I think were all old enough to remember this guy, right?Sure we are.Well then youll all get the reference when I say that in America, rider abandon racebut in Soviet Union Canada, race abandon you!Apparently it was too hot:Can you cancel a race after it has finished? That is the question that elite racers are asking in the aftermath of the Canadian gravel championships this Sunday, as race organizers announced at the finish that the race was canceled due to extreme heat.Though they didnt cancel the race until the leaders had already finished:While the mens overall podium had finished including three bona fide gravel professionals, Mike Woods, Andrew Lespy LEsperance, and Ben Perry race officials stopped riders still out on course, due to the temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. (30 degrees Celsius is about 86 degrees Fahrenheit.)Heres what the race organizer said:As the event progressed, we monitored the situation referencing the Cycling BC Air Quality and Extreme Weather Safety Guidelines, Jon Watkin, the race director, said in a published statement. Over the course of the day, medical resources began to reach their capacity, creating a vulnerable situation for riders on course.On course race temperatures of greater than 34+ degrees Celsius were measured, and it became clear that proceeding with the event would not meet the safety standards required for every participant.What? 34 degrees!?! Thats barely above freezing!Woosies.In any case, like a dad who didnt pull out fast enough and now refuses to pay child support, organizers have annulled the results after the fact:Currently, all the results from the race have been annulled, and Canadian Cycling is reviewing that decision since it was made after the fact for the elite men.Presumably until the review is complete, the Canadian mens gravel champion shall exist in a state of Schrdinger-esque ambiguity.Of course, nothing in life is guaranteedif it were there would be no such thing as insurance:Apparently, 50% of Competitive Usage claims are for carcked crabon:Since Dragonspine Cycling began referring customers to BikeInsure in August 2024, policyholders have submitted 16 bicycle insurance claims involving high-value cycling equipment 15 of them enrolled under BikeInsures Competitive Usage category. The resulting claims reveal several noteworthy trends: $5,355 average paid claim 94% accidental damage, just one theft claim 50% involved a cracked carbon structure six carbon framesets and two carbon forks 69% selected a Bike Accident Only policy, declining optional theft protection 38% paid within 2 days 3 within a single dayFor Dragonspine Cycling, a Chicago-area boutique retailer specializing in premium performance bicycles, the claims data reinforces a reality that many competitive cyclists already understand: the risk of accidental damage while racing often represents their greatest financial exposure.Of course they dont say how the crabon carked. Did the rider crash? Did a baggage handler mishandle it? Did a mechanic exceed the torque specs of a component by half a Newton meter? Well never know. But the average payout on those carked crabon cailms was over Five Thousand American Fun Tickets:For owners of premium bicycles, the financial impact of a loss can be substantial. Dragonspine customers submitting claims received average claim payments of $5,355, reflecting the significant investment many cyclists have in high-performance race bicycles, carbon wheelsets, power meters, electronic groupsets, and other upgraded components.All this got me wondering just how much bike insurance costs anyway, so I looked it up:And heres the quote I got:So its more or less comparable to AppleCare, and if I werent so scrupulous Id take out a $10,000 policy on the Farbman:Then Id contract with someone to steal it for me, wed split the proceeds after the policy paid out, and when I got the bike back Id repaint it as a Jamis in case BikeInsure launched an investigation.I wonder if Joe Bell would ever be willing to paint a bike as a Jamis[Via here]By the way, does this say what I think it says, or am I hallucinating?When you reach my level of self-importance you think you see your name everywhere:[Via here]But what would I do with a $10,000 bike insurance payout? Why, Id buy one of those new 32-inch bicycles!Just kidding.Why would I do that when I already have one?Yes, apparently a Jones is forward compatible with this revolutionary new wheel sizethough this particular Reddinator doesnt find it all that revolutionary so far:The question is, was this a neccessary and needed size evolution? I love how they look in my big frame/bike, but not sure they are definitely better for my kind of riding. Of course that is a personal impression based on one ride, so I will be on these wheels for the rest of the year (and maybe longer), also giving the bike to try to some other riders so they can make their impressions and so looking forward to hear what they think about it. All in all a great and exciting experiment, looking forward to ride this setup on some more technical demanding trails to see how they behave thereAll of which makes me realize that the real growth area in cycling would be selling obsolescence insurance. Why should you buy into the whole 32-inch wheel thing if theres no guarantee it will stick around? After all, it was barely more than a decade ago that plus-sized mountain bikes were the Hot New Thing:I really did think they were great, and I still do, which is why I ride a Jones, but it only took a few years for the mainstream bike industry to renounce them:Remember: wider tires is dumbing down the trail, but front and rear suspension and a remote control telescoping seatpost is not.Gravelistas also embraced and then rejected the 650b wheel just as quickly:I dunno, seems like it works just fine to me:But in gravel it was over before you could wear out a single pair of 650b tires.And lets not even talk about 26-inch wheels, or rim brakes, or suspension systemsor, heaven forbid, all of those things together on one bicycle:And what if you went all-in on beam suspension in the 90s?[Is it weird that I miss this bike?]Seems like somebody owes you, doesnt it?[I dont miss this bike.]Actually I say I dont miss it, but with normal handlebars and thumbies it was a really fun bike:Get rid of the beam and replace it with a Brooks and youd have a real winner on your hands.So yes, a comprehensive bicycle obsolescence insurance policy would protect you in the event that you were dumb enough to buy, say, an endurance bike:Buying an endurance bike!?!Ha!Thats as crazy as buying a bike from a bike shop!Which, ironically, youre now doing if you buy a bike online from Trek:According to the spokesperson, a bike might be boxed from a Trek-owned stores sales floor or removed from original packaging and repackaged with the preparation process varying depending on the destination.Look, Im not a business supergenius like John Burke[Im not saying its aliens but]but what if instead of using bike shops to fulfill online orders, Trek sent a customer looking for a specific bike to the bicycle shop that has it?Just a thought.