• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

Mountain Biking 2020

Status
Not open for further replies.

Tricia

The Velvet Hammer
Admin
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Posts
27,297
Location
Reno
You all are way ahead of me. I went straight from ski season to home projects.
Phil has been urging me to flip the switch to biking but I've been dragging my feet.
Phil has been on a few rides without me.
Last week we went to the North Valley trail system, so I can start getting my legs in bike shape.
The good thing about this trail system is that you can stay low and flowy or you can climb and take on some bigger challenges with steep switchbacks and step downs.
Much to my surprise, all the hiking we've been doing with Gypsy has given me more endurance and fitness than I thought.
I started on the low flow figuring that Phil would do his thing on the more challenging switchback climb, but I started heading up the elevation, figuring that I'd go until I just couldn't go any further.
I stopped twice to drink and catch my breath, but made it to the top.


I was dragging my feet on bike season but now, I'm in!
B5B1DDB0-52F2-4C08-AB02-26F60CE48442.jpeg


8D115B64-43FF-4502-B537-A0837EB6E2CA.jpeg

3B90025D-A865-499C-AA0C-EB0FA36B3641.jpeg

To give some perspective of the climbing switchback section, this is Phil. I took the picture from the trail below at the start of the climb.
BF7B2B6D-C023-44A2-AE58-5663301C95FF.jpeg


This pic Phil took of me at the summit, showing some of the trails below and the ball fields/rec area where we park.
F468FBA2-5B37-4B26-AB68-1F5939A482B2.jpeg


This is a tricky step-down that kinda freaks me out.
E8677219-7934-4713-8D85-89F8FBD9C06A.jpeg
 

Tricia

The Velvet Hammer
Admin
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Posts
27,297
Location
Reno
We had snow here in Toronto this morning..WTF people...
We did do the Shotzski with ULLR at the Virtual A-Basin Zoom party.
 

nay

dirt heel pusher
Skier
Joined
Dec 1, 2015
Posts
6,476
Location
Colorado
Not sure why I haven’t been posting, I’ve been riding pretty hard since ski season shut down. Never really think “hey let’s go to Pueblo” living on the front range, but then...that’s a quick drive to the desert for me.

I’ve been way over terraining my Stumpy ST, but more on that later. Here’s from Pueblo Reservoir. Figured this would be kinda lame, but damn it’s all drainage wash off the bluff above the river and pure fall line goodness with fantastic trail building. Absolute riot for technical wash riding hot laps. My two sons who ride also featured.

411AD4B0-DC34-4599-AAF3-4CAB128776E1.jpeg
18FAA593-B7CA-437F-8B7C-E910DE7179E0.jpeg
40013E3C-07F9-4B0B-99CF-48DA6D8F8D13.jpeg

I am following here, can barely keep up anymore after his season with the Western Colorado U mountain bike team.

B40D60DE-7685-4842-8912-103D7EBB9F43.jpeg
 
Last edited:

nay

dirt heel pusher
Skier
Joined
Dec 1, 2015
Posts
6,476
Location
Colorado
Now for the bike. The Stumpy ST is an incredible steed, but it is really a long travel XC bike at heart.

So for my 50th, and with Specialized offering low prices plus huge rebate, my family got me the Stumpjumper Evo Carbon Pro.

A10FDA41-CE50-4BBF-94E2-EB829FE529E6.jpeg


This is modern geo. 63.9° head angle with flip chip in high position, 63.5° in low. 150mm/150mm travel in 27.5 with dpx2 coil shock and Fox 36 Grip2 Elite up front. I’m on the S3 size with 495mm of reach and it is so dialed for me at 6’2”.

There is a lot of talk about this type of geo being a sled, but at 150mm in 27.5 this thing is whip quick and surprisingly playful, loves being in the air, climbs like a beast (those steeper seat angles over a slack front end with a 1,248mm wheelbase), and is stupid stable - point downhill and rip.

Dead quiet and damp, yet only 31 lbs with 2.6 Butchers in Roval Traverse Carbon rims (the new version of this tire is awesome). Spesh sez “ultimate trail bike”, and it is definitely a one quiver machine.

Could drop weight to 30 lbs if you wanted to, but I’m only doing carbon bars and stem upgrade right now. Eagle GX is plenty good, except maybe the chain will get an upgrade.

These are from the home park @ Ute Valley on “Nacho”.

D91819C3-F09B-4D04-BCC0-67345E17780A.jpeg

66863455-8A08-4899-9831-75953657C97E.jpeg
 

nay

dirt heel pusher
Skier
Joined
Dec 1, 2015
Posts
6,476
Location
Colorado
Oil Well Flats outside of Canyon City in March. The boy had a little run-in near the end. These trails are too peddle’y due to IMBA flow killer trail design, but gorgeous and sweet if you don’t prefer fall line riding.

BA9E3632-DBEE-403A-9405-E524C619EAB2.jpeg
23D76810-7031-4716-9846-58C27ECAA6B4.jpeg
7889A963-3C5B-44A8-B355-36F0B3AFE408.jpeg
B8F91AFF-EAF4-4B24-86BC-549B02E1678F.jpeg
59AAF3D7-99E9-41A5-B118-3701B966ED21.jpeg
EB824558-BE51-4726-BADA-D9115394D65F.jpeg
 

Doug Briggs

"Douche Bag Local"
Industry Insider
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Posts
7,483
Location
Breckenridge, CO
I went riding today in an exploratory mode. Where's the snow? It is a bit disappointing to see how many people choose to create their own trail to get around snow rather than post hole it or turn around. I turned around thrice, once after post holing in hopes of finding a better trail ahead. I moved dead and down to block the detours people were creating.

IMG_20200519_152648526_HDR.jpg

Breck looks awesome. Even the trails that usually are bare by now are only half bare.

IMG_20200519_152657904.jpg

A mining structure and dredge rock beyond the road.

IMG_20200519_160500484.jpg

The clear cut I skied for 27 days following the closure of the ski area. It looks better in snow, but I'm grateful for how nicely they cut the trees close to the ground and laid them low.

I carry a pack saw with me at this time of year to clear blow downs. I got to use it on a lovely connector trail.

IMG_20200519_162757966_HDR.jpg


IMG_20200519_163645748_HDR.jpg


IMG_20200519_163807957_HDR.jpg


IMG_20200519_164309116_HDR.jpg

It took all of 16 minutes to clear this area.

Ride on, friends.
 

Lauren

AKA elemmac
SkiTalk Tester
Contributor
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Jun 7, 2016
Posts
2,589
Location
The Granite State
Super jealous of all these photos of nice dry trails.

I managed to fall over into the mud barely 20 feet down the trail. Caught me off guard and didn’t get my foot unclipped. Here’s the aftermath...

25590744-E9C4-45E2-B05C-77B0E8A95B09.jpeg
 

4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
Instructor
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
7,219
Location
Sierra & Wasatch
Super jealous of all these photos of nice dry trails.

I managed to fall over into the mud barely 20 feet down the trail. Caught me off guard and didn’t get my foot unclipped. Here’s the aftermath...

View attachment 102840
Will you be saying that when it is 6” of moondust :P:huh::ogbiggrin:

it has been cold, wind, rain and snow here the past few days but the dirt has been great!
A70CBABC-DD12-42DB-986C-CBE7B2742864.jpeg
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Sponsor

Staff online

Top