Justen

Hey,

I finally got to take my Brodie off-road and try all kinds of stuff on it. Holy - this bike totally rocks !!! I had only ridden it on the streets and then I got to go up and down rockfaces, learnt all kinds of cool stuff, and yesterday, when I got home I cycled down my first flight of cement stairs - no problem and so fun !!
Started with just a few steps and then built up to the full flight. It wasn't that hard after applying all the stuff I learned at the off-road course.

Anyway, it was fun !

Justen

Maelstrom 

Actually the two go hand in hand well. The better you get at street the better you get at offroad and visa versa. Through in some sidewalk runs (there are many many man made skinnies in van) and try and stay balanced and you have begun training for Ladie only. That is wicked that you are enjoying the bike. By doing both and of course your commuting you will never get bored.

dirtbikedude

Justen, Justen, Justen ...

Do you not know that ALL first rides must be accompanied with photos? Come on man. Lets see the beast in action!

Raiyn

I'm glad you're so happy with the new bike.

Justen

Yeah...It's great. Until then, I didn't realize or appreciate the full capabilities of this bike. There is still tons of stuff that I want to learn. One of my friends had been laughing at me before because I practiced all kinds of balancing everyday and he doesn't. But it was worth it on this course because I could stop midway down a steep embankment without losing my balance then keep going and he was not able to do this so kept wrecking.

Justen

Justen

Yeah yeah - I know but we didn't have a camera with us - honestly !
I will take some next time we go out and post them.

Justen

Training for Ladie only - what's that ?
Do you mean the bike course they put on?

Anyway, you're right - the two do go in hand. It's fun to do stuff on the street and practice balancing. I practice cycling right on the edge of curbs (where there are no cars against them), down stairs, over steep embankments with roots etc.

Can you suggest a few good areas in Van for practicing ? One guy told me to try under the South side of the Burrard bridge. Haven't had a chance to go there.
Any other good places you know of ?

And you're right, it never gets boring. I have to admit that now I look at everything as a possible thing to ride down. Everytime I see a downhill off a bike trail, I want to try it out !! I am getting so addicted !

Justen

Maelstrom 

It is a single track on Fromme. Pretty basic from what I know of it but lots of fun. I am trying to get a ride down there to start doing some of the tracks on the shore itself. I ride quite a few trails up here but the manmade section pale in comparrison to the shore

In training for the 'shore'

When I lived there I did nothing but work and smoke weed so really I didn't think of riding. Off the top of my head on Lonsdale there is a tonne of little things to play on. Lots of side streets with little ramp ups and staircases to ride up or down. Of course a little further over you have the docks which is a place where endless riding can be had. And then if you go even further you can go to cove bikes and ask some of the best riders on the west coast where some riding is. ...

Scooby Snax

Mael, was that some BC hydro strain #17?

Maelstrom 

Call me tired (or stupid) but your joke went over my head. (man do I feel dumb if this is obvious)

Scooby Snax

Sorry Mael it was an obscure one, and I'm famous for them.

Trailer Park Boy's, it's their ummm, crop of choice.

Maelstrom 

ahhhh...never seen the show but now I know what you are refering too...and I am glad it wasn't obvious. and to answer the question...of course...while I don't chronic at all anymore I never smoked anything less

Justen

Hey,

Just wondering if riding down stairs is going to possibly damage my rear bike rim. It is a little different from off road stuff and since I am over the back of the bike as I descend, I thought it might put alot of strain on the rim as I careen down the stairs !!

Any tips for cycling down stairways ?

Justen

Maelstrom 

Stair riding does put a lot of pressure on rims. What rims do you have? Remember to do a lot of aborbsion with your legs to suck up the stairs.

Tip # 1 hold on and never 'grab for the brakes' if you need to brake feather them but on if you need to. (this same tip work for rock gradens and dh sections)
Tip # 2 - Don't suddenly decide to turn. Pick a line and enjoy.
Tip # 3 - Tip # 1 and tip #2 work well when applied right ...

another thing. If the stairs are really steep (north shore has some nasty steep stairs) pull up a tiny bit at the bottom of the steps. no need to endo onto concrete.

Phatman

so you went off roadie on your brodie?

Justen

Hi Maelstrom,

Thank you for all the tips !! Yeah..braking on steps would not be a good idea. I find it easier just to find that line and go with it but still have my fingers over the brakes. I know the North Shore has ALOT of pretty steep stairways - I haven't tried any yet though.

I just have the Rhyno Lite rims. So far so good..no bent rims but if you have any recommendations, I would certainly welcome them.

I have been considering the Mavic tubeless rims but don't know enough about tubeless rims to go ahead and buy them yet.

Justen

dirtbikedude

You could just learn to clear them with one hop. Then you will only have to make the landing and not worry about the amount of hits the rear rim takes.

Jim311

That's what I do. Drops with transitions aren't impressive to me when I've dropped 8 feet to flat, hard concrete

Raiyn

I like my Rhynolites.

Justen

Hi Raiyn,

I like them too..so far.
Do you think the Rhynolites are okay for heavy drops and stair descents etc ?

What's with tubeless rims ? Are they any more durable or just a hassle ?

Justen

Raiyn

Tubeless is ok for XC racer types but I never saw the point. Define "heavy drops" Stairs wouldn't be anything for them.

Maelstrom 

Funny but in a trail situation I find drops to tranny harder because you can't really brake you have to flow and since most come with a corner at the bottom (damn trail builder guys) you have to land 100% perfect or run into trees....just my experience though.

Maelstrom 

Justen are terrain here doesn't offer any sharp point things. We really don't need tubeless. I have seen the porcupine affect and we just don't need to worry about. Keep enough air in them and get fat tires (like most on the shore) and you won't pinchflat either.

montlake_mtbkr

Correct me if I'm misinformed but people go to tubless mainly to save weight. Durability of the rim is dependant on the manufacturer, but all things being equal I don't think they are any more or less durable.

KleinMp99

On what bike.....your F900? hahaahahah