Gravel Grinder News Announces Future Changes

Future Changes To The Gravel Grinder News Site Announced: 

Since the humble beginnings of Gravel Grinder News in 2008, the amount of growth in gravel grinding: both in terms of events and participation, has been on a very steep upward curve. That also applies to the viewership of this site. In looking back on the statistics available for this site, the curve has been getting steeper with every month that passes.

The Gravel Grinder News site was started to be a place to gather the few events and their links to their respective information pages in one place. Since 2008, The Calendar went from a handful of events, to now where The Calendar reflects upwards of 100 individual events and there are new submissions for events coming in weekly. It has become clear that the needs of the gravel grinding community are not being sufficiently met by this format which was never intended to handle the volume of traffic and event submissions that it receives today.

In light of this, efforts have been initiated to upgrade the site, change the calendar to make it easier to use, and easier to see the types of events on it. There will be separate groupings by region, and events will have indications as to what type of race/ride the event is. It is hoped that by doing this, readers will be better able to discern where they want to go ride.

Gravel Grinder Gear, the designation given to reviews and equipment news, will have it's content featured for easier access. This will also be true for The Daily Grind, which will have its content focused on event announcements, press releases, and the like.

Advertisers have been asking to become a part of Gravel Grinder News, and unfortunately, the site, such as it is, was never intended to host ads. While not everyone likes to see advertisements on sites, in the case of GGN, it helps to "keep the lights on" and with future partners we hope to have on board, it will help defray the costs of upgrading the site to something you- the reader- hopefully will find more useful. The goal is to make this facet of GGN a "win-win" for everyone involved.

Timing: Look for the site change sometime this year. Right now, there is no definite date for the changes to be implemented, but rest assured that when the time draws near, and there is a definitive date, it will be announced well in advance.

Editors Note: Finally, without you- the riders- Gravel Grinder News would not exist. This is something not lost on me, and I do not take the patronage of the riders and readers of Gravel Grinder News lightly. My hope is that in the future you find Gravel Grinder News to be even more useful and informative than ever.

If you have any questions, concerns, suggestions, or comments, please leave them in the comments section for this post. I will read and consider each carefully.

Thank you for your passion, your creativity, and for using this site as those things relate to the gravel grinding community. It is very much appreciated by me, and I know others who feel the same.

Ride On!
Guitar Ted

Chautauqua Red Flint Hills Gravel Crusher Announces Ti Warbird Giveaway

Ti Warbird example: (Note- note exact spec)

We just got word from Frostbike 2013 and the promoter of the three race series in Kansas about an opportunity to score a sweet rig for gravel racing. Here's the details straight from the press release:



Chautauqua Red Flint Hills Gravel Crusher would like to announce BIG NEWS from Frostbike! As if three hundred grueling miles of crushing gravel in three different Kansas landscapes isn’t enough to entice you, our title sponsors Heartland Bicycle of Wichita Kansas and Salsa Cycles is providing the ultimate event swag! How would you like to own a 2014 Salsa Warbird Ti gravel crusher, custom fitted to YOU, and complete with Shimano Ultegra? Dumb question right? Right! This bike has a retail value of $4500.00!! Heck, I’d like this bike for myself, but it goes against my promoter code of ethics, and it just wouldn’t be cool. And it raises your chances by a factor of one. Props to Heartland Bicycle and Salsa Cycles!

The Rules: To be eligible to win this beautiful bike you have to enter online or by mail by registration close prior to each race! You get 1 ticket for the first race you enter and each subsequent race you enter you receive double tickets. For example the first race you enter you get 1 ticket, then the second race you enter you get 2 tickets, and the third race you enter you get 4 tickets. That’s a total of 7 tickets. Another example, say you just do the last 2 races. That’s a total of 3 tickets. Now there’s a bonus. For each race you complete you get a bonus ticket. If you enter and finish all three that’s 10 tickets! Also, you need to start the race, or have the intent to start for your tickets to be valid. This of course will be at the discretion of the promoter. The winner will be drawn at the 3rd and final race, Elrod’s Cirque on May 18th. Need not be present to win. Fine print: Per promoter’s discretion, “rules are rules” and are subject to change if necessary, but highly unlikely. Now go register!

So that is it! Hit some sweet Kansas gravel and get a chance to win a sweet rig at the same time. Go hit the link here.

Gravel Grinder Gear: HED "Ardennes Plus" Gravel Grinder Wheels: First Impressions

Note: This is Part 2 of the HED Gravel Grinder Wheels review. To see Part 1, go here. 

First Impressions:

HED  Ardennes for Gravel riding

After mounting the HED wheels to my Black Mountain Cycles Cross rig, I was able to get in several late season rides. Some were with my usual group, some solo. All were done on a variety of roads ranging from broken pavement, seal coat, gravel of various states, dirt, and rough grass. Let's take a look at what my impressions were out of the box.....

Center Lock Compatible

The wheels are typical from the standpoint of aesthetics for HED Ardennes line up of wheels. They have that "roadie" look, but perhaps in a bit less garish manner than many I see. By the way, those graphics are reflective, which is a nice touch for night/low visibility riding. The machined brake track is nice, even, and smooth, and the disc mounts, being covered by rubber boots, were barely noticeable. Seeing as how my bike uses cantilever brakes, I did not utilize the Center Lock option, but if I had or wanted to swap to a disc equipped bike, it is nice to know that I would be able to use these wheels there as well.

I did notice the wider rim profile of 25mm outer/21mm inner width. This struck me as being rather more like a 29"er rim than something from a company with deep roots in road and triathlon.  Andy from HED did say these rims were tubeless ready, and it was obvious that they might work well in that capacity.  I set the rims up with two runs of Velocity Rim tape which fit perfectly. I first set my Clement MSO tires up with tubes for the initial testing though. These tires took on a nice, plump look with a straighter run to the bead than with a slightly narrower rim I had them on before.

I used Velocity tubeless rim tape to go tubeless

No  issues arose during the set up with the exception of having to tweak my brakes to accommodate the wider rims.  Once I got them mounted, the wheels spin up very smoothly, and as far as ride feel, they had a similar "from-the-saddle" impression as the box section, 32 spoke wheels I was using prior to these wheels. From that standpoint, the HED wheels were unremarkable. However; there were two distinct impressions that I got right away on the first ride, and which stuck with me the entire test period.

Grease port under the center clip

First of all, I was advised by Andy from HED that with this rim design, I should explore using lower pressures. Normally I find that the Clement MSO liked right around 40 psi to get the optimum balance between ride feel and rolling resistance on the Salsa Cycles Delgado Cross rims they were on before. With these wheels I found that range was widened, and that I could go lower with pressures. I ended up getting down to 20psi which only then started to feel a bit negative in terms of squirming and rolling resistance, which finally felt a bit higher at that low a pressure. But that said, this range that I could use now- from just above 20psi to the 40psi upper limit- was a welcomed finding. Before I would start to feel negative results at 35psi.

Secondly, and probably most surprisingly for me, was the aero benefits of this wheel set. While I can not offer any hard numbers, (and HED is only just getting results from the wind tunnel on these as well), I know I was coasting farther, feeling less energy expenditures, (especially in a quartering tail wind), and all without getting any negative "aero push" in a crosswind. It was a very easy to sense benefit.

Overall there were no issues with the wheelset's integrity, they stayed true and  smooth throughout the test period.

Conclusions: While many gravel grinder folks may not think about the aero component of this type of riding, it has become clear to me that it can be a benefit to those riders that use an aero wheel set. HED is one of the leaders in the aero wheel set market, so to have this sort of product available to gravel riders is something that should be taken note of.

The free hub body is definitely Aluminum!

However; HED also was wise enough to offer a rim that will better support tires that gravel riders like to use, wider, more voluminous, and at lower pressures than road tires use. With that 21mm internal width, the sidewalls of most 35-45mm tires should line up well with the rim sides and enhance the aero effect. Not only that, but the tires will be better supported and be able to have a wider usable range of tire pressures- tubed or tubeless.

While supporting both disc and rim brake standards may seem anachronistic to disc brake devotees, this keeps the options open for riders who may currently have cantilevers and will upgrade/change to discs in the future. It does; however, leave that silver strip of color where the brake track is.  Besides the aesthetic, it also adds weight to the wheel set that is unnecessary for disc brake set ups.

Then there is the overall wheel weight. In my opinion, it is acceptable from an aero wheel standpoint. Road riders wouldn't bat an eyelash at the weight of these, as it is very competitive with other aluminum rimmed aero wheels in this class. Then if you think about using less energy, which you would save over a longer course using these HED wheels, it becomes a non-issue, really.

Overall, HED has a really nice wheel set here that is versatile and has benefits that many gravel riders are missing out on.

NOTE: HED Wheels sent these Ardennes wheels over to Gravel Grinder News at no charge for test and review. I was not paid, nor bribed for this review and I strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.

Gravel Grinder Gear: HED "Ardennes Plus" Gravel Grinder Wheels- Intro

 HED Wheels is not necessarily a well known name amongst those who grind the back roads of America, but they want to change that perception. Specifically, HED is going to introduce a new wheel set under the Ardennes line specifically aimed at gravel riders and cross racers. The wheel is so new it doesn't even have a proper model name, ( Update: Andy from HED has informed me that the name is "Ardennes Plus"), but I received a set for test and review late last Fall.

While the official introduction is set for NAHBS in Denver soon, Gravel Grinder News has the exclusive first ride impressions and technical data here for your perusal.  Let's dive in and see what HED has cooked up for gravel road riding....

Tech Intro: It isn't a well regarded feature of gravel grinder wheel sets, but HED thinks it should be: Aerodynamics. This makes a lot of sense if you consider that gravel grinding events are out on open roads, not unlike road racing and triathlon events, which both have a strong focus on wheel and bicycle aerodynamics. Part of the HED Ardennes wheels I received are about that aero advantage.

Another trend being seen more and more in road/triathlon is wider rims. These are said to match up better with tires to gain better aerodynamics, but road riders are also finding out that tires are performing better, with faster speeds at lower pressures, with these wider rims. HED did not neglect this with these new wheels. Not only this, but with proper tubeless tape, valve stem, and use of sealant, the Ardennes rims can be used tubeless, further enhancing the versatility here.

Finally, HED realizes that there are a lot of riders using disc brakes, and a lot of riders still using cantilever brakes, so these wheels have a rim brake track and feature HED's own disc hubs that feature a Center Lock rotor interface. The Center Lock portion is neatly covered by a rubber end cap if not being used. There is also a clip on the center of the hub shell which conceals a traditional grease port. The inner sides of the cartridge bearings are not sealed, so one could inject grease, which then purges the older, contaminated grease out to the ends of the hubs where the outer seals "butterfly" open to allow the passage of grease. Nice touch. The cassette style hub features an aluminum free hub body that is nicely emblazoned with HED's logo.

The Numbers: 

• Spokes: 24 "LT" spokes, butted, in each wheel
• Hubs: "FR" level Center Lock compatible with semi-sealed cartridge bearings, center grease port. 24 hole flanges, traditional 9mm quick releases, and aluminum free hub body. Three pawls/28pts engagement. 100mm/135mmOLD
• Rims: Ardennes level aluminum 24mm deep X 25mm wide, (21mm inner rim dimension), brake track is machined with a center wear groove indicator. Rims are able to be set up tubeless with appropriate tubeless tape, tubeless valve stem,  and use of sealant. Graphics are reflective for visibility during night riding.
• Weight: HED's "Stallion Build" utilizing a higher spoke count for the front wheel: Front: 790 gm, Rear 890 gm. (Note- weight with Velocity tubeless rim tape installed, no QR skewers.) Total: 1680 gm for the set.
• MSRP: TBA

 Design Intentions & Background: HED's Andy Tetmeyer, who hand built the samples I have on test here, stated that these wheels are being introduced in an effort to offer the gravel road rider/racer something with an aerodynamic advantage while being tough enough to handle the rigors of riding gravel roads anywhere. The wheels were developed and were field tested in the latter half of 2012. The HED folks were excited by the results but decided to get a second opinion, (here), and so I received these wheels late in November of last year.

The wheels will be made available in HED's standard build, but I was advised to go with the "Stallion" build meant for bigger riders that weigh over 190lbs. Even with the stouter build and disc/rim brake versatility, the overall weight seems to be right what you might expect. Consider that many aero road wheel sets actually weigh even more than these wheels do.

Next: First Impressions

 NOTE: HED Wheels sent these Ardennes wheels over to Gravel Grinder News at no charge for test and review. I was not paid, nor bribed for this review and I strive to give my honest thoughts and opinions throughout.

The Daily Grind: February 7th, 2013

Today we have news about registrations, big numbers, and the "Original Gravel Grinder". Read on...

The Lowell 50: Over east of Grand Rapids, Michigan, they are laying out plans to not only run the Lowell 50 again, but to do it twice in the same year. Look for details on the site here. The two dates for 2013 are April 6th and October 26th. Of course, you can always find the links for these and other races on the Calendar Page.

Big Numbers: The Almanzo 100, (and its associated events- the Royal 165 and the renamed "Alexander" ultra-distance event), recently closed registration, and initial reports from organizer, Chris Skogen, indicate that the rider registration total has exceeded 1300 riders for the 2013 edition. The events all happen on the same day- May 18th, 2013, so it will remain to be seen how many show up on the start line, but it could be the largest gravel grinder ever.

Registration: Registration details for a few events now: First up we have the Heck Of The North. It has not opened registration, but details on when and how you can get on for this late September event are here. Next up, the registration process for Odin's Revenge has started. You better get ready for some remote, scenic Nebraska back country. All approximately 180 miles of it! Finally, The Raid On Sherwood Park not only set their date at June 9th, but also is taking on folks with an online registration process. Go to their site here for further details.

The Original Gravel Grinder? News from Bruce Gordon Cycles today concerning a limited run of 10 bikes to celebrate 25 years of the "Rock & Road" model from Bruce Gordon Cycles. This model is a seminal bike in the history of fat tire, 700c off roading, and was very influential on what would become the 29"er movement. However; as Mr. Gordon so correctly states, the Rock & Road model is also the "original gravel grinder" bike. So, he's calling this limited run the "O.G.G. 25" If you want one for yourself, you can call up Mr. Gordon and he will either T.I.G. weld one up, or for an upcharge, he can fillet braze yours. All ten will be signed by the master himself. Find out more here.