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Yeah quite a few mtb helmets have a removable visor but its not always called out. I have the spesh tactic 4 and its a great helmet for the money but i miss the magnetic fidlock closure on my last helmet, it really is nice.
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Jul 23, 2023 04:22
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If you are not picky on color and have a small head you have 5 options of the smith Forefront 2 for 1/2 off right now (only $125) for arguably the best half lid on the market. They also have 3 medium colors and 2 colors in large. https://www.smithoptics.com/en_US/p...hUaAtFKEALw_wcB You can take the visor off with a 2.5 mm but you most likely can just put the visor in up mode (unless you think that isn't cool) with no interference.
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Jul 23, 2023 20:11
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Thanks for the feedback, it looks like I need to go to some stores and check in person if they're not advertising which ones are removable. I really want it to be fully removable 'cause it'll look dumb with double visors, and also my typical street rides involve some high speed downhills (25-30mph) and I don't want the air pulling my head back. That Smith one spwrozek posted looks good but I have a pretty normal sized head so the cheaper S sized ones aren't an option and the only medium ones on sale aren't my jam. On another note, I took my barely ridden YT Core 3 out for like the 3rd time after buying it over the winter and I definitely need to make some adjustments. I'd intended to ride regularly but hurt my back right after I got it and took a long stretch off of all riding. First, gloves seem less optional than I thought, my palms are pretty blistered. I didn't think it'd be an issue because I ride daily on the road, but that was a mistake. Is there anything special I should look for in gloves for summer use? Second, I forgot that I have super wide hips and stock seats never fit. The one it came with is noticeably too narrow. Any recommendations for wider seats? Bonus points if I can get it through QBP since I get a discount through the co-op I volunteer at. Third, I need to replace the cheapo pedals it came with. Don't need anything fancy and bonus points again for something I can QBP order.
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Jul 23, 2023 20:33
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I like Handup summer gloves (and all their gloves honestly). Super breathable and no padding. https://handupgloves.com/collections/summer-moutain-bike-gloves The regular gloves are not that heavy but I basically don't use anything but the summer gloves from May to October in Colorado. Can't go wrong with WTB saddles. Here is a link to the wide ones. https://www.wtb.com/collections/wide-saddles Pedals I like the one up composites except that eventually I mangle a pin so bad that you can't really replace it even if you try to drill it out. I find that to be a problem with a lot of composite pedal. I like the bounce factor when hitting a rock with them though. https://www.oneupcomponents.com/products/comp-pedal Chesters are good too https://www.raceface.com/products/chester-pedal?variant=31913986457682 CB makes the stamp https://www.crankbrothers.com/collections/pedals/products/stamp-1-large?variant=31842887696480 I do always debate dropping the money on aluminum pedals but they are usually 3-5x the cost and that is like 8-12 years of composite pedals for me. That is all assuming you want flats. When I ride clipped in I am a crank bros person.
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Jul 23, 2023 21:39
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oXDemosthenesXo posted:Do mountain bike helmets come with removable visors these days? spwrozek posted:I like Handup summer gloves (and all their gloves honestly). Super breathable and no padding. https://handupgloves.com/collections/summer-moutain-bike-gloves The regular gloves are not that heavy but I basically don't use anything but the summer gloves from May to October in Colorado. evil_bunnY fucked around with this message at 21:45 on Jul 23, 2023 |
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Jul 23, 2023 21:42
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Mtb helmets with the visor removed do tend to look kind of dumb though. Personally I just have like 5 bike helmets.
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Jul 23, 2023 21:46
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That is a fair point. I haven't had issues but I know people who have when the glove doesn't fit right or if you crash. If my gloves get torn up and not my hands though I will count it as a win.
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Jul 23, 2023 21:47
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Thanks for all the recommendations. I'll start tracking this stuff down.
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Jul 24, 2023 04:33
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Handup don't fit me right for whatever reason. They're always too tight between my thumb and index finger. I've tried a couple different sizes but maybe I just have weird proportions. I have padded fox ranger gloves that I like well enough now. Pedals, any cheap composite will be decent. If you want giant ones, Kona wah wah 2s are nice for big feet. I'm running pnw ones now that are fine. 2nd on wtb saddles. I've tried a couple different brands and this is by far the most comfortable for me so far. Their size guide worked out pretty great for picking one.
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Jul 24, 2023 13:43
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Suburban Dad posted:I have padded fox ranger gloves that I like well enough now. I love fox ranger gloves, I run the gel ones for DH, the non-gel ones for other riding and even sim racing. I've found them on very significant sales in off-colors on fox's website. I would get them a size larger than you think you need and throw them in the wash to let them come down to size. oXDemosthenesXo posted:Third, I need to replace the cheapo pedals it came with. Don't need anything fancy and bonus points again for something I can QBP order. Race Face Chesters are very good and quite affordable. I run the metal version on my DH bike and the nylon (chesters) on my enduro bike and like both equally.
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Jul 24, 2023 13:47
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Does anyone have e mountain bike recommendations? Particularly stuff which has a very big largest size. Not as interested in downhill stuff, but would like to do more blue/green trails. It seems like some of the ones which keep showing up are stuff like the Spectral:ON, nukeproof megawatt, and specialized turbo levo? They’re all pretty $$$ but it seems like maybe that’s just how e mtbs are?
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Jul 24, 2023 22:41
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The new trek fuel eXE looks good and reasonable affordable in the base model. Even the higher priced models are not crazy expensive. Realistically it seems like you are looking at $5k to get into an e mountain bike without some sort of sale. https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/mountain-bikes/electric-mountain-bikes/fuel-exe/c/B346/?q=%3Arelevance%3AfacetFrame%3AfacetFrame2 Also relevant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nfOg_55irw spwrozek fucked around with this message at 04:14 on Jul 25, 2023 |
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Jul 25, 2023 04:09
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OK, starting to narrow in on all these accessories. I found some TLD Airs at the local Evo, which I'm glad I tried on in person. In most brands large was about right but the XL was perfect for TLD. Rode with them on my commute today and I should have done this earlier. For the saddle, is the WTB SL8 meant for trail riding and some light-moderate? It only talks about gravel and cyclocross and other non-mtb stuff. Or is a saddle just a saddle? Also my sit bones are right at the boundary between medium and wide, assuming my poke my rear end with my calipers measuring method worked so gotta figure that out somehow. Got the Crank Bros Stamps on order, still need to look more at helmets in person. Thanks again for all the help y'all! VelociBacon posted:I love fox ranger gloves, I run the gel ones for DH, the non-gel ones for other riding and even sim racing. Gonna have to try that next time I set up the rig. It's been an embarrassingly long time since I've done the Sunday goonrace.
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Jul 25, 2023 04:59
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spwrozek posted:The new trek fuel eXE looks good and reasonable affordable in the base model. Even the higher priced models are not crazy expensive. Realistically it seems like you are looking at $5k to get into an e mountain bike without some sort of sale. I was going to recommend this too, I haven’t ridden it but I’ve heard a lot of great things about it, and they just released an alloy model so I think the base one is a little over $5k. Not cheap, but not wildly expensive in the realm of mountain bikes. +1 for the Ranger gloves. I moved from some TLD gel gloves to the unpadded Rangers a few years ago and my hands have never been happier. I also upgraded my grips to Deathgrips which has been a winning combo.
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Jul 25, 2023 05:44
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Giant has a decent hardtail emtb under $3k, but I’d still hold out for the full suspension.
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Jul 25, 2023 05:49
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Stopped by the local REI today and use their rear end-o-meter to help choose a saddle. Apparently my bones are way wider than I thought, I'm well into the WIDE category and I've probably been using the wrong size for 20 years.
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Jul 26, 2023 03:25
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oXDemosthenesXo posted:Stopped by the local REI today and use their rear end-o-meter to help choose a saddle. Apparently my bones are way wider than I thought, I'm well into the WIDE category and I've probably been using the wrong size for 20 years. 
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Jul 26, 2023 03:38
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oXDemosthenesXo posted:Stopped by the local REI today and use their rear end-o-meter to help choose a saddle. Apparently my bones are way wider than I thought, I'm well into the WIDE category and I've probably been using the wrong size for 20 years. WTB Koda is good for this
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Jul 26, 2023 04:18
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Nohearum posted:WTB Koda is good for this I went with the WTB SL8 someone recommended up thread. Should be here in a week or so, I'm curious how much it helps.
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Jul 26, 2023 07:36
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Something I’ve been trying are wearing *fairly* lighter work shoes with steel toes and it’s saved my toes from a few otherwise painful incidents. What do you guys use for footwear out on the trails? Is this a bad idea lol
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Jul 26, 2023 19:21
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I wear mtb shoes that have a harder toebox and some paddimg up there and yeah it's helped with some accidental toe smashes while riding. If the lighter work shoes have good enough traction on the pedals they might be a good option, I generally prefer a stuff shoe for flats and clips.
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Jul 26, 2023 19:30
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oXDemosthenesXo posted:Stopped by the local REI today and use their rear end-o-meter to help choose a saddle. Apparently my bones are way wider than I thought, I'm well into the WIDE category and I've probably been using the wrong size for 20 years.
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Jul 26, 2023 19:33
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evil_bunnY posted:thicc boi club! It's just the hips, I'm like 6'2" 170 so everyone assumes I'm super skinny.
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Jul 26, 2023 19:45
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anyone downhill bike? I've got a devinci troy i use for mostly xc, theres a local downhill bike park i took it on a lot last couple summers but the break pads get hotter than the surface of the sun. i tried switching to metal pads but they squeal like crazy. im probably gonna get a dedicated dh bike at some point but i know the brakes on those are way beefier on those than on my troy. ultimately i guess my question is how much of a difference for heat do those big four piston brakes make or is it simply a matter of stopping power? my stopping power is good on the troy unless im on organic pads and they're hot as hell (which was a scary lesson when i lost my brakes the first time lol), am i just braking to much? could i save money on the dh bike by just upgrading my brakes? im definitely not a pro but i do take it all pretty fast and am passing people more than not, but it seems like some amount of braking is mandatory... Maybe i need to go faster 
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Jul 26, 2023 19:53
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PrivRyan posted:Something I’ve been trying are wearing *fairly* lighter work shoes with steel toes and it’s saved my toes from a few otherwise painful incidents. What do you guys use for footwear out on the trails? Is this a bad idea lol Yeah I have some Giro MTB shoes that have a hard sole and toe protection. Saved me several times, would recommend. Mr. Crow posted:anyone downhill bike? I've got a devinci troy i use for mostly xc, theres a local downhill bike park i took it on a lot last couple summers but the break pads get hotter than the surface of the sun. i tried switching to metal pads but they squeal like crazy. im probably gonna get a dedicated dh bike at some point but i know the brakes on those are way beefier on those than on my troy. 4 piston is so nice. More modulation and more stopping power. I've noticed a moderate increase in heat capacity, but ultimately you just gotta be better about using your brakes. Get a DH or Enduro bike for the park, it's way more fun than a frankenbike xc frame. I've been there and it was like a whole new world on my Ripmo.
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Jul 26, 2023 20:24
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The ability to dissipate heat is based on rotor size and material. Bigger rotors will dissipate the heat better. 4 piston just give more, even bite on the rotor. So if you have 160mm rotors now you could put some 180s on, just need some spacers for the brake mounts. I would want 4 piston for downhill though.
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Jul 26, 2023 20:29
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yoohoo posted:I was going to recommend this too, I haven’t ridden it but I’ve heard a lot of great things about it, and they just released an alloy model so I think the base one is a little over $5k. Not cheap, but not wildly expensive in the realm of mountain bikes. spwrozek posted:The new trek fuel eXE looks good and reasonable affordable in the base model. Even the higher priced models are not crazy expensive. Realistically it seems like you are looking at $5k to get into an e mountain bike without some sort of sale. TY for the recs! Will check one out at the local Trek store.
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Jul 26, 2023 20:33
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I’d go at least 200/180 and preferably 200/200 for DH, especially if you’re fast. Kinetic energy squares with velocity, so a better rider who brakes hard and late probably generates more heat even though they’re braking less time than someone dragging. I have Magura MT5s which are pretty DH friendly for a reasonable cost, if I were buying new today I’d probably look at Formula Cura 4s. Never ridden them but heard really good things.
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Jul 26, 2023 23:43
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Mr. Crow posted:ultimately i guess my question is how much of a difference for heat do those big four piston brakes make or is it simply a matter of stopping power? my stopping power is good on the troy unless im on organic pads and they're hot as hell (which was a scary lesson when i lost my brakes the first time lol), am i just braking to much? could i save money on the dh bike by just upgrading my brakes?
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Jul 27, 2023 00:33
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Mr. Crow posted:anyone downhill bike? I've got a devinci troy i use for mostly xc, theres a local downhill bike park i took it on a lot last couple summers but the break pads get hotter than the surface of the sun. i tried switching to metal pads but they squeal like crazy. im probably gonna get a dedicated dh bike at some point but i know the brakes on those are way beefier on those than on my troy. The short answer here is to get 180 or 200mm rotors front and back and it'll make a huge difference, so long as your brakes are decent ones to start with. Tiny little XC specific calipers/pads aren't going to be able to cope well with DH riding regardless of what you use for rotors, and you'll have a hard time finding large rotor sizes for XC brakes. Overheating brakes is not just heat going into the caliper but also the total mass of the rotor - spreading a set amount of heat into a larger mass means that the rotor gets less peak temperature. This is a separate benefit from the increased leverage that a larger rotor provides, and both are huge bonuses for DH riding. I'm going to probably get shouted at here but I don't think there is a rational argument (aside from weight) for not having very large rotors on your bike front AND back if you do anything other than dedicated XC. Benefits:
I refuse to acknowledge the argument that a large rear rotor is going to make you overbrake the rear, that would only happen at the extremes (very light rider, very large rotors, very powerful brake system). Knowing your brake system would go a long way. If you have some old avid juicy's or something it's probably not worth sourcing rotors and all that, but if you have a modern competent brake system it's worthwhile. Lots of people run non-DH specific bikes at bike parks and they absolutely do fine, including their brakes. The other point I'd make is that some bike park trails are worse than others on your braking setup. A flow trail with well supported berms and such may encourage you to maintain speed without having to brake much at all, and a slower tech trail just puts less energy into the brakes due to the low average velocity. The thing I avoid are what are basically big access roads where you are just riding your brakes constantly.
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Jul 27, 2023 02:01
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WHERE MY HAT IS AT posted:I’d go at least 200/180 and preferably 200/200 for DH, especially if you’re fast. Kinetic energy squares with velocity, so a better rider who brakes hard and late probably generates more heat even though they’re braking less time than someone dragging. I've got cura 4s and I love them. I've just come back from 2 weeks in the Alps doing 2000m descents in one go with a 200mm front and 180mm rear rotor and they were pretty much faultless. They only got pretty noisy when it was super dry and dusty and after sustained braking but they never lost power or anything, highly recommended! I used purple galfer brake pads which are a kevlar type compound and even then I had to change the rear brake pad twice in two weeks! If I used organic I'd probably have had to change them every day.
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Jul 27, 2023 02:15
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Ya I've only had the last two season at the bike park and only really last season did i try spending any serious time with it. I've been happy with the troy so I haven't really paid much attention to bike hardware after getting it squared away the first couple years, but i definitely was feeling i need to get either a dedicated enduro or dh bike halfway through last season. Maybe ill see if i can upgrade the braking system as a middle ground as i also want a camper and canoe and million other things. Or maybe a used dh bike  Totally forgot rotor sizes have gotten huge, my wife has a "newer" bike (2018 maybe?) with 180 or 200s i think and i remember noticing one day how much bigger they are. Pretty sure mine are 160 but the bikes almost 7 years old now (holy poo poo...) and I'm to lazy to go look. Definitely been itching to upgrade. Thanks all.
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Jul 27, 2023 03:31
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Mr. Crow posted:Ya I've only had the last two season at the bike park and only really last season did i try spending any serious time with it. If the only thing bothering you about your bike in the DH areas is the brakes, you're in really good shape and yeah you should just do the brakes. I would say it's never been cheaper to get a DH bike, but also it's an expensive day if you pay for a pass and then your bike shits itself because it's a cheap used DH bike. Rotor Chat: For what it's worth I run a 220mm front rotor and a 200mm rear rotor. I'm 215lbs, my bike is another 35lbs. I run the Saint brakes which share pads with the Zee, and use metallic pads with the big cooling fins on them.
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Jul 27, 2023 03:42
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I’d rent a dh/enduro bike first. There’s at least one shop in my area that’ll put the price of a rental towards the purchase of a bike if you buy within something like a week of renting.
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Jul 27, 2023 03:54
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Aphex- posted:I've got cura 4s and I love them. I've just come back from 2 weeks in the Alps doing 2000m descents in one go with a 200mm front and 180mm rear rotor and they were pretty much faultless. They only got pretty noisy when it was super dry and dusty and after sustained braking but they never lost power or anything, highly recommended! I'm waiting for Moment's new ski collection to come out, but if I don't see anything that piques my interest, I'll probably make the jump from MT5s to Cura 4s next month. I really like Hope as well but they're significantly more expensive in Canada.
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Jul 27, 2023 06:27
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Also the Alps are absolutely incredible. 2 weeks spent in Morzine, Avoriaz, Les Gets, Chatel, Champery, Les Arcs, La Plagne, Meribel and La Thuile. Pure heaven.     My hands are still sore and I'm so tired but it was so drat worth it.
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Jul 27, 2023 09:17
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Whoah gorgeous
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Jul 27, 2023 09:29
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I haven't ridden in over 3 months because of a herniated disc an sciatica. I get an injection tomorrow morning finally, but I miss riding so damned much. I want to go to Europe and ride cool stuff, too. What an awesome post, great pics!
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Jul 27, 2023 10:00
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Quizzlefish posted:Whoah gorgeous Agreed Nocheez posted:I haven't ridden in over 3 months because of a herniated disc an sciatica. I get an injection tomorrow morning finally, but I miss riding so damned much. Best of luck. I ended up needing surgery but thankfully most don't. Planks are gonna be your new best friend.
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Jul 27, 2023 12:35
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WHERE MY HAT IS AT posted:I'm waiting for Moment's new ski collection to come out, but if I don't see anything that piques my interest, I'll probably make the jump from MT5s to Cura 4s next month. I really like Hope as well but they're significantly more expensive in Canada. They redid the commander, stiffer and 92/102 vs 98/108. Deathwish 104 tour. Countach 110 (same as already revealed last year). I think other than that mostly minor tweaks and new topsheets.
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Jul 27, 2023 21:05
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