Mountain Biking - All my views of mountain biking changed...

I went to a new place for biking today and it was a lot more challenging than the regular place. I learned a lot.

It was in the high 20s/low 30s with 20-40 mph winds

-I suck at climbing
-Rocky descents are awesome
-High wind and cold is awful
-I love my e.13 LG1
-I miss my granny gear
-I need a larger gear ration (current: 32 x 11/27)
-Don't love mud
-Track pedals are awful off road
-Derailleurs don't shift when the whole bottom bracket/downtube mounted cable area is covered in frozen mud
-Frozen mud makes a bike heavy, and you can't get it off easily with a stick.


-I really want to get into downhill

It was a really fun day though, and look forward to doing it again.

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs182.snc3/18965_1327238943393_1303513434_30942392_4781739_n.jpg
http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs182.snc3/18965_1327238983394_1303513434_30942393_7422057_n.jpg
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs162.snc3/18965_1327239063396_1303513434_30942395_1252489_n.jpg
Icehttp://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs162.snc3/18965_1327239103397_1303513434_30942396_5189629_n.jpg
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs162.snc3/18965_1327239783414_1303513434_30942397_6301413_n.jpg
http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs182.snc3/18965_1327239863416_1303513434_30942399_5584519_n.jpg

word.

Frozen mud makes a bike heavy, and you can't get it off easily with a stick.

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/38435/6h/www.improvementscatalog.com/images/en_US/local/products/248x/hose-nozzle-293336zz.jpg
...

Urb.

Its a different world in the dirt. On the road, those big motors of my buddies leave me in the dust. They can dial up 375 watts and hold it. They drift further and further away. When we hit the woods, its a little different. There is a couple that I can ride away from with those big motors. Most are still faster but there is a silver lining on a couple. Its different but I am addicted to it.

Glad you like it.

^ Hoses are turned off this time of year. I just am letting it thaw in my living room, I'll clean it off tomorrow.

^ Hoses are turned off this time of year. I just am letting it thaw in my living room, I'll clean it off tomorrow.
I rode in shorts and a short sleeve jersey today. :D

And it is indeed a different world in the dirt. I actually like it better than racing in a tight drafting pack where if you lose the last wheel, you're working harder just to keep fading back further.

Went over on the dark side (dirt) about 4 years ago from many years of road and a little dirt. My Bianchi Eros just hangs in the garage and gets little use until my charity rides start again this spring/summer. On my hardtail 3-4 days a week here in N. California and looking forward to getting my new 29er next week. Dirt/mt. riding fits my camping/hiking and kayaking nature gene..quiet on the trail, seeing wildlife, taking photos, clean air, no cars,no stop signs, no noise on the trail, and no gaudy, spandex, uber logoed, peacock roadies with haughty attitudes...oh yeah, give me the trails.

...no gaudy, spandex, uber logoed, peacock roadies with haughty attitudes...
You don't want to ride offroad with me.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/UrbanKnight/Bike/MtSacBrian.jpg

You don't want to ride offroad with me.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v153/UrbanKnight/Bike/MtSacBrian.jpg

I hope that Pic is from 1995 - Looks like you are sporting the Manitou 3

-I really want to get into downhillThat can be arranged. What size Blindside you lookin' for? ;)


. . .and no gaudy, spandex, uber logoed, peacock roadies . . . .Nope, a t-shirt, sweatshirt, some goatskin Torsten Hallmans and lineman boots and you're good to go . . . errr . . . oops . . . wrong off-road.

http://www.aimcomm.com/users/dminor/images/startup_70_web.jpg

I hope that Pic is from 1995 - Looks like you are sporting the Manitou 3
Pretty close! That was at the 1996 Mt Sac Fat Tire Classic (I won my juniors class) and yes, that is a Manitou 3 I bought on closeout at REI. I still ride with lycra shorts and my mtb is a hardtail with V-brakes, but my stomach doesn't look concave like that anymore. The jersey, btw, was a hand-me-down from a neighbor who raced downhill on Cannondale's domestic team.

In 95 I podiumed at the Norba nationals on a HT Caloi - same fork. Now I have a bit more technology on my MTN bike, but my main mtb is still a HT.

Nice! Mt Sac was probably the height of my MTB career, which was 2 years after the height of my velodrome and road racing career. No national podiums, so I sought out a normal career.

If you combine all the money I made racing - it equals less than half what I earn in a day now - no different than you - yea, so normal career for me as well.

Mud sure slows the spin rate. Sliding around corners is a real possibility. The fun part is that you rode. That cold and wind would have made a couch potato of me. You are DA MAN!

That can be arranged. What size Blindside you lookin' for? ;)

Still owe my boss $60 for the LG1, suppose it's a step though :lol: