|
Car Hater posted:Drove out from the lowland Midwest to Denver and my rear brake drained itself as soon as I pulled the trigger on a ride today. I refuse to believe the elevation change to a mere mile can gently caress up the pressure balance so I'm going to just assume poo poo seals (Shimano) and go buy new. Still though! Wtf! Just made the reverse drive. Both bikes brakes are fine.
|
#
?
Aug 28, 2022 16:14
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 23, 2024 12:38 |
|
|
For years I've thought about getting into mountain biking but never made it happen. I just moved to an eminently bikeable town and wanted to get a bike for grocery runs and whatever. A coworker had a frankenbike's worth of parts in his garage, so now I own an old hardtail. I haven't owned a bike in close to 20 years but I'm gonna tool around town and hit up some gravel loops to start. Kinda excited 
|
|
#
?
Aug 28, 2022 19:04
|
|
|
Happiness Commando posted:For years I've thought about getting into mountain biking but never made it happen. I just moved to an eminently bikeable town and wanted to get a bike for grocery runs and whatever. A coworker had a frankenbike's worth of parts in his garage, so now I own an old hardtail. That's awesome! If you're comfortable telling people your general area I bet there's a goon or two in this thread around you.
|
|
#
?
Aug 28, 2022 21:51
|
|
|
Boulder, CO. spwrozek is sort of close.
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 01:06
|
|
|
Oh, don't mind me, over here, green with envy that you get to pick up biking in a place where you can just pedal over to Valmont Bike Park and have a day of it whenever you want
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 01:15
|
|
|
I’m quite close to Boulder and happy to provide whatever info I can about the area.
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 01:17
|
|
|
Car Hater posted:Oh, don't mind me, over here, green with envy that you get to pick up biking in a place where you can just pedal over to Valmont Bike Park and have a day of it whenever you want Before too long he’ll be pedaling Superman climb to Walker to shred then come back down for after ride beers.
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 01:37
|
|
|
Happiness Commando posted:Boulder, CO. spwrozek is sort of close. Check out Betasso, Marshall Mesa/dowdy draw, Bear Creek, North Table, Green Mountain, Genesee mountain, ridgeline open space, three sisters, Staunton, and buffalo creek for generally easier trails to get into it. As mentioned Valmont will be great to build skills.
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 01:57
|
|
|
Don’t forget the schoolhouse loop up at Heil, that’s a great one. Purpose built for beginners, loop as much as you want and try different lines and approaches to the little features. It’s less than a mile, so low stakes. I haven’t been since the fire but there’s some kind of skills area there now, too. e: save you a search https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/7047989 Mexican Radio fucked around with this message at 02:34 on Aug 29, 2022 |
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 02:31
|
|
|
West Mag is really good and worth the drive. Hall too.
vikingstrike fucked around with this message at 03:04 on Aug 29, 2022 |
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 03:00
|
|
|
Walker is maybe the best in the area behind like SSV but those are both much harder IMO.
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 03:00
|
|
|
Mexican Radio posted:Don’t forget the schoolhouse loop up at Heil, that’s a great one. Purpose built for beginners, loop as much as you want and try different lines and approaches to the little features. It’s less than a mile, so low stakes. I haven’t been since the fire but there’s some kind of skills area there now, too. Is the main parking still closed daily? I think at noon or something. kind of makes parking a pain unless you get in and get your ride done. vikingstrike posted:West Mag is really good and worth the drive. Hall too. I don't really find west mag that beginner friendly. at least not if you loop it all, the eastern half is much more chill. OP do not go to Walker Ranch as a newbie on a hardtail. not biking for 20 years and never mountain biking will make this a very bad idea.
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 13:27
|
|
|
Just don’t ride Roots/Schoolbus. Everything else there is pretty straightforward blue trail imo. Same for Hall. Just stay off the rock garden, everything else is fair imo. I dont think either is much different than Staunton for example which you listed. The easiest place to learn in the area would be Marshall Mesa, Boulder Valley Ranch, Valmont, Erie Bike park, and then Betasso. Wapiti trailhead at Heil closes at noon daily still, yes. You can park at the gate below on the dirt road next to the trails mentioned. Heil sort of sucks and not sure I’d recommend the other stuff. vikingstrike fucked around with this message at 14:25 on Aug 29, 2022 |
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 14:20
|
|
|
Hey just give Boulder another year or two and walker will be completely beginner friendly.spwrozek posted:Is the main parking still closed daily? I think at noon or something. kind of makes parking a pain unless you get in and get your ride done. Yeah good call. I wouldn’t even try going there (or anywhere in Boulder) on a weekend morning. Pre fire you could count on Heil to be pretty quiet in the early evening. Worst case you can park somewhere on left hand.
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 14:37
|
|
|
Mexican Radio posted:Hey just give Boulder another year or two and walker will be completely beginner friendly. Boulder going full Jeffco?
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 14:41
|
|
|
I was going to prioritize Marshall Mesa and Valmont. Both seem friendly to my skill level and close enough geographically to make it trivial.
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 14:55
|
|
|
Mexican Radio posted:Hey just give Boulder another year or two and walker will be completely beginner friendly. Actually, early morning is the best time to ride Heil on the weekends. Can get a spot before everyone comes at 11am. This holds for basically every MTB spot in the county. (Though with the lot closing at noon now could be worse. Never had issues at other lots though.) vikingstrike fucked around with this message at 15:19 on Aug 29, 2022 |
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 15:15
|
|
|
Happiness Commando posted:I was going to prioritize Marshall Mesa and Valmont. Both seem friendly to my skill level and close enough geographically to make it trivial. Start on the east side of 93 at MM. The west isn’t hard but a little more technical in spots. Do the “Dirty Bismark” loop.
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 15:16
|
|
|
Funny, thats what your mom told me to do the other night
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 16:40
|
|
|
After work ride the other day   
jamal fucked around with this message at 05:37 on Aug 31, 2022 |
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 18:39
|
|
|
Gotta love it when manufacturers neglect to list the chain length of the bike models they ship.
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 20:22
|
|
|
jamal posted:After work ride the other day 
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 20:37
|
|
|
Just got back from my Idaho trip. General thoughts is that it's way less developed than Colorado (my home), Utah, or the northeast. Soil also tends to be pretty sandy, rocky, and loose, which I'm sure is exacerbated by the lower than average rainfall in Idaho this year. Boise: The Camel's Back/Hulls Gulch Reserve area was our first real ride. It gets VERY hot. Trails are pretty buff and a lot of foot traffic. Some pretty nice turns, but overall pretty tame. MTB Project totally overestimates the difficulty in terms of tech or flow riding skill. Even the "harder" climbs were mostly moderate grades. Fun if you're passing through but not worth specifically stopping to ride. Boise itself was a fun enough town--surprisingly liberal for Idaho. Good food and bar scene, but once again, not worth specifically visiting. McCall area: My favorite ride of the trip was on the Jug Mountain Ranch system. About 550' of pedal-served riding behind a golf course. Absolutely ripping, modern descents with great flow, tech, and sendy options. Extremely well-designed and I wish we could have repeated it and/or that it lived in my backyard instead of in the middle of nowhere Idaho. We also did the Tamarack bike park. Overall waaaay too much traversing and pedaling for lift served. About 1600' of vert so good length. The main line down, Super G, was pretty good. But elsewhere in the park there was just a lot of pedaling, not great flow, and some trails were in rough shape. Not worth the stop. Also I fell over from a standstill into a patch of stinging nettles which sucked rear end and I also strained the gently caress out of my rotator cuff, so it was insult, injury, and a day off of riding. McCall itself was nice enough. Very small town on a very pretty lake. If you wanted to do lake stuff and get some riding, it would be sweet. We didn't get to check out Brundage's bike park (even via pedal power) because my shoulder was just not having it. Sun Valley: Best part of the trip. The Sawtooths are gorgeous mountains. Ketchum is a fun enough town. Imagine a slightly less aspeny version of Aspen. We stayed at an excellent dispersed campground just 10 minutes out of town. First day of riding we were just north of town and combined the Chocolate Gulch and Fox Creek trails. Great ride for a sore shoulder. Not particularly flowy or techy, but good climbing and pleasant descending with great views. Second day we rode the Sun Valley bike park. Definitely preferred this to the Tamarack park, but several of the trails were still waaay too traverse-y. Still, the berms were good, the jumps were fun, and you could find some nice flow. Mindbender to Pale Rider is tops, River Run is not. Saddle Up was fun high alpine riding. Final day we went up to the Galena Lodge for moderate pedaling. No, we did not do the IMBA Epic on day 8 of riding. Fun trail system and the higher elevation was a cool relief. Rip n Tear is quite good for tight, fast flow. On the way back, we had to pass through SLC so we stopped and did a lap on the Eagle Crest trails and, drat, they're fun. Even in 95F heat. Now I'm home with vacation hangover. Overall: Idaho not mindblowing as an MTB destination, but it was pleasantly uncrowded and the riding wasn't bad, just not amazing. Given a few years, that might even change!
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2022 21:57
|
|
|
Nohearum posted:eBay Sherpa meet your distant cousin PinkBike Sherpa. Hell yeah nice. Is yours also a nice metallic sparkle flake up close? Mines subtle because it's dark blue and a matte finish (plus RideWrap) but up close and in the sun it's got a nice sparkle to it. Makes me think of space photos. What's your fit like? I'm curious because you can't just find tons of people posting their Sherpas. I've got a 17.5/Small, 50mm stem, 180mm dropper. Fork is a SID Select, 120mm with 35mm stanchions, but pretty light. Bike looks and feels super balanced and solid. I'm 5'8-5'9 with slightly long legs. I used WTB on my cx bike for a while and then got a Maxxis front and instantly liked the feel of it and how much tackier it is. When I built the Sherpa obviously I went with Maxxis. Got a good deal on the DHF/Aggressor combo but they're a bit overkill for my local riding. I think I'm going to do a new Forekaster in front with a Rekon in the rear, probably both MaxxTerra. I could definitely enjoy a little lighter and faster tire. I keep telling myself that having the extra knobs and all is comforting but most of the terrain I'm riding I've ridden on my cx bike and know I should be able to get away with less. Just need to keep working on cornering position. My local riding is pretty boring compared to some folks here but it's a really good bike for my local terrain, and I felt pretty good taking it up to some MUCH steeper and rockier terrain camping in Vermont. Despite all of my time on my cross bike and planning for a proper MTB for years I still feel like an absolute idiot noob sometimes, but I'm getting a little faster and working on cornering skills and trying to get the front wheel up and stuff. Switching from the dirt cheap 35mm stem I grabbed just to get the build done, to the much nicer 50mm stem with a little rise and I feel like I'm in a much, much more stable and strong position. Bike is insanely comfortable. I ate poo poo pretty hard off a big drop last month but I think it's time to go try to send it again, rather than rolling it. I'm gradually getting more comfortable getting the front wheel up and getting into the air. I forced myself to start riding flats just to encourage better skills too.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2022 03:54
|
|
|
What are folks’ views on a solid mid travel bike? I’m considering moving from my short travel 29’er to something with a bit more suspension. I’ve been riding an Ibis Ripley AF for the last two seasons. It’s a great bike for smooth single track but do feel very much underbiked with 120mm on some of the local trails, which trend towards rooty and rocky PNW jank. I’d previously considered the Hightower but it looks as though Santa Cruz has not yet realized an aluminum version, which is my preference for cost and durability reasons.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2022 05:32
|
|
|
Horizontal Tree posted:Hell yeah nice. Is yours also a nice metallic sparkle flake up close? Mines subtle because it's dark blue and a matte finish (plus RideWrap) but up close and in the sun it's got a nice sparkle to it. Makes me think of space photos. The gray has a slight sparkle in the sun but otherwise it's pretty muted. I'm 6'0 on a 19". Feels pretty comfortable with a 40-50mm stem. Not an extremely aggressive riding position but a great bike for long days in the saddle.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2022 15:00
|
|
|
If you like your Ripley the Ripmo would be a logical step up. I think the Ripmo AF with DVO suspension is considerably better than most anything you’ll get at a similar price point from a bike you’ll find in a LBS. I have a v1 Ripmo and it’s the first bike that I’ve been happy enough with to keep more than a couple years.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2022 16:02
|
|
|
mexecan posted:What are folks’ views on a solid mid travel bike? I’m considering moving from my short travel 29’er to something with a bit more suspension. Ripmo AF, Commencal Meta TR, Norco Sight A2/A3, Stumpy Evo alloy
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2022 16:42
|
|
|
Currently riding a Ripmo AF but with a Fox 38 and X2 and I loving love it. A bike twin and I swapped (he had the same bike but with Dvo components) and they felt almost the same. Dvo fork might even be a bit more plush. Cannot recommend it enough, especially at the price point even upgrading to SLX (which I feel is worth) It isn't the fastest climber, but it's nimble enough and it's not at all sluggish. I keep up with anyone around my same fitness level just fine. Yes, it's got hella travel which makes it amazing on descents, but you don't feel it climbing singletrack even keeping everything fully open. Recommended without any caveat unless your focus is climbing, in which case stick with the Ripley E Bud Manstrong posted:Ripmo AF, Commencal Meta TR, Norco Sight A2/A3, Stumpy Evo alloy Saving this because my partner is looking to replace her current janky AL xc-ish bike with something in this category
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2022 01:46
|
|
|
I have a ripmo AF and really enjoy it. The stock assegai tires are pretty drat slow. I have found the suspension to be a bit easy to bottom with ibis recommended settings.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2022 01:57
|
|
|
I have a Norco Sight A1 and it has been good.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2022 02:01
|
|
|
Welp. Bought some XT 8120's because  Anyone up for trestle this weekend?
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2022 03:57
|
|
|
Car Hater posted:Welp. Bought some XT 8120's because Just FYI Shimano brakes are way cheaper to buy from Europe, even with international shipping. I recently outfitted both my bikes with 7120's from lordgun.com. Somehow showed up in 3 days from Italy.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2022 04:15
|
|
|
bikes good
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2022 05:21
|
|
|
How can I keep my back end from wanting to and/or washing out in berms? The stuff out here in SoCal is mostly loose over hardpack, this weekend was my 2nd time at the bike park and I was riding a little more aggressively than the first. Almost lost the rear a couple times, and lost it completely once but recovered, both while in the apex (I think, by feel?) of the berm. Could it be that I'm entering at a weird angle, and while the front wheel is high on the berm, the back wheel is still in the loose crap at the bottom when I start leaning? I'm running a Schwalbe Big Betty out back that's a little worn, but I don't think it's horrible, but this is my first set of tires so I have no idea what I'm really looking at from a non-car perspective. I'm also heavy, and new to riding so it could 100% be form related as well. Poor picture of my tread for reference: 
Frozen Pizza Party fucked around with this message at 05:43 on Aug 31, 2022 |
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2022 05:39
|
|
|
Get some spray adhesive and give your tires a quick coat for extra grip
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2022 05:48
|
|
|
Car Hater posted:Get some spray adhesive and give your tires a quick coat for extra grip They do this when dyno tuning cars and I'm not kidding. I've only seen it needed with a 1k HP Supra.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2022 06:09
|
|
|
Car Hater posted:Get some spray adhesive and give your tires a quick coat for extra grip I'll try that next time, any brand you recommend?
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2022 06:39
|
|
|
Frozen Pizza Party posted:How can I keep my back end from wanting to and/or washing out in berms? The stuff out here in SoCal is mostly loose over hardpack, this weekend was my 2nd time at the bike park and I was riding a little more aggressively than the first. Almost lost the rear a couple times, and lost it completely once but recovered, both while in the apex (I think, by feel?) of the berm. Could it be that I'm entering at a weird angle, and while the front wheel is high on the berm, the back wheel is still in the loose crap at the bottom when I start leaning? I've got a Betty on the back and they're loving amazing so don't worry about the tyre. I would try coming slightly slower into the berm to begin with, brake until you get to a speed you're happy with and then let go before the berm, and as you get to the apex of the berm, pump it. Push into the berm down through the pedals, that'll give you grip on the back and also make you exit the berm at a faster speed. Make sure you're centered on the bike the whole way through the berm. The front wheel shouldn't be higher on the berm for the majority of it either. Open it up, so enter high, then dive into the berm from above. Most of the loose stuff in berms I've noticed tends to gather at the lower end of them, so if you're at the apex and your front wheel is higher than your back, the back is probably still wallowing in all that loose stuff.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2022 08:43
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 23, 2024 12:38 |
|
|
Frozen Pizza Party posted:How can I keep my back end from wanting to and/or washing out in berms? The stuff out here in SoCal is mostly loose over hardpack, this weekend was my 2nd time at the bike park and I was riding a little more aggressively than the first. Almost lost the rear a couple times, and lost it completely once but recovered, both while in the apex (I think, by feel?) of the berm. Could it be that I'm entering at a weird angle, and while the front wheel is high on the berm, the back wheel is still in the loose crap at the bottom when I start leaning? Which trails? I was at snow summit a few weeks ago and only had issues with one specific berm. My bike has some pretty mediocre tires on it. Perhaps you were breaking too hard on the back wheel?
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2022 14:34
|
|
