Gravel Adventure: Geezer Recon

Still some Summer color out in the ditches.

Wednesday I took off from work and decided to dust off the ol' BMC "Orange Crush" rig and do a final pass over the proposed Geezer Ride course. It was a great day out, with light winds and lower humidity and temperatures. Too good for mowing the lawn, that's for sure!

The first thing I had to do was to pump up the totally flat WTB Nano 40 TCS rear tire and add a little sealant while I was at it. That led me to discover that the removable valve core was loose. Yeah......that would probably make the tire flat!. So, I added a touch of sealant anyway and pumped that tire up to about 43psi. Time to ride!

The Geezer Ride is about 44 miles this time around, and that doesn't include the distance it takes to get to the start/finish from my house, which I suppose is about 4 miles or so one way. Yeah......I don't have a computer on this bike! 

Barns For Jason

 

Miles of freshness.

Things went swell for the first couple of miles of gravel. Then I turned on to Sage Road. Yikes! I was suddenly struggling to keep the bike straight and I was slowed down considerably by the deep, chunky fresh gravel. There was no respite either. The gravel was ditch to ditch and went on for several miles. I decided I may as well get used to it! It was working me really hard though, and I decided to take a quick break. Sweat was pouring off me, and I was hoping that by getting into Bremer County I would leave this deep gravel behind me. I mounted back on the BMC and ground away Northward.

I passed by this lonesome burro. These are not common in Iowa.

Miles and miles of corn. The corn is at its zenith now. Soon dry down will start.

Well, the entering of Bremer County did bring some relief, but there had been fresh gravel laid out on Navajo Road as well, just not so deep and not all across the roadway. I found the thin line of least resistance and carried on to my turn West and past the Maxfield School. Then before crossing Highway 63, the gravel kicked in again with big, chunky, fresh gravel going up and over the hill, making life difficult again. Once on Ivanhoe Road, however, things straightened right out for several miles.

I was surprised to come across someone I knew in their car around about the time I was passing Ingawanis Woodlands. It was a nice surprise and I chatted with them briefly through an open car window as I rode along. It kind of felt like a roadie talking to his Director Sportif situation, only on gravel. Then it was a bit of rolling terrain into a flat section before I hit the pavement of County C-50 and rolled into Janesville, Iowa.

South of Janesville I saw a lot of wildlife.

Rocking the vintage Twin Six Team Metal kit. It's my "Gandalf the Grey" look!

So Janesville will be our extended stop, since it has quite the happening Kwik Star convenience store. Then will come the more remote, rural bits of the ride adjacent to the Cedar River. It was along this particular section that I saw several deer, turkeys, and a Great Blue Heron. I did not see any black bears! There was one spotted out in this area earlier in the year, but I am quite sure it has passed on by now. Bears don't live around here permanently, but are spotted from time to time in Iowa.

Then it was on to Ford Road and to what might be another good stop at Washington Chapel. It is an old, rural church in remarkably good condition for a structure built in 1865. It is almost hidden from view as you come down from the North, but it is fairly picturesque and might make a good point for regathering the tribe before heading due East again.

Tucked away in a hillside, this church is a quaint, well preserved example of Iowa's rich rural church heritage. 

One last stop before finishing off the route recon. 

Well, the rest of the loop is in pretty great shape, and the roads are all there, so the course is a go. I sure hope we don't hit up a bunch of fresh gravel like I did yesterday, but if we do, it will just take us all longer. I managed to knock out the course and my to-and-from the start in 3 hours and 40 minutes, including my three stops, so that wasn't too bad for what was a bit over 50 miles for me. We'll be going a lot slower on the Geezer Ride though!

Gravel Adventure: Geezer Recon

Still some Summer color out in the ditches.

Wednesday I took off from work and decided to dust off the ol' BMC "Orange Crush" rig and do a final pass over the proposed Geezer Ride course. It was a great day out, with light winds and lower humidity and temperatures. Too good for mowing the lawn, that's for sure!

The first thing I had to do was to pump up the totally flat WTB Nano 40 TCS rear tire and add a little sealant while I was at it. That led me to discover that the removable valve core was loose. Yeah......that would probably make the tire flat!. So, I added a touch of sealant anyway and pumped that tire up to about 43psi. Time to ride!

The Geezer Ride is about 44 miles this time around, and that doesn't include the distance it takes to get to the start/finish from my house, which I suppose is about 4 miles or so one way. Yeah......I don't have a computer on this bike! 

Barns For Jason

 

Miles of freshness.

Things went swell for the first couple of miles of gravel. Then I turned on to Sage Road. Yikes! I was suddenly struggling to keep the bike straight and I was slowed down considerably by the deep, chunky fresh gravel. There was no respite either. The gravel was ditch to ditch and went on for several miles. I decided I may as well get used to it! It was working me really hard though, and I decided to take a quick break. Sweat was pouring off me, and I was hoping that by getting into Bremer County I would leave this deep gravel behind me. I mounted back on the BMC and ground away Northward.

I passed by this lonesome burro. These are not common in Iowa.

Miles and miles of corn. The corn is at its zenith now. Soon dry down will start.

Well, the entering of Bremer County did bring some relief, but there had been fresh gravel laid out on Navajo Road as well, just not so deep and not all across the roadway. I found the thin line of least resistance and carried on to my turn West and past the Maxfield School. Then before crossing Highway 63, the gravel kicked in again with big, chunky, fresh gravel going up and over the hill, making life difficult again. Once on Ivanhoe Road, however, things straightened right out for several miles.

I was surprised to come across someone I knew in their car around about the time I was passing Ingawanis Woodlands. It was a nice surprise and I chatted with them briefly through an open car window as I rode along. It kind of felt like a roadie talking to his Director Sportif situation, only on gravel. Then it was a bit of rolling terrain into a flat section before I hit the pavement of County C-50 and rolled into Janesville, Iowa.

South of Janesville I saw a lot of wildlife.

Rocking the vintage Twin Six Team Metal kit. It's my "Gandalf the Grey" look!

So Janesville will be our extended stop, since it has quite the happening Kwik Star convenience store. Then will come the more remote, rural bits of the ride adjacent to the Cedar River. It was along this particular section that I saw several deer, turkeys, and a Great Blue Heron. I did not see any black bears! There was one spotted out in this area earlier in the year, but I am quite sure it has passed on by now. Bears don't live around here permanently, but are spotted from time to time in Iowa.

Then it was on to Ford Road and to what might be another good stop at Washington Chapel. It is an old, rural church in remarkably good condition for a structure built in 1865. It is almost hidden from view as you come down from the North, but it is fairly picturesque and might make a good point for regathering the tribe before heading due East again.

Tucked away in a hillside, this church is a quaint, well preserved example of Iowa's rich rural church heritage. 

One last stop before finishing off the route recon. 

Well, the rest of the loop is in pretty great shape, and the roads are all there, so the course is a go. I sure hope we don't hit up a bunch of fresh gravel like I did yesterday, but if we do, it will just take us all longer. I managed to knock out the course and my to-and-from the start in 3 hours and 40 minutes, including my three stops, so that wasn't too bad for what was a bit over 50 miles for me. We'll be going a lot slower on the Geezer Ride though!

Trek To Sell Bikes On-Line: Sign Of The Times

Soon to be available on-line

The "Trek World" dealer only show is happening now in Madison, Wisconsin. It is where Trek shows off its latest and greatest stuff, including Bontrager components and apparel. One might expect Trek to roll out a cool new entry to their line up at the show, which might cause a stir, or get some attention in the media. Well, they got a ton of attention, but it wasn't for any bicycle in particular. Trek announced it would sell its bikes and components on-line soon.

This has caused quite a tizzy amongst the cycling nerdom out there. First off, it must be said that this isn't what it appears at first glance. Trek isn't going all "Bikes Direct" on you. No, you still have to have a dealer involved in the process, but make no mistake. This is a monumental shift in the landscape of bicycle business in the USA.

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

So, what does this look like for consumers then? Basically, not a whole lot different in terms of pricing. In fact, it may not be as good as haggling with a dealer. You will pay the set price, pick which dealer in your area that will have to assemble it, and depending upon whether said dealer has opted in with Trek on the program fully or not, you may get it delivered to your door, or you may have to go pick it up at the shop. Basically, it is "special order" 24-7. Of course, this raises another set of questions......

The "Whys": You know, like "Why would anyone buy a bike this way? No test ride, no fitting, no real pricing advantages.  

• No test ride- No big deal. This goes for fitting as well. Think about it for a minute- How do companies like Bikes Direct and Canyon Bikes stay in business if this test ride and fitting thing kills online sales? Obviously, it doesn't kill the online sales model. In fact- it doesn't matter. Not like many bike nerds think it does. Folks buy bikes for reasons that go beyond fit and test rides don't even enter into the equation. Some online companies have a return mechanism in place in case something doesn't fit right, or feel good. Trek probably has this covered as well. The point is, this isn't the stumbling block that many make it out to be. 
• Pricing- Well, it may not be an advantage to Trek customers now. But don't be at all surprised if that's how things end up going. Trek sees fewer bike shops every month in the USA. (As do all brands) This means less opportunities to sell Trek product, and that trend of the shrinking local bike shop base isn't showing signs of abatement any time soon. Online sales open up "new territories" that are not covered, or serviced well by dealers. Those folks won't mind paying retail now, since many maybe cannot even get to a Trek dealer now. Plus, the "online store" is open 24-7. Once more big players come into doing online sales, and they will, then the pricing wars will heat up. 

Local bike shops are destined to become "service centers"

So, where will this leave local bike shops? I think something else Trek announced is very telling in this regard. Trek is going to open a service tech certification center where shop mechanics can go and become "certified technicians". Trek will designate certain bike shops as "Authorized Service Centers". Essentially what this is telling me is that Trek wants dealers to become "dealerships" in much the same way that car dealerships operate. Local bike shops will morph into "service centers" with a small "showroom" and will not have independent owners, but will become "authorized dealerships". Maybe franchised, or outright owned by Trek itself. Other big brands will likely follow suit. These service centers will not depend upon bike sales. That will be the realm of the online presence for each brand. Customers will get their bicycles sent directly to them, or built for a fee and delivered by a "service center". All tune ups and repairs will be done by the "authorized technicians" for each brand, or your warranty will be void. Oh.......and be prepared to pay a lot more for service and repair. Trust me, you've been getting a sweetheart deal on service over the past, oh......several decades. Think what you pay to have anything else with wheels serviced and compare it to a bike shop repair. The gulf in pricing is very wide. That will not be the case in the future.

Of course, this won't happen overnight, and many of us won't notice diddly squat difference in the coming months, or maybe years. But I believe a sea change is coming. Look- the way things are now in the bicycle industry is not a sustainable business model. It has to change, or it won't last. I may have it totally wrong, or not. Whatever happens, it won't be the same as it is today anymore.

Also, I believe when one thing moves, there will be a separate reaction to it that counters that move. Will the big brands consolidate their dealers into "service centers" and make way for smaller brands to come in and make a new "independent bike shop" model that we cannot even imagine now? Possibly. Who knows, but I wouldn't be surprised if something of that nature happened. Time will tell. Trek has cast a stone into the calm waters, and the ripples that come out from this will be changing the way bicycle business is done in the future. That I am pretty sure of.

Trek To Sell Bikes On-Line: Sign Of The Times

Soon to be available on-line

The "Trek World" dealer only show is happening now in Madison, Wisconsin. It is where Trek shows off its latest and greatest stuff, including Bontrager components and apparel. One might expect Trek to roll out a cool new entry to their line up at the show, which might cause a stir, or get some attention in the media. Well, they got a ton of attention, but it wasn't for any bicycle in particular. Trek announced it would sell its bikes and components on-line soon.

This has caused quite a tizzy amongst the cycling nerdom out there. First off, it must be said that this isn't what it appears at first glance. Trek isn't going all "Bikes Direct" on you. No, you still have to have a dealer involved in the process, but make no mistake. This is a monumental shift in the landscape of bicycle business in the USA.

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

So, what does this look like for consumers then? Basically, not a whole lot different in terms of pricing. In fact, it may not be as good as haggling with a dealer. You will pay the set price, pick which dealer in your area that will have to assemble it, and depending upon whether said dealer has opted in with Trek on the program fully or not, you may get it delivered to your door, or you may have to go pick it up at the shop. Basically, it is "special order" 24-7. Of course, this raises another set of questions......

The "Whys": You know, like "Why would anyone buy a bike this way? No test ride, no fitting, no real pricing advantages.  

• No test ride- No big deal. This goes for fitting as well. Think about it for a minute- How do companies like Bikes Direct and Canyon Bikes stay in business if this test ride and fitting thing kills online sales? Obviously, it doesn't kill the online sales model. In fact- it doesn't matter. Not like many bike nerds think it does. Folks buy bikes for reasons that go beyond fit and test rides don't even enter into the equation. Some online companies have a return mechanism in place in case something doesn't fit right, or feel good. Trek probably has this covered as well. The point is, this isn't the stumbling block that many make it out to be. 
• Pricing- Well, it may not be an advantage to Trek customers now. But don't be at all surprised if that's how things end up going. Trek sees fewer bike shops every month in the USA. (As do all brands) This means less opportunities to sell Trek product, and that trend of the shrinking local bike shop base isn't showing signs of abatement any time soon. Online sales open up "new territories" that are not covered, or serviced well by dealers. Those folks won't mind paying retail now, since many maybe cannot even get to a Trek dealer now. Plus, the "online store" is open 24-7. Once more big players come into doing online sales, and they will, then the pricing wars will heat up. 

Local bike shops are destined to become "service centers"

So, where will this leave local bike shops? I think something else Trek announced is very telling in this regard. Trek is going to open a service tech certification center where shop mechanics can go and become "certified technicians". Trek will designate certain bike shops as "Authorized Service Centers". Essentially what this is telling me is that Trek wants dealers to become "dealerships" in much the same way that car dealerships operate. Local bike shops will morph into "service centers" with a small "showroom" and will not have independent owners, but will become "authorized dealerships". Maybe franchised, or outright owned by Trek itself. Other big brands will likely follow suit. These service centers will not depend upon bike sales. That will be the realm of the online presence for each brand. Customers will get their bicycles sent directly to them, or built for a fee and delivered by a "service center". All tune ups and repairs will be done by the "authorized technicians" for each brand, or your warranty will be void. Oh.......and be prepared to pay a lot more for service and repair. Trust me, you've been getting a sweetheart deal on service over the past, oh......several decades. Think what you pay to have anything else with wheels serviced and compare it to a bike shop repair. The gulf in pricing is very wide. That will not be the case in the future.

Of course, this won't happen overnight, and many of us won't notice diddly squat difference in the coming months, or maybe years. But I believe a sea change is coming. Look- the way things are now in the bicycle industry is not a sustainable business model. It has to change, or it won't last. I may have it totally wrong, or not. Whatever happens, it won't be the same as it is today anymore.

Also, I believe when one thing moves, there will be a separate reaction to it that counters that move. Will the big brands consolidate their dealers into "service centers" and make way for smaller brands to come in and make a new "independent bike shop" model that we cannot even imagine now? Possibly. Who knows, but I wouldn't be surprised if something of that nature happened. Time will tell. Trek has cast a stone into the calm waters, and the ripples that come out from this will be changing the way bicycle business is done in the future. That I am pretty sure of.

Fargo Gen I: Seven Years On

Most recent image of my Gen I Fargo

I was working on my Gen I Fargo yesterday and I posted an image of it on Facebook, (and elsewhere, if you haunt other social media), and I figured that it would be pretty much ignored. I mean, it is an old bike by bike nerd standards, and let's face it- anyone paying attention to me is pretty much a bike nerd. So, I figured I wouldn't get much, if any, reaction.

Well, I was wrong.

It seems that this bike, and in particular this model, is still an interesting bicycle for many, although it hasn't been available for almost six years now. One of the reasons for this, in my opinion, is that the original Fargo is a very unique generation of this bike and there hasn't ever been anything quite like it on the market since. So, in case you were curious, here are the differences that make this version of the Fargo stand out for me.

• Non-suspension corrected: First off- ever since about 1995, almost every mountain bike made has geometry adjusted for a suspension fork. Imagine having the wheel move up and down in the way it would with a shock absorber. That "travel" has to be accounted for by a bicycle designer, and whether or not the bike gets a suspension fork, that factors in to how long the fork is and affects head tube lengths, handle bar height, and a few other things. If a bike doesn't have a suspension fork, but was designed around one, it is said to have "suspension corrected geometry". That means you could swap in a specified suspension device with a specified amount of travel and the geometry would be the same/similar as it was with the rigid fork. The first generation of the Fargo was not designed around a suspension fork, so that makes this generation of the Fargo very unique, not only in terms of the Fargo generations that followed, but in terms of mountain bikes overall. 
• Geometry for Drop Bars: The Fargo has been a drop bar specific design since the get-go. This means a slightly different top tube length and front center dimension to accommodate the use of a drop bar. There are reasons I like drop bars off road, and the Fargo was the first 29"er to become available in significant numbers that was designed for that. 
• Steel Frame/Fork:  The Gen I Fargo rides pretty darn nicely, thank you very much. Steel is why. Don't even come around here with your Trek 920 beer can frame comments!
• Braze ons: Like most Fargos, the Gen I version has a ton of versatile braze ons. (The attachment points for things like water bottle cages, racks, fenders, etc.) I was most smitten with the water bottle capacity of this Fargo- Six water bottle cages can be mounted on a Size Large!
• Graphics: While the "Fun Guy Green" wasn't an instant like for me, it has grown on me since the day I got the bike. However; I did like the graphics straight away and in my opinion, these panels are the best graphics on any "modern" Salsa model with the possible exception of the Big Mama's.

There were things I didn't care for. Some still bother me a bit, but some do not:

• Front End Geometry: Fargo Gen I's have a steeper head angle with a ton of offset in the fork. I suppose this was in case the bike was carrying a front load, such as panniers. I would prefer a slacker head tube, but I've learned to steer this bike, and it isn't that big of a deal anymore. Unfortunately though, the geometry can cause a front end shimmy on Gen I's and I've experienced this a time or two. It is quite frightening when it happens at speed on a fast gravel downhill! 
• Original Crankset: The original XT crank had an extra big outer ring, which I could never find a replacement for, and for whatever reason, that crank chain sucked like crazy. Obviously, that is a non-issue with my bike now! 
• Tire clearance:  Tire clearances on the Gen I's are not generous. Okay for gravel going, but bigger 2.4's don't leave a lot of room for mud. Wider rims and bigger tires? Not a good match for this one. Of course, there is the Deadwood now......

So, there are a few things I like and disliked. The bottom line is that the Gen I in size Large, which this is, fits me to a "T" and rides very nicely. The fit is just so good for me, I cannot see ever letting this bike go. That's why I was surprised at the reaction I got to my posted image. I thought it was just me, but obviously, seven years down the line, a lot of folks still think pretty highly of this bike. What could be better than the Gen I Fargo?

Maybe a titanium version with a bit slacker head angle and Alternator Drop Outs? Maybe. But for now, this bike is pretty spot on for my intended uses.

Fargo Gen I: Seven Years On

Most recent image of my Gen I Fargo

I was working on my Gen I Fargo yesterday and I posted an image of it on Facebook, (and elsewhere, if you haunt other social media), and I figured that it would be pretty much ignored. I mean, it is an old bike by bike nerd standards, and let's face it- anyone paying attention to me is pretty much a bike nerd. So, I figured I wouldn't get much, if any, reaction.

Well, I was wrong.

It seems that this bike, and in particular this model, is still an interesting bicycle for many, although it hasn't been available for almost six years now. One of the reasons for this, in my opinion, is that the original Fargo is a very unique generation of this bike and there hasn't ever been anything quite like it on the market since. So, in case you were curious, here are the differences that make this version of the Fargo stand out for me.

• Non-suspension corrected: First off- ever since about 1995, almost every mountain bike made has geometry adjusted for a suspension fork. Imagine having the wheel move up and down in the way it would with a shock absorber. That "travel" has to be accounted for by a bicycle designer, and whether or not the bike gets a suspension fork, that factors in to how long the fork is and affects head tube lengths, handle bar height, and a few other things. If a bike doesn't have a suspension fork, but was designed around one, it is said to have "suspension corrected geometry". That means you could swap in a specified suspension device with a specified amount of travel and the geometry would be the same/similar as it was with the rigid fork. The first generation of the Fargo was not designed around a suspension fork, so that makes this generation of the Fargo very unique, not only in terms of the Fargo generations that followed, but in terms of mountain bikes overall. 
• Geometry for Drop Bars: The Fargo has been a drop bar specific design since the get-go. This means a slightly different top tube length and front center dimension to accommodate the use of a drop bar. There are reasons I like drop bars off road, and the Fargo was the first 29"er to become available in significant numbers that was designed for that. 
• Steel Frame/Fork:  The Gen I Fargo rides pretty darn nicely, thank you very much. Steel is why. Don't even come around here with your Trek 920 beer can frame comments!
• Braze ons: Like most Fargos, the Gen I version has a ton of versatile braze ons. (The attachment points for things like water bottle cages, racks, fenders, etc.) I was most smitten with the water bottle capacity of this Fargo- Six water bottle cages can be mounted on a Size Large!
• Graphics: While the "Fun Guy Green" wasn't an instant like for me, it has grown on me since the day I got the bike. However; I did like the graphics straight away and in my opinion, these panels are the best graphics on any "modern" Salsa model with the possible exception of the Big Mama's.

There were things I didn't care for. Some still bother me a bit, but some do not:

• Front End Geometry: Fargo Gen I's have a steeper head angle with a ton of offset in the fork. I suppose this was in case the bike was carrying a front load, such as panniers. I would prefer a slacker head tube, but I've learned to steer this bike, and it isn't that big of a deal anymore. Unfortunately though, the geometry can cause a front end shimmy on Gen I's and I've experienced this a time or two. It is quite frightening when it happens at speed on a fast gravel downhill! 
• Original Crankset: The original XT crank had an extra big outer ring, which I could never find a replacement for, and for whatever reason, that crank chain sucked like crazy. Obviously, that is a non-issue with my bike now! 
• Tire clearance:  Tire clearances on the Gen I's are not generous. Okay for gravel going, but bigger 2.4's don't leave a lot of room for mud. Wider rims and bigger tires? Not a good match for this one. Of course, there is the Deadwood now......

So, there are a few things I like and disliked. The bottom line is that the Gen I in size Large, which this is, fits me to a "T" and rides very nicely. The fit is just so good for me, I cannot see ever letting this bike go. That's why I was surprised at the reaction I got to my posted image. I thought it was just me, but obviously, seven years down the line, a lot of folks still think pretty highly of this bike. What could be better than the Gen I Fargo?

Maybe a titanium version with a bit slacker head angle and Alternator Drop Outs? Maybe. But for now, this bike is pretty spot on for my intended uses.

Weekend Update

Dirt home from work was modified by high water

It was a busy weekend here, and not all of it was about bikes. Not by a long shot. However; there was something "big" announced and I did get a ride in on Friday after work.

I'm not the guy who coined the phrase, but I like it, and I've adopted it- "Dirt home from work". I use it to motivate me to take the longer way home sometimes. I used to do this more often a long time ago, but once the kids got into elementary school, I quit. I had to be back at the house by a predetermined time to get them and let them in the house. Now that they are older, I have to remind myself that I can do this stuff again. So, "dirt home from work" is just something I have latched onto as a motivator/reminder to get out and ride the dirt single track we have here in town.

Well, my ride took me to Lower Hartman first and that was kind of a bust, since the water is up. I ended up turning around and coming back down Shirey Way and over to the newer trails on the East side of Hartman Reserve. I know these trails have names, but I am not in the "club", so to speak, so I just ride 'em. Whatever it is the small cadre' of people call these trails is not well known beyond their clique, so I just use the common man's place names for these things. At any rate, those trails were fine and I had an enjoyable ride on the Blackbuck.

Cars on the grid for the Xfinity race at Iowa Speedway.

Saturday was the big day for myself and my son to attend the last Iowa Speedway event for 2015. It was kind of a big deal, in terms of the event, but I won't get in to all the details here. The point was that it was an all day affair getting ready for this and attending it. The race was great, if you are into motorsports. Iowa Speedway puts on great racing, and we had fun. We didn't get home until about midnight though!

Then Sunday I had to be up at 5:30am to get ready to lay down some Fender bass at church. That isn't something I get to do very often, (play the bass guitar), but it is always fun to do that. When that was over, I was bushed, of course, since I didn't get much rest. So, instead of beating myself up more in high humidity and hot temperatures, I took it easy the rest of the day.

Friday's ride showed me that I still am not quite "there" yet when it comes to being fully recovered from the GTDRI. Especially my lower back, which I suppose took a beating due to all the seated climbing on the GTDRI that day. The Blackbuck single speed felt great Friday, and I may have overdone things a tad bit!

Now I have to fine tune the next Trans Iowa event, which I announced on Saturday. By the way, thank you to all who have already thrown their hats into the ring for volunteering for this beast. You are all greatly appreciated.

Now hopefully this week I'll get some gravel in.

Weekend Update

Dirt home from work was modified by high water

It was a busy weekend here, and not all of it was about bikes. Not by a long shot. However; there was something "big" announced and I did get a ride in on Friday after work.

I'm not the guy who coined the phrase, but I like it, and I've adopted it- "Dirt home from work". I use it to motivate me to take the longer way home sometimes. I used to do this more often a long time ago, but once the kids got into elementary school, I quit. I had to be back at the house by a predetermined time to get them and let them in the house. Now that they are older, I have to remind myself that I can do this stuff again. So, "dirt home from work" is just something I have latched onto as a motivator/reminder to get out and ride the dirt single track we have here in town.

Well, my ride took me to Lower Hartman first and that was kind of a bust, since the water is up. I ended up turning around and coming back down Shirey Way and over to the newer trails on the East side of Hartman Reserve. I know these trails have names, but I am not in the "club", so to speak, so I just ride 'em. Whatever it is the small cadre' of people call these trails is not well known beyond their clique, so I just use the common man's place names for these things. At any rate, those trails were fine and I had an enjoyable ride on the Blackbuck.

Cars on the grid for the Xfinity race at Iowa Speedway.

Saturday was the big day for myself and my son to attend the last Iowa Speedway event for 2015. It was kind of a big deal, in terms of the event, but I won't get in to all the details here. The point was that it was an all day affair getting ready for this and attending it. The race was great, if you are into motorsports. Iowa Speedway puts on great racing, and we had fun. We didn't get home until about midnight though!

Then Sunday I had to be up at 5:30am to get ready to lay down some Fender bass at church. That isn't something I get to do very often, (play the bass guitar), but it is always fun to do that. When that was over, I was bushed, of course, since I didn't get much rest. So, instead of beating myself up more in high humidity and hot temperatures, I took it easy the rest of the day.

Friday's ride showed me that I still am not quite "there" yet when it comes to being fully recovered from the GTDRI. Especially my lower back, which I suppose took a beating due to all the seated climbing on the GTDRI that day. The Blackbuck single speed felt great Friday, and I may have overdone things a tad bit!

Now I have to fine tune the next Trans Iowa event, which I announced on Saturday. By the way, thank you to all who have already thrown their hats into the ring for volunteering for this beast. You are all greatly appreciated.

Now hopefully this week I'll get some gravel in.

Salsa Cycles Fargo: Versatility Defined

Maybe the most obvious use of a Fargo- Bike packing.

With 2016 Salsa Cycles bicycles announced the other day, it became clearer to me that the most versatile bike in the Salsa line is unquestionably the Fargo model. It is also one of the longest running Salsa models, with only the El Mariachi being in the line longer than the Fargo. In fact, one could argue that without the Fargo's influence, the El Mariachi wouldn't exist as a model in Salsa's line up anymore. Why? That would be because the Fargo was the first "Adventure by Bike" model, and the El Mariachi, being closely related to the Fargo, does a lot of the same things a Fargo can....but not all. The Fargo changed the way folks looked at the El Mar, for sure. Kept it relevant. Made it an adventure bike as well. Now it might be a good idea to take a step back here and look at just what a Fargo is.

Like I said, the Fargo is very similar to the El Mariachi, but there is one very important difference- The Fargo is designed for drop bar use, the El Mariachi is not. The differences are in the length of the top tube and the "reach" measurement. The Fargo also sports a longer head tube. That isn't all, but those are the salient differences for this discussion. So, the Fargo is primarily an off-road drop bar mountain bike. But that is selling this versatile platform way too short. In fact, the Fargo has been a revelatory bike for many, and a wake up call to the bicycle industry back in 2008 when it was revealed. It was like the El Mariachi, but it was so different that it was reviled by some, confused others, and raised possibilities for a few. I got the chance to be one of the first partakers of what the Fargo could do, and here is what I wrote about the bike on this blog in November of 2008:

A quick image of the Fargo after my very first demo ride.

"It is a fun machine. It is a ticket to places and experiences that maybe other bikes could manage, but the Fargo is made for. It does loads, it does roads, it does dirt, sand, and gravel. It can change direction in a catlike manner, yet it can ride like a magic carpet with a load on. Maybe it looks awkward, or gangly to some, but get beyond the looks and you can ride an adventure bike that can take you places and do things better than any other 29"er, (for sure) and better than most any other rig I know of that is mass produced.

Dollar for dollar this Fargo will "out-fun" any other bike I have hands down. That's been proven to me, and I'm betting it will be proven out for a lot of folks. Maybe they should have named this bike the "Fun-go".......nah! To close to fungi, I suppose!"

Fun. Adventure. Versatility. Yeah......that was true in 2008, and those words still define this bike for me today. You may say, "But it is a fat-tired mountain bike! It doesn't do what the Vaya does, or a road bike. " I would have agreed with you in 2008, but fortunately there are a lot of people that think outside of that box and proved that the Fargo could indeed do what the Vaya does and that it could be a skinnier tired, road going machine as well. I've seen Fargos with fenders and 30mm tires. I've seen Fargos with touring bags all over the bike. They have done RAGBRAI, world tours, gravel events, Tour Divide, and have been beer runners, townies, and commuter rigs. Heck, I even put 650B+ tires on one! 

Following are a few images of Fargos I have that help illustrate its versatility

From an old Fargo Adventure Ride: Note the "alt" bar/flat bar Fargos- they don't have to be drop bar bikes.

Image by Jason Boucher of me riding through a field on a Fargo Adventure Ride

Martin's smooth tired Fargo made a great paved/gravel roller.

 

A Fargo makes a great platform for a fat tired commuter

The thing about a Fargo is that nothing has to stop it from going and doing just about any bicycle related activity. Sure- you aren't going to crit race it, and it isn't going to do what a full suspension mountain bike can do, but for the vast majority of cyclists that are wanting to ride beyond the blacktop and bicycle paths, the Fargo is almost a perfect bike for them. It can do the blacktops and bicycle paths, but it goes farther. Far-go Go-Far. Get it? 

In fact, I am going as far to say that the Fargo has spawned other Salsa models. Certainly the Vaya can be seen in that light. However; two new models can draw a direct line back to the Fargo. 

2016 Deadwood

 

2016 Cutthroat X-9

The new Deadwood, a "dead ringer" for a Fargo- (<==HA!) is really a Fargo optimized for 29+ wheels. The Cutthroat could arguably be called "the ultimate Fargo". Stripped down, sleek, and in carbon fiber, this bike might even point to what the future of the Fargo might look like. 

The cycling masses need Fargo bikes, or bikes like the Fargo. Adventure. Fun. Versatility. That's what grows cycling, not the lightest, $10,000+ carbon fiber racing bike or mountain bike. People need a bike to utilize on roads that are desolate in terms of traffic, on bike paths, and on side roads that maybe are rough. They need to be able to ramble on that dirt and grass short cut, to gather groceries in panniers, and to be comfortable on. The Fargo can do all of that and more. Oh......and can we get safer roads and bicycle specific infrustructure while we're at it. Thank you. We need that too.

Now, there are a lot of other cool bikes in the world as well that can do some of these things, but there aren't many- if any- quite like the Fargo. It's one of my favorite bicycles. 

Salsa Cycles Fargo: Versatility Defined

Maybe the most obvious use of a Fargo- Bike packing.

With 2016 Salsa Cycles bicycles announced the other day, it became clearer to me that the most versatile bike in the Salsa line is unquestionably the Fargo model. It is also one of the longest running Salsa models, with only the El Mariachi being in the line longer than the Fargo. In fact, one could argue that without the Fargo's influence, the El Mariachi wouldn't exist as a model in Salsa's line up anymore. Why? That would be because the Fargo was the first "Adventure by Bike" model, and the El Mariachi, being closely related to the Fargo, does a lot of the same things a Fargo can....but not all. The Fargo changed the way folks looked at the El Mar, for sure. Kept it relevant. Made it an adventure bike as well. Now it might be a good idea to take a step back here and look at just what a Fargo is.

Like I said, the Fargo is very similar to the El Mariachi, but there is one very important difference- The Fargo is designed for drop bar use, the El Mariachi is not. The differences are in the length of the top tube and the "reach" measurement. The Fargo also sports a longer head tube. That isn't all, but those are the salient differences for this discussion. So, the Fargo is primarily an off-road drop bar mountain bike. But that is selling this versatile platform way too short. In fact, the Fargo has been a revelatory bike for many, and a wake up call to the bicycle industry back in 2008 when it was revealed. It was like the El Mariachi, but it was so different that it was reviled by some, confused others, and raised possibilities for a few. I got the chance to be one of the first partakers of what the Fargo could do, and here is what I wrote about the bike on this blog in November of 2008:

A quick image of the Fargo after my very first demo ride.

"It is a fun machine. It is a ticket to places and experiences that maybe other bikes could manage, but the Fargo is made for. It does loads, it does roads, it does dirt, sand, and gravel. It can change direction in a catlike manner, yet it can ride like a magic carpet with a load on. Maybe it looks awkward, or gangly to some, but get beyond the looks and you can ride an adventure bike that can take you places and do things better than any other 29"er, (for sure) and better than most any other rig I know of that is mass produced.

Dollar for dollar this Fargo will "out-fun" any other bike I have hands down. That's been proven to me, and I'm betting it will be proven out for a lot of folks. Maybe they should have named this bike the "Fun-go".......nah! To close to fungi, I suppose!"

Fun. Adventure. Versatility. Yeah......that was true in 2008, and those words still define this bike for me today. You may say, "But it is a fat-tired mountain bike! It doesn't do what the Vaya does, or a road bike. " I would have agreed with you in 2008, but fortunately there are a lot of people that think outside of that box and proved that the Fargo could indeed do what the Vaya does and that it could be a skinnier tired, road going machine as well. I've seen Fargos with fenders and 30mm tires. I've seen Fargos with touring bags all over the bike. They have done RAGBRAI, world tours, gravel events, Tour Divide, and have been beer runners, townies, and commuter rigs. Heck, I even put 650B+ tires on one! 

Following are a few images of Fargos I have that help illustrate its versatility

From an old Fargo Adventure Ride: Note the "alt" bar/flat bar Fargos- they don't have to be drop bar bikes.

Image by Jason Boucher of me riding through a field on a Fargo Adventure Ride

Martin's smooth tired Fargo made a great paved/gravel roller.

 

A Fargo makes a great platform for a fat tired commuter

The thing about a Fargo is that nothing has to stop it from going and doing just about any bicycle related activity. Sure- you aren't going to crit race it, and it isn't going to do what a full suspension mountain bike can do, but for the vast majority of cyclists that are wanting to ride beyond the blacktop and bicycle paths, the Fargo is almost a perfect bike for them. It can do the blacktops and bicycle paths, but it goes farther. Far-go Go-Far. Get it? 

In fact, I am going as far to say that the Fargo has spawned other Salsa models. Certainly the Vaya can be seen in that light. However; two new models can draw a direct line back to the Fargo. 

2016 Deadwood

 

2016 Cutthroat X-9

The new Deadwood, a "dead ringer" for a Fargo- (<==HA!) is really a Fargo optimized for 29+ wheels. The Cutthroat could arguably be called "the ultimate Fargo". Stripped down, sleek, and in carbon fiber, this bike might even point to what the future of the Fargo might look like. 

The cycling masses need Fargo bikes, or bikes like the Fargo. Adventure. Fun. Versatility. That's what grows cycling, not the lightest, $10,000+ carbon fiber racing bike or mountain bike. People need a bike to utilize on roads that are desolate in terms of traffic, on bike paths, and on side roads that maybe are rough. They need to be able to ramble on that dirt and grass short cut, to gather groceries in panniers, and to be comfortable on. The Fargo can do all of that and more. Oh......and can we get safer roads and bicycle specific infrustructure while we're at it. Thank you. We need that too.

Now, there are a lot of other cool bikes in the world as well that can do some of these things, but there aren't many- if any- quite like the Fargo. It's one of my favorite bicycles. 

Announcing Trans Iowa V12

Trans Iowa V12 will be April 23rd-24th: See if you can slay the dragon!

Okay nutcases! Here is the announcement you have been waiting for. Trans Iowa will happen once again next Spring.

I don't have a lot more to add right at the moment, but I do have a big change to discuss with you in terms of registration, especially for the Rookie Class. As some may recall, there were several with hurt feelings about how that registration process went down last year and many were angry about not getting in due to snafus of various sorts. There were cries of foul regarding those who were at the door of the shop walking in entries, and cries of foul over how some entities handled over-nighted entries. There were people risking their lives driving, and in one case, riding a bicycle, several hours just to get an entry to me the day the Rookie Class opened up.

I took everything into consideration, took a lot of criticism behind the scenes into account, as well as some speculation well after the fact, and I have come up with a plan to revamp registration for the Rookies. This may apply someday to the Vet Class as well, but for now, their numbers do not warrant this plan. Here are the specifics:

• There will no longer be any "overnight" entries accepted from FedEx, UPS, etc. 
• There will no longer be any "gift" type entries accepted including flowers, beer, liquor, etc. 
• There will no longer be any "walk in" entries accepted. 
• All entries will be sent in on a post card. ONE CARD PER PERSON!
• All entries will be accepted via USPS REGULAR MAIL ONLY!! NO PRIORITY, OVER NIGHT EXPRESS, OR CERTIFIED MAIL. 
• There will be a window of time for all that want to send in an entry for Trans Iowa.
• Once the window for entry is closed, A DRAWING FOR THE 40 ROOKIE SPOTS WILL BE HELD. The drawing will be random and the drawing will be final. There will be no appeals or substitutions.

To recap: WE WILL NO LONGER DO REGISTRATION FOR ROOKIES IN THE OLD MANNER. The lottery drawing method will be employed to make the way to get into T.I.V12 as fair as possible for the new folks to the event. Don't hold me to it, but I may put the drawing live on the internet. I'm looking into that. Anyway, this is for the 40 Rookie spots only! Someday this may happen for Vets as well.

Finisher and Veteran registration: Registration will be by post card only! As for now, over nighted packages will still be allowed. I would suggest that folks DO NOT USE FED EX as they screwed up more than a few guys and gals registrations last year. Just a Pro tip there for ya. NO WALK IN DELIVERIES. Everything will be by post card.

Details will be announced at a later date. Registration dates will also be announced at a later date. Stay tuned. Questions? Hit the comments or my e-mail at g.ted.productions@gmail.com

Announcing Trans Iowa V12

Trans Iowa V12 will be April 23rd-24th: See if you can slay the dragon!

Okay nutcases! Here is the announcement you have been waiting for. Trans Iowa will happen once again next Spring.

I don't have a lot more to add right at the moment, but I do have a big change to discuss with you in terms of registration, especially for the Rookie Class. As some may recall, there were several with hurt feelings about how that registration process went down last year and many were angry about not getting in due to snafus of various sorts. There were cries of foul regarding those who were at the door of the shop walking in entries, and cries of foul over how some entities handled over-nighted entries. There were people risking their lives driving, and in one case, riding a bicycle, several hours just to get an entry to me the day the Rookie Class opened up.

I took everything into consideration, took a lot of criticism behind the scenes into account, as well as some speculation well after the fact, and I have come up with a plan to revamp registration for the Rookies. This may apply someday to the Vet Class as well, but for now, their numbers do not warrant this plan. Here are the specifics:

• There will no longer be any "overnight" entries accepted from FedEx, UPS, etc. 
• There will no longer be any "gift" type entries accepted including flowers, beer, liquor, etc. 
• There will no longer be any "walk in" entries accepted. 
• All entries will be sent in on a post card. ONE CARD PER PERSON!
• All entries will be accepted via USPS REGULAR MAIL ONLY!! NO PRIORITY, OVER NIGHT EXPRESS, OR CERTIFIED MAIL. 
• There will be a window of time for all that want to send in an entry for Trans Iowa.
• Once the window for entry is closed, A DRAWING FOR THE 40 ROOKIE SPOTS WILL BE HELD. The drawing will be random and the drawing will be final. There will be no appeals or substitutions.

To recap: WE WILL NO LONGER DO REGISTRATION FOR ROOKIES IN THE OLD MANNER. The lottery drawing method will be employed to make the way to get into T.I.V12 as fair as possible for the new folks to the event. Don't hold me to it, but I may put the drawing live on the internet. I'm looking into that. Anyway, this is for the 40 Rookie spots only! Someday this may happen for Vets as well.

Finisher and Veteran registration: Registration will be by post card only! As for now, over nighted packages will still be allowed. I would suggest that folks DO NOT USE FED EX as they screwed up more than a few guys and gals registrations last year. Just a Pro tip there for ya. NO WALK IN DELIVERIES. Everything will be by post card.

Details will be announced at a later date. Registration dates will also be announced at a later date. Stay tuned. Questions? Hit the comments or my e-mail at g.ted.productions@gmail.com

Friday News And Views

2015 version- OS Bike Blackbuck

A Keeper: There aren't many bikes I have that I would "never get rid of", but this is one of them. It is a 2007 OS Bikes Blackbuck. Longtime readers of this blog will no doubt recognize it.

It is a bicycle designed and sold by Mark Slate, a principal in WTB, and their tire designer. "Slate", as he's known as, has been around the mtb scene for as long as there has been a scene. He's seen a thing or three, and the Blackbuck is sort of an "old skool meets new school" 29"er circa 2007. It has a crusier-ish look with the rounded seat stays, an eccentric bottom bracket, for easy rear wheel removal and chain tensioning without a goofy slider drop out look, and a classy, understated look. It's hopelessly outdated now though, since it doesn't have through axles or "Boost" spacing. That's okay though.

I finally got it out for the year and put some different wheels and tires on there. The stickers will come off those wheels at some point, and maybe I will get around to mounting some right proper skin wall tires. This will be where I will stay with this bike though. I will have the option of a suspension fork or this rigid fork, or the original rigid fork, if I get really crazy! But the main thing is that it is up and running, which was important to get done!

A little North of Missouri, but it'll have to do!

Fall Gravel Events: 

It used to be that if you were into doing a gravel event, you had to get to gettin' by Labor Day, or you'd have to ride a cross event. Not that there is anything wrong with that....

Point is, now you can grind yer gravel almost all year long these days, thanks in part to folks that paid attention to the Gravel Grinder News calendar, and planned their events when there weren't any going on, like in the Fall. Just like the Cuban Gravel Crisis event.

What is cool about this event is that it is put on, in part, by a Trans Iowa vet, and is an event that you can bring the entire family to. There is a festival in the town of Cuba, Missouri that weekend and they have all sorts of cool things lined up for people to partake of. There will be wine and beer tasting, music, crafts, and other entertainment. It sounds pretty rad, so if you want to do an event and have some fun things for the family to do, check this one out. There are 20, 50, or 100 mile course options and there is also a running event that day in Cuba.

Still recovering from this.....

Looking Past The GTDRI:

 This week past has been a slow going one for me. That ride last weekend blasted me pretty good, and even today I can still feel the effects of that beat down. I've been resting and doing only commutes and errands by bicycle, so I would not over extend myself and cause further delay in my recovery.

The next gig upcoming is the Geezer Ride. That's an easier ride, by far, than what I have been doing. Hopefully the weather is good for that one. I may get out and ride that course once again just to see how things are. Otherwise, it's a go, and I will look forward to seeing whomever shows up on Saturday morning, August 15th, 2015. The very next weekend is Gravel Worlds and I will be making the trip down to see if I can knock out a 150 miler again. I've had a lot of experiences in the heat this year, so I suspect this one will be another cooker and that experience will pay off for me. Well......it's a theory I have anyway! 

Then I'm done for the year with events. I will be riding just for the fun of it, looking forward to Fall mountain biking, and Winter fat bike stuff. So, that's the plan, at any rate.

Thanks for reading, as always, and get out and have an adventure this weekend!