Tis the season for wide temperature swings. Here in Western New York we have been enjoying a comparably warm and dry fall, which has extended our outdoor riding season. As with other areas in the country, it is increasingly common to have 20-30 degree temperature swings day to day or even during a ride. These temperature swings make selecting cycling kit tricky to find the balance between warmth and breathability. One way to simplify the decision making is to invest in cycling kit that accommodates wide temperature ranges. Below, I highlight some select offerings from Ornot, Shimano, and Velocio that I have found handy for a wide range of riding temperatures and conditions.

Ornot

Ornot is smaller clothing company based in San Francisco that offers clothing designed for the constantly changing temperatures in the Bay area. They know first hand what it is like to be caught out on a ride with the wrong cycling kit because the weather is sometimes impossible to predict. They design their clothing with the micro climates of San Francisco in mind, but the result is cycling kit that is useful in a wide range of riding conditions. Their focus may be on coastal “rain fog,” but the result is kit that holds up well in the “wintry mix” of the Great Lakes.

I am a huge fan of Ornot’s Cargo Bib Shorts, Decadent Winter Cap, and Merino Gloves. This time of year, I have those pieces on regular rotation. However, the standout of their clothing line is by far the Micro Climate Jacket. In 30+ years of riding bikes in inclement weather, I have not come across a jacket as versatile as this one. I have been packing it for almost every cycling trip this past year.

The Micro Climate Jacket is a lightweight shell, but unlike my other wind jackets it has far greater breathability. I have been wearing it in a range of conditions as the outer layer when temps dip down in the 20s or when you need some protection from the wind in the 50s and low 60s. Though I wouldn’t characterize it as a rain jacket, it does a descent job of keeping you dry when there is slight precipitation or spray from the road. I also appreciate the ample length in the sleeves with plenty of coverage over the cuffs of gloves. The two-way oversized zipper is also a great feature for modulating your body temperature.

In April, I was riding gravel roads with my masters team in Michigan the day after Barry Roubaix. The temperature was in the low 30s with some single-digit winds. The Micro Climate Jacket was perfect for all-day riding on top of a wool base layer and a long sleeve wool jersey.

Later that same month, I went on a ride down the Pacific Coast Highway south of Long Beach, California. The temperature was in the 60s with coastal winds in the double digits. I made an inland loop around the Newport Beach area. I was sweating quite a bit in the hills in a short sleeve jersey, but as I crested the last hill to dive back down to the coast I was met with those chilly coastal winds. I stopped and put on the Micro Climate Jacket and left it on the rest of the trip back up the windy coast. The jacket compresses down into its own rear pocket, easily fitting into a jersey pocket.

Ornot checks a lot of boxes. They are certified climate neutral. The clothes are made from recycled fibers, merino wool, and deadstock fabric. Many of the pieces are made in the USA. Lastly, their focus on microclimates means that you are getting kit that is adaptive for a range of conditions.

Shimano

There are two new pieces from Shimano that have become staples in my outdoor riding gear rotation this fall. The first is the Evolve Merino All-Season Jersey, and the second is the Evolve Prima Wind Vest. Together, they cover such a range of conditions that I can reach for them as almost a default before checking the weather for the day.

The Evolve Merino long sleeve jersey uses a lightweight synthetic material on the front facing panels to block the wind and merino wool panels in the back facing panels for breathability. The result is a jersey that offers wind chill protection but doesn’t overheat because it breathes and quickly dries through the wool panels. I wear the jersey with a wool base layer on days that are chilly, but not too windy.

For days where the winds are stronger and there is potential for more wind chill, I add the Evolve Prima Wind Vest. The vest features a fleece lining inside the front panels and over the shoulders. The back of the vest is thin breathable material that dries quickly. The collar is nice and high so that you do not have to always wear a neck gaiter on chilly days. The included double zipper is a must for vests to allow for temperature regulation throughout a ride. Despite the loft of the fleece, the vest does fold down into its own pocket for easy storage in a back pocket or bike bag.

Recently, I wore this combination on a gravel group ride. The morning ride started in the low 30s, and there was a lot of scrambling among the group to decide what to wear. We expected the temperature to rise throughout the day into the 40s, but most of the day was in the high 30s. A wool short sleeve base layer with the Shimano Evolve jersey and vest proved once again to be the best choice. The group was large and there was lots of stopping to regroup after climbs and to repair a few flat tires. Our moving time was 3:30 with an elapsed time of 4:26; that is almost an hour standing around. I find those kinds of rides hard to dress for because you are getting chilled standing around, especially if you overdressed and your clothes are wet from sweat. The breathability of the long sleeve jersey combined with using the double zipper on the vest to regular temps throughout the ride proved to be the best possible way to stay warm (but not too warm) on the bike while moving and standing around on the side of the road.

Velocio

The last piece I want to highlight is Velocio’s Alpha Long Sleeve. I layer in this jersey when the temps dip down into the 20s. I typically wear the Ornot Micro Climate Jacket over it or Velocio’s Signature Softshell Jacket if I am expecting “wintry mix.” The Alpha Long Sleeve features an insulating Polartec material on the front-facing panels and merino wool on the rear-facing panels. Same idea here as with the other pieces I’ve mentioned: warmth in the front, breathability in the back.

The Alpha Long Sleeve is a pull over with a quarter zip and a high collar. The pull over is a great idea for the middle layer between your base layer and outer shell because you don’t have overlapping zippers bunching up at the bottom. This long sleeve jersey also includes three rear pockets. The only time I ever use the pockets on a middle layer is for storing a water bottle that I am trying to keep from freezing. But, that is increasingly rare as I now spend more time riding indoors when the temps dip below freezing.

Velocio is another company that values sustainability. They use recycled and natural fibers to produce clothing that is designed for durability to counter the tendency in the clothing and cycling industries to produce disposable and single-use products.

Layering Tips

In summary, I have found the Ornot Micro Climate Jacket to be the most versatile piece of kit in this overview. It is my go to wind shell in temps in the low 30s, and I tuck it into my short sleeve jersey pocket when I’m expecting the temperature and/or wind chill effect to dip into the low 60s or even lower.

In the 50-60 degree temperature range, the Shimano Evolve Merino All-Season Jersey is perfect with a merino wool or Coolmax short sleeve base layer. If the temperature dips into the 40s, then adding the Shimano Evolve Prima Wind Vest is my go to. That combination will work down into the 30s.

If I am facing temps in the 20-30s, then that typically means three layers: wool base layer (typically no sleeves), middle layer like Velocio’s Alpha Long Sleeve, and an outer layer for wind like the Ornot Micro Climate Jacket or for precipitation like Velocio’s Signature Softshell Jacket.

Think Investment

None of these pieces are inexpensive. I am often in conversation with friends who want to extend their outdoor riding beyond warm summer temps. They have sticker shock when they first consider the amount of gear required to ride outside in the cold. My suggestion is always to start slow and pick up gear that extends their riding 10 degrees below what their current gear allows. I encourage them to think about these pieces as investments that they can use for years to come. Think about quality, think about durability, think about layerability, think about temperature range, and think about sustainability.

And if it’s truly cold weather, here’s more depth about winter riding in the 20s and below.

The post Invest in Cycling Kit with Range first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

What began as a brisk 43-degree morning in Bentonville transformed into a sun-soaked 78-degree day, providing the perfect backdrop for the overall champions of the Life Time Big Sugar Gravel Classic: Sofia Gomez Villafane and Alexey Vermeulen. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the evening erupted into celebration, drawing in elites, casual riders, and enthusiastic spectators alike to honor a successful gravel season.

The race itself presented formidable challenges, with dusty and rocky conditions testing all competitors. The rugged terrain of the Ozarks claimed several tires, impacting both the men’s and women’s fields significantly.

In the women’s race, a lead group of 13 riders quickly formed, featuring notable names such as Sofia Gomez Villafane, former champion Paige Onweller, and Olympic medalist Flavia Oliveira Parks. Unfortunately, Oliveira Parks, as many others, encountered a tire issue that sidelined her from contention. Just two minutes behind, a group of six—including Rad champion Lauren De Crescenzo, Whitney Allison, and Crystal Anthony—collaborated in an effort to close the gap. However, the initial lead group eventually splintered, leading to a new alliance consisting of Gomez Villafane, De Crescenzo, Leadville 100 champion Melisa Rollins, Alexis Skarda, Michaela Thompson, Cecily Decker, and Onweller, as they chased Erin Huck, who had established a 30-second lead by mile 80. In a dramatic finish, Gomez Villafane clinched the win, narrowly edging out Rollins, while Decker rounded out the podium. Onweller took fourth, and Lauren De Crescenzo finished fifth after the grueling 105-mile race.

The men’s race exploded much earlier in the day. Garmin Gravel World’s champion Simen Nordahl Svendsen and Alexis Carter broke away before reaching aid station one at mile 37, with Colby Simmons and Sebastian Schonberger trailing just a minute behind. Simmons then bridged the gap to the front, where he and Alexey Vermeulen eventually dropped Svendsen. At mile 80, Alexey made his intentions clear: “Just so you know, I’m racing for the win.” From mile 85 onward, he fought to shake Simmons. In a thrilling finale, Alexey surged ahead, crossing the finish line just nine seconds before Simmons, securing his title as the 2024 Lifetime Big Sugar Classic Champion. Nordahl Svendsen, Keegan Swenson, and Brendan Johnson sprinted for third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.

The day’s outcomes also reshuffled the leaderboard of the 2024 Life Time Grand Prix series. With her win, Sofia Gomez Villafane not only secured victory for the day but also clinched the series title. Paige Onweller finished third in the series, with Melisa Rollins taking second. Alexis Skarda and Haley Smith completed the top five standings.

While Keegan Swenson had already secured his series title prior to the race, the results of the day reshaped the rest of the podium. Matthew Beers and Payson McElveen swapped positions, finishing second and third overall, respectively, after a thrilling sprint where Beers edged out McElveen by a mere second. Brendan Johnson climbed from seventh to fourth, while Cole Paton slipped from fourth to fifth in the final standings.

The event concluded on a celebratory note, with Life Time Grand Prix fourth place finisher Alexis Skarda spinning tunes for a crowd of 2,400 gravel enthusiasts. Stories of the day and the season were shared, solidifying the Big Sugar Gravel Classic’s reputation as the event to cap off the season. As many athletes now look forward to much-deserved rest, excitement is already building for 2025. Will Sofia and Keegan maintain their reign as the “power couple” (yes, they’re engaged), or will the offseason bring new challengers to the forefront? 

We’ll find out in 2025.

The post Gomez Villafane, Vermeulen Win Big Sugar first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

We stopped some of the top gravel pros before they ventured onto tomorrow’s race course for Life Time’s Big Sugar event.

ISABEL KING

Frame – Scott Addict Gravel RC

Drivetrain – Shimano GRX 2x 48/31

Wheels – Shimano GRX WH-RX880

Tires– 45 Panaracer X1 plus

Power – 4iii

Personal touch

Daily Reminders

CHASE WARK

Frame – Lauf Seigla

Tires – Continental Race Kings 2.2”

Cockpit – Vision Metron 5d ACR integrated 3k

Wheels – HED Emporia

Drivetrain – Sram Quarq 1x 48

HEATHER JACKSON

Frame – Canyon Grail CFR

Drivetrain – Shimano Mix Dura-ace 50-34 / GRX(wants the power)

Grips – Shimano GRX

Moto – Dirt Brigade

Cockpit – Canyon Grail custom

Tires – IRC Boken 45c

Alexey Vermeulen

Frame – Enve MOG

Drivetrain – Shimano Mix Dura-ace 50-34 / GRX(wants the power)

Grips – Shimano GRX

Tires – Kenda rush 2.2 up front, Kenda prototype 50mm rear

Cockpit – Enve SES AR One-Piece

Custom – #noflats

The post The Many Bikes of Big Sugar first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

The fans of off-road racing have seen an exhilarating season unfold, showing off the grit and determination of elite athletes as they push their limits. With the culmination of the Lifetime Grand Prix approaching, anticipation builds for the final showdown in Bentonville, Arkansas. 

In its third iteration, the best 4 out of 7 points series started off this year’s Grand Prix showcased an impressive lineup of 60 elite off-road athletes—30 men and 30 women—competing across six races for the coveted equally paid out prize purse of $300,000. The season kicked off in April at the iconic Sea Otter event in Monterey, California, featuring a challenging 100k mountain bike race. This was followed by UNBOUND Gravel, With Crusher in the Tushar being canceled due to wildfires the series became a best of 3 with, Leadville Trail 100 MTB, Chequmegon MTB Fest, The Rad Dirt Fest, and culminates this weekend in Bentonville, Arkansas, with the Big Sugar Classic—a grueling 100-mile gravel race. While the top spots on the podium for top prize money and glory have already been claimed by defending champ Keegan Swenson, Sofia Gomez looks to be the victor (pending participation on Saturday) . With the end of the season approaching and substantial stakes on the line, the dusty roads of the Ozarks promise an exhilarating showdown.

On the women’s front, 2022 Lifetime Big Sugar champion Paige Onweller has made a remarkable comeback from an early-season injury, currently holding second place in the series with 90 points, just one point ahead of Alexis Skarda. Haley Smith, the 2021 Lifetime Grand Prix Women’s Champion, sits in fifth place overall with 83 points.

A huge talking point coming out of Unbound Gravel was the historic nine women sprint finish where Paige took third overall in the elite women. The women’s only race format of a delayed start after the men, and a ~30 minute gap to the start gun of the general field, has now been reproduced at Lifetime events and other races around the country as they discovered the opportunities it provided for a cleaner and fairer women’s race. 

While Sofia has clinched her win (if she starts the race on Saturday), the rest of the podium is up for grabs. With Hannah Otto coming off an illness that prohibited her from racing The Rad, she’s now had back to back drop races in the last two events- but even with those two drops, she is now sitting in 6th… Which just goes to show how this upcoming race could shake up the current leaderboard. 

On the men’s side, Keegan Swenson has already clinched the series win with an impressive 105 points after winning 4 of the 5 events so far. Among the top ten contenders are well-known athletes like Payson McElveen who is currently in second place, 2024 Unbound champion Lachlan Morton, and the Traka360 champion Peter Stetina.

For Keegan, the only race in the series so far that he took a loss at, was Unbound. There, Lachlan Morton edged out of a two men sprint over Chad Haga. Lachlan now sits 5th going into the final event, and only eight points back from Payson McElveen. For those not yet on the leaderboard, but looking at a step on the podium, they may have a chance. Dylan Johnson sits only two points back from tenth place contender, Torbjorn Andre Roed, the 2023 Big Sugar champion.

The Big Sugar Classic serves as the ideal finale to encapsulate the season. Spanning 105 miles of rugged, dusty gravel roads that wind into Southern Missouri, the course presents a relentless challenge with 7,000 feet of elevation gain. While the race itself is sure to be fiercely contested, the event transcends mere competition. With a two-day expo, a kids’ crit, and a Gravel Rave kicking off the off-season festivities after the sun sets on race day, Big Sugar stands as a shining celebration of community, the hard work of the past season, and the enduring passion that drives these athletes in their sport.

This year has offered these athletes more opportunities and races than ever, with many recently competing in the UCI Gravel Worlds Championships in Belgium on October 5th and 6th, and Ranxo Gravel in Spain just last weekend. The combination of a rigorous stateside schedule and international travel have these competitors undoubtedly ready for a well-deserved break… But the ground work is already being laid for next year. The applications for the 2025 Lifetime Grand Prix are open, although next year’s rendition will look a little different. The field will be limited to 50 athletes (25 men and 25 women) with six wild card spots to be handed out after the second event of the year, and features changes in the event line-up.

For now, all eyes are on Bentonville as these men and women give it their all, for the last time this season, in hopes of climbing up the steps of the podium- not only for this one event, but for the season as a whole in the Lifetime Grand Prix Series.  

The post Big Sugar, the 2024 Lifetime Series Closer first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

I’m really starting to discover a lot gravel these days. It all started in 2019 when I went to the old ST HQ and got on one of Dan’s OPENs. It had vast amounts of rubber tires wrapped around 650 wheels. It had been sitting outside for the winter so the SRAM 1x was all rusty looking and I think I broke like 2-3 seat bolt clamps trying to get the seat adjusted so I could ride it. I cruised around his yard for all of about 5 mins and then he came out and said, “Let’s go. I’ll take you to the trail head.”

Dan was going running, and I was going riding. He dropped me off at about 6,000 feet and pointed me in the direction of a California fire road. He was going to run for about 90 mins and I was was either going to meet back up with him or I was going to take the main road back down the hill to his house.

After about an hour or so of climbing, I ended up at the top of Jackson Flat Campground. I finally had a cell signal and so I texted Dan and told him I would meet him at the house. I had finally started to get the bike set up the way I wanted it so I figured I would put some more time in. I road around the fire roads high over the San Gabriel Mountain range looking over parts of LA in the distance. I figured out I didn’t have a lot of water with me and so I should probably start to head back. On the way down I realized just how steep it was on the fire roads. The camp round had been closed for what looked like a couple of seasons and so the roads where all sorts of “chunky.” It was at this point I remembered the story of Gary Fisher and what inspired him to make his own bikes. Insert me falling over the handlebars. OK, I’m going to lower the seat. That’s better. Once I got to the main road its about a 8-9 mile fast decent on pavement. Then it was a couple of miles of rollers back to Dans. Over the next couple of days I put lube on the chain and rode the OPEN a lot. I explored every single piece of pavement and dirt road that I could and I left Dan’s house ready to buy a gravel bike.

Three months later, I started doing some YouTube reviews here on slowtwitch. We reviewed the Argon 18 Dark Matter , the Niner MCR 9 and then the Ventum GS1. I was having the time of my life. I was testing all sorts of bikes, and I was learning what I liked and didn’t. And to be honest it was giving me something to do as COVID was starting to get weird. Then, all of a sudden, boom. Everyone started buying bikes, and the bike companies had zero reason to send us bikes to review. So a couple of years later, I still had my Ventum GS1, and I was getting pretty busy with some other things anyway. Getting back into about 2022, gravel was entering its really big peak of the crazy and we were starting to get some of the bike brands to have new things to talk about. “All Road” was the newly coined term from the big companies that weren’t quite ready to embrace what companies like Salsa, OPEN, and even Lauf were putting out. Tires and tire companies were also starting to be the sticky point. 38c was “Big” when it came to “gravel” everyone else was slapping on mountain bike tires.

So, while the industry was learning and coming around, people started returning to work, and the dirt roads became less packed. Overstocked, all road bikes were highly discounted on the internet, and small tires were all put on closeout. Five years after my first gravel ride and three years after the big companies started to really work together on bike frames, wheels, and parts, here we are, and here is what I chose to put on my gravel bike. Not what was just left around the garage — some of these parts where given to me for long-term review purposes; the rest I bought and/or traded for photography work.

Now that I have bored you with my long short story (or short long story), let’s lay the foundation quickly on this bike and the “why” behind it. The first thing for you to understand is that I wanted to build a gravel bike around a dropper post. Why? Because in good old Utah, I feel like I need and/or want one. And because of that, I want everything on this bike to be able to handle all the places and situations that drop post is going to allow me to comfortably ride. So that means massive gearing, strong frame, big tires, and a comfortable seat. Oh, and I want it to look RAD AF, too. Just like the rest of you bike geeks, the thing has got to turn heads.

DROPPER SEATPOST

This is is the foundation of the “whys” on this bike:

• Material: alloy

• Diameter: 27.2mm

• Length: 350mm

• Offset:zero

• Travel: 70mm

TIME 45 ADHX FRAME

BCS Carbon Fiber – Dyneema® Enhanced with the RTM build tech is the most robust carbon fiber bike frame on the market It’s not the lightest, but OMG, does this thing feel good underneath you, And it doesn’t have some special seat post that I can’t add a dropper post too. Just your normal, standard 27.2mm post.

SHIMANO GRX 12 Di2

Hoods. The #1 reason I will choose Shimano over SRAM is the ergonomics of the hoods. I have a Cervelo Aspero with SRAM, and every single time I ride downhill on that bike , and I want to stop, I feel like I need two fingers on the brakes. With Shimano, I don’t. I can be on the bars, going down a 30% gravel grade and I can use each of my pointer fingers and boom. I’m stopped. The hoods are 70% of my decision.

GEARING = 2x

The other 30% of my decision is gearing. 1x is excellent, but it’s not always great for everything, and unless you are going to run the new SRAM RED, chances are the front derailleur will be troublesome for you. So, while I wish Shimano would figure out power on GRX, this drive train is what I’m looking for.

FRONT GEARING

• 170mm Crank with 48 and 31 chainrings allow me to take this everywhere my riding ability can handle.

REAR GEARING

I have an 11-34t because I didn’t want to run the 105-level cassette. But I can do that later if I need that extra two-tooth range as this GRX RD-RX825 allows for a 36t cassette.

Shimano provided us this for the launch a while back, as well as long-term reviews.

POWER AND PEDALS

Because Shimano doesn’t yet feel like gravel riders care about power enough to put a meter in the GRX crank, and because I have a dropper post on this machine, I felt like I wanted an SPD-type pedal system, as it’s a lot easier to get in and out of. This is one thing I might change up a bit as I get into longer rides on this bike. But for now, it’s a power mountain bike pedal. And no, Garmin didn’t give me these. And yes, I will review these in the next coming month.

WHEELS AND TIRES

These are 100% review wheels and tires, but I also have five other sets I could have put on the bike. Reminder: I want this to act like a downhill mountain bike at particular times and places. So these new Zipp 303 XPLR with a 32mm inner hookless rim gives me all sorts of options here. Now, time will tell if these do hold up on the downhill single track I want to try to bomb, but for now, they are holding up.

ZIPP 303 XPLRSW with Goodyear 45 Tires. I also plan on doing a lot of other tire tests with this wheelset.

SADDLE

The WOVE MAGS. I owe this saddle its own review. This is by far the most comfortable I have sat my underside on. Now at $499 bucks, it’s a tough pill to swallow, but to never deal with pressure points — It’s worth it.

BAR AND STEM

This is a Discovery handlebar, and they are also part of a long-term review these feature a 30-degree flare and sweep of 5- Degree. I’m running the 42cm width on this bike.

I am also using a 100 mm Discovery Stem, ± 6 degrees.

There you have it, folks…wish me luck.

The post My TIME 45 ADHX Gravel Build first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Hannah Otto is an ex-triathlete who discovered her love for riding dirt more than swimming and running. If she isn’t taking on some crazy adventure on the trails, she is coaching her athletes and inspiring the world’s youth. She is no stranger to podiums, including the top step at the Leadville 100 MTB Race in 2022. Hannah is a bit of a bike geek, too, so when we had the chance to show off her new build, we took it. The new Pivot Vault features a frame weight of 995g, tire clearance up to 50c, an integrated Tool Shed compartment in the down tube, and the ISO Flex system around any 27.2mm seat post. (more on that below) The two noticeable differences are the abilities for Hannah to choose wider tires (which she did), and she has gone from Shimano Dura-Ace 2×12 speed Di2 to Shimano GRX 1x Mechanical. Let’s dive in.

TIRES

Tire choice on dirt is almost as important as how many carbs you need for race day. Now, even though Kenda sponsors Hannah, and so not all the options in the world are available to her, she still has plenty of them. With that said, she is on the new Kenda Prototype 700x45c (We need to get our hands on some.)

COCKPIT AND CABLES

Because she is riding mechanical 12-speed, she will have some extra stuff up front. But look at that clean cockpit! Even the sticker agrees with me.

DRIVETRAIN

While we are still waiting on Shimano to get with it on their 12-speed 1x Di2 (or lack thereof), we see plenty of pros and consumers proudly running mechanical. Hannah’s drivetrain specs include a 170mm GRX crank with a 48 Wolftooth chainring, 4iii Power Meter, GRX Rear Derailleur (RD-RX822-SGS), and a Deore XT Hyperglide+ 10-51 rear cassette. Pedals of choice will be Shimano Dura-Ace. Note that we are seeing most gravel pros switch to the SPD-SL and or road platform instead of the SPD and/or off-road.

CLEAN AND AERO

Besides the little derailleur cable saying hello, the bike looks mean AF from the front. The GRX hoods are mounted on an Easton 90 SLX bar: 40mm and Easton EC90 AX Carbon Stem: 90mm -7 with an integrated computer mount called the ICM system for the Coros Dura she is running. There is still plenty of space for more tire width. She is also running a Smanie Apex Carbon saddle.

WHEELS AND HUBS

The DT Swiss GRC 1100 DICUT features a 30 mm high carbon hooked rim and a 180 DICUT hub with ceramic bearings and a claimed weight of 1298 g. She is also running 160mm rotors front and back.

ISO FLEX

What is it? Think of your seat post as being surrounded by a pivotal (see my pun) insert that allows for the flex.

#6 is the inserted fiber-reinforced nylon sleeve, which allows #2 (the clamp) to hold the vertical position while allowing “Flex” aka damping. I don’t know how really awesome this works. I think I need to see it in person, in my opinion.

QUESTIONS I HAVE

Knowing this new frame geometry is more relaxed, I wonder if Hannah will consider adding a front suspension fork for next year’s Leadville MTB Race. Will the girls follow the guys? She for sure has the bike-handling skills to do it. Also, is the ISO FLEX really that great, or is it marketing fluff? We plan on following up on these two things for sure.

Big thanks to photo pro Forrest Dalmer for the sweet pics.

The post Hannah Otto’s New Pivot Vault Shimano GRX 1x Mechanical first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

The Coros Dura and I have gotten to know each other over the last 6 weeks.  Coros did the opposite of Wahoo, which started with a GPS head unit and went to the watch.  Coros is already a fixture in GPS watches.  Users include Eliud Kipchoge, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Eilish McColgan, Alex Yee, Emma Coburn and Kilian Jornet (look at his just-completed Alpine Connections).  It has now gone the other way and released a bicycle GPS head unit.

The Dura is worth your knowing about for 2 reasons beyond any others:  first, the Dura costs $249; second, battery life.  That $249 is really inexpensive  when you consider the 2.7” screen size is the same as Wahoo ROAM’s screen.  Wahoo’s BOLT has a 2.2” screen and at $279 is in the same price region as the Dura.

As to battery life it’s claimed at 120 hours to a charge and I don’t really know if that’s accurate because I have not been very successful at running this battery down.  Over the past weeks I’ve been riding with the Dura it’s been very sunny and not shaded and the darned thing keeps recharging because of the solar panel built into the unit.  Note the image above. An almost-90 minute ride chewing up zero battery. Further below you’ll see a 2 hour ride, same thing.  So, I don’t know that “battery life” is an applicable metric any longer.  Maybe a new metric is needed like “recharge cycle” or “power scheme.”  It’s like the thing has an alternator.  You can see how compelling that might be.

This is a very new product and if you’ve been following DCRainmaker’s comments (he’s been all over the Dura) you can see that this company has had a few false starts, both with hardware and software.  Let’s tackle the hardware first, both the way this product works and why it’s had a spotty start (and how to maximize your experience if you think you’re a candidate for a Dura).

If you’re a Coros watch user you’ll find that the Dura uses a similar motif, in that there are 2 buttons and 1 of those buttons is a scroll wheel that is also a button.  Imagine a Wahoo for example, where you have up and down buttons that cycle you through a list of menu options.  You do that here with a scroll wheel and when you turn that wheel to your chosen option you then push the wheel, like a button, to select it.  The other button is the back button (same thing for both the watch and the head unit).  The head unit’s face is also a touch screen which is also scrollable (so you have 2 ways to scroll). As you see, the screen is color and also backlit.

You mount this unit using the same quarter turn motif as a Garmin and that’s handy If you have more than one head unit and you don’t need to keep changing the mounts.  Now, as to that hardware hiccup:  There was an issue with the tabs breaking on the unit itself, but only with arcane and off-brand mounts.  The Dura reportedly worked fine on standard quarter-turn mounts as well as popular accessory brands like K-edge, and it worked fine on my Zipp Quickview (The Dura is mounted on my Quickview in these images).  New units shipping later this month will have something I wish all head units had:  the tabs are replaceable (with 2 screws), so a broken tab on the Dura no longer means you trash the whole device.  Kind of like replaceable derailleur hangers on bike frames.  The enterprising customer takes possession of his Dura in about 2 weeks from this writing, when the units with replaceable mounts will begin to ship.

Software:  Every function I want and that I use – data and navigation – is available with the Dura with certain exceptions which I’ll list in a minute.  Coros has a web interface you can log into and there’s a bunch of performance software there.  For the purpose of configuring your Dura I use the Coros app and it’s pretty similar to the ELEMNT app I’d use for my Wahoo devices.  

I won’t go into a step-by-step process for how to configure the Dura but I found it pretty easy to set up the pages I want – data and navigation – and all of my sensors were supported, including my Garmin Varia radar.  Just enabled is the ability for Shimano and SRAM controls – what SRAM calls its bonus button on the shifter hood – to toggle pages on the Dura but I have not yet tested this.  Map navigation of routes was fine and the Dura didn’t break a sweat as I downloaded several maps that total the United States.  Which took maybe 2 minutes.  There appears to be enough hard drive space to hold pretty much all the maps of all the places you’d want to ride.

I will now list the things I would like to see that I don’t yet see, with an estimated delivery time.

If you’re a STRAVA segment hunter that’s a necessary page on your head unit.  The Dura is not there yet, but that is apparently imminent.  You would invest in your Dura and then wait for a firmware patch that gives you that.  Maybe 1 to 3 months out.

Integration with RideWithGPS.  I like to build my routes in RWGPS and then I sync them down to my (let’s say) Wahoo ROAM.  There are 2 ways to handshake with 3^rd party integrations with the DURA and one is to select the integration from a long list of participants you’ll find in the Coros app.  RWGPS is not one of those.  But if you go in through RWPGS and choose a hardware maker to sync to, you’ll see Coros appearing and you make your integration that way.  That has been possible except that a few days ago the integration broke.  Since it did work I can assume fixing what broke will take days or a very few weeks again allowing you to sync down routes to the Dura from RWPGS. (Maybe it’s already been fixed.)

If you want a proper climbing page, which has a silhouette of what you did just climb and what it is that’s in front of you to climb, I don’t believe this is here yet on the Dura but it is promised and coming.

Finally let’s talk about “route to start” and “rerouting.”  This of course being part of the navigation suite.  These are really, really hard tasks to get a bike computer to perform.  When these tasks are needed the Dura needs your handheld to perform that task.  The Dura queries your iPhone (let’s say), the iPhone does your rerouting, sends the answer to the Dura, which patches it into your navigation.  This works pretty seamlessly to you except when your handheld has no connectivity. The only problem is when you don’t have cell connectivity, or you don’t take a handheld with a GPS with you when you ride.

I’ve been out there riding with a head unit costing 40 or 50 percent less money than the others I own and other than the STRAVA segments thing – which I have to wait for – I don’t feel that I’m out there with a lesser device. Let us take a moment to consider the Dura… that done, we can now return to our regularly scheduled inflation woes.

The post Coros Dura, Inflation Beater first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

When first considering Challenge tires, the most important characteristic to know is the difference between their handmade and vulcanized tires. There are tradeoffs between the two.

Challenge’s handmade tires use high TPI (e.g., 260) casing materials and natural rubber that give the tire soft and supple characteristics. These tires feel better than the vulcanized tires because the suppleness conforms more easily to the terrain. However, the trade-off is that the natural rubber of the tread is stickier and wears faster than vulcanized rubber. The supple sidewalls are also arguably more susceptible to sidewall cuts than the more durable vulcanized alternatives.

Challenge’s vulcanized tires use lower TPI (e.g., 120) nylon casings impregnated with butyl rubber which makes them stiffer and arguably less comfortable than the handmade tires. Vulcanized tires come in the typical U shape that most consumers are accustomed to, as opposed to the handmade tires that are made flat. While the stiffness of a vulcanized tire may not perform and feel as well as their handmade tires, the tradeoff is a more durable tire with longer tread life and less susceptibility to sidewall cuts.

This characterization of the differences between Challenge’s handmade and vulcanized offerings is a bit over-simplified as there are additional design features to consider, but this characterization provides a general orientation to the differences.

Pet Peeve

Before gravel became GRAVEL, we rode many of the same gravel roads on our road or cyclocross bikes. As gravel evolved into its own riding and racing discipline, the tires began to trend larger and the pressures began to trend lower. For a good stretch of time, many of us were running 30 to 35 mm tires on our cyclocross bikes because that was the maximum tire size those frames could fit. Though many of us were running handmade tubulars for cyclocross racing, we sought out tubeless wheelsets and tires for gravel riding and racing because the tires could be repaired roadside.

Those early 30-40 mm tubeless gravel tires came vulcanized and rode ok across smooth dirt and chunky gravel roads. However, in any circumstances that you needed to ride in off-camber terrain and use the edge of the tire, they were largely worthless and left you sliding out. For lack of a better term, these early gravel tires were boxy and had little to no suppleness that would allow the tire to perform well on its edges. At the time, the tradeoff was durability at the cost of suppleness. Less flats but the tires felt like you were riding on a garden hose.

As a result, there was a pretty hard distinction between tires that were durable and good for level gravel roads compared to tires that were more fragile and good for mixed terrain including off-camber sections. At races like Paris to Ancaster in Ontario, Canada, which features pavement, gravel, bike path, singletrack, and cyclocross sectors in farm fields, tire choices were made across these hard distinctions of durability vs. performance in mixed terrain.

From those years, I’ve had a pet peeve with “gravel” tires that are largely worthless as soon as you get them off road or in mixed terrain.

Immediately Curious

As a long-time user of Challenge tubulars for cyclocross, I had all kinds of questions about Challenge’s handmade tubeless offerings for gravel. How would they make a handmade casing that would be sealed for tubeless? How would this handmade casing improve road feel and off-camber compliance? How durable would the sidewalls be of these handmade casings?

To answer my questions, I put a pair of 40mm Challenge Getaways Handmade Tubeless (HTLR) to the test. To date, I have 175 miles on them riding on pavement, gravel, and mixed terrain. Our gravel in Western New York is a mixture of dirt hardpack and medium chunky gravel that gets spread in the spring to remediate rural dirt roads. By mixed terrain, I’m referring to the labyrinth of bandit ATV trails and abandoned rail lines in our post-industrial playground of Buffalo, NY.

Mounting

The Challenge HTLR tires take some care when mounting. First, they fit tight; really tight on some rims. Keep in mind that the casings are handmade and meant to be supple. As a result there is a risk that if you horse these tires and force them on the rim, you could stretch the bead and damage the shape of the tire. I have heard of this happening in at least one case. In another case, I heard of someone who gave up on mounting these tires, deciding they were incompatible with the rims they were using.

My theory is that these issues in mounting were due to improper technique. Historically, I think many of us are used to starting at the valve and working our way around to the other side of the rim to mount the tire. In the case of these Challenge HTLRs (and most tubeless tires), you will want to do the opposite. Start mounting the tire at the opposite end from the valve and work your way toward the valve. The key is to decrease the circumference of the rim that you are mounting the tire on. You accomplish this by making sure the bead is sitting in the lowest recess of the rim bed as you work your way around. Starting at the valve only increases the circumference because the tubeless valve doesn’t allow the tire bead to sit down in the lowest recess of the rim bed.

Challenge offers a tool for mounting their clincher and tubeless tires, but I didn’t need the tool and was able to mount the Getaway HTLRs on a set of Shimano RX880 hooked carbon wheels that have an internal width of 25mm. I used a wide Pedros tire lever to pop the last part of the bead over the rim by the valve. I then removed the valve core and seated the tire with an air compressor.

I decided to try Challenge’s tire sealant that I injected through the valve stem. Challenge recommends using their own sealant, of course. However, I haven’t heard of any reason why you couldn’t use a different sealant. I’m not aware of any adverse interactions between other sealants and Challenge’s handmade casings.

Ride Feel

For tire pressure, I used the Silca tire pressure calculator minus 1-2 psi. There’s nothing particularly authoritative about Silca’s tire pressure calculator in my view, in fact I find it runs a bit high for my riding preferences. However, I cite it here as a shared metric to contextualize my review for your own weight and terrain. For comparison, I’ve been running a few other 40mm vulcanized gravel tires at the same pressure.

In short, Challenge’s HTLR tires feel like a tire should feel like. I really value being able to use the whole tire, especially on mixed terrain without worry that the tire will “tip over” when put on its edges and not conform to any surface that isn’t level.

The Getaway HTLRs feel good and compliant when blasting over chunky gravel, no issues there. But where I find they really shine is when you find yourself riding out a rut and coming in contact with the sides of that rut. You never want to fight a rut. They are best riding out, unless you can hop your way out. In Western New York, I find myself in ruts often at high speeds caused by either ATV tires or water run off downhill. With the vulcanized gravel tires I’ve run, these ruts don’t leave much margin for error because you can quickly lose traction at the edges. However, with the more supple sidewalls of the Challenge Getaway HTLRs I can be more playful within those ruts and expect that the tire will conform to the sides of the rut. Get too cocky though, and those ruts will for sure put you on your butt. Gotta respect the ruts.

In my experience, with that suppleness of the HTLRs comes confidence. I can have confidence in the tire that it won’t slip out immediately if I put it on its edges. However, the Getaway is no cyclocross tire. The side knobs are not aggressive enough to hook really loose or muddy terrain. Therefore, it’s good to keep in mind that the Getaway is a gravel tire first and foremost.

Depending on the weather, the Getaway is going to be my tire of choice for Paris to Ancaster this year. It does everything a gravel tire should and more, and I believe that if not too muddy it can handle the cyclocross sectors of that race course.

Durability

As I said before, there are trade-offs with the suppleness of the HTLR casing. Though the tire gave me confidence in the ride feel, I did have some hesitation when it came to the durability of the sidewalls. The natural rubber material is more susceptible to sidewall cuts compared to a vulcanized tire.

For this review, though, I decided to throw caution to the wind and test the tires out on the gnarliest gravel we have in Western New York. We have long stretches of abandoned and unused railroad bed, some of which is now slowly (very slowly due to funding and property negotiations) being resurfaced for multi-use recreation. The untouched railroad beds are surfaced with railroad ballast, which is large, chunky, and often sharp. Outside of the context of this review, I would never consider taking carbon rims and a handmade tire on these stretches. But for the sake of testing, I let it rip full gas on a few of these sectors of railroad ballast. The picture below is my son riding on one of the less aggressive ballast sectors.

Expecting the worst, I was surprised to only experience the most minor of sidewall gashes. Keep in mind that most people riding and racing in the context of gravel are not going to be riding on railroad ballast, so this was a bit of an extreme and unfair test for the tires.

That being said, Challenge recently released the XP version of the Getaway. XP refers to Xtra Protection in the sidewalls. The XP tires add a special layer of tightly woven material (Corazzaarmor Silver and Gold) that reinforces it for more aggressive conditions. This model promises to be less permeable to sidewall cuts compared to the standard handmade Getaway. This may be the option you will want to seek out if you are riding in conditions akin to railroad ballast. The question is how much the extra material will change the suppleness of the tire. My guess is that it will still feel better than a vulcanized tire.

Challenge Tire Gravel Line Up

Challenge offers five tire treads of varying widths and materials in their gravel line. Here’s a quick round up of those offerings and where the Getaway HTLR falls in that line up in order from least to most aggressive. However, not every variation is available across these characteristics.

Tire: STRADA BIANCA
Tread: Herring bone pattern
Material: Natural Rubber/Handmade, Vulcanized, or Silk
Type: Clincher, Tubeless, Tubeless Tubular
Sidewall Color: Tan, Black
Sizes: 30, 33, 36, 40mm (also 650 x 46mm)

Tire: ALMANZO
Tread: Diamond pattern with Grifo-inspired side knobs
Material: Natural Rubber/Handmade
Type: Clincher, Tubeless, Tubular, Tubeless Tubular
Sidewall Color: Tan
Size: 33mm

Tire: GRAVEL GRINDER
Tread: Diamond pattern with Limus-inspired side knobs
Material: Natural Rubber/Handmade or Vulcanized
Type: Clincher, Tubeless, Tubular, Tubeless Tubular
Sidewall Color: Tan or Black
Sizes: 33, 36, 38, or 42mm

Tire: GETAWAY
Tread: Low profile tread with medium side knobs
Material: Natural Rubber/Handmade
Type: Clincher, Tubeless, or Tubeless Tubular
Sidewall Color: Tan or Black
Sizes: 36, 40, or 45mm
XP (Xtra Protection) Option in 40 and 45mm Black

Tire: GRAVINE
Tread: Higher profile tread with higher side knobs
Material: Natural Rubber/Handmade
Type: Tubeless
Sidewall Color: Tan or Black
Sizes: 40 or 45mm
XP (Xtra Protection) Option in 40 and 45mm Black

Options

Hopefully, this review gives you some insight into the range of offerings from Challenge. There are many more variations to consider compared to other tire companies. Here is my suggestion for the order in which you may want to consider these many options.

First, consider what type of tire you want to run on your gravel bike. For most people that will be a choice between Clincher and Tubeless.

Second, consider what tread will be best for the terrain you plan on riding. I suggest the Getaway for most gravel riding and the Gravine if you need something more aggressive.

Third, consider size. Bigger seems to be better, so you may want to go as big as your frame will allow. I’ve been slow to adapt to this trend and find that 40mm is the sweet spot for me right now, even though my frame can accommodate 45mm tires.

Fourth, consider the material tradeoffs between Handmade and Vulcanized. For friends who are closely attuned to the feel of their tires, I suggest the natural rubber of handmade. For friends who don’t want to think about their tires much at all and just want them to stay inflated, I suggest vulcanized. Consider the XP options in the Getaway and Gravine tires if you are worried about sidewall durability.

Lastly, consider sidewall color. This is a very personal decision. I am and always will be a black sidewall kind of guy. If you see me with tan sidewalls, it wasn’t by choice. For some people this decision very may well be their first criteria. I ride with a few tan sidewall hardliners who are willing to sacrifice performance for aesthetics.

In conclusion, keep an eye on Challenge as they offer more variations within their gravel tire lineup. They are quick to pivot to meet market demands and rider preferences.

Challenge tires can be purchased through the Slowtwitch retail shop.

The post Challenge Getaway HTLR Tire Review first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Lauf's Seigla and 3T's new Extrema both take up to 57mm tires. That's somewhere between 2.1 – 2.25" MTB tires, depending on knob height. The 3T specs Continental Race Kings in 50mm. The Lauf comes with 45mm Maxxis Ramblers. What used to be the exclusive province Rene Herse (nee Compass) tires – though they still lead the class in slicks with their 55mm Antelope Hill tire – is now the province of many. Specialized makes the Pathfinder gravel tire in a 29 x 2.1" size. You could try their fast rolling XC race tire – the Renegade in 2.2. Maxxis offers the Rambler up to 50mm widths. On their Terra gravel tires, Continental goes "only" up to 45mm width, but 3T just specs the XC Race King tire – ostensibly a MTB tire – in 50mm width. Somewhat ironically, MTB tires have also gotten bigger – Specialized specs 2.35" tires on their XC race bikes, which a decade ago would have been shod in 1.95" or 2.0" tires, meaning that it's less easy than it was to just put MTB tires on your gravel bike.

The lines between gravel bike and mountain bike have always been blurry. Or course, the distinctiveness of bikes themselves have always been pretty blurry. The first mountain bikes – Marin's own Mountain Bike Museum and website are incredible resources here – started life as wide-tired road bikes. Perhaps the most clearly defining feature of a mountain bike is the flat bar. Bar shape – more than anything else – is really the last remaining true distinction that separates bikes into unique categories. Because handlebars are contact points, and they necessarily dictate the resulting geometry. Aerobars, drop bars, and flat bars. This is what really makes bikes different. There are full-suspension gravel bikes and fully rigid mountain bikes. When exactly one becomes "better" than the other for a given course is largely determined by the control and positions afforded by each bike's handlebar.

Tire size – which has a profound impact on suspension – actually helps to accentuate that positioning is the distinctive factor. On extremely rough – but mostly flat – roads (meant in the broadest possible understanding of the word), the positioning afforded by drop bars is necessarily superior. On smooth – but fairly narrow and "technical" – trails (meant in a more explicit sense of the word), the control of a flat bar is paramount. It's not surprising that Lauf – based in Iceland – has been pushing the envelope in "gravel" bike development, first with its leaf-sprung suspension fork and more recently with the massive tire clearance offered by the Seigla. Iceland is very flat. And most of the roads are washboard dirt. When I visited Iceland in 2017, I noted that most people owned two cars – a smaller electric or plug-in hybrid (electricity and hot water are both basically free in Iceland because of geothermal energy) car, and then a truck with massive balloon tires. The former is what you'd drive around town or on the perimeter road that encompasses the island. And the truck is what you take if you want to go inland. Lauf's bikes are expressly designed to tackle these inland roads. The roads are flat, wide, and rough. They are, in other words, exactly the type of roads that are best ridden on a bike with a lot of suspension – either actual suspension of some kind and/or from tires.

In the US, fire roads – wide enough and steep (or not-steep) enough to be navigated by a pickup truck or jeep – offer a similar calculus. There are a lot of places where the positioning of a drop bar is optimal but where a mountain bike was – previously – the "logical" choice because of the necessity of suspension and traction afforded by its larger tires. The incredible popularity of gravel bikes worldwide reveals that virtually everywhere has this type of terrain. If it's a "road," it's probably best ridden on a gravel bike.

The great thing about separating tires and positioning is that it allows better and more thoughtful discussions about what certain terrain actually requires in terms of positioning. Riders can now pick a bike that affords them the optimal position, knowing that they'll have ample suspension and traction regardless.

Wider tires also help to make "underbiking" a bit more accessible. I first discovered the concept of "underbiking" – which is riding terrain that is more technical than what your bike is ostensibly suited for – as I researched mountain bikes for my oldest son, who as a 6th grader has recently joined the local NICA team. The Belgian Waffle Ride in 2017 was probably my first real exposure to the idea of underbiking, and I still remember riding my road bike – a Diamondback Podium Disc with 28mm tires – on routes that I previously thought were the province of my full-suspension mountain bike. And enjoying it. Interestingly, as gravel bikes have both become more capable and people increasingly realize how capable they are, the calculus for mountain bikes seems increasingly to emphasize comfort. Underbiking can be fun. It can also leave you very sore.

But I think it's the control element that's the most compelling. Mountain bike handle bars are wider – much wider – than they were. 680-690mm bars are now considered "narrow." The cross-country bikes I bought for myself and my son come with 760mm bars stock. Ritchey's WCS bar now comes in a single 740mm width. I remember debating between their 560 and 580mm versions back when I got my first MTB. I actually found an old review comparing Ritchey's bar in those widths with the then unfathomably wide Easton EA-70 at 685mm, a width you will now unquestionably need to cut your bars down to achieve. While gravel bikes can somewhat manifest this control with flared bars, it's a secondary position, since additional control is itself a secondary requirement for a gravel bike.

I would have said that about 45mm felt like a practical limit on tire size. I ride 47mm Pathfinder Pros in 650B on my 3T Exploro, and I never feel like I run out of tire. But I think the extra width is less about capability – you can ride Belgian Waffle on 25mm tires; it's just more fun on 30 or 32mm tires – and more about comfort. Underbiking for an hour is fun. Underbiking for a day – especially when it's not a race – is perhaps less so. Certainly there's a rush when you send a line you maybe think you shouldn't have on tires so skinny. But I certainly have found the novelty of that wears off. The main reason I run my 3T in the 47mm x 650B setup is because I find it's more forgiving than the 38mm x 700C that I had on before. There's nothing I really need the 650B setup for. But I definitely enjoy it.

3T positions the Extrema as opening up new possibilities. Its name implies that this bike allows you to ride hitherto unrideable – at least on a gravel bike – routes, especially since it chose to equip the bike with mountain bike tires. Lauf, on the other hand, simply presents big tires as an option. The Seigla can fit 57mm tires, but it comes with 45mm gravel tires. I prefer the Lauf narrative, because I think the jump from mid/high-40mm widths to mid/high-50mm widths just isn't that meaningful in terms of what you *can* ride. I think it has a lot more of an impact on what you might *want* to ride. I don't think I'd choose to take my bike on anything more "extreme" as a result of wider tires. But I might ride faster, further, and feel less beat up the next day.

Both 3T and Lauf continue to be among the most innovative companies in cycling today. Lauf's recently launched road bike – the Uthald – looks like a wonderful bike that – as with all their bikes – is available at an astonishingly good price for the quality. 3T still makes – and continues to improve – their Strada road bike. Both bikes emphasize the benefits of wider tires and aerodynamics. Drawing on their founders roots as prosthetics designers – and drawing from the innovations in their carbon-leaf-spring suspension forks, the Uthald's story is – as with all Lauf bikes – one of compliance. While it's a fully rigid frame, the carbon has been designed to offer about 15mm of compliance, which they equate to a 23mm tire. That's on top of the generous compliance of the 30 or 32mm tires you'll almost certainly run. Compliance is the story of Lauf, and having been inland in Iceland, on those washboard roads, it's easy to see why. 3T stays true to current co-owner (and really co-founder of 3T as it exists today) Gerard Vroomen's roots as pioneer in cycling aerodynamics. All 3T bikes – even the Extrema – emphasize the importance and value of aerodynamic optimization. These strong narrative threads – compliance for Lauf and aerodynamics for 3T – are a big part of why I believe they continue to be so innovative. They have a solid foundation philosophically from which to iterate. While those foundations are quite different, it's not surprising that they lead the industry in pushing the design envelope on tire size on drop-bar bikes.

Are tires that wide necessary? I don't know. But I think having the option allows a focus on positioning that's unquestionably a good thing. What position do you want to ride? What tires do you need to ride that position comfortably? Being able to answer those questions separately is remarkable. And I think it's the gift of that choice that is these companies greatest innovation.

All Lauf images provided by and copyright of Lauf. All 3T images provided by and copyright of 3T.

The post Can Tires Be Too Big? first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Shimano GRX is now available in 12-speed mechanical with a few different drivetrain options. Here, I provide my thought process when building a TIME ADHX 45 for gravel racing this season. Later this year, I will provide some in-depth reviews on different aspects of this bike in the context of gravel racing. For now, I make a case for why you should consider mechanical GRX 12-speed, rather than wait for the inevitable Di2 follow-up. I also pick up where Dan left off with his argument for cockpit adjustability and against complete internal routing of hoses and cables.

Purpose

This gravel build is for racing. Plain and simple, I wanted to build a go-fast gravel bike that I could race this season. In the past, I’ve raced gravel on my cyclocross bikes with 35mm gravel tires. I’ve been curious to race gravel on 40+ mm tires, and I have three races planned for April & May:

4/20 Barry Roubaix, Michigan, 62 miles, 4,000 feet of climbing
4/28 Paris to Ancaster, Ontario 43 miles, 1500 feet of climbing
5/4 Black Fork Gravel Grinder, Ohio 54 miles, 5,000 feet of climbing

Of the three, Black Fork is closer to what most may consider in the “spirit of gravel” with ~1,000 feet of climbing for every 10 miles. Barry is one of the oldest “gravel” races in the country (first edition was in 2009) and features more long rollers than steep climbs. P2A is a point-to-point mix of asphalt, bike path, single track, and Amish farm roads (with the occasional mud bog thrown in for fun). I’ve done P2A a couple times before; the course is always a little bit different depending on permissions from property owners. However, this will be my first time racing Barry and Black Fork.

Frameset

My friend, teammate, and long-time bike fitter, Jim Baldesare, told me at a recent fitting session that the current TIME geometry is ideal for my fit. At 6’3” with a short torso, I need a ton of stack. This means my first consideration for any bike is head tube length. I also need a fairly relaxed seat tube angle, so I don’t have to slam my saddle all the way back. The TIME frames are around 73 degrees for seat tube angle, which is ideal for my fit. Before rediscovering TIME, the frames I found to fit these specs are the TREK Boone and Crockett. I own two Boones for cyclocross and have been using my Crockett for daily training and gravel racing. Since rediscovering TIME and their support of our master’s team, I have been racing crits and road races on an ADH01. It’s by far my favorite race bike of all-time. I was worried about it being too nice to race, but it took all the abuse I dished out, including the endless concrete expansion joints of Milwaukee at ToAD.

When the TIME ADHX came out, I wasn’t sold on the frame having a max tire clearance of 38mm. Everyone I was talking to in the gravel racing scene was telling me that I needed to go with bigger tires, so I wanted to give that a shot. Therefore, I was excited when TIME released the ADHX 45 with max tire clearance of 45mm. In a recent podcast, TIME owner Tony Karklins discusses how and why the ADHX was developed and has since been rebranded as Allroad, as well as why TIME answered the call for bigger tires with the ADHX 45. It’s worth a listen; Tony’s story in the industry put together a lot of pieces for me over the last 20+ years. Make no mistake, the TIME bikes are race bikes. You would want a different frame if your needs require carrying lots of gear for adventures, for example.

However, I did hesitate (again) on whether or not the ADHX 45 was too nice to race gravel. These TIME bikes are works of art, and the paintwork is stunning. I decided to go for it, recalling the abuse my ADH01 has taken in crit racing. Although, I did decide to get the frame ceramic coated because rock strikes are inevitable. It was a choice between ceramic coating the whole frame or 3M protection film on the underside of the downtube. I’ve done the 3M tape protection on past frames and wanted to give the ceramic coating a shot. So, we’ll see.

The Case for Mechanical

After years and years of racing on SRAM, I’ve gradually converted my bike stable over to Shimano. SRAM is nice and super easy to install; I regularly do SRAM builds for friends and teammates. Yet, I prefer Shimano, and I prefer mechanical. I’ve had a few Di2 bikes in the recent past, and I was turned off by the hassle of battery charging and the high expense of spares. Admittedly, I’m a bit of a retro grouch when it comes to electronic shifting having been shaped by the mindset that your race bike should be spec’d with readily available and preferably inexpensive parts.

Also, I don’t like to race on anything I can’t fix on the side of the road. For me, electronic shifting adds unnecessary complexity with very little gain compared to mechanical. I’ll concede that it’s much easier to build and maintain a bike with electronic shifting, but I can’t help but to think how I might pay for that convenience when I’m stranded on the side of the road because something I can’t fix went wrong with the electric shifting. On the Di2 side, that fragile wire to the rear derailleur makes me nervous. Maybe less so in the context of gravel, but more so in the context of criterium racing. I’ll also concede that the shifting is crisper with less effort than mechanical, but Shimano mechanical is very, very close if installed properly.

Drivetrain Choice

Shimano GRX 12-speed mechanical is offered with three major drivetrain choices. Shimano has branded these three choices with not-so-helpful labels: 1). UNDROPPABLE, 2.) UNBEATABLE, and 3.) UNSTOPABLE. I’d argue that two of those choices are appropriate for the type of gravel racing I have in mind, and the third choice is more for an adventure set-up.

UNSTOPABLE, as in no climb is too steep? What I consider to be the third choice for adventure gravel riding, this option is a 1×12 drivetrain with a 40 or 42 front chainring and a massive 10-51 cassette. That’s close to mountain bike gearing, which may be required if you are hauling camping gear and/or climbing steep gradients for long periods of time. This setup has a specific derailleur to accommodate the 51T max cassette (RD-RX822-SGS). Note that 10T cassettes require the Microspline freehub body.

UNBEATABLE, as in a 1x is all I need to win? I consider this drivetrain option to be geared for one-day riding and racing. This is the same as the UNSTOPABLE option with a 40 or 42 front chainring, but the cassette is 10-45 and the derailleur is different (RD-RX822-GS). Most people can make use of a 1:1 bailout gear or greater in the context of riding and racing on gravel courses that fit the 1:100 ratio (miles:climbing feet). I do love the simplicity of 1x; my Boones and Crockett are setup with 1x Wolftooth/Ultegra RX 11-speed groups. However, I have found when racing gravel that I’m often wanting the “gear between” the cogs of the cassette on a 1x setup. This is usually when I’m alone and slogging it out on a climb.

UNDROPPABLE, as in it is 2x but don’t worry about dropped chains? This is the best option for me, because it gives me the most choices of gear ratios, as I build fitness and attempt to get back into race shape. The crankset comes in a 48/31 and cassette options include 11-34 or 11-36 for use with the RD-RX820 rear derailleur. Note that these cassettes have a small cog of 11 and require the Hyperglide L2 freehub body. I opted for the 11-34 cassette with the reasoning that would provide enough gear beyond a 1:1 to get me through the races I have planned.

If you are piecing this group together yourself, make note of the which freehub body and rear derailleur your cassette of choice calls for. I found this the most confusing part of learning about the new 12-speed GRX. There are three rear derailleurs and two freehub bodies, so there is bound to be some mistakes made when ordering if people aren’t careful.

Cockpit Choices

I’m not a big flare kind of guy. I don’t like crazy wide drops, and I don’t like my hoods angled in. Yes, that’s part retro grouchy, but it’s also what is comfortable to me over the long haul. Of all the gnarly gravel descents I’ve done in the Appalachian foothills and mountains, I’ve never felt a need for really wide drops for stability. This preference is also a product of being accustomed to sliding around and bike driving on a cross bike with 42mm bars that only flare to 44mm in the drops. I didn’t want any more than 10 degrees of flare, so for the Shimano PRO line that meant the LT Gravel Alloy bar. All the other alloy and carbon bar choices from PRO featured even more flare. However, I did bump the bar size out to 44mm at the hoods, which with 10 degrees of flare bumps the drops out to 48mm (center-to-center). That’s seems plenty wide for my riding style.

I also chose the LT Gravel Alloy bar because I had no plans to route the hoses and cables through the bar or the stem. If it’s a new bike, I don’t like to route the hoses and cables in such a way that I cannot easily swap out the bar or the stem. I may hate this bar and want a different one, and I may get fit on this bike by Jim and he will recommend a different stem length. In line with Dan’s reasoning, I see no upside to internally routing hoses and cables.

I did have the option of internal routing available. TIME specs the carbon FSA K-Wing AGX handlebar and the NS ACR Stem for the ADHX 45. This combination is really nice and looks great when everything is hidden, much more so than the Deda options TIME offers. However, I cannot lean into a guess on liking the feel of the handlebar and the appropriateness of the stem length and height for my fit while going through the laborious process of routing hoses through the handlebar, stem, stem spacers, and head tube.

And, let’s face it. Internally routing both hydraulic hoses AND both shifter cables would be a major pain in the butt. Maybe with just the rear cable housing on the 1x groups, but with the 2x it wouldn’t be fun. If I was doing all this internal routing for a customer at a shop, I would be charging extra.

Even with routing the hoses and cables externally, it was still a bit of a chore to size the cable housing at the appropriate length. The hoses are easier because they can be cut after everything else has been installed. I think the result of external routing on the ADHX 45 is tidy and plenty “aero.”

Cable Routing

TIME doesn’t make running mechanical 2x on the ADHX 45 very easy. They combine housing stops with their cable guide underneath the bottom bracket. That seems straightforward, but the housing stops aren’t deep enough to hold the ferrules in place. Therefore, I had to install the derailleurs before the bottom bracket so that I could put tension on the cables and hold the ferrules in place.

On my cyclocross bikes, I’ve adopted the habit of running Jagwire sealed cables. I find that they prolong the life of the shifter cables and the chore of removing the bottom bracket to replace them. In some cases, I have drilled out the stops and run full housing to the derailleurs. The new Boone now features this design. This would have been possible on the ADHX 45 in theory. I could bypass the cable guide below the bottom bracket and run housing to the rear derailleur. The new Shimano front derailleurs include a cable housing stop, so that’s also possible with 2x. However, I did not want to drill out the front derailleur cable hole to accommodate 4 or 5mm cable housing on a brand new TIME frame. So, I went by the book and routed the sealed cable system through the cable guide under the bottom bracket.

The Rest of the Build

Everything else went together without a hitch.

The 40mm Challenge Getaway tires are a nice match to the carbon RX880 wheels with hooked rims that have a 25mm internal width. I’m not convinced hookless is a good roadside repair option for 40mm tires at 30-40 psi. I did use an air compressor to seat the tires initially. But, they appear that they will seat themselves even with a tube and a hand pump (and maybe a squirt of water for encouragement) on the side of the road. I will test that out before race day.

The Stealth saddle with carbon rails is an open question. I tend to find a saddle that works for me and put it on all of my bikes. For going on 10 years, that has primarily meant Fizik Ariones on my road bikes and Selle Italia X1s on my cyclocross and gravel bikes. I’ll give the Stealth a shot in training, but the carbon rails make me nervous as a heavier rider.

The new 12-speed GRX groups feature some changes to the hydraulic brake calipers that are worth noting. The bleed nipple and screw are separate and recessed. They both have dust covers and are nicely tucked away. The previous bleed nipple/screw on GRX 11-speed and other Shimano groups was kind of vulnerable and had a dust cover that was easy to lose. This new design is much better and cleaner. The new calipers also feature 10% more width between the pads and the rotor. I didn’t notice this much, but I will say caliper alignment was indeed “first try” (not in the way LEGO Batman says it).

Another thing that I noticed that I think is new is the hydraulic hoses sealed at the nipple and full of mineral oil. Also the olive is already installed inside the flange flare nut on the shifter. I guess the intent here is to perforate the hose and install immediately in the shifter lever, maybe without the need to bleed? I had to shorten the hoses and press in new connecter inserts, so I went ahead and bled both brakes anyway. Two items that make this process easy are the Park Tool Bleed Kit for Mineral Oil and the Shimano Disc Brake Hose Cut & Set Tool. Life is definitely easier since I added these to my bike shop at home.

More Soon

I’ll follow up with a performance review of this bike. In particular, I’ll be focusing on the GRX 12-speed 2x mechanical group and the Challenge Getaway Tires. I’ll let you know how the bike performed in those three races. I think I’m really going to like the handmade suppleness of the Challenge Getaway Tires on the mixed terrain of P2A, but we’ll see how they fare on the “purer” gravel courses at Barry and Black Fork.

Build Specs

Frameset: TIME ADHX 45 XL Gloss Siva
Bar: PRO LT Gravel Alloy 44mm
Bar Tape: PRO Gravel Comfort
Stem: PRO Discover 110mm
Seatpost: PRO Discover Carbon
Saddle: PRO Stealth Carbon
Shifter Levers: ST-RX820-R/L
Cables/Housing: Jagwire Elite Sealed
Disc Brake Calipers: BR-RX820
Brake Rotors: RT-CL800 160mm
Front Derailleur: FD-RX820
Crankset: FC-RX820-2 48/31 175mm
Bottom Bracket: Kogel Ceramic 386EVO-24
Rear Derailleur: RD-RX820
Cassette: CS-R8101-12 11-34
Chain: CN-M8100
Wheelset: WH-RX880
Tires: Challenge Getaway 40mm
Sealant: Challenge
Pedals: XTR PD-M9100

Weight: 19 lbs. 15 oz.

The post Going Gravel? Shimano GRX Build Decisions first appeared on Slowtwitch News.