Rawland Cycles Sneek Peek

I was forwarded these images of a new frame coming out soon by Rawland Cycles, a company that will be offering several bike models in the future all based off the 650B wheel size .

Take a look at this cool "bi-plane" fork. I love fork crowns like this and this one is a beauty.







These drop outs are awesome! Dragon up! Looks like a single speed set up here and that lower lip on the dragon should operate just fine as an opener for your favorite adult beverage.












Check out the model name, "Olaf". And the "P" on the seat tube is for Pacenti which is the company owned by Kirk Pacenti that is the main proponent of this whole new 650B mountain bike movement. Kirk also sells frame tubing and lugs, so I'm guessing this frame is made from stuff from Kirk's company.









Interesting extended head tube here. Makes me think "drop bar", baby! Hmm..........as if I need another drop bar single speeder! Dang but this thing looks great! I hate it when I see stuff like this. (Heh heh!)










Disclaimer: I don't sell these, I am not affiliated with this company, nor do I know anything more than I just posted. I do happen to know that these bikes will be shown at Interbike as frame sets and /or complete bikes. I do know one of the guys involved with the project. (Thus the photos I got)

I also expect that soon I will be able to test ride one of these to get a take on what this whole 650B thing might be adding up to in terms of mountain biking. I suspect that it will ride pretty nicely, but how much of a difference from 26 inch wheels and how close to 29 inch wheels will it feel? That's the $64,000 question on everybodies minds these days that is looking at these 650B machines. Time will tell. Like about two weeks or so! Interbike will be pretty interesting this year!

Rawland Cycles Sneek Peek

I was forwarded these images of a new frame coming out soon by Rawland Cycles, a company that will be offering several bike models in the future all based off the 650B wheel size .

Take a look at this cool "bi-plane" fork. I love fork crowns like this and this one is a beauty.







These drop outs are awesome! Dragon up! Looks like a single speed set up here and that lower lip on the dragon should operate just fine as an opener for your favorite adult beverage.












Check out the model name, "Olaf". And the "P" on the seat tube is for Pacenti which is the company owned by Kirk Pacenti that is the main proponent of this whole new 650B mountain bike movement. Kirk also sells frame tubing and lugs, so I'm guessing this frame is made from stuff from Kirk's company.









Interesting extended head tube here. Makes me think "drop bar", baby! Hmm..........as if I need another drop bar single speeder! Dang but this thing looks great! I hate it when I see stuff like this. (Heh heh!)










Disclaimer: I don't sell these, I am not affiliated with this company, nor do I know anything more than I just posted. I do happen to know that these bikes will be shown at Interbike as frame sets and /or complete bikes. I do know one of the guys involved with the project. (Thus the photos I got)

I also expect that soon I will be able to test ride one of these to get a take on what this whole 650B thing might be adding up to in terms of mountain biking. I suspect that it will ride pretty nicely, but how much of a difference from 26 inch wheels and how close to 29 inch wheels will it feel? That's the $64,000 question on everybodies minds these days that is looking at these 650B machines. Time will tell. Like about two weeks or so! Interbike will be pretty interesting this year!

Ergon BD 2 Back Pack: Update

I've been living with the Ergon BD2 back pack awhile now and I thought I'd chime in with my impressions so far. If you missed my first post on it, check it out here.

First of all, I still am amazed at how this pack feels empty when you ride with it, no matter what load I have in it. Weird! Well, weird in a good way. The only real pressure I feel is when the top straps are tightened and the buckle is fastened and the pressure under my arms is evident. It's nothing that I find as a nuisance, just different than you would expect. This becomes a bit less noticeable once you start riding, and to be honest, I'd rather have a bit of pressure there than on my back.

The biggest/heaviest load I toted in this back pack was the other day when I had the back pockets all stuffed and my three liter bladder filled and stuffed in it's pocket. Still no pressure on the back and it rode just awesome. Total freedom of movement while riding. This still is amazing to me and makes the BD2 well worth owning in it's own right.

Now not everything is perfect and of course, neither is the BD 2. The internal and external pockets are weird in that they are mostly all narrow and very deep. I stuck a multi tool in one of the two pockets inside the main pocket and it disappeared! I almost couldn't retrieve it due to the fact that my big ol' paw wouldn't go inside of the pocket very well to reach down far enough to grasp the tool. This could be a problem if you really need to get at something at the bottom of one of these pockets out in the field. I'd maybe split those long pockets into two smaller and less deep ones to make access to the contents easier.

There are two outside mesh walled pockets that are similarly shaped. Narrow and deep. I think something a bit wider at least would facilitate putting wetter things out there like gloves or head bands which would allow air to get to them. Maybe even a rolled up outer shell could be stuffed into this area if the pocket were a bit wider. As they are, they are perfect for longer items like shock pumps or mini pumps. The pocket that is part of the compression flap is perfect for your CO2 carts and a multi-tool. If it were a bit more voluminous, a tube could go in there, but as it is, you could maybe get a road tube in it with the other flat repair items. It would be nice to be able to get a mountain tube in there with that stuff, since this pocket is so easily accessible. That's important when conditions are poor, or if you are in a hurry.

Then there is the pockets I wish it had. The waist strap which bears most of the packs weight comes around you at a place that would make it super convenient to have some pockets for gel packets or energy bars. Maybe even large enough for a point and shoot camera. A pocket right there would be super, one on each side. Mesh, so you could kind of see what you're getting after. Another cool thing would be if you could get a satellite pocket that could be attached to the Velcro straps on the harness. The Velcro straps are already there to help hold down your hydration tube on either side of the harness, so why not? In fact, for the asking price of the BD2, it'd be nice if they included this. A cell phone, small energy/nutritional substances, or chain lube/multi tool could easily be carried here and obviously very easily accessed.

Of course, all of these wants and nits would perhaps make the BD2 even more spendy than it is, but after all: Ergon is going for the ultimate hydration/back pack on the market and not just another "me too" hydration pack. In that light I'd say there are some improvements to be made in terms of the storage and it's ease of use in the field. Once these issues are improved upon, I'd say Ergon will have themselves a winner in as far as the "ultimate cycling back pack" goes.

As the BD 2 stands currently, it is already head and shoulders, (pun intended) above the competition in terms of comfort. It has no rival in this regard which already places it high up on the food chain, if not at the top. I wouldn't consider anything else for a long ride unless it was the slightly less voluminous BD 1, which would eliminate dealing with the deep pockets of the BD 2 and be somewhat lighter to boot. However; for those that have to have a bit more gear on board, the BD 2 is highly recommended. Just be careful how you pack it up!

Ergon BD 2 Back Pack: Update

I've been living with the Ergon BD2 back pack awhile now and I thought I'd chime in with my impressions so far. If you missed my first post on it, check it out here.

First of all, I still am amazed at how this pack feels empty when you ride with it, no matter what load I have in it. Weird! Well, weird in a good way. The only real pressure I feel is when the top straps are tightened and the buckle is fastened and the pressure under my arms is evident. It's nothing that I find as a nuisance, just different than you would expect. This becomes a bit less noticeable once you start riding, and to be honest, I'd rather have a bit of pressure there than on my back.

The biggest/heaviest load I toted in this back pack was the other day when I had the back pockets all stuffed and my three liter bladder filled and stuffed in it's pocket. Still no pressure on the back and it rode just awesome. Total freedom of movement while riding. This still is amazing to me and makes the BD2 well worth owning in it's own right.

Now not everything is perfect and of course, neither is the BD 2. The internal and external pockets are weird in that they are mostly all narrow and very deep. I stuck a multi tool in one of the two pockets inside the main pocket and it disappeared! I almost couldn't retrieve it due to the fact that my big ol' paw wouldn't go inside of the pocket very well to reach down far enough to grasp the tool. This could be a problem if you really need to get at something at the bottom of one of these pockets out in the field. I'd maybe split those long pockets into two smaller and less deep ones to make access to the contents easier.

There are two outside mesh walled pockets that are similarly shaped. Narrow and deep. I think something a bit wider at least would facilitate putting wetter things out there like gloves or head bands which would allow air to get to them. Maybe even a rolled up outer shell could be stuffed into this area if the pocket were a bit wider. As they are, they are perfect for longer items like shock pumps or mini pumps. The pocket that is part of the compression flap is perfect for your CO2 carts and a multi-tool. If it were a bit more voluminous, a tube could go in there, but as it is, you could maybe get a road tube in it with the other flat repair items. It would be nice to be able to get a mountain tube in there with that stuff, since this pocket is so easily accessible. That's important when conditions are poor, or if you are in a hurry.

Then there is the pockets I wish it had. The waist strap which bears most of the packs weight comes around you at a place that would make it super convenient to have some pockets for gel packets or energy bars. Maybe even large enough for a point and shoot camera. A pocket right there would be super, one on each side. Mesh, so you could kind of see what you're getting after. Another cool thing would be if you could get a satellite pocket that could be attached to the Velcro straps on the harness. The Velcro straps are already there to help hold down your hydration tube on either side of the harness, so why not? In fact, for the asking price of the BD2, it'd be nice if they included this. A cell phone, small energy/nutritional substances, or chain lube/multi tool could easily be carried here and obviously very easily accessed.

Of course, all of these wants and nits would perhaps make the BD2 even more spendy than it is, but after all: Ergon is going for the ultimate hydration/back pack on the market and not just another "me too" hydration pack. In that light I'd say there are some improvements to be made in terms of the storage and it's ease of use in the field. Once these issues are improved upon, I'd say Ergon will have themselves a winner in as far as the "ultimate cycling back pack" goes.

As the BD 2 stands currently, it is already head and shoulders, (pun intended) above the competition in terms of comfort. It has no rival in this regard which already places it high up on the food chain, if not at the top. I wouldn't consider anything else for a long ride unless it was the slightly less voluminous BD 1, which would eliminate dealing with the deep pockets of the BD 2 and be somewhat lighter to boot. However; for those that have to have a bit more gear on board, the BD 2 is highly recommended. Just be careful how you pack it up!

650B: It's Coming And It's Not Going Away

One of the interesting new developments in mountain biking is this whole 650B tire size that's had new life puffed into it by Kirk Pacenti and his new 650B off road tire. It's started a ground swell of activity amongst rim manufacturers, fork makers, and most notably, small builders looking to jump on the next trend in custom bikes.

This is what's really interesting to me, the small builders take on all of this. Some are going the whole 650B route with mountain bikes using the wheel size front and rear. Some others are mixing the wheel size with 26 inch or 29 inch wheels for hybrid combinations, ( not to mention more dreaded numeric name combinations)

Mr. Pacenti promises that there will be several makes available to see at Interbike this year and perhaps some will even be around to ride at the Outdoor Demo. I'm hoping to be able to throw a leg over one whilst I'm there.

There is even a new brand debuting there named Rawland Cycles. So, this whole segment looks to be something that will be around for awhile at least. There is even talk of long travel bikes using this wheel size, although I haven't heard of any specific models coming anytime soon.

My take on the whole thing is that it's good for bike riders and bad for bike companies in the mainstream. Small, under-the-radar types will benefit, no doubt, but the mainstream bike business will need to weed something out before it accepts another wheel size for off roading for adults. Having another whole category of wheel size will mean another round of edumacation for shop owners/employees that are still trying to wrap their minds around 29 inch stuff. Heck, introduce a wheel size that looks nominally different out on a shop floor from the "standard" 26 inch wheel and your asking for a lot of crossed wires. Not to mention trying to get your average retail customer to "get it". They can't even grasp why Shimano thinks we need 10 speed cassettes.

No, this 650B thing isn't going away, but it's not built for prime time either. It's going to remain a "bike geek" wheel size just as it always has been for the past 60 years or so. If it does reach epic proportions someday, then my take is that it will signal the demise of the current 26 inch wheel size as an adult bike wheel size. In effect, 650B would become the "new 26 inch" wheel. It's the only way mainstream business and the average public would ever embrace the format. In fact, it'd be an easier sell if it was called "the new 26 inch" wheel size, in terms of marketing. You know, "This "26 inch" wheel is bigger, better, and rolls over stuff with greater ease!"

Then, if that's what you want, I've got a wheel size you should take a look at over here. (wink wink)

650B: It's Coming And It's Not Going Away

One of the interesting new developments in mountain biking is this whole 650B tire size that's had new life puffed into it by Kirk Pacenti and his new 650B off road tire. It's started a ground swell of activity amongst rim manufacturers, fork makers, and most notably, small builders looking to jump on the next trend in custom bikes.

This is what's really interesting to me, the small builders take on all of this. Some are going the whole 650B route with mountain bikes using the wheel size front and rear. Some others are mixing the wheel size with 26 inch or 29 inch wheels for hybrid combinations, ( not to mention more dreaded numeric name combinations)

Mr. Pacenti promises that there will be several makes available to see at Interbike this year and perhaps some will even be around to ride at the Outdoor Demo. I'm hoping to be able to throw a leg over one whilst I'm there.

There is even a new brand debuting there named Rawland Cycles. So, this whole segment looks to be something that will be around for awhile at least. There is even talk of long travel bikes using this wheel size, although I haven't heard of any specific models coming anytime soon.

My take on the whole thing is that it's good for bike riders and bad for bike companies in the mainstream. Small, under-the-radar types will benefit, no doubt, but the mainstream bike business will need to weed something out before it accepts another wheel size for off roading for adults. Having another whole category of wheel size will mean another round of edumacation for shop owners/employees that are still trying to wrap their minds around 29 inch stuff. Heck, introduce a wheel size that looks nominally different out on a shop floor from the "standard" 26 inch wheel and your asking for a lot of crossed wires. Not to mention trying to get your average retail customer to "get it". They can't even grasp why Shimano thinks we need 10 speed cassettes.

No, this 650B thing isn't going away, but it's not built for prime time either. It's going to remain a "bike geek" wheel size just as it always has been for the past 60 years or so. If it does reach epic proportions someday, then my take is that it will signal the demise of the current 26 inch wheel size as an adult bike wheel size. In effect, 650B would become the "new 26 inch" wheel. It's the only way mainstream business and the average public would ever embrace the format. In fact, it'd be an easier sell if it was called "the new 26 inch" wheel size, in terms of marketing. You know, "This "26 inch" wheel is bigger, better, and rolls over stuff with greater ease!"

Then, if that's what you want, I've got a wheel size you should take a look at over here. (wink wink)

It's New And It's Blue

Introducing the Pofahl single speed 29"er. Custom fillet brazed 4130 steel framed bike designed by myself and Ben Witt of Milltown Cycles.

The whole idea was to shoot for a design aesthetic that was reminiscent of mountain bikings past but using modern features like 29 inch wheels, disc brakes, and threadless headset.

I had explored the possibility of going with a "Bull Moose" type bar and stem, but because of logistics and money, it fell through and I went back to the original drop bar idea for this bike. Which isn't all bad! I love the drop bar for off road/gravel riding and that's the primary purpose of this rig anyway. Mission accomplished!



I went single speed because it's no fuss drive train and longevity in adverse conditions was attractive to me for gravel riding. Plus, it's just plain fun.

I got some I-9 single speed specific cassette hubbed wheels in a custom anodized "orange" color. In person, the hubs look almost like copper wire to me. Those aluminum spokes still are a bit odd looking, but the wheels seemed to hold up and were rather impressive on the Badger Dorothy I rode last year, so I thought I'd give them a long term try on this bike.
The brakes are the good old reliable Avid BB-7's off my Karate Monkey, which is being torn down for maintenance and will be reborn next year. It was time to go through that bike anyway.



Chris King has a "mix and match" headset program now and I took advantage of that as shown here. (The top cap is blue, by the way) I liked how my Blackburn pump fit perfectly under the top tube just like it was meant to be there. (I hadn't thought of that, it just turned out that way) Nokon cable housings were made up from pieces off the Monkey and left over blue bits from my Inbred build. (Yes, it's a pain to thread all those pieces, but you only have to do that once!)




Here's a close up of the "business end" of the drive train. Paragon Machine Works slider type drop outs with integrated disc mount. Yeah! No fuss rear wheel removal! (I'm planning on finding some shorter and a bit more attractive tensioner bolts soon) A Surly cassette cog in an 18 tooth flavor graces the rear end along with the PC-58 SRAM chain. The front end of the drive train consists of a Profile 180mm bmx crank in steel with a European bottom bracket by Profile along with Profile's cool Imperial chain wheel in a 37 tooth size. (Just like the Karate Monkey set up as far as gearing) This should be a bomb proof set up that I can run hard even off road without fear of snapping something (me?) in two. Although this rig is primarily the replacement for the Karate Monkey as a gravel grinder, I still want off road capabilities.




Here's a shot of the fillet brazing talents of Mike Pofahl, the fellow who ultimately took what Ben and I dreamed up and made it reality. Mike is the guy that did Ben's 36"er and he has done some tandem work as well. I guess he thought this project was pretty cool, and it reminded him of his tandem work. Another guy that saw this frame after it was completed remarked that it looked rather like a Breezer from the late 70's. That was a cool compliment since this guy was actually one of the Marin Mt. Tamalpais bombers back in the day and actually rode with Joe Breeze, Gary Fisher, and Charlie Kelly. I was pleased to hear that, because it meant that the heritage part of the design came through to somebody.

As far as that goes, the parts pic was partially done to reflect mountain bikings past. The drop bar set up is a cue from Charlie Cunningham's old aluminum rigs back in the early 80's. The BMX cranks reflect the time when much of the off road gear used in the late 70's/ early 80's was from that scene. I chose a Selle Anatomica leather saddle, since it's a modern take on a Brooks saddle which were popular saddles on early clunkers. WTB tires reflect the contributions of Wilderness Trail Bikes to the early days of mountain biking. The Chris King head set was the first off road worthy head set designed to give a lifetime of service. The stem (and in the future the skewers) is a Salsa part because Salsa was the first real off road company that made custom stems that worked for mountain biking. The Syncros post is an actual "vintage" piece off my old Bontrager Race bike. The only oddities, and nods to today's technology, are the wheels and brakes, which are far better than anything before them.

So, how does it ride? Well, pretty well............so far! My long break in ride Sunday was interupted by a faulty seat post binder bolt that wouldn't hold the seatpost tight and stripped out the head of the bolt when I tried to tighten it. A little judicious sawing and a new bolt rectified that little issue though! A long ride will have to wait until next time, whenever that comes. Maybe this weekend. In the meantime I'll be commuting on it to see if I screwed up anywhere on the build, but so far so good. I'll chime in when I find out though. In the meantime, enjoy!

It's New And It's Blue

Introducing the Pofahl single speed 29"er. Custom fillet brazed 4130 steel framed bike designed by myself and Ben Witt of Milltown Cycles.

The whole idea was to shoot for a design aesthetic that was reminiscent of mountain bikings past but using modern features like 29 inch wheels, disc brakes, and threadless headset.

I had explored the possibility of going with a "Bull Moose" type bar and stem, but because of logistics and money, it fell through and I went back to the original drop bar idea for this bike. Which isn't all bad! I love the drop bar for off road/gravel riding and that's the primary purpose of this rig anyway. Mission accomplished!



I went single speed because it's no fuss drive train and longevity in adverse conditions was attractive to me for gravel riding. Plus, it's just plain fun.

I got some I-9 single speed specific cassette hubbed wheels in a custom anodized "orange" color. In person, the hubs look almost like copper wire to me. Those aluminum spokes still are a bit odd looking, but the wheels seemed to hold up and were rather impressive on the Badger Dorothy I rode last year, so I thought I'd give them a long term try on this bike.
The brakes are the good old reliable Avid BB-7's off my Karate Monkey, which is being torn down for maintenance and will be reborn next year. It was time to go through that bike anyway.



Chris King has a "mix and match" headset program now and I took advantage of that as shown here. (The top cap is blue, by the way) I liked how my Blackburn pump fit perfectly under the top tube just like it was meant to be there. (I hadn't thought of that, it just turned out that way) Nokon cable housings were made up from pieces off the Monkey and left over blue bits from my Inbred build. (Yes, it's a pain to thread all those pieces, but you only have to do that once!)




Here's a close up of the "business end" of the drive train. Paragon Machine Works slider type drop outs with integrated disc mount. Yeah! No fuss rear wheel removal! (I'm planning on finding some shorter and a bit more attractive tensioner bolts soon) A Surly cassette cog in an 18 tooth flavor graces the rear end along with the PC-58 SRAM chain. The front end of the drive train consists of a Profile 180mm bmx crank in steel with a European bottom bracket by Profile along with Profile's cool Imperial chain wheel in a 37 tooth size. (Just like the Karate Monkey set up as far as gearing) This should be a bomb proof set up that I can run hard even off road without fear of snapping something (me?) in two. Although this rig is primarily the replacement for the Karate Monkey as a gravel grinder, I still want off road capabilities.




Here's a shot of the fillet brazing talents of Mike Pofahl, the fellow who ultimately took what Ben and I dreamed up and made it reality. Mike is the guy that did Ben's 36"er and he has done some tandem work as well. I guess he thought this project was pretty cool, and it reminded him of his tandem work. Another guy that saw this frame after it was completed remarked that it looked rather like a Breezer from the late 70's. That was a cool compliment since this guy was actually one of the Marin Mt. Tamalpais bombers back in the day and actually rode with Joe Breeze, Gary Fisher, and Charlie Kelly. I was pleased to hear that, because it meant that the heritage part of the design came through to somebody.

As far as that goes, the parts pic was partially done to reflect mountain bikings past. The drop bar set up is a cue from Charlie Cunningham's old aluminum rigs back in the early 80's. The BMX cranks reflect the time when much of the off road gear used in the late 70's/ early 80's was from that scene. I chose a Selle Anatomica leather saddle, since it's a modern take on a Brooks saddle which were popular saddles on early clunkers. WTB tires reflect the contributions of Wilderness Trail Bikes to the early days of mountain biking. The Chris King head set was the first off road worthy head set designed to give a lifetime of service. The stem (and in the future the skewers) is a Salsa part because Salsa was the first real off road company that made custom stems that worked for mountain biking. The Syncros post is an actual "vintage" piece off my old Bontrager Race bike. The only oddities, and nods to today's technology, are the wheels and brakes, which are far better than anything before them.

So, how does it ride? Well, pretty well............so far! My long break in ride Sunday was interupted by a faulty seat post binder bolt that wouldn't hold the seatpost tight and stripped out the head of the bolt when I tried to tighten it. A little judicious sawing and a new bolt rectified that little issue though! A long ride will have to wait until next time, whenever that comes. Maybe this weekend. In the meantime I'll be commuting on it to see if I screwed up anywhere on the build, but so far so good. I'll chime in when I find out though. In the meantime, enjoy!

Things That Make Me Smile

Paging through Dirt Rag's latest issue #130, I came across this Surly add.

I know that there are a few guys on board at Surly that dig the whole Trans Iowa scene, so this made me smile. (Thanks by the way!)

Some other things that are making me smile: My custom single speed is done and I'm riding it today. That frees me up to start concentrating on the Badger, and that makes me smile. It'll be awhile before that bike gets done though. Oh, and I wonder how the Lincoln Folks did on their 155 ride yesterday. That makes me smile too. Then there's Mr. 24 out at the Vapor Trail 125, and the thought of my good buddy riding Colorado high single track makes me smile too.

Then there are my kids, and they almost always make me smile. And my wife, she does too. Lots of things to be smiling about.

Hey! Is that the sun peeking through out there? Looks like a great day to ride. See ya later. Have yourself a great end of the weekend!

Things That Make Me Smile

Paging through Dirt Rag's latest issue #130, I came across this Surly add.

I know that there are a few guys on board at Surly that dig the whole Trans Iowa scene, so this made me smile. (Thanks by the way!)

Some other things that are making me smile: My custom single speed is done and I'm riding it today. That frees me up to start concentrating on the Badger, and that makes me smile. It'll be awhile before that bike gets done though. Oh, and I wonder how the Lincoln Folks did on their 155 ride yesterday. That makes me smile too. Then there's Mr. 24 out at the Vapor Trail 125, and the thought of my good buddy riding Colorado high single track makes me smile too.

Then there are my kids, and they almost always make me smile. And my wife, she does too. Lots of things to be smiling about.

Hey! Is that the sun peeking through out there? Looks like a great day to ride. See ya later. Have yourself a great end of the weekend!

Friday News and Views

Welcome to your regular end of the week bits and pieces. Here's some things that are on the radar here at Guitar Ted Laboratories.

The Tubeless Debate: Thanks to all who left comments on yesterdays tubeless vs. tubed post. I found a lot of enlightening comments. It would seem that we mountain bikers are all over the map when it comes to this subject. Personally, I am going to keep at it with the tubeless thing. In fact, I plan on doing a tubeless tire/wheel shoot out of sorts, since I have three "systems" available to me now to try out. Well, to be honest, I have already tried two of them, but the idea is to ride them back to back to back to see if there are indeed any differences/benefits to the tubeless ready systems versus a standard wheel set.

A Bike Is Born: I'll be throwing a leg over a new steed this weekend. I just about have it all assembled and the test rides will hopefully be positive. (You never know with a new bike build, even if you do the work yourself!) Assuming all goes well, there will be news posted later this weekend. Stay tuned!

Mr. 24 Gets High: Yes he does, using altitude this weekend at the Vapor Trail 125. Check out his recent blog posts and get the lowdown on it all. Just beware. That green and white Ergon rig is a bit eye rattling!

Mini Updates On Products: Here's some quickie thoughts on some accessories I am testing that I've posted on before. In no particular order: Bontrager Roll Bar multi tool; This thing flat out rocks! My favorite tool to throw in the pack by far. It is missing a Torx wrench for disc brake rotors, and the key ring gets in the way, (easily removed, by the way), but other than that, I love it. It feels soooo good to use this tool versus others it's crazy. Bontrager Rhythm Elite Saddle; I loved it, then I hated it, now I love it again. Really a great mountain biking saddle. Not so much on super long gravel grinders, ( but it does well in that capacity), just a smartly designed saddle that reminds me a lot of a cross between an old Selle San Marco Bontrager saddle and an original WTB SST saddle. If that sounds like it would fit your behind then grab this saddle. It's a winner, at least for me. Origin 8 Gary Bar: Like the "Space Bar", ( a knock off of an On One Mary bar) the "Gary" bar is pretty similar to it's roots and is stoutly constructed. Maybe a bit too radically sloped for some, I like it. I just wish it was of higher quality tubing for a more comfortable ride, but then it wouldn't cost $25.00 retail either! That said, it's going on my next bike.

Gravel Grinder Triple Crown: Trans Iowa- check! Dirty Kanza- check! Only one more event needs to be added to complete a vision for a gravel grinder triple crown here in the Mid West. Word is perculating that it might be in Nebraska. We'll see, but this is an idea that hatched not long after Jeff and I came out with Trans Iowa V1. We'll see if there is enough enthusiasm to carry the day. In the meantime, what should this look like? Obviously, the third event, should it come together, needs to follow in the same/similar vein as DK 200 and T.I.V4. Other than that, I'd say it needs to be at least 200 miles or more and within a month or two of DK 200, which is in mid-May. Give it some thought and comment here or shoot me an e-mail for more discussion off-line. Disclaimer: No! I am not promoting, organizing, nor do I have anything to do with this "future event". I am merely bouncing the idea off here to guage the audiences reactions to the "Triple Crown" idea. I do not even know if this will ever happen, I just think it's a neat idea.

Okay, the weekend weather looks to be ideal around here. Forget the football games, NASCAR, and baseball. Get out and ride a bike!

Friday News and Views

Welcome to your regular end of the week bits and pieces. Here's some things that are on the radar here at Guitar Ted Laboratories.

The Tubeless Debate: Thanks to all who left comments on yesterdays tubeless vs. tubed post. I found a lot of enlightening comments. It would seem that we mountain bikers are all over the map when it comes to this subject. Personally, I am going to keep at it with the tubeless thing. In fact, I plan on doing a tubeless tire/wheel shoot out of sorts, since I have three "systems" available to me now to try out. Well, to be honest, I have already tried two of them, but the idea is to ride them back to back to back to see if there are indeed any differences/benefits to the tubeless ready systems versus a standard wheel set.

A Bike Is Born: I'll be throwing a leg over a new steed this weekend. I just about have it all assembled and the test rides will hopefully be positive. (You never know with a new bike build, even if you do the work yourself!) Assuming all goes well, there will be news posted later this weekend. Stay tuned!

Mr. 24 Gets High: Yes he does, using altitude this weekend at the Vapor Trail 125. Check out his recent blog posts and get the lowdown on it all. Just beware. That green and white Ergon rig is a bit eye rattling!

Mini Updates On Products: Here's some quickie thoughts on some accessories I am testing that I've posted on before. In no particular order: Bontrager Roll Bar multi tool; This thing flat out rocks! My favorite tool to throw in the pack by far. It is missing a Torx wrench for disc brake rotors, and the key ring gets in the way, (easily removed, by the way), but other than that, I love it. It feels soooo good to use this tool versus others it's crazy. Bontrager Rhythm Elite Saddle; I loved it, then I hated it, now I love it again. Really a great mountain biking saddle. Not so much on super long gravel grinders, ( but it does well in that capacity), just a smartly designed saddle that reminds me a lot of a cross between an old Selle San Marco Bontrager saddle and an original WTB SST saddle. If that sounds like it would fit your behind then grab this saddle. It's a winner, at least for me. Origin 8 Gary Bar: Like the "Space Bar", ( a knock off of an On One Mary bar) the "Gary" bar is pretty similar to it's roots and is stoutly constructed. Maybe a bit too radically sloped for some, I like it. I just wish it was of higher quality tubing for a more comfortable ride, but then it wouldn't cost $25.00 retail either! That said, it's going on my next bike.

Gravel Grinder Triple Crown: Trans Iowa- check! Dirty Kanza- check! Only one more event needs to be added to complete a vision for a gravel grinder triple crown here in the Mid West. Word is perculating that it might be in Nebraska. We'll see, but this is an idea that hatched not long after Jeff and I came out with Trans Iowa V1. We'll see if there is enough enthusiasm to carry the day. In the meantime, what should this look like? Obviously, the third event, should it come together, needs to follow in the same/similar vein as DK 200 and T.I.V4. Other than that, I'd say it needs to be at least 200 miles or more and within a month or two of DK 200, which is in mid-May. Give it some thought and comment here or shoot me an e-mail for more discussion off-line. Disclaimer: No! I am not promoting, organizing, nor do I have anything to do with this "future event". I am merely bouncing the idea off here to guage the audiences reactions to the "Triple Crown" idea. I do not even know if this will ever happen, I just think it's a neat idea.

Okay, the weekend weather looks to be ideal around here. Forget the football games, NASCAR, and baseball. Get out and ride a bike!

Yes Tubes vs No Tubes: The Debate Continues

If you follow my scribing on Twenty Nine Inches much you know that I have been fooling around with tubeless systems for mountain bikes lately. Still am actually. You also may remember my rants on tubeless tires here in the past. Well, I thought I might as well give an update on what I think as of now about the whole slimy mess. (Yes, that's a hint!)

For the record, I have always been told by my mountain biking friends that the tubeless tire thing was over rated and "not worth the hassles" to use. They all went back to using tubed set ups within a short time of using tubeless. I had always shied away from tubeless stuff for this reason and the fact that up until recently, you had no real system meant for tubeless use on 29"ers.

Okay, so that's where I'm coming from. Now I have used the two legitimate tubeless ready systems and I am about to try the third and final available system for 29"ers to see how it stacks up. Right now, I'm in the "not so impressed" camp.

First of all, tubeless ready systems are expensive! You have special rims, or even complete wheels. Special tires, special valve stems, and you have that sealant you need to use to keep the tires air tight. Add it all up and you will be spending more than you would for a rim strip and tubed tire set up. So, tubeless is not an advantage in that way.

Then you have choice. Well, lack of choice, actually. While there are promises of new tires coming, they are seemingly unobtanium, and then you have few rim choices/wheel set choices too. With all the tubed tire choices, tubeless falls short again. That doesn't even take into consideration the rim choices for tubed tires. Especially so in the 29"er market.

Finally, you have performance. This is where the tubeless cognescenti say the advantages of tubeless will out weigh those previously mentioned negatives. Hmm.........oh really?! I'm not so sure about that one. First they say rolling resistance is better. Well, maybe it is, but I can't feel it. I have run one of my tubeless ready tires both ways, and I'll be danged if I can tell the difference. Next they say that the use of the sealant will help prevent flats. Uhhh.........not so much. At least not in my experience. One flat was a sidewall puncture and it wouldn't seal up. The second was a small slow leak that persisted in going flat for three days until I finally gave it another shot of sealant. It got better, but then it still wasn't holding air as it should and during a long ride it got tubed. Guess what? No problems since.

Which brings me to the whole flat changing morass which I'd rather not ever have to deal with. Really, what could be better than to be hot and sweaty, trying to hurry as your mates stand around waiting for you while you switch out a valve stem for a tube, all the while dealing with a goopy mess on your hands. Really, that's so appealing. Extra steps and mess not associated with tubed set ups. Hmm.........I know which I prefer!

To be fair, the anti-pinch flat abilities of tubeless is amazing. However; at pressures that low, the tire wants to flex in turns anyway, so I end up pressuring up a tad, and to be honest, it's enough that a tube set up wouldn't pinch flat either. So that's a wash so far in my mind.

I'm not giving up on tubeless yet. No-sirreee! I figure it's big business, so there must be something to it. I just haven't found what it is yet, but if it's there I will! I promise you that much.

To be continued at a later date...................

Yes Tubes vs No Tubes: The Debate Continues

If you follow my scribing on Twenty Nine Inches much you know that I have been fooling around with tubeless systems for mountain bikes lately. Still am actually. You also may remember my rants on tubeless tires here in the past. Well, I thought I might as well give an update on what I think as of now about the whole slimy mess. (Yes, that's a hint!)

For the record, I have always been told by my mountain biking friends that the tubeless tire thing was over rated and "not worth the hassles" to use. They all went back to using tubed set ups within a short time of using tubeless. I had always shied away from tubeless stuff for this reason and the fact that up until recently, you had no real system meant for tubeless use on 29"ers.

Okay, so that's where I'm coming from. Now I have used the two legitimate tubeless ready systems and I am about to try the third and final available system for 29"ers to see how it stacks up. Right now, I'm in the "not so impressed" camp.

First of all, tubeless ready systems are expensive! You have special rims, or even complete wheels. Special tires, special valve stems, and you have that sealant you need to use to keep the tires air tight. Add it all up and you will be spending more than you would for a rim strip and tubed tire set up. So, tubeless is not an advantage in that way.

Then you have choice. Well, lack of choice, actually. While there are promises of new tires coming, they are seemingly unobtanium, and then you have few rim choices/wheel set choices too. With all the tubed tire choices, tubeless falls short again. That doesn't even take into consideration the rim choices for tubed tires. Especially so in the 29"er market.

Finally, you have performance. This is where the tubeless cognescenti say the advantages of tubeless will out weigh those previously mentioned negatives. Hmm.........oh really?! I'm not so sure about that one. First they say rolling resistance is better. Well, maybe it is, but I can't feel it. I have run one of my tubeless ready tires both ways, and I'll be danged if I can tell the difference. Next they say that the use of the sealant will help prevent flats. Uhhh.........not so much. At least not in my experience. One flat was a sidewall puncture and it wouldn't seal up. The second was a small slow leak that persisted in going flat for three days until I finally gave it another shot of sealant. It got better, but then it still wasn't holding air as it should and during a long ride it got tubed. Guess what? No problems since.

Which brings me to the whole flat changing morass which I'd rather not ever have to deal with. Really, what could be better than to be hot and sweaty, trying to hurry as your mates stand around waiting for you while you switch out a valve stem for a tube, all the while dealing with a goopy mess on your hands. Really, that's so appealing. Extra steps and mess not associated with tubed set ups. Hmm.........I know which I prefer!

To be fair, the anti-pinch flat abilities of tubeless is amazing. However; at pressures that low, the tire wants to flex in turns anyway, so I end up pressuring up a tad, and to be honest, it's enough that a tube set up wouldn't pinch flat either. So that's a wash so far in my mind.

I'm not giving up on tubeless yet. No-sirreee! I figure it's big business, so there must be something to it. I just haven't found what it is yet, but if it's there I will! I promise you that much.

To be continued at a later date...................

Peering Into The Future: Interbike Time

Today I want to take a look at the upcoming Interbike trade show and give you my take on what's coming down the pike for 29"ers and mountain biking in general. If Eurobike was any indication, there will be a lot of 29"er craziness going down in Las Vegas once again.

Budget 29"ers Abound: You may have noticed on Twenty Nine Inches how we have been posting a lot of new releases for '08 and that many of them are sub $1000.00 entries into the 29"er market. Expect coverage of these models to be headlines and look for more new bikes yet to be seen. Last year was the "single speed/do-it-all" 29"er that made a splash and this year it'll be the "budget 29"er". Some related parts that will crop up in regards to these releases may also be news. Forks, wheels, and tires should be looked at closely. I suspect RST and Spinner will be players in the budget 29"er market with their new 29"er fork lines. Right now, expect to see most of these bikes sporting Rock Shox Dart 29"er forks. (If they have front suspension at all!)

Forks: Unless SRAM/Rock Shox is being ultra-stealth, I don't expect much ground breaking news in the fork market for 29"ers. I could be wrong here, and I hope I am. Rock Shox has been getting a lot of requests for a longer travel, thru-axle type fork for 29"ers and I have not heard a thing about any possible development there. Perhaps it's in the works, but it would be a huge deal at Interbike if Rock Shox took the wraps off on any project related to a long travel 29"er fork. White Brothers should be showing a 135mm travel single crown fork and perhaps a new 150mm travel proto type that is being tested now. Marzocchi, one of the first to accommodate mass market 29"er fork needs, hasn't had a fork in it's line up for a couple of years now, and it doesn't look to me as if they will again this year. Manitou has already made the move to a 29"er fork line, but plans could be unveiled for what's to come from them. Fox has already jumped in too, but their fork is just now coming online, so I don't see anything new from them just yet in 29"er forks. Some "under the radar" fork companies like FRM, or others may show up, so I'll be keeping my eyes peeled.

Tires: Here's where I think "huge" news will be made. (pun intended) I think some mind blowingly fat rubber is going to show up at Interbike this year for 29"ers. I'm pretty sure at least one tire that's DH/FR/AM ready will be shown that isn't on anybodies radar yet. Plus, the Schwalbe tire, the Racing Ralph in 29"er sizes should be there. It's said to be quite big by folks that saw it at Eurobike. I suspect Maxxis, Geax, Continental, and Kenda will be showing tires that are new, or telling of new treads coming soon. I suspect new tubeless ready 29"er tires will be shown or at least rumored on the heels of Mavic's Crossmax 29"er wheel release. Other surprises surely lurk in this category, so stay tuned for the coverage on tires.

Full Suspension 29"ers: Again, we have shown a few new FS designs on Twenty Nine Inches and I expect there to be even more coming. The category will grow and several "growing pains" will be experienced along the way. (I'm not at all convinced that many FS 29"er designs are good or refined for bigger wheels) Look for something in the longer travel department to show up. Maybe more than one bike. Most will be in the threee to four inch travel range though.

Wheels and Rims: Mavic has already released it's wheel at Sea Otter, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if there was some additional news from them. Some other wheel surprises are sure to be had at Interbike. I'm betting on some rumors, or maybe even some actual hardware, concerning tubeless ready wheels and rims. Speaking of rims, I suspect more offerings to be shown for 29"er rims too. Wide will be the story line here, with many rims in the 28mm plus category starting to crop up. Perhaps another complete wheel set will be shown, as well.

So, these are the things I'm thinking will be big at Interbike this year for 29"ers. We'll see if I am right soon enough!

Peering Into The Future: Interbike Time

Today I want to take a look at the upcoming Interbike trade show and give you my take on what's coming down the pike for 29"ers and mountain biking in general. If Eurobike was any indication, there will be a lot of 29"er craziness going down in Las Vegas once again.

Budget 29"ers Abound: You may have noticed on Twenty Nine Inches how we have been posting a lot of new releases for '08 and that many of them are sub $1000.00 entries into the 29"er market. Expect coverage of these models to be headlines and look for more new bikes yet to be seen. Last year was the "single speed/do-it-all" 29"er that made a splash and this year it'll be the "budget 29"er". Some related parts that will crop up in regards to these releases may also be news. Forks, wheels, and tires should be looked at closely. I suspect RST and Spinner will be players in the budget 29"er market with their new 29"er fork lines. Right now, expect to see most of these bikes sporting Rock Shox Dart 29"er forks. (If they have front suspension at all!)

Forks: Unless SRAM/Rock Shox is being ultra-stealth, I don't expect much ground breaking news in the fork market for 29"ers. I could be wrong here, and I hope I am. Rock Shox has been getting a lot of requests for a longer travel, thru-axle type fork for 29"ers and I have not heard a thing about any possible development there. Perhaps it's in the works, but it would be a huge deal at Interbike if Rock Shox took the wraps off on any project related to a long travel 29"er fork. White Brothers should be showing a 135mm travel single crown fork and perhaps a new 150mm travel proto type that is being tested now. Marzocchi, one of the first to accommodate mass market 29"er fork needs, hasn't had a fork in it's line up for a couple of years now, and it doesn't look to me as if they will again this year. Manitou has already made the move to a 29"er fork line, but plans could be unveiled for what's to come from them. Fox has already jumped in too, but their fork is just now coming online, so I don't see anything new from them just yet in 29"er forks. Some "under the radar" fork companies like FRM, or others may show up, so I'll be keeping my eyes peeled.

Tires: Here's where I think "huge" news will be made. (pun intended) I think some mind blowingly fat rubber is going to show up at Interbike this year for 29"ers. I'm pretty sure at least one tire that's DH/FR/AM ready will be shown that isn't on anybodies radar yet. Plus, the Schwalbe tire, the Racing Ralph in 29"er sizes should be there. It's said to be quite big by folks that saw it at Eurobike. I suspect Maxxis, Geax, Continental, and Kenda will be showing tires that are new, or telling of new treads coming soon. I suspect new tubeless ready 29"er tires will be shown or at least rumored on the heels of Mavic's Crossmax 29"er wheel release. Other surprises surely lurk in this category, so stay tuned for the coverage on tires.

Full Suspension 29"ers: Again, we have shown a few new FS designs on Twenty Nine Inches and I expect there to be even more coming. The category will grow and several "growing pains" will be experienced along the way. (I'm not at all convinced that many FS 29"er designs are good or refined for bigger wheels) Look for something in the longer travel department to show up. Maybe more than one bike. Most will be in the threee to four inch travel range though.

Wheels and Rims: Mavic has already released it's wheel at Sea Otter, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if there was some additional news from them. Some other wheel surprises are sure to be had at Interbike. I'm betting on some rumors, or maybe even some actual hardware, concerning tubeless ready wheels and rims. Speaking of rims, I suspect more offerings to be shown for 29"er rims too. Wide will be the story line here, with many rims in the 28mm plus category starting to crop up. Perhaps another complete wheel set will be shown, as well.

So, these are the things I'm thinking will be big at Interbike this year for 29"ers. We'll see if I am right soon enough!

24 Hours Of Seven Oaks Recap

(Note: Picture descriptions in italics. This is the rig I rode: Inbred 29"er with Superlight carbon fork.)

Well, the event that went down this past weekend was a pretty fun time. The 24 Hours at Seven Oaks went pretty well from the standpoint of the people involved and the riding was top notch. Great trails and the event was super well organized and laid back.

It all started for me by getting all the crap associated with going mountain biking together for the weekend on Friday night. I got it all down to two drop bags, my messenger bag, and my Ergon pack. This included changes of street clothing. Got myself into bed and slept great.

Saturday morning started out with a breakfast of PB&J and out the door to meet up with the rest of my Team Stoopid brethren at Bike Tech. We got ourselves out on the road and made it to Seven Oaks without any issues. Once there, we set up camp, and soaked in the rays of a beautiful Saturday morning. The weather was perfect!



Tatooed the Inbred with this fine sticker courtesy of Blue. Thanks bro!

Blue, Brother of Jackal, The Thin Man, and I were all set and ready to go, but none of us even thought to pre-ride the course, which none of us had been on! Oh well, I guess we had time to learn it. Blue went and volunteered to help put back a bridge that had washed out to help add over a mile to the course. After he got back, we went up and checked in, paid our money, and got a sweet event t-shirt that mimiced a label from a certain famous whiskey brand. Cool! Even better, it was a black t-shirt. I'll actually wear it. We went back after we determined that Brother of Jackal was the best runner and would lead out the team by starting on the Le Mans run. I took second turn, The Thin Man took third, and Blue took the last turn.

The start had us all laughing and joking as Brother of Jackal smoked the feild, got on his rig first and disappeared into the woods. WooHoo! Team Stoopid actually lead the race at one point. Anyway, my turn was expected to come around in about an hour, so I wandered over to the start/finish area to await my doom. About two minutes before I went out, I realized I'd left my gloves back at the camp. Doh! No time for that now! Before I knew it, I was up the days first climb.

It was a bit greasy, and switch backs were on tap. I ended up walking the last half of this climb. Up top I remounted. I never had been here and sight lines were really short, so I was very gingerly pecking my way along at an easy pace. I just wanted to finish out the lap as an exploratory one without any crashing and always moving forwards. I alternated walking and riding because my lack of momentum wasn't allowing me to roll stuff like I could have had I known what to expect. Of course, the 34 X 18 gear didn't help that either. I came across a couple of young newbies and took a short breather. We swapped places a few times, then one fell off the back and the other disappeared ahead of me. I was alone again for awhile challenging myself to some tough switchback turns.




The Thin Man and his game face

Then Paul Jacobsen came out of nowhere on his new Redline 29"er. Paul I know from Trans Iowa. He was riding pretty smoothly, so I let him go on. He stopped at a turn not far up and insisted I go on after which I promptly went ass over tea kettle into a ravine. It must have looked pretty silly! I was okay, but Paul went on and I was alone again. A few times after that, I got passed by the really fast guys, but mostly it was me, dirt, and lots of sweat. It got pretty stifling out there in the heat with no wind in the thick woods. I had to stop every so often, rub my sweaty hands on tree trunks to get a tacky grip, and remount. The lack of gloves was really a hindrance. After a slow grind up a gentle slope, I started to find a rhythm and was riding more. This part of the course was less technical, and I was starting to pick up some speed. I ended my lap in an hour and thirteen minutes and handed off to The Thin Man.

I retired to the camp and ate. I was hungry! Then I settled down and awaited my next turn, which came about six o'clock. Good! I didn't want to ride this in the dark, as I only had handlebar mounted lights, and the word was that sort of set up was no good here. By this time, we found out that we were the only four man 12 hour team there, so we won! Woot woot! Winning by default may not be too cool, but it's still winning, and it sure beats losing!



Carlos heading up to breakfast on Sunday morning

My second lap was far better and smoother. I was cleaning more sections and riding a lot faster. My goal was to not crash and cut off some lap time. I got about three quarters of the way in when I high sided a down hill switchback and was air bourne. I had to grab a tree trunk in mid air, spin around it like a stripper on a grease pole, and swing my legs downwards towards the steeply falling away hillside. I dug in my shoes and grabbed at anything I could to slow myself down. I came to a halt about 12 feet below the switchback and slowly crawled back to my bike. Whew! Close, but not a crash. More of a fancy dismount, I'd say!

The final part of the loop takes you around a campground. It was here that I started hearing a tink-tink-tink that got louder and louder as I went. Broken front spoke? Nope. What the......... I stopped to look at the brake rotor/caliper/pad assembly. Nothing looked weird or out of place. This stopping was made more difficult for the myriads of mosquitoes that would decsend upon me the minute I sat still. I couldn't even see since they were all about my head everytime I tried to take a peek. Minutes were going by, but not having a front brake wasn't an option here. I finally figured out that by slightly squeezing the lever, the sound would disappear. So I soldiered on and used more rear brake when I could.

The leader board tells the story!

I got going a bit and then hey! No rear brake at all! Rats! Good thing I was about done with the lap. I coasted in at an hour and twenty something. Terrible, but the brake thing did me in. What could I do? Shades of my past racing experiences swept before me as I remembered how I used to break stuff all the time in XC races.

Back at the pits, I found out one of my rear caliper bolts came all the way out. That explains it! At least the bolt was still hanging in the frame. I made a quick repair on it. Now for the front. I couldn't see what the devil was wrong with it. After fully disassembling and reassembling the unit, it was fine. Weird! Whatever caused the noise was gone.

I ended up not having to go out again. We had no time left for me to take a night lap, and I can't say as I was too discouraged by that news. I went out socializing and shared some fine Stranahan's Whiskey with some fellow racers. I fell asleep in the back of The Thin Man's truck at about 2:30am.

I awoke in the morning, downed some braekfast and we decamped. Took off about 10:30 am and left after having a fine and dandy time. I think I may have to do this again. Maybe for the full 24 hours and some night laps. We'll see!

24 Hours Of Seven Oaks Recap

(Note: Picture descriptions in italics. This is the rig I rode: Inbred 29"er with Superlight carbon fork.)

Well, the event that went down this past weekend was a pretty fun time. The 24 Hours at Seven Oaks went pretty well from the standpoint of the people involved and the riding was top notch. Great trails and the event was super well organized and laid back.

It all started for me by getting all the crap associated with going mountain biking together for the weekend on Friday night. I got it all down to two drop bags, my messenger bag, and my Ergon pack. This included changes of street clothing. Got myself into bed and slept great.

Saturday morning started out with a breakfast of PB&J and out the door to meet up with the rest of my Team Stoopid brethren at Bike Tech. We got ourselves out on the road and made it to Seven Oaks without any issues. Once there, we set up camp, and soaked in the rays of a beautiful Saturday morning. The weather was perfect!



Tatooed the Inbred with this fine sticker courtesy of Blue. Thanks bro!

Blue, Brother of Jackal, The Thin Man, and I were all set and ready to go, but none of us even thought to pre-ride the course, which none of us had been on! Oh well, I guess we had time to learn it. Blue went and volunteered to help put back a bridge that had washed out to help add over a mile to the course. After he got back, we went up and checked in, paid our money, and got a sweet event t-shirt that mimiced a label from a certain famous whiskey brand. Cool! Even better, it was a black t-shirt. I'll actually wear it. We went back after we determined that Brother of Jackal was the best runner and would lead out the team by starting on the Le Mans run. I took second turn, The Thin Man took third, and Blue took the last turn.

The start had us all laughing and joking as Brother of Jackal smoked the feild, got on his rig first and disappeared into the woods. WooHoo! Team Stoopid actually lead the race at one point. Anyway, my turn was expected to come around in about an hour, so I wandered over to the start/finish area to await my doom. About two minutes before I went out, I realized I'd left my gloves back at the camp. Doh! No time for that now! Before I knew it, I was up the days first climb.

It was a bit greasy, and switch backs were on tap. I ended up walking the last half of this climb. Up top I remounted. I never had been here and sight lines were really short, so I was very gingerly pecking my way along at an easy pace. I just wanted to finish out the lap as an exploratory one without any crashing and always moving forwards. I alternated walking and riding because my lack of momentum wasn't allowing me to roll stuff like I could have had I known what to expect. Of course, the 34 X 18 gear didn't help that either. I came across a couple of young newbies and took a short breather. We swapped places a few times, then one fell off the back and the other disappeared ahead of me. I was alone again for awhile challenging myself to some tough switchback turns.




The Thin Man and his game face

Then Paul Jacobsen came out of nowhere on his new Redline 29"er. Paul I know from Trans Iowa. He was riding pretty smoothly, so I let him go on. He stopped at a turn not far up and insisted I go on after which I promptly went ass over tea kettle into a ravine. It must have looked pretty silly! I was okay, but Paul went on and I was alone again. A few times after that, I got passed by the really fast guys, but mostly it was me, dirt, and lots of sweat. It got pretty stifling out there in the heat with no wind in the thick woods. I had to stop every so often, rub my sweaty hands on tree trunks to get a tacky grip, and remount. The lack of gloves was really a hindrance. After a slow grind up a gentle slope, I started to find a rhythm and was riding more. This part of the course was less technical, and I was starting to pick up some speed. I ended my lap in an hour and thirteen minutes and handed off to The Thin Man.

I retired to the camp and ate. I was hungry! Then I settled down and awaited my next turn, which came about six o'clock. Good! I didn't want to ride this in the dark, as I only had handlebar mounted lights, and the word was that sort of set up was no good here. By this time, we found out that we were the only four man 12 hour team there, so we won! Woot woot! Winning by default may not be too cool, but it's still winning, and it sure beats losing!



Carlos heading up to breakfast on Sunday morning

My second lap was far better and smoother. I was cleaning more sections and riding a lot faster. My goal was to not crash and cut off some lap time. I got about three quarters of the way in when I high sided a down hill switchback and was air bourne. I had to grab a tree trunk in mid air, spin around it like a stripper on a grease pole, and swing my legs downwards towards the steeply falling away hillside. I dug in my shoes and grabbed at anything I could to slow myself down. I came to a halt about 12 feet below the switchback and slowly crawled back to my bike. Whew! Close, but not a crash. More of a fancy dismount, I'd say!

The final part of the loop takes you around a campground. It was here that I started hearing a tink-tink-tink that got louder and louder as I went. Broken front spoke? Nope. What the......... I stopped to look at the brake rotor/caliper/pad assembly. Nothing looked weird or out of place. This stopping was made more difficult for the myriads of mosquitoes that would decsend upon me the minute I sat still. I couldn't even see since they were all about my head everytime I tried to take a peek. Minutes were going by, but not having a front brake wasn't an option here. I finally figured out that by slightly squeezing the lever, the sound would disappear. So I soldiered on and used more rear brake when I could.

The leader board tells the story!

I got going a bit and then hey! No rear brake at all! Rats! Good thing I was about done with the lap. I coasted in at an hour and twenty something. Terrible, but the brake thing did me in. What could I do? Shades of my past racing experiences swept before me as I remembered how I used to break stuff all the time in XC races.

Back at the pits, I found out one of my rear caliper bolts came all the way out. That explains it! At least the bolt was still hanging in the frame. I made a quick repair on it. Now for the front. I couldn't see what the devil was wrong with it. After fully disassembling and reassembling the unit, it was fine. Weird! Whatever caused the noise was gone.

I ended up not having to go out again. We had no time left for me to take a night lap, and I can't say as I was too discouraged by that news. I went out socializing and shared some fine Stranahan's Whiskey with some fellow racers. I fell asleep in the back of The Thin Man's truck at about 2:30am.

I awoke in the morning, downed some braekfast and we decamped. Took off about 10:30 am and left after having a fine and dandy time. I think I may have to do this again. Maybe for the full 24 hours and some night laps. We'll see!

Ride Report: Seven Oaks Recreation Area

Coming off my first true off road event/race since 1997, I have much to say here, but this post will be about the venue because more folks should be checking this out.

Seven Oaks started life out as a ski area, but it also hosts other summertime activities and one of them is mountain biking. Seven Oaks is located just west of Boone, Iowa and is a stones throw off Highway 30. For a three dollar "on your honor" fee, you can enjoy about 8 miles of the most killer single track anywhere in the Mid-West. The trails are in a loop and you really can't get lost, but you better be an expert bicycle handler if you want to really enjoy them. This place is really demanding and tough.

The event I attended was the Iowa 24 Hours at Seven Oaks. It utilized all the trail that the place had, I'm pretty sure. (There may be some other trails, but I never saw any other trail heads) The place features real switchbacks, tough climbs, exposed traverses, several short wooden bridges, and lots of off camber sections. The trail often snakes back and forth on itself, so at times it's confusing to a newbie to figure out where you are exactly. However; if you just keep pedaling, you eventually come out to the end and back out to the ski area where you started.

The trails can get pretty slick and muddy if they are wet, so it may not be wise to go when there's been rain falling near the time you want to go. These trails are challenging enough when dry, I'll vouch for that. Climbing is a very necessary skill, but there really isn't any climb that is too long. Some are fairly steep though. Downhills are shorter than some other places, but still fun and rewarding. I especially enjoyed the downhill switchbacks, which required all of my skill to clean on my rigid single speed.

The trails consist mainly of buff dirt with some exposed roots and very few rocks. A tire with some low knobs at a moderate pressure will bite enough to get you around here, if it's dry.

In comparison with other Iowa trails, Seven Oaks ranks up near the top if only because of it's many switch backs and level of dificulty. There just are not that many places you can go here in the state and get a schooling that you can use elsewhere in the U.S. like you can at Seven Oaks. The switch backs alone are worth trying out in this regard. I would say that folks coming off the Decorah trails would be right at home here. The biggest difference being the aforementioned switch backs and the almost total lack of rocks, which Decorah has in spades. Length of the trail system is a negative here, as I'm pretty sure it's under ten miles while Sugar Bottom and Decorah have more. That short distance is extremely demanding though, so don't let the lack of mileage deter you from checking out this excellent venue.

Ride Report: Seven Oaks Recreation Area

Coming off my first true off road event/race since 1997, I have much to say here, but this post will be about the venue because more folks should be checking this out.

Seven Oaks started life out as a ski area, but it also hosts other summertime activities and one of them is mountain biking. Seven Oaks is located just west of Boone, Iowa and is a stones throw off Highway 30. For a three dollar "on your honor" fee, you can enjoy about 8 miles of the most killer single track anywhere in the Mid-West. The trails are in a loop and you really can't get lost, but you better be an expert bicycle handler if you want to really enjoy them. This place is really demanding and tough.

The event I attended was the Iowa 24 Hours at Seven Oaks. It utilized all the trail that the place had, I'm pretty sure. (There may be some other trails, but I never saw any other trail heads) The place features real switchbacks, tough climbs, exposed traverses, several short wooden bridges, and lots of off camber sections. The trail often snakes back and forth on itself, so at times it's confusing to a newbie to figure out where you are exactly. However; if you just keep pedaling, you eventually come out to the end and back out to the ski area where you started.

The trails can get pretty slick and muddy if they are wet, so it may not be wise to go when there's been rain falling near the time you want to go. These trails are challenging enough when dry, I'll vouch for that. Climbing is a very necessary skill, but there really isn't any climb that is too long. Some are fairly steep though. Downhills are shorter than some other places, but still fun and rewarding. I especially enjoyed the downhill switchbacks, which required all of my skill to clean on my rigid single speed.

The trails consist mainly of buff dirt with some exposed roots and very few rocks. A tire with some low knobs at a moderate pressure will bite enough to get you around here, if it's dry.

In comparison with other Iowa trails, Seven Oaks ranks up near the top if only because of it's many switch backs and level of dificulty. There just are not that many places you can go here in the state and get a schooling that you can use elsewhere in the U.S. like you can at Seven Oaks. The switch backs alone are worth trying out in this regard. I would say that folks coming off the Decorah trails would be right at home here. The biggest difference being the aforementioned switch backs and the almost total lack of rocks, which Decorah has in spades. Length of the trail system is a negative here, as I'm pretty sure it's under ten miles while Sugar Bottom and Decorah have more. That short distance is extremely demanding though, so don't let the lack of mileage deter you from checking out this excellent venue.

Winners!

Results from the Iowa 24Hrs at Seven Oaks.................

Squirrel takes the solo category by three laps.

Rassmussen's four man squad crushed it in the four man team 24 race.

And Team Stoopid wins the four man 12hr team category!


Pics here, here, and on this blog tomorrow night after I get my camera out of hock at Bike Tech.

Winners!

Results from the Iowa 24Hrs at Seven Oaks.................

Squirrel takes the solo category by three laps.

Rassmussen's four man squad crushed it in the four man team 24 race.

And Team Stoopid wins the four man 12hr team category!


Pics here, here, and on this blog tomorrow night after I get my camera out of hock at Bike Tech.