Are you comparing power, or just speed?  Speed can depend on a lot of variables like terrain, wind, road surface, tire pressure, position, etc., so it's usually not the best of metrics to compare.

Dude, Sam, those monster tires 650 with knobs forget about it: gonna be slooooow moving

Sure the position.

But that photo that you posted is a photo/video of the most awesome gravel bike ready to handle and destroy CHUNKY MEGA GRAVEL, which it will do SLOWLY.

change to 700c with slicks and fly baby fly.

interesting stuff, thanks.  @GregHoge, I'm just measuring it against same route over a three week period so pretty apples to apples.  One interesting thing from Whoop: One day a few weeks back I rode this 90s mtn bike I just finished building, and Whoop automatically categorized it as mountain biking, despite me never before using that activity in the app, and despite the fact that I was on paved roads.  But when I've ridden the Bearclaw, Whoop is like WTF is this activity, please tell me.

@eloy: one of my most lucid memories of the Overland was most people walking that Class IV road and you flying by riding them slicks.  The bearclaw is in party mode right now, going to ask santa for some 700c wheels to swap out when the riding ain't technical. Will be interesting to see with the non-chunky tires because right now, pretty crazy feeling to be going at speed and hit a big bump and essentially feel nothin, probably the wide tires talkin but also maybe the flex of the Ti frame.

I can only imagine how expensive this bike was to print...

https://bikerumor.com/3d-printed-pinarello-bolide-f-hr-3d-alloy-track-bike-of-filippo-gannas-hour-record-attempt/

I am getting ready to switch out my summer carbon wheels for my winter aluminium training wheels.

Conti 4 Seasons is a good go to winter tire. Not quite as robust as the gatorskins, but feel much better.

CX folks (or anyone who wipes out in the mud).  How do you clean your kit to keep it sparkling white?  After my muddy wipe out the other week I washed my jersey out as best I could.  I put it through the wash today (cold wash, extra rinse, regular Tide detergent) and there's still a huge mud stain on the shoulder and side.  Any tips/tricks? Or is this kit gonna be relegated even further down the line to "muddy day kit".

I do have some clothes that are saved for wet or muddy days.

Still, these often work for me:

• Clean the kit the same day - or next day, if a two day weekend
• Keep the kit wet/moist ish, usually putting the kit on a laundry bag is enough to do this. If the thing completely dries, it'll become part of the kit
• Pour liquid detergent right on the stains
• Warm Hot water on the washing machine, and detergent there too, to clean whatever else
• If needed, I pour some liquid bleach alternative (not actual clorox, as the orange and blue could be affected)

Good luck!

@GregHoge

I'm a fan of spraying on Shout.  Our contact at Champ-Sys, Ben, is a fan of OxiClean.  Shout advertises that it can be sprayed on and left on.  With the OxiClean spray, I think you need to wash it within a short time frame.  They have other OxiClean formulas. I haven't tried them yet.  

But, as Eloy wrote, it's best to either get a first cleaning at the race, or leave you clothes damp in a waterproof bag and then hit them the moment you get home.

I noticed that our older Champ-Sys tech skin suits seemed to clean easier than tech and air-lite jerseys.  The latest performance skin suit has nicer spandex fabric, but doesn't seem to clean as easily as the old tech spandex.  

Has anyone had trouble cleaning the eco jerseys?

I raced in one last week and despite washing it on warm, putting detergent directly on it, etc., it is far from sparkly white. I'm curious if the material itself just stains easier 

@Matt Budofsky

No, haven't tried the jersey yet.  I think Mark Taylor has one.

Continuing on the muddy clothing discussion.  It seems that keeping mucked up clothes damp until you can wash them is beneficial to cleaning.  One of the ways I do this is by stuffing the damp clothes into a waterproof "dry bag" so the wet says on the inside of the bag.  

I have a Sea To Summit dry bag in the 4 Liter size.  I've had it for over a decade.  For wintry cyclocross, 4L is not quite big enough, but for most cyclocross outings, it's sufficient.  At 4l, it can take socks, skinsuit, leg warmers, long sleeve base layer, and gloves. It's also just a better-sealed way to bring home damp cycling clothes.

  

Changing gears.

I was at the Philadelphia Bike Expo Saturday.  Silca was there, and honcho Josh Poertner was at the booth.

He was by the lube demo station they had set up.  It was a Dura-Ace Drivetrain held together with a 3D printed titanium chainstay.  I listened to him spiel a bit to a customer, then asked some questions.

I asked what's the best way to apply lube.  He claims that the best spot is to cross-chain at the top of the chain just as the chain comes off the second tallest cog (if a 28 is your lowest gear, then put the chain on the53x25).  You do it there because the flex of the chain link opens up an easier path to getting lube in between the pin and roller, and then when the chain straightens, the lube is effectively sucked into that space.

He went on to tell me, 'I've weighed the chain after this method compared to the other, it is measurably heavier when lubed at this point.'  I asked, 'so you did it once?'  'no.  several times.'

Poertner added that microfiber cloths are also way more absorbent than cotton rags.  

He also dissed Squirt, my current lube, by claiming that while it's good, the only way to really get it into the pins and rollers is us use a hairdryer.  

FWIW, I'm going to try the lube method next time I'm lubing.  

re: tubeless

I aske Poertner if Silca was going to sell some kind of 'can' for blowing tubeless tires onto rims.  He demurred, saying that AirShot was excellent and he couldn't sell one at a reasonable price point.  I asked, 'maybe 3D print it' for Greg.  He said that he thinks overall fit will be better in a year or so and that it will no longer be a concern.

So, to youse all.  Do any of you have an accessory booster for blowing on tubeless tires?  AirShot looks pretty good, but is hard to get in the US and seems that Schwalbe has a near identical version.  At $50-90, depending on the seller, it's a bit of an investment compared to CO2.

http://www.airshotltd.com/
https://www.schwalbetires.com/press/handy-tire-booster-makes-tubeless-assembly-easier/

Much cheaper is RideAir from Joe's No Flats--but it isn't quite as user-friendly.  You need to take a schrader-to-presta adapter to make it work

http://www.joes-no-flats.com/Products/872/RideAir

I was able to get the mud stains out of my jersey over the while visiting my parents, otherwise I would have been living in the laundromat for a day...  Here's what I did:

• soaked in Oxyclean + Shout for 2-3 hours.
• washed on heavy duty cycle with extra rinse using Oxyclean -> still a good amount of stain left
• washed on heavy duty cycle with extra rinse using an organic oxygen detergent (basically fancy oxyclean) -> stain started to go away.
• soaked overnight in the oxygen detergent and washed the next morning on the same settings with oxygen detergent -> stains gone!

It even took out the sweat stains that had accumulated throughout the season.  I'm sold.

ETA: This is the oxygen detergent I was using: https://www.stainsolver.com/

Re: lubing - @mugwump that's the process Silca suggests for using their Super Secret wax lube - so no surprise there.  It's the wax I use day-to-day and I end up re-lubing every 2-3 days or after a wet/nasty ride.  I used to use squirt, but it just doesn't last as long as the SS wax.

 He demurred, saying that AirShot was excellent and

"he couldn't sell one at a reasonable price point"

Funny , as non of their other products do either 

I just bought a car and am now looking at which type of bike rack to get. What is best? I was offered  a Thule brand one that holds two bikes and attaches to the hitch. But I do not want to get it unless I know it’s what’s right. What do you guys suggest? 

I have 2 Allen trunk racks - their compact 1-bike and their regular 2-bike.  Both work great, set up/break down really quick, and were pretty cheap.

Seasuckers seem to be a solid choice as well and work on just about any car. 

I have heard of people getting tickets for having a hitch rack on their car (I guess it obstructs the plate).  Just something to consider.

Nathaniel Miller said:

I just bought a car and am now looking at which type of bike rack to get. What is best? I was offered  a Thule brand one that holds two bikes and attaches to the hitch. But I do not want to get it unless I know it’s what’s right. What do you guys suggest? 

I think we had a long discussion about this in 2020.

Basically, there are roof racks, trunk racks, hitch racks.  All have drawbacks.  The question is which drawbacks you prefer to live with. 

I had the same question in summer of 2021 if that helps narrow down where to look in the forum.

I ended up getting the Thule XTR rack and love it. It's a solid piece of equipment (I think weighing in the region of 50lbs), but it's a breeze to take on and off the car. I've also left it on the car for weeks on end and haven't had any issues because the license plate is covered. 10/10 would recommend.

Seasuckers are amazing if you don't have a hitch or roof rails. 

I also have a Saris Bones 3 bike trunk rack I inherited from members past and you're welcome to take it as a temp solution.

A quick look at the car parking of any cycling event in the northeast of the USA, makes it pretty obvious that hitch racks are the modern choice. Of those, Kuat and 1upUSA appear to be the most popular. 

Nate, you don't quite show us what Thule rack you are considering, but of course, Thule might be most storied and reputable rack maker, so guessing you'll be fine. 

As others stated, there are pros and cons to each type.

For example, if you plan to remove the rack and use only on occasion (like for street parking in Brooklyn) Seasuckers are amazing, as they are fast to put on and off, and small and light so you can keep them inside the car. I don't even own a car, and have a seasucker, which I love, and comes super handy whenever I rent or borrow a car. 

Because I'm still playing with tubeless and got tired of burning CO2 cartridges, I not only looked at reusable options, but got one.

I went with the Airshot because I found a used one on eBay and offered $35 for it, which is about what the cheaper options cost new.  

I've used it a few times now; seems to work pretty well.  It gets filled through a Presta valve atop the canister.  I have an old JoeBlow Sport floor pump.  It took about 35 strokes to pressurize the canister to 120psi.  That has been enough to blow on a 25mm Zipp tire onto a road wheel. 

@Nathaniel Miller

Kuat and 1up seem to compete for the most expensive.

Thule has both a lower-priced line and higher-priced line.  The former seems lighter and easier to set up, the latter is heavier and bulkier--if you want to transport enduro/all mountain/DH rigs, trays that grab the wheels are much easier than hanging the bikes, which is what you do with the lower price point.  

Worth note, I mention the Northeast of the USA, because I presume that in Switzerland the brands/makes are different, altho I bet $2 that hitch racks are still the modern predominant choice there.

mugwump said:

Because I'm still playing with tubeless and got tired of burning CO2 cartridges, I not only looked at reusable options, but got one.

I went with the Airshot because I found a used one on eBay and offered $35 for it, which is about what the cheaper options cost new.  

I've used it a few times now; seems to work pretty well.  It gets filled through a Presta valve atop the canister.  I have an old JoeBlow Sport floor pump.  It took about 35 strokes to pressurize the canister to 120psi.  That has been enough to blow on a 25mm Zipp tire onto a road wheel. 

hotness!

Nathaniel Miller said:

I just bought a car and am now looking at which type of bike rack to get. What is best? I was offered  a Thule brand one that holds two bikes and attaches to the hitch. But I do not want to get it unless I know it’s what’s right. What do you guys suggest? 

I went with a Yakima forklift on my Honda CRV. I probably wouldn't recommend a roof rack for an SUV for most people but it made the most sense for me for 4 reasons:

1) I had roof rails already because I have a ski rack for winter
2) I street park my car in Brooklyn and was worried about theft/damage of a hitch mounted rack as I don't have the space in my apartment to keep a hitch rack when not in use. I can just leave the bike rack on the roof of the car and not worry about it (it's also cheaper than a hitch rack so easier pill to swallow if stolen)
3) I've had to tow uhaul trailers or campers a couple of times while also bringing my bike, it's nice to be able to tow and carry a potentially dirty bike outside on the roof rack
4) Lastly we travel with our dog frequently and he sits in his crate which is only accessible from the hatch. Most hitch racks fold down which would make access to his crate difficult and I could only find one tray style rack that swung out vs folded down (and that one was way more than I was willing to spend)

I did have to cut off about 6 inches off the end of the Yakima forklift in order for the CRV's hatch to open all the way which was a compromise, but it still fits my longer wheelbase 56/58cm 3T gravel bike just fine. I tried running the rack rotated 180 (which would make me not have to cut it), but there was a terrible whistling noise that occurred when I tried that out, so I ended up cutting the rack.

@TomWasko

Your solution makes sense to me.  I think individual rack solutions are dependent on all those factors.

height of your car
weight of your bikes
where you park
whether or not you have an easy storage spot for the rack.
how much and where you drive
how important it is to access rear storage when the bikes are loaded
likelihood of needing to repair damage and/or finding a replacement

Have question about HRMs. I’ve been using a whoop for about two years now but decided I’m not using the various insights enough to justify the price of the monthly subscription. Does anyone use a HRM to collect their heat rate data throughout the day that they would recommend and is a one time fee?

Matt Budofsky said:

Does anyone use a HRM to collect their heat rate data throughout the day that they would recommend and is a one time fee?

I use whoop for this.

Garmin and fitbit have similar competitor features, usually with their watches

-- basically there are two types of hr monitors in the market today:

• Fitness trackers: Garmin, Fitbit, Whoop, Oura, Apple Watch, these you usually wear on your wrist -- oura is a ring, and the rest all offer alternatives of where they can be worn. These pair with software, usually an app, to track your activity thru the day and night, show HRV, how you slept, how recovered you are etc
• HRM chest straps, these are super accurate, and help execute and track workouts, usually paired with a cycle computer, or garmin, coros, polar watch

For what you are looking for, I would suggest you give Garmin a look or try.

I will say, that the whoop is not the most accurate HRM of all mentioned above, but their software, analysis and insights are head and shoulders above the competitors (i.e. nothing will come close, whoop is worth the price)

Yeah I’ve been a fan of my whoop but I’m at the point where I’m like I know what helps/hinders my recovery, and just can’t justify the cost anymore. I was looking into fitbits and Garmins but wanted to see if anyone had any likes/dislikes before taking the plunge