Gravel Grinder News: Iowa Wind And Rock Announces Final Event

After eight years of events, Iowa Wind and Rock, the ultra-distance, self-supported, self-navigated gravel event will hold its last ever event on April 17th-18th, 2027. 

The announcement was posted to Iowa Wind and Rock's Facebook page on Monday, September 7th. 

The event, which uses a different course every year, is unique in the gravel racing world as it eschews most of the features many gravel events see as being "necessary". There is no pre-event course release, riders do not have any idea where they are going during the event unless they are familiar with Iowa backcountry. There is no gps file. Riders navigate by cue sheet instructions. It all is done to test the physical, mental, and mechanical limits of each participant. 

There really are no gravel events quite like IWAR. The loop course, which is typically well over 300 miles, must be completed in 34 hours or less. The event starts at night, riders ride into the day, the next evening, and typically finish the following day in the morning, IF they finish at all. 

If you are interested in IWAR, see their site HERE for more details, but do not tarry, as after the 2027 event, a challenge like this will disappear from the gravel calendar for the first time since 2005. 

Comments: Full disclosure, I was told about this on September 3rd. The event directors, Sarah Cooper and Steve Fuller felt that I deserved to know first. In case you aren't aware, Iowa Wind and Rock grew out of the event I put on starting in 2005 called Trans Iowa. 

So, a quick recap of what happened in 2018 when I announced the end of Trans Iowa. Sarah Cooper asked if she and Steve Fuller could take over the event. I had decided this wasn't a very good idea. NOT because I didn't want them to take over Trans Iowa, but because I didn't want Sarah and Steve to be held to the same standards set up during Trans Iowa's 14 year run. 

So, instead, I suggested they start their own event, be that a clone of T.I. or whatever they decided to do. Then their legacy would not be judged against Trans Iowa. And I was very pleased to understand that IWAR did indeed take this track and they ran with it for eight wonderful years. Building their own story, fans, and doing it their way, even if that was as close to Trans Iowa as it could possibly be. 

So, there is the connection between IWAR and Trans Iowa. I have to admit, I was a little heartbroken reading the email I got September 3rd. The gravel world has moved on into several different directions, but this event is so unique and special, I think it is a bit of a shame this won't exist anymore. 

That said, I "get it", and that in spades, as to why this must come to an end. As Craig Schmidt, co-founder of Gravel Worlds outlined in his response to the IWAR announcement on Facebook, you know what you know if you have ever put on an event. If you haven't, it's hard to explain the weight on your shoulders. It is not easy to bear. So, from this viewpoint, I can certainly see why it is time to let IWAR go for the RD's of this event. 

Two Things

 Hey! It's Labor Day here in the USA. The weekend which marks the 'end of Summer' here. Usually a day off for most of us. But I'm not taking the day off! Here's a special "Two Things" post for your enjoyment. Thanks, as always, for reading Guitar Ted Productions. 

Image courtesy of Marin Bikes

A Throwback:

Marin Bikes released news of a 40th anniversary model celebrating their first bike offered in 1986. Called the Madrone Trail, it was Marin's only offering that year. 

While the silhouette is that of an first gen MTB, the bike has been modernized with a threadless steer tube/head set, disc brakes, and 1X drive train. 

Featuring a 'bull moose' style handle bar with swept back extensions, the bike seems like a laid-back cruiser more suited to bar crawls and casual riding. All this for 12 hundred bucks or so. 

The bike is a limited run offering and I'm reading that it is sold out already. But if you are curious, you can check out the details at Marin's site HERE. 

Comments: It is an interesting exercise, if nothing else, to see an old design modernized. That said, I am reminded of how many brands stuck to a design borrowed from a 1930's children's bike by the early MTB builders and never improved upon until a decade had gone by after Joe Breeze's first efforts. 

That is probably due to the prevailing attitude in the early 1980's that mountain bikes were a fad and sooner or later people would come to their senses and forget about this nonsense. So much for that sentiment!

I think it is also apparent this bike has an incredibly short top tube for a bike like this. Most bikes from this era don't have this short of a reach, but this is not meant to be a "mountain bike" for 2026 either. It is a novelty bike, and as such, it is just fine. 

One more detail which caught my eye was the use of 27.5/650B wheels. I truly believe that if 650B had been widely available and had wider tires back in the 1970's that "26 inch" as we knew it would never have happened. What the "butterfly effect" of that would have had on the future is kind of interesting. One could easily argue that 29" would have been skipped over for 32", and we'd have a completely different set of bicycles than we have now. 

Maybe.... It's fun to consider though.

Saving Nicky Brooks:

Once in a while I see an old leather saddle come through the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective. We had one show up on a really old drop bar bike of questionable vintage and it had this leather saddle on it. 

Turns out it is a Brooks B-17. So, definitely worth refurbishing this one, at least I think so. You dear readers here might remember the Brooks I refurbished last year, I think it was. That turned out okay, and was in far worse condition than this one. So, I figured this shouldn't prove to be too tough to do. 

There was some rust, a lot of nicks and scrapes in the leather cover, but not too many cracks and it was dry, but not as "desert dry" as the last one I worked on. I think it has copper rivets too, which if true is a bit harder to find. (They might just be really rusty! Ha!) Whomever rode it rode enough to get their sit bone impressions indented into the leather. If this saddle was ever tensioned, I don't think it was by much more than a turn of the tensioning nut. There is a ton of adjustment left here. 

But is it really a Brooks B-17? 

The ultra-rare "Nicky" Brooks!

Seems a previous owner saw an opportunity to scratch a name into the plate on the back which is riveted to the back of all B-17s. It would  usually say "Brooks". Instead a very poorly hacked "NICKY" appears there now. Was this the previous owners name, the name of the bike it was on, or maybe some other meaning was meant here? I don't know. But from here on out, this saddle is going to be called "Nicky Brooks". 

I've already cleaned it, and applied the first coating of Brooks Proofide, and I have done a little work on the metal as well. I'll update you as things go along, but I did note a few things with this saddle. 

I have a Brooks B-17 Speacial off a bike for the time being and I thought I'd compare the two saddles. They say Brooks saddles are being made the same way since the 19th Century. This is mostly true, but apparently there are some minor differences. 

Looking at the older saddle's rails, I could see marks at points where bends were executed on the steel rails.  On the newer one, (2000's vintage), the saddle rails are completely smooth and have no tool marks at all on them. 

I also noted the saddle rails on the newer B-17 look ever so slightly bigger in diameter. I haven't put a digital calipers to them yet, but I plan on doing so to verify this. Lastly, the tensioning nut on the older saddle is thinner than it is on the newer one. This is plain to see, and you do not have to measure to see that. 

But several things were exactly the same. The "Brooks England" mark is in the same part of the frame on both in the same direction and almost exactly in the same place. This is remarkable. Of course, the Special has the larger copper rivets, but otherwise everything about the older one looks pretty spot on in comparison to the newer one minus what I have detailed already. 

One other detail I noted was the ordinary looking seat post clamp which was on the saddle rails is actually a Brooks England made clamp! I'm not sure I've ever seen this before. I almost tossed it into the scrap, as those multi-piece, clamshell clamps are ubiquitous and we have enough to last years at the Collective. But a Brooks made one? That seems rare to me.  

Shopping

Image courtesy of Scott Sports

I was looking at "The Fleet" the other day and I am noticing trends in the gravel segment. This has me thinking, 'Is it time for a new gravel bike?'

The tire sizes which are seen as being 'normal' for gravel have ballooned up wider and wider. I no longer have a bike which can handle the widest gravel tires available. 

Then you have geometry. Things have gone a bit lower and slacker in terms of the more 'adventure' oriented gravel bikes. 

And, if I were to heed what my friend N.Y. Roll says, any bike without down tube storage is stupid. 

Well.....that may be a bit aggressive, but it is a fashionable feature to include on a frame these days. . 

 

Image courtesy of Dangerholm social media

I noticed last week a new version of Scott's Addict gravel bike was released. The marketing copy stated this model was more about adventure than racing. Okay....this grabbed my attention. I looked into it a bit deeper. Hmm..... I can see this is what might be best for me. That is, 'if' I were to go shopping now. 

The geometry is very good. They have a GRX equipped 12 speed model in the range. It isn't crazy expensive. It isn't that lovely lilac color of the more expensive model, but....ya know....it's fine. It's okay. I'd likely swap in my BERD spoked wheel set with blue anodized Industry 9 hubs anyway, and those would look weird on a lilac colored frame and fork. 

The eighty-five hundred buck model has a very specific integrated stem too, which as spec'ed, would be too long for me, and this cheaper model has a stem I could easily swap. So, there is that as well. (I've no idea if a frame set is offered)

The new Addict has an interesting fork. The blades bow outward, which Scott claims has the effect of giving the rider more comfort. It also allows for larger tires, and the inside the fork bottle mounts.  

It is an enticing bicycle. For my needs, at any rate. IF I were to get something like this it would immediately replace the Noble GX5 and put the Raleigh Tamland on permanent retirement. (Can't bring myself to get rid of that Tamland since I had a hand in its development) 

Anyway, just dreaming here now. If you have any suggestions you think would be great for me, hit me up in the comments. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions. 

Gravel History With Guitar Ted: The Past Is The Future

2006 DK200 checkpoint

 Welcome To Gravel History With Guitar Ted! This will be a random series here on the blog where I will give you my take on the history of gravel riding and racing in the "modern era.* 

There may be a "Ted-terview" or two where I speak with those from the early days of the Modern era of Gravel as well. 

Finally: This is my perspective, but I welcome other perspectives, even if they oppose mine, and in the end, we maybe can sharpen the focus of what really did happen versus fiction, lore, and speculations.

* The "Modern Era of Gravel" started when Trans Iowa was concocted by myself and Jeff Kerkove in the Fall of 2004. From that point forward what became known as a new niche of cycle-sport and cycling culture was born.  For more on this, see the following.....HERE

 Tire Tech & Fashions:

Fat tires are all the rage in gravel now. It wasn't that long ago when anything 43mm and above was considered "big" for gravel. Most bikes came with 40mm - 42mm tires, and races were run on these width tires for years. 

But it wasn't always this way. Going way back to the beginnings of Modern Gravel circa 2006 - 2010, it wasn't odd to see a large portion of the field at most Mid-West gravel events on mountain bikes. 

Fatter tires were known to be much more stable, comfortable, and could be just as fast as those folks who were running touring class tires on 700c sized rims. It wasn't until the bicycle industry made gravel specific tires in 2012 that this started to change. 

Tubeless tires for gravel weren't a thing until 2015 when WTB made the Nano 40 a tubeless ready tire. That pretty much sent the MTB sized rubber to the sidelines, seemingly for good. Gravel bikes came along with clearances for 40 - 43mm tires, and no one at the time figured on running anything wider, because most forgot how fatter tires tamed gravel. 

Of course, no one was making a racy, drop bar gravel bike with big tire clearances in 2015. So it was also a matter of availability to even do such a thing as sticking a MTB sized tire in a gravel bike. There were some other things, like 1X gravel drive trains, which helped as time went along to facilitate such an experiment.  

There was also a revolution happening in rim widths. It is forgotten, and hilarious, that only ten years ago we were freaking out over inner rim widths for gravel wheels being 23mm. Twenty-three millimeters? No one wants THAT in 2026! It's crazy how fast technology and "fashion" changes in cycling. 

WTB sponsored Trans Iowa with tubeless Nano 40's before anyone else could get them!

Now, in 2026 a 45mm gravel tire is considered normal, if not "skinny". Inner rim widths are creeping to 30mm and wider. Gravel bikes come with clearances for 50mm tires at a minimum now. Many companies offer a 50mm gravel tire these days. 

On the flip side you see the disappearance of "skinny gravel". You can find all sorts of 700 x 38mm and 40mm gravel tires on close-out pricing. Wheels with 23mm inner rim widths to 25mm inner rim widths are considered "old school" now. It is all indicative of where gravel fashion is going from here looking forward. Given that "endurance road" tire widths are creeping up to 40mm in width, it is getting kind of hard to not call those bikes  gravel bikes!

But I digress....

The irony here is that what is now considered "cutting edge" in gravel tires is not all that "new". We knew this about wider tires back in the day. What will be new, and is new now, is the materials technology and the design which is being applied to this sort of tire. Things which will make these tires less "drop bar MTB" and more "Gravel™". But the overall concept? 

Yeah, that's old news folks!  

Friday News And Views

Ritchey Classic Bigfoot (Image provided courtesy of Ritchey Design)

Ritchey Design Shows New Bigfoot Alloy Flat Pedals. 

Ritchey Design has had a flat pedal in the range for a while now called the Comp Bigfoot. It is a composite Nylon pedal body flat pedal. Now Ritchey has added two models to the Bigfoot range in alloy. The WCS and Classic Bigfoot pedals are machined 6061 alloy bodied pedals with replaceable pins and a concave profile to better retain the foot on the pedal during riding. 

The pedal dimensions are 105mm x 108.5mm and the pedal body is 18.5mm thick. Ten replaceable pins per side are on each pedal.  CroMo spindles run on an inner bushing and an outer sealed bearing for smooth spinning performance. There are two models in the range. The Classic Bigfoot is silver finish. The WCS version is all black anodized. Both cost the same at $119.00 USD. 

WCS Bigfoot (Image courtesy of Ritchey Design)

• Machined extruded 6061 alloy body, 105 x 108.5mm platform, 18.5mm deep
• CroMo axle on a bushing inner bearing and sealed cartridge outer bearing
• Ten replaceable anti-slip steel pins per side
• 63mm crank-to-center, 8.75mm stack height
• 445g +/-5g per pair
• Concave profile for confident foot placement and control 

The pedals will be available now from Ritchey Design and Ritchey dealers.  Pricing is as follows: 

• WCS Bigfoot – €99.90 / $119.95 / £86.90

• Classic Bigfoot – €99.90 / $119.95 / £86.90 

Image courtesy of Life Time

UCI Criticized For Mishandling Women's Pro Field At Euro Gravel Championships:

In an article posted on cyclingnews.com it was reported that the field for the Women's Pro European Gravel Championships was hindered in their event. This was due to having to navigate through the slower men's age group riders who were released onto the course ahead of them. Many top women Pros were quoted in the piece saying it was dangerous, and unfair, with some calling for changes. 

Comments: In a continuing failure to understand how Pro racing does not integrate into the traditional standards of gravel events, the UCI has once again stubbed its toe.  The attempts at having gravel event culture intertwine with the business and rules of "professional racing" often result in conflicts such as the ones described by the article linked above. None of this is news. That the UCI has failed to understand this in 2026 is inexcusable. 

Of course, North American event promoters have already been walking through this quagmire as well. I've said it all along: Traditional gravel events were developed to avoid the types of racers and racing which mainstream media, brands, and pundits define as "real racing". The two elements were at odds on purpose from the beginning.  

Gravel in the Modern Era was set up as a rejection of the racing rules and culture which was primarily motivated by money and notoriety.  Today's top-tier gravel race culture is one where only a select few are seen, or chosen to be, at the 'top of sport'. Whereas gravel originally was set up to celebrate all riders. It was not motivated by money, prizing, or sponsorship, but by gaining a personal growth and an experience not capable of being purchased. 

Image courtesy of Hunt Wheels

Hunt Wheels Offers Frt/R Specific Enduro V3 Rims:

Alloy rims are not very fashionable or noteworthy it seems anymore. However; alloy can represent a value proposition which is hard to ignore. Carbon rims, while not as pricey as they once were, still are not budget friendly. 

Hunt Wheels has just announced a front and rear specific set of Enduro V3 alloy rims with a 30mm internal rim width. (Note: Link is for rear specific rim)

These rims are tested in real world usage by Hunt sponsored enduro and DH riders. Using a sensible 32 spoke design, these are rims for bashing your FS 29"er around and at a cost of $119.00 each, these represent a pretty great bang for the buck. 

Comments: It is great to see a company willing to invest into R&D for alloy rims. In my searching for alloy rims for my Fargo Gen I project, it became apparent rather quickly that alloy rims are a bit less common than you'd think. 

New WTB 7X Hub (Image courtesy of WTB)

WTB 7X Hubs Figure Heavily In MTB World Championship Results:

In a July FN&V I had some news concerning a new hub design being used by Wilderness Trail Bikes. These hubs were being used by the Cannondale Factory Racing Team in World Cup MTB events. 

The design and partnership with the racing team has paid off with the Cannondale factory Racing Team athletes collecting five medals at the recently held World Championships in Val de Sole.  

Comments: WTB claims the hub set weighs in at a paltry "less than 300 grams", which seems crazy. Sporting oversize Enduro bearings and a ratchet drive system, these hubs are promised to appear in future wheel set offerings from WTB. 

There has been no indication WTB plans on selling the hubs as a stand-alone product. The press release states that these hubs will be commercially available as "part of WTB Mountain and Gravel wheel sets."

Look for news on some developments coming soon from WTB.  

New lube to be revealed soon...

New Lube-Off Contender Coming Soon:

I discovered a new contender for the Lube-Off which has some pretty interesting claims. I went ahead and ordered a bottle.  This brings to mind a point I wanted to make about my running lube tests which I feel hasn't been stressed enough. 

I buy all the products I test in this series with very few exceptions.(UPDATE: I did receive Stan's lubes for testing from Stan's, so there is another example of product I did not purchase.) 

Sure, in the past I received a few free samples from events. But I have not tested any lubricants in the last five years or more which I haven't purchased outright with my own money. (With exception of two Stan's lubricants) It is important to me that I am beholden to no company or marketing department when it comes to these tests. 

I will let you know that this newest contender's company owner or marketing guy reached out to me and wanted to send me a sample. But that is not how this deal works. I ordered a bottle, paid for it, and the lube will be here next week. 

I will say also that although Stan's sent over product, I do not treat it any differently than I would had I purchased it. But then, you dear readers will have to judge me on this for yourselves. Either way I can sleep at night knowing I've done my best to be objective and non-biased.  

Stay tuned.... 
 

That's all for this week! Get out and ride those bicycles! 

Cyclo Cross Is Coming! (Or It Is Gone)

Cannondale cyclo cross bike. (Image courtesy of Cannondale)

 Fall is nearly upon us. You might remember a time when this meant cyclo cross season was about to take over the consciousness of the cycling community. 

Well, as you may have also noted, this seems not to be such a big deal anymore. Sure.....there are obvious hotspots of cyclo cross action. The Pacific Northwest, New England to a degree, maybe a few other smaller scenes. But I don't think there is any argument to be made if I state that cyclo cross ain't what it used to be in the USA. Not in 2026. 

I thought about this for a while and wondered why this decline in cyclo cross happened over the past several years. In my opinion, cyclo cross was still fairly popular and in many cyclist's mindsets up until COVID. Then after that it seemed to never really regain its former status and has not seen growth since those days. 

Image courtesy of Quality Bicycle Products

What Happened?

Obviously it doesn't take much of a leap to think gravel cycling has carved out a big section of what used to be cyclo cross events on the calendar. In fact, you don't have to look hard to find some events which were long-standing cyclo cross or 'monster-cross' events which have turned their marketing jargon to describe themselves as "gravel events" now. 

But I feel these examples are reactions to what really was motivating change in the bicycle industry. First - and in my opinion foremost - is that cyclo cross was too strict in its rules and "traditions". 

Limited tire sizes, gear which was not really friendly for anything but a cyclo cross course, and the entire culture of cyclo cross changed. It used to be loose, fun, and in many ways, "punk" to be at a cyclo cross race, or to engage in a cyclo cross event. But let's be honest here - USAC and the UCI pretty much stamped out the culture of chaos at cyclo cross events. One can argue this culture was out of control, and that it needed to be reined in, but the cost of doing so helped kill attendance at events. 

I would also argue that cyclo cross forgot its roots. In the beginnings of the sport, cyclo cross was more of an adventure race. Held on true cross country rural courses, these events would pit participants not only against each other, but against the difficult terrain. Often times in difficult conditions as well. These old events were not very spectator friendly though, and there was no "venue", so making money at such events was difficult. But back then, this wasn't the point. 

Sound familiar? 

Gravel Cycling Followed Its Own Path 

I feel many of the same restrictions have occurred in gravel events at the pointy-end of the sport. The saving grace here is that governmental sanctioning bodies, (UCI, and to a lesser extent, USAC), never got their mitts on the formative years of gravel. So, the sanctioning bodies of cycling sport here in the USA haven't had the stranglehold on the sport as it has had in cyclo cross or other disciplines of cycling. You can still do a gravel event any ol' way you want to and see a fair turnout with the focus on the experience, not on making money. And even the events which do need to turn a profit can still have complete event production control without a pesky "sanctioning body" looking over their shoulders making sure your tires aren't too wide or that your socks are not too long. 

Gravel cycling chose its own adventure path

Limited Access:

I mentioned how early cyclo cross events were cross country and in rural areas. But eventually the sport was pigeon-holed into holding their events at manicured, almost 100% created courses. This limitation to venues created a paucity of opportunities for anyone to use their cyclo cross bikes on actual cyclo cross courses. Because, well, cyclo cross courses were a specifically defined thing. You couldn't just go across ravines, stalk up steeps, or use the muddiest farm roads for a cyclo cross event. This wasn't "proper" cyclo cross anymore! 

So marketers tried the ruse that one could buy a cyclo cross bike and enjoy its "versatility" as a commuter, an urban errand bike, or even a part time roadie bike. When gravel became popular the marketers latched on to that idea trying to say cyclo cross bikes were "perfect for gravel" and "no one really needs a gravel specific bike". Taking a look back at the 2010's from a 2026 perspective, it is so obvious how preposterous this notion was then. 

In fact, the irony does not stop there. Look at any new "endurance road bike" which is being introduced now and the stated tire clearances are 38mm -40mm in many cases. That is a full five to seven millimeters wider than a standard cyclo cross bike is limited to in competition. 

Does any of this make any sense? 

In my opinion, it is no wonder cyclo cross has fallen on hard times. 

Given the choice, I'd rather discover a new minimum maintenance road, see what's over the next gravelly hill, and stop to take in the views  rather than go around in circles, jumping on and off my bike, and blowing a gasket for an hour and then going home. 

I'm not saying cyclo cross is going away, but I don't think it can ever quite be what it was at its peak here in the USA again either. There are just too many unrestricted, easy to get to places to ride all-roads than there are places to ride a manicured cyclo-cross course. 

The Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Super-Secret 2.0 Update

 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.

SILCA updated their awesome Super-Secret drip wax lubricant recently. This lube in its original form is the current top-of-the-heap lubricant in my tests. I really am impressed with its performance. Super-Secret has long life, great lubricity keeping the shifting good, and it is clean. Really clean. 

SILCA claims it has enhanced all these properties of their drip wax lube in the 2.0 release of Super-Secret. My expectations are high. In this update, I'll give you my thoughts on this lubricant so far. 

The previous update can be seen HERE. In that article I give the application process and why I had to back up and start all over again after running into an issue with a degreasing product. 

This article will look at where I am at after a couple hundred miles of usage with this lube. Most notably, I used this on the recent Ride For Jacob, but I have done other gravel rides with it on the chain. This and local rides over varied surfaces should give a pretty clear picture as to what to expect from Super-Secret 2.0. 

I'll give you my traditional close-up shot of the drive train and from the "Touch-Test" which will help us see what is and is not being drawn out of the chain rollers. This helps determine lubricity and cleanliness of each lube I test. Okay, on with the 'evidence' gathered. 

After the image I'll have some commentary. 
 

Two-in one image: Touch-Test results and drive train close-up.

Comments:

This lubricant is doing really well. Shifting is great. No complaints there. The lubricity is excellent. The chain feels slick and I'm not seeing a bunch of gunk build-up anywhere. The Touch-Test reveals a little side-plate dirt, which I also got from the Stan's Polar Drip Wax, (reviewed yesterday).  

I'd like to address the very minor amount of residue I'm seeing off the side plates on this lube and the Stan's product. My hunch is this is left-over results from using the Stan's BioBased Drivetrain Cleaner. I tried my best to flush out this product using Finishline's excellent (but most likely NOT environmentally friendly) Speed Degreaser. However; without removing the chain I don't think I was able to completely eliminate any influence from the Stan's product. 

Now I wish I'd never used the stuff, but here we are. At least the results are consistent across the two drip wax lubricants so far. Again, this side-plate residue does not concern me much, but it does seem to be more residue than I saw last year using Super-Secret 1.0. At this time, I'm going to run out the tests with what I've got going here and take into consideration that the Stan's and SILCA products are on level playing fields and that the performance where it matters seems unaffected by the Stan's degreaser.  

 However; if I had to do it over again, obviously I would steer clear of the Stan's BioBased Drivetrain Cleaner. Not that it does not work, (it does, and does so well) but specifically to my needs, it isn't a product I would use again. 

Nuff said....

I like Super-Secret 2.0 a lot and I believe it will be the winner, (again) in the Lube-Off, but if Stan's Polar Drip Wax keeps pace, it will be a definite contender. So far, it seems it will keep pace with SILCA's newest lube.  

More riding will be done before any conclusions are made. Stay tuned....

Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Stan's Polar Drip Wax Lubricant

  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.

 NOTE: Stan's sent over a bottle of their Polar Drip Wax 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.

Image courtesy of Stan's

 Introduction:

Okay folks! If you've been following along with my Lube-Off posts this late Summer/early Fall, you've noted the "super-secret" lube I wasn't able to reveal....until today! Yes - It's Stan's Polar Drip Wax. 

What It Is: Stan's has developed a plant-based, biodegradable chain lubricant which is in the class of chain lubricants which seeks to do the same or similar job as a complete chain wax job without the hassle of removing the chain and dipping it in a pot full of molten wax. 

A waxed chain has proven to be more efficient and thus saves watts over most other forms of lubricating a bicycle chain. Drip wax lubricants seek to eliminate a few steps which wax-potting a chain requires. Stan's now offers this Polar Drip Wax as a way to get waxed chain results without the hassles.

Polar Drip Wax is a 'polar bonding formula', according to Stan's.  'Polar' as in 'polarity', not ultra-cold. This bonding technique is paired with a water based carrier which leads Polar Drip Wax into all the nooks and crannies of your chain. Once the water evaporates, a thin film of wax bonds to the chain both chemically and mechanically to provide smooth chain operation. 

Stan's also recommends pairing this Polar Drip Wax with Stan's BioBased Drivetrain Cleaner ahead of the chain lube. BioBased Drivetrain Cleaner is said to be very good at cleaning the chain, (it is), and that it leaves a thin film behind which is claimed to enhance the properties of Polar Drip Wax. I'll have more to say about this later, but you can read my review of BioBased Drivetrain Cleaner HERE if you'd like more detail. 

Application:

I'm going to share how Stan's recommends this lubricant be applied and then I will discuss why I have done some modification to their recommendations. First, a bullet-point list from Stan's:

• Prime: Stan’s Biobased Drivetrain Cleaner safely strips new chains and leaves a residual polar film, improving penetration and bonding without using harsh solvents
• Apply: drip Polar Drip Wax™onto chain, covering every link. 
• Penetrate: Drip Wax’s aqueous emulsion carries polar wax molecules into the chain’s rollers and pins at ambient temperature.  
• Second Coat: a second coat of Drip Wax can be applied after 5-minuteso 
• Bond: amphiphilic molecules electrostatically attract to steel, anchoring to the chain’s surface rather than just coating it 
• Cure: water evaporates, leaving a dry, matte wax film that resists contaminant pickup

I will note here, in case you missed my review of the BioBased Drivetrain Cleaner, that Stan's recommends BioBased Drivetrain Cleaner be rinsed off with water. I find this problematic as introducing water into the tight spaces of the chain results in a higher chance of corrosion, unless you blow-dry the chain in situ (messy, loud), or take the chain off and dry it using whatever method you choose there, (defeats the purpose of the Polar Drip Wax - you may as well dunk the chain in hot wax at this point).

So, I tried wiping off as much of the degreaser as I could, but it never was really dry, and it fouled the lube, actually.I was seeing wet residue on the chain after rides and this was attracting dirt, dust, and grime. No good!

Ultimately I ended up stripping the chain again and using Finish Line degreaser which left the chain dry and very clean. Then I applied the Stan's Polar Drip Wax as recommended. I did not apply a second coating. 

Following are some other key features and specs behind the Polar Drip Wax:

•  Longevity: 200+ miles / 322+ kilometers
• Weather:  All conditions –Stan’s Drip Wax performs in all weather 
• Size: 120ml / 4ozPackagingBottle made from 100% recycled sea plastic.
• Formula: 100% plant-based, biodegradable ingredients. No petroleum.
• Source: Manufactured in-house in the USA.
• MSRP: $18 / €18/ £18

Impressions:

Appearance of the drive train after several test rides.

Besides the de-greasing fiasco, this lubricant seems to be as advertised so far. I have only ridden in dry conditions on a multitude of surfaces including pavement, decomposed gravel, dirt, and typical loose rock gravel such as we have here in Iowa. 

A quick note on "gravel types": I have found some companies which propose "classes of gravel" to guide folks into making choices in components/bikes for gravel. Some tire testing is defined by "gravel type" as well. 

While it may make sense to classify, (put in a box) gravel conditions by type, I find this to be not true in practice and misleading at best. I can do a short ride and encounter three different "types" of gravel easily. Add in having to ride to and from gravel on pavement and dirt (alleys), and defining "gravel" by type is essentially meaningless. There is a reason "all-roads" is my preferred way to define what we do on these "gravel" bikes. 

Okay, with that out of the way, I was impressed by the Polar Dry Wax product in that it seems to keep my drive train clean, and it is quiet as well. Shifting is great. I have been pleasantly surprised by how Polar Drip Wax has performed so far. Longevity has yet to be tested, but as of now I see no reason not to believe Stan's claims for this lubricant. 

I blame the degreaser for this residue.

Touch-Test:

The Touch-Test is where I run my finger across the inner run of the chain and see what comes off the chain. I also gauge how slick the chain feels. 

Polar Drip Wax feels very slippery yet, but I am getting a bit more residue than the very best chain lubes I have tried.  I will note though that this dirt/dust seems to be mostly on the side plates of the chain, not from the rollers, which is better if I see anything on my finger. 

So Far... 

I'm impressed with the Polar Drip Wax. It certainly ranks right up there with the very best I've used so far. (SILCA Super-Secret v1, Effetto Mariposa Flowerpower Wax) I'm going to monitor this lube closely over Fall riding and I will compare and contrast to my other lubricants in this session of the Lube-Off. 

For now, I would not hesitate to recommend this new Polar Dry Wax with the caveat that I - personally - would not use the Stan's Drivetrain Cleaner as a way to prep the chain. I do like the Drivetrain Cleaner, but since it does not come dry after usage and needs to be rinsed with water, I am relegating its use to when I pull components off my bike for cleaning. 

As for Polar Drip Wax, I feel confident it is going to put my previous best chain lubes on notice. We will see how things end up in a couple of months. Stay tuned..... 

Tomorrow: An update on that other 'Super-Secret' lube.  

Wouldn't Ya Know It

Saturday morning radar

 I was kind of excited to go ride on Saturday. First of all, I rarely get Saturdays off. The Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective is open all Saturday morning and I have to be there. Ever since 2022, Saturdays have been difficult for riding. 

I usually get one, maybe two chances at a Saturday morning ride now. So you probably can feel me when I say it was extremely disappointing when I woke up to see it was going to rain.  

Bah! And lightning was on the table too. Saturday afternoon  was likely out of the question as well because I generally go shopping with Mrs. Guitar Ted on Saturday afternoons. It was raining off and on all day anyway, so it didn't matter. (Although I think N.Y. Roll managed to squeeze in a ride) 

Sunday? Rained again..... No love here. August has been an odd for wet weather instead of the usual dry, hot weather we typically get. 

So, it is a bitter pill to swallow as that will be the last chance I have at riding on a Saturday, most likely, until next year. Of course, Labor Day is coming up, so I'll have a Monday open for a ride. 

Unless it rains. sigh...... 

Programming Note: Tomorrows post will be delayed until 7:00am CST due to an embargo.  

The Six String Side: Sully Guitars Stardust Custom Deluxe 12

 When I started this blog over 20 years ago, I stated that it was a "Bicycle and guitar oriented elixir....". Well, the "guitar" part sort of got pushed out by the bicycle stuff, but I've always been playing. In an Easter post, several years ago, I mentioned playing my '90 Strat, and someone suggested I detail the fleet,which I have done in the past. (Just search "The Six String Side" in the search box in the upper left of the header to find those older posts)  Enjoy! NOTE: All images except the first in today's post are courtesy of Sully Guitars.

My 2022 Conspiracy Series Sully Guitars Stardust

Several years ago now I picked up my second Sully Guitars model. A Stardust from Sully's Conspiracy Series. This series is a batch-made guitar run Jon Sullivan offers from time to time and they are made to Jon's specifications in Korea. This lowers the price significantly and allows more people to get in on Jon's awesome designs. 

But the Conspiracy Series is not "custom made" by Jon and his team in the Dallas - Fort Worth area. Those cost a lot more and have more options. I've always wanted to get one, especially after my mother died in 2021. I was thinking of a tribute to her, in some way. 

I also had been itching to try a 12 string electric guitar for some time. Sure, you can get those and at relatively inexpensive prices. Danelectro comes to mind here, but there are other brands as well. I just wasn't jazzed on any of those from a design and aesthetic standpoint. 

Rickenbacker Guitars make some classic designs, and they sound good, but I've never been a huge fan of them, and they are expensive! So, I always put off trying a 12 string, until.... 

The body of the 12 string will have a quilt maple top.

One day in August of 2024, Sully put it out there that he was having a sale on custom orders. He had never done this before, so, I thought, "What the heck! I'll ask." 

I figured Jon would say no. I had heard him put down the idea of a 12 string before, saying tuning something like that would drive him nuts. But would he make one for someone? 

I sent in my request, and a few minutes later Jon gave me a thoughtful answer and somewhat begrudgingly said he'd do it. I was surprised!

Well, to be fair,I knew Jon wasn't 100% jazzed about 12's, and he said he'd have to do a bunch of R&D work, because he'd never made a 12 before. So, I was expecting a long build time. I think Jon was a bit overly optimistic in his estimation for finishing the project, and that's okay. 

See, my philosophy is this: If you are wanting someone to actually make you something, and especially if it is unique and something they haven't necessarily got in their wheelhouse, then you must give that person 100% trust and patience. As a mechanic, I learned that having someone put pressure on you to get a difficult job done by their timeline is not fun. It also is unproductive, as - speaking for myself here - it made me not want to do the job. I always did do the job, but usually it was motivated by a desire to get that customer out of my hair. Not to make them happy, or over deliver on the job. 

Lyrics from a Warren Zevon song

So, Jon was free to get this done on his timeline, whatever that would be. He still is, as this guitar is still in progress as of this writing. I'm 100% trusting him and I believe he is doing his best work for me. 

I don't know about you, but this is how I roll. Yes....it has been over two years going on now. Cool. Whatever it takes. I'm sure it will be fine and a great guitar when I get it, and it's the first 12 Jon has ever made. That's awesome. 

Now, Jon likes writing little messages or song lyrics inside the guitars he makes which won't ever be seen again once everything gets assembled. He chose some Warren Zevon lyrics from "Keep Me In Your Heart For Awhile". Considering what has happened in the last year, it means a lot to me now that Jon chose those lyrics. 

I guess this guitar is a tribute to Mom and Jacob now. 

Anyway, things are progressing along, and now that the woodwork is nearly completed, I expect this will be getting completed sooner rather than later. So, what can I tell you about the rest of this guitar? 

Well, it has a quilted maple top, a mahogany back which is chambered. The top will have what Jon has dubbed as the WTF Hole. Ha! It has a bound headstock, fretboard, and Jon's signature Hollow Block inlays. The color? Well, way back when this got started Jon was talking about some burst finish in a traditional color with his special "Glamazon" treatment which is a sparkly coating along the edges of the body. But whatever he chooses I'll be good with it. I haven't seen one of his finished customs I did not like. 

Jon Sullivan and my guitar. He might be just a bit goofy!

 So, there you go. I'm excited and this will be avery special guitar for me. Not only is it a very cool, one of a kind 12 string electric, but the little details which are part of this build make it even better. 

I'll post again when it is finished, paid for, and in my hands. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions.  

The Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Final Word On Stan's Dry Lubricant

   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. 

Stan's BioBased Dry Lube was a contender in the 2025 Guitar Ted Lube-Off which was never really concluded. So, I wanted to give some closure to this and report on my very long-term  findings! 

The lube lived on the chain running the Black Mountain Cycles MCD drive train and was doing okay. Obviously gravel riding was paused for the Winter of '25-'26, but when things got warmer again, the MCD came out and was put back into use. 

Then BRAN came calling and I decided to take the MCD on the week-long multi-surface ride. BRAN, in case you are unaware, is a ride through Nebraska which hits an overnight town every day for seven days, ala RAGBRAI. You start in Western Nebraska and travel East. Each day has a gravel route option, but you also get a fair amount of paved riding as well. 

I did apply a new coating of the Stan's BioBased Dry Lubricant just before leaving for Nebraska. The image above shows you what the chain and cassette looked like when I returned back to Iowa afterward. You can see a bit of accumulation of dust/dirt on the chain links and a fine coating of dust on the cassette. 

Results of the "Touch Test" after BRAN

The Touch Test is where I run my finger across the chain rollers on the inside run of the chain and observe whatever residue I see on my finger. Depending on the residue, more stuff on my finger usually means a lower rating from me. 

As you can see, there was a fine coating of dust which came off on my finger. In my estimation, we rode nearly 400 miles that week, so this would be what you'd see after that amount of miles with approximately 60% of that total being off-pavement. 

In my opinion, the chain was in definite need of a reapplication of lubricant after BRAN. It felt dry, not very slick, and there may have been a tiny bit of metal on my finger there, which I found a little concerning. 

Final Verdict On Stan's BioBased Dry Lube: 

At the end of the day, Stan's Dry Lubricant is merely "okay". It certainly isn't 'bad', but there are better lubes out there. The BioBased Dry Lubricant is not a dirt magnet, it does the job, for a little while, and it is easy enough to use. 

I wish Stan's Dry Lube had a longer span between applications. 300- 400 miles isn't a lot. Again, not terrible, but I have had other lubricants go longer between necessary reapplications. The amount of dust/dirt which was sticking on the chain and cassette is about the most I would tolerate. The fine coating on everything was a bit thicker than I'd like to see. However; I will say this was Nebraska dirt, not the Iowa dust I normally test in. So, this may have played a part in my end results.  

Good - not great. That is my final word on the Stan's Dry Lubricant. SILCA's Super-Secret and Effetto Mariposa's Flowerpower Wax still are at the top of the heap as of this writing. 

Coming Soon:

I'll have an update on the SILCA Super-Secret v2 lubricant in a little bit. Testing has been going on and I have some thoughts to share on it so far.

Additionally, the 'super-secret', secret lube under embargo until September 1st is also being tested and I have some thoughts on it as well. I think this should prove to be an interesting product. 

Finally, I will have an update when the 'super-secret, secret lube is revealed which has to do with another product I was recommended to use for the test. Stay tuned for that - again, after September 1st.