Friday News And Views

<====Salsa Gordo goodness!

Salsa Cycles Gordo Rims are here!:That's right, a set of the 35mm wide Gordo rims have landed here for testing and review at Twenty Nine Inches. I have some Hope po II hubs in anodized red that are getting laced up to these with a random "Mike Curiak" style colored alloy nipple pattern. These should be finished up by the weekend and I'll have a post up on Twenty Nine Inches soon.

The rims are incredibly detailed, especially in the inner rim well and bead seat area. Salsa Cycles has done their homework and executed what I believe is quite possibly the best 29"er rim yet.

Trans Iowa V5- The New Look: Whelp, "J-kove", (Or the man formerly known as "Mr 24"), has proffered up a new graphic treatment for the T.I.V5 version of the Trans Iowa site. Check it out and see what you think of it. In the meantime, I can say that a tentative course has been completely laid out for the event already. Much of it has already been re conned with only a short section or two to be seen yet. The plan is to get out right after Interbike and drive the entire thing to see how things flow together. It is entirely possible, and most likely probable, that a course re-route will take place then. (d.p. has already re-routed a section) I suspect that by registration time we will have everything dialed for the course. Registration details will be announced in November. Stay tuned!

Big Wheeled Ballyhoo?: This event is going to be radically different in it's layout and philosophy, if it happens in '09. I am currently in the talking stages with a couple of folks whose opinions I regard highly about what the BWB is going to look like in the future. I think many will appreciate the ideas that are being bounced around now, but I can not say anything publicly yet regarding the details. Just be assured that what you knew about the BWB is probably not going to be happening next time there is a BWB. Stay tuned!

Touring Tuesdays: I was talking with Jason B on our ride Wednesday and was telling him how his touring stories from his blog has inspired me to think about writing my own experiences up on this site. He encouraged me to do that, so on Tuesdays look for the old touring stories from my past loaded touring experiences to pop up here. I may even get some old photographs scanned in for this, so stay tuned. (Thanks for the encouragement, Jason!)

All right, it might be a little damp here and there, but get out and ride yer bikes folks! You won't melt. Whatta ya think ya are? Sugar?

Friday News And Views

<====Salsa Gordo goodness!

Salsa Cycles Gordo Rims are here!:That's right, a set of the 35mm wide Gordo rims have landed here for testing and review at Twenty Nine Inches. I have some Hope po II hubs in anodized red that are getting laced up to these with a random "Mike Curiak" style colored alloy nipple pattern. These should be finished up by the weekend and I'll have a post up on Twenty Nine Inches soon.

The rims are incredibly detailed, especially in the inner rim well and bead seat area. Salsa Cycles has done their homework and executed what I believe is quite possibly the best 29"er rim yet.

Trans Iowa V5- The New Look: Whelp, "J-kove", (Or the man formerly known as "Mr 24"), has proffered up a new graphic treatment for the T.I.V5 version of the Trans Iowa site. Check it out and see what you think of it. In the meantime, I can say that a tentative course has been completely laid out for the event already. Much of it has already been re conned with only a short section or two to be seen yet. The plan is to get out right after Interbike and drive the entire thing to see how things flow together. It is entirely possible, and most likely probable, that a course re-route will take place then. (d.p. has already re-routed a section) I suspect that by registration time we will have everything dialed for the course. Registration details will be announced in November. Stay tuned!

Big Wheeled Ballyhoo?: This event is going to be radically different in it's layout and philosophy, if it happens in '09. I am currently in the talking stages with a couple of folks whose opinions I regard highly about what the BWB is going to look like in the future. I think many will appreciate the ideas that are being bounced around now, but I can not say anything publicly yet regarding the details. Just be assured that what you knew about the BWB is probably not going to be happening next time there is a BWB. Stay tuned!

Touring Tuesdays: I was talking with Jason B on our ride Wednesday and was telling him how his touring stories from his blog has inspired me to think about writing my own experiences up on this site. He encouraged me to do that, so on Tuesdays look for the old touring stories from my past loaded touring experiences to pop up here. I may even get some old photographs scanned in for this, so stay tuned. (Thanks for the encouragement, Jason!)

All right, it might be a little damp here and there, but get out and ride yer bikes folks! You won't melt. Whatta ya think ya are? Sugar?

In The Center Of The Mayhem!

<===Salsa's 2009 product is waiting in the weeds, waiting to take the cycling world by storm. Much like Jason Boucher is down this ribbon of single track!

My Wednesday test ride session was a bit different yesterday! I drove up to Salsa HQ and had a visit with the Crew and Jason, the brand's head honcho.

Can you say "mayhem"? Well, if you'd have been there yesterday, you would have seen it. Getting ready for Interbike is no small task, and of course, there is a company to run as well. I admire all the hard effort Salsa's people put into their company even more. Amazing!

Of course, I got to see all the new 2009 bikes. You folks are going to be blown away by what is coming! It is fantastic looking, (and riding) product. Salsa Cycles is taking a big step up with it's 2009 effort, make no mistake.

I did get to ride something "very special" at the Murphy-Hanrahan trails yesterday too. While I can't talk about the bike, I can tell you that "Murph" is rippin' good fun! The single track is so flowy, with many a decent climb, downhill, and bermed turns. Oh my! Yes, the bermed turns are super fun!

They are also adding in an elevated skinny section for those free riders out there. They were out building it in yesterday as we were riding. It looks scary to me. I mean six inches of wood six feet off the ground? I coulda been a tightrope walker, I suppose, but I ain't, so I'll leave that stuff for those kind of folks.

So if that wasn't enough, I saw the un-boxing of the first production spec Fargo frame and fork while I was there. The paint is more of a silvery undertone metallic green than what we've seen and the graphics "pop" a little more than what I recall. It looks very classy. The fork drop outs are stainless steel, forward facing, with a little "Salsa" embossed into them. Very cool looking and as Joe Meiser explained to me, they are very securely attached to the fork tips with a "break line" added that acts as a point for painters to mask off the stainless drop out, so it doesn't look sloppy. Attention to detail? Are you kidding me? And that isn't the end of that sort of scrutiny on the Fargo, or on any of their products for that matter.

Take for instance the Gordo rims, which are coming in, by the way, some folks are getting them now. At any rate, the Gordo has details that most will never know. Like the highly scrutinized rim well, which was developed to help mount 29"er tires more securely and, in conjunction with the incredibly detailed bead seat on the Gordo, it should really tighten up your tires interface with the rim. I have a set of Gordo rims to build and test for Twenty Nine Inches, so look for more on those rims there soon.

Yeah, seeing how the run up to Interbike goes, even for just a day, is amazing. The trails at Murph........again, amazing! Salsa's 2009 line up............you guessed it! And the future products? Crazy!

A fun, fun day and my deepest thanks go out to all of the Salsa Crew, Joe Meiser, Jason Boucher, Bobby, Miker, and the Surly dudes. Also I wanted to mention the warm welcome and smiles from almost every single QBP employee I saw in the place. Nice! Think opposite of how Postal employees are, and you'll get the picture. (Ha ha! I'll bet some of the QBP guys feel like "going postal" about now though!)

Okay, back to my little corner of the world here being a bicycle mechanic! Have a great day, ya'all!

In The Center Of The Mayhem!

<===Salsa's 2009 product is waiting in the weeds, waiting to take the cycling world by storm. Much like Jason Boucher is down this ribbon of single track!

My Wednesday test ride session was a bit different yesterday! I drove up to Salsa HQ and had a visit with the Crew and Jason, the brand's head honcho.

Can you say "mayhem"? Well, if you'd have been there yesterday, you would have seen it. Getting ready for Interbike is no small task, and of course, there is a company to run as well. I admire all the hard effort Salsa's people put into their company even more. Amazing!

Of course, I got to see all the new 2009 bikes. You folks are going to be blown away by what is coming! It is fantastic looking, (and riding) product. Salsa Cycles is taking a big step up with it's 2009 effort, make no mistake.

I did get to ride something "very special" at the Murphy-Hanrahan trails yesterday too. While I can't talk about the bike, I can tell you that "Murph" is rippin' good fun! The single track is so flowy, with many a decent climb, downhill, and bermed turns. Oh my! Yes, the bermed turns are super fun!

They are also adding in an elevated skinny section for those free riders out there. They were out building it in yesterday as we were riding. It looks scary to me. I mean six inches of wood six feet off the ground? I coulda been a tightrope walker, I suppose, but I ain't, so I'll leave that stuff for those kind of folks.

So if that wasn't enough, I saw the un-boxing of the first production spec Fargo frame and fork while I was there. The paint is more of a silvery undertone metallic green than what we've seen and the graphics "pop" a little more than what I recall. It looks very classy. The fork drop outs are stainless steel, forward facing, with a little "Salsa" embossed into them. Very cool looking and as Joe Meiser explained to me, they are very securely attached to the fork tips with a "break line" added that acts as a point for painters to mask off the stainless drop out, so it doesn't look sloppy. Attention to detail? Are you kidding me? And that isn't the end of that sort of scrutiny on the Fargo, or on any of their products for that matter.

Take for instance the Gordo rims, which are coming in, by the way, some folks are getting them now. At any rate, the Gordo has details that most will never know. Like the highly scrutinized rim well, which was developed to help mount 29"er tires more securely and, in conjunction with the incredibly detailed bead seat on the Gordo, it should really tighten up your tires interface with the rim. I have a set of Gordo rims to build and test for Twenty Nine Inches, so look for more on those rims there soon.

Yeah, seeing how the run up to Interbike goes, even for just a day, is amazing. The trails at Murph........again, amazing! Salsa's 2009 line up............you guessed it! And the future products? Crazy!

A fun, fun day and my deepest thanks go out to all of the Salsa Crew, Joe Meiser, Jason Boucher, Bobby, Miker, and the Surly dudes. Also I wanted to mention the warm welcome and smiles from almost every single QBP employee I saw in the place. Nice! Think opposite of how Postal employees are, and you'll get the picture. (Ha ha! I'll bet some of the QBP guys feel like "going postal" about now though!)

Okay, back to my little corner of the world here being a bicycle mechanic! Have a great day, ya'all!

Random Thoughts

A listing of random thoughts for you today.............

Armstrong Returning To Top Level Racing: Of course, this is the buzz in the cycling world now and is even getting play on national news. My take? Disappointment. Look, I get why he wants it. It's tough for any elite athlete that has spent all of his waking hours for years training for one purpose to give it up and find something else to do. He is wired for what he has spent most of his life doing. The thing is, a lot of these top level athletes do this "retirement/un-retirement schtick and it's always a disappointment in the end. Many times the athlete in question makes a mockery of themselves and is an embarrassment to their sport.

Time will tell if Armstrong falls into the majority or if he is one of the lucky ones in the minority that makes good on their return. I would have preferred he stayed retired, but that's not going to be the case apparently. The odds of his success are greater than his chances of putting together his run of seven Tour wins, I'd say.

Every City Should Do This: I got a link to a video about closing the streets in NYC for Saturdays so that folks could use them for recreating. Cycling was a big part of this, but not the only part. The video is "work friendly" and goes about 7 or so minutes. It's an encouraging video that makes you feel good about being a cyclist. Check it out here.

I don't know why every larger city wouldn't consider this. It seems to be a very positive, low cost, low maintenance way to enrich the lives of citizens.

Drop Bars On Mountain Bikes- A Recipe For Freaking Out: I have web statistics and I know where you live! ha ha! No.....really, I have these web stats that show me what you freaks out there are using as search criteria that eventually lands you on this tiny little digital island called Guitar Ted Productions. One of the most consistently used search words is "drop bar" in conjunction with various other words, but almost all having to do with drop bars for off road usage.

I've written a plenty on this subject here, so I suppose the search engines dredge it up for folks to check out. And of course, the Salsa Cycles new Fargo model is just more fuel for the fire. It'll be interesting to see all the new inquiries into drop bars for off roading. Too bad the originators of the modern concept of this didn't have the inter-web-o-sphere to plunk down their thoughts in 1985. Then their sites could get slammed with search traffic! ha ha!

So anyway, got a question about drop bars on a mountain bike? Shot me a comment or e-mail (on upper right side, there is an e-mail link) I'll do my best to answer you.

Random Thoughts

A listing of random thoughts for you today.............

Armstrong Returning To Top Level Racing: Of course, this is the buzz in the cycling world now and is even getting play on national news. My take? Disappointment. Look, I get why he wants it. It's tough for any elite athlete that has spent all of his waking hours for years training for one purpose to give it up and find something else to do. He is wired for what he has spent most of his life doing. The thing is, a lot of these top level athletes do this "retirement/un-retirement schtick and it's always a disappointment in the end. Many times the athlete in question makes a mockery of themselves and is an embarrassment to their sport.

Time will tell if Armstrong falls into the majority or if he is one of the lucky ones in the minority that makes good on their return. I would have preferred he stayed retired, but that's not going to be the case apparently. The odds of his success are greater than his chances of putting together his run of seven Tour wins, I'd say.

Every City Should Do This: I got a link to a video about closing the streets in NYC for Saturdays so that folks could use them for recreating. Cycling was a big part of this, but not the only part. The video is "work friendly" and goes about 7 or so minutes. It's an encouraging video that makes you feel good about being a cyclist. Check it out here.

I don't know why every larger city wouldn't consider this. It seems to be a very positive, low cost, low maintenance way to enrich the lives of citizens.

Drop Bars On Mountain Bikes- A Recipe For Freaking Out: I have web statistics and I know where you live! ha ha! No.....really, I have these web stats that show me what you freaks out there are using as search criteria that eventually lands you on this tiny little digital island called Guitar Ted Productions. One of the most consistently used search words is "drop bar" in conjunction with various other words, but almost all having to do with drop bars for off road usage.

I've written a plenty on this subject here, so I suppose the search engines dredge it up for folks to check out. And of course, the Salsa Cycles new Fargo model is just more fuel for the fire. It'll be interesting to see all the new inquiries into drop bars for off roading. Too bad the originators of the modern concept of this didn't have the inter-web-o-sphere to plunk down their thoughts in 1985. Then their sites could get slammed with search traffic! ha ha!

So anyway, got a question about drop bars on a mountain bike? Shot me a comment or e-mail (on upper right side, there is an e-mail link) I'll do my best to answer you.

Gettin' Cranky: Update

<===170mm crank set on a geared bike....

For most of the summer I have been running 170mm long cranks in an effort to figure out if there was anything to this whole "Crested Butte Philosophy" regarding the use of shorter cranks on 29"ers. (If you want to know more, see this post from earlier in the summer.)

Well, I have spent a ton of time on the single speed and have a few good rides on the geared rig. The two applications do have different results which I found interesting.

The single speed is where i think the major difference is to be found from 170mm to anything longer. I used to exclusively run 177.5mm or longer on my single speeds and going to the 170mm felt really different at first. As I rode it more (and exclusively as my main SS rig this summer) I found the initial strangeness to have disappeared. However; I also have noted an increase in my ability to scale steeps that I normally would have crapped out on. The 170mm crank seems to get around to it's power stroke a little sooner for me, therefore I lose less momentum in my pedaling "dead spot" and I can keep those big wheels rolling easier. Of course, spinning like a whirling dervish is achieved easier as well, so running the super low gear I have, (34 X 22) is easier on me when I'm on the flats. I actually commuted on this gear a few times. Talk about spin fests! This was only possible because the smaller circle allowed a higher cadence without bumping up and down off the saddle, which a 180mm crank set would have had me doing for sure.

In conclusion, I'm really sold on the 170mm for single speeding and I'll try it on another rig soon. The 170mm on the geared rig was a bit different though.



<=== ....and on a single speed.

The geared set up was a far more transparent situation. I never did notice anything different here, but almost all my geared experiences are on 175mm crank sets, so perhaps this is why. The 170mm cranks on the 29"er worked just fine and were so easy to just hop on and ride without anything noticeably different that I forgot they were 170mm cranks for several weeks!

It may have proven more useful to have noted what gearing I was using in different situations as compared to a longer crank set on the same terrain. That is a possibility as I have 175mm and 180mm geared set ups here that I can cross compare. I think through the fall I might try to get that set up once or twice to see where there might be a difference. Certainly there is no discernible difference in terms of feel for myself. The length was indistinguishable from a 175mm crank set in my mind.

So, the results so far are inconclusive on the geared side, but on the single speed side, I do think there is an advantage for me. Not only can I power through hills easier, but I have better pedal clearance on trail obstacles too. That's a bonus! I'll have to set up a test on the geared side that scrutinizes the gear choices a bit more closely to see if the length is affecting my gearing choices, and also if certain gearing choices feel different between crank sets.

Okay, more later. Thanks for reading!

Gettin' Cranky: Update

<===170mm crank set on a geared bike....

For most of the summer I have been running 170mm long cranks in an effort to figure out if there was anything to this whole "Crested Butte Philosophy" regarding the use of shorter cranks on 29"ers. (If you want to know more, see this post from earlier in the summer.)

Well, I have spent a ton of time on the single speed and have a few good rides on the geared rig. The two applications do have different results which I found interesting.

The single speed is where i think the major difference is to be found from 170mm to anything longer. I used to exclusively run 177.5mm or longer on my single speeds and going to the 170mm felt really different at first. As I rode it more (and exclusively as my main SS rig this summer) I found the initial strangeness to have disappeared. However; I also have noted an increase in my ability to scale steeps that I normally would have crapped out on. The 170mm crank seems to get around to it's power stroke a little sooner for me, therefore I lose less momentum in my pedaling "dead spot" and I can keep those big wheels rolling easier. Of course, spinning like a whirling dervish is achieved easier as well, so running the super low gear I have, (34 X 22) is easier on me when I'm on the flats. I actually commuted on this gear a few times. Talk about spin fests! This was only possible because the smaller circle allowed a higher cadence without bumping up and down off the saddle, which a 180mm crank set would have had me doing for sure.

In conclusion, I'm really sold on the 170mm for single speeding and I'll try it on another rig soon. The 170mm on the geared rig was a bit different though.



<=== ....and on a single speed.

The geared set up was a far more transparent situation. I never did notice anything different here, but almost all my geared experiences are on 175mm crank sets, so perhaps this is why. The 170mm cranks on the 29"er worked just fine and were so easy to just hop on and ride without anything noticeably different that I forgot they were 170mm cranks for several weeks!

It may have proven more useful to have noted what gearing I was using in different situations as compared to a longer crank set on the same terrain. That is a possibility as I have 175mm and 180mm geared set ups here that I can cross compare. I think through the fall I might try to get that set up once or twice to see where there might be a difference. Certainly there is no discernible difference in terms of feel for myself. The length was indistinguishable from a 175mm crank set in my mind.

So, the results so far are inconclusive on the geared side, but on the single speed side, I do think there is an advantage for me. Not only can I power through hills easier, but I have better pedal clearance on trail obstacles too. That's a bonus! I'll have to set up a test on the geared side that scrutinizes the gear choices a bit more closely to see if the length is affecting my gearing choices, and also if certain gearing choices feel different between crank sets.

Okay, more later. Thanks for reading!

Under The Shadows of the South Side Woods

<===The Rawland Fork on the El Mariachi

I got a chance to head out to the woods again Sunday late in the afternoon. I decided to give this new Rawland fork a whirl that is on the front of my El Mariachi.

What a difference a day makes out on the trails, by the way. I think about a dozen folks had ridden out ahead of me and the trails were packed down and fast! That made me go out a bit to hard right outta the box, so I had to slow it down a tad during my first lap. It's hard to not go as fast as you can when the trails are this fast and tacky in the corners. Once I calmed down i was much better off. I had one pretty spectacular "near biff", but I managed to pull out of it with only one foot unclipped.



<===This fork is a real surprise. It's not quite what you might think!

So a first lap was completed with both the outer loop and Captain Bob's Berm Trail done. I swung back in for another go 'round when I noticed that it was getting dark. Real dark! It was only 5:00pm, so it shouldn't be this dark, I'm thinking, but it was. So dark that in some places it would have been nice to have a light. I couldn't see the trail very well!

Then I heard the wind come up. Oh oh! Rain! I started pumping the pedals harder and when I came out on the double track, I went back into the Outer Loop instead of taking Captain Bob's so I would get back to the car sooner. The darkness lifted a bit to the point where there was this eerie half light. Kind of a spooky, weird atmosphere in the woods. Deer were skittering around everywhere. A shotgun could be heard being discharged in the distance. Several shots over the period of my loop. Rain came down and made that unmistakable noise on the canopy above my head. Nary a drop hit the trail as far as I could tell though.

I finished out the loop and headed for my car only to find that instead of loading up in the rain, the shower had passed on and the sunlight was filtered through rushing clouds. I decided to go back in and get Captain Bob's Berm Trail in, since I missed it. I found five deer immediately and then they scattered. At different points during my ride deer would be running across my path, distracting me and making me think about a potential collision. The gun shots in the distance probably had them all in a dither too. Whatever it was, it was kaos in the making.

Now you're probably wondering about that fork, huh? Well, it rides really nicely. Not at all flexy, like I thought it might be. Just a great steel fork ride, really. Reminded me a lot of my Willits fork and other "old skool" steel rigid forks I've ridden off road. I wouldn't recommend it for crazy rock infested terrain or for All Mountain or anything like that, but if you ride XC and single track is your deal, this fork is a nice little stylish piece that would suit a steel frame quite well, I think.

I'll have to give it some more trail time to see if I'm still feeling the same way about it later on, but for now, I'm impressed. It's a nice fork for sure.

Under The Shadows of the South Side Woods

<===The Rawland Fork on the El Mariachi

I got a chance to head out to the woods again Sunday late in the afternoon. I decided to give this new Rawland fork a whirl that is on the front of my El Mariachi.

What a difference a day makes out on the trails, by the way. I think about a dozen folks had ridden out ahead of me and the trails were packed down and fast! That made me go out a bit to hard right outta the box, so I had to slow it down a tad during my first lap. It's hard to not go as fast as you can when the trails are this fast and tacky in the corners. Once I calmed down i was much better off. I had one pretty spectacular "near biff", but I managed to pull out of it with only one foot unclipped.



<===This fork is a real surprise. It's not quite what you might think!

So a first lap was completed with both the outer loop and Captain Bob's Berm Trail done. I swung back in for another go 'round when I noticed that it was getting dark. Real dark! It was only 5:00pm, so it shouldn't be this dark, I'm thinking, but it was. So dark that in some places it would have been nice to have a light. I couldn't see the trail very well!

Then I heard the wind come up. Oh oh! Rain! I started pumping the pedals harder and when I came out on the double track, I went back into the Outer Loop instead of taking Captain Bob's so I would get back to the car sooner. The darkness lifted a bit to the point where there was this eerie half light. Kind of a spooky, weird atmosphere in the woods. Deer were skittering around everywhere. A shotgun could be heard being discharged in the distance. Several shots over the period of my loop. Rain came down and made that unmistakable noise on the canopy above my head. Nary a drop hit the trail as far as I could tell though.

I finished out the loop and headed for my car only to find that instead of loading up in the rain, the shower had passed on and the sunlight was filtered through rushing clouds. I decided to go back in and get Captain Bob's Berm Trail in, since I missed it. I found five deer immediately and then they scattered. At different points during my ride deer would be running across my path, distracting me and making me think about a potential collision. The gun shots in the distance probably had them all in a dither too. Whatever it was, it was kaos in the making.

Now you're probably wondering about that fork, huh? Well, it rides really nicely. Not at all flexy, like I thought it might be. Just a great steel fork ride, really. Reminded me a lot of my Willits fork and other "old skool" steel rigid forks I've ridden off road. I wouldn't recommend it for crazy rock infested terrain or for All Mountain or anything like that, but if you ride XC and single track is your deal, this fork is a nice little stylish piece that would suit a steel frame quite well, I think.

I'll have to give it some more trail time to see if I'm still feeling the same way about it later on, but for now, I'm impressed. It's a nice fork for sure.

Fork And Mud Story

<==="R" is for Rawland Cycles.

I just recently recieved this great looking Rawland Cycles fork from Ben up at Milltown Cyclery. It's a new 29"er fork from Rawland that sports a Pacenti "bi-plane" crown and is disc only. (Other versions are available) Ben wants me to "give it a whirl and see what (I) think". So, you know.........I guess I just have to, right?

It is already mounted to a bike and ready to roll. I'll report back later........




<=== Tread packing up! Not good!

I made a stab at running around the Camp's south side Saturday. I waited until noon for the temps to come up and for the ground to dry out from Thursday's rains. Well, it was still pretty wet and sticky, which in all honesty was just what I wanted. I needed to test the mud shedding capabilities of the Ardent tires I'm testing out. It was as I suspected though, the tread packed up right away.



<=== The HiFi in the woods. Always a good combination!

I ended up taking it slow, because the corners were real sketchy with tires packed up as they were.

I ended up just doing one lap and calling it a day. I went up and down the gravel for a cool down/mud shedder and pointed the Dirty Blue Box back home.

Maybe I'll head back out today and see if the conditions are any better. If not, there's about a million house chores that could stand getting to. Winter is a coming!

Fork And Mud Story

<==="R" is for Rawland Cycles.

I just recently recieved this great looking Rawland Cycles fork from Ben up at Milltown Cyclery. It's a new 29"er fork from Rawland that sports a Pacenti "bi-plane" crown and is disc only. (Other versions are available) Ben wants me to "give it a whirl and see what (I) think". So, you know.........I guess I just have to, right?

It is already mounted to a bike and ready to roll. I'll report back later........




<=== Tread packing up! Not good!

I made a stab at running around the Camp's south side Saturday. I waited until noon for the temps to come up and for the ground to dry out from Thursday's rains. Well, it was still pretty wet and sticky, which in all honesty was just what I wanted. I needed to test the mud shedding capabilities of the Ardent tires I'm testing out. It was as I suspected though, the tread packed up right away.



<=== The HiFi in the woods. Always a good combination!

I ended up taking it slow, because the corners were real sketchy with tires packed up as they were.

I ended up just doing one lap and calling it a day. I went up and down the gravel for a cool down/mud shedder and pointed the Dirty Blue Box back home.

Maybe I'll head back out today and see if the conditions are any better. If not, there's about a million house chores that could stand getting to. Winter is a coming!

Salsa Fargo: The Debate Begins!

<===The bike that is turning the 29"er world inside out.

It is a touring bike, a long haul bike for off roading, a commuter, a utility bike, and more. The Salsa Cycles Fargo 29"er has already caused a lot of debate amongst cycling aficionados.

Some are even trying to compare it to things like Jeff Jones bikes and Niner Bikes, even going so far as to suggest that perhaps the design is a direct copy of something from the handmade cycling world.

Wow!

I guess you could say that any of these things are true, since they are all bicycles with 700c based fat tires. But really, let's be honest. If anyone in their right mind believes Salsa is trying to replicate a Jones bike type handling with racks, or that Niner Bikes hard tails are anything like this bike, well all I got to say is you've got a screw loose.

And as for anything being "lifted" or copied from handmade bikes, well, I suppose anybody could find something to point at in that regard. The thing is, it is a production bike, and if you think that you are going to get the "custom touch" from a production bike, well that is just plain goofy. If you are a custom builder, and this irks you, I don't get that either. No one is doing a 29"er touring/adventuring rig last time I checked. The handmade world is all ga ga over fixies, utility bikes, and 650B bikes, as far as I can tell.

So what is it? I would say that if you aren't already figuring that out, this bike isn't for you. Those that do get it will have already been looking at elements this bike offers and will instantly see the way it will work for their purposes. That said, there are those that will come around in time, but there are also those that will deride and criticize this bike to no end. That's the way it goes when a bike comes around that is a bit different.

I think that the Fargo will be a trend setter, but maybe I'm off my rocker. I do know that it is a bike a lot of folks have been waiting for. Perhaps a bike that will set off a thousand adventures? Time will tell.

Salsa Fargo: The Debate Begins!

<===The bike that is turning the 29"er world inside out.

It is a touring bike, a long haul bike for off roading, a commuter, a utility bike, and more. The Salsa Cycles Fargo 29"er has already caused a lot of debate amongst cycling aficionados.

Some are even trying to compare it to things like Jeff Jones bikes and Niner Bikes, even going so far as to suggest that perhaps the design is a direct copy of something from the handmade cycling world.

Wow!

I guess you could say that any of these things are true, since they are all bicycles with 700c based fat tires. But really, let's be honest. If anyone in their right mind believes Salsa is trying to replicate a Jones bike type handling with racks, or that Niner Bikes hard tails are anything like this bike, well all I got to say is you've got a screw loose.

And as for anything being "lifted" or copied from handmade bikes, well, I suppose anybody could find something to point at in that regard. The thing is, it is a production bike, and if you think that you are going to get the "custom touch" from a production bike, well that is just plain goofy. If you are a custom builder, and this irks you, I don't get that either. No one is doing a 29"er touring/adventuring rig last time I checked. The handmade world is all ga ga over fixies, utility bikes, and 650B bikes, as far as I can tell.

So what is it? I would say that if you aren't already figuring that out, this bike isn't for you. Those that do get it will have already been looking at elements this bike offers and will instantly see the way it will work for their purposes. That said, there are those that will come around in time, but there are also those that will deride and criticize this bike to no end. That's the way it goes when a bike comes around that is a bit different.

I think that the Fargo will be a trend setter, but maybe I'm off my rocker. I do know that it is a bike a lot of folks have been waiting for. Perhaps a bike that will set off a thousand adventures? Time will tell.

Was That The Last Day Of Summer?

<====This has nothing to do with my ride, I just thought it was cool! Seen in my back yard.

Wednesday was as about a perfect day as you could ask for. Sunny, puffy clouds floating by, and cool enough to wear a wool short sleeved jersey. I was off work, and I had tire testing to do for Twenty Nine Inches. Does it get any better than this?

I don't think so.

So, I headed out to The Camp , (Check out the Flat Tire Fest flyer at the site) and unloaded the HiFi Deluxe for some north side exploration.


<====The HiFi says, "Hey! Hurry up already!"

Over the past weekend the Camp's north unit was host to a horse show and trail ride. That meant that most of the trails they used had been "fluffed up". Lots of dust, the consistency of flour, and packed in dirt. Great stuff to ride on, you just had to be able to deftly dodge the road apples along the way!

Another bonus, the horses cleared a huge path through the previously spider web choked trails. Yeah! No web face this time.

So I charged off to make some sort of loop out of the many trail choices out on the North side. I managed to do just that, including the Ridge trail, The Pines, and back past the turn off to the Expert loop and down to the service road out leading back to the swimming pool. But instead of merely riding out on that road, I took a right at the bottom of the hill and did single track out to just behind the Service shed. Perfect! More dirt equals more fun!



<====A steep up on The Ridge trail. The horses and wet weather in the spring have made these climbs far more technical and challenging then they used to be.

I hate to admit it, but the same wild grape vine that shredded my arm a month ago got me again Wednesday! This time I stopped and cleared it out to avoid somebody else getting shredded. Obviously no one else had been back there since I had. Evidence of my tire tracks could still be found from that ride on my El Mariachi. So I knew that it was likely I was right, and no one else had ridden The Pines since then.



<=== Sun dappled single track, woods, and a mountain bike. Priceless!

I finished out another lap, with each taking close to an hour to complete, and packed up to head for home. I had a lot of writing to do, research, and family matters to attend to, but at least I got out to enjoy what most likely was the last day of summer-like weather we'll have this year.

The following day remnants of Hurricane Gustav made it to Iowa. The temperature had dropped by about 15 degrees and today it feels even crisper. Ahh! Fall is in the air, and lots more mountain biking is yet to be had. However, I will soon miss those days like last Wednesday and I am thankful that I have gotten so much riding in over the past three months. It's been a great summer for riding.

Was That The Last Day Of Summer?

<====This has nothing to do with my ride, I just thought it was cool! Seen in my back yard.

Wednesday was as about a perfect day as you could ask for. Sunny, puffy clouds floating by, and cool enough to wear a wool short sleeved jersey. I was off work, and I had tire testing to do for Twenty Nine Inches. Does it get any better than this?

I don't think so.

So, I headed out to The Camp , (Check out the Flat Tire Fest flyer at the site) and unloaded the HiFi Deluxe for some north side exploration.


<====The HiFi says, "Hey! Hurry up already!"

Over the past weekend the Camp's north unit was host to a horse show and trail ride. That meant that most of the trails they used had been "fluffed up". Lots of dust, the consistency of flour, and packed in dirt. Great stuff to ride on, you just had to be able to deftly dodge the road apples along the way!

Another bonus, the horses cleared a huge path through the previously spider web choked trails. Yeah! No web face this time.

So I charged off to make some sort of loop out of the many trail choices out on the North side. I managed to do just that, including the Ridge trail, The Pines, and back past the turn off to the Expert loop and down to the service road out leading back to the swimming pool. But instead of merely riding out on that road, I took a right at the bottom of the hill and did single track out to just behind the Service shed. Perfect! More dirt equals more fun!



<====A steep up on The Ridge trail. The horses and wet weather in the spring have made these climbs far more technical and challenging then they used to be.

I hate to admit it, but the same wild grape vine that shredded my arm a month ago got me again Wednesday! This time I stopped and cleared it out to avoid somebody else getting shredded. Obviously no one else had been back there since I had. Evidence of my tire tracks could still be found from that ride on my El Mariachi. So I knew that it was likely I was right, and no one else had ridden The Pines since then.



<=== Sun dappled single track, woods, and a mountain bike. Priceless!

I finished out another lap, with each taking close to an hour to complete, and packed up to head for home. I had a lot of writing to do, research, and family matters to attend to, but at least I got out to enjoy what most likely was the last day of summer-like weather we'll have this year.

The following day remnants of Hurricane Gustav made it to Iowa. The temperature had dropped by about 15 degrees and today it feels even crisper. Ahh! Fall is in the air, and lots more mountain biking is yet to be had. However, I will soon miss those days like last Wednesday and I am thankful that I have gotten so much riding in over the past three months. It's been a great summer for riding.

Wow! Things Are A Happenin'!

<===Eurobike is happenin' and keepin' me busy. Even way over here!

I'm late today again, but this time it is because I'm busy. Eurobike is underway and the news is pouring in, and that means I gotta work it.

Here's Niner Bikes new W.F.O. 5.5" travel 29"er with the new Marzocchi 44 29"er 140mm travel fork. Find out more at Twenty Nine Inches. If you head over there, you'll likely see my post on Salsa Cycles newest 29"er too.


I did get out before the rains hit yesterday and did a little riding at the Camp. It was a great time.






<===Testing! One......Two.......

Here's the HiFi Deluxe with the Bontrager XR Tubeless Ready tires mounted up. These things grew about two millimeters in width after mounting them. Scary!

Anyway, I'm way behind here, so I've gotta cut things short for today. Stay tuned for more madness from Eurobike, my ride report from Wednesday, and more.

Wow! Things Are A Happenin'!

<===Eurobike is happenin' and keepin' me busy. Even way over here!

I'm late today again, but this time it is because I'm busy. Eurobike is underway and the news is pouring in, and that means I gotta work it.

Here's Niner Bikes new W.F.O. 5.5" travel 29"er with the new Marzocchi 44 29"er 140mm travel fork. Find out more at Twenty Nine Inches. If you head over there, you'll likely see my post on Salsa Cycles newest 29"er too.


I did get out before the rains hit yesterday and did a little riding at the Camp. It was a great time.






<===Testing! One......Two.......

Here's the HiFi Deluxe with the Bontrager XR Tubeless Ready tires mounted up. These things grew about two millimeters in width after mounting them. Scary!

Anyway, I'm way behind here, so I've gotta cut things short for today. Stay tuned for more madness from Eurobike, my ride report from Wednesday, and more.

Trans Iowa V5: On My Mind

Lately I've gotten a spurt to do some more work on Trans Iowa v5 in the form of finalizing the course choice. I want to make a concerted effort to close out that chapter of prepping for the event by sometime before the end of November.

This edition of T.I. will be the first that I have split the duties of doing the course planning and it is going well. d.p., who came on board last year as co-conspirator, has been enthusiastically reconning and laying out about half of what will become the T.I.V5 course. He's even ridden a bunch of it on his bike! He's beaten me to the punch, so to speak, and I have to get some work done! Actually, it is really working out quite well.

d.p. is finding out, as I have, that actual physical recon is worth gold when doing this sort of an event planning. Maps can only tell you so much, and many times, they can't be trusted. But what isn't possible to convey are the cultural, natural, and mental aspects that a course choice can have.

For instance, T.I. courses in the past have been routed in such a way as to give folks a little cultural flavor. (Not that anyone would notice, after beating themselves silly in late April weather on miles of bumpy gravel roads!) But hey! I always tried to make things interesting, if I could. d.p. and I are continuing that tradition. Then you have the unknowns like dogs. That hasn't been much of an issue in the past, but d.p. is actually re-routing his part of the course at one point to avoid some particularly nasty dogs. Then there are your B level maintenance roads. Some of these are almost ordinary in appearance, while some are downright dangerous, or so primitive that they barely exist as a road at all. These sorts of things one has to actually go see to make any sort of judgement call on.

Finally, the sum of all the parts has to be considered. I know this might seem out of character for me to some of you, but I have actually altered the course on occasion because I felt that the course was too mentally and physically difficult in places. Yes, really! I know that some will find that hard to believe. I do try to throw some crazy stuff at the T.I. folks, but I am not here to make it impossible. It is a hard act to balance. I don't think I've hit it right yet, and of course, the weather has a lot to do with that as well.

Ah yes! The weather factor! That is the final piece of the puzzle to consider. Over time, I (and now d.p. as well) have been getting more and more careful about how we design the course in light of the weather. A big turn was taken after T.I.V2 when I had too many B road sections all packed together. That combined with lots of rain didn't go over too well. Had it been dry, well, that wouldn't have been a lesson learned. Last spring, T.I.V4 was another slap to the face. Low water crossings, areas subject to flooding, and leaving ourselves some bail out possibilities for re-routing were all drilled into our heads as things needing consideration. The weather has taught us some hard lessons!

So, this Trans Iowa thing gets more complex the more we know. I think back to the first one. I just picked out a route on paper, Jeff and I drove it, made a few alterations on the fly, and lived with it. It's amazing that one came off at all on so many levels!

Ignorance is bliss, I guess!

Trans Iowa V5: On My Mind

Lately I've gotten a spurt to do some more work on Trans Iowa v5 in the form of finalizing the course choice. I want to make a concerted effort to close out that chapter of prepping for the event by sometime before the end of November.

This edition of T.I. will be the first that I have split the duties of doing the course planning and it is going well. d.p., who came on board last year as co-conspirator, has been enthusiastically reconning and laying out about half of what will become the T.I.V5 course. He's even ridden a bunch of it on his bike! He's beaten me to the punch, so to speak, and I have to get some work done! Actually, it is really working out quite well.

d.p. is finding out, as I have, that actual physical recon is worth gold when doing this sort of an event planning. Maps can only tell you so much, and many times, they can't be trusted. But what isn't possible to convey are the cultural, natural, and mental aspects that a course choice can have.

For instance, T.I. courses in the past have been routed in such a way as to give folks a little cultural flavor. (Not that anyone would notice, after beating themselves silly in late April weather on miles of bumpy gravel roads!) But hey! I always tried to make things interesting, if I could. d.p. and I are continuing that tradition. Then you have the unknowns like dogs. That hasn't been much of an issue in the past, but d.p. is actually re-routing his part of the course at one point to avoid some particularly nasty dogs. Then there are your B level maintenance roads. Some of these are almost ordinary in appearance, while some are downright dangerous, or so primitive that they barely exist as a road at all. These sorts of things one has to actually go see to make any sort of judgement call on.

Finally, the sum of all the parts has to be considered. I know this might seem out of character for me to some of you, but I have actually altered the course on occasion because I felt that the course was too mentally and physically difficult in places. Yes, really! I know that some will find that hard to believe. I do try to throw some crazy stuff at the T.I. folks, but I am not here to make it impossible. It is a hard act to balance. I don't think I've hit it right yet, and of course, the weather has a lot to do with that as well.

Ah yes! The weather factor! That is the final piece of the puzzle to consider. Over time, I (and now d.p. as well) have been getting more and more careful about how we design the course in light of the weather. A big turn was taken after T.I.V2 when I had too many B road sections all packed together. That combined with lots of rain didn't go over too well. Had it been dry, well, that wouldn't have been a lesson learned. Last spring, T.I.V4 was another slap to the face. Low water crossings, areas subject to flooding, and leaving ourselves some bail out possibilities for re-routing were all drilled into our heads as things needing consideration. The weather has taught us some hard lessons!

So, this Trans Iowa thing gets more complex the more we know. I think back to the first one. I just picked out a route on paper, Jeff and I drove it, made a few alterations on the fly, and lived with it. It's amazing that one came off at all on so many levels!

Ignorance is bliss, I guess!