Giant Bicycle Road-E Electric Assist bike review
Amy has her a fancy Ebike that she has been enjoying a little over a year now. It has really opened up her horizons for cycling being able to go beyond the greenway or doing laps around the industrial park. She has been riding for a few years with me. Her first Giant bike was more of a comfort bike then she graduated to a straight up Giant road bike for 2-3 years. The road bike gave her much needed confidence and handling skills needed to get on the road in limited capacity. Last year she started working out at Tri Pillar Fitness in Clemmons (Sponsor Plug) 3 days a week and that cut down on her riding time. Two summers ago we went to Todd, NC and rented an ebike for the day and I could see how much more enjoyable the ebike was for her. Amy is an excellent bike handler and now all that was needed was a little technological assistance.
Her Giant RoadE ebike has disc brakes and 3 levels of assist…..Eco….Normal…..Power. Just to give you an idea of battery life we rode for 29 miles (1hr 45 minutes) yesterday and she came home with 54% battery left. That was using a mix of mostly ECO and Normal. Disc brakes give her confidence that she didn’t have before when going downhill. Now I have a hard time even gapping her going downhill.
If you think that you will be slowed down on a ride you would be sorely mistaken. It’s taken a while, but now we cruise along about 18-22 mph and when it comes time to climb I just tell her I will see her at the top. It’s cool to see her stand up and crank on the pedals and just ride away in the distance. There is nothing I can do to keep up. Most of the time it is in Eco and Normal mode, but for big climbs the switch will be moved to Power mode to crush any hope I had of keeping up.
Because it is electric assist many people might think you don’t get a workout because it’s doing all the work. You still have to turn the pedals and it doesn’t have to be put in Superman mode on the flats. Long story short, if you have ever considered getting an Ebike for someone you want to be able to participate more in cycling, it’s a fantastic purchase that you likely won’t regret. I know Amy has been really enjoying getting out this year and enjoying what a bike can be……….fun.
Everything you need to see if right here on this screen. Not exactly Iphone quality, but it gets the point across.
Some toggle swtiches right next to the display screen. The up / down lets you toggle between ECO / Normal / and Power Modes. If you notice there is a small button on top. It’s a handy little feature that puts it in walk mode.
Walk mode actually comes in handy sometimes when you are stopped. A lightweight bike this is not.
Big time tire clearance.
and more clearance.
Hincapie Sportswear Custom Kit Ordering Review
Intro
Today I am going to do a review of the entire process of ordering a custom cycling kit from Hincapie Sportswear. Let’s roll back a few years to when one of our beloved bike shops in Winston-Salem went out of business. Of course that shop had custom kits so what were we to do now? Go back to wearing cut off denim shorts and tank tops like the 90’s back in college? Nope.? Ask everyone if they would be interested in getting custom kits for the upcoming season, that’s what. We didn’t have a “sponsor” anymore and we needed to be able to provide some lucky business our amazing results so they could see a 4000% return on their investment. Not really, we just wanted to have something on our jerseys. What did I do? I reached out to my riding buddy who owns his own Custom Home building business here in Winston to see if he would let us put his name on our kits. 5 versions later and he still has billboard space.
Decision to go with Hincapie
I decided to go with Hincapie because they were somewhat local and my experience up to that point with their clothing had been a few items, but nothing elaborate. Also, when I checked into the cost of custom clothing our minds were made up. Assuming you have a decent quantity of kits you want to order, it’s actually cheaper to go full custom than to buy off the shelf cycling clothing. Why wear something that the masses will be wearing at your next event?
Contact with Hincapie
The process is what I would describe as straightforward. What I mean by that is there is really no guesswork on how it’s going to work even before you actually contact someone. Their website is very informative and answers most if not all questions you may have. The most helpful tool they have is the ability to download art templates for each collection. This is where it all the fun begins……for me at least.
One important step in your contact with Hincapie is that you may want to order a fit kit. The fit kit comes in handy to get accurate sizing for each team member especially if this is your first time wearing their clothing.
Design
I have access to Adobe Illustrator and the design is done by my wife and I as opposed to using Hincapie’ s design services. The way the design works for us is that I don’t really have anything specific in mind when I begin. It’s more or less put colors and random designs on the template and eventually see what sticks. I ask my wife for her input and she will shoot me straight if things are going awry. Our first couple of kit designs a few years ago were straightforward with muted colors and not much personalization. We kept it simple. The last 3 iterations we have trended towards visibility with a touch of “style” to set us apart from others. The color are obviously not for everyone, but they work for us.
On a side note. Hincapie also has a design team that will work with you to create what you want. You can stay completely out of the realm of applying designs, colors, etc using Illustrator. From what I understand you can try to communicate your ideas to their team and they run with it. I personally have never done that, but it’s an option for those who don’t want to deal with the design.
Submitting to Hincapie
I should again mention that it is best to contact Hincapie before you start your design process so you can be assigned a Project Manager and that should help out if you should have any questions.
After you and your team have settled on a design you simply email your files along with any specific logos that you may have directly to your representative. From there it will be forwarded to the design team and they will clean everything up and make sure that all is good to go on the production end. Before anything goes into production you are sent a link to view the proofs and approve. What helps more than anything is they now send 3D images along with the “flat” files. For some it’s hard to envision 2D files in the 3rd dimension so it is definitely a useful tool.
If you have to / want to make a change to the proof you simply ask for changes. It is all done digitally so it is very easy to pinpoint what exactly needs to change using the interactive markup tools. In my experience with them the turnaround time for changes happens in 2 days or less.
When you are happy with what you see, click approved and then the waiting begins.
Execution
There are 2 ways to get your kits. Previous to this year I have always done a bulk order and just given the kits out after they came in. Guess what? That’s like nailing jello to a wall. Sounds easier than it actually is. This year Hincapie opened a store for us so all that people had to do was go to the website, place their order and their items were delivered directly to their doorstep. Why didn’t I do this years ago?
In our 5 years of ordering we have never had one thing missing / damaged or the wrong size come in. That’s impressive.
Finally wearing the kits
The particular collection that we have decided up on is Signature bibs with Velocity Jersey’s. Everyone loves a good bib and the Signature Series is really a good feeling bib that is a step above the Velocity Series. The Signature bibs fit a little tighter than the Velocity bibs so just be aware of fit differences between series. Ultimately, we decided to stay with a Velocity jersey because it’s a good compromise between straight up race fit and little more room to breathe. Over the years they have improved the fit and function of their kits incrementally. Whether that is making them lighter and more breathable or adding little trinkets like different style leg and arm grippers. As far as durability is concerned my kits have made it through multiple washes and wearings and they have held up remarkably well over the years.
Conclusion
Up to this point things have been great with the whole process and I expect that to continue until we are too old to squeeze into lycra. It won’t be too long until my wife and I will be riding Ebikes that will take us 300 miles on a single charge and weigh 19lbs. Maybe by then they will be offering an Ebike clothing collection.
One final note: You can re-order clothing throughout the year with no minimums so if someone sees your kit and wants in on the action they most likely would be able to order one, or two, or three………..
Maybe not the classiest colors, but we try to mix visibility with a design that stands out from the mix of solid colors.
Excited to finally have a vest this year. This version is not insulated which means it will fold up in a jersey pocket when the temps start to rise. The pockets closed the deal for us in getting vest’s added this year. Very nice construction and weight.
My neck won’t be getting chilly in the early mornings.
Arm Gripper detail
Leg Gripper detail
Jersey, Bibs and Vest all come individually neatly packaged.
2018 Kit
2019 Kit
2020 Kit
Cervelo R5 Disc - Classics Edition Review
Beautiful night last week at the top of Pilot Mountain State Park
My Cervelo Backstory
This is not the first Cervelo that I have owned. (Check out the "About Me" section and you can see the first one that I owned in the gallery) My first one goes back to the glory days of carbon fiber bikes when they were something new and fancy. I had a Cervelo R2.5 which at the time was one of the best bikes out and ridden by Carlos Sastre for team CSC. It was lugged construction and a beautiful bike to behold, especially in 2007. Nowadays hardly anyone would take a second look.Brake transition:
Let's fast forward to the late 2019 when the industry was well under way with the transition away from rim brakes. I specifically remember telling someone on one of our falls rides that disc would be nice, but for around here rim brakes are fine. All my equipment was based on rim brakes and I had a good setup between 2 bikes.....1 climbing bike (Litespeed T1SL) and 1 aero bike (Argon 18 Nitrogen Pro with 65mm Carbon Clinchers)Accidentally purchased a “new to me” Cervelo R5 disc:
One day I was perusing the web and ran across a used Cervelo R5 disc with full mechanical Dura Ace and Mavic Ksyrium Carbon's in the Classic's Edition paint scheme from Bicycle Blue Book. Temptation...... why did I even look? I watched it for a long time. I would come back some time later and it's still there. Still there.....still there...I put in an offer to Bicycle Blue Book that was not insulting, but lower than I thought I would get it for because I expected them to counter. Well.....they didn't. Before long I had a new, used R5 disc headed my way. It arrived in perfect shape and visually looked to have very few miles on it and the paint scheme (or wrap) was stunning. Just a few minutes of assembly at I was good to go.Bike setup:
Over the winter I changed the group from Dura Ace mechanical to SRAM. The mechanical shifting was good and all, but I just don't prefer it. Between having it torn down to the frame and the constant cold weather over the winter, the Cervelo was neglected. The Litespeed was the go-to bike in late fall and over the winter. Here is the current setup of the Cervelo.Size - 51 (frame weight of 983 with BB installed and rear derailleur hanger)
Group - AXS Red
Chainring - 48/35
Cassette - 10/33
Handlebars - Argon 18 AHB5000 (integrated stem / bar) Yes, that really is the name which I assume is "Aero Handlebar"
Wheels - Princeton Carbonworks 6560 - raw weight of 1500 grams on the nose (setup with tubes right now)
Tires - Continental 4000
Pedals - Shimano Ultegra
Robert Axle Project thru axles - These save a decent amount of weight over the stock quick release skewers
Weight all in with pedals / 2 cages / wahoo mount - 16.69lbs
Ride Time:
I got so used to the longer wheelbase and more relaxed geometry of the Litespeed that when I transitioned back to the Cervelo over the past couple of weeks it took some serious getting used to. The bike is not what I would recommend to someone who is new to cycling. It is quick steering and likes to travel fast. As an aside to the quick steering......the stock headset bearing that came with the frame were absolute junk. I take apart my bikes, clean them, and lube what needs to be lubed regularly. I noticed the bearings were starting feel rough and the steering eventually started feeling sticky. I took the fork out to look and the bearing assembly had completely come apart. In all my years of cycling I have seen a headset do that. Considering the MSRP of the frame is approx. $3500-$4000, that's quite a disappointment. I replaced it with a Cane Creek Hellbender and it has been flawless and I think that has really "loosened" up the steering as well. I just was not used to that much freedom because I had gotten used to the bearings not doing their job like they should.In a fast group ride setting this bike is exceptional. When it's up to speed it is stable, but at the same time you can quickly adjust to standard group ride dynamics. (i.e. people standing when you don't expect them to, random braking in the group, you know the deal). If you get dropped on your local group ride it is most definitely not the bike's fault. If you are having a good day, it will respond to pace changes instantly with no feeling of power loss due to flex.Headed to the mountains for some climbing and descending? Don't leave this one behind. The bike is stiff laterally and you can feel it when you pedal. I really like the advantages of disc brakes, but my favorite by product of the disc brake frame design is the thru axles. Compared to a quick release bike the thru axles really give a solid feel to the bike that is hard to explain until you regularly ride one. Stand up and put the power down going up a steep hill and you don't get the flex from the rear end like on some QR bikes. I don't notice it so much now because I am used to it, but the difference IS noticeable. On the downhills all you need to do is hit the corners with speed and lean into them. Don't steer into it or you will be going into the ditch on the other side of the road.Would I buy this bike in 2021?
It is a great bike and continues to be, but probably not. I would not say there is anything that makes this bike stand apart from any other high-end bikes. All high-end bikes nowadays are incredible and ridiculously expensive. Your choice most likely depends on your brand loyalty.I can set my Litespeed Ultimate Gravel in road form and it can handle the climbing and long-distance duties almost as well as the Cervelo. The Litespeed in full road setup is probably 1 pound heavier than the Cervelo and that by no means is a make or break. Reason?
I would probably go for all out aero frame disc bike. The weight on aero style frames have come down to a reasonable level and I already have one in mind. I prefer to think of it like this. 5-15 watts of claimed savings by purchasing an aero frame may not seem like much, but I am a smaller rider and do not put out enormous power. 5-15 watts for me is a larger percentage than someone who is 170lbs and generates much higher wattage. It's simple math. At my age I need all the advantages that I can BUY because I'm not sure if you are aware or not, but as you age you typically don't start putting out more power. Unless of course you retire early and train all week. I can't do that, and I don't have any desire to ride 25 hours a week.Side Note:
I still stand by my statement that disc brakes are not necessary, but they sure are nice. It's progression. I don't need a car that starts with the push of button while my key is in my pocket either, but it sure is nice.Until next time.......at some point I will discuss the cost of brand-new bikes. A little out of control to say the least.
Brown Mountain in the background. Doesn’t look like much, but it’s a hard 4 minute effort.
Glory shot of the Princeton Carbonworks 6560
I like the hidden seatpost binder and have had no issues at all with slipping.
I had to add about 3/4”-1” of spacers under the stem. The stack on this frame is low.
BEEFY
Replacing these Monoblock calipers with the newer 2 piece caliper’s soon
Robert Axle Project Thru Axle
At the base of Sauratown Mountain with Hanging Rock in the background
Princeton Carbonworks Wake 6560 Disc Mid-Term Review
Intro
I titled this the mid-term review because this was only my 5th ride on these wheels, but I have a fairly good feel of them after getting to ride 3 times them this past week. Let me first throw out there that previous to these wheels I was riding a set of Zipp 303s. For the price those wheels are hard to beat. They had a rim ID of 23mm and were hookless. I had them setup with Tubeless Schwalbe Pro One’s that were 28mm wide. Air pressure was 55 rear and 51 front and that was according to the Zipp’s handy tire pressure guide. Needless to say it was a pretty sweet setup. I never doubted the wheels ability to hold it’s line in the corner due to the wider footprint. Was I ready to give that up and go to back in time to an internal ID of 18mm? I suppose the answer to that would be yes. I sold the Zipp’s and went all in on these. PCW has a generous 30 day ride guarantee, but with the weather over the past month I have gone over that time limit so maybe winter wasn’t the best time to buy a set of new wheels. So they are officially mine now, love em’ or hate em. Will I have to sell them on the used market for a loss? Let’s find out.
Wheel Setup
I set the wheels up with tubes and an old set of Conti 4000s tires. Coming from the Zipp’s I was still of the mindset that less pressure was better, but did not take into account that these wheels needed to be setup vastly different. I think I put 70 rear and 66 front, if that much. Not a good choice and the subsequent 2 rides reflected my poor choice. I needed to leave the idea of such low air pressure in the rear view mirror with these wheels.
Rides 1 and 2 - A little hesitant
The first ride back in January was a feeler ride. Cold, short and just making sure that all was good with the tires and tubes, etc. They just felt like wheels. The 2nd ride was a climbing ride on one of our local “big” climbs in Winston. I am happy to report that the wheels climbed great and felt stiff. Descending and going around curves was a different story. They did not feel planted, felt squishy in the corners and make me pucker up a couple of times that day. I have ridden plenty of deep dish wheels so this was not my first experience in the 60mm and beyond territory.
Ride 3 - Still not sure
Fast forward to this past Wednesday when it was near 70 degrees and I was able to get to ride two of our local climbs in one brief after work ride. It had a bit of everything, long stretches of road, short climbs, rollers and then of course the 2 bigs climbs. Climbing was a delight and then it came time to descend. It felt the same as before. Squirrely and actually scared me a couple of times. To be honest I was a little disappointed and ready to send them back and hopefully trade them in for some Grit 4540’s because they have a wider internal ID. Don’t stop here…..it’s get better so please keep reading.
Ride 4 - The tide has turned in favor of the Wake’s
Thursday was a weather surprise so I was able to get out again after work. The route that I rode was an industrial park that is about a 5 minute loop and it would be a good testing ground with some fast corners on tap. This time I wised up and adjusted the tire pressure taking into account the internal ID and the fact that I was riding tubes. Using the handy Zipp tire pressure guide again I wound up with approximately 79 in the rear and 75 in the front. Maybe still a bit low, but man what a difference. That adjustment absolutely changed the entire ride characteristics of the wheels for me…..as it should have. I now realize that previously running such low pressure with these wheels the tires would want to deform and give me that unstable, “squishy” feeling that made me so nervous. It was a perfect testing night and I could take the corners at speed without feeling like the tires were going to give way. They felt so fast and that was not a placebo. Being 65mm at their deepest point they are going to hold momentum really well. That’s just the facts.
Ride 5 - I’m not getting rid of these wheels anytime soon
The weather cooperated today for another ride so I headed to downtown Winston to do some climbing on the hills. I hit one of my go to routes from the house that includes fast portions as well as short, steep climbs. They performed flawlessly and are so much fun on long straights and downhills. I am impressed that they are so stiff when climbing as well. They aren’t going to be to blame for getting to top of a mountain slower than others. Several times I was able to get some speed going downhill, go into corners hot and am happy to report I felt none of the uneasiness from the previous rides. I chalk the bad ride feel of rides 2 and 3 to USER ERROR and nothing more.
I can’t wait to set the wheels up with my Conti 5000 tubeless tires. I expect the performance to get even better when I put the tubeless tires on.
Mid-Term Review
Before purchasing these wheels I reached out to someone who owns a set of the Grit 4540’s and the Wake 6560’s to see if it would help sway my decision one way or the other. I was leaning towards the 4540’s because they have the larger ID, but really wanted a set of the 6560’s to help me eek out any extra aero advantage at all. I’m getting old remember. His advice was that for fast group rides you can’t beat the 6560’s. Sold. He also mentioned that once I rode the 6560’s that I would want a set of each………after my recent experience with the wheels he is 100% right. I would absolutely love to have the 4540’s for dedicated climbing days and for REALLY windy days. Maybe someday soon.
Next Review
The next review will be the final review. I want to ride in some windy conditions (which these wheels were designed for) over the next month or so to get a really good feel for them.(Update: 2/28 - Today’s ride was a fast group ride and my first since early November. It was the perfect testing ground. The ride started out with relatively calm winds and by the end we had some strong, steady crosswinds. My expectations were surpassed the way they handled the wind. That’s not to say they were oblivious to the wind just that at no point did I feel uneasy. Keep in mind that these are 65mm at their deepest point. To me…..there is something to the shape of the rims beyond cosmetic)
Subtle Graphics are a plus. I would say visually the wheels are probably divisive.. Some will like it and some will not and some will think they are just doing this to be different. Personally……I like the way they look. Most importantly, there is a reason they look the way they do.
Quarry Park in Winston-Salem, NC in the background.
I chose to go the more affordable route and purchased my wheels with the PCW branded hubs.
Quarry Park in Winston-Salem, NC.
My current setup.
Clean surface with no spoke holes. No need to worry about rim tape peeling back and causing the air to leak out.
Front Wheel Weight - NOT including valve
Rear Wheel Weight - NOT including valve
Handy Mountain Breakdown - Gravel Race / Ride Review - Westfield, North Carolina
Brief history of my Gravel life
Let’s go back to 1991 when I graduated high school and bought my first mountain bike. That started the decade of mountain biking that was the wild wild west of bicycle design. It was a great decade to experience all the different designs and ideas that everyone had for a better full suspension bicycle. Pretty much if designers could find a place to fit a shock on the bike then it was produced. I remember my first front suspension had maybe just a tad over 1” of travel and it was glorious. I am digressing quickly into a whole other post.……focus, focus.
All this to say that Mountain biking in the 90’s was very similar to gravel biking today. Fire roads, singletrack, and asphalt. The only difference is that today’s gravel bikes are much more capable than what I was riding in 1991. Faster, larger wheels, lighter frame, better shifting and the list goes on and on. I was late coming to the gravel side only purchasing a gravel bike this past spring (You can read my review of my Litespeed Ultimate Gravel), but with a background rooted in mountain biking the transition was not as hard for me as some who may just be a dedicated roadie. I spend most of my time on the road so there is no doubt that I lose some technical skill, but I’m mostly not intimidated by playing in the dirt.
Brief History of Autodrop LTD…..Barry and Erich. Now just Barry
I will give you a little backstory of Barry. I first met him in 2008/09 after we had both recently transplanted to Winston-Salem from different geographic regions. When I first met him he was working at the local bike shop of choice and was a strapping young fella. Since he is still in his 30’s I still consider him a young fella. There was a time when Barry was all about going fast and training for the tour of Battenkill in New York and even some local crit races. Somewhere along the way things took a little detour and he began to focus on the “ride” and began his transition to adventure type riding and more mountain biking. Lucky for us. I should say that his is still fast, he just doesn’t have a regimented training plan like he used to.
He and Erich put on a couple of stunner bike events in the years from 2012-2013. Possibly more. The first one that I remember was a “checkpoint” adventure ride, kind of like a poker run on bicycles. Everyone left from the same point in Winston would could ride as far as time allowed and take photos at checkpoints all over the area for points. The team that collected the most points over their day’s journey was deemed the champion forever. That event was a great success.
My personal favorite was the Doubleshot. This race was a running mass start that was started with the sound of a cannon blast echoing through the valley. You ran about 100 yards to your awaiting mountain bike and raced 2 laps of Moore’s Spring Trails at maximum heart rate. Upon completion of the mountain bike portion you then stumbled around on your tired legs and looked for your road bike in the coral. From there you began a 12 mile loop that finished at the top of Hanging Rock State Park. 12 miles may not sound like much, but after 2 laps in the woods the elevation of those 12 miles caught up with you. I still am not aware of anyone who promotes an event like this one. It was truly unique, but I think the red tape of Hanging Rock State Park helped put an end to this one.
Wake up and Show up
Now that this historic portion is established let’s jump to Handy Mountain Breakdown. When you pull up to Jessup Mill you are greeted with a rural feel. Because it is. Typically you have the option to camp the night before the ride, but as everyone knows 2020 threw a 25mm wrench into everyone’s plans. There is generous parking across the street from the Mill that will allow you to get everything in order for your ride and speak to some old riding buddies that may have been ignored because of COVID. Barry spends the night before the ride getting things in order and making sure things will be easy and efficient at check in. There were breakfast snacks and I think coffee, but most importantly the fire-pit was roaring. It was especially cold in the early morning given that it was the first weekend in October. I DO NOT like cold weather, I tolerate it.
Ride Time
The sky could not have been any more blue to greet us for the ride. Barry had a quick rider meeting before letting us roll out on the course. Typically it is a mass start and has more of a fondo / race feel, but this year you had a window of time to begin your ride due to Covid regulations. Most people generally started around the same time in smaller groups going out in small time gaps. Right off the bat you are pedaling a small paved uphill and quickly take a right onto the first gravel section which has a little bit of everything, short downhill, sharp rutted corner and then a gradual climb back out and onto the asphalt. Everyone was riding soft at first and chatting it up and as always happens at some point it turned fast.
The route is fantastic. The gravel was in absolute great condition. I did not run my gravel tires that day because it had been so dry leading up to the ride. I rode tubeless 32mm Bontrager tires that were slick in the middle and just a tad of grip on the sides. They ended up being perfect for the day, but would have been horrible a horrible choice had the conditions been any different. I took a little risk with this setup because it was basically untested for me.
I have a photo of the entire route profile in the images below so you can reference that for details. Suffice it to say that there is hardly a flat spot to be found on the route. The longest climbs of the day were Peter’s Creek Mountain - (11-16 minutes) and Mitchell’s Mill (12-18 minutes) both of which are steady and have some steep portions. Peter’s Creek is gravel and Mitchell’s Mil is paved.
Due to a road closure the week going into the weekend Barry had to do some quick re-routing. Unfortunately that meant that the queen climb of the route, Squirrel Creek Road, was taken out this year. It’s a doozy of a climb and is a real leg burner.
The hardest section to me was Kibler Valley Road pictured below. 90% gravel.
Don’t let that little hump in the middle fool you. It’s an exhausting road to me at race pace because there is no resting at all. Constant pedaling. There is a snack station at the turn around point if you have drained yourself physically. The climb out was a steep one to deal with and normally would not have been there if not for unforeseen gravel road construction that took out Squirrel Creek Road climb. Sad Face.
After Kibler Valley Road you are on your way to the end, but don’t be fooled. I hope you have energy stored up. It’s up then down, up then down……gravel down then gravel up, up then down to the finish. That was a nice little treat. Honestly though…..who wants to ride a flat ride? Not me. I loved it.
After the Ride
Barry has created a nice atmosphere after the ride. The fire is going. The food is plenty and everyone just hangs out and chats. In 2019 he had a local bluegrass band show up for entertainment and apparently they were really good. The musical portion is advertised around the area and the locals who have nothing to do with the ride show up and listen too. It’s a great community event. Barry has rounded up quite a few good sponsors over the years and that means some really good raffle prizes. No first, second or third place finish necessary. You ride….you have a chance to win.
Wrap up
If you need an event to keep you motivated throughout the year put this one on your list. You will not be disappointed. If you are……then that’s your own fault.
October 30th, 2021 - Edition 4
https://www.facebook.com/autodropltd
http://autodropltd.blogspot.com/
Picture Time
If you so choose you can walk back in the woods you can be treated to this little gem. It’s about a 3 minute walk from the campsite
Another view from the same location. It was a beautiful morning the day of the ride
Not 100% sure what this was, but it looked cool. Probably a piece of moonshine equipment disguised as a run down shed
This is where you will check in on the morning of the ride. Barry is ready for anything with his Salsa. The monster truck of bicycles.
Photo Credit: Unknown cyclist
Check in time. Goody bag, breakfast and free custom Handy Mountain Breakdown socks
Photo Credit: Unknown cyclist
Ahhhh……warmth.
Photo Credit: Patty Hall Young
All laughter and good times before the start. Most likely all conversations are as follows……”Dude, you been riding much?, nah man I haven’t been riding much at all.” Bicycle events are funny that way. I’ve hardly met any cyclist in all my years who admits to being in shape.
Photo Credit: Patty Hall Young
People checking computers, tire pressure and still talking about how they haven’t been riding much.
Photo Credit: Patty Hall Young
And they are off…..slowly this year.
Photo Credit: Patty Hall Young
The Boss Man and I (sorry for my non-matching shoe covers) going for a pre-ride spin. By Boss Man I mean he’s the sponsor of our “team”. If you need a beautiful house built in Winston-Salem call Duane at Henderson Custom Homes.
Photo Credit: Patty Hall Young
Some happy riders out enjoying their day on the course
Photo Credit: Patty Hall Young
The gravel was in perfect condition.
Photo Credit: Unknown cyclist
Absolutely perfect day.
Photo Credit: Patty Hall Young
You can choose to ride this how you want. Some race, some ride.
Photo Credit: Patty Hall Young
Happy times.
Photo Credit: Patty Hall Young
He is having a good time
Photo Credit: Patty Hall Young
And so is he
Photo Credit: Patty Hall Young
Look at that view
Photo Credit: Unknown cyclist
This is a nice shot of a switchback that takes you to the top of Handy Mountain
Photo Credit: Unknown cyclist
Barry at the top of Squirrel Creek Road. The steep part is behind him.
Nothing but a bear to see here. Please move on.
Photo Credit: Patty Hall Young
Route profile above. I ended up with 5974 ft of climbing in 59.78 miles. Pretty solid day.
Screen Shot Credit: Mitch
Litespeed T1SL Review
Opener:
Since I did my last review of the Litespeed Ultimate Gravel order process and options I will not be including that in this review. Full disclosure I do not have this bike anymore because I went full steam ahead with disc and as you may know I now have the Ultimate Gravel. I have no plans to get rid of that bike anytime soon. I believe the design is pretty future proof for a few years. . When I purchased the T1SL (2016) things were starting to trend towards disc, but I sure didn’t anticipate the transition happening so fast. So here we are without a T1SL and I’m still going to review it.
Where it all started:
When the T1SL was released in summer of 2015 I was hooked because of the advertised weight of the frame (1000 grams). Eyeballing the standard T1 for years I just couldn’t pull the trigger because I thought it was too “heavy” because I still race and mostly enjoy climbing. I went to the World Championships in Richmond last in 2015 and Litespeed had a booth set up showcasing their bikes. It was there that I got to pick the brain of Head Designer and Engineer Brad Devaney. I had watched some videos with Brad being interviewed about their bikes over the years, but getting to speak with him in person was a treat. Unless you go custom, how often do you get to talk to the person who designed your bike? By talking with him it was obvious he has a passion for bikes and it was nice of him to take the time to talk. I left Richmond with a fresh catalog in hand and a wife who had to listen to me talk about it.
Ride and observations:
The bike is simply amazing to ride. I would not classify this bike as twitchy in any sort of way. My bike was a size Medium with a 54 top tube, 73 degree head tube and 73.5 degree seat tube angle. This geometry fit me perfectly and really that is the key to getting along with any bike. Compared to older titanium frames this is on the stiffer side, but nowhere near uncomfortable. Over the long haul you probably are not going to be as fatigued as a super stiff Aero bike and that in turn makes you faster in the end. When you are comfortable you are faster and having more fun.
Let’s go to the highlight reel:
Stable
Holds it’s line well in corners
Not quite the instant snap of a super stiff carbon bike, but there is a tradeoff there as well like I mentioned above.
To be titanium and so lightweight it really is incredible how much performance they can eek out of this frame
Handle’s century rides any pace you want
Handle’s crit races easily. The handling is spot on for anything
Descends beautifully and rails the corners all with no nervousness. I never experienced a speed wobble on this bike
Beautiful craftsmanship
Top tube shaping is very unique and eye catching. It’s made from 6/4.
Easily builds to sub 16lbs all in with pretty standard equipment.
Classic styling.
The last iteration was built with Campy Record 12 speed. As you see it ….. 15.62lbs. I will be doing a review on the wheels and components at some point.
6/4 Sheet formed into this tube. I have been to the factory before and to see all the machinery that is used to make the bikes was a cool experience. Where I work has a metal fabrication shop, but nothing like the setup they have at Litespeed. All of their dies are made in house.
If you decide to run electronic the guides that are on both sides of the head tube are easily removable making for a clean look. The decals are a little fragile, but they now have the etched logo option so problem solved.
Old school rim brake. I really should say trusty, light, reliable and low maintenance.
Clean seat tube.
Removable head tube cable guides. Extra frame plugs when running wireless.
Quality checklist provided with your purchase.
Came creek 110 headset. Made in North Carolina.
Engraved logo in the head tube. Never goes out of style.
National cycling center in the background here in Winston-Salem.
Would I buy it again?
Yes and No. Rim brake - no. Disc Brake - yes. If rim brake is your jam then you absolutely can’t go wrong with this version of the T1SL.
Litespeed Ultimate Gravel Review
Ahhhhh Litespeed. Before I begin this review of my Litespeed Ultimate Gravel I am going to go ahead and say that I am an official fanboy of the brand. If you look at the “About Me” section of this website you will see there are 7 models of Litespeed bikes on display….and one that I can’t find a picture of. The first picture is a 1999 Litespeed Tuscany that I bought in the year 2000 from the now defunct River City Bicycles, when I moved to Chattanooga for a new job and life. I consider it my first official road bike, but technically it was the second road bike that I had owned. In 1999 I bought my first road bike for $450. It was a Trek with a carbon top tube and down tube lugged to Aluminum with down tube shifters. Keep in mind at that time STI shifting was not on every bike available. Going from that Trek to the Tuscany with STI shifting was were it all began for me.
Let’s dive into the details.
ORDERING PROCESS:
They are a patient crew at Litespeed. With every order being custom it makes it harder on them, but great for the consumer. Once you settle on your particular model the fun part begins. How am I going to spec it out? You can pick brushed titanium which is my personal preference, but you can also have it painted if that is your cup of tea. I do have to say that their paint schemes are pretty sharp and will still showcase the brushed titanium finish. Just speak to the customer service and they will help you out with whatever you need. Electronic only, Add Cable stops, T47 upgrade are just a few of the options you have.
I chose the Ultimate Gravel for it’s all around versatility. With a few days of pondering I ended up buying the frame, adventure fork and Cane Creek Headset. I had them add cable stops just in case. Once the order was finalized they gave me a timeline for the build which turned out to be spot on. This was at the beginning of the pandemic so the wait time was not as long then.
Grade: A+
ARRIVAL:
After preparing my wife for the impending arrival of the frame and knowing that I would be absent for a good part of the night it was time to assess the situation.
Grade: B+ (Minor grade reduction because of the packaging. It arrived safely, but the packaging was nothing special. It was wrapped and protected, but pretty much just put in box with lots of kraft paper. I work in the packaging industry so I look at things a little differently than most on this front). On the other side of the coin my brother-in-law ordered a complete Ultimate bike and the packaging was an A+. See Below. I put his together for him and it went together flawlessly. The disc didn’t even rub when it was done.
INITIAL QUALITY:
Not much to say here except that you can not appreciate the tube shaping and welding until you see it in person. I love the fact that their tubing is not just round.
Grade: A+
ADVERTISED FRAME WEIGHT: ARE THEY HONEST?
Right on the money. My size medium with headset cups installed, rear derailleur hanger attached and water bottle bolts weighed 1373 grams. Advertised weight for a size medium is 1340 WITHOUT the items I mentioned so that is a win. Very nice to see an accurate weight.
Grade: A+
ASSEMBLY:
Straightforward and easy is how I would describe it. I personally run ETAP so I didn’t have worry about shifter cables, but the brake cables run internally and the way their frame is made you don’t need any specialty tools to run the cables. They put a small internal tube inside of the main tubes so you simply run your cables in the frame and they magically pop out in the right place with no wizardry necessary.
Grade: A
ACTUAL BUILD WEIGHT: 18.69 lbs all in.
I am not going to give you weights that don’t matter in the real world. I hate when sites review bikes and say it weighs 16 lbs…….no it doesn’t. Most of the time there are no pedals and no water bottle cages. I realize that those are personal choices, but come on.
My build weight includes Shimano 105 pedals, 2 aluminum cages, Wahoo computer mount and Wahoo Elemnt Bolt.
Frame: Litespeed Ultimate Gravel – Size medium with cable stops welded onFork: Litespeed Gravel Fork (non-adventure for now)Headset: Cane Creek 40Bottom Bracket: Wheels ManufacturingGroup: SRAM 11 speed ETAPCrank: 52/36Cassette: 11/30Brakes: TRP Hy/Rd mechanical brakes – Used these because I already had the rim ETAP group. These are actually super simple and work great.Wheels: Hunt 50 (set up tubeless)Tires: Challenge Gravel Grinder (tubeless)Seat: Fizik Antares (braided rails)Seatpost: Carbon Post (116 grams)Handlebar: Syncros RR1.0 Integrated (current bar, I did have an Argon integrated bar/stem)Bar Tape: Fizik
RIDE:
I also have a Cervelo R5 disc and if I had to get rid of one of them….the Cervelo would be gone in a heartbeat. The Cervelo is 2 pounds lighter and more aggressive, but at the same time I set my personal best on one of the 3 big climbs just outside of Winston….Hanging Rock State Park. And I have been riding that climb for 13 years. That just goes to show that this bike will not hold you back.
The Ultimate Gravel is such a versatile bike. I can swap out my gravel wheelset for my road wheelset in just a couple of minutes and be ready to go take on a fast group ride without feeling like I’m leaving anything on the table. The Litespeed fork has extra mounts so during the height of the pandemic when stores were closed I would have 4 water bottles on my bike for extended rides.
I am not a large rider, but I can really appreciate when a bike is laterally stiff so when I put down what power that I have it just feels really solid underneath you. Honestly, I can not tell that much, if any, difference in the Cervelo and the Litespeed when it comes to responsiveness. The Litespeed is super stable on the road or on the trails which is what you want out of a gravel bike.
I suppose I could go on about ride quality of titanium, but a lot nowadays is really subjective because of wider rims and low air pressure. What I love about the overall ride of the Litespeed Titanium is that it is a really complete unit. It just feels planted and solid at all times. As an added bonus I don’t have to worry about pebbles hitting the tubes.
Simply get out and enjoy the ride. You won’t regret it if you are on the fence about getting one.
Ocoee, TN
Chilhowee Mountain - Ocoee, TN - Same day as the gravel ride above. Simply changed out the wheels and I was good to go.
WOULD I BUY IT AGAIN:
Absolutely. The only thing that I would change is to have the BB upgraded to T47. The PF30 has not been problematic. It just would have made home maintenance easier.
Hope you enjoyed. If you have any questions or want specific pictures just let me know. I realize that this review was really favorable in the “grading”, but it’s just that good.
Princeton Carbonworks Wake 6560 Disc First Impressions
Princeton Carbonworks Wake 6560 Disc in for review. By “in” I mean that I purchased them a couple of weeks back with my Gamestop money. Just kidding. I have been interested in these wheels from the time that they first came out with the rim brake version. Yes, they are visually similar to the Zipp 454, but they were more “affordable”. Even though I am a smaller rider I like to ride deep wheels because the majority of the riding in Winston-Salem is fast rolling terrain. I love to climb, but I am not a wheel switcher so whatever wheel I ride in the winds of March through April are the wheels I am going to ride in the heart of summer going climbing in Boone, NC. I don’t want to switch between climbing wheels and fast wheels. On the surface these wheels tick all the boxes. Below are my first impressions of what I received. I will do a follow up review when I have some time on the wheels.
I do have to say that the team at PCW is more than helpful and very responsive to inquiries.
The box arrived in great shape in one of the best wheel boxes I have seen.
Nice little extra feature that I have never seen on another wheel box.
Neatly packaged
Notice anything? No spoke holes = no rim tape. Nice.
XDR hub for me
Actual weight for the rear wheel sans valves is 810 grams.
Actual weight of the front wheel sans valves is 690 grams.
Keep in mind that these wheels are 65mm at the deepest and 60mm at the shallowest for each wheel so 1500g on the nose is impressive. The ID of 18mm is a little narrow by todays newer standards, but the 6560 is made for speed so I will take the tradeoff. I went back and forth about the Wake 6560 or the Grit 4540 and all but had my mind made up to go with the 4540 because I liked the extra rim width it offers. In the end I decided that I wanted to buy speed and need anything that can help me at this point because at my age it’s hard to get faster. Just wait you youngsters, it will happen to you as well.
So far I have one ride on these wheels and will do a ride report when I have had a chance to properly put some time in. I am looking forward to riding them as they are regarded as one of the best when it comes to wind gusts. As someone who literally got blown off the road last year that is important to me.