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Sadi posted:Just depends on what your goals are. Brevard is really good for a cute small town with excellent access to pisgah and dupont. If you want cheaper but similar access look more towards Etowah and Hendersonville (further away but probably cheaper). If you want more shopping and city stuff, look at Asheville. Asheville will be significantly more expensive I think, and its about a 40min drive from pisgah. I dont know Rosma very well and hardly ever go that far south on 64 but it is close to Lake Jocassee which is a gem (can boat camp, and kayak or boat up to water falls that dump into the lake. super clear water). Rosman is also closer to Panther Town. That said I imagine it has less shops, restaurants, and breweries than Brevard if that matters to you. I swear I'm gonna drag oconee and pickens counties into putting a large MTB system near Jocassee and Walhalla
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Aug 6, 2020 16:12
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| # ? May 12, 2024 23:03 |
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Just to re-say what that dude said, upstate SC is a loving gold mine of undeveloped lands compared to the similar side in NC. I live just south of there and I did an internship for SC PRT in 2000? SC highway 11 is an amazing drive and it passes 3? 4? state parks with intermixed SC DNR and duke power owned land (jocassee). I'd normally recommend raven cliff falls for tourists on the NC/SC border on 276 since you said brevard, but I haven't been home since March and I don't have any idea how busy the trail is and it may be slammed. Even normally it'd be fairly busy, but the rest of Mountain Bridge Wilderness is usually sparsely hiked (even if you go around to the suspension bridge that trail isn't used much at all)
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Aug 6, 2020 16:20
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Pad question. I'm starting to ride in Appalachia again when I visit the folks and know I'm going to be getting some knee pads cause the some of the rocks out there scare the hell out of me. Are elbow pads worth it for non park riding? I haven't ever had a down where my arms really got it but I know it's just a matter of time. Also, any thoughts on how to determine the best tire pressure. I'm riding on hard pack clay in Iowa right now and I can't seem to find a pressure that feels right. Currently running somewhere between 20 and 24psi in Forecaster 2.35's on 35mm rims, under 210lbs of bike and rider combined. I know the right psi depends mostly on personal preference but making sure I'm in the realm of sanity would be nice.
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Aug 6, 2020 17:36
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Nyyen posted:Pad question. I'm starting to ride in Appalachia again when I visit the folks and know I'm going to be getting some knee pads cause the some of the rocks out there scare the hell out of me. Are elbow pads worth it for non park riding? I haven't ever had a down where my arms really got it but I know it's just a matter of time. For what it's worth, I recently took a fall on a rock roll-down where I hit something that sliced a huge gash in my arm above my elbow, requiring 7 stitches, and now I can't imagine ever going out on any remotely downhill singletrack without knee pads, elbow pads, an armored shirt/pants, and a full-face helmet. It feels really stupid that I just, basically, let this happen because the chances were so low. I'm expecting to feel really stupid all armored up for relatively easy trails that I'm not going pro-biker-fast on, especially with most people just wearing shorts and a T-shirt, but whatever.
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Aug 6, 2020 17:57
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Yeah, I figured it was probably a good idea, I just was being a weenie and was hoping someone would give me a great reason why I didn't need them. I ended up getting some Dakine Slayer elbow pads from the REI in town. That said, I sized up after reading the reviews and I'm wondering if I should have gone up two sizes. They don't cut off circulation but they are incredibly tight. I figure I'll wear them around the house for a day and see if they relax a little. They do have great coverage and seem like they are all a mediocre rider like me would need. Knee pads are in the mail since nobody in town has anything in my price range so hopefully they fit.
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Aug 7, 2020 00:14
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hello friends do any of you have experience with kids knee/elbow pads? our oldest has taken quite the taste to park riding but doesn’t like bruising over and over.
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Aug 7, 2020 00:57
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evil_bunnY posted:hello friends do any of you have experience with kids knee/elbow pads? our oldest has taken quite the taste to park riding but doesn’t like bruising over and over. Because kids can be such different sizes at whatever age I strongly recommend going to a bike shop and trying stuff on. They're all going to provide about the same level of protection so just worry about what is going to be comfortable enough that she or he is actually going to want to wear it. I use the 661 Evo protection jacket thing with D30 inserts when I ride park (and the matching compression shorts). It's comfortable enough and I can take the d30 out and wash it every time I use it which is nice.
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Aug 7, 2020 01:12
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So we had gravel specific suspension forks earlier this year, now we get a "gravel dropper post" https://bikepacking.com/news/easton-ea70-ax-gravel-dropper-post/ 
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Aug 7, 2020 01:27
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the bike industry is the worst
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Aug 7, 2020 03:21
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Nyyen posted:
I'm running 2.6+ tires on 35mm rims, so first thought is your tires and rims seem like a mismatch. Is the tire really squared off due to the fitment? Second, I run 25-26psi rear and 22-23 front for 90% of my risong, knock on wood no real problems so far. If I go much lower I get weird tire deflection on rocky bits and squirm on hardpack. It's sort of a guess and check kind of thing, but you seem ballpark correct. Usually bottoming your rim is pretty noticable and if you aren't burping the tires or feeling them weird under you you probably have enough air in there.
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Aug 7, 2020 04:16
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Bottom Liner posted:So we had gravel specific suspension forks earlier this year, now we get a "gravel dropper post" 27.2mm: good 50mm travel: why loving bother e: 0mm offset: dumb as hell on a road bike internally routed: wont work with 99% of gravel/cross bikes out there currently Clark Nova fucked around with this message at 04:42 on Aug 7, 2020 |
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Aug 7, 2020 04:37
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I love to think there's people out there riding rough enough trails on a gravel bike that they need a dropper post but their 40mm tires are ok.
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Aug 7, 2020 04:43
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meowmeowmeowmeow posted:I'm running 2.6+ tires on 35mm rims, so first thought is your tires and rims seem like a mismatch. Is the tire really squared off due to the fitment? Sorry, I had remembered my rim width incorrectly. They are 30mm internal. I'll try adding another couple pounds and see how it feels. One issue is I don't really have really any loose stuff to experiment on, just dust on clay which after a crash a few months back I'm really to nervous to trust my tires on. Speaking of that, anyone got any suggestions for dealing with fear of crashing and turning more aggressively in general? I know comfort, familiarity, and confidence are big things there but I'm still fighting the urge to hammer the brakes before every turn and getting spooked everytime the bike moves around a little on roots and in turns. This is despite riding 60-90 miles a week for around 3 months now. I have got past target fixation and braking in the turns for the most part. I'm looking through the turns and trying to steer with my hips and know I should let the bike lay into the turn to get the side knobs working. I'm doing all the things I'm supposed to but I just can't trust the bike and so I never push past my comfort zone. I wish I could ride in a group but covid blew that up around here. I did some drills but I was still unable to work through it on an empty gravel road. Any sage advice?
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Aug 7, 2020 06:12
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I don't think I'd ever want a dropped to ride gravel, but a locking suspension post would be ace for gravel bikepacking.
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Aug 7, 2020 12:00
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Last week I moved to a forest which has an absolutely huge network of piste and off-piste trails and today I've finally found some time around unpacking and painting to explore one of the off-piste areas a little bit and I am SUPER excited to do more. Riding from my doorstep absolutely rules and I am very happy about it. Also upgrading my pike from 150mm to 160mm, solo air to debonair has been such a good decision. It feels like a totally different fork, it's light years better. 
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Aug 7, 2020 14:32
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What is an off-piste trail in relation to mountain biking? It is an unmarked trail but it exists (may or may not be considered illegal)?
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Aug 7, 2020 15:00
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spwrozek posted:What is an off-piste trail in relation to mountain biking? It is an unmarked trail but it exists (may or may not be considered illegal)? Yep pretty much. Around here they're not considered illegal, more like unsanctioned and as long as there aren't any ridiculous features then the landowner (forestry commission here) usually just lets them be. If you want to ride them then it's a matter of either going with a local or using Strava's segment explore and heatmap since people don't usually put them on Trailforks.
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Aug 7, 2020 15:07
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Bottom Liner posted:I love to think there's people out there riding rough enough trails on a gravel bike that they need a dropper post but their 40mm tires are ok. Yeah gotta go at least 47  Droppers and gravel bikes to use on singletrack are fun as poo poo
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Aug 7, 2020 15:26
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Aphex- posted:Yep pretty much. Around here they're not considered illegal, more like unsanctioned and as long as there aren't any ridiculous features then the landowner (forestry commission here) usually just lets them be. If you want to ride them then it's a matter of either going with a local or using Strava's segment explore and heatmap since people don't usually put them on Trailforks. Makes sense. Around here if you put those trails on Strava people will be pissed. Especially if it results in the trails being closed by the land manager. You usually have to know someone.
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Aug 7, 2020 16:42
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Trailforks has a nice feature where if someone adds an illegal or closed to the public trail, a moderator can mark it that way and it won't show up and won't let someone else add it. Well, and a moderator has to approve any new trails anyway so like if I saw someone add one I'd just make it hidden and maybe send the creator a message saying something like "hey don't add that to trailforks dumbass."
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Aug 7, 2020 16:52
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Cross posting from the maintenance thread, but does anyone know how to troubleshoot a rear shock lockout? Had my shocks serviced back in March but haven’t done any real riding since then. The other day I went to lock my rear and noticed it didn’t do anything. Full travel either way. I checked the pressure and it’s sitting at about 165psi (RockShox Monarch RT Debonair). I’m guessing the service messed it up, but am not clear on if this is something I can fix myself.
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Aug 7, 2020 17:13
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Clark Nova posted:0mm offset: dumb as hell on a road bike has nothing to do with road bike or not and everything to do with fit of the frame... Bottom Liner posted:I love to think there's people out there riding rough enough trails on a gravel bike that they need a dropper post but their 40mm tires are ok. It me (not exactly but on really steep stuff getting back and low feels like it would be far better than having bigger tires)
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Aug 7, 2020 17:21
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jamal posted:Trailforks has a nice feature where if someone adds an illegal or closed to the public trail, a moderator can mark it that way and it won't show up and won't let someone else add it. Well, and a moderator has to approve any new trails anyway so like if I saw someone add one I'd just make it hidden and maybe send the creator a message saying something like "hey don't add that to trailforks dumbass." MTB Project is the same. you have to reference official documentation showing it is a legal trail or they will not add it to the system.
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Aug 7, 2020 17:26
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Dangerllama posted:Cross posting from the maintenance thread, but does anyone know how to troubleshoot a rear shock lockout? Had my shocks serviced back in March but haven’t done any real riding since then. The other day I went to lock my rear and noticed it didn’t do anything. Full travel either way. I'd probably start by calling whoever rebuilt it and asking them. Bu you could try reading through the service manual and maybe checking out the diagrams in the spare parts catalog, it should show how the adjuster/lockout is supposed to work. https://www.sram.com/en/service Also, is it cable operated? could just not have enough tension.
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Aug 7, 2020 17:39
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evil_bunnY posted:I don't think I'd ever want a dropped to ride gravel, but a locking suspension post would be ace for gravel bikepacking. It's not necessary, but I've run into a few descents that suddenly got more rocky, so would have been nice to have more clearance to shift back to tip toe over the technical bits. Not worth the extra weight, but nice.
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Aug 7, 2020 17:46
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Dangerllama posted:Cross posting from the maintenance thread, but does anyone know how to troubleshoot a rear shock lockout? Had my shocks serviced back in March but haven’t done any real riding since then. The other day I went to lock my rear and noticed it didn’t do anything. Full travel either way. I'd first try to get the service center to fix it. I've not been inside of a Rockshox, but the similar fox shock had the lockout system inside the damping circuit so it's way deeper than the air can and is a decent sized project to do - especially as it probably will need a proper vacuum bleed and will have 500psi of nitrogen behind the IFP. I've gotten into the damping circuit of a fox dpx2 and dhx2, but not the float dps due to that nitrogen charge being needed.
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Aug 7, 2020 17:53
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jamal posted:I'd probably start by calling whoever rebuilt it and asking them. Some more googling tells me this may be related to IFP pressure(?) being too low. I’m guessing it didn’t get set after service. I’ll contact Velofix and see if they can come out. Thanks for the pointers. The service manual and parts diagram helped.
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Aug 7, 2020 18:06
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kimbo305 posted:It's not necessary, but I've run into a few descents that suddenly got more rocky, so would have been nice to have more clearance to shift back to tip toe over the technical bits. I think it was cyclingtips that made this point in a review, but I agree with it - the main reason I don't like dropper posts on gravel bikes is that they stiffen the ride considerably for relatively little use. If you don't use a dropper you can get some compliance out of the seatpost, especially now that there are a few good flexy or compliant posts available.
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Aug 7, 2020 18:11
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Nyyen posted:Sorry, I had remembered my rim width incorrectly. They are 30mm internal. I'll try adding another couple pounds and see how it feels. One issue is I don't really have really any loose stuff to experiment on, just dust on clay which after a crash a few months back I'm really to nervous to trust my tires on. Honestly, more drills. Gravel roads are good but imo grassy hills are better. They've not got tons of traction but the edge of grip is pretty noticable and it's a smooth falloff once it starts to push, so it's easier to feel where the edge is and how to reel it in if you start to cross the line. It's also softer to crash on than gravel which is really nice. Really working on leaning the bike over while staying above it and weight the outside bar end, not the inside. This will feel way more secure because you're pushing the tires down into the ground more, and being over the bike will help you catch it if it starts to slide. If your riding dust on hardpack and the front end feels insecure you probably need more weight on the front. It's sort of self reinforcing thing where not enough weight on the front makes it feel like it's going to push, so you lean back more, so it pushes more, etc. Get your forearms parallel to your fork stanchions and loving lean on that thing. I had to add 15 psi to my fork when I started actually weighting the thing, so you might try that as well if front end feel is not confidence inspiring. I'd also recommend choosing an easy trail or section of trail to really practice cornering and pushing faster. If it's 5-10 corners you can really learn the corner and that'll help with confidence in pushing a bit harder each time. Don't feel weird about hiking your little section either, can be way more useful than full runs. Cornering and feeling good about pushing pace is one of the hardest things to do mentally because there's both more traction than you think, but bad technique and you'll run out of grip fast.
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Aug 7, 2020 18:45
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mountain bikes are good
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Aug 7, 2020 21:49
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I really thought this bike shortage and demand spike would be over by mid-year, but I appear to have been stupendously wrong. I was eyeing the new Orbea Occam and the expected ship time on their website is June of next year. I’ve got two friends who want to buy bikes and start riding with me and the best our LBS can do is take a deposit for a Diamondback they expect to be able to order in two months. Insanity.
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Aug 7, 2020 22:28
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Welp. Who do we like in Denver for shock service?
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Aug 7, 2020 22:54
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Tacier posted:I really thought this bike shortage and demand spike would be over by mid-year, but I appear to have been stupendously wrong. I was eyeing the new Orbea Occam and the expected ship time on their website is June of next year. Just speaking as a guy who needs to order materials a lot, it's like 20% demand spike and 80% materials and logistics problems. Even shops that are healthy and 100% in business have to deal with suppliers that aren't, and even if their suppliers are, the supplier's suppliers aren't. I wanted to bid on a job doing a quarter mile of boardwalk, and I had to back out solely because I can't get a quote that'll be good for more than 5 days, and those I did get were astronomical with no guarantee that was the worst of the pricing. I know a few guys that do timber work, and while crews are cutting nonstop, mills are barely paying anything and a good number are only cutting on demand. And the lumber industry is 4 basic elements, timber buyers/crews, mills, wholesalers, and buyers. People might not realize it yet because they're so focused on small poo poo, but the US economy is straight up loving hosed.
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Aug 8, 2020 01:58
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Dangerllama posted:Welp. Who do we like in Denver for shock service? Maverick. Ethan does great work. https://mavericksuspension.com/ If you want to ship it out or drive to Longmont, DirtLabs is good as well and has a relatively quick turnaround.
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Aug 8, 2020 02:33
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Bud Manstrong posted:Maverick. Ethan does great work. A week from now we're gonna be starting on the blue descent trail from the bottom up, gonna take a month or so but it's gonna be the goods, 1000 feet, 2.4 miles. I've talked to parker a few times about it but I'm gonna do a flowy downhill towards the west down a drain I like kinda off the meadow, but that'll be probably november and who knows, maybe next year. I don't give a gently caress how long we stay out here, we're staying until it's impossible to work because south carolina is a loving shitshow and I don't want the rona 
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Aug 8, 2020 03:16
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meowmeowmeowmeow posted:Honestly, more drills. Gravel roads are good but imo grassy hills are better. They've not got tons of traction but the edge of grip is pretty noticable and it's a smooth falloff once it starts to push, so it's easier to feel where the edge is and how to reel it in if you start to cross the line. It's also softer to crash on than gravel which is really nice. Really working on leaning the bike over while staying above it and weight the outside bar end, not the inside. This will feel way more secure because you're pushing the tires down into the ground more, and being over the bike will help you catch it if it starts to slide. Thanks for the advice. I have a few places that will fit what you recommended and try them out tomorrow. The grassy bits are all surrounding a flat field and on a slope, not much flat ground. Should I just try riding down them as if they were off camber turns?
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Aug 8, 2020 03:24
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Bud Manstrong posted:Maverick. Ethan does great work. Perfect. I was looking at Dirt Labs, but was hoping to avoid heading all the way up to Longmont. Thanks!
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Aug 8, 2020 03:32
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Bud Manstrong posted:Maverick. Ethan does great work. DirtLabs rebuilt my Ribbon and I was very happy with them. Had to order parts from Grand Junction and still had the fork back within the week, IIRC.
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Aug 8, 2020 04:03
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Nyyen posted:Thanks for the advice. I have a few places that will fit what you recommended and try them out tomorrow. The grassy bits are all surrounding a flat field and on a slope, not much flat ground. Should I just try riding down them as if they were off camber I don't quite understand your description, but ride straight down the fall line for speed and set slalom cones as targets, it's practicing flat turns which will transfer to berms. Honestly watch the Paul the punter videos with Casper Wooley, they're pretty good for drills and watching what progression looks like with the drills. They helped me with opening my knee to help the bike lean in.
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Aug 8, 2020 04:34
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I'm going to WV in a few weeks and planning to hit Snowshoe's bike park. This will be my first time on a true downhill course as I ride XC in and around Patapsco State Park and Bacon Ridge in MD. What am I getting myself into here? Oh I guess I should state that my ride is a Scott Spark 720+ which is 130mm up front and 120mm in the rear with a 67 degree headtube angle. I'd prefer to use it but renting is also acceptable.
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Aug 8, 2020 13:35
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