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Locus Map Pro - Outdoor GPS navigation and maps
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Use a torque wrench - this might be one of the best investments you can make in wrenching your own bike. Every important component has a torque setting. Too loose and the part falls off and you die. Too tight and you crack the frame and you will wish to die. Spendy, but worth it.
Metal-to-metal, grease or use anti-seize if it's a bolt that you don't want to back out. Metal-to-carbon or carbon-to-carbon use carbon paste. No exceptions (except on the shock piston - don't put anything on that).
If you have trouble fishing cables through the frame, go to the hardware store and buy some welding rods. The old timers will give you that nod of respect because they'll think you're going hardcore and they're very useful for this purpose.
Don't get spill anything on your brake rotors. Think twice and three times before you touch the surface of the rotor to make sure your hands are perfectly clean.
You can build your own crown race tool with a piece of threaded rod, two big washers, and two big nuts. Same goes for a press-fit tool for your BB.
Pay special attention to getting the torque correct on the stem and bars. Just about any other failure you have a chance of surviving - that one is an instant and bad fall. Don't cut the steerer exactly as short as you think you'll need it for quite a while. Use a bunch of spacers on top of the stem until you're sure about the fit.
Do a little research into the correct brake fluid to use for your chosen hydro brakes. Either mineral oil or DOT fluid, but they're not interchangeable. For example, you have to use Shimano mineral oil in Shimano brakes. Anything else will cause kittens to cry and other undesirable outcomes.
When deciding on cable/housing length, make sure you account for turning the handlebars to the extremes in each direction.
a cougar hunts stealthily, comes at you from behind, and jumps aiming to bite the neck. you'd be better with a mirror.
^(not as macho tho)
edit: don't people put googly eyes on the back of their hats / helmets? seriously.
^(mirror and googly eyes you'd be sex on wheels.)
Youtube videos. Park Tools is the channel to start with. But GMBN and many others have good maintenance videos as well. Buy this book and spend some evenings reading up on various parts of your bike:
​
https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1937715477/
​
If you are really interested in learning, buy an old cheap "project" bike off somewhere like Craigslist and work to tear it down and build it back up again.
^ +1 for the Halo II Headband. It fits well under a helmet and does a great job at keeping sweat away from your eyes. I take mine off during breaks in the action and it dries very quickly. I don't ride without it.
You dont need a full size bike lock, you just want to prevent people walking away with it. Something like this is basically a large zip tie that is reusable and would work against a walk away.
Expensive is different for everybody, but for $25 on Amazon, you can get enough Gatorade powder to make 18 gallons (68 liters) at normal strength. https://www.amazon.com/Gatorade-Thirst-Quencher-Powder-Fruit/dp/B01H74NO7M
26x1.75 should be perfect. Don't try using it on the road.
Town: Rossland BC
Age:34
Trails: Rossland (everything not lift serviced), Silver Star (MTB park), Silver Mtn. Idaho
Bike: 05 Cannondale Gemini, nothing stock.
Would like to see more people post trail maps w pics. Like this
I’ve been using this one for about a year with no issues. Was also looking at Park Tool options but got this from Amazon for $80 USD on sale. I also like that it collapses down and takes up minimal space in the garage.
i bought one of these on a recommendation here, but haven't got to use it due to injury. but anyway, that's what's come up before in discussion.
There is also this version too.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sqdr/hexo-your-autonomous-aerial-camera
I think both make mention the next stage of development being collision detection and avoidance. You can adjust the height and angle via a phone app. I'm wondering how tight it can keep when brought in low and close, like an over the shoulder view or something.
I wear these: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H25M7WF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Didn't like the halo band I tried (anything tight on my head gives me a headache, hats, etc.). They're super light and thin and I don't get sweat in my eyes while riding.
Hey, If you're at Caltech, go hit up El Prieto. That was my favorite ride in los angeles, and it's not far from JPL.
Here is my route. Go clockwise. https://www.strava.com/activities/350987389 <- do this if you only have time for one outing.
climb the fire road to the summit. Enjoy the view. Continue along the fireroad, then turn right onto El Prieto Canyon trail. It might not be marked, but it is a right turn that drops to the left off the fireroad into some switch backs.
It is loads of fun but can get difficult and technical in some sections. Last I was there all the trailheads were marked with posts. Since the ride is one big loop, you can do it multiple times. This is the best taste (in my opinion) of California Mountain Biking.
If you're interested in exploring the santa monica mountains, check out sullivan canyon, caballero canyon, and the santa monica mountain trail network.
https://www.strava.com/activities/93053130 <- caballero canyon from the valley side, but can be accessed from other sides of the city too.
If you go left at the top you can follow the ridge fire road to the Nike Towers, which are some decommissioned missile silos, an interesting relic of the cold war. The santa monica mountain trails are accessible from Malibu, Santa Monica, Reseda, and I used to commute on them from Santa Monica to the valley and back.
Iceman Cometh Challenge in Northern Michigan. I crushed ALL the segments with new PR's except for one, where I had a mechanical issue with my chain dropping and wrapping it around my right crank at least four times.
upvote for knowing about our python issue!
however, this is most certainly not the everglades / south fl. we don't have that kind of foliage or trails. the everglades look like this and nobody mountain bikes in them. also, the guys "handling" the snake look like (pardon my ignorance) south pacific / vietnamese folk.
I throw this in my backpack sometimes. Don't even know it's there, and you can cut some fairly large trees, you just have to get creative in how you attack them.
If you have a smartphone, download the app Strava. Its both a trip computer and a social network. Its great at keeping track of avg speed, distance, elevation change and progress.
This is between Cliff and Wade Lake south of Ennis and Big Sky, west of Quake Lake and Hebgen Lake. Not too far from the Idaho/Montana Border. I go camping there once a year. Really only 1 or 2 trails that lead to each of the 3 campgrounds (One at Wade, one at Cliff and one at Hilltop where I took this picture).
I like camping on Hilltop between the two lakes as the highest point of the trail starts from the campground. Place tends to get a reasonable amount of people but it's all so thick with trees and spread out you still feel isolated. The lakes themselves are no white wake, so it's usually nothing but kayaks and canoes. If you're a fisherman, the Montana State Record for Brown Trout was caught in Wade Lake.
A few other pics...not sure why Imgur has two of each but whatevs.
But in all honestly, if you're in that area, Big Sky is the place to be.
the ring finger and middle finger share a tendon, using the middle finger to brake weakens your grip on the bars, which will give you problems with arm pump and generally holding on to your bike. the index finger has an independent tendon slip, using it doesn't affect the strength of other muscles
this somewhat explains it https://www.quora.com/Of-the-fingers-in-the-human-hand-why-is-the-ring-finger-the-most-difficult-to-control although I'll admit it isn't the best source but it's basic anatomy
Recently moved to Reno from Denver and this is my desert escape, Lake Tahoe and its Rim Trails. https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=39.103534,-119.895463&hl=en&sll=39.101469,-119.891128&sspn=0.009691,0.017467&t=w&mra=mift&mrsp=0&sz=16&z=16
Strava. Free if you have a smartphone. And the Strava Global Heatmap is great for finding trails. You can also get stuff to track heart rate, cadence, and power, but not just from your phone
I've read good things about this one, although some say the remote switch is kinda cheap and needs to be replaced eventually.
I don't have any experience with it, but It's on my Amazon wish list.
DNM Mountain Bike Dropper Seatpost Remote Lockout 31.6x330mm https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BW4T7OS/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_t.9qwb9G7CC7V
Got the Hellcats for $65 shipped on the Clearance/closeout section of the 5.10 website. $35 shipped for the pedals off of Amazon.
Pedals
Shimano PD-M530 Mountain Pedals https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052XXW32/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_OR-xzb0CYX0M6
Shoes (Hellcats)
I have used 2 sets of the Fooker pedals found on Amazon. They're pretty much Chester knock-offs but do a great job for a lot less money. Link here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DPN1J2Z/ref=twister_B07CZDM6JW?_encoding=UTF8&th=1
I would start with running / trail shoes and upgrade when you're ready to spend more cash. Having flat MTB shoes makes a nice difference on flat pedals.
Nice -- we have a backyard course too and it's really nice to be able to just go out and ride whenever you feel like it.
As a tip -- if you guys want to ride at night (particularly now that it's getting darker out), these solar lights work wonders when mounted on ~8-10' posts:
https://smile.amazon.com/New-Solar-Lights-4Pack-Efficiency/dp/B07NQ4L1SB/
Looks nice! I have one of these in my garage made of galvanized pipe. Cost about $30 to make. I don't use a clamp, however. I just balance the seat on the pipe similar to your stand.
I'm Dutch, I rather use a bike for any inner city trip then a car. Although I prefer a gravelbike/typical Dutch citybike over a mountainbike on the road. MTB tires do cause a lot of rolling resistance on most road surfaces. That may be compensated by the electrical motor though.
Other things: do consider the options for recharging your battery, safe bikeparking and road safety. Also, chain, tires, cables for brakes and gears do wear a lot faster in my experience.
If you are going to buy junk from China, you should probably just buy it direct from China.
Here is a better map. The side with the green trails are off limits to bikers (horses only). Its one of my favorite places to ride. Feel free to PM me if you ever want a tour.
*edited to add link to map
Even at 20mph I'd say it's non-negligible. Playing around with omnicalculator.com (with their estimated scaling of weight -> frontal area), they estimate that a 200lb person+bike has to dissipate 20W via breaking on a -4% slope to keep 20mph, while the 180lb person+bike can just coast. That would be even more significant at higher speeds.
PRO BIKE TOOL 1/4 Inch Drive Click Torque Wrench Set – 2 to 20 Nm – Bicycle Maintenance Kit for Road & Mountain Bikes - Includes Allen & Torx Sockets, Extension Bar & Storage Box https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083MRWD6Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_NE7W9W13B5V1CMQF87DN?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I got this set for $70 and it comes with Allen and torx bits so is handy for working on my bike
This is the standard budget helmet. There are nicer ones, there are cheaper ones. But it's got all the nice features and works fine https://www.amazon.com/Giro-Fixture-MIPS-Bike-Helmet/dp/B075RW57W3/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=giro+mtb+helmet&qid=1610661546&sr=8-2 .
As for gloves I'm not really sure. I've got a pair of handups, they do the job and I'm happy with them. My hands don't get cut up when I crash anymore.
The Wellgo MG-1s aren't anything spectacular, but they're likely better than the stock pedals and they're only $35 on amazon. I used them on my trail/DH bike for a couple of years when I first got into MTB. They did the job, decent grip with my 5.10s. Then I upgraded pedals and gave them to my wife. She has little feet and loves them because her foot can actually hit every pin!
I have the Forte Converts on my dirt jumper and I like them quite a bit and rode them on my DH bike before moving to clipless.
I would also like to add that upgraded pedals won't reach their full potential without some upgraded shoes. 5.10s and Teva (IMO) both make really good shoes for flats. They can get kinda pricy, but you should be able to find some on sale if you look hard enough/long enough.
Hmmm... Are there any issue running the 11-40T with a standard 8 or 9spd derailleur? I've seem people use GoatLinks for the 10speed setups with expander rings. There is an Amazon review where the guy used the RoadLink on his 1x9 and this cassette (pics in review).
Currently I have a 1x9 with a 11-34. The 11-40 would be nice.
Similar to this, when I won a $5 Amazon gift certificate I bought some anodised bar plugs to add a little bling.
There's also coloured cable crimps and valve caps.
What's the point of cycling if you're not going to be blinged out, amirite?
EDIT: The bar caps are also nice because they're very easy to remove. You can put things in your handlebars if need be, e.g. $20, gauze, whatever.
You can get a receiver hitch that is made to bolt onto the bumper of a travel trailer, then mount it to a workbench, storing the hitch rack upside down. If you store it for long periods, you might attach the receiver to your ceiling (be sure to mount into the stud and not just drywall)
Amazon link to the type I am talking about.
Get one of the 1000 lumen led “tactical” flashlights on amazon for like $12. example You need the fancy batteries and the recharger. Not as bright on the AAAs
Get this mount
If your hiking light is bright like 800+ lumens and the batteries are rechargeable and fresh try getting a Velcro strap and attaching it tightly to your helmet.
Send me the $400 I just saved you
nope, here's the base model and it comes with the 60m rated case. And I know my Hero2 came with one as well although I'm not positive on what edition it was. And honestly Contour held decent competition in the first generation, but lost on accessories and versatility the second generation. With GoPro's third gen camera's, they had their work cut out for them.
What's keeping you from going 1x11 right away?
A SunRace MX8 11-speed cassette is reather cheap and even available in 11-46 if maximum climbing range is what you are looking for. You already found (it seems) a nice offer for the rear derailleur.
For shifters, you can go SLX M7000 to save a couple of bucks. All you need now is a narrow wide chainring that is compatible with your current crankset. I recently bought one via AliExpress. Delivery might take up to a month or so, but you'll pay about 1/4 of a RaceFace narrow wide ring.
oh fuck, wet wood, please don't wash out. Yep, you did... I hope you learned your lesson, mister. Also, please buy your self some of these. I'm amazed you didn't destroy your knees on that crash.
Congrats man! This was my 2nd Iceman and I absolutely crushed what I thought I was capable of as well. I just wanted to crack 2:20 this year and ended up 2:11. Trail conditions were so fast and fun. What an awesome day! https://www.strava.com/activities/428399692
Was looking at getting a new bike and found this
Could anyone give any advice if it would be a decent choice for a beginner? Thanks
There is great stuff in Knoxville! The Urban Wilderness system is over 40 miles of trails with many types disciplines to keep you going. The South Loop is just over 12 miles and connects all the various parts of the system. Baker's Creek is DH specific section with about 7 miles. It has a green, blue, and black DH trails with an accompanying few miles of blue moderate trails connecting everything. http://www.outdoorknoxville.com/urban-wilderness
Fire Mountain is nice stuff too, just recently opened in Cherokee, North Carolina. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/north-carolina/fire-mountain-trail-system
There are several other state parks in the area that have some nice trails too, IC King comes to mind in the Alcoa/Knox area.
I'm not really sure what tacoma452 means by "roadie's mtb trail" as Tsali is one of the great early trails. It follows Lake Fontana. It's flowy and has some good climb. It doesn't have huge jumps or anything, but there are several parts on the Left and Right loops where you get plenty of technical and fast descent. I haven't ridden Mouse and Thompson yet. Double check your days you might visit because there use rights of the trials switches to accommodate equestrians.
In the park riders can only use the Gatlinburg Trail on the west side or the Oconaluftee Trail on the east side. These are vanilla hiking trails and good for seeing some nature, but not for real mountain biking.
Do you know which side of the park you'll be on? Crossing between things on 441 has been....lengthy to say the least with traffic. Depending on traffic you can waste hours fighting through things so it would be smart to figure out which side of the border you'll be on and plan accordingly.
I thought you'd never ask :p
- Transition bikes are based in Ferndale WA
- From the video caption the rider's name is Darrin Seeds. A quick strava search locates his profile but his rides aren't publicly listed
- Using the strava segment explorer I found some popular segments near Bellingham WA, then searched for Darrin on the leaderboard, navigating to the complete ride
- From the ride, look for trail/road intersections where the road bends slightly, then use street view to compare to the video to confirm.
- No luck with a few of Darrin's rides, but eventually through a friend he rides with found this one. https://www.strava.com/activities/164124680
For the love of God do not use carbon paste on anything that needs to rotate. That paste you linked is basically a very high grit sandpaper that will prevent your seat post slipping down and handlebars rotating in the stem. If used on bearings it will destroy them and cause premature wear. For bearings you need a grease that provides lubrication.
If you want to stick with park tool use this for bearing applications
Park Tool PolyLube 1000 Grease - PPL-1
>Carbon grease is made to not break down the material and you actually need some “friction” in the compound to reduce slipping.
Sorry I don't actually have any of them handy. That's just what the plastic surgeon relayed to us.
ScarAway Advanced Skincare Silicone Scar Sheets, Silicone Scar Sheets for Body Scar, Surgical Scar, Burn Scar, Acne Scar and Keloid Scar Treatment, 12 Sheets https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AJ4L1E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_5ZVF9PKFYYDRYAP5EQJ1
That's just a brand name. There are other options out there.
I got a tick bite on every ride for a few weeks last year when I did the following:
Treated my riding shoes/socks with permethrin (poison/repellent, BAD FOR CATS):
https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Products-SP649-Permethrin-Repellent/dp/B001ANQVZE/
Sprayed my legs from the thigh down with 40% deet insect repellent. Didn't have a single tick the rest of the summer.
I have several feedback sports products, but yeah unless you are transporting it a lot, the extra sturdiness isn't worth the cost. The bikehand stand i have was like $90 on Amazon, and has been going strong for 2 years of twice a week use now, and the clamp is superior to all but the most expensive FS stand, which are, what, triple the price?
>Cheap repair stands have crap adjustments, fold poorly (if at all), have weak and hard to adjust heads, and are generally not very stable, which is a serious issue when tuning a drivetrain for example
The bikehand stand definitely has none of these issues
Prana Zion are climbing pants with a decent amount of stretch built in, or the Prana Brion (cross between the Zion and Bronson denim) have a lighter amount of stretch built in. Prana also makes shorts versions of both of these pants if you like them. Blurr's Rogue pant (currently only available on Blurr's Amazon store) is almost identical to the Zion pant, with slightly baggier fit but also have elastic leg cuffs that you can tighten.
some googling suggests they are this model which is the same as my old dracos and means you can also buy shimano pads m575, 525 etc.
anyway, on amazon they are here
You need one for the chain that fits your drivetrain (9,10,11, or 12 speed, it's based on how many gears are in the back). Should be a quick search on Jenson USA, Amazon, etc or your local bike shop.
Edit: you have a seven speed cassette. This should do. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AYJF3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_fxkwBb0F7F284
I picked this 661 full-face helmet up from Amazon ($62). I don’t do DH much, I’ve done it once so far.
Should I be concerned?
If you want cheap I get these off amazon. Only complaint is the cheap zipper that broke on one of the pairs. I have three pairs and some padded underwear liners I wear under them...together it's like $35 for the set.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0716D347Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
And in case anyone was wondering, I use these liners. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076HKTHSG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Starvation is amazing, usually ride up FR 203 from O'Haver Lake, then back down. https://www.strava.com/activities/74997318
The "canonical" Monarch Crest ride is Monarch Pass to Marshall Pass, to Silver Creek to Rainbow Trail to 285. Which is a pretty amazing ride too.
Went on a long ride at Staunton State Park in CO yesterday:
https://www.strava.com/activities/708906242
I had absolutely zero energy left when the ride was done, but the views from the handful of lookouts along the ride were absolutely spectacular: http://i.imgur.com/16AasDr.jpg
The ride finishes with about a 4-mile downhill where you drop about 1200ft of elevation, so it is a fast thrill ride to the finish. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go foam-roll my legs again.
Just rode both the past couple days! Between those two I dug this route of Kokopelli's. I'm sure you know but it's fucking hot out there. Thermometer said 85 but I was hurting. Get out early!
I forgot to record the Strava for shuttle #2, but here is #1: https://www.strava.com/activities/620673483
Highly suggest downloading the Trailforks app as well if you don't plan ahead and load up the GPX.
bike brands have insane markup every one takes a cut along the way.
diamond back is selling at little to no markup online straight to the consumer.
these frames are made by a high end company that makes a lot of other big brands.
"Brands also manufactured by Kinesis include Commencal, Diamondback Bicycles, Felt Bicycles, GT Bicycles, Haro, Ideal, Jamis, K2, Kona, Kross, Raleigh, Redline Bicycles, Santa Cruz Bicycles, Schwinn, Storck, Sunn, Titus Cycles, Torker, and Trek[4] — as well as the brands marketed by the U.S. company Bikesdirect.com: Motobecane USA, Dawes USA, Cycles Mercier, Windsor America.[5][6]"
I did a quick and dirty interactive overlay of your two photos, by keeping wheel size and position the same (mostly):
http://jsfiddle.net/42wcfey8/3/ (maximize the window and use the vertical red bar to "slide" between the two shots)
edit - swapped image legend
I couldn't tell you about the April sale because I didn't see it; however, they have an anniversary sale every may. It's actually pretty badass with discounts and the 20% off single (non-sale) item:
I have Strava and SportsTracker installed. I have used SportsTracker since I had an N95, but tried Strava since seeing it mentioned on reddit.
SportsTracker is good for a variety of sports and you can take photos and attach them to your run. Strava seems better for bike riding in general though. I really like the segments feature. On my first ride, I completed a segment that someone else had created with out realising. I wasn't trying to but I beat their time, which was encouraging ;) Strava also seems to have better stats for multiple rides, but I've only got one in it so far.
Endomondo doesn't seem to do anything that Strava can't do, but I'd be interested in hearing peoples experiences with it.
Two rides this weekend :D
Saturday - training ride, 8x one hill, then 8x a steeper version of it https://www.strava.com/activities/575475293
Sunday - 50 miler, nearly killed me, but so worth it for a super nights sleep.
I know of the guy that found the barbed wire, I ride with the same group of friends.
Kent is turning into a damn nightmare, some of the great trails are vandalised by leaving logs along the trail. Some people have been caught but nothing really comes of it. They hate cyclists. Why? No one knows.
But it leads to things like this https://www.strava.com/segments/1629922 Names like that have become the norm. What happened? We don't leave nails in peoples driveways.
Can I get in on this circle jerk? Lets get everyone all up on this circle jerk and share a pic from their last race.
From my first race of the year a couple of weeks ago (Budu at Dash Point in Tacoma).
Sending healing vibes.
get the release 1, you will be happy, very good parts spec for the price, great suspension great shifting and other parts. it'll ride up anything and rip down fast.
the only better bike in the price range is the release 2 or the 3, either is good go with what you can afford.
its diamondbacks new Enduro style trail bike, it wont hold you back at all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQNkI_wGYlc
the rest of seths videos are on the bike, he rides it hard.
compares to 3000+ bikes from other sellers.
use diamondbacks corporate account to get a few extra percent off. https://slickdeals.net/f/9796487-diamondback-and-raleigh-bikes-up-to-57-off-corporate-bicycle-stores
I have the 125mm version of this:
Goes on sale for $112.50 starting tomorrow which is a killer deal. I have had it for a year. It is the real deal, not a chinese knockoff.
There is no uniform legal definition. California requires a company explicitly state the period of a lifetime warranty, so RF probably has it listed somewhere.
Mccormick Woods just north of Purdue University, on Cherry Lane? Hit up the Purdue Cycling Club, as they are responsible for maintaining the property. Link here:
https://sites.google.com/site/purduecyclingclub/
It is owned by Purdue University, so you should definitely check in before making new trails, the may have some new ones planned, or there may be liabilities with making new trials. But still contact them and would probably welcome you. I think the reason why they aren't really being maintained is because most students go home during the summer. I do enjoy riding here, and thanks for putting the dirt on the logs! it makes life for beginners like me much better. I am in Indy over the summer (but attend Purdue as a student), if you ever need help in the fall, I would gladly help maintain the trail too, since sometimes it feels overgrown, or needing work. Nice to see someone else rides these trails still too.
Heres a link to a map of the trail: http://hmbalafayette.blogspot.com/2009/08/mccormick-trail-map.html
And a link to the Purdue Subreddit, as you may get more attention there: reddit.com/r/Purdue
THIS is what you've been looking for. I have had them for over a year, no bearing slop, and I haven't had to make any adjustments. Also, I beat the crap out of them. I need to buy a few new pins for the ones that I've broken, but i'm impressed by this pedal. It's a little narrow, which takes some getting used to, but that helps keep it light.
Did an out and back on the John Nicholas Trail in Sanborn Park, Santa Cruz Mountains, CA. Was the first true ride on my new Trek Remedy 7 27.5, it's night and day compared to my old 26" hardtail
http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/1430677335
Trail is a tough 3 mile climb to the top, my cardio needs some work for sure! I had to stop quite a bit on the way up. At least a tough climb turns into an awesome descent. What took an hour to climb took 15 minutes to go down. The trail well groomed with purpose built berms, switchbacks and small jumps. It really is one of my favorite trails within 30 minutes of my house.
This trail was purpose built by mountain bikers, for mountain bikers (though hikers are present and welcome). this park previously was off limits to bikes, so having this trail is great.
I've never actually ridden it yet, but have friends who have. It's listed in the McIntosh Run area under trail forks as Flat Lake Loop. Alltrails lists it by name, https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/nova-scotia/fight-trail.
Track preview with Lea Davison here!
Strava segment with elevation profile for the loop: https://www.strava.com/segments/10131710?filter=overall
I believe you are officially the last person to find out about Strava. https://www.strava.com
Seriously though. It's pretty cool. I still look back fondly on the day I was able to permanently remove the brick that was my Garmin GPSMap 60 from my bars.
I've had an 810 for over a year and love it. The simplicity of having it wirelessly link and upload new rides as soon as I'm done is a nice feature.
For creating courses, I really love http://bikeroutetoaster.com/
There are also some free utilities that let you upload/download/convert GPX and other files. I use. http://www.gpsbabel.org/. It will 'see' your device when plugged in, so you can push files onto it, or use it to archive rides/workouts if you want to do so without using the Garmin site. It will even let you do things like turn your course into a Google Earth KMZ file so you can see where you've been.
I did the Open Street Map maps. I love 'em, and since I have a big SD card in my GPS I was able to load huge regions into it.
I had an older Garmin (Edge 3xx) that did NOT have as sturdy mount. I lost the GPS a few times on bouncy rides. The new 'twist-lock' mount is very reliable. I no longer worry about losing it.
I've used RunKeeper and Strava's smartphone apps over the years, as well as a standalone GPS. All three will produce a GPX file (basically an XML file with lots of location points on it). You need to feed the many GPX files into gpsbabel, which will then spit out one big GPX file. Then, open that in Google Earth (File -> Open), and, taadaa.
The trails dry pretty quickly and are really packed so rain kinda just runs off them unless its a multi day rain. Are you referring to the Epic thats coming up? If so I think you can get a camp site for like 10 bucks I think. This is the route I like to take so that I hit 90 percent of the trail and I only ride walnut on the way down because on the way up it just isn't even fun. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/22122815
To add to the other comment, there is a guy that has documented over 700 user generated trails on the "Outdoor active" website.
Click the "Tours" tab and then there's an icon for a "Map" view. For each tour there is a terrain map and he specifically adds information for which parts are singletrack.
ride.ch is a good source for tour ideas and they will give you a rough tour description. For gps data you'll have to pay a bit of money.
I also wanted to add that there definitely are mtb-only trails. Flumserberg, Chur, Lenzerheide are a couple examples. However I agree with u/travel_ali that most of the trails are user-made and inofficial.
https://contacts.google.com/trustedcontacts/
I haven't personally tried this yet, but it's something new from Google that could be useful if you're gone longer than expected to help loved ones find you. Not sure if it helps if you're out of cell reception range though.
I got this seal for my fox 36 and it works perfect. Half the price of a fox seal press.
Other than that, yeah like everyone says, on the lower just leave the nut threaded like half of it's threads and hit it with a rubber mallet.
Same. These ones specifically. They're great. Use them for fishing and wearing my open face helmet. Come with four total lenses including a polarized.
Along with what others are saying about finding a well-fitting saddle, another thing you can do is wear some padded shorts under your gear, such as these. I've had a pair for the last two years and they're amazing, definitely worth the investment.
It's because at the time, the alternative was a flat caged pedal with a toe clip & strap.
No toe clip = clipless pedal.
I'm bald and I bought this 3 pack of headbands on amazon for $9. They've been great so far and it's been hot as hell.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WWGN8K4?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details
You’re good to ride. Mine fell off too, bought one from WorldWideCyclery and it came in a few days. I think it was pretty cheap but you’ll need a pin spanner wrench to put it on.
Park Tool SPA-6 Pin Spanner for Bicycle Crank Arms https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NOPWWO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_VVCW98Q7E4PXH65A5ZJT?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I like the mini rachet tools, especially this one: https://www.amazon.com/RUJOI-Repair-Wrench-Various-Mountain/dp/B08F7WBCTR The Prestacycle is even nicer but more expensive and doesn’t have the compact case the Rujoi has.
Well…I don’t recommend any racks that the bike hangs from or clamps down on the frame.
That leaves you with expensive platform racks.
However since it sounds like you have cheap bikes (no offense) maybe a cheap rack will suffice. Maybe something like this.
Have a look at this article https://road.cc/content/feature/how-get-ultra-low-gearing-gravel-bike-adventures-246424
It mentions this item https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wolf-Tooth-Roadlink-Bikes-Black/dp/B013ZTTEJK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=roadcc-21&linkId=1bd771cd88d93e56ea62e776e82d6732&language=en_GB which extends the range of a RD. It might do the trick if adjusting the RD with the limit screws doesn't work.
You can go to any hardware store and pick up a 5$ tub of automotive grease. For basic grease, the brand really isn't important. Only use it for metal on metal connections, anything with rubber seals requires special lithium or silicone grease.
You'll be fine without greasing the bolts for a while though. Steel on steel connections tend to rust together which makes them more important to grease. But stainless/coated steel bolts plus aluminum parts are pretty dang corrosion resistant. You're only going to have a hard time taking the bolts out if you forget to grease the bolts for over a year and ride the hell out of the bike. It takes a while.
And even if you forget to grease it all together, you can usually get the bolts out without too much trouble.
Edit: If you're really worried just toss some anti-seize on those bolts https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-80078-Anti-Seize-Lubricant-Bottle/dp/B000FW7VGE/ref=sr_1_28?dchild=1&keywords=automotive+grease&qid=1610661292&sr=8-28
The computer is a Garmin Edge 510, the mount is similar to a Sram QuickView
Dt Swiss 12mm thru axle is what you need as far as that goes. Available from any major wholesaler or Amazon if you prefer that route.
Edit: ~~https://www.amazon.com/DT-Swiss-RWS-142x12mm-Driveside/dp/B00CJXMBC6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467425499&sr=8-1&keywords=dt+swiss+12x142+rws~~ No, nevermind. This S140200001. X-12 style for the beveled goodness
I swapped the fork on my older mtb just two weeks ago. I ended up getting a rockshox reba, 100mm of travel and a straight steerer for about $450 from amazon. It's two pounds lighter than the cheap fork I had before.
edit: I'm guessing your'e running 26" wheels? here is a 26" Reba with a straight steerer that comes at 100mm but can be adjusted down to 80mm if need be
I ordered some Shimano deore 2x from Amazon for 98 bones. They aren't here yet I'll have to try to remember to get back to you on how good they are. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C45DHLI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8bB.xbT0VTR94
If you look at helmets on Amazon you can find some helmets that are heavily discounted if you buy on of the less popular colors. The Bell Super 2 can be found for a low as $44.96 depending on the color/size combo.
I think I had this in my Amazon cart but opted for the Camelback Skyline. It's on sale for $62 in Imperial Blue/Black and it's biggest feature is it sits lower for better stability and gives your back a little more breathing room.
I bought this one from Amazon. Venzo Pro Mechanic Bicycle/Bike Repair Rack Stand Wanted something with a small footprint when setup. So far it has been working great for me but most of the time I've been clamping it on the top tube of my hard tail which is also the balance point. So haven't tested it out clamping other things, like the the seat post.
I just got one on Amazon for $130 from DNM (I think). It has its problems, but from what I can tell it holds up fine. Havnt taken it out on tough trails yet, but it feels fine and moves pretty fluidly. The only issue I have is that the cable connects at the seat, meaning that if installed funky it might change tension when down. I fixed this by adjusting it, but it's kinda a pain. Get what you pay for I suppose. I am content with this purchase simply because I'm about to buy an enduro FS and installed this on my XC hardtail. Because it's not critical, I don't mind the cheaper quality.
DNM Mountain Bike Dropper Seatpost Remote Lockout 30.9x330mm https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K2PFE9K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_DuVv7Dgq8IaFy
I got a second pair off of Amazon for $33. They're every bit as comfortable as the $75 ZOIC ones I also have from my LBS
Edit: link ARSUXEO Outdoor Sports MTB Cycling Shorts Breathable Blue Size Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072555CK2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_uAY5AbM215ET8
Had the same issue with a DB Hook. If it’s that cheap plastic piece above and below your chain ring, don’t bother with their chain guides, get a proper narrow wide chain ring and if you really want to, there’s this guide on amazon.
Origin8 Torqlite UL Chain Guide, Mini Clamp On (31.8 - 34.9mm) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008ZTLV9W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_U.CdBbYGY2MRT
Raceface makes a relatively cheap, well made narrow-wide chain ring.
RaceFace 104mm Single Chain Ring, Black, 32T 9/10/11 Speed https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D3FG5EY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_waDdBbE7C18PJ
Actually the elbow pads that I've been using are old skateboarding pads. I have a pair of the longer, sleeve type mtb pads, but I wanted something lighter, with just the hard plastic just at the elbow. I see they have similar ones (not exactly the same though) on Amazon:
Small size, secured with elastic straps with velcro fasteners.