Category: Reviews

But frankly neither one are what I want. What would I want? How about a 46/36 or 46/34 with an 11-40 rear cassette? Not with the components I have though, unless I could make it work with something like Wolftooth’s Road Link, but with 2x, I still have to deal with the capacity of the rear derailleur to handle chain slack.

The Flare 25 definitely does have a different feel. The vibrations I felt were……not muted, they were there, but not the same frequency, for sure. Other bars had a “zing” to them, which I could say might affect me negatively, but as for this SPANK bar, I cannot say at this point that it is “better” for me

Giant Bicycles Shuttle Flat Shoes: Checkpoint – by Guitar Ted Flat pedals are definitely a “thing” for mountain biking these days, but what about gravel…

It was a sweaty, moist day in the saddle and the breath-ability of the shorts worked in my favor, never feeling swampy. Around the 80 mile mark I typically get achy and start to shift around in the saddle to find a position that does not offend the nethers. But it occurred to me that I was not doing that. At all. I was just sitting and pedaling, still happy after 5 hours in the saddle. Excellent.

Two words kept cropping up whenever Grannygear and I discussed these Boken 700 X 40mm and Boken Plus 650B X 47mm tires. Those words were fast and smooth. The IRC Boken models are some of the fastest and most comfortable tires we’ve tried.

There were times when I got on top of a gear on the pavement and completely forgot that I was on a gravel tire. Now the WTB Resolutes are good rolling for what they are. The IRCs are a step up from them. The Hutchinson Overides are another level completely. I bet the 35s really fly.

Spring Clothing Round-Up: Assos – by Grannygear Assos is one of those brands I would see reviewed and discussed on the internet and done so…

Hot on the heels of Cannondale’s recent announcement of the 2020 Topstone Carbon, it’s time to wrap up the review of the 2019 Topstone 105 we’ve been testing since early-May.

I have heard from several industry wags that a 143mm saddle fits 90% of the male riders out there. On the 143mm I was more aware of sit bone pressure as that was the primary area of contact. It was not bad, just different. Interesting in a way, as sometimes you have to try a saddle rather than go by the numbers. Width does not always play out the same between models.

Over the last two months (!!) that the final part of this review lasted, I have ridden the Noble GX5 as a “daily driver”, taken it out on some of the nastiest roads we’ve seen in years, and ridden it on “normal” Mid-West roads. Through it all, I have remained impressed with this carbon fiber bicycle with roots going back to another gravel bike I really like.