Surly Krampus: The Dark Companion

If you're unfamiliar with the Surly Krampus, it can be a little tough to describe. Fortunately, this video--with Austrian concision--explains everything you need to know about this bike without mentioning bikes at all:

Mr. Waltz's comparison of the American and Austrian Christmas celebrations is an apt comparison of the Surly Krampus to what most of us think of when we think "mountain bike." Indeed, universes part one from the other.

Hey, y'all!

What most of us think of when we think "mountain bike:"

Most of us think mountain bikes are full suspension, as light as possible, preferably made of carbon, stiff, plush, fast, and nimble. Most of the trouble with suspension has been engineered out--you can climb without bobbing and brake without diving. Your suspension will remain active while braking and the bike will squat when you turn. These bikes are marvels of engineering, and they can drastically improve your confidence. In a way, these bikes are very much like Santa Claus; they will give you what you want. Want to be fast? Want to clean that gnarly line? This bike comes with praise and presents. Merry Christmas.

GET IN MY BAG.

The Surly Krampus

In film and literature, the Devil always gets the best lines (the Joker, Darth Vader, Hannibal Lecter). Counterintuitively, the fully rigid Krampus takes the best lines as well. Rigid does not mean incapable, boring, or slow. In fact, the extra air volume in Krampus's 29x3.0 tires will change the way you think about riding a rigid bike forever. The traction is obviously fantastic, and you can roll over everything. The large tires have the small bump compliance of a suspension fork and none of the bounce you might feel on a 4.0 or 5.0 fatbike tire. 

Not surprisingly, technical sections are where Krampus feels most unlike a bike with suspension. Krampus won't smooth out the trail for you; you won't forget you are mountain biking. However, Krampus has no trouble navigating coarse trail. Jump it. Drop it. The harder you push Krampus the better it performs. Your tires may ping, your cables may rattle, but the bike will rocket onward and your mouth will make the shape it makes when you've found bliss. 

When he won the DH World Cup without a chain, Aaron Gwin proved that there are things a rider can perceive as a limitation that are in fact not that limiting at all. If you are accustomed to suspension, the Krampus will certainly change the way you ride. That doesn't mean it will slow you down or ruin your fun or force you to walk over obstacles. In fact, my experience has been exactly the opposite.

As Mr. Waltz said, Krampus comes from a culture of traumatization. It wouldn't be difficult to incorrectly associate the term 'traumatization' with how a rigid bike leaves you feeling after a ride. And it's kind of true; if you're afraid and tense and crouched over your bike in terror, Krampus will probably punish you for it. If you behave how Krampus wants you to behave, though, and get low and loose and relaxed, then you will become smooth where the trail is not.

Even if you upgrade the stock build with a dropper post and hydraulic brakes, the Krampus Ops costs about $2300 and is as fast, fun, and capable as the last carbon, full suspension bike I owned, which cost than three times as much. I don't mean to diminish any of that technology when I say that the Krampus is as good a trail bike as I've ridden despite rejecting much of that technology. Krampus does exactly what you want it to do (or vice versa, maybe).

There's no one bike that's perfect for everyone, and some people may prefer dropper posts, suspension forks or carbon wheels on their Krampuses. (The head tube will accommodate tapered steerer forks, and the rear dropouts will accommodate a 135mm quick-release or a 12x142mm thru-axle, but you can catch up on tech specs at Surly's website).  As it is, though, the Krampus is already pretty darn perfect.

Krampus in bling: suspension fork, I9 hubs, Chris King headset and bottom bracket, XX1 drivetrain, flask. 

The mythological Krampus may be difficult to love, but the steel Krampus will ever be your dark companion.

Video of the Week

Some of the most amazing handmade masks you'll ever see:

The Yawp Company Goes to Fruita

Did you know that Yawp has a mountain bike (dis)organization? If you didn't, you can read all about it here. We recently made it out to Fruita for a weekend of bikes, beer, pizza, and bad decisions. Despite a little rain on Friday night and Saturday morning, each of our objectives were met:

1. Ride bikes.

2. Drink beer.

3. Have fun.

The first night was cold and rainy and the second was cold and windy. We spent quite a bit of time huddled around a small charcoal fire, which was all our campground allowed. We took turns melting our shoes against the charcoal bbq grill, trying to keep our toes warm. As is often the case, good people had good times despite weather that was not so good. We here at Yawp would like to take a second to thank those of you in the Company who made some cold camping into a warm memory.

We spent more time riding bikes than taking pictures, but we did snap a few. 

It was mid-May, and there was no joy in Mudville. 

We arrived in Fruita. None of us had seen our shadows in weeks.

Rebecca prepares to throw an invisible frisbee. 

The best route from point A to B is through all other points.

Mountain biking is pretty meh.

Seth catches an invisible frisbee while Dan destroys Horsetheif Bench. 

Bike + rain pants + water bowl = doggie kennel. 

Just some prize show chickens at a campground.

Dan and Justin make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs. 

An ordinary parking lot is transformed by the healing power of beer.

The Yawp Company will be headed to Eagle in late June when the monsoons have passed. Perhaps we'll see you there.

Also, thanks to all of our sponsors: Joyride Brewing, Peak Graphics, Resilience Acupuncture, Surly Bikes, and Premium Dirtbag.

Don't Hate the Rain; You're Saving Money on Sunscreen

It's been raining on the front range for an eternity. Our dirt trails are too muddy to use and if you're going to ride the Cherry Creek bike path you'd better take a snorkel. It's easy to drive or take the bus instead of commuting, and to watch TV during rainy afternoons instead of going on a road ride, but eventually all of that sitting around (while usually consuming beer and cheese) is bad for the waistline and worse for the mind. The rabbit hole that is Netflix does have a bottom, and at the bottom of that hole is a movie called World War Z, and believe me you do not want to have to watch that.

There can be some problems with wet rides, for sure, but the largest problem is often getting started. On rainy days like this, even our Yawp dog Thelonious won't get out of bed. Part of our duty in being human--or at least our privilege--is to make something good where nothing good existed. Where there is only rainy day ennui, make an adventure. Put on some wool, a raincoat, a helmet, and put this song on your iPod:

Remember being a kid and playing in the rain? There were puddles to jump into, moats to dig, mudpies to make. At some point along the way, someone told us we should have the sense to stay out of the rain and we believed them. As long as we have the sense to dress for it, riding in the rain can be pretty good for us. I sometimes don't believe this myself, and I look out the window at a gray world with as much despair as anyone. However, today I made myself ride in the rain and as I rode through a puddle I rememberd something important. It will probably take more words than it's worth to explain, but what are blogs for if not unnecessary words?

Routines can be born of refinement, which is great, or of habit, which is probably not so great. I make my coffee a certain way because over time I've discovered I like it best that particular way. However, I put my right shoe on before my left simply out of habit, and when I accidentally grab my left shoe first and try to put it on my right foot, I feel that I'm the victim of some grave injustice for really no reason at all other than that reality doesn't always tolerate our dumb little habits.

Riding in the rain isn't painful or difficult, it's just not what I'm used to. 

In fact, on this particular day, riding in the rain was good for me. There's an entire world that goes along with the phrase "you should have the sense to stay out of the rain." That world is grown-up and routine. When I'm in that world, I have little fun and don't think creatively. I always worry that my investments aren't sound, and then I remember I don't have any investments and worry about that. I worry about what people think of me. I worry about my water heater. I get into imaginary arguments with people I haven't seen for years, and even though these arguments are taking place within my own head I often lose them.

Riding a bike is one of the best antidotes for that world. By the end of my ride this morning my false priorities had fallen away, and I was wet, dirty, happy, and ready for more. 

All of that said, I'd really like the sun to come back.

If you don't normally ride in the rain, then there are a couple of things to keep in mind. When riding on bike paths, you may encounter some things that get extra slippery when wet. If you've done any Urban Walking in your life, you probably already know about these things:

Salmon colored "non-slip" death trap.

White rectangles of slippery death.

Multi-colored goose bomb of slippery death that will also make you wish you had fenders.

If it's chilly outside, make sure you keep your feet dry. Get some waterproof shoe covers or--if your ride isn't too long--put some baggies over your socks. Cold feet can make an otherwise great ride pretty miserable. 

One additional bonus of riding in the rain is that you can go ahead and eat that donut, because you exercised today. 

Not pictured: second and third donuts that I definitely did not earn but ate anyway.

So let's remember that crying only makes more rain and riding bikes makes donuts. 

Video of the Week

Yawp Cyclery Kits are Available

Here's a little good news: Yawp Cyclery kits are now available to order. Here's more good news: if you're interested but don't know what size you wear, there is a Primal fit kit at the bike shop and you can stop by and try on samples. If you haven't worn Primal's Helix kit before, you should know that it's one of the nicest kits out there. It feels like you're being hugged all over by puppies. 

We need to have your payment and order by Monday, April 13th, and kits are due to arrive by June 12th. Pricing to pre-order this Primal Helix kit is as follows:

Jersey: $95

Bibs: $130

Shorts: $120

We hope to meet women's minimums as well. If we don't, Primal says that typically ladies prefer the shorts over bibs.

If these kits look like something you'd want to wear, stop by the shop or give us a call and we'll get one on the way for you.

Being fast isn't as important as looking fast.  --Walt Whitman

Blog Postponed on Account of Dirt

As they say, it's time for a 20-mile loop somewhere. Well, that somewhere is here! Stop reading this blog and get out there.