2015 Cycle Stoke Thread

[geargrrl]

Misc notes from Geargrrl since I"m too lazy to multi quote.
-I LOVE my 27.5. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. From what I've seen in my clinics, 90% of the 29er riders I meet have regrets.
-trail food. Fig Newmans ( healthy fig newtons) are the Bomb.
-I just spend a week in the Boulder White Clouds in central Idaho: 46.5 miles of backcountry trail, at elevations up to about 10,000 feet (haha, pushing my bike up THAT part of the trail...) photos coming soon.
-I hope Contessant and I can get together for a ride tomorrow morning.

 

[RachelV]

FWIW, I just re-purchased a 29er (the same model, actually) after mine got stolen and I still love it. I demo'ed a 27.5 before I re-bought the 29er and just didn't enjoy it as much. I really think for a certain kind of rider -- intermediate-ish, likes flowy stuff over technical stuff -- 29ers are wonderful.

 

[contesstant]

Misc notes from Geargrrl since I"m too lazy to multi quote.
-I LOVE my 27.5. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. From what I've seen in my clinics, 90% of the 29er riders I meet have regrets.
-trail food. Fig Newmans ( healthy fig newtons) are the Bomb.
-I just spend a week in the Boulder White Clouds in central Idaho: 46.5 miles of backcountry trail, at elevations up to about 10,000 feet (haha, pushing my bike up THAT part of the trail...) photos coming soon.
-I hope Contessant and I can get together for a ride tomorrow morning.

We are definitely going to ride tomorrow! I am excited! We need to get pics

 

[contesstant]

FWIW, I just re-purchased a 29er (the same model, actually) after mine got stolen and I still love it. I demo'ed a 27.5 before I re-bought the 29er and just didn't enjoy it as much. I really think for a certain kind of rider -- intermediate-ish, likes flowy stuff over technical stuff -- 29ers are wonderful.

I LIKE flowy stuff but don't always get to RIDE flowy stuff, that's part of my problem! I won't ditch the 29er just yet--I do love it a lot and will continue to work on my skills so I do the darn thing justice!

 

[geargrrl]

I just got back from a bike trip into Central Idaho, Stanley/Sawtooth NRA area. We did some pretty huge rides, and one of the classics, all in the Boulder White Clouds range. This is forest service land, and after a long battle it is probably going to be reclassified to be managed as wilderness. Bikers, dirt bikers and snow mobilers have been using it for decades. Our group planner figured we better get down here before it's closed to us.


My buddy, we've dubbed ourselves Team Sanity. Looking at Castle Peak with Chamberlain Basin. Yes, we biked up here tho at 9500' we pushed partway up.

day 2 we did Fisher Williams an area standard, pretty easy ride,

Day 3 we did a huge ride, Antz basin to Warm Springs with two different ways out. We took the sane way out, our hubbies went the adventure way (great trail but not cleared, they stopped counting at 193 trees down)

View into Antz Basin from 10000' saddle. We dropped into this basin and then worked our way down the Warm Springs drainage.

the meadows were amazing, truly amazing

There was a little bit of this...but not too much.

 

[altagirl]

I finally caved and got a 27.5 this year and it's been great (much easier to climb). Took a little while to adjust to the cornering, but today we rode my favorite super tight, rooty trail and it was no problem. Haha, my only problem is that I can't get anyone to ride that trail with me other than DH. Everyone else makes faces when I mention it. I think "flow trails" have gotten popular enough that people around here have forgotten anything else exists. For years, we've been joking about how I prefer the "anti-flow" in my trails. In reality, they feel flowy to me - I just like the flow of some nice low speed tech.

 

[contesstant]

@geargrrl WOW! We drove near the Sawtooths on our way up to Spokane and I was drooling over the idea of visiting them. Now I have even more reason to visit there! Can't wait to hear about it. Can't wait to ride tomorrow!

 

[lynseyf]

After not getting out on my bikes as much as I wanted last year, I am finally getting stoked about biking again. Have been doing some more xc/trail type rides on my hard tail and have realised I'm due an upgrade, I have had it about 7 years. I have a Cove Stiffee at the moment but have my eye on this for possibly next year

https://www.canyon.com/en/mtb/spectral/spectral-al-8-0-ex.html

It's such a good bike for the spec and have read a couple of good reviews, I am a bit worried about buying a bike I have never ridden before though so not in any rush to jump in.

I have mostly been out on my big bike, an Orange Patriot. We live really near Innerleithen which has uplift so have been making the most of that @altagirl you would love it, some of the trails are super tight, twisty and rooty. It also has some fun rockier trails which are a bit faster and I have been enjoying letting go a bit on them. I'm still very much a novice at DH but feel I'm getting a bit more confident every time we go out.

 

[bounceswoosh]

It's such a good bike for the spec and have read a couple of good reviews, I am a bit worried about buying a bike I have never ridden before though so not in any rush to jump in.

Is there any way to demo it?

 

[surfsnowgirl]

@lynseyf That is a beautiful bike.

@geargrrl beautiful pictures

We went to Mount Snow Vermont yesterday to check out the lift mountain biking. Its $109 which includes a lesson, bike, all armor, helmet and 2 hours on the mountain. I think it will be a good introductory for us. You just call them and they reserve a day/time for you and then you show up and pay, etc. We are going to pick the weekend after labor day in September to give a whirl. We can do it in a day since snow is only 2 and a half hours from us but love any excuse for a road trip we are on it. We'll go up saturday grab dinner, chill and then ride on sunday. If I like it we'll go from there. For a day pass and bike rental its around $100 each time so eventually I'll want to buy a bike and also get the season pass perhaps but want to do it a couple times to make sure I like it. We go up September 12th, The deadly heat should be over, foliage starting to change so it should be a good time. I am excited.

 

[geargrrl]

I had a lovely early morning beat the heat ride with Contessant and Mr. Contessant today. I showed them one of my favorite loops with a little bit of everything: flow, switchbacks, some granite and a great view! It is always fun making new friends.

 

[lynseyf]

@bounceswoosh , possibly, I am following their FB page but the have the great prices they do as they are a direct sales company.

 

[contesstant]

I had a lovely early morning beat the heat ride with Contessant and Mr. Contessant today. I showed them one of my favorite loops with a little bit of everything: flow, switchbacks, some granite and a great view! It is always fun making new friends.

Thank you geargrrl for showing us around Beacon Hill! What an amazing trail system! Thanks for being patient with me! We had so much fun!!

 

[bounceswoosh]

I wanted to counteract the beating I (felt like I) endured on my last ride, so I did a single loop of Springbrook today. Just a few miles and pretty mellow technically, but actually it had a fair number of loose or pointy rocks to deal with. Just fewer ledges and no pinches. I felt like I "should" do two laps to make it worth the trip, but decided one lap was all I really wanted, and my hands were tired again. I figure I should ride this trail a few more times to up my confidence and my game before venturing out. Getting over headgames is such a finicky, easily derailed process.

My downhill bike is currently at the shop to investigate why the front tire won't hold air - I put in Stan's and filled it up a few days ago, but while the rear tire held, the front tire was flat in 24 or maybe 36 hours. Not like I was planning to ride that bike very soon - but a downhill tire is $80 or more, and the current ones are massive, so I would likely want to replace both ... not a bad idea, anyway, as the rubber is pretty old, but as I mentioned - $$$$.

 

[altagirl]

My downhill bike is currently at the shop to investigate why the front tire won't hold air - I put in Stan's and filled it up a few days ago, but while the rear tire held, the front tire was flat in 24 or maybe 36 hours. Not like I was planning to ride that bike very soon - but a downhill tire is $80 or more, and the current ones are massive, so I would likely want to replace both ... not a bad idea, anyway, as the rubber is pretty old, but as I mentioned - $$$$.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MAXXIS-MIN...803?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item463dda756b

Craig often runs DHF's front and rear for DH.

But if you can't find any obvious damage, it could be worth checking to make sure you don't have dirt/gunk in the bead that's making it not quite seal.

 

[bounceswoosh]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MAXXIS-MIN...803?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item463dda756b

Craig often runs DHF's front and rear for DH.

But if you can't find any obvious damage, it could be worth checking to make sure you don't have dirt/gunk in the bead that's making it not quite seal.

I'm having them check because um ... well, I'm lazy.

Huh, interesting. The tires he showed me he said were similar to the minions ... the next version of the minions ...?

Do those go on both front and back?

 

[bounceswoosh]

@altagirl - what were those grips you mentioned earlier? I don't see them in this thread.

 

[altagirl]

I'm having them check because um ... well, I'm lazy.

Huh, interesting. The tires he showed me he said were similar to the minions ... the next version of the minions ...?

Do those go on both front and back?

Craig says there is a Specialized knock-off of the Minion tread, but Maxis still sells Minions, so I don't know what the next version is?

Technically, they make a Minion DHF and a Minion DHR (DH Front and DH Rear), however, some people like the DHF's front and rear. Some people like a DHF on the front and a DHR on the rear. Kind of personal preference, and I've done it both ways and didn't find a huge difference. You could certainly put them front and rear if you want to. They also make them in a 2.5, but honestly a 2.35 is plenty for most situations.

Here is the list of current Maxxis DH tires:
https://www.maxxis.com/tire-search?category=122&rim=26

High Rollers would also be appropriate on the Dare.

 

[altagirl]

@altagirl - what were those grips you mentioned earlier? I don't see them in this thread.

https://www.pricepoint.com/Brand/OD...nus-Pack.axd?gclid=CMbDmviY68YCFQqGaQod9RkAWw

 

[lynseyf]

I have the Maxxis DH on the front and a high roller on the back, that's what came on the bike when I got it, and have been totally happy with them except in really thick, heavy mud.