gotta love texas

You aint lyin Craig!! we have nice clean trails tat are flat with some rocks and roots and a drop here and there. Riding in Kerville showed me some hills and going up sucked!!! coming down was fun but it was paved and I didnt have to worry about clipping a tree!!

I will probably get an Austin trip in before I leave to visit the family I may hit ya up to ride the Greenbelt or Walnut when I head back down there Craig

for sure! i haven't been out to walnut with my new bike, would love to see if i can do the hills out there on the SS.

Ive noticed with my riding out here I should do SS I stay 34/17 through my ride. I am just not used to shifting....I get up and down everything just fine but I do have to dismount on the gnar up ****. I can make it close to the top but then I start bouncing the front tire I even bottomed out my craptastic Suntour 100mm that came stock on my GF and spinning the rear. Most of our up is on roots and rocks so traction is limited to begin with.

ya my gearing is 32/16 so pretty close to the same, the only thing i have noticed is when i lose momentum getting over a rock or room the comes up quickly is tough instead of being able to spin before to keep momentum. just need stronger legs though so ill keep on pushin.

Ive got my old big box bike that no longer shifts on the gnar gear on the trainer with it tensioned all the way up and I train on that daily pretty much. It isnt near as bad as hitting a nasty hill but its a hell of a lot harder than riding most single track we have here in Texas.

Figures

Go all season stuck in a funk because of not getting a chance to get into a routine because of the weather. Now that it's almost mid November, I think I'm up to full speed.

Dan, you're primed to do 'cross now.

I don't do 'cross.

Time for a Kiwi vacation.

sounds like a good idea to me.

happy veterans day to all the troops out there! God bless you guys, thanks for what you do. If anyone on here is a verteran, thanks a lot for doin what you do. you guys/girls rock!

werd......

Broke yet another chain today.

Hack.

Are you braggin or complainin?

Anyone have any ideas for uncluttering (it's a word now) my handlebar? Two shifters, two brake levers, and lock on grips. I'd like to remove the rear brake..(bad idea? I do cross country, urban, and fairly aggressive whatever [all mountain maybe?] riding.)

If I don't do that, which I'm pretty sure I'll decide not to, what can I do to have it more "naked"? I saw in one mba issue a guy put his shifter under the seat, and another (on bf I think) had it on the downtube - any suggestions how to rig this?

Complaining.

I'm faced with a dilemma of where to ride tomorrow. I twisted my knee a bit when I was out on Wednesday, so I don't want to push it and think I will only do one of these options:

XC ride for a few hours in the morning, enjoying beautiful sunshine and 60 degree weather

- or -

alleycat race (https://ironcitybikesracing.com/?p=183) in the evening, which will raise money and food for a local food bank

- or -

screw the knee, do both

What say you, BF?

The morning ride will let you know if the Alley Cat is gonna happen. Knees are petty vocal about what they want to do. Don't stray too far from your transport. If the knee starts swelling, you can be miserable getting back.

Yeah, I threw my road bike on the rollers this morning before work for a few minutes and it felt fine, so I might try both. I just don't want to wear myself down by doing both rides.

I'll definitely be staying close to the trail head if I go out, though, and definitely not riding the single speed.

Wisdom there, Bus, Wisdom. Maybe a good war story behind the wisdom?

The current knee problem has no good story. Slipped on some leaves (or rocks under leaves) on some tight singletrack, slid partway down a hill on my side, and twisted it sideways.

My knee felt (relatively) good this morning, but it's swelling a bit so I might pass on the alleycat. I hit the ground pretty hard again today, but this was just trying something way beyond my skills.

I haven't been on my SS since I picked up this geared 29er... and I'm not so sure I'll go back anytime soon. At least, not until this knee is better.

I have been meditating on "Act your AGE!" At 55 my body needs more time to heal. And nagging injuries are really nags. Best to let them heal up and shut up. Your knee is beggin for help.

But heal up fast. The universe is out of wack if you don't hit the single track.

I thought 50+ riders weren't allowed in the mountain biking forum. That's what happens when you put Doug in charge, he brings all his friends.