Introductions - Hello from the Lakes Region of NH

Hello all,

I've been perusing the web for a cycling forum, and finally stumbled across this one. After reading the community guidelines and searching some posts, this forum looks like the place where I want to hang my helmet.

Let me introduce myself: My name is Mike, and I'm a 33 year old mountain biker from Franklin, NH. I've been riding bikes since I was old enough to walk, but I've only been mtn biking since 1995. My main ride is a 2000 Specialized Stumpjumper M2 Comp that I race a bit locally, and I also have another set of wheels with road tires mounted up for training on the pavement (Click the link in my signature if you want to see some pictures of it). My old bike is a 1995 Trek 950 that I mount studded tires on for winter riding. I haven't done much riding yet this year (ahh the joys of home ownership), but I hope to change that soon.

Looking forward to making some new friends, learning some new stuff, and maybe even helping out a newbie here and there.

Pleased to meet all of you...
-Mike

Welcome! Nice to meet you too...

Nice rigs! This is a GREAT place...

welcome! Used to go to that small school in Hanover. I miss the beauty of NH but not the cold . Since I'm thermogenically impaired, I'm much happier in Hotlanta. Good to see a new mountain biker.

Hello, welcome to the forums.

Mike,

What race series have you competed in? I live in the Portsmouth area and race during the summer. Middi-zon and I are planning on racing the 24 hours of Great Glen this summer with a team. I began racing mountain bikes two years ago and love it. I've got a Schwinn Moab(before the big buy-out) with a mix of XT/XTR. Do you road bike at all? There are some great routes in NH, especiallu in the mountains up north.

-Moab

All,
Thanks for the warm welcome.

Moab,
I almost bought a Schwinn Moab since they were in the same price range / component group as the M2 Comp. I ended up buying the Stumpy instead, but it was a tough choice. I try and race the local EFTA (http://www.efta.com/) races, and there is also a weekly race series at Gunstock Mtn (http://www.gunstock.com/summer.html) that is really a blast. I didn't get a chance to race much last year, and this year isn't off to a very good start, but I'm hoping by mid season I can be racing a bit again. I actually got out in the woods the other night for the first time this year, and it was a blast. I broke a spoke too, so I think that's my rear wheel's way of complaining about the 15 lbs I've gained over the past year. And I don't have a road bike, but I do have a second set of wheels that I keep road tires mounted up on. That way I just swap them depending on what type of riding I'm going to be doing. I've done a couple of centuries, but nothing in the White Mtns.

I'll just be happy to be able to start riding again on a regular basis... I really miss it...

-Mike