Trans Iowa V9: Thoughts On Different Courses Every Year

Renegade Gents In Iowa

I was perusing blog stats and when I looked into this popular post, I was reminded of a question posed in the comments concerning Trans Iowa. That question was concerning the fact that I put out a different course for Trans Iowa every year.

"Why don't you just run the same course every year?"

I could answer that in one simple word:

 Cheating.

But of course, it is much more complex than that. There are many reasons, actually, but cheating is one of the top reasons. Maybe I take a dim view of humanity, but here is why I think this way....

What would stop someone wanting to win, or set a record, at Trans Iowa from having cached supplies at critical points? Or heck- just having someone standing there somewhere with a hand up? (Think I am dreaming this up? I've seen it at Trans Iowa and at another long distance gravel grinder.) What would stop someone from cutting the course?

Nothing, that's what. Yes- there are upright guys and gals that will do the right thing, and there are a few bad apples which ruin it for those folks because they employ cheating methods. It's the way of the world. If you think otherwise, I think you may be fooling yourself, or perhaps you are very idealistic and naive. Whatever- cheating exists and gravel grinders are not exempt from it.

T.I.V7: Image by S.Fuller

Trans Iowa is a free of charge event set up to allow those who choose to ride the course to do so with no support, no previous knowledge of the course, and they agree to the time limits set forth to complete the pre-arranged course within. Sure- I could have the same course every year, and I could set it up so that I could have it be assured that no one is cheating. But that would actually be far more difficult from my side than making a different course every year, especially if I want to keep this a free event.

Besides, if folks don't like the idea, they do not have to come and ride in Trans Iowa, do they? No- there are going to be other events which will satisfy your curiosity for a pre-arranged course, no time limits, and ultra-distance. (Yes- Dirty Nellie. I don't live under a rock, ya know!) And to address that specifically, I wish Mr. Skogen nothing but the best in his debut of this course. That event is his deal. As for Trans Iowa, that is my deal, and the way it is set up came out of years of trial and error, not only on my part, but even before Trans Iowa existed.

As I said though, there are other reasons I do a different course every year. One of those reasons is to show off other parts of Iowa. I get to see stuff I wouldn't normally see, and I get to share something of that with others that are of like mind. Doing the same ol' same ol' every year isn't in my DNA anyway.  I like going different places- maybe you do too? If so, then having a different course works.

Don't be afeard of the B's! Image by S.Fuller

Another reason is that I feel that each Trans Iowa should be a unique event. And despite the possibilities of having a singular course, this probably would be the case anyway. Why? Weather, that's why. Each year is different in a dramatic way simply because the weather can be so different. Rain, snow, wind, no wind, pleasant weather, cold, and warm can all happen depending on the year and greatly affects the outcome of the event. It kind of takes away from the reasoning for having a singular course, which to my mind is for direct comparisons to be made. I don't think that this is a fair way to gauge Trans Iowas against each other or to gauge participants efforts from one year to another.

For instance, it seems to be human nature to want to set a record for the fastest to do a course, or heck, just part of a course! If I am wrong, then why is Strava a thing? Right? Well, I get asked sometimes, "Who did Trans Iowa the fastest?" And you know- I find that to be a very difficult question to answer. I guess my final reply would be to ask another question: "In which version of Trans Iowa are you asking about?" Because, you know, each version is a different course, a different length, and run under widely varying circumstances. How can you say one individual has a record in Trans Iowa overall for fastest anything? You can not.

Oh, I have read where a couple of past Trans Iowa winners have written that they did it the fastest, but ya know what I think? They are both right for the respective years they actually rode in Trans Iowa and finished first. Last year it was Eric Brunt. That's his Trans Iowa. Make sense? That's another reason I do different courses. The winner each year was the fastest. No one can take that record down. And they say records are made to be broken.......

Gravel: It's what it is all about.

Added to this is my philosophy that each finisher, each participant that didn't get all the way through, they all can say "I was in that Trans Iowa. The one where..." See? The T.I. that went through such-and-such, the T.I. that had this crazy B Road, the T.I. that had this amazing view.

In other words, how can each Trans Iowa be special if it is mostly the same every year? It even kind of bothers me that I use the same city to start in more than once. (But Grinnell has been too awesome to deny.) Trans Iowa is a gift, in a way, that wouldn't mean as much if it were the same thing every year. That's just my own personal feelings on the matter. Others can do whatever the heck they want, and I'm okay with that. They are not me, and I am pretty odd, (or so I've been told), so I would never expect anyone else to do it the way I think is best. That's not an expectation of mine, anyway. But I do expect that of myself, so Trans Iowa is what it is.

I hope that better explains where I am coming from with my reasons for a different course every year. Again- this is just the way Trans Iowa is, and will be, as long as Trans Iowa exists. I feel it is one of the unique features of this particular event. It makes it different. It suits me to do it this way. I think it also creates a fair and level playing field for each year, and by doing a different course every year, folks get a special experience that will not be recreated ever.

Trans Iowa V9: Thoughts On Different Courses Every Year

Renegade Gents In Iowa

I was perusing blog stats and when I looked into this popular post, I was reminded of a question posed in the comments concerning Trans Iowa. That question was concerning the fact that I put out a different course for Trans Iowa every year.

"Why don't you just run the same course every year?"

I could answer that in one simple word:

 Cheating.

But of course, it is much more complex than that. There are many reasons, actually, but cheating is one of the top reasons. Maybe I take a dim view of humanity, but here is why I think this way....

What would stop someone wanting to win, or set a record, at Trans Iowa from having cached supplies at critical points? Or heck- just having someone standing there somewhere with a hand up? (Think I am dreaming this up? I've seen it at Trans Iowa and at another long distance gravel grinder.) What would stop someone from cutting the course?

Nothing, that's what. Yes- there are upright guys and gals that will do the right thing, and there are a few bad apples which ruin it for those folks because they employ cheating methods. It's the way of the world. If you think otherwise, I think you may be fooling yourself, or perhaps you are very idealistic and naive. Whatever- cheating exists and gravel grinders are not exempt from it.

T.I.V7: Image by S.Fuller

Trans Iowa is a free of charge event set up to allow those who choose to ride the course to do so with no support, no previous knowledge of the course, and they agree to the time limits set forth to complete the pre-arranged course within. Sure- I could have the same course every year, and I could set it up so that I could have it be assured that no one is cheating. But that would actually be far more difficult from my side than making a different course every year, especially if I want to keep this a free event.

Besides, if folks don't like the idea, they do not have to come and ride in Trans Iowa, do they? No- there are going to be other events which will satisfy your curiosity for a pre-arranged course, no time limits, and ultra-distance. (Yes- Dirty Nellie. I don't live under a rock, ya know!) And to address that specifically, I wish Mr. Skogen nothing but the best in his debut of this course. That event is his deal. As for Trans Iowa, that is my deal, and the way it is set up came out of years of trial and error, not only on my part, but even before Trans Iowa existed.

As I said though, there are other reasons I do a different course every year. One of those reasons is to show off other parts of Iowa. I get to see stuff I wouldn't normally see, and I get to share something of that with others that are of like mind. Doing the same ol' same ol' every year isn't in my DNA anyway.  I like going different places- maybe you do too? If so, then having a different course works.

Don't be afeard of the B's! Image by S.Fuller

Another reason is that I feel that each Trans Iowa should be a unique event. And despite the possibilities of having a singular course, this probably would be the case anyway. Why? Weather, that's why. Each year is different in a dramatic way simply because the weather can be so different. Rain, snow, wind, no wind, pleasant weather, cold, and warm can all happen depending on the year and greatly affects the outcome of the event. It kind of takes away from the reasoning for having a singular course, which to my mind is for direct comparisons to be made. I don't think that this is a fair way to gauge Trans Iowas against each other or to gauge participants efforts from one year to another.

For instance, it seems to be human nature to want to set a record for the fastest to do a course, or heck, just part of a course! If I am wrong, then why is Strava a thing? Right? Well, I get asked sometimes, "Who did Trans Iowa the fastest?" And you know- I find that to be a very difficult question to answer. I guess my final reply would be to ask another question: "In which version of Trans Iowa are you asking about?" Because, you know, each version is a different course, a different length, and run under widely varying circumstances. How can you say one individual has a record in Trans Iowa overall for fastest anything? You can not.

Oh, I have read where a couple of past Trans Iowa winners have written that they did it the fastest, but ya know what I think? They are both right for the respective years they actually rode in Trans Iowa and finished first. Last year it was Eric Brunt. That's his Trans Iowa. Make sense? That's another reason I do different courses. The winner each year was the fastest. No one can take that record down. And they say records are made to be broken.......

Gravel: It's what it is all about.

Added to this is my philosophy that each finisher, each participant that didn't get all the way through, they all can say "I was in that Trans Iowa. The one where..." See? The T.I. that went through such-and-such, the T.I. that had this crazy B Road, the T.I. that had this amazing view.

In other words, how can each Trans Iowa be special if it is mostly the same every year? It even kind of bothers me that I use the same city to start in more than once. (But Grinnell has been too awesome to deny.) Trans Iowa is a gift, in a way, that wouldn't mean as much if it were the same thing every year. That's just my own personal feelings on the matter. Others can do whatever the heck they want, and I'm okay with that. They are not me, and I am pretty odd, (or so I've been told), so I would never expect anyone else to do it the way I think is best. That's not an expectation of mine, anyway. But I do expect that of myself, so Trans Iowa is what it is.

I hope that better explains where I am coming from with my reasons for a different course every year. Again- this is just the way Trans Iowa is, and will be, as long as Trans Iowa exists. I feel it is one of the unique features of this particular event. It makes it different. It suits me to do it this way. I think it also creates a fair and level playing field for each year, and by doing a different course every year, folks get a special experience that will not be recreated ever.

Friday News And Views

First snow

Beginning Of Snow Season:

The recent big dump of snow has gotten us off to a fantastic start for fat biking, XC skiing, and snow shoeing. I decided I couldn't wait and not long after the snow came in earnest on Wednesday evening I went out for a bit of a cruise.

It did not take long before I realized that the snow was so wet and so thick that I was hard pressed to see where I was going. Then the fork packed up with snow as well. Probably should have chosen the single speed. The cassette was packing up, or the rear derailleur jockey wheels- not sure which, but the snapping sound emanating from the rear end could only be quelled by switching gears every five seconds or so.

Time to head for the shed.

I only got in about two miles, but it was fun. I came home covered in sticky snow, wet through to the legs, (since I ran out wearing only blue jeans for pants), and a bike covered with a layer of wet snow.Even if I had worn proper gear and brought my repair kit, this would have been very difficult snow conditions. I'm sure the drive train issues would have eventually been my undoing.

Most road disc brakes have tiny rotors- A bad thing?

Road Bikes With Disc Brakes: Hold On There!

You've heard it, most likely. Road bikes will have disc brakes any day now. Well........yes, but maybe not. 

I just read a very interesting article in "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" in the December issue that stated several reasons why this may either be delayed, or why it may never happen on a wide scale.  Most of the issue revolves around heat dissipation and strength of the frame and fork. It seems that with regard to getting folks on board with disc brakes on road bikes, designers and product managers are spec'ing 140mm to 160mm rotor sizes to keep the weight down and obviously give the bike a not so "in your face" disc brake look. However; these little rotors have to deal with a lot more heat than a mountain bike would, especially on repeated use during a long down hill descent.

I remember hearing from Shimano testers a few years back that in Japan, Shimano ran brake tests on Deore XT and XTR brakes against other mountain bike brakes by going down this mountain there which featured a very long descent measured in miles. At one point it was related to me that the tester, aboard a new Shimano braked bike, passed another tester on a competitor's brakes who had pulled over to the side because his brakes were on fire!

These were guys using big rotors and heavier duty hydraulic brakes that road bike aficionados wouldn't dream of sticking onto their bikes because of weight issues. So, a road bike going down a mountain, slowing from 50mph to 15mph repeatedly going around switchbacks isn't going to need bigger rotors, with better heat dissipation characteristics, and would not need a beefed up frame and fork for these purposes?  That's going to be somewhat of a hurdle to get over, not to mention the making of a proper, good looking hydraulic capable brifter. (Sorry SRAM- your proto looks ridiculous.)

Trans Iowa Talk: 

Once again, on Mountain Bike Radio,  I had the honor of speaking with Trans Iowa veteran and finisher, Tim Ek. Tim brings a great perspective to what it means to him to be in Trans Iowa, to ride during the night time parts, and has great insights and stories regarding the event he has ridden in several times now. You can listen to the show we did last night by clicking the link below here.

Listen to internet radio with Mountain Bike Radio on Blog Talk Radio

And speaking of Trans Iowa, there will be a big post tomorrow regarding the question: "Why do you use a different course every year?" Look for that to go live in the wee hours for your reading pleasure.

Otherwise have a safe and fun weekend. See ya soon!

Friday News And Views

First snow

Beginning Of Snow Season:

The recent big dump of snow has gotten us off to a fantastic start for fat biking, XC skiing, and snow shoeing. I decided I couldn't wait and not long after the snow came in earnest on Wednesday evening I went out for a bit of a cruise.

It did not take long before I realized that the snow was so wet and so thick that I was hard pressed to see where I was going. Then the fork packed up with snow as well. Probably should have chosen the single speed. The cassette was packing up, or the rear derailleur jockey wheels- not sure which, but the snapping sound emanating from the rear end could only be quelled by switching gears every five seconds or so.

Time to head for the shed.

I only got in about two miles, but it was fun. I came home covered in sticky snow, wet through to the legs, (since I ran out wearing only blue jeans for pants), and a bike covered with a layer of wet snow.Even if I had worn proper gear and brought my repair kit, this would have been very difficult snow conditions. I'm sure the drive train issues would have eventually been my undoing.

Most road disc brakes have tiny rotors- A bad thing?

Road Bikes With Disc Brakes: Hold On There!

You've heard it, most likely. Road bikes will have disc brakes any day now. Well........yes, but maybe not. 

I just read a very interesting article in "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" in the December issue that stated several reasons why this may either be delayed, or why it may never happen on a wide scale.  Most of the issue revolves around heat dissipation and strength of the frame and fork. It seems that with regard to getting folks on board with disc brakes on road bikes, designers and product managers are spec'ing 140mm to 160mm rotor sizes to keep the weight down and obviously give the bike a not so "in your face" disc brake look. However; these little rotors have to deal with a lot more heat than a mountain bike would, especially on repeated use during a long down hill descent.

I remember hearing from Shimano testers a few years back that in Japan, Shimano ran brake tests on Deore XT and XTR brakes against other mountain bike brakes by going down this mountain there which featured a very long descent measured in miles. At one point it was related to me that the tester, aboard a new Shimano braked bike, passed another tester on a competitor's brakes who had pulled over to the side because his brakes were on fire!

These were guys using big rotors and heavier duty hydraulic brakes that road bike aficionados wouldn't dream of sticking onto their bikes because of weight issues. So, a road bike going down a mountain, slowing from 50mph to 15mph repeatedly going around switchbacks isn't going to need bigger rotors, with better heat dissipation characteristics, and would not need a beefed up frame and fork for these purposes?  That's going to be somewhat of a hurdle to get over, not to mention the making of a proper, good looking hydraulic capable brifter. (Sorry SRAM- your proto looks ridiculous.)

Trans Iowa Talk: 

Once again, on Mountain Bike Radio,  I had the honor of speaking with Trans Iowa veteran and finisher, Tim Ek. Tim brings a great perspective to what it means to him to be in Trans Iowa, to ride during the night time parts, and has great insights and stories regarding the event he has ridden in several times now. You can listen to the show we did last night by clicking the link below here.

Listen to internet radio with Mountain Bike Radio on Blog Talk Radio

And speaking of Trans Iowa, there will be a big post tomorrow regarding the question: "Why do you use a different course every year?" Look for that to go live in the wee hours for your reading pleasure.

Otherwise have a safe and fun weekend. See ya soon!

End Of Dirt?

One last time in 2012....

The forecast wasn''t sounding too great. Blizzard warnings and all. The "smart phone" made sure I knew about that at 4am in the morning! So I figured that it wasn't too bad out, and that I should get one last dirt ride in, and then get out the fat bikes!

So I hauled the Camber Comp out to the South Side trails for one last go around. The trails were looking frozen with the remnants of the "dandruff snow" that fell from the sky Tuesday. But the looks were deceiving. In reality, it was a weird combination of moisture, dirt, and frozen components that made for a sticky, clod-fest of a ride. You would have thought I was riding a moto-cross bike with the amount of dirt that was being flung about me as I sped along the trail.

It was fun for sure, but I did not push it too hard to start out with. I think many of the readers here may find it amusing that I did wear knee pads on this ride though! You know......just in case. Turns out I was in no danger of needing them this time.

The woods were strangely devoid of deer this time. Only the cackling of crows was to be heard far overhead. There was no wind to speak of at this point. Just a grey sky and mostly silent woods. I didn't see anything alive until I reached the nearest point to the Cedar River. There they were again- two Bald Eagles this time. That makes three out of three trips where I have seen the Bald Eagles at this same spot on the river. 

Then it was on to the technical bits. The Camber, with its plush suspension, was a good match for the quick down/up of the new section. But then you gotta go back down. Here is where I appreciated the long, kicked out wheel, short stem, and wide bar on the Diamondback Mason. The Specialized took more care to get it to go around the corner here.

Overall the bike was good though, just not as stiff and stout feeling as the Mason hard tail. But then, the Mason and the Camber weigh almost the same amount, and the Camber has dual suspension, so, ya gotta figure the Mason is a bit burlier than the Camber just from that stat.

It was a great "last" ride at The Camp. I started out 2012 with some trepidation concerning this trail system. It was not known what was going to become of it, since the rumor was the Boy Scouts were selling it off. Would it end up becoming a few high dollar residences? Would it get closed off to public use? Who knew? I rode out there as much as I could get away with early on since I figured it would be the last year.

Well, now it seems that the trails will stay open. Bremer County owns the land now, or so I hear, and the scuttlebutt is that new sections of trail are being planned. In fact, some was put in late in the year after word of the sale went through, and it has been a great addition to the already fantastic trails out there. Next season should be really a good one.

End Of Dirt?

One last time in 2012....

The forecast wasn''t sounding too great. Blizzard warnings and all. The "smart phone" made sure I knew about that at 4am in the morning! So I figured that it wasn't too bad out, and that I should get one last dirt ride in, and then get out the fat bikes!

So I hauled the Camber Comp out to the South Side trails for one last go around. The trails were looking frozen with the remnants of the "dandruff snow" that fell from the sky Tuesday. But the looks were deceiving. In reality, it was a weird combination of moisture, dirt, and frozen components that made for a sticky, clod-fest of a ride. You would have thought I was riding a moto-cross bike with the amount of dirt that was being flung about me as I sped along the trail.

It was fun for sure, but I did not push it too hard to start out with. I think many of the readers here may find it amusing that I did wear knee pads on this ride though! You know......just in case. Turns out I was in no danger of needing them this time.

The woods were strangely devoid of deer this time. Only the cackling of crows was to be heard far overhead. There was no wind to speak of at this point. Just a grey sky and mostly silent woods. I didn't see anything alive until I reached the nearest point to the Cedar River. There they were again- two Bald Eagles this time. That makes three out of three trips where I have seen the Bald Eagles at this same spot on the river. 

Then it was on to the technical bits. The Camber, with its plush suspension, was a good match for the quick down/up of the new section. But then you gotta go back down. Here is where I appreciated the long, kicked out wheel, short stem, and wide bar on the Diamondback Mason. The Specialized took more care to get it to go around the corner here.

Overall the bike was good though, just not as stiff and stout feeling as the Mason hard tail. But then, the Mason and the Camber weigh almost the same amount, and the Camber has dual suspension, so, ya gotta figure the Mason is a bit burlier than the Camber just from that stat.

It was a great "last" ride at The Camp. I started out 2012 with some trepidation concerning this trail system. It was not known what was going to become of it, since the rumor was the Boy Scouts were selling it off. Would it end up becoming a few high dollar residences? Would it get closed off to public use? Who knew? I rode out there as much as I could get away with early on since I figured it would be the last year.

Well, now it seems that the trails will stay open. Bremer County owns the land now, or so I hear, and the scuttlebutt is that new sections of trail are being planned. In fact, some was put in late in the year after word of the sale went through, and it has been a great addition to the already fantastic trails out there. Next season should be really a good one.

Beginnings Of Endings

Last version 2012

The ground clear of snow, and with it, skinny tired outdoor riding, is coming to an end. But that's a signal that the big, fat tired riding is about to start up. Endings and beginnings. The beginnings of endings.....er....something like that, anyway!

So here I am- merrily going about my days when it comes to pass that the weatherman says a big, nasty snow storm is coming, and hey! there is a week until Christmas? Whoa....hold on a minute. 

One last, spirited, but too short, a ride on the "Orange Crush". In its final version for 2012. That's one of the things I really like about this bike. I can re-imagine it several different ways. It is going to change again for sure. Some things are going to come off. Some things will stay put, while yet other things need upgrading.

Yesterday morning was weird with this granular, "dandruff-like" precipitation on the ground and fog. A precursor to the big snow coming later today, I understand. Well, the BMC needed to be ridden one last time to end the year right. The tires and frame felt incredibly smooth, and when I checked them at work, it was no wonder why that was. 23psi or so in the rear? Wow. I don't think I'd ever run them that low before. And I was curb poppin' and not taking it easy at all.

I'm going to do something about this...

Amongst the changes I foresee are getting the front rack leveled, or pitching it. I didn't have the time to mess with this earlier, but now that the Orange Crush will be sidelined for awhile, it is time to get after this. I have an idea, so we'll see if it works or no.

The next thing is to upgrade some components. Brakes, fenders, and bottom bracket. Although I won't probably go year long with fenders, I will probably do something hammered and metallic. The STX brakes have done yeoman's service, but there are better cantis and lighter out there. The bike is worth it, so I will take a look at what is out there. The bottom bracket is toast. Well.....not totally toast, but it is getting gritchy. (That's a word that describes a bearing's smoothness, or lack thereof, by the way.) I will turn to Chris King for a suitable, anodized, replacement.

There may be other changes, but I am not at liberty to speak of a few of them. I will be keeping the Retroshifters on board though. These things are dead reliable and I like the simplicity which should prove to be durable in the long haul. My brifters have already shown signs of degradation, and if I had subjected them to the brutal dust we had this year, the wear would have accelerated. The Retroshifters should outlast a brifter by a long shot despite the severe conditions I've abused them in.

More on the end of the year stuff coming in the final daze of 2012 here. Stay tuned.....

Note: The Guitar Ted Show has been scheduled for Thursday evening at 7:30pm. We'll be talking more about Trans Iowa. Tune in or plan to call with your questions and comments.

Beginnings Of Endings

Last version 2012

The ground clear of snow, and with it, skinny tired outdoor riding, is coming to an end. But that's a signal that the big, fat tired riding is about to start up. Endings and beginnings. The beginnings of endings.....er....something like that, anyway!

So here I am- merrily going about my days when it comes to pass that the weatherman says a big, nasty snow storm is coming, and hey! there is a week until Christmas? Whoa....hold on a minute. 

One last, spirited, but too short, a ride on the "Orange Crush". In its final version for 2012. That's one of the things I really like about this bike. I can re-imagine it several different ways. It is going to change again for sure. Some things are going to come off. Some things will stay put, while yet other things need upgrading.

Yesterday morning was weird with this granular, "dandruff-like" precipitation on the ground and fog. A precursor to the big snow coming later today, I understand. Well, the BMC needed to be ridden one last time to end the year right. The tires and frame felt incredibly smooth, and when I checked them at work, it was no wonder why that was. 23psi or so in the rear? Wow. I don't think I'd ever run them that low before. And I was curb poppin' and not taking it easy at all.

I'm going to do something about this...

Amongst the changes I foresee are getting the front rack leveled, or pitching it. I didn't have the time to mess with this earlier, but now that the Orange Crush will be sidelined for awhile, it is time to get after this. I have an idea, so we'll see if it works or no.

The next thing is to upgrade some components. Brakes, fenders, and bottom bracket. Although I won't probably go year long with fenders, I will probably do something hammered and metallic. The STX brakes have done yeoman's service, but there are better cantis and lighter out there. The bike is worth it, so I will take a look at what is out there. The bottom bracket is toast. Well.....not totally toast, but it is getting gritchy. (That's a word that describes a bearing's smoothness, or lack thereof, by the way.) I will turn to Chris King for a suitable, anodized, replacement.

There may be other changes, but I am not at liberty to speak of a few of them. I will be keeping the Retroshifters on board though. These things are dead reliable and I like the simplicity which should prove to be durable in the long haul. My brifters have already shown signs of degradation, and if I had subjected them to the brutal dust we had this year, the wear would have accelerated. The Retroshifters should outlast a brifter by a long shot despite the severe conditions I've abused them in.

More on the end of the year stuff coming in the final daze of 2012 here. Stay tuned.....

Note: The Guitar Ted Show has been scheduled for Thursday evening at 7:30pm. We'll be talking more about Trans Iowa. Tune in or plan to call with your questions and comments.

Standards: A Moving Target

Through axles- good..

Standard:
"Something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison; an approved model."

Well, that explains everything! It is the "authorities" fault. No wonder nothing stays the same. The "authorities" can not make up their minds, apparently, and here we are- mechanics, consumers, and retailers- all left to sort through the ever changing morass of component "standards".   

I think if we were to ask "General Consent", he would dang well sure say this component hopscotch is a bunch of malarkey.  At least I would think so.

Sometimes the "standards change for the better though. I don't think you'll find too many folks that will say threadless head sets are a bad idea. At least the non-tapered variety with external cups.  When that sea change happened in the early to mid-90's, manufacturers and consumers both won. It was just a good move for both parties. But, of course, the "authorities" couldn't leave well enough alone, and now we have a plethora of head set "standards" out there. Are any of them actually better?

Hmm.......

External BB's, okay..

Then you have the whole bottom bracket thing. There's a good story. When I became a bicycle mechanic, the industry was just starting to switch away from the serviceable bottom bracket with adjustable, angular contact bearings. There were square tapered spindles in a few varieties and a ton of different lengths. The shop where I started had a machinists cabinet full of different spindles in varying lengths.

Then "cartridge bottom brackets" came about. The UN series bottom brackets from Shimano cut down on servicing and numbers of parts necessary by a huge degree. Another "win-win" for the industry and consumers alike. (In fact- these BB's are so good, you can still buy them!) But once again- "the authorities" deemed these improvements as "not good enough" and we jumped from Octa-link/ISIS to the current two piece crank with how many bearing set ups? This "BB Whatcha-ma-call-it" crap is waaaay outta hand.  Heck- outboard bearings weren't good enough? Nope. Now we've got plastic cups  holding our bearings in place. Yeah......that's a good idea. 

And having to buy adapters for running different cranks in weird bottom bracket shells? I'm going to say it- That's just stupid right there. Just stop it already.

Wheels- well they've been changing a lot too. Bigger mountain bike wheels came along, upset the applecart, but made hard tails and single speeds make sense. Okay- 26 inch wheels work great for long travel and DH, right? Nope. Guess again. The "authorities" are about to unleash something different for that too. Gonna try and kill 26"ers, they are. That'll be interesting to see. Of course, how you attach those wheels is also changing. I don't mind through axles. They are good, but when you sell wheels that do not convert? That's kind of silly.

There is more, of course, but my clock is telling me it is time to stop this rant for now. At least the authorities haven't messed with that standard.......much!

Standards: A Moving Target

Through axles- good..

Standard:
"Something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison; an approved model."

Well, that explains everything! It is the "authorities" fault. No wonder nothing stays the same. The "authorities" can not make up their minds, apparently, and here we are- mechanics, consumers, and retailers- all left to sort through the ever changing morass of component "standards".   

I think if we were to ask "General Consent", he would dang well sure say this component hopscotch is a bunch of malarkey.  At least I would think so.

Sometimes the "standards change for the better though. I don't think you'll find too many folks that will say threadless head sets are a bad idea. At least the non-tapered variety with external cups.  When that sea change happened in the early to mid-90's, manufacturers and consumers both won. It was just a good move for both parties. But, of course, the "authorities" couldn't leave well enough alone, and now we have a plethora of head set "standards" out there. Are any of them actually better?

Hmm.......

External BB's, okay..

Then you have the whole bottom bracket thing. There's a good story. When I became a bicycle mechanic, the industry was just starting to switch away from the serviceable bottom bracket with adjustable, angular contact bearings. There were square tapered spindles in a few varieties and a ton of different lengths. The shop where I started had a machinists cabinet full of different spindles in varying lengths.

Then "cartridge bottom brackets" came about. The UN series bottom brackets from Shimano cut down on servicing and numbers of parts necessary by a huge degree. Another "win-win" for the industry and consumers alike. (In fact- these BB's are so good, you can still buy them!) But once again- "the authorities" deemed these improvements as "not good enough" and we jumped from Octa-link/ISIS to the current two piece crank with how many bearing set ups? This "BB Whatcha-ma-call-it" crap is waaaay outta hand.  Heck- outboard bearings weren't good enough? Nope. Now we've got plastic cups  holding our bearings in place. Yeah......that's a good idea. 

And having to buy adapters for running different cranks in weird bottom bracket shells? I'm going to say it- That's just stupid right there. Just stop it already.

Wheels- well they've been changing a lot too. Bigger mountain bike wheels came along, upset the applecart, but made hard tails and single speeds make sense. Okay- 26 inch wheels work great for long travel and DH, right? Nope. Guess again. The "authorities" are about to unleash something different for that too. Gonna try and kill 26"ers, they are. That'll be interesting to see. Of course, how you attach those wheels is also changing. I don't mind through axles. They are good, but when you sell wheels that do not convert? That's kind of silly.

There is more, of course, but my clock is telling me it is time to stop this rant for now. At least the authorities haven't messed with that standard.......much!

Family Matters

It's never too cold to ride, Son.

The weekend was a whirlwind of activities, but most had nothing to do with bicycling. That's okay with me when it comes to family things. That stuff matters more than cycling any day.

So it was that we spent Saturday celebrating Mrs. Guitar Ted's birthday. Made her breakfast, took her out to lunch, and spent the entire day with her and the rest of the family.

On Sunday my son wanted to watch a professional football game. I used to be head over heels for football back when I was his age, so I obliged him and we had a good time. Knowing football as well as I do, I was able to spot things the announcers were missing, or ignoring, I don't know which. Frankly, I was appalled by the lack of insightful commentary by the crew doing the game. This must be the norm, I don't know, because I don't typically watch this stuff anyway.

So, anyway, we hit the streets after the game on our bicycles. (You knew I'd sneak in a bicycle ride, right?) My son and I trekked down to a local park where he played on the structures there and I goofed off on By-Tor the Titanium Mukluk. Well, I managed to slide my rear tire on the wet timbers surrounding the play area and biffed on my left knee. Okay...that's three times in the same area.  Can this be over with now?

The rest of the ride went without incident, and we made it home to a house full of the smell of home made chicken soup.

I did get in some other bicycle related stuff. I made a big dent in maintaining the fleet. I managed to almost get a special project done, I mounted fenders on my Orange Crush for the winter, and did a bit more cleaning. But the main focus was family time, and it marked the first Saturday I hadn't ridden in months and months. But it was all totally worth it.

Family Matters

It's never too cold to ride, Son.

The weekend was a whirlwind of activities, but most had nothing to do with bicycling. That's okay with me when it comes to family things. That stuff matters more than cycling any day.

So it was that we spent Saturday celebrating Mrs. Guitar Ted's birthday. Made her breakfast, took her out to lunch, and spent the entire day with her and the rest of the family.

On Sunday my son wanted to watch a professional football game. I used to be head over heels for football back when I was his age, so I obliged him and we had a good time. Knowing football as well as I do, I was able to spot things the announcers were missing, or ignoring, I don't know which. Frankly, I was appalled by the lack of insightful commentary by the crew doing the game. This must be the norm, I don't know, because I don't typically watch this stuff anyway.

So, anyway, we hit the streets after the game on our bicycles. (You knew I'd sneak in a bicycle ride, right?) My son and I trekked down to a local park where he played on the structures there and I goofed off on By-Tor the Titanium Mukluk. Well, I managed to slide my rear tire on the wet timbers surrounding the play area and biffed on my left knee. Okay...that's three times in the same area.  Can this be over with now?

The rest of the ride went without incident, and we made it home to a house full of the smell of home made chicken soup.

I did get in some other bicycle related stuff. I made a big dent in maintaining the fleet. I managed to almost get a special project done, I mounted fenders on my Orange Crush for the winter, and did a bit more cleaning. But the main focus was family time, and it marked the first Saturday I hadn't ridden in months and months. But it was all totally worth it.

Trans Iowa V9: General Banter On Random Topics

Cue Sheet Questions:

I've been getting a smattering of questions about the cue sheets for Trans Iowa V9 . First of all, you should read this post I wrote from last spring concerning the cues for T.I.V8. The same will apply for T.I.V9, for the most part.

Sizing will be worked on a bit from last year. I had some issues with formatting the cues so I ended up with random sizes for the cue cards. All will fit into a small sandwich bag, but this year I hope to get all the cue cards the same size.

This will depend on how they lay out. I may put all the first leg on one card, as T.I.V8's were done. We'll see. I am formatting and printing these on my own to cut down on costs, so they probably won't be formatted 100% perfectly, but they should be 100% accurate, which is a bit more important, I think.

I'll have more details on how the cue sheets will lay out once I get them drafted, which will probably be after the 1st of the year. December is just too crazy for me to get anything done with that now.

Live Audio: I'll be commenting on Trans Iowa again this coming Tuesday at 7:30pm CST on Mountain Bike Radio. This show will be a continuation from the last show which featured two T.I. veterans, MG and Steve. They chimed in with some great insights about the event, and I also added a few tidbits which may be interesting to you as a rider in the upcoming T.I.

If you hit the link for the upcoming show, there is a phone number there which you can use to call in live. During the first show, you get the back ground info on Trans Iowa, and a bit of what it takes to wrap your mind around this event. As MG said, "the weather and the overnight" are what make this event really an obstacle.

This next show will take things from there and I'll hit on some things we have tweaked out in the last few years and where this event is going.

Scott Ronken- T.I.V7

The Hardware:

There has been some discussion lately on different forums and media about the bicycles used for gravel grinding in general, and I suppose Trans Iowa has figured into some of those thoughts as well.

I get asked a lot about what should a person ride in T.I. My answer almost never wavers- Ride what you are going to be the most comfortable on for a day and a half or more. That might be a fancy-pants carbon fiber CX rocket, it might be a drop bar mtb bike, or it might be a rat-ride cross bike, but whatever it is that you can ride for long distances, ride that. Then tweak on it. But there is no "gravel grinder" bike that will suddenly factor in to making you a Trans Iowa finisher.

You'll see more on this subject coming up, but that will have to wait. For now, that's the thoughts on the event for today.

Trans Iowa V9: General Banter On Random Topics

Cue Sheet Questions:

I've been getting a smattering of questions about the cue sheets for Trans Iowa V9 . First of all, you should read this post I wrote from last spring concerning the cues for T.I.V8. The same will apply for T.I.V9, for the most part.

Sizing will be worked on a bit from last year. I had some issues with formatting the cues so I ended up with random sizes for the cue cards. All will fit into a small sandwich bag, but this year I hope to get all the cue cards the same size.

This will depend on how they lay out. I may put all the first leg on one card, as T.I.V8's were done. We'll see. I am formatting and printing these on my own to cut down on costs, so they probably won't be formatted 100% perfectly, but they should be 100% accurate, which is a bit more important, I think.

I'll have more details on how the cue sheets will lay out once I get them drafted, which will probably be after the 1st of the year. December is just too crazy for me to get anything done with that now.

Live Audio: I'll be commenting on Trans Iowa again this coming Tuesday at 7:30pm CST on Mountain Bike Radio. This show will be a continuation from the last show which featured two T.I. veterans, MG and Steve. They chimed in with some great insights about the event, and I also added a few tidbits which may be interesting to you as a rider in the upcoming T.I.

If you hit the link for the upcoming show, there is a phone number there which you can use to call in live. During the first show, you get the back ground info on Trans Iowa, and a bit of what it takes to wrap your mind around this event. As MG said, "the weather and the overnight" are what make this event really an obstacle.

This next show will take things from there and I'll hit on some things we have tweaked out in the last few years and where this event is going.

Scott Ronken- T.I.V7

The Hardware:

There has been some discussion lately on different forums and media about the bicycles used for gravel grinding in general, and I suppose Trans Iowa has figured into some of those thoughts as well.

I get asked a lot about what should a person ride in T.I. My answer almost never wavers- Ride what you are going to be the most comfortable on for a day and a half or more. That might be a fancy-pants carbon fiber CX rocket, it might be a drop bar mtb bike, or it might be a rat-ride cross bike, but whatever it is that you can ride for long distances, ride that. Then tweak on it. But there is no "gravel grinder" bike that will suddenly factor in to making you a Trans Iowa finisher.

You'll see more on this subject coming up, but that will have to wait. For now, that's the thoughts on the event for today.

Friday News And Views

Gravel Grinder News:

Lots going on now with Gravel Grinder News.  I have added a slew of events, some new ones, some newly discovered ones, and updated on some of the traditionally listed events.

As always, feel free to hit me with any event you think might fit. I'll take a look and paste it onto the site if it works.

By the way, my last contributor to the site wondered why there are not many eastern events on Gravel Grinder News. He sent me a link to an event that has been going on in New York for 18 years. So, there must be some rides out East! Come on folks. I need some East Coast gravel/backroad love for Gravel Grinder News.

 I have been asked to write an article about gravel grinder rigs, and about tips folks that put on these events have for potential gravel grinders. I can't say who it is yet, but this will come out next spring in print. I'm pretty excited about this, and a good friend is also a part of the project in another vein.

Finally, this coming Tuesday I'll be back on Mountain Bike radio on the "Guitar Ted Show" with Part 2 of our chat about Trans Iowa V8 and the event in general.  Feel free to call in at 7:30pm CST Tuesday to ask a question or just tune in to hear me ramble....

Speed wars current champ. Unlikely source!

The Bicycle Equivalent To The Arms Race?

Probably a lot of you saw this come around on certain internet sites lately. The Tiso 12 speed components package.  Not only can these guys boast of the most cogs on a cassette, they have done it with an electronically controlled derailleur system that runs on AAA sized batteries! Oh....they also say it will be cheaper than Shimano's or Campagnolo's electronic groups. 

Yes- that is all amazing right there, but the one thing I noted was that this system works wireless. That's right, you can remote shift this system from across a room, and the promotional video shows this. Think about that for a few moments....

What would stop a coach, or team Director Sportif from riding in a team car and shifting the bike for the athlete by Bluetooth and doing so by watching live streaming power data on a laptop computer from inside a car? Or from across an ocean?

Weird, eh? I may be overstating the capabilities of this here, but it can't be far off the mark, can it? They always compare Pro road racing gear as the equivalent to auto-motive's F1, and this technology makes that comparison even more close to the mark.I can't wait to find out if I am right, and if so, what the UCI thinks about that. Maybe it wouldn't be an advantage, but it sure seems that way to me.

Then on the heels of this comes the new Dura Ace 9000 mechanical group which, by the sounds of it, is so much better it might make you not want electronic shifting bits. Oh yeah, and it is 11 speed. So if you have a 9 speed road bike? Yeah.......start hoarding parts my friends!

Hydration pack, or not?

To Backpack It Or Not- That Is The Question:

Okay- I go back and forth on this. I happen to like a good hydration pack, and I think the newer versions of them are really dialed.

But frame bags are cool, and I get all that "getting the load off of you" thing. I do, but whether the load is on you or the bike, you still weigh the same going up and down. The only bennie I see is that the weight isn't beating you down as the rider of that bike.

However; a hydration pack is super-portable. I don't have to fit it to different bikes, I just have to fit it to me.....once, that's it. The bladder hose is right there for a drink, and with some of those you get actual, functional hip belt pockets you can stuff grub into. Nice feature that. Then I have to wonder if a hydration pack isn't more beneficial in a wind. Frame bags are pretty much sails waiting to happen.

Then again, maybe the answer doesn't lay in an "either-or" question. Maybe it is a combination of both things. Well, whatever it is for you, I have to figure out some things regarding this question. It will affect a certain event I am doing soon. Stay tuned.....

That's it for today. Stay tuned for tomorrow's Trans Iowa V9 Thoughts. Have a great weekend, ya'all. Ride yer bikes!

Friday News And Views

Gravel Grinder News:

Lots going on now with Gravel Grinder News.  I have added a slew of events, some new ones, some newly discovered ones, and updated on some of the traditionally listed events.

As always, feel free to hit me with any event you think might fit. I'll take a look and paste it onto the site if it works.

By the way, my last contributor to the site wondered why there are not many eastern events on Gravel Grinder News. He sent me a link to an event that has been going on in New York for 18 years. So, there must be some rides out East! Come on folks. I need some East Coast gravel/backroad love for Gravel Grinder News.

 I have been asked to write an article about gravel grinder rigs, and about tips folks that put on these events have for potential gravel grinders. I can't say who it is yet, but this will come out next spring in print. I'm pretty excited about this, and a good friend is also a part of the project in another vein.

Finally, this coming Tuesday I'll be back on Mountain Bike radio on the "Guitar Ted Show" with Part 2 of our chat about Trans Iowa V8 and the event in general.  Feel free to call in at 7:30pm CST Tuesday to ask a question or just tune in to hear me ramble....

Speed wars current champ. Unlikely source!

The Bicycle Equivalent To The Arms Race?

Probably a lot of you saw this come around on certain internet sites lately. The Tiso 12 speed components package.  Not only can these guys boast of the most cogs on a cassette, they have done it with an electronically controlled derailleur system that runs on AAA sized batteries! Oh....they also say it will be cheaper than Shimano's or Campagnolo's electronic groups. 

Yes- that is all amazing right there, but the one thing I noted was that this system works wireless. That's right, you can remote shift this system from across a room, and the promotional video shows this. Think about that for a few moments....

What would stop a coach, or team Director Sportif from riding in a team car and shifting the bike for the athlete by Bluetooth and doing so by watching live streaming power data on a laptop computer from inside a car? Or from across an ocean?

Weird, eh? I may be overstating the capabilities of this here, but it can't be far off the mark, can it? They always compare Pro road racing gear as the equivalent to auto-motive's F1, and this technology makes that comparison even more close to the mark.I can't wait to find out if I am right, and if so, what the UCI thinks about that. Maybe it wouldn't be an advantage, but it sure seems that way to me.

Then on the heels of this comes the new Dura Ace 9000 mechanical group which, by the sounds of it, is so much better it might make you not want electronic shifting bits. Oh yeah, and it is 11 speed. So if you have a 9 speed road bike? Yeah.......start hoarding parts my friends!

Hydration pack, or not?

To Backpack It Or Not- That Is The Question:

Okay- I go back and forth on this. I happen to like a good hydration pack, and I think the newer versions of them are really dialed.

But frame bags are cool, and I get all that "getting the load off of you" thing. I do, but whether the load is on you or the bike, you still weigh the same going up and down. The only bennie I see is that the weight isn't beating you down as the rider of that bike.

However; a hydration pack is super-portable. I don't have to fit it to different bikes, I just have to fit it to me.....once, that's it. The bladder hose is right there for a drink, and with some of those you get actual, functional hip belt pockets you can stuff grub into. Nice feature that. Then I have to wonder if a hydration pack isn't more beneficial in a wind. Frame bags are pretty much sails waiting to happen.

Then again, maybe the answer doesn't lay in an "either-or" question. Maybe it is a combination of both things. Well, whatever it is for you, I have to figure out some things regarding this question. It will affect a certain event I am doing soon. Stay tuned.....

That's it for today. Stay tuned for tomorrow's Trans Iowa V9 Thoughts. Have a great weekend, ya'all. Ride yer bikes!

The Day Of Dusting And Cleaning

Random dirty pic of my Fargo- Needs Cleaning!

Usually on Wednesdays I go riding and you might expect that I did just that because it was actually pretty nice out yesterday. But, I had some necessary domestic issues to attend to involving the water supply to the house.

Well, this meant that a long, long overdue dusting and cleaning of my work area needed to happen. I got busy in the morning with pecking away at the monster.

I actually made some headway before my lunch break, and with the results I was seeing, it spurred me on to get the deed done with plenty of time before the municipal "professional" came over to swap out the meter. That ended up leading to other issues, which ended up taking up the rest of my day. So, no further progress was realized in terms of cleaning the shop, or for taking care of my bicycles, for that matter.

My bicycles are due for some maintenance and cleaning too. Especially the gravel rigs. We had such a dry, dusty Summer and Fall that the dust is amazingly thick on frames and components. I'm sure there will be some drive train replacement parts entering the picture due to all of this as well. That's one thing about gravel riding- It is hard on the parts!

Gold Midge and new stem installed

One of the bikes due for some work in the drive train department is the Fargo Gen I. It already has seen some attention since the colder weather has settled in. I got a gold anodized Midge Bar and since that was a 31.8mm clamp diameter, the old stem went away and this Origin 8 UL stem went in its place.

This change also will mark a slightly lower front end position than I was using before, but since this bike is going all gravel all the time, I don't see it as an issue. I maybe came down a few millimeters, so it shouldn't be that big of a deal. Besides, the front end is pretty high on a Fargo Gen I as it is.

At this time, I could have swapped back to STI levers, but these Retroshifters are nice, and even though shifting from the drops is not possible, I am liking these better in every other way. They are staying on for the long term!

The drive train needs some attention though. I'll likely get a new cassette, chain, and maybe a different crankset. I may need a different bottom bracket as well, depending on the crank set chosen. If this crank stays it is getting a new, smaller drive ring. The one that is on it is 2 teeth too big for my tastes. Funny how only a two tooth difference can make a difference worth pursuing on a bicycle, but with this rig, I can say it is "fine tuning". I've had it long enough now that things are getting refined to a greater degree.

There is also the "Orange Crush" and the Gryphon to look after as well. Both dustier than all get out. The dusting and cleaning has only just begun, I am afraid!