section of the grip down from horizontal felt better. This was a radical change from what I had been doing with the Ergons and nothing like my friends run theirs. However; after a couple of months of riding them this way, I must say that I won't be going back to the previous upwards tilt again. The true test is a multi hour ride, but in rides of slightly over three hours upwards to four hours, I have not experienced the "bruising" feeling again. I will say that the grips are slightly tougher to hold on to in rough stuff in this posistion, so beware and use a grippy glove if necessary.
Speaking of rougher riding. Ergon is going to introduce a "rounder" cross section grip ( called the "Joystick") for rough terrain, or for riders that require a better grip for bike manouevering. Look for it to come out soon!
Monday, August 14, 2006
Intense Cycles To Manufacture 29"er Tires?
I had time to peruse my Bicycle Retailer and Industry News this weekend and came across this bit in the August 15th issue on page 10 in an article about Intense's revamped management and manufacturing moves:
Quote:
According to Steber, Intense is currently releasing the first production of its 29-inch Spider model. The company also is releasing a line of FRO limited-edition models including Spider FRO and Socum FRO. "You will also see a complete BMX race bike and some 29-inch tires," he said. No mention of what might become available, but I have seen Intense's 26" offerings in tires and they are pretty interesting.
__________________
In Other Goings On: It looks as though Jamis has decided to join the 29"er fray with one steel framed single speed, ( yes, another single speed 29"er!) and an aluminum geared hardtail, (Yes!). The bikes look pretty sharp.
The Guitar Ted Death Ride group is shaping up to be a nice little posse. Weather is looking as though it might co-operate too. Have you decided to come? Get your map at the GTDRI blogsite!
Will "It" Come Today? Part One: I've been waiting a whole week. It's supposedly in the mail. Maybe it'll be here after I get back from doing onsite installments of autoshifting bikes on trainers in Grundy Center today. ( No! I didn't just make that last part up!) You guys and gals will know when it arrives! Just wait...............
End of the season yet? Are you going to do another race or two? Psyhco-crossing it this fall? What are you going to do? Fall is coming............you could dare to do this!
Quote:
According to Steber, Intense is currently releasing the first production of its 29-inch Spider model. The company also is releasing a line of FRO limited-edition models including Spider FRO and Socum FRO. "You will also see a complete BMX race bike and some 29-inch tires," he said. No mention of what might become available, but I have seen Intense's 26" offerings in tires and they are pretty interesting.
__________________
In Other Goings On: It looks as though Jamis has decided to join the 29"er fray with one steel framed single speed, ( yes, another single speed 29"er!) and an aluminum geared hardtail, (Yes!). The bikes look pretty sharp.
The Guitar Ted Death Ride group is shaping up to be a nice little posse. Weather is looking as though it might co-operate too. Have you decided to come? Get your map at the GTDRI blogsite!
Will "It" Come Today? Part One: I've been waiting a whole week. It's supposedly in the mail. Maybe it'll be here after I get back from doing onsite installments of autoshifting bikes on trainers in Grundy Center today. ( No! I didn't just make that last part up!) You guys and gals will know when it arrives! Just wait...............
End of the season yet? Are you going to do another race or two? Psyhco-crossing it this fall? What are you going to do? Fall is coming............you could dare to do this!
Intense Cycles To Manufacture 29"er Tires?
I had time to peruse my Bicycle Retailer and Industry News this weekend and came across this bit in the August 15th issue on page 10 in an article about Intense's revamped management and manufacturing moves:
Quote:
According to Steber, Intense is currently releasing the first production of its 29-inch Spider model. The company also is releasing a line of FRO limited-edition models including Spider FRO and Socum FRO. "You will also see a complete BMX race bike and some 29-inch tires," he said. No mention of what might become available, but I have seen Intense's 26" offerings in tires and they are pretty interesting.
__________________
In Other Goings On: It looks as though Jamis has decided to join the 29"er fray with one steel framed single speed, ( yes, another single speed 29"er!) and an aluminum geared hardtail, (Yes!). The bikes look pretty sharp.
The Guitar Ted Death Ride group is shaping up to be a nice little posse. Weather is looking as though it might co-operate too. Have you decided to come? Get your map at the GTDRI blogsite!
Will "It" Come Today? Part One: I've been waiting a whole week. It's supposedly in the mail. Maybe it'll be here after I get back from doing onsite installments of autoshifting bikes on trainers in Grundy Center today. ( No! I didn't just make that last part up!) You guys and gals will know when it arrives! Just wait...............
End of the season yet? Are you going to do another race or two? Psyhco-crossing it this fall? What are you going to do? Fall is coming............you could dare to do this!
Quote:
According to Steber, Intense is currently releasing the first production of its 29-inch Spider model. The company also is releasing a line of FRO limited-edition models including Spider FRO and Socum FRO. "You will also see a complete BMX race bike and some 29-inch tires," he said. No mention of what might become available, but I have seen Intense's 26" offerings in tires and they are pretty interesting.
__________________
In Other Goings On: It looks as though Jamis has decided to join the 29"er fray with one steel framed single speed, ( yes, another single speed 29"er!) and an aluminum geared hardtail, (Yes!). The bikes look pretty sharp.
The Guitar Ted Death Ride group is shaping up to be a nice little posse. Weather is looking as though it might co-operate too. Have you decided to come? Get your map at the GTDRI blogsite!
Will "It" Come Today? Part One: I've been waiting a whole week. It's supposedly in the mail. Maybe it'll be here after I get back from doing onsite installments of autoshifting bikes on trainers in Grundy Center today. ( No! I didn't just make that last part up!) You guys and gals will know when it arrives! Just wait...............
End of the season yet? Are you going to do another race or two? Psyhco-crossing it this fall? What are you going to do? Fall is coming............you could dare to do this!
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Sunday Morning Edition
With all the Trans Iowa talk going on, I was reminded of this bike that was in at the shop recently. The guy gravel ground it till it wouldn't function anymore! He had worn out EVERYTHING! No.......really! He did!
I saw a bumper sticker while commuting home the other day: "I poke Badgers with spoons" Awesome!
Actually, there is a rumor that the ultimate gravel grinder and a Badger may have something in common......stay tuned!
Remember that I posted a few days ago about the published text I wrte in the Haro catalog? Well, here it is! Thanks go out to Mike Varley of Haro Bikes for the opportunity to do this and for helping to get this to print! Thanks!
If ya can't read it, I'm sorry! It's the best pic I could get of it. Here's an idea........go to your nearest Haro dealer and getcher own catalog!
Sunday Morning Edition
With all the Trans Iowa talk going on, I was reminded of this bike that was in at the shop recently. The guy gravel ground it till it wouldn't function anymore! He had worn out EVERYTHING! No.......really! He did!
I saw a bumper sticker while commuting home the other day: "I poke Badgers with spoons" Awesome!
Actually, there is a rumor that the ultimate gravel grinder and a Badger may have something in common......stay tuned!
Remember that I posted a few days ago about the published text I wrte in the Haro catalog? Well, here it is! Thanks go out to Mike Varley of Haro Bikes for the opportunity to do this and for helping to get this to print! Thanks!
If ya can't read it, I'm sorry! It's the best pic I could get of it. Here's an idea........go to your nearest Haro dealer and getcher own catalog!
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Saturday Bits
Update on Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational: We're one week away folks! Here's an update. Check it out!
Update on Trans Iowa V-III: Check the new header that Mr. 24 came up with! The "poll" that I started on mtbr.com has brought some good feedback to Mr. 24 and I. Once again, T.I. would be in late April, and this time it would be a loop course. Got ideas? Send them our way.
Summer is about over. College and community schools are coming into session. Days are getting shorter. Looks like racing days will be coming down to an end in the next few months for alot of us. But wait! Something is lurking on the horizon.........a last hurrah! A final "epic" slog through backroads in the middle of no where. Put it all on number 13 and let it ride!
Have a great weekend and get yer ride on!
Update on Trans Iowa V-III: Check the new header that Mr. 24 came up with! The "poll" that I started on mtbr.com has brought some good feedback to Mr. 24 and I. Once again, T.I. would be in late April, and this time it would be a loop course. Got ideas? Send them our way.
Summer is about over. College and community schools are coming into session. Days are getting shorter. Looks like racing days will be coming down to an end in the next few months for alot of us. But wait! Something is lurking on the horizon.........a last hurrah! A final "epic" slog through backroads in the middle of no where. Put it all on number 13 and let it ride!
Have a great weekend and get yer ride on!
Saturday Bits
Update on Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational: We're one week away folks! Here's an update. Check it out!
Update on Trans Iowa V-III: Check the new header that Mr. 24 came up with! The "poll" that I started on mtbr.com has brought some good feedback to Mr. 24 and I. Once again, T.I. would be in late April, and this time it would be a loop course. Got ideas? Send them our way.
Summer is about over. College and community schools are coming into session. Days are getting shorter. Looks like racing days will be coming down to an end in the next few months for alot of us. But wait! Something is lurking on the horizon.........a last hurrah! A final "epic" slog through backroads in the middle of no where. Put it all on number 13 and let it ride!
Have a great weekend and get yer ride on!
Update on Trans Iowa V-III: Check the new header that Mr. 24 came up with! The "poll" that I started on mtbr.com has brought some good feedback to Mr. 24 and I. Once again, T.I. would be in late April, and this time it would be a loop course. Got ideas? Send them our way.
Summer is about over. College and community schools are coming into session. Days are getting shorter. Looks like racing days will be coming down to an end in the next few months for alot of us. But wait! Something is lurking on the horizon.........a last hurrah! A final "epic" slog through backroads in the middle of no where. Put it all on number 13 and let it ride!
Have a great weekend and get yer ride on!
Friday, August 11, 2006
Can There Ever Be Too Much? Part Two
I just wanted to make this post reflect the reason for yesterdays post by showing you what is currently available and what is being introduced in the single speed 29"er hardtail mountain bike world. To keep it simple, I am limiting this to complete bikes available at or through most bike shops nation wide, (U.S.) and any major bike manufacturer offerings. ( manufacturers bikes that are distributed across the U.S.)
Already available: Aluminum: Niner- One Nine, Fisher- Rig, S&M- BM Flyer.
Steel: Surly: Karate Monkey, Raleigh- XXIX, Redline- Monocog, Niner- Sir 9, Salsa- El Mariachi, Kona- Unit 29, VooDoo- Dambala.
Being introduced this year: Aluminum: Bianchi- Rita
Steel: Haro- Mary, GT- Peace, Jamis Dakota 29(?)
These are bikes that I could think of off the top of my head, with no research. Might be, ( and probably are) others that I missed.
I also puposely left off the "sub-marketed" One One Inbred and a host of "boutique" builders like Ventana, Curtlo, Badger, Walt Works, Wily, Independant Fabrications, Retro Tec/ Inglis, Moots, and a host of other builders that have been filling the void of mass produced single speeds all along.
The market place is getting crowded and more introductions may follow that I am unaware of right now. I haven't said anything about geared hardtail 29"ers, but they are getting some action, as well. Fisher is coming out with a Ferrous 29"er(steel- a first for Fisher), Haro has a Mary XC, Raleigh is going to have one, and Cannondale's Caffeine 29"er is due out in September.
It's going to be a busy trade show season, that's for sure!
Already available: Aluminum: Niner- One Nine, Fisher- Rig, S&M- BM Flyer.
Steel: Surly: Karate Monkey, Raleigh- XXIX, Redline- Monocog, Niner- Sir 9, Salsa- El Mariachi, Kona- Unit 29, VooDoo- Dambala.
Being introduced this year: Aluminum: Bianchi- Rita
Steel: Haro- Mary, GT- Peace, Jamis Dakota 29(?)
These are bikes that I could think of off the top of my head, with no research. Might be, ( and probably are) others that I missed.
I also puposely left off the "sub-marketed" One One Inbred and a host of "boutique" builders like Ventana, Curtlo, Badger, Walt Works, Wily, Independant Fabrications, Retro Tec/ Inglis, Moots, and a host of other builders that have been filling the void of mass produced single speeds all along.
The market place is getting crowded and more introductions may follow that I am unaware of right now. I haven't said anything about geared hardtail 29"ers, but they are getting some action, as well. Fisher is coming out with a Ferrous 29"er(steel- a first for Fisher), Haro has a Mary XC, Raleigh is going to have one, and Cannondale's Caffeine 29"er is due out in September.
It's going to be a busy trade show season, that's for sure!
Can There Ever Be Too Much? Part Two
I just wanted to make this post reflect the reason for yesterdays post by showing you what is currently available and what is being introduced in the single speed 29"er hardtail mountain bike world. To keep it simple, I am limiting this to complete bikes available at or through most bike shops nation wide, (U.S.) and any major bike manufacturer offerings. ( manufacturers bikes that are distributed across the U.S.)
Already available: Aluminum: Niner- One Nine, Fisher- Rig, S&M- BM Flyer.
Steel: Surly: Karate Monkey, Raleigh- XXIX, Redline- Monocog, Niner- Sir 9, Salsa- El Mariachi, Kona- Unit 29, VooDoo- Dambala.
Being introduced this year: Aluminum: Bianchi- Rita
Steel: Haro- Mary, GT- Peace, Jamis Dakota 29(?)
These are bikes that I could think of off the top of my head, with no research. Might be, ( and probably are) others that I missed.
I also puposely left off the "sub-marketed" One One Inbred and a host of "boutique" builders like Ventana, Curtlo, Badger, Walt Works, Wily, Independant Fabrications, Retro Tec/ Inglis, Moots, and a host of other builders that have been filling the void of mass produced single speeds all along.
The market place is getting crowded and more introductions may follow that I am unaware of right now. I haven't said anything about geared hardtail 29"ers, but they are getting some action, as well. Fisher is coming out with a Ferrous 29"er(steel- a first for Fisher), Haro has a Mary XC, Raleigh is going to have one, and Cannondale's Caffeine 29"er is due out in September.
It's going to be a busy trade show season, that's for sure!
Already available: Aluminum: Niner- One Nine, Fisher- Rig, S&M- BM Flyer.
Steel: Surly: Karate Monkey, Raleigh- XXIX, Redline- Monocog, Niner- Sir 9, Salsa- El Mariachi, Kona- Unit 29, VooDoo- Dambala.
Being introduced this year: Aluminum: Bianchi- Rita
Steel: Haro- Mary, GT- Peace, Jamis Dakota 29(?)
These are bikes that I could think of off the top of my head, with no research. Might be, ( and probably are) others that I missed.
I also puposely left off the "sub-marketed" One One Inbred and a host of "boutique" builders like Ventana, Curtlo, Badger, Walt Works, Wily, Independant Fabrications, Retro Tec/ Inglis, Moots, and a host of other builders that have been filling the void of mass produced single speeds all along.
The market place is getting crowded and more introductions may follow that I am unaware of right now. I haven't said anything about geared hardtail 29"ers, but they are getting some action, as well. Fisher is coming out with a Ferrous 29"er(steel- a first for Fisher), Haro has a Mary XC, Raleigh is going to have one, and Cannondale's Caffeine 29"er is due out in September.
It's going to be a busy trade show season, that's for sure!
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Can There Ever Be Too Much?
During an on-line forum posting frenzy I came across the idea that perhaps there are too many steel, 29 inch wheeled, hardtail, single speed bikes either available or becoming available soon. I think that I am in agreement with that thought, but not for the reasons that you might think.
First of all, why is there so many of this type of bike? A single speed 26 inch wheeled bike isn't as well supported by the major or second tier manufacturers as a 29 inch wheeled single speed is. What gives? I think there are two major reasons for this phenomena.
The single speed drivetrain and 29 inch wheels are a marriage made in heaven....or so it would seem! Momentum is highly prized by single speeders. 29 inch wheels conserve momentum, not losing it as quickly as 26 inch wheels do. Need I go on?
The next thing that makes the 29 inch wheeled single speed a popular option for manufacturers to try is that it's cheaper to test the waters of the 29"er marketplace with this sort of platform. No drivetrain is simpler. Less parts equals less invested in the project. Have you noticed that most of these 29"ers are sub-$1000 rigs? That's a definite play to you out there to see if you will bite on the 29"er thing. Manufacturers feel that if there really is a market for 29 inch wheels, it'll be easier to snag on that action if the price is low. That and the fact that 29"ers and single speeding is like white on rice. Manufacturers see the numbers of custom 29"ers out there, a large portion of which are single speeds. Now does it make more sense as to why there are so many 29"er steel hardtail single speeds available?
Getting to my point: that there are too many of this type of bike, I say that it's a bad thing in the long run. Some would argue that more choice is better, and they would have my hearty agreement.......for the short term. However; the manufacturers are about to oversaturate the market place with these specialized rigs. This will result in poor sales for alot of these manufacturers that are testing the market. They are also going to be bitten by poor representation on the dealer floors due to a skittish attitude about 29"ers. Also, the ones that do bring them in for sale will probably have a poorly trained staff in the area of the nuances of 29"ers which will result in lackluster sales of these single speed 29"ers. (see early Fisher dealers for an example of the failure of bike shops to understand 29"ers) The end result will be a pull back on the part of the manufacturer from the 29 inch wheeled segment, claiming that there is no market support for the bikes. I give alot of these companies a year or two at best.
The companies that persevere in this segment and go beyond the single speed to geared hardtails and (gasp!) full suspension 29"ers will see better results. ( again: see Fisher for your proto type) In the end, I expect to see less manufacturers on the 29"er bandwagon. The ones that do stay will have better success and offer better choices. Is it a bad thing?
Only time will tell!
First of all, why is there so many of this type of bike? A single speed 26 inch wheeled bike isn't as well supported by the major or second tier manufacturers as a 29 inch wheeled single speed is. What gives? I think there are two major reasons for this phenomena.
The single speed drivetrain and 29 inch wheels are a marriage made in heaven....or so it would seem! Momentum is highly prized by single speeders. 29 inch wheels conserve momentum, not losing it as quickly as 26 inch wheels do. Need I go on?
The next thing that makes the 29 inch wheeled single speed a popular option for manufacturers to try is that it's cheaper to test the waters of the 29"er marketplace with this sort of platform. No drivetrain is simpler. Less parts equals less invested in the project. Have you noticed that most of these 29"ers are sub-$1000 rigs? That's a definite play to you out there to see if you will bite on the 29"er thing. Manufacturers feel that if there really is a market for 29 inch wheels, it'll be easier to snag on that action if the price is low. That and the fact that 29"ers and single speeding is like white on rice. Manufacturers see the numbers of custom 29"ers out there, a large portion of which are single speeds. Now does it make more sense as to why there are so many 29"er steel hardtail single speeds available?
Getting to my point: that there are too many of this type of bike, I say that it's a bad thing in the long run. Some would argue that more choice is better, and they would have my hearty agreement.......for the short term. However; the manufacturers are about to oversaturate the market place with these specialized rigs. This will result in poor sales for alot of these manufacturers that are testing the market. They are also going to be bitten by poor representation on the dealer floors due to a skittish attitude about 29"ers. Also, the ones that do bring them in for sale will probably have a poorly trained staff in the area of the nuances of 29"ers which will result in lackluster sales of these single speed 29"ers. (see early Fisher dealers for an example of the failure of bike shops to understand 29"ers) The end result will be a pull back on the part of the manufacturer from the 29 inch wheeled segment, claiming that there is no market support for the bikes. I give alot of these companies a year or two at best.
The companies that persevere in this segment and go beyond the single speed to geared hardtails and (gasp!) full suspension 29"ers will see better results. ( again: see Fisher for your proto type) In the end, I expect to see less manufacturers on the 29"er bandwagon. The ones that do stay will have better success and offer better choices. Is it a bad thing?
Only time will tell!
Can There Ever Be Too Much?
During an on-line forum posting frenzy I came across the idea that perhaps there are too many steel, 29 inch wheeled, hardtail, single speed bikes either available or becoming available soon. I think that I am in agreement with that thought, but not for the reasons that you might think.
First of all, why is there so many of this type of bike? A single speed 26 inch wheeled bike isn't as well supported by the major or second tier manufacturers as a 29 inch wheeled single speed is. What gives? I think there are two major reasons for this phenomena.
The single speed drivetrain and 29 inch wheels are a marriage made in heaven....or so it would seem! Momentum is highly prized by single speeders. 29 inch wheels conserve momentum, not losing it as quickly as 26 inch wheels do. Need I go on?
The next thing that makes the 29 inch wheeled single speed a popular option for manufacturers to try is that it's cheaper to test the waters of the 29"er marketplace with this sort of platform. No drivetrain is simpler. Less parts equals less invested in the project. Have you noticed that most of these 29"ers are sub-$1000 rigs? That's a definite play to you out there to see if you will bite on the 29"er thing. Manufacturers feel that if there really is a market for 29 inch wheels, it'll be easier to snag on that action if the price is low. That and the fact that 29"ers and single speeding is like white on rice. Manufacturers see the numbers of custom 29"ers out there, a large portion of which are single speeds. Now does it make more sense as to why there are so many 29"er steel hardtail single speeds available?
Getting to my point: that there are too many of this type of bike, I say that it's a bad thing in the long run. Some would argue that more choice is better, and they would have my hearty agreement.......for the short term. However; the manufacturers are about to oversaturate the market place with these specialized rigs. This will result in poor sales for alot of these manufacturers that are testing the market. They are also going to be bitten by poor representation on the dealer floors due to a skittish attitude about 29"ers. Also, the ones that do bring them in for sale will probably have a poorly trained staff in the area of the nuances of 29"ers which will result in lackluster sales of these single speed 29"ers. (see early Fisher dealers for an example of the failure of bike shops to understand 29"ers) The end result will be a pull back on the part of the manufacturer from the 29 inch wheeled segment, claiming that there is no market support for the bikes. I give alot of these companies a year or two at best.
The companies that persevere in this segment and go beyond the single speed to geared hardtails and (gasp!) full suspension 29"ers will see better results. ( again: see Fisher for your proto type) In the end, I expect to see less manufacturers on the 29"er bandwagon. The ones that do stay will have better success and offer better choices. Is it a bad thing?
Only time will tell!
First of all, why is there so many of this type of bike? A single speed 26 inch wheeled bike isn't as well supported by the major or second tier manufacturers as a 29 inch wheeled single speed is. What gives? I think there are two major reasons for this phenomena.
The single speed drivetrain and 29 inch wheels are a marriage made in heaven....or so it would seem! Momentum is highly prized by single speeders. 29 inch wheels conserve momentum, not losing it as quickly as 26 inch wheels do. Need I go on?
The next thing that makes the 29 inch wheeled single speed a popular option for manufacturers to try is that it's cheaper to test the waters of the 29"er marketplace with this sort of platform. No drivetrain is simpler. Less parts equals less invested in the project. Have you noticed that most of these 29"ers are sub-$1000 rigs? That's a definite play to you out there to see if you will bite on the 29"er thing. Manufacturers feel that if there really is a market for 29 inch wheels, it'll be easier to snag on that action if the price is low. That and the fact that 29"ers and single speeding is like white on rice. Manufacturers see the numbers of custom 29"ers out there, a large portion of which are single speeds. Now does it make more sense as to why there are so many 29"er steel hardtail single speeds available?
Getting to my point: that there are too many of this type of bike, I say that it's a bad thing in the long run. Some would argue that more choice is better, and they would have my hearty agreement.......for the short term. However; the manufacturers are about to oversaturate the market place with these specialized rigs. This will result in poor sales for alot of these manufacturers that are testing the market. They are also going to be bitten by poor representation on the dealer floors due to a skittish attitude about 29"ers. Also, the ones that do bring them in for sale will probably have a poorly trained staff in the area of the nuances of 29"ers which will result in lackluster sales of these single speed 29"ers. (see early Fisher dealers for an example of the failure of bike shops to understand 29"ers) The end result will be a pull back on the part of the manufacturer from the 29 inch wheeled segment, claiming that there is no market support for the bikes. I give alot of these companies a year or two at best.
The companies that persevere in this segment and go beyond the single speed to geared hardtails and (gasp!) full suspension 29"ers will see better results. ( again: see Fisher for your proto type) In the end, I expect to see less manufacturers on the 29"er bandwagon. The ones that do stay will have better success and offer better choices. Is it a bad thing?
Only time will tell!
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Guitar Ted In Print!
Maybe this is not a big deal anymore since the age of digital media is upon us, but something that I wrote actually made it to print! As in old fashioned paper print. Well...........it's a bicycle catalog, but it's printed none the less!
I was contacted earlier in the summer by a person that works for Haro Bicycles to write some catalog copy for their upcoming Haro Mary 29"er single speed and XC geared hardtails. The copy was to be a paragraph about 29"ers in general, or about the Mary 29"ers. I wrote one paragraph for each idea and sent them in. Later, I found out that they were going to "use it" in the upcoming '07 catalog. "Great!", I think to myself, "I wonder which one they'll use?" Well, I was shown a Haro '07 catalog yesterday and they used both paragraphs! I was quite surprised and flattered. So, you can get your Guitar Ted penned ode to Haro Mary 29"ers at your local Haro dealers soon. It's on the page with the Mary SS model. I'm not mentioned as the author, ( it is catalog copy, afterall) but trust me, I wrote that.
Just a word or two about the Haro hardtail 29"ers: These are some sweet steel rigs that have been rider tested and are already getting some really positive feedback from independant test riders. They are both specced out pretty nicely. The SS version has On One Mary bars on board! The frames themselves are pretty well thought out. The seat post size is larger to fight flex, which is especially welcomed for seated climbing. The frames seat and chainstays are already big enough for the upcoming larger tires from Panaracer and WTB. The drop outs are a replaceable, modular piece, much like the Raleigh XXIX. My favorite part of the frame has to be the highly manipulated shaped chain stays. Really cool stuff. Anyway, check these out, they are a pretty sweet rig!
Now, as you know, I am often "published on the web". Here's my latest blurb on The Biking Hub
It's about Inter Bike, which is coming up real soon. We should be seeing a veritable avalanche of 29"er goodies coming up this fall. It's going to be the subtitle to this years Inter Bike, mark my words. Inter Bike '06: The Year Of The 29"er! (You could probably catch the Haro Mary 29"er and a host of other 29"ers at the On Dirt Demo and on the Inter Bike showroom floor soon!) Me? I'll be at home this year, unless something miraculous happens and my airfare gets "taken care of". Just can not afford that expense! I've got 29"ers to build up and think about, you know!
Okay folks! Enough "tooting my own horn" here, as they say. I just wanted to share that with ya'all. It's not everyday that something you write gets printed and distributed on a nationwide level. Even if it is only a bicycle catalog!
I was contacted earlier in the summer by a person that works for Haro Bicycles to write some catalog copy for their upcoming Haro Mary 29"er single speed and XC geared hardtails. The copy was to be a paragraph about 29"ers in general, or about the Mary 29"ers. I wrote one paragraph for each idea and sent them in. Later, I found out that they were going to "use it" in the upcoming '07 catalog. "Great!", I think to myself, "I wonder which one they'll use?" Well, I was shown a Haro '07 catalog yesterday and they used both paragraphs! I was quite surprised and flattered. So, you can get your Guitar Ted penned ode to Haro Mary 29"ers at your local Haro dealers soon. It's on the page with the Mary SS model. I'm not mentioned as the author, ( it is catalog copy, afterall) but trust me, I wrote that.
Just a word or two about the Haro hardtail 29"ers: These are some sweet steel rigs that have been rider tested and are already getting some really positive feedback from independant test riders. They are both specced out pretty nicely. The SS version has On One Mary bars on board! The frames themselves are pretty well thought out. The seat post size is larger to fight flex, which is especially welcomed for seated climbing. The frames seat and chainstays are already big enough for the upcoming larger tires from Panaracer and WTB. The drop outs are a replaceable, modular piece, much like the Raleigh XXIX. My favorite part of the frame has to be the highly manipulated shaped chain stays. Really cool stuff. Anyway, check these out, they are a pretty sweet rig!
Now, as you know, I am often "published on the web". Here's my latest blurb on The Biking Hub
It's about Inter Bike, which is coming up real soon. We should be seeing a veritable avalanche of 29"er goodies coming up this fall. It's going to be the subtitle to this years Inter Bike, mark my words. Inter Bike '06: The Year Of The 29"er! (You could probably catch the Haro Mary 29"er and a host of other 29"ers at the On Dirt Demo and on the Inter Bike showroom floor soon!) Me? I'll be at home this year, unless something miraculous happens and my airfare gets "taken care of". Just can not afford that expense! I've got 29"ers to build up and think about, you know!
Okay folks! Enough "tooting my own horn" here, as they say. I just wanted to share that with ya'all. It's not everyday that something you write gets printed and distributed on a nationwide level. Even if it is only a bicycle catalog!
Guitar Ted In Print!
Maybe this is not a big deal anymore since the age of digital media is upon us, but something that I wrote actually made it to print! As in old fashioned paper print. Well...........it's a bicycle catalog, but it's printed none the less!
I was contacted earlier in the summer by a person that works for Haro Bicycles to write some catalog copy for their upcoming Haro Mary 29"er single speed and XC geared hardtails. The copy was to be a paragraph about 29"ers in general, or about the Mary 29"ers. I wrote one paragraph for each idea and sent them in. Later, I found out that they were going to "use it" in the upcoming '07 catalog. "Great!", I think to myself, "I wonder which one they'll use?" Well, I was shown a Haro '07 catalog yesterday and they used both paragraphs! I was quite surprised and flattered. So, you can get your Guitar Ted penned ode to Haro Mary 29"ers at your local Haro dealers soon. It's on the page with the Mary SS model. I'm not mentioned as the author, ( it is catalog copy, afterall) but trust me, I wrote that.
Just a word or two about the Haro hardtail 29"ers: These are some sweet steel rigs that have been rider tested and are already getting some really positive feedback from independant test riders. They are both specced out pretty nicely. The SS version has On One Mary bars on board! The frames themselves are pretty well thought out. The seat post size is larger to fight flex, which is especially welcomed for seated climbing. The frames seat and chainstays are already big enough for the upcoming larger tires from Panaracer and WTB. The drop outs are a replaceable, modular piece, much like the Raleigh XXIX. My favorite part of the frame has to be the highly manipulated shaped chain stays. Really cool stuff. Anyway, check these out, they are a pretty sweet rig!
Now, as you know, I am often "published on the web". Here's my latest blurb on The Biking Hub
It's about Inter Bike, which is coming up real soon. We should be seeing a veritable avalanche of 29"er goodies coming up this fall. It's going to be the subtitle to this years Inter Bike, mark my words. Inter Bike '06: The Year Of The 29"er! (You could probably catch the Haro Mary 29"er and a host of other 29"ers at the On Dirt Demo and on the Inter Bike showroom floor soon!) Me? I'll be at home this year, unless something miraculous happens and my airfare gets "taken care of". Just can not afford that expense! I've got 29"ers to build up and think about, you know!
Okay folks! Enough "tooting my own horn" here, as they say. I just wanted to share that with ya'all. It's not everyday that something you write gets printed and distributed on a nationwide level. Even if it is only a bicycle catalog!
I was contacted earlier in the summer by a person that works for Haro Bicycles to write some catalog copy for their upcoming Haro Mary 29"er single speed and XC geared hardtails. The copy was to be a paragraph about 29"ers in general, or about the Mary 29"ers. I wrote one paragraph for each idea and sent them in. Later, I found out that they were going to "use it" in the upcoming '07 catalog. "Great!", I think to myself, "I wonder which one they'll use?" Well, I was shown a Haro '07 catalog yesterday and they used both paragraphs! I was quite surprised and flattered. So, you can get your Guitar Ted penned ode to Haro Mary 29"ers at your local Haro dealers soon. It's on the page with the Mary SS model. I'm not mentioned as the author, ( it is catalog copy, afterall) but trust me, I wrote that.
Just a word or two about the Haro hardtail 29"ers: These are some sweet steel rigs that have been rider tested and are already getting some really positive feedback from independant test riders. They are both specced out pretty nicely. The SS version has On One Mary bars on board! The frames themselves are pretty well thought out. The seat post size is larger to fight flex, which is especially welcomed for seated climbing. The frames seat and chainstays are already big enough for the upcoming larger tires from Panaracer and WTB. The drop outs are a replaceable, modular piece, much like the Raleigh XXIX. My favorite part of the frame has to be the highly manipulated shaped chain stays. Really cool stuff. Anyway, check these out, they are a pretty sweet rig!
Now, as you know, I am often "published on the web". Here's my latest blurb on The Biking Hub
It's about Inter Bike, which is coming up real soon. We should be seeing a veritable avalanche of 29"er goodies coming up this fall. It's going to be the subtitle to this years Inter Bike, mark my words. Inter Bike '06: The Year Of The 29"er! (You could probably catch the Haro Mary 29"er and a host of other 29"ers at the On Dirt Demo and on the Inter Bike showroom floor soon!) Me? I'll be at home this year, unless something miraculous happens and my airfare gets "taken care of". Just can not afford that expense! I've got 29"ers to build up and think about, you know!
Okay folks! Enough "tooting my own horn" here, as they say. I just wanted to share that with ya'all. It's not everyday that something you write gets printed and distributed on a nationwide level. Even if it is only a bicycle catalog!
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