Gents Race: The Final Run: Part 2

The roads ended up being pretty wet, soft, and muddy to start out.

"Hey! We have to go!", said Steve. Our turn had come to roll out, and I hadn't even started my computer, the new Hammerhead Karoo II I got for Christmas, yet. Dang it! I tried starting it as we rolled out of town, but it wasn't very intuitive to use (in my opinion) and so the Gents Race course I had would not start. I bailed on that and tried to just start a ride. The ride screen would come up, start compiling data briefly, then the screen would go blank. Meanwhile the thing was randomly barking out turn prompts (with the screen totally dark) and I got frustrated and just canned any notions of using it for the time being. 

So, my start to the last Gents Race was frustrating and I was pretty ticked off. Once again- a forty dollar Cateye starts automatically, stops automatically, and they are very accurate if set up with care. It still baffles me that we have to do some song and dance routine to start a GPS computer up for cycling. It's not as easy as analog computers. Yes- analog computers don't tell you when to turn, but I could have printed cues. Bah! I was about ready to twist that Hammerhead off the mount and chuck it into the ditch, but that would be littering. 

The last Careless Whispers Gents race appearance (L-R) GT, C. Rhodes, Steve, D'Corn, and Bob (Image by Rob Versteegh)

I've passed this barn many times, but I may not pass it ever again.

 Meanwhile I had to get back on the wheels of Christopher and Steve who had both gotten up the road on us. Ironically, they were on single speeds and were afraid they would be the anchors of the team due to their lack of dangly bits. Ha! We saw more of their backsides than their fronts! They were pulling us along the entire day. 

Dramatic clouds rushing South on a Northern gale. Taken from a "nature break" stop.

 

Soon enough we'd be in for a 9 mile slog into that North wind.

The Gents Race course went South for a short spell, then we had go to West, which was a bit tough with the wind, but after a bit of zig-zag action North and West, we had a 9 mile slog into a pretty stiff North-Northwestly wind. We tried echelons, we tried going more single file, but the wind was too variable and nothing worked for long. 

Besides the difficulties with the wind, the roads going North were really wet and soft with no real good lines to be found. This zapped the legs and caused a lot of extra work. But we were passing teams and hauling along just fine, which pleased Steve. 

Another familiar barn on the course.

 

And another one here.

I was mentally counting down the miles until we could turn right and out of the gale. By the last two miles of this stretch, we had kind of given up on the drafting. It wasn't working out too well. Besides, trying to echelon with portions of the road being wheel-sucking mush and others seemingly fast was also making that tactic difficult. 

I know we all were doing well though as we stayed in our place amongst those teams around us. Occasionally we'd pass stragglers blown off the end of teams ahead of us. I was a very rough go heading North, and in combination with the road conditions, it was no surprise to see people struggling. 

Snow was seen in the ditches in different areas of the course which I don't think we'd ever had in a previous Gents Race.

The checkpoint at Snus Farms Winery. It didn't seem as chaotic or as well attended as in previous years.

On the way into the checkpoint, D'Corn announced that he was becoming skeptical of his ability to finish the entire course. Earlier he had related to me that he was running his pedicab service at a Bon Jovi concert the previous evening in Omaha, Nebraska, and that he had not gotten in to Slater, Iowa until about 4:00am in the morning where he tried to sleep in his van. He awoke at 8:15am, and had no breakfast! 

I reached into my bag of Dot's pretzel sticks and gave him a few to help quell his hunger until we reached the checkpoint. But I think the damage was done. The wind, the soft roads, and D'Corn's lack of rest and sustenance had caused him a bit of hypothermia and while he tried to ride out of the checkpoint with us, he ended up calling it about two miles later. He was done. 

Things were dramatically different after leaving the checkpoint.

You can see how strong the winds were by how they are deflecting this wind turbine's blades.

Ah! So another Careless Whisper team member has an issue. Seems that every year we've done this event as a team, one of us struggled with something. Flat tires, weariness from lack of rest, bonking, or drunkenness. But we've never gotten cross with each other and I've always appreciated the grace we've extended to whomever needed it over the years.

Cattle in a muddy pasture.

Bethany Cemetery. I like the fancy metalwork of the gate here.

Things not only changed with the team after the checkpoint, but the weather had warmed dramatically and the Sun was out amongst puffy clouds. The winds had not died at all though! Those were still blowing strongly from the North. The combination of Sun and wind also had firmed up the roads to a great degree making riding a lot easier than before.

Once we had made a short jog back North, we went East for a few miles and then it was a long shot to the South with the wind. It was a lot easier going, and we were pedaling fast. But the thing that grinds me down- flat terrain- was the order of the day on this stretch of the course. It was pancake flat! No coasting! 

A last look back up the Gents Race course from the intersection with the High Trestle Trail.

Ever since we'd gotten out of the checkpoint, I had an increasing sensation that something was wrong in my guts. At first it was a rumbly-tumbly feeling, then my guts started aching. Finally, by the time we reached the cut-off back to Slater, my guts were in full-on pain mode. I was riding fine, no issues, but the pain meant that I was no longer having any fun.

The team stopped to gather at this point to discuss what we wanted to do. A full-course finish was meaningless at this point, since D'Corn had to abandon. Bob was fine with heading back in to Slater. He'd had his fill of 'fun' for the day already. I motioned that I was ready to head back as well. Steve and Christopher were in for the last 14 miles, as they were both feeling the need to get more miles. So, we broke fellowship there. 

Cheers to the Careless Whispers and the Gents Race! It was a good run....

Bob had packed some 'road beers' and we broke those out as a final toast to the run of the Careless Whispers team and the Gents Race. It was a good run of years and I always looked forward to doing this event since I rode in the first one in 2011. 

But all good things must come to an end. I am very glad that I was able to participate with these fellows over the years. 

The organizers say that they have ideas for something different to take the place of this old event, but I do not know what those plans might be as of now. However that pans out, the old Renegade Gents Race, which evolved into just being "The Gents Race", has run its course and enters into memory. Five years from now, hardly anyone will care or remember the event, but I won't forget it as long as I can remember things. 

LATE BREAKING NEWS; 

Seen posted on Monday following the event

 Uhh..... Looks like we are still on! Careless Whispers, are we still on?......... 

Stay tuned.....

A "Hall Of Famer"

 Note: Today I interrupt the regular blogging for a Special Announcement:

 When I started riding bicycles I wasn't thinking I'd ever be a racer, a writer on the subject, a reviewer of things, or "famous", whatever that meant. I just wanted to ride my bike and I loved doing it. I always felt like cycling was a big part of keeping me sane and, well.....alive. 

So, when I got the chance to be a part of a bicycle shop late in 1993, I was thrilled. I not only had a job again, but I had a job doing things with cycling. My goal was to someday- somehow -give back to this activity I loved that I felt I owed a big part of my life to. 

I loved fixing bicycles, and I loved helping people out by doing that, spreading knowledge, and advocating for things that would enhance cycling like trail development and eventually sharing what I had learned from immersing myself in cycling via the new "world-wide internet". That eventually led to my reviewing gig, and not long before that,  a new job at a bike shop where I met Jeff Kerkove. Then a new chapter of my life opened up.

As you dear readers know- that story is being told here, every Sunday in my "Trans Iowa Stories" posts. But at first, Trans Iowa was just another way for me to extend my "giving back" to cycling. I had no further schemes for what we were doing to be anything but a venue for endurance cycling 'nut-jobs', as we lovingly referred to them as, to have a shot at doing an event we'd never heard of and thought was cool. 

Then one thing led to another and now this: I have been selected to be inducted in the inaugural class of the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame this June. I got an email confirmation yesterday.

Some say I was a 'shoe-in', or that there could not be a Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame without me in it. To you- if that is you - I say thank you!   

I don't know.....this is weird. But I will just say that apparently I gave back to cycling enough that people figured I should be recognized for that, and if that is close to the mark, then I am happy that I made a difference. That was the goal all along for me. 

But I also want to point out that I feel strongly that if you were associated with my events- any of them- and if you helped me out either by volunteering or by sponsoring my efforts, then you all are coming in this Hall of Fame with me. I could not have done any of this without any of you. 

So, congratulations to you! This is as much about you folks and companies that helped me out and assisted this gravel cycling thing as it is me. You are a Hall of Famer!

Note: The rest of my Gents Race recap will appear tomorrow.

A "Hall Of Famer"

 Note: Today I interrupt the regular blogging for a Special Announcement:

 When I started riding bicycles I wasn't thinking I'd ever be a racer, a writer on the subject, a reviewer of things, or "famous", whatever that meant. I just wanted to ride my bike and I loved doing it. I always felt like cycling was a big part of keeping me sane and, well.....alive. 

So, when I got the chance to be a part of a bicycle shop late in 1993, I was thrilled. I not only had a job again, but I had a job doing things with cycling. My goal was to someday- somehow -give back to this activity I loved that I felt I owed a big part of my life to. 

I loved fixing bicycles, and I loved helping people out by doing that, spreading knowledge, and advocating for things that would enhance cycling like trail development and eventually sharing what I had learned from immersing myself in cycling via the new "world-wide internet". That eventually led to my reviewing gig, and not long before that,  a new job at a bike shop where I met Jeff Kerkove. Then a new chapter of my life opened up.

As you dear readers know- that story is being told here, every Sunday in my "Trans Iowa Stories" posts. But at first, Trans Iowa was just another way for me to extend my "giving back" to cycling. I had no further schemes for what we were doing to be anything but a venue for endurance cycling 'nut-jobs', as we lovingly referred to them as, to have a shot at doing an event we'd never heard of and thought was cool. 

Then one thing led to another and now this: I have been selected to be inducted in the inaugural class of the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame this June. I got an email confirmation yesterday.

Some say I was a 'shoe-in', or that there could not be a Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame without me in it. To you- if that is you - I say thank you!   

I don't know.....this is weird. But I will just say that apparently I gave back to cycling enough that people figured I should be recognized for that, and if that is close to the mark, then I am happy that I made a difference. That was the goal all along for me. 

But I also want to point out that I feel strongly that if you were associated with my events- any of them- and if you helped me out either by volunteering or by sponsoring my efforts, then you all are coming in this Hall of Fame with me. I could not have done any of this without any of you. 

So, congratulations to you! This is as much about you folks and companies that helped me out and assisted this gravel cycling thing as it is me. You are a Hall of Famer!

Note: The rest of my Gents Race recap will appear tomorrow.

Gents Race: The Final Run: Part 1

I got down to Steve and Kathy's place on Friday

The last run of the (Renegade) Gents Race happened over the weekend. My plan was arranged such that I would be leaving Friday afternoon to drive the two hours down to Captain Steve's place and stay the night in his guest room. (THANK YOU Steve and Kathy!)

So, the drive went well. It was a pleasant day, but rain was forecast over night and snow was a possibility as well, but probably further North than where the Gents Race course was. Steve and I figured it might start out wet, but that eventually, with those Northwest winds, it would dry up fairly quickly. 

Steve and Kathy treated me to a fine Mexican dinner at a local eatery. Then we retired to their home where we capped of the evening with a couple glasses of whiskey and some great conversation. It was really good to catch up with Steve in this setting. Generally we are doing that on-the-fly during the event, and well, it isn't the same as a nice, relaxed, sit-down conversation. 

I got a good night's sleep and was up by 6:00am for our 8:40-something start time. Steve and I had a cuppa Joe and hit the road North for Slater, Iowa and the start venue at the Nitehawk bar. 

Steve getting ready at the parking lot just South of the start venue.

 Well, we got rain but we did not see a ton of puddles or standing water on the way up, so I was hopeful that we'd have firm roads. Once we got there, it was pretty chilly and windy. The temperatures were in the upper 30's at the start, so I had on my Showers Pass rain jacket which makes a great windbreaker and would shed water and mud well enough should we run across that.

Meanwhile, back in Waterloo, my wife texted me this image of the snow falling there Saturday morning.

Thankfully it did not snow, like it was back at home. I spoke with a few folks who drove down that morning from Waterloo and they said that it was very slippery with lots of cars in the ditch. Whew! When I heard that I was sure glad I came down on Friday afternoon!

The conga line forms outside the porta-potties in the lot at the Nitehawk.

Well, the team assembled and we had one sub in Christopher who was filling Sam's usual place on the team. This would be the Careless Whispers last go-round at the Gents Race. We were at every Gents Race save last year's event because it was postponed until June and that didn't work for us. So, ten years of Gents Races for us. (There was no Gents Race in 2020, of course)

Suddenly it was time to go! I'll get into what happened at the start and up to the end of the event tomorrow.

Gents Race: The Final Run: Part 1

I got down to Steve and Kathy's place on Friday

The last run of the (Renegade) Gents Race happened over the weekend. My plan was arranged such that I would be leaving Friday afternoon to drive the two hours down to Captain Steve's place and stay the night in his guest room. (THANK YOU Steve and Kathy!)

So, the drive went well. It was a pleasant day, but rain was forecast over night and snow was a possibility as well, but probably further North than where the Gents Race course was. Steve and I figured it might start out wet, but that eventually, with those Northwest winds, it would dry up fairly quickly. 

Steve and Kathy treated me to a fine Mexican dinner at a local eatery. Then we retired to their home where we capped of the evening with a couple glasses of whiskey and some great conversation. It was really good to catch up with Steve in this setting. Generally we are doing that on-the-fly during the event, and well, it isn't the same as a nice, relaxed, sit-down conversation. 

I got a good night's sleep and was up by 6:00am for our 8:40-something start time. Steve and I had a cuppa Joe and hit the road North for Slater, Iowa and the start venue at the Nitehawk bar. 

Steve getting ready at the parking lot just South of the start venue.

 Well, we got rain but we did not see a ton of puddles or standing water on the way up, so I was hopeful that we'd have firm roads. Once we got there, it was pretty chilly and windy. The temperatures were in the upper 30's at the start, so I had on my Showers Pass rain jacket which makes a great windbreaker and would shed water and mud well enough should we run across that.

Meanwhile, back in Waterloo, my wife texted me this image of the snow falling there Saturday morning.

Thankfully it did not snow, like it was back at home. I spoke with a few folks who drove down that morning from Waterloo and they said that it was very slippery with lots of cars in the ditch. Whew! When I heard that I was sure glad I came down on Friday afternoon!

The conga line forms outside the porta-potties in the lot at the Nitehawk.

Well, the team assembled and we had one sub in Christopher who was filling Sam's usual place on the team. This would be the Careless Whispers last go-round at the Gents Race. We were at every Gents Race save last year's event because it was postponed until June and that didn't work for us. So, ten years of Gents Races for us. (There was no Gents Race in 2020, of course)

Suddenly it was time to go! I'll get into what happened at the start and up to the end of the event tomorrow.

Trans Iowa Stories: Missing Persons

(L-R) GT, Ari, and Charlie.

  "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject  by clicking on the "Trans Iowa Stories" link under the blog header. Thanks and enjoy!  

In the lead up to the final Trans Iowa I would have normally been looking forward to seeing some people that I usually only got to see once a year, and that meant a lot to me. People who were big contributors to Trans Iowa, or supporters and riders in the event. It was our little 'family reunion", if you will, and I always was excited about this part of Trans Iowa. 

But v14 was a bit different. 

First of all, as has been mentioned in previous installments leading up to this, Jeremy Fry wasn't going to be helping me, so I was already feeling lost a bit due to that void. And there were even more 'holes', if you will, before the event ever got going that year which affected me in a negative way. People that would be missing. People I really looked forward to seeing every year.

This whole Trans Iowa deal was a huge load of work, no doubt about that, but the people- the relationships- that stemmed out of that event made it worth the while for me. Without many of these people, well, I found out what it was like. Let's just say that it wasn't quite the experience I had come to know without these people I am about to mention. It was sad, and I missed these people dearly. 

Wally Kilburg. Photographer and recon partner for years, wasn't at v14.

Take Wally Kilburg, for instance, who along with his best friend, George Keslin, were mainstays of the event since T.I.v7 when they manned Checkpoint #2 for me. After v8 the pair transitioned into final recon team mates and image takers for the event up until v13. Unfortunate circumstances with Wally's personal life made it so that he and George were not available to be at v14. I dearly missed them too.

Riders who were usually around at Trans Iowa, and good friends of mine, like Ari Andonopoulous and Michael Roe were not at that final Trans Iowa either. Nor was Sarah Cooper, who many do not know, but was a huge supporter of Trans Iowa behind the scenes. She would often send encouraging email messages at 'just' the right times, and I valued her appearance in the field of riders. 

Charlie Farrow didn't make v14 either, and I really missed his Cheshire grin and wit. His friend, Tim Ek, who was a dear friend of Charlie's and was a giant of support in Trans Iowa's middle years was not there. I missed seeing Andrea Cohen, who was a gritty rider and her presence was always welcomed at Trans Iowa, but was sadly missing for the last two. 

I know there were others I missed as well, but I wanted to also add that there were people that showed up. While I missed some of my rocks of steadiness in the event, I did have John and Celeste Mathias, Mike Johnson, Tony McGrane, and of course, Matt Gersib, who had become invaluable to me and the event over the past few Trans Iowas. 

My decision to keep the end of Trans Iowa under wraps had its dark and light sides.

But that said, there was a certain sadness I felt and could not share. I knew it was the last Trans Iowa, and they did not. I knew that their decisions not to come, as justified as those were, meant that they would never have the chance again to do a Trans Iowa, and would that knowledge that T.I.v14 was the end have changed that? Well..... That's one of those things I felt badly about going into the last Trans Iowa.

So, I approached the event with a definite note of sadness that hung over everything I was doing. While I would have preferred that everyone I was missing knew about the impending decision to end Trans Iowa, I had to sacrifice those thoughts of doing that due to the people who would have descended on the event for their selfish reasons of "being there" to witness the end of the run. I also could not have this decision influencing what riders might do just to finish the event despite incurring injuries, or bad decisions which may have negatively affected others. 

And so now here I was. On the cusp of entering into the final times I would do tasks and decisions for Trans Iowa. I was full of emotions. I was afraid I would lose it at some point, and I was afraid of not being diligent enough to allow myself to experience everything about this last Trans Iowa. I was afraid I'd get too busy and distracted that I would miss the moments I wanted to burn into my memory for as long as I have a memory. I was afraid this last Trans Iowa would be the one that would have that dreaded injury to a rider, or worse, a death. 

One last shot at it. Would I get through it without any major issues? 

Next: The Days Leading Up To The Final Trans Iowa

Trans Iowa Stories: Missing Persons

(L-R) GT, Ari, and Charlie.

  "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject  by clicking on the "Trans Iowa Stories" link under the blog header. Thanks and enjoy!  

In the lead up to the final Trans Iowa I would have normally been looking forward to seeing some people that I usually only got to see once a year, and that meant a lot to me. People who were big contributors to Trans Iowa, or supporters and riders in the event. It was our little 'family reunion", if you will, and I always was excited about this part of Trans Iowa. 

But v14 was a bit different. 

First of all, as has been mentioned in previous installments leading up to this, Jeremy Fry wasn't going to be helping me, so I was already feeling lost a bit due to that void. And there were even more 'holes', if you will, before the event ever got going that year which affected me in a negative way. People that would be missing. People I really looked forward to seeing every year.

This whole Trans Iowa deal was a huge load of work, no doubt about that, but the people- the relationships- that stemmed out of that event made it worth the while for me. Without many of these people, well, I found out what it was like. Let's just say that it wasn't quite the experience I had come to know without these people I am about to mention. It was sad, and I missed these people dearly. 

Wally Kilburg. Photographer and recon partner for years, wasn't at v14.

Take Wally Kilburg, for instance, who along with his best friend, George Keslin, were mainstays of the event since T.I.v7 when they manned Checkpoint #2 for me. After v8 the pair transitioned into final recon team mates and image takers for the event up until v13. Unfortunate circumstances with Wally's personal life made it so that he and George were not available to be at v14. I dearly missed them too.

Riders who were usually around at Trans Iowa, and good friends of mine, like Ari Andonopoulous and Michael Roe were not at that final Trans Iowa either. Nor was Sarah Cooper, who many do not know, but was a huge supporter of Trans Iowa behind the scenes. She would often send encouraging email messages at 'just' the right times, and I valued her appearance in the field of riders. 

Charlie Farrow didn't make v14 either, and I really missed his Cheshire grin and wit. His friend, Tim Ek, who was a dear friend of Charlie's and was a giant of support in Trans Iowa's middle years was not there. I missed seeing Andrea Cohen, who was a gritty rider and her presence was always welcomed at Trans Iowa, but was sadly missing for the last two. 

I know there were others I missed as well, but I wanted to also add that there were people that showed up. While I missed some of my rocks of steadiness in the event, I did have John and Celeste Mathias, Mike Johnson, Tony McGrane, and of course, Matt Gersib, who had become invaluable to me and the event over the past few Trans Iowas. 

My decision to keep the end of Trans Iowa under wraps had its dark and light sides.

But that said, there was a certain sadness I felt and could not share. I knew it was the last Trans Iowa, and they did not. I knew that their decisions not to come, as justified as those were, meant that they would never have the chance again to do a Trans Iowa, and would that knowledge that T.I.v14 was the end have changed that? Well..... That's one of those things I felt badly about going into the last Trans Iowa.

So, I approached the event with a definite note of sadness that hung over everything I was doing. While I would have preferred that everyone I was missing knew about the impending decision to end Trans Iowa, I had to sacrifice those thoughts of doing that due to the people who would have descended on the event for their selfish reasons of "being there" to witness the end of the run. I also could not have this decision influencing what riders might do just to finish the event despite incurring injuries, or bad decisions which may have negatively affected others. 

And so now here I was. On the cusp of entering into the final times I would do tasks and decisions for Trans Iowa. I was full of emotions. I was afraid I would lose it at some point, and I was afraid of not being diligent enough to allow myself to experience everything about this last Trans Iowa. I was afraid I'd get too busy and distracted that I would miss the moments I wanted to burn into my memory for as long as I have a memory. I was afraid this last Trans Iowa would be the one that would have that dreaded injury to a rider, or worse, a death. 

One last shot at it. Would I get through it without any major issues? 

Next: The Days Leading Up To The Final Trans Iowa

WW4M: SILCA Pista Plus Floor Pump

 This is another "WW4M" post. That means "What Works For Me" and it may not work for you. So, take that with the following words into consideration..... Also- Standard Disclaimer.

I've waxed on about the SILCA Pista Plus floor pump on RidingGravel.com before, but I like this pump so much I had to add a "WW4M" post on it here as well. I was recently reminded how good this pump is again after using it for bike tune-ups I am performing for an upcoming bicycle rodeo that my church is putting on for under-served kids in Waterloo here. 

What is ironic about my experience with the Pista Plus is that I would be writing about it here even though at first I did not understand 100% what the pump could do. Which, by the way, I admit to my own shame, because I initially reviewed the pump before I knew about some of those features. 

In my defense I did not clearly see any instructions back in 2018 when I first reviewed the pump that would have informed me of this pump's feature set and how to use/access them. Specifically the Schrader valve compatibility. It was my friend in SoCal, Michael, who tipped me off that this pump's chuck worked with both Presta and Schrader valves. Finally, I figured that out and I was off to the races. 

Okay, so let's get something out of the way right now. This pump retails at $200.00. That's a lot of coin, no matter how you slice it. You can pick up what seem to be really good pumps for half the price of the SILCA, or less. (See another of my "WW4M" posts here for a great example) So- why? Why spend what the asking price is for this pump? To answer that, I have to list the things that annoy me about other pumps first. 

The three-footed design of the base, and the excellent gauge, are just what you need and nothing you don't.

So, I have used probably every design for floor pumps over my span of 29 years as a bicycle mechanic. From cheaply made plastic affairs to highly polished, steel and aluminum masterpieces of pump design. So, I think I have a good background to discern what is "good" and what is "not-so-good" in floor pumps. Here are a few things that annoy me about floor pump designs in general:

• Poorly executed pump heads- This has to be the #1 most common flaw of floor pumps.
• Plastic: Sorry, but anything plastic drops the function and feel of any pump to a "less-than-good" experience. Generally speaking, the quality and longevity of high performance output is lessened by use of plastics in pump designs. 
• Hose length: Too long or too short. Add in how the pump head/hose are stowed between uses here. THAT can be a really frustrating detail if it is not done well. 
• Related to the first bullet point, but deserves its own mention: Locking levers for valves. I despise these things. They can get in the way on smaller sized wheels, (think kid's bikes), and they can lead to bent or torn valve stems on tubes or tubeless valve stems. While some designs have levers that are okay, the best pump heads don't need that lever. 
• Sloppy bushings: Ever used a pump that seemed to wobble when the handle was pushed down? Not good.
• A floor pump that is easily tipped over when not in use. Honestly, SILCA has what is probably the worst offender in this way in their previous Pista pump which was produced for decades. But many current designs seem to want to fall over even if you barely touch them. 

Probably the best Schrader valve pump head interface in floor pumps today

Okay- now I want to get into what makes the SILCA Pista Plus a really great floor pump. First off, this pump probably has the very best Schrader valve attachment in floor pumps today. It is not novel- I've seen mini-pumps with this head design from other companies, but I don't see this on many floor pumps and definitely not executed as well as the SILCA's is. 

The head screws on- a very important point- and that bit that screws on can rotate independently of the hose itself, so you are not winding up the hose when you attach the pump head to the valve stem. This allows you to use both hands on the finely crafted ash wood handle, (very nice on the hands!), and you do not have to worry about that valve blowing off the stem during inflation, like you do with a lot of other floor pumps with friction style pump heads. You do not have any annoying locking lever to deal with, so pumping up those 8" kid's bike tires is a breeze. 

To switch to Presta, simply screw the Presta head into the Schrader fitting. That tiny black button is a bleed valve.

On the Presta side of things, this pump uses the tried and true design which SILCA is known for. All parts are replaceable, and the design is renowned for its ability to stay on a valve, even at ridiculously high track bike pressures of 200+psi. I'm not going over 40psi here! So I'm good to go. 

Speaking of pressure, that gauge is accurate to within 2%, which is pretty darn good. I've checked it against my two different digital gauges here and the Pista Plus is always spot on with those gauges. Many floor pumps have really inaccurate gauges. It's pretty rare to see a gauge so consistently accurate with my digital measuring devices that I have. In fact, I'm so convinced that the Pista Plus gauge is good that I quit double checking it. 

The hose stows away in a perfect position every time.

SILCA says that this pump is designed to "...outlast the rest of your cycling equipment." Hmm... Big claim there! Now, I can tell you that this pump has been in regular usage here since the Fall of 2018, so how has it held up for three plus years? 

Really, it works just like the day I unboxed it. I've noted no degradation of performance. I've seen lesser floor pumps get pretty ratty and almost unusable within a year of steady usage. Pumps that cost $50.00 or more. So, I may have gone through three, maybe four of those by this point, had I relied on a "cheaper option". 

You can do the math there. But that doesn't even begin to touch upon the ease of use for this pump, and the simplicity of its design, which is very satisfying to use. Other pumps may have small, frustrating quirks about them which you may be just passing over. But that stuff weighs and adds up over time. You don't have this at all with the SILCA pump. In fact, I look forward to using it. It works that well. 

So, is it worth 200 bucks? Well, in a world filled with immediate satisfaction and low priced options the initial, knee-jerk reaction is to say "No!". Two-hundred is 'crazy money' for a floor pump. But when you stop to think that - perhaps- this just might be the last floor pump you'll ever have to buy, then things maybe become a different story for you. 

Sure- If you never use floor pumps, are the type of cyclist that rides only on really nice days, and only has one, maybe two bicycle- Okay. This is overkill for you. If, however, you ride more often than not, all year long, and own several bicycles? This should be on your radar. Did you spend thousands on your bike? This pump should be considered for that bike. Use your head. I think after careful consideration that a floor pump that is serviceable, has durable, long-lasting performance, an accurate gauge, and is easy to use for decades, that you might begin to see that yes- this pump is worth 200 bucks. Because SILCA is only ever going to sell you one of these. It's truly all you'll ever need. 

Those other pumps.....? 

WW4M: SILCA Pista Plus Floor Pump

 This is another "WW4M" post. That means "What Works For Me" and it may not work for you. So, take that with the following words into consideration..... Also- Standard Disclaimer.

I've waxed on about the SILCA Pista Plus floor pump on RidingGravel.com before, but I like this pump so much I had to add a "WW4M" post on it here as well. I was recently reminded how good this pump is again after using it for bike tune-ups I am performing for an upcoming bicycle rodeo that my church is putting on for under-served kids in Waterloo here. 

What is ironic about my experience with the Pista Plus is that I would be writing about it here even though at first I did not understand 100% what the pump could do. Which, by the way, I admit to my own shame, because I initially reviewed the pump before I knew about some of those features. 

In my defense I did not clearly see any instructions back in 2018 when I first reviewed the pump that would have informed me of this pump's feature set and how to use/access them. Specifically the Schrader valve compatibility. It was my friend in SoCal, Michael, who tipped me off that this pump's chuck worked with both Presta and Schrader valves. Finally, I figured that out and I was off to the races. 

Okay, so let's get something out of the way right now. This pump retails at $200.00. That's a lot of coin, no matter how you slice it. You can pick up what seem to be really good pumps for half the price of the SILCA, or less. (See another of my "WW4M" posts here for a great example) So- why? Why spend what the asking price is for this pump? To answer that, I have to list the things that annoy me about other pumps first. 

The three-footed design of the base, and the excellent gauge, are just what you need and nothing you don't.

So, I have used probably every design for floor pumps over my span of 29 years as a bicycle mechanic. From cheaply made plastic affairs to highly polished, steel and aluminum masterpieces of pump design. So, I think I have a good background to discern what is "good" and what is "not-so-good" in floor pumps. Here are a few things that annoy me about floor pump designs in general:

• Poorly executed pump heads- This has to be the #1 most common flaw of floor pumps.
• Plastic: Sorry, but anything plastic drops the function and feel of any pump to a "less-than-good" experience. Generally speaking, the quality and longevity of high performance output is lessened by use of plastics in pump designs. 
• Hose length: Too long or too short. Add in how the pump head/hose are stowed between uses here. THAT can be a really frustrating detail if it is not done well. 
• Related to the first bullet point, but deserves its own mention: Locking levers for valves. I despise these things. They can get in the way on smaller sized wheels, (think kid's bikes), and they can lead to bent or torn valve stems on tubes or tubeless valve stems. While some designs have levers that are okay, the best pump heads don't need that lever. 
• Sloppy bushings: Ever used a pump that seemed to wobble when the handle was pushed down? Not good.
• A floor pump that is easily tipped over when not in use. Honestly, SILCA has what is probably the worst offender in this way in their previous Pista pump which was produced for decades. But many current designs seem to want to fall over even if you barely touch them. 

Probably the best Schrader valve pump head interface in floor pumps today

Okay- now I want to get into what makes the SILCA Pista Plus a really great floor pump. First off, this pump probably has the very best Schrader valve attachment in floor pumps today. It is not novel- I've seen mini-pumps with this head design from other companies, but I don't see this on many floor pumps and definitely not executed as well as the SILCA's is. 

The head screws on- a very important point- and that bit that screws on can rotate independently of the hose itself, so you are not winding up the hose when you attach the pump head to the valve stem. This allows you to use both hands on the finely crafted ash wood handle, (very nice on the hands!), and you do not have to worry about that valve blowing off the stem during inflation, like you do with a lot of other floor pumps with friction style pump heads. You do not have any annoying locking lever to deal with, so pumping up those 8" kid's bike tires is a breeze. 

To switch to Presta, simply screw the Presta head into the Schrader fitting. That tiny black button is a bleed valve.

On the Presta side of things, this pump uses the tried and true design which SILCA is known for. All parts are replaceable, and the design is renowned for its ability to stay on a valve, even at ridiculously high track bike pressures of 200+psi. I'm not going over 40psi here! So I'm good to go. 

Speaking of pressure, that gauge is accurate to within 2%, which is pretty darn good. I've checked it against my two different digital gauges here and the Pista Plus is always spot on with those gauges. Many floor pumps have really inaccurate gauges. It's pretty rare to see a gauge so consistently accurate with my digital measuring devices that I have. In fact, I'm so convinced that the Pista Plus gauge is good that I quit double checking it. 

The hose stows away in a perfect position every time.

SILCA says that this pump is designed to "...outlast the rest of your cycling equipment." Hmm... Big claim there! Now, I can tell you that this pump has been in regular usage here since the Fall of 2018, so how has it held up for three plus years? 

Really, it works just like the day I unboxed it. I've noted no degradation of performance. I've seen lesser floor pumps get pretty ratty and almost unusable within a year of steady usage. Pumps that cost $50.00 or more. So, I may have gone through three, maybe four of those by this point, had I relied on a "cheaper option". 

You can do the math there. But that doesn't even begin to touch upon the ease of use for this pump, and the simplicity of its design, which is very satisfying to use. Other pumps may have small, frustrating quirks about them which you may be just passing over. But that stuff weighs and adds up over time. You don't have this at all with the SILCA pump. In fact, I look forward to using it. It works that well. 

So, is it worth 200 bucks? Well, in a world filled with immediate satisfaction and low priced options the initial, knee-jerk reaction is to say "No!". Two-hundred is 'crazy money' for a floor pump. But when you stop to think that - perhaps- this just might be the last floor pump you'll ever have to buy, then things maybe become a different story for you. 

Sure- If you never use floor pumps, are the type of cyclist that rides only on really nice days, and only has one, maybe two bicycle- Okay. This is overkill for you. If, however, you ride more often than not, all year long, and own several bicycles? This should be on your radar. Did you spend thousands on your bike? This pump should be considered for that bike. Use your head. I think after careful consideration that a floor pump that is serviceable, has durable, long-lasting performance, an accurate gauge, and is easy to use for decades, that you might begin to see that yes- this pump is worth 200 bucks. Because SILCA is only ever going to sell you one of these. It's truly all you'll ever need. 

Those other pumps.....? 

Friday News And Views

 Gravel World Series Calendar Set

Back in February the UCI's calendar for the inaugural Gravel Worlds Series was leaked and dates were talked about, with the Jingle GX Gravel event listed as the final event in the series, Well, apparently that was not correct. Now the calendar has been officially released by the UCI and it would appear that the Jingle GX date is actually in August. August 6th, to be precise.

Here are the dates for the UCI Gravel World Series

Comments: This pushes what used to be "Jingle Cross", an early December date CX event, into August then? Anyway, even if the cross race is later, calling the gravel event "jingle anything" just seems, well......silly. Can't we disassociate a World Cup level gravel event from that? Guess not. I just don't think the marketing of the whole "jingle/Christmas/Grinch" thing means anything here. 

Interesting that the UCI dates in the USA coincide with each other but the rest of the calendar is kind of a logistical nightmare. We'll see how many athletes manage to actually make all the series. The second, Iowa date is two weeks before the Pirate Cycling League's Gravel Worlds, which is also interesting to note here. 

All this hoopla and the UCI says that the rules will be lax for a couple of years until they can "evaluate things" regarding what constitutes legal bicycles to use and whatnot. What?!! As if it already hasn't been "figured out". Wow... Pretty lame statement, UCI people. Read the room here. It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to actually - you know- make rules today. It isn't as if the UCI is going to go all in on being "inclusive" with all the other socially conscientious efforts of the day seen in other bigger gravel events.  Whatever..... My confidence that this will be anything but another UCI circus show is pretty slim to nothing here. 

American Classic Tires Upgraded:

American Classic announced Wednesday that they have upgraded all their gravel tires with new "Stage 5S Armor" puncture protection, new changes to the Kimberlite model to make it roll faster, and that the Kimberlite will also come in a 35mm width now. All the rest of the gravel tire range will be available in 700 X 40mm, 700 X 50mm, and 650B X 47mm. Prices have also increased slightly across the board, but are still far less than most mainstream company's gravel tires. 

In addition, American Classic now offers a brown sidewall in the gravel range alongside the tan and blackwall versions already on offer. American Classic also claims weights have been slightly reduced across the range. 

Comments: I reviewed a few American Classic gravel tires here last year.  These new updates would give me reason to have a slightly better view of these tires if the claims are true. I like the Kimberlite, actually, and it reminds me a lot of the Donnelly Strada USH. So, let's compare....

The Donnelly has 240TPI casings, (okay- they add layers to get that number, most likely, but still...) and their tires list as being slightly lighter. The cost is listed as being $85.00, which compares to $45.00 each at American Classic's new price. 

So, are the Donnelly tires worth it? Well, I have the Strada USH tires and they do have a puncture protection layer, maybe not to the extent that American Classic does, but it is there. Despite the belt under the tread, the Donnelly is one of my favorite tires from the standpoint of "ride feel". The American Classic tires did not have that same feel, but.... Now they are supposedly upgraded. 

I'll have to see about getting some 700 X 40 Kimberlites in and then I'll find out....  

Last Time For The Gents To Roll:

Tomorrow I am to be a participant in what has been billed as the last Renegade Gents event. It will be a bittersweet experience, I am sure, but in the end, I hope that our team has fun and completes the route.

I've told the story before, but since this is the last Gents Race, I will hazard one more retelling- I was invited to be on a team at the inaugural "Renegade Gentleman's Race" back in 2011. I was invited to be on the five man team by Steve Fuller, who I knew through Trans Iowa. But I had no idea who the three other team members were, and being that they all were from the Des Moines area at that time, I was the odd man out. 

So I went in with the attitude of just being as compliant to the team's will and doing so as quietly as I could. Seeing as how this was basically a blind date with three guys I had to adapt to on the fly. It was a bit daunting and I was certainly anxious about it, but after about the halfway mark of that first Gents event, I was feeling much better about things. 

In the end I gained three new friends. Over the years that I have done the Gents Race I have made a lot of memories. So, now it all comes to an end with this weekend's event. I'm really glad I was a part of the run of Gents Race events. I am happy to have made a lot of new acquaintances and friends out of the deal. Now for one more time at it.......

Hopefully I'll have a report up this coming Monday.

Reynolds G700 wheel. Image courtesy of Sun/Rigle'/Reynolds.

Wheels And More Wheels:

Sea Otter is about to happen so the taps on the news faucets are opening up again. We really haven't seen the likes of this for the last couple of years due to "you know what". 

Sun Ringle', Reynolds, and Industry Nine all released news about new wheels for crushed rock roads within a couple of days of each other. 

Sun Ringle', who are best known for value driven aluminum wheels, have a new hoop set out dubbed the Duroc 30. It's a 26mm inner rim width wheel and comes with the newly designed Ringle' hubs. Through axle, Center Lock, blah, blah, blah... You've heard it all before. Pretty decent wheels. Then you have the Reynolds "Black Label" G700's in carbon. Offset spoke bed, low spoke count, 25mm inner rim width, light, new hubs. 

Both models come in 650B as well.

I didn't get pricing, but I would assume that will be available soon from the Sun Ringle/Reynolds sites. (Both companies under the Hayes banner these days) 

Then you have the new Industry Nine wheels called the 1/1 Ultralite Carbon. Yes....carbon rims, and the wheel set weighs in at a claimed 1440 grams and comes with a lifetime warranty. All that for 1600 bucks. 

The carbon wheel market for MTB and gravel has really heated up over the past couple of years. It used to be that carbon wheels meant an instant 2K addition to the bike price tag. Not anymore. While I know of some carbon wheel sets hovering around 1K, most are now around that 1500 dollar range with pretty low weight and durability. 

That's a wrap for this week. Get out and ride if you can!

Friday News And Views

 Gravel World Series Calendar Set

Back in February the UCI's calendar for the inaugural Gravel Worlds Series was leaked and dates were talked about, with the Jingle GX Gravel event listed as the final event in the series, Well, apparently that was not correct. Now the calendar has been officially released by the UCI and it would appear that the Jingle GX date is actually in August. August 6th, to be precise.

Here are the dates for the UCI Gravel World Series

Comments: This pushes what used to be "Jingle Cross", an early December date CX event, into August then? Anyway, even if the cross race is later, calling the gravel event "jingle anything" just seems, well......silly. Can't we disassociate a World Cup level gravel event from that? Guess not. I just don't think the marketing of the whole "jingle/Christmas/Grinch" thing means anything here. 

Interesting that the UCI dates in the USA coincide with each other but the rest of the calendar is kind of a logistical nightmare. We'll see how many athletes manage to actually make all the series. The second, Iowa date is two weeks before the Pirate Cycling League's Gravel Worlds, which is also interesting to note here. 

All this hoopla and the UCI says that the rules will be lax for a couple of years until they can "evaluate things" regarding what constitutes legal bicycles to use and whatnot. What?!! As if it already hasn't been "figured out". Wow... Pretty lame statement, UCI people. Read the room here. It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to actually - you know- make rules today. It isn't as if the UCI is going to go all in on being "inclusive" with all the other socially conscientious efforts of the day seen in other bigger gravel events.  Whatever..... My confidence that this will be anything but another UCI circus show is pretty slim to nothing here. 

American Classic Tires Upgraded:

American Classic announced Wednesday that they have upgraded all their gravel tires with new "Stage 5S Armor" puncture protection, new changes to the Kimberlite model to make it roll faster, and that the Kimberlite will also come in a 35mm width now. All the rest of the gravel tire range will be available in 700 X 40mm, 700 X 50mm, and 650B X 47mm. Prices have also increased slightly across the board, but are still far less than most mainstream company's gravel tires. 

In addition, American Classic now offers a brown sidewall in the gravel range alongside the tan and blackwall versions already on offer. American Classic also claims weights have been slightly reduced across the range. 

Comments: I reviewed a few American Classic gravel tires here last year.  These new updates would give me reason to have a slightly better view of these tires if the claims are true. I like the Kimberlite, actually, and it reminds me a lot of the Donnelly Strada USH. So, let's compare....

The Donnelly has 240TPI casings, (okay- they add layers to get that number, most likely, but still...) and their tires list as being slightly lighter. The cost is listed as being $85.00, which compares to $45.00 each at American Classic's new price. 

So, are the Donnelly tires worth it? Well, I have the Strada USH tires and they do have a puncture protection layer, maybe not to the extent that American Classic does, but it is there. Despite the belt under the tread, the Donnelly is one of my favorite tires from the standpoint of "ride feel". The American Classic tires did not have that same feel, but.... Now they are supposedly upgraded. 

I'll have to see about getting some 700 X 40 Kimberlites in and then I'll find out....  

Last Time For The Gents To Roll:

Tomorrow I am to be a participant in what has been billed as the last Renegade Gents event. It will be a bittersweet experience, I am sure, but in the end, I hope that our team has fun and completes the route.

I've told the story before, but since this is the last Gents Race, I will hazard one more retelling- I was invited to be on a team at the inaugural "Renegade Gentleman's Race" back in 2011. I was invited to be on the five man team by Steve Fuller, who I knew through Trans Iowa. But I had no idea who the three other team members were, and being that they all were from the Des Moines area at that time, I was the odd man out. 

So I went in with the attitude of just being as compliant to the team's will and doing so as quietly as I could. Seeing as how this was basically a blind date with three guys I had to adapt to on the fly. It was a bit daunting and I was certainly anxious about it, but after about the halfway mark of that first Gents event, I was feeling much better about things. 

In the end I gained three new friends. Over the years that I have done the Gents Race I have made a lot of memories. So, now it all comes to an end with this weekend's event. I'm really glad I was a part of the run of Gents Race events. I am happy to have made a lot of new acquaintances and friends out of the deal. Now for one more time at it.......

Hopefully I'll have a report up this coming Monday.

Reynolds G700 wheel. Image courtesy of Sun/Rigle'/Reynolds.

Wheels And More Wheels:

Sea Otter is about to happen so the taps on the news faucets are opening up again. We really haven't seen the likes of this for the last couple of years due to "you know what". 

Sun Ringle', Reynolds, and Industry Nine all released news about new wheels for crushed rock roads within a couple of days of each other. 

Sun Ringle', who are best known for value driven aluminum wheels, have a new hoop set out dubbed the Duroc 30. It's a 26mm inner rim width wheel and comes with the newly designed Ringle' hubs. Through axle, Center Lock, blah, blah, blah... You've heard it all before. Pretty decent wheels. Then you have the Reynolds "Black Label" G700's in carbon. Offset spoke bed, low spoke count, 25mm inner rim width, light, new hubs. 

Both models come in 650B as well.

I didn't get pricing, but I would assume that will be available soon from the Sun Ringle/Reynolds sites. (Both companies under the Hayes banner these days) 

Then you have the new Industry Nine wheels called the 1/1 Ultralite Carbon. Yes....carbon rims, and the wheel set weighs in at a claimed 1440 grams and comes with a lifetime warranty. All that for 1600 bucks. 

The carbon wheel market for MTB and gravel has really heated up over the past couple of years. It used to be that carbon wheels meant an instant 2K addition to the bike price tag. Not anymore. While I know of some carbon wheel sets hovering around 1K, most are now around that 1500 dollar range with pretty low weight and durability. 

That's a wrap for this week. Get out and ride if you can!