Friday News And Views

 The "Fat Fargo"

27.5+ Makes Headway:

I've been carefully watching the Eurobike and pre-Interbike mountain bike introductions, and one thing is becoming very plain. The industry, (as I figured they would a long time ago), has dove head first into the 27.5+ wheel size and not so much on the 29+ wheel size.

The new introductions I've seen or heard about are from Cannondale, Fuji, Specialized, Marin, Turner, Salsa Cycles, Scott Bikes, and a couple of others that escape me right now. All offering B+ wheels for 2016. How about 29+?

Other than the Salsa Deadwood and Trek Stache for 2016? Crickets............

I know folks think I am "anti-29+", or whatever. I am certainly not that at all. However; all you have to do is count where the introductions are and see that the industry isn't going full-on for 29+. The introductions are not there. The numbers, so far, do not lie. It appears that, while 29+ isn't going to die, it isn't where the industry is putting its eggs. This, from my viewpoint, is why I am saying 29+ won't be the big deal some folks seem to think it will be. That's all.

If I was so against it, I wouldn't have bought a set of wheels and tires to set one up, now would I? (More on that soon.) It's just that a really big diameter wheel isn't going to work for a whole lot of the cycling populace. B+? That's a much, much better fit for more people. So, I think what we are witnessing makes a lot of sense.

The "Muktruk" 29+ set up I had

One thing about that diameter that didn't work for me was how it jacked up my Titanium Mukluk's bottom bracket height. The bike was designed around 3.8"-4.0" tires, which have a smaller diameter by almost two inches than a 29+ tire/wheel has. When I stuck these wheels on my bike, I found that bottom bracket was uncomfortably high, as in almost too high for me to mount the bike reasonably well high. That and the way those wheels rolled with the Mukluk just didn't sit well with me, so I sold off the wheels and tires to fund a nice acoustic guitar for Mrs. Guitar Ted. But, I wasn't done with 29+ wheels. Nope! I've been working slowly on something all year, and I hope to get this together sometime soon. It will be 29+, but on a frame that was designed for such a big diameter wheel. Then we'll see just how it really works for me where I live.

My motivation has always been that Borealis Echo I tried with the 29+ wheels on it, so I think it would make a fine wheel platform for mountain biking/off roading. I just have to get the right geometry matched up with those big wagon wheels, then we'll see how it all goes. I also want versatility, and I am not building a dedicated, 29+ only bike up. I just don't see myself needing that. Not all the time, anyway.

A quick Trans Iowa V12 Announcement:

I just wanted to give the Grinnell Steakhouse a quick shout out for agreeing to be the host site for T.I.v12's Pre-Race Meat-Up. We've had six years of meetings there ever since Trans Iowa v6, and the Grinnell Steakhouse has always been stellar partners with Trans Iowa. Their hospitality, their easy going nature, and great food have been so appreciated by myself and others over the years. It's become "Checkpoint Zero", the defacto "Trans Iowa Family Reunion", and just a great place to have the pre-event meeting over the years. Little known factoid: Our first "Meat-Up" was held during the Steakhouse's first year of business there in Grinnell, so we've grown together over the past six years.

Okay- that's a wrap for this week. Have a great weekend, ride bikes, and be safe!

Friday News And Views

 The "Fat Fargo"

27.5+ Makes Headway:

I've been carefully watching the Eurobike and pre-Interbike mountain bike introductions, and one thing is becoming very plain. The industry, (as I figured they would a long time ago), has dove head first into the 27.5+ wheel size and not so much on the 29+ wheel size.

The new introductions I've seen or heard about are from Cannondale, Fuji, Specialized, Marin, Turner, Salsa Cycles, Scott Bikes, and a couple of others that escape me right now. All offering B+ wheels for 2016. How about 29+?

Other than the Salsa Deadwood and Trek Stache for 2016? Crickets............

I know folks think I am "anti-29+", or whatever. I am certainly not that at all. However; all you have to do is count where the introductions are and see that the industry isn't going full-on for 29+. The introductions are not there. The numbers, so far, do not lie. It appears that, while 29+ isn't going to die, it isn't where the industry is putting its eggs. This, from my viewpoint, is why I am saying 29+ won't be the big deal some folks seem to think it will be. That's all.

If I was so against it, I wouldn't have bought a set of wheels and tires to set one up, now would I? (More on that soon.) It's just that a really big diameter wheel isn't going to work for a whole lot of the cycling populace. B+? That's a much, much better fit for more people. So, I think what we are witnessing makes a lot of sense.

The "Muktruk" 29+ set up I had

One thing about that diameter that didn't work for me was how it jacked up my Titanium Mukluk's bottom bracket height. The bike was designed around 3.8"-4.0" tires, which have a smaller diameter by almost two inches than a 29+ tire/wheel has. When I stuck these wheels on my bike, I found that bottom bracket was uncomfortably high, as in almost too high for me to mount the bike reasonably well high. That and the way those wheels rolled with the Mukluk just didn't sit well with me, so I sold off the wheels and tires to fund a nice acoustic guitar for Mrs. Guitar Ted. But, I wasn't done with 29+ wheels. Nope! I've been working slowly on something all year, and I hope to get this together sometime soon. It will be 29+, but on a frame that was designed for such a big diameter wheel. Then we'll see just how it really works for me where I live.

My motivation has always been that Borealis Echo I tried with the 29+ wheels on it, so I think it would make a fine wheel platform for mountain biking/off roading. I just have to get the right geometry matched up with those big wagon wheels, then we'll see how it all goes. I also want versatility, and I am not building a dedicated, 29+ only bike up. I just don't see myself needing that. Not all the time, anyway.

A quick Trans Iowa V12 Announcement:

I just wanted to give the Grinnell Steakhouse a quick shout out for agreeing to be the host site for T.I.v12's Pre-Race Meat-Up. We've had six years of meetings there ever since Trans Iowa v6, and the Grinnell Steakhouse has always been stellar partners with Trans Iowa. Their hospitality, their easy going nature, and great food have been so appreciated by myself and others over the years. It's become "Checkpoint Zero", the defacto "Trans Iowa Family Reunion", and just a great place to have the pre-event meeting over the years. Little known factoid: Our first "Meat-Up" was held during the Steakhouse's first year of business there in Grinnell, so we've grown together over the past six years.

Okay- that's a wrap for this week. Have a great weekend, ride bikes, and be safe!

Fat N' Single

Waiting on Andy......

Wednesday I had planned on meeting my co-worker, Andy for a fat bike ride. He had just gotten his Pugsley single speed at the shop the day before and was itching to check into some of the local single track. I said I'd be happy to take him around.

We settled on a time and a meeting place, so I decided I'd ride over from the house. I went through some of the areas we'd be riding later, and the dirt was looking really fine. The day was Sunny, dry, and cooler than it had been in a long time. Perfection, really. What a great day to have off to go plunking around on single speed fat bikes!

Of course, my fat bike wasn't technically a single speed, but I did leave it in the "high range" for the entire ride, so I think that counts! I've become accustomed to using that higher combination, and I'll likely not be needing the lower geared combo until after the snow flies.

I allotted a bit too much time to meet Andy, and I was at our meet-up spot way ahead of schedule, so I went ahead and did a bit of recon for our ride. The sand underneath the four lane highway bridge was deep and loose as ever, but the ol' Blackborow just walked right through it all. I had also hit a couple of other big sand piles on the way over, and cleaned those as well. Big tires make such a big difference here. I turned around after a bit, not wanting to get too far away from the prescribed meeting spot, and went back to sit on a nearby bench and wait for Andy. I figured he'd be fashionably late, but it ended up he was actually almost 15 minutes late. Oh well! At least he made it!

After a quick saddle height adjustment we were off, and then it was a fast, ripping single track ride for the most part. It's funny how fat bikes are not really that big of a deal to motor along twisty single track. Especially the newer breed of fat bikes. I tried to discern if I felt anything making me work all that much harder, but other than huffing it a bit more up any steeps, I really think the Blackborow just carves up single track as well as any 29"er I have in the stable.

Andy's brand-spankin' new size small SS Pugs. What a lovely color, and it sparkles!

It was obvious that Andy's Pug wasn't holding him back either, as he was almost always right on my wheel. Andy mentioned the 3.8" Knards were really easy to roll and had great grip. Oddly enough, his size Small Pugs fits that size Medium Revelate frame bag perfectly.

So, I showed Andy a taste of both sides of the river. Honestly, for my tastes, I like the South side stuff better. Many of the newer, North of the river trails seem to be more about getting from Point A to Point B, and aren't all that challenging. A few places on the South side do give you pause, and I like that, but maybe I am out of touch with the tastes of the local off-roaders. Dunno....... I think Andy had fun, so that was all that mattered.

A quick stop to smell the flowers and watch the bees at work.

This is another ride that really confirmed for me that the Bluto is a great addition to the front end of the Blackborow DS. I used up all the travel a couple of times during my three hours in the saddle, and the smoothness and control were palpable. I was suspicious of the spindly looking stanchions on the Bluto when paired up with 4.8" of mondo-griptastic tires. However; I've been pleased with the performance so far. If I lived somewhere with a lot more speed and bigger rocks? I probably would be wanting more stiffness and more travel than the 100mm that this fork is set up with. That said, a Bluto simply transforms the bike's capabilities on twisty single track. I'm really glad I have the option to run it.

So, anyway..... A great day on the bike and I am looking forward to getting all the parts lined up for this bike's transformation, which would be the "normal Summer set up". So, yeah..... I'll probably get that done come Winter!

Fat N' Single

Waiting on Andy......

Wednesday I had planned on meeting my co-worker, Andy for a fat bike ride. He had just gotten his Pugsley single speed at the shop the day before and was itching to check into some of the local single track. I said I'd be happy to take him around.

We settled on a time and a meeting place, so I decided I'd ride over from the house. I went through some of the areas we'd be riding later, and the dirt was looking really fine. The day was Sunny, dry, and cooler than it had been in a long time. Perfection, really. What a great day to have off to go plunking around on single speed fat bikes!

Of course, my fat bike wasn't technically a single speed, but I did leave it in the "high range" for the entire ride, so I think that counts! I've become accustomed to using that higher combination, and I'll likely not be needing the lower geared combo until after the snow flies.

I allotted a bit too much time to meet Andy, and I was at our meet-up spot way ahead of schedule, so I went ahead and did a bit of recon for our ride. The sand underneath the four lane highway bridge was deep and loose as ever, but the ol' Blackborow just walked right through it all. I had also hit a couple of other big sand piles on the way over, and cleaned those as well. Big tires make such a big difference here. I turned around after a bit, not wanting to get too far away from the prescribed meeting spot, and went back to sit on a nearby bench and wait for Andy. I figured he'd be fashionably late, but it ended up he was actually almost 15 minutes late. Oh well! At least he made it!

After a quick saddle height adjustment we were off, and then it was a fast, ripping single track ride for the most part. It's funny how fat bikes are not really that big of a deal to motor along twisty single track. Especially the newer breed of fat bikes. I tried to discern if I felt anything making me work all that much harder, but other than huffing it a bit more up any steeps, I really think the Blackborow just carves up single track as well as any 29"er I have in the stable.

Andy's brand-spankin' new size small SS Pugs. What a lovely color, and it sparkles!

It was obvious that Andy's Pug wasn't holding him back either, as he was almost always right on my wheel. Andy mentioned the 3.8" Knards were really easy to roll and had great grip. Oddly enough, his size Small Pugs fits that size Medium Revelate frame bag perfectly.

So, I showed Andy a taste of both sides of the river. Honestly, for my tastes, I like the South side stuff better. Many of the newer, North of the river trails seem to be more about getting from Point A to Point B, and aren't all that challenging. A few places on the South side do give you pause, and I like that, but maybe I am out of touch with the tastes of the local off-roaders. Dunno....... I think Andy had fun, so that was all that mattered.

A quick stop to smell the flowers and watch the bees at work.

This is another ride that really confirmed for me that the Bluto is a great addition to the front end of the Blackborow DS. I used up all the travel a couple of times during my three hours in the saddle, and the smoothness and control were palpable. I was suspicious of the spindly looking stanchions on the Bluto when paired up with 4.8" of mondo-griptastic tires. However; I've been pleased with the performance so far. If I lived somewhere with a lot more speed and bigger rocks? I probably would be wanting more stiffness and more travel than the 100mm that this fork is set up with. That said, a Bluto simply transforms the bike's capabilities on twisty single track. I'm really glad I have the option to run it.

So, anyway..... A great day on the bike and I am looking forward to getting all the parts lined up for this bike's transformation, which would be the "normal Summer set up". So, yeah..... I'll probably get that done come Winter!

Trans Iowa V12: News And Updates

NOTE: Readers that are unfamiliar with Trans Iowa, please notice that from time to time I interrupt the "normal programming" here to use this channel to disseminate news and updates concerning Trans Iowa. Thanks for your reading, and look for a "normal post" tomorrow.

Today I wanted to cover a few things that are developing and also clarify something that came up over the weekend. I'll cover the last thing first....

Rookies that are thinking about giving Trans Iowa a try, please understand that you have to keep checking back to the Trans Iowa site or here for a registration announcement. There never has been, and especially this year, won't be, a decisive, line in the sand time when this will take place for you Rookies. If you have been paying attention, a "window of time", (likely three weeks), will be allotted for Rookies to send in a post card. Every person entering can send in one and only one post card. These will be collected over the period of three weeks, and then there will be a drawing. I suspect that this will all be over before November gets old, and that's all I am saying about that now. Bottom line: If you are thinking about getting one of 40 available Rookie spots, stay tuned.......

Next up- Lodging! I have been working with my Grinnell Chamber of Commerce contact, who has been great, to get a lodging deal in place for T.I.v12. Look for us to offer a larger block overall over two motels this time. Preliminary rate quotes look really great, so you'll want to jump at this chance. I'll make an announcement on the Trans Iowa site when this goes live, so once again, stay tuned!

Next up- The Pre-Race Meat-Up: I am waiting on final confirmation on our pre-race meeting spot. Remember, if you want to ride in T.I.v12, you must attend and make "Checkpoint Zero" on time! I'll have all the details in a future announcement, but- you guessed it- stay tuned!

Next Up- The Finish Line: I am trying to get the finish line to be at the barn again, but this isn't sewed up 100% yet, and things could possibly change here. Once again.....stay tuned! 

And Finally..... Would anyone be at all interested in a cycling specific art show or something of that ilk? I'm throwing out the idea here and if I get any inkling of interest, I'll pursue this idea, but I need to hear solid feedback from you out there- Whether you'd attend or want to be a part of this. Speak up, or forever hold yer peace! 

Trans Iowa V12: News And Updates

NOTE: Readers that are unfamiliar with Trans Iowa, please notice that from time to time I interrupt the "normal programming" here to use this channel to disseminate news and updates concerning Trans Iowa. Thanks for your reading, and look for a "normal post" tomorrow.

Today I wanted to cover a few things that are developing and also clarify something that came up over the weekend. I'll cover the last thing first....

Rookies that are thinking about giving Trans Iowa a try, please understand that you have to keep checking back to the Trans Iowa site or here for a registration announcement. There never has been, and especially this year, won't be, a decisive, line in the sand time when this will take place for you Rookies. If you have been paying attention, a "window of time", (likely three weeks), will be allotted for Rookies to send in a post card. Every person entering can send in one and only one post card. These will be collected over the period of three weeks, and then there will be a drawing. I suspect that this will all be over before November gets old, and that's all I am saying about that now. Bottom line: If you are thinking about getting one of 40 available Rookie spots, stay tuned.......

Next up- Lodging! I have been working with my Grinnell Chamber of Commerce contact, who has been great, to get a lodging deal in place for T.I.v12. Look for us to offer a larger block overall over two motels this time. Preliminary rate quotes look really great, so you'll want to jump at this chance. I'll make an announcement on the Trans Iowa site when this goes live, so once again, stay tuned!

Next up- The Pre-Race Meat-Up: I am waiting on final confirmation on our pre-race meeting spot. Remember, if you want to ride in T.I.v12, you must attend and make "Checkpoint Zero" on time! I'll have all the details in a future announcement, but- you guessed it- stay tuned!

Next Up- The Finish Line: I am trying to get the finish line to be at the barn again, but this isn't sewed up 100% yet, and things could possibly change here. Once again.....stay tuned! 

And Finally..... Would anyone be at all interested in a cycling specific art show or something of that ilk? I'm throwing out the idea here and if I get any inkling of interest, I'll pursue this idea, but I need to hear solid feedback from you out there- Whether you'd attend or want to be a part of this. Speak up, or forever hold yer peace! 

Doing Battle

Weapons of War

This past holiday weekend I tried to take the time off cycling. Completely. I figured it could be my "off-season", such as it was, and I used the time for other, neglected things.

I worked on sealing my deck on the porch that we had built a year ago, and I mowed the lawn. I spent time with my family, grilled out, played bass guitar at church, and generally was a slug. I even had some ice cream.

I have to say that cycling was always on my mind though, and by Monday, I was finding an excuse to ride my "townie" to fetch some sausages, and I procured a huge wrench to aid me in my battle with my Karate Monkey's stuck bottom bracket. Then, of course, I had to try it out.

The bottom bracket has been stuck for years. I've tried soaking it in different penetrants, the latest of which is pictured here. I only recently had any indication that I might be successful when the drive side cup of the first generation UN-52 bottom bracket came loose and I was able to remove that. You might be thinking that got the bottom bracket out, and if your knowledge only goes back about ten years, you'd be right. However; first generation sealed cartridge bottom brackets often had the "locator cup" on the drive side of the cartridge, while the cartridge proper was part of the non-driveside cup. This is what I have in my Karate Monkey, so the entire cartridge and cup are still stuck in there. Of course, having that cup come out really gave me a lot more access to the bottom bracket and has enabled me to really soak the thing.

So, I tried to bang the thing out, but it is so rock-solid stuck I am torquing the tool and wrench so much I can feel them twisting in my hands. Banging on the wrench, (poor man's impact wrench), has had zero effect on it as well.

I'll keep doing battle, but this is going to be a long war........

Doing Battle

Weapons of War

This past holiday weekend I tried to take the time off cycling. Completely. I figured it could be my "off-season", such as it was, and I used the time for other, neglected things.

I worked on sealing my deck on the porch that we had built a year ago, and I mowed the lawn. I spent time with my family, grilled out, played bass guitar at church, and generally was a slug. I even had some ice cream.

I have to say that cycling was always on my mind though, and by Monday, I was finding an excuse to ride my "townie" to fetch some sausages, and I procured a huge wrench to aid me in my battle with my Karate Monkey's stuck bottom bracket. Then, of course, I had to try it out.

The bottom bracket has been stuck for years. I've tried soaking it in different penetrants, the latest of which is pictured here. I only recently had any indication that I might be successful when the drive side cup of the first generation UN-52 bottom bracket came loose and I was able to remove that. You might be thinking that got the bottom bracket out, and if your knowledge only goes back about ten years, you'd be right. However; first generation sealed cartridge bottom brackets often had the "locator cup" on the drive side of the cartridge, while the cartridge proper was part of the non-driveside cup. This is what I have in my Karate Monkey, so the entire cartridge and cup are still stuck in there. Of course, having that cup come out really gave me a lot more access to the bottom bracket and has enabled me to really soak the thing.

So, I tried to bang the thing out, but it is so rock-solid stuck I am torquing the tool and wrench so much I can feel them twisting in my hands. Banging on the wrench, (poor man's impact wrench), has had zero effect on it as well.

I'll keep doing battle, but this is going to be a long war........

Happy Labor Day

Labor Day usually marks a "full stop" on Summer activities in the US.

Happy Labor Day!

Guitar Ted Productions wishes all of you readers out there a Happy Labor Day and a Fall of fun activities and riding.

Just because Fall is here doesn't mean that your bicycles have to go into storage. Get some lights, a good layering system, and my favorite- wool!- and keep on riding.

I declared Labor Day Weekend my "off-season" rest period, and a time for some much needed household duties, but I'll be back on it again this week.

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year to bicycle and I have my single speeds ready and waiting for woods plunking along with some plans for some gravel rides this month and next. I hope to get a good "Fall color tour" in somewhere, for instance, and I want to pack in a few hilly rides before the snow sets in.

Anyway, there is that and something to do with the bicycle in the picture here. Stay tuned.........

Happy Labor Day

Labor Day usually marks a "full stop" on Summer activities in the US.

Happy Labor Day!

Guitar Ted Productions wishes all of you readers out there a Happy Labor Day and a Fall of fun activities and riding.

Just because Fall is here doesn't mean that your bicycles have to go into storage. Get some lights, a good layering system, and my favorite- wool!- and keep on riding.

I declared Labor Day Weekend my "off-season" rest period, and a time for some much needed household duties, but I'll be back on it again this week.

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year to bicycle and I have my single speeds ready and waiting for woods plunking along with some plans for some gravel rides this month and next. I hope to get a good "Fall color tour" in somewhere, for instance, and I want to pack in a few hilly rides before the snow sets in.

Anyway, there is that and something to do with the bicycle in the picture here. Stay tuned.........

Iowa Bicycle/Car Crash Data

I had my own, bizarre car/bicycle/ped incident in rural Iowa

 Cyclists the world over have one similar issue facing all of them- That being the vulnerability they all share when traveling on roads with automobile and truck traffic. When a car or truck get into a crash with a cyclist, the outcome for the cyclist is often dire. We here in Iowa were recently made acutely aware of this when a cyclist was killed by the name of Wade Franck. 

That said, there are a lot of folks that don't believe cyclists belong on the roads, (they have every right to by law), and some that say cyclists cause a lot of their own issues by disobeying the laws, (some do), but neither excuse holds up and is not worth risking the life of, or maiming forever, a cyclist who stands no chance against distracted drivers, drunk drivers, or self righteous cowards behind the wheel.

Check out this Des Moines Register story with a poignant video interview with Heather Wince and many stats illustrating the issues, at least here in Iowa. There are some silly hoops you have to jump through to see the story, but it is well worth the minor trouble the Register puts you through.

Let's be safe out there and try to continue to work toward safer routes and better educated drivers.

Iowa Bicycle/Car Crash Data

I had my own, bizarre car/bicycle/ped incident in rural Iowa

 Cyclists the world over have one similar issue facing all of them- That being the vulnerability they all share when traveling on roads with automobile and truck traffic. When a car or truck get into a crash with a cyclist, the outcome for the cyclist is often dire. We here in Iowa were recently made acutely aware of this when a cyclist was killed by the name of Wade Franck. 

That said, there are a lot of folks that don't believe cyclists belong on the roads, (they have every right to by law), and some that say cyclists cause a lot of their own issues by disobeying the laws, (some do), but neither excuse holds up and is not worth risking the life of, or maiming forever, a cyclist who stands no chance against distracted drivers, drunk drivers, or self righteous cowards behind the wheel.

Check out this Des Moines Register story with a poignant video interview with Heather Wince and many stats illustrating the issues, at least here in Iowa. There are some silly hoops you have to jump through to see the story, but it is well worth the minor trouble the Register puts you through.

Let's be safe out there and try to continue to work toward safer routes and better educated drivers.

Friday News And Views

This B Road reminded me of something.....

Trans Iowa V12 News:

There has been some activity on the Trans Iowa front since I announced the dates last month. I have been peering at the maps and devising a course, plus there have been some rumblings concerning the sponsorship of the event already. I haven't got anything solid to share on the sponsorship front yet, but here are a couple of things I can share with ya'all right now.

Registration, if you haven't heard, will be entirely different for the Rookie Class this time. To avoid all the prats and pitfalls of the past edition of the registration for Rookies, this is the plan going forward. NOTE: The Finishers and Vets will register as they did last year. NO CHANGES there.

The Rookies will be doing registration FIRST this time and also they will be doing things by postcard, but that's about as conventional as it gets. The post cards Rookies will send in will be limited to one per entrant, be under a specific size, and will have to be "REAL POST CARDS". This is important to keep things fair. You'll understand why in a moment.

Next, I am going to accept post cards for Rookies for THREE WEEKS. Any and all post cards will be accepted during the specified time. ALL WILL BE SENT U.S.P.S. No exceptions. (NOTE- Not now!!) One card per entrant, of a specified size, with all being "real post cards", (no cardboard, etc), and all during the three week time period. When the window for the mail ins is closed, I will put all the post cards I receive into a bin and I will have someone draw out 40 cards for the 40 open spots on the roster for rookies.

So, if all the cards are nearly equal in size, and all cards are typical post card stock, there shouldn't be any "advantages" or "disadvantages" when the drawing is done. I will say this probably till you are sick of hearing it, but after the drawing is done, it is done. All decisions are final. No waiting lists, or transfers, or what have you. In or out. Simple.

I've gotten very positive feedback on this idea from several sources, so this is what I plan on going with. Any objections should be posted in the comments now. I will announce a "go" date very soon, so stay tuned...

The course is drafted to CP#1, and I have a specific spot I want CP#2 to be at, with a rough draft of the route to it already. Plans are to get out yet this month to start recon. Stay tuned......

Guitar Ted "Lube-Off" Update:

I haven't forgotten about this and I plan on doing more field research as the month of September rolls along. I will be pitting Rock & Roll Gold up against my "champion" so far, DuMonde Tech. I already have some good ideas about where this one will shake out, but I need more time on the Rock & Roll before I give my final verdict.

Just a reminder- This "Lube-Off" is all about riding on gravel roads and may not reflect your reality. However; it is my opinion that there isn't much harsher an environment than gravel roads here where dust is plentiful. Since that dust is essentially groud up rock, it has a rather severe effect on drive train components, so I feel if a lube does a good job in my test, it probably will make a great dry lube for just about anyone.

Later in the year, I hope to do some testing with "wet" type lubes, and that will hopefully be on my fat bikes. Commuting on city streets really taxes a bike in our typical winter conditions, so this should prove to be a good test as well.

From the last trip I made to Interbike

Fallout:

The post I put up earlier in the week about the trade shows garnered a lot of comments about the actual subject off line, but was decidedly about "e-bikes" in the comments, which was somewhat expected. However that may be, the off-line commentary was what I really found quite engaging and interesting.

I won't name names or divulge anything shared with me, but it seems that the post struck a nerve and many were giving me some feedback that supported my overall view. I was surprised to find out a couple of my friends weren't going to Interbike and hadn't gone to Eurobike either.

In hindsight, I wondered if a "media blackout" for the show could work in some way. The press could get the inside scoop, have the information embargoed until the show is over, and then the stories could all be unleashed. I thought this might make the show more interesting to dealers to attend it, especially if companies bought into the idea. But then I realized there was no way that would ever work with everyone being a "johnny-on-the-spot" poster these days. I mean, what dealer or employee of a shop wouldn't be firing off everything they saw to online forums and social media? So, it seems that the pre-event releases, demo tours, dealer only events, and instant, online posting of everything you'd want to know about is a deal killer for the traditional trade show format.

Okay, this is it folks! The last big holiday of the Summer. Be safe, have fun, and ride those bicycles!

Friday News And Views

This B Road reminded me of something.....

Trans Iowa V12 News:

There has been some activity on the Trans Iowa front since I announced the dates last month. I have been peering at the maps and devising a course, plus there have been some rumblings concerning the sponsorship of the event already. I haven't got anything solid to share on the sponsorship front yet, but here are a couple of things I can share with ya'all right now.

Registration, if you haven't heard, will be entirely different for the Rookie Class this time. To avoid all the prats and pitfalls of the past edition of the registration for Rookies, this is the plan going forward. NOTE: The Finishers and Vets will register as they did last year. NO CHANGES there.

The Rookies will be doing registration FIRST this time and also they will be doing things by postcard, but that's about as conventional as it gets. The post cards Rookies will send in will be limited to one per entrant, be under a specific size, and will have to be "REAL POST CARDS". This is important to keep things fair. You'll understand why in a moment.

Next, I am going to accept post cards for Rookies for THREE WEEKS. Any and all post cards will be accepted during the specified time. ALL WILL BE SENT U.S.P.S. No exceptions. (NOTE- Not now!!) One card per entrant, of a specified size, with all being "real post cards", (no cardboard, etc), and all during the three week time period. When the window for the mail ins is closed, I will put all the post cards I receive into a bin and I will have someone draw out 40 cards for the 40 open spots on the roster for rookies.

So, if all the cards are nearly equal in size, and all cards are typical post card stock, there shouldn't be any "advantages" or "disadvantages" when the drawing is done. I will say this probably till you are sick of hearing it, but after the drawing is done, it is done. All decisions are final. No waiting lists, or transfers, or what have you. In or out. Simple.

I've gotten very positive feedback on this idea from several sources, so this is what I plan on going with. Any objections should be posted in the comments now. I will announce a "go" date very soon, so stay tuned...

The course is drafted to CP#1, and I have a specific spot I want CP#2 to be at, with a rough draft of the route to it already. Plans are to get out yet this month to start recon. Stay tuned......

Guitar Ted "Lube-Off" Update:

I haven't forgotten about this and I plan on doing more field research as the month of September rolls along. I will be pitting Rock & Roll Gold up against my "champion" so far, DuMonde Tech. I already have some good ideas about where this one will shake out, but I need more time on the Rock & Roll before I give my final verdict.

Just a reminder- This "Lube-Off" is all about riding on gravel roads and may not reflect your reality. However; it is my opinion that there isn't much harsher an environment than gravel roads here where dust is plentiful. Since that dust is essentially groud up rock, it has a rather severe effect on drive train components, so I feel if a lube does a good job in my test, it probably will make a great dry lube for just about anyone.

Later in the year, I hope to do some testing with "wet" type lubes, and that will hopefully be on my fat bikes. Commuting on city streets really taxes a bike in our typical winter conditions, so this should prove to be a good test as well.

From the last trip I made to Interbike

Fallout:

The post I put up earlier in the week about the trade shows garnered a lot of comments about the actual subject off line, but was decidedly about "e-bikes" in the comments, which was somewhat expected. However that may be, the off-line commentary was what I really found quite engaging and interesting.

I won't name names or divulge anything shared with me, but it seems that the post struck a nerve and many were giving me some feedback that supported my overall view. I was surprised to find out a couple of my friends weren't going to Interbike and hadn't gone to Eurobike either.

In hindsight, I wondered if a "media blackout" for the show could work in some way. The press could get the inside scoop, have the information embargoed until the show is over, and then the stories could all be unleashed. I thought this might make the show more interesting to dealers to attend it, especially if companies bought into the idea. But then I realized there was no way that would ever work with everyone being a "johnny-on-the-spot" poster these days. I mean, what dealer or employee of a shop wouldn't be firing off everything they saw to online forums and social media? So, it seems that the pre-event releases, demo tours, dealer only events, and instant, online posting of everything you'd want to know about is a deal killer for the traditional trade show format.

Okay, this is it folks! The last big holiday of the Summer. Be safe, have fun, and ride those bicycles!

All Roads Cycling

Starting out on pavement.

Over at the shop where I work we've been trying to impress upon folks that there are road bikes and then there are road bikes. You know, for any kind of road. Not just the nice, smooth blacktops or cement roads, as if there are really any of those!

Part of this "education" is breaking the mold of perceptions that skinny 23mm tires at 120psi are faster and that you should have the lightest bicycle possible. Quite frankly, the cycling brands that most folks are aware of push this concept and are continuing to foist these rigs on bike shops and consumers as "the bike" to have. In reality, there are very few folks that can really benefit from having the equivalent of an Formula 1 race car in their garage.

The standard racing bicycle is just as impractical as owning an F-1 car would be for the average person, and just as uncomfortable. Fast? Light? Yes, but at a cost that makes these bikes impractical for anything but smooth tarmac and the limber body of a fine tuned racer. That's unnecessarily limiting, and these bikes are so niche, in reality, that their glaring incompetence for average cycling needs should place them at or near the bottom of choices for cyclists. But they aren't and most of that problem is with perceptions and the brands that play on them.

So we end up slapping on racks where there are no rack mounts, tell folks kickstands don't work with carbon frames, and flip stems up or put on stem extenders. In the end, these bicycles, designed for racing or based directly off racing designs, are modded to be something they are not. Loads are carried on them that end up destroying rear wheels before their time, and of course, those hard, unforgiving 23mm tires at max pressure are not helping at all.

This silty climb would have been impossible on skinny racing treads.

 This is where the "gravel bike" comes in. Of course, this isn't really a good name for these bikes, but bikes designed to do gravel travel are perfectly suited to doing any road be it paved, rough, pot holed, gravel, or not paved with anything at all!

Four years ago there weren't many choices for this kind of bike, but now just about every company has one or more of these sorts of bicycles in their line ups. The big problem now is trying to get bike shop staff on board with this idea, and then getting that message out to the masses. This reminds me a lot of the struggles Fisher Bikes had back in the early 00's trying to get dealers to grasp the concept of 29"ers. The dealers that did get the message and translated it successfully reaped great benefits. Same deal with these "all road" bikes here. This could be big. It should be big.

One big mistake the companies that are putting these bikes out are doing is making them appear to be "like a mountain bike", or describing them by saying things like "this is a mountain biker's road bike." What does mountain biking have to do with any of this? Equating these new "all-road", go anywhere bikes with mountain biking is doing them a great disservice. The perception of mountain biking the industry puts out is one of machismo and is rather misogynistic in nature for the most part. That's just one thing wrong with this marketing plan. Many videos I have seen show these bikes in a "mountain biking" context.  Doing "rad" moves on the all-road bike shows these bikes are capable, but in the context they are shown in, it becomes a turn off. To the companies doing this sort of marketing for these bikes, it is a buzz kill, not a buzz maker.

The other mistake folks make in the industry is repackaging cyclo cross bikes as "all-road/gravel bikes". The cyclo cross geometry isn't the best for rough roads and loose gravel roads at all. Companies that don't use the easy way out, and do their own geometry have much better riding product and will have happier end users. Cyclo cross bikes, and straight up touring bikes, for that matter, are also generally way too stiff for comfortable cycling, which is paramount for getting these new bikes accepted in a wider arena.

Going where no road racing bike, and few vehicles, will ever go is a lot of fun. 

The big miss a lot of people are making is the "fun factor". These bikes can go places where "normal" road racing bikes can go, and where traffic is low to non-existent. Stressing about when you may become the next road cycling fatality? Maybe give this "all-road" cycling some thought. The sales pitch needs to be accessible to folks though, and if you listen to much of what the industry puts out, you may miss out due to how their messages miss the mark.

That's why I started doing the "Geezer Ride" in various places in Iowa. I wanted to focus on the social side, camaraderie, and all the while try to showcase how cycling on rural roads is not only accessible, but not all that hard and most of all- fun. Hopefully I was somewhat successful in that. It is something shops could do anywhere to promote safe, fun, adventurous riding and show off these new bikes that are extremely capable machines.

All Roads Cycling

Starting out on pavement.

Over at the shop where I work we've been trying to impress upon folks that there are road bikes and then there are road bikes. You know, for any kind of road. Not just the nice, smooth blacktops or cement roads, as if there are really any of those!

Part of this "education" is breaking the mold of perceptions that skinny 23mm tires at 120psi are faster and that you should have the lightest bicycle possible. Quite frankly, the cycling brands that most folks are aware of push this concept and are continuing to foist these rigs on bike shops and consumers as "the bike" to have. In reality, there are very few folks that can really benefit from having the equivalent of an Formula 1 race car in their garage.

The standard racing bicycle is just as impractical as owning an F-1 car would be for the average person, and just as uncomfortable. Fast? Light? Yes, but at a cost that makes these bikes impractical for anything but smooth tarmac and the limber body of a fine tuned racer. That's unnecessarily limiting, and these bikes are so niche, in reality, that their glaring incompetence for average cycling needs should place them at or near the bottom of choices for cyclists. But they aren't and most of that problem is with perceptions and the brands that play on them.

So we end up slapping on racks where there are no rack mounts, tell folks kickstands don't work with carbon frames, and flip stems up or put on stem extenders. In the end, these bicycles, designed for racing or based directly off racing designs, are modded to be something they are not. Loads are carried on them that end up destroying rear wheels before their time, and of course, those hard, unforgiving 23mm tires at max pressure are not helping at all.

This silty climb would have been impossible on skinny racing treads.

 This is where the "gravel bike" comes in. Of course, this isn't really a good name for these bikes, but bikes designed to do gravel travel are perfectly suited to doing any road be it paved, rough, pot holed, gravel, or not paved with anything at all!

Four years ago there weren't many choices for this kind of bike, but now just about every company has one or more of these sorts of bicycles in their line ups. The big problem now is trying to get bike shop staff on board with this idea, and then getting that message out to the masses. This reminds me a lot of the struggles Fisher Bikes had back in the early 00's trying to get dealers to grasp the concept of 29"ers. The dealers that did get the message and translated it successfully reaped great benefits. Same deal with these "all road" bikes here. This could be big. It should be big.

One big mistake the companies that are putting these bikes out are doing is making them appear to be "like a mountain bike", or describing them by saying things like "this is a mountain biker's road bike." What does mountain biking have to do with any of this? Equating these new "all-road", go anywhere bikes with mountain biking is doing them a great disservice. The perception of mountain biking the industry puts out is one of machismo and is rather misogynistic in nature for the most part. That's just one thing wrong with this marketing plan. Many videos I have seen show these bikes in a "mountain biking" context.  Doing "rad" moves on the all-road bike shows these bikes are capable, but in the context they are shown in, it becomes a turn off. To the companies doing this sort of marketing for these bikes, it is a buzz kill, not a buzz maker.

The other mistake folks make in the industry is repackaging cyclo cross bikes as "all-road/gravel bikes". The cyclo cross geometry isn't the best for rough roads and loose gravel roads at all. Companies that don't use the easy way out, and do their own geometry have much better riding product and will have happier end users. Cyclo cross bikes, and straight up touring bikes, for that matter, are also generally way too stiff for comfortable cycling, which is paramount for getting these new bikes accepted in a wider arena.

Going where no road racing bike, and few vehicles, will ever go is a lot of fun. 

The big miss a lot of people are making is the "fun factor". These bikes can go places where "normal" road racing bikes can go, and where traffic is low to non-existent. Stressing about when you may become the next road cycling fatality? Maybe give this "all-road" cycling some thought. The sales pitch needs to be accessible to folks though, and if you listen to much of what the industry puts out, you may miss out due to how their messages miss the mark.

That's why I started doing the "Geezer Ride" in various places in Iowa. I wanted to focus on the social side, camaraderie, and all the while try to showcase how cycling on rural roads is not only accessible, but not all that hard and most of all- fun. Hopefully I was somewhat successful in that. It is something shops could do anywhere to promote safe, fun, adventurous riding and show off these new bikes that are extremely capable machines.

A Year With A Chinese Fat Tire

The Ti Muk with a Chaoyang tire on the back.

About a year ago now I got the opportunity to try out some tires and advise a certain company on their merits, if they had any or not. One of those skins was a fat tire by a Chinese company named Chaoyang. Turns out it is China's oldest and largest tire manufacturer. They make thousands of types of tires, so I would suppose they know a thing or three about making a bicycle tire.

Anyway, I see these Chaoyang tires more now and they come on some fat bikes as original equipment. Maybe you've noticed this as well. I thought I would pass along my experiences with this tire and how it performs.

I recall my first impression was that the tread pattern looked like an evolution of a Husker Du or maybe the Dillinger from 45NRTH. Sparsely spaced, squarish knobs and with some siping in some areas. Nice looking tread, but not a tall tread block. Actually, the blocks are shallow, in terms of fat bike tires. Weight on this wire bead tire was just over 1500 grams. I understand that folding bead versions are about 200 grams lighter if you can get them. I'm not sure of any stateside distributors, but I have found these on-line.

Mounted up on my Rolling Darryl rims with tubes, I found that the width was slightly less than the Bud on Rolling Darryl front wheel. Near as I can tell the tire is 4 9/16ths inches at its widest point on the casing but the widest knobs are only 4 1/8th inches apart. So, it isn't a 4.9"er, or as wide as a Bud or Lou, but it does fall in that nice "middle" ground between a 4"er and the bigger Surly tires. Obviously, the knobs width on the casing, (or shall we say the "business end" of the tire?), is not much more than some other 4" class tires, but that volume does count for something and you can manage some float with that big ol' balloon casing.

Chaoyang fat bike tire showing the tread pattern here. 

The Chaoyang 4.9"er I have is eerily similar to the skinnier Panaracer Fat B Nimble. (Shown here for comparison)

Verdict: In my opinion, the Chaoyang tire is a well constructed, "normal" fat bike tire as far as tire standards go for this class of tire. It isn't going to blow your socks off with a light weight, great feeling casing, or a tubeless ready bead, but it isn't a "junk" tire by any stretch of the imagination. That it falls in that "in between" width is really great, since I can max out my Ti Muk's chain and seat stays and still get all my gears. This means maximum flotation for this bike, instead of wishing I could slam in a Lou,  and have no clearances, or "settle" for a 3.8"-4" tire that would leave me wanting more. I give this a big thumbs up for being a weird size. However; it should in no way ever be considered a 4.9"er, which is what the tire is marked as.

The performance of this tire on packed snow, or harder surfaces is outstanding. It starts to show cracks in the armor when things get deeper and looser. It will slide laterally quite easily, since the outer knobs are so low and they don't come around the casing very far. Forward bite is minimal in looser snow, sand, and mud in comparison to a Nate or Lou. This tire easily breaks free on looser rocky climbs and in slippery mud and snow conditions.

I can always lower the air pressure and make this tire get traction when it has no business doing so, but that said, this tire is really best on drier snow, groomed trails, or as a summertime single track tire if you have buff trails or harder dirt surfaces. If it had bigger, more aggressive knobs or some lateral supporting knobs out on the edges of the casing, it would make a better all-arounder. Unfortunately, that isn't the case here.

Note: Guitar Ted received this tire to test at no charge. He was not paid, nor bribed for this post and always strives to give his honest opinions throughout.

A Year With A Chinese Fat Tire

The Ti Muk with a Chaoyang tire on the back.

About a year ago now I got the opportunity to try out some tires and advise a certain company on their merits, if they had any or not. One of those skins was a fat tire by a Chinese company named Chaoyang. Turns out it is China's oldest and largest tire manufacturer. They make thousands of types of tires, so I would suppose they know a thing or three about making a bicycle tire.

Anyway, I see these Chaoyang tires more now and they come on some fat bikes as original equipment. Maybe you've noticed this as well. I thought I would pass along my experiences with this tire and how it performs.

I recall my first impression was that the tread pattern looked like an evolution of a Husker Du or maybe the Dillinger from 45NRTH. Sparsely spaced, squarish knobs and with some siping in some areas. Nice looking tread, but not a tall tread block. Actually, the blocks are shallow, in terms of fat bike tires. Weight on this wire bead tire was just over 1500 grams. I understand that folding bead versions are about 200 grams lighter if you can get them. I'm not sure of any stateside distributors, but I have found these on-line.

Mounted up on my Rolling Darryl rims with tubes, I found that the width was slightly less than the Bud on Rolling Darryl front wheel. Near as I can tell the tire is 4 9/16ths inches at its widest point on the casing but the widest knobs are only 4 1/8th inches apart. So, it isn't a 4.9"er, or as wide as a Bud or Lou, but it does fall in that nice "middle" ground between a 4"er and the bigger Surly tires. Obviously, the knobs width on the casing, (or shall we say the "business end" of the tire?), is not much more than some other 4" class tires, but that volume does count for something and you can manage some float with that big ol' balloon casing.

Chaoyang fat bike tire showing the tread pattern here. 

The Chaoyang 4.9"er I have is eerily similar to the skinnier Panaracer Fat B Nimble. (Shown here for comparison)

Verdict: In my opinion, the Chaoyang tire is a well constructed, "normal" fat bike tire as far as tire standards go for this class of tire. It isn't going to blow your socks off with a light weight, great feeling casing, or a tubeless ready bead, but it isn't a "junk" tire by any stretch of the imagination. That it falls in that "in between" width is really great, since I can max out my Ti Muk's chain and seat stays and still get all my gears. This means maximum flotation for this bike, instead of wishing I could slam in a Lou,  and have no clearances, or "settle" for a 3.8"-4" tire that would leave me wanting more. I give this a big thumbs up for being a weird size. However; it should in no way ever be considered a 4.9"er, which is what the tire is marked as.

The performance of this tire on packed snow, or harder surfaces is outstanding. It starts to show cracks in the armor when things get deeper and looser. It will slide laterally quite easily, since the outer knobs are so low and they don't come around the casing very far. Forward bite is minimal in looser snow, sand, and mud in comparison to a Nate or Lou. This tire easily breaks free on looser rocky climbs and in slippery mud and snow conditions.

I can always lower the air pressure and make this tire get traction when it has no business doing so, but that said, this tire is really best on drier snow, groomed trails, or as a summertime single track tire if you have buff trails or harder dirt surfaces. If it had bigger, more aggressive knobs or some lateral supporting knobs out on the edges of the casing, it would make a better all-arounder. Unfortunately, that isn't the case here.

Note: Guitar Ted received this tire to test at no charge. He was not paid, nor bribed for this post and always strives to give his honest opinions throughout.

Eurobike Commentary

E-bike specific clothing. Yes.....it is real.

Eurobike just happened and maybe you didn't know that. I wouldn't blame you if that is the case, since the world's largest bike show wasn't really pumping out a lot of news about bicycles. Now, if your bag is electric motorcycles, well then, yeah. There was a lot of news about that segment. So what if the bike nerds call them "e-bikes", they are motorcycles by definition.

There was one electric motorcycle deemed good for off-road use, dual suspension, by the way, that was claimed to go far beyond 25mph, and that was a good feature to write about? Hmm.... Then there were some bits of this and that. Nothing spectacular, well that is unless you are a roadie. SRAM unveiled its poorly kept secret, the wireless electronic shifting group, and there was a hydraulic shifted group debuted by Rotor. Otherwise.....ho-hum. 

And all this from the biggest cycling show in the world? So, this begs the question, what in the world could be waiting at Interbike? I'll put out a guess- not much of anything new. What will be new will be accessories, more electric motorcycle stuff, and probably some personal appearance news. Just like any other year at Interbike of late. Not much to write home about for the average cyclist. Despite what the show promoters have to say.

"What did they say", you might ask? Well, the fellow behind Interbike was quoted as saying, “I get frustrated when I hear people say that they can see everything online, or that there’s not anything new to see at Interbike by the time the show arrives,” said Pat Hus, Vice President of Interbike. “I am going to assume that many of these naysayers haven’t been to the show in many years, and haven’t seen how it’s evolved."

Well, I am quite certain that people saying they can see everything on-line from the shows is frustrating, because it is true. Just Google "Eurobike 2015" and check it out for yourself. I mean, what the heck is the media there for if they aren't pumping out images and words about what is new? Since Eurobike introductions always pre-empt Interbike showings, it isn't any surprise that Mr. Hus is upset. And by the way, I have been to Interbike in previous years. 2007-2013, to be precise. I decided not to go last year, and guess what? I didn't miss anything but Las Vegas. Oh wait........I lied. I didn't miss Las Vegas either. 

Private dealer only events have gutted the trade show for new model stories.

Consumers typically used to ask, "What's new?" after you came back from trade shows. Back in the day, you had stories galore to tell. Now the consumer can hop online and on the day the shows open, or when a dealer only show happens that media are present at, they can view and read all about the new stuff before the show goers have lunch. So, no- you don't have to go to a trade show. You just have to be johnny-on-the-spot in the morning or have had someone tell you about the stuff beforehand. (Thus all the "embargoed" stories and "non-disclosure contracts" that companies enforce these days.)  

Another thing going on which neuters trade shows is the "demo tour" style marketing that companies like Santa Cruz and Niner Bikes have been doing for years. Check out the latest blurb from Surly Bikes as an example:

If you haven’t heard yet, Surly will not be attending Interbike this year in the fashion to which many of you and your favorite LBS have become accustomed. Yes, the Surly Ziggurat will lay dormant in its crate for Interbike 2015.

We’ve decided to spread our wings a little and shift focus from the cigarette stained halls and frosted tips of Vegas to the open road of this great nation. Yes that’s right, Surly is going to be taking more road trips in the coming year so we can visit our friends and bring them beer. 

Or as that seminal 70's and early 80's band, The Doobie Brothers used to sing, they'll be takin' it to the streets. Or your devices, as the case may be. 

Strange Daze

At least I got this cleaned up this weekend

I have to admit that the last few weeks have been pretty packed with activity. I really shouldn't have expected such a high level of sensory input again this weekend, nor was that probably a good thing anyway. "Rest as hard as you train", was something ol' Jeff used to tell me way back when. I guess I had it coming.....

Saturday was odd. I think that is the best way to put things. I was supposed to go and attend a a funeral, and got some vague information on where to go. Drove over an hour, searched, and didn't find anyone around, so I drove back home. There are extenuating circumstances surrounding this that I won't delve into here, but I only bring it up as it set the tone for a very "off kilter" day.

 Basically, the only thing I got done all day was driving for two and a half hours through the beautiful Iowa countryside, cleaning one of my fat bikes up, and plotting the opening 53 miles for the next Trans Iowa event. That and no bicycle ride, with the exception of tooling around on the titanium Mukluk to make sure it is a go when the weather turns later on. Oh yeah, I swapped out the seat post, handle bars, and stem. Both the bars and stem are carbon, and the stem is pretty much a wash, just different. A lighter set up, and eventually I would like to tackle the wheels. Getting those tubeless and lighter will just about hone this rig to its highest potential.

Sunday I just felt in a funk. So I ended up taking a nap for a bit and just hanging out with the family, grocery shopping with Mrs. Guitar Ted, and sitting with the kids a bit on their last day of Summer vacation. So, yeah......a pretty ho-hum weekend in terms of adventure! 

Gaffer's Tape to the rescue!

 Update On The Camera:

After I posted my disappointments regarding the Olympus Tough TG-3 I have, (seen HERE), I had a nice e-mail exchange with my pro camera buddy, Wally. He informed me that the wear issues were par for the course. He also stated that camera companies are making some concessions to "fashion" over function, so a truly armored casing, which is deemed "ugly", I guess, isn't going to cut it in the marketplace at this price point. I think that's probably truth, but I also think that it is lame. I don't blame the  camera companies, but more so our culture, that fashion trumps function in the case of a "tough" camera. Anyway..... It isn't just in terms of cameras. Just look at mountain bikes. We could go on and on......

So, anywho..... Wally suggested I use a "pro tip" and order up some gaffer's tape and put it on the highest wear spots, just like the pro photographers do. I checked in to the tape, and it is super cheap. I got two rolls, and I'll likely never go through it all, but hey! I got gaffer's tape and I can reapply it whenever I need to on the camera. You can see how I used it in the image to the left here.

So far it has worked great. I have bounced the camera around in my bags and it isn't peeling off the tape or causing any issues yet. Bonus- I taped shut the media door, which was the one most likely to pop open on its own, so that issue is gone as well.

The new view is that with gaffer's tape, which weighs next to nothing, I can protect my camera from most of the issues I was having and it now is back in my good graces. I still think it is super lame that a camera like this isn't a bit more functional and less fashionable, but so be it. Obviously, I chose a most obnoxious color to tape it up with in protest, so there! Take that you camera fashionistas!