The Day Across Minnesota (DaMN) is an amazing 240 mile gravel race that starts in South Dakota and ends in Wisconsin. Riders of the race are given 24 hours to complete the 240 miles. You have to make 3 time cutoffs throughout the day in order to receive the needed cue sheets to complete the race. The checkpoints that you get the next set of cue sheets are at 60 miles, 120 miles and 186 miles. The time cutoffs (including the finish), are based on a 10 mph pace. I cannot tell you how much fun I had crushing gravel all night and all day last Saturday. The event is extremely well organized by the amazing Trenton, who somehow does it all side by side with his family and friends with big smiles and much cheer throughout the entire race. Trenton also is the Race Organizer for the Filthy Fifty Gravel Race.
DaMN starts at midnight. 170+ racers rode out of Gary, SD in pitch darkness due to overcast skies.

Here are some random thoughts I had during the race:
- Did I hear that guy say he's carrying a spare tire? Crap! I only have one tube, which I knew was risky, but now it seems preposterous... I'm doomed
- Was I thinking straight signing up for this knowing that I was doing it alone... unsupported?
- I wish I had worked out something so that I wasn't leaving a borrowed car out here.
- Do I have time for one more sandwich? They taste great!
- I'm pretty sure I'll be good with just the short sleeved Norsk shirt and a pair of shorts... I'll probably be a bit chilled at the start
- It's go-time. I am sooo ready for this
- Fireworks start the race. That's so fun.
- Hey, there's Linda and Val
- Wow, I've fallen back from the line of racers. I think I'll try and catch them
- Whoa! sandy road conditions. What the hell was I so over confident about? This might turn out to be a nightmare. Last year the first 60 miles were smooth and fast. Yikes, that guy nearly sideswiped me.
- Can you believe how we go from night chilled air to steamy hot air in an instant?
- The fog and heat variances has my glasses way messed up with condensation, though they look more like I'm riding in rain
- Hey, wait, this might be our turn. Yes, it IS our turn. Hey! Stop... Bummer, those 2 guys just missed the turn. I gotta be super careful not to screw up on the cue sheets
- One things for sure, the cue sheets are not to be doubted.
- My lights are solid... OMG, that muskrat is in my way and I don't have great control in this loose gravel. Whew! Just missed it. I guess it wasn't moving because my light blinded it.
- Why are these guys hanging behind me? I know they're faster than me? "you having a good ride?" Oh, got it, your lights are out of power and you need an escort. All good
- I can taste The Baker's Wife Doughnuts now. There's The Banjo Brother's Checkpoint one!
- Wow! That owl hooting was amazing. I want to catch those two in front of me and see if they heard it. It was magical... Oh, I can't really catch them. I hope they heard it...so awesome!
- I'm 80 miles in and feel like I'm still running on adrenaline. 80, that's 1/3 of the way. No, don't think like that. This event is 4 races that are about 60 miles each. Stay focused on the 4 races...
- Gas station! Nice time refuel... Wow, a day old raspberry scone, this is exactly what I'd be eating if I was at work.
- Hey, just finished my first century of the year. That's nice... My pace is still feeling speedy.
- I hope they have those awesome crepes at the HED (checkpoint 2) again.
- Yes, there's the 120 checkpoint. Hey, Chris Skogen, great seeing you again. oops, I bet that hug was pretty stinky for him... Can you send me that pic you just took? Crepes! Savory please... any chance I can have two? HED is so awesome
- I'm starting to bog down now.Looks like that guy's struggling with the route... yep, we're going straight here. How's your ride?
- Henry, from the Hub. Nice too meet you. I can lead for a bit. I need a quick break as well. My feet are starting to get a bit sore... or rather numb actually...
- I'm really guzzling the water now. I think it's hotter than I realize... These hills are really starting to slow me down... This road has some frickin' fast traffic. I need to make a safe left turn ahead.
- Holy Crap! That's a huge hill. It goes on forever. So much for my bank. I think I'm falling back from my 5 hour/60 miles mark.
- If there's not water at Checkpoint 3 (mile 186), I'm going to be knocking on a farmhouse...That's no problem... Crap... I'm struggling
- Hey, there's The Hub's Checkpoint 3. OMG, wasn't sure I'd make it...Wow! There cheering me on. This is amazing. Hi Craig, oh, you're filming me, yeah, I'm really bogging down..OMG! Licorice and the water is COLD. Eric, mind if I sit down. Really, I'm doing well? I thought I lost all my momentum. This is such a nice Checkpoint. I can't believe how nice everyone is. A cold root beer, that's amazing! yes, please...
- One quick tweet and I'm gonna hit the road. Totally gonna kill it on the last section. 54 miles to go
- Hills, lots of them. This starting to wear me down
- No way am I ever going to do this crazy race again. 240 is barely possible for a human with a job...
- Wow! This is going great. I don't think I'm going to be hallucinating this year. That's kind of my final hurdle. If I start losing it I don't have anyone to pull me back to reality... you got this Luke
- I need to get the most out of the downhills at this point because I'm not able to hammer the uphills at all. Straight up struggle at this point.
- I'm pretty sure those are the trees that I thought were 25 foot tall bunnies last year.
- Everyone I see is passing me, but I'm only competing with myself, so all good.
- I'm pretty sure I'm going to beat sunset... that would be so amazing
- I hope the construction at the bridge is finished... crossing the bridge was stupid scary last year
- The bridge is still under construction. Yikes, that truck is pulling a huge boat... do they know how wide they are...OK, they got past me...let's pick up the pace and get off this bridge...I'd be OK with ending in a park in Red Wing and dipping my tire in the river as the Wisconsin ending...I wonder if there's a park with water access...
- I'm glad they put that DaMN route sign there, I would have missed this road for sure. Well, actually it's not really really a road, but a construction project. That's kind of cool.
- I did it, just have to find the finish... there's the tent...I know I dreamed of doing some cool no handed wave and smile thing at the end...I'm just not capable...There's that amazing Trenton...How amazing is he that he came up with this? He's smiling... yeah John, you can take my pic. Where do you want me?
- I wonder if there will be another DaMN...I'd be into trying this again...

Completing the Day Across Minnesota was definitely a highlight of my summer. 240 miles of gravel roads that cross the entire state of Minnesota turned out to be a surreal experience that I loved training for and I loved riding in.

Training: For 6 weeks before the race I committed to riding super hard every single day for at least 25 miles (1-1/2 hours). This regimen got me in decent shape within a couple of weeks and it got easier and easier for me to knock off 30-40 miles at a fast pace. Whenever possible I jumped the rides to 35-40 miles. I got in several rides in the evening as a way to get comfortable riding at speed, in the dark. By the end I was able to do my typical loops as fast in darkness as in the light. I rode many of these miles with Derek, who typically is riding these events with me (though the DaMN weekend he was unable to race). My only 2 somewhat lengthened rides were a 70 mile and an 80 mile rides.

Gear: I rode my beloved Curt Goodrich all-road bike. This bike is setup with a 1x11 drive train, Jones Bars, SON Dynamo front hub that ran my lights at night and charged my phone during the day. I used 700x38 Schwalbe G One tires (setup tubeless). My Banjo Brothers Frame Pack was loaded with snacks and a jacket and my Carradice Twiston had my tube and repair kit. The Tubus Rack and SKS fenders were not needed for the ride, but I felt it was a bit safer just leaving them on the bike rather than doing a lot of work to the bike right before the race.

 

You don't have to read too far in the Perennial Cycle Shopcast to know how much we love Brompton folding bikes. As a staff, about half of us have a Brompton (or two...) at home. We each have our quirks when it comes to the fold, favorite colors, and preferred handlebars. But the enthusiasm for introducing YOU to Brompton? That's something we all share, even when we're not in the shop. Whether on a lunch break ride, on a weekend road trip, or during the daily commute — we're happy to chat with those of you who smile, introduce yourselves, and ask... just what is this small-wheeled bike all about? Does it fold? How small does it get? And my favorite... Does it fit inside the front basket?

This year, we've decided to bring Brompton to you in an entirely new way. Each month, we'll be sending a Brompton home with a new owner to find out what it's like to be a newly minted Brompton rider and see how it fits into each of their lives. To begin, we've loaned a Turkish Green S3L-X to Patrick Stephenson, also known as @patiomensch, a Minneapolis-based cyclist and co-founder of #30daysofbiking. When asked if he'd be interested in participating in our #meetbrompton project, Patrick leapt at the chance and suggested he borrow the bike during his favorite month of the year — April — just in time for 30DOB. So here we are: 30 Days of Biking, meet 30 Days of Brompton.

For those who are curious about the details... B-Spoked especially for #meetbrompton, this S3L-X has titanium extremities, a Shimano Dynamo front wheel and lights, a front carrier block, mudguards (critical for April riding!), a telescopic seat post, and a Brooks B17 Special that Patrick will be the first to break-in. When he's not toting his official 30DOB Banjo Brothers Canvas Backpack, Patrick will also be using a black Carradice Stockport City Folder (pictured below) and an Abus Bordo lock for those times when it's not possible to bring the Brompton in with him at a given destination.

Be sure to follow @PerennialCycle on Twitter and Instagram to see what Patrick is up to with his shiny new Brompton. And if you see him out and about, stop and say hello!

Meet Patrick

Originally from Rochester, Patrick moved to Minneapolis in 2002 to attend the University of Minnesota. In 2010, Patrick started 30 Days of Biking along with his good friend Zach Schaap. The two created a website and launched a campaign that encouraged over 1,000 people to pledge to ride every day in April that year. Patrick still loves to ride and makes friends wherever his bike takes him. He continues to be amazed at a how 30 Days of Biking has grown in just 5 years.

A copywriter by day, Patrick is a true perfectionist and hopes to abandon his folding cheat sheets within the week and is working to speed up his fold before the month is up.

Stay tuned for more from Patrick about his adventure with #meetbrompton and get on over to #30daysofbiking to make the pledge yourself. It's easy, it's free, and for every 30 pledges made, 30DOB will give one bike to a girl or boy in need via Minneapolis-based Free Bikes 4 Kidz.

Commuting at -25º always has people questioning your sanity. Every day this week has been a sanity test (I failed) and today was the big warm up to above zero (it was 1º above). I've been thinking about what I'd consider the most valuable piece of equipment when commuting in those temps... While I love my long johns, choppers, and wide-ranging wool, poly, fleece and wind shell layers, it's really all about lights. Face it, getting run over by a bus at 6am at -25º would be pretty disastrous and Mom is not going to ask the ambulance driver if my toes were cold.

Dynamo lighting is a big focus here at the shop and one of the reasons for that is that commuters rely upon their lights to survive. With dynamo lighting you don't need to wonder if your batteries are at full strength — spinning the front wheel is what powers the light. Good stuff!

 

Be sure and check out our dynamo display bike the next time you're in the shop:

Ever since becoming a Brompton dealer, we have seen great value in superlight models and have always made them available to customers as a part of our Brompton inventory. You may have heard them referred to as "Titanium Bromptons," "Ti Bromptons," "Superlights" as above, or "X-Models." All of these refer to the same product — Brompton's superlight frame option. At the start of this year we received several superlight bikes in various configurations, including all three of our standard handlebar types and a variety of colors.

For 2013, we also added a third bike to our demo lineup: an S2L-X that was later transformed into an even lighter S2E-X when Luke travelled to England for the Brompton World Championship. Several of you have test-ridden our new demo and all agree: the S2 is a very zippy Brommie! With more and more Brompton riders gaining interest in Brompton racing, Superlight Bromptons are more popular than ever. Of course when it's not race day, one of the superlight's main advantages is not in riding it but in the moments you need to carry it. Going up a flight of stairs or through the airport with your Brompton in tow is all that much easier with a superlight bike.

But just what makes a Brompton Superlight so very super? And just how light is it? You'll find the answers to those questions and more below.

The following components on a Brompton Superlight or "X" model differ from a standard Steel Brompton. These changes combined contribute to a weight savings of 1.63 pounds (.74 kg) on any given Brompton.

1 - Aluminum Headset

2 - Xtra-Light Front Hub (not only lighter than Brompton's standard front hub, this is a sealed cartridge bearing hub, a big step up from their standard cup and cone hub) built into the front wheel, along with butted spokes for additional weight savings***

3 - Titanium Front Fork

4 - Titanium Front Mudguard Stays

5 - Titanium Rear Frame

6 - Titanium Rear Mudguard Stays

7 - No pump is supplied with a Superlight bike

What parts of a 2013 superlight bike are steel?

Two key parts: the Main Frame including the stem riser (both painted) and the seatpost.

Why Titanium?

While not as stiff as steel, titanium is equally strong and weighs about 50% less, all of which adds up to mean that Titanium has the highest strength-to-weight ration of any metal. Brompton has long seen its advantages, as has our favorite touring rack manufacturer, Tubus.

Titanium has excellent resistance to corrosion; it won't rust. This makes it a great choice for all-weather riders and those who bike in areas where roads are salted in the cold months.

Because of its corrosion resistance, titanium doesn't need to be painted — and, we might add, the silvery-grey color of the raw metal is very attractive.

As a West London-based manufacturer, Brompton has one more thing in coming with the metal we call "Ti" for short: both have English roots! Titanium was first discovered in Cornwall, in South West England, in 1791 by William Gregor.

Is it possible to B-Spoke order a Superlight Bike?

While it is usually possible to B-Spoke (custom-) order a Superlight Brompton, as of September 2, 2013, Brompton is not taking any new orders for Superlight bikes. (Should that change, we'll post an update here.) Many of our stock-superlights have already gone out the door, but we still have Brompton Superlights available for purchase. You can see a selection of our in-stock Superlight Bromptons here. Except where noted, all of the bikes listed on our website are in-stock and ready to ship to your door. Each has a front wheel built with the Brompton Xtra-Light Front Hub.

I have a standard, steel Brompton. What else might save weight?

Standard reflectors and battery lights are lighter than a dynamo lighting system

Single-speeds, 2-speeds, and 3-speeds will be lighter than 6-speeds

E-Version bikes without mudguards will be slightly lighter than L-Version bikes

E-Version and L-Version bikes will be lighter than R-Version bikes fitted with a rear rack

Standard or Extended Seatposts are lighter than a Telescopic Seatpost

Brompton Kevlar tires and Schwalbe Kojaks save weight over Schwalbe Marathon tires

The S Type is lighter than the M, H, or P Type

Standard rollers marginally save weight over Eazy Wheels

Saddles, in order of lightest to heaviest: B Saddle < B17 S Special < B17 Special

Some Brompton owners choose to retro-fit superlight parts, like the Xtra Light Front Wheel, to an all-steel Brompton

Carry only the necessities in your Brompton luggage

Ride your Brompton every day!

If you're interested in purchasing (or simply test riding) a Ti-Brompton, stop in any time or order online now. We ship Brompton bikes on a regular basis to U.S.-based Brompton enthusiasts and Brompton fans abroad. Shipping in the continental USA is just $35-40. International shipping quotes are available upon request.

***Since the publication of this post, Brompton has had some stocking issues with the Superlight front hub. As a result, not every Ti bike will ship with a Superlight front hub. To compensate, Brompton (and we at Perennial Cycle) has reduced the price of all bikes that ship without a Superlight front hub. These bikes will still feature butted spokes in their wheel builds but will use the standard Brompton front hub, unless a dynamo hub is fitted. If you are interested in ordering a specific in-stock Brompton and are curious about what type of front hub it features, please call us at 612-827-8000.