Singletrack Geek

Long Term Review: Mucky Nutz Bender Fender

2012-01-26T11:01:00.000-08:00

I picked this little guy up last year when I took my bike to the shop and my "awesome" home made inner tube fender mysteriously disappeared between the time I dropped it off and when I picked it up. Being the cheap guy that I am I thought about just making another inner tube fender but I am also extremely lazy and love to try new gear ... so I did some research and really liked what I saw in the Mucky Nutz Bender Fender and ordered one off their site.

I found this fender works great on the muddy/rainy trails of Vancouver Island. Just like the inner tube fender, this will not block the mud/water/poop/debris from flying straight up so you will need some kind of down tube fender for that, but it does stop the nastiness that flies up between the fork arches and crown, and it helps keep your seals and arch somewhat clean in the process.

It was a little wet out... but so much fun!

Installing this fender was a snap, there are 5 little velcro straps, three for the fork arch and two to wrap around the legs. The little straps are almost two short for the beefy fork arch on my trusty old Marzocchi 55, but I don't know of any arches that are bigger, so you should have no issues. This makes it easy to take it off when the trails dry out so you can save that 16grams ... you know, if you are into that sort of thing.

Once in a very rare while a leaf or some other trail debris will get stuck in between the tire and the arch, but it either gets spat out pretty quick or is super easy to remove.

Clearance front and rear

As far as I know you can only order it from the website site. I ordered the plain black one - was so tempted to get red, but in the end I decided to keep it low key. They have just about every colour of the rainbow available so you can match it to the colour scheme of your bike. To check out all the options click here. You can also get a thicker version (2.1), but I see no need for this personally as I have not had any issues with the Bender Fender 2.0.

If you are looking for a light, easy to mount, keep the crap outa the face thingy ... well then this is a great option. It looks better than the inner tube style, and it cost me less than $17.00 shipped to my door. Go get one and stop getting all that mud up in your face.

Flex Day

2012-01-24T14:25:00.000-08:00

There is something about riding on a day when you know all of your buddies are sitting at work wishing they were out on the trails, something wonderful, it feels like a free day on your bike.

I had one such day yesterday. I posted up on the VIMB.com boards on the weekend to see if any other lucky souls had the day off and no one replied, so I packed up the car and drove up to the old standby Hartland (a.k.a. The Dump). Since I was riding alone I was going to just ride one of my standard loops, up switchbacks then up to Jelly Roll and Lumpy Pants, Who's Your Daddy (WYD) and Nightshift ... and it started out like that 'til I was riding over to WYD and I saw a brand new trail. I just could not resist the temptation of putting my tires on fresh trail. This trail was so fresh ... it was not even done yet ... who knows if I should have even been on it, but I resisted the little angel on my shoulder telling me to stay off it for now, and well ... that was a great choice ... so much fun. After poaching this little bit of unfinished trail I headed to the newly opened Trillium. This is how trails should be built, good job to all those involved ... DAMN that's fun.

I was having far too much fun to take pictures, so instead you get dirty bike porn shots from the parking lot.

The amazing people at SIMBS have been building new trails in this part of the park, and admittedly I have not played around down here in years - I usually stick to the route I am used to ... it's just easy. Before you could ride some fun trails down this side of the hill...but then you had to do a boring access road climb back out. But with the additions of these two new trails you can now link together a great loop. These trails are fun up AND down, and just really well built - I was very impressed.

mmmmMMmmmm...mud

Since I have not explored this part of the park that much, I was happy to run into someone else enjoying a free day. I asked them the loop that they usually do and it sounded like a lot of fun, so I am going to try that one next time I am up there. At this point I turned around and headed back up Trillium. This trail is flowy and fun on the way down, and even on the way up it was not that bad, even for an out of shape desk jockey like myself. After huffing and puffing my way back up the new trails I was on my original route down WYD and Night Shift ... I love these trails ... fast, fun techy riding at it's best.

At the bottom of Night Shift I still felt like I wanted to pedal, so I rolled over to an old trail that I have not ridden in a LONG time - Inventive. Gotta love riding the old trails, it's probably been a few years since I have been on this trail, and I forgot how fun it is. After that I just rode the access road to hit all of the Shock Treatments trails on the way back to the parking lot. What I thought would be a nice little spin to exit the park turned out to be one of the hardest parts of the ride. I ran into a little leftover snow on this ride so far, but Shock Treatment under the power lines had a bunch of snow still and it was a mix of slush and icy snow, with the latter giving me some issues. All in all I rode 12.6 K and had a blast while most of my friends were slaving away ... yeah, that right there is good times.

To see my route and see how slow I really am check out the map below, click on the little pinkish bit to see my stats.

View Flex Day in a larger map

Quick Review: CLIF Shot Bloks (Mountain Berry)

2012-01-17T10:23:00.000-08:00

Santa was good to me this year and gave me a few packs of CLIF Shot Bloks in my stocking (among many other great things). These are probably my 2nd favourite Energy Chew/Blok/gummy thingy so far. I would like to try the Black Cherry next as it has the caffeine kick in it that I love so much, and brewyet on Reddit says it's the best flavour...so gotta look for those next time I am in the shop.

As for energy, I really can't say any of the chews so far have really made me feel any different, but I have not bonked or felt a lack of energy after eating any of them...and I gotta say they are yummmmy, way better than an energy bar...at least for the shorter few hours rides I have been on lately.

Any recommendations on what to try next?

Plus One

2012-01-10T08:57:00.000-08:00

How many bikes do you need?

The answer is quite simple if you are a whore like me. However many bikes you own, plus one (or, was that 3?). I am always looking at the next bike...like right now I am fixated on getting a downhill bike...do I REALLY need one, well, if I am honest with myself, not really. But I would use one if I had it and it would probably make my every day ride last longer because of less wear and tear, at least that is how I say it when I try to make it seem like a good idea.

What's in your garage? This is mine and a buddies a few years ago.

Truth be told, I would want one of just about every type of bike...I really love bikes. I want a sexy custom steel hardtail, a fast light all mountain 29er, a dirtjump bike and a big tough plough bike. Then of course there are townies, cruisers, road bikes and cross bikes....yes, I want them all. I want a utility cargo bike, a comfortable tour bike and hell I would even give a fixie a try....I just love anything with two wheels.

As I said, I have been fixated on looking at DH bikes, the bikes on my list are the Banshee Legend, Norco Aurum, Devinci Wilson and Santa Cruz V10...those are lustworthy bikes, you can see why I can't stop thinking about them. But then I think that I really don't need a full on DH rig, let alone can I afford one, so I start thinking about picking up a used Banshee Scythe and building it up as cheaply as possible, because in reality I will not be riding this bike a ton, just for shuttle and park days which really come few and far between. Right now the Scythe is winning the battle in my head...who knows what will be winning next week though...it's quite the battle.

This bike is just sexy...the guy behind the bike...is fast!

As well I have been thinking about 29ers a lot lately, they just look like a lot of fun to ride. The issue I have had with them so far is the lack of strong forks and frames that are built to take the beating that I tend to dish out. This is all changing now with the advent of the Fox 34 and bikes such as the Norco Shinobi and the soon (I hope) to be released Banshee Prime are prime examples of what I am looking for in a 29er. I still want to see a 20mm axle for these forks as well as some better tire options, both of which I hear are coming in the next year or so. I was set to get a prototype Prime frame but sadly had to back out of the testing - I am not happy that I had to do it, but am pretty certain that when this bike gets released I will be picking it up.

All I hear are good things about this bike....WANT!

Then there are so many other bikes I would love to add to my stable as well, I think that Naked bikes are so damn sexy...I have loved custom bikes for years but have never been able to fully justify one, especially now that I know how good suspension is...but for a touring/commuter I think it would be amazing.

Pure sexiness....

If money were no object I would have all of them, but as it turns out money is an issue so I will rely on my awesome Banshee Rune and my old norco samsquanch frankenbike to get me around for now. Does that mean I will stop dreaming about a new bike? No way! I love spending days I should be getting real work done piecing together a new ride, who doesn't like doing that? And who knows, maybe one day all this thinking about bikes will pay off...a man can dream can't he?

The Rune...let's hope it get's a matching rear end soon!

So what is the answer to this age old question for you? How many bikes will be enough for you?

Long Term Review: Kind Shock KS i950-R

2012-01-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

I have had the KS i950-r in my posession for quite some time now. Notice that I did not say I have been using this post for quite some time now, and there is a reason for that. In the one and a half years I have had this post I have probably been able to ride it for less than half of that time. Now, this is not all Kind Shocks' fault; it has been in my closet for a few months now, ever since my Whistler trip where it shat the bed while I was riding the awesome Whistler XC trails. I sent an email to Rick at KS after I got back and he told me to ship it back, but to tell the truth I forgot, mostly because of the inconvenience of it all, and well, I am lazy. But most of all I am just not happy with the product, it broke within a few months of getting it back from them last time and I am a bit frustrated with the process right now.

This is the 2nd time I have had to ship it down to the States to have them "fix" it, and the reason this time is because they use a nitrogen charged system that is not user or shop serviceable...really bad form if your product is going to malfunction as much as mine has IMO. The first time I sent it down was because the head of the post unthreaded when a friend who was borrowing my bike crashed. I have heard a few others who had this issue, and it is easily fixed, but when my buddy went to tighten mine back up he really wrenched on it and tweaked it so the inner post and outer were not lined up anymore.

This post really has not seen that much use for the length of time I have had it - I was off the bike for over 8 months because of broken bones (not bike related) and then it has been off my bike for the past 5 months because I have not sent it in for repair. So really for the amount I have ridden with the KS i950-r it has caused me lots of issues. This is also the reason I don't have more photos of it for this review. All I have is one blurry photo of it mounted up and I don't see much point in mounting it to just take a few photo's and then take it back off again. So I would like to apologize for the lack of eye candy here...I promise to not do this too much.

You may be reading this thinking it's a negative review...well in a way it is...the post has proven to be unreliable to me, but it opened me up to the idea...adjustable seatposts are amazing, no two ways about it. While my review may be negative for the KS i950-r, I really like the idea of adjustable seatposts. That this one has proven to be less than stellar will not taint me from the concept...but I think maybe I will wait till the next round to buy my next one.

If you want more information on the post I wrote about it a while back. I was very excited back then because this was something very new to me and really changed the way I rode in a positive way, but I guess having this many issues with a product can really influence the way we see it in the long term.

Here are a few final thoughts on the Kind Shock KS i950-r:

They have the best remote lever in the business - it's compact and takes up hardly any room on the bars, especially if you have lock on grips, but I noticed a few things that could be better. First thing....you can't tighten it up enough...if you do it seizes up the cable so you can not activate the post. This is quite annoying and really shouldn't happen. The second is the stupid noodle that came attached to the lever...I got rid of that PDQ...just routed the housing straight to the bar...works great.

I had to replace the cables more than I would have liked in the wet months. Where the cable attaches to the seatpost is a huge sign that says...HEY WATER, COME ON IN! OK, not really but it should, just not a great design. I have seen some interesting use of inner tubes to block the muck from getting in...I like this one best and will try to duplicate it when and if I get this post working again. KS now has a mud guard to help, but it does not look as good as the inner tube in the link above.

I did not have any issues at all with the seatpost clamp....it did its job and never slipped, and I did not find it difficult to set up either. I would prefer to see a micro adjust head on there instead, but this one worked fine for me.

The seatpost did slide down in the seat tube a bit and I had to adjust it about once a ride. I am using a hope QR so I know it was not a shitty QR that was to blame, and my previous Thomson seatpost never moved when I didn't want it too. If I clamped the seat collar down too much the inner shaft of the post would not move up and down freely. Maybe just a little more ribbing on the seatpost surface to give it a little more friction.

As I said in my initial review, I am tall and found that there was not quite enough length. Around here we have a lot of short climbs followed by steep and sketchy descents, so I go from all the way up to all the way down a lot and for the most part was able to feel comfortable in most situations, but when it got really steep and sketchy, it would have been nice to not have my saddle threatening my manhood...an extra inch would go a long way towards giving me and others like me a little extra wiggle room.

Send a tool out to your dealers to make it easy for them to service the post. I took my post into a few of the larger shops in town to have them open it up as I was experiencing issues doing so using the needle nose pliers and screwdriver method I have seen recommended on other sites. Turns out they use the same method and know of no tool that can ease the frustration of opening this post. I guess mine was put on really tight when KS serviced it last because none of the shops could get it open and while trying one shop messed up the interface a bit.

I really dislike the huge cable loop that this style of post has...it's unsightly, adds extra weight and is easy to snag on branches, repair stands, other bikes while shuttling...the list goes on and on. I would love to see some great engineer figure out how to move it to the seat collar in a nice clean fashion.

Now, a lot of these issues are being fixed in the new LEV post that should be coming out in the next while...but I would be very hesitant to buy one 'til I know that the inner workings of the post are better than the one that is in my closet right now....I would like to see it be more user serviceable, or at least dealer serviceable so if something does go pear shaped that I will have it back in a few days rather than a few weeks.

Here is a list of what I think a good adjustable seatpost will need to be able to dominate the market...and get those final naysayers to take the plunge:

1. Make it reliable
2. Make it easy to service
3. Give a few options for length...not everyone is the same height.
4. Infinite adjust is a must
5. Keep the remote simple to use, small, close to the bar so it's hard to break in the event of a crash, and adjustable so people can mount it under or on top of the bars as they need
6. Get rid of the stupid loop, and internal routing is not a solution - it's great for a few manufacturers...but if you want it on more bikes you will have to figure something else out, aftermarket is where the money is
7. Make it reliable (this is in here twice on purpose...please...just make it reliable and easy to service)

None of the current posts really seem to have everything on this list...each one has its fair share of issues. If I were in the market for one of these amazing posts I would wait a while before pulling the trigger...save some more money and get some of the next batch...they look promising.

The thing is - I can live without this product...I can just hop off my bike and adjust my seatpost manually...like I have done for years. But once you get a taste of adjusting your post on the fly...going back to a stationary post is a hard pill to swallow....it would be like going back to driving an old Honda Civic after driving around a BMW M3 for a while, yes the Honda does the job, but it is way less fun. Adjustable seatposts let you feel the flow of the trail more, you never have to worry about the saddle being in the way on a steep sketchy section, or busting your knees on a climb, you can just push a button and move it to whatever height the trail and your riding style needs at that moment.

Look at the rest of our bikes, all these parts have had MANY years of evolution, the adjustable seatpost has only had a few years and it shows. Give them a little more time to mature and I think we will see these on every bike...they are that good...when they work.

Kootenay Trip - 2009

2012-01-04T09:30:00.000-08:00

I originally published this post back in 2009 and have recently been thinking about this trip and looking through all the old photos. I thought some of you may enjoy a little read...all these trails are covered in snow right now, but when the snow melts...I say we should head up and hit them up again, they are so much fun.
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NSMB.com and Wade Simmons are putting on a contest, all you have to do is post up your most memorable/favourite ride/adventure of 2009. So I used my company's time wisely and wrote a book on my vacation this year...thought some of you may find it interesting. Hope you enjoy.

After a few years of trying to make it up and ride the Kootenays I figured this year was the one, after some nerve wracking bike issues (Thanks to the guys at Banshee and Lorien at Sooke Mountain Cycles for helping me out in a time of need). Last year three weeks before I was due to head out...I broke my last frame(not a Banshee)...and had to cancel the trip, so I was not going to let that happen this year. I was leaving on Sunday and went to pick the bike up on Saturday...with beer in hand...and a huge grin on my face...lets do this!

All my other riding buddies were not able to go this year so I put a call out on NSMB and lo and behold CraigH said he can go...now I have never met Craig, and was a bit nervous as I have seen some of the photo’s of his adventures in the past...and thought he was just going to drop me like a bad habit, but I needed someone to ride with and Craig has ridden up there before so having some experience on the trip was great.

Now, a little about me...I am a 36 year old clyde (230lbs after losing 30lbs) who is usually the tail of every group ride...I am not fast or skilled but I love to ride and have fun with friends. I started riding in Oregon about 20 years ago, but have been in BC longer than I can remember, and rarely if ever get off of the rock we call Vancouver Island, I was an alpine singletrack virgin, and very nervous about popping my cherry...lol.

I get up to Nakusp a few weeks early to spend some time with my family and relax, my first real vacation in YEARS and then met Craig at the beginning of the third week. Now the original plan was to use my family’s place as a base camp and then head out from there as we saw fit...but after a change of plans we decided to just drive up to Revelstoke. By this time it was getting dark...so night number one putting up the tent in the dark, what I didn’t know is we were camped right next to the railroad tracks...thats quite a wake up call, lol. We decided to pack up camp early and head on out to the trailhead, after I thought I had fixed some mechanical issues with my bike...as it turns out picking your brand new frame up and heading out for a road trip without riding it can be problematic...now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

Craig riding the butter smooth keystone Basin Trail

Day one was Keystone Basin, I have heard amazing things about this trail and they are all true. I cannot remember the last time my tires got to fly down such buff amazing singletrack. Being from the island the altitude was taking its toll and I have been up here for two weeks already...Craig who just drove up from Vancouver the day before was feeling it even more, thank god because it slowed him down to more my pace...lol. The fat guy on the heavy AM bike needs all the help he can get...hah. As this was my first time riding alpine singletrack I was in awe of my surroundings...nothing like this on the island, every turn brought new amazing views, most of the time I was riding with my mouth agape...mostly to try and catch my breath...but also because I was just amazed by the beauty. On the way back I noticed the issue I thought was fixed earlier...was still there, now the rush was on to get back into town before the shop closes, we just made it into Skookum Cycles right before closing and they said they would be able to fix it and I could pick it up in the morning, yessss...thank you Skookum!

Day two brings a nice wakeup at the edge of the lake, what a beautiful morning, after running back into town to pick up my bike and some breakfast at the local bakery we headed up to ride Sale Mountain/Martha Creek. Here we ran into a little problem...my old little rusty Honda would not make it all the way up the mountain, so what was to be an awesome start in the alpine shuttle that ended up at our campground turned out to be half of a shuttle and then pain.

Not a bad view eh?

I would go do this again if we had two decent off road vehicles, as the road gets a bit rough at the top. A good clearance 2 wheel drive can probably make it, but a low to the ground 85 accord with some overheating issues, not so much...lol. The trail is a lot of fun, rougher than Keystone, a lot of rocks roots and steeps, great fun. We ran into the trail crew (a group of ex forestry workers that the province was paying to build and maintain trail...pretty awesome) and they said they just finished a reroute and said we should give it a try, only the 2nd group to ride it...gotta love fresh trail. This part was more XC and a little flatter, but after that we went back onto the main trail and it got steep again....and then spit us out on the road about halfway up the mountain. Now, since we were a shuttle vehicle down we decided we would just ride back up from here...and it was hot out. Now, this is where Craig shines, in the climbing...and this is where I do not shine or climb...lol. While the extra girth helps me hurdle my way down trails...it tends to just anchor me on the way up, so Craig waits for me once in a while and then I can feel it coming on, the dreaded bonk, noooOOOooo...I am so close to the top, I just wanted to make it up. So I stop in a shady spot and tell Craig to just go on without me. He heads up to grab the van while I sit there sucking wind, drinking water and eating power bars...trying to get up the power to climb the rest of the way...no way I want to let this mountain defeat me. A few minutes later I clip in and start pedaling away...just as I get to the top I see Craig hopping into the van to come pick me up...YES...I made it. I gotta say beer never tasted so good.

The View on the ride back up to the Van

We decided to stay the night and head out in the morning; I was tired of putting up camp in the dark. So the next morning we decided to head down to New Denver to sample the goods. New Denver is a cool little place with an interesting history and some fun trails. We got there early and set up camp, another campsite right on the edge of the lake...gotta love it. After setting up camp we rode over to the local shop and chatted with Rob, super cool guy with a beard that is just awesome.

Day Three we took it easy and just shuttled up and rode some of the local trails and hit the Galena Trail back into town...a nice way to end a ride and the tram over the river was fun.

Day Four we decided to hit the Wakefeild trail...this trail is true singletrack with some scary exposure; I was spending too much time making sure my front wheel stayed on the dirt to enjoy the scenery. This one is a LONG downhill that ends in Silverton (the next town down from New Denver) so you will need a shuttle, Rob will shuttle you for a modest fee and that will save you a ton of time in vehicle retrieval...it takes a while to get back up to the top. This trail is a must ride I say...just a lot of fun and if you get there during wildflower season you will be treated to amazing colours as well. On the way up to get Craigs van, my car just decided it did not want to climb anymore and overheated, I got this car for free...so I was pushing it hard on this trip and it was showing...lol. So Craig volunteered to ride up the 2nd half of the mountain back to the van...thanks Craig, you ROCK!

The Author Playing around on Wakefield Trail

After we got the vehicles we decided to pack up camp and hit the next destination. I originally wanted to hit Nelson then head down to Rossland, but we decided to head straight to Rossland to make sure we were ready for the big ride...7 Summits.

On the way there we stopped in Trail and had the best Mexican food I have had since moving to Canada...who would have thunk it eh...great Mexican food in Trail...haha. Anyway if you are in the area go to Mazatlan and enjoy the food...it’s GREAT.

We got into Rossland a bit late and I got to set up camp in the dark again...I am getting pretty pro at it by now, but this is the last time I have to set up camp on this trip, hell yeah! Also I should note...I forgot to pack my nice new air mattress I bought for this trip, so I was sleeping on a pad made of a spare blanket I found in the back of my car. So after doing more riding than I have done in years I was not sleeping all that well, but god I was having fun. I may have rolled around all night but once I woke up my body was stoked to ride, I was LOVING all the new trails and exploring new areas.

Craig riding Oasis in Rossland/Trail

Rossland is a very cool little town, not only that but the trail system is great for a town this size. Never have I ridden such a nicely signed trail system.

Day Five we hit up lower oasis as the top was closed, this trail is just wide open ripping...a lot of fun, but we got to the bottom and we were both still wanting more trail, so we go back and get the car to head over to the other side of down to ride the top part of Whisky and then head over to Crown Point...now that’s a fun flowy trail, and you gotta earn getting there too so it’s in good shape. That night we ate like kings to get our bodies ready for the big ride tomorrow...I was nervous.

I have had 7 Summits in my sights for years now, but knew that my fitness was just not there. After losing 30lbs I was feeling pretty good, still not fast by means but WAY better than I was. I was still very nervous that I would have to bail out, and I did NOT want to do that, go all this way and not ride the whole thing, I don’t think so, I was going to ride it no matter what.

That night we did our bike check and made sure everything was top notch...got our bags packed and made sure to get to bed early, as we wanted to hit the trailhead first thing in the morning. You know when you are nervous about something...and you just can’t get to sleep, well that didn’t happen...I was TIRED. After a great night of sleep I woke up nice and early and headed to the showers...thank god for the showers...lol.

CraigH slaying 7 summits, not a bad view eh?

At the start of Day six we headed to go grab a nice breakfast as soon as the place opened and had a GREAT breaky, gotta make sure the tank is full before a ride like this. After that we headed to the trailhead. I gotta say the first part of the 7 Summits trail has to be one of the most beautiful I have ever ridden. It’s fairly new trail and REALLY well built, I was loving it...but was feeling pretty slow, my legs were already feeling the elevation and the 5 days of riding prior were not helping either, but I was enjoying the ride.

One of my favourite things on this ride was all the berries lining the trails, SO GOOD and helped me keep my energy up for what felt like climbs that never ended. Now the trail does not look long on paper, but holy crap even the downhills have uphills, the trail is not easy by any means, but it’s so fun and worth all of the pain. The views are amazing and the feeling of accomplishment when you finish it is just awesome. During the ride we had, sun, cloud, rain and then it warmed up as we were got closer to the end. We finished up with a rip down the Dewdney trail.Nothing like a FAST DH rip after 8 hours of saddle time, and just one minute from the car...I flat, the first one of the trip. Got a little zesty in a rocky section of the trail and after a quick flat repair I meet Craig at the bottom and laid down in the grass next to the Van. What an amazing finish to an amazing week, I had my alpine cherry popped and rode more XC than I have for YEARS, met a few riding goals and made a new friend in the process. So far this has been the best MTB trip I have ever been on...let’s hope that 2010 follows that trend.

If you look closely you can see CraigH between the trees

To see more photos of the trip click here!

Quick Review: Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews (Lime-Ade)

2012-01-01T21:34:00.000-08:00

Not much more that I can say about these that I did not say in my first quick review....other than these are my favourite flavour yet, really tasty and I love that these are caffeinated, a little extra buzz for the way down.

I have a few other flavours of energy chews to try and the Clif Shot Bloks are up next...so far these have been some tasty tests...it's hard work, but someone's gotta do it.

OM NOM NOM NOM

Let's Start The New Year Off Right!

2011-12-29T01:31:00.001-08:00

I see a lot of people spewing hate towards other types of bikes out there on the interwebs and it makes me just scratch my head...why? How could you hate another form of two wheeled transportation just because it does not fit your life or your idea of what a bike should be? Bikes are fun. Period. Big bikes, little bikes, skinny bikes, tall bikes and fat bikes, They are all fun in their own way. No one type of bike is superior to the others, they are all just a way to get us out exploring this amazing world of ours and being able to see the sights, smell the smells and feel the wind on our faces...so go out, grab whatever bike makes you happy and have fun...because that is what it is all about.

Photo courtesy of Arztsamui

Yes, we like to show off our expensive bikes, talk about all the little parts that cost way more than they should and look ridiculous to the rest of the world...but truth be told, the person riding down the street on their old clunker they got in a thrift shop is having just as much fun as we are. It's not about how much we spend - it's about the experience, the friends and the feeling that riding gives us. The freedom to ride anywhere, at any pace and feel the earth under our tires...that is what makes this invention so amazing...that feeling right there. If you have ever ridden a bicycle you know it...deep down inside, you know it.

Photo courtesy of bigjom

So next time you feel the need to spout off about how much better one wheel size is over another, or that so and so design is superior to the another...just take a second to think about how absurd it is, and then go out and ride the bike you love so much. It really does not matter what you feel is better, there are different designs for different people and let them choose to ride whatever they want, why does what they ride make any difference to you? I bet you will not care about it when you get back...the bike cleanses our souls, takes our anger and turns it into energy that we spend when the rubber meets the ground.

Photo courtesy of foto76

So whatever bike you have, be it a skinny fixie, a DH rig or a beat up townie...get out there and ride it. Spend less time telling others that their style of riding is worth less than yours and just ride. We are all the same clan, we have bikes in our blood and together we can show everyone how amazing the bicycle really is, and how much fun we can have together.

Let's spend the new year riding our bikes, playing in the forest, parks, streets or wherever your wheels prefer to roll. When you see see someone else out there enjoying their bikes, give them a smile or a little nod of approval or heck even a little wave...let them know that just because we may be on a different two wheeled mode of transportation that we are all the same.

Happy New Year from Singletrack Geek! Rememember to Ride Hard, Laugh Lots, Get Dirty!

Quick Review: Jelly Belly Sports Beans

2011-12-18T19:39:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to try these for a long time, but have not seen them in stores up here, till now. Anyone that knows me knows I have a soft spot in my belly for Jelly Belly jelly beans...OMG...so good. I was really stoked to see these in MEC, but a bit less stoked once I ate them. I was expecting them to taste more like Jelly Belly's but instead they tasted like gatorade in a bean form. There was a really odd aftertaste, the only thing I can think it may be is vitamin C...bitter, almost salty. They were okay, but not the sweet tastiness was I was expecting.

They also cost more than most sports bars ($2.20) and even more than the Honey Stinger Chews I tested last time, and the chews tasted a lot better. They did seem to do their job though...even though it was a short ride I did not seem to have any energy issues and even cleaned some little techy climbs that have killed me in the past.

The other thing I did not like is that there were no nutritional facts on the packaging so I could not easily tell how they differed from other products on the market. As well there was no allergy information on the packaging, with the large amount of people with food allergies out there it would be nice to see Jelly Belly step up and let people know what is in their product. I did like the resealable bag and they were nice and compact...but I do not think I would buy them again. Check out their site for more information.

SG Review: Mountain Bike Vancouver Island Map Book

2011-12-09T23:02:00.001-08:00

We are very lucky in BC, you can pull into just about any town and find some dirt to roll around in. The issue is, if you are new to town or just visiting it can sometimes be hard to find the trails that we cherish so much. Most of the time you have to either hook up with a local, get the local shop to give you general directions or just go out and explore and hope you find the good stuff. Well, not if you are heading to Vancouver Island - just pick up a copy of the Mount Bike Vancouver Island map book and hit the trails.

Thanks to Daniel Cammiade if you come to Vancouver Island you no longer have to worry - he has done all the leg work and GPS'd just about every trail on the island and put it together in an 'easy to slip in your pack' book. It's not only tourists that will get use out of it either - I have been riding on the island for many years now and it has helped me find my way around a few new areas, and has got me stoked to go up island and try some new (to me) trails. Now that I have the book I can just pull into town, pop into the shop to see if there is anything new that I should try (Good luck, Dan has been releasing a new version of the book every year ... adding new areas and updating it with any new trails) and then just head out to spend more time on my bike. That is what it's all about right?

When I first got the Mountain Bike Vancouver Island book I was surprised at how well they documented the trails. Not only that but there is a ton of great information about each area, everything from elevation changes to general information about the area and trail descriptions. One of the most useful features is the "Suggested Loops" - I have done a few and found them to be pretty spot on, gotta love that. There is even mention of local spots to shower, good pubs, accommodations, places to eat, bike shops and a history of the area....now that is thorough!

I really love that someone has taken all the energy and time to create this book. I can't even fathom the time that he has put into it, all the great photos, fact gathering and most of all, all the time on the bike he must have had to endure to be able to get all the GPS tracks ... that is hard work, but I guess someone has to do it! I like that it is on a ring binder, it makes it so easy to keep open and read. Other map books that I have seen are more like regular books - I find them harder to read because it just wants to snap back closed, but with the rings I can just flip it open to the spot I need, lay the book on a stump and try to figure out what trail I am on...so much easier.

While there is a lot to like about this book, there are a few things that I would like to see changed in future printings. I would like to see the map graphics updated, what is in the book works but I really love the look of the forestry maps that I grew up with down in the states, I just found them easier to read. There were a few graphical issues that I saw ... little things that others may not notice but that bugged me and when I talked to Dan last he showed me a very early copy of next year's book ... and most of my complaints had been fixed ... Awesome. The only other thing is the size, it's a little long for my liking. I know it is larger to make it easier to read and fit all that awesome information in it, but it does not fit in the map pocket in my hydration pack, so I have to put it in the main storage compartment, it takes more of a beating in there, but I won't go for a ride without it, always be prepared as my Dad used to say.

I would also love to see an electronic version of this book for my smartphone, something that will utilize the built in GPS so I can easily see where I am and map the best route out, that would be amazing. Just download the area you are going to and have it easily accessible no matter where you are, this would be perfect for a geek like me.

So what I am trying to say is that if you ride a bike on Vancouver Island ... you need this book. It does not matter if you are just here for a few days or have been riding the island for years ... you will find something new, save time and get on the trails faster.

Information:

Riding area's in this years book:

Partiidge Hill, Hartland (Dump), Terra Nova, Harbourview, Broom Hill, Burnt Bridge, Shawnigan Lake Quarry, Cobble Hill, Tzouhalem, Maple Mountain, Prevost, Doumont, Mt. Benson, Abyss and Extension, Top Bridge, Hammerfest, Qualicum Beach Middle School Trails, Port Alberni, Sproat Lake, Cumberland, Forbidden Plateau, Snowden, Beaver Lodge lands, Gold River, Saltspring, Hornby and Quadra Islands

Where can you buy this book?

If you want to get a copy before heading to the island you can get it off of their website:

http://www.pursuitofsingletrack.com/

I hear there are a few copies of the 2011 left - MEC, Russ Hays and Oak Bay Bikes may still have some left...so pick them up while you can. Once the new version comes out most good bike shops will have them in stock.

How much does it cost.

$19.95

What is the meaning of life?

Go ride your bike...

What will be new in the 2012 Mountain Bike Vancouver Island map book?

There will be new areas outlined in the book, at the time of this review they are looking to include Menzies Mountain in Campbell River and more trails on Quadra island, and if we are lucky some trails in Metchosin and maybe even Ucuelet.

Not only that but multiple page maps will fold out instead of having the binder in between...this was one of my complaints about the current book and very happy to see it changed. Dan says there will also be a better layout along with some formatting changes, no huge changes as the current layout has proven to be very popular.

I can't wait to see the new area's and will pick up one of the new books for sure and I recommend that you pick one up as well.

Quick Review: Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews (Fruit Smoothie)

2011-12-05T11:17:00.001-08:00

I liked them...a little sweet, but they were a tasty treat at the top of the hill. I tried the Fruit Smoothie version and am going to grab the naturally caffeinated limeade flavour for that extra kick next time.

As I said I did find them to be a bit sweet (and I love sweets) but the consistency was good and I did not have any energy problems on the way down...so they seemed to do their job. They cost me just over two bucks plus taxes, a bit more than a bar...but I would rather eat these than choke down a dry bar. The good news is that they are Gluten and Dairy free...gotta love that..~~.now if we can get it nut free as well all my friends will be able to eat them~~. [Edit, they ARE nut free, packaged in a nut free factory...Awesome!] . Check out their site for more information.

Chromag Moon Saddle - SG Review

2011-10-20T14:35:00.000-07:00

I have been riding WTB saddles as long as I can remember ... and loving them, except that lately I have been bending the rails - I have had to buy two new saddles this year. Since most good saddles are not cheap, I started looking at alternatives. One that really caught my attention was the Chromag Moon. I really don't know what about the saddle caught my eye ... but whatever it was I just kept on ending up on the Chromag site checking it out.

When I go to buy a product I usually do months of "research". The process goes something like this: I start feeling the need to change something or something wears out/breaks so I start looking online for alternatives. Being a bigger guy I have to make sure that it is sturdy ... and being a complete gear whore I have to make sure that it looks good on my bike and that it is not a boat anchor ... then the reality sets in where I figure out I can't afford the part because I seem to never have any of that expendable income that I keep hearing about ... so I keep riding my old crap till it fails or just gets so worn out that I have to replace it. During this whole process I am online ... poking around ... reading review after biased review and trying to sift through the marketing and other crap that gets thrown at us consumers.

After all that I usually just buy what I know works and what I have been riding for years. But this year I decided to mix it up a bit and try new things. The 10 speed setup that I just put on my bike is a pretty major part of this. I also put light XC tires on my bike this summer ... I will be writing a full review up for that after a few more wet rides.

And then I bent another set of rails ... I bent them back a few times ... but there is only so much suffering those poor little NiCro tubes could handle. When I took it off, the bolts from my seat post were digging into the plastic of the saddle body ... it took some prying to get the top of the seat post clamp out of the clutches of my dead Speed V.

Anyway I am getting ahead of myself here...after doing all this research I did finally decide to go and take a look at the Chromag ... but finding a shop that carried stock this time of year was not easy ... you would think that with 20+ shops in town it wouldn't be hard ... you would be wrong. Thank god for my smartphone and google maps ... just search for bike shops and start tapping on their numbers ... after a bunch of calls I ended up going to Marty's Mountain Cycles ... one of my favourite shops in town. After a short drive down to the shop and parting with some of my hard earned paycheck, I was the owner of a sexy Ti railed Moon saddle.

My first impression of the Moon was ... holy crap this thing is firm ~~(thats what she said).~~ I am used to the much more plush WTB Speed V's that I usually rest my tush on. Lets hope this little leap of faith does not end up biting me in the ass. Sigh, sorry, I could not help that one, I will try to keep the puns to a minimum. I also loved the full leather cover ... no embroidery to chaffe and let water in ... very nice. This is the first saddle with Ti rails for me ... I had people telling me that they are stronger ... other people saying that they are weaker ... that just proves to me how much BS there is in this industry and that I will have to just find out for myself if it will work for my needs or not.

The other thing about this saddle that is a little odd and that I thought I may have to get used to is the shape ... it's got a long nose that has some nice padding on it for climbing, the rear is cut away nicely so I can get behind the saddle easier (always have issues with this) ... but in photos it looks like there is a little hump ... the opposite of what you'd think would feel good. The reason that it looks like there is a hump is because the nose slants down slightly - when climbing it actually feels great ... lots of support right where I need it.

So I took off my old saddle and started putting the new one on ... I really don't know why I was so excited ... I just love bike parts ... lol ... as I said earlier ... I am a whore. I loved the look of it. I am not one for white parts - I usually say that white parts have no place on a mountain bike - so I have no idea why I bought this saddle...it just kinda jumped out at me at the shop and screamed "BUY ME AND PUT ME ON YOUR BIKE" ... how could I refuse that, really? Okay ... it's not white ... it's light gray ... close enough to white for me ... but I think it looks A LOT better than the black one.

As I sat on it for the first time to feel if I have the angle right my ass felt at home on it ... ok, well this is just for a minute I told myself ... let's see how it handles hours and hours of pedaling - that will be the real test. Will my butt embrace the new piece of gear between my legs or will it reject it?

I have taken it on a few rides - long and short - and so far it has been great...some people have said that the Moon breaks in after a few rides but I found that it was comfortable right off the bat and since then it has just gotten better. I love that if it gets wet you just have to wipe it off and you don't have to worry about your saddle soaking up the muddy water and getting your shorts wet ... it does not soak up a thing ... a very good quality to have here on the Island. I love the look of it on my bike, and after just over a month of riding in typical Vancouver Island fall conditions it still looks new.

I am trying to find negatives ... so far the only thing I can think of is that I found it to be kind of expensive ... I am a cheap bastard, but in reality you are getting a light, nice feeling saddle for a lot less than some of the other choices. I guess there will be some people that won't get over the shape of it ... but in my experience it is like that for a reason ... it is comfy. Time will tell if I bend the rails or if the leather tears or scuffs easily. I will do another long term review sometime in the new year to keep everyone up to date on how it lasts for me.

Saddles are very personal things, some people hate saddles I have thought were awesome and vice versa ... so it's really hard to give a saddle a review that will work for everyone ... but with that said, I would say if you can get your hands on one of these saddles ... you should go for it. Heck if you are on the Island ... come on down and give mine a try ... see if you like it or not.

For the price you are getting a top of the line full leather, Ti rails and relatively light saddle ... you can't really go wrong.

Info:

Extra lo-profile design

Ultra light foam

Seamless, leather top

Titanium rails

240g

280mm x 135mm

Colours:

black, grey

Pricing:

Canadian Retail - $140.00

U.S. Retail - $140.00

GBP Retail - £90

10 Speeds of Awesomeness

2011-10-14T13:33:00.000-07:00

I have been planning to give a 10 speed setup a go for a while now, but never had the money to put the plan in motion...that is until I won a Sram X9 10 speed setup from Whistler Bike Park and Crankworx....holy crap, YESSS...I love it when a plan comes together.

The wierd thing is they sent a 9 speed chain and a 11-32 cassette...I found it a bit odd but free stuff is free stuff...right? With the help from some friends at Sooke Mountain Cycle and Oak Bay Bikes Westshore I was able to get my hands on a sweet KMC 10 speed chain and a 12-36 cassette, thanks guys for being awesome. Oh yeah, I now have all the parts, lets get this started. Just one little problem...how am I going to set this up...do I go with a dual ring setup, single ring? What chain guide can I run or should I run one at all?

These were all questions I had to find answers for. First off I had to figure out what gearing would work best for me and the terrain I ride. I wanted to get rid of the front derailleur, I friggin hate them, so I think a single front ring is the way to go. I am not one of those riders who likes to mash the big gears, I prefer to sit and spin in a smaller gear...so I had a choice of running a large granny or a small middle ring. Well the 30 tooth middle rings are hella expensive and you have to custom order them, and my roomate just happened to have a 28 tooth granny ring sitting around...well it's either free and set it up now...or expensive and a wait....well....since I am a cheap bastard...28 tooth it is!

Next up is a chainguide, I had issues last time I put a blackspire stinger on my Rune with my Atlas cranks...just not enough room, add to that getting a guide to work with a ring that small is not an easy task, next year MRP is coming out with the Micro G2, but that is a ways off...and we all know I don't like to wait. Another option was to create a guide...well...I am not that handy...lol, so the last option was to just wing it and run no guide at all, booyeah...that sounds like the way to go for me.

My favourite not so local shop already had my bike for some warranty issues so I just had him install it...yes, I am that lazy. They recommended I stay with the two rings in front as they thought the chain line would be too messed up to run with the granny, ok...I am flexible...sure let's give that a try. After I picked up the bike and rode it around a little it became apparent that the chain line in the middle ring and bigger cogs in the back were less than optimal...sweet, this lets me give the 28 ring a try...and Lorien just happened to have a Granny God in stock...awesome...let it be done!

I was a little nervous about the no chain guide setup...but I was loving the looks of the little chain ring/guard setup in the front...and the chain line looked way better than expected, my mind was put to ease on my first ride though...and the few rides since have reinforced this opinion.

The feeling of a new drive train is...so good, especially when you have been nursing your old one for so long....so crisp, so nice...and no front derailleur is the best thing evar.

I will keep ya'll up to date and let you know if the 10 speed can hold up to the wet west coast winter under this big dude...only time will tell. Till then I will enjoy putting it through it's paces.

Have you been running a 10 speed setup? If so post it up in the comments and let everyone know how it has been working for you.

A SG Challenge to Mountain Bike Manufacturers

2011-09-15T12:44:00.000-07:00

So, I just had the 6th full suspension bike crack under my awesomeness. Yeah.....6 frames have crumbled while I have been riding them. Now if I was someone who hucks, or hell even gets much air under my tires at all I could understand this, but I am not...I am the guy in the group who rides around most stunts and drops. My fight or flight response is finely tuned to let me know that tires in the air = pain. Because of this I have modified my riding style and for the most part keep the rubber bits in the dirt, so I really should not be breaking this many frames.

The thing I have going against me though is I am 6' 4" and 250ish pounds. After taking the latest victim to the bike shop this week the owner/mechanic said he thinks that the problem is my 'long levers'...and I tend to agree. I know lots of big guys who ride, but none of them are as tall as I am. That means that a bike that is designed around smaller people get's super sized...now I don't know if the enginerds take the extra forces the longer tubes on a XL bike have to deal with into consideration when designing bikes...but from the considerable amount of testing I have done...I would think the answer would tend towards not so much.

I don't break much else on my bike, been running the same Mavic 321 rims on the last few bikes and no issues...not even a wobble, pedals...nothing, cranks/stems/bars...nada, but for some reason full suspension bike frames...snappy snappy. I have ridden many hard tail frames and never had an issue, but I seem to be the kryptonite for anything with a spring in the rear.

So, I ask you bike manufacturers, do you not think that big guys ride bikes or is it such a small piece of the market that it is easier to just replace frames than to actually build a frame that will withstand the abuse that big guys will put out? I did a ton of research before buying my last bike and now have had two frame crack in as many months...that can't be right, can it?

All I am looking for in a bike is something that is not a DH/Freeride bike...something that can pedal up the hill, have a long enough seat tube so I can pedal efficiently up the hill and on XC rides but is also stable and not twitchy on the way down and have 5/6 inches of travel...a good AM bike is all I need to be happy.

People keep on telling me that I need to ride a big freeride bike...well...no...not only are very few of them large enough for me to get proper leg extension but they tend to be tanks while pedaling up hills as well. I mean...yes I would like a big DH/FR bike...but not as my main bike because I do that type of riding so infrequently it just would not make sense to have one as my main ride.

So I put a challenge out to the bike industry...can you make a bike that I wont break? A bike that pedals well, is at least a 20.5" seat tube, and one that can take the full brunt of my awesomeness day in and day out? If so please let me know, hell let all the big guys know...we are in need of someone to step up and make a frame that we can ride...hard tails are crap and FR bikes are too much bike for how most people ride. How about you stop telling us to ride a bike that does not suit our needs and instead buck up and make a good bike for us larger than average individuals. Given that the average is changing and people are getting bigger each ear I would think this would be a demographic that you would want to be a part of. Am I wrong?

I know that everything breaks, I am not asking for a magic bullet here, just a bike that we can ride, have confidence in and that will last longer than a season or two....I feel that is not too much to ask, do you?

I also know that losing weight is the best thing I can do to help out this situation, but I chose this sport to keep me fit and active...now how am I supposed to ride my bike when I am waiting for it to be warrantied...or saving for a new frame because I keep on having to switch frames?

So bring it on...show us you care, show us that you CAN make a good bike for bigger people. If you build it we will come...we will ride, and we will spread the word. So come on...we are waiting for you now, I have seen many amazing things in this bike industry over the past 20 years...lets make it at least one more.

Riding Solo

2011-08-30T09:07:00.000-07:00

I love this sport...I love the feeling of dirt under my tires, the wind in my face and the amazing camaraderie of fellow riders. I have been riding since before suspension, disk brakes and clipless pedals...but for some reason since getting back into riding after my injuries I have been feeling awkward, slow and a little off on my bike. I gained some weight and lost a bunch of my fitness during that time and it has really hit me hard. Add to that the confidence hit I took when I crashed and sprained my ankle...well, to say the least it has been less than stellar comeback.

When I have been on group rides, people are waiting for my slow ass...up and down the hill, not an awesome feeling. So to let my friends ride at the pace they like and to help me regain my fitness and confidence, I started exploring a new area...riding solo and loving it.

I find that when I ride alone I push myself harder, ride longer between breaks and sometimes ride trail features that I usually ride around when riding with other people. Am I really riding better when alone or do I feel I ride better because I am not measuring myself against others? Whatever it is I feel the experience gives me something different than when I ride in a group.

I know a lot of people who ride solo ride with headphones and listen to their favourite tunes, but I much prefer to ride sans music. It lets me hear the sounds of my tires rolling gently along the trail or losing grip on an exposed root, the mechanical clank of gear shifts, the squish sound that my suspension makes, the sounds of nature. It's the symphony of the ride and I love it.

The last few solo rides have been great. I have been heading out after work or on the weekend, getting my groove back and just loving being back on two wheels again. Pushing myself to ride better, to clean tough sections that troubled me on the last ride, to get to the top of the mountain and enjoy the silence and amazing views that the island has to offer. Every ride I have been feeling like I am riding better and getting back to the car feeling less tired, and last nights ride has been the best yet.

Usually after a ride I feel good, refreshed, happy and like the worries of the world were washed away, but after this ride I felt like life was breathed back into me. I was riding fast, having fun and just loving the ride, does it get any better than that?

I am not saying I don't love group rides, but nothing soothes my soul and get's me feeling the love of the ride more than a great ride just me, my bike and the trail.

Do you like to ride solo or do you prefer to ride with buddies? Tell us in the comments.

Pedalhound's Awesome Vlog of Awesomeness Ep. 5

2011-08-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while, but I finally got out and filmed myself talking at the top of a hill and then I turned on the GoPro and rode down...pretty amazing stuff really. I hope you enjoy.

3 Minute Gaps - SG Movie Review

2011-08-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

I friggin love mountain bike movies ... as most of you know I am a huge bike geek (hence the name of this blog) and because of that I am the target market for bike movies, but for some reason lately I have been rather underwhelmed ... yes LifeCycles and Follow Me were good ... but they did not catch my attention like the old NWD or North Shore movies did. Maybe because there are only so many ways you can show a bike riding down a trail ... or maybe it's all the boring ass dirt jump scenes that seem to be making their way into movies lately ... whatever it is, something about the latest crop of movies has been leaving me wanting more.

Then Clay Porter releases this trailer ... and it piqued my interest:

Check out more of my on-the-fly thoughts on 3 Minutes Gaps after the break.

I have watched this movie a few times now, so the other night I sat down with some rum and coke and started up the movie - probably not my best idea - lol - but, oh well, here it goes - a play by play of 3 Minute Gaps as told through rum coloured glasses.
_________________________________________________________________________

First off is Sam Hill ... great segment ... love the WC stuff but for some reason his riding segment was kinda meh to me ... least favourite rider segment of the movie.
Next up is Maribor WC ... I love how Clay sums up the races ... its just awesome.
Oh ... wait ... now onto Fort William ... awesome track. Crap the cinematography is good in this movie ... spoiler alert ... Sam crashes out for the season ... shhhh...don't tell anyone ... I think it was at this point that my Girlfriend fell in love with Minaar...haha...so sexy. Personally ... Warner makes my pants ti ... err ... wait ... next time less rum before starting a review ...
Oh Matti Lehikoinen's part is up ... that's not easy to spell, oh man he rips! Wow ... short segment ...
Ben Reid is ripping my TV a new one right now ... LOVE this segment, wish I was that fast through the turns ... damn ... crazy. Did someone follow behind and give the berms CPR? He is killin' em ... awesome.
Now onto Leogang Round 3 ... ding ding ... god those V10's are sexy ... red bikes are faster ... it's science. I think that the WC DH should go to countries suffering from droughts ... boom solved that world issue.
Crap...we are in new zealand now ... who the crap is riding ... oh it's Blinky ... so fast ... WHIIIIIP ... man these trails look fun ... anyone wanna fly me to New Zealand? He is fast! So much speed through a section I would have crawled down ... haha ...
Rob Warner again ... I feel funny ...
Oh ... Brendan Fairclough ... he is awesome ... these guys think the same thing ... man Brendog is a baller ... you know ... for a bike racer ... I think this is my favourite rider segment of the movie ... just fun.
Who is Larry ... and why is he so happy?
Oh ... a dirt jump segment ... that I am not skipping or falling asleep during ... awesome ... well done Clay ... love the music to ...
Sweet ... Dan Atherton ... not sweet what happens ... another spoiler ... he breaks his neck ... not awesome. But man the Athertons have a kickass life. Nice Redbull toque Gee ... and down Affy goes. Great storytelling here ...
I love Champery ... so steep and nasty ... could not imagine what it's like to ride when it's wet ... these WC racers are NUTS ... WTF is up with Gee and the funny hats ... Clay must have so much Atherton footage ... and now we get a bunch of it. It's the Gee and Minaar show...
Oh crap ... subtitles ... time for more rum I think ... It's Neethiling's segment ... suuuuppppper dusty and hella fast ... I sense a theme.
Another of my favourite tracks ...Val Di Sole ... Brownie must have to beat the ladies off with a stick ... smooth operator that one. Who's the hottie in there with Gee ... my GF is going to be disappointed ... Oh Danny Hart ... so fast ... and loooooose .... Gwin get's 12th ... what a difference a year makes eh.
Oh ... Gee is not a cappy hamper ... those are the best times to leave the camera on .... pro tip for ya there Clay ... lol.
Now talking about Gwin ... oh ... nice time lapse night sky shots ... and then Gwin ripping Temecula (spell check says I misspelled testicular ... lol) a new one, nice scrubs ... damn, crazy fast ... ok maybe this is my favourite segment ... can't write too busy watching. Yeah ... he may win a world cup ... you know ... maybe ... sometime ...
I totally missed where this race is being held ... ummm ... looks like Windham ... oh it is ... there's the sign ... sweet ... I am awesome. Man the war between Gee and Minaar was so epic last year ... shit ... I used that word ... sorry all ... I promise to not use it too much.
Man ... Rachel is excited ... er ... I think that's Clay screaming like a girl ... whoops ... Was that Vanderham in the background ... put on your shirt Thomas.
WTF is this music ... haha ... awesome.
And onto Canada where Sam comes back and kicks some ass ... can't wait to watch the battle next year when Gwin, Gee, Sam, Minaar are all healthy ... should be ... err ... good.
Yeah ... Dan Atherton's segment ... way to kick ass and get back on the bike man ... huge props to ya. Gotta love the brotherly love/rivalry. You are my favourite Atherton man ... keep on kicking ass ... oh shit ... the credits ... I wanted to watch more ... I need to stop writing and go to sleep now ... rum makes me sleepy ... thanks for reading through this ... umm ... drivel ... haha.

_______________________________________________________________________

Okay - now that I have had a good sleep and am feeling a little less loopy, let's finish this off.

I just noticed that you will only get most of what I said above IF you watch the movie first, so go get it and THEN read the above ... lol ...

I really enjoyed this movie ... even the DJ scene was decent (but still a DJ scene ... please stop this). I usually fast forward at least one part during a movie after I watch it a few times, but no need for 3 Minute Gaps, Clay Porter did an amazing job and as the credits start rolling ... I just wanted more. Most movies lately are under an hour long but 3 Minute Gaps is an hour and a half ... thank you Clay for not only not scrimping but for making it so darn good.

The cinematography is amazing, the riders will blow your mind and following one of probably the tightest world cup years ever does not hurt either ... just awesome. Even if you are not into racer boy movies ... you will enjoy 3 Minute Gaps, it has something for everyone.

My only gripe is that he didn't include much if any of the woman's WC racing - these ladies put it on the line every weekend and deserve some lens time as well. Why no love for the ladies, Clay?

Singltrack Geek recommends 3 Minute Gaps. Go pick it up at your LBS or click the link below to buy it from Amazon from my awesome link below, every copy you buy from that link helps SG out.

My First Ride - Guest Post

2011-08-17T22:06:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know me, I'm PedalHound's very lucky girlfriend - we'll see if he edits that out - ha. ( ED: I never edit the truth) When I first met PedalHound one of the things that impressed - and maybe threatened - me about him was his absolute passion for mountain biking. I wrote about it a while back as something I aspire to - there is nothing in my life about which I am as passionate as he is about the whole world of mountain biking. I love that about him.

So it was pretty exciting for me last Sunday when I got to go for my first official mountain bike ride with PedalHound as my coach and guide. Before we get into that though, you need a little context. I spend a lot of my life in dresses and heels. I enjoy live music, live theatre, and people watching in downtown coffee shops. I pay way too much for my haircuts and own way too many pairs of shoes. I am, to most appearances, a girly girl.

But there's another part of me - the part the grew up in the foothills of the Rockies. The part the misses skiing through 6 feet of powder and gutting trout. The part that prefers the smell of campfire to perfume and sleeps better when she can see the stars. The part that played university basketball and lettered in three high school sports - a part that has always taken second chair to my intellectual pursuits and that has been outright left behind for a while. I found that part of myself on the trail on Sunday.

I have to give full props to PedalHound. I've been threatening to ride with the Dirty Girlz Bike Club just to get out there and have the experience, and to spare him the agony of waiting for me, but he insisted that he wanted to be the one to pop my mtb cherry. It was a good call - he's an amazing coach. He choose an easy ride for my first time out that was totally fun and boosted my confidence for next time. He reminded me of the basics of cycling without being condescending (an important consideration when a relationship is on the line - ha). And he encouraged me the whole way through. It wasn't a long ride, but by the end of it was physically exhausted. And totally exhilarated.

The trails we rode were a great introduction to the difference between regular bike riding and mountain biking - which basically seems to come down to dirt trails, trees close enough you can smell them, enough bumps to keep you alert, and every now and then some fun fun zoomy bits. We stuck to fairly cross-cuntry trails so that I wouldn't have to pump back uphill at the end of the day, but I still got the feel for the difference between uphill, downhill and cross country. I like downhill best! *grin*

I started out on PedalHound's hardtail Frankenbike, and even it was impressive. Responsive. Light enough for my not-all-that-in-shape body to lift over a wee log after a couple attempts. Maintained well enough to hump up most of the little hills and to handle my inept gear changes and spastic braking. It was a great way to get my balance after three years without a bike of any kind.

And then the magic happened - PedalHound offered me his sexy new red Rune. Suddenly I could trust my body and my reflexes. Suddenly I knew that going faster works better than slowing down. Suddenly uphill was fun and downhill ... well .. downhill proved that you can have both swearwords and a giant smile on your lips at the same time! Suddenly I was 20 years younger, 20 pounds lighter, and more adventurous than I've ever been. Suddenly I had the instinct to correct a wobble by kicking against a particularly high root knob. Oh, and by the way, HOORAY FOR FULL SUSPENSION. I'm just sayin.'

Having restricted my exercise in the last year to yoga classes, urban walks, and an occasional swim in a pool I had forgotten how good it is for body and soul to be exhausted in the freshest of air. I even got my first little wee pedal bite on one leg - I'm so proud of that little scratch - ha

It was amazing for me to see PedalHound in his element and to be initiated into something that matters so much to him. I loved it even more because we got to ride together, and I can't wait to go again. It'll be another ride or two before I join the Dirty Girlz, but I hope to get there before the weather gets too cold and wet. That adventurous girl I've been missing has definitely been awakened, but I'm pretty sure she won't ride in the rain. ;-)

Pedalhound: Thank you to Scwink for this awesome guest post, I can't wait to go on more rides with you, I love seeing this sport excite new people. I hope to see more articles as you get more comfortable riding.

If you liked her writing check out her blog, she is very talented....I am not just saying that to get extra points either...lol...but you know...extra points is NEVER a bad thing, right?

The Non Vlog....Vlog...thing...

2011-08-11T10:05:00.000-07:00

Well, due to being in Whistler last week I didn't put up a vlog...and this week was not working out either...and I was feeling bad about it, so while I was at the top of the hill on last nights ride I decided to whip out the camera and start talking....this is what came out...check it out.

Dear Whistler

2011-08-09T09:48:00.000-07:00

I just spent a week in you, and I gotta say...you...are...awesome!

The first three days we spent riding the valley trails. Now if you only go to Whistler to ride the bike park, you are missing out on some world class well maintained and seriously fun trails. We rode old school trails like Cut Yer Bars and A River Runs Through It and some of the newer stuff like Grand Wazoo and the lost lake trails...wow, just awesome flowy fun.

These were some of the best trails I have ridden in a long time...well built, TTF's (technical trail features) that were safe AND fun...more land managers need to take note of what the Municipality of Whistler is doing...world class, fun, sustainable trails. There are trails for beginners, families and hard core riders alike. Not only that but there are trails that link everything in the valley together...just awesome.

The best resources we could find for the valley trails were the awesome Whistler Mountain Biking Book, it can be found at some but not all Whistler Bike shops, but if you are looking for free options I did find some other resources, Tourism Whistler put together a great site for local trails, and last but certainly not least whistlermountainbike.com has a great trail wiki, check it out.

The bad news is that after not riding for two months and coming back from an injury....my legs were taking a beating...and I still had three days left to ride the park, but its all lift access so it's easy right? Well, thanks to the many braking bumps your body can take quite the beating...especially if you are on a little 6x6 like me...the Rune is good...especially after I gave it a little more sag but this is the land of the big DH bike...they just smooth out the trails a little more...and if you are a hack like me..the extra travel soaks up mistakes...maybe I should get one...lol.

I am a blue trail bandit up at Whistler...I just LOVE Crank It Up...such a fun trail, but since the lower section was not open for the first half of day one I spent the day exploring some of the other trails...I found Bluesium, Wednesday Night Delight and Samurai Pizza Cat a great little run and would have loved to session them more but after 5 days of epic Whistler trails...my body was telling me enough was enough...and I would rather cut it short than push it too hard and crash out...but that is just me.

So what can I say...thank you Whistler for the awesome times...the expensive...everything and I look forward to coming back at least one more day this season...I have to use my last day on my triple play card...or you will take it away...not too impressed by that...but I guess as you are the big boy on the block you can do what you want.

I leave you with this crappy video of me riding slow on Pinocchio's Furniture...a fun little trail that we rode a bunch over the few days we were up there...enjoy.

New Toys

2011-07-29T18:09:00.000-07:00

As some of you know I had to send my beloved Rune for some warranty issues and they just sent back my new frame....it is DEAD SEXY...here is a crappy picture that I took just now. I thought it may be too much red (my last frame was black with red component highlights, but I think it looks pretty good...what do you think?

My phone is not the best when it comes to photo's like this

Not only that but I won some SRAM X9 goodies from the Crankworx coverage last week and I just got it today...it too has red highlights...haha...

But it is great at macros

The funniest thing is....they sent a 9 speed chain...the rest is 10 speed...whoops...let's see if any shops will trade...I also want to trade the cassette, they sent a 11-32 and I am looking for a 11 or 12-36 so I can go 1x10....we'll see if any shops will help a brother out after I get back from Whistler next week.

Speaking of Whistler....I will be there most of next week, so I don't know if a vlog will go up or not...at least not in it's present form...will get as much riding footage as possible though, it's been a few years since I was there last and will be riding off park stuff as well...frikkin excited.

Anyway I gotta eat and head out on a ride...stay classy Internet people.

Pedalhound's Awesome Vlog of Awesomeness Ep3

2011-07-28T09:09:00.000-07:00

Well, three weeks straight...I think that's a new record...lol. This week I have a little rant about standards, talk about the awesomeness of last week, show off some of my favourite videos of the week and give away a Whistler t-shirt...I hope you enjoy. :)

SG Preview: EVOC Freeride Trail 20L

2011-07-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

Evoc was kind enough to send Lorien at Sooke Mountain Cycle a few sample packs to test out and being the awesome guy that he is, he lent a Freeride Trail 20 ltr to me to test out and review here on Singletrack Geek.

I have been interested in these packs since I first heard about them, the real interesting bit for me was the back protection system. Anyone that has been reading my blog for a while or has ridden with me knows...I have a bit of a track record when it comes to injuring myself, so if a pack can help give me piece of mind out on the trail...and actually save my bacon if I ever need it...well this is something I am interested in.

Read more after the break.

The heart of the Freeride Trail

I have had a few packs over the past few years, I started with Camelback and have had a Dakine Nomad for a few years now, and none have had the features that the EVOC has. As soon as Lorien gave it to me I could tell it was high quality. It includes a lot of really well thought out features, I especially like that the area on the front of the pack for your helmet has bits of rubberized lining strategically placed in it to keep your helmet from slipping out...nice touch. Some of the other little things that I noticed about this pack that take it to the next level are the built in signal whistle, the nice wide waist belt and the integrated rain cover...yeah...my other pack does not have any of that...hmmmm.

This is the cleanest it will ever be...I fear for those bits of white...lol.

I have yet to ride with it, but I plan to put it through it's paces in the next little while...I am hard on my packs, I not only ride with them but I use them every day...carrying my laptop and lunch to and from work...going to the beach with the kids and just generally beating on it and that points to one negative so far...the waist straps, they are not removable...when walking around town or to work it looks kind of silly to have these huge straps dangling at my side...look, I have wings. Great for riding, but while off the bike it would be nice to have the option to take them off or store them in the pack somewhere like the storage straps on the bottom of the pack.

We will see how it fares in the months to come, I plan to take it on many awesome rides and just generally abuse the thing, so look out for the full review in the future to see how it fares.

Details:

Retail: $179.95 CAD
Volume: 20L
Weight: 1 300 g (size M/L)
Size: 27 cm x 56 cm x 14 cm (size M/L)
Material: Nylon 210/D Ripstop PU coated, N150/D, N600/D

Pedalhound's Awesome Vlog of Awesomeness Ep2

2011-07-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

Okay...so after some rushing to finish my editing I am on time for my 2nd week...I know pretty spectacular. I am aiming to come out with one new vlog a week (on Thursdays) and at least one other article a week (on Tuesdays)...so keep your eyes open for that.

This week I talk about Crankworx, the TDF, adjustable seat posts, hipsters and sexy sexy lycra...well not so much that last one...but keep your eyes peeled and you will see what I am talking about. I do have to work on segment transitions, so if anyone has any ideas I would love to hear them.

SG Review - Pedal-Driven a Bikeumentary

2011-07-19T10:04:00.000-07:00

I first found out about this documentary...or as they call it Bikeumentary when Howell at the Moon productions started a kickstarter account to help raise money to make it....once I read about what they wanted to do I was all over it...and since I gave money early they sent me a pre production version of this movie...and I have to say that no matter where you ride you need to watch this...not that you should...but you NEED to, the future of our sport depends on it.

Check out the full review after the break.

While the story focuses on the fight that groups are going through down in the States, the struggle over trails and land to build trails on is something that just about every mountain bike advocacy group in the world is dealing with. If you ride a mountain bike then you really need to see this movie, I believe that the lessons they learned can work the same anywhere.

Pedal-Driven starts by showing the viewers the struggles between the mountain bikers and land managers down in Washington, and through the rest of the movie it shows how other groups have leveraged the success of our sport to open more trails, revitalize economies, save forests and open the minds of land managers.

It tells this great story that will keep you interested in watching, and in between the great documentary segments there are some really well shot riding sequences that make me want to grab my bike and hit the trails. This movie really gets me stoked to not only ride...but it gives me an understanding of the amount of work it takes to keep the trails I love open and gets me stoked to help my local advocacy group in any way I can.

Pedal-Driven really does do a good job of trying to show not only the standpoint of the cyclists but the issues that land managers are going through as well and how we can work together to create new trails for everyone.

Between the excellent cinematography, the great message and the great learning tool that this movie provides I really can not say enough good about it...go to their site and pre-order it now.

Thank you Howell at the Moon for making this bikeumentary... I really believe that the more people that watch Pedal-Driven, the better our sport will be.

To find out more check out their website:
http://pedaldriven.howellatthemoon.com/

If anyone on the island wants to watch it...we have a BBQ, a cold fridge for beverages, tons of couch space and a big TV to watch it on...come on over.

And to end this review off here is my favourite quote of the movie:

"If you slow down and smile at somebody, it makes a world of difference"
Ryan Schutz