Great bike rides today

[lovinthehd]

A friend was visiting from out of town to ride our awesome singletrack, so we got a coupla good runs in, my biggest day so far due to recent knee issues. Got two different trails in, while only 459m of ascending, we managed 2359m of descending over 37km of singletrack, due to cheating and shuttling! Sweet!

 

[speakerman39]

A friend was visiting from out of town to ride our awesome singletrack, so we got a coupla good runs in, my biggest day so far due to recent knee issues. Got two different trails in, while only 459m of ascending, we managed 2359m of descending over 37km of singletrack, due to cheating and shuttling! Sweet!

Umm Chris got some pics? You know we love pics......LOL!!!!! Sounds like you had some fun which is what life is all about!


Cheers,

Phil

 

[Pogre]

I was just about to post "pics or it didn't happen!", but you beat me to it.

That sounds like my kind of bike ride. lots of downhill action and cheating! Right on man. I spent my morning replacing my hot water tank.

 

[lovinthehd]

Umm Chris got some pics? You know we love pics......LOL!!!!! Sounds like you had some fun which is what life is all about!


Cheers,

Phil

Actually we were concentrating on the trail...sorry, no photos today. From Thursday's ride on one of the two trails with some of the bike shop folk here

 

[speakerman39]

Actually we were concentrating on the trail...sorry, no photos today. From Thursday's ride on one of the two trails with some of the bike shop folk here

Wow man look at that scenery! I can see that it is beautiful there. Lucky you!


Cheers,

Phil

 

[ski2xblack]

I suppose that means you won't want to do those epics that involve thousands of feet of climbing when you come visit Colorado, huh? You shuttle bunnies are lazy fuckers, you know that?

Speedy recovery on that knee, hope it doesn't put too much of a damper on your riding season.

 

[lovinthehd]

I suppose that means you won't want to do those epics that involve thousands of feet of climbing when you come visit Colorado, huh? You shuttle bunnies are lazy fuckers, you know that?

Speedy recovery on that knee, hope it doesn't put too much of a damper on your riding season.

Gee thanks for the sympathy lol...but am generally of the earn the descents group traditionally...but now that I drive shuttles and get free rides on my days off....well things change lol.....I hope to ride with you next time you cruise thru!

 

[lovinthehd]

Gee thanks for the sympathy lol...but am generally of the earn the descents group traditionally...but now that I drive shuttles and get free rides on my days off....well things change lol.....I hope to ride with you next time you cruise thru!

OTOH I usually did a fair amount of climbing on my many July's spent riding in the high country of Colorado...

 

[MrBoat]

OTOH I usually did a fair amount of climbing on my many July's spent riding in the high country of Colorado...

I lived in the high country of Colorado. Any physical activity that involves anything but downhill is not for the faint of heart. Especially for a flatlander as myself. I'd probably die if I lived there now.

 

[ski2xblack]

Gee thanks for the sympathy lol...but am generally of the earn the descents group traditionally...but now that I drive shuttles and get free rides on my days off....well things change lol.....I hope to ride with you next time you cruise thru!

Ditto. We'll be passing through sometime around Labor Day like last year, at least I think that's the plan.

 

[slipperybidness]

@lovinthehd

How's that Hightower treating you? (I'm sure that's a rhetorical question). I bet a full sus plus bike rides like a freaking Cadillac out on the trails?

More importantly, how about those 27.5+ tires? I am really digging mine on the Cannondale Cujo! I'm still tweaking and dialing in my Cujo, but I probably have 100 or 150 miles on it or so. At this point, I'm starting to maybe prefer the Cujo over my Specialized Carve 29er. The Carve is more nimble and lighter, but dang those plus tires mean that I don't need to be nearly as careful picking out my lines. Especially once I start getting tired, I like that I don't have to worry about my lines as much, even if the bike is a few pounds heavier. My biggest complaint on the Cujo is that the brakes are not the greatest (Tektro Aurigia). They do work and will easily lock the tire, it's just that there is more travel than I would like before they bite on the rotor, especially as compared to my Shimano hydros on the Carve. On the other hand, I have not done anything to try to tweak or improve the brakes yet. I'm about due to get it back to the shop for a once over and adjustment anyway.

What pressures are you running at this point? I'm lately running 20psi/18psi and been pretty happy with that. I'm gonna see if I can creep down a little lower here too. I did get a ride where I didn't check the pressures beforehand, and found that I was down around 12psi or so, and the bike felt a little squirrely on the trail.

 

[lovinthehd]

@lovinthehd

How's that Hightower treating you? (I'm sure that's a rhetorical question). I bet a full sus plus bike rides like a freaking Cadillac out on the trails?

More importantly, how about those 27.5+ tires? I am really digging mine on the Cannondale Cujo! I'm still tweaking and dialing in my Cujo, but I probably have 100 or 150 miles on it or so. At this point, I'm starting to maybe prefer the Cujo over my Specialized Carve 29er. The Carve is more nimble and lighter, but dang those plus tires mean that I don't need to be nearly as careful picking out my lines. Especially once I start getting tired, I like that I don't have to worry about my lines as much, even if the bike is a few pounds heavier. My biggest complaint on the Cujo is that the brakes are not the greatest (Tektro Aurigia). They do work and will easily lock the tire, it's just that there is more travel than I would like before they bite on the rotor, especially as compared to my Shimano hydros on the Carve. On the other hand, I have not done anything to try to tweak or improve the brakes yet. I'm about due to get it back to the shop for a once over and adjustment anyway.

What pressures are you running at this point? I'm lately running 20psi/18psi and been pretty happy with that. I'm gonna see if I can creep down a little lower here too. I did get a ride where I didn't check the pressures beforehand, and found that I was down around 12psi or so, and the bike felt a little squirrely on the trail.

The Hightower is my favoritest full susp bike so far and will probably keep my others hanging in the garage for a while . It is very solid and confidence inspiring yet nimble if that makes sense. On the rides I mention above after started riding realized I hadn't checked air pressure; am still on the original stans juice from when I built the bike up last fall and have been losing a bit of air if I let it sit for a few days/week as I'd done before this ride. I think I was more in the neighborhood of 12 psi (I just checked, the rear is 11 right now a coupla days later...).

I kept riding as a test to see if I can hear any rim dings at this pressure, just to know my lower limit (and had a pump in my pack anyways). Never did hear/feel any rim dings even on some fast rocky sections, altho a bit squirmy in harder turns but never thought I was in danger of burping the tire from the rim. Then I forgot to put any more air in before starting the second trail, which is even faster/rougher and never bottomed the rim on that run either, altho I think I'll go back up to the 14-16 range for the next ride.....

I'd have to change out those Tektro brakes immediately This bike has SRAM Guide RSC brakes, dual piston with good modulation but some of my racer friends still prefer Shimano XT/XTR hydraulics for stopping power. I don't want a brake that locks up easily in any case....as they say about trails, ride 'em, don't slide 'em Over the last many years I've used mostly mechanical Avid BB7s as no hydraulic fuss with excellent performance, but I do like these Guide RSCs so far....

 

[slipperybidness]

The Hightower is my favoritest full susp bike so far and will probably keep my others hanging in the garage for a while . It is very solid and confidence inspiring yet nimble if that makes sense. On the rides I mention above after started riding realized I hadn't checked air pressure; am still on the original stans juice from when I built the bike up last fall and have been losing a bit of air if I let it sit for a few days/week as I'd done before this ride. I think I was more in the neighborhood of 12 psi (I just checked, the rear is 11 right now a coupla days later...).

I kept riding as a test to see if I can hear any rim dings at this pressure, just to know my lower limit (and had a pump in my pack anyways). Never did hear/feel any rim dings even on some fast rocky sections, altho a bit squirmy in harder turns but never thought I was in danger of burping the tire from the rim. Then I forgot to put any more air in before starting the second trail, which is even faster/rougher and never bottomed the rim on that run either, altho I think I'll go back up to the 14-16 range for the next ride.....

I'd have to change out those Tektro brakes immediately This bike has SRAM Guide RSC brakes, dual piston with good modulation but some of my racer friends still prefer Shimano XT/XTR hydraulics for stopping power. I don't want a brake that locks up easily in any case....as they say about trails, ride 'em, don't slide 'em Over the last many years I've used mostly mechanical Avid BB7s as no hydraulic fuss with excellent performance, but I do like these Guide RSCs so far....

How is the weight on the Hightower? Plus wheels and full sus, seems like it would be a bit heavy. But, I stick with Aluminum frames so you may be light (that is a carbon frame, right?).

And, you are running a 1x drivetrain? How is that working out? I'm running a 2x.

My LBS used Orange Seal. They say they prefer OS b/c all the other products use ammonium solutions, and OS is a local company (I didn't know that till he told me, Austin TX). I also see that most people online tend to say that OS works a little better than the other brands. I'm probably gonna convert my other bike tubeless too.

Yeah as far as rim dings, I'm ready to call BS on the guy from the LBS. I guess maybe if he was riding some really gnarly stuff, but he was nowhere near my size and weight (6'4" 240lbs).

The Tektros are OK. They are probably the 2nd best brakes that I have used, just not as good as my Shimanos (of course the Shimanos are not on such a large/heavy wheelset either). Like I said, I want to tweak with them and give them a fair chance before I just pull them off for an upgrade.

But, one thing that really turns me off from the SRAM hydros is that they use DOT fluid. I don't like that at all for a bike. The LBS owner told me "the Tektros are basically a knock-off Shimano". But, I knew going into the purchase that those brakes may be the weakest component on the bike.

As far as disc brakes, I have only used hydros. I don't even know what a mech disc brake feels like, but I do like the hydros overall.

 

[lovinthehd]

I lived in the high country of Colorado. Any physical activity that involves anything but downhill is not for the faint of heart. Especially for a flatlander as myself. I'd probably die if I lived there now.

Was always fun on returning to sea level with extra strength after an extended stay in the high country, at least for a day or two. Definitely takes it out of you climbing above 10,000 ft; have ridden maddeningly slowly at 12,000 ft a few times....

 

[MrBoat]

Was always fun on returning to sea level with extra strength after an extended stay in the high country, at least for a day or two. Definitely takes it out of you climbing above 10,000 ft; have ridden maddeningly slowly at 12,000 ft a few times....

I don't remember the altitude, but we were right near, or at timberline where we lived. Beautiful place. I can't even imagine biking up something like that, even at a crawl.

 

[lovinthehd]

I don't remember the altitude, but we were right near, or at timberline where we lived. Beautiful place. I can't even imagine biking up something like that, even at a crawl.

Yep, 12000 ft is generally above timberline Then there's the regular afternoon storms up there....

 

[lovinthehd]

Liked it so much did it again today

 

[MrBoat]

Liked it so much did it again today

I was welding aluminum all day at around 1500 F. . . . in FL. It's only June! How smart am I? lol

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Actually we were concentrating on the trail...sorry, no photos today. From Thursday's ride on one of the two trails with some of the bike shop folk here

Wait, why is my MTB partner a fat white dude and your's isn't?

 

[lovinthehd]

Wait, why is my MTB partner a fat white dude and your's isn't?

Cuz the fat white dude took the picture...and they're both beanpoles.