Bicycling Off-Road

jackman · « **Reply #1160 on:** 27 Aug 2013, 01:37 am »

Josh, great shot. Is that you on your bike? Very cool ride and nice Enve wheels.

Rocket, great picture as well. BC is one of the best places to ride mountainbikes. You are very fortunate!

I'll bring my camera next time I'm on the hills. My MTB is old and crusty but I just put 2.3" tires on it (WTB Wolverines) and I'm ready to have some fun. My previous tires were about ten years old and you could literally feel the knobbies coming off around turns. It was like riding on roller skates. Good times!

Cheers,
Jack

Levi · « **Reply #1161 on:** 27 Aug 2013, 01:41 am »

Great shot guys and thanks for the complement(s).

Josh & Rocket_Ronny, you sure have excellent riding skills! Enjoy the nice weather while you can.

JoshK · « **Reply #1162 on:** 27 Aug 2013, 01:50 am »

Jackman, yeah that is me when we were playing around on a rock feature (read sessioning) at a place called Buckwallow, which is famous here in Ontario. Its a paid for trail system but very well maintained, graded by difficulty, so you know what you are getting into. That was a 5 hoof trail (out of 6, we did a 6 but I walked most of it). That rock was too much for me to climb, we did it both ways, but I could roll it.

That is one of the only photos I have of myself biking.

jackman · « **Reply #1163 on:** 27 Aug 2013, 01:57 am »

Quote from: JoshK on 27 Aug 2013, 01:50 am

Jackman, yeah that is me when we were playing around on a rock feature (read sessioning) at a place called Buckwallow, which is famous here in Ontario. Its a paid for trail system but very well maintained, graded by difficulty, so you know what you are getting into. That was a 5 hoof trail (out of 6, we did a 6 but I walked most of it). That rock was too much for me to climb, we did it both ways, but I could roll it.

That is one of the only photos I have of myself biking.

That's an awesome shot and even more impressive that it's you! Tell your friends to take more pictures. It's good inspiration for everyone on AC (including me!) and you will wish you had them when you are too old to go over those crazy hills. Thanks for sharing the picture and take care. Oh, and be careful!

Cheers,
J

JoshK · « **Reply #1164 on:** 27 Aug 2013, 02:24 am »

After the above photo, I rode a trail in Leavenworth WA called "Xanadu". Its 1.700 ft up a fire road and then 1700 ft down a high exposure ridgeline techy trail with some serious grade, rock drops and long steep rock descents, throw in some granite here and there, huge berms and a few kickers. Was seriously fun but quite nerve racking as I was in no-man's-land completely by myself.

Watch a video of the trail on youtube here... (not me) but is way scarier in real life.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbNAS2clSCU

jackman · « **Reply #1165 on:** 27 Aug 2013, 02:42 am »

Cool video! I can't imagine riding that trail. One slip and you are toast. Crazy!

Thanks

J

LadyDog · « **Reply #1166 on:** 27 Aug 2013, 03:06 am »

Great pics Josh and Sbagger. Agree Jack, one bad pedal stroke and you're tumbling for a while. I'd probably crap in my shorts.

Levi, cool looking new ride. You getting the Lefty?

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #1167 on:** 29 Aug 2013, 03:24 am »

Man Josh, sure reminds me of this trail and crash.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsDjh7oAAP0

All is fine while on the trail but go off and it's a very bad day, or the last day.

Rocket_Ronny

Levi · « **Reply #1168 on:** 29 Aug 2013, 04:31 am »

Quote from: LadyDog on 27 Aug 2013, 03:06 am

Great pics Josh and Sbagger. Agree Jack, one bad pedal stroke and you're tumbling for a while. I'd probably crap in my shorts.

Levi, cool looking new ride. You getting the Lefty?

Thanks! I am keeping my Fox shox.

JoshK · « **Reply #1169 on:** 3 Sep 2013, 01:34 am »

Quote from: Rocket_Ronny on 29 Aug 2013, 03:24 am

Man Josh, sure reminds me of this trail and crash.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsDjh7oAAP0

All is fine while on the trail but go off and it's a very bad day, or the last day.

Rocket_Ronny

Haha....I've seen that. I have felt that way once. When I took a header off a 4' feature doing 20+ mph.

JoshK · « **Reply #1170 on:** 17 Oct 2013, 02:28 am »

Seriously bummed that DH season is over here. Got a minor injury just before the last weekend. Together with the rotator cuff injury earlier, that was not a good use of a season's pass. However, I was stoked to get to ride the stunt/jump line at my local on my last time out.

I am building up my confidence in going big again. When I was young I went big, now I am old but am learning to relax and have confidence again.

Even the racer chicks in my club think riding DH does their MTB skills good skills. Unless you are a reformed roadie, practicing other skills, like jump lines, DH, trials, skinnies, all helps your improvement in riding.

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #1171 on:** 17 Oct 2013, 03:58 am »

Quote

Seriously bummed that DH season is over here.

No kidding. Season almost done here too. Did manage to exercise Twisted Sister (Gas Gas Ec300 2-stroke hyper child) last weekend. Lots of trails including a 5 turn snake run down the old ski hill. It has 6 foot banks in the turns.

Hope everyone had a great biking season.

Rocket_Ronny

Levi · « **Reply #1172 on:** 18 Oct 2013, 02:53 am »

You guys just reminded me to post a picture of my OpenCycle 29er! All the cables are internal/Di2 ready.

Cheers!

jackman · « **Reply #1173 on:** 21 Oct 2013, 06:59 pm »

Levi,

I hate you! Just kidding, but I'm admittedly envious over your new ride. If I was putting together a bike, I don't think it would be possible to top that ride, regardless of budget. Very cool looking bike! Enjoy it and be safe.

Lots of guys in my group are getting Fatbikes, Pugsleys. They ride them on the most technical trails in the area and I'm seriously thinking about getting a Pugs. They run super low pressure (under 10psi) during the winter and ride them year round. Pugsleys always attract lots of attention but the look grows on you after a while. It's the type of ride that puts a smile on your face unless you are pedaling uphill.

DaveC113 · « **Reply #1174 on:** 21 Oct 2013, 07:31 pm »

Levi, XX1? Just put that drivetrain on my '09 Remedy, it's very nice...

Levi · « **Reply #1175 on:** 21 Oct 2013, 08:20 pm »

Thanks! Xx1 are great!

JoshK · « **Reply #1176 on:** 22 Oct 2013, 09:39 pm »

I am on the fence with trying out 1x10 on my IBIS. I got a wolftooth no-drop chainring (like the XX1 style) for my XT cranks. A few things that are holding me back are 1) my fitness...I got a pinched nerve, pretty bad and haven't been able to ride for 3 weeks, which isn't helping and 2) my usual places to ride have a bunch of successive steep but short up/downs which often leads to the easiest solution of using your FD to quickly get in the right gear. I might try it out by not removing my front shifter, but just change the chainring. I got a 30T chainring to compensate that I am unfit and never tend to spin out as we have no sustained downhills.

I'd meander towards XX1 if Chris King would support a hub conversion. I am not having my rear wheel rebuilt and I like the quick engagement of CK's (I9 would work too) as I very often use the ratcheting technique in technical sections (which most of our trails are full of).

DaveC113 · « **Reply #1177 on:** 22 Oct 2013, 10:16 pm »

I'll make you a good deal on an 11-36 XX 10-speed cassette, XX shifter and X9 short cage rear derailleur. I'll even throw in a 1091 hollow pin chain...

Levi · « **Reply #1178 on:** 25 Nov 2013, 04:21 am »

Not bad ending the Mtb race season @Something Wicked Race 2013!

Cheers!

jackman · « **Reply #1179 on:** 25 Nov 2013, 05:00 pm »

Levi - Congratulations! that was quite an accomplishment and cool medal. My bike is packed up for winter but I am hoping to get some MTB riding in this week. It is crazy-cold in Chicago and I need to dig up my cold weather gear. The wind is also pretty harsh, but it still beats riding on an indoor trainer. That is my definition of TORTURE>

Cheers,
Jack