[PhilNYC]

It's gorgeous! 

What was new price for that frame, if I may ask? 

One wonders what does someone trade up to from a nice Ti frame?

The basic IF Ti Deluxe retails for $3410 (frame only).  Today, IF only does custom frames...but they start from a stock geometry that was based on the Fat Chance Yo Eddy (my previous mtb).  This frame is almost identical in geometry to my old frame...the only difference is .5 degrees in the seat angle...

http://ifbikes.com/OurBikes/Off_Road/Ti_Deluxe/

[PhilNYC]

Congrats Phil.  Great snag!  I have seen the shot-peened finish.  Great bike! 

I would go for the 39/26 front and 11-36 rear cog combination.  That's what my current racing setup and felt like it is properly geared even for smooth tarmac.  If you go with the 42/29 front and 11-32 rear cog, you will need a very strong thighs to push the bike up a steep climb.  You will definitely walk parts of Stewart Forest. 

What about going 42/28 in front and 11-36 in back? 

[jackman]

Today purchased the frame pictured below, 2010 Raleigh XXIX Pro steel, XL    Specs for complete bike (not purchased) and the frame geometry: http://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/mountain/2010-mountain/xxix-pro/

Raleigh won over the Vassago Bandersnatch.  Raleigh costs slightly less but more than that is the fact the Raleigh comes in 21.5" while the largest 'Snatch is 20" (I might enjoy even larger than 21.5").     

The Raleigh's a "steel" (unintended pun) for the money.

WTB has 2011 M.Y. 9er tubeless wheel sets ETA September, two levels: most affordable ever (IIRC a measly $350) and super high end maybe above the $770 Mavic Crossmax.

I'm completely sold on the advantages of 2x10 gears, coming on this build (lighter, instant gear change, no cross chain, more vertical clearance).  Only known downside is 2-4% less gearing extremes.  2x10 arrived 2010 M.Y. and only in the most costly build kits.  Mid-priced kits arrive 2011 M.Y. 

Popular opinion holds that new OEM front triple rings may disappear post 2013 (except for lowest cost entry bikes, where naive buyers want features over performance).       

Very cool looking bike, congrats on the new ride!  I don't think there are any Raleigh dealers around here but I'd love to test that bike.   I just rode my first 29er and can now understand the allure.  Very fast rolling design.  I'm torn between a 29er and a cyclocross bike.  I don't do as much off road riding since my bike accident about 7 years ago but I miss it.  Where did you get the Raleigh?

Cheers,

J

[coke]

I got this about a month ago.  This is my first 29er.  It's a HUGE improvement over my old bike.  I ride motorcross, and this bike feels much closer to that than my old 26" did.  Corners, downhill, climbing, etc... everything feels more stable overall better.  The place i ordered it from made a mistake on a previous order, so I got to take $100 off of this one. Very happy with this considering it was under $900   

[JoshK]

I'm not around this weekend, but you should come up to 9W next weekend...maybe Levi can come with us...!

Yeah, let's do that. 

I am going up to Jungle Habitat on a beginner's ride with some guys/girls from MTBNJ tomorrow.  That should be fun.

[Levi]

The 42/29 front and 11-36 rear will work. However, most of your riding will be on the front 29 ring. Use Sheldon Brown's gear calculator and compare the gear combination that you are using now.

There is a good iPhone apps that I use... "bike gears". 

[JoshK]

I'm lucky enough to have a private, 2.5 mile track which my friend keeps cleared (we also use it for dirt bikes and 4wheelers).  Going for a night ride later tonight 

I'm def'ly jealous.  I'd love something like that close by even if it weren't private.

[JoshK]

I plan to ride a few more times and then seriously consider loosing the big chainring on my bike in favor of a bash guard.  I've hit the big chain ring twice and I've only ridden it once seriously off-road.  I love hopping logs, plus I don't see the point of the 42T.  I may take the current 34 up a tick to 36 though.

[coke]

I'm def'ly jealous.  I'd love something like that close by even if it were private.

I ended up doing 5 laps last night.  I have a video of us riding a lap.  I'll try to upload it to youtube when I get a chance.

[PhilNYC]

The 42/29 front and 11-36 rear will work. However, most of your riding will be on the front 29 ring. Use Sheldon Brown's gear calculator and compare the gear combination that you are using now.

There is a good iPhone apps that I use... "bike gears". 

I have that app too! 

Riding in 28-36 gets me pretty near to what I had on my Fat Chance (I had a 22 granny and a 34 as my biggest cog, but I rarely used 22-34...more like 22-30 as the smallest I would go.  But I'm also a little nervous with the 36 in back, because that would most likely mean a long cage rear derailleur....so I don't know yet...

[PhilNYC]

I plan to ride a few more times and then seriously consider loosing the big chainring on my bike in favor of a bash guard.  I've hit the big chain ring twice and I've only ridden it once seriously off-road.  I love hopping logs, plus I don't see the point of the 42T.  I may take the current 34 up a tick to 36 though.

Fwiw, on my Fat Chance, I had a 46 in front...!

[PhilNYC]

Spent the weekend as the support crew for a couple of friends riding in the 2010 Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race.  Here are some pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91042553@N00/sets/72157624730430614/

Levi Leipheimer won in record time (6 hours 16 minutes)...

[mjosef]

NYAR Levi?
Was he riding under an assumed name? 

[jackman]

Spent the weekend as the support crew for a couple of friends riding in the 2010 Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race.  Here are some pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91042553@N00/sets/72157624730430614/

Levi Leipheimer won in record time (6 hours 16 minutes)...

Darn, you are hanging with some heavy hitters.  It looks like a great time!  Please let us know if you post any additional pictures or details.  Cool stuff!


J

[PhilNYC]

It was really fun just being there   Am still a little bummed that I didn't get in via the lottery, but I guess there is always next year...

My friends who raced did great for their first ultra-endurance event!  Am very proud of them...one guy finished in 12hrs 45min and got an official medal.  The other guy missed the cut-off by 10 minutes (total time was 13 hrs 10 mins) but at least made it to the finish...not bad for a couple of guys in their mid-40s!

Watching the pro racers was really something...those guys are from a different planet or something...

[JoshK]

I seriously can't imagine doing that many miles offroad.   I went to Tourne tonight with a guy from MTBNJ (last minute).   We did just 6.5 miles and I wanted to puke at least once.  We did a half dozen relatively short climbs but steep and very rocky with roots and small log hops in them. Not hardcore but enough to let me know I am not in great shape yet.

I really dig the technical aspect of finding the line and powering up.  I made it up all but one hill that did me in twice.  The "guide" said it was the hardest doable climb at Tourne.  Both times I lost it at the same place about 80% up, right before you have to go around a tree, whose roots are making havoc of the trail. 

We did some downhill stuff I'd consider a bit gnarly given the amount of large rocks to manuever.  I hear it is child's play compared to Jungle Habitat or Ringwood, but its nothing at all like the single-track stuff I did in SoCal.   The stuff in SoCal was bumpy dirt with 3' drops and ascends created by run off that we would do at ~20mph on the downhill.  Having ridden BMX tracks as a kid helped with this a lot.

I have to say, I'm sold on the 29'ers.  Given the amount of roots and rocks I rolled over with ease while my guide was picking more lines, I have to say I see the draw for why they are popular out here.  Having ridden some BMX in my youth and a 26'er in college in SoCal, I don't find my GF to be any less maneurable or agile.  I just can't bunny hop as high with it or ride wheelies very well yet.  The chainstay length and pivot distance is that much longer and makes it that much harder to ride wheelies. 

I built a lot of confidence tonight with clipless.  We were doing some somewhat technical rock climbs and descents and I didn't eat it on climbs like I did at Hartshorne.  I was able kick out fast enough when I lost momemtum.  I still have a ways to go before I start doing trial stunt with clipless, but I am getting faster and this was only my 2nd offroad ride.

[LadyDog]

Great pictures Phil.  And I am sure a great time too.

While I realize the pro's have helped the cause and get the event more street cred, I always felt like that race was one for the locals or amatuers.  Guess with much in life, there are pro's and con's.

[coke]

Here's my ride from last night.  I just got a new light for my bars and wanted to try it out.   I currently have a magicshine 900 for my helmet and a 1400 for my bars. It's like riding in daylight 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/45022747

[Levi]

Great lights for the money. I am curious about the new 1400 Magicshine.  How is it compared to the 900?

[coke]

Great lights for the money. I am curious about the new 1400 Magicshine.  How is it compared to the 900?

I'm new to using these types of lights, so I can't really compare them to anything else, but below are a few thoughts:


It's more of a flood light than a spot light.  It doesn't have the same hot spot as the 900, and just using the middle light of the 3 isn't nearly as bright as the 900.  At first I was dissapointed because i was expecting it to be brighter, but the more I rode the more I liked it.  I liked it because i was able to keep my eyes and helmet light pointed out ahead of me on the trail while still being able to see things like rocks and roots that were closer to me with the 1400.

Another benifit I wasn't aware of until last night, is that using the 900 to light things close to my tires kills my night vision because of how bright it is.  Using the 1400 for things up close and the 900 for distance, helped prevent this.

Riding motocross, I was always taught to look ahead at where you want to go or end up in turns.  Doing this with just a helmet light takes most of the light away from your tires, leaving you somewhat blind to rocks and anything else directly in front of you.  Having the 1400 on the my bars fixed this issue.

The 1400 also has a button that changes colors to let you know the status of the battery.  I rode for about an hour and 45 minutes.  It seemed to change from green, to blue, to orange, so I'm not exactly sure how much charge was left, but I never saw Red, so I assume it had at least 25% left.

Complaints:
I broke one of the rubber rings used to hold the light on.  I did this while installing it but I was able to make the other rings work (it came with 3).

The screw on the base of the light was loose, but it was easily tightened.

One of the lenses on the small lights wasn't screwed in all the way and might have fallen out while riding if I hadn't noticed it.