Bicycling Off-Road

Levi · « **Reply #720 on:** 14 Jun 2011, 06:58 pm »

Some pictures of of the Fat Tire Festival at Blue Mountain.

Huge boulders. This is the easy one.

Lots of demo bikes

Discounted swags

Skinnies

Map

JoshK · « **Reply #721 on:** 14 Jun 2011, 07:14 pm »

That boulder looks fun! I could hang out there for hours.

Those skinnies are serious! That takes serious balance. Good practice.

LadyDog · « **Reply #722 on:** 15 Jun 2011, 12:31 am »

Cool picture Levi. Looks like fun. Though living in flat Indy, not much of it looks familiar.

Levi · « **Reply #723 on:** 15 Jun 2011, 12:34 am »

Thanks guys. I rather have it flat = fast. LOL!

Josh, you will like Blue Mountain specially with your full suspension bike.

JoshK · « **Reply #724 on:** 15 Jun 2011, 06:28 pm »

Well hills on fast in the down direction.

That is why I bother going up in the first place. I have to go to Blue before I move.

Levi · « **Reply #725 on:** 16 Jun 2011, 04:07 am »

Move?

Care to share where you going? Sounds like far.

Quote from: JoshK on 15 Jun 2011, 06:28 pm

Well hills on fast in the down direction. That is why I bother going up in the first place. I have to go to Blue before I move.

JoshK · « **Reply #726 on:** 16 Jun 2011, 04:21 pm »

I'm moving to Toronto. Took a fantastic job up there. I am leaving in a month or so.

I hear Toronto has some good MTB'g areas, even one in the city, called Don Valley.

Levi · « **Reply #727 on:** 16 Jun 2011, 04:29 pm »

Congrats on your move. Toronto is still drivable from NY. It is a bicycle friendly town.

sandbagger · « **Reply #728 on:** 16 Jun 2011, 04:48 pm »

Congrats on the move/job

South East Michigan is a doable drive, and we have a TON of trails.
Check out www.MMBA.org

JoshK · « **Reply #729 on:** 24 Jun 2011, 01:18 pm »

I just ordered a new set of wheels for the new bike. One of our own, Tone Depth, is my wheel builder. I wanted to invest in a good set of wheels as I think they are one of the most important aspects of a bike. I wanted a pair of wheels that would last me years and stay with me if I upgrade other parts including frame.

I opted for an AM wheelset, as this bike is more Trail/AM oreinted and that is really the riding I most enjoy and as I get more aggressive I wanted my wheels to not hold me back. This isn't a weight weenie bike, its meant to go where ever I want to go. My GF 29er is for XC riding. With Steve's suggestion I opted for WTB Laser TCS AM rims on Chris King hubs and appropriate spokes and brass nipples.

Levi · « **Reply #730 on:** 24 Jun 2011, 01:34 pm »

That would be one durable wheelset. Congrats!

sandbagger · « **Reply #731 on:** 24 Jun 2011, 01:54 pm »

I just wished I could get my wheel parts. decided against a new disk wheel set and new brakes, just going to rebuild my Edco Racer Hubs with Mavic X3.1 UST hoops. Cambria has one part backorderd for almost 2 weeks now

I would really like to have these built and ride on them a few times before I do the Tree Farm Race http://www.teamtreefarm.com/wordpress/

JoshK · « **Reply #732 on:** 28 Jun 2011, 12:57 am »

Tonight I was curious. I don't have a bike scale but I have a digital bathroom scale. I did the subtraction method, first measuring my own body weight and then picking up the various bikes and measuring the difference in weight. Not sure how accurate this is, but at least the relatives should be monotonic.

As it turns out, my 5" FS 26" trail bike is lighter than my 29'er HT. By about a 1.5lbs. Both just under 30lbs (29.8 and 28.4). Not weight weenie bikes. This includes pedals, bottle holders and other misc items. My CAAD 9 5 by contrast with small pack + tool, blinkies, pedals etc is around 21.4lbs.

Levi · « **Reply #733 on:** 28 Jun 2011, 01:26 am »

That only equates to one thing, your 26" FS should be a blast to ride! You truly have to bring it back to either Bicycle Habitat, Blue Mountain or Stewart State Forest.

jackman · « **Reply #734 on:** 28 Jun 2011, 01:57 am »

Hey Josh, keep your eyes peeled for a digital luggage scale. Lots of guys use those (they have a hook you can hang your bike from to weigh) and they are inexpensive. For MTB's I think durability trumps weight. Either way, you are buidling an impressive stable of bikes! Best of luck with the riding and the upcoming move!

JoshK · « **Reply #735 on:** 28 Jun 2011, 02:16 am »

The internet stretches to Canada fortunately, so I will still be in touch. My first impressions are I like the 26" FS bike better. I am not giving up on the 29'er though. I need to lighten it up a bit, first started with tubeless conversion.

Got my Thule rack today. Its very nicely built and featured. I mounted the hitch on Saturday, which was a bit of work but fit as per instructions.

JoshK · « **Reply #736 on:** 28 Jun 2011, 02:19 am »

Quote from: Levi on 28 Jun 2011, 01:26 am

That only equates to one thing, your 26" FS should be a blast to ride! You truly have to bring it back to either Bicycle Habitat, Blue Mountain or Stewart State Forest.

Do you mean Jungle Habitat? I love that place!

Levi · « **Reply #737 on:** 28 Jun 2011, 02:27 am »

Yes. Jungle Habitat. I hate that place. Them rocks. LOL!

JoshK · « **Reply #738 on:** 28 Jun 2011, 02:30 am »

Its technical therefore fun....not a closet roadie place...

Levi · « **Reply #739 on:** 28 Jun 2011, 02:43 am »

It's all good. I rode Jungle Habitat 99% of the time. The 1% I walked over them big boulders. I don't feel like getting my rims scratched or buying a new rear derailleur.