Bikes Of 2020: 2007 Pofahl Signature Custom

 It's THAT time of year again when I have my year-end reviews. This series will cover my bikes I used during 2020, any changes made, and why I still like each one- or don't! Thanks for reading!

The Pofahl brand is not a well known one outside of Southern Minnesota, but it should be. Mike Pofahl has built many custom bikes since the 80's and also did some contract work for some parts in the past. I became aware of Mike's proficiency at joining steel tubing through my friend Ben Witt, who had come across some of Mike's work since they are both from  the same area. The connection with me started when I met Ben and told him I had been doodling up some ideas for a 29"er that I thought would be cool. Ben had a BikeCad design software set up on his computer and he offered to look at the design. After seeing what I had in mind he suggested that we get this made and have Mike Pofahl do the brazing. So, that's how this bike came together. 

Of course, this was all before the Fargo Gen 1. Had I known to think the way most of us adventurers do now, I would have insisted on fork mounts for water bottles, but alas! I wasn't very smart, so I had to use a seat post mount for a third cage. I asked about slipping a cage on top of the laterals but I was told there wasn't enough room, so...... 

Yeah, so there ya go. The story behind the Pofahl. It has been a great bike, despite my crackpot design, and I have done some of my longest rides on this rig. This would also have been the bike I was falling asleep on going down hills at the last Good Life Gravel Adventure, which became Gravel Worlds the following year. So, good times have been had on this one. 

I recently switched out my old I-9 wheels to these slightly newer I-9 wheels and added the awesome Vittoria Terreno XC tires. I also stuck that shorty stem on there which ended up being something I really liked. Otherwise this bike has been pretty much the same for years. It has the distinction of using some old parts from my MTB history. There's the original Syncros 27.0mm seat post which came off my 1992 Klein Attitude. the 180mm Race Face cranks were originally on my 1996 Diamondback V-Link Pro dual suspension bike. 

I might change the stem to one slightly longer than this one is, but otherwise I think the Pofahl is looking good. It's a one-off and since it was my design, well.......I'm not going to be getting rid of it.

Bikes Of 2020: 2007 Pofahl Signature Custom

 It's THAT time of year again when I have my year-end reviews. This series will cover my bikes I used during 2020, any changes made, and why I still like each one- or don't! Thanks for reading!

The Pofahl brand is not a well known one outside of Southern Minnesota, but it should be. Mike Pofahl has built many custom bikes since the 80's and also did some contract work for some parts in the past. I became aware of Mike's proficiency at joining steel tubing through my friend Ben Witt, who had come across some of Mike's work since they are both from  the same area. The connection with me started when I met Ben and told him I had been doodling up some ideas for a 29"er that I thought would be cool. Ben had a BikeCad design software set up on his computer and he offered to look at the design. After seeing what I had in mind he suggested that we get this made and have Mike Pofahl do the brazing. So, that's how this bike came together. 

Of course, this was all before the Fargo Gen 1. Had I known to think the way most of us adventurers do now, I would have insisted on fork mounts for water bottles, but alas! I wasn't very smart, so I had to use a seat post mount for a third cage. I asked about slipping a cage on top of the laterals but I was told there wasn't enough room, so...... 

Yeah, so there ya go. The story behind the Pofahl. It has been a great bike, despite my crackpot design, and I have done some of my longest rides on this rig. This would also have been the bike I was falling asleep on going down hills at the last Good Life Gravel Adventure, which became Gravel Worlds the following year. So, good times have been had on this one. 

I recently switched out my old I-9 wheels to these slightly newer I-9 wheels and added the awesome Vittoria Terreno XC tires. I also stuck that shorty stem on there which ended up being something I really liked. Otherwise this bike has been pretty much the same for years. It has the distinction of using some old parts from my MTB history. There's the original Syncros 27.0mm seat post which came off my 1992 Klein Attitude. the 180mm Race Face cranks were originally on my 1996 Diamondback V-Link Pro dual suspension bike. 

I might change the stem to one slightly longer than this one is, but otherwise I think the Pofahl is looking good. It's a one-off and since it was my design, well.......I'm not going to be getting rid of it.

Rear View 2020: The Fourth Quarter

The Quest took up almost all my riding for the last quarter of 2020.

 Hello Readers! Once again I am doing the annual retrospective on what went down over the year of 2020. This is the last post and will cover the Fourth quarter and the previous three quarters have been posted already for a total of four, one each week of December on Thursdays. This is the fourth "Rear View" post of the series. 

October kicked off with my announcement that I was not going to continue on with cataloging gravel events anymore. The chaos induced by the pandemic caused everything to be in flux and one man trying to ride herd on 500+ events was not a tenable situation going forward. Besides, the whole situation previous to the pandemic in relation to taking care of the calendar was time consuming and did not reflect in any perceived benefits to either the site or myself. So, that's that. I kind of hated to call an end to something I started in 2008, but it wasn't a realistic expectation for me to carry it on either. 

The Fall saw my rides to complete "The Quest" ramp up considerably. The days were windy, dry, and the routes got more convoluted and weird. The need to get roads done dwindled down to a point that by December I had a minimal amount of roads to cover. Finally, on the last nice day of 2020, where the temperatures reached about 60°, I completed 'The Quest", and that was on December 10th.

On a personal level I was attending my son's final high school football games. The away games were all at the same stadium in Cedar Rapids with the exception of the final game which was at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. Attendance was strictly relegated by the schools, so it was a weird experience. The West Wahawks won a play-off game and were awarded a special banner to be hung in the school gymnasium and a trophy for the trophy case. My son was proud of his accomplishments on the field and it was kind of rewarding to be a small part of that.  

One other notable thing I did was that I volunteered for the Spotted Horse gravel race in October. This marked the first time I had driven out of town for anything other than football games since the last day of February. It also marked the first time I had personal contact with anyone outside of my family and employer since mid-March. In fact, I got three hugs. It was.......weird, wonderful, and risky. I actually felt a touch guilty about it all. Still do......

Work was another thing that dwindled down to nearly nothing by December. Since new complete bikes were as rare as hen's teeth, only repairs were keeping me working and those dried up, which wasn't a surprise. The Winter would be a sparse, low-key affair for me going forward due to this. Of course, this gave me more opportunities to finish up "The Quest". So it wasn't a total loss. 

And that's a wrap on the year. Once again, I want to extend my deepest thanks and appreciation to all those who have come here to read this blog. Either on a daily basis, occasionally, or even rarely. All of you matter and I am honored and privileged to have you all as my audience. 

As 2020 draws to a close, and after 15 years of blogging, I am still amazed that anyone even ventures to read my writings. I still am energized to write stories and convey thoughts and opinions. I hope to continue sharing my experiences in words and images for a long time into the future. But I realize the future is not guaranteed. This year has brought that thought into sharper focus more than ever. 

Next: A look at the images of the year, a Top Ten Most Read Posts article, and a look into the future of the blog and my exploits for 2020.

Rear View 2020: The Fourth Quarter

The Quest took up almost all my riding for the last quarter of 2020.

 Hello Readers! Once again I am doing the annual retrospective on what went down over the year of 2020. This is the last post and will cover the Fourth quarter and the previous three quarters have been posted already for a total of four, one each week of December on Thursdays. This is the fourth "Rear View" post of the series. 

October kicked off with my announcement that I was not going to continue on with cataloging gravel events anymore. The chaos induced by the pandemic caused everything to be in flux and one man trying to ride herd on 500+ events was not a tenable situation going forward. Besides, the whole situation previous to the pandemic in relation to taking care of the calendar was time consuming and did not reflect in any perceived benefits to either the site or myself. So, that's that. I kind of hated to call an end to something I started in 2008, but it wasn't a realistic expectation for me to carry it on either. 

The Fall saw my rides to complete "The Quest" ramp up considerably. The days were windy, dry, and the routes got more convoluted and weird. The need to get roads done dwindled down to a point that by December I had a minimal amount of roads to cover. Finally, on the last nice day of 2020, where the temperatures reached about 60°, I completed 'The Quest", and that was on December 10th.

On a personal level I was attending my son's final high school football games. The away games were all at the same stadium in Cedar Rapids with the exception of the final game which was at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. Attendance was strictly relegated by the schools, so it was a weird experience. The West Wahawks won a play-off game and were awarded a special banner to be hung in the school gymnasium and a trophy for the trophy case. My son was proud of his accomplishments on the field and it was kind of rewarding to be a small part of that.  

One other notable thing I did was that I volunteered for the Spotted Horse gravel race in October. This marked the first time I had driven out of town for anything other than football games since the last day of February. It also marked the first time I had personal contact with anyone outside of my family and employer since mid-March. In fact, I got three hugs. It was.......weird, wonderful, and risky. I actually felt a touch guilty about it all. Still do......

Work was another thing that dwindled down to nearly nothing by December. Since new complete bikes were as rare as hen's teeth, only repairs were keeping me working and those dried up, which wasn't a surprise. The Winter would be a sparse, low-key affair for me going forward due to this. Of course, this gave me more opportunities to finish up "The Quest". So it wasn't a total loss. 

And that's a wrap on the year. Once again, I want to extend my deepest thanks and appreciation to all those who have come here to read this blog. Either on a daily basis, occasionally, or even rarely. All of you matter and I am honored and privileged to have you all as my audience. 

As 2020 draws to a close, and after 15 years of blogging, I am still amazed that anyone even ventures to read my writings. I still am energized to write stories and convey thoughts and opinions. I hope to continue sharing my experiences in words and images for a long time into the future. But I realize the future is not guaranteed. This year has brought that thought into sharper focus more than ever. 

Next: A look at the images of the year, a Top Ten Most Read Posts article, and a look into the future of the blog and my exploits for 2020.

Bikes Of 2020: Black Mountain Cycles "Monstercross"

  It's THAT time of year again when I have my year-end reviews. This series will cover my bikes I used during 2020, any changes made, and why I still like each one- or don't! Thanks for reading!

Another staple of the fleet here which will celebrate its 10th year here at G-Ted Productions in 2021. The Black Mountain Cycles "Monstercross" model was purchased as a frame/fork and first assembled as a single speed in 2011.

 I never called it a "Monstercross" bike as I never really liked that term. To me this was going to be a gravel bike, much in the same vein as the Surly Cross Check had become the de-facto gravel bike of choice by 2010.  Going to any gravel event ten years ago meant that you'd be seeing a ton of Cross Checks. I did not choose a Cross Check due to one or two idiosyncrasies that bike has which the Monstercross model addressed for me. 

So, the bike became known here as the "Orange Crush" or "#49", as it was the 49th Black Mountain Cycles bike made, according to serial numbers. I eventually set it up with gears, a front rack, a bag, and fenders. Now it looks more like a rando bike than a gravel bike!

In 2019 I switched this bike back to single speed mode and I installed an ancient set of Sugino 180mm cranks. I love it in this mode, but for whatever reason, I had a left crank arm come loose and as of this writing I am not entirely sure I have that rectified. Worse case scenario, (likely scenario more like it) will be that I have to find another 180mm arm set to replace the current crank. I could go 175mm, but with the high bottom bracket that the first generation Monstercross bikes had, I like 180mm far better. The jury is still out on whether or not I need to replace this crank set, but if any changes are made, that would be the one I would make. 

Another plan I have is to get a real single speed quick release hub laced up for this bike and maybe a front dynamo hub for a light. I could see this being the ultimate bad weather, go anywhere bike for me if I can manage that. Stay tuned......

What Are These Bikes Now?

The bike with an identity crisis- What is this really?

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

It used to be that things seemed so much easier. They probably weren't, but it just seems that back in the day, you had 'road bikes' and 'mountain bikes' and that was about it. Now we have a zillion different niche bike categories and names all over the place. No wonder we all get confused and hung up on this. 

The thing is, humans like to categorize stuff, put that stuff in neat boxes so we can 'know' what that stuff is, and we don't have to spend time and energy thinking about what 'that' is because it goes here, in this box. Don't you go using what's in that box for that thing you are doing, because it wasn't put in that box so you could go do that thing. I generalize, but this goes for a lot of what we discuss, (argue about?), on the digital communications devices we have these daze. (Because 75% of what you'd type on a keyboard/touch screen you'd never say to someone's face!) 

Anywho..... I was thinking about this when I was writing up my "Bikes of 2020" post on my Black Mountain Cycles "Monster Cross" rig. So, let's start there, with that name. It's an interesting concept from the 2000's.

This category of bike made sense back before 'Gravel®' became a thing. Drop bars, (natch) and tires bigger than cyclo-cross (33mm) but smaller than MTB (2.0"). Makes sense, right? Bigger than 'cross bike's tires = monstercross. Smaller than MTB because, well, that just becomes a drop bar mountain bike, right? This illustrates where Gravel® ended up muddying up the waters. Now there are no guidelines. 

Any drop bar bike, (and now some are saying flat bar as well). with bigger than cyclo-cross tires (33mm) is now a Gravel® Bike and even drop bar bikes with 2.0"+ tires, what used to be the line at which demarcated MTB, is still considered Gravel®. What is more, usage is now a blurred line with regard to what is what. 

Look at any current marketing for drop bar Gravel®. Almost always the setting is a fire road, or even single track, out West somewhere, with guys (almost exclusively, but not always) catching air off some boost or lip in the 'road', which almost never has any Gravel® on it. They say 'that is Gravel®. Really? Why does it look more and more like rigid MTB from the 1990's? Weird! Substitute in a 1990 era MTB into the picture and the marketing is identical. And what about "Monstercross"? Where did that go? And where is the actual Gravel® here? Why does no one in marketing look at roads that, you know, are actually gravel. And quit thinking that your imagery sucks unless you have mountains in them. Clue: Most people do not live anywhere near mountains. Really! I know that may surprise many of you marketers. But besides this, why didn't we stick with "Monstercross" for all of this? It actually makes more sense than calling these bikes Gravel® Bikes.

But things are more complex these days. I get that. Any bike can be used on Gravel®, so long as you understand the limitations of said bike. Anything not paved is "Gravel®" in terms of usage so long as the terrain doesn't call out for specialized equipment, like fat bike snow or mud conditions, or full-on MTB trail conditions, Down Hill courses, etc. What's in a name these days anyway? What, if anything, does a name like Gravel® for a bike style tell us now? 

Clue: There's Money® in it, that's what.

What Are These Bikes Now?

The bike with an identity crisis- What is this really?

NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

It used to be that things seemed so much easier. They probably weren't, but it just seems that back in the day, you had 'road bikes' and 'mountain bikes' and that was about it. Now we have a zillion different niche bike categories and names all over the place. No wonder we all get confused and hung up on this. 

The thing is, humans like to categorize stuff, put that stuff in neat boxes so we can 'know' what that stuff is, and we don't have to spend time and energy thinking about what 'that' is because it goes here, in this box. Don't you go using what's in that box for that thing you are doing, because it wasn't put in that box so you could go do that thing. I generalize, but this goes for a lot of what we discuss, (argue about?), on the digital communications devices we have these daze. (Because 75% of what you'd type on a keyboard/touch screen you'd never say to someone's face!) 

Anywho..... I was thinking about this when I was writing up my "Bikes of 2020" post on my Black Mountain Cycles "Monster Cross" rig. So, let's start there, with that name. It's an interesting concept from the 2000's.

This category of bike made sense back before 'Gravel®' became a thing. Drop bars, (natch) and tires bigger than cyclo-cross (33mm) but smaller than MTB (2.0"). Makes sense, right? Bigger than 'cross bike's tires = monstercross. Smaller than MTB because, well, that just becomes a drop bar mountain bike, right? This illustrates where Gravel® ended up muddying up the waters. Now there are no guidelines. 

Any drop bar bike, (and now some are saying flat bar as well). with bigger than cyclo-cross tires (33mm) is now a Gravel® Bike and even drop bar bikes with 2.0"+ tires, what used to be the line at which demarcated MTB, is still considered Gravel®. What is more, usage is now a blurred line with regard to what is what. 

Look at any current marketing for drop bar Gravel®. Almost always the setting is a fire road, or even single track, out West somewhere, with guys (almost exclusively, but not always) catching air off some boost or lip in the 'road', which almost never has any Gravel® on it. They say 'that is Gravel®. Really? Why does it look more and more like rigid MTB from the 1990's? Weird! Substitute in a 1990 era MTB into the picture and the marketing is identical. And what about "Monstercross"? Where did that go? And where is the actual Gravel® here? Why does no one in marketing look at roads that, you know, are actually gravel. And quit thinking that your imagery sucks unless you have mountains in them. Clue: Most people do not live anywhere near mountains. Really! I know that may surprise many of you marketers. But besides this, why didn't we stick with "Monstercross" for all of this? It actually makes more sense than calling these bikes Gravel® Bikes.

But things are more complex these days. I get that. Any bike can be used on Gravel®, so long as you understand the limitations of said bike. Anything not paved is "Gravel®" in terms of usage so long as the terrain doesn't call out for specialized equipment, like fat bike snow or mud conditions, or full-on MTB trail conditions, Down Hill courses, etc. What's in a name these days anyway? What, if anything, does a name like Gravel® for a bike style tell us now? 

Clue: There's Money® in it, that's what.

Bikes Of 2020: Black Mountain Cycles "Monstercross"

  It's THAT time of year again when I have my year-end reviews. This series will cover my bikes I used during 2020, any changes made, and why I still like each one- or don't! Thanks for reading!

Another staple of the fleet here which will celebrate its 10th year here at G-Ted Productions in 2021. The Black Mountain Cycles "Monstercross" model was purchased as a frame/fork and first assembled as a single speed in 2011.

 I never called it a "Monstercross" bike as I never really liked that term. To me this was going to be a gravel bike, much in the same vein as the Surly Cross Check had become the de-facto gravel bike of choice by 2010.  Going to any gravel event ten years ago meant that you'd be seeing a ton of Cross Checks. I did not choose a Cross Check due to one or two idiosyncrasies that bike has which the Monstercross model addressed for me. 

So, the bike became known here as the "Orange Crush" or "#49", as it was the 49th Black Mountain Cycles bike made, according to serial numbers. I eventually set it up with gears, a front rack, a bag, and fenders. Now it looks more like a rando bike than a gravel bike!

In 2019 I switched this bike back to single speed mode and I installed an ancient set of Sugino 180mm cranks. I love it in this mode, but for whatever reason, I had a left crank arm come loose and as of this writing I am not entirely sure I have that rectified. Worse case scenario, (likely scenario more like it) will be that I have to find another 180mm arm set to replace the current crank. I could go 175mm, but with the high bottom bracket that the first generation Monstercross bikes had, I like 180mm far better. The jury is still out on whether or not I need to replace this crank set, but if any changes are made, that would be the one I would make. 

Another plan I have is to get a real single speed quick release hub laced up for this bike and maybe a front dynamo hub for a light. I could see this being the ultimate bad weather, go anywhere bike for me if I can manage that. Stay tuned......

Brown Season: Fat Bike Saturday

Squiggles courtesy of an Emerald Ash Borer, which killed this ash tree.

December weather has been pretty darn great here, but as we get closer to January, what constitutes 'great' in terms of weather is really not all that conducive to being out in the open on gravel roads. So, despite it being in the upper 20's with little wind, that was too brutal for me since the air was 'wet' and when it gets like that it sucks the heat right out of your very being. People who live along the coasts know exactly what I mean by that.

So, I've taken some time off gravel and have been riding city paths, alleys, and finding dirt single track within the urban area. Saturday I decided to go check out the progress on University Avenue's renovations and then check out Casey's Trail. First, a little observation I've made about this renovation of University Avenue as it relates to the Sergeant Road bike path. 

Before any renovations were done, and the old overpass and old bike path were there, the biggest issues I had, (and I suppose anyone else that walked/biked through there as well), was that due to the truncated Falls Avenue, removal of storm sewers for that old street, and with no provisions made for run-off water whatsoever, this area would become nearly unusable for much of the Winter and Spring. Nearly....but still passable. In the future?

Well, I was hopeful that this issue would be addressed with the new renovations being implemented with the new bike paths coming through on University Avenue and the making of a new underpass tunnel at the University Avenue intersection of the Sergeant Road bike trail, but..... Not surprisingly the engineers on this project did absolutely nothing to address this need. In fact, in my estimation, things will be worse than ever! 

On one side you have the HWY 218/27 expressway which is elevated above the bike path. On the other side they actually elevated the open area between the path and University Avenue. This will have the effect of creating a valley, or more like a canyon, and with less places for water to sit, that will really make for some awesome deep flooding of that section of the Sergeant Road bike trail. Then consider the tunnel. It also is at a low point, has zero drainage, and they are installing a parking area (wasn't there before) and a ramp from the elevated part of University, (wasn't there before), which will feed run-off water right you-know-where. 

From the University Avenue Project site

 This looks like an upgrade, but in reality, it likely will be far worse than ever without some way of getting run-off water out of there. Since the bike trail is effectively the lowest point through that area, I see no other alternative than failure for this project. Here's my analysis:

1. As you can see at arrow #1 above, the old Sergeant Road bike trail came down along that fence line and just to the left, as you look there, the embankment going up to the expressway to the far upper left starts on the left side of that fence and that embankment is steep. The new path will exit where #2 arrow is pointing and curve alongside that same fence line continuing out of this image's viewpoint to the lower left. All along this there are no provisions for run-off water from either the expressway or what is now elevated to the same elevation as University Avenue just out of view below the image. 
2. The second arrow points to the exit on the North side of the tunnel. As you can plainly see, it is at the lowest point of all the surrounding land. Where will snow melt and rain water drain off to? 
3. The third arrow points to the new access road off University Avenue and the small parking area for access to the trail, which never existed before. Assuming this will be paved, where does all the new run-off created go? Note: The entrance to the tunnel under University is lower than the parking area. There also is a ramp running down to this tunnel entrance from below this image out of view which will further exacerbate run-off issues on the South side.
   

 I invite any locals to go look at this and if you see something I am missing, please let me know, but to my eyes, this looks bad.

Now, with that observation out of the way, I went on with my riding to Casey's Trail and I was wanting to see how it was fairing, as it is a little used trail and newer than most in the area. 

This stick is why I like single speed bikes, or bikes like my Rohloff equipped Ti Muk 2 for single track around here.

As it turned out, the trail was in excellent shape. I was a bit surprised by this, and I took advantage of the conditions to ride it on my Ti Muk 2. The Fall/Winter riding around here can be tricky with how many sticks and small branches get blown down onto the trail surface. In Spring and Summer this debris gets cleared away by other riders and trail maintainers, but at this time of year, both those benefits tend to be gone. So, instead of risking a derailleur equipped bike's rear mech to possible rippage, I tend to use a single speed device. Or I use my Rohloff equipped Ti Muk 2, as there are no dangly bits to get caught up in any woody mayhem. 

This particular ride showed me why I am right in doing so this time of the year. What could have been an expensive situation requiring walking long distances was rendered a simple annoyance. I simply stopped and removed the offending bit and continued on my merry way. 

This turned out to be a good ride, but it doesn't replace the gravel travel experience for me. I am still going to try to get out there when the conditions are conducive for a reasonably comfortable ride without freezing my bits off. I'm sure there won't be many chances for that until Spring, but I'm going to take what  I can get there.

Brown Season: Fat Bike Saturday

Squiggles courtesy of an Emerald Ash Borer, which killed this ash tree.

December weather has been pretty darn great here, but as we get closer to January, what constitutes 'great' in terms of weather is really not all that conducive to being out in the open on gravel roads. So, despite it being in the upper 20's with little wind, that was too brutal for me since the air was 'wet' and when it gets like that it sucks the heat right out of your very being. People who live along the coasts know exactly what I mean by that.

So, I've taken some time off gravel and have been riding city paths, alleys, and finding dirt single track within the urban area. Saturday I decided to go check out the progress on University Avenue's renovations and then check out Casey's Trail. First, a little observation I've made about this renovation of University Avenue as it relates to the Sergeant Road bike path. 

Before any renovations were done, and the old overpass and old bike path were there, the biggest issues I had, (and I suppose anyone else that walked/biked through there as well), was that due to the truncated Falls Avenue, removal of storm sewers for that old street, and with no provisions made for run-off water whatsoever, this area would become nearly unusable for much of the Winter and Spring. Nearly....but still passable. In the future?

Well, I was hopeful that this issue would be addressed with the new renovations being implemented with the new bike paths coming through on University Avenue and the making of a new underpass tunnel at the University Avenue intersection of the Sergeant Road bike trail, but..... Not surprisingly the engineers on this project did absolutely nothing to address this need. In fact, in my estimation, things will be worse than ever! 

On one side you have the HWY 218/27 expressway which is elevated above the bike path. On the other side they actually elevated the open area between the path and University Avenue. This will have the effect of creating a valley, or more like a canyon, and with less places for water to sit, that will really make for some awesome deep flooding of that section of the Sergeant Road bike trail. Then consider the tunnel. It also is at a low point, has zero drainage, and they are installing a parking area (wasn't there before) and a ramp from the elevated part of University, (wasn't there before), which will feed run-off water right you-know-where. 

From the University Avenue Project site

 This looks like an upgrade, but in reality, it likely will be far worse than ever without some way of getting run-off water out of there. Since the bike trail is effectively the lowest point through that area, I see no other alternative than failure for this project. Here's my analysis:

1. As you can see at arrow #1 above, the old Sergeant Road bike trail came down along that fence line and just to the left, as you look there, the embankment going up to the expressway to the far upper left starts on the left side of that fence and that embankment is steep. The new path will exit where #2 arrow is pointing and curve alongside that same fence line continuing out of this image's viewpoint to the lower left. All along this there are no provisions for run-off water from either the expressway or what is now elevated to the same elevation as University Avenue just out of view below the image. 
2. The second arrow points to the exit on the North side of the tunnel. As you can plainly see, it is at the lowest point of all the surrounding land. Where will snow melt and rain water drain off to? 
3. The third arrow points to the new access road off University Avenue and the small parking area for access to the trail, which never existed before. Assuming this will be paved, where does all the new run-off created go? Note: The entrance to the tunnel under University is lower than the parking area. There also is a ramp running down to this tunnel entrance from below this image out of view which will further exacerbate run-off issues on the South side.
   

 I invite any locals to go look at this and if you see something I am missing, please let me know, but to my eyes, this looks bad.

Now, with that observation out of the way, I went on with my riding to Casey's Trail and I was wanting to see how it was fairing, as it is a little used trail and newer than most in the area. 

This stick is why I like single speed bikes, or bikes like my Rohloff equipped Ti Muk 2 for single track around here.

As it turned out, the trail was in excellent shape. I was a bit surprised by this, and I took advantage of the conditions to ride it on my Ti Muk 2. The Fall/Winter riding around here can be tricky with how many sticks and small branches get blown down onto the trail surface. In Spring and Summer this debris gets cleared away by other riders and trail maintainers, but at this time of year, both those benefits tend to be gone. So, instead of risking a derailleur equipped bike's rear mech to possible rippage, I tend to use a single speed device. Or I use my Rohloff equipped Ti Muk 2, as there are no dangly bits to get caught up in any woody mayhem. 

This particular ride showed me why I am right in doing so this time of the year. What could have been an expensive situation requiring walking long distances was rendered a simple annoyance. I simply stopped and removed the offending bit and continued on my merry way. 

This turned out to be a good ride, but it doesn't replace the gravel travel experience for me. I am still going to try to get out there when the conditions are conducive for a reasonably comfortable ride without freezing my bits off. I'm sure there won't be many chances for that until Spring, but I'm going to take what  I can get there.

Bikes Of 2020: The Black Mountain Cycles MCD

Here is the BMC MCD with the Spinergy wheels mounted.

 It's THAT time of year again when I have my year-end reviews. This series will cover my bikes I used during 2020, any changes made, and why I still like each one- or don't! Thanks for reading!

Black Mountain Cycles MCD: This bike has been around now a couple of years plus and has been a big part of my riding since it has gotten here. In fact, it seems that a lot of the people that come here also are interested in this bike because my post "One Year Review: Black Mountain Cycles MCD" keeps getting hits consistently. That post I wrote in the Summer of 2019, so has anything changed since then? 

Well, not really. I did put the Redshift Sports ShockStop seat post on it, but that has since been swapped out to the original Whisky Parts Co. carbon post. I had been running when I built up the bike. I also swapped out the Spinergy wheels I had been using on the bike a lot during 2019 to the original Irwin Cycling wheels I started out with. I also got a Shimano GRX rear derailleur at the end of 2019 and installed it. This made the drive train a lot more stable and quiet. 

Besides those minor swaps and some wheels I used on the bike to get them reviewed, along with various tires, the bike is basically what it has been. It still handles well and I like the way it fits. I am considering lowering the stem and maybe lengthening it a touch, but that is just tweaking, nothing major going on here that needs 'fixing'. 

Basically the future for this pink MCD is to just to do basic maintenance and keep on truckin'. I'm toying with getting a new saddle on it, probably another WTB Volt or a Silverado, but this bike should remain as is for the foreseeable future.

Bikes Of 2020: The Black Mountain Cycles MCD

Here is the BMC MCD with the Spinergy wheels mounted.

 It's THAT time of year again when I have my year-end reviews. This series will cover my bikes I used during 2020, any changes made, and why I still like each one- or don't! Thanks for reading!

Black Mountain Cycles MCD: This bike has been around now a couple of years plus and has been a big part of my riding since it has gotten here. In fact, it seems that a lot of the people that come here also are interested in this bike because my post "One Year Review: Black Mountain Cycles MCD" keeps getting hits consistently. That post I wrote in the Summer of 2019, so has anything changed since then? 

Well, not really. I did put the Redshift Sports ShockStop seat post on it, but that has since been swapped out to the original Whisky Parts Co. carbon post. I had been running when I built up the bike. I also swapped out the Spinergy wheels I had been using on the bike a lot during 2019 to the original Irwin Cycling wheels I started out with. I also got a Shimano GRX rear derailleur at the end of 2019 and installed it. This made the drive train a lot more stable and quiet. 

Besides those minor swaps and some wheels I used on the bike to get them reviewed, along with various tires, the bike is basically what it has been. It still handles well and I like the way it fits. I am considering lowering the stem and maybe lengthening it a touch, but that is just tweaking, nothing major going on here that needs 'fixing'. 

Basically the future for this pink MCD is to just to do basic maintenance and keep on truckin'. I'm toying with getting a new saddle on it, probably another WTB Volt or a Silverado, but this bike should remain as is for the foreseeable future.

Cold Days-Slow Days

I got some new Challenge Tires treads to review.

 It's late December and as usual, things are slow and low around the G-Ted Headquarters. Not much going on, that's for sure! This has been a really tough time of the year for me for a long time. Maybe a few of you out there have a hard time dealing with this particular season of the year? If so, I maybe can empathize with you there.

The Holiday Season is something many people really gear up for and go all-out with social gatherings, decorations, traditions, and the obvious religious ceremonies and whatnot. Well, not me. I'm really glad just to get through this time of year without anything dragging me down. Fortunately, I've been pretty blessed that way over the last several years. Anyway.... nuff said about that!

 So, what else? The weather is rough, not really great for gravel travel, so I've been sticking around closer to home of late doing some testing and looking for those days that pop up above freezing without a ton of wind to get out and do something in the country. As long as the roads are clear, I'll do that. However; that hasn't been possible until this past weekend and maybe today. 

This usually means that I start in maintenance and modifying of the bike fleet for the next season. Review work generally slows way down for me at this time of year, although I did get in a set of Challenge Tires recently. Their newest model, the Getaway, is typical of the brand with their handmade construction, but these are true tubeless tires. I've got these on my Noble GX5 here and I hope to be able to get out and do some gravel riding soon. 

But outside of that rare occasion for this time of year, and maybe some rambles in the woods on my fat bikes, I will be hunkered down in the Lab doing projects during the darkened and frozen times we have to look forward to. It doesn't look like we'll be getting enough snow to have decent fat biking for a while yet, so unless we go the other way and have some unusual warmth, these in between times will be hard to get motivated for. I like it to be one way or the other- Really snowy or really warm (for this time of year) This in between stuff is for the birds.

Cold Days-Slow Days

I got some new Challenge Tires treads to review.

 It's late December and as usual, things are slow and low around the G-Ted Headquarters. Not much going on, that's for sure! This has been a really tough time of the year for me for a long time. Maybe a few of you out there have a hard time dealing with this particular season of the year? If so, I maybe can empathize with you there.

The Holiday Season is something many people really gear up for and go all-out with social gatherings, decorations, traditions, and the obvious religious ceremonies and whatnot. Well, not me. I'm really glad just to get through this time of year without anything dragging me down. Fortunately, I've been pretty blessed that way over the last several years. Anyway.... nuff said about that!

 So, what else? The weather is rough, not really great for gravel travel, so I've been sticking around closer to home of late doing some testing and looking for those days that pop up above freezing without a ton of wind to get out and do something in the country. As long as the roads are clear, I'll do that. However; that hasn't been possible until this past weekend and maybe today. 

This usually means that I start in maintenance and modifying of the bike fleet for the next season. Review work generally slows way down for me at this time of year, although I did get in a set of Challenge Tires recently. Their newest model, the Getaway, is typical of the brand with their handmade construction, but these are true tubeless tires. I've got these on my Noble GX5 here and I hope to be able to get out and do some gravel riding soon. 

But outside of that rare occasion for this time of year, and maybe some rambles in the woods on my fat bikes, I will be hunkered down in the Lab doing projects during the darkened and frozen times we have to look forward to. It doesn't look like we'll be getting enough snow to have decent fat biking for a while yet, so unless we go the other way and have some unusual warmth, these in between times will be hard to get motivated for. I like it to be one way or the other- Really snowy or really warm (for this time of year) This in between stuff is for the birds.

Trans Iowa Stories: So, You're Saying There's A Chance?

 "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject by going back to earlier Sunday posts on this blog. Thanks and enjoy! 

There are certain mysteries in Life which one may not quite ever understand. Sometimes as individuals we strive for a purpose or a thing- some goal we think we desperately need and want to attain to, and when we get the goal accomplished, maybe it isn't all it is cracked up to be. Or maybe it is something else. I'm not really sure in regard to Trans Iowa what it was that left me with a small flame that was still flickering inside me for this adventure. A bit of desire was there, certainly. I don't know that this was enough to knock me off my seat to do another Trans Iowa though. No.....it took more than just that. 

After Trans Iowa v10 I had mentioned to my wife, Phyllis, that this was the end of the line. She was not convinced, to put it bluntly. But I was going to honor my commitment to my decision as long as there was a chance that she believed that it could be the last one. And for a brief time, I really believed this. But that didn't last long. Eventually, thoughts crept in and feelings welled up and, well, people started bugging me about putting on the next one. Not in a bad way, mind you. No, these were very moving pleas to keep on keepin' on. Like this snippet of an email I received in May after Trans Iowa v10 was over: 

"While there really is nothing terribly profound about riding your bike for 336 miles, the fact that I can tackle something so challenging and be self sufficient in difficult terrain and bad weather without having to travel to mountains, deserts, or someplace exotic and expensive is a gift. Adventure is one of the gifts that I received from Trans Iowa."

Trans Iowa Stories: So, You're Saying There's A Chance?

 "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject by going back to earlier Sunday posts on this blog. Thanks and enjoy! 

There are certain mysteries in Life which one may not quite ever understand. Sometimes as individuals we strive for a purpose or a thing- some goal we think we desperately need and want to attain to, and when we get the goal accomplished, maybe it isn't all it is cracked up to be. Or maybe it is something else. I'm not really sure in regard to Trans Iowa what it was that left me with a small flame that was still flickering inside me for this adventure. A bit of desire was there, certainly. I don't know that this was enough to knock me off my seat to do another Trans Iowa though. No.....it took more than just that. 

After Trans Iowa v10 I had mentioned to my wife, Phyllis, that this was the end of the line. She was not convinced, to put it bluntly. But I was going to honor my commitment to my decision as long as there was a chance that she believed that it could be the last one. And for a brief time, I really believed this. But that didn't last long. Eventually, thoughts crept in and feelings welled up and, well, people started bugging me about putting on the next one. Not in a bad way, mind you. No, these were very moving pleas to keep on keepin' on. Like this snippet of an email I received in May after Trans Iowa v10 was over: 

The Six String Side: Reeves Electro 2 N 2 Face

Reeves Electro 2 N 2 Face pedal.

 When I started this blog over fifteen years ago, I stated that it was a "Bicycle and guitar oriented elixir....". Well, the "guitar" part sort of got pushed out by the bicycle stuff, but I've always been playing. Recently I purchased a very unusual effects pedal and thought I'd share......

I used to be a jeweler. You may not know this, but it was something I enjoyed and did for over 10 years. I didn't 'just' sell shiny objects either. I designed them, repaired them, graded them, and constructed the stuff from raw materials. I set stones and appraised stones. I have held diamonds worth more than your house and I have seen rare items which not many are aware of because I was a jeweler. So, I came to an awareness and have since appreciated fine beauty and a high level of craftsmanship. 

I say all the above not to brag, but to show you why I bought this particular effects pedal based off the classic 'Fuzz Face' design first made in the 60's and popularized by the likes of Jimi Hendrix and other famous guitarists too numerous to mention. Fuzz Face circuits are one of the most copied and produced circuits for guitar effects pedals. There is not anything special about that part of this. However; the execution of the design here is exceptional. 

You have to use quality components. Probably the most fussed over tidbits of this simple circuit are the transistors used to produce the 'fuzzy' effect guitarists are after. Then the accompanying resistors, capacitors, and potentiometers must compliment the circuit and not detract from the desired effect. It may come as a surprise, but 'high fidelity' isn't a concern. It's complicated.......

Anyway, then you have to assemble said components into an attractive package to get the guitarist interested in a fuzz circuit to 'bite on the bait' and you can then sell the effect. The most commonly used ruse is to come up with a clever name and an enclosure that catches the eye. Doing super-neat, highly detailed interior circuit design is usually not done, because, well......who cares what the inside looks like? 

I guess some folks do, because Reeves Electro has been slammed with orders since going all-in on pedal manufacturing in March of 2020 due to Mr. Reeves regular job being impacted by the pandemic and related shut-downs. As a for instance, my order went in when the wait list was up to 70 days. 

Not just a bundle of electronic components.

Markus Reeves is the sole employee of Reeves Electro and therefore has to do every process required to make his line of drive pedals. He drills the enclosures, acid etches the designs in, then he hand forms the leads of the components and arranges them into a design that not only works electronically, but is pleasing to the eye. He then packages and ships them off to waiting customers. To give you somewhat of an idea of how much effort goes into each pedal, here is a YouTube clip from Markus detailing just the acid-etching process he uses on the enclosures.

So, getting back to why I bought this pedal. It's really the insides that tipped the scales. As a former jeweler and designer, this spoke to me and I understand just how difficult it is to make something look this sleek and simple. 

Just try to solder small electronic bits this precisely and with such beauty. I dare you!

 The intricacy and level of thought and design that went into this effect pedal is above category. Add in the soldering quality and this pedal is over the top. And yes.......it sounds incredible to boot. What is absolutely insane in regard to all of this is that Reeves Electro sells this pedal for a base price of $235.00 (as of this writing). Custom options can take the price higher, and I added a custom color interior in Copper.   

This is an amazing device and I am stoked to add this to the effects pedal board I have.

The Six String Side: Reeves Electro 2 N 2 Face

Reeves Electro 2 N 2 Face pedal.

 When I started this blog over fifteen years ago, I stated that it was a "Bicycle and guitar oriented elixir....". Well, the "guitar" part sort of got pushed out by the bicycle stuff, but I've always been playing. Recently I purchased a very unusual effects pedal and thought I'd share......

I used to be a jeweler. You may not know this, but it was something I enjoyed and did for over 10 years. I didn't 'just' sell shiny objects either. I designed them, repaired them, graded them, and constructed the stuff from raw materials. I set stones and appraised stones. I have held diamonds worth more than your house and I have seen rare items which not many are aware of because I was a jeweler. So, I came to an awareness and have since appreciated fine beauty and a high level of craftsmanship. 

I say all the above not to brag, but to show you why I bought this particular effects pedal based off the classic 'Fuzz Face' design first made in the 60's and popularized by the likes of Jimi Hendrix and other famous guitarists too numerous to mention. Fuzz Face circuits are one of the most copied and produced circuits for guitar effects pedals. There is not anything special about that part of this. However; the execution of the design here is exceptional. 

You have to use quality components. Probably the most fussed over tidbits of this simple circuit are the transistors used to produce the 'fuzzy' effect guitarists are after. Then the accompanying resistors, capacitors, and potentiometers must compliment the circuit and not detract from the desired effect. It may come as a surprise, but 'high fidelity' isn't a concern. It's complicated.......

Anyway, then you have to assemble said components into an attractive package to get the guitarist interested in a fuzz circuit to 'bite on the bait' and you can then sell the effect. The most commonly used ruse is to come up with a clever name and an enclosure that catches the eye. Doing super-neat, highly detailed interior circuit design is usually not done, because, well......who cares what the inside looks like? 

I guess some folks do, because Reeves Electro has been slammed with orders since going all-in on pedal manufacturing in March of 2020 due to Mr. Reeves regular job being impacted by the pandemic and related shut-downs. As a for instance, my order went in when the wait list was up to 70 days. 

Not just a bundle of electronic components.

Markus Reeves is the sole employee of Reeves Electro and therefore has to do every process required to make his line of drive pedals. He drills the enclosures, acid etches the designs in, then he hand forms the leads of the components and arranges them into a design that not only works electronically, but is pleasing to the eye. He then packages and ships them off to waiting customers. To give you somewhat of an idea of how much effort goes into each pedal, here is a YouTube clip from Markus detailing just the acid-etching process he uses on the enclosures.

So, getting back to why I bought this pedal. It's really the insides that tipped the scales. As a former jeweler and designer, this spoke to me and I understand just how difficult it is to make something look this sleek and simple. 

Just try to solder small electronic bits this precisely and with such beauty. I dare you!

 The intricacy and level of thought and design that went into this effect pedal is above category. Add in the soldering quality and this pedal is over the top. And yes.......it sounds incredible to boot. What is absolutely insane in regard to all of this is that Reeves Electro sells this pedal for a base price of $235.00 (as of this writing). Custom options can take the price higher, and I added a custom color interior in Copper.   

This is an amazing device and I am stoked to add this to the effects pedal board I have.

Friday News And Views

A Maersk container ship. Image courtesy of Maersk.

Bicycle Part Shortages Predicted To Persist Through '21:

Multiple industry sources are predicting bicycle and bicycle parts shortages throughout 2021. This means that what you currently are seeing at bicycle shops isn't going to get better, and in fact, it may get worse. Multiple reasons are given, but one of the major problems is due to the bottlenecks in shipping. 

Many of you may not realize this, but 90% or more of what you use for cycling comes to you via a ship. Usually this is a "container ship" like the one shown here. Containers are filled, (which can be an issue for smaller companies because partially filled containers don't get shipped), these are then loaded onto a container ship which doesn't leave dock until it is full, then it sails across the seas, (can take up to two months), and then it must get unloaded, the containers are inspected by customs, released, trucked to warehouses, and finally goods are shipped to regional warehouses, and then to distributors, and finally (!!) to bike shops or online vendors. 

What has happened is that pandemic protocols are affecting labor and thus disrupting the system. Furthermore, as we know, demand has doubled or more. This has caused a lot of pressure on shipping lanes. Not just in bicycles, mind you, but with everything. The sudden increases are at such a high level that I have been told that over 100 container ships are sitting outside of Los Angeles harbor waiting their turn to get unloaded right at this very minute, and it has been that way for months. Added to that are docks in the Far East with stacks of containers waiting for a ship to return, and in some cases, factories have no containers at all! 

What does this all mean for us? Well, for one thing, you should baby that drive train, milking it for all it is worth because cassettes and chains, not to mention chain rings, will be hard to get in 2021. Tires will be hard to get as well. Oh, and expect prices to climb a LOT higher as demand outstrips supplies. 

I expect that as a COVID-19 vaccine gets distributed amongst the population, that many will feel the need to do events, and these events will increase demand on parts even further due to high wear and tear, or people just thinking they need to have brand new everything before an event. I'm telling you right now- that's a pipe dream next year. 

And new bikes? Ha! I've heard from several dealers that they have had to pre-order 2021 inventory and if they really get it, (not guaranteed), that will be your choice. Many are pre-selling orders they have placed and I expect shop floors will be pretty sparse, if not empty, most of next year. Oh, and don't expect to get a deal either. High demand = full boat pricing. Got a used rig? Next year is the year to ditch it. Just don't expect to be able to get a replacement. 

Gravel Worlds Updates Website- Offers New Category:

Last weekend the Pirate Cycling League unveiled a new website update for their Gravel Worlds event. They also have announced a new, ultra-distance event category called "The Long Voyage", a self-supported, 300 mile distance which should be completed within 30 hours. (Sound familiar?)

Besides this, the site has added a history page telling the back story of the Gravel Worlds event. I've shared with you readers much of this backstory here in the past, so you may already know this. If you don't know the background on Gravel Worlds, you should check this out. It's important because, really- Gravel Worlds is one of the last of the first. Let me explain.....

Back in 2005 Trans Iowa started. and we hosted a few folks from the Lincoln area who were already riding gravel, but this whole idea of putting an event on gravel was new. They got inspired by Trans Iowa and further by the DK200 in 2006 and in 2008 they put on "The Good Life Gravel Adventure" and started their own history. Many other events came about in those early days that were 'big deals', the most notable being the Almanzo 100 in 2007. However; of all the 'biggies', not many are around yet today. Barry-Roubaix and Gravel Worlds are the biggest ones left from those earliest days of Gravel.  

So, I love that Gravel Worlds has embraced this history now. They deserve to be successful and the event has evolved to be inclusive of all abilities possible and yet it still retains much of the flavor of the early gravel events. So, if you are one of those folks that thinks gravel events are all commercialized and have lost their grassroots feel, then Gravel Worlds is for you. 

And don't listen to any of the current nonsense that claims that gravel riding/racing is "something new within the last several years". Or you could just interpret any messaging of that sort to mean, "We've never really looked into the history of modern gravel events, so we are just spouting off to make ourselves look like we know what we're talking about". Because......obviously- they have no clue if that's what they are saying. Whatever.... Go check out Gravel Worlds! It's The Real Deal. (And Gravel Worlds should use that tag-line)  

The Ventum GS1 gravel bike. (Image courtesy of Ventum's site)

"Have You Seen This...?":

N.Y. Roll texted me last weekend to ask if I had seen a brand of gravel bike called "Ventom" . I replied, "No". He sends a link. I checked it out later. 

Hmm......Where have I seen that before?, I thought to myself. Because this whole frame and fork doesn't look all that unique or different to my eyes. And in fact, it isn't very unique at all. 

The Viathon from Walmart is very similar, so is the Rondo Ruut, the Ibis Hakka MX, Santa Cruz's Stigmata, and a whole host of carbon fiber niche branded bikes. Geometry is nearly identical across all of these, suggesting that (a) there is a LOT of copy-catting going on and (b) perhaps many of these frames are being chosen by these brands from a catalog at a Far East factory. 

Interestingly, the Ventum direct-to-consumer model bases its appeal in coming from the triathlon market and has testimonials from some former Pro road racers and a well known cycling media/DK200 racer. So, once again, just as with the former/current road race bike sales model, we are basing our opinions of 'worth' on racing? (Which is okay if you are are racing) I don't know that most gravel bicycle riders are racing, or that they should be racing. Maybe having fun is better than racing? Maybe.... 

Look, this is a great bike, (maybe) if you want to own a mean, nasty, flat out race machine, which, you know, is good at one thing. But this model strikes me as not a bike for the masses, not a very original design, and it is hard to see the value in their $2,000.00+ asking price for the frame/fork when, as an example, the aforementioned Viathon frame/fork is sub-$700.00 on sale now. Even at full-boat pricing the Viathon is about a grand less. And ithe Viathon was an 'okay' bike, again, if you wanted a racy rig. Now, the Ventum GS1 may very well be a better value, but it is very difficult to see it if so due to the vast similarities across so many other frames/forks like it.

In my opinion, these bikes like the Ventum are not displaying a big enough difference from other very similar looking frames/forks and with no face-to-face support after the sale, it would seem like a less than a good way to make it in the crowded market of gravel bikes. But then again, it is a seller's market now. This is also indicative of what the industry is doing to an excellent idea again- That is, the industry is homogenizing an aspect of cycling around racing. 

This is another subject for another day, and I aim to get to it, but suffice it to say that for now, this entry into the gravel bike market is not what it should be all about for cyclists of all types who would benefit more from an all-around type road bike that I have been banging on about here for over a decade. 
 

Despite the model, the shirt looks pretty good here!

The "G-Ted Logo" Shirt Review:

A couple weeks ago I announced on here that I had "G-Ted Logo" merch available via Redbubble on a page benefiting my daughter. I mentioned that each sale would have a portion of the money going to her. I receive no compensation whatsoever from this. So, this does not benefit me in the least, unless you get one of these and wear it and get someone new to read the blog. Okay? There is that.....

Anyway, I said I was getting a shirt, paid for with my own money, by the way, and that I would give y'all a bit of a review of it. Well, I've had it for over a week now and I must say, it is impressive. As impressive as a t-shirt can be, which is to say, nothing all that spectacular. 

I mean, let's face it, a t-shirt either does its job or it does not. This one does, and it better! I bought the "Premium" t-shirt model and it came out to around $34.00 with shipping and whatever else they nail you for on Redbubble. So, yeah, a very expensive t-shirt. But it shows. It's got some flat-lock stitching, the fabric is smooth and supple, and it fits very well. I got an XL sized one and I would say the fit was on the slightly generous side. Which means it is very comfortable to wear. 

The graphic is done in a very thick, almost rubbery feeling print and went through the wash and drier cycle with zero effects upon it. The graphic is pretty bold and BIG, but that's how I designed it. Oh, and as you all know, this is the graphic I have used over the years here quite a bit on the blog, so most of you probably recognize it, but there is a short story behind it, and it goes back to my job in the 80's.

I was a jewelry designer, and during certain times I also would be tasked to do art for the shop, advertisements, art for our shop logos, proposed logos for spin-off companies, and even logos for other businesses. Locals may remember the "North Bank Restaurant" or the Waterloo Greyhound Park, well I helped design those logos for those businesses. (Long gone, but maybe someone out there recalls those) 

Anywho..... I was asked to come up with ideas for a spin-off company my boss at the time was going to launch and I did a ton of sketches, some which were basically goofing off, sort of exercises in getting ideas. So, during this I came up with a cube with a skull on it that had smoke coming out of the skull's orifices. That eventually morphed into the cube idea without the skull, and with the addition of the "G-Ted" logo, I was kind of going for that 'microphone ID box thingie deal that you see on reporter's microphones on T.V. Well, this was all sketched up and then I think Jeff Kerkove eventually saw it, digitized it, cleaned it up for me, and there ya go! 

That's the tale in brief. Now you know! If you are so inclined to want your own t-shirt, hoodie, stickers, or a pin with this "G-Ted" logo, go to the Redbubble page for this merch HERE.  

And that's a wrap! Have a safe, awesome weekend! Thanks for reading!

Friday News And Views

A Maersk container ship. Image courtesy of Maersk.

Bicycle Part Shortages Predicted To Persist Through '21:

Multiple industry sources are predicting bicycle and bicycle parts shortages throughout 2021. This means that what you currently are seeing at bicycle shops isn't going to get better, and in fact, it may get worse. Multiple reasons are given, but one of the major problems is due to the bottlenecks in shipping. 

Many of you may not realize this, but 90% or more of what you use for cycling comes to you via a ship. Usually this is a "container ship" like the one shown here. Containers are filled, (which can be an issue for smaller companies because partially filled containers don't get shipped), these are then loaded onto a container ship which doesn't leave dock until it is full, then it sails across the seas, (can take up to two months), and then it must get unloaded, the containers are inspected by customs, released, trucked to warehouses, and finally goods are shipped to regional warehouses, and then to distributors, and finally (!!) to bike shops or online vendors. 

What has happened is that pandemic protocols are affecting labor and thus disrupting the system. Furthermore, as we know, demand has doubled or more. This has caused a lot of pressure on shipping lanes. Not just in bicycles, mind you, but with everything. The sudden increases are at such a high level that I have been told that over 100 container ships are sitting outside of Los Angeles harbor waiting their turn to get unloaded right at this very minute, and it has been that way for months. Added to that are docks in the Far East with stacks of containers waiting for a ship to return, and in some cases, factories have no containers at all! 

What does this all mean for us? Well, for one thing, you should baby that drive train, milking it for all it is worth because cassettes and chains, not to mention chain rings, will be hard to get in 2021. Tires will be hard to get as well. Oh, and expect prices to climb a LOT higher as demand outstrips supplies. 

I expect that as a COVID-19 vaccine gets distributed amongst the population, that many will feel the need to do events, and these events will increase demand on parts even further due to high wear and tear, or people just thinking they need to have brand new everything before an event. I'm telling you right now- that's a pipe dream next year. 

And new bikes? Ha! I've heard from several dealers that they have had to pre-order 2021 inventory and if they really get it, (not guaranteed), that will be your choice. Many are pre-selling orders they have placed and I expect shop floors will be pretty sparse, if not empty, most of next year. Oh, and don't expect to get a deal either. High demand = full boat pricing. Got a used rig? Next year is the year to ditch it. Just don't expect to be able to get a replacement. 

Gravel Worlds Updates Website- Offers New Category:

Last weekend the Pirate Cycling League unveiled a new website update for their Gravel Worlds event. They also have announced a new, ultra-distance event category called "The Long Voyage", a self-supported, 300 mile distance which should be completed within 30 hours. (Sound familiar?)

Besides this, the site has added a history page telling the back story of the Gravel Worlds event. I've shared with you readers much of this backstory here in the past, so you may already know this. If you don't know the background on Gravel Worlds, you should check this out. It's important because, really- Gravel Worlds is one of the last of the first. Let me explain.....

Back in 2005 Trans Iowa started. and we hosted a few folks from the Lincoln area who were already riding gravel, but this whole idea of putting an event on gravel was new. They got inspired by Trans Iowa and further by the DK200 in 2006 and in 2008 they put on "The Good Life Gravel Adventure" and started their own history. Many other events came about in those early days that were 'big deals', the most notable being the Almanzo 100 in 2007. However; of all the 'biggies', not many are around yet today. Barry-Roubaix and Gravel Worlds are the biggest ones left from those earliest days of Gravel.  

So, I love that Gravel Worlds has embraced this history now. They deserve to be successful and the event has evolved to be inclusive of all abilities possible and yet it still retains much of the flavor of the early gravel events. So, if you are one of those folks that thinks gravel events are all commercialized and have lost their grassroots feel, then Gravel Worlds is for you. 

And don't listen to any of the current nonsense that claims that gravel riding/racing is "something new within the last several years". Or you could just interpret any messaging of that sort to mean, "We've never really looked into the history of modern gravel events, so we are just spouting off to make ourselves look like we know what we're talking about". Because......obviously- they have no clue if that's what they are saying. Whatever.... Go check out Gravel Worlds! It's The Real Deal. (And Gravel Worlds should use that tag-line)  

The Ventum GS1 gravel bike. (Image courtesy of Ventum's site)

"Have You Seen This...?":

N.Y. Roll texted me last weekend to ask if I had seen a brand of gravel bike called "Ventom" . I replied, "No". He sends a link. I checked it out later. 

Hmm......Where have I seen that before?, I thought to myself. Because this whole frame and fork doesn't look all that unique or different to my eyes. And in fact, it isn't very unique at all. 

The Viathon from Walmart is very similar, so is the Rondo Ruut, the Ibis Hakka MX, Santa Cruz's Stigmata, and a whole host of carbon fiber niche branded bikes. Geometry is nearly identical across all of these, suggesting that (a) there is a LOT of copy-catting going on and (b) perhaps many of these frames are being chosen by these brands from a catalog at a Far East factory. 

Interestingly, the Ventum direct-to-consumer model bases its appeal in coming from the triathlon market and has testimonials from some former Pro road racers and a well known cycling media/DK200 racer. So, once again, just as with the former/current road race bike sales model, we are basing our opinions of 'worth' on racing? (Which is okay if you are are racing) I don't know that most gravel bicycle riders are racing, or that they should be racing. Maybe having fun is better than racing? Maybe.... 

Look, this is a great bike, (maybe) if you want to own a mean, nasty, flat out race machine, which, you know, is good at one thing. But this model strikes me as not a bike for the masses, not a very original design, and it is hard to see the value in their $2,000.00+ asking price for the frame/fork when, as an example, the aforementioned Viathon frame/fork is sub-$700.00 on sale now. Even at full-boat pricing the Viathon is about a grand less. And ithe Viathon was an 'okay' bike, again, if you wanted a racy rig. Now, the Ventum GS1 may very well be a better value, but it is very difficult to see it if so due to the vast similarities across so many other frames/forks like it.

In my opinion, these bikes like the Ventum are not displaying a big enough difference from other very similar looking frames/forks and with no face-to-face support after the sale, it would seem like a less than a good way to make it in the crowded market of gravel bikes. But then again, it is a seller's market now. This is also indicative of what the industry is doing to an excellent idea again- That is, the industry is homogenizing an aspect of cycling around racing. 

This is another subject for another day, and I aim to get to it, but suffice it to say that for now, this entry into the gravel bike market is not what it should be all about for cyclists of all types who would benefit more from an all-around type road bike that I have been banging on about here for over a decade. 
 

Despite the model, the shirt looks pretty good here!

The "G-Ted Logo" Shirt Review:

A couple weeks ago I announced on here that I had "G-Ted Logo" merch available via Redbubble on a page benefiting my daughter. I mentioned that each sale would have a portion of the money going to her. I receive no compensation whatsoever from this. So, this does not benefit me in the least, unless you get one of these and wear it and get someone new to read the blog. Okay? There is that.....

Anyway, I said I was getting a shirt, paid for with my own money, by the way, and that I would give y'all a bit of a review of it. Well, I've had it for over a week now and I must say, it is impressive. As impressive as a t-shirt can be, which is to say, nothing all that spectacular. 

I mean, let's face it, a t-shirt either does its job or it does not. This one does, and it better! I bought the "Premium" t-shirt model and it came out to around $34.00 with shipping and whatever else they nail you for on Redbubble. So, yeah, a very expensive t-shirt. But it shows. It's got some flat-lock stitching, the fabric is smooth and supple, and it fits very well. I got an XL sized one and I would say the fit was on the slightly generous side. Which means it is very comfortable to wear. 

The graphic is done in a very thick, almost rubbery feeling print and went through the wash and drier cycle with zero effects upon it. The graphic is pretty bold and BIG, but that's how I designed it. Oh, and as you all know, this is the graphic I have used over the years here quite a bit on the blog, so most of you probably recognize it, but there is a short story behind it, and it goes back to my job in the 80's.

I was a jewelry designer, and during certain times I also would be tasked to do art for the shop, advertisements, art for our shop logos, proposed logos for spin-off companies, and even logos for other businesses. Locals may remember the "North Bank Restaurant" or the Waterloo Greyhound Park, well I helped design those logos for those businesses. (Long gone, but maybe someone out there recalls those) 

Anywho..... I was asked to come up with ideas for a spin-off company my boss at the time was going to launch and I did a ton of sketches, some which were basically goofing off, sort of exercises in getting ideas. So, during this I came up with a cube with a skull on it that had smoke coming out of the skull's orifices. That eventually morphed into the cube idea without the skull, and with the addition of the "G-Ted" logo, I was kind of going for that 'microphone ID box thingie deal that you see on reporter's microphones on T.V. Well, this was all sketched up and then I think Jeff Kerkove eventually saw it, digitized it, cleaned it up for me, and there ya go! 

That's the tale in brief. Now you know! If you are so inclined to want your own t-shirt, hoodie, stickers, or a pin with this "G-Ted" logo, go to the Redbubble page for this merch HERE.  

And that's a wrap! Have a safe, awesome weekend! Thanks for reading!