Friday News And Views

Guitar Ted Gets Interviewed:

When I was down in Emporia earlier this month I got invited to be on the "Gravel Family Podcast" by Jason Strobehn. He along with co-host  Sofia Gibson, are really getting a lot of great folks on their show and I was honored to have been asked on.

This podcast is a good one from the perspective of history. If you've ever wondered how I got the moniker "Guitar Ted", how Trans Iowa got started, or where I came into reviewing stuff for cycling, this show has all of that plus more packed into less than an hour. 

So, check it out if you have time. The Spotify link is here.  

Thanks to Jason, Sofia, and Lauf Cycles for sponsoring this episode. Thanks to Merchant Cycles in Emporia, KS for the space in front of their shop. Thanks to the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame for the invitation to visit Emporia again. 

Pinion marries a gearbox with a motor

E-Bike Innovations Trend More Toward Motorcycles:

I've said for years that modern motors in modern bicycles would end up losing the pedals at some point and follow the same progression that happened in the early 20th Century with bicycles and motor mixing. Parts would necessarily have to be beefed up, motors would become integrated parts of the frame design, and power would increase to the point that pedaling would be like T-Rex trying to use his forearms. Yeah....pretty much useless. 

 I know bike nerd types will raise heck with those thoughts, but as I review the news and look around me, the evidence of this evolution is undeniable. Take for instance two bits I saw in the news this past week.

One is Pinion's development of a gearbox/motor unit that shifts via electronics and probably will have an automatic version when it comes to market. The rider will simply have to pedal a bit and everything else will run on its own. 

The second bit I saw was from Quiet Cat, a HPC/electrified bike company catering more to the outdoors-man. Their newest bike will have Variable Power Output onboard which will allow the user to run the bike as a Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, or at the maximum output of 1000 watts, by throttle. The rider can use an electronic panel to choose power output level as long as they are stopped.

How is that not a motorcycle? This and a gearbox/motor combo? How far are we away from motorcycles that happen to have pedals? Not very far, I'd say. 

The Bookman "Volume" light. (Image courtesy of Bookman Visibility)

Bookman Volume Light:

This is a bicycle light from Bookman, who I've featured here before. Their product line was mostly about "being seen" lights, not the practical "see-by" lights I need in the darker times of the year. That said, Bookman does combine a nice sense of design and fashion with usability and function. 

Now at Eurobike Bookman has been awarded an Innovation in Design award for their new "Volume" light. An 850 Lumen or 1500 Lumen light that has the potential to be a great light for adventure, long rides, and commuting. 

Not only that, but Bookman have achieved an "out of the box" thinking on design which, to me, is very sensible. For instance, instead of a push button for selecting a light level you may desire, which typically requires a scrolling through all the other modes to get where you want to be, Bookman have utilized a rotary switch. A simple twist of a knob and you get there, where you want the light level to be, more quickly. Bookman claims the idea came from the volume knob on a stereo receiver, thus the product's name. 

Not only that, but they utilize an easily obtainable cylindrical lithium ion rechargeable battery allowing the user of the Volume to swap out batteries during a ride to extend ride times indefinitely. This is much like the old Lezyne Super Drive light which had a similar design. Basically, hearkening back to the old D cell battery flashlight theme from days of yore. 

Then Bookman addressed one of the more maddening idiosyncrasies regarding lights and accessories for bicycles - mounts. They did not invent yet another proprietary mount for this light. Instead, they went with a ubiquitous mount in the cycling world, the Garmin mount. Brilliant! (Sorry, no pun intended!) They even offer a Garmin mount with a GoPro attachment. Now that's using your noggin! I like this light just based upon its design alone. 

Is it any good? How much will it cost? When can anyone get one? I only have one vague answer and that for the last question - Fall 2023. Stay tuned.....

That's all for this week! have a great weekend and get out and ride!

Friday News And Views

Guitar Ted Gets Interviewed:

When I was down in Emporia earlier this month I got invited to be on the "Gravel Family Podcast" by Jason Strobehn. He along with co-host  Sofia Gibson, are really getting a lot of great folks on their show and I was honored to have been asked on.

This podcast is a good one from the perspective of history. If you've ever wondered how I got the moniker "Guitar Ted", how Trans Iowa got started, or where I came into reviewing stuff for cycling, this show has all of that plus more packed into less than an hour. 

So, check it out if you have time. The Spotify link is here.  

Thanks to Jason, Sofia, and Lauf Cycles for sponsoring this episode. Thanks to Merchant Cycles in Emporia, KS for the space in front of their shop. Thanks to the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame for the invitation to visit Emporia again. 

Pinion marries a gearbox with a motor

E-Bike Innovations Trend More Toward Motorcycles:

I've said for years that modern motors in modern bicycles would end up losing the pedals at some point and follow the same progression that happened in the early 20th Century with bicycles and motor mixing. Parts would necessarily have to be beefed up, motors would become integrated parts of the frame design, and power would increase to the point that pedaling would be like T-Rex trying to use his forearms. Yeah....pretty much useless. 

 I know bike nerd types will raise heck with those thoughts, but as I review the news and look around me, the evidence of this evolution is undeniable. Take for instance two bits I saw in the news this past week.

One is Pinion's development of a gearbox/motor unit that shifts via electronics and probably will have an automatic version when it comes to market. The rider will simply have to pedal a bit and everything else will run on its own. 

The second bit I saw was from Quiet Cat, a HPC/electrified bike company catering more to the outdoors-man. Their newest bike will have Variable Power Output onboard which will allow the user to run the bike as a Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, or at the maximum output of 1000 watts, by throttle. The rider can use an electronic panel to choose power output level as long as they are stopped.

How is that not a motorcycle? This and a gearbox/motor combo? How far are we away from motorcycles that happen to have pedals? Not very far, I'd say. 

The Bookman "Volume" light. (Image courtesy of Bookman Visibility)

Bookman Volume Light:

This is a bicycle light from Bookman, who I've featured here before. Their product line was mostly about "being seen" lights, not the practical "see-by" lights I need in the darker times of the year. That said, Bookman does combine a nice sense of design and fashion with usability and function. 

Now at Eurobike Bookman has been awarded an Innovation in Design award for their new "Volume" light. An 850 Lumen or 1500 Lumen light that has the potential to be a great light for adventure, long rides, and commuting. 

Not only that, but Bookman have achieved an "out of the box" thinking on design which, to me, is very sensible. For instance, instead of a push button for selecting a light level you may desire, which typically requires a scrolling through all the other modes to get where you want to be, Bookman have utilized a rotary switch. A simple twist of a knob and you get there, where you want the light level to be, more quickly. Bookman claims the idea came from the volume knob on a stereo receiver, thus the product's name. 

Not only that, but they utilize an easily obtainable cylindrical lithium ion rechargeable battery allowing the user of the Volume to swap out batteries during a ride to extend ride times indefinitely. This is much like the old Lezyne Super Drive light which had a similar design. Basically, hearkening back to the old D cell battery flashlight theme from days of yore. 

Then Bookman addressed one of the more maddening idiosyncrasies regarding lights and accessories for bicycles - mounts. They did not invent yet another proprietary mount for this light. Instead, they went with a ubiquitous mount in the cycling world, the Garmin mount. Brilliant! (Sorry, no pun intended!) They even offer a Garmin mount with a GoPro attachment. Now that's using your noggin! I like this light just based upon its design alone. 

Is it any good? How much will it cost? When can anyone get one? I only have one vague answer and that for the last question - Fall 2023. Stay tuned.....

That's all for this week! have a great weekend and get out and ride!

Gravel Grinder News: American Classic Tires, WTB Saddles

The new "Grus" by American Classic. (Image courtesy of American Classic)

American Classic Debuts New Tires:

With Eurobike humming along over the pond we are getting a few new tidbits thrown our way. Despite the news of a clogged up supply chain, some companies are still showing new stuff.

One such company is American Classic, the company that came back from the dead to establish itself as the value leader in bicycle tires which have good performance characteristics.  They recently added three new tires, the Grus gravel tire and two new 29"er tires. 

The Grus will come in only black, only one size, (for now) 700 X 40mm, and is a claimed just-over-500 gram tire. 120TPI and it has American Classic's Class 5S puncture protection belt. The tire sells for $45.00 USD and can be found on American Classic's Amazon store. 

The American Classic Cumbre 29" X 2.25" (Image courtesy of American Calssic)

Comments: I'm mildly interested in the Cubre 29"er tire as it looks fast and American classic is claiming it weighs in at around 690 grams, which for a tire this big would be stellar. 

But.....I have serious doubts about that weight. For one thing, this is a 2.25" tire, and I have 700 X 45mm tires that weight that much here in the house. Note: The same press release says that the Grus weighs 550 grams and it is a 40mm tire. Yeah.....

American Classic says the tire is puncture protected too, and even if that is only under the tread cap, that adds weight. So..... Either the tire isn't that light, really, or it isn't that wide. If it is, I'd be pretty surprised by that. 

That all said, the Grus does look fast. Might be a great tire at that price. 

The new WTB Silverado (Image courtesy of WTB)

WTB Updates Silverado, Volt Saddles:

WTB announced recently that they have taken what they learned from designing the new Gravelier saddle and have applied that to their popular Silverado and Volt models. 

The saddles have the new Fusion Form nylon bases where the amount of reinforcing fiber can be manipulated for the best comfort outcomes. the Volt remains pretty much unchanged with the exception of that Fusion Form tech and a refreshed look. The Silverado is where the big changes occurred.  

WTB found through rigorous ride testing that the Silverado was better if it was a tad bit shorter and had less of a "dip" in its midsection. It really looks similar to the Gravelier now, to my eyes, without the cut-out. 

Both saddles will be available in several price points based upon their rail material, mostly. I am a bit skeptical on the Silverado, and I would be really kind of bummed if it weren't for the fact that I know that the Gravelier is a really great saddle. Because if I hadn't have ridden the Gravelier I'd be sad that they changed the Silverado, as it is amongst my very favorite saddles now. But if it is like a Gravelier, I'd be good with that. 

Maybe we'll see about that soon...

Gravel Grinder News: American Classic Tires, WTB Saddles

The new "Grus" by American Classic. (Image courtesy of American Classic)

American Classic Debuts New Tires:

With Eurobike humming along over the pond we are getting a few new tidbits thrown our way. Despite the news of a clogged up supply chain, some companies are still showing new stuff.

One such company is American Classic, the company that came back from the dead to establish itself as the value leader in bicycle tires which have good performance characteristics.  They recently added three new tires, the Grus gravel tire and two new 29"er tires. 

The Grus will come in only black, only one size, (for now) 700 X 40mm, and is a claimed just-over-500 gram tire. 120TPI and it has American Classic's Class 5S puncture protection belt. The tire sells for $45.00 USD and can be found on American Classic's Amazon store. 

The American Classic Cumbre 29" X 2.25" (Image courtesy of American Calssic)

Comments: I'm mildly interested in the Cubre 29"er tire as it looks fast and American classic is claiming it weighs in at around 690 grams, which for a tire this big would be stellar. 

But.....I have serious doubts about that weight. For one thing, this is a 2.25" tire, and I have 700 X 45mm tires that weight that much here in the house. Note: The same press release says that the Grus weighs 550 grams and it is a 40mm tire. Yeah.....

American Classic says the tire is puncture protected too, and even if that is only under the tread cap, that adds weight. So..... Either the tire isn't that light, really, or it isn't that wide. If it is, I'd be pretty surprised by that. 

That all said, the Grus does look fast. Might be a great tire at that price. 

The new WTB Silverado (Image courtesy of WTB)

WTB Updates Silverado, Volt Saddles:

WTB announced recently that they have taken what they learned from designing the new Gravelier saddle and have applied that to their popular Silverado and Volt models. 

The saddles have the new Fusion Form nylon bases where the amount of reinforcing fiber can be manipulated for the best comfort outcomes. the Volt remains pretty much unchanged with the exception of that Fusion Form tech and a refreshed look. The Silverado is where the big changes occurred.  

WTB found through rigorous ride testing that the Silverado was better if it was a tad bit shorter and had less of a "dip" in its midsection. It really looks similar to the Gravelier now, to my eyes, without the cut-out. 

Both saddles will be available in several price points based upon their rail material, mostly. I am a bit skeptical on the Silverado, and I would be really kind of bummed if it weren't for the fact that I know that the Gravelier is a really great saddle. Because if I hadn't have ridden the Gravelier I'd be sad that they changed the Silverado, as it is amongst my very favorite saddles now. But if it is like a Gravelier, I'd be good with that. 

Maybe we'll see about that soon...

Commuter Blues

This apparel item makes you "less than human" when worn.

 I've been a bicycle commuter steadily since 2002 and before that sporadically since 1993. So, I've built up a lot of knowledge in regard to my interactions with the operators of motor vehicles as I cycle through the Waterloo/Cedar Falls metro area. 

These are my observations only. Your area may be quite different. (I hope it is!) But a recent study reported on by Momentum Magazine online shines a light toward what I have always thought to be true. That being that when I dress in "cycling garb" I am treated quite differently than I am when I wear street clothing to cycle in. 

I have found this to be so true in my experience that - unless I am going for a long ride solo in the country - I wear street clothes to cycle in almost exclusively now. The difference is amazing. 

Of course, there are outliers and times when I get close passed by cars even if I am wearing street clothes and a ball cap, but probably 99% of the time or more I get a wide berth, people defer to me at intersections, and I never get yelled at. Wearing a helmet? That instantly makes my commutes more difficult. I get less consideration, and I have been yelled at. Wearing a full kit?

Fahgeddaboudit. You may as well be a worm.

Yeah, like the study I linked to says, why that is no one really knows yet, but we can guess. I assume that people see a "person" when they see a cyclist in normal garb. But perceptions about "cyclists" in a kit? I imagine those are mostly of the negative sort. Why? Well, I think that can range anywhere from "cyclists are neredowell rule-breakers that are unpredictable and in the way" to worse than that.  

I really don't know, nor do I really care. I just know what works, and what doesn't work, and I have adapted accordingly. Should things be different? Yes. In the meantime, I do what I have to do so I can ride a bicycle. My feeling is that until this culture of car-centrism changes to accommodate cycling and walking at an even plane to automobile usage, or at a higher importance than that, things won't change significantly. We need to see a philosophy of less cars are better, more cycling and walking is better first. 

But I don't think the powers that be are interested in it unless they can make coin out of it. Right now, that isn't the case.

Commuter Blues

This apparel item makes you "less than human" when worn.

 I've been a bicycle commuter steadily since 2002 and before that sporadically since 1993. So, I've built up a lot of knowledge in regard to my interactions with the operators of motor vehicles as I cycle through the Waterloo/Cedar Falls metro area. 

These are my observations only. Your area may be quite different. (I hope it is!) But a recent study reported on by Momentum Magazine online shines a light toward what I have always thought to be true. That being that when I dress in "cycling garb" I am treated quite differently than I am when I wear street clothing to cycle in. 

I have found this to be so true in my experience that - unless I am going for a long ride solo in the country - I wear street clothes to cycle in almost exclusively now. The difference is amazing. 

Of course, there are outliers and times when I get close passed by cars even if I am wearing street clothes and a ball cap, but probably 99% of the time or more I get a wide berth, people defer to me at intersections, and I never get yelled at. Wearing a helmet? That instantly makes my commutes more difficult. I get less consideration, and I have been yelled at. Wearing a full kit?

Fahgeddaboudit. You may as well be a worm.

Yeah, like the study I linked to says, why that is no one really knows yet, but we can guess. I assume that people see a "person" when they see a cyclist in normal garb. But perceptions about "cyclists" in a kit? I imagine those are mostly of the negative sort. Why? Well, I think that can range anywhere from "cyclists are neredowell rule-breakers that are unpredictable and in the way" to worse than that.  

I really don't know, nor do I really care. I just know what works, and what doesn't work, and I have adapted accordingly. Should things be different? Yes. In the meantime, I do what I have to do so I can ride a bicycle. My feeling is that until this culture of car-centrism changes to accommodate cycling and walking at an even plane to automobile usage, or at a higher importance than that, things won't change significantly. We need to see a philosophy of less cars are better, more cycling and walking is better first. 

But I don't think the powers that be are interested in it unless they can make coin out of it. Right now, that isn't the case.

Country Views; A Little Rain

Escape Route: Rain puddle-filled alleys to the West.

 We've had really dry air and no rain for far too long. It was so bad many lawns were dormant and browned. But this past weekend brought some much needed precipitation to the area and we got a little over a half an inch of rain here. Not enough for long term stability, but enough to get by on for now. 

Monday I got out of the house early. This new plan I have for actually going to bed at a decent hour is paying dividends. Instead of wishing I could sleep longer, I woke up before the alarm clock went off wishing it was time to get up! 

So, I was out on the Twin Six Standard Rando early. Like around 8:45am, and I set off to ride South and do a loop. I wasn't sure how good I'd feel so I wasn't planing on any certain amount of mileage. Besides, I had to be at work later in the day. So I couldn't be riding big miles anyway. 

There was a fog in the morning which was still burning off as I left town.

It was otherwise a spectacular day out in the country early on.

The winds were light, out of the Southeast, but they were mere puffs of breath that didn't really have any effect on riding. The humidity was higher, but not stifling, so at least I did not feel like I was baking in the Sun. Actually, it was quite pleasant out. The birds were busy and I even saw a male fox on the road on Aker Road. That was a bit of a surprise. 

It's Southern Black Hawk County. Of course there is a ton of crushed rock on the roads!

Taking a break at the usual spot.

I was using that Wahoo Elemnt ROAM GPS computer and well, I got it to do a couple of weird things. More on that in another post, but overall it worked okay. The gravel is so rough South of town. I began to wonder if all that vibration makes the device act funny. I don't know, but my hands were taking a beating on this ride. 

This Red Winged Blackbird appears to be floating on a sea of grass.

No "good lines" here. Get used to it.... This is how it is anymore South of town.

I felt pretty good so I traveled all the way down to Quarry Road and decided to come back on Beck Road which has some great rollers. Then I'd turn East on Petrie and head on over and back toward town on Ansborough. 

The gravel was pretty deep and there were rarely any good lines to ride. Typical of late. Black Hawk County must be flush with cash for gravel road maintenance, that's for sure! 

One of the higher points in Black Hawk County on Beck Road near the Petrie Road intersection.

Knee-high by the 4th of July? No problem here!

I was a little disappointed that this Wahoo GPS says that Beck Road isn't over 1000 feet elevation. Everything else I've used has said that. Boo! (That's just me, probably) But then again, I'm not so sure that graph on the Wahoo is exactly accurate. So, I'm believing the other GPS units that have measured that hill up over 1000 feet. 

A tractor chugs up the long grade on Petrie Road headed West

The day lillies in the ditches here were rather sad looking.

I've noted that this spell of dry weather has kicked the ditch flowers to the curb. Hardly anything is blooming out there now besides clover, and that sparingly. Normally there would be a riot of orange color out there about now with the day lillies coming on, but those were scarce. 

One white puff of a cloud parked over this road looks kind of odd.

One last stop before heading into the urban nightmare of Waterloo.

I stopped at the small bridge over Prescott Creek, as usually is my wont, and the stream was babbling a beautiful tune. I even remarked out loud that the little brook was talking. Something about running water in Nature. Love that sound.... Anyway. 

Back to reality! I headed back into town cutting through back streets and alleys as much as possible to avoid the distracted denizens of the 'Loo. I made it back home with 25 miles on the day and I was glad I peeled myself out of bed early to enjoy the rain-washed sky. Wildfire smoke was scheduled for a return later in the day, so I wanted to avoid that if I could. 

And I did.

Country Views; A Little Rain

Escape Route: Rain puddle-filled alleys to the West.

 We've had really dry air and no rain for far too long. It was so bad many lawns were dormant and browned. But this past weekend brought some much needed precipitation to the area and we got a little over a half an inch of rain here. Not enough for long term stability, but enough to get by on for now. 

Monday I got out of the house early. This new plan I have for actually going to bed at a decent hour is paying dividends. Instead of wishing I could sleep longer, I woke up before the alarm clock went off wishing it was time to get up! 

So, I was out on the Twin Six Standard Rando early. Like around 8:45am, and I set off to ride South and do a loop. I wasn't sure how good I'd feel so I wasn't planing on any certain amount of mileage. Besides, I had to be at work later in the day. So I couldn't be riding big miles anyway. 

There was a fog in the morning which was still burning off as I left town.

It was otherwise a spectacular day out in the country early on.

The winds were light, out of the Southeast, but they were mere puffs of breath that didn't really have any effect on riding. The humidity was higher, but not stifling, so at least I did not feel like I was baking in the Sun. Actually, it was quite pleasant out. The birds were busy and I even saw a male fox on the road on Aker Road. That was a bit of a surprise. 

It's Southern Black Hawk County. Of course there is a ton of crushed rock on the roads!

Taking a break at the usual spot.

I was using that Wahoo Elemnt ROAM GPS computer and well, I got it to do a couple of weird things. More on that in another post, but overall it worked okay. The gravel is so rough South of town. I began to wonder if all that vibration makes the device act funny. I don't know, but my hands were taking a beating on this ride. 

This Red Winged Blackbird appears to be floating on a sea of grass.

No "good lines" here. Get used to it.... This is how it is anymore South of town.

I felt pretty good so I traveled all the way down to Quarry Road and decided to come back on Beck Road which has some great rollers. Then I'd turn East on Petrie and head on over and back toward town on Ansborough. 

The gravel was pretty deep and there were rarely any good lines to ride. Typical of late. Black Hawk County must be flush with cash for gravel road maintenance, that's for sure! 

One of the higher points in Black Hawk County on Beck Road near the Petrie Road intersection.

Knee-high by the 4th of July? No problem here!

I was a little disappointed that this Wahoo GPS says that Beck Road isn't over 1000 feet elevation. Everything else I've used has said that. Boo! (That's just me, probably) But then again, I'm not so sure that graph on the Wahoo is exactly accurate. So, I'm believing the other GPS units that have measured that hill up over 1000 feet. 

A tractor chugs up the long grade on Petrie Road headed West

The day lillies in the ditches here were rather sad looking.

I've noted that this spell of dry weather has kicked the ditch flowers to the curb. Hardly anything is blooming out there now besides clover, and that sparingly. Normally there would be a riot of orange color out there about now with the day lillies coming on, but those were scarce. 

One white puff of a cloud parked over this road looks kind of odd.

One last stop before heading into the urban nightmare of Waterloo.

I stopped at the small bridge over Prescott Creek, as usually is my wont, and the stream was babbling a beautiful tune. I even remarked out loud that the little brook was talking. Something about running water in Nature. Love that sound.... Anyway. 

Back to reality! I headed back into town cutting through back streets and alleys as much as possible to avoid the distracted denizens of the 'Loo. I made it back home with 25 miles on the day and I was glad I peeled myself out of bed early to enjoy the rain-washed sky. Wildfire smoke was scheduled for a return later in the day, so I wanted to avoid that if I could. 

And I did.

A Story About A Freedom Machine

Yesterday was Father's Day, and for many it is a wonderful time to remember, to honor, and to share with those that are fathers and have touched other's lives. Not necessarily "biological" fathers either. 

But for some of us, days like yesterday are difficult. Not everyone has a "father", and many of us had bad experiences with their fathers, or had tragedy associated with their father, which brings up a lot of emotions at this time of the year. 

I am one of those that has difficulty with Father's Day.

My relationship with my father was troubled from an early age. It was a situation that worsened to the point that I tried to get away from the house whenever I could if I thought my father might be around. 

My method, my mode of escape, was the bicycle. It was a Holiday Station store 20" cruiser with high rise bars, a tall "sissy bar", slick rear tire, and was lime green with a bass boat black sparkle banana saddle. The model name was "Hugger", as I recall. I rode that thing until I was waaaay too big for it! It took me all over my home town. 

Fortunately for me, I grew up in a time where parents weren't hovering over their offspring, trying to protect them from....well, everything, and really, it probably was too far the other way when I grew up. I could be missing in action for hours upon hours. I just had to be home before the Sun set.

Anyway, the bicycle represented freedom from pain. Freedom from abuse. A chance to forget the realities between the four walls of our home back then and just be. That was what the bike did for me back then. It was what I needed to survive. To stay sane. 

So, I fell in love with the bicycle, and it was my main mode for getting around way up into high school. I did the typical 20's thing, like most folks my age, and ditched the bicycle for four wheels. But I had dalliances with bicycles all along for different reasons, and those old feelings of peace and calmness would come back. 

Eventually I bought my first mountain bike and that happened when I was about 28 years old. Been on those two wheels ever since pretty steadily. And through every bad thing and every day that reminded me of a past I didn't want to remember too much, that bicycle brought me some peace of mind, some mental clarity. 

So, yesterday was a tough day for me, but I am a father now, so that part is what I try to focus on and be better at every day. So, I was okay yesterday.

I hope you were too.
 

A Story About A Freedom Machine

Yesterday was Father's Day, and for many it is a wonderful time to remember, to honor, and to share with those that are fathers and have touched other's lives. Not necessarily "biological" fathers either. 

But for some of us, days like yesterday are difficult. Not everyone has a "father", and many of us had bad experiences with their fathers, or had tragedy associated with their father, which brings up a lot of emotions at this time of the year. 

I am one of those that has difficulty with Father's Day.

My relationship with my father was troubled from an early age. It was a situation that worsened to the point that I tried to get away from the house whenever I could if I thought my father might be around. 

My method, my mode of escape, was the bicycle. It was a Holiday Station store 20" cruiser with high rise bars, a tall "sissy bar", slick rear tire, and was lime green with a bass boat black sparkle banana saddle. The model name was "Hugger", as I recall. I rode that thing until I was waaaay too big for it! It took me all over my home town. 

Fortunately for me, I grew up in a time where parents weren't hovering over their offspring, trying to protect them from....well, everything, and really, it probably was too far the other way when I grew up. I could be missing in action for hours upon hours. I just had to be home before the Sun set.

Anyway, the bicycle represented freedom from pain. Freedom from abuse. A chance to forget the realities between the four walls of our home back then and just be. That was what the bike did for me back then. It was what I needed to survive. To stay sane. 

So, I fell in love with the bicycle, and it was my main mode for getting around way up into high school. I did the typical 20's thing, like most folks my age, and ditched the bicycle for four wheels. But I had dalliances with bicycles all along for different reasons, and those old feelings of peace and calmness would come back. 

Eventually I bought my first mountain bike and that happened when I was about 28 years old. Been on those two wheels ever since pretty steadily. And through every bad thing and every day that reminded me of a past I didn't want to remember too much, that bicycle brought me some peace of mind, some mental clarity. 

So, yesterday was a tough day for me, but I am a father now, so that part is what I try to focus on and be better at every day. So, I was okay yesterday.

I hope you were too.
 

The GTDRI Stories; The Aftermath Of Number Nine

My mangled Oakleys from being hit by a truck in the 9th GTDRI

 "The GTDRI Stories" is a series telling the history, untold tales, and showing the sights from the run of Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitationals. This series will run on Sundays. Thanks for reading!

The immediate effects from having been hit by a truck and tossed into the air like a rag doll hit me hard after this GTDRI in 2014. I had a bout of PTSD, I had messed up GI issues, I got really sick. I wasn't hardly riding at all, and I missed most of September because of all of that. 

The bike I was riding, the Tamland Two, was fine. I had to install new handle bar tape, and that was it, amazingly. But I could not bring myself to ride the bike at all for quite a while afterward. It wasn't until October that I was able to get back on it again without feeling afraid and anxious. 

Life changes were coming into effect as well. I had an end to doing 29"er MTB reviews and a beginning in doing gravel stuff as a focus and not as a side gig anymore. Meanwhile I was at a shop wrenching which was showing signs of being non-viable by 2015. My mind was starting to consider what might be my next move. 

I also started co-hosting a podcast back then. Hard to believe its been THAT long ago already, but there ya go. It was exciting at first and so was getting out from underneath the old 29"er gig, but it didn't take long into 2015 to realize I may have traded one bad gig for a not-so-great one. The thing was, gravel stuff was really where my heart was at anyway, so it was "better" from that standpoint.

Meanwhile, things were getting sorted with insurance from the truck hitting us. This kept communications up between a few of us that were on that ride. There was a distinct feeling that there was "unfinished business", and that the following year needed to be another attempt at the same course. So I had that thought and felt that was what needed to be done for all of us that were a part of that incident. Closure might be found if we were able to just get that route done the way it should have happened, and maybe that was more for myself than anybody else. 

There was a bit of chatter in emails and some comments to the blog that the name of the ride should change as a result of the ending of the 9th GTDRI. The word "death" being of particular note here. Well, I understood why people might feel that way, but to my mind changing the name would be giving that man that hit us power that he did not deserve. If the name of the ride was going to change, it wasn't going to be for that reason. 

While 2015 would mark the 10th GTDRI, I wasn't ever thinking about that milestone like I did with regard to Trans Iowa. It's ironic too, because typically I would have made a big deal out of that for the GTDRI. However; the incident with the driver of the truck made me take a different view of matters and celebrating that tenth GTDRI wasn't nearly as important as marking a close to events that happened that humid day near Edgewood, Iowa on a hill on a gravel road. 

Next: Gravel Changes

The GTDRI Stories; The Aftermath Of Number Nine

My mangled Oakleys from being hit by a truck in the 9th GTDRI

 "The GTDRI Stories" is a series telling the history, untold tales, and showing the sights from the run of Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitationals. This series will run on Sundays. Thanks for reading!

The immediate effects from having been hit by a truck and tossed into the air like a rag doll hit me hard after this GTDRI in 2014. I had a bout of PTSD, I had messed up GI issues, I got really sick. I wasn't hardly riding at all, and I missed most of September because of all of that. 

The bike I was riding, the Tamland Two, was fine. I had to install new handle bar tape, and that was it, amazingly. But I could not bring myself to ride the bike at all for quite a while afterward. It wasn't until October that I was able to get back on it again without feeling afraid and anxious. 

Life changes were coming into effect as well. I had an end to doing 29"er MTB reviews and a beginning in doing gravel stuff as a focus and not as a side gig anymore. Meanwhile I was at a shop wrenching which was showing signs of being non-viable by 2015. My mind was starting to consider what might be my next move. 

I also started co-hosting a podcast back then. Hard to believe its been THAT long ago already, but there ya go. It was exciting at first and so was getting out from underneath the old 29"er gig, but it didn't take long into 2015 to realize I may have traded one bad gig for a not-so-great one. The thing was, gravel stuff was really where my heart was at anyway, so it was "better" from that standpoint.

Meanwhile, things were getting sorted with insurance from the truck hitting us. This kept communications up between a few of us that were on that ride. There was a distinct feeling that there was "unfinished business", and that the following year needed to be another attempt at the same course. So I had that thought and felt that was what needed to be done for all of us that were a part of that incident. Closure might be found if we were able to just get that route done the way it should have happened, and maybe that was more for myself than anybody else. 

There was a bit of chatter in emails and some comments to the blog that the name of the ride should change as a result of the ending of the 9th GTDRI. The word "death" being of particular note here. Well, I understood why people might feel that way, but to my mind changing the name would be giving that man that hit us power that he did not deserve. If the name of the ride was going to change, it wasn't going to be for that reason. 

While 2015 would mark the 10th GTDRI, I wasn't ever thinking about that milestone like I did with regard to Trans Iowa. It's ironic too, because typically I would have made a big deal out of that for the GTDRI. However; the incident with the driver of the truck made me take a different view of matters and celebrating that tenth GTDRI wasn't nearly as important as marking a close to events that happened that humid day near Edgewood, Iowa on a hill on a gravel road. 

Next: Gravel Changes

GPS Take 3: Wahoo Elemnt ROAM Part 2

 This is the update to my first take on the Wahoo Elemnt ROAM which posted earlier this week HERE.

In that post I had some news about the screen freezing up. In the comments on that post a reader that goes by "Nooge" here thought that perhaps the screen freeze issue was atmospheric related. The skies were heavily overcast that day of my first try with the Wahoo and there could have been a lot of Canadian wildfire smoke in the upper atmosphere that may have led to poor GPS satellite reception. 

Now with my second attempt at using the Elemnt ROAM, I found myself under a partly cloudy sky. This time there were no screen freeze-ups, so I am thinking Nooge was on to something there and that there are really no worries with the unit. 

The thing I wanted to cover today is the Summit Freeride feature which Wahoo added to this new Elemnt ROAM only this past Spring. It is a feature that will alert you to an upcoming climb and then give you data on the climb, its length, the severity of the gradient, and gives you a "time to summit" based on your speed. 

 No hiccups on the latest ride.

Okay, so I did not know that this Summit Freeride feature is more or less automatic. If the unit detects an upcoming climb of any significance, and no matter what page you are currently using, it "interrupts this program" with an alert. "CLIMB!" This is accompanied by an audible beep. '

At that point you are redirected to the special Summit Freeride screen which has gradient, a graphic of the climb, your progress, and "time to summit" which I assume is based upon your pacing. 

It was kind of neat to see your time count down and watch the gradient readout as you climb. I like a bit of distraction when I am putting out an effort, I don't know about you. For me it makes things go by easier and takes my mind off of the pain/tedium/whatever. 

Once the "summit" is reached there is another shout-out on the screen- "SUMMIT!" - and then poof! That special screen is gone and you find yourself back where you were at on whichever screen it was you were using before the climb. 

I like this feature, but.... I could see where you might not like it if you were looking at the map on the screen and then this interrupts that. Especially if you are following a turn-by-turn navigation course. Or perhaps you can override the Summit Freeride special screen? I have to do some more deep-diving on Wahoo's site to see about this. Update: Yes - You can turn off the function that switches to the Summit Freeride page automatically, but according to the app, it still alerts you so you can switch to it. (?) We will have to see how that works now.

As for the rest of the unit - so far - I am good. I like the Elemnt ROAM as much as I did my old Lezyne because it pretty much does what that computer did. Plus, the Elemnt ROAM  has a very crisp color screen, the climbing page, the Summit Freeride, and it should have turn-by-turn navigation. I sure hope that part works out well, because if so, I would consider this product a home run, at least from my viewpoint. Then it would be just a matter of longevity. 

So far, so good. This is - by far - a waaaaaaay better experience than the Karoo2. It's actually a fun product to use with little to no frustrations at all. Isn't that what a cycling product should be able to do? Help you have fun? Well, Wahoo has made that happen up to this point for me. 

Remember: The Standard Disclaimer applies.
 

GPS Take 3: Wahoo Elemnt ROAM Part 2

 This is the update to my first take on the Wahoo Elemnt ROAM which posted earlier this week HERE.

In that post I had some news about the screen freezing up. In the comments on that post a reader that goes by "Nooge" here thought that perhaps the screen freeze issue was atmospheric related. The skies were heavily overcast that day of my first try with the Wahoo and there could have been a lot of Canadian wildfire smoke in the upper atmosphere that may have led to poor GPS satellite reception. 

Now with my second attempt at using the Elemnt ROAM, I found myself under a partly cloudy sky. This time there were no screen freeze-ups, so I am thinking Nooge was on to something there and that there are really no worries with the unit. 

The thing I wanted to cover today is the Summit Freeride feature which Wahoo added to this new Elemnt ROAM only this past Spring. It is a feature that will alert you to an upcoming climb and then give you data on the climb, its length, the severity of the gradient, and gives you a "time to summit" based on your speed. 

 No hiccups on the latest ride.

Okay, so I did not know that this Summit Freeride feature is more or less automatic. If the unit detects an upcoming climb of any significance, and no matter what page you are currently using, it "interrupts this program" with an alert. "CLIMB!" This is accompanied by an audible beep. '

At that point you are redirected to the special Summit Freeride screen which has gradient, a graphic of the climb, your progress, and "time to summit" which I assume is based upon your pacing. 

It was kind of neat to see your time count down and watch the gradient readout as you climb. I like a bit of distraction when I am putting out an effort, I don't know about you. For me it makes things go by easier and takes my mind off of the pain/tedium/whatever. 

Once the "summit" is reached there is another shout-out on the screen- "SUMMIT!" - and then poof! That special screen is gone and you find yourself back where you were at on whichever screen it was you were using before the climb. 

I like this feature, but.... I could see where you might not like it if you were looking at the map on the screen and then this interrupts that. Especially if you are following a turn-by-turn navigation course. Or perhaps you can override the Summit Freeride special screen? I have to do some more deep-diving on Wahoo's site to see about this. Update: Yes - You can turn off the function that switches to the Summit Freeride page automatically, but according to the app, it still alerts you so you can switch to it. (?) We will have to see how that works now.

As for the rest of the unit - so far - I am good. I like the Elemnt ROAM as much as I did my old Lezyne because it pretty much does what that computer did. Plus, the Elemnt ROAM  has a very crisp color screen, the climbing page, the Summit Freeride, and it should have turn-by-turn navigation. I sure hope that part works out well, because if so, I would consider this product a home run, at least from my viewpoint. Then it would be just a matter of longevity. 

So far, so good. This is - by far - a waaaaaaay better experience than the Karoo2. It's actually a fun product to use with little to no frustrations at all. Isn't that what a cycling product should be able to do? Help you have fun? Well, Wahoo has made that happen up to this point for me. 

Remember: The Standard Disclaimer applies.