Chasing The Latest

Prototype Wilde 32"er Image courtesy of Wilde Bicycle Co.

The buzz around 32" wheels I see in some circles reminds me of whenever anything new comes out. "New" as in "technological advancements", which is a debatable subject all on its own. 

But let's say for argument that something comes out which early adopters and testers say is actually an advantage. This is all it seems to take to conjure up a certain psychological need in cyclists brains to "have to have it". 

I see it all the time. Electronic shifting, disc brakes, 'one more gear' on the cassette. All things certain cyclists jumped onboard with while another segment of cyclists deride said idea. 

Remember when disc brakes were being discussed for road racing bikes? I saw an article referencing this over the weekend. This was ten years ago, and there were heated discussions about how the rotors were going to slice up people in crashes, and how the technology to run disc brakes was heavier. Some said disc brakes would open up a new world in terms of lower wheel weights and tire options. 

The adopters were right in this instance. That worked out. Now try finding a rim brake road bike in any form. They are rare now. But the main point was that there were adopters and detractors. Sometimes the adopters are right, sometimes they are not. But should disc brakes eliminate rim brake road bikes? Seems this is the way. 

I still hold that 1X is - overall - not the right thing for most bicycles. This is one which came about mainly due to MTB. More than 11 speeds seems like another thing people adopted 'just because' it was the latest thing. So, I could go on. But this is a subject I find a bit fascinating. 

The chasing of the latest and "greatest" and passing on of things proven to work and work well is an ongoing trend in cycling lasting decades. People are fickle. I don't ever see this ending, and frankly, this is what drives a lot in the world of cycling. 

Virtual Ride For Jacob Report: Pedro del Río Muñoz

A surprise showed up in my inbox this past weekend. It was a very nice message from Pedro del Rio Munoz, a reader from Spain. Pedro may strike a memory for some of you as he has submitted reports for the Virtual Turkey Burn Ride and is a regular in the comments. 

So, here is Pedro's report, as he sent it to me with a lot of nice imagery. It means a lot to me that anyone would take the time and effort to honor my deceased son, Jacob, and especially so from someone overseas. What an honor! Thank you, Pedro! 

And with no further fanfare......

Ride for Jacob 2026

Well, Mr. Guitar Ted has inspired us once again, this time with an incredibly sad but beautiful reason to ride. And I would very much like my support to reach him from here.

For reasons that aren't important and don't really belong in this story, I had barely ridden since January, so this was an excellent reason to get back into a good habit.

I met up with a friend and suggested a route that I really enjoy. Completely flat. Technically very easy. Mostly gravel, with around 7 km of tarmac, for a total of 61 km.

There was only one condition: we would take it easy, and if we found an open bar or café along the way, we would stop for coffee.

Sadly, the coffee part never happened.

We set off at 7:00 a.m. from our meeting point and rode around the outskirts of my hometown, El Puerto de Santa María, as dawn began to break. A few cars and a handful of people on their way home after a night out were pretty much all we encountered, so it was a very peaceful start.

As we left town, we had our first taste of dirt and headed onto the trails, where we faced the first climb of the day. A very short 10% ramp, less than 400 metres long.

 

From there, it was dirt tracks all the way to the next city, Jerez de la Frontera. Riding through Jerez with the sun already up but still low in the sky is quite something. We crossed right through the historic centre and the Santiago neighborhood, with its 15th–16th century church. The silence of an area that is usually busy makes riding through it at that hour rather special.

From there, the route really begins.

Good gravel roads, surrounded by farmland, now dry and waiting for the next planting season.

As the route progresses, so does the sun — and the temperature. At this time of year, temperatures quickly reach 30°C, so we went through quite a lot of water.

We were firmly in touring mode. Zone 1, for those who still insist on calling everything  "training" 

We rode along having a pleasant conversation, mixed with those moments when each of us was simply lost in our own thoughts.

 

In my case, and especially on this ride, many of those thoughts were obviously with Mr. Guitar Ted and his family. I found myself wondering how I would face such a sad and terrible situation.

The support of family, friends and community must surely be fundamental when facing something that, perhaps, can never truly be understood.

And somewhere between conversation and reflection, the kilometres kept passing.

 

Despite my very obvious lack of cycling fitness, I held up surprisingly well — and, importantly, my backside didn't complain about the saddle.

My Ergon is probably one of the most comfortable saddles I've ever owned, and it 's quite easy to adjust. My other saddle, a Brooks Cambium C15, is comfortable too, but much more difficult to dial in and get that feeling just right.

My trusty Jones Spaceframe, running 2.8-inch tyres, is certainly not the world's greatest gravel bike. It's heavy, not particularly aerodynamic, has Plus tyres...

But somehow, for me, it has become a combination I absolutely love.I find it incredibly comfortable for simply riding, riding and riding. I feel integrated into the frame rather than perched on top of it, with my weight supported by the saddle and pedals —something I really like. And its length makes it extremely stable.

All of that helped me finish those 61 kilometres tired, but happy.

I hope that, wherever Jacob may be, my prayers reached him.

Wishing strength to your entire family.

El Puerto de Santa María, Spain

Ride for Jacob 2026 – Sunday 26 th July 2026

Written: 9 August 2026

Pedro

The Guitar Ted Lube-Off 2026: SILCA Super-Secret v2 Update 1

 NOTICE:  The Guitar Ted 'Lube-Off' is a comparison of different lubrication products for bicycle chains that is undertaken in 'real world' conditions in a set way. Then I compare and contrast the results with past 'Lube-Off' products to see "which one is best for me". This is done for entertainment purposes and the reader should apply their own reasoning and discernment while reading my 'Lube-Off' entries. What works for me may not work for you at all. 

This update on the testing will focus on the SILCA Super-Secret v2 lubricant. The cleaning procedure and application procedure will be covered in this update. The next update will have the first ride impressions. 

There was a hiccup with the test, and it relates to a product I tried which I reviewed HERE. I'll get into all of what this entails here soon, but first let's dig into this new version of the previous Lube-Off winner, the Super Secret wax based lubricant. 

What It Is: Super Secret lube was developed around six to seven years ago. SILCA was asked by some of the Pro teams they sponsor to revisit this product with the aim to update it. Specifically SILCA was asked to increase the wet weather performance of its original formula. 

SILCA took this feedback, and other feedback from Pro riders, to Purdue University. Over the course of a couple of years of research and development, SILCA now believes it has improved Super-Secret to a level at which they claim the new formula actually works as well as a waxed chain. 

First of all, SILCA did not change the ingredients of Super-Secret, but through their work at Purdue University, they were able to maximize the ingredients to be better at what each ingredient does. So much so that SILCA has now dubbed this as their version 2 of the lubricant.  

It has some pretty heady claims, this Super-Secret v2. Slicker, faster, and longer lasting. And that wet weather performance was improved greatly. So, the expectation here is that Super-Secret will now separate itself from the Flowerpower lubricant I tested in the last Lube-Off. In those tests, the Flowerpower was very close in performance to the original Super-Secret formula. 

Super-Secret v2 comes in 2oz, 4oz, and 8oz bottles at $16.00, $25.00, and $45.00 respectively. Hit the link above to see more details on this lubricant or to purchase some. (I am not affiliated with SILCA in any way.) 

Cleaning and Application Process: 

The Super-Secret v2 has been applied to the XLBird, (after I cleaned it!)

 SILCA requests the lube be put on a clean chain. I tried using the Stan's degreaser product, but it would not dry up, and since I did not want to use water to rinse it out, (this would have required I use something to drive out the water), I ended up going back to square one and using Finishline's Speed Degreaser which off-gasses to leave no moisture or residue. Then I shook the bottle vigorously and applied a single dollop of the lubricant on each chain roller. 

After this I back-pedaled the bike for one minute. SILCA requires the rider to alow the bike to sit for at least four hours. I let it cure overnight. 

The result was a dry chain with a slick feel to it. Perfect! Pretty much exactly how Super-Secret has always worked. So, for now it is smooth sailing and ride testing will commence. 

Impressions So Far: 

I think the application process is easy once you get past cleaning the chain, which can be a hassle if you've not cleaned your chain for a while. A clean chain is paramount to achieving good results, so I was picky about this. 

Disregarding the day I lost due to using the wrong degreaser product, I'd give this lube high marks for ease of application. Even the curing time is reasonable. So, top of the charts on this part of the test from my perspective.  

Next On The Lube-Off:

I'm actually going to throw things back to last year's testing and give you all a final word on a lubricant from that round of the Lube-Off. Look for that this coming week. 

Then I'm going to delve into the Flowerpower lube and give you a refresher on how this lubricant has performed, its application procedure, and what I liked and did not like about it. 

In that same post I will also go over the original Super-Secret lube. As for our new, "SECRET" lubricant, I am not allowed to speak about it until September 1st. My hope is that I can give a very comprehensive look at that lube in one shot. I may even have a winner identified by this point, if rides can be strung together with enough mileage to warrant a final verdict. 

So, stay tuned for all of that! September will be here before ya know it, and this Lube-Off promises to be a pretty intense competition. 
 

 

Rim Wars

Image courtesy of Hates Bicycle

So for my Chris King hub set I still have not decided upon rims to build up wheels from them. I was considering carbon, but the prices for those are a bit intimidating from the standpoint of my use case scenario. I mean, this is a bike that is almost twenty years old now! (Fargo Gen I) So, putting on bling-wheels seems a bit too much for me when I think about this bicycle. Making wheels which would be worth more than the rest of the bike seems....not wise. 

So, I have resigned myself to doing a wheel set in aluminum, just to use these Chris King hubs. Earlier in the week I was referred by a commenter to look at Sun/Ringle' Durocd rims. I also am a big fan of Velocity USA's Blunt SS rims. So, I did a compare and contrast with these two choices. They are remarkably similar in some significant ways. 

The Blunt SS

Image courtesy of Velocity USA

I have experience with this rim and it all has been positive. It's a fairly light rim for the inner width at a claimed 425 grams each. These build up nicely and look really good. 

For my uses it would be absolutely fine doing what I'd ask of it. Now, if I were actually mountain biking I would have some reservations. 

The Blunt SS isn't what I would call a rim for really fast, rough riding styles on tough trails. It can be flexy, easily dented, and some say it is problematic doing tubeless tires. (I have never had any issues running Blunt SS's tubeless, so....)

The price for a single Blunt SS 700c rim is $152.00 and these are made in the USA. 

The Sun Duroc 30:

As you can see from the cutaway diagram here, the Sun Duroc 30 is very close in specifications to a Blunt SS. The inner rim width is nearly identical, and in just about every way, the Duroc 30 seems to be analogous to a Blunt SS in the important areas. 

There are two things about the Duroc 30 which distinguish it from the Blunt SS and they are related to each other. 

Firstly, the Duroc 30 is a welded seam rim while the Blunt SS is not. This is a tiny thing in and of itself, but the nod goes to the Duroc here because welded seams can be more durable. Welding can also distort the rim walls, if done poorly, so having not seen any examples of this rim, I cannot say if Sun's production quality is good or no. Based upon other Sun rims I have seen I would guess this is a non-issue. 

The other related thing is weight. A welded seam weighs more than a pin and sleeve one does. So, this bears out as the Duroc 30 is a claimed 465 grams versus the Blunt SS at a claimed 425 grams each. Of course, the Duroc can be heavier just because of its extrusion design also, so we have to account somewhat for this possibility as well. 

The Duroc 30 costs about a hundred bucks each, so a savings of over $100.00 for a pair versus the Velocity product. I do not know where the Duroc is made, but I would hazard a guess that it is not made in the USA. 

Decisions:

I haven't done anything yet, but the Duroc gets some cred from a local rider here I respect, so I would not be afraid to use those rims. The made in USA thing is nice, but at this point spending around $200.00 versus $300.00 or more is a significant difference. One I cannot ignore. 

Soon I will make a decision. What would you do? 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

32" Fargo Live Now:

Salsa Cycles announced on Tuesday of this week that 32" Fargo frame sets were available from them now. Steel for now, titanium is yet to come this Fall. 

Comments: A drop bar specific 32" adventure bike? Yes. The Fargo is now available in the largest wheels you can get from Salsa Cycles. This follows the trend of brands getting whatever they can out in 32" wheels as fast as possible ahead of the Big Four brands. 

Although Salsa isn't necessarily a small brand. So this does hit a little differently. We will have to monitor how well this version of the Fargo does, as it may be an indication for the overall impact of 32" wheels on the market. 

But beyond speculation, we can now put some numbers on this Fargo 32"er. The frame, with carbon fork, cost $1,799.00 USD. That is surprising, to a degree, to me. I was speculating this would cost 2K. I was wrong about that. 

Then we see what Salsa estimates the weight of this Fargo with carbon fork is going to be. They are claiming an 8lb 9oz weight, which is only 10 ounces heavier than the steel frame/carbon fork Fargo in the 29"er guise. Not bad for a frame with longer stays. Although, I was a little taken aback by the weight of the frame and fork at first glance. That said, the Fargo never pretended to be a lightweight platform. 

It's an interesting offering, and that Pearl Orchid color is quite nice, if I do say so myself.  

Michael Kolakowski

BRAN Announces New President Of Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska Inc.:

When I was on BRAN earlier this Summer I was made aware the ride is 100% run by volunteers. Their president was also on his last BRAN as the leader of the organization. So this ride was going to be looking for a new President and Vice President for the coming years. 

Having been an event organizer for as many years as I was, and knowing volunteers are the heart and soul of any event, I was concerned about how a new President and Vice President would affect this cool event. Well, my fears were allayed recently concerning this when I received the email sent to past BRAN riders which heralded the news of BRAN's new officers. 

The new President is Michael Kolakowski, and the new Vice President is his wife, Jackie Kolakowski. I rode with Michael all week long at BRAN, and I got to know him well enough to be of the opinion he is the perfect person to lead this ride into the future. 

Michael is an avid cyclist, being a commuter in Omaha and loving his country rides in a way I could relate to easily. He is a BRAN veteran, having been on many past BRAN rides and he knows all the ins and outs of BRAN as a rider and as a volunteer on the team for several years. 

Of course, I do not know Jackie, but I have no doubt she is as capable as Michael is, and by his own admission, a very smart and capable individual in her own right. So I feel she will also be a compliment to BRAN and its future.

Congratulations Michael and Jackie!

Guitar Ted Podcast Update:

I haven't been promoting the podcast here as much as I probably should be. So, let me take a bit of space here to do this.....

We're putting out shows at around one every two weeks or so. The latest ones, "Episodes 112, 113, and 114 are all pretty new. If you haven't listened for a while, you can catch up with us on those episodes. 

We  are hoping to get a few interviews done before we take our traditional break in December. Look for those to be sprinkled throughout the coming months. 

Finally, a big 'Thank You" to all who have expressed their feelings about the podcast to me of late. It appears several of you listen faithfully whenever we post a new episode.  N.Y. Roll and I are always amazed by any responses we get. So, again - Thanks!! 

I think we are going to get about 15 more episodes in before the end of 2026 which would make this year the record for episodes released. Year four isn't quite over with yet, but we are looking forward to Year 5 with anticipation.  

Embark: Good Stuff!

About four years ago, N.Y. Roll brought back a nutritional product for cycling, (and more), by a Wisconsin based company called Embark. I tried it out and it worked so well I actually bought some and tested it out for the site HERE. 

Oddly enough, I don't do enough events anymore that I think about on the bike nutrition, but the Ride For Jacob got me thinking about this again. Actually, you could say this started percolating in my mind during BRAN. 

Anyway, I landed on Embark in my research on the site here. I actually had a spare packet of the stuff and used it up this Spring, but at that time I did not place another order for it. 

Well, this past week I went ahead and got some more. They are currently running a sale on their Embark Maple Energy packets if you are curious. I highly recommend the stuff. 

By the way, I am not affiliated with Embark in any way, so I don't get anything out of it if you decide to check them out. It's just really good, natural energy which tastes great and can be used straight, in water bottles, or in cooking. 

That is a wrap on this week! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions. Now get out there and ride those bicycles.  

Review: Stan's Biobased Drivetrain Cleaner

NOTE: Stan's sent over a bottle of their Biobased Drivetrain Cleaner to Guitar Ted Productions at no charge for test and review purposes. Stan's is not bribing or paying Guitar Ted for this review. All opinions are Guitar Ted's.

Cleaning parts can be a challenge when it comes to bicycles. Exposed drive train style parts like chains, derailleurs, and chainrings and cogs can prove to be quite a challenge to clean up. This becomes an issue especially when you are about to set up your bicycle with chain lubricant. Getting a drive train cleaned up to the "nth degree" is paramount to getting the best chain lube performance. Cheat on this exercise and you will pay the price in lost watts, drive train performance, and in earlier parts replacement than necessary. 

But taking off parts and replacing them after cleaning can mean hours in the garage/on the apartment living room floor/in the basement and you probably do not have all the proper tools for doing this anyway. Why can't we just, you know, clean up things while they are on the bike? 

The answer is "You can", but you need to know what to use and how to use it. I'll link my article on how I clean my bikes HERE if you want to get into the nitty-gritty of my techniques. (Note - That link takes you to an article with many other linked articles. Please refer to all of those before asking any questions here about drive train/bicycle cleaning)

What It Is: Okay, back to the subject at hand. Stan's Biobased products, many of which I have reviewed here before, are all made with a singular focus which is to be as environmentally friendly as possible. The Biobased Drivetrain Cleaner is no different. The bottle says this product uses "WPL biobased tech". WPL (Whistler Performance Labs) is a Canadian based company focused on biobased lubricants, cleaners, and grease products. I actuall reviewed a WPL lubricant in a previous Guitar Ted Lube-Off session HERE. 

Biobased Drivetrain Cleaner comes in a 500ml spray bottle and costs $20.00 USD. Following are some features listed which were taken from the webpage for this product:

•  Powerful Formula: cuts through grease and grime, yet it's gentle on paint, rubber, plastic, and carbon. Avoid cleaner contact with disc brake rotors and brake pads
• Vegan, Biodegradable, and Plant-based (USDA-certified Biobased pending)
• PFAS and PTFE-free: safer than petroleum-based products for rubber, carbon, paint, and anodized bike parts
• Clear and Odorless: no added dyes or scents
• Made in Canada

How I Used It: My main usage for the Biobased Drivetrain Cleaner was to get my chains ready for the next Lube-Off session, referred to earlier in the week HERE. The label directions indicated that one should use a liberal amount of product on a chain, (or cassette, chain rings if so desired) and use a brush to scrub off any build-up. Then the label instructs you to do something I do not agree with, but it makes sense from the basis of what this product's philosophy is based upon. 

The instructions direct you to rinse chains, cassettes, or chain rings with water.  That's certainly "enviromentally friendly", but in the case of a chain, I really don't want to introduce water into all the spaces between the rollers and pins. If I had rinsed my chains with water, I would then want to use compressed air to blow out any excess water residue, (extremely messy), or use a chemical product like alcohol, or brake cleaner, or....something similar, (defeats environmental benefits) to displace the water and hopefully leave no residues behind. 

So, I did not rinse my chains with water. I tried drying out the chains and wiping off as much as I could with a rag. This did not leave a satisfactory result. It fouled the chain lube I applied afterward, because I could not drive out all the degreaser product from the rollers and pins of the chain. While I could have removed the chain and obtained a better result with rinsing and air drying the chain, this defeats the purposes of my testing.  

Final Verdict: Stan's Biobased Drivetrain Cleaner is a good product if you can rinse with water and not worry about oxidation from the water afterward in the tight spaces which define a typical bicycle drive train. I like the environmental aspect, which I think makes this a product worth checking out. The Biobased Drivetrain Cleaner does blast away build-up and dissolves grease well. It's just that - for me - using it on a chain is problematic in that you must rinse off the product with water, (or solvent of choice if you don't care about being consistent with the product philosophy) Then you can avoid residue which this product leaves behind and which will not dry off a chain, in particular. Add in the self-imposed parameter of not removing parts, and this becomes an issue. 

So, I would recommend this with caveats as to how this product needs a rinsing after use. How you go about that rinsing is up to you. Then again, if you really are more concerned with ease of use and convenience, you probably are looking at a different degreaser product that is a "one-shot" and done kind of procedure. I can recommend Finishline's "Speed Degreaser" is that is your aim.  

Two Things

Getting Back To That Wheel Project:

Last Spring I received back my old Chris King hub set. I mentioned then I wanted to build these up into wheels for the Fargo Gen I. Then.....

Crickets.

Why? Well, first off I was a bit paralyzed by prices for carbon rims. I can afford them, that isn't the problem. The problem is if I believe they are what I truly need to be spending money on for that bike. 

I still believe Velocity Blunt SS rims would be just fine and do the job well. I probably will end up getting a set. But I did not back then because BRAN then came along and well, I spent a bunch of money getting ready for that. 

Then Summer came along and I got distracted, as one does, by other things. Now we're going into Fall and my mind is settling into what I need to get done before Winter comes along, besides getting the house ready. 

This wheel set build is on the radar. There is a slight chance I go in a different direction than indicated here, but the Blunt SS is the leader in the clubhouse as of now. Unless I can be persuaded otherwise....

What It Is All About:

Let's see..... Gravel Worlds is coming up. I haven't seen a lot about CORE4 this year (?), and then you have a few, smaller events which are fairly local which I've seen some buzz about. Does anyone know who is winning the UCI Gravel series events or the Gravel Earth events? 

I don't see people yakking about those things much at all, not on social media anyway. barely any coverage on the ol' innergoogles either. So.....does anyone really care about these races? 

I have seen a LOT more stuff about rides, small gravel competitions, and bike packing adventures, all non-sanctioned, by the way, than I have any of the "big-time" events. 

When is the cycling industry going to catch on to this? Will they ever? And maybe it doesn't matter. I will say that our local shops, all two of them, are still not engaging with the scene and haven't for years. This is Iowa. Gravel is literally everywhere, yet these shops seemingly are blind to it. I worked at one of them for many years and all that shop cared about was a twice yearly road time trial series that drew a small smattering of locals. 

But gravel cycling? Nah..... Whatever. 

The thing is, gravel cycling is the meat of cycling activities, not some weirdo thing going on out in the country. Well.....some of us are weirdos, yes. But you know what I am getting at here. Gravel is the meat of what is going on and you cannot, as a business, treat it like cole slaw. If you do, it is at your own risk. 

Ghost Town Discovery

I was cruising Facebook the other day and I came across a post about an Iowa ghost town called "White Pigeon", a town which used to be in Keokuk County. As I read about it, I realized I may have been by the area doing Trans Iowa recon, or maybe it was on a route I came up with. 

Well, as it turns out, Trans Iowa v14 went right by the spot where this ghost town used to be! I don't know about anyone else, but I was excited to learn about this. 

As is the case for me involving Trans Iowas, I recall this road well. The situation was from the last set of cues for the route, and I was trying to find a way back toward Grinnell without adding a ton of extra miles. 

Keeping in mind that this route did not come together until very late into the process, I was also under a lot of self-inflicted pressure to find roads which would not only work, but be something of interest. I guess I stumbled onto something I had no idea of at the time! Had I known about this, I surely would have made a big deal about the route going by a ghost town. 

So, here's a bit of history gleaned from The 29th State page on Facebook. White Pigeon was founded before the Civil War and grew to a decent size with several businesses and churches in its day. However; the railroad bypassed the site of the town, which in the 19th Century was a death sentence for any village. 

White Pigeon hung on for many years though, and it was only after the last business in town burned to the ground around 1930 that it disappeared from the landscape. The only thing remaining is the cemetery which is on the West side of the road from the original town plat. 

From my viewpoint at the time, the gravel road going North from our final checkpoint in Webster, Iowa, was an interesting road because it had a few turns in it. Otherwise I may have chosen another route. Somewhere between mile 2,4 on the cues and mile 5.7 on the cue sheet you would have ridden by the cemetery and the old town site would have been on your right side. 

From the 1895 Atlas of Keokuk County, Iowa by H.G. Bishop

If I'm not mistaken, this road also bears right North of the old site of White Pigeon and turns into a pretty cool Level B Road. That "T"s into H Avenue and the route went North from there. 

I also may have utilized that Level B Road in another Trans Iowa, but I don't think we went South by White Pigeon in that one. 

Anyway, that was a fun discovery, and I am proud now to know I routed Trans Iowa by a legit ghost town. 

I'm also sure we went by others, and some villages we went through maybe will become ghost towns in the future.  

This is partially why I love riding rural areas. I like history, and finding out about the past is good because sometimes there are lessons we can learn from. You never know what you'll find in Iowa, that's for certain, and I'm sure other areas are similarly graced with nuggets of history just waiting for you to discover by bicycle.  

Guitar Ted Lube-Off 2026

  NOTICE:  The Guitar Ted 'Lube-Off' is a comparison of different lubrication products for bicycle chains that is undertaken in 'real world' conditions in a set way. Then I compare and contrast the results with past 'Lube-Off' products to see "which one is best for me". This is done for entertainment purposes and the reader should apply their own reasoning and discernment while reading my 'Lube-Off' entries. What works for me may not work for you at all. 

The Guitar Ted Lube-Off 2026:

Welcome to another totally unscientific look at what lubricant passes my tests to see what chain lube works best on dusty Iowa gravel roads. 

Over the years technology has changed tremendously in terms of chain lubricants. Early on it was the old petroleum based lubes that were tested alongside some chemical stews which then kind of took over for a while. Now things have moved on from there to wax based lubricants with a lot less environmental concerns.  

A Note About Chain Waxing: You may wonder why I will not test chain waxing procedures and products. I'll tell you why - It's more hassle, more equipment, and I don't want to do it. So, while taking off a chain and dipping it in some waxy soup might be better, (more on that in a minute), it is not easier than just cleaning the chain and lubing the chain while it is on the bike. 

I like "easy". I also like spending less money. Maybe I'm a weirdo..... 

 This season I am sort of continuing 2025's Lube-Off and melding it in with two newer contenders. One is the new Super-Secret v2 lubricant from SILCA. One is actually now truly"super-secret" as it hasn't been released yet to the public. I cannot show you this lube .......yet. The embargo on that lubricant lifts in about a month from now. However; I am already using it, so I'll have plenty to say about it in September. 

Image courtesy of SILCA

The Contenders:

The aforementioned SECRET lube, which I cannot talk about yet. It's on a bike I have already. Stay tuned for more on it.

The new Super-Secret v2 lube from SILCA. It is an "improvement in every way" over the original Super-Secret lube. I also already have this lube and it is also already on a bike I have here. 

Original Super-Secret from SILCA. Of course, the previous Lube-Off king has to be in this test. Of course, it also is already on a bike I own. 

Effetto Mariposa Flowerpower wax lubricant. I've said this one is so close to Super-Secret lube that it may as well be also a top choice for gravel in dry conditions. Yes, you guessed it, it's already on one of the bikes here. 

Expectations: 

I have a goal of getting 300 miles on the new lubes and whatever I can get on the old contenders. I already know what I have in the older test lubes, so getting a ton of miles in on those isn't a huge deal. But yeah, I want some reference which will be fresh in my mind to remind me what I liked about those lubricants. 

I then expect to uncover which lubricant was best at keeping the chain clean, the cassette clean, the jockey wheels clean, and still is slippery and making my chain "fast".  It should be noted that SILCA claims its newest Super-Secret formula is "just as fast" as waxing a chain in a pot. So, if true, it would be another reason to avoid all that fuss and clutter. 

The Process:

Each chain will be cleaned with Stan's BioBased Degreaser. It's a fairly new product which I have found recently. It does a pretty good job of cleaning a chain on the bike. Using the same degreaser for all the contenders will keep the playing field even. 

Then I will ride each contender in dusty gravel in and around Waterloo, Iowa where I live. The dust here gets into every nook and cranny of a bike and so I know it will challenge each lubricant to the maximum of its capabilities and its claims of performance by the brands. 

In the end, I look for cleanliness. A clean chain, jockey wheels, and cassette mean a faster drive train. IF the lubricant can keep the chain clean, and IF it can do this while still lubricating the chain, that lube is a winner. 

The application process will also be judged alongside these other concerns. Reapplication intervals also matter. SILCA is also claiming the new v2 Super-Secret is able to withstand wet conditions as well. So maybe I'll do a bit of extra testing to see about this. The other lubricants definitely do not hold up in the wet.  

Then whatever process each brand requires for application will be followed. And there are some varied asks of the user to apply the different lubes. So I think you readers will find that part interesting. Then it will just be the riding and hopefully by sometime mid-Fall I'll have results to share. 

So there you go! Stay tuned for the next update on installation for the SILCA, Effetto Mariposa, and the "SECRET" lube, (September update), soon. 

It's Been A Year

Jacob Stevenson at Iowa Speedway, 2017

Whew...... Here we are a year removed from that terrible day in 2025. Most of you know what I am talking about, but if you are new here, you can read about what happened HERE. 

I wrote that post the day after he died. I guess I was on autopilot. I have to say the shock of losing my son unexpectedly probably hadn't sunk in quite yet there. I re-read that post and it seems so detached from reality now. 

But it was all I could say at the time. Since then, the reality has hit me several times like a big truck. Other times it is sneaky and persistent. Haunting, tortuous feelings and memories of the day one year ago are hard to escape. 

But I will not hide the fact that my faith in God has been the thing which has carried me along until this day. It is that faith which will carry me further on up the road until it is my time to leave this Earth. Without that, and God's grace, I wouldn't be here to write to you today, and I know this to be true. 

The view  from my chair on the porch now. 

Afternoons on weekdays were times I looked forward to seeing Jacob come home from work during most of 2024 and 2025. He started out driving in 2023, maybe late 2022, I don't remember now. I found a picture showing when he crashed out a lady's white fence back in February of '23, so he had been driving for a bit by then. Anyway....

I got to be kind of a 'mother hen', waiting out on the porch for him to drive up. He got off work at the Criterion machine shop at 2:30pm. He usually would drive up in front of the house by 2:45, maybe ten till three. 

I'd sit and talk with him a bit, if he was in the mood for it, then I'd leave for work at about 3:30pm to work my 4:00 - 8:00pm shift at the Collective. If I had a day off I would go inside with him and he'd usually get on the internet and play his online games. This was in nice weather, of course, not in Winter. I remember the Summertime of 2025 especially, since he had the 4Runner and seeing him pull up in that was always a relief for me. 

He was home again. 

He'd get out, look up at me over the roof of the 4Runner since he was so tall, and say "Hey Dad.", then he'd grab the messenger bag with his stuff, and come up to the porch. Sometimes he'd stop and talk, other times he'd walk right in. 

Of course, the one day he stopped and shared that meal with me a week or so before he died is really a special time for me. He had gone to Taco Johns and typically he didn't share that with me, but he did that one time before he died.....

And now it has been a year. I look out from the porch now from my chair. Something is missing. He isn't going to pull up anymore. He won't be grabbing that messenger bag out of the back seat, the bag I used to commute to work with. He won't be sharing Taco John's with me, or even just walking past me to get to his video game as quick as he could. 

Why? 

Because he went Home. That's why......

 So, I wanted to mark this day here on the blog. I appreciate all your thoughts and prayers. They mean a lot to me, as does your reading this blog. 

See ya here again tomorrow.... 
 

House Cleaning

After The Ride For Jacob I realized I had better get to sprucing up my gravel bikes. I hadn't as much laid a hand to the pink BMC since I came back from BRAN in June and the Ride For Jacob was duuuusty! So, the metric century left a lot of residue on the ol' Peregrine Mk4. 

On the one hand, it is good to have this problem. It means I actually had rides and miles on gravel. This is good! So far this year has been better in this regard. Although local riding has suffered a bit with the heat lately. 

But there is the other side. I clean bikes all the time at the Collective. I really don't want to clean bikes when I get home. However; those two bikes in particular were filthy. It was time. 

Plus, as mentioned yesterday in the FN&V, I have new stuff to test on the chains and I may as well clean up everything while I am cleaning the chains, cassettes, and cranks. I knew I would be happy about it afterward, and I was. 

It is just that it is really tedious work. 

The Dirty XLBird

I have the BMC cleaned up now and the XLBird is getting done as well. Then I will just go out and get them all dirty again. It's kind of like making a bed. You're just going to sleep in it again this evening, so why make it all pretty in the morning? 

That is certainly one way to look at things, but I also understand there are intangibles at play. You often can give yourself a sense of worth and well-being by cleaning up yourself and your surroundings. A neatly made bed gives you a sense of order and calm which is valuable. So this is why you should clean your bicycle. It makes you feel better. 

Really. 

But yeah, it can feel like an endless task if you ride a lot! 

Friday News And Views

Teravail Cannonball 32"ers Available:

Image courtesy of Teravail

The 32" wheel introductions have most often been focused on MTB product. However; gravel usage has been teased by several manufacturers and now we have a true gravel component in 32" diameter. The first "gravel" tire for 32'ers is the Teravail Cannonball. 

The Cannonball design was intentionally focused on gravel usage, so while this tire in a 2.2" width may strike some as still being XC MTB focused, it is by design intentions a gravel tire. 

The 32" Cannonball features Teravail's Superstructure Casing which is made up of extra-fine, hardened Nylon fibers to help reduce punctures but retain a supple riding casing. The rubber compound is Teravail's Fast Plus which is claimed to be Teravail's fastest rolling rubber compound in their range. 

You can check out either the tan wall or black wall version of the 32" Cannonball by clicking HERE. 

From Wilde Bicycle Co. social media.

32"er News From Wilde Bicycle Co. 

Seen on social media this week: A Wilde Bicycle Co. post teasing a new, as yet unreleased 32"er MTB XC bike. The post indicated this is a test mule for possible future production. 

There were no concrete dates or timelines given as Wilde wants to wait on a suitable suspension fork to test the frame with. 

Comments: Again, 32"ers are being jumped on by smaller, more agile companies which don't have to wait on production lines to be geared up for large runs. 

Although, I have heard through the grapevine that current factory production is not anywhere near maximum levels, and this may also play into how smaller companies have been able to push smaller production runs through for 32"ers. 

However this plays out, my theory is that there is a small amount of 32"er curious, bike nerdy folks who are possible sales targets for 32" wheels and once those folks have their bikes? I think any sort of larger, general cycling population being interested in 32"ers won't be as eager to bite on the unknown. Big brands who aren't going to have 32"ers out until late this year or early in 2027 may find the 32"er market has satisfied their appetite for this wheel size by buying from the smaller companies who were able to pivot to 32"ers more quickly. 

And I could be completely off my rocker. We will see.......
 

Image courtesy of SILCA

SILCA Announces Super-Secret v2 Lubricant:

SILCA Super-Secret lubricant has always fared quite well in my "Guitar Ted Lube-Off" tests and it is my current go-to lubricant for my gravel bikes. It does exceptionally well in dry gravel conditions. However; it wasn't all that great in the wet and so I never really trusted it for Spring, Winter, or if things got wet at any time of the year. 

SILCA has now upped its game with Super-Secret v2 lubricant. The claim is that it is faster, longer lasting, and holds up even in wet conditions. So, I bought some and it will be here shortly. Look for more "Guitar Ted Lube-Off" content soon!

And speaking of the Lube-Off, I last updated the testing HERE.  That was later into last year. I haven't been lax in testing since then, I just haven't updated anything here yet. This will certainly change, obviously, with the new Super-Secret v2 coming here soon. 

 I also have another lube which just arrived and is not yet on the open market. I will be testing it as well. So, this new Lube-Off should be interesting and pitted against the old contenders. Those include Super-Secret v1, the Effetto Mariposa Flowerpower wax lube, and Stan's Dry Lubricant. This Lube-Off should prove to reveal the best lubricant ever for gravel riding. 

I know.....big claim. But I think it will be true, and I am excited to try out these two new lubricants over the end of Summer and into Fall. Stay tuned..... 

New Dura Ace C-50 (mage courtesy of Shimano)

 Do New Dura Ace Wheels Point To What Could Come For Gravel?

On Wednesday Shimano released the poorly held secret that they have new Dura Ace carbon wheels available now. 

These are a range of rim depths and a rear disc wheel for road, triathlon, and perhaps cyclo cross usage. They don't have current "fashionable" inner rim widths for gravel. 

However; what we do see are carbon fiber spokes. The total wheel weight for the 50mm deep Dura Ace wheels (shown) is 1,302 grams for the pair. Curent Shimano RX-880 wheels have a 25mm (vs 23mm for Dura Ace) inner rim width and a 32mm depth vs the 50mm depth of the new Dura Ace. The total weight of the RX-880's is just shy of 1,400 grams at 1,397 grams. This is with stainless steel spokes. 

Obviously trends have changed and Shimano, never one to jump on changes right away, may not be pushing the cutting edges of wheel tech with a new RX series wheel yet. But it is hard to discount what Chinese wheel companies are doing now and for the prices they are doing it at, which are pretty incredibly low. 

Should Shimano come out with an even wider inner rim width gravel wheel set with carbon spokes with a total wheel weight of under 1,400 grams, it would be a huge development. Let's say the newer wheel had a 30mm inner rim width, and carbon spokes. Maybe a 40mm rim depth. It would be very competitive, as long as you bought a bike with those wheels already on it. Dura Ace wheels are well over 2K for the pair, and this is not at all competitive with Chinese gravel wheel sets, many selling for well under 1K for a pair.  

With Shimano you do get a company with service, widespread availability of repair parts, and most bike shops understand and can work on Shimano components. Chinese wheel sets? Hmm..... Not so much. But if you are willing to take a chance..... 

Image courtesy of DT Swiss

DT Swiss Revamps 1800 Wheel Range

Usually we talk about the bougie, expensive wheels here on the FN&V, but not everyone wants, needs, or can afford those carbon fiber wonder-wheels. So, what's a regular Joe or Jill supposed to look for?

How about a reliable, durable, and practical wheel set? This describes DT Swiss' 1800 range of wheels to a "T". 

There are three newly refreshed wheels in the 1800 Spline range now with the Aero (A), Endurance (E), and the Gravel (G) 1800 models. In those three divisions there are some options as well, most notably the option to get a front wheel with a DT Swiss branded Shutter Precision dynamo hub. 

Most of the range goes for a little north of $600.00 USD, so these won't break the bank and you can get solid DT Swiss reliability from the 370 hubs to the spokes and the new rims featuring a 26mm inner width. There are separate rims from this range available also for those looking to build some wheels. 

See the range HERE.  

Image courtesy of Ritchey Design

Ritchey Updates Streem Handlebar:

It seems that the old odball tag which used to be used for flared drop bars is no longer valid. No more "alt-bar" descriptions for these drop bars in 2026. 

Especially since a traditional road drop bar like the Streem now has 10° of flare. This road riding bar now has what Ritchey said in their press release is a design which is "...in line with how riders approach road riding today." And this - "....the compact shape, gentle backsweep, and increasing-radius bends give riders a natural interface for their hands when the road goes long or the pace gets honest. So, backsweep and flare. Hmm..... Gravel has made a dent, it would seem. 

The new Streem is available in aluminum construction in the WCS and Comp ranges with the difference being the WCS has triple-butted tubing. Check out the new bars, which have been priced lower than the outgoing models, and all of Ritchey's handlebar options HERE. 
 

Thanks so much for reading Guitar Ted Productions. Now get out there and ride those bicycles! Summer is fading fast! 

Virtual Ride For Jacob Report: Henry Pratt

I mentioned last week that anyone who could not make the Ride For Jacob on the 25th could do a virtual Ride For Jacob if they wanted to. I also added that anyone wanting to pass along a story with some images could do so and I'd post this on the blog. Kind of like how I have done for the Virtual Turkey Burn rides. 

I know a couple of folks who did their own Ride For Jacob recently, and this is heartwarming. I really appreciate anyone thinking of my son and his family.  

Well, Henry Pratt of New York took me up on the invitation to share his ride and he sent in a beautiful report. I hope that you enjoy this as much as I have. With no further delay, here is the Virtual Ride For Jacob post from Henry Pratt. 

Dear Guitar Ted,
​
​As it happens, I was able to do the Virtual Ride for Jacob on the 25th, perhaps even simultaneous with your own ride, as I left at 9:00am EST. I had a good three hours to use, and I wanted to get in something scenic. It would be my longest ride so far this year, recovering from a wrist badly broken in April (which I'm happy to say has now stopped limiting my riding!). In the mid-Hudson valley of NY, we don't have the endless gravel of the midwest, but we do have some pretty great stuff, including the privately-owned Mohonk Preserve (requires a membership or day pass) and the adjacent Minnewaska State Park. Both are part of the Shawangunk ridge, which is primarily known for world-class rock climbing, but which also features 100+ miles of bike-legal "carriage roads." Most of these are either fine gravel or dirt double-track, with a few chunks of single-track for the adventurous.
​
​On the 25th, I saddled up the Titanium Hoss, my trusty Lynskey Pro GR, and had at it. The weather was beyond ideal: no real wind, clear and a million, low 70s. I don't like to drive in order to bike if I can avoid that, so rode 8 miles of paved rail trail and road to the Testimonial Gateway. This structure was gifted to the Smileys (the folks who used to own Mohonk and it's uber-fancy resort/hotel) by their rich friends as an anniversary present. It has no function now other than looking cool (see picture).

The Testimonial Gateway

 From there, I went through some other parts of Mohonk, mostly uphill, to the Undercliff carriage road--I should have gotten some pictures of the climbers there, but it's under construction and I didn't want to stop. Instead, I went out to Awosting Falls up in Minnewaska. We've had a dry summer, but there's still some pretty good water flowing from it. It's a 65 foot drop.

Awosting Falls

I'd thought of going farther into Minnewaska (there are some great sky lakes to ride around), but was about half done with my available time, so turned around at 20 miles or so and headed back. This time I took Overcliff carriage road, which looks like this, pretty representative of a lot of the trails. The picture doesn't capture it, but this is carved into the side of a ridge that falls off steeply to the left. It's lined with blueberries, huckleberries, and dwarf pitch pine, which is a rare habitat in these parts.

Overcliff Carriage Road

 After that, I ventured up a good hill on Laurel Ledge, nearing the Mohonk Mountain House. The Mohonk folks built these funny little gazebo-like structures along this carriage road for their guests, and the views of the ridge are quite something, so I stopped at one for a small snack and a photo. This is looking northwest at the Trapps, Millbrook Mountain, and, in the distance, Sam's Point.

Overview of Trapps, Millbrook Mountain, and Sam's Point.

 After this stretch, I was at the top of the ridge, so lots of downhill to follow. I shot down some of the aforementioned singletrack, underbiking it a bit, then down the longest and fastest hill of the day, Lenape Lane. About 2/3 of the way down I started to feel an occasional, disconcerting "clunk." Not so good at 30mph with this terrain. So I pulled over, and sure enough, I'd flatted the rear tire. It was a small cut not far off the centerline, not a puncture--I think I must have ripped it on some exposed shale. A ranger happened by and asked if I needed help, but it was an easy fix. Luckily, after pumping it back up, the sealant did its job and I didn't need to put in a plug or a new tube. I don't think I've had a flat for 4-5 years, so I was due.
​
​I was feeling stronger as the ride went on--it's great when that happens--so put some effort into the rest of the gravel and the pavement home. I finished in a touch over 3 hours, including time stopped to take pictures and fix the flat, with a shade over 42 miles and 2500' of climbing on the day.
​
​I feel grateful to have been able to do the Virtual Ride for Jacob. I try as often as I can to reflect on just how lucky I am--to have the time, resources, health, fitness, and family support to be able to do things like this, and this ride in particular brought that home, given the occasion. I hope it was similarly meaningful out in Iowa. I'd have loved to join y'all in person, but that's something of a trek! Needless to say, any who visit the mid-Hudson should definitely check out the Shawangunks. It's a stunning place.
​
​All the best,
​Henry

Wow! What a gorgeous ride! I definitely had no idea there were things like this in New York. (Now wait for N.Y. Roll to give me the business about this!) Anyway, I really am touched by this gesture and it is so cool to know that someone wanted to honor Jacob in this way who never knew him. What a blessing! 

Thanks Henry. This made my day when you sent it in.  

Ride For Jacob: The Bikes

We saw some pretty interesting bikes at the Ride For Jacob last weekend. I was able to get shots of most of them at our Janesville stop. For a few others I relied on shots from Kevin Fox. They are not posed shots so don't expect anything "professional" here!

No drive side, cranks level, tire patches down stuff here. Just some dusty bicycles in situ. If this trips your trigger then read on. If this offends your sensibilities, well you may want to skip this post and perhaps we'll see ya some other day here on the ol' blog. 

So, with that said, here are the thirteen bicycles used on the Ride For Jacob. 

Rob Evans Otso single speed

Kevin Fox said this doubles as his bike packing bike

Jackie's custom painted Stormchaser

Steve's rare Salsa Cycles Titanium La Cruz. I've only ever seen two of these. 

Doug's Salsa Cycles Journeyman

Tony's Titanium Fargo with a custom WaltWorks steel fork

Tom's Crust Bikes Evasion single speed

Dan's Soul Craft Rohloff drop bar bike

Justin's Lauf True Grit

Jason's W.H. Bradford Designs flat bar gravel bike with Black Sheep titanium handlebar

Dave's Lynskey titanium bike with a Lauf fork. (Image by Kevin Fox)

N.Y. Roll with his drop bar Otso Voytek (Image by Kevin Fox)

Of course, this is my Singular Cycles Peregrine Mk4

And there you have it! Quite the eclectic collection of bicycles. We had MTB drop bar conversions from Trans Iowa, (Kevin's) to rare birds, (Steve's Ti La Cruz), to your "average gravel bike" (Doug's Journeyman), and even a custom bike or two (Jason's W.H.B. Designs, Dan's Soul Craft) 

Single speeds, IGH, and 1X and 2X. Flat bar, drop bar, and weird-bar (Jason's). It just goes to show you that any bike can be a gravel bike as long as it is a bike you like. (Poetry?) Anyway, this is what gravel cycling is all about. Bikes, good people, and FUN.  

Look for a special Virtual Ride For Jacob post tomorrow.