Trans Iowa V9: Registration Update

A bit of T.I. Cheer

Registration Update:

Trans Iowa V9 is nearing the completion of its registration phase. As of Wednesday, there were 16 spots left up for grabs for the Rookie Class.

Of course, today there is no mail. Friday and Saturday remain and after this, Registration will close whether all the spots get claimed or no.

Will we get to 120 riders? Likely we will. I know of a few cards still on the way. If the roster falls short of 120, at least I'll know that everyone that wanted a spot got one. Remember- there is no Waiting List, and no transfers of spots either.

Post Registration: 

Of course, all that remains for you, if you got on the roster, is to train. Ride lots of miles, fret over equipment choices, and make your plans for the weekend of T.I.V9. It sounds simple, but Trans Iowa is still a long ways off yet- 5 months or so, and a lot can happen in that time. 

Another Registration gift. (Thanks!)

One thing I ask of you if you are on the roster for T.I.V9: Please let me know as soon as possible if you end up finding out you can't make it, or decide not to come. It would save me lots of time and money in preparations.

Otherwise, I'll be finishing up recon, (after I get a new set of tires on my truck!), and then the process of getting cue sheets done will take place. I'll be asking for Volunteers soon, and of course, the Pre-Race Meat-Up will be finalized.

Closer to Trans Iowa I will be contacting all of you on the roster to confirm that you are coming, and to get menu choices for the Pre-Race dinner finalized. Then it will come down to the nitty-gritty.

But before all of that there has to be this registration and the final two days should be interesting. Then to the recon for me. Of course, I'll be holding my Trans Iowa thoughts here for ya'all to read along the way as we go forward into 2013. Thanks for all the interest so far, and I look forward to getting a great course squared away for ya'all to ride on. There will be some good surprises, and this course will have an entirely different feel than last years did. I'm pretty excited about it.

Lots of great stories and things going on behind the scenes here. As always, it is a very rewarding and eye opening pursuit, otherwise I wouldn't do what I do. Take care, and if you have any questions, please comment here or e-mail me and I will respond.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Trans Iowa V9: Registration Update

A bit of T.I. Cheer

Registration Update:

Trans Iowa V9 is nearing the completion of its registration phase. As of Wednesday, there were 16 spots left up for grabs for the Rookie Class.

Of course, today there is no mail. Friday and Saturday remain and after this, Registration will close whether all the spots get claimed or no.

Will we get to 120 riders? Likely we will. I know of a few cards still on the way. If the roster falls short of 120, at least I'll know that everyone that wanted a spot got one. Remember- there is no Waiting List, and no transfers of spots either.

Post Registration: 

Of course, all that remains for you, if you got on the roster, is to train. Ride lots of miles, fret over equipment choices, and make your plans for the weekend of T.I.V9. It sounds simple, but Trans Iowa is still a long ways off yet- 5 months or so, and a lot can happen in that time. 

Another Registration gift. (Thanks!)

One thing I ask of you if you are on the roster for T.I.V9: Please let me know as soon as possible if you end up finding out you can't make it, or decide not to come. It would save me lots of time and money in preparations.

Otherwise, I'll be finishing up recon, (after I get a new set of tires on my truck!), and then the process of getting cue sheets done will take place. I'll be asking for Volunteers soon, and of course, the Pre-Race Meat-Up will be finalized.

Closer to Trans Iowa I will be contacting all of you on the roster to confirm that you are coming, and to get menu choices for the Pre-Race dinner finalized. Then it will come down to the nitty-gritty.

But before all of that there has to be this registration and the final two days should be interesting. Then to the recon for me. Of course, I'll be holding my Trans Iowa thoughts here for ya'all to read along the way as we go forward into 2013. Thanks for all the interest so far, and I look forward to getting a great course squared away for ya'all to ride on. There will be some good surprises, and this course will have an entirely different feel than last years did. I'm pretty excited about it.

Lots of great stories and things going on behind the scenes here. As always, it is a very rewarding and eye opening pursuit, otherwise I wouldn't do what I do. Take care, and if you have any questions, please comment here or e-mail me and I will respond.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Crux Of The Biscuit

So many burning questions and issues.....

Scanning the internet of late, looking at all the bicycle related stream of consciousness out there, one might come to the conclusion that the Mayans were correct- The "World As We Know It According To Cycling" is coming to a swift and confusing end.

Take for instance all we once assumed correct concerning mountain biking. You may as well throw it all out the window. Three valid and obtainable wheel sizes, a myriad of different bottom brackets, head sets, and fat bikes? 

Wow! And that's just mountain bikes. Go over on the road side and you find a similar treat for those in favor of anarchy. What with electric gizmos measuring power, moving your derailleurs, and navigating your route for you. Then you have the most iconic road cyclist of the last 20 years falling like Satan thrown down from heaven. And if you thought that was bad, it gets even worse! I mean.......hydraulic disc brakes on road bikes? 

Perhaps "climate change" really means that Hell is freezing over.

With all of the changes going on, you might think that cycling is either going off a cliff, or that these are the most exciting days we've had for a while. Depends on how you like your "change"- Medium rare or hot and spicy.

....but all that matters is the joy of riding.

You can drive yerself nuts digging into all of the details, trying to figure out the competing standards, what components are best, and whether he did or didn't do that. You can argue for changes or against them passionately, and that's all well and fine. At the end of the day though, none of that stuff really matters much.

Nope. All of that wouldn't amount to a hill of beans if it weren't for you and your love of pushing a set of pedals around, with the wind in your face and a goal to reach. It all pales when you top out on the steep hill, launch over that log, or rail that corner. It just doesn't matter when you look over at your riding partner and know without saying a word that this is the coolest, most satisfying moment on two wheels you've ever had.

When you boil it all down to the things that really matter, stuff like bottom brackets, race entry fees, and doping mean diddly squat. For me, it just it's all about the joy of riding my bicycle.

And that's what I am going to be thankful for when it comes to thinking about cycling tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

The Crux Of The Biscuit

So many burning questions and issues.....

Scanning the internet of late, looking at all the bicycle related stream of consciousness out there, one might come to the conclusion that the Mayans were correct- The "World As We Know It According To Cycling" is coming to a swift and confusing end.

Take for instance all we once assumed correct concerning mountain biking. You may as well throw it all out the window. Three valid and obtainable wheel sizes, a myriad of different bottom brackets, head sets, and fat bikes? 

Wow! And that's just mountain bikes. Go over on the road side and you find a similar treat for those in favor of anarchy. What with electric gizmos measuring power, moving your derailleurs, and navigating your route for you. Then you have the most iconic road cyclist of the last 20 years falling like Satan thrown down from heaven. And if you thought that was bad, it gets even worse! I mean.......hydraulic disc brakes on road bikes? 

Perhaps "climate change" really means that Hell is freezing over.

With all of the changes going on, you might think that cycling is either going off a cliff, or that these are the most exciting days we've had for a while. Depends on how you like your "change"- Medium rare or hot and spicy.

....but all that matters is the joy of riding.

You can drive yerself nuts digging into all of the details, trying to figure out the competing standards, what components are best, and whether he did or didn't do that. You can argue for changes or against them passionately, and that's all well and fine. At the end of the day though, none of that stuff really matters much.

Nope. All of that wouldn't amount to a hill of beans if it weren't for you and your love of pushing a set of pedals around, with the wind in your face and a goal to reach. It all pales when you top out on the steep hill, launch over that log, or rail that corner. It just doesn't matter when you look over at your riding partner and know without saying a word that this is the coolest, most satisfying moment on two wheels you've ever had.

When you boil it all down to the things that really matter, stuff like bottom brackets, race entry fees, and doping mean diddly squat. For me, it just it's all about the joy of riding my bicycle.

And that's what I am going to be thankful for when it comes to thinking about cycling tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Some Thoughts On Commuting

Commuter time

Recently I read a nice, entertaining article on commuting in "Bicycle Times" latest issue # 20. It was written by Thom Parsons, and is well worth seeking out. (Plus- there is a great article by Eric Benjamin on Gravel Worlds in it as well.) Anyway, it got me to thinking about my own commuting experiences. there were a few things Mr. Parsons hit on that had me wagging my head up and down in agreement. Then there were a few places I was smiling wryly as I read his sarcastic remarks about cars. But there were a few things I thought he missed that I find integral to my commuting experience.

So, here are a few things I thought I could bring to the table in regards to commuting. I hope that someone out there finds these useable. But first, I should explain where I am coming from here....

My commute is about 4-5 miles one way. depends on how I have to roll- (more on that in a minute)- and sometimes I even extend the route. I have leeway with regard to timing some days, so maybe that doesn't work for you. I also have been doing the same basic route for over ten years. I commute all winter as well, so some of this will touch on what I do with my cold weather commuting.

• Research More Than One Route: I feel that it is a good thing to mix up your route sometimes. It keeps things fresh, and you learn more things about where you live and ride. I also have to use a different route for snowy, icy conditions than I do in clearer weather where there is no snow. I actually found that a slightly longer route is faster then, since the road ways and bike paths I use then are maintained. 
• Be Consistent With Your Commute To Breed Familiarity: I know- it kind of works against my first tip, but when you use a similar route at similar times the "regulars" out on the road will learn to accept you as part of "traffic". That will help cut down on the bad encounters, but it won't totally get rid of them either. But I've found that folks have said that they have seen me on my bicycle at regular times, so I know it helps. 
• Learn The Lights: It's funny, but every traffic light on my commute has its own "personality", or way that it works. I had to learn how to work them to my advantage and best safety. Some I can trigger easily, others I can not. Some allow cars to turn while holding back straight on traffic, some do not. It will behoove you to figure out the lights and how to make things work to your best advantage. Like me, you may even have to swing over and hit the cross walk button at some lights. Whatever makes it work best for you. Do that. 



It's not every day that you see a dead deer on your commute!

• Be Extra Vigilant In Winter: I've found that car drivers and "non-cyclists" instinctively think cycling ends when school starts in the Fall, and doesn't start back up again until Spring, or maybe even summer. Winter is the worst for commuting and cars being dumb to your presence, or just being down right evil to cyclists, because they "shouldn't be out there that time of the year". Put some snow on the roads and it gets even worse. I think some of these folks think that by hitting you and killing you they would be putting you out of your misery and ridding society of one more dumb person. Whatever. Just be really careful riding the streets in Winter! 
• Use Different Bikes: I know this isn't reality or maybe practical for many, but having specific bikes for specific tasks makes commuting easier and more fun. I use a fat bike in winter, and sometimes in summer! I use a cargo bike for times I need to carry stuff I can not put in my messenger bag or backpack. I have a "townie" for errands too. It helps keep things fresh, and you have a "back up plan" in case one rig needs maintenance or breaks down.

Okay, a short list, and not meant to be a complete one. Get that story I mentioned above and read it. Good stuff, and maybe my little additions here will flesh it out for you. 

Some Thoughts On Commuting

Commuter time

Recently I read a nice, entertaining article on commuting in "Bicycle Times" latest issue # 20. It was written by Thom Parsons, and is well worth seeking out. (Plus- there is a great article by Eric Benjamin on Gravel Worlds in it as well.) Anyway, it got me to thinking about my own commuting experiences. there were a few things Mr. Parsons hit on that had me wagging my head up and down in agreement. Then there were a few places I was smiling wryly as I read his sarcastic remarks about cars. But there were a few things I thought he missed that I find integral to my commuting experience.

So, here are a few things I thought I could bring to the table in regards to commuting. I hope that someone out there finds these useable. But first, I should explain where I am coming from here....

My commute is about 4-5 miles one way. depends on how I have to roll- (more on that in a minute)- and sometimes I even extend the route. I have leeway with regard to timing some days, so maybe that doesn't work for you. I also have been doing the same basic route for over ten years. I commute all winter as well, so some of this will touch on what I do with my cold weather commuting.

• Research More Than One Route: I feel that it is a good thing to mix up your route sometimes. It keeps things fresh, and you learn more things about where you live and ride. I also have to use a different route for snowy, icy conditions than I do in clearer weather where there is no snow. I actually found that a slightly longer route is faster then, since the road ways and bike paths I use then are maintained. 
• Be Consistent With Your Commute To Breed Familiarity: I know- it kind of works against my first tip, but when you use a similar route at similar times the "regulars" out on the road will learn to accept you as part of "traffic". That will help cut down on the bad encounters, but it won't totally get rid of them either. But I've found that folks have said that they have seen me on my bicycle at regular times, so I know it helps. 
• Learn The Lights: It's funny, but every traffic light on my commute has its own "personality", or way that it works. I had to learn how to work them to my advantage and best safety. Some I can trigger easily, others I can not. Some allow cars to turn while holding back straight on traffic, some do not. It will behoove you to figure out the lights and how to make things work to your best advantage. Like me, you may even have to swing over and hit the cross walk button at some lights. Whatever makes it work best for you. Do that. 



It's not every day that you see a dead deer on your commute!

• Be Extra Vigilant In Winter: I've found that car drivers and "non-cyclists" instinctively think cycling ends when school starts in the Fall, and doesn't start back up again until Spring, or maybe even summer. Winter is the worst for commuting and cars being dumb to your presence, or just being down right evil to cyclists, because they "shouldn't be out there that time of the year". Put some snow on the roads and it gets even worse. I think some of these folks think that by hitting you and killing you they would be putting you out of your misery and ridding society of one more dumb person. Whatever. Just be really careful riding the streets in Winter! 
• Use Different Bikes: I know this isn't reality or maybe practical for many, but having specific bikes for specific tasks makes commuting easier and more fun. I use a fat bike in winter, and sometimes in summer! I use a cargo bike for times I need to carry stuff I can not put in my messenger bag or backpack. I have a "townie" for errands too. It helps keep things fresh, and you have a "back up plan" in case one rig needs maintenance or breaks down.

Okay, a short list, and not meant to be a complete one. Get that story I mentioned above and read it. Good stuff, and maybe my little additions here will flesh it out for you. 

The "Big Day"

My Son leading the way

The weekend took a weird turn when I was awakened out of my sleeping in on Sunday morning by my Son who had my cell phone. He gave it to me and Mrs. Guitar Ted was on the other end asking how soon I could get ready and get down to the church to play guitar. The scheduled player fell ill.

So, I snatched my clothes, made short work of brushing my teeth, and ran out the door with my gear and '98 Les Paul Standard in tow to play the morning's services. That went as well as it could have and when that was over, it was already past the noon hour. So, after some lunch, I took my Son out for a bike ride.

We missed the night ride on Friday evening due to his wanting to watch a movie, but I'll take a daytime ride too. We meandered down to Waterloo's newly refurbished River Front area which is pretty nice at this point. I don't know how long it'll stay that way, but so far I have not noticed any tag art.

Speaking of art, we rode by the arts and rec center where they have several sculpture installations outside. Jacob pointed at one and said, "Hey Dad! Do you see that fine art there?" Ha! Well, I answered that in the affirmative, but left off my thoughts on what constitutes "fine art". We'll discuss that in the future.....

It was a great ride, a nice day to be out, and we even got to see hundreds of pigeons flying down by the bridge over the Cedar at 4th Street. There were so many birds we decided the sky look "peppered".

Then there is today's big deal.  Today marks the final stage of registration for Trans Iowa V9 which opens for Rookies and ends on Saturday, if not before. I suspect I'll arrive to work and find some early entries, and the overnight letter folks probably will have a few items for me.

Then the U.S.P.S. will dump a big load of cards off, if past years are anything to go by, and I'll be busy putting names in the roster. If things are as crazy as I suspect they might be, I won't get the roster updated on the T.I.V9  site until later this evening. Please be patient! I'll get to it as soon as I can.

So that outlines my big day for today, and my big day out with my son yesterday. More "big days" are ahead. Stay tuned......

UPDATE: The day just got a little bigger....

 Trans Iowa V7 was filmed by Jeff Frings and made into the documentary film "300 Miles Of Gravel" which just won a Chicago Regional Area Emmy. Here is a part of the e-mail note I received from Jeff:

"Just wanted to pass along the fact that 300 Miles of Gravel won a Chicago  Regional Emmy tonight. I wasn't there, but I watched it online and posted it on Facebook."

So I wanted to post this to say thank you to all of the riders in Trans Iowa V7, David Pals, the volunteers that year, and the Grinnell Chamber Of Commerce/ Sheryl Parmely for making T.I.V7 possible and real. Thanks to Jeff Frings and his wife, and also to all those who helped make "300 Miles Of Gravel" a reality. I didn't need an Emmy to prompt these thanks, but it goes without saying that it needs to be done again for this unexpected turn of events. 

The "Big Day"

My Son leading the way

The weekend took a weird turn when I was awakened out of my sleeping in on Sunday morning by my Son who had my cell phone. He gave it to me and Mrs. Guitar Ted was on the other end asking how soon I could get ready and get down to the church to play guitar. The scheduled player fell ill.

So, I snatched my clothes, made short work of brushing my teeth, and ran out the door with my gear and '98 Les Paul Standard in tow to play the morning's services. That went as well as it could have and when that was over, it was already past the noon hour. So, after some lunch, I took my Son out for a bike ride.

We missed the night ride on Friday evening due to his wanting to watch a movie, but I'll take a daytime ride too. We meandered down to Waterloo's newly refurbished River Front area which is pretty nice at this point. I don't know how long it'll stay that way, but so far I have not noticed any tag art.

Speaking of art, we rode by the arts and rec center where they have several sculpture installations outside. Jacob pointed at one and said, "Hey Dad! Do you see that fine art there?" Ha! Well, I answered that in the affirmative, but left off my thoughts on what constitutes "fine art". We'll discuss that in the future.....

It was a great ride, a nice day to be out, and we even got to see hundreds of pigeons flying down by the bridge over the Cedar at 4th Street. There were so many birds we decided the sky look "peppered".

Then there is today's big deal.  Today marks the final stage of registration for Trans Iowa V9 which opens for Rookies and ends on Saturday, if not before. I suspect I'll arrive to work and find some early entries, and the overnight letter folks probably will have a few items for me.

Then the U.S.P.S. will dump a big load of cards off, if past years are anything to go by, and I'll be busy putting names in the roster. If things are as crazy as I suspect they might be, I won't get the roster updated on the T.I.V9  site until later this evening. Please be patient! I'll get to it as soon as I can.

So that outlines my big day for today, and my big day out with my son yesterday. More "big days" are ahead. Stay tuned......

UPDATE: The day just got a little bigger....

 Trans Iowa V7 was filmed by Jeff Frings and made into the documentary film "300 Miles Of Gravel" which just won a Chicago Regional Area Emmy. Here is a part of the e-mail note I received from Jeff:

"Just wanted to pass along the fact that 300 Miles of Gravel won a Chicago  Regional Emmy tonight. I wasn't there, but I watched it online and posted it on Facebook."

So I wanted to post this to say thank you to all of the riders in Trans Iowa V7, David Pals, the volunteers that year, and the Grinnell Chamber Of Commerce/ Sheryl Parmely for making T.I.V7 possible and real. Thanks to Jeff Frings and his wife, and also to all those who helped make "300 Miles Of Gravel" a reality. I didn't need an Emmy to prompt these thanks, but it goes without saying that it needs to be done again for this unexpected turn of events. 

3GR: Pushing The Pause Button

Frosty, Chilly Start

Looking at the calendar, I am pretty amazed at the amount of Friday evenings and Saturday mornings I have committed to doing the 3GR. Since April I have only missed a few weeks of either Friday evening or Saturday 3GR's. That's seven months of riding this group ride.

Now with next Saturday being the Turkey Burn and the following Saturday being Global Fat Bike Ride day, it would mean that the next Saturday up on the docket for a possible 3GR would be December 8th. Then I would have to postpone doing another one due to birthdays, Christmas, and New Years. So......yeah. With the outstanding chance that we'll have some really cold, snowy, or icy weather by the 8th, and certainly in January, I think it is time to push the pause button on 3GR till things get better next Spring.

But there was this last ride, the last 3GR of 2012. I got out of the house to see a landscape of frost and ice where there was any water. It wasn't all that chilly, being into the upper 30's, but it sure looked like the edge of Winter was nigh. I wasn't worried this day though. the temperatures were forecast to soar into the 50's, eventually, and a light Southeasterly was predicted. I knew I would be meeting at least two other riders. Ali from work, and a friend of hers, who was a "rookie" at riding gravel.

Ali and Chelsea waiting on the train to pass.

I didn't see many humans or animals on the way over to the meeting spot. Strange, and maybe a fitting end to things for the year. Well, as usual, I arrived early- way too early, and I started fidgeting around with my bike and snapped off a few images on my point and shoot.

Moments later a white car pulled up and I heard the familiar voice of Ali saying hello. I walked over and met her friend, Chelsea, who produced a Mongoose branded department store mountain bike shaped object to ride. But hey- at least she was there to give'r. Ali was sporting her SE Racing Stout single speed.

So I could see this ride becoming a slower, more relaxed one. There were no other late comers, so it was just us three. We headed out Northward and the flatter terrain fostered okay speeds. I knew that wouldn't last, and I was okay with that. The turn on to Mount Vernon Road brings the first steep, and sure enough, this would be the point where we'd really slow down. But ya know what? Those gals got up that one pretty well.

Then we hit some more flatter stuff, and cruising up towards Janesville was easy. All of us were chatting occasionally and were enjoying the ride. Then we would reach the area near Camp Ingawanis, and there the hills kick in which would dramatically change things.

Looking back: The 3GR was a lot of fun in 2012!

I told Ali and Chelsea that the hills would be coming and I'd likely be bombing the down hills, which would separate us for a bit. Boy! Did it ever. I had to wait several minutes at the corner where we go Southward again for Ali and Chelsea to catch back on.

By this time I had committed to riding my Orange Crush in a single gear and working on my pedaling form, especially going up hill. Slow, meticulous circles were the order of the day. This sure helped keep my speed in check, and more importantly, kept me from getting too far ahead of the gals.

I had fun, and I think the gals were troopers. The ride took a bit longer than usual, so I didn't stop at my usual coffee spot, but instead I turned for home, getting there just in time for lunch. The slow work really worked me! I was torched when I got home, and I am sure it did me good to be riding like that. Probably should do that sort of thing more often!

Well, anyway, it was a unique ending to my gravel group ride experiment. I'll likely start up 3GR next year in the Spring. Thanks to anyone and everyone that participated in 3GR over the past several months.

3GR: Pushing The Pause Button

Frosty, Chilly Start

Looking at the calendar, I am pretty amazed at the amount of Friday evenings and Saturday mornings I have committed to doing the 3GR. Since April I have only missed a few weeks of either Friday evening or Saturday 3GR's. That's seven months of riding this group ride.

Now with next Saturday being the Turkey Burn and the following Saturday being Global Fat Bike Ride day, it would mean that the next Saturday up on the docket for a possible 3GR would be December 8th. Then I would have to postpone doing another one due to birthdays, Christmas, and New Years. So......yeah. With the outstanding chance that we'll have some really cold, snowy, or icy weather by the 8th, and certainly in January, I think it is time to push the pause button on 3GR till things get better next Spring.

But there was this last ride, the last 3GR of 2012. I got out of the house to see a landscape of frost and ice where there was any water. It wasn't all that chilly, being into the upper 30's, but it sure looked like the edge of Winter was nigh. I wasn't worried this day though. the temperatures were forecast to soar into the 50's, eventually, and a light Southeasterly was predicted. I knew I would be meeting at least two other riders. Ali from work, and a friend of hers, who was a "rookie" at riding gravel.

Ali and Chelsea waiting on the train to pass.

I didn't see many humans or animals on the way over to the meeting spot. Strange, and maybe a fitting end to things for the year. Well, as usual, I arrived early- way too early, and I started fidgeting around with my bike and snapped off a few images on my point and shoot.

Moments later a white car pulled up and I heard the familiar voice of Ali saying hello. I walked over and met her friend, Chelsea, who produced a Mongoose branded department store mountain bike shaped object to ride. But hey- at least she was there to give'r. Ali was sporting her SE Racing Stout single speed.

So I could see this ride becoming a slower, more relaxed one. There were no other late comers, so it was just us three. We headed out Northward and the flatter terrain fostered okay speeds. I knew that wouldn't last, and I was okay with that. The turn on to Mount Vernon Road brings the first steep, and sure enough, this would be the point where we'd really slow down. But ya know what? Those gals got up that one pretty well.

Then we hit some more flatter stuff, and cruising up towards Janesville was easy. All of us were chatting occasionally and were enjoying the ride. Then we would reach the area near Camp Ingawanis, and there the hills kick in which would dramatically change things.

Looking back: The 3GR was a lot of fun in 2012!

I told Ali and Chelsea that the hills would be coming and I'd likely be bombing the down hills, which would separate us for a bit. Boy! Did it ever. I had to wait several minutes at the corner where we go Southward again for Ali and Chelsea to catch back on.

By this time I had committed to riding my Orange Crush in a single gear and working on my pedaling form, especially going up hill. Slow, meticulous circles were the order of the day. This sure helped keep my speed in check, and more importantly, kept me from getting too far ahead of the gals.

I had fun, and I think the gals were troopers. The ride took a bit longer than usual, so I didn't stop at my usual coffee spot, but instead I turned for home, getting there just in time for lunch. The slow work really worked me! I was torched when I got home, and I am sure it did me good to be riding like that. Probably should do that sort of thing more often!

Well, anyway, it was a unique ending to my gravel group ride experiment. I'll likely start up 3GR next year in the Spring. Thanks to anyone and everyone that participated in 3GR over the past several months.

Trans Iowa V9: Thoughts On Lighting Part II

Last week I hit on some stuff regarding lighting for those who might be attempting T.I.V9, (or any night time gravel grinder). You can check out that post here if you missed it.

The start of T.I.V7

This post will deal mostly with how I think your light should work for you. Mind you, this is merely my own opinion, but having done several night time gravel rides and events, I think I can speak with some authority here, and besides that, I know what lays in store for you on T.I.V9, and you do not!

There are two things, in my mind, that are paramount regarding lighting for Trans Iowa, or similar rides where fast descents may be occurring on gravel. First is getting light up the road. 

You can easily reach speeds of 35mph and probably up over 40mph on some of the descents on gravel for Trans Iowa. Your lighting may be adequate for pavement, but how do you "read the road" on gravel?  You only have a precious few split seconds to make decisions at these speeds, and on gravel- any sudden maneuvers will result in going out of control, or crashing, which are both bad things and usually go hand in hand. Knowing what is coming as soon as possible is very important then. And if you didn't know- the darkness in Iowa is........really dark! 

So here is the other important thing- the beam pattern and quality of that pattern. Having a high powered light with crappy optics isn't going to do you any good at night on gravel roads. Dark rings, spots, or weird shading may not be an issue while you are going down a paved road, because the differences between those oddities in optics are nothing like the surface you are riding. But out on gravel, these things can become trouble since the gravel can mimic shading, weird patterns, and yes- even circular shading, so it becomes difficult to know if you are looking at weird optics or six inches of gravel piled up in your path. You also need a broad swath of useable light. Spot beam patterns are not ideal. What if you want to switch your line to the right? If you are not sure if the gravel is deep, rutted, muddy, or dry outside your spot beam pattern, you have no idea what you are steering into until it is too late at higher speeds. 

T.I.V7: Image by W. Kilburg

Okay- so what should you look for in your choice of lighting? Good optics that do not have strange patterns, hot spots, or shading are best. A good, wide swath of even light is best. If that light can be pushed 100-150 yards up the road, that's even better. (You may want to think low/medium for the flats and hills and punch up the light to high beam for descents.)

My set up uses a cheapo Eveready camp light I hacked to a Cat Eye computer mount. The beam pattern goes from ditch to ditch and up the road far enough to comfortably ride the flats. My helmet mounted torch is going to be a Lezyne Super Drive, which will get my beam way up the road for the descents and will work for sign identification for navigation needs. My handle bar mount is going to be a Lezyne  Mega Drive set on a lower setting for down the road lighting.

I set my Eveready light on a mount off my front rack, lower than the handle bars, and it shows up washboarding, pot holes, and dips quite nicely down there. On my Fargo, that light will mount off my low rider mount which will do the same thing.

There is my set up for night time gravel grinding and it will be an improvement over my old set up, which wasn't quite adequate enough, (for me), on fast descents. Again- it's my opinion, and based off my experiences and perceived need. You should take this only as a guideline and do due diligence by testing your own lighting set up well before Trans Iowa.
 

Trans Iowa V9: Thoughts On Lighting Part II

Last week I hit on some stuff regarding lighting for those who might be attempting T.I.V9, (or any night time gravel grinder). You can check out that post here if you missed it.

The start of T.I.V7

This post will deal mostly with how I think your light should work for you. Mind you, this is merely my own opinion, but having done several night time gravel rides and events, I think I can speak with some authority here, and besides that, I know what lays in store for you on T.I.V9, and you do not!

There are two things, in my mind, that are paramount regarding lighting for Trans Iowa, or similar rides where fast descents may be occurring on gravel. First is getting light up the road. 

You can easily reach speeds of 35mph and probably up over 40mph on some of the descents on gravel for Trans Iowa. Your lighting may be adequate for pavement, but how do you "read the road" on gravel?  You only have a precious few split seconds to make decisions at these speeds, and on gravel- any sudden maneuvers will result in going out of control, or crashing, which are both bad things and usually go hand in hand. Knowing what is coming as soon as possible is very important then. And if you didn't know- the darkness in Iowa is........really dark! 

So here is the other important thing- the beam pattern and quality of that pattern. Having a high powered light with crappy optics isn't going to do you any good at night on gravel roads. Dark rings, spots, or weird shading may not be an issue while you are going down a paved road, because the differences between those oddities in optics are nothing like the surface you are riding. But out on gravel, these things can become trouble since the gravel can mimic shading, weird patterns, and yes- even circular shading, so it becomes difficult to know if you are looking at weird optics or six inches of gravel piled up in your path. You also need a broad swath of useable light. Spot beam patterns are not ideal. What if you want to switch your line to the right? If you are not sure if the gravel is deep, rutted, muddy, or dry outside your spot beam pattern, you have no idea what you are steering into until it is too late at higher speeds. 

T.I.V7: Image by W. Kilburg

Okay- so what should you look for in your choice of lighting? Good optics that do not have strange patterns, hot spots, or shading are best. A good, wide swath of even light is best. If that light can be pushed 100-150 yards up the road, that's even better. (You may want to think low/medium for the flats and hills and punch up the light to high beam for descents.)

My set up uses a cheapo Eveready camp light I hacked to a Cat Eye computer mount. The beam pattern goes from ditch to ditch and up the road far enough to comfortably ride the flats. My helmet mounted torch is going to be a Lezyne Super Drive, which will get my beam way up the road for the descents and will work for sign identification for navigation needs. My handle bar mount is going to be a Lezyne  Mega Drive set on a lower setting for down the road lighting.

I set my Eveready light on a mount off my front rack, lower than the handle bars, and it shows up washboarding, pot holes, and dips quite nicely down there. On my Fargo, that light will mount off my low rider mount which will do the same thing.

There is my set up for night time gravel grinding and it will be an improvement over my old set up, which wasn't quite adequate enough, (for me), on fast descents. Again- it's my opinion, and based off my experiences and perceived need. You should take this only as a guideline and do due diligence by testing your own lighting set up well before Trans Iowa.
 

Friday News And Views

SRAM XX1 Cassette

XX1: The Future Of Drive Trains?- 

 I had the chance to actually handle some XX1 drive train parts yesterday at the shop. The XX1 group is the newest technical advancement in drive trains for mountain biking.

SRAM saw that a lot of racers were not using the inner ring on their 2X10 set ups, so they developed an 11 speed system with the "bail out" gear on the cassette instead of on the crank set. This eliminated the front derailleur, shifter, and cable and housing on the left side. That makes XX1 lighter than XX, but the actual component pieces are heavier.

SRAM put a lot of neat little details into this. For instance, the rearmost cog is actually dished to help it clear the spokes. The cassette carrier is threaded and screws onto the cassette. That carrier has two cartridge bearings on each end to support the massive looking cassette, which is incredibly light, by the way. The carrier reveals the free hub pawls, and since the cassette is removed with a Shimano Hyperdrive lockring tool, you can get in there to clean out things anytime you want to.

The derailluer is also quite interesting. It has a Type 2 clutch to arrest movement of the cage, which stabilizes the chain. Interestingly SRAM used a roller bearing clutch to do this with. Shimano uses a band clamp. SRAM claims a no maintenance use for the Type 2 clutch mechanism for the life of the derailleur.

Downside here is that the entire system with the derailleur, cassette, crankset, shifter, and chain is about $1700.00. So, it isn't for everybody. There also is no option currently for a fatbike, which I think this system would be great for.

San Marco Pirelli damped saddle

Engine Mounts: 

 One of the ongoing pursuits of the cycling industry has been how to design components to absorb vibrations. This is important, since any vibrations or shocks that reach a rider have to be absorbed by that rider, which causes fatigue and loss of power, and at worst can cause failure physically and failure with components on the bicycle. Several ways of taking care of this problem have been attempted in the past. Suspension on mountain bikes is a good example of this, but even the tires and the air pressure you run them at are important in combating vibrations and road shock.

Lately I have seen several seat post based solutions to this problem. A few new ones on me were witnessed at Interbike. Now another one crops up from Cantitoe Road here. Elastomeric isolation from the rest of the bike for the rider is nothing new. (Note the Pirelli designed donuts on the saddle rails of that Selle San Marco saddle I have pictured here.) However; it could be a very effective way to get the job done. Just like engine mounts in a car isolate the activity of the engine from the rest of the car, the Cantitoe Road design could be a great product. However, typically this sort of idea has been problematic in its applications in bicycle components. We'll see how this pans out, but I like the idea.

Whoops! Not yet....

Hydraulic Road Shifter/Brake levers: 

 First off- yes, they are coming. It is not a hoax, something that is being pushed off, or a teaser. SRAM was going to pimp these at Interbike, but for technical reasons in other areas decided to hold off on these. They are just now making the rounds at cyclo-cross races.

Of course, everyone is wondering what Shimano will do. I hadn't heard anything until just recently, and this article in "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" confirms it. Shimano is coming on board with the disc brakes for roadies too.

A few points from the BRAIN article are worth noting. First, that Shimano is involved and plans on coming out with something. Shimano is primarily a research and development company. They likely have had a prototype road disc set up for several years and now can fast track it into production. Secondly- that the CEO for Formula's German arm is quoted as saying, "Shimano will be right from the beginning the leader of the market". That tells me the stuff will be dialed and will be spec'ed everywhere. Thirdly- That standards for road bikes are set for another sea change. You already have different head sets and bottom brackets across several different design standards. Now the wheels and wheel attachment standards will also change. I wouldn't at all be surprised to see road bikes get their rear axle spacing bumped out to 135mm as well. This means that road bikes from now back to the early 90's will become obsolete. Expect choices in wheels and other components to go the way of Campy Nuevo Record. (E-bay, Craigs List, and swap meets.)

A Few Words On T.I.V9:

Tomorrow the registration for Veterans will come to a close. I do not know how many spots the Vets will leave unclaimed, but I am certain there will be a fair number. These unclaimed spots, (if any), will be rolled into the pool available to the Rookies starting Monday. 

Look for a roster update later today and again on Saturday. I will then post what total number will be available to the Rookie Class on the T.I.V9 site.  Rookies will surely fill out their chunk of the roster in a few days or less. Things get kicked off for them on Monday. I have been getting a lot of questions and requests from individuals concerning the way things will work, which tells me interest is high. I am especially pleased to be hearing from several women who are considering jumping in. 

Could be a record year! 

I saw a few kind words were posted by T.I. Vet, John Karrasch on his blog. I admire John for his "never quit" attitude he displayed at last spring's Trans Iowa. You can check out what he had to say here, and read a few suggestions for those looking to attempt T.I.V9 as well.  

Fat Bike Summit: Last night on "The Guitar Ted Show" I had the pleasure of chatting with Jay Petervary and Scott Fitzgerald concerning the upcoming Fat Bike Summit which will feature seminars, information, group rides, a race, and demos of fat bikes in some awesome groomed snow trail country in Idaho. Jay mentioned that there is over 800 miles of snowy goodness out there to ride, so check out the links here and maybe get yourself out there come late January to enjoy the "Moab of Fatbiking".

3GR: It will occur again on Saturday at 8:30am at Gateway Park.

Friday News And Views

SRAM XX1 Cassette

XX1: The Future Of Drive Trains?- 

 I had the chance to actually handle some XX1 drive train parts yesterday at the shop. The XX1 group is the newest technical advancement in drive trains for mountain biking.

SRAM saw that a lot of racers were not using the inner ring on their 2X10 set ups, so they developed an 11 speed system with the "bail out" gear on the cassette instead of on the crank set. This eliminated the front derailleur, shifter, and cable and housing on the left side. That makes XX1 lighter than XX, but the actual component pieces are heavier.

SRAM put a lot of neat little details into this. For instance, the rearmost cog is actually dished to help it clear the spokes. The cassette carrier is threaded and screws onto the cassette. That carrier has two cartridge bearings on each end to support the massive looking cassette, which is incredibly light, by the way. The carrier reveals the free hub pawls, and since the cassette is removed with a Shimano Hyperdrive lockring tool, you can get in there to clean out things anytime you want to.

The derailluer is also quite interesting. It has a Type 2 clutch to arrest movement of the cage, which stabilizes the chain. Interestingly SRAM used a roller bearing clutch to do this with. Shimano uses a band clamp. SRAM claims a no maintenance use for the Type 2 clutch mechanism for the life of the derailleur.

Downside here is that the entire system with the derailleur, cassette, crankset, shifter, and chain is about $1700.00. So, it isn't for everybody. There also is no option currently for a fatbike, which I think this system would be great for.

San Marco Pirelli damped saddle

Engine Mounts: 

 One of the ongoing pursuits of the cycling industry has been how to design components to absorb vibrations. This is important, since any vibrations or shocks that reach a rider have to be absorbed by that rider, which causes fatigue and loss of power, and at worst can cause failure physically and failure with components on the bicycle. Several ways of taking care of this problem have been attempted in the past. Suspension on mountain bikes is a good example of this, but even the tires and the air pressure you run them at are important in combating vibrations and road shock.

Lately I have seen several seat post based solutions to this problem. A few new ones on me were witnessed at Interbike. Now another one crops up from Cantitoe Road here. Elastomeric isolation from the rest of the bike for the rider is nothing new. (Note the Pirelli designed donuts on the saddle rails of that Selle San Marco saddle I have pictured here.) However; it could be a very effective way to get the job done. Just like engine mounts in a car isolate the activity of the engine from the rest of the car, the Cantitoe Road design could be a great product. However, typically this sort of idea has been problematic in its applications in bicycle components. We'll see how this pans out, but I like the idea.

Whoops! Not yet....

Hydraulic Road Shifter/Brake levers: 

 First off- yes, they are coming. It is not a hoax, something that is being pushed off, or a teaser. SRAM was going to pimp these at Interbike, but for technical reasons in other areas decided to hold off on these. They are just now making the rounds at cyclo-cross races.

Of course, everyone is wondering what Shimano will do. I hadn't heard anything until just recently, and this article in "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" confirms it. Shimano is coming on board with the disc brakes for roadies too.

A few points from the BRAIN article are worth noting. First, that Shimano is involved and plans on coming out with something. Shimano is primarily a research and development company. They likely have had a prototype road disc set up for several years and now can fast track it into production. Secondly- that the CEO for Formula's German arm is quoted as saying, "Shimano will be right from the beginning the leader of the market". That tells me the stuff will be dialed and will be spec'ed everywhere. Thirdly- That standards for road bikes are set for another sea change. You already have different head sets and bottom brackets across several different design standards. Now the wheels and wheel attachment standards will also change. I wouldn't at all be surprised to see road bikes get their rear axle spacing bumped out to 135mm as well. This means that road bikes from now back to the early 90's will become obsolete. Expect choices in wheels and other components to go the way of Campy Nuevo Record. (E-bay, Craigs List, and swap meets.)

A Few Words On T.I.V9:

Tomorrow the registration for Veterans will come to a close. I do not know how many spots the Vets will leave unclaimed, but I am certain there will be a fair number. These unclaimed spots, (if any), will be rolled into the pool available to the Rookies starting Monday. 

Look for a roster update later today and again on Saturday. I will then post what total number will be available to the Rookie Class on the T.I.V9 site.  Rookies will surely fill out their chunk of the roster in a few days or less. Things get kicked off for them on Monday. I have been getting a lot of questions and requests from individuals concerning the way things will work, which tells me interest is high. I am especially pleased to be hearing from several women who are considering jumping in. 

Could be a record year! 

I saw a few kind words were posted by T.I. Vet, John Karrasch on his blog. I admire John for his "never quit" attitude he displayed at last spring's Trans Iowa. You can check out what he had to say here, and read a few suggestions for those looking to attempt T.I.V9 as well.  

Fat Bike Summit: Last night on "The Guitar Ted Show" I had the pleasure of chatting with Jay Petervary and Scott Fitzgerald concerning the upcoming Fat Bike Summit which will feature seminars, information, group rides, a race, and demos of fat bikes in some awesome groomed snow trail country in Idaho. Jay mentioned that there is over 800 miles of snowy goodness out there to ride, so check out the links here and maybe get yourself out there come late January to enjoy the "Moab of Fatbiking".

3GR: It will occur again on Saturday at 8:30am at Gateway Park.

Project Black: Update

Yesterday was a glorious late fall day. Sunshine, little wind to speak of, and time off to get out for a ride. I decided to take the Vassago Jabberwocky out for a spin.

I dubbed this "Project Black" some time ago, and used it as a platform to (a) see what the fuss was about a Vassago and to (b) do a lightweight version of a steel single speed. I think I have succeeded in the lightweight department. Project Black ended up at 22lbs ready to ride, as you see it here. That's without any "stupid-light" stuff on it too. So yeah- I could easily take this lower. 

That weight would come out of the wheels and fork. The Black Flags are decently light, but I have stiffer, lighter wheels I could use on it. The fork is a nice early version of a CroMoto Grande, which for a steel fork is light. However; a Niner Bikes fork, for instance, weighs almost half of what this does. So I could throw some money at this and get it down to 20lbs easily enough, but I ain't going to do it. Nope.

I like it fine as is, and I may not hang on to this bike all that long. I mean- I have plenty of single speeds!

 I decided to get out into the Green Belt for a spin. I didn't have all day to drag the rig up to the Camp, and this would be a good test for the Geax Gato 2.1"ers in slicker dirt, which I knew I would find in the Green Belt and not so much at Camp. I was not disappointed either.

The skinnier Gato tires are much like their bigger 2.3" siblings in that you have to run the air a bit lower to get the side knobs to work. It's a good thing I did run 'em lower too, as evidenced here by this sliding sideways mark in this curve. There was just enough side bite to keep it upright. Had the tires been pumped up a bit more, well then.......I probably would have went down here.

The Jabberwocky's longer chain stays probably helped a bit with the stability as well. Speaking of "longer", it is something the Jabberwocky is and you can tell this in tight turns. It isn't real adept at the tighter stuff, and that frame is a bit flexy when you are doing a slow speed maneuver too.

But the same flex that is a detriment there is really the Jabberwocky's best trait as well. The bike feels so smooth, and the lowered pressure in the tires made everything nice until you hit some real bumps in the trail.  Then you'd become aware again that the bike is fully rigid with no suspension to absorb that impact. In fact, the whole bike does this shudder/ringing thing when certain hits are encountered. It's kind of weird, really. I've never had any other bike resonate like a low frequency tuning fork before. Other than this, the Jabberwocky ranks right up there with the smoothest feeling steel frames I've ridden.

In terms of handling it seems to be okay. It isn't a very exciting bike to ride. Very smooth, very stable, and it seems very happy to keep both of its wheels firmly planted on terra-firma. If I had to ride a smooth-ish course for hours on end, I might choose this bike to do it on. If technical features, rough single track, or snappy handling are called for, I am going to reach for my OS Bikes Blackbuck, the Milwaukee Bicycle Company 29"er, or the old Salsa Cycles El Mariachi. If things call for a slightly more stable rig with great slow speed, technical handling and decent steel feel, I would opt for the Sawyer. All of those aforementioned rigs do front wheel lofts and snappy feeling accelerations better than the Jabberwocky does.

That's not to say that the Vassago is bad. It is more correct to say that it rides maybe like how a 70's steel Columbus SL tubed road bike rides in comparison to modern road bikes. Sure, it is smooth, but it isn't as snappy as a newer rig, and isn't as exciting to ride, maybe. If that makes any sense at all.....

Anyway, I ended up riding a loop through the old connector trail I made that runs along Ridgeway Avenue on the North side of the road. It's still all there. Funny that, since back when I made it, I couldn't hardly get anyone to help burn it in, and I gave up on it. Some folks dubbed it "Marky-Mark". (I got some help making the trail from another Mark) Kind of weird to ride a trail named after you.

So, back to the bike, eh? The Vassago is merely "okay". The "Wet Cat" geometry is about as attractive as its namesake. Stable to a fault, low-ish, long, and not conducive to getting active with your riding style like some bikes are. And that's okay. It is different. It just is not my cup of tea as far as grabbing this over other bikes I have sitting around. I'm glad I tried it. I am happy with how the build went and with the weight. I'll have to think it over for awhile and see what I want to do with this thing. I think I already have a pretty good idea what will eventually happen here!

Project Black: Update

Yesterday was a glorious late fall day. Sunshine, little wind to speak of, and time off to get out for a ride. I decided to take the Vassago Jabberwocky out for a spin.

I dubbed this "Project Black" some time ago, and used it as a platform to (a) see what the fuss was about a Vassago and to (b) do a lightweight version of a steel single speed. I think I have succeeded in the lightweight department. Project Black ended up at 22lbs ready to ride, as you see it here. That's without any "stupid-light" stuff on it too. So yeah- I could easily take this lower. 

That weight would come out of the wheels and fork. The Black Flags are decently light, but I have stiffer, lighter wheels I could use on it. The fork is a nice early version of a CroMoto Grande, which for a steel fork is light. However; a Niner Bikes fork, for instance, weighs almost half of what this does. So I could throw some money at this and get it down to 20lbs easily enough, but I ain't going to do it. Nope.

I like it fine as is, and I may not hang on to this bike all that long. I mean- I have plenty of single speeds!

 I decided to get out into the Green Belt for a spin. I didn't have all day to drag the rig up to the Camp, and this would be a good test for the Geax Gato 2.1"ers in slicker dirt, which I knew I would find in the Green Belt and not so much at Camp. I was not disappointed either.

The skinnier Gato tires are much like their bigger 2.3" siblings in that you have to run the air a bit lower to get the side knobs to work. It's a good thing I did run 'em lower too, as evidenced here by this sliding sideways mark in this curve. There was just enough side bite to keep it upright. Had the tires been pumped up a bit more, well then.......I probably would have went down here.

The Jabberwocky's longer chain stays probably helped a bit with the stability as well. Speaking of "longer", it is something the Jabberwocky is and you can tell this in tight turns. It isn't real adept at the tighter stuff, and that frame is a bit flexy when you are doing a slow speed maneuver too.

But the same flex that is a detriment there is really the Jabberwocky's best trait as well. The bike feels so smooth, and the lowered pressure in the tires made everything nice until you hit some real bumps in the trail.  Then you'd become aware again that the bike is fully rigid with no suspension to absorb that impact. In fact, the whole bike does this shudder/ringing thing when certain hits are encountered. It's kind of weird, really. I've never had any other bike resonate like a low frequency tuning fork before. Other than this, the Jabberwocky ranks right up there with the smoothest feeling steel frames I've ridden.

In terms of handling it seems to be okay. It isn't a very exciting bike to ride. Very smooth, very stable, and it seems very happy to keep both of its wheels firmly planted on terra-firma. If I had to ride a smooth-ish course for hours on end, I might choose this bike to do it on. If technical features, rough single track, or snappy handling are called for, I am going to reach for my OS Bikes Blackbuck, the Milwaukee Bicycle Company 29"er, or the old Salsa Cycles El Mariachi. If things call for a slightly more stable rig with great slow speed, technical handling and decent steel feel, I would opt for the Sawyer. All of those aforementioned rigs do front wheel lofts and snappy feeling accelerations better than the Jabberwocky does.

That's not to say that the Vassago is bad. It is more correct to say that it rides maybe like how a 70's steel Columbus SL tubed road bike rides in comparison to modern road bikes. Sure, it is smooth, but it isn't as snappy as a newer rig, and isn't as exciting to ride, maybe. If that makes any sense at all.....

Anyway, I ended up riding a loop through the old connector trail I made that runs along Ridgeway Avenue on the North side of the road. It's still all there. Funny that, since back when I made it, I couldn't hardly get anyone to help burn it in, and I gave up on it. Some folks dubbed it "Marky-Mark". (I got some help making the trail from another Mark) Kind of weird to ride a trail named after you.

So, back to the bike, eh? The Vassago is merely "okay". The "Wet Cat" geometry is about as attractive as its namesake. Stable to a fault, low-ish, long, and not conducive to getting active with your riding style like some bikes are. And that's okay. It is different. It just is not my cup of tea as far as grabbing this over other bikes I have sitting around. I'm glad I tried it. I am happy with how the build went and with the weight. I'll have to think it over for awhile and see what I want to do with this thing. I think I already have a pretty good idea what will eventually happen here!