Just putting it out there that I guess I'll be racing the Bootlegger 100 gravel event on Saturday. Kinda my fourth go at it. First time, the hypothermia DNF year. Then there was my only garvel "race" on a geared bike (well since the 2001 Mountain Mania which wasn't called a garvel race because was anyone doing that back then?) where I tried to just ride with a frand but left him for dead somewhere on the way up to the parkway. Last year, I threw monkey poop at it and did it on my Vertigo with garvel wheels and tires and a 32X16 gear. I don't consider myself a "garvel racer boi," so why go back this time?
I gotta try the 32" bike at a garvel race. Simple as that.
This Bonk Bros podcast/interview with John Karrasch (owner of Vassago Maximus Ti #2) piqued my curiosity. Watch it or listen to it or don't. Mebbe you don't care, don't wanna know, or don't want any more 32" wheel content shoved down your throat by the "industry."
Warning, stay away from Sea Otter coverage this week if you fall into the "not on my watch" spectrum regarding bigger wheel sizes.
Anyways, I wanna see for myself just how the 32s roll over a long distance, handle the chunky garvel descents, and if I notice any downsides on super long climbs with tired legs. I've had it out to WNC a couple times, but a good five to six hour day (ooof, it really takes that long?) will be a fine test to see if does reduce fatigue on a protracted pleasure cruise avec le plaque de nombre.
I've only made a couple adaptations to make it a garvel bike. The Cane Creek GXC stem is fifteen millimeters longer with 6° more drop than my normal stem. I bumped up my gearing to 32X18, which taking the beefier tire (2.4" vx 45mm) into account, I gotta be in the ballpark as far as gear inches go as the last time I finished Bootlegger. I'd love to leave the spare tube off the bike, because am I gonna flat a 32X2.4" tire on a garvel road?
Trbl timing tho. I'm probably less than a month out from getting my lighter by over 200 grams wheelset. Also, there's also a tire has been "leaked" that we'll more than likely see at Sea Otter that if it were delivered to my porch by Friday afternoon, I'd have them mounted up fifteen minutes after I get home from work.* They're be faster, lighter, smoler... all the things. Dammit.
Anyhoo, here we go.
* Shit. They might actually be coming.
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