A Rejoinder To The Ponderer

Recently a dust up of sorts has blown up over a post done by Bike Hugger's main protagonist, Byron DL, who had this bit published on "Wired" recently.  (I recommend you read it to help make the rest of my post make sense.)

In the article Byron "ponders the point" of "snow bikes", (a term which is rife with misunderstandings right up front), and goes on.....well, go read it by clicking the link above!

Byron happens to also be on Facebook, and messaged me for my response to the article, knowing I was a fan of this sort of vehicle. I have decided to take the liberty of posting my entire response, verbatim, which I present here today. A couple of things to note...

• Once again-  read the article linked above, or you won't understand the rest here. 
• "You" in my response refers to Byron DL, the author of the "Wired" article linked here. 
• Byron may or may not post some of the following in a follow up he mentioned he may do to me. (I gave him my blessing to do so.) This is one of the reasons I decided to go ahead and post this message from Facebook here, and besides, I stand behind everything stated here.

Without further adieu.....

"My take? Well, you raise some points that found me nodding my head in agreement, but you also seem to have some feelings that I find contrary to the experience of riding in conditions that are otherwise unrideable with "ordinary mountain bikes".

You seem annoyed by the slow, mind numbing pace of the riding, the high focus on handling, and some technicalities with components. I ask you- would you rather be riding rollers/trainers? For many, that is the only other option at times.

I also find that the high focus on handling actually pays dividends when I do get back on my "typical mtb" in the regular season. In this sense, I get a benefit, albeit not an immediate one. The bikes are heavier- this makes me stronger when I ride my other bikes. The bikes have technical challenges now- but as you point out, with refinement, you will see those overcome. (By the way, Grip Shift is the bomb on a fat bike with thicker gloves. )

The slower paced riding is actually peaceful, and not unlike what one might experience while hiking- only you are riding a bicycle. I am not holden to the belief that speed "has to be" a part of an enjoyable cycling experience, but many are. I get that, but I don't think everyone is this way.

Furthermore, I have witnessed first hand how many first time off roaders are tickled to death to find such a stable beast, which a fat bike is, which slows down the need to react to inputs, and is giving them traction for days in corners and on climbs. In this sense, it opens the off road doors to folks who are otherwise terrified of many of the mountain bikes you specifically call out in your piece. The "ATV" of mtb vs the "Honda 250 motocrosser", if you will.

That said- yes- they could be better, and I think companies like On One, who developed their fat bike with trail riding in mind, are on the right track. It also is interesting to note that J&B Importers, who have the house brand, "Origin 8" are coming out with a fat bike exactly as you have envisioned, (albeit heavy), by the way of the introduction of the Nuvinci 360 hubbed "Crawler", available in April.

I feel a front suspended, 3"-3.8" tired, fat bike with trail geometry would be the best representation of a bike that would bring a different flavor to mountain biking. I feel there is potential there. (Check out the Belgian brand, Sandman, for where I think this is going)

Anyway, I think there is much potential for a larger audience for these bikes, that isn't the "typical" 5 inch travel mtb freak of today."

As a follow up to the above, it should be noted as well that there is more to riding these fat tired bikes than snow. I know- most of you folks landing here "get that", but it needs to be drilled again to underscore the point. 

Are fat bikes better or worse than mountain bikes? Well, first off, they are mountain bikes. Secondly, while they are not the best for going really fast, dropping in a 12 footer, or for climbing as fast as you can go, they will cover much of the same territory as most mountain bikes, just differently. 

It is that "difference" which likely appeals to those fans of fat bikes who are willing to accept the short term limitations to the genre for the immediate benefits of this type of rig. Can they be better? Sure they can. I suspect "fat bikes" will become something a lot different than we know them as now, much like  a 1980's era "mountain bike" is not very similar to the modern incarnations of the genre today.  

As if on cue in terms of the above statement, SRAM officially announced their fat bike crank offerings yesterday. I see that as just the tip of the iceberg, as it were, in fat bike refinements. Time will tell, but I don't think the "Wired" piece is as negative as many seem to think it is. A bit misguided or misinformed? Maybe that, but certainly there are some points there that make sense, and given what I think will happen, in the end, it won't be a big deal at all.

A Rejoinder To The Ponderer

Recently a dust up of sorts has blown up over a post done by Bike Hugger's main protagonist, Byron DL, who had this bit published on "Wired" recently.  (I recommend you read it to help make the rest of my post make sense.)

In the article Byron "ponders the point" of "snow bikes", (a term which is rife with misunderstandings right up front), and goes on.....well, go read it by clicking the link above!

Byron happens to also be on Facebook, and messaged me for my response to the article, knowing I was a fan of this sort of vehicle. I have decided to take the liberty of posting my entire response, verbatim, which I present here today. A couple of things to note...

• Once again-  read the article linked above, or you won't understand the rest here. 
• "You" in my response refers to Byron DL, the author of the "Wired" article linked here. 
• Byron may or may not post some of the following in a follow up he mentioned he may do to me. (I gave him my blessing to do so.) This is one of the reasons I decided to go ahead and post this message from Facebook here, and besides, I stand behind everything stated here.

Without further adieu.....

"My take? Well, you raise some points that found me nodding my head in agreement, but you also seem to have some feelings that I find contrary to the experience of riding in conditions that are otherwise unrideable with "ordinary mountain bikes".

You seem annoyed by the slow, mind numbing pace of the riding, the high focus on handling, and some technicalities with components. I ask you- would you rather be riding rollers/trainers? For many, that is the only other option at times.

I also find that the high focus on handling actually pays dividends when I do get back on my "typical mtb" in the regular season. In this sense, I get a benefit, albeit not an immediate one. The bikes are heavier- this makes me stronger when I ride my other bikes. The bikes have technical challenges now- but as you point out, with refinement, you will see those overcome. (By the way, Grip Shift is the bomb on a fat bike with thicker gloves. )

The slower paced riding is actually peaceful, and not unlike what one might experience while hiking- only you are riding a bicycle. I am not holden to the belief that speed "has to be" a part of an enjoyable cycling experience, but many are. I get that, but I don't think everyone is this way.

Furthermore, I have witnessed first hand how many first time off roaders are tickled to death to find such a stable beast, which a fat bike is, which slows down the need to react to inputs, and is giving them traction for days in corners and on climbs. In this sense, it opens the off road doors to folks who are otherwise terrified of many of the mountain bikes you specifically call out in your piece. The "ATV" of mtb vs the "Honda 250 motocrosser", if you will.

That said- yes- they could be better, and I think companies like On One, who developed their fat bike with trail riding in mind, are on the right track. It also is interesting to note that J&B Importers, who have the house brand, "Origin 8" are coming out with a fat bike exactly as you have envisioned, (albeit heavy), by the way of the introduction of the Nuvinci 360 hubbed "Crawler", available in April.

I feel a front suspended, 3"-3.8" tired, fat bike with trail geometry would be the best representation of a bike that would bring a different flavor to mountain biking. I feel there is potential there. (Check out the Belgian brand, Sandman, for where I think this is going)

Anyway, I think there is much potential for a larger audience for these bikes, that isn't the "typical" 5 inch travel mtb freak of today."

As a follow up to the above, it should be noted as well that there is more to riding these fat tired bikes than snow. I know- most of you folks landing here "get that", but it needs to be drilled again to underscore the point. 

Are fat bikes better or worse than mountain bikes? Well, first off, they are mountain bikes. Secondly, while they are not the best for going really fast, dropping in a 12 footer, or for climbing as fast as you can go, they will cover much of the same territory as most mountain bikes, just differently. 

It is that "difference" which likely appeals to those fans of fat bikes who are willing to accept the short term limitations to the genre for the immediate benefits of this type of rig. Can they be better? Sure they can. I suspect "fat bikes" will become something a lot different than we know them as now, much like  a 1980's era "mountain bike" is not very similar to the modern incarnations of the genre today.  

As if on cue in terms of the above statement, SRAM officially announced their fat bike crank offerings yesterday. I see that as just the tip of the iceberg, as it were, in fat bike refinements. Time will tell, but I don't think the "Wired" piece is as negative as many seem to think it is. A bit misguided or misinformed? Maybe that, but certainly there are some points there that make sense, and given what I think will happen, in the end, it won't be a big deal at all.

That Wasn't For Me

Regular readers here may wonder why I have not posted much on my titanium Mukluk of late. No......I did not sell it. I single speeded it back in November, and after riding it twice that way, I decided that it just wasn't for me.

Of course, I did ride The Snow Dog a lot, since I was training for Triple D, and afterward, I just kept on riding it. (When I wasn't sick, which has been most of February.) Another thing folks might remember from way back last Fall, and that was my bikepacking plans. That was going to happen on By-Tor, but due to family issues, I had to abort the plan. Now I have been formulating how I want to return to the bikepacking idea, and how I might make By-Tor a better rig for that activity.

The bike has been a 1 X 10 for most of its time with me. That was "okay" for gearing, but 1 X 10 is a bit limiting if I want to go to places that are further afield and/or have tougher terrain. Unloaded, the titanium Mukluk was fine with that 32 X 36T low gear. However, loaded up, I may find I need something less stressful than that gear. In comes the FSA double ring set to the rescue. It has a 36T big ring and utilizes a matched 22T granny which works with it. Obviously- much lower gearing is available there, and a bit taller on the other end as well. The 36T X 11T combo should be more than fast enough.

It was cool and all- but gears are better in deep snow!

The FSA kit came with the two rings, special "ears" that make the spider look complete on the outside, and all chain ring bolts, which are Torx 30 fastners. This kit is tailor made to turn a triple into a good looking double.

The rest of the outfit will include a SLX direct mount front derailleur, and an XT DynaSys Shadow Plus rear derailleur shifting that 10 speed rear cassette. Initially I will keep the fat tires on until later in Spring when things begin to dry up, then I may have a surprise wheel set to spring on everyone that I have been contemplating for this specific task for some time.

If everything comes together as I hope, this will see duty on an epic length event soon as well. I am sure it should all pan out, but there are many peices that need to fall into place for all of this to come together. I'll continue to update this as things progress. So, while the single speed Mukluk thing was cool and all, I found that it wasn't as ideal as the set up the Snow Dog had, which was far more useful to me.

Speaking of The Snow Dog, it is high time to upgrade that bike's drivetrain and shifters as well, so look for those things to be written about here as well.

That Wasn't For Me

Regular readers here may wonder why I have not posted much on my titanium Mukluk of late. No......I did not sell it. I single speeded it back in November, and after riding it twice that way, I decided that it just wasn't for me.

Of course, I did ride The Snow Dog a lot, since I was training for Triple D, and afterward, I just kept on riding it. (When I wasn't sick, which has been most of February.) Another thing folks might remember from way back last Fall, and that was my bikepacking plans. That was going to happen on By-Tor, but due to family issues, I had to abort the plan. Now I have been formulating how I want to return to the bikepacking idea, and how I might make By-Tor a better rig for that activity.

The bike has been a 1 X 10 for most of its time with me. That was "okay" for gearing, but 1 X 10 is a bit limiting if I want to go to places that are further afield and/or have tougher terrain. Unloaded, the titanium Mukluk was fine with that 32 X 36T low gear. However, loaded up, I may find I need something less stressful than that gear. In comes the FSA double ring set to the rescue. It has a 36T big ring and utilizes a matched 22T granny which works with it. Obviously- much lower gearing is available there, and a bit taller on the other end as well. The 36T X 11T combo should be more than fast enough.

It was cool and all- but gears are better in deep snow!

The FSA kit came with the two rings, special "ears" that make the spider look complete on the outside, and all chain ring bolts, which are Torx 30 fastners. This kit is tailor made to turn a triple into a good looking double.

The rest of the outfit will include a SLX direct mount front derailleur, and an XT DynaSys Shadow Plus rear derailleur shifting that 10 speed rear cassette. Initially I will keep the fat tires on until later in Spring when things begin to dry up, then I may have a surprise wheel set to spring on everyone that I have been contemplating for this specific task for some time.

If everything comes together as I hope, this will see duty on an epic length event soon as well. I am sure it should all pan out, but there are many peices that need to fall into place for all of this to come together. I'll continue to update this as things progress. So, while the single speed Mukluk thing was cool and all, I found that it wasn't as ideal as the set up the Snow Dog had, which was far more useful to me.

Speaking of The Snow Dog, it is high time to upgrade that bike's drivetrain and shifters as well, so look for those things to be written about here as well.

State Of Tubelessness: How Far Will It Go?

"Proper" tubelessness?

I did a "Monday's With Mark" gig last night at the shop where I work. It was about tubeless tire technology and how it may affect the average cyclist in the future. Which brings up an interesting question to ponder: Just how far will tubeless technology reach?

To my way of thinking, there are three main things that will need to happen for tubeless technology to reach to the furthest levels of cycling that it could.

• System Approach: There will need to necessarily be a universal, systemic approach to tubeless ready tires, rims, and sealant. It isn't this way now. There is UST, and variants. There is Stan's. There is Bontrager's "TLR". There is "Everybody Else In Between". This won't do. Somehow or another, these systems need to be weeded out to one, or two at most, systems. I like UST dimension tires and rims and how they lightly "pop" into place with each other and how the bead seat in the rim and the bead diameter of the tire, and its shape, are tightly controlled. It is a really easy to use system, and works brilliantly. Bontrager's is up there too, but there is one big issue: a four letter word spelled "T-R-E-K". No other bicycle company will use TLR due to this. It's really too bad too, since it is a brilliant system, works with regularity and simplicity, and is not very expensive. Then there is Stan's, which is really the "turn your non-tubeless tires to tubeless" system and always has been. This won't do either. Until the industry adopts a universal standard, we're stuck with chaos as far as tubeless tech taking over the tubed world. 
• Sealant Technology: Sealant technology hasn't fundamentally changed since Stan Koziak brewed his elixir in the pits of NORBA races in the 90's. This will have to change if tubelessness for the masses ever happens. There needs to be sealant that lasts over a year without drying up in the hottest climates, and still seals holes up to a 1/4 inch in diameter. If that happens, then we can talk.
• Ease Of Use: UST supposedly is a technology that you can use without resorting to tools. Well, in theory anyway. That is not always true. Great tubeless set ups can be aired up with a measly, poor quality floor pump. But again- this is not always the case. Users should not have to resort to metal tire levers and compressors to set up tubeless tires if it ever is going to be acceptable for average, everyday cycling.

Okay, with that said, here is a disclaimer: This does not apply to bike nerds, garage tinkerers with advanced degrees in "Cobbling" with a minor in "Rube Goldberg", nor for penny-pinching, "do-it-yerselfers" that think they know better. This is for the rest of the cycling world out there that make up the bulk of cyclists in the world. In fact, only bike geeks would put up with the tubeless world the way it is now.

Too bad too. Because if tubeless technology were made more universal, easier, and better, it would get more people's butts on bikes than there are now. That's what I think.

State Of Tubelessness: How Far Will It Go?

"Proper" tubelessness?

I did a "Monday's With Mark" gig last night at the shop where I work. It was about tubeless tire technology and how it may affect the average cyclist in the future. Which brings up an interesting question to ponder: Just how far will tubeless technology reach?

To my way of thinking, there are three main things that will need to happen for tubeless technology to reach to the furthest levels of cycling that it could.

• System Approach: There will need to necessarily be a universal, systemic approach to tubeless ready tires, rims, and sealant. It isn't this way now. There is UST, and variants. There is Stan's. There is Bontrager's "TLR". There is "Everybody Else In Between". This won't do. Somehow or another, these systems need to be weeded out to one, or two at most, systems. I like UST dimension tires and rims and how they lightly "pop" into place with each other and how the bead seat in the rim and the bead diameter of the tire, and its shape, are tightly controlled. It is a really easy to use system, and works brilliantly. Bontrager's is up there too, but there is one big issue: a four letter word spelled "T-R-E-K". No other bicycle company will use TLR due to this. It's really too bad too, since it is a brilliant system, works with regularity and simplicity, and is not very expensive. Then there is Stan's, which is really the "turn your non-tubeless tires to tubeless" system and always has been. This won't do either. Until the industry adopts a universal standard, we're stuck with chaos as far as tubeless tech taking over the tubed world. 
• Sealant Technology: Sealant technology hasn't fundamentally changed since Stan Koziak brewed his elixir in the pits of NORBA races in the 90's. This will have to change if tubelessness for the masses ever happens. There needs to be sealant that lasts over a year without drying up in the hottest climates, and still seals holes up to a 1/4 inch in diameter. If that happens, then we can talk.
• Ease Of Use: UST supposedly is a technology that you can use without resorting to tools. Well, in theory anyway. That is not always true. Great tubeless set ups can be aired up with a measly, poor quality floor pump. But again- this is not always the case. Users should not have to resort to metal tire levers and compressors to set up tubeless tires if it ever is going to be acceptable for average, everyday cycling.

Okay, with that said, here is a disclaimer: This does not apply to bike nerds, garage tinkerers with advanced degrees in "Cobbling" with a minor in "Rube Goldberg", nor for penny-pinching, "do-it-yerselfers" that think they know better. This is for the rest of the cycling world out there that make up the bulk of cyclists in the world. In fact, only bike geeks would put up with the tubeless world the way it is now.

Too bad too. Because if tubeless technology were made more universal, easier, and better, it would get more people's butts on bikes than there are now. That's what I think.

Numbers And Trends

There will be more from where this came from...

Last Friday I wrote a wee bit about the upcoming NAHBS, which is the custom bike builder's exhibition show of preeminence happening in Denver, Colorado this coming weekend.

I mentioned how gravel/adventure bikes were going to be a trend this year. Well, obviously there will be other bikes as well. One type of bike I'm seeing teased is the fat bike. I expect they will make an impact this year, and you can credit that to the burgeoning popularity of these bikes. I know many will scoff, but the numbers don't lie. Check out this from Byron from "Bikehugger", who runs a a popular bicycling blog, and had the following to Tweet from over the weekend:

byron@bikehugger ‏@bikehugger

"QBP says 10k Fat Bikes sold, expects 10k to sell, while independent builders have wait lists, 30% increase in sales."

So, with significant numbers of these bikes being sold- most during what is traditionally the "off season" for bicycle sales here in North America- it isn't any wonder that the custom bike builders are picking up some of the slack in sales of these rigs? In fact, several builders have staked their largest chunk of output on fat bikes. It's reminiscent of what happened when 29"ers took off as a trend in the early 00's, and we all know what happened then.

A Krampus I rode last September

 I see another trend starting up as well, but I don't know that NAHBS will reflect it or not. This might prove to be too new. It is the so-called "29+" wheel size as exemplified by Surly Bike's Krampus.  The main feature of these bikes are the 3 inch wide 700c bead diameter tires and the accompanying rims, dubbed "Knard" and "Rabbit Hole" respectively.   There are all kinds of folks slamming Rabbit Hole rims/Knard 29"er tires into frames, folks trying Knard tires on different rims and checking out fitments, and a general hub-bub surrounding this wheel size has started to flame up out of control like a wildfire in a forest infested with pine beetles.

This has all the earmarks of a budding "trend" as well, and perhaps some astute builder or two will be on that. Regardless, I see the 29+ thing as becoming another sub-category of mountain biking that is going to sell in bigger numbers than maybe some people are thinking now. Certainly the concept has captured the imaginings of the cycling nerds already. If that continues, you will start to see ordinary folks jump on the band wagon as well. At which time- of course- the "trendseekers" will have to shuffle off to find "the next big deal" and who knows who will invent that. I mean, who'd a thunk a Krampus up before this?

Numbers And Trends

There will be more from where this came from...

Last Friday I wrote a wee bit about the upcoming NAHBS, which is the custom bike builder's exhibition show of preeminence happening in Denver, Colorado this coming weekend.

I mentioned how gravel/adventure bikes were going to be a trend this year. Well, obviously there will be other bikes as well. One type of bike I'm seeing teased is the fat bike. I expect they will make an impact this year, and you can credit that to the burgeoning popularity of these bikes. I know many will scoff, but the numbers don't lie. Check out this from Byron from "Bikehugger", who runs a a popular bicycling blog, and had the following to Tweet from over the weekend:

byron@bikehugger ‏@bikehugger

"QBP says 10k Fat Bikes sold, expects 10k to sell, while independent builders have wait lists, 30% increase in sales."

So, with significant numbers of these bikes being sold- most during what is traditionally the "off season" for bicycle sales here in North America- it isn't any wonder that the custom bike builders are picking up some of the slack in sales of these rigs? In fact, several builders have staked their largest chunk of output on fat bikes. It's reminiscent of what happened when 29"ers took off as a trend in the early 00's, and we all know what happened then.

A Krampus I rode last September

 I see another trend starting up as well, but I don't know that NAHBS will reflect it or not. This might prove to be too new. It is the so-called "29+" wheel size as exemplified by Surly Bike's Krampus.  The main feature of these bikes are the 3 inch wide 700c bead diameter tires and the accompanying rims, dubbed "Knard" and "Rabbit Hole" respectively.   There are all kinds of folks slamming Rabbit Hole rims/Knard 29"er tires into frames, folks trying Knard tires on different rims and checking out fitments, and a general hub-bub surrounding this wheel size has started to flame up out of control like a wildfire in a forest infested with pine beetles.

This has all the earmarks of a budding "trend" as well, and perhaps some astute builder or two will be on that. Regardless, I see the 29+ thing as becoming another sub-category of mountain biking that is going to sell in bigger numbers than maybe some people are thinking now. Certainly the concept has captured the imaginings of the cycling nerds already. If that continues, you will start to see ordinary folks jump on the band wagon as well. At which time- of course- the "trendseekers" will have to shuffle off to find "the next big deal" and who knows who will invent that. I mean, who'd a thunk a Krampus up before this?

Trans Iowa V9: Thoughts On The Pre-Race Meat-Up

Okay, I am getting some things going in regard to what we are going to throw down for a Pre-Race Meat-Up this year. There are two plans available to me, and each has its solid plusses. However; there is a certain "sumpthin'-sumpthin'" I can't divulge just yet that is making one of the plans really interesting to me. It would be really rad- however- (which is another, nice way, to say "but", and you know what that means), there are several not insignificant logistical hurdles that would necessarily need to be overcome to accomplish this "rad choice".

So- it may easily happen that I''ll have to choose the other plan, which is fine. It would be popular, it would work, and in several ways, it benefits the community more, so stay tuned. We'll be working out the nits in the background and let ya'all know what's up as soon as ever can be. My goal is to have all the details sewn up by month's end.

The Barn: Several T.I. vets might recall how we were going to end T.I.V6 in a restored barn West of Grinnell a short distance, but that the weather confrusticated things, (that's a technical term, by the way!), and the barn was not seen by most that year. Well, the Barn is back on tap as a finish line again this year, but there is more to it than that. I think it is safe to divulge at least a general idea of what to expect in terms of our plans for this facility.

J.Gorilla in The Barn T.I.V6

I posted this image of John Gorilla inside the Barn from T.I.V6. It'll give you a little flavor of what just to expect for the interior feel. Anyway, the deal is looking to be like this: Saturday late afternoon or early evening, the Barn is going to be opened for folks that want to come and hang out to do so. There will be a few reasons you might want to do this.

One, if you are a support person, or someone that had to drop out of T.I.V9, you'll find that at the Barn there will be grub to eat provided by the popular Tacopocalypse folks from Des Moines. Secondly, we're going to set up a laptop computer there that you can periodically check for updates from Trans Iowa V9 as I post "Trans Iowa Radio" audioblogs, Tweets, and hopefully Facebook updates. (If I ever get my i-Phone!) Thirdly- there likely will be adult beverages. Yeah......that's pretty certain. Then lastly, you'll be able to check out showings of "300 Miles Of Gravel". (At least, we think so at this point.)

Stick around as long as you'd like, or come back Sunday to see who shows up to finish T.I.V9, because the finish line will be right at the barn door! Weather permitting, I would say the absolute earliest that you could expect finishers is around 5am Sunday that weekend. Of course, conditions would necessarily have to be perfect for that to happen. It's most likely going to be somewhat more difficult than that, and I would think finishers would start showing up around 7-7:30am-8:30am in the morning and then off and on until 2pm when we shut the place down, clean up, and bug outta town.

Retroshift Contest: I haven't mentioned this for awhile, but I have been getting some awesome entries for this contest and it will be hard to choose a winner. There is still some time for you, (if you are in T.I.V9), to get in on this. I snagged the description/rules from the T.I.V9 site for your convenience here.

I have access to either the type that works with cantilever brakes or the Retroshifters that will work with linear pull/Mtn BB-7 disc brakes, or other mech disc brakes that use mountain levers.The winner will be asked which type they need and they will be shipped out the first week of March.  Okay- following are the "official rules".

 Trans Iowa is offering you the chance to win a set of Retroshifters. All you have to do is the following: 1- Be on the T.I.V9 roster. 2- Send Guitar Ted an e-mail describing why you need Retroshifters for your rig for T.I.V9 in 500 words or less. 3- Promise to use said Retroshifters in T.I.V9. 4- Allow for a media release and for your image to be used in any future advertising for Retroshifters. Contest requires no purchase and is only valid to current T.I.V9 roster place holders. Winning entry is judged by Guitar Ted and his decision is final. All entries become the property of Trans Iowa and Retroshift. Contest ends February 28th, 2013. If there is no winner the Retroshifters will be given as prizing for T.I.V9

The contest is sponsored by Retroshift, a sponsor of T.I.V9. Click the link and check out these great alternative shifters. If you contact them, tell them Trans Iowa sent ya. 

Trans Iowa V9: Thoughts On The Pre-Race Meat-Up

Okay, I am getting some things going in regard to what we are going to throw down for a Pre-Race Meat-Up this year. There are two plans available to me, and each has its solid plusses. However; there is a certain "sumpthin'-sumpthin'" I can't divulge just yet that is making one of the plans really interesting to me. It would be really rad- however- (which is another, nice way, to say "but", and you know what that means), there are several not insignificant logistical hurdles that would necessarily need to be overcome to accomplish this "rad choice".

So- it may easily happen that I''ll have to choose the other plan, which is fine. It would be popular, it would work, and in several ways, it benefits the community more, so stay tuned. We'll be working out the nits in the background and let ya'all know what's up as soon as ever can be. My goal is to have all the details sewn up by month's end.

The Barn: Several T.I. vets might recall how we were going to end T.I.V6 in a restored barn West of Grinnell a short distance, but that the weather confrusticated things, (that's a technical term, by the way!), and the barn was not seen by most that year. Well, the Barn is back on tap as a finish line again this year, but there is more to it than that. I think it is safe to divulge at least a general idea of what to expect in terms of our plans for this facility.

J.Gorilla in The Barn T.I.V6

I posted this image of John Gorilla inside the Barn from T.I.V6. It'll give you a little flavor of what just to expect for the interior feel. Anyway, the deal is looking to be like this: Saturday late afternoon or early evening, the Barn is going to be opened for folks that want to come and hang out to do so. There will be a few reasons you might want to do this.

One, if you are a support person, or someone that had to drop out of T.I.V9, you'll find that at the Barn there will be grub to eat provided by the popular Tacopocalypse folks from Des Moines. Secondly, we're going to set up a laptop computer there that you can periodically check for updates from Trans Iowa V9 as I post "Trans Iowa Radio" audioblogs, Tweets, and hopefully Facebook updates. (If I ever get my i-Phone!) Thirdly- there likely will be adult beverages. Yeah......that's pretty certain. Then lastly, you'll be able to check out showings of "300 Miles Of Gravel". (At least, we think so at this point.)

Stick around as long as you'd like, or come back Sunday to see who shows up to finish T.I.V9, because the finish line will be right at the barn door! Weather permitting, I would say the absolute earliest that you could expect finishers is around 5am Sunday that weekend. Of course, conditions would necessarily have to be perfect for that to happen. It's most likely going to be somewhat more difficult than that, and I would think finishers would start showing up around 7-7:30am-8:30am in the morning and then off and on until 2pm when we shut the place down, clean up, and bug outta town.

Retroshift Contest: I haven't mentioned this for awhile, but I have been getting some awesome entries for this contest and it will be hard to choose a winner. There is still some time for you, (if you are in T.I.V9), to get in on this. I snagged the description/rules from the T.I.V9 site for your convenience here.

I have access to either the type that works with cantilever brakes or the Retroshifters that will work with linear pull/Mtn BB-7 disc brakes, or other mech disc brakes that use mountain levers.The winner will be asked which type they need and they will be shipped out the first week of March.  Okay- following are the "official rules".

 Trans Iowa is offering you the chance to win a set of Retroshifters. All you have to do is the following: 1- Be on the T.I.V9 roster. 2- Send Guitar Ted an e-mail describing why you need Retroshifters for your rig for T.I.V9 in 500 words or less. 3- Promise to use said Retroshifters in T.I.V9. 4- Allow for a media release and for your image to be used in any future advertising for Retroshifters. Contest requires no purchase and is only valid to current T.I.V9 roster place holders. Winning entry is judged by Guitar Ted and his decision is final. All entries become the property of Trans Iowa and Retroshift. Contest ends February 28th, 2013. If there is no winner the Retroshifters will be given as prizing for T.I.V9

The contest is sponsored by Retroshift, a sponsor of T.I.V9. Click the link and check out these great alternative shifters. If you contact them, tell them Trans Iowa sent ya. 

Friday News And Views

e-13 Fat Bike double crank

Double Crank Thoughts: 

With the advent of 9spd mountain bike systems, folks started messing around with 2X set ups on their mountain bikes. Then when 10 speed systems hit, the manufacturers went whole hog into 2X stuff.

On one hand, I sure like the simplicity of having only two rings up front, and most of the time the shifting is really great. However; the limited choices in combinations has me at a loss sometimes. I suppose you can buy the rings in whatever size combinations you want, but in many cases, the rings are not optimized for shifting with each other, or with the newer, narrow chains. Or you have proprietary bolt circle diameters. Then all bets are off.

Maybe the new idea SRAM has proffered in XX-1 will pay off in the long run by getting rid of front shifters and derailleurs altogether. Still, I don't know if that is the answer for everyone though. Sometimes I think it would be great on a snow bike, then again, I have used the lower gears quite a bit this year in the deeper, shiftier snow we had.

Pizza cutter

Muddin'

I got these new mud specific tires in to test recently. I find "mud specific" off road tires for bicycles to be a conflicted product. On the one hand, we cry foul if anyone rides muddy trails. Trails are sensitive, and they are a precious commodity, which we as cyclists, especially off road cyclists, need to be careful with. Then I get sent "mud specific tires" to test. You know- I need to find me some mud then!

There is the Green Belt, which due to its nature, is oft flooded and cutting up that trail usually isn't an issue at all. However; I don't try to go there when it is muddy unless it's a last resort for tire testing, and even then, it's something I resist. So I was pleased to find some short, albeit great, testing ground right near my own neighborhood underneath and along the knot of highways that meet near here. Clay, wet muck, black dirt, and marshy stuff abounds now. The best part? It doesn't matter a lick if I want to go muddin' through here.

So, I have my conscious clear, but I still find mud specific mtb tires to be an oddball product. Obviously it must be okay, maybe even encouraged, to ride on mud ridden trails somewhere here. (I know the U.K. is well known for heinous mud trails.)

NAHBS teaser....

NAHBS:

While I am not the biggest fan of  some of the things hand made bicycle shows stand for,  I still am a bicycle geek, so I love to check out the trends and the rigs to see what fancy-pants show bikes are like these days. This year, there seems to be an unprecedented number of "sneak peeks" of several builder's work.

It seems that gravel bikes, or bicycles geared for adventure with a gravel bent, are going to be one of the "trends" of this year's NAHBS. At least, that is an impression I am getting. I could be just seeing the few bikes that are geared toward this niche, but then again- maybe not.

One of the things builders and critics claim about NAHBS is that the "big companies", (read: Trek, Giant, and Specialized, along with some "second tier companies"), come in and look around, take images of all sorts of bikes, details, and components. Then the story goes that a lot of these "trends" in the form of certain bicycles, materials, ideas, and component usages show up the following year on production bikes.

True or not? I don't know, but I have personally heard a builder rant on this very convincingly. If that is the case, maybe you'll see some more gravel specific rigs coming down the pipeline. Maybe. Or not........Stay tuned next weekend for all the NAHBS images to start showing up from the Denver show and then we'll decide in a couple weeks what, if anything might be on our horizons.

Take care, and get outside this weekend!

Friday News And Views

e-13 Fat Bike double crank

Double Crank Thoughts: 

With the advent of 9spd mountain bike systems, folks started messing around with 2X set ups on their mountain bikes. Then when 10 speed systems hit, the manufacturers went whole hog into 2X stuff.

On one hand, I sure like the simplicity of having only two rings up front, and most of the time the shifting is really great. However; the limited choices in combinations has me at a loss sometimes. I suppose you can buy the rings in whatever size combinations you want, but in many cases, the rings are not optimized for shifting with each other, or with the newer, narrow chains. Or you have proprietary bolt circle diameters. Then all bets are off.

Maybe the new idea SRAM has proffered in XX-1 will pay off in the long run by getting rid of front shifters and derailleurs altogether. Still, I don't know if that is the answer for everyone though. Sometimes I think it would be great on a snow bike, then again, I have used the lower gears quite a bit this year in the deeper, shiftier snow we had.

Pizza cutter

Muddin'

I got these new mud specific tires in to test recently. I find "mud specific" off road tires for bicycles to be a conflicted product. On the one hand, we cry foul if anyone rides muddy trails. Trails are sensitive, and they are a precious commodity, which we as cyclists, especially off road cyclists, need to be careful with. Then I get sent "mud specific tires" to test. You know- I need to find me some mud then!

There is the Green Belt, which due to its nature, is oft flooded and cutting up that trail usually isn't an issue at all. However; I don't try to go there when it is muddy unless it's a last resort for tire testing, and even then, it's something I resist. So I was pleased to find some short, albeit great, testing ground right near my own neighborhood underneath and along the knot of highways that meet near here. Clay, wet muck, black dirt, and marshy stuff abounds now. The best part? It doesn't matter a lick if I want to go muddin' through here.

So, I have my conscious clear, but I still find mud specific mtb tires to be an oddball product. Obviously it must be okay, maybe even encouraged, to ride on mud ridden trails somewhere here. (I know the U.K. is well known for heinous mud trails.)

NAHBS teaser....

NAHBS:

While I am not the biggest fan of  some of the things hand made bicycle shows stand for,  I still am a bicycle geek, so I love to check out the trends and the rigs to see what fancy-pants show bikes are like these days. This year, there seems to be an unprecedented number of "sneak peeks" of several builder's work.

It seems that gravel bikes, or bicycles geared for adventure with a gravel bent, are going to be one of the "trends" of this year's NAHBS. At least, that is an impression I am getting. I could be just seeing the few bikes that are geared toward this niche, but then again- maybe not.

One of the things builders and critics claim about NAHBS is that the "big companies", (read: Trek, Giant, and Specialized, along with some "second tier companies"), come in and look around, take images of all sorts of bikes, details, and components. Then the story goes that a lot of these "trends" in the form of certain bicycles, materials, ideas, and component usages show up the following year on production bikes.

True or not? I don't know, but I have personally heard a builder rant on this very convincingly. If that is the case, maybe you'll see some more gravel specific rigs coming down the pipeline. Maybe. Or not........Stay tuned next weekend for all the NAHBS images to start showing up from the Denver show and then we'll decide in a couple weeks what, if anything might be on our horizons.

Take care, and get outside this weekend!

What About Aero?

Aero wheels- Not aero bag

Today I introduced a new wheel set from HED Wheels on Gravel Grinder News that is so new for HED, they haven't given the set a proper model name yet. You can hit the link to see all the tech on them. Tomorrow, my review proper will hit that site. What I wanted to discuss was one of the main features of this wheel set. That being aerodynamics.

Until I was contacted by HED late last year about doing that review, I hadn't given aerodynamics a second thought for gravel grinding, much to my shame. Really, it should be a seriously considered facet of this type of riding when you stop to think about it. I know some riders who have given it serious consideration too. I guess the "aha" moment never sunk in though.

Think I'm goofy? (Well.....okay, I am, but.....) Think about the numbers from a wattage standpoint. If you can save watt expenditures, even if they seem insignificant over shorter distances, that can add up over a longer ride of say- a metric century, or 100 miler. Energy saved that you would have spent on a non-aero wheel set that you could use to your advantage on a longer gravel ride. HED hasn't published data for the wheels I reviewed yet, but for other wheels in the same class that they make, savings are there, and that isn't anything to sneeze at.

This isn't anything new either. Those roadies and triathletes who are reading this are smiling and wagging their heads in knowing humor. They get this stuff, and I think it is rather odd that gravel road aficionados haven't taken to aero wheels in greater numbers. Of course, there are several reasons for this, most likely, but to the degree that it can be of an advantage, (besides the use of aero clip ons), gravel grinders seem oblivious to the possibilities that aerodynamics could have.

One of the reasons could be the perception that aero wheels are too expensive and fragile for this sort of riding. However; with the rims getting a bit wider on the road side, and with  materials technology getting better, I see this becoming less of an obstacle. That road wheels are seeing support for tubeless will help as well.

So, does having aero wheels on your gravel grinder make any sense? Maybe. I think that several things have to come together for that to take greater hold on the gravel grinder set. Tubeless support, wider rims for the preferred 35-45mm tires, and reasonable weights and prices, but it is intriguing to consider for this sort of pursuit. Then again- how many sets of wheels would a company actually sell. A lot of folks see gravel grinding as a place to "use up" equipment and not a place to spend a lot of money on high performance parts and bikes that will get rattled, beaten, and grimed to death.

But then again- you've got yer cyclo cross deal. So there is that to think about too. Those guys and gals spend a mint on wheels and stuff. Especially those tubular tires every season.

Then there are tubular tires. What about those for gravel? Ah...........

That's another post!

What About Aero?

Aero wheels- Not aero bag

Today I introduced a new wheel set from HED Wheels on Gravel Grinder News that is so new for HED, they haven't given the set a proper model name yet. You can hit the link to see all the tech on them. Tomorrow, my review proper will hit that site. What I wanted to discuss was one of the main features of this wheel set. That being aerodynamics.

Until I was contacted by HED late last year about doing that review, I hadn't given aerodynamics a second thought for gravel grinding, much to my shame. Really, it should be a seriously considered facet of this type of riding when you stop to think about it. I know some riders who have given it serious consideration too. I guess the "aha" moment never sunk in though.

Think I'm goofy? (Well.....okay, I am, but.....) Think about the numbers from a wattage standpoint. If you can save watt expenditures, even if they seem insignificant over shorter distances, that can add up over a longer ride of say- a metric century, or 100 miler. Energy saved that you would have spent on a non-aero wheel set that you could use to your advantage on a longer gravel ride. HED hasn't published data for the wheels I reviewed yet, but for other wheels in the same class that they make, savings are there, and that isn't anything to sneeze at.

This isn't anything new either. Those roadies and triathletes who are reading this are smiling and wagging their heads in knowing humor. They get this stuff, and I think it is rather odd that gravel road aficionados haven't taken to aero wheels in greater numbers. Of course, there are several reasons for this, most likely, but to the degree that it can be of an advantage, (besides the use of aero clip ons), gravel grinders seem oblivious to the possibilities that aerodynamics could have.

One of the reasons could be the perception that aero wheels are too expensive and fragile for this sort of riding. However; with the rims getting a bit wider on the road side, and with  materials technology getting better, I see this becoming less of an obstacle. That road wheels are seeing support for tubeless will help as well.

So, does having aero wheels on your gravel grinder make any sense? Maybe. I think that several things have to come together for that to take greater hold on the gravel grinder set. Tubeless support, wider rims for the preferred 35-45mm tires, and reasonable weights and prices, but it is intriguing to consider for this sort of pursuit. Then again- how many sets of wheels would a company actually sell. A lot of folks see gravel grinding as a place to "use up" equipment and not a place to spend a lot of money on high performance parts and bikes that will get rattled, beaten, and grimed to death.

But then again- you've got yer cyclo cross deal. So there is that to think about too. Those guys and gals spend a mint on wheels and stuff. Especially those tubular tires every season.

Then there are tubular tires. What about those for gravel? Ah...........

That's another post!

The Vaya Gets Ridden

It was too nice out not to ride...

I know I may have been pushing things a bit, but I was feeling much better yesterday afternoon than I had in many a day. Dare I say "normal"? Well, close enough at times, at any rate.

So I get off work a bit early, the sun is shining, the snow is melting, and the wind is down. The streets are fairly clear of ice and snow, but there is run-off from the remaining piles of frozen crap alongside the roadways. Big deal! I was going to finally get that Vaya out and ride it.

Now- it was really going to be a shake down ride only- mind you. Not a full on gravel assault, or a ride of any duration. That was fine, since I probably shouldn't be out flogging myself so soon after getting this sick anyway. Still, it needed to be done, and I was feeling like I just needed to pedal for a while. It's been a long time off the bike, (for my standards), and I was beyond ready to go for a ride of any length. I felt risking a short ride was okay, especially when it was so pleasant for Mid-February.

It was my first ride on Vee Rubber tires X-C-X model too. So there was a lot of things I wasn't very sure about anyway. I pumped up the rear to 40psi and the front slightly less than that. Seemed to be a reasonable starting point. Then I was off. There were more questions about the drive train, shifting, and as always, whether everything was tight and going to work right. As far as the latter, I can report that there were no failures. As for the former things, read on.....

• The BioPace ring worked fine. I was expecting something bad to happen, but it didn't. You might think similarly since the BioPace ring is from the seven speed days and I was running a 10 speed Shimano chain over it! That said, the ovality was noticeable at first as an easier down stroke, and then a sensation that maybe I might be able to suffer a bigger gear climbing than typical. We'll see about this later...
• The Winwood fork is solid. Hardly any backward leg movement at all under hard braking. However; it still felt smooth enough. More after I've been on some gravel with this thing.....
• Shifting: A big question mark going out, since I had a 9spd SRAM rear derailleur shifting over a 10speed cassette with a 10 speed SRAM TT shifter. After a not so good result after tuning in the stand, I found it was okay with a cable tension tweak out on my ride. I think it will be fine. Front shifting worked amazingly well, given the weird ring and all.
• Carbon: Yes- carbon wheels make a difference in feel, which I think is more pronounced on smoother surfaces and hidden off road. Smoothness, and "quietness" in terms of a lack of vibrations. I'm sure the tires had a part to play as well. The carbon seat post is an awesome feeling one.
• I felt too upright. Maybe a tad. A bit too short in the cockpit, perhaps. Well, there will be some tweaking until I find a good position. It isn't bad now. It just needs refining. 

Overall the Vaya feels smooth, quiet, capable, stable, (I had a bit of a run in with ice and snow which culled this out), and should be at least worth tweaking on for a better set up. I need to get it on some actual gravel and come to several conclusions before I can say anything with finality, but I like what I see for possibilities here. Obviously- I'm not the first one!

More soon......

The Vaya Gets Ridden

It was too nice out not to ride...

I know I may have been pushing things a bit, but I was feeling much better yesterday afternoon than I had in many a day. Dare I say "normal"? Well, close enough at times, at any rate.

So I get off work a bit early, the sun is shining, the snow is melting, and the wind is down. The streets are fairly clear of ice and snow, but there is run-off from the remaining piles of frozen crap alongside the roadways. Big deal! I was going to finally get that Vaya out and ride it.

Now- it was really going to be a shake down ride only- mind you. Not a full on gravel assault, or a ride of any duration. That was fine, since I probably shouldn't be out flogging myself so soon after getting this sick anyway. Still, it needed to be done, and I was feeling like I just needed to pedal for a while. It's been a long time off the bike, (for my standards), and I was beyond ready to go for a ride of any length. I felt risking a short ride was okay, especially when it was so pleasant for Mid-February.

It was my first ride on Vee Rubber tires X-C-X model too. So there was a lot of things I wasn't very sure about anyway. I pumped up the rear to 40psi and the front slightly less than that. Seemed to be a reasonable starting point. Then I was off. There were more questions about the drive train, shifting, and as always, whether everything was tight and going to work right. As far as the latter, I can report that there were no failures. As for the former things, read on.....

• The BioPace ring worked fine. I was expecting something bad to happen, but it didn't. You might think similarly since the BioPace ring is from the seven speed days and I was running a 10 speed Shimano chain over it! That said, the ovality was noticeable at first as an easier down stroke, and then a sensation that maybe I might be able to suffer a bigger gear climbing than typical. We'll see about this later...
• The Winwood fork is solid. Hardly any backward leg movement at all under hard braking. However; it still felt smooth enough. More after I've been on some gravel with this thing.....
• Shifting: A big question mark going out, since I had a 9spd SRAM rear derailleur shifting over a 10speed cassette with a 10 speed SRAM TT shifter. After a not so good result after tuning in the stand, I found it was okay with a cable tension tweak out on my ride. I think it will be fine. Front shifting worked amazingly well, given the weird ring and all.
• Carbon: Yes- carbon wheels make a difference in feel, which I think is more pronounced on smoother surfaces and hidden off road. Smoothness, and "quietness" in terms of a lack of vibrations. I'm sure the tires had a part to play as well. The carbon seat post is an awesome feeling one.
• I felt too upright. Maybe a tad. A bit too short in the cockpit, perhaps. Well, there will be some tweaking until I find a good position. It isn't bad now. It just needs refining. 

Overall the Vaya feels smooth, quiet, capable, stable, (I had a bit of a run in with ice and snow which culled this out), and should be at least worth tweaking on for a better set up. I need to get it on some actual gravel and come to several conclusions before I can say anything with finality, but I like what I see for possibilities here. Obviously- I'm not the first one!

More soon......

So Many Bikes- So Little Time (And $$$!)

It's Winter, it's cold, and you may be sick like me right now and can not ride much, or at all. Well, whattya gonna do? Dream about bikes, look at bikes, and check out the webz for more new bikes. Here are a few things I found interesting for various reasons.....

Black Mountain Cycles Cross: US Made?

It was announced yesterday that Black Mountain Cycles is going to try to do a run of U.S. made frame sets of the "cross" variety. They will be made in San Francisco of True Temper tubing and in a very limited number.

Although the geometry numbers are supposed to be the same as the current "monster cross" frame and fork, (like mine shown here), the tire clearances will be slightly limited from the amount seen on the Taiwanese frames. Still, the claim is that 43mm tires will clear, which is plenty big enough for gravel riding.

If that sounds good to you, and a U.S. sourced and built frame ticks your boxes, prepare to pony up about 1600 big ones and contact Black Mountain Cycles soon. I've really been happy with the one I bought from BMC and it does what I need it to very well. I imagine the U.S. built frame will feel differently, but handling should be right in the ball park with mine and it handles really well on gravel.

Ed Oxley stands proud....

On One Surprises: 

The next thing that popped onto the radar yesterday was a modified single pivot full suspension device with an On One brand on the downtube.


What? On One to make a full susser?

Apparently. This bike is a prototype and has been dubbed the "Codeine". Through a screed of Twitter babble between On One designer Brant Richards, his test rider/mate Ed Oxley, and other U.K. Tweeters/Facebookers, I read that the bike has a 128mm rear travel and is fit for front forks in the 140mm-160mm (???!!!) range.

The bike's designer, Brant Richrads, was said to have been medicated on Codeine when he designed the bike, thus the name. Hmmmm.....well, whatever, a name is a name. According to more sleuthing I did, I found that the prototype is said to have 440mm chain stay length and a 67 degree head angle. The proto is said to be fitted with a DSP Dueler rear shock. Estimate on availability? Folks connected to this are saying about a year or so.

I think it is an interesting specimen from the standpoint that it isn't a 27.5" wheeled bike, (which Mr. Richards has said he doesn't care for in the past), and that it has different travel front to rear. However it goes, this was a surprise find yesterday.

Johnny Mole design

But Is It UCI Certified?

This "artsy-fartsy" rig was making the rounds yesterday as well. I'm not really a roadie, so take the following with a grain of salt...

This wasn't very impressive to me. In fact, haven't I seen something like this before, only better? Let me think.....how about a Look 596 track bike, or how about that Factor Superbike? Maybe the Specialized McLaren? Or about any triathlon/time trial rig these days. Meh!

And this thing won a design award already. Good luck with that. I'm sure it will go a long way in making this design something we start knocking down doors for. Now- I know it has some cool storage "tech boxes" and that the frame has a single structural element running from the stem to the rear drop out. Big deal.

It is about as appealing to me as a bicycle as living in a stark white room with one plastic chair would be. Meaning: it isn't appealing at all to me as something I would want to ride. As art, or an architectural element, or just an interesting shape? Yeah.....it works for me on that level. Maybe you dig it? That's cool. I think it looks like it was designed to be a PlaySkool toy, but that's just me, maybe.

And that's what I was looking at yesterday in the world of bicycles......

So Many Bikes- So Little Time (And $$$!)

It's Winter, it's cold, and you may be sick like me right now and can not ride much, or at all. Well, whattya gonna do? Dream about bikes, look at bikes, and check out the webz for more new bikes. Here are a few things I found interesting for various reasons.....

Black Mountain Cycles Cross: US Made?

It was announced yesterday that Black Mountain Cycles is going to try to do a run of U.S. made frame sets of the "cross" variety. They will be made in San Francisco of True Temper tubing and in a very limited number.

Although the geometry numbers are supposed to be the same as the current "monster cross" frame and fork, (like mine shown here), the tire clearances will be slightly limited from the amount seen on the Taiwanese frames. Still, the claim is that 43mm tires will clear, which is plenty big enough for gravel riding.

If that sounds good to you, and a U.S. sourced and built frame ticks your boxes, prepare to pony up about 1600 big ones and contact Black Mountain Cycles soon. I've really been happy with the one I bought from BMC and it does what I need it to very well. I imagine the U.S. built frame will feel differently, but handling should be right in the ball park with mine and it handles really well on gravel.

Ed Oxley stands proud....

On One Surprises: 

The next thing that popped onto the radar yesterday was a modified single pivot full suspension device with an On One brand on the downtube.


What? On One to make a full susser?

Apparently. This bike is a prototype and has been dubbed the "Codeine". Through a screed of Twitter babble between On One designer Brant Richards, his test rider/mate Ed Oxley, and other U.K. Tweeters/Facebookers, I read that the bike has a 128mm rear travel and is fit for front forks in the 140mm-160mm (???!!!) range.

The bike's designer, Brant Richrads, was said to have been medicated on Codeine when he designed the bike, thus the name. Hmmmm.....well, whatever, a name is a name. According to more sleuthing I did, I found that the prototype is said to have 440mm chain stay length and a 67 degree head angle. The proto is said to be fitted with a DSP Dueler rear shock. Estimate on availability? Folks connected to this are saying about a year or so.

I think it is an interesting specimen from the standpoint that it isn't a 27.5" wheeled bike, (which Mr. Richards has said he doesn't care for in the past), and that it has different travel front to rear. However it goes, this was a surprise find yesterday.

Johnny Mole design

But Is It UCI Certified?

This "artsy-fartsy" rig was making the rounds yesterday as well. I'm not really a roadie, so take the following with a grain of salt...

This wasn't very impressive to me. In fact, haven't I seen something like this before, only better? Let me think.....how about a Look 596 track bike, or how about that Factor Superbike? Maybe the Specialized McLaren? Or about any triathlon/time trial rig these days. Meh!

And this thing won a design award already. Good luck with that. I'm sure it will go a long way in making this design something we start knocking down doors for. Now- I know it has some cool storage "tech boxes" and that the frame has a single structural element running from the stem to the rear drop out. Big deal.

It is about as appealing to me as a bicycle as living in a stark white room with one plastic chair would be. Meaning: it isn't appealing at all to me as something I would want to ride. As art, or an architectural element, or just an interesting shape? Yeah.....it works for me on that level. Maybe you dig it? That's cool. I think it looks like it was designed to be a PlaySkool toy, but that's just me, maybe.

And that's what I was looking at yesterday in the world of bicycles......

Psyckness

HED Gravel wheels

I spent the weekend mostly down and out with a really bad head cold. It sucked the life outta me, so no bicycle riding, and being under the watchful eye of Mrs. Guitar Ted, (a Registered Nurse), I wasn't going to disobey orders to rest. Not that I would have. I really felt nasty.

Well, whatta ya do then? being a bit behind on writing, that is what I did, for the most part, when I wasn't in bed resting, that is. I am getting caught up on stuff, so that was at least something accomplished for the weekend.

One of the things needing done was a re-write of a submission for "Cyclocross Magazine", which should come out in a couple months. That was kind of a surprise assignment, as I thought it was done, but I got right on it. The next couple of things I am pretty excited to have coming out soon.

The first thing is that finally, the bag that many of you have asked me about on the front of my BMC "Orange Crush" rig will be written up in a review soon. That's been something that's been pushed back a few times, but if this date is solid that I got, you can look for that review at the beginning of March. Only a few short weeks away.

Then there is the wheel set on the bike in the image above. It came from HED Wheels and is a new product they are going to introduce at NAHBS soon that is especially for gravel grinding. They asked me to try a pre-production set late last Fall and I rode them until the snow flew. Look for the two part review on Gravel Grinder News this week, and I'll have more to say about those wheels here after that comes out.

And hopefully I feel better soon so I can start riding again too!

Psyckness

HED Gravel wheels

I spent the weekend mostly down and out with a really bad head cold. It sucked the life outta me, so no bicycle riding, and being under the watchful eye of Mrs. Guitar Ted, (a Registered Nurse), I wasn't going to disobey orders to rest. Not that I would have. I really felt nasty.

Well, whatta ya do then? being a bit behind on writing, that is what I did, for the most part, when I wasn't in bed resting, that is. I am getting caught up on stuff, so that was at least something accomplished for the weekend.

One of the things needing done was a re-write of a submission for "Cyclocross Magazine", which should come out in a couple months. That was kind of a surprise assignment, as I thought it was done, but I got right on it. The next couple of things I am pretty excited to have coming out soon.

The first thing is that finally, the bag that many of you have asked me about on the front of my BMC "Orange Crush" rig will be written up in a review soon. That's been something that's been pushed back a few times, but if this date is solid that I got, you can look for that review at the beginning of March. Only a few short weeks away.

Then there is the wheel set on the bike in the image above. It came from HED Wheels and is a new product they are going to introduce at NAHBS soon that is especially for gravel grinding. They asked me to try a pre-production set late last Fall and I rode them until the snow flew. Look for the two part review on Gravel Grinder News this week, and I'll have more to say about those wheels here after that comes out.

And hopefully I feel better soon so I can start riding again too!