The World Needs Bicycle Mechanics

That's......creative? (Image by A. Andonopoulos)

Ask any bicycle mechanic who has wrenched on bicycles for many years. They will tell you, the world needs mechanics. How do I know this is true?

Well, obviously, I am a bicycle mechanic. But besides the obvious, it is our clients who "tell" us this by how they attempt to do things concerning their bicycles. This can range from a fairly innocuous misunderstanding of an accessory to full blown dangerous situations. 

Sometimes I shake my head and think how hard this person tried to do what they did and somehow, their solution worked, even if it was technically wrong. Sometimes I wonder how the person who owns a certain bike with a very dangerous modification even made it into the repair shop alive. I feel as though some of these mechanical miscreants must have personal protectors who live in a shadow realm and somehow or another guide these folks through life. Because if I did what they did?? Surely I would have died before now. 

My mechanic friend, Ari, who wrenches for a shop in the suburban Chicago area, sent me the image shown above. In case you haven't seen "it" yet, the rack is mounted to the brake shoe studs. I literally laughed out loud when I saw this one. Ari sent it with the text, "You've never seen this before". 

He was correct. I've never seen THAT before. Wow! 

Of course, I've also seen my fair share of "horrors". Here are a few from my time as a retail mechanic.....

A case of all the wrong things

Here we have an example showing why people had incompatible expectations based upon marketing which misled them. Carbon is lighter, skinny tires go faster (with really high pressures, 'natch), and a complete disregard for where the person was at physically. And yes, racing bikes once had really skinny tires. 

I don't recall the outcome of this one, but this was obviously a very dangerous set up. The leverage the bars/extensions would create while riding were forces that steer tube were never designed to see. And think about how putting ALL the rider's weight on the saddle must have felt like. Ouch!

I see the cranks were off in this image. Must have been a drive train replacement or a bottom bracket issue, but this was so long ago I don't recall anymore why the bike originally came in. 

Handle bar won't stay put, ya say? Gimme dat drill!

 Modifications like this were rather common, actually. Brute repairs with standard fasteners and using ordinary household tools at hand. The really great thing about this one is that the installer didn't even bother to tighten the nut on the bolt. But it is a Nylock nut, so I will tip my cap there!

I always found it amazing how most folks who did things like this had no concept of structural integrity or engineering. Mechanically some of these mods I saw were on the right track, but the execution, materials used, and the aforementioned thought for structural integrity and engineering were often way off. Such was the case with my next example.....

 This was a mount for a front basket. Yep! Just drill right through that stanchion! I appreciate the "J" hook idea, which clamps the back end of the stanchion here. I also see the jamb nut idea, which is rather advanced in my experience dealing with these kinds of mods. But the sharp, cut-off threaded section, that's a bold move! 

Putting yourself at risk of cutting yourself wide open is a choice. Not to mention weakening that "suspension fork" by drilling through it.  But when you look at this, the really baffling choice is the length the bolt was cut off at. Is this also a foot peg? I don't quite follow it......

But all of that, while spectacular and shocking as it may be, are just examples of how mechanics are a necessary element in the world of cycling. Sure.....there is YouTube, and you maybe can learn to wrench on your own bicycles. But mechanics know how to use the tools, not just the execution of procedures. Mechanics understand how things should feel when they go together so parts don't get damaged or destroyed. Mechanics understand what questions to ask so they can avoid ordering the wrong parts. And so much more.... 

A recent example was a client at the Collective who had an old Schwinn with the Positron drive train. Now, you may or may not know about those systems, an oddball Shimano deal which didn't last long. But well versed mechanics know all about those. And to get that gear cluster off the rear wheel? Yeah.....they do not make THAT tool anymore, so my client was fortunate that I do have it. Which is another reason we need mechanics. Old knowledge and old, out of production tools, are invaluable when needed. Not to mention knowing how to deal with a Positron drive train. 

Anyway, being a bicycle mechanic is rewarding at times. Too bad our society doesn't often see the need to reward mechanics and value them better than they do. Hopefully bicycle mechanics will always be around, but as I wrote not long ago, it would seem that the trade isn't very attractive to young folks. Well......you could always just have some shade tree "repair person" tackle your needs. Hopefully the results won't look like the above examples.   

Announcing The 2026 Virtual Turkey Burn Challenge

From the first VTBC in 2021

 What It Is:

Since 2021 I have held a "Virtual Turkey Burn" challenge. A challenge to you readers to ride your bicycle(s). You readers have all responded nicely each time I have asked you to do this. Last year I had another good response and so I figured I may as well offer the chance to join in this virtual group ride once again this year. 

 Virtual: (In terms of meeting) A virtual meeting is when people around the world, regardless of their location, use video, audio, and text to link up online. Virtual meetings allow people to share information and data in real-time without being physically located together.

Turkey Burn: (relating to cycling) The day after or weekend after Thanksgiving* when cyclists ride long distances to "burn" off their Thanksgiving feast. A way to kick off the Winter cycling training season. Also a means for getting outdoors when it is cold. 

*A Change In Format for the 2026 VTBC: This year, I am modifying the time stamp a bit for this challenge ride. The reasoning for this stems back to the last two years of the challenge where weather has played a big part in making or breaking the challenge for riders. I also have to credit N.Y. Roll for some inspiration for this as he was the one who rode at a sensible time last year and did not allow the big snow storm to affect his chances at getting a metric century in. 

The Dates: I'm announcing this a bit earlier than in years past so people have a chance to ask questions and prepare. So, here is the way this is going to work for 2026. Thanksgiving Day in the USA is November 26th, 2026 this year. In years past, I would allow the Thursday through Sunday window (Thanksgiving Weekend), to be the time period for the challenge. As I stated, last year we had a huge dump of snow the day after Thanksgiving which made getting the challenge done nearly impossible. 

So, to mitigate those chances affecting the challenge going forward, and considering that the challenge has to do with Thanksgiving Day, and with a four day window for the challenge in the past being tradition, I submit that as long as Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 26th, 2026) is in your four day window, the challenge is good and will be accepted as valid by myself. 

This means you could start your challenge on Monday, November 23rd, 2026, and end it on Thursday the 26th. OR you could start it Tuesday the 24th, and end it on Friday the 27th. As long as Thanksgiving Day is in your four day window, you are good to go. Other combinations are possible, but the days must be consecutive, and skipping a day in between your four days is not allowed. Of course, you CAN do this in one day, two consecutive days, three consecutive days, or in four.  

I propose a "Virtual Turkey Burn Century". Here are the parameters for participation:

1. Pick a bike. (Or multiple bicycles!) The more 'forlorn, forgotten, and neglected' of your choices, all the better. But also- Run what ya brung. If you want to use your favorite, most used bike- go for it. 
2. Ride a "century". Metric or full-on hundy, (63K or 100m) I don't care. Pavement, single track, gravel, back alleys, whatever. You decide. 
3. Take a picture. Take several if you want to. Digital works best for this.
4. Send me your pic(s) and a few words . Images and stories should be sent with a name I can credit to. (IMPORTANT!) Note: All images and words sent for publication here become the sole property of Guitar Ted Productions and may be used without compensation for entertainment purposes on this site only. 
5. TIME STAMP: Do this challenge in a FOUR DAY WINDOW which must include Thanksgiving Day the 26th. (See above for explanation) You can do a century over several days even- if you want to. Whatever.
   
6. DUE DATE: Send in your pics and words to g.ted.productions@gmail.com by Tuesday December 1st. I will put up the "Virtual Turkey Burn Reports" starting on Monday December 7th, (and possibly after- Depending upon the number of submissions)  showing off everyone's submissions. (That is, if there are any daring enough to actually do this deal.)

You can join in the fun or just come back to see if anyone actually did something and read about it here. I am committed to the idea, so there will be one report, at the least. What do you get as a participant? Just a fun activity and possibly an infamous reputation from having your images and words posted on Guitar Ted Productions. Sorry, but if you participate, that's the only reward folks! This ain't no fancy-pants organization here. If you get laughed at by your peers for having your stuff show up here, well then, I am sorry, but I warned ya! 

Okay, that's the plan. Now..... GO! 

The Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Some Conclusions

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. The SILCA Super-Secret v2 was purchased for this review by Guitar Ted. All opinions are Guitar Ted's.

It's time to start wrapping up this session of the Guitar Ted Lube-Off. With October winding down, I decided to cut short the test on the SILCA Super-Secret v2 and the Stan's Polar Drip Wax lube. For whatever days I get left to me for testing, I am going to dedicate those to the Triboflux lubricant, seen HERE last. In fact, all three of those hyperlinks take you to the last update on each of the lubricants being tested in this session. 

The image above is from the last time I rode the Stan's Polar Drip Wax lubricant. I will say this lube has been quiet, it provided excellent shifting performance, and - for the most part - I was impressed. However; I did have to reapply the lubricant, which is suggested in Stan's own application procedures which say you may want to apply this twice to start out with. 

Once the second coating was applied things have shown out to be better. No gunk build up, no adhesion of dirt to the chain, for the most part, which was impressive. But....this was with two applications. I have not had to do this with the SILCA product. So, let's see where we are with SILCA Super-Secret v2. 

SILCA Super-Secret drip wax on the chain here after a very dusty ride.

As you can see here, Super-Secret v2 doesn't attract gunk, and it stays fairly clean, despite having a very thin coating of dust all over the chain. This was from an extremely dusty ride, so I am impressed by the outcome here. 

However; Super-Secret v2 is noisier and  perhaps doesn't allow the chain to shift quite as nicely as the drivetrain using the Stan's product. It is very close, but noticeable to me. Out on the gravel it is not a noisy enough chain to hear, but when you pass by a bridge railing, for instance, I can hear a clackety-clackety chain noise. A normal noise, to be sure, but more pronounced than I am hearing with the Stan's lube. 

Who cares? The chain is cleaner, for sure, and any gunk build-up and excessive dust/dirt is what accelerates wear. Noise I can deal with, and again, this is a very minor issue. Also, it should be noted that a pass with a micro-fiber cloth would bring the shine right back to the SILCA treated chain, so a little dust coating is really no big deal. 

Conclusions:

The Stan's Polar Drip Wax lubricant has to be considered somewhat of a disappointment. Partially due to its recommendation to use the Stan's Degreaser as a chain stripping/cleaning step in the application process. If you were to choose to follow the instructions rigidly, this would lead to a massive failure of the Polar Drip Wax to cure and do what it can do otherwise. Which, by the way, is a pretty dcent job. 

Secondly, the Polar Drip Wax instructions suggest a second coating after the initial coating cures. I would make the suggestion that the second coating is required. I saw far better results after the second application than I had with only a single pass of the Polar Drip Wax. 

Of course, it is easier and takes less time to apply only one coating of a wax lubricant, which is precisely what Super-Secret v2 offers the user. The lube is perhaps going to allow a tiny bit noisier drive train, but other than that, Super-Secret v2 is a better lubricant. At least when pegged head to head with a single application of Stan's. 

If you don't use the Stan's degreaser, and if you go ahead and apply two coatings of Stan's right away, I think there is very little separating these two lubricants. However; I'm giving the nod here, so far, to SILCA, just because of those technicalities in regard to the Stan's product. 

Now if the weather holds out, the plan is to close out Fall riding the Triboflux lube and perhaps I'll get a handle on that and be back in a couple of weeks with a final verdict including all three of these wax based drip lubes. 

Stay tuned......
 

Two Things

Image courtesy of Continental Tire

 Continental Previews 32" Dubnital Tires:

 First of all, don't get too excited. These will not be available until April 2027. However; it is definitely noteworthy to see Continental doing a 32" tire. 

Continental didn't divulge too much technical information on these tires just yet. They did not even hint at width, or whether or not there would be multiple widths of the 32" Dubnital. They only mentioned it is for XC MTB and Gravel.

Like the image Conti shared, there are a lot of shadows which need to be enlightened. But also, one should take note of this development in light of Continentals history with new sizes of bicycle tires in the past.  

Particularly with regard to 29" tires. Conti was slow to develop wider, more aggressive 29"er tires when other companies were already in the marketplace with them. I was told by a high placed Conti rep at the time that the Germans were slow and conservative when it comes to new ideas. Certainly it would seem this has changed somewhat with their tease of a 32" Dubnital. 

Another German based bicycle tire manufacturer, Schwalbe, has also announced future availability of 'gravel sized' G-One RS Pro and G-One RX Pro level tires in the 686 (32") x 50mm and 55mm sizes.  

These are a prime examples of when a respected leaders in the bicycle tire field show a premium product in a new size indicating the bicycles with these tires as OE spec are coming. Continental and Schwalbe are not banking on aftermarket sales to pay for the research and development, tooling, and marketing of a new 32" tire. No, they have already sold a big order to some company, or companies, which are footing the bills. 

It's looking more and more like 2027 is going to be the Year of the 32" Wheel. 

Trenton Raygor in the white jersey here from T.I.v12. Image by Celeste Mathias

The Gravels Are Alright:

I was cruising Facebook, as I often do, and came across a great post by Trenton Raygor. 

Trenton was the race director for the Day Across Minnesota event (DAMn), and the Filthy 50 event, which happened just a week ago. 

Trenton has "retired" from RD duties and was attending the Filthy 50 as a rider with his two sons. In the post he wrote eloquently on the subject of where Gravel had been and where it is at now. In a word, his thoughts might be summed up by saying that Gravel is "healthy". 

Trenton's take is a good one because it is based on experience. He was there at the beginnings of Modern Gravel, and he saw its early growth. He participated in the seminal early events, and he created a couple of classic ones as well. I also know Trenton is passionate about the genre', and he cares deeply about it. His desire to tell the story of gravel is strong, though you may not know this about him. So, when I saw his post, and how he so succinctly expressed his ideas tying together gravels past and it's present, it gave me hope for gravels future. 

Apologies to The Who, but The Gravels Are Alright.

It Is A Road Bike

What the heck is "Gravel™" anyway?

Okay, I know I have written thousands of words regarding what I am about to write about here ((again!) today. The thing is, I've seen some things on the internet lately which points to the fact that the cycling industry and the mainstream cycling media has lost its way. Especially when it comes to "Gravel" as a category. 

First up is a video I saw from "Velo", I believe it was, that was so poorly done and out of touch with reality I could only make it through about a quarter of the way into the piece. 

In the video this media outlet purported to be testing six "gravel bikes" to see what the future of gravel cycling could be. Apparently it should be something other than real gravel road riding because everything they were doing was pointing to off-roading, or in the common person''s parlance, mountain biking. 

Get this: Gravel ROAD cycling is done on ROADS. Not on single track fellas! Man! I was astounded when I saw them riding an aero focused road bike on rocky, rooty single track after the narrator tried to say these bikes were not going to be tested on "real mountain biking terrain". 

Look, we're not stupid. That was mountain biking. Mountain biking with bicycles meant for roads. Dumb. Just really dumb. 

An "All-Roads" bike - Image courtesy of Trek Bicycles

Next thing I see we're talking about an "all-roads" bike which has come out from Moots with 42mm tire clearance which is meant to tackle any type of road surface. 

Oh! You mean like a gravel bike does? No..... The brands think they are inventing a "new category" which is an outgrowth of the "Endurance road bike" niche because, well, "not everyone wants a gravel bike". 

Because gravel bikes are mountain bikes, only less capable and without suspension, right? Like an all-road bike, only with MTB tires stuffed in there? 

Again, dumb. 

See, here's what the brands don't seem to understand. Gravel bikes are ROAD bikes. The term "gravel" refers to "gravel roads", and was not the ideal terminology, but hey! The industry adopted it, so you only have yourselves (speaking to the cycling industry here), to blame for this stupid situation we see where confusion reigns and people try to test a road bike on MTB terrain and think they are discovering "The Future" of something. 

Fools......

Note: The latest Guitar Ted Podcast also covers this and more HERE.  

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of DT Swiss

DT Swiss Offers Gravel Suspension Forks Aftermarket:

Previous to this announcement the only way you could get a DT Swiss gravel suspension fork was to buy a complete bicycle spec'ed with it. Now this has changed with DT Swiss offering two versions of the fork for sale to anyone wanting them. 

There are two versions of DT Swiss' F-132 gravel suspension fork. The base F 132 with no lock-out feature and the F 132 One with remote lock-out. (Shown in image here) 

The forks both feature 40mm of air-sprung travel with PLAINGAIN (f 132 One) or OPENFLOW (F 132) hydraulic damping.  The F 132 One also has adjustable rebound. 

There are three offset options and an offset finder to best match an offset to your gravel bike's geometry. Both forks can also be fitted with the bike packing adapters allowing up to 3Kg of cargo on each leg.  

Prices for the forks are $1,269.00 USD for the F 132 One and  $893.00 USD for the F 132. You can learn more about these forks on DT Swiss' page on the forks HERE. 

Comments: Okay, up front I will remind you dear readers that I am not at all a fan of "gravel suspension forks" of the telescopic type. (Lauf's fork is fine with me) Why? Because the telescopic forks weigh a lot. A Redshift Sports ShockStop stem weighs under 300 grams, in most instances. A suspension fork weighs up to 4 times that amount or more depending on the model. A gravel suspension fork adds a lot of weight over their rigid, carbon siblings. A typical carbon gravel fork weighs around 600 grams, or over half as much as most telescopic gravel suspension forks. A Redshift ShockStop stem only adds about 160 grams to a typical stem weight (aluminum). 

Then you have the maintenance. Fork maintenance intervals for these DT Swiss forks are better than the competition, but a light service after one year (recommended) and a full servicing after two years (recommended), is probably enough labor cost to buy two more ShockStop stems. And those stems require zero maintenance.  

Finally, you might add that 40mm of travel is better than what the ShockStop offers. Yes, in terms of just the numbers, it is. However; it is what those components are meant to do that matters. I want vibration reduction. I don't use a gravel bike as a mountain bike. Your mileage may vary, but "gravel" should really be called "all-roads" with an emphasis on the ROAD part.  Anything OFF-ROAD is mountain biking. Period. If your riding is more OFF-ROAD than a real suspension fork with at least 100mm of travel is what you should probably be running. Rigid fork riders notwithstanding, but this 40mm of travel stuff is not doing what gravel riders need (excessive weight, more maintenance, little benefit) and it is not doing what MTB riders need (too little travel). A suspension stem like the Redshift example reduces vibrations tremendously. I'm much more interested in the vibration reduction myself. 

But that is MY opinion. Certainly, you do not have to agree.  

Image courtesy of Clik Valve

Clik Valve Offers TPU Tubes:

Clik Valve now offers AeroBlue TPU tubes for road, gravel, MTB, and fat bike uses. The AeroBlue TPU tubes also are e-pump safe having been tested to 130°C/266°F. The metal reinforced composite valve stem stays stable and will take repeated e-pump usage no problem. 

The road/gravel AeroBlue TPU tubes are $24.00 USD each and can be seen HERE.  

 Comments: Clik Valve is so easy to use that this application with TPU tubes is a combination which is so right it cannot be wrong. Connecting a Clik Valve pump is so easy and takes so little effort that there is pretty much no way you'll damage a valve stem. 

"But Guitar Ted, my e-pump doesn't have a Clik Valve adapter!" Gotcha covered!  

I just converted one of my tubeless set ups to Clik Valve recently and I am now looking to add more bikes with these TPU options available now. I want to get a set of these tubes in for a test first, but I have little doubt I'll be happy with these as opposed to a straight up old Presta Valve TPU tube.  

Image courtesy of Wolf Tooth

Wolf Tooth Chooses Unique Marketing Strategy With Pedals:

Wolf Tooth announced on Wednesday that they are making a special run of 150 pairs of Shift pedals in a camo anodized finish. But you can only buy them at select bicycle shops. 

The $290.00 USD pedals for Enduro, Downhill, or extreme MTB will be available through 46 selected bicycle shops in store, or you might get a set if you are lucky from an authorized Wolf Tooth dealer as Wolf Tooth held back 20 pairs for dealers who reach out to them. 

Comments: The product aside, this is an interesting way to market product.  For one thing, Wolf Tooth says this is the "first" offering of a limited edition product through its dealer network. Obviously this leaves the door open for other things. 

But what is interesting to me is that this could lead to a "co-op" approach for LBS dealers. Imagine 20 independent bike shops getting a run of gravel bikes from a Chinese brand. Or a run of clothing, exclusive to certain brick and mortar shops. 

Getting individual bike shops to coordinate a project like I am suggesting may seem laughable to many, but imagine what could happen if dealers decided to band together on mass ordering certain products. There is great potential there. This could be done in a pre-order style, so there would be no overstock issues and exclusivity would make buying in for customers a bit more enticing.  

Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame Nominations Open For 2027:

The next class of Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame folks will be inducted into the hall next June. The nominations for this class are open now and will be accepted through to November 30th. 

To learn how you should nominate someone for inclusion in the GCHoF see THIS PAGE. 

Image courtesy of SILCA

SILCA Offers Omata 'Mechatronic' Cycling Computer:

 You are riding in a group and about 150 yards from your next turn everyone's GPS device starts beeping and squawking as though there were a raft of droids along for the adventure. Maybe this is accepted "cycling culture" in the 2020's, but SILCA now offers an alternative to the digital interference. 

SILCA offers what they claim is the "world's first mechatronic cycling computer" which silently shows speed, distance, and elevation. All while collecting data internally for later consumption. It features an all-analog display using a dial indicator type of look.

The Omata mounts on a typical Garmin or Wahoo cleat mounting standard and is USB rechargeable. It is housed in an aluminum case with a rotating bezel for mode selection. The unit is also ANT+ compatible so power data, heart rate, and cadence can be collected for later reference. 

The Omata is available now and costs an expensive $800.00 USD. You can check out the Imperial version HERE. There is a metric version available as well.  

Comments: I love the idea of a simple, basic computer. I love the no-LED read-out. The form factor is cool. But the price? Yikes! 

Don't get me wrong, it is most likely a very fair price, (see the video for the Omata HERE),  but I am disappointed in the cost as it is prohibitive and I am unlikely to get this for myself. 

That's a wrap on this week. Get out there and ride those bikes! 

Review: WTB Course & Byway Aero Gravel Tires - Update On The Course Tire

 Note: WTB sent over a pair of the 700 x 50mm Byway tires and a pair of the 700 x 52mm Course tires for test and review. Guitar Ted Productions was neither paid or bribed for this review. All thoughts and opinions are Guitar Ted's. 

It is finally time to give a ride update on the WTB Course 700 X 52mm tire set I am testing. Earlier I gave my update on the Byway 700 X 50mm tires and you can check that out HERE. 

In my First Impressions article on the new WTB aero gravel tires, I noted that the Course was being run at 35psi. I did lower the pressure to around 30psi and for my last run I was in the upper 20's psi. I'll get to what this did for the ride quality and performance of this tire shortly. 

I have run this tire on similar roads and terrain as I have the Byway. That being decomposed gravel, dirt, pavement, broken up pavement, and gravel. Something a little different from the Byway test was an addition of some dirt single track and deep, fresh gravel which was ridden with the Course tires. 

Conditions were mostly dry to very dry. I haven't run this tire through any mud to speak of, but I have found that the rounded profile of this tire has a very pronounced effect on handling in looser terrain. So, what little wet ground was ridden over provided me with a hint as to how this tire will handle mud. 

The rounded profile, an integral part of this tire's aero performance, does cause this tire to be predisposed to lack lateral stability. The knobs are there, yes, but in my testing, even at lower pressures, you are only riding on the central strip of tread. Those side knobs?...

Oh! Wait, aren't those "side knobs" actually those aero doohickeys?  Yes, those are the aero features which are supposed to help detach the air flow over the tire. So, in reality, there aren't really any side knobs for cornering here. Besides, the way those are arranged on the casing, you'd have to lean over pretty far to get them engaged in the surface anyway. .

So, these tires are really about volume and aero. The Byway and this Course tire do ride nicely, that much I'll give them. The aero part? Again, I have no way to quantify this aspect of these tires. Maybe there is something to this. 

I need to report on the current width of these tires which is 51.3mm on the WTB CGR i23 rims. Yes, the slightly narrower rim seems to hold back a true 52mm measurement, but not by much. A wider rim internally might prove to be a better fit here, this is true, but these are the wheels I had available at the time for testing. 

Now, as far as ride quality goes on gravel I will say again that the tire is damped well. It is not the best at this quality, but the Course and Byway are near the top of tires I have tried in this regard. The Course is also fast rolling, maybe a tic off the Byway. In my roll down test the Course did not fare as well as the Byway on the paved portion, but it did just as well on the gravel portion of the test. The Course is a better rolling tire than most gravel tires I have tested. 

On really rough, deep, loose gravel this tire tended to want to dance around a bit. Note: The Byway wasn't ridden on gravel this challenging. This would be the kind of gravel conditions which would make most riders not want to ride, for reference. It was tough sledding. Here in Iowa, you can run across a few miles of this type of deep, loose gravel on any given ride. 

This is the kind of road surface where aero has no bearing, but a supple casing and a good design will shine. The Course was above average in these conditions. Again, like the Byway, these tires did not squirt out rocks sideways as many tires will do in these conditions. I feel this speaks to the casing design and construction being above the average for gravel tires. 

On smoother gravel the tire's speed was quite noticeable. Again, whether the aero factor played into this I cannot say. I just know these tires seemed very free to roll and I was able to sustain speed and coasting to a greater degree than I would see with many other gravel tires I have tried. 

Other soft surfaces were simply average on these tires. Dirt is fine, as long as it isn't loamy. loose over hard pack, or sandy. The roundness of the casing just is not going to allow you to put down a very large contact patch given the girth of the casing. Add in how these tires do not do well at the lower end of the pressure range and it all points to a tire which is really about speed over dry, harder gravel and dirt surfaces. 

Okay, the next time I update this review it will be a final look at both the Byway and the Course tires. Stay tuned....

Country Views: Harvest Begins

Escape Route: Rainbow Avenue

The weather has been nicer of late, but really hot for October. We've had several 80 degree days nearly touching on 90 degrees. Not normal! 

But there has been little to no rain, the humidity has backed way off, and some days have been near perfect for cycling. Tuesday was one of those days. 

It was only in the 70's! Not too hot at all, and the wind was light. I decided to go do the "Northwest Passage" route. It takes me Northwest along the Cedar River until I get to Cedar Falls where I cross the river to the North side and then take a combination of bike trail, black top, and chip seal to get to the gravel North of town. 

This might have been the last time I wear just a Summer kit for the year as it is forecast to be actual Fall temperatures by the weekend. We'll see...... Next week might get warm again. Anyway, it felt odd to be wearing just a jersey and shorts on October 13th! 

I rode the XLBird since it has some chain lube on it I am testing along with those WTB tires. (More on those things coming soon) I regretted riding that bike afterward. You'll see why soon... 

Trolley Car Trail in Cedar Falls.

One of my favorite views in Black Hawk County

I got over to Cedar Falls alright and as I started up Big Woods Lake Trail I passed by a couple of casual e-Bikers. I turned my head back a second and out of the side of my eye I caught something bearing down on me faster than I was going. I waited and then a few seconds later I heard the tell-tale sound of an electric motor, squeaky suspension bits, and fat tires coming. E-moto kid passed me by doing at least 20 something mph. At least he had a motorcycle helmet on....

Big views

Big Chunk

With all that nearly perfect road I had last time out I knew I was not going to get that type of road surface again soon. Nope. And I was correct in my assumptions as the County had been out very recently and poured some deep, fresh gravel carpet out there to welcome me. 

One thing I noted was how differently the yellowish gravel rode compared to the whiter stuff.  It's all limestone, crushed to a certain size, and dumped across the roadway. But my wheels reacted to each type slightly differently. I thought this was interesting. By the way, it seemed Western Mount Vernon Road was of the yellow type and Eastern was the whiter, grayer type. Different quarry sources results in different types of gravel. 

At any rate, both types were rattling the crap out of me and my right shoulder was aching. Now I do not have a ShockStop stem on this bike because I don't want a black stem. The stem must be silver. I have requested a silver ShockStop stem from Redshift, by the way. Who else would buy a silver ShockStop stem? Let me know in the comments. 

 

The chunky goodness was slowing me down and working me harder. I tried getting over on the edges of the roadway where the fresh gravel stopped and there was maybe five or six inches before the grass started. But this was mostly soft. I suppose because of the recent heavy rains. The end result was that there was just no relief and I would have to power through it anyway. 

I was a bit surprised also by the lack of fields harvested. Perhaps the rains made the fields too wet and they just are not quite dried enough yet? I could see that being the case for the corn. I would imagine the soybean fields dry out more quickly. Maybe.... I don't know. I'm not a farmer. I just observe them! 

A pumpkin patch

Once I started back South again the roads were much better. I soon learned why. Harvesting traffic! The big semi-tractor trailers and these behemoth machines used to carry corn and beans were the reason why. Those vehicles just pulverize crushed rock and turn it into dust. Lots of dust!

The roads going South were much smoother.

I had to stop to let the light breeze clear the air after a behemoth machine passed me by. 

Some bizarre contraption John Deere has created passed by me and the dust storm folowing it was so thick I could not make out the road. I actually had to stop and wait several minutes for the light breeze from the Northwest to clear the air. I was glad for how the big heavy machines had crushed up the chunk, but the dust was extreme! I was a bit surprised it was this bad, to be honest. 

 

N.Y. Roll needs to explain the existence of this monster green machine to me. He works for The Big Green Tractor Company.

By the way, I think I actually got a little sunburn from this ride. It was definitely bright out, until I got back to town, that is. Then I saw the eves of a rain storm on the way. I was glad I was not still out in the country yet. Perhaps the rain will settle the dust for a bit! 

What Cycling Is And What It Is Not

Image courtesy of Des Moines Street Collective

 The latest episode of the "Guitar Ted Podcast" has elicited possibly the strongest and the most commentary we have ever received after an episode. Some of the comments are the positive reinforcement types which one might expect fans of the podcast to return to us. However; a few have been centered around this issue which pervades cycling today. The question concerning eBikes and what is an eBike and what is not an eBike. 

The image here from the Des Moines Street Collective's social media earlier in this year is typical of the messaging which is being portrayed by much of the cycling advocacy and some brands as well. This is guidance for governments - both state and city - to help them formulate laws and ordinances. It is also there as a purported educational tool for cyclists, although I would offer that those who need to hear this message will never do so because they do not care to listen. 

That's a whole 'nuther nut to crack and discuss. 

What I feel is missing here is really more about a question I do not see being asked and an answer would go a long way, I think, in helping anyone make sense of this madness. The question? "What is cycling, and what is not cycling? 

In a sense, that is what the poster above is trying to answer. E-bike? Cycling. E-Moto? Not cycling. Pretty straightforward.....or is it? 

I would focus on the rider, not the machine. Cycling involves participation on the rider's part. In other words, cycling is pedaling.  If you do not have to pedal, it is not cycling and is something else. What you call "the something else" - moto, moped, just being a passenger - That's up to you, and frankly, I do not care what you call it. It is NOT cycling. That is what is important here. 

This shouldn't be vague, because e-scooters are not cycling. 

Anything which allows the rider to not pedal at all at any time is not a bicycle. Period, end of story. Those devices should be regulated and enforcement of rules and ordinances could be very simply enforced. An officer sees you just sitting, standing, or otherwise being moved without pedaling? Ticket. Citation. Maybe even confiscation. 

As a cyclist I can see the difference when I am out riding. I do not need to see what the machine is, I just have to observe what the rider is doing, or not doing. Now, you may say, "What about a normal bicycle and coasting? Fair question.

As I said, as a cyclist, I can see when a bicycle should be pedaled. Obviously up a hill is one such instance. But it also doesn't take a genius observer to see when an object is coasting further than it should be on flatter terrain. Speed is also a factor in this. A little training for officials - who have to make judgement calls on other vehicles already - shouldn't be all that difficult to communicate. To my mind, "cycling action" needs to occur or the device is not a bicycle.

So now all the so-called "pedal assist" bikes would be okay. Those must be pedaled to move the vehicle and its rider down a trail. There is pedaling going on. Scooters, e-motos, throttle equipped bikes? No-go. These are what would be - essentially - banned from the privileges actual cyclists enjoy. Those vehicles should require licenses and insurance.  And while we're at it, so should side-by-sides and ATV's..... But that is another issue. 

But the point is, enough with the three-class nonsense, enough with trying to decipher one machine from another. If the device does not REQUIRE pedaling to move, it is not a bicycle or a tricycle. 

Related Article: How New York City Is Proposing To Deal With Micro-Mobility Issues.  (Bicycle Retailer and Industry News)

The Replacement

Image courtesy of Cannondale Bikes

I am on the lookout for loose ends here on the blog. Things needing to be finished, (mostly reviews), stories untold, and stories I have to wrap up, or at least pick back up. 

One of those stories is dealing with what I will get to replace the Noble GX5 and probably the Tamland Two in my stable of bicycles. I was on this thread back in February. (See HERE for a refresher) I was close to pulling te triger on a Topstone Alloy from Cannondale, (like the one in the image), but I did not because I didn't like the color the bike available at the time came in. 

I know.....fickle! So, that was that as other things came up and I left the idea in limbo. That is, until recently, when I got a little intel from an undisclosed source which perked up my ears. Now I have reached out and have set something in motion which may happen at a later date. 

I know......vague-blogging! But all that to say that the idea for an alloy gravel bike to replace a couple of others I have is still on the table and now things are in motion. I wouldn't look for anything to happen right away. I just thought, you know, I'd kick this story back into gear and let you know something is in the works which may result in an actual bicycle in the near future. 

 

The Guitar Ted Lube-Off: Super-Secret 2.0 Update 2

  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.

Hey all! It is time for a quick update on the Super-Secret v2 lube. The last update on this lube can be seen HERE. 

In this update I will show you the chain and cassette and discuss how things were done throughout a very rainy period of time here in Iowa. My aim is to discover how this updated lube does in dry conditions, so I had to pick and choose when I could actually ride the bike this lube is on so I would not contaminate the process with rain or moisture. Let me tell ya....it wasn't easy!

I also am going to do a bit of a bonus side bar to the Lube-Off which I typically would not do. However; a situation arose in the comments which prompted me to investigate a couple of things more deeply. 

First of all, my mechanic friend in Chicago had mentioned he had read the articles on the Super-Secret v2. He had already used the V1 product and was familiar with it. But he was excited about the V2 product, so he purchased some to try out. Interestingly, he mentioned he thought the V2 did not cure/dry out as quickly as the V1 product did. 

So, I ran a test on this which I will share at the end of this article. I also will address how I apply Super-Secret in both of its versions and show why my method is valid. 

Now, on to the update on how this lube is doing, (V2) and what I expect going forward into the final stage of the Lube-Off. 

As stated, it hasn't been easy finding dry, dusty terrain around here! But I have been making miles on the lube and I have a couple observation.Firstly, and most importantly, it seems to have cured completely. This now is acting like I thought it should quite a while ago. Now, I have thoughts on this, so I'll hold off until later in this article. 

Secondly, the bike shifts really well, and the chain is not super-noisy, as it can be with some dry lubricants. Oiled chains, or wet lube chains are generally much quieter. Drip wax chains vary in this manner, and some other lubes, like DuMonde Tech, are really noisy. I don't mind Super-Secret V2, as it is on the quieter end of the scale, but it is not 'silent' either. 

Okay, you can see above here that the chain is pretty clean. It is 'gunk-free' and the cassette looks fine. Again, I haven't been in any "severe" dust yet, but I should get that done soon. But with that left, I still am pretty impressed by this lube so far. 

But why did it not cure right away? Yeah, the only thing I can come up with is that Stan's degreaser, which I was sure I got off the chain, but..... Maybe even a tiny amount of this degreaser keeps the drip wax from curing 100% for a while.  

Now, I wanted to get into a very nit-picky lubricant application discussion where the placement of the drip lube on the chain is coming into debate. SILCA says you should apply lube while backpedaling the chain and by dripping the lube on top of the chain where it is about to interface with the cassette. 

I disagree with this and adhere to applying lube on the inner run of the chain between the lower jockey wheel and where the chain interfaces with the lower part of a front chain ring. I could get into all the minutiae of the reasons why, but suffice it to say that I believe in gravity, centrifugal forces, and using the least amount of lube possible. 

SILCA claims their method is better and proven by "science", but hasn't proffered up any evidence other than to say, "we said so".  SILCA also dismisses my using minimal amounts of Super-Secret so it does not "just drip off onto the floor", and does not address where the lubricant drips off to by using their method. Maybe they will. But here is what I did.... 

I took two spare lengths of new chain which were cut off when installing on other bicycles. I cleaned the living daylights out of both using a degreaser first, then some Dawn dish soap followed up by a water rinse and drying. 

I then applied one drop of Super Secret V1 on the longer length of chain on top of each roller and one drop of the V2 on the shorter length of chain on each roller.  

I noted the time and waited 24 hours to check and see how they cured. This would prove out whether or not V2 was slower to cure than V1. I also was looking to see if gravity would wick the lubricant through the rollers and on to the absorbent shop towel I had the chains on. This would prove, without any mechanical manipulation of the chain, whether or not my chain lubrication method was a valid way to do a drip wax application or not. 

After 24 hours you can see how the lubricants both worked their way through the chain and on to the shop rag. Interestingly, I noted straight away upon application that V1 was much less viscous than the V2. By the way, I shook both bottles several minutes before applying the lubes. 

This is why there is more absorbed residue from the V1 chain, but both did show that the drip wax made it through the chain side plates, rollers, and pins, to get on to the shop rag and be absorbed before they cured. 

Finally, I could find no discernible wetness from either chain. Both seemed to have fully cured in 24 hours, which is my standard, not SILCA's, by the way. 

Both chains were very slightly discolored and both were very slippery! So, I think our curing issues are an anomaly, and I will not hold what I experienced with the V2 curing against it. However; I am also fully convinced my chain lubrication method is perfectly fine as well. 

Keep in mind that what you see soaked into the shop rag is all the work of gravity, and was evident not long after I applied the lubricants. Had I been working on a drive train installation, the cogs, chain rings, and gravity all would have worked to wick the lube through to the inner parts of the chain with no issues at all. 

I'm not going to say SILCA is wrong about how they do their drip wax application, but I also can see how I have been applying lubricant is not inferior to their way of doing things. Full stop. I also can see how V1 works through the chain, due to it being less viscous, easier than V2 does, but both end up getting where you need it. 

Anyway, nitpicking. You do you. I'll stick to how I do this until I see a better way. 

Next I hope to put this all to bed after a few dustier rides. I'm pretty sure I have what I need from the Stan's Polar Drip, but the Triboflux and this Super-Secret v2 still need some more riding time. Stay tuned.....

Random Thoughts

Various Bicycle Research freewheel tools

A Few More Thoughts On Bicycle Mechanics:

This past week I posted an article concerning a report out of Europe that there is, and will continue to be, a shortage of bicycle mechanics. (See it HERE)

I had a client in at the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective recently with a problem concerning the removal of a Positron gear cluster from an old Schwinn rear wheel. (27" natch!) 

The tool required to remove this bit is an arcane free wheel removal tool which, if you have been a mechanic for as long as I have, you might be familiar with. You will also find it difficult to source such a tool if you do not have this in your tool box. 

But regardless of the specifics, I doubt many younger folks would even know where to look for such a tool, nor would they want to bother. "Just get a new wheel", I can hear them saying, and this wouldn't be a bad idea at all. 

However; I feel as though the casual, tossing off of even trying to fix old stuff is related to how new stuff is made. Many items, especially electronic ones, are binned when they get damaged, or even before that, they are outdated. Just get a new one! 

Are we teaching mechanics to fix stuff, or just throw parts on a bike to get it rolling again? Are we relying on the app to make fine adjustments, and when the piece goes awry, we don't repair it, we replace it? When the wheel or bottom bracket get bad bearings, we just press out and press in. 

Then when something old comes in, which can be serviced, these newer mechanics.....will they know how to do the servicing? Will they even have the proper tools? Who will teach these young folks to do this stuff? Will young folks even want to learn the old ways? 

Just some random thoughts I had when dealing with that old Schwinn wheel the other day.  

Friday News And Views

LOOK G85 Cezal RS frameset (Image courtesy of LOOK Bicycles)

 LOOK Offers New Gravel Race Bike:

LOOK has a new gravel racing bike called the C85 Cezal RS. It has a focus on aero and rider comfort. 

Claiming the design reduces vibrations to the rider by 15%, LOOK says the rear clearance of 50mm is enough. They state in their marketing that LOOK's engineers feel that larger tires create issues with losses due to tire deformation and weigh more, slowing riders down. They claim this design helps gain back the rider comfort and efficiencies of the racer's body that the bigger rubber was trying to accomplish.  LOOK also claims their vibration reduction and smaller rear tire helps keep riders pedaling more, keeps the rear tire hooked up, resulting in faster times. 

A frame set like the one in the image here runs $3,290.00. USD. See this and the entire complete bike range on LOOK's site HERE.  

Comments: I like checking out what the current thinking is on gravel bicycles for racing since we all know this ends up trickling down the price ladder, even though racing tech and geometry is not what everyone really needs. That said, there often is good stuff in there which could be applied to the "average all-road" machines. 

I like that LOOK has addressed rider comfort with its upward flexing seat stay idea.  What a LOT of companies do not do is address rider vibration concerns with a front fork design that absorbs some chatter. This was especially true in the early days of gravel bikes with those chunky-legged carbon forks. (Looking at you, Enve!) 

This fork looks svelte, at least a little more slender than most, but LOOK doesn't specifically call this out in their marketing copy. Hmm..... I wonder if it is a better fork? Anyway, this is a main reason I run a Redshift Sports ShockStop stem. Most forks are jack hammering me on gravel. That is no fun. It is also why cutting edge gravel bikes are coming with monstrously fat tire clearances. I think this will change in the future once the fork gets figured out. 

Image courtesy of HAND-UP

Time For Cold Weather Gear:

I've been thinking about my cold weather gear recently and I am probably going to have to consider replacing and adding a few items to my kit for the upcoming months. One of those items is gloves. I happen to be a big HAND-UP glove fan, and I own several pairs of their gloves already. 

Sure - pogies are wonderful. They keep your hands warm and you do not necessarily need the most technical gloves to use underneath them. However; they are klunky, they restrict movement, and are a bit fussy when it comes to fitting them. I use pogies in the worst weather, but for most Winter rides, Fall rides, or early Spring rides a nice windproof, lightly insulated glove does me wonders. 

That is exactly what the HAND-UP Colder Plus line of gloves does for me. These layer with a jacket perfectly to seal out wind, and they still allow full-function of your hands which makes riding a pleasant proposition. 

I actually just purchased another pair, the one shown here, for the upcoming Winter season. I have found their gloves to wear well, feel comfortable, and look good. I like the brighter colors as they are easier to find in the pile of gear I have and they are more visible to traffic when I commute. 

Guitar Ted Lube-Off Update:

With the return of drier weather the Lube-Off has been kicked back into high gear. But that doesn't mean I haven't been doing whatever rides I could do in between rains and  the interruptions life and work presented. 

First of all, I have some good feedback from my mechanic friend Ari on the SILCA Super-Secret v2 lube which I will share in another update soon. There was also some debate in the comments regarding how to apply wax based lubricants which I think will prove interesting. 

Meanwhile that new Triboflux lubricant seems pretty impressive. There is also the Pedros Polar Drip which is in this round of testing and I am very close to rendering a final verdict on that particular lube soon. 

So, if the weather holds out and if I can dodge the elephant-sized wagons, tractors, and combines out there now, I should have a final verdict on the entire group of lubes very soon. Stay tuned..... 

Image courtesy of Van Rysel Bikes

Ford-Decathalon Team To Ride 32"ers In XC Events In 2027:

The big news on Thursday of this week was Van Rysel Bikes announcement that they are providing the Ford-Decathalon Team with 32" FS bikes for racing during the 2027 season. 

With a 130mm travel Rock Shox front fork, the bike has the travel and obvious roll-over capabilities of a larger diameter wheel. Van Rysel says their testing over a two year period has convinced them of the bigger wheel's benefits. 

But Van Rysel also went full-in with aero testing as well resulting in a bike which they claim will save team riders 15.5 watts at 35km/hr speeds over the team bike raced this past season. Most notable in the aero design are the deep section wheels and the wild, semi-drop, wing section handle bar. 

While regular folk cannot get this bike quite yet, Van Rysel has indicated a roll-out of the bike is possible sometime during 2027. You can learn more and see other images of the bike HERE. 

Comments: Technology advancements are always polarizing. The move from the traditional stem/handle bar system being two separate parts is one of those. While single piece bar/stem combinations are not anything new, (my 1992 Klein Attitude had this, for instance), the freedom to use different, non-standard shapes and configurations is new. I think this is fascinating. At first I was concerned about the stem being the highest point on the front of the bike and how this might be bad if one went over the bars in a crash. But then I remembered I ride drop bar bikes all the time, so..... Yeah. No worries. I'll just say this looks wild and are we almost at a point where off-road drop bars should be a thing? I mean, talk about aero.... 
 

 Okay, that is it for this week. Get out and ride those bicycles!