Friday News And Views

Geezer Ride: October 18th

Well, with all my "major" activities for Summer behind me now, I can start to buckle down on the route for the Geezer Ride happening October 18th out of Amana, Iowa. For finer details on what this ride is and what not, GO HERE. 

I have always had a loose idea of what this ride will entail, but I need to actually go ride this to nail down the best way to tackle it and keep it around 40-ish miles. Maps are well and fine, but there is no substitute for actual miles on the bike to get a feel for a route and how it might play out.

Looking back at the initial interest, it became clear that this ride may have a lot of folks who are doing something like this for the first time, or are not "veterans" of the scene. There will be some pointers I will post previous to the ride, after I have a handle on the route, to help out with all of that. The main goal is for everyone to feel comfortable, yet get a bit challenged, and overall- HAVE FUN.

I'll be posting periodically on the Geezer Ride going forward, but please feel free to ask questions in the meantime.

Winter Car Replacement Vehicle

Plans For Fatness:

The Blackborow DS has caught my eye and now I have committed to getting one for this Winter's commutes and more. Here's why I feel this bike will benefit me versus the Snow Dog and By-Tor, my two Mukluk rigs.

First of all, even back in 2011 when I started riding my blue Mukluk dubbed The Snow Dog, I realized that 3.8" tires weren't going to cut it for where and how I was having the most fun on the bike. I really liked, (and still do), riding off trail, on snowmobile tracks in the back woods, and on the post-holed single track in the Green Belt. None of these places are very conducive to the low tread, Larry tires, even if they are Big Fat Larrys. I needed more width in the rims, bigger tires, and more grip.

I played around with schemes for new wheels and tires and drive train mods, and......well, it was all kludges, really. The Mukluks are not really well suited to having that big a tire on them. Plus they were hampered by the 1 1/8th straight steer tubes, precluding the use of any carbon forks or suspension forks that I was interested in.(Although I did eventually find a carbon fork for the Snow Dog)

Not that my Muks are going out to pasture! Far from it. The Snow Dog will remain in use as a bike for less challenging commutes and trail work, and the Ti Muk......just wait and see. 

 Health Update:

Things have been rough since the crash with the Silverado. I contracted a nasty flu right after that incident, and then it turned into a head cold with bronchitis. I've been under the capable care of Mrs. Guitar Ted, (Masters in Nursing), so I have had great care, but I have been pretty miserable until yesterday when I started to make some headway out of this funk. Still hacking and wheezing though.

In fact, the flu and cold hurt so bad I forgot all about getting hit until yesterday when I felt less pain everywhere else and started noticing that my right hip was feeling weird and some other things that kind of hit me upside the head to say, "Ya got hit by a truck, remember?" So, I still am a bit sore from that.

Needless to say, I haven't ridden a bicycle under strict orders from my caretaker! Mrs. Guitar Ted even suggested I stay home and not attend her graduation from college this weekend so I can rest to make a full and speedy recovery. I'm a bit bummed out that I'll miss that. Anyway.....Yeah, so that's what's been going on with me. Hopefully back on the bike for commutes next week. We'll see.....

Hopefully ya'all out there are doing way better than I. Get out and ride those bicycles folks! Summer is almost over.

 

News Season: Trek World

Superfly SS (Image courtesy of Trek's Twitter feed)

Trek World:

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


I remember almost ten years ago when going to Trek World was a really big deal. Fisher, the brand Trek killed off several years ago, was the banner bearer of the 29"er bicycle and seeing the new goods was a huge deal. Every bike was something new, pushing the boundaries. New tires from Bontrager, the promised TLR tubeless system, and "real suspension" forks. Ahh........those were some times, weren't they? 

But now Fisher is a hollow June Bug shell and everybody has 29"ers, (or used to), so a new swash of colors and a couple of spec changes are all that you see anymore for the most part. This is why there were really only three bikes worth talking about from Trek's latest "Trek World", a world where you have to be a "preferred dealer" to attend, or as a "lower tiered Trek dealer", pay Trek $500.00 for the privilege to just walk into the door to look at their bikes. Weird that, but that is another story altogether now.

Anywho....remember the Rig? That long standing single speed 29"er model. Gone. Well......think name change. Now it's the Superfly SS. Not the carbon one of old- this is aluminum. Nice looking "rig". (<====HA!) Oh, and is that a 51mm offset carbon fiber rigid fork I see there? A timely addition to the line, says 2008. (sarcasm)

The Trek 920 (Image courtesy of Trek's Twitter feed)

Then there is this, the Trek 920. I saw this and my first gut reaction? Fargo circa 2008. Except that it is aluminum, (bad), and it has reportedly less tire clearance than that bike has, (also bad).

The next thing I noted was that it comes with a bent top tube. Again- bad. That will make hanging a top tube bag or frame bag you may have now a frustrating proposition. Obviously, you can get any number of custom made bags, but c'mon Trek! This just shows Trek's seeming arrogance and refusal to take notice of bikepacking needs. How hard would it have been to make this with a straight top tube? Oh.....never mind! It's a bagger bike. That's forward thinking for a bike to tour off road with.

It also is not suspension corrected. I like non-sus corrected looks, but trust me, when the going gets rough, (and where this bike is designed to go, it will be that), you are gonna beg for a squishy fork. It's as if Trek noticed that Salsa made a 2008 Fargo, copied it in the wrong material, and took a giant step backward.

I saw somewhere that it was suggested that this is a great choice for a gravel bike.  It's an "okay" choice, but Trek is sitting on the best gravel bike design anybody could come up with and not putting it out there. (Domane Disc) With a bit more tire clearance and a slightly slacker head angle...BAM! Too bad they won't do that. Oh wait.......maybe there is a six year development cycle for great ideas. That would explain the current 920 and the carbon 51mm offset fork. Bet that's it.......

Remedy Carbon (Image courtesy of Trek's Twitter feed)

Then there was the eventual evolution of the Remedy to a carbon framed bike. This isn't really news, because it has been known for well over a month that this was on the way.

So........that's it. Not that I would expect anything really earth shattering, because 27.5" stuff has really pulled R&D dollars out of 29"er development as a whole across all brands for the last several years. Now that this is mostly behind many brands, we may see the return of some innovation on the 29"er side, and certainly on the B+ and 29+ stuff, which to my mind will eventually be the thing that overshadows both 29"er development and fat bike development in the near future.

As for this Trek World, it was the biggest dud from the standpoint of 29"ers since the early 2000's, and that's saying a lot, since as I said, anything Fisher did back then was a really big deal. So, are 29"ers done? It's a funny thing, but from the standpoint of pushing any boundaries in any real, palatable way, yes. 29"ers are a done deal. Could Trek, (or any other brand, for that matter), do something really cool with 29"er wheels yet? Totally. Yes, they could, but they won't.

All I know is that the notable bikes this year, for the most part, are visitations from the Spirit of '08, and that in itself seems rather strange and shocking, really, for a company like Trek to be doing.

NOTE: Trek info and images used here were scraped from various Internet places where I could scare up the info. While I work at a Trek dealer, I guess this is how it goes these days. Half a G to get in the door just didn't trip my trigger. My bad.

News Season: Trek World

Superfly SS (Image courtesy of Trek's Twitter feed)

Trek World:

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


I remember almost ten years ago when going to Trek World was a really big deal. Fisher, the brand Trek killed off several years ago, was the banner bearer of the 29"er bicycle and seeing the new goods was a huge deal. Every bike was something new, pushing the boundaries. New tires from Bontrager, the promised TLR tubeless system, and "real suspension" forks. Ahh........those were some times, weren't they? 

But now Fisher is a hollow June Bug shell and everybody has 29"ers, (or used to), so a new swash of colors and a couple of spec changes are all that you see anymore for the most part. This is why there were really only three bikes worth talking about from Trek's latest "Trek World", a world where you have to be a "preferred dealer" to attend, or as a "lower tiered Trek dealer", pay Trek $500.00 for the privilege to just walk into the door to look at their bikes. Weird that, but that is another story altogether now.

Anywho....remember the Rig? That long standing single speed 29"er model. Gone. Well......think name change. Now it's the Superfly SS. Not the carbon one of old- this is aluminum. Nice looking "rig". (<====HA!) Oh, and is that a 51mm offset carbon fiber rigid fork I see there? A timely addition to the line, says 2008. (sarcasm)

The Trek 920 (Image courtesy of Trek's Twitter feed)

Then there is this, the Trek 920. I saw this and my first gut reaction? Fargo circa 2008. Except that it is aluminum, (bad), and it has reportedly less tire clearance than that bike has, (also bad).

The next thing I noted was that it comes with a bent top tube. Again- bad. That will make hanging a top tube bag or frame bag you may have now a frustrating proposition. Obviously, you can get any number of custom made bags, but c'mon Trek! This just shows Trek's seeming arrogance and refusal to take notice of bikepacking needs. How hard would it have been to make this with a straight top tube? Oh.....never mind! It's a bagger bike. That's forward thinking for a bike to tour off road with.

It also is not suspension corrected. I like non-sus corrected looks, but trust me, when the going gets rough, (and where this bike is designed to go, it will be that), you are gonna beg for a squishy fork. It's as if Trek noticed that Salsa made a 2008 Fargo, copied it in the wrong material, and took a giant step backward.

I saw somewhere that it was suggested that this is a great choice for a gravel bike.  It's an "okay" choice, but Trek is sitting on the best gravel bike design anybody could come up with and not putting it out there. (Domane Disc) With a bit more tire clearance and a slightly slacker head angle...BAM! Too bad they won't do that. Oh wait.......maybe there is a six year development cycle for great ideas. That would explain the current 920 and the carbon 51mm offset fork. Bet that's it.......

Remedy Carbon (Image courtesy of Trek's Twitter feed)

Then there was the eventual evolution of the Remedy to a carbon framed bike. This isn't really news, because it has been known for well over a month that this was on the way.

So........that's it. Not that I would expect anything really earth shattering, because 27.5" stuff has really pulled R&D dollars out of 29"er development as a whole across all brands for the last several years. Now that this is mostly behind many brands, we may see the return of some innovation on the 29"er side, and certainly on the B+ and 29+ stuff, which to my mind will eventually be the thing that overshadows both 29"er development and fat bike development in the near future.

As for this Trek World, it was the biggest dud from the standpoint of 29"ers since the early 2000's, and that's saying a lot, since as I said, anything Fisher did back then was a really big deal. So, are 29"ers done? It's a funny thing, but from the standpoint of pushing any boundaries in any real, palatable way, yes. 29"ers are a done deal. Could Trek, (or any other brand, for that matter), do something really cool with 29"er wheels yet? Totally. Yes, they could, but they won't.

All I know is that the notable bikes this year, for the most part, are visitations from the Spirit of '08, and that in itself seems rather strange and shocking, really, for a company like Trek to be doing.

NOTE: Trek info and images used here were scraped from various Internet places where I could scare up the info. While I work at a Trek dealer, I guess this is how it goes these days. Half a G to get in the door just didn't trip my trigger. My bad.

News Season Part 4: Tires V2

Bontrager Chupacabra 29 X 3.0

Tires V2:

My last post on tires can be seen HERE. 

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

Another 29+ Choice:

Trek World was buzzing recently about the news of a new tire. (Odd that the show isn't all that notable for a particular bike, right?) The reason this tire caught everyone off guard was that Trek doesn't do anything 29+.......yet. With the appearance of this tire, due in December, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Trek pushing something in this niche soon.

The spec sheet on this tire reads like this- 120TPI casing, Dual compound tire with Aramid folding bead. The kicker? It's a tubeless ready tire using the excellent TLR system. Projected weight is 850 grams per tire.

Commentary: December delivery? Dang! Put this on your Christmas list, and look for Trek to offer a wide, TLR type rim to go along with this at some point. Heck.....look for a complete bike! My intuition tells me a Stache model with these tires would make sense in Trek's line up. Will they do it? I think if the fork for such a beast surfaces, it's a no brainer. I look for a 29+ fork from Rock Shox to be shown at Eurobike soon. But otherwise, this looks a lot like a tubeless ready, siped tread Knard, which ain't a bad thing.  

Jackalope wheel (Courtesy of Trek's Twitter feed)

 In my last update on tires I talked about the Hodag fat bike tire. This is the TLR rim that goes with it. This will be stock on Farley 8 models.

It is a unique looking, aluminum rim with no cut outs and an 80mm width. It has a center ridge which is where the spokes anchor and what looks to be a combination of dual wall extrusion in the center and single wall in the edge sections.

Commentary: 

While this may not end up being all that light, if you pair it up with the Hodag tire and go tubeless, it will likely be very worthwhile to roll this set up. I really like the TLR format and this is truly a systemic approach which should yeild reliable low pressure, cold weather performance.

One has to be wondering if Trek is developing a carbon frame and carbon Jackalope rims to go with that. Trek's commitment to the fat bike range is impressive and with a tire and rim of their own design, it wouldn't take much of a leap of faith to see the day when Trek unleashes a carbon rimmed, carbon framed, super-light fat bike. This wheel points to the future and it looks bright.

Okay, that's a short one for this time. I'll have a few comments on some of the Trek World bikes coming up later on. Stay tuned for that.......

News Season Part 4: Tires V2

Bontrager Chupacabra 29 X 3.0

Tires V2:

My last post on tires can be seen HERE. 

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

Another 29+ Choice:

Trek World was buzzing recently about the news of a new tire. (Odd that the show isn't all that notable for a particular bike, right?) The reason this tire caught everyone off guard was that Trek doesn't do anything 29+.......yet. With the appearance of this tire, due in December, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Trek pushing something in this niche soon.

The spec sheet on this tire reads like this- 120TPI casing, Dual compound tire with Aramid folding bead. The kicker? It's a tubeless ready tire using the excellent TLR system. Projected weight is 850 grams per tire.

Commentary: December delivery? Dang! Put this on your Christmas list, and look for Trek to offer a wide, TLR type rim to go along with this at some point. Heck.....look for a complete bike! My intuition tells me a Stache model with these tires would make sense in Trek's line up. Will they do it? I think if the fork for such a beast surfaces, it's a no brainer. I look for a 29+ fork from Rock Shox to be shown at Eurobike soon. But otherwise, this looks a lot like a tubeless ready, siped tread Knard, which ain't a bad thing.  

Jackalope wheel (Courtesy of Trek's Twitter feed)

 In my last update on tires I talked about the Hodag fat bike tire. This is the TLR rim that goes with it. This will be stock on Farley 8 models.

It is a unique looking, aluminum rim with no cut outs and an 80mm width. It has a center ridge which is where the spokes anchor and what looks to be a combination of dual wall extrusion in the center and single wall in the edge sections.

Commentary: 

While this may not end up being all that light, if you pair it up with the Hodag tire and go tubeless, it will likely be very worthwhile to roll this set up. I really like the TLR format and this is truly a systemic approach which should yeild reliable low pressure, cold weather performance.

One has to be wondering if Trek is developing a carbon frame and carbon Jackalope rims to go with that. Trek's commitment to the fat bike range is impressive and with a tire and rim of their own design, it wouldn't take much of a leap of faith to see the day when Trek unleashes a carbon rimmed, carbon framed, super-light fat bike. This wheel points to the future and it looks bright.

Okay, that's a short one for this time. I'll have a few comments on some of the Trek World bikes coming up later on. Stay tuned for that.......

The Replacement: Part 2

It's here!

My long awaited replacement for the old, battered, dead Fuji X-5 has arrived. The Olympus Tough TG-3. I will give ya'all my initial impressions here and later, after I've used it as intended on gravel road and off road rides, I will come back with some more "in the field" impressions.

First, before I dive in, I am going to say the following:

This camera is being reviewed from the perspective of a man that is a cyclist, blogger, and writer of words. I am NOT a professional photographer, nor a professional photography equipment reviewer. There are enough of the "photo-geek" sites out there which should satisfy your desire for pixel-peeping and whatnot. This will not be one of those reviews. For the rest of us that just want a damn camera that works for where we ride and live, read on!

Okay, so I pre-ordered this beast and it was about a month later than projected, (sound like the cycling industry at all?), but I'm okay with that. I figured that was a "best case scenario" guesstimate on the part of the manufacturer. The Tough TG-3 is supposed to be dust proof, freeze proof to about 14°F/-10°C, submersible to 15m/50ft, impact resistant to 2.1m/7ft, and crush-proof to 100KG/220lbs of pressure. In other words, it's one tough camera compared to others you have to maybe be a bit more careful with and handle gingerly.

The manual comes on a disc for your computer.

It's definitely going to be tougher than that old Fuji, which really took a beating! This is why I wanted to get this camera, for the claimed durability. If the specs and features hold true, it will be worth the price of entry to me right there.

Anywho.....The box had everything in it and the quick start instruction sheet was easy enough to get me started on my way. The battery needed a charge and it took about 3 hours to bring it up to a full charge. This was a partially charged battery, so charging time from a fully drained battery will be longer, most likely. I got a 16 gigabit card and that was the only extra thing I purchased. The cord used to transfer images doubles as a charging cord in tandem with a wall wart. (See diagram at left)

Some camera reviewers grouse about manuals being on a disc, or available on-line. You know what? I like it. I like it because I can make the images and type as big as I want so I can actually read it, and I can dispense with having to physically hold a booklet that is enormous due to having to accommodate 10 languages, and instead relax while I read the manual. Not that camera manuals are exciting, but......what's so wrong with a disc manual? Saves paper, the way I figure, and I think it works just dandy. The manual is pretty clearly written and if you choose to geek out, the info is there for you. I skipped over a lot of that stuff for now, but when I am ready, I will come back and digest those bits. (No pun intended.)

A look at the backside

The controls seemed to be laid out pretty decently. I think one handed engagement on a bicycle should work well. The size of the TG-3 is substantial but not too big. It definitely feels stout in the hand with its plastic and aluminum case and it has a nice grip shape, albeit perhaps a bit too slick. We'll see on that front soon. The main buttons that I am concerned with are on top and include an easy to activate On/Off button, the Shutter control button, and a rectangular shaped toggle for zoom function. Everything else is on the backside and are features I would only use off the bike anyway. On that front- big thumbs up.

The one thing that I'll have to get used to is the weight. This camera is not near as light as the old Fuji was, but again- it is better in everyway than the Fuji. You have to trade something off, and weight is what that is here. This red camera weighs in at 220 grams ready to roll. Compare that to my Panasonic LX-3 which is a clunkier shape and weighs in at 280 grams, with a long strap attached. (Oddly enough, If you could take off the protruding lens on the Panasonic, these two cameras are very similar in size and shape!) This one will be felt in the jersey pocket!

My paw wrapped around the TG-3

The TG-3 fires up really quickly and can take a shot within a moments notice, so if your friend is pulling off a stupid human trick on a bicycle out of the blue, you've got a fighting chance to capture that. Images can be edited in the camera, for those who want to do such things, and this gizmo is WiFi empowered, so you could edit those trick-pics and fire them off to Facebook before the blood hits the ground. I won't be that fast, but somebody else probably could be. At least the camera shouldn't slow you down.

I've fired off some test images around the Guitar Ted Laboratories already, and I haven't downloaded those just yet, but I will do that soon. I definitely will be getting out and about now with this camera to test out my theories on its plusses for the image taking cyclist.

The TG-3 is available in this red, or black. I got red because I can find "red" easier than I can "black". That it is a shiny red is a bonus, since I always go for shiny objects. Price is $349.99USD for now. It's a brand new camera on the market, so I wouldn't expect any deep discounts for a while on this guy.

Note: Guitar Ted paid his own money for this camera and is not being bribed, nor paid for writing about it. So there.

The Replacement: Part 2

It's here!

My long awaited replacement for the old, battered, dead Fuji X-5 has arrived. The Olympus Tough TG-3. I will give ya'all my initial impressions here and later, after I've used it as intended on gravel road and off road rides, I will come back with some more "in the field" impressions.

First, before I dive in, I am going to say the following:

This camera is being reviewed from the perspective of a man that is a cyclist, blogger, and writer of words. I am NOT a professional photographer, nor a professional photography equipment reviewer. There are enough of the "photo-geek" sites out there which should satisfy your desire for pixel-peeping and whatnot. This will not be one of those reviews. For the rest of us that just want a damn camera that works for where we ride and live, read on!

Okay, so I pre-ordered this beast and it was about a month later than projected, (sound like the cycling industry at all?), but I'm okay with that. I figured that was a "best case scenario" guesstimate on the part of the manufacturer. The Tough TG-3 is supposed to be dust proof, freeze proof to about 14°F/-10°C, submersible to 15m/50ft, impact resistant to 2.1m/7ft, and crush-proof to 100KG/220lbs of pressure. In other words, it's one tough camera compared to others you have to maybe be a bit more careful with and handle gingerly.

The manual comes on a disc for your computer.

It's definitely going to be tougher than that old Fuji, which really took a beating! This is why I wanted to get this camera, for the claimed durability. If the specs and features hold true, it will be worth the price of entry to me right there.

Anywho.....The box had everything in it and the quick start instruction sheet was easy enough to get me started on my way. The battery needed a charge and it took about 3 hours to bring it up to a full charge. This was a partially charged battery, so charging time from a fully drained battery will be longer, most likely. I got a 16 gigabit card and that was the only extra thing I purchased. The cord used to transfer images doubles as a charging cord in tandem with a wall wart. (See diagram at left)

Some camera reviewers grouse about manuals being on a disc, or available on-line. You know what? I like it. I like it because I can make the images and type as big as I want so I can actually read it, and I can dispense with having to physically hold a booklet that is enormous due to having to accommodate 10 languages, and instead relax while I read the manual. Not that camera manuals are exciting, but......what's so wrong with a disc manual? Saves paper, the way I figure, and I think it works just dandy. The manual is pretty clearly written and if you choose to geek out, the info is there for you. I skipped over a lot of that stuff for now, but when I am ready, I will come back and digest those bits. (No pun intended.)

A look at the backside

The controls seemed to be laid out pretty decently. I think one handed engagement on a bicycle should work well. The size of the TG-3 is substantial but not too big. It definitely feels stout in the hand with its plastic and aluminum case and it has a nice grip shape, albeit perhaps a bit too slick. We'll see on that front soon. The main buttons that I am concerned with are on top and include an easy to activate On/Off button, the Shutter control button, and a rectangular shaped toggle for zoom function. Everything else is on the backside and are features I would only use off the bike anyway. On that front- big thumbs up.

The one thing that I'll have to get used to is the weight. This camera is not near as light as the old Fuji was, but again- it is better in everyway than the Fuji. You have to trade something off, and weight is what that is here. This red camera weighs in at 220 grams ready to roll. Compare that to my Panasonic LX-3 which is a clunkier shape and weighs in at 280 grams, with a long strap attached. (Oddly enough, If you could take off the protruding lens on the Panasonic, these two cameras are very similar in size and shape!) This one will be felt in the jersey pocket!

My paw wrapped around the TG-3

The TG-3 fires up really quickly and can take a shot within a moments notice, so if your friend is pulling off a stupid human trick on a bicycle out of the blue, you've got a fighting chance to capture that. Images can be edited in the camera, for those who want to do such things, and this gizmo is WiFi empowered, so you could edit those trick-pics and fire them off to Facebook before the blood hits the ground. I won't be that fast, but somebody else probably could be. At least the camera shouldn't slow you down.

I've fired off some test images around the Guitar Ted Laboratories already, and I haven't downloaded those just yet, but I will do that soon. I definitely will be getting out and about now with this camera to test out my theories on its plusses for the image taking cyclist.

The TG-3 is available in this red, or black. I got red because I can find "red" easier than I can "black". That it is a shiny red is a bonus, since I always go for shiny objects. Price is $349.99USD for now. It's a brand new camera on the market, so I wouldn't expect any deep discounts for a while on this guy.

Note: Guitar Ted paid his own money for this camera and is not being bribed, nor paid for writing about it. So there.

TIMP Update

Image courtesy of Matt Mason

The Trans Iowa Masters Program is in its last month. I have some updates that I wanted to share concerning the attempts.

First off, I received news on the Brothers Mason attempt from earlier in July. Apparently there were some "various difficulties, both mechanical and physical" which derailed their attempt about halfway through.

A successful running of the route was accomplished in late July by Matt Scotton, Brad Patty, and Jim Jenkins. Shawna Stevenson, who was also scheduled to attempt was a DNS.

Attempts upcoming will feature Individual Time Trial attempts by Al Brunner, (the 15th), and by Mike Johnson, (on the 22nd). That's all on the board so far. Remember, any attempts have to be made during the month of August to qualify for TIMP consideration.

Another point- Only two riders that have finished have actually sent in reports and images. So, there are only two "official" TIMP finishers so far. Reports are due 30 days or less after your completed rides.

TIMP Update

Image courtesy of Matt Mason

The Trans Iowa Masters Program is in its last month. I have some updates that I wanted to share concerning the attempts.

First off, I received news on the Brothers Mason attempt from earlier in July. Apparently there were some "various difficulties, both mechanical and physical" which derailed their attempt about halfway through.

A successful running of the route was accomplished in late July by Matt Scotton, Brad Patty, and Jim Jenkins. Shawna Stevenson, who was also scheduled to attempt was a DNS.

Attempts upcoming will feature Individual Time Trial attempts by Al Brunner, (the 15th), and by Mike Johnson, (on the 22nd). That's all on the board so far. Remember, any attempts have to be made during the month of August to qualify for TIMP consideration.

Another point- Only two riders that have finished have actually sent in reports and images. So, there are only two "official" TIMP finishers so far. Reports are due 30 days or less after your completed rides.

Riding In The Broomwagon For Now

Ti Muk wheels

This has been a tough week. I think my friend Mike Johnson said it best when he put it this way: "Stress to the body comes in many forms and is often delayed." He's right on in my case. 

Monday I got right back on the bike after resting hard all day Sunday. Sure- I had aches and pains, but it ain't no thing with me. I always have aches and pains. I was cooked by the end of the day though. Tuesday I rode back and forth to work again. Feeling "okay", but still worked, still achy. Then Tuesday night I knew something was really wrong. I got a feeling that I was sick. By Wednesday morning I was really hurting. It was flu. I had a temperature of 102°F most of the day. Sweating, pain, aches. It was awful. Thursday saw my wife put me on a regimen of Ibuprofen and Tylenol, with plenty of fluids and rest. No bicycles, no alcohol. 

Thursday night I decided to not take the Ibuprofen before I went to bed. I was feeling really good, and I wanted to know if I was over it, or was it just being managed by drugs. I found out Friday morning it was "managed by drugs". I hurt all over and had a slight fever again. Not to mention a stuffy head and cold now. So the "No bikes-No alcohol" rule is still in effect. Mrs Guitar Ted says until Monday at the earliest. Boo. 

The Slender Fungus sent me a Get Well Package.

Oh well. I suppose this getting bounced off a Silverado thing will take time to get around. I better just be patient. In the meantime I got a nice "get well" package from the Slender Fungus Friday. (Thanks Crew!) I'll have to wait to use the koozie though. Under orders and all.....

Then there are the new wheels for the titanium Mukluk/ I got some purple anodized Salsa Conversion hubs some time ago now, and finally had Velocity lace those up to some Dually rims with purple nips. These are the 29"er Duallys, so they will be getting some Knard 29 X 3" tires soon, and yes- tubeless. That will be a set up then that will get these special Alternator style drop outs that will push the wheel back as it relates to the frame, so the rear 29+ will clear the brace across the seat stays better. (Thank you MJ & DG!) I now will have to get a fork that fits the 135 front disc standard so I can have a brake and I also need the tires yet. Baby steps. I'll get this done soon! I definitely have the time to do that now!

The Odin's dirt still needs cleaning away.....

I also need to attend to the Fargo Gen I rig. It hasn't gotten a proper clean up post Odin's Revenge, (I know! It's been too long) Then I need to pick up a proper granny ring for this rig as well. The 22T that is on there now chain sucks and I don't need anything that low. I have seen where I can get a 24 or possibly a 26T granny, which would be ideal and less likely to chin suck, if it fits. Maybe the 24T then! 

The tires need a sealant recharge as well. Then I think everything will be good to go, despite it having gotten thrashed in the dirt and mud to the point I figured the entire drive train would need to be replaced when I was riding Odin's. Beyond the obvious maintenance, I would really like to get a hold of a nicer seat post for that bike. The test post from Cirrus Cycles was sweet. I may have to save up for one of those. It really made the Fargo Gen I a better bike. 

I've professed my love for the Fargo Gen I here before, and I am hoping that some tweaks to the Ti Muk will come to fruition that will make it as much a "go-to" bike as the Fargo is now. If it all works out, I think a Luxy Bar of mine may find its way over to that Ti Muk and with its titanium seat post, bigger 29+ rubber, and new drop outs, it will be that sort of a bike for me. We will see.

Riding In The Broomwagon For Now

Ti Muk wheels

This has been a tough week. I think my friend Mike Johnson said it best when he put it this way: "Stress to the body comes in many forms and is often delayed." He's right on in my case. 

Monday I got right back on the bike after resting hard all day Sunday. Sure- I had aches and pains, but it ain't no thing with me. I always have aches and pains. I was cooked by the end of the day though. Tuesday I rode back and forth to work again. Feeling "okay", but still worked, still achy. Then Tuesday night I knew something was really wrong. I got a feeling that I was sick. By Wednesday morning I was really hurting. It was flu. I had a temperature of 102°F most of the day. Sweating, pain, aches. It was awful. Thursday saw my wife put me on a regimen of Ibuprofen and Tylenol, with plenty of fluids and rest. No bicycles, no alcohol. 

Thursday night I decided to not take the Ibuprofen before I went to bed. I was feeling really good, and I wanted to know if I was over it, or was it just being managed by drugs. I found out Friday morning it was "managed by drugs". I hurt all over and had a slight fever again. Not to mention a stuffy head and cold now. So the "No bikes-No alcohol" rule is still in effect. Mrs Guitar Ted says until Monday at the earliest. Boo. 

The Slender Fungus sent me a Get Well Package.

Oh well. I suppose this getting bounced off a Silverado thing will take time to get around. I better just be patient. In the meantime I got a nice "get well" package from the Slender Fungus Friday. (Thanks Crew!) I'll have to wait to use the koozie though. Under orders and all.....

Then there are the new wheels for the titanium Mukluk/ I got some purple anodized Salsa Conversion hubs some time ago now, and finally had Velocity lace those up to some Dually rims with purple nips. These are the 29"er Duallys, so they will be getting some Knard 29 X 3" tires soon, and yes- tubeless. That will be a set up then that will get these special Alternator style drop outs that will push the wheel back as it relates to the frame, so the rear 29+ will clear the brace across the seat stays better. (Thank you MJ & DG!) I now will have to get a fork that fits the 135 front disc standard so I can have a brake and I also need the tires yet. Baby steps. I'll get this done soon! I definitely have the time to do that now!

The Odin's dirt still needs cleaning away.....

I also need to attend to the Fargo Gen I rig. It hasn't gotten a proper clean up post Odin's Revenge, (I know! It's been too long) Then I need to pick up a proper granny ring for this rig as well. The 22T that is on there now chain sucks and I don't need anything that low. I have seen where I can get a 24 or possibly a 26T granny, which would be ideal and less likely to chin suck, if it fits. Maybe the 24T then! 

The tires need a sealant recharge as well. Then I think everything will be good to go, despite it having gotten thrashed in the dirt and mud to the point I figured the entire drive train would need to be replaced when I was riding Odin's. Beyond the obvious maintenance, I would really like to get a hold of a nicer seat post for that bike. The test post from Cirrus Cycles was sweet. I may have to save up for one of those. It really made the Fargo Gen I a better bike. 

I've professed my love for the Fargo Gen I here before, and I am hoping that some tweaks to the Ti Muk will come to fruition that will make it as much a "go-to" bike as the Fargo is now. If it all works out, I think a Luxy Bar of mine may find its way over to that Ti Muk and with its titanium seat post, bigger 29+ rubber, and new drop outs, it will be that sort of a bike for me. We will see.

Friday News And Views

The Germans do Fat!

Fat Bike News:

Seems like everyone is getting in on the fat biking bandwagon these days. Now I see that German brand Canyon Bikes is doing a high end offering dubbed the "Dude CF".

Canyon bikes are highly regarded and, unfortunately, unavailable in the U.S. However; I suspect folks connected with the Topeak-Ergon team might just be sporting these, since they are sponsored by Canyon Bikes.

No hard details yet on this other than it is a 190mm spaced rear that is said to fit the biggest available tires. Note the DT Swiss branded rims. Schwalbe tires too. Think fat biking is a fad now? No, it isn't, and if you want to know, the fat bike genre has a lot more going for it than the 27.5"er craze. My opinion is that the fat bike will gain more sales than the 27.5"er, "enduro" bikes, and if you exclude the move by many companies to simply convert all their 26" stock to 27.5"ers, (to simplify and streamline their bottom line more than anything else), fat bikes will easily outpace the "mid-sized" wheels soon. Well......maybe not in Europe.

Twin Six: METAL

Twin Six "Standard Fat":

Twin Six, (yes.....the cycling clothing folks), are busy bringing some "hardware" to the table for all you bikenerds out there like me. This is a bit of a peak at a titanium frame/carbon fork fat bike set up that Twin Six designed and tested in house. The company line is as follows.....

"Operation Ride Metal stems from our pride and dedication to the sport as well as our cycling heritage. With an everything you need and nothing you don't philosophy, the Standard Fat is inspired by our hunger for precision and drive for classic aesthetics. The result is a lean T6 titanium machine weighing in at 4lbs 2 oz (medium frame & fork). The chassis boasts competition driven geometry, Twin Six engineered dropouts, covert cable stops, a 100mm bottom bracket shell, 170mm rear spacing, and clearance for five inch rubber. The 44mm head tube is paired with a svelte carbon fork and adorned by a Twin Six silver plated brass head badge. Target price point for frame, fork, seat collar, and T6 designed top cap is $2200 and will be available late fall."

The "Standard Fat" sports typically sano T6 graphics and classy looks. 

T6 designed drop outs

 The "Standard Fat" also sports an interesting drop out, as mentioned- designed by T6,-and it looks pretty clean and elegant. One has to wonder if perchance that a "swinging" type drop out, or other modular bits might be in the future since the drop is a bolted on piece. 

Removable cable stops.....because you could go single speed? It would make sense. However it goes, this is a decently priced offering that looks great. Oh! And did you catch that it fits big tires with a 170mm OLD rear end? Don't you have to have a 190mmOLD rear to do that? Well, I asked about that and T6 responded that it can fit a 4.8" tire on an 80mm rim with their manipulated seat and chain stay configuration. 

While carbon is all the rage for fat bike frames, I can tell you that titanium rides super smoothly on fat wheels. Better than most rigs. It really makes a difference and of course- it is METAL. What else would Twin Six make a bike out of? 

The GTDRI set up: The bike survived!

 Gear Assessment From The GTDRI:

Well, if you've been reading along this week, you know all about the ill-fated GTDRI event. Now I want to talk about the gear I used for this ride. 

I decided to take the Tamland Two out, and besides the cassette gearing being woefully over-geared for the hills and my fitness level, it was a great rig for the task. I could go on in minutiae about what I liked, but I'll just hit the highlights. If you have specific queries, just hit me up in the comments section and I'll be glad to answer you. 

•  Geometry: The downhill performance at speeds of up to 40mph was stable and I felt that I could totally trust this bike. 
• The TRP Spyre brakes: Both Dan and I were using these brakes with different levers and we both agreed that the modulation and power was better than BB-7's. Oh.....and they were quiet the entire ride. 
• Challenge "Gravel Grinder" tires: If these tires were going to blow apart on me, they would have by now and particularly on this ride. On wide rims they are fantastic on loose gravel. if a tad "loose" feeling, to borrow NASCAR terminology. 
• Ergon SM-3 Saddle: I wasn't 100% sold on this perch at first, but it has become a favorite now. Zero saddle issues- no numbness, and it has a perfect "sweet spot", but the other positions are fine and comfy as well. 
• Bike Bag Dude "Chaff Bag": Instantly turns a two water bottle cage bike into a 4 bottle cage bike, and having two bottles on the bars is awesome. Those old Euro racer dudes were on to something with that idea. 

The bike was great, and the gear worked very well. As far as the crash goes, the bar tape got nicked- that's it. 

Bike Bag Dude Chaff Bags work great as food holders, bottle cages, or for smaller items. 

These tires really are great for gravel. Fast, wide, stable.

My Oakleys got trashed.

 There was one item that got totaled in the wreck and that was my Oakley shades. Near as I can tell my helmet, which the Oakleys were perched in, went flying off my head when the truck hit me, (I didn't have the helmet buckled yet, as I was walking the bike), and it smashed glasses first into the gravel or something. Anyway, they are a total loss. If that's all I lost in this, well then I count myself very fortunate. Shades can be replaced. Bodies? Lives? Not so much. 

New Raleigh Willard Two

New Gravel Rig From Raleigh:

Finally, I have known about this rig for a bit, but I saw where it had been talked about on-line now, so I feel free to say a thing or three here. 

The Raleigh guys were the ones that picked my brain on gravel specific features for a bicycle's design, and they did everything I advised them to with the Tamland. Now they have done similar geometry with an aluminum frame and carbon fiber fork and dubbed the bike "Willard". I instantly thought of that rat based horror flick when I heard the name, but apparently, that wasn't the inspiration for the rig's name. (I asked) Anyway, this is supposed to be lighter and it will come in two flavors- The Willard Two, a 105 equipped rig, and the Willard One, a Sora 9 speed rig. The retail prices are a step lower than the Tamland's are, so they should find a good audience out there. 

The only thing I am a bit wary of is the aluminum frame. I might be pleasantly surprised, if ever I get a leg thrown over one, but I just don't know about aluminum on gravel roads. Maybe I could use some enlightenment there? Maybe I could. At any rate, the good stuff is there, like Shimano components, TRP Spyre brakes, and Clement MSO 40mm tires. They claim it will tip the scales at 22 or so pounds, and I bet with a judicious choice in wheels and a few component swaps it would easily dive under 20lbs, if that is a goal.

Okay, I am going to be out for the weekend again taking my son to the last events at Iowa Speedway for the season. Back on Sunday at the earliest. Meanwhile, ya'all have a great weekend and get yer ride on!

Friday News And Views

The Germans do Fat!

Fat Bike News:

Seems like everyone is getting in on the fat biking bandwagon these days. Now I see that German brand Canyon Bikes is doing a high end offering dubbed the "Dude CF".

Canyon bikes are highly regarded and, unfortunately, unavailable in the U.S. However; I suspect folks connected with the Topeak-Ergon team might just be sporting these, since they are sponsored by Canyon Bikes.

No hard details yet on this other than it is a 190mm spaced rear that is said to fit the biggest available tires. Note the DT Swiss branded rims. Schwalbe tires too. Think fat biking is a fad now? No, it isn't, and if you want to know, the fat bike genre has a lot more going for it than the 27.5"er craze. My opinion is that the fat bike will gain more sales than the 27.5"er, "enduro" bikes, and if you exclude the move by many companies to simply convert all their 26" stock to 27.5"ers, (to simplify and streamline their bottom line more than anything else), fat bikes will easily outpace the "mid-sized" wheels soon. Well......maybe not in Europe.

Twin Six: METAL

Twin Six "Standard Fat":

Twin Six, (yes.....the cycling clothing folks), are busy bringing some "hardware" to the table for all you bikenerds out there like me. This is a bit of a peak at a titanium frame/carbon fork fat bike set up that Twin Six designed and tested in house. The company line is as follows.....

"Operation Ride Metal stems from our pride and dedication to the sport as well as our cycling heritage. With an everything you need and nothing you don't philosophy, the Standard Fat is inspired by our hunger for precision and drive for classic aesthetics. The result is a lean T6 titanium machine weighing in at 4lbs 2 oz (medium frame & fork). The chassis boasts competition driven geometry, Twin Six engineered dropouts, covert cable stops, a 100mm bottom bracket shell, 170mm rear spacing, and clearance for five inch rubber. The 44mm head tube is paired with a svelte carbon fork and adorned by a Twin Six silver plated brass head badge. Target price point for frame, fork, seat collar, and T6 designed top cap is $2200 and will be available late fall."

The "Standard Fat" sports typically sano T6 graphics and classy looks. 

T6 designed drop outs

 The "Standard Fat" also sports an interesting drop out, as mentioned- designed by T6,-and it looks pretty clean and elegant. One has to wonder if perchance that a "swinging" type drop out, or other modular bits might be in the future since the drop is a bolted on piece. 

Removable cable stops.....because you could go single speed? It would make sense. However it goes, this is a decently priced offering that looks great. Oh! And did you catch that it fits big tires with a 170mm OLD rear end? Don't you have to have a 190mmOLD rear to do that? Well, I asked about that and T6 responded that it can fit a 4.8" tire on an 80mm rim with their manipulated seat and chain stay configuration. 

While carbon is all the rage for fat bike frames, I can tell you that titanium rides super smoothly on fat wheels. Better than most rigs. It really makes a difference and of course- it is METAL. What else would Twin Six make a bike out of? 

The GTDRI set up: The bike survived!

 Gear Assessment From The GTDRI:

Well, if you've been reading along this week, you know all about the ill-fated GTDRI event. Now I want to talk about the gear I used for this ride. 

I decided to take the Tamland Two out, and besides the cassette gearing being woefully over-geared for the hills and my fitness level, it was a great rig for the task. I could go on in minutiae about what I liked, but I'll just hit the highlights. If you have specific queries, just hit me up in the comments section and I'll be glad to answer you. 

•  Geometry: The downhill performance at speeds of up to 40mph was stable and I felt that I could totally trust this bike. 
• The TRP Spyre brakes: Both Dan and I were using these brakes with different levers and we both agreed that the modulation and power was better than BB-7's. Oh.....and they were quiet the entire ride. 
• Challenge "Gravel Grinder" tires: If these tires were going to blow apart on me, they would have by now and particularly on this ride. On wide rims they are fantastic on loose gravel. if a tad "loose" feeling, to borrow NASCAR terminology. 
• Ergon SM-3 Saddle: I wasn't 100% sold on this perch at first, but it has become a favorite now. Zero saddle issues- no numbness, and it has a perfect "sweet spot", but the other positions are fine and comfy as well. 
• Bike Bag Dude "Chaff Bag": Instantly turns a two water bottle cage bike into a 4 bottle cage bike, and having two bottles on the bars is awesome. Those old Euro racer dudes were on to something with that idea. 

The bike was great, and the gear worked very well. As far as the crash goes, the bar tape got nicked- that's it. 

Bike Bag Dude Chaff Bags work great as food holders, bottle cages, or for smaller items. 

These tires really are great for gravel. Fast, wide, stable.

My Oakleys got trashed.

 There was one item that got totaled in the wreck and that was my Oakley shades. Near as I can tell my helmet, which the Oakleys were perched in, went flying off my head when the truck hit me, (I didn't have the helmet buckled yet, as I was walking the bike), and it smashed glasses first into the gravel or something. Anyway, they are a total loss. If that's all I lost in this, well then I count myself very fortunate. Shades can be replaced. Bodies? Lives? Not so much. 

New Raleigh Willard Two

New Gravel Rig From Raleigh:

Finally, I have known about this rig for a bit, but I saw where it had been talked about on-line now, so I feel free to say a thing or three here. 

The Raleigh guys were the ones that picked my brain on gravel specific features for a bicycle's design, and they did everything I advised them to with the Tamland. Now they have done similar geometry with an aluminum frame and carbon fiber fork and dubbed the bike "Willard". I instantly thought of that rat based horror flick when I heard the name, but apparently, that wasn't the inspiration for the rig's name. (I asked) Anyway, this is supposed to be lighter and it will come in two flavors- The Willard Two, a 105 equipped rig, and the Willard One, a Sora 9 speed rig. The retail prices are a step lower than the Tamland's are, so they should find a good audience out there. 

The only thing I am a bit wary of is the aluminum frame. I might be pleasantly surprised, if ever I get a leg thrown over one, but I just don't know about aluminum on gravel roads. Maybe I could use some enlightenment there? Maybe I could. At any rate, the good stuff is there, like Shimano components, TRP Spyre brakes, and Clement MSO 40mm tires. They claim it will tip the scales at 22 or so pounds, and I bet with a judicious choice in wheels and a few component swaps it would easily dive under 20lbs, if that is a goal.

Okay, I am going to be out for the weekend again taking my son to the last events at Iowa Speedway for the season. Back on Sunday at the earliest. Meanwhile, ya'all have a great weekend and get yer ride on!