Mountain Biking - so.....

it's awfully quiet in here.

did everyone stop riding mountain bikes?

what is everyone up to lately?

anyone reading any good books?

Yes.

Stuff.

No.

No.

Also stuff.

Yes.

(rode six of the last seven days. i define a ride as an hour and a half on the bike, minimum)

So an hour and 29 minutes wouldn't count? ;)

Also, do trainer rides count?

....

Also, do trainer rides count?

i don't think trainer rides ever count, for anything, other than you got to sweat a lot....

So an hour and 29 minutes wouldn't count? ;)

Also, do trainer rides count?

Fudge the numbers, skew the data, whatever you gotta' do, man.

Trainer rides just suck. They only happen around here if I'm getting really stir crazy. I'd rather go trail run int he muck/rain or snowshoe with the dog if those options are available. Streaming South Park episode viewing makes them somewhat less un-palatable, however.

>crickets< . . . What bike should I buy? . . . >crickets<


I'm riding the trainer 3 nights a week; run 3.5-4.5 miles 3-4 days/week. I need a larger library. I like Earthed, NWD, etc, but . . .
Spinning has had an unexpected benefit - - my running is back down in the high-7-minute miles.



Up to putting the DH bike on a diet. Just ordered an 11-26 PG950 cassette. Pretty pedestrian but, dang, a bolt-on 100+g savings of unsprung weight


Just started the new LeCarré novel (Our Kind of Traitor)

Haven't been riding too much the past week..it is too cold outside, and I don't have the right equipment to go out below -5C on the bike.

Studying.

Yes, been reading some fantasy stuff..The Black Company sequel from Glen Cook.

Most technical discussions seem to either get ignored or quickly turn off-topic. The only other things are indeed people asking which bike to buy, or long-time members having random discussions which new members have no way or desire to enter.

Maybe it's the season?

I got to ride yesterday for about 45 minutes before it got dark, but it had been a week since I rode before that :( .

Haven't been riding too much the past week..it is too cold outside, and I don't have the right equipment to go out below -5C on the bike.


-5 degrees c??

That's almost shorts and t-shirt weather! At that temp I have a thin zip up fleece over a t-shirt and thin long underwear underneath hiking pants. The only important part is gloves (XC ski gloves are cheap and work well) and wool socks if your feet get cold easily. Ear warmers are nice too. Bring an extra layer in a camelback.

Road biking is a different story, but if you mountain bike over rough terrain in the woods you're working hard and not going very fast, so you produce plenty of your own heat.

Get out there and try it! The worse that happens is you get cold and turn around.

did everyone stop riding mountain bikes?
Hit'n'miss.


what is everyone up to lately?
Family time. Changing all the old wall outlets in the house. Fix-it stuff around the house. Making up treasure hunts for the kids. Teaching the kids how to swing a hammer, wield some glue, paint, operate basic hand tools. (assuming they'll end up with some "modern man" someday that doesn't know the diff between a pipe wrench and a crescent wrench)


anyone reading any good books?
Bleh.

(assuming they'll end up with some "modern man" someday that doesn't know the diff between a pipe wrench and a crescent wrench)


Nice.

Does anybody have any experience with stroker trails and sticky pistons? Seems fairly common and I am 95% sure this is the issue I am having setting my front up properly.

Still riding, actually just added night rides to the schedule.

Riding or looking at bike porn.

Only read threads in bike forums. :thumb:

. . . assuming they'll end up with some "modern man" someday that doesn't know the diff between a pipe wrench and a crescent wrench.. . . or that thinks a crescent is a wrench ;).

Hey, if you have a pipe wrench and a big enough hammer, do you need any other tools?



Does anybody have any experience with stroker trails and sticky pistons? Seems fairly common and I am 95% sure this is the issue I am having setting my front up properly.I did . . . lever not returning all the way out on release. But I'm no help - - was racing Crankworx that year and the Hayes tent was there. Dropped it off and came back later to it magically fixed.

Hey, if you have a pipe wrench and a big enough hammer, do you need any other tools?

Just duct tape.

My girls use hot pink with black zebra striped duct tape. I really am fighting a losing battle.

-5 degrees c??

That's almost shorts and t-shirt weather! At that temp I have a thin zip up fleece over a t-shirt and thin long underwear underneath hiking pants. The only important part is gloves (XC ski gloves are cheap and work well) and wool socks if your feet get cold easily. Ear warmers are nice too. Bring an extra layer in a camelback.

Road biking is a different story, but if you mountain bike over rough terrain in the woods you're working hard and not going very fast, so you produce plenty of your own heat.

Get out there and try it! The worse that happens is you get cold and turn around.

That is the warmest it has been for the past week during the day 450 meters below where I ride. It has been around -10C most of the time down where my flat is at 100m.

I just started riding last spring, and I have spent most of my extra cash on essentials (I'm a student). I have one pair of tights (which I put some decent wind-proofish baggy riding shorts over), knee warmers, one pair of gloves that I also use in summer, and only regular socks (a few thin wool ones, but they do no better than my regular puma socks). My top layers are pretty good with a few nike thermo shirts (which I love) and a decent quality windbreaker.

Everything is fine and dandy coming up. My main problems have been my toes losing feeling on the way down and my hydro pack water tube freezing. I'm not sure how to fix the toe problem (it is mainly my lead right toes, but the left get fairly cold too), but I think one of those insulating hose covers may keep my water from freezing.

Dminor- A pipe wrench IS a hammer. Silly man.

did everyone stop riding mountain bikes?
People here ride bikes?


what is everyone up to lately?
School. Running. I'm a fair weather rider...I'm fine with running in the snow, but mountain biking in the snow? Meh, just doesn't have a lot of appeal for me. Course it's been a pretty mild winter around these parts. Was playing around with the 24" the other day though. Was off the bike for a while because of ankle surgery last summer (non-bike related). Man, I suck.


anyone reading any good books?
nope

Q1:
Just getting ready to start riding again, post knee surgery...

Q2:
Multi-tasking/napping while at work. Coaching son's B-Ball team...

Q3:
Heft on Wheels, New New Rules (Bill Maher)

...I'm fine with running in the snow, . . . .Yup, that's what Yak Trax are for :thumb:
Although I've only had to use mine twice this winter so far.

did everyone stop riding mountain bikes?
Kind of. I don't have a lot of free time during the semester & I have to split it between time with family/friends, the gym, longboarding, mountain biking, & occasionally relaxing for the sake of my sanity. Lately longboarding is winning out, as it can be done on any paved road anywhere.

what is everyone up to lately?
A little bit of all of the above, a lot of work & school.

anyone reading any good books?
World War Z [Max Brooks], The Visisble Man [Chuck Klosterman], Lamb [Christopher Moore] to name a few of the better ones as of late. Just started The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

it's been to cold and rainy here to ride much but i was able to get out today finally. i got fired from my job monday so it's been kind of a crazy week. today i found out how much unemployment will pay, not nearly enough to cover my bills so i;m hoping the job interview i had yesterday will pan out for me. other than that i've been lifting weights like a beast, and i have a yoga class tonight. i wish i never had to work, unemployment should pay double what i was making at my job, not the other way around!

It has been quiet, I have been riding a bunch lately, what a kick, good weather here.

ALSO-I got some new 5.10, they are so sticky that I was glued to the garage floor for 2.5 days. Took that long for my wife to miss me.

Freeze/thaw cycle has been going on daily since who-knows-when. Kind of keeps you off the trails unless you get out early. This weekend is supposed to be below freezing so I plan on riding some trails.

Was riding until last week.

Recovering from an operation, trust me, you don't want the details.................................... Especially if your a guy.

I hate books. But I did read the latest edition of Bicycling. It was great, helped me get to sleep right through all the pain.

Every time it dries out and warms out a bit the trails are too muddy. Just too much moisture. At least there's no snow. I can't complain though - it's been the mildest winter in Ohio in at least a century or two.

sold my bike and havnt finished the new one(s) yet :(.

.....
....., Lamb [Christopher Moore] ....


Lamb is HILARIOUS, and his other books are pretty damn good as well. Also, i like most of the stuff klosterman wrote

......

ALSO-I got some new 5.10, they are so sticky that I was glued to the garage floor for 2.5 days. Took that long for my wife to miss me.

this had me laughing. awesome.

did everyone stop riding mountain bikes? Street session planned tomorrow.

what is everyone up to lately? Road rides.

anyone reading any good books? Right now I'm reading Paris-Roubaix: A Journey Through Hell

Lamb is HILARIOUS, and his other books are pretty damn good as well. Also, i like most of the stuff klosterman wrote

Lamb is a favorite in my lovably blasphemous family, I'm really surprised it took me as long as it did to read it. The Klosterman book was the last one I read...I was skeptical because it was his first novel & all the books I've read by him have been humorous analyses of pop culture topics, but it was actually really good.

..... Right now I'm reading Paris-Roubaix: A Journey Through Hell

how is it? i had thought about getting it....

how is it? i had thought about getting it....

Really good.

That is the warmest it has been for the past week during the day 450 meters below where I ride. It has been around -10C most of the time down where my flat is at 100m.

I just started riding last spring, and I have spent most of my extra cash on essentials (I'm a student). I have one pair of tights (which I put some decent wind-proofish baggy riding shorts over), knee warmers, one pair of gloves that I also use in summer, and only regular socks (a few thin wool ones, but they do no better than my regular puma socks). My top layers are pretty good with a few nike thermo shirts (which I love) and a decent quality windbreaker.

Everything is fine and dandy coming up. My main problems have been my toes losing feeling on the way down and my hydro pack water tube freezing. I'm not sure how to fix the toe problem (it is mainly my lead right toes, but the left get fairly cold too), but I think one of those insulating hose covers may keep my water from freezing.

Ah, see I ride hills and little tiny mountains, nothing long enough to get cold on the way down of. Are your shoes too tight? It sounds stupid but if you tie them too tight you'll reduce blood flow and compress whatever insulation your sock can provide.

That might be what I'm doing wrong. I like them pretty tight on my feet so that I don't have much play, maybe I try to have them a bit looser next time. I wonder if looser, and thicker wool socks might be the trick.

I know it has something to do with the pressure I'm putting on my feet because my lead foot is always affected more.

Guess I'll just have to experiment some, and thanks for the tips!

Yeah definitely try it.

Chemical toe warmers are always a good last resort.

another thing for cold feet that i've learned (from road riding), plastic bags. socks, plastic bags (like bread bags or thin supermarket bags)then shoes. your feet may get extra sweaty, but they aren't blocks of ice in 10 minutes.

it's awfully quiet in here.

did everyone stop riding mountain bikes?

Funny how just a little thing or two can knock you off the rails. I switched up my crankset to ride in a triathlon in September. Never got around to swapping it back. Daylight savings went away. Less daylight to ride in. The day-job heated up. Suddenly it was Christmas and freezing cold and I hadn't been riding in months.

Bought a set of cross country skis just before New Year's. Have been getting out on those a couple times per week.

Now here it is February. I'm just starting to think about getting my bikes and their suspension in order for spring.


what is everyone up to lately?

anyone reading any good books?

I am helping revise one. Does that count?