If you ride bicycles on gravel (who in Nebraska doesn't anymore it seems) and live in Lincoln then you were probably aware that Saturday was our time to shine in the gravel scene with Gravel Worlds 2017. But as has been the case for the last two year, before any gravel was... grinded... ground... rode... there was the rider check in and Expo on Friday at Cycle Works. I for one am digging the new format as it gives people a chance to hang our a bit more, talk and check out what's new in the industry as far as gravel goes without feeling like your just standing around in a bike shop. Not that there's anything wrong with just hanging out in a bike shop mind you, some of my best times are spent doing just that but this gives you a "reason" to hang out that you can give to your significant other who might not be as into bikes as you are.
As has been the case in previous years and was again this year, I headed down to Lincoln a bit early to help out and partake in the festivities. This year we had a legitimate tent city out in front of the shop, last year I think there were two tents, this year we quadrupled that. The Expo is worth checking out even if you're not racing IMO.
Of course I had gone to the Expo/Check-in to check in and see the sites but I was also there to buy some last minute supplies, one of those being a new tube for the Pugsley since the front had developed a slow leak that was becoming more leak and less slow. Rick happened to mention that Tubeless Solutions, out of Wichita Kansas, was out in the parking lot helping people get setup tubeless. Now to give you a little background on this, I have been preached to 6 ways to Sunday from every tubeless convert east and west of the Mississippi about how I just NEEDED to go tubeless, especially on a fat bike, especially-er on a heavy fat bike. The tubeless crowd is almost as bad as the folks that will tell you how you NEED to be running clipless pedals, luckily I already bought into that snake oil along time ago so I don't hear that sermon, just the tubeless one. I have to say I was dragging my feet on the whole tubeless thing mostly because I'm not a very patient person some times and I had heard the stories about how the Marge Lite rims either setup easily or it's a complete nightmare getting them setup; my luck always seems to fall on the latter side of things so I wasn't in a huge hurry to start kicking things and cursing up a storm in the basement. However, since these guys were professionals I thought I'd go talk to them and see what they were charging to set them up... let's just say it was a price I couldn't turn down so I brought them the wheels and 45 minutes later Tim had them holding air! Never gave me a single problem, outside of my own stupidity but more on that later, the whole day of Gravel Worlds. Check them out, they have some really cool and original products like the bead biter but the stand they used to setup the tires was actually really cool and could hold a tire vertically or horizontally which looked almost like a must have for setting tires up tubeless. Tim mentioned one of the tricks for setting up tubeless was if you had one side of the tire that wasn't making a good seal you should try to pump it up with that side facing down so that gravity can help the cause, now I know you can do that by placing it on the ground or having someone hold it but having a stand that would easily flip the tire horizontally seems like it'd be the way to go if you could.
Once I had the bike all squared away by Tim at Tubeless Solutions, it was time to check in... Kevin, Joe and Rafal's head did an excellent job getting people in and out quickly.
Swag was on point again this year, the pirates never hesitate to share the booty with those setting sail with them and this year was no exception.
Equally as rad and totally unexpected was a swag bag from Cycle Works, I'm always amazed and humbled to be a part of the Rasta family; they really go out of there way to make a team member feel appreciated.
Pugs squared away, check in done and supplies bought and stowed it was time to check out the rest of the expo, hang out for a bit and help where I could. I ran into the reigning Gravel Worlds 2016 champion, the "real" Rob Evans and we chatted it up for a bit. Always good running into people like Rob at these events, if it weren't for the Gravel Worlds reunion every year I might not see any of these great folks again. The gravel family spreads far and wide.
Living up to the Rob Evans namesake, the California version of me is no less a comedian doing an Instagram interview with Allison Tetrick and her Dirty Kanza belt buckle. That buckle was pretty rad I do have to say, even had bits of Kansas gravel epoxied to it.
Speaking of Allison, as Gravel Worlds grows so do the number of cycling celebrities who come down to toe the line and so far all of them have been really great people, talking to everyone and not getting annoyed with the endless requests for pictures.
I hung out for a few more hours talking to people and of course ogling all the rad bikes that show up for Gravel Worlds, here are just a few.
Lauf's new True Grit gravel bike, seemed decent but far too skinny of tire for my tastes.
Russell's Sklar bike from my home state of Montana, first one I've ever seen in the wild. Even more impressive up close than they are in the pictures and pleasantly plumb just the way I like them.
Greasy Bears.
Drool worthy plus sized Fargo... so want one.
I was really diggin the purple bits on this Ti Moots, so choice.
Corey's new (to him) Mariach-go?
Bunch of Powder Kegs this year, didn't get a picture of all of them but there had to be at least 4 of them at the Expo.
That's it for part one of the Gravel World series, depending on length and my desire for a marathon blog there should only be one more in the series. Next up is race itself and a few rookie mistakes on my part that could have an adverse affect on my race.
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