Official MTB / Mountain Biking Chit Chat

[filotr14lsdude]

It's a sad day when a king hub fails.

[ped453]

another pic of my commute home yesterday. Nice and sunny, but cold -5 F, at least no wind.


my coffee stop and my lonely friend rock.


somewhere in there is where I came from.

[lead lobber]

This is my son after completing his second lap at the 2015 Dawn to Dusk race here in Phoenix. It was his first race that he pinned a number on his bike. This year he'll be a Freshman and racing as such in the Arizona High School Cycling League, which is part of NICA. Check them out at Arizona High School Cycling League

[rupps5]

Heck ya! Awesome

[lead lobber]

This one is of Me and Ian at Cat's Peak in the Usery Mountain Park here in East Phoenix, Mesa area. Great trails.

[hpiguy]

So awesome, you my friend are a kick ass father.

[lead lobber]

Thanks HPI.
I'm only one of many that have said "I wish this existed when I was a kid..."
I'm also glad that I'm able to help my kids enjoy the experiences I've had on my bikes.
The other little guy in the pic is my youngest. Liam. He just started riding and loves it as well. He will be able to ride with the team, but not compete until he is a Freshman, just like his brother did this year.
Liam will have a full 3 years of practices and pre riding the race courses before he even pins on his race number. One hell of a head start!

Oh, and here is my Strava profile.
https://www.strava.com/dashboard?feed_type=my_activity

[lead lobber]

OTHGbronco,
What's the whole point of Strava? Is it just to track your rides?

Yes, and more. My son is a racer. He logs his rides on Strava. The team coach and other coaches can see his stats, and suggest ways to improve as well as training better.
The league director uses it when racers petition to move up to the Varsity class. He looks at your lap times and finishing places in the past to see if you are worthy of the Varsity level. Not all Senior riders make it into the Varsity level.

[lead lobber]

Bunch of pics from riding in South Korea. The trails outside Osan AB are some of the most fun trails I've ever riden. The Koreans have kept up the trail network from the war era. There are still fox holes and bunkers all around. You just have to slow down and look for them.
Some of those trails are STEEP as you can see from me pushing...

[lead lobber]

The first pic is of a Scapel that I test rode. LOVE that bike... She will be mine.. oh yes.
The second one is of my pup Trinity. She was 4 or 5 months old and her first trail ride. She was on my wheel for the first 2 miles, then tuckerd out for the last 1.5 miles. I slowed to her pace. She had A BLAST!
The Third pic is me riding sweep for the freshman girls race at Lake Havasu in AZ.
The fourth is some awards I made to recognize some of our racers from this season.
And finally, the team pic. My son Ian is the red head on the right.

[ManiacMagoo]

Lead Lobber that is awesome. I'm actually shopping for bikes for my 14yo son. He wants to get into downhill/enduro riding. We have the trails around us for it and the clubs luckily. Hopefully by spring he will be riding something other than his bmx. Sadly on my Devinci Spartan I can't catch him guess that is more of an age thing verse pain tolerance lol.

[lead lobber]

Yesterday's ride out on the Hawes Loop network with the crew from NoSnow SUP shop.

[ped453]

well I learned something today the hard way. I was using my good rear wheel for the winter and decided to swap it out for a cheaper one to save my other rear wheel for the summer....Well the hub failed on me. I'm about 6 miles from home, 3 miles from the nearest gas station and about 9 miles from work. ( I don't really know what the gas station would do for me, but for the sake of mapping.lol). So I decided to walk home until someone, a very nice person decided to give me a ride home, so I can just take my car to work. thanks nice person....oh and did I mention it's FAWKING -24 f WHEN ALL THIS HAPPENED!!!!!!haaaaaah, there i'm happy now.

[ManiacMagoo]

Well I need to stay away from the shop with my bike lol. I ended up ordering way to many parts for it the other day. Now it's worse than waiting for Christmas to get here.

List of upgrades:

Chris King hubs blue
Spank Oozy Trail rims blue
black spokes
Saint f/r brake set
XT M8000 11 speed 11-42 cassette
XT M8000 rear 11 spd shifter
Saint 1x11 170mm crankset
XT M8000 11spd Shadow+ rear derailleur
Icetech 203/180 rotors

Guess I will be getting my son a frame set since he can have all the new take offs from my bike lol. I'm tossing the idea of ditching the Pike and monarch rc3 shocks for a Fox 36 and rear shock. Then my son would be set. My monarch needs another rebuilt in less than 15 miles on the bike and the Pike has starting loosing air just as fast. Pretty sure they were in the batch that Rockshox assemble and forgot some of the lube but oh well.

[rupps5]

Xt8000 shifter and deraileur have been my favorite set so far.

[cboggs]

Originally Posted by ManiacMagoo

Well I need to stay away from the shop with my bike lol. I ended up ordering way to many parts for it the other day. Now it's worse than waiting for Christmas to get here.

List of upgrades:

Chris King hubs blue
Spank Oozy Trail rims blue
black spokes
Saint f/r brake set
XT M8000 11 speed 11-42 cassette
XT M8000 rear 11 spd shifter
XT M8000 1x11 170mm crankset
XT M8000 11spd Shadow+ rear derailleur
Icetech 203/180 rotors

Guess I will be getting my son a frame set since he can have all the new take offs from my bike lol. I'm tossing the idea of ditching the Pike and monarch rc3 shocks for a Fox 36 and rear shock. Then my son would be set. My monarch needs another rebuilt in less than 15 miles on the bike and the Pike has starting loosing air just as fast. Pretty sure they were in the batch that Rockshox assemble and forgot some of the lube but oh well.

All forks from the factory come low with fluid, always a good idea to check. Why in the world would you get rid of the Pike, thats one of if not the best fork made. I wouldn't get rid of mine for anything else and Ive used that Fox 36, not impressed at all with it. Killer parts upgrade by the way!

[ManiacMagoo]

I have to buy another fork for my sons bike so tossing ideas around on what Im\'m going to do. Had to switch the XT crank set for a Saint since the XT won't work. I know bummer LOL. I've read a lot that the 36 doesn't handle small bumps as well but blows the Pike away with jumps and a heavier rider when it comes to landing but who knows.

[Dwill]

Originally Posted by ManiacMagoo

I have to buy another fork for my sons bike so tossing ideas around on what Im\'m going to do. Had to switch the XT crank set for a Saint since the XT won't work. I know bummer LOL. I've read a lot that the 36 doesn't handle small bumps as well but blows the Pike away with jumps and a heavier rider when it comes to landing but who knows.

I've been riding a Fox 36 in various forms for years on my couple different Nomads. I've had zero complaints. They can be a little harsh on small bumps if you don't tune them correctly.

The Pike is good fork. Much more forgiving if you miss the setup than Fox of pretty any variety. I find that Fox is much better performing IF you understand how to, and set it up properly.

[hpiguy]

I haven't ridden the Pike, but have generally heard good things about it. The newer RC2 damper equipped Fox 36, and the 2016 34 (based of the RC2 damper in the 36) are both fantastic. I have the 34, and as mentioned above once you get it dialed (they are sensitive to air pressure and rebound adjustments) it's an awesome fork. Very plush off the top, with a nice ramp up in the last 1/4 of the travel.

[lunatick]

Put a set of Shimano Zee brakes on the Reign after putting up with the Avid Trail7s for far to long . First ride on them yesterday and i,m very impressed , so much more modulatian. Even managed some rolling stoppies
Going out again shortly .