A Look At Some Press Releases

W  I  D  E  rims. (Image courtesy of Ibis)

It's Sea Otter time in California and that mountain bike and road bike festival is in its 24th year now. The venue is host to a lot of industry showing off their latest wares. In the meantime, many introduce new products here as well. Some major press releases are out ahead of the festival now and here is a brief look at each.

Ibis Carbon Wheels: Ibis, the long time mountain bike purveyors, have now decided that they should also sell wheels. Not just any wheels either, but really wide, carbon rimmed jobs that have some crazy features. Too expensive, you say? Well, at MSRP $1299.00 a pair, they aren't cheapos, but that price is about a grand less than a lot of other carbon fiber wheels out there, or that have preceded this offering.

Ibis made figuring out what they are selling easy. They use a three digit model numbering system where the first digit tells you the wheel size, ("9" for 29"ers, "7" for 27.5"ers), and the second two digits are telling you the outer width of the rim in millimeters. (28 or 41) They also have a very unique rim bead with no hook. It's also very thick. For instance, the 41mm wide rims have an inner rim width of 35mm. Of course, they are tubeless ready.

Before you run out and buy a set of the 941's, think about this a minute: A big, 2.35" 29"er tire is going to approach 2.45" wide on that rim, and maybe your dually won't fit that wide a meat. I do see these as being great for 29+ sized tires though. Ibis claims the 941's only weigh 1770 grams for the pair, which is crazy light for that width. Interesting product because it combines extremism with a more reasonable cost of entry. In a show of true irony, you'll see a Surly Krampus shod with these before long!

So 2013. (Image courtesy of Chris King)

Chris King XD Hubs: 

In the "We better wait to see if this catches on" file,  Chris King finally offers an XX1 drive shell for its ISO hubs. I know.......this is stunning news. However; if you recall how long it took Chris King to come out with a bottom bracket after saying they were working on one, you'll realize that this XD drive shell addition to the line is actually a "quick market reaction". Look out, they may have a fat bike hub out before you know it! Now, I gotta say that I really like Chris King stuff. It's well made, and lasts a long time, plus it comes in great anodized colors, but c'mon! The product roll outs are so far off the back it is comical.

Fox For 2015:

For years, the 29"er trail bike crowd has clamored for a  "36 Fox" for their longer travel bikes. They even went so far as to mod 26"er forks to work in that manner for them, but only a few were intrepid enough to risk the investment and life and limb to do so.

Well, now Fox has announced its 2015 line up and whaddya know! There is that sleek, black long travel, 36 Fox for 29"ers! The 150mm or 160mm travel options should satisfy the chunk riders with big wheels out there just fine.

My interest was piqued when I read that the axle can be converted from 15mm through axle to 20mm through axle. Really?!! Why didn't they do this from the get-go with the 15mm through axle stuff? You know......it makes too much sense, and I am glad to see it now, but it is surprising that they finally did the "right" thing now. Anybody need a 20mm through axle 29"er wheel? (I might happen to know where a set is! ) <====HA!

Upside Down With SRAM:

SRAM introduced a new fork which features a totally new direction for the company. Upside down forks are nothing new, but have been plagued with torsional flex issues.  All along the missing link, as it were, was the axle which had been limited to sizes too small and flexy to arrest the forces at work here.

To my way of thinking, SRAM did a great job of throwing out conventions to solve, (potentially), an issue that has plagued forks of this type for bicycles. If it works as well as initial reports indicate it does, this could mark a sea change in fork styles for any wheel size mountain bikes, or fat bikes. SRAM has kind of taken a bath on tech in recent months, what with the road hydraulic deal and Avid brake issues, however, this may change their fortunes. Well.....maybe not with this particular fork, but with the possibilities for wider front flange spacings, (this takes a 110 OLD hub), and with larger through axle sizes, (this has a 27mm through axle), SRAM has opened the door to looking at things in a different way, which I think is the really big news here.

Sure, it is stupid expensive, ($1800 bucks), and the proprietary, (for now), parts are only going to add to the expense, I feel that they are on to something here with regard to the axle over lock dimensions and through axle sizes, which I feel are forward thinking here, but perhaps not going quite far enough.

Stay tuned: More Sea Otter press releases will be appearing soon, and I may have a thing or three to say about it!

A Look At Some Press Releases

W  I  D  E  rims. (Image courtesy of Ibis)

It's Sea Otter time in California and that mountain bike and road bike festival is in its 24th year now. The venue is host to a lot of industry showing off their latest wares. In the meantime, many introduce new products here as well. Some major press releases are out ahead of the festival now and here is a brief look at each.

Ibis Carbon Wheels: Ibis, the long time mountain bike purveyors, have now decided that they should also sell wheels. Not just any wheels either, but really wide, carbon rimmed jobs that have some crazy features. Too expensive, you say? Well, at MSRP $1299.00 a pair, they aren't cheapos, but that price is about a grand less than a lot of other carbon fiber wheels out there, or that have preceded this offering.

Ibis made figuring out what they are selling easy. They use a three digit model numbering system where the first digit tells you the wheel size, ("9" for 29"ers, "7" for 27.5"ers), and the second two digits are telling you the outer width of the rim in millimeters. (28 or 41) They also have a very unique rim bead with no hook. It's also very thick. For instance, the 41mm wide rims have an inner rim width of 35mm. Of course, they are tubeless ready.

Before you run out and buy a set of the 941's, think about this a minute: A big, 2.35" 29"er tire is going to approach 2.45" wide on that rim, and maybe your dually won't fit that wide a meat. I do see these as being great for 29+ sized tires though. Ibis claims the 941's only weigh 1770 grams for the pair, which is crazy light for that width. Interesting product because it combines extremism with a more reasonable cost of entry. In a show of true irony, you'll see a Surly Krampus shod with these before long!

So 2013. (Image courtesy of Chris King)

Chris King XD Hubs: 

In the "We better wait to see if this catches on" file,  Chris King finally offers an XX1 drive shell for its ISO hubs. I know.......this is stunning news. However; if you recall how long it took Chris King to come out with a bottom bracket after saying they were working on one, you'll realize that this XD drive shell addition to the line is actually a "quick market reaction". Look out, they may have a fat bike hub out before you know it! Now, I gotta say that I really like Chris King stuff. It's well made, and lasts a long time, plus it comes in great anodized colors, but c'mon! The product roll outs are so far off the back it is comical.

Fox For 2015:

For years, the 29"er trail bike crowd has clamored for a  "36 Fox" for their longer travel bikes. They even went so far as to mod 26"er forks to work in that manner for them, but only a few were intrepid enough to risk the investment and life and limb to do so.

Well, now Fox has announced its 2015 line up and whaddya know! There is that sleek, black long travel, 36 Fox for 29"ers! The 150mm or 160mm travel options should satisfy the chunk riders with big wheels out there just fine.

My interest was piqued when I read that the axle can be converted from 15mm through axle to 20mm through axle. Really?!! Why didn't they do this from the get-go with the 15mm through axle stuff? You know......it makes too much sense, and I am glad to see it now, but it is surprising that they finally did the "right" thing now. Anybody need a 20mm through axle 29"er wheel? (I might happen to know where a set is! ) <====HA!

Upside Down With SRAM:

SRAM introduced a new fork which features a totally new direction for the company. Upside down forks are nothing new, but have been plagued with torsional flex issues.  All along the missing link, as it were, was the axle which had been limited to sizes too small and flexy to arrest the forces at work here.

To my way of thinking, SRAM did a great job of throwing out conventions to solve, (potentially), an issue that has plagued forks of this type for bicycles. If it works as well as initial reports indicate it does, this could mark a sea change in fork styles for any wheel size mountain bikes, or fat bikes. SRAM has kind of taken a bath on tech in recent months, what with the road hydraulic deal and Avid brake issues, however, this may change their fortunes. Well.....maybe not with this particular fork, but with the possibilities for wider front flange spacings, (this takes a 110 OLD hub), and with larger through axle sizes, (this has a 27mm through axle), SRAM has opened the door to looking at things in a different way, which I think is the really big news here.

Sure, it is stupid expensive, ($1800 bucks), and the proprietary, (for now), parts are only going to add to the expense, I feel that they are on to something here with regard to the axle over lock dimensions and through axle sizes, which I feel are forward thinking here, but perhaps not going quite far enough.

Stay tuned: More Sea Otter press releases will be appearing soon, and I may have a thing or three to say about it!

Raleigh Tamland Two: A Word On Components

Tamland Two: Now back to the stock wheelset.

Last weekend's Gent's Race was my first event on the Tamland Two, and it got a fair share of notice at the start line. I had intended to write up my impressions of the components at some point, but the questions this weekend fueled the fire to get that out now instead of later. So here are my impressions of the components that I feel make a difference on this bike. A full verdict on the Tamland Two will come later on Gravel Grinder News.

Wheels: The American Classic Hurricane wheels are now in the capable hands of MG, who will be doing further review on them for Gravel Grinder News, so I am back to the stock wheels. These wheels are no lightweights, but they roll well, engage in a quicker fashion than did the American Classic hubs, (which is neither here nor there, but just is), and are a wider rim internally. The wheels have nice skewers and eyelets on the outer portion of the rim. They feel pretty stiff, and although I have curb hopped and beaten them to death a couple times on commutes, they have been straight and true so far. Good wheels, just not "great wheels". After having run the lighter American Classic Hurricanes, I know what the possibilities are for the Tamland, and these will get replaced at some point with something lighter and just as stout. Overall Score- "Above Average".

Shifty Bits

Ultegra 11 Speed: I know.....another gear! But that said, the ratios on the 11-32T 11 speed cassette are good, low enough, and shift smoothly. The chain has been fine so far into this. Actually, it's pretty normal from the standpoint of it being Shimano. Nothing revelatory about this stuff, but it just plain works.

Not crazy about the big ring size

Now the crank set, on the other hand, is an area of concern, and just about everybody that's actually seen my rig has commented, (unprompted), about the size of the big ring. All have said it looked too big. A 52?!! Okay- I see where some may use that and if you look at the bike as an "all road" type rig, the 52 may even make perfect sense. However; on gravel, (at least around these parts), a 52 is waaaaaay too big a gear, and this bike will end up with the 46T outer for Ultegra 11's meant for cyclo cross.

The front derailleur snaps to when put on call and the shifting of the front is rather amazing. Smooth, almost......rear derailleur-like, I would say. The levers have a shorter, more ergonomic throw and I don't accidentally activate the brakes when shifting, which I used to do all the time with older STI stuff. Overall Score- "Pretty Awesome". (Once I get rid of the 52T big ring) And for the record, the Ultegra 11 speed crankset looks like plastic. Really Shimano? Blecch! On looks- Overall Score- "Uglier Than A Mud Fence".

Comfy Cockpit.

Saddle, Bars, Etc: In the area of "surprises" when it comes to this bike, I have to say one of the biggest is that I actually really kind of like the ProLogo Kappa Evo that came stock on the bike. I rode Saturday with no real comfort issues, and that flat course demanded that I be in the saddle most of the day. I still think it isn't quite the perfect, long-day-in-the-saddle saddle, but it's pretty good. The FSA bars were dismal. At least from my point of view. The Cowbell 2's have transformed the feel of the bike 100% for the better. The bar tape is tacky, forgiving, and looks to be pretty tough. The stem.......is a stem. It holds the bars and transmits steering inputs. Looks okay. Isn't tank-ish. It will stay. The FSA headset in pewter matches the look, and was a dead on match with the Hurricane wheel's hubs. (But that's getting off track here.) The seat collar is that same stupid little thing Raleigh has used since forever, but unlike every other one I've used, this one actually is working! Huzzah! The seat post is clever, and easy to use. I like it, but it may get axed from this rig merely on weight/comfort concerns. I think something will eventually take its place here, but that's not because the Raleigh branded post is bad. It isn't at all bad. Considering the FSA bar- Overall Score- Above Average. With the Cowbell 2- Overall Score- "Damn Skippy!" (These are all technical terms and although you may not understand them, I must speak in these terms to accurately describe these components. ) <====HA!

Note the distance between the caliper and spoke as indicated by the arrow.

TRP Spyre Brakes: Okay, I've had more questions about this part of the bike than almost anything else. The brakes. These are the new TRP Spyre brakes which activate both pistons and move both inward when you pull the lever to make braking happen. Making braking happen is a good thing. The TRP Spyre brakes do the happening thing differently than almost any other mechanical brake and they work really, really well. But there is one thing that isn't too cool about them.

See my image here? The arrow points to the heads in spoke and their clearance to the caliper. It isn't much with the stock wheels and was barely touching those heads in spokes on the American Classic Hurricanes in a couple of places. If the hubs I choose have a flange about a millimeter more towards the outside, I won't be able to run the Spyre brakes without some fancy shim work, (which is what I did on the bike when I ran the American Classics.) The problem is that since the inner piston, (which is usually static on Avid brakes, for instance), is moved by a lever arm, the mechanism for that adds width to the inside of the caliper and some wheels may have interference with the spokes due to that. Bummer if it does.

Otherwise these brakes outperform Avids hands down. The amount of power these generate with the almost noise free braking performance is incredible. If TRP could shrink the width of the caliper a few millimeters, it would be 100% Awesomesauce. (Again, a technical term.) As it stands.....Overall Score- Outstanding.

So, I hope that gives you a good overview of the components on my Tamland Two. I'll be goofing around with other stuff for this bike throughout 2014, so stay tuned for more.

Raleigh Tamland Two: A Word On Components

Tamland Two: Now back to the stock wheelset.

Last weekend's Gent's Race was my first event on the Tamland Two, and it got a fair share of notice at the start line. I had intended to write up my impressions of the components at some point, but the questions this weekend fueled the fire to get that out now instead of later. So here are my impressions of the components that I feel make a difference on this bike. A full verdict on the Tamland Two will come later on Gravel Grinder News.

Wheels: The American Classic Hurricane wheels are now in the capable hands of MG, who will be doing further review on them for Gravel Grinder News, so I am back to the stock wheels. These wheels are no lightweights, but they roll well, engage in a quicker fashion than did the American Classic hubs, (which is neither here nor there, but just is), and are a wider rim internally. The wheels have nice skewers and eyelets on the outer portion of the rim. They feel pretty stiff, and although I have curb hopped and beaten them to death a couple times on commutes, they have been straight and true so far. Good wheels, just not "great wheels". After having run the lighter American Classic Hurricanes, I know what the possibilities are for the Tamland, and these will get replaced at some point with something lighter and just as stout. Overall Score- "Above Average".

Shifty Bits

Ultegra 11 Speed: I know.....another gear! But that said, the ratios on the 11-32T 11 speed cassette are good, low enough, and shift smoothly. The chain has been fine so far into this. Actually, it's pretty normal from the standpoint of it being Shimano. Nothing revelatory about this stuff, but it just plain works.

Not crazy about the big ring size

Now the crank set, on the other hand, is an area of concern, and just about everybody that's actually seen my rig has commented, (unprompted), about the size of the big ring. All have said it looked too big. A 52?!! Okay- I see where some may use that and if you look at the bike as an "all road" type rig, the 52 may even make perfect sense. However; on gravel, (at least around these parts), a 52 is waaaaaay too big a gear, and this bike will end up with the 46T outer for Ultegra 11's meant for cyclo cross.

The front derailleur snaps to when put on call and the shifting of the front is rather amazing. Smooth, almost......rear derailleur-like, I would say. The levers have a shorter, more ergonomic throw and I don't accidentally activate the brakes when shifting, which I used to do all the time with older STI stuff. Overall Score- "Pretty Awesome". (Once I get rid of the 52T big ring) And for the record, the Ultegra 11 speed crankset looks like plastic. Really Shimano? Blecch! On looks- Overall Score- "Uglier Than A Mud Fence".

Comfy Cockpit.

Saddle, Bars, Etc: In the area of "surprises" when it comes to this bike, I have to say one of the biggest is that I actually really kind of like the ProLogo Kappa Evo that came stock on the bike. I rode Saturday with no real comfort issues, and that flat course demanded that I be in the saddle most of the day. I still think it isn't quite the perfect, long-day-in-the-saddle saddle, but it's pretty good. The FSA bars were dismal. At least from my point of view. The Cowbell 2's have transformed the feel of the bike 100% for the better. The bar tape is tacky, forgiving, and looks to be pretty tough. The stem.......is a stem. It holds the bars and transmits steering inputs. Looks okay. Isn't tank-ish. It will stay. The FSA headset in pewter matches the look, and was a dead on match with the Hurricane wheel's hubs. (But that's getting off track here.) The seat collar is that same stupid little thing Raleigh has used since forever, but unlike every other one I've used, this one actually is working! Huzzah! The seat post is clever, and easy to use. I like it, but it may get axed from this rig merely on weight/comfort concerns. I think something will eventually take its place here, but that's not because the Raleigh branded post is bad. It isn't at all bad. Considering the FSA bar- Overall Score- Above Average. With the Cowbell 2- Overall Score- "Damn Skippy!" (These are all technical terms and although you may not understand them, I must speak in these terms to accurately describe these components. ) <====HA!

Note the distance between the caliper and spoke as indicated by the arrow.

TRP Spyre Brakes: Okay, I've had more questions about this part of the bike than almost anything else. The brakes. These are the new TRP Spyre brakes which activate both pistons and move both inward when you pull the lever to make braking happen. Making braking happen is a good thing. The TRP Spyre brakes do the happening thing differently than almost any other mechanical brake and they work really, really well. But there is one thing that isn't too cool about them.

See my image here? The arrow points to the heads in spoke and their clearance to the caliper. It isn't much with the stock wheels and was barely touching those heads in spokes on the American Classic Hurricanes in a couple of places. If the hubs I choose have a flange about a millimeter more towards the outside, I won't be able to run the Spyre brakes without some fancy shim work, (which is what I did on the bike when I ran the American Classics.) The problem is that since the inner piston, (which is usually static on Avid brakes, for instance), is moved by a lever arm, the mechanism for that adds width to the inside of the caliper and some wheels may have interference with the spokes due to that. Bummer if it does.

Otherwise these brakes outperform Avids hands down. The amount of power these generate with the almost noise free braking performance is incredible. If TRP could shrink the width of the caliper a few millimeters, it would be 100% Awesomesauce. (Again, a technical term.) As it stands.....Overall Score- Outstanding.

So, I hope that gives you a good overview of the components on my Tamland Two. I'll be goofing around with other stuff for this bike throughout 2014, so stay tuned for more.

Renegade Gent's Race Version 4 Report

Hunting Unicorns (Image by S. Auen)

The fourth annual Renegade Gent's Race happened Saturday. It was a great day for a ride, and this is the story of that ride. It started for me in the cold dark of night.

The Gents Race is always looked forward to by myself and probably others. For me it is really not so much of a race as it is a great bike ride with loads of like-minded folks and four great guys I have come to know as teammates for this event. Our team is pretty unique, and in our four years together, we have forged some traditions which we all adhere to and have fun with.

But before all that can happen I have to get down to Kyles Bikes in Ankeny and meet up with those four guys. That meant getting up at 4:30am and packing up the "Truck With No Name" to get me and my bike there. The day was looking like it would be good, but at 27°F it was chilly! The drive down was uneventful, and I arrived at 7:30am to get kitted up and see who was out and about. Our team was not scheduled to go off until 9:08am. Sign in was a half an hour earlier than that, so I was plenty early.

It was a perfect day to ride bicycles!

I was a bit concerned at first because the cold air was a bit beyond the scope of my gear at that moment, but I held on to the hope that temperatures would climb quickly once the Sun mounted up and that I would be fine. My teammates arrived one by one and after pleasantries we motored over to the start, which was about a five minute ride from the bicycle shop.

We got the traditional "Team Photo" on my camera, and then we started out. The course runs a couple miles on pavement until we reached the outskirts of suburbia and escaped to the sandy gravel that is characteristic of this part of Iowa. On the way there, something rather ironic happened concerning my camera. You know the one I just wrote a post about last week? Yeah.......that camera!

I was grabbing it out of my left pocket, (not my usual way of toting it, by the way), and I lost the handle on it. I watched as it tumbled down and smacked the pavement. Of course, I am doing about 20mph at this point, so the camera is out of my view for a few seconds while I slow down and swing back to pick it up. I grabbed it and hurriedly caught back on to my team. After I calmed down a bit, I tried it, but.......nothing. So, I figured I finally killed it. Oh well. Sam offered to stow it in his frame bag and we continued on our adventure.

Unicorn Avenue rest stop. (Image by S. Auen)

The Gent's Race course hasn't changed a whole lot in the last three years. (The first course was totally different) It is flat, sandy, usually unconsolidated, and reminds me a lot of Nebraska gravel around Lincoln. If the road crews have been out, there can be a lot of chunk, but they hadn't been out yet this year, and the rains we had last week help pack down the gravel to a much more solid consistency. In other words, conditions of the roads could not have been better.

The flatness of the course is perfect for the format, as it tends to keep the groups of five together, and your only real issue is going to be wind and weather in this event. On both counts, things could not have been much better. Sure, there was a mild Southwesterly breeze, but considering the time of year, it could just as easily have been a gale. Again, things were about as good as it gets. The Sun was out, and spirits were high. Those that wanted to get after it did, and those that had other agendas, (like my team), did what came natural to them and had a lot of fun.

F.U.N. Incorporated

Our team has certain things we have done every year, and we stick to those "traditions". Like stopping at Unicorn Avenue for images. Or having Four Lokos at the halfway checkpoint along with Budweisers. Yeah......it is about fun and camaraderie for us on our team. We also don't get our panties in a bunch about anything, and try to tailor our pace to the slowest guy in the group that particular year.

In the end, we got in 67 miles of great riding and fun times. I cleaned up a bit afterward and headed over to the local bar/eatery that was hosting the after-ride party. There were a ton of cyclists there, and I found my good friend MG along with Trans Iowa finisher Tim Ek, Dirty Kanza directors Jim Cummins and LeLan Dains, and many others there. I sat and had a couple IPA's and then MG and I went out and swapped over my wheel set on my Tamland so he could take the American Classic wheels out and test them.

 What makes this event so special is how it can attract well over 200 people of all social strata together in harmony and with as much "inclusion" as I think there could be. No race numbers, no fee to enter. Just line up your bike with four others and go. As an example of this, as MG and I were wrenching on the Tamland and chatting, a lovely woman came up and started talking about her experience in the event and wanted to know what we thought. We were all on the same page- it was an awesome fun time. She was so stoked to have been on a great ride having a great time with four other women that she invited us for a group hug and then she sauntered off. That to me is a testament to the attractiveness of these sorts of events for the average cyclists out there.

Oh, and my camera- Sam handed it back to me afterward, and he said that I had lost the battery. What?! Yep......it was gone. It must have popped out of the battery door and then the door somehow closed up again in the tumbling on the pavement. Maybe it will live on!

Afterward I made the trek home to go see my family with sore legs and a smile on my face. Thanks to the Renegade Gent's Race crew- Rob Versteegh, Kyle Sedore, and Kyle's Bikes along with all the volunteers. Thanks to my "Careless Whispers" teammates- Bob Moural, David Cornelison, Sam Auen, and Steve Fuller.

Renegade Gent's Race Version 4 Report

Hunting Unicorns (Image by S. Auen)

The fourth annual Renegade Gent's Race happened Saturday. It was a great day for a ride, and this is the story of that ride. It started for me in the cold dark of night.

The Gents Race is always looked forward to by myself and probably others. For me it is really not so much of a race as it is a great bike ride with loads of like-minded folks and four great guys I have come to know as teammates for this event. Our team is pretty unique, and in our four years together, we have forged some traditions which we all adhere to and have fun with.

But before all that can happen I have to get down to Kyles Bikes in Ankeny and meet up with those four guys. That meant getting up at 4:30am and packing up the "Truck With No Name" to get me and my bike there. The day was looking like it would be good, but at 27°F it was chilly! The drive down was uneventful, and I arrived at 7:30am to get kitted up and see who was out and about. Our team was not scheduled to go off until 9:08am. Sign in was a half an hour earlier than that, so I was plenty early.

It was a perfect day to ride bicycles!

I was a bit concerned at first because the cold air was a bit beyond the scope of my gear at that moment, but I held on to the hope that temperatures would climb quickly once the Sun mounted up and that I would be fine. My teammates arrived one by one and after pleasantries we motored over to the start, which was about a five minute ride from the bicycle shop.

We got the traditional "Team Photo" on my camera, and then we started out. The course runs a couple miles on pavement until we reached the outskirts of suburbia and escaped to the sandy gravel that is characteristic of this part of Iowa. On the way there, something rather ironic happened concerning my camera. You know the one I just wrote a post about last week? Yeah.......that camera!

I was grabbing it out of my left pocket, (not my usual way of toting it, by the way), and I lost the handle on it. I watched as it tumbled down and smacked the pavement. Of course, I am doing about 20mph at this point, so the camera is out of my view for a few seconds while I slow down and swing back to pick it up. I grabbed it and hurriedly caught back on to my team. After I calmed down a bit, I tried it, but.......nothing. So, I figured I finally killed it. Oh well. Sam offered to stow it in his frame bag and we continued on our adventure.

Unicorn Avenue rest stop. (Image by S. Auen)

The Gent's Race course hasn't changed a whole lot in the last three years. (The first course was totally different) It is flat, sandy, usually unconsolidated, and reminds me a lot of Nebraska gravel around Lincoln. If the road crews have been out, there can be a lot of chunk, but they hadn't been out yet this year, and the rains we had last week help pack down the gravel to a much more solid consistency. In other words, conditions of the roads could not have been better.

The flatness of the course is perfect for the format, as it tends to keep the groups of five together, and your only real issue is going to be wind and weather in this event. On both counts, things could not have been much better. Sure, there was a mild Southwesterly breeze, but considering the time of year, it could just as easily have been a gale. Again, things were about as good as it gets. The Sun was out, and spirits were high. Those that wanted to get after it did, and those that had other agendas, (like my team), did what came natural to them and had a lot of fun.

F.U.N. Incorporated

Our team has certain things we have done every year, and we stick to those "traditions". Like stopping at Unicorn Avenue for images. Or having Four Lokos at the halfway checkpoint along with Budweisers. Yeah......it is about fun and camaraderie for us on our team. We also don't get our panties in a bunch about anything, and try to tailor our pace to the slowest guy in the group that particular year.

In the end, we got in 67 miles of great riding and fun times. I cleaned up a bit afterward and headed over to the local bar/eatery that was hosting the after-ride party. There were a ton of cyclists there, and I found my good friend MG along with Trans Iowa finisher Tim Ek, Dirty Kanza directors Jim Cummins and LeLan Dains, and many others there. I sat and had a couple IPA's and then MG and I went out and swapped over my wheel set on my Tamland so he could take the American Classic wheels out and test them.

 What makes this event so special is how it can attract well over 200 people of all social strata together in harmony and with as much "inclusion" as I think there could be. No race numbers, no fee to enter. Just line up your bike with four others and go. As an example of this, as MG and I were wrenching on the Tamland and chatting, a lovely woman came up and started talking about her experience in the event and wanted to know what we thought. We were all on the same page- it was an awesome fun time. She was so stoked to have been on a great ride having a great time with four other women that she invited us for a group hug and then she sauntered off. That to me is a testament to the attractiveness of these sorts of events for the average cyclists out there.

Oh, and my camera- Sam handed it back to me afterward, and he said that I had lost the battery. What?! Yep......it was gone. It must have popped out of the battery door and then the door somehow closed up again in the tumbling on the pavement. Maybe it will live on!

Afterward I made the trek home to go see my family with sore legs and a smile on my face. Thanks to the Renegade Gent's Race crew- Rob Versteegh, Kyle Sedore, and Kyle's Bikes along with all the volunteers. Thanks to my "Careless Whispers" teammates- Bob Moural, David Cornelison, Sam Auen, and Steve Fuller.

Trans Iowa V10: The Barn

The barn at the finish line: Image by W. Kilburg

For T.I.V6, we had a refurbished barn offered to us as the finish line for Trans Iowa. At that time, David and I thought that it would be a perfect end to a rural race. However; the storms unleashed their fury, and we had to  truncate the event long before it ever reached the old, rustic place at the end of a B Maintenance road.

The following year, it turned out Trans Iowa ended on Easter weekend, so the family that owned the barn could not allow us to use it, as they weren't going to be there. Trans Iowa V8 ended at the same place V7 did, but I cannot remember why it turned out that way. At any rate, last year the idea was brought to the fore again, and it actually worked out. The folks that did come and hang out had an excellent time and so the plan was made to get it going again for this year.

Essentially, here's the scoop- anytime after 5pm Saturday evening you can go to the barn, hang out, camp if you want to, (primitive- no water/toilets, although some are available within a half mile), drink, eat, chit-chat, or what have you. You can stay all night, or not. Sunday morning, you'll definitely want to hang out there as the riders will, (hopefully), be rolling in. Directions to the barn from Grinnell are:

From Highway 146 South by the motels- Find 410th Avenue and take it West, (there is a Super 8 on the Southwest corner of that intersection) In two miles the road turns into Jacob Avenue @ E 156th St. Keep going straight. In approximately one mile, there is a left hand turn near the bottom of a hill near a white farm house. It is  E 150th St N and is marked as a B Road. The Bran is up this road on the left side approximately a quarter mile up the road. If it is wet, PLEASE DO NOT TURN UP THIS ROAD!!! We don't want you tearing up this dirt road, and we cannot be responsible if you get stuck. Rather, we will ask that you continue straight up the hill and park at the large graveled lot just around the corner. Then you can walk back to the barn. Any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments.

Hope to have some folks hanging out there.

Trans Iowa V10: The Barn

The barn at the finish line: Image by W. Kilburg

For T.I.V6, we had a refurbished barn offered to us as the finish line for Trans Iowa. At that time, David and I thought that it would be a perfect end to a rural race. However; the storms unleashed their fury, and we had to  truncate the event long before it ever reached the old, rustic place at the end of a B Maintenance road.

The following year, it turned out Trans Iowa ended on Easter weekend, so the family that owned the barn could not allow us to use it, as they weren't going to be there. Trans Iowa V8 ended at the same place V7 did, but I cannot remember why it turned out that way. At any rate, last year the idea was brought to the fore again, and it actually worked out. The folks that did come and hang out had an excellent time and so the plan was made to get it going again for this year.

Essentially, here's the scoop- anytime after 5pm Saturday evening you can go to the barn, hang out, camp if you want to, (primitive- no water/toilets, although some are available within a half mile), drink, eat, chit-chat, or what have you. You can stay all night, or not. Sunday morning, you'll definitely want to hang out there as the riders will, (hopefully), be rolling in. Directions to the barn from Grinnell are:

From Highway 146 South by the motels- Find 410th Avenue and take it West, (there is a Super 8 on the Southwest corner of that intersection) In two miles the road turns into Jacob Avenue @ E 156th St. Keep going straight. In approximately one mile, there is a left hand turn near the bottom of a hill near a white farm house. It is  E 150th St N and is marked as a B Road. The Bran is up this road on the left side approximately a quarter mile up the road. If it is wet, PLEASE DO NOT TURN UP THIS ROAD!!! We don't want you tearing up this dirt road, and we cannot be responsible if you get stuck. Rather, we will ask that you continue straight up the hill and park at the large graveled lot just around the corner. Then you can walk back to the barn. Any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments.

Hope to have some folks hanging out there.

Trans Iowa V10: Crunch Time

Some of the Trans Iowa riders "might" see this hill!

Three week until the horn blows at 4am and Trans Iowa V10 will be happening! This is the time of the year that things start getting crazy for me. In a week I have the final course check with Wally & George. The cues will be verified and any last minute re-routes due to roads being out, bridges out, or what have you should be determined by then. Then it moves into production mode.

What is that? Production Mode is where I finalize cue sheets if changes have to be made, recheck them once more for accuracy, then buy the printing paper and I print them. After the sheets are printed I cut them and collate them into sets which are then put into sandwich baggies for distribution. While that process is going on, I am going to be busy arranging for the delivery of prizing, sorting that out, and getting the Hammer Nutrition products in order to stuff race bags.

Ahhhhh! Stuffing race bags! The activity I always associate with a Trans Iowa's nearness. This year the bag stuffing assembly line will be much different. There will be specific sized t-shirts, race numbers, pins, hats, nutritional products, and stickers going into each bag. Oh yeah......and cue sheets! (Only the first set!)

All this to say that if you know, (or even think), that you may not make it to Trans Iowa this year, it isn't too late to let me know that! In fact, right up before the event is still a good time, because I likely won't stuff race bags until the week of the event. So, please do me a big favor if you are not going to show up and let me know now, okay? Thanks!

Trans Iowa V10: Crunch Time

Some of the Trans Iowa riders "might" see this hill!

Three week until the horn blows at 4am and Trans Iowa V10 will be happening! This is the time of the year that things start getting crazy for me. In a week I have the final course check with Wally & George. The cues will be verified and any last minute re-routes due to roads being out, bridges out, or what have you should be determined by then. Then it moves into production mode.

What is that? Production Mode is where I finalize cue sheets if changes have to be made, recheck them once more for accuracy, then buy the printing paper and I print them. After the sheets are printed I cut them and collate them into sets which are then put into sandwich baggies for distribution. While that process is going on, I am going to be busy arranging for the delivery of prizing, sorting that out, and getting the Hammer Nutrition products in order to stuff race bags.

Ahhhhh! Stuffing race bags! The activity I always associate with a Trans Iowa's nearness. This year the bag stuffing assembly line will be much different. There will be specific sized t-shirts, race numbers, pins, hats, nutritional products, and stickers going into each bag. Oh yeah......and cue sheets! (Only the first set!)

All this to say that if you know, (or even think), that you may not make it to Trans Iowa this year, it isn't too late to let me know that! In fact, right up before the event is still a good time, because I likely won't stuff race bags until the week of the event. So, please do me a big favor if you are not going to show up and let me know now, okay? Thanks!

Friday News And Views:

My steed for the Gent's Race

Renegade Gents Race version 4: This has been a highlight of my riding season for three years running. This will be the fourth. Interesting fact: I believe the team I am on is the only one with the same members for all four years. Now I never would have thought that!

It's also interesting to note that this five person team time trial style event attracted only 15 teams in its first year. That blossomed to 30 teams the next year, and last year there were 37 teams. This year I here there are 45 teams. That's some steady growth! It will make for a crazy time with 225 cyclists plying the gravel roads North of Ankeny.

The Raleigh Tamland is getting the call this year, of course, and I just got a set of American Classic Hurricane wheels to test out on it. Now before ya'all ask, I'll answer- "No, I am not running these tubeless!" "Yes- I tried them that way." They weren't a good fit on these wheels, and I felt that if I ran the pressures above 40psi, I would blow these off. The Clement MSO 35mm tires were just a bit too easy to install, meaning they were bigger in diameter in the bead than I felt comfortable with. When you've set up enough tubeless tires, you begin to understand what kind of fitment works best for tubeless, and the Clements were far from ideal. Too bad, but it is what it is. That said, I cut off more than a pound of rotating weight going with these wheels and tires!

More Gent's Race stuff Monday.......

Of course, after the Gent's Race, I'll be bearing down on my tenth Trans Iowa production. Business will be picking up with course recon, cue sheet production, and more.

I suspect I'll have more announcements concerning the event as well. I know for a fact that something pretty exciting concerning Trans Iowa Radio and how folks can access that is coming soon. There will be an announcement about extra-T.I.v10 activities having to do with the barn finish line as well.

Of course, now folks will be watching the weather forecasts with only three weeks to go. Right now the weather folk are predicting several warm days ahead of T.I.v10 with a definite cool down Saturday night and a cloudy, maybe even rainy end to things by Sunday afternoon. Of course, that will change three times a week till the event! Where the roulette wheel that is the weather ends up is anyone's guess. But still, it's fun to guess. Well........it is fun for me. I suppose for others it may be a terrifying prospect! Fretting about Trans Iowa weather is almost an art form for some folks, I am sure of that from what I've heard.

Tents will be erected at Sea Otter soon!

Sea Otter:

This coming weekend is Sea Otter, the long running mtb festival near Monterey, California. I was fortunate enough to have gone to three of those, (I think it was three times!), back in the "oughts". I packed in going to the Otter since '09's trip because it is just too close to Trans Iowa and it is just too much in one month. I like my chaos spread thin!

As far as the industry part of it goes, most everything that will be shown there will come out beforehand in the media. I know of one major deal that won't, and will probably be leaked all over just as the show begins, but other than that......

So actually going to Sea Otter becomes more about connecting with people. That's always fun, and it helps with the media stuff as far as that goes, but now my friend, Grannygear, goes to Sea Otter since he lives in California. That gets Twenty Nine Inches satisfied, and leaves me here to stuff race bags, print cue sheets, and run around in a pick-up truck with two other guys for a whole day on gravel and dirt roads. Now that I have done both things, which do I like better? That's a toss up, really. If I could go to Sea Otter without doing the massive air travel deal, I would go. I like being here, but Trans Iowa eats up a lot of April for me. I would rather be riding a lot of gravel with two friends, ya know?

So it goes......

Have a great weekend folks!

Friday News And Views:

My steed for the Gent's Race

Renegade Gents Race version 4: This has been a highlight of my riding season for three years running. This will be the fourth. Interesting fact: I believe the team I am on is the only one with the same members for all four years. Now I never would have thought that!

It's also interesting to note that this five person team time trial style event attracted only 15 teams in its first year. That blossomed to 30 teams the next year, and last year there were 37 teams. This year I here there are 45 teams. That's some steady growth! It will make for a crazy time with 225 cyclists plying the gravel roads North of Ankeny.

The Raleigh Tamland is getting the call this year, of course, and I just got a set of American Classic Hurricane wheels to test out on it. Now before ya'all ask, I'll answer- "No, I am not running these tubeless!" "Yes- I tried them that way." They weren't a good fit on these wheels, and I felt that if I ran the pressures above 40psi, I would blow these off. The Clement MSO 35mm tires were just a bit too easy to install, meaning they were bigger in diameter in the bead than I felt comfortable with. When you've set up enough tubeless tires, you begin to understand what kind of fitment works best for tubeless, and the Clements were far from ideal. Too bad, but it is what it is. That said, I cut off more than a pound of rotating weight going with these wheels and tires!

More Gent's Race stuff Monday.......

Of course, after the Gent's Race, I'll be bearing down on my tenth Trans Iowa production. Business will be picking up with course recon, cue sheet production, and more.

I suspect I'll have more announcements concerning the event as well. I know for a fact that something pretty exciting concerning Trans Iowa Radio and how folks can access that is coming soon. There will be an announcement about extra-T.I.v10 activities having to do with the barn finish line as well.

Of course, now folks will be watching the weather forecasts with only three weeks to go. Right now the weather folk are predicting several warm days ahead of T.I.v10 with a definite cool down Saturday night and a cloudy, maybe even rainy end to things by Sunday afternoon. Of course, that will change three times a week till the event! Where the roulette wheel that is the weather ends up is anyone's guess. But still, it's fun to guess. Well........it is fun for me. I suppose for others it may be a terrifying prospect! Fretting about Trans Iowa weather is almost an art form for some folks, I am sure of that from what I've heard.

Tents will be erected at Sea Otter soon!

Sea Otter:

This coming weekend is Sea Otter, the long running mtb festival near Monterey, California. I was fortunate enough to have gone to three of those, (I think it was three times!), back in the "oughts". I packed in going to the Otter since '09's trip because it is just too close to Trans Iowa and it is just too much in one month. I like my chaos spread thin!

As far as the industry part of it goes, most everything that will be shown there will come out beforehand in the media. I know of one major deal that won't, and will probably be leaked all over just as the show begins, but other than that......

So actually going to Sea Otter becomes more about connecting with people. That's always fun, and it helps with the media stuff as far as that goes, but now my friend, Grannygear, goes to Sea Otter since he lives in California. That gets Twenty Nine Inches satisfied, and leaves me here to stuff race bags, print cue sheets, and run around in a pick-up truck with two other guys for a whole day on gravel and dirt roads. Now that I have done both things, which do I like better? That's a toss up, really. If I could go to Sea Otter without doing the massive air travel deal, I would go. I like being here, but Trans Iowa eats up a lot of April for me. I would rather be riding a lot of gravel with two friends, ya know?

So it goes......

Have a great weekend folks!

Piece Of The Puzzle Missing

It ain't the rim's fault

Tubeless mountain bike tires have come a long way. The systems available are amazing now. Actually, if you are out there still trying to set up a non-tubeless tire as a tubeless tire, well.........you are pretty much off the back. You have so many choices now in "real" tubeless tires and rims that work with that, it is insane not to use those tires and rims these days.

However; if you are a gravel rider, or "monster cross" fanatic, you know that there are basically zero choices in tires for tubeless use. You have to convert non-tubeless tires, or there are no other ways to pursue that angle. (Well....that is until WTB's Nano 40 TCS comes out)

Why is that? Well, there are two big reasons for it. One, and most importantly, the numbers of potential sales for a 35mm-45mm tubeless tire has been low, until just recently. Secondly, the technology to do a tire with this low a volume is difficult. The technical issues get bigger with lower air volume and the necessary higher pressures one needs to use to make it all work.

Mountain bike tires, with their bigger air volume, need less pressure to work. Running more than 35psi in your tubeless mtb tires? You're missing the boat then. However; with lower volume, the "spring", or air pressure, needs to be higher to keep you from smacking the rim on the tire, and to help increase the ease of rolling the tire. No big deal- just pump it up, right?

Well, actually, it is a big deal. Higher pressures mean more stress on tire beads that weren't designed for tubelessness, or even if they were, they tend to start failing when pressures rise. Just look at the traumas that the road tubeless tires have been having for an example here. So, until the missing piece of the puzzle comes- the tires- I am reticent to hit the backroads on a tubeless 40mm tire set up.

Piece Of The Puzzle Missing

It ain't the rim's fault

Tubeless mountain bike tires have come a long way. The systems available are amazing now. Actually, if you are out there still trying to set up a non-tubeless tire as a tubeless tire, well.........you are pretty much off the back. You have so many choices now in "real" tubeless tires and rims that work with that, it is insane not to use those tires and rims these days.

However; if you are a gravel rider, or "monster cross" fanatic, you know that there are basically zero choices in tires for tubeless use. You have to convert non-tubeless tires, or there are no other ways to pursue that angle. (Well....that is until WTB's Nano 40 TCS comes out)

Why is that? Well, there are two big reasons for it. One, and most importantly, the numbers of potential sales for a 35mm-45mm tubeless tire has been low, until just recently. Secondly, the technology to do a tire with this low a volume is difficult. The technical issues get bigger with lower air volume and the necessary higher pressures one needs to use to make it all work.

Mountain bike tires, with their bigger air volume, need less pressure to work. Running more than 35psi in your tubeless mtb tires? You're missing the boat then. However; with lower volume, the "spring", or air pressure, needs to be higher to keep you from smacking the rim on the tire, and to help increase the ease of rolling the tire. No big deal- just pump it up, right?

Well, actually, it is a big deal. Higher pressures mean more stress on tire beads that weren't designed for tubelessness, or even if they were, they tend to start failing when pressures rise. Just look at the traumas that the road tubeless tires have been having for an example here. So, until the missing piece of the puzzle comes- the tires- I am reticent to hit the backroads on a tubeless 40mm tire set up.

Image Warrior

A beat-to-shit Z5

When I started out blogging on Jeff Kerkove's blog back in '04 as a guest, I didn't have a digital camera. I knew that to be all pro, like Jeff was, I needed to get into taking photographs. Something I had rarely, if ever done before that time. I  mean, I had used several disposable film cameras for fishing trips back in the day, but I didn't ever know what taking a photograph really meant.

The first camera was a Nikon Coolpix and it lasted for a while. It soon became apparent though that I needed an upgraded point and shoot. I reached out to a friend at the time who was/is a camera buff and he recommended the Fuji Z5 to me. This was in 2006, if I recall correctly. So, anyway, I got the thing, and ever since it has been on almost every ride I've done on a bicycle.

It has been bounced off gravel roads, dropped on mountain bike outings, eaten dust at Bootleg Canyon, gone to Utah, Texas, and Minnesota, shot Trans Iowa, shot multitudinous gravel rides, been rained on, snowed on, dropped into snow banks, used at sub-freezing temperatures and in 100°F heat. It's had sand, dirt, and even small rocks lodged behind the sliding lens cover more times than I can count. Once it had a pebble so big stuck behind there I couldn't get the thing opened!

Through all the dents and dings it has continued to work amazingly well for how hard I've used it. It doesn't owe me a thing, and recently, when I had to reattach a sprung metal cover on the end with a self tapping screw, I realized it is high time I retire this old warhorse. So I am on the hunt for a good point and shoot to upgrade to. If it lasts half as long as this old warrior has, I'll be danged surprised!

Image Warrior

A beat-to-shit Z5

When I started out blogging on Jeff Kerkove's blog back in '04 as a guest, I didn't have a digital camera. I knew that to be all pro, like Jeff was, I needed to get into taking photographs. Something I had rarely, if ever done before that time. I  mean, I had used several disposable film cameras for fishing trips back in the day, but I didn't ever know what taking a photograph really meant.

The first camera was a Nikon Coolpix and it lasted for a while. It soon became apparent though that I needed an upgraded point and shoot. I reached out to a friend at the time who was/is a camera buff and he recommended the Fuji Z5 to me. This was in 2006, if I recall correctly. So, anyway, I got the thing, and ever since it has been on almost every ride I've done on a bicycle.

It has been bounced off gravel roads, dropped on mountain bike outings, eaten dust at Bootleg Canyon, gone to Utah, Texas, and Minnesota, shot Trans Iowa, shot multitudinous gravel rides, been rained on, snowed on, dropped into snow banks, used at sub-freezing temperatures and in 100°F heat. It's had sand, dirt, and even small rocks lodged behind the sliding lens cover more times than I can count. Once it had a pebble so big stuck behind there I couldn't get the thing opened!

Through all the dents and dings it has continued to work amazingly well for how hard I've used it. It doesn't owe me a thing, and recently, when I had to reattach a sprung metal cover on the end with a self tapping screw, I realized it is high time I retire this old warhorse. So I am on the hunt for a good point and shoot to upgrade to. If it lasts half as long as this old warrior has, I'll be danged surprised!

A Nice Surprise

The surprise found under the 11 cogs

It's a well known fact amongst bike geeks and especially amongst the longer in the tooth mechanics and shop rats, (like myself), that bicycle companies like to scrimp, save, and "cheap out" wherever you are not going to be looking. You know.....places like your bottom bracket, head set, and spokes. Places like that.

They like to do this because then the product managers get to keep their jobs because they spec'ed a seemingly awesome bike for less than you might expect. You know those bikes that seem like such a great deal new, (current model year, of course), that "blow the competition out of the water", or say "compare at twice the price"? Yeah....they have hidden parts that suck. Put your ears up to them, and you can hear the air being sucked into the black hole of cheapness. (Well......not really, but it sounds fun! Kind of like listening to sea shells........but I digress.)

Anywho........as a bicycle mechanic you get kind of jaded by this after a while of pulling off wheels with spokes not worthy of a dung cart, or dealing with freewheels that say "Shimano" on them but wobble when spun like a drunken college boy leaving a frat party. Then every once in a while you get surprised.

I pulled the cassette of my new Raleigh Tamland Two, fully expecting a cheesy, heavy steel free hub body, and ..........well lookee here! It has an aluminum free hub body with a steel reinforced spline to help prevent that dreaded "digging in" of the individual cassette cogs. That's not the kind of feature you usually see on a mass produced rig, if anywhere. Of course, it's an idea I first saw on an American Classic hub, and maybe it isn't as well done, (note that the individual cogs dug in a little bit anyway), but still............

So, faith restored until I have to double check another 7.2FX!

A Nice Surprise

The surprise found under the 11 cogs

It's a well known fact amongst bike geeks and especially amongst the longer in the tooth mechanics and shop rats, (like myself), that bicycle companies like to scrimp, save, and "cheap out" wherever you are not going to be looking. You know.....places like your bottom bracket, head set, and spokes. Places like that.

They like to do this because then the product managers get to keep their jobs because they spec'ed a seemingly awesome bike for less than you might expect. You know those bikes that seem like such a great deal new, (current model year, of course), that "blow the competition out of the water", or say "compare at twice the price"? Yeah....they have hidden parts that suck. Put your ears up to them, and you can hear the air being sucked into the black hole of cheapness. (Well......not really, but it sounds fun! Kind of like listening to sea shells........but I digress.)

Anywho........as a bicycle mechanic you get kind of jaded by this after a while of pulling off wheels with spokes not worthy of a dung cart, or dealing with freewheels that say "Shimano" on them but wobble when spun like a drunken college boy leaving a frat party. Then every once in a while you get surprised.

I pulled the cassette of my new Raleigh Tamland Two, fully expecting a cheesy, heavy steel free hub body, and ..........well lookee here! It has an aluminum free hub body with a steel reinforced spline to help prevent that dreaded "digging in" of the individual cassette cogs. That's not the kind of feature you usually see on a mass produced rig, if anywhere. Of course, it's an idea I first saw on an American Classic hub, and maybe it isn't as well done, (note that the individual cogs dug in a little bit anyway), but still............

So, faith restored until I have to double check another 7.2FX!