Trans Iowa V6 Thoughts: The Winning Bike Of T.I.V5

<====The bike that won Trans Iowa V5

It has been a long time since I felt it was okay to post this picture of the winning bike from Trans Iowa V5. The reason was pretty obvious back on that early May day.

d.p. and I were doing our usual running around, following the leaders of the event, when we made it over to North English and stopped at a convenience store. I remember how bright the sun was and how cool and crisp the air was. It seemed like it was taking an eternity for the riders to show up.

When they did, Joe Meiser was amongst them. Knowing that Joe does a lot of work on Salsa Cycles stuff, I was keen on seeing what it was he would be riding. I had been tipped off beforehand that it might be something special. Well, once he had gone inside the convenience store with the others, d.p. and I figured it out real fast.

Salsa was dabbling in titanium.

We looked in slack jawed wonder at what every bike geek recognizes as the magic grey hue that is titanium and began to speculate, take pictures, and wonder about what was plainly a prototype bike. Of course, that was all forgotten in a snap once the riders came back outside and the chaos of Tim Ek's arrival on the scene drove the bike completely out of our minds.

It wasn't until much later that I came to realize that I probably shouldn't post the pics of the bike. It was a courtesy I figured I ought to observe, especially since the bike ended up being the winning bike. Well, now Salsa has let on that they are doing a titanium El Mariachi, so now that the cat is out of the bag, I thought I'd post about the winning bike from T.I.V5.

It's pretty cool to check out all the different rigs folks use on Trans Iowa events. Everybody has their own take on what is the perfect gravel grinder. Now you never know- you might be looking at a working prototype rig at T.I.V6. It is humbling to think that this little ol' event is worthy of testing future products that cyclists will benefit from later on.

Winter is in full swing now, but that just means I'll have a bit more time to think about T.I.V6. I will be planning, and we'll be out scrounging around on Iowa back roads every chance we get. Stay tuned for more Trans Iowa V6 thoughts in the coming weeks.

Trans Iowa V6 Thoughts: The Winning Bike Of T.I.V5

<====The bike that won Trans Iowa V5

It has been a long time since I felt it was okay to post this picture of the winning bike from Trans Iowa V5. The reason was pretty obvious back on that early May day.

d.p. and I were doing our usual running around, following the leaders of the event, when we made it over to North English and stopped at a convenience store. I remember how bright the sun was and how cool and crisp the air was. It seemed like it was taking an eternity for the riders to show up.

When they did, Joe Meiser was amongst them. Knowing that Joe does a lot of work on Salsa Cycles stuff, I was keen on seeing what it was he would be riding. I had been tipped off beforehand that it might be something special. Well, once he had gone inside the convenience store with the others, d.p. and I figured it out real fast.

Salsa was dabbling in titanium.

We looked in slack jawed wonder at what every bike geek recognizes as the magic grey hue that is titanium and began to speculate, take pictures, and wonder about what was plainly a prototype bike. Of course, that was all forgotten in a snap once the riders came back outside and the chaos of Tim Ek's arrival on the scene drove the bike completely out of our minds.

It wasn't until much later that I came to realize that I probably shouldn't post the pics of the bike. It was a courtesy I figured I ought to observe, especially since the bike ended up being the winning bike. Well, now Salsa has let on that they are doing a titanium El Mariachi, so now that the cat is out of the bag, I thought I'd post about the winning bike from T.I.V5.

It's pretty cool to check out all the different rigs folks use on Trans Iowa events. Everybody has their own take on what is the perfect gravel grinder. Now you never know- you might be looking at a working prototype rig at T.I.V6. It is humbling to think that this little ol' event is worthy of testing future products that cyclists will benefit from later on.

Winter is in full swing now, but that just means I'll have a bit more time to think about T.I.V6. I will be planning, and we'll be out scrounging around on Iowa back roads every chance we get. Stay tuned for more Trans Iowa V6 thoughts in the coming weeks.

Reality Stopped By To Say "Hello"

<====Did I mention that the shop I work at is a Gary Fisher Bike dealer now?

You know, I sit here in the palatial surroundings of Guitar Ted Laboratories and tap out this verbiage on an almost daily basis to an audience of folks that I rarely get feedback from and almost never see face to face. Such is the life of a blogger, I suppose. And to be sure- it isn't the reason I do this anyway- to meet people, or get feedback- although it is much appreciated when it does come. I just don't expect it.

So, I am at work the other day when a couple of fellas come in and start talking to my boss about 29"ers. Now, usually I stay out of those conversations, believe it or not. I let the sales folk do their gig, and I do my wrenching in the repair area. Usually it doesn't get any farther than that, but this particular day one of the fellas had a question about some 'alt bars" for mountain biking. My boss, who is well aware that I am a handle bar freak, called me over to disseminate some handle bar info. Well, as is his usual nature, he gave me a big, ballyhoo of an introduction to the point of embarrassment and mentioned to the guy that I was also known as "Guitar Ted".

Well, by the look on his face it was apparent that he had read something I banged out on the keyboard at some point. What it was, I didn't know, and the rest of the conversation went on normally without further incident until I was able to gracefully exit stage right to the repair area again.

Looking back on it, I really shouldn't be surprised that somebody reads what I write here since I have been spouting off about 29"ers here since what?..........2005? You gotta figure at least one or two folks would have read my stuff and met me at the shop by now.

That said, I never seem to get used to it when I meet folks that recognize "Guitar Ted" and know me from this site or Twenty Nine Inches. Banging out digitized symbols, staring at a flat screen monitor, well..........it is easy to get up from here and forget that a million other folks are reading this crazy stuff out there somewhere. And when Reality comes a knockin', I guess I am never really prepared for it, nor do I expect it. It still surprises me, although like I said, it shouldn't.

Well, if you have snow, go out and enjoy that. If you can ride a bicycle, all the better. Have a great weekend.

Reality Stopped By To Say "Hello"

<====Did I mention that the shop I work at is a Gary Fisher Bike dealer now?

You know, I sit here in the palatial surroundings of Guitar Ted Laboratories and tap out this verbiage on an almost daily basis to an audience of folks that I rarely get feedback from and almost never see face to face. Such is the life of a blogger, I suppose. And to be sure- it isn't the reason I do this anyway- to meet people, or get feedback- although it is much appreciated when it does come. I just don't expect it.

So, I am at work the other day when a couple of fellas come in and start talking to my boss about 29"ers. Now, usually I stay out of those conversations, believe it or not. I let the sales folk do their gig, and I do my wrenching in the repair area. Usually it doesn't get any farther than that, but this particular day one of the fellas had a question about some 'alt bars" for mountain biking. My boss, who is well aware that I am a handle bar freak, called me over to disseminate some handle bar info. Well, as is his usual nature, he gave me a big, ballyhoo of an introduction to the point of embarrassment and mentioned to the guy that I was also known as "Guitar Ted".

Well, by the look on his face it was apparent that he had read something I banged out on the keyboard at some point. What it was, I didn't know, and the rest of the conversation went on normally without further incident until I was able to gracefully exit stage right to the repair area again.

Looking back on it, I really shouldn't be surprised that somebody reads what I write here since I have been spouting off about 29"ers here since what?..........2005? You gotta figure at least one or two folks would have read my stuff and met me at the shop by now.

That said, I never seem to get used to it when I meet folks that recognize "Guitar Ted" and know me from this site or Twenty Nine Inches. Banging out digitized symbols, staring at a flat screen monitor, well..........it is easy to get up from here and forget that a million other folks are reading this crazy stuff out there somewhere. And when Reality comes a knockin', I guess I am never really prepared for it, nor do I expect it. It still surprises me, although like I said, it shouldn't.

Well, if you have snow, go out and enjoy that. If you can ride a bicycle, all the better. Have a great weekend.

Oakley Jawbone Eyewear Update

I've been sportin' the Oakley Jawbone eyewear for a few months now and I wanted to get back to my thoughts on this piece of cycling gear that I use on an almost daily basis now. You can check out my initial thoughts on these here.

So, as with anything expensive with a ton of marketing behind it, one might be somewhat skeptical of the product in question. No doubt about that. Especially in these economically troubled days where folks are going to be watching every penny. Doubly so when you obviously don't need to spend this much dough on eyewear. That begs the question up front: So- are these things worth it?

My answer would be, "Yes".

Now, here's why...........

I was spending probably on average of $80.00 to $100.00 a year on a brand of eyewear that is carried at the shop I work at. I was okay with the performance and fit. There were issues with some models in terms of fit, function (changing lenses), and with lens durability, (scratched easily, lost clarity over time). So I figured it was "okay" since these were inexpensive and I was getting my employee discount on them, which made them even more attractive. I was settling for some sub-par performance and issues for the trade off of cheaper eyewear. Or was I?

Now- I will say that I got these Jawbone glasses to try at no charge. I will admit that up front. You might think that would make me say great, glorious things about them. Well- you'd be wrong. (But that's another story for another time) Suffice it to say that I don't feel obligated to say anything at all about these glasses, but I am because they are good. They do what they claim, and yes.........I think they are worth the money.

I am actually considering buying another pair, and certainly I will be getting some more lenses to exchange with the ones I have. Here is my reasoning: I was spending $80.00 - $100.00 a year with a shop discount on eyewear over a period of four years. (Do the math) This would easily pay for Jawbone eyewear that I don't see how I would have to replace in the next four years. They have been easy to use and the performance is as good as the day I first used them, even after daily usage that would have caused me problems with my former brand choice in eyewear. The lenses are easily changed, easily kept clean, stay clear, and the frames are super comfortable for use that spans into hours on my head. Again, my old choice in eyewear didn't hold up to this standard. To wit: I broke or damaged lenses in three pair of my former choice in eyewear earlier this year alone!

My conclusion is this: I can go on "nickle and diming" myself with sub-par eyewear, or I can step up to something better. Sure, the initial outlay of cash hurts a bit, but I would actually spend more the other way I was going, I just wouldn't notice it. I know which way I am going. You can choose your way.

So, you can review the performance traits here, but what I am saying in this post is that Jawbone eyewear is totally worth the price. Your mileage may vary.

Note: In accordance with new FCC rules on blogging and "commercial speech", (whatever!), I must say that I received the Jawbone eyewear at no charge. I was not expected to give a review by Oakley, and I am not being paid or coerced to do so. This is my honest opinion on this subject.

Oakley Jawbone Eyewear Update

I've been sportin' the Oakley Jawbone eyewear for a few months now and I wanted to get back to my thoughts on this piece of cycling gear that I use on an almost daily basis now. You can check out my initial thoughts on these here.

So, as with anything expensive with a ton of marketing behind it, one might be somewhat skeptical of the product in question. No doubt about that. Especially in these economically troubled days where folks are going to be watching every penny. Doubly so when you obviously don't need to spend this much dough on eyewear. That begs the question up front: So- are these things worth it?

My answer would be, "Yes".

Now, here's why...........

I was spending probably on average of $80.00 to $100.00 a year on a brand of eyewear that is carried at the shop I work at. I was okay with the performance and fit. There were issues with some models in terms of fit, function (changing lenses), and with lens durability, (scratched easily, lost clarity over time). So I figured it was "okay" since these were inexpensive and I was getting my employee discount on them, which made them even more attractive. I was settling for some sub-par performance and issues for the trade off of cheaper eyewear. Or was I?

Now- I will say that I got these Jawbone glasses to try at no charge. I will admit that up front. You might think that would make me say great, glorious things about them. Well- you'd be wrong. (But that's another story for another time) Suffice it to say that I don't feel obligated to say anything at all about these glasses, but I am because they are good. They do what they claim, and yes.........I think they are worth the money.

I am actually considering buying another pair, and certainly I will be getting some more lenses to exchange with the ones I have. Here is my reasoning: I was spending $80.00 - $100.00 a year with a shop discount on eyewear over a period of four years. (Do the math) This would easily pay for Jawbone eyewear that I don't see how I would have to replace in the next four years. They have been easy to use and the performance is as good as the day I first used them, even after daily usage that would have caused me problems with my former brand choice in eyewear. The lenses are easily changed, easily kept clean, stay clear, and the frames are super comfortable for use that spans into hours on my head. Again, my old choice in eyewear didn't hold up to this standard. To wit: I broke or damaged lenses in three pair of my former choice in eyewear earlier this year alone!

My conclusion is this: I can go on "nickle and diming" myself with sub-par eyewear, or I can step up to something better. Sure, the initial outlay of cash hurts a bit, but I would actually spend more the other way I was going, I just wouldn't notice it. I know which way I am going. You can choose your way.

So, you can review the performance traits here, but what I am saying in this post is that Jawbone eyewear is totally worth the price. Your mileage may vary.

Note: In accordance with new FCC rules on blogging and "commercial speech", (whatever!), I must say that I received the Jawbone eyewear at no charge. I was not expected to give a review by Oakley, and I am not being paid or coerced to do so. This is my honest opinion on this subject.

Stranded In Iowa

<====An appeasement gift for good weather on T.I.V6 (Thanks Steve F.!!)

Well, old classic rock afficianadoes will get today's title, but today it really is true. We are stranded!

The snow came down fast and furious last night, then the winds came in behind it and well, everything is pretty much cancelled for today.

So, I will be in "catch up" mode now doing all the things I should have been doing all fall long. Web work, bike maintenance, and that lawn that I haven't mown since.............oh yeah! Fahgedda boudit! Anyway........

Cool news: Salsa Cycles Woodchipper 25.4mm bars are in! Get them whilst you can! Small first batch, I've heard. 31.8mm clamp diameter bars will come in later, by Christamas, I hear. I'll have some soon.

In another newsy bit: Dirty Kanza 200 changed up websites recently. You can get them now at http://www.dirtykanza200.com/ Check it out for the latest DK 200 news.

Okay, I'll be out shoveling, in case you're looking for me!

Stranded In Iowa

<====An appeasement gift for good weather on T.I.V6 (Thanks Steve F.!!)

Well, old classic rock afficianadoes will get today's title, but today it really is true. We are stranded!

The snow came down fast and furious last night, then the winds came in behind it and well, everything is pretty much cancelled for today.

So, I will be in "catch up" mode now doing all the things I should have been doing all fall long. Web work, bike maintenance, and that lawn that I haven't mown since.............oh yeah! Fahgedda boudit! Anyway........

Cool news: Salsa Cycles Woodchipper 25.4mm bars are in! Get them whilst you can! Small first batch, I've heard. 31.8mm clamp diameter bars will come in later, by Christamas, I hear. I'll have some soon.

In another newsy bit: Dirty Kanza 200 changed up websites recently. You can get them now at http://www.dirtykanza200.com/ Check it out for the latest DK 200 news.

Okay, I'll be out shoveling, in case you're looking for me!

Bike Shop Tales: On Campus

Now that I was established in the shop, I was assigned to Advantage Cycles sister store..........

After Tom had me up to speed on assemblies, I was assigned a new task. One of my c0-workers, Troy, had been heading up the sister store on the UNI "College Hill" area called "Campus Cycles" and he was tired of being "stuck" there. So, during the boring off season time, I got the task of being the baby sitter of Campus Cycles.

Tom had taught me all the ways of assembly very thoroughly. How to use leverage to my advantage, how to adjust bearings properly, and all the details on how to make a bicycle present itself in the best manner on the show floor. He was satisfied that I had "got it" and was willing to turn me loose on my own. Sooooo.......I was all alone assembling bikes on the College Hill location five days a week.

There wasn't much customer activity. Actually, in the couple of months that I was stuck down their, I maybe helped a handful of people. Most of the time was spent assembling bikes until close, then I had to lock up and head back to Advantage with the key. Sometimes a truck would show up and we'd blast those bikes outta that truck as fast as possible, me and the truck driver, piling them up right on the sidewalk out front. There was no loading dock, no way for the trucks to get to the back. So, they had no choice but to block busy College Street which meant we had to bust tail getting the rigs unloaded.

Then, of course, the truck driver would peel outta there leaving me with 60 boxes of bikes to get inside, and into the basement storage area. This would take a fair amount of time and that also meant that I had to handle each box a minimum of three times: Once off the truck, once to get into the door, and once more down to the basement. It was pretty tiring.

At first, I was driving down in the Advantage van, or my own rig, but eventually there were time I was riding a bike to work, and Tom or one of the others would drop me off down on "The Hill". Then I had no means of getting back to the shop downtown. Tom often would claim he'd be down to get me, but I soon figured out that might take hours. Literally hours. So, I usually would build a bike my size last, and ride it back to Advantage Cyclery. Tom or one of the others would take it back the following day.

Soon though the snow started melting and on one of my rides back to the main shop I could feel it. Spring was here. With the turning of the seasons, I was summoned back to the Advantage Mothership and that's where I stayed.

Campus Cycles didn't last much longer. Business wasn't good, and it was decided to scuttle the project later that year. I didn't even notice because we were super busy at Advantage. Too busy to notice the signs that might have tipped me off to what would happen later. Oh well, for the time being, I was having a blast.

Building bikes, becoming a mechanic: Next week on Bike Shop Tales.........

Bike Shop Tales: On Campus

Now that I was established in the shop, I was assigned to Advantage Cycles sister store..........

After Tom had me up to speed on assemblies, I was assigned a new task. One of my c0-workers, Troy, had been heading up the sister store on the UNI "College Hill" area called "Campus Cycles" and he was tired of being "stuck" there. So, during the boring off season time, I got the task of being the baby sitter of Campus Cycles.

Tom had taught me all the ways of assembly very thoroughly. How to use leverage to my advantage, how to adjust bearings properly, and all the details on how to make a bicycle present itself in the best manner on the show floor. He was satisfied that I had "got it" and was willing to turn me loose on my own. Sooooo.......I was all alone assembling bikes on the College Hill location five days a week.

There wasn't much customer activity. Actually, in the couple of months that I was stuck down their, I maybe helped a handful of people. Most of the time was spent assembling bikes until close, then I had to lock up and head back to Advantage with the key. Sometimes a truck would show up and we'd blast those bikes outta that truck as fast as possible, me and the truck driver, piling them up right on the sidewalk out front. There was no loading dock, no way for the trucks to get to the back. So, they had no choice but to block busy College Street which meant we had to bust tail getting the rigs unloaded.

Then, of course, the truck driver would peel outta there leaving me with 60 boxes of bikes to get inside, and into the basement storage area. This would take a fair amount of time and that also meant that I had to handle each box a minimum of three times: Once off the truck, once to get into the door, and once more down to the basement. It was pretty tiring.

At first, I was driving down in the Advantage van, or my own rig, but eventually there were time I was riding a bike to work, and Tom or one of the others would drop me off down on "The Hill". Then I had no means of getting back to the shop downtown. Tom often would claim he'd be down to get me, but I soon figured out that might take hours. Literally hours. So, I usually would build a bike my size last, and ride it back to Advantage Cyclery. Tom or one of the others would take it back the following day.

Soon though the snow started melting and on one of my rides back to the main shop I could feel it. Spring was here. With the turning of the seasons, I was summoned back to the Advantage Mothership and that's where I stayed.

Campus Cycles didn't last much longer. Business wasn't good, and it was decided to scuttle the project later that year. I didn't even notice because we were super busy at Advantage. Too busy to notice the signs that might have tipped me off to what would happen later. Oh well, for the time being, I was having a blast.

Building bikes, becoming a mechanic: Next week on Bike Shop Tales.........

The High End: Does It Make Sense?

<===The Specialized Epic Marathon 29: It doesn't look all that expensive.......

My gig at Twenty Nine Inches has brought me a lot of great opportunities to go places and ride cool bikes and components. One of those opportunities would be riding this Epic Marathon 29 from Specialized. It's probably the most expensive rig that I have tested long term. How expensive?

Really expensive!

It is just one example of many that several bicycle companies are putting on the market of bikes in the $5000-$10,000 category that are amazing technically, ride pretty nicely, and are hard to justify. For several reasons.

<............but the parts on it sure are!

As I have said, this bike is being reviewed and I have spent a lot of time recently on it. Yeah......it rides great. Yeah.......the parts work well. But we're talking incremental improvements over bikes that cost hundreds less, and in some cases thousands less.

Now, I am not going to be hypocritical and say that I don't appreciate this. No- I would, and have in the past, bought bikes like this. Cutting edge technology that is top shelf in mountain biking. The thing is- it used to be that you had to maybe spend a small, but significant percentage more to get this over your average "high end" bike. Now that "percentage" difference is huge. Waaaay huge. I would argue that it is unjustifiably huge.

Take that casssette up there. Ten speeds. Okay? Well, they say it takes something like 9 hours to CNC the steel to make the cassette cogs from a single block of steel, with the exception of the smallest and largest cogs which are separately made. Okay..........that's impressive. Impressive and veeery expensive! That cassette up there? Yeah............over $300.00 to replace! You can get an XT cassette for under a $100.00, easily. So, I would say that although the technical aspects of the SRAM XX casette are impressive, the process to make it seems wasteful and excessive. And that's just the cassette.

Specialized stuck a customized Reba with a carbon crown and tapered steer tube on there. Necessary? Questionable. Expensive? No doubt. Would a "standard" tapered steer tube fork have done the job as well? Absolutely.

It just seems weird to go with such high end stuff that costs a ton, and will cause headaches come maintenance time for little to no percievable performance advantage. I know that some people will pay for the absolute "best". I guess it all depends upon what your definition of "best" is. Mine would include a marked performance advantage over other bikes/components and a replacement cost to the user that makes sense to own the bike for a long term at an original buy in price that isn't two times the next tier of performance in class.

My argument is that the current "high end" bikes and components are not achieving that goal. They seem to be more about being exercises in technical engineering without regard to making a marked difference in performance out on the trail. They seem to be blind to the affects the "innovations" have in terms of ownership for the end user.

So, do high end bikes and components make sense?

I have a hard time saying yes.

The High End: Does It Make Sense?

<===The Specialized Epic Marathon 29: It doesn't look all that expensive.......

My gig at Twenty Nine Inches has brought me a lot of great opportunities to go places and ride cool bikes and components. One of those opportunities would be riding this Epic Marathon 29 from Specialized. It's probably the most expensive rig that I have tested long term. How expensive?

Really expensive!

It is just one example of many that several bicycle companies are putting on the market of bikes in the $5000-$10,000 category that are amazing technically, ride pretty nicely, and are hard to justify. For several reasons.

<............but the parts on it sure are!

As I have said, this bike is being reviewed and I have spent a lot of time recently on it. Yeah......it rides great. Yeah.......the parts work well. But we're talking incremental improvements over bikes that cost hundreds less, and in some cases thousands less.

Now, I am not going to be hypocritical and say that I don't appreciate this. No- I would, and have in the past, bought bikes like this. Cutting edge technology that is top shelf in mountain biking. The thing is- it used to be that you had to maybe spend a small, but significant percentage more to get this over your average "high end" bike. Now that "percentage" difference is huge. Waaaay huge. I would argue that it is unjustifiably huge.

Take that casssette up there. Ten speeds. Okay? Well, they say it takes something like 9 hours to CNC the steel to make the cassette cogs from a single block of steel, with the exception of the smallest and largest cogs which are separately made. Okay..........that's impressive. Impressive and veeery expensive! That cassette up there? Yeah............over $300.00 to replace! You can get an XT cassette for under a $100.00, easily. So, I would say that although the technical aspects of the SRAM XX casette are impressive, the process to make it seems wasteful and excessive. And that's just the cassette.

Specialized stuck a customized Reba with a carbon crown and tapered steer tube on there. Necessary? Questionable. Expensive? No doubt. Would a "standard" tapered steer tube fork have done the job as well? Absolutely.

It just seems weird to go with such high end stuff that costs a ton, and will cause headaches come maintenance time for little to no percievable performance advantage. I know that some people will pay for the absolute "best". I guess it all depends upon what your definition of "best" is. Mine would include a marked performance advantage over other bikes/components and a replacement cost to the user that makes sense to own the bike for a long term at an original buy in price that isn't two times the next tier of performance in class.

My argument is that the current "high end" bikes and components are not achieving that goal. They seem to be more about being exercises in technical engineering without regard to making a marked difference in performance out on the trail. They seem to be blind to the affects the "innovations" have in terms of ownership for the end user.

So, do high end bikes and components make sense?

I have a hard time saying yes.

Gravel Grinder News

Dirty Kanza 200: Just got an e-mail about this. Here's the skinny!

To all Dirty Kanza 200 Friends... Greetings from Jim and Joel, your Co-Promoters for The Dirty Kanza 200. We have been hard at work on next year's event, and we are confident that 2010 will prove to be a banner year for The Dirty Kanza 200. Numerous "tweaks" and "refinements" are in the works, designed to bring you a truly life-enriching cycling experience. Our Vision... that The Dirty Kanza 200 will become North America's premier annual ultra-endurance gravel road cycling challenge. Exciting things are happening. Keep reading... we share the "Huge News" at the end of this email. Emails and phone calls have been pouring into the illustrious DK office, asking when registration will open. So we thought we would throw together a few details that should help you in your planning for the 2010 running of The Dirty Kanza 200. Here you go... Race Date: Saturday, June 5th, 2010(Sign-In and Packet Pick-Up, Friday, June 4th, 2010.) Registration: Will open Sunday, January 10, 2010, and will once again be conducted online at BikeReg.com Field Limit: We will expand our field limit this year to 150 participants.Note... Last year's limit of 100 participants was filled in just four days of registration. Mark you calendars now for January 10th. You won't want to wait too long, if you plan to race in 2010. (We will send you a reminder right after the first of the year.)

Classes: Open MenOpen WomenSingle SpeedMasters Men (50+) This class is new for 2010. "Auxilary Events":We are woking with The Emporia (KS) Convention and Visitors Bureau to create numerous activities for your support crew members and family members to enjoy throughout the weekend. So bring your spouse, significant other, kids, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and friends. More information on these activities will be coming in the next few weeks and months. Dirty Kanza Blog:Joel and his lovely wife Michelle are hard at work making significant upgrades to our blog site. It is a little "rough" right now. However, in the next week (or so) you should see huge changes. Go ahead and bookmark it now.

(www.dirtykanza200.wordpress.com) Check it regularly. And please provide your comments and suggestions on how we can continue to improve the site. Dirty Kanza 200 Video:For those of you who have not yet seen the Dirty Kanza 200 video, there is a link on our blog site. The video was produced by the folks at IM Design Group, in Emporia, Kansas. We think they did a fantastic job.

And now for the Huge News... drum roll please...Salsa Cycles has come on board and will be the "Premier Sponsor" for the 2010 running of The Dirty Kanza 200. Joel and I are both absolutely giddy with excitement over this development. When we very first began discussing plans for 2010, one of our primary objectives was to identify a company within the cycling industry with which we could create a long-term partnership. Salsa Cycles was the first company we thought of, and throughout all of our planning discussions remaind at the top of a very short list of candidates. Due to their company philosophy, their fantastic products and their great people, Salsa Cycles is the PERFECT sponsor for The Dirty Kanza 200. Salsa has stepped up to the plate in a major way. The winner of each of our four classes (Open Men, Open Women, Single-Speed and Masters Men) will receive a complete 3-piece "Salsa Upgrade Kit", which will include that rider's choice of a Salsa Stem, Salsa Handlebar and Salsa Skewer Set. In addition, one lucky participant will go home with a brand new Salsa Fargo Frameset. Salsa's support of The Dirty Kanza 200 goes even further, including water bottles, hats and T-Shirts. You can check out all of their great products here... www.salsacycles.com While you are there, drop them an email and let them know how much you appreciate their support of The Dirty Kanza 200. That's it for now. More details will follow soon. Until then, stay safe, train hard... and Get Your Gravel On. We look forward to seeing each of you in Emporia, Kansas the first weekend in June.

Gravel Grovel: Over the recent Thanksgiving weekend a new gravel grinder event in southern Indiana took place called the Gravel Grovel. From the sounds of it, it was a very challenging, fun, and well attended event. You can check out a couple good race reports here and here. It sounds like there will be a Gravel Grovel next year at about the same time, so stay tuned........

Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational: Well, over the past two years we have done camp outs and then we have done the ride. Thing is, we imbibe a bit too much the night before causing much suffering the day after on the ride. This time we vow to get it right. So, on July 16th, 2010 we will gather and we will go to bed early! Then we will get up a bit earlier than usual, ride, and then come back for barbeque, beer, and a camp fire. We will plan to be there overnight again, so traveling home could be done right away, or you could stay, hang out, and go home the next day. (Sunday) These dates would be July 16th, 17th (ride day), and 18th.

The same venue and course will be ridden again. That being Echo Valley Park and the loop from there that included just six feet shy of 10,000 ft elevation gain in 118 miles. (Remember- the first 25 miles after the first five are flat and not hilly) The decision to do the same course was due to the fact that it is so challenging and so cool. The views are tremendous. Flowers should be in full force, and it probably will be hotter than Hades, making this a tortuous test of riders stamina. Plus- I already have cues for it! (See last summers ride report here)

Ragnorok 105: Well, if you didn't get in on this, it's too late. Registration opened and it has filled up already. Go here and scroll down a bit to see who will be toeing the line there. (Pretty stout roster!) Looking forward to reading the reports from the 2010 version of this lil' event.

Almanzo 100: Looks like registration will open for this dirty century on January 1st via post card. (Check out the site) The event itself will be on May 14-16th. (Ride occurs on the 15th) It is part of the "AGRS" which has become a series of these gravel events that includes the aforementioned Ragnorok 105, CIRREM, The Gentleman's Ride, and The Heck Of The North, but may include others at some point. Unique in that it offers points for finishing first through tenth on top of 30 points for anyone that finishes. So, if you finish, you get a minimum of 30 points, but top ten finishes are rewarded higher points per placing over and above the 30. Real cups are apparently going to be handed out to the top male and female riders of the series. Sounds cool.

More Nebraska Goodness?: Cruising the Almanzo site, I came across this which is an event planned to take place just north of Omaha on a planned 100 mile course. The event is called the "North O Rock Road Jackrabbit" and is slated for October 10th, 2010.

Trans Iowa V6: The registration closed and the Waiting List has been established. Remember- if you want to drop off either the Roster list or the Waiting List, please inform me via e-mail. Next big hurdle will be getting the recon done. Expect a lodging announcement soon as well.

That's it for this edition of Gravel Grinder News!

Ride, train, and be well!

Gravel Grinder News

Dirty Kanza 200: Just got an e-mail about this. Here's the skinny!

To all Dirty Kanza 200 Friends... Greetings from Jim and Joel, your Co-Promoters for The Dirty Kanza 200. We have been hard at work on next year's event, and we are confident that 2010 will prove to be a banner year for The Dirty Kanza 200. Numerous "tweaks" and "refinements" are in the works, designed to bring you a truly life-enriching cycling experience. Our Vision... that The Dirty Kanza 200 will become North America's premier annual ultra-endurance gravel road cycling challenge. Exciting things are happening. Keep reading... we share the "Huge News" at the end of this email. Emails and phone calls have been pouring into the illustrious DK office, asking when registration will open. So we thought we would throw together a few details that should help you in your planning for the 2010 running of The Dirty Kanza 200. Here you go... Race Date: Saturday, June 5th, 2010(Sign-In and Packet Pick-Up, Friday, June 4th, 2010.) Registration: Will open Sunday, January 10, 2010, and will once again be conducted online at BikeReg.com Field Limit: We will expand our field limit this year to 150 participants.Note... Last year's limit of 100 participants was filled in just four days of registration. Mark you calendars now for January 10th. You won't want to wait too long, if you plan to race in 2010. (We will send you a reminder right after the first of the year.)

Classes: Open MenOpen WomenSingle SpeedMasters Men (50+) This class is new for 2010. "Auxilary Events":We are woking with The Emporia (KS) Convention and Visitors Bureau to create numerous activities for your support crew members and family members to enjoy throughout the weekend. So bring your spouse, significant other, kids, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and friends. More information on these activities will be coming in the next few weeks and months. Dirty Kanza Blog:Joel and his lovely wife Michelle are hard at work making significant upgrades to our blog site. It is a little "rough" right now. However, in the next week (or so) you should see huge changes. Go ahead and bookmark it now.

(www.dirtykanza200.wordpress.com) Check it regularly. And please provide your comments and suggestions on how we can continue to improve the site. Dirty Kanza 200 Video:For those of you who have not yet seen the Dirty Kanza 200 video, there is a link on our blog site. The video was produced by the folks at IM Design Group, in Emporia, Kansas. We think they did a fantastic job.

And now for the Huge News... drum roll please...Salsa Cycles has come on board and will be the "Premier Sponsor" for the 2010 running of The Dirty Kanza 200. Joel and I are both absolutely giddy with excitement over this development. When we very first began discussing plans for 2010, one of our primary objectives was to identify a company within the cycling industry with which we could create a long-term partnership. Salsa Cycles was the first company we thought of, and throughout all of our planning discussions remaind at the top of a very short list of candidates. Due to their company philosophy, their fantastic products and their great people, Salsa Cycles is the PERFECT sponsor for The Dirty Kanza 200. Salsa has stepped up to the plate in a major way. The winner of each of our four classes (Open Men, Open Women, Single-Speed and Masters Men) will receive a complete 3-piece "Salsa Upgrade Kit", which will include that rider's choice of a Salsa Stem, Salsa Handlebar and Salsa Skewer Set. In addition, one lucky participant will go home with a brand new Salsa Fargo Frameset. Salsa's support of The Dirty Kanza 200 goes even further, including water bottles, hats and T-Shirts. You can check out all of their great products here... www.salsacycles.com While you are there, drop them an email and let them know how much you appreciate their support of The Dirty Kanza 200. That's it for now. More details will follow soon. Until then, stay safe, train hard... and Get Your Gravel On. We look forward to seeing each of you in Emporia, Kansas the first weekend in June.

Gravel Grovel: Over the recent Thanksgiving weekend a new gravel grinder event in southern Indiana took place called the Gravel Grovel. From the sounds of it, it was a very challenging, fun, and well attended event. You can check out a couple good race reports here and here. It sounds like there will be a Gravel Grovel next year at about the same time, so stay tuned........

Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational: Well, over the past two years we have done camp outs and then we have done the ride. Thing is, we imbibe a bit too much the night before causing much suffering the day after on the ride. This time we vow to get it right. So, on July 16th, 2010 we will gather and we will go to bed early! Then we will get up a bit earlier than usual, ride, and then come back for barbeque, beer, and a camp fire. We will plan to be there overnight again, so traveling home could be done right away, or you could stay, hang out, and go home the next day. (Sunday) These dates would be July 16th, 17th (ride day), and 18th.

The same venue and course will be ridden again. That being Echo Valley Park and the loop from there that included just six feet shy of 10,000 ft elevation gain in 118 miles. (Remember- the first 25 miles after the first five are flat and not hilly) The decision to do the same course was due to the fact that it is so challenging and so cool. The views are tremendous. Flowers should be in full force, and it probably will be hotter than Hades, making this a tortuous test of riders stamina. Plus- I already have cues for it! (See last summers ride report here)

Ragnorok 105: Well, if you didn't get in on this, it's too late. Registration opened and it has filled up already. Go here and scroll down a bit to see who will be toeing the line there. (Pretty stout roster!) Looking forward to reading the reports from the 2010 version of this lil' event.

Almanzo 100: Looks like registration will open for this dirty century on January 1st via post card. (Check out the site) The event itself will be on May 14-16th. (Ride occurs on the 15th) It is part of the "AGRS" which has become a series of these gravel events that includes the aforementioned Ragnorok 105, CIRREM, The Gentleman's Ride, and The Heck Of The North, but may include others at some point. Unique in that it offers points for finishing first through tenth on top of 30 points for anyone that finishes. So, if you finish, you get a minimum of 30 points, but top ten finishes are rewarded higher points per placing over and above the 30. Real cups are apparently going to be handed out to the top male and female riders of the series. Sounds cool.

More Nebraska Goodness?: Cruising the Almanzo site, I came across this which is an event planned to take place just north of Omaha on a planned 100 mile course. The event is called the "North O Rock Road Jackrabbit" and is slated for October 10th, 2010.

Trans Iowa V6: The registration closed and the Waiting List has been established. Remember- if you want to drop off either the Roster list or the Waiting List, please inform me via e-mail. Next big hurdle will be getting the recon done. Expect a lodging announcement soon as well.

That's it for this edition of Gravel Grinder News!

Ride, train, and be well!

Closing One Door- Opening Another

As the seasons change and the year comes to a close, there are several things that I am reflecting on in regards to 2010. The past year has been amazing. However; it's time to start looking ahead at next year and what I need to do now to make some changes.

One of the things I want to start on now is getting a winter ride/training/discipline thing going on so that when it gets nice in the spring I won't be such an out of shape rider. And there are some "carrots" in the form of some rides that might possibly go down that are motivating that. (Notice I didn't say they were races)

Some of the things I have done I won't do anymore, and that to simplify my life. I admit that I have been sticking my fingers in too many things. I will still be involved in some major stuff, like T.I.V6, of course. But there are some things I've done that are big time energy sucking things that are going to get cut loose next year. (And in fact- some have already been cut loose)

Mainly I just want to ride more than I have and do it better. Will there be a race? Maybe. I don't much care if there isn't though. I just want to do this cycling thing better than I have, and certainly- there is room for improvement. I have to be balanced in life as well, with the family, being a husband, and working. It won't be easy.

But nothing good or worth pursuing ever is.

Closing One Door- Opening Another

As the seasons change and the year comes to a close, there are several things that I am reflecting on in regards to 2010. The past year has been amazing. However; it's time to start looking ahead at next year and what I need to do now to make some changes.

One of the things I want to start on now is getting a winter ride/training/discipline thing going on so that when it gets nice in the spring I won't be such an out of shape rider. And there are some "carrots" in the form of some rides that might possibly go down that are motivating that. (Notice I didn't say they were races)

Some of the things I have done I won't do anymore, and that to simplify my life. I admit that I have been sticking my fingers in too many things. I will still be involved in some major stuff, like T.I.V6, of course. But there are some things I've done that are big time energy sucking things that are going to get cut loose next year. (And in fact- some have already been cut loose)

Mainly I just want to ride more than I have and do it better. Will there be a race? Maybe. I don't much care if there isn't though. I just want to do this cycling thing better than I have, and certainly- there is room for improvement. I have to be balanced in life as well, with the family, being a husband, and working. It won't be easy.

But nothing good or worth pursuing ever is.

Carbo Loading

Well, I have been testing out the new 2010 Specialized Stumpjumper Expert Carbon lately and I have had plenty of thoughts running through my mind about this rig. It isn't a bicycle you normally think of for off roading. You know- big wheels, carbon, and all of that wrapped up in one good lookin' package. For me, the carbon part is what makes my mind go round and round.

I used to have a carbon road rocket a long time ago. Funny thing is that this mountain bike reminds me of that bike quite a bit. It's strange, but putting into words just what a carbon fiber bike feels like is not easy. For instance, they say that carbon fiber damps out vibrations. Well.....yes and no. I can still feel plenty of high frequency buzz, like the tires on pavement, but some other frequencies are deadened.

The Stumpjumper Expert Carbon was designed to have a stiff bottom bracket and torsionally stiff main frame. That it does in spades. It was also designed to have some "vertical compliance". Hmm.........well, I don't know. I mean, it doesn't stab your backside like an old school aluminum rig, but it does have a fair amount of exposed seat post and fat tires, so who really can tell? I can't say that it has compliance in the frame for rider comfort, but I do know it isn't brutal. There. Does that make any sense? I mean, from the materials/cost standpoint.

And that is the bottom line. Does carbon fiber give you what you want in a mountain bike? Yes- fantastically low weight and incredible lateral and torsional stiffness is here. That's good stuff for 29"ers, but for the price of two hydro-formed aluminum hard tail rigs? And make no mistake, aluminum these days isn't the aluminum your mtb fore bearers were riding.

In fact, I would put a couple of aluminum hardtail rigs I have ridden toe-to-toe with tis carbon rig. I bet most riders would be hard pressed to tell any difference, and the aluminum rigs would carve off hundreds- maybe even a thousand bucks- of the price tag.

But then again, you wouldn't have much of a "cool" factor with aluminum. Well, choices are good, and carbon fiber mountain bikes with big wheels are ow one of those choices.

Carbo Loading

Well, I have been testing out the new 2010 Specialized Stumpjumper Expert Carbon lately and I have had plenty of thoughts running through my mind about this rig. It isn't a bicycle you normally think of for off roading. You know- big wheels, carbon, and all of that wrapped up in one good lookin' package. For me, the carbon part is what makes my mind go round and round.

I used to have a carbon road rocket a long time ago. Funny thing is that this mountain bike reminds me of that bike quite a bit. It's strange, but putting into words just what a carbon fiber bike feels like is not easy. For instance, they say that carbon fiber damps out vibrations. Well.....yes and no. I can still feel plenty of high frequency buzz, like the tires on pavement, but some other frequencies are deadened.

The Stumpjumper Expert Carbon was designed to have a stiff bottom bracket and torsionally stiff main frame. That it does in spades. It was also designed to have some "vertical compliance". Hmm.........well, I don't know. I mean, it doesn't stab your backside like an old school aluminum rig, but it does have a fair amount of exposed seat post and fat tires, so who really can tell? I can't say that it has compliance in the frame for rider comfort, but I do know it isn't brutal. There. Does that make any sense? I mean, from the materials/cost standpoint.

And that is the bottom line. Does carbon fiber give you what you want in a mountain bike? Yes- fantastically low weight and incredible lateral and torsional stiffness is here. That's good stuff for 29"ers, but for the price of two hydro-formed aluminum hard tail rigs? And make no mistake, aluminum these days isn't the aluminum your mtb fore bearers were riding.

In fact, I would put a couple of aluminum hardtail rigs I have ridden toe-to-toe with tis carbon rig. I bet most riders would be hard pressed to tell any difference, and the aluminum rigs would carve off hundreds- maybe even a thousand bucks- of the price tag.

But then again, you wouldn't have much of a "cool" factor with aluminum. Well, choices are good, and carbon fiber mountain bikes with big wheels are ow one of those choices.

Bike Shop Tales: Making An Impression

Last week I got into a little back round with my job situation pre-bike shop days. Now I was going to be working at a real bike shop......


Well, it was time. Tom, the owner of Advantage Cyclery, asked me to come in one evening to meet some of the staff and to learn what it was he wanted me to do. As he took me around the shop, he stopped me short and told me about one of the mechanics there that was working on his mountain bike. It was Duane. He was intently bowing over a polished American mountain bike. (American- that's a brand name, by the way!)


Tom said that Duane was a bit "tense" and that I should be careful. I said, "Oh yeah?", and an idea came into my head as we walked over to meet him. Tom introduced me, and Duane never even looked up.


I reached over and squeezed the brake lever that was connected to the canti he was adjusting and said, "You know, you really should tighten this brake up. It feels pretty mushy." Well, Duane's blood pressure went through the roof, and he sputtered a few half sentences before he shouted, "Do you know that I am a black belt?!! I could kick your ass right now!!" To which I calmly replied, "Well, go ahead. What are you waiting for?"


Duane sputtered, stood aghast, and stormed away. Tom giggled like a school boy. He thought it was brilliant. He couldn't believe I did it, but I think it endeared me to him from that point onward. The rest of the introductions went on and I left after I was told what my duties would be. I went home that night feeling apprehensive and unsure of myself. I suppose that was natural, but it didn't take long for me to get settled in.

The first few days were spent kind of standing around and observing. I helped customers a bit. The shop was an amazing place with all the brands and cool bikes that I got to hang out around everyday. Bianchi, GT, Fisher, and Diamondback, just to name a few. Tom also had quite a selection of road framesets there to buy as well. Then I started out assembling bikes at Advantage and still was helping customers for awhile, but a time period came up where things changed for a little bit. Tom had a satellite store with another guy, and I was going to become part of that operation for a bit.



Next Week: Working On The Campus

Bike Shop Tales: Making An Impression

Last week I got into a little back round with my job situation pre-bike shop days. Now I was going to be working at a real bike shop......


Well, it was time. Tom, the owner of Advantage Cyclery, asked me to come in one evening to meet some of the staff and to learn what it was he wanted me to do. As he took me around the shop, he stopped me short and told me about one of the mechanics there that was working on his mountain bike. It was Duane. He was intently bowing over a polished American mountain bike. (American- that's a brand name, by the way!)


Tom said that Duane was a bit "tense" and that I should be careful. I said, "Oh yeah?", and an idea came into my head as we walked over to meet him. Tom introduced me, and Duane never even looked up.


I reached over and squeezed the brake lever that was connected to the canti he was adjusting and said, "You know, you really should tighten this brake up. It feels pretty mushy." Well, Duane's blood pressure went through the roof, and he sputtered a few half sentences before he shouted, "Do you know that I am a black belt?!! I could kick your ass right now!!" To which I calmly replied, "Well, go ahead. What are you waiting for?"


Duane sputtered, stood aghast, and stormed away. Tom giggled like a school boy. He thought it was brilliant. He couldn't believe I did it, but I think it endeared me to him from that point onward. The rest of the introductions went on and I left after I was told what my duties would be. I went home that night feeling apprehensive and unsure of myself. I suppose that was natural, but it didn't take long for me to get settled in.

The first few days were spent kind of standing around and observing. I helped customers a bit. The shop was an amazing place with all the brands and cool bikes that I got to hang out around everyday. Bianchi, GT, Fisher, and Diamondback, just to name a few. Tom also had quite a selection of road framesets there to buy as well. Then I started out assembling bikes at Advantage and still was helping customers for awhile, but a time period came up where things changed for a little bit. Tom had a satellite store with another guy, and I was going to become part of that operation for a bit.



Next Week: Working On The Campus