Bikes Of 2024: Blackborow DS (Special Ten Year Review!)

 It's another late November/December here on the blog. You know what that means? Yep! Another round of my bikes I used in 2024. This round-up will not include some of the bikes I did not use this year much, or at all. I focus only on the bikes that played a big role in my riding during this year.  As always, any changes or future plans for any bike I feature will also be detailed. I hope that you enjoy this year's round-up. 

The Blackborow DS right after I built it up in 2014

 Special Ten Year Review:

Today marks the day that ten years ago I rode the first time on the Blackborow DS fat bike I have. It was right after I was able to pay off the shop where I purchased it from on my way home from work that day. 

This bike isn't used a whole lot these days, mostly due to climate issues which render our Winters here as very dry, warmer than they should be, and with little snow. There are excpetions, of course, but if last year is any indication, we only had one major snow event and very little time to actually enjoy the snow we did get. 

Thanksgiving Day morning, 2014

But we have had some pretty good years, mostly early on in the decade since I purchased this bike, and I am happy I got the thing. The idea, at least initially, was to get this bike as a solution for Winter commutes on city streets covered in snow and whatever chemical concoction the City decides to spray on the streets for ice melting. Whatever the stuff is, it eats drive train parts up, and I was tired of the sacrifice to the whims of Winter. 

The Blackborow DS has a "dinglespeed" drive train, which is a parallel single speed set up which has cogs that can use the same length chain but offer two distinct ratios. There is a "cruising" speed and a "crawling" speed. That's it. Oh! And you have to manually change the gears by dropping the rear wheel, moving the chain by hand, and reinstalling the rear wheel. Kind of a pain, but once you get the hang of it, it goes smoothly enough. 

From the very first ride in 2014

The other reason I wanted this bike was because, at the time I bought it, the Blackborow had the widest rims and tires you could get. This meant that it had the best possible flotation, and that is what I found lacking in my Mukluks. 

I was pleased with how things went when I got the bike. It handled very well. The tires did indeed float and I was able to cut trail in snow as deep as 8". Slightly packed trail was all I needed to make a go of things. So, for the ungroomed trails I was used to, this bike was the cat's pajamas. 

I experimented with a front suspension fork for one Summer

The Blackborow DS was tried with a front suspension fork, and while that was fun, it was kind of a needless device because it was going to just be dead weight for much of the sort of riding I would end up doing with this bike. That was due to our area being mostly flat, often muddy, and sandy in Summer. Winter was snowy, sometimes, and so a front suspension fork wasn't ideal. 

Circumnavigating small lakes is fun on the Blackborow DS. Image by Jacob Stevenson.

While trying to find places to ride where a bike like this is an advantage is sometimes tough to do, the Blackborow DS does come in handy at times. I really enjoy circumnavigating lakes and ponds around here with it. However; the bottom line is snow for this bike, and that is where the whole design of the Blackborow DS comes alive, at least for me it does. 

Post-holed and bumpy trail is no match for the Blackborow DS.

Cold streets and alleys are fun when it is snowy. A January pose over the Cedar River here.

The bike has had a few changes, but very few. There was the dalliance with suspension, but most of the changes have been with the handle bar. I ran the stock Salsa bar for a while, sometimes with a pair of bar ends. Then I got a Jones Carbon H Bar. That's been on the bike ever since. 

Somewhere along the way I came upon a Thomson aluminum post and swapped that out for the stock one, and the saddle was changed to a Silverado. But that is all that I have done on this bike. Even the original drive train is still intact! 

Tracks I laid in about 8" of snow in Exchange Park in Waterloo, Iowa with the Blackborow DS

The Blackborow DS was awesome, but with the little bit that I rode it, I was starting to feel like I did not need it. Then I got the Ti Muk 2 which was an even better match for Waterloo's messy streets with its 14 speed Rohloff internal geared hub. I often only really needed 4" tires with the way things have been with our weather. So, in 2021, I was actively trying to sell the bike.

I had a couple of suitors and I came -this- close to selling it, but the potential buyer backed out at the last minute, leaving me with the bike. Then I ended up riding it that Winter and regretted trying to sell it. So, I took it off the market and well..... 

This bike is really good  at what it was designed to do. But what it was designed to do is something I don't come across often enough to even wear out the drive train. So, it sits a lot of the time until Winter comes and it makes a ton of sense for what? Two weeks? Maybe, if we are lucky, that's the sort of Winter we get. Now, that all may change this Winter, but I am not holding my breath.

And if I needed a bike with lots of flotation? Well, there are bikes I could get now that have more than I'd ever need, but why bother when I've got all I need? It is a conundrum and so the Blackborow DS sits most of the year until those days when it snows a lot and trails get groomed. Then the bike makes a ton of sense and I have a blast on it. It does the thing and it does it well. I really don't need to look anywhere else.

People Of 2024: Rob Evans

  In my travels and life during the year, I have been blessed to be supported, befriended, and on occasion visited by some pretty awesome folks. Sometimes I visited them. (Hopefully they were equally blessed!) I wanted to take some extra space to recognize and celebrate these people at the end of the year. I hope you gain some insight and appreciation for what these people mean to me this year and beyond. 

Rob Evans (R) and I at Mid-South in March of 2024

First of all, I know this one will come as somewhat of a shock to Rob because he is a regular reader here. (Don't spit out yer coffee, Rob!) 

Anyway, as I stated, Rob is a regular reader here, and I am super grateful for that. However; Rob has been a big supporter of rides I have put on in the past. He was, and is always, very welcoming to me wherever he runs across me. Like at Mid-South, above, Rob grabbed me for an image.  I think he shouted me out several more times, basically whenever he saw me, which was really nice of him.

Mass chaos at Mid-South's oasis. Rob Evans saved my bacon here!

In fact, had it not been for Rob, and the group he was with, Mid-South would have been a lot more miserable than it was. Not that Mid-South was miserable, just that it would have been without Rob's help. Since I had to throw everything for that trip together in a frenzy, I really did not do my due diligence in regard to researching the necessary tactics to complete the event's half distance. So, when I arrived at a mid-course oasis, I had no resupply waiting, or planned.

In steps Rob, who spied me in the throng of cyclists, waved me over, and offered me the opportunity to take from their spread of goodies. I'll tell ya what, those cookies hit the spot and likely saved the day for me. Had this been all Rob had done for me in 2024, it would have been enough to land him here on this list, but there was more. 

Rob taking a picture of the frying pan in Brandon, Iowa during the Victory Ride in June.

Another person who will be showing up in this series, Warren Weibe, set up a ride in June for me to enjoy called the Victory Ride. I did not know who might show up. I figured maybe a few local riders would enjoin in the festivities. I was correct to think this would be true, but what I did not count on was Rob showing up from Nebraska and him bringing his friends with him. This is a several hours long trip, by the way, just to show up for a group ride.

So, not only did I get to see Rob again, ride with him again, but I met some new folks in the process and gained new friends. This was unexpected and awesome. So, a bonus for me and a definite improvement on 2024 was being able to have Rob be a big part of my cycling life. Thank you, Rob!

Bikes Of 2024: Karate Monkey

It's another late November/December here on the blog. You know what that means? Yep! Another round of my bikes I used in 2024. This round-up will not include some of the bikes I did not use this year much, or at all. I focus only on the bikes that played a big role in my riding during this year.  

As always, any changes or future plans for any bike I feature will also be detailed. I hope that you enjoy this year's round-up. 

The Karate Monkey I've had since 2003

This bike is a survivor, a bike that was an example of a trend that was destined to take over mountain biking, and a bike that is dear to me for several reasons. The 2003 Karate Monkey in Campstove Green. Now a commuter bike, for the most part, it is still one of my favorite bikes. 

The bike is a "survivor" because I almost had to retire it permanently at one point. Before it became my main gravel bike in 2004/2005, the Karate Monkey was at first my main mountain bike, then it went into commuter duty for several years. This meant it was ridden through Winter for several Winter's worth of salt, grime, and precipitation. This ended in a situation where my bottom bracket went bad and I needed to replace it, but it was frozen into the steel frame. 

The Karate Monkey was my first gravel grinder. Here seen in 2006

I was busy, I was doing a LOT of review work on 29" bicycles and products, so the Karate Monkey ended up being pushed to the darkest corners of the shop for several years. Then, around 2013, I decided to start working on the bike again. It took quite the effort, but the bottom bracket was extracted, and the Karate Monkey lived again to ride another day about eight or nine years ago now.

Last year I converted the Karate Monkey back to a flat bar bike for the first time in about 20 years! I did ride it flat bar at first, but not for very long. Now it is not only back to a flat bar, but I installed cantilever brakes last year for the first time on this bike.  

The set up hasn't changed for this year, but I did install a WTB TPU tube in the back tire for testing which has been awesome so far. I commuted on this bike for much of the year, but recently that duty has fallen to a couple of other bikes which you will see here soon in this series. 

As far as any future changes go I may return this bike to a drop bar set up with disc brake wheels and brakes if I should decide to start doing some more gravel riding on it again. But I am waffling on that point. I do think new tires are in order, at least for commuting duty. We will see. One thing is for certain though and that is that this bike is not getting retired anytime soon!

People Of 2024: "The Northfield Crew"

 In my travels and life during the year, I have been blessed to be supported, befriended, and on occasion visited by some pretty awesome folks. Sometimes I visited them. (Hopefully they were equally blessed!) I wanted to take some extra space to recognize and celebrate these people at the end of the year. I hope you gain some insight and appreciation for what these people mean to me this year and beyond. 

The "Northfield Crew" that took me in and made my trip to Stillwater Oklahoma a reality on their way out to ride Mid-South

Last I left off with this series I mentioned that Erik Mathy was largely responsible for the whole bike/Mid-South idea. Well, if Erik could be called the instigator, then the fellows from Northfield, Minnesota were the enablers of this idea. At least partially. There was a bicycle welded up by King Fabrications that figured heavily into all of this as well. 

But even with a bicycle made, I was not getting any closer to going to Mid-South without these fine fellows from Northfield. I call them "The Northfield Crew", but they consisted of long time friends Ben Witt, Marty Larson, Justin Michaels, and new acquaintance Michael Lemkuhl. These guys went waaaaaay outta there way to accommodate me, take me in as if I were one of them, and they made me feel wanted there with them. This is especially cool when you realize that this little group had been taking in Mid-South on their own for a few years before this trip. I was a definite "outsider", but trust me - I was never made to feel that way.

Ben Witt (R) and Michael Lemkuhl in the Heywood Ride booth. Image by M Larson.

Again, I spent a lot of time with these guys. Traveling, eating, sleeping, hanging out, and riding as well. There were plenty of opportunities for friction, but that never raised its head, if it were there at all, and that is a testament to these guy's characters. I am forever in their debt!

And as well, I was able to meet with a lot of friends that these guys had made in previous visits to Mid-South, so that was another thing they brought to me. It was an enriching and satisfying experience all around because of this. 

So, shout out to the Northfield Crew! Thank you again, and know that I appreciate you all very much. 2024 would not have been the same without you all!

Twenty-Nineteen

 In celebration of the twentieth year of this blog, I have a few tales to tell. This post is one of them. This series will occur off and on throughout this anniversary year, I hope to illuminate some behind-the-scenes stories and highlights from the blog during this time. Enjoy!

I was digging through the archives and realized that it has been five years since I walked out of Europa Cycle and Ski for the last time. Well.......not exactly five years. That'll happen on December 20th, but close enough for rock and roll, right? 

So, there's a story that I haven't told that really affected things here. That was how I was on pins and needles all year of 2019 figuring out my "exit strategy" for my job at the time. I'd been there for seventeen years, so it was both gut-wrenching, anxiety inducing, and exciting all at the same time. I had to plan when I would be taking things home, like spare tools. I had some Trans Iowa artwork there that I had to go in and take down, which I tried to do when the old owner wasn't there to avoid any discourse about "what I was up to" with him. He didn't need to know anyway as he was essentially being forced to quit due to poor financial status. (I do know this as the owner foolishly told us remaining employees these things.) We knew we were going out of business at some point by the end of 2018. So, that is why this was drug out so long.

I guess it was better than thinking everything was hunky-dory and coming in and having the ax fall. Although I've experienced it that way back in 1993 as well. That's another story....

Plus, it would mark the second year in a row that I would be stepping away from something that was a mainstay in my life for well over a decade. The other thing was ending Trans Iowa in 2018. So, this two year stretch had a fair amount of "suck" going on in the background. 

2019 also marked the first and only C.O.G. 100 event. The last I ever put on.

What a lot of you don't know is that in November of 2019, just five years ago, I saw my mother for the last time. She was suffering from Alzheimer's and was in the tail end of that. She was brought into the shop by chance one of the rare days I was scheduled to work that month. I think I may have worked three days in November. Anyway, because she lived an hour away from me, it was a minor miracle that I even got to see her, although she did not know who I was. 

Then COVID hit and in 2021 she dies. So, due to that and other complications, I never got to see her again after the visit in November of 2019. It was a big blow to me, obviously, and it is why from 2019, into 2020, and afterward, you may have noted a change in tone on the blog here. Well, if you did, the experiences of 2019 had a big influence on me. Losing a job, a vocation, and your mother will do that. 

On the bright side, I was promised a bicycle mechanic job at a new shop which was to kick in on March 1st of the following year. 

And of course, we all know what happened in March of 2020.

Yeah, that was a brutal stretch. Certainly, keeping up the blog throughout all of that was not easy. I kind of hate to even report any of these previous things, but it isn't as though these things did not happen and that they did not affect me and this blog. They did. Hopefully you didn't notice......

Friday News And Views

Virtual Turkey Burn Challenge Update:

Well, this time next week it will be on! The Virtual Turkey Burn Challenge will be happening all over the place. I'm excited to see where reports will be coming from, but I have had some off-line confirmations and comments elsewhere that lead me to believe that this could be the biggest turnout to date!

Riders living in Tennessee, Nebraska, Kansas, Washington, (the state) and even Spain have indicated to me that they will be taking part in this challenge. 

Wow! Even if these rides don't happen I am really honored and humbled that people are taking this seriously. And I'm sure these folks are 100% in for the challenge, I'm just saying that the mere thought that folks are excited about this is very meaningful to me. Thank you all! 

I'm watching the weather very carefully and trying to get my best shot in. I know weather can be tricky here in the Mid-West this time of the year, and darkness is a thing to contend with as well. So, we will see how it all falls out in a week and some days. 

Meanwhile, if all these folks and some surprise additions come in, I will have to take stock and jam in a lot of reports in a schedule jam-packed with stuff I have to get through for the end-of-year here. It'll be ......interesting! 

Gravel Worlds News:

Gravel Worlds announced last week that they are bringing back the 1000 Women of Gravel initiative where the Gravel Worlds team will try to raise up 1000 female participants across all categories of the event including the new Gravel Triathlon and Duathlon events, both of which are USA Cycling national championship events. 

Gravel Worlds also announced HED Cycling as their official wheel partner for the event as well. Finally, the organization claimed their original web address, "gravelworlds.com" again, which they had lost for several years. 

A Gentle Reminder: 

You've probably noticed that the "end-of-year" posts have kicked in already, but in case you haven't, I just wanted to take a quick minute to remind you all that this past week is pretty much what the rest of the year will look like here. 

I will be reviewing people, bikes, and my experiences throughout 2024. This will be in addition to the 20th anniversary of the blog reviews that are happening about weekly now also. 

Fridays will still be like this, and I will interject news and ride reports where they need to be as they happen. So, if this isn't your cup of tea, I will be back on a "regular schedule" in January. If you are up for the end-of-year stuff, hang on! I've got plenty to cover in the next several weeks! 

Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

DT Swiss, Shutter Precision Collaborate On New Dynamo Gravel Wheelset:

News popped up on Wednesday of this week regarding a new DT Swiss offering in conjunction with dynamo hub producer, Shutter Precision. 

The new DT Swiss hub has Shuuter Precision's internals to provide light on demand for any gravel/adventure rider. The hub will be offered on its own as well as a part of two different 350 hub based gravel wheel sets with aluminum rims. 

According to this report I read, the hubs and wheels are beginning to be available now, although for some areas of the world it may take until the end of this year for hubs and wheels to show up in consumer's hands. 

Comments: This should be a great deal, especially the pre-built 1600 and 1800 level wheel sets, for gravel riders. The only downside is that you will need to configure a wiring route suitable for your bike, install it, and buy a head lamp suitable for the dynamo hub. It is initially an expensive proposition, and it is tempting to think a self-contained LED based torch is easier. However; I have both systems and I never fail to be satisfied with my dynamo set up due to its ease of use and care-free nature regarding the need to maintain battery power, as you will have to do with a self-contained LED set up. 

However; you are tethered to THAT one wheel and bike set up. So, if you have multiple bikes you want to use, a self-contained LED set-up will be more efficient and less expensive overall. Plus if that hub goes down, you are without a bike and a light system. While Shutter Precision lights enjoy a reasonably good reputation, my research turned up some issues regarding these hubs and Winter riding in specific. Now DT Swiss' version uses straight-up Shutter Precision guts, but the hub shell and bearings are perhaps a better quality than the original. Hard to say at this point. 

New Episode Dropped!

N.Y. Roll and I had shiggy back on again to talk about tubeless tire stuff. You can check out the new episode HERE. 

We get into some - perhaps long forgotten - tubeless history. Then we talk about tires a bit, rim design, air pressures, and how we mount tires. There are a lot of tips and tricks shared here. 

Then we get into sealants and which work, which do not work, and I even give out MG's Secret Tubeless Formula so you can make your own sauce if you want to. 

Next up we may do a recap of Cold Weather Riding Tips with some updates to that. If you have any questions about the tubeless episode which we did not touch upon, or new questions about cold weather riding, let me know. 

I'm thinking we may squeeze in two more episodes before our Winter break. The last episode will be a recap of 2024 and the gravel scene, most likely. I expect our last episodes to drop in the beginning of December. That will close out Season #2 and we plan on Season #3 to start sometime in mid to late January. 

As always, thanks for reading and get out there and ride those bicycles!

Bikes Of 2024: Surly Big Dummy

 It's another late November/December here on the blog. You know what that means? Yep! Another round of my bikes I used in 2024. This round-up will not include some of the bikes I did not use this year much, or at all. I focus only on the bikes that played a big role in my riding during this year.  

As always, any changes or future plans for any bike I feature will also be detailed. I hope that you enjoy this year's round-up. 

The Big Dummy at the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective loaded with supplies.

This bike has been around for a while now and this year I think I used it more than I ever have. Working at the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective has brought a new angle to owning this bike. I use it to haul supplies the last three-plus miles from the UPS Store to the shop. I also do a recycling run once a week with this bike as well. 

The ride from the UPS Store has been a hoot for me. I get really side-eyed and gawked at when folks see me lacing these big boxes to the rack with my bungee cords! The UPS folks know who I am since they figured out "I'm that bike guy" and now their amazement at how I take the packages away has subsided a bit, but they were pretty weirded out in the beginning. 

Of all the bikes I ride, the Big Dummy gets the most compliments. It is a pretty snazzy looking bike, if I do say so myself. 

As far as any changes go, I am probably going to have to service this bike which will entail a new suite of drivetrain parts, a bottom bracket, and brake service. It's been far too long. But as far as anything major goes? No, there are no modifications to be had on the horizon. I will only add that last year's decision to purchase that double-legged kickstand has paid dividends. I'd do that again in a heartbeat if I had to set up another cargo bike and it did not have a dual-leg kickstand.

Gravel Grinder News: Mondraker Introduces Arid Carbon Gravel Bike Range

Note: The information and images in this article were provided by Mondraker Bikes. "Comments" are the opinions of Guitar Ted and may not reflect the views of anyone else.

The new Mondraker Bikes Arid Carbon is their first non-assisted gravel bike.

 Mondraker Bikes is probably not a brand that you have either heard of or seen much of if you live in the USA. (There are a little over a dozen shops that carry the brand in North America) However; the brand is an innovator and probably better known in Europe. With the category of "gravel" being the hottest in non-assisted cycling world wide, and with North America being the "home" of gravel, this model is something that deserves attention, because Mondraker is aiming to make inroads into the USA scene. 

With that in mind, Mondraker says that they realize the term "gravel" can mean different things to different people. So, they set out to design the Arid Carbon "to be able to adapt to just about anyone". This is a bold statement, so it demands we look at what this bike actually is designed to be. 

Design & Frame Construction:

The Arid Carbon uses Mondraker's "Stealth Air Carbon" technique which is an optimization of lay-up technique, design cues, and all with an eye to durability. Mondraker tests the Arid Carbon frames to meet ISO mountain bike standards to ensure the rider that this model can take the rough stuff. 

Obviously, the eye is drawn to the unique seat stay junction at the seat tube. Mondraker claims this is a structural element that will allow for a smoother ride for the rider while remaining strong. 

Further design elements are common to many top-range gravel bikes which include fully hidden cabling, (with internal guides), down tube storage for tools or supplies, UDH rear derailleur hangar, and a threaded bottom bracket shell, (T-47). Clearance for tires in the frame and fork are claimed to be "50mm with room to spare", so this is also up to date. 

There are six water bottle mounts on the bike as well, adding to the versatility. Double ring crank users will be disappointed to learn that the Arid Carbon is 1X only. 

Geometry:

The Arid Carbon range comes in five sizes and features a "M/L" size which is kind of an odd mix of a traditional 56cm and 58cm frame sizing using really a short seat tube length (48cm) with a 58cm top tube length and a 591mm stack height. 

Beyond sizing, the Arid Carbon comes in with a 70° head tube angle across the board with a 75mm bottom bracket drop mated with an aggressive 425mm chain stay length. Seat tube angles are 73° across the range. 

Spec:

There are four models with three being SRAM - Rival, Force AXS, Red AXS - and one Shimano GR610 offering.  Prices range from about $4,700.00 to $9,800.00 USD for the top of the line model. Check with your Mondraker dealer for details. 

One interesting tidbit is the flared drop bar and stem system is not one piece. This will come as a relief to bike fitters and should allow for some rider customization. 

Comments: 

Generally speaking, this is a pretty good looking bike from a design and spec standpoint. I think Mondraker nailed the important numbers which I look for in a good gravel bike for all-around riding purposes. These include the bottom bracket drop, head tube angle, and tire clearances. Mondraker said they wanted to design this bike to adapt to almost anyone, and the geometry shows they were not kidding around there. I question the short seat tube lengths a bit, but seeing many bikes in the field which have saddle to bar height ratios which are tilted toward the bars being higher than the saddle, I can see maybe where Mondraker is thinking this short seat tube would appeal to those folks. As for me, it would require a 400mm length seat post set at almost maximum height. 

The lack of any variability across the size range to the geometry in terms of the seat tube and head tube angles is a bit out of the ordinary for such a high-end bike. 

It is interesting to note that any mention of aero is missing in their press release, along with any mention of racing gravel. Rather, Mondraker sells the idea for this bike being a commuter, an exploration machine, showing it with bikepacking bags, and as just a "fun bike to ride". This was a refreshing change of pace from the normal race oriented pressers featuring such high end bicycles. 

The seat stay thing? Well, it certainly sets the Arid Carbon apart from the crowd, I would say. I have no idea how it actually will work in the field, but if every bike has to have some feature which separates it from the rest, and as long as Mondraker have done their homework and the bike holds up? I have to say, I don't mind the look, to be honest. 

 Mondraker said they wanted to make a gravel bike "to be able to adapt to just about everyone". I guess that with prices starting at almost 5K and up that they did not mean that pricing was one of those adaptations. Maybe entry level customers were not within their target customer range? Maybe something in aluminum would get that range extended downward toward those on tighter budgets? However; for now, if you don't have that sort of budget, then this means you are probably looking to go elsewhere for your gravel bike fix.

Interesting bikes for certain. I wouldn't mind trying one out. What about you? Have you ridden a Mondraker bicycle? Let me know in the comments. 

Bikes Of 2024: Singular Cycles Gryphon Mk3

  It's another late November/December here on the blog. You know what that means? Yep! Another round of my bikes I used in 2024. This round-up will not include some of the bikes I did not use this year much, or at all. I focus only on the bikes that played a big role in my riding during this year.  

As always, any changes or future plans for any bike I feature will also be detailed. I hope that you enjoy this year's round-up.  

The Singular Cycles Gryphon Mk3. Pre-Redshift stem.

The Singular Cycles Gryphon Mk3 was new to me last year. I had big plans for this bike but it only got out on gravel a few times and ended up being mostly a commuter rig in 2024. I still have a big ride in mind for this bike that I just did not get around to in 2024. 

Changes included adding a Redshift Sports ShockStop stem in the 55mm length and going back to the originally spec'ed Ragley Luxy Bar. I kind of miss that silver stem, but Redshift only does black, so......

I might strip the racks off, but then when I do that a window will open up for my long-planned two-day tour. You know that's how it will go....

Brown Season: Elemental

Escape Route: Alleyways

 This time of the year the chances to ride come less often, at least as far as being out in the country here. This is in part due to temperatures, winds, and snow, of course. So, when a day like Friday comes around, and if you have the time, it is wise to spend that time riding. Because you never know if that might be the last time you get out there for a while or not. 

The morning was cold and fraught with danger due to dense fog. I don't need to be out there when the chances of not being seen and hit by a passing motorist is a lot higher. So, I waited until after lunch. The thing is, now with the Sun so low in the horizon, you are only going to get a handful of good riding hours while the Sun still gives her light. That and when it approaches Sunset, the angle of that light is blinding. Not just to me, but to anyone driving a car or truck as well. 

All things to consider when trying to fit a ride in during November, December, or January. With all those things being factors, I was happy to get two and a half hours of riding in. I did this ride on the Fargo Gen I which I have proposed to ride for the Virtual Turkey Burn Challenge. 

Freshly shaved fields

A pile of glacial stones recently dislodged via field drainage tile installation.

The wind was out of the Southeast, so I had a long slog planned which would drive into this wind and then, considering the time, I planned on stopping at Quarry Road and starting my way back. 

The Sergeant Road bike path was actually pretty busy with bicycle and pedestrian traffic. I guess I wasn't the only one with the thought that I should seize the day. Usually this amount of traffic is only seen if I am riding just before RAGBRAI. Strange to see this in mid-November, but it was encouraging! 

Oh-oh! Road work? No....it was just utility work.

As reported by Tomcat, a reader here, the barns are gone on this corner. Just a big black splotch on the ground remains.

Once out on the gravel I found that the recent wet weather has started to put the roads into "Winter mode". This is when the road surface gets smoothed out due to the crushed rock being pushed down into the base of the road. I'd say that about 80% of the road was smooth and the other bits had a scree of looser gravel. This would change later, but for heading up into a wind, this was mostly ideal. 

Just a passing shadow

Not the kind of John Deere I usually see out here.

I was happy to turn East and get mostly out of that wind. The road was a bit more loose gravel out this way, but the Fargo with those big 2.5" Extraterrestrials was just eating that right up. When you get such a big, poofy tire out there that can work over those loose stones it really is eye-opening. But then again, so is the weight of those tires! Going up is a chore. 

The first couple of miles North on Ansborough were on full-chunky goodness.

It's an interesting time of the year to ride. The crops are gone, the birds are mostly gone, and the sights are dominated by the most elemental things. Earth, Sky, Gravel. The simple landscape is only broken up by the occasional farm, grove of trees, or utility poles. 

It's easier to feel the dominance of this simple looking land and the atmosphere that washes over it can, at times, be deadly. I try to imagine these vistas covered in tall prairie grasses and I think about how difficult it must have been to navigate this sea of ever-waving grasses with barely a landmark to be found. 

The rare bit of color can still be found out here.

The bike is going to be fine. I think I can pull off at least a metric century on it. Despite the big, heavy tires and wheels. This might change only if the weather demands it to change. Wintry weather is a possibility here in the long range forecast for Thanksgiving. Of course, that will change a handful of times until late next week when things begin to gain some clarity. 

Stay tuned on that front.....

People of 2024: Erik Mathy

In my travels and life during the year, I have been blessed to be supported, befriended, and on occasion visited by some pretty awesome folks. Sometimes I visited them. (Hopefully they were equally blessed!) I wanted to take some extra space to recognize and celebrate these people at the end of the year. I hope you gain some insight and appreciation for what these people mean to me this year and beyond. 

Erik Mathy photographing my bicycle in Oklahoma back in March of this year.

 A lot of what happened early on this year would not have happened without the major influence of Erik Mathy. I've known Erik for several years, and partnered in a story/project with him at one point in 2016 called "Brian's Ride". 

Well,I hadn't crossed paths with Erik for a bit until I met him and hung out with him at the GCHoF goings on the year I got inducted. I spent most of a day hanging out with Erik and it was a blast! Well, at the end of last year I received a message via Instagram from Erik after he had read my take on an old track bike idea I had run across on Facebook. Erik had an idea he pitched to me. 

From that day in the Flint Hills with Erik in 2022.

Erik is an extremely talented person and he also is extremely persuasive. His idea: Take that track bike idea, have a frame builder he knows weld it up, get myself and these people to the Mid-South event, have me ride the bike there, and Erik would get to write a story about that. It was hoped that this would all be a money-making prospect for Erik as he is a free-lancer. 

This precipitated a stream of messages on several occasions. Ideas were batted around, but even as late as December 2023 I was pretty sure this was all but smoke in the air. January would come, the idea would dissipate, and I'd go on with my life as usual.

But noooooo...... Erik came along at the ninth hour and the idea was revived. Suddenly I was not only getting a new bicycle, but I was planning a trip with about two and a half month's notice from scratch. Just slightly stressful when you don't have access to a vehicle, much money, or a job which you can easily take time off from. 

As many of you long-time readers know, the bicycle did get made, it did show up on time, and the trip to Mid-South did happen. But without Erik Mathy? Nothing of the sort would have happened. So, I owe a big debt of gratitude to Erik. I am thankful for his efforts, and I am thankful for his connections and influence. Without him, 2024 would have been a much duller experience!

Twenty Years Of Gravel Grinding

  In celebration of the twentieth year of this blog, I have a few tales to tell. This post is one of them. This series will occur off and on throughout this anniversary year, I hope to illuminate some behind-the-scenes stories and highlights from the blog during this time. Enjoy!

 Checking out some of this blog's archives has reminded me of a few things. One of those being that - although I originally was known for being a 29"er nutcase - my tenure in gravel cycling started almost simultaneously along with this blog and was featured often here. 

Obviously, to anyone who has been paying attention here, that has to do with Trans Iowa. The ultra-distance gravel event which got its start about twenty years ago this week! Back in November of 2004 Jeff Kerkove and I decided to put on a cross-state bicycle race on gravel roads. Thus my fascination with gravel cycling began, and even though I and a lot of other folks had been riding bicycles on gravel roads previously, this marked a beginning. 

That beginning was the movement for having competition and fellowship while riding bicycles on crushed rock roads. It was, in no uncertain terms, the beginning of the modern era in what we now have abbreviated to "Gravel". 

The first header for Trans Iowa posted in 2004.

The idea Jeff and I had immediately sparked a movement. We were pelted with questions via Jeff's blog comments section, email, and personally via face-to-face communications and by phone calls. Keep in mind that what we know today as "social media" did not exist in late 2004/early 2005. 

For an idea of what this movement was like from my perspective, here is a snippet of a blog post I put up late in 2006 here:

"When you lead a sheltered existence like I have, only being aware of the local scene, you think you and yer buddies are the only ones insane enough to actually ride gravel roads. I mean, like really.......who else does this crap? Well, I get involved in Trans Iowa, and I find out that alot of folks like it. They like it so much, they actually copy the idea, and have their own events."

 I went on then to mention that I had heard of the DK200, (which I participated in during 2006) and rumors concerning a Nebraska gravel grinder, (not the GLGA or Gravel Worlds, by the way), and a gravel ultra-distance thing which was starting in Canada.

Trans Iowa v1 image courtesy of Joe Partridge

"Now I'm finding out about all kinds of gravel rides. Rides in Nebraska, rides in Colorado, rides in North East Iowa, training rides, fun rides, and all sorts of gravel grinding goofiness. I guess you could say we all have rocks in our heads. Whatever it is, I like it. I like gravel rides and somehow knowing that a bunch of other folks partake also is kinda.......well, I don't know........ I guess I have some like minded brothers and sisters out there, and I find that to be a good thing."

So, yeah....this blog got going partly on the momentum of gravel cycling, but mostly on the then new trend for twenty nine inch wheels. Gravel cycling has always been here though, and it still is 20 years on down the road. 

Part of this blog's influence is in gravel. My writings run deep within that influence to ride gravel roads. Out of this blog grew a gravel cycling specific site, a podcast, influences on bicycle design, tire design, and events, of course. Who can tell how many people were turned on to gravel cycling via this blog? In light of all of that, I think pointing out that Trans Iowa was the line of demarcation from whence this 'gravel" thing got started is a fair thing to do. 

And celebrating that fact after twenty years is a worthwhile thing to do, even if I am the only one doing it. You see, no other entity will bother with writing this history up, or even bother to recognize its existence. If I don't remind you, who will? Maybe you could say the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame, if you were to run across that entity.

That may seem a bit off-putting to some, but I am not going to allow the story to go untold, or be modified for someone else's gain elsewhere. Yes, I am proud of what I have accomplished and was a part of in the beginnings of gravel cycling in the modern era. 

Guilty as charged.

Friday News And Views

Flint Hills Gravel Ride/Run Registration Open:

Starting off this FN&V with a gravel event in Kansas called the Flint Hills Gravel Ride and Run. This event will happen on April 12th, 2025 out of Americus, Kansas. 

The event will feature a tweaked distance line-up of 20, 40, 80, and 120 miles. As event director Bobby Thompson says though, these distances are "ish", as in 20-ish, 40-ish, etc. Ha!

The event also holds the distinction of being the opening event of the Great Plains Gravel Cup series, which will be in its inaugural season next year. 

Find out more at: https://flinthillsgravelride.com/

Mammoth Tuff Now In UCI Gravel Worlds Series:

Recently a Velo.com story was published revealing that Mammoth Tuff, a gravel event in the Eastern Sierra, has agreed to become one of two events in North America slated to be in the 2025 UCI Gravel World Series. 

The event will host that race but will retain other distances and categories which will not require a license to participate in, according to the article on Velo. Also noted there was that Mammoth Tuff reached this decision to partner with the UCI, in part, due to falling participation numbers since the event's inception in 2020. 

Interestingly the fee the UCI is asking for putting their stamp of approval on an event in the Gravel World Series was revealed to be $10,000.00 which was reportedly cut in half for Mammoth Tuff. The Highlands Classic will be the other event in North America included in the series.
 

 Blog Schedule For November/December:

A friendly reminder to those loyal readers here and maybe news to those of you who are new here. The "end-of-year" blog schedule is about to begin! 

So, here is a brief round-up of what you can expect to see here soon:

• Bikes of 2024: A brief review of the bikes I used throughout 2024 with a list of any changes and future plans. Just a fun look at what I ride. 
• Rear View 2024: This is a quarterly review of all the highlights (and maybe some low ones!) from the year. Mostly focused on the blog here but I often pull in other life events as well. These are broken up into four parts and one will be seen each week in December. 
• Top Ten Posts of 2024: A list of the most viewed posts on the site for the year. I always am surprised by what gets looked at here the most, and I think you might be surprised as well!
• Top Images of 2024: I choose the best 12 images, one from each month, and post them in one post with some commentary where I deem necessary. 
• NEW! Top People of 2024: I decided after reviewing the year for these upcoming posts that I needed to fete those individuals who had a major impact on me and what happened during the year. So, these will be rolled out as single posts, some covering a single individual, some about groups. Stay tuned! I think this addition will be a good one! 
• A Look Ahead: The last post of 2024 will be dedicated to looking at what I see for myself and cycling in general for the upcoming year.  
• The Regular Stuff: There will be "FN&V's", the continuance of the celebration of 20 years of blogging, and the random current content posts. 
• NEW! The Best Podcasts of 2024: I'll do a single post concerning the most listened to podcasts of the past year with links in case you need to kill some time over the Holidays! 
  

So, as you can see, there is a LOT of content there! I'll start rolling some of this out next week because as things stand now, I have 47 posts accounted for and as of today there are 45 days left in the year! So, with anything current inserted into the mix, that will mean some days will be double post days. Make sure you scroll all the way through any upcoming posts because you might miss something if you don't! 

As always, THANK YOU for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Don't Forget To Nominate The Next GCHoF Class!.

The Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame is still looking for good write-ups for their next class of inductees to be enshrined this coming May of 2025. 

The task is relatively easy: Ask the person you want to nominate if it is okay. Go to the GCHoF Nomination page. Then write a good, well written two paragraph article on why this person deserves to be feted. Send it to the GCHoF before November 30th. That's it!

Nominees will be named after voting by the electors. Thanks for considering this! 

From a recent patent filing by Lauf.

Is Lauf Going To Change Freehub Design Radically Soon?.

Mid-week news broke on a patent filing Lauf filed for a design using a radical new idea for how hubs are mated with a cassette and how those two components work as a freehub. 

There are two ideas which are very 'outside the box' going on here. first, as seen in the first image, Lauf proposes a set of "pawls", or more like springs, really, which would be attached to the carrier for a traditional cassette. These springs are drawn in a way which makes them look like serpents, but the squiggly looking bits are actually meant to give a bit by stretching those elements which have the serpentine look out a bit, giving a bit of a softer engagement when the rider returns to pedaling after coasting. In another drawing on THIS PAGE those serpentine spring elements are drawn straight, so it appears that Lauf has not yet decided which way to go there. 

Again, from Lauf's patent filing.

But if I am reading this next image correctly, these serpentine elements are part of a unit that extends across most of the length of the hub shell. This is a radical departure from standard freehub design. 

This would mean that the entire inner hub shell would be a machined drive ring, essentially, which the serpentine elements would engage with. Furthermore; if the serpentine elements are staggered, as it appears is proposed, the engagement points could well be in the hundreds, if not thousands! 

Lauf apparently proposes to 3D print this according to a report I read HERE. Will this come to pass? If it does, I would think it would have a major impact upon the market, if it should prove to be more efficient and lighter in weight than traditionally designed free hubs. 

Sometimes crazy looking ideas end up changing the world, and then again, sometimes you see something that looks wild and it disappears. Which this will be is anyone's guess, but kudos to whomever designed this, because it is a very different take on a freehub design, at least as far as I know, it is. 

That is a wrap on this week! Look for 'end-of-year' posts to crank up starting next week here!

Announcing The 2024 Virtual Turkey Burn Challenge: Rules And More

From last year's VTBC

 Virtual: (In terms of meeting) A virtual meeting is when people around the world, regardless of their location, use video, audio, and text to link up online. Virtual meetings allow people to share information and data in real-time without being physically located together.

Turkey Burn: (relating to cycling) The day after or weekend after Thanksgiving when cyclists ride long distances to "burn" off their Thanksgiving feast. A way to kick off the Winter cycling training season. Also a means for getting outdoors when it is cold. 

For the last three years I have held a "Virtual Turkey Burn" challenge to you readers and you have all responded nicely each time I have asked you to do this. Last year I had another good response and so I figured I may as well offer the chance to join in this virtual group ride once again this year. 

Following is the original post from 2021 which will spell out the idea and time-stamp for this challenge. (Dates changed to reflect 2024) The challenge starts in two weeks from today! So you've got plenty of time to get ready.

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The idea is that perhaps I could call for a 'virtual' ride to be done on your bike which you have maybe left out of your plans more than you might like over the past, oh I don't know.....year? Last few years? Whatever. You don't necessarily even have to do this on a 'forlorn, forgotten bike'. It could be your favorite one. No matter. Here's the deal......

I propose a "Virtual Turkey Burn Century". Here are the parameters for participation:

1. Pick a bike. As stated, the more 'forlorn, forgotten, and neglected' of your choices, all the better. But also- Run what ya brung. If you want to use your favorite, most used bike- go for it. 
2. Ride a "century". Metric or full-on hundy, I don't care. Pavement, single track, gravel, back alleys, whatever. You decide. 
3. Take a picture. Take several if you want to. Digital works best for this.
4. Send me your pic(s) and a few words with a name I can credit to. 
5. Do this challenge between Thursday, November 28th to Sunday December 1st. (Thanksgiving 'weekend' in the USA) You can do a century over several days even- if you want to. Whatever.
   
6. Send in your pics and words to g.ted.productions@gmail.com by Tuesday December 3rd. I will put up a "Virtual Turkey Burn Report" Monday December 9th, (or after- Depending upon the number of submissions)  showing off everyone's submissions. (That is, if there are any daring enough to actually do this deal.)

From the first VTBC in 2021

You can join in the fun or just come back to see if anyone actually did something and read about it here. I am committed to the idea, so there will be one report, at the least. What do you get as a participant? Just a fun activity and possibly an infamous reputation from having your images and words posted on Guitar Ted Productions. Sorry, but if you participate, that's the only reward folks! This ain't no fancy-pants organization here. If you get laughed at by your peers for having your stuff show up here, well then, I am sorry, but I warned ya! 

Okay, that's the plan. Now..... GO! 

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Keep in mind that anyone wanting to participate doesn't have to submit an entry here concerning your ride, but if you choose to, it adds to the fun for the readers here. Those who choose to send in a report, please include an image or two and a name for image credits by December 3rd via email as indicated above.