While the original Contour captured great video, it was a bit of a chore to use and it didn’t react well to changing light conditions. Contour definitely listened to their users and they have provided some seriously upgraded features with the design of this latest model, while still hitting a decent price point of $199.

The Roam includes two double-stick camera mounts that are suitable for a skate or snow type helmet, but these don’t really work for mountain biking. The Roam also comes with a sheet of paper that emphatically insists you will need to get a MicroSD card before using the camera, however mine shipped with a 2GB card installed. Either way, before you hit the trail you will want a larger MicroSD card and a decent mounting option for biking. I purchased a 32GB SanDisk card and this mount:

The mount is a little pricey, but it more than makes up for it with the various mounting options it allows. It consists of two rubber straps–one short, one longer–and a beefy base that can rotate 360° and lock into place with the push of a button. The long strap is perfect for helmet or top/down tube mounting while the shorter one is great for attaching the camera to handlebars, seatpost, or even a fork leg. One BIG improvement in the mounting department is the addition of a standard threaded tripod socket. When combined with a mini tripod or Gorillapod you can easily grab your own “ride-by” shots to edit in with your POV footage.

Fork Mounted Video

As I mentioned, Contour refined almost everything about this camera. On the old model, you had to hold a button down for three seconds and wait for the beep to know it was on, then you would slide the recording button forward to start recording. The camera would also shut itself off after a preset amount of time, requiring you to do that again, usually too late to grab the video you wanted. Now all you do is slide the record button forward to start recording, and slide it back to turn off. There’s zero guess work, and it’s easily accomplished while riding. Another nice feature is you can disable the beeping when turning the camera on and off. I found the loud beeps to be annoying in general, and disabling them allows you to grab ‘stealth’ footage of your friends.

The back of the camera seals with an upgraded hard door with a locking latch. This feature, combined with a built-in gasket, helps keep the camera waterproof to a depth of three feet. While I don’t have any plans to take it snorkeling, it should help out in the occasional rain storm on the trail.

Since the camera can be mounted in a variety of ways, the lens rotates 180° so that you don’t end up with sideways or even upside down videos. Pushing the button on the back of camera twice activates a laser beam that projects a solid line for fine tuning the alignment.

Camera settings are managed via an application installed on your Windows PC or Mac. You can choose from three resolutions: 1080p, 720p, or 960p which is a tall and narrow field of view. Another new feature is the addition of “time lapse” mode where you can grab a 5 megapixel still frame every 1, 3, 5 or 10 seconds. You can also adjust the mic gain and lighting settings, but I left both of these on default and the camera sensor’s light and sound sensitivity is greatly improved over the old model. Here is a video I shot with lots of transitions between bright sun and fairly dark shade and it handles it seamlessly (sound has been edited out).

Inside the back door, the Roam has an internal battery, and a single, included, USB cable handles charging and file transfer. The MicroSD card can be removed and used in a card reader, but unless you have long fingernails is is a pain to get it out. Up top there is the large on/off slider button, as well as two status LED icons: one for battery and one for the memory card.

Out on the trail this camera has been great. The new on/off switch is easy and I can quickly move the camera between a variety of mount points. So far the rubber strap setup is holding up well. Back at the PC, charging and copying the videos is a snap over USB, and another neat new feature is a thumbnail image that accompanies each video file, making it easy to identify which clip you’re looking at.

My only complaints so far are that the camera will sometimes turn itself on inside my duffel bag. (Once out on the trail though, the recording switch has never moved from where I put it.) The red laser line for aligning the camera is pretty much invisible in bright sun, and it would be nice to be able to change the video mode without having to connect to a computer.

The Countour Roam may not include GPS or Bluetooth compatibility like it’s fancier siblings, but what it does include is a respectable set of features at a competitive pricepoint. If you’re the type if rider who wants a simple, durable camera that captures great video and you don’t want to spend a ton of cash, this is the model for you.

Thanks to the folks at Contour for sending over the Roam for review!

Related posts:

1. Win a Contour HD Helmet Camera from VholdR!
2. New Contour HD Helmet Camera Adds GPS
3. VholdR ContourHD Helmet Camera Review

White Oak Mountain

I had ridden Raccoon Mountain a couple times and Greg and I recently checked Five Points off our trail wishlist so we decided to ride White Oak Mountain on Thursday. Jeremy has ridden pretty much all the trails near Chattanooga but not White Oak Mountain so none of us really knew what to expect.

The trails are located on the Southern Adventist University campus just east of Chattanooga and for some reason I imagined the 15 or so miles of trail would be a network of old hiking trails that happened to be open to mountain bikes. That may have been the case at one time but last week we found well-groomed bike trails with excellent signage and maps. In fact, I scanned a QR code on the map at the trailhead and downloaded a system map PDF directly to my phone. Welcome to the 21st century!

We headed up Krebs Cycle trail and to be honest the climb didn’t flow very well with several short steep climbs punctuated by awkward turns and descents. Continuing on to Mid Range and Points Unknown (those are trail names) it was clear that machine work had been done recently, resulting in fast, smooth tread with better flow.

The Points Unknown trail lead us to the double black diamond White Oak Ridge trail and I have to admit I was a little nervous. All three of us were on hardtail 29ers and a guy in the parking lot seemed to think we needed trials bikes to attempt White Oak Ridge (or maybe he meant trail bikes, I don’t know).

Rider: me. photo: mtbgreg1.

As soon as we hit the ridge things got gnarly with rocks and boulders littering the trail. We all stopped at the first boulder and sessioned a bit. Ok, I sessioned until I was able to clear the rocks. Greg rode straight through the first time and made it look easy. Jeremy tried an alternate line that nearly panned out – but didn’t.

For the next mile or so the rocks were a constant, though I found everything rideable thanks to expertly constructed lines. In a few spots we stopped to scout the best lines but once we realized there was always a way through, we got into the rhythm of the trail. In the end I felt a real sense of accomplishment for riding the ridge trail pretty cleanly. The White Oak Ridge trail certainly fits my definition of a double black diamond, though Greg didn’t agree.

We continued on to explore trails like Southern Mission and Big Red. These trails had great flow with well placed whoops, jumps, and bermed turns. By the time we returned we had clocked about 10 miles on all but the beginner-rated trails.

Enterprise South

I had heard good things about Enterprise South so I was stoked to hit these trails after a quick BBQ lunch in between rides. The Enterprise South trails are built on the site of a former ammunition storage facility near the newly constructed Volkswagen assembly plant. After driving for what seemed like several miles within the park we arrived at one of the bike trailheads.

The first trail we hit was a short one-way loop that was fast and fun! Near the end of the loop we found a skills area with a few jumps, an air bridge, and one of the longest log-skinnies any of us had ever seen. I made a couple attempts but never got past the first of three massive logs. On his second attempt Greg cleaned the entire skinny – and he has video to prove it!

Immediately after Greg’s performance his rear derailleur cable snapped so we rode back to the car where Jeremy had a spare bike waiting (his Trek Fuel). After an absurdly difficult pedal swap, we were back on the trail. Everything flowed well and the moderate climbs seemed to fly by. Aside from the first loop we rode, the loops at Enterprise are directional by day and we were riding clockwise.

photo: mtbgreg1.

Near the middle of the final loop we hit a pump track at the entrance to one of the dozens of ammo storage bunkers on the property. This bunker’s doors were open and stepping into the underground dome the sound of my cleats on the concrete reverberated like a mortar launch.  It’s surprising no one has filmed a post apocalpytic / industrial themed MTB video here yet!

The descent from the pump track was fast and full of jumps. It reminded me of a narrower, less steep Green’s Lick with dozens of opportunities to get big air. I nearly lost it after a series of bumps but thankfully recovered before hitting the next set.

We rode every inch of trail at Enterprise South and clocked nearly 11 miles. Thursday was one of the best days I’ve had on the bike in months with buff trails, technical challenges, and good friends. I’ll definitely be back up to Chattanooga again soon!

Related posts:

1. Ride Report: Raccoon Mountain, Tennessee
2. Mountain Bikers Ride from Alaska to the tip of South America
3. Oak Mountain SP MTB ride report

So you did the unthinkable and forgot to clean up your bike for the coming riding season. Now you’re stuck, and the shops are all backed up for weeks.

Well you could panic, cry, curse… or all of the above. Or you could try your hand at bike maintenance and do it yourself. Overhauling a bike may be a daunting task for some but if you’re one who has regular doses of dirt under the nails and knows which way to turn a wrench, a modern bike shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

Not too long ago one of my good friends needed to have some work done on one of his bikes. He wasn’t in a rush, but the bike did have a whole season of hard riding and was due for its annual service. This particular ride is a Yeti 303 RDH, a somewhat complex single-pivot bike with a unique slide mechanism for the rear damper. This is a pretty cool ride to talk about, and your bike, more than likely, will not be more technical that this.

Supplies Needed, Plan of Attack

Begin by gathering all the tools, oils, cleaners, and replacement parts (or at least the parts breakdown diagram) necessary for your bike. Things that typically need to be replaced are:

• Inner shift cables
• Outer shifter cable housing (if wear is present)
• Headset bearings
• Suspension pivot bearings
• Fork seals
• Brake pads
• Tires
• Brake fluid
• Fork fluids

With a parts diagrams in hand and a good understanding of what you may need, the next step is to degrease and clean up your bike, which is always a good idea. I typically take the entire bike apart, and have it broken down into assemblies. I will go over the procedure in just a bit, but you will want to remove the handlebar (with shifters and controls attached), front triangle, rear triangle, wheels, and fork as complete units.

Washing

If possible, a good spray-down with a quality bike cleaner is the first step to getting things under way. Do not use a high-pressure wash, but rather a mist or low-pressure setting on your garden hose to rinse things off.

Having recently spent some time at a Fox seminar, the information that I gathered confirms what I just mentioned. Most of the failures they see are due to water contamination from people spraying down their forks with a high-pressure spray. Keep that in mind when spraying down your bike.

If you can afford it, use a bike-specific brush kit or a used toothbrush to loosen up the grime and dirt, then follow with the low-pressure water spray to remove any remaining residue.

The purpose of this cleaning is to remove the major chunks–the finer work will be done step-by-step as you further disassemble the bike.

Don’t forget to towel off the bike when you’re done!

(For more on washing your bike, be sure to check out this blog post.)

Wheels and Bar Removal

Start off by removing the wheels. Place them out of the way for a while as tearing down the bike is the main objective.

Next, cut all the cable ties and start to remove the bar as an assembly, keeping the brakes and shifters attached (front and rear). Set that assembly aside. If you have a double clamp such as the Fox 40 you will have to remove the small clamp that holds the brake cable and remove the brake as well.

Fork Removal and Maintenance

Next, carefully remove the front fork. Start by loosening up the top clamp bolts. I use wedges like the ones supplied with brakes to carefully spread them away from the stanchion tubes to prevent any scratching.  If this is your first time, take a picture of the orientation of the headset bearings so you don’t have an issue replacing everything. Now, carefully lower the fork and collect the headset upper and lower bearings.

If you have ridden your bike for over a hundred hours like the fork pictured–it’s time for service. Believe me, it is much cheaper to spend the time now to replace seals and oil than to replace an entire fork due to lack of lubrication.

Spray down and brush away any grit or grim from the bottom of the fork and the arch. Pay close attention around the main dust seals – you do not want any contamination to drop in here.

With a Fox 40, start the procedure by writing all of the settings down on a sheet of paper. Note your rebound and compression settings. Also note the number of turns on the preload cap on the spring side. Then turn them to full open / no preload.

The fork pictured here is a 2010 model (no Kashima coating, older Fit-style damper), so taking a look at the damper cartridge is a must.

Unscrew the compression dial cover and then use a 2.5mm hex key to carefully remove the two compression dials. Have one of your hands underneath at all times to catch any detent balls if they fall out.

Loosen the lower nut a few turns with a 15mm deep socket, then using the same socket, tap it to release the rod from the housing. Have a container handy to catch the oil.

Now move on over to the spring side of the fork. With a 10mm socket, first loosen the nut, then tap the shaft free. Once the shaft is free, turn the bottom nut fully off the spring shaft. Allow the spring side oil to drain away.

Once all of the oil has drained out of the lowers, pull the lowers off and give them a good once-over with the cleaning spray and a tooth brush. Spray the lowers down and dry them off as best you can.

With a wide screwdriver and a cloth, wrap the screwdriver end with the cloth and then carefully pry off the dust seals. Follow that by removing the foam rings. A further cleaning ensures there is no grim or hidden debris under the seal and foam ring.

With a flashlight, take a look at the upper bushing and check for any discoloration or scratches. If everything looks OK, you can now install the new foam ring and seals. A small tip I picked up from Fox: remove the packing grease that comes installed on the new SKF seals. A lint-free cloth and a wiping motion removes grease easily enough.

Ensure the foam rings are lubed up (using the Fox float fluid) and install them in place (they do not have to be dripping wet). Now carefully install the new seals. I use a tool that I machined myself to do this task (Fox sells something similar for $35) which is designed to squarely tap the seal down without damaging it. This step is new for the SKF seals, and is necessary for proper operation.

Now inspect the damper side. If it looks like the image above, you need to get it repaired. Basically, the diaphragm has pushed its way past the lower nut and is damaged. Have a certified tech look at it, or send it to Fox for repair. Do not continue until that has been repaired or replaced (now would be a good time to upgrade to a newer damper cartridge as well).

Turn the fork with the legs pointing up at about a 45° angle and slide the lowers back in place. Making sure you have enough room, add 50ml of Fox green fork oil in each leg, then slide the lowers all the way down to engage both the damper cartridge and spring.

Make sure you’re using new seals and then install both the 15mm and 10mm nuts. Torque them down to 5.6Nm each.

The fork seal service is now done.

(For an even more detailed article about servicing and upgrading a Fox 40, check out this article. For a very detailed explanation of how to service a mountain bike fork with a Manitou as an example, be sure to read this article.)

Stay tuned for Part 2: Drive Train, Frame, and Brake Maintenance.

Related posts:

1. Mountain Bike Fork Servicing (Manitou)
2. Spring Is Here! (Last Week’s Mountain Bike PODs)
3. Spring mountain bike adventures: Fruita

That, and the fact this guy is flippin’ flyin’ down the mountain with more steeze than I can even dream of possessing, make this video worthy of a Cinema Sunday, as well as Video of the Year accolades on Pinkbke.

Related posts:

1. Cinema Sunday: MTB Strength Training Exercise
2. Cinema Sunday: Mountain Bike vs. Snowboard
3. Cinema Sunday: Hans Rey at Singltrek pod Smrkem

With more people getting out on the trails and tons of amazing photos coming in left and right, we’re having a hard time keeping up with them all! What a great problem to have! If you’ve submitted an amazing photo that you think should be featured, just be patient: it probably will be, but it might take a few weeks (or months) to get worked into the rotation.

For now, enjoy these 7 gorgeous mountain biking photos from around the globe:

The Singletrack Sisters cruising on Prime Cut. Trail: 18 Road, Fruita, Colorado. Photo: Nola Svoboda.

“Berm ride Lowes Creek.” Trail: Lowes Creek, Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Photo: danny70270@gmail.com.

Monte Rotondo, Italy. Photo: Sergio Barboni.

Related posts:

1. Week in Review: Mountain Bike PODs
2. Week in Review: Mountain Bike PODs
3. Week in Review: Mountain Bike PODs

First, Establish a budget

Modern mountain bikes can cost as much as $10,000, and while these bikes are super cool, there is no need to spend that much to get a bike that will allow you to have a safe and fun ride on the trail.

Penny Pincher: $500 or less.

While you will have some pretty strict limitations in this price range, the good news is that you can find a decent bike for less than $500. In this class, you will want to look for an entry level hardtail from a name brand. You can also look for a mid-level hardtail that is used or a previous model year leftover. Avoid full suspension bikes in this price range. If they are new they will be a low quality “store” brand, and if they are used they will likely be beat up and end up costing you more in repairs than if you had just bought a nicer new one. My first real mountain bike was a Specialized Rockhopper hardtail purchased off Craigslist for $150. One year later I had to replace the fork, but I am still riding it as my work commuter to this day, 8 years and thousands of miles later.

Budget-Minded: $500 – $1,000

In this range you can score a pretty nice hardtail, perhaps even a 29er, or even start looking at entry level full suspension bikes. Watch for used rentals or Craigslist deals to get even more bike for your money.

Mid-range: $1,000 – $1,500

Once you get over $1000, options open up in the clearance and model year close-out choices. There are a number of full suspension bikes and really nice hardtails in this range. These bikes will start to have the same frames as the pricier models, just with cheaper components. Choosing one of these sets you up to upgrade-as-needed with better parts.

Upper mid-range: $1,500 – $3,500

With a little shopping around, you can buy a bike in this category that will last you for years. Most local shops will have race-ready hardtails and decent all mountain or trail full suspension models in this price range. You will also start to see carbon fiber models.

Rides with Mark Zuckerberg: $3500+

If you have this kind of money to drop on a bike, you don’t really need to worry about price per se. You will be more concerned with getting a bike that exactly matches your riding style, or perhaps even two bikes for different riding disciplines.

Next, decide what type of riding you want to do

For simplicity, we’ll break mountain bikes down into three main categories:

• XC
• All Mountain / Trail
• Downhill

Be realistic about your needs here. If you spend most of your time riding local trails and make 1-3 trips to lift serviced trail areas per year, then buying a downhill bike might not be the best idea. A better approach would be to buy a decent trail bike and rent a downhill bike as needed. Again, don’t worry too much if your budget is thin. For most riding on marked trails, any good quality hardtail will get you out there and back safely. Just remember, many of riders hit a lot of trails before full suspension was ever invented! On the flipside, if all your riding is shuttled or lift serviced, then a freeride or downhill bike makes perfect sense, assuming you have the budget for it.

Putting it Together

Once you have your budget established, and your riding style defined, it’s time to try out some bikes!

For this purchase it is highly recommended to buy local and avoid mail order. Whether you buy new, used, or dealer leftover stock, it is imperative that you throw a leg over your first bike before you drop your hard-earned coin. Spend time at local bike shops taking stuff out for short test rides in the parking lot. Once you have narrowed down your choices to a few serious contenders, see if you can do a paid demo on a real trail for a real ride. Also check with the local shop for “Demo Days” where the vendors will set up at a local trail with different model bikes to test. If you are buying used, you may have to judge the best you can by riding the bike around a parking lot.

Photo Credit: Outerbike.com

Ready to Purchase

So you have found the perfect bike! It fits you, it’s within your budget, and you can’t wait to bring it home. Before getting all giddy and handing over your money, do just one more bit of research.

New: Make sure to get the terms of any warranty that comes with the bike. If it’s a model year hold over, make sure the warranty starts when you buy it, rather than when the shop put it in inventory. Also ask about any follow-up tune-ups. Most shops offer free tune-ups 30 to 90 days after the purchase date in order to help you with anything that may have shifted during the break-in process.

Used: On any used bike, even from a friend, look the bike over very carefully. Inspect the frame for any cracks. Make sure the wheels are true. Look for weather cracks on the tires. Check for frayed or stretched cables. Make sure the suspension is smooth and doesn’t creak, squeak, or leak. Check all fittings, bearings and suspension linkages for any play that shouldn’t be there. If possible, it’s not a bad idea to have a local shop look over a used bike for you. The important thing is to avoid spending all the money you have on a bike, only to find out it needs a several hundred dollar repair.

Photo Credit texasdirt

Hopefully this helps take some of the mystery out of bike shopping. Just remember to establish your budget, be realistic about your riding style, and ask lots of questions from the shop or private seller. And once you have that perfect first bike, get out and ride it!

Related posts:

1. How to Choose the Best Mountain Bike Pedals
2. Shopping For A Kid’s Mountain Bike
3. Mountain bike and component price trends

Shimano cycling shoes have been my go-to since I got into the bike industry. I bought my first pair just before Interbike, the annual Las Vegas orgy of a trade show that gets gear junkies all atwitter. The hook was set after I got a second free pair when Shimano invited me to Irvine, CA to ride the newest version of their XTR group in the Laguna Hills. I brought my shoes with (gasp) Crank Brothers cleats on them. Well, how better to experience the glory of XTR pedals than with a brand spanking new pair of shoes with SPD cleats? Sign me up!

Today I submit for your consideration: The Shimano SH-XC50N All-Season Off-Road Racing Performance Shoe. A claimed 681g for a pair of size 40s and ready for just about anything. These kicks feature a synthetic leather upper that is free of venting and does a fine job of keeping your feet warm and dry during those early spring training rides. When a bootie is too much but the summer shoes are a little too breezy, these fit the bill perfectly. The glass fiber-filled polyamid sole is plenty stiff for efficient power transfer and the multi-density lugs grip rock and soft dirt equally well. There are threaded receivers for optional toe spikes as well.

Hello down there

I like black cycling gear. The trends come and go so quickly that this year’s bitchin’ bibs will be next season’s shop rag because it clashes with everything in your closet. No argyle, no neons, no tribal-tattoo-flesh-colored-arm warmers (these are real, and real sad) for me — I’ll stick to black, white, red and gray whenever possible. That’s why I love the look of these kicks. Plus they won’t show dirt as much, and I’ve got Big Plans that involve getting dirty in pursuit of singletrack glory.

My shakedown, break-in ride was a little 80-miler mostly on gravel to train for the upcoming Gravel Metric ride. I did the ride last year and the varying conditions during the ride will put these shoes to the test. For this test ride it was in the 30s when I started out; my clothing choice reflected my desire to be prepared for changing weather. I had an AHTBM kit, fleecy arm and leg warmers, a wind vest, and the stellar Pearl Izumi ELITE Barrier jacket. The forecast called for temps to get up into the mid 50s which can be tough to dress for. Summer shoes and booties would be warm for the first part of the ride, but if it got too hot for the covers I’d be stuck carrying them in a pocket which is just lame. The Goldilocks ‘just right’ quality of these shoes was immediately apparent. And they look dead sexy if you’re asking me.

One thing I think would be a benefit is a higher ankle to keep out the muck. Aside from that these have treated me and my toes exceptionally well during my chilly springtime “no more winter blubber” rides.

My favorite features of Shimano shoes are all here: a stiff sole with grippy lugs; a three strap closure with two Velcro and one ratcheting; and handsome styling with a classic, subdued look. So if you live in a climate like mine, the Shimano SH-XC50N shoes will come in handy during those long transition seasons we seem to suffer through twice a year. Yes, whine whine whine. Still, I can’t complain too much since the trees are finally blooming, the dirt is tacky, and there are miles to devour.

Thanks to the folks at Shimano for providing these shoes for review.

Related posts:

1. Shimano M310 Shoe Review
2. 2010 Time MXS Carbon Mountain Bike Shoe Review
3. Five Ten Karver MTB Shoe Review

A 100 mile mountain bike ride is totally doable – you just need to train for it. While there are plenty of training plans out there, I’d like to share my finisher’s plan for those who, like me, are only competing with themselves. Let’s face it – racing 100 miles is out of reach for most of us but riding 100 miles on a mountain bike – we can do that. No excuses.

I don’t have time to train for a dirty century.

Truthfully, no one has time to train for a dirty century. Even professional athletes spend less time training than you might think and everyone suffers at some point during the race. We all wish we could train more but there isn’t enough time.

In the early weeks of your training plan the time commitment is pretty minimal – 6 to 8 hours for the whole week. For 12 weeks I basically rode just twice a week – one 25 mile ride on Tuesday nights and a long ride on the weekend. With a job and a family, the Tuesday night ride was the best I could do during the week and I often started my long weekend ride before sunrise so I’d be done by lunchtime. True, toward the end I was spending most of the day on the bike but that was really just a couple times.

I’m not in good shape.

Duh – that’s why you need a training plan. My plan was only 12 weeks long which in hindsight wasn’t quite long enough (see what I mean about always wishing you had more training time?). Before my plan officially started I built up a base by going on a few long rides – 20-30 miles, up to 4 hours at a time. You may need to work up to this if you don’t ride a lot so plan accordingly.

The plan

Ok, now that you’re out of excuses it’s time to get busy. You’ll want to come up with your own training plan based on your schedule and access to trails but here’s the jist: every week you need to do one progressively longer ride until you reach 75-80 miles on a mountain bike. Road bike miles aren’t the same so if you plan on riding on the road a lot for your training, shoot for 75-80% of the time you expect it to take you to ride a dirty century. For example: if you think it’ll take you 12 hours to ride 100 miles off road, your longest road ride should be at least 8 hours. My longest ride before the race was 71 miles in 8.5 hours.

Start mapping out your training schedule by choosing the distances for your weekly long ride, keeping in mind that you don’t want to increase your mileage more than 10% from week-to-week. It’s also a good idea to plan for a “recovery” long ride every third week that decreases your mileage 5% or so. Here’s an example:

Week 1: 40 miles

Week 2: 44 miles

Week 3: 42 miles

Week 4: 49 miles

For my own training plan I neglected to include recovery weeks which resulted in a crunch for time toward the end. Don’t build your training plan with a specific timeframe in mind – start with the distances and work backward. If you set up your distances correctly you’ll end up with just the right amount of time you need. Start tapering 2-3 weeks before the race; I suggest 60 miles for the second-to-last long ride and 40 miles for the ride the week before the race.

In between your long rides it’s really up to you and your schedule to see what fits. For some, bike commuting five days a week could be enough. For others (like me) a single 2-3 hour ride is all you can swing. Or maybe you can do two 1.5 hour rides after work. Overall I’d recommend getting in at least half as much riding during the week (total) as your long ride on the weekend.

Cross training is helpful but I wouldn’t count these workouts toward your saddle time. I found some time to jog every now and then during my 12-week plan which made the long rides feel better than on weeks I didn’t jog. Experiment and see what works for you.

My training log from Strava (my plan officially began in February). Note the progressively taller spikes leading up to the last one, April 30. The really short bars are jogs.

Tips and cheats

A solid physical training plan is an important part of meeting your goal but for me, mental conditioning was just as important. During some of my longer rides I often found myself feeling like I wanted to quit or that I couldn’t keep going, especially around the 2/3 point of the ride. Sure enough, looking at my speed data back at home I could see a dip in my pace at that point and a “miraculous” recovery to end the ride. Clearly my body wasn’t giving up – it was my mind – so I needed to be aware of that during the race.

Imagining myself finishing the race was a helpful visualization and I also promised myself I wouldn’t quit, no matter what. In fact I planned to put a set of lights in my last sag bag in case it was going to be dark, even though darkness would mean an official DNF. It was important for me to finish, no matter how long it took so I never even entertained the thought of quitting during the race.

Nutrition during long rides and the race itself is key. Pro riders recommend taking in 400 calories per hour which is a ton – a single Clif Bar has just 250 or so. Sugary sports drinks can get you the rest of the way but remember – 10 hours on the bike is a lot of Clif Bars and Gatorade! Long training rides offer a great chance to experiment with different snacks to see what works for you. During one road ride I stopped at a gas station and bought beef jerky which turned out to be great! Who would’ve thought…

Now, even with the perfect training plan you’re going to run into snags. Injuries, bad weather, and even unexpected schedule changes can throw a wrench into your plans. If you can’t do your long ride for whatever reason, try doing two  medium-length rides on consecutive days and adding a little distance/time. I ended up using this trick toward the end of my training and it actually worked well. Instead of a single 9-hour mountain bike ride, I did two 5-hour rides on consecutive days and man, the second day was tough! You may even want to incorporate a few back-to-back days into your plan from the beginning.

Finally, try to incorporate race conditions into your training rides. If your race is being held in the mountains, make sure to add hill training and plenty of elevation to your rides. If it’s going to be hot, don’t do all your training rides in the morning – spend a few hours riding in the heat of the day to condition yourself.

Conclusion

Riding 100 miles on your mountain bike is a big accomplishment precisely because of the dedication it takes to get there. Putting together a training plan and a finisher’s mindset is critical to reaching your goal.

Coming soon: a list of major 100-mile mountain bike races with key stats like elevation gain, dates, and locations so you can commit to riding a dirty century!

Related posts:

1. The Metric Dirty Century Training Plan
2. The Dirty Century
3. 57 Days to My First Dirty Century: The Cohutta 100

Still, lots of bikers means lots of crowds on the trails too.  Now, if you’re social and feel like making friends, then by all means head out to Loma for Horsethief Bench or Mary’s loop, or over to 18 Road for a trip up Prime Cut.  However, if you’re just looking for some solitude, you might check out one of the trails below.  In my opinion these are all fun trails that are way less crowded – even in the spring.

Western Rim Trail

My first choice for biking, if I have all day to ride, is the Western Rim trail in Rabbit Valley. We drive out to the McDonald Creek trailhead instead of parking in the very first main lot and we ride our bikes up the Kokopelli road to start our trip.  You don’t have to bike UP trail #2, but it is fun to come down it at the end!  This is a super scenic ride with lots of swooping singletrack along a rim overlooking the Colorado River.  It’s shared with dirt bikers but is still less-crowded than better known trails.  Distances vary but it will take you about 3 hours (depending on speed and photo stops) to ride.

Western Rim alternates from patches of rock to singeltrack along the rim.

Views of the Colorado River all are yours from this trail.

Lunch Loop/Tabeguache

If I don’t have quite as much time but still want to get in a good cross-country ride in, I head to Lunch Loop/Tabeguache.  While the parking lot might give you the impression that this place is crowded, there are so many options that after the initial climb, everyone spreads out.  For the climb up we usually take Pet-y-Kes or the main trail up.  Some options I like that tend to shrink the crowds include High Noon to Coyote Ridge to the Miramonte area, which can be handled by intermediate riders (with some walking) or, for more advanced riders, Holy Cross.  I may have to walk some sections, but it won’t be crowded!

Mack Ridge

If we’re just craving Loma trails, we’ll head out to Mack Ridge.  We like to ride UP Mack Ridge and down Lion’s Loop, but you can do either.  Some recent singletrack additions to Mack Ridge make it super appealing for me right now.  It’s technical but the views are spectacular! From the same trailhead you could skip the masses on Mary’s and just ride down to Steve’s Loop for a nice (mostly) intermediate ride too.

After a portage on Mack Ridge, stop to check out the vistas and views of other Loma trails below you.

18 Road Trails

18 Road is always going to be crowded in the spring.  Still, two new trails have been built, one by Prime Cut and one over off of Zippity Do Dah.  Prime Cut, the main “up” trail, is going to be crowded, but just pull over and let the faster people by and continue on your way.  If you head up Chutes and Ladders you’ll lose a lot of the crowd in a hurry!

The “ladders” at the beginning of Chutes and Ladders will definitely test your lung capacity!

The end of the Chutes and Ladders trail takes you through wide open meadows.

There’s nothing wrong with making new friends on the trails, but sometimes you just want a little peace and quiet.  These trails will give you that this spring in Fruita.

Related posts:

1. The Fruita of the Front Range … In Pueblo?
2. Spring mountain bike adventures: Fruita
3. Avoiding Disaster on the Trail: My Story

Installation and Set Up

The Red Metal 29 XL is a UST wheelset, meaning the rims are designed to work best with UST tires.  I didn’t have any UST tires, and didn’t feel like spending $100+ for a set when I had a bunch of other tires hanging up in the garage.  Plus, UST tires are heavier than comparable tires, and I planned on using sealant anyway for punture protection. So, I used a set of Specialized 2Bliss ready tires instead and they mounted up very easily with a floor pump.  As the miles piled on I noticed this wheel and tire combo held air better than any I had used previously, and I think it’s due in large part to the rims which are totally sealed with no holes drilled for spoke nipples.  I only needed to top them off once a week or so, not every ride.  NICE.

The front hub changes axle standards simply by swapping end caps.  No tools are needed, and it takes just a few seconds.  Pictured are the 15mm thru-axle end caps.

The Ride

The first thing I noticed riding these wheels: the freehub was silent.  Not quiet–my American Classic hubs are quiet. No no, these were silent, no noise at all.  The next thing I noticed was the weight, or, the lack of it.  The Fulcrums are over half a pound lighter than the WTB LaserDisc Trail wheels I was reviewing previously, and accelerating or climbing felt like cheating.

The graphics on the Red Metal 29 XL’s aren’t too over to the top, especially once you get some dirt on them.

The Red Metal 29 XLs are a stiff set of wheels, in a good way.  Thanks to a combination of the rim design, spoke pattern, and the oversized aluminum spokes, the wheels go exactly where you point them.  I couldn’t feel any flex at all, and I’m not a super lightweight guy (though I’m not that heavy either).

Durability

Fulcrum has set the rider weight limit for these wheels at 240lbs, and they have warnings that anyone 180lbs or heavier should have the wheels inspected more frequently.  In my birthday suit I weight right at 180lbs, so I was a little worried about how the wheels would fare hauling me about.  After everything I put them through I’m happy to say the wheels still ride like new.  Spoke tension is even all around, they’re perfectly true, no dings in the rims despite several rim hits, and the bearings are still butter smooth.  The freehub did develope a little bit of noise as it got broken in, but it’s still very, very quiet.  I have done exactly zero maintenance, other than gently hosing the wheels off after really muddy races.  I pulled the cassette recently to see how the extensively machined freehub body looked, and it’s as good as new.  No gouging at all.

I rode the hubs under water several times, and yet after several hundred miles they still spin super smooth.  Photo:  Featherbrush Photography

Other Bits and Pieces

I converted the front hub axle when I put the wheels on the Slingshot to race the Snake, and it was very easy.  No tools are needed–just pull the end caps off, push the other ones on, and you’re done.  Takes less than a minute.  When I flatted at the Snake I was able to get the tire off and back on without needing tire levers.  Tire levers are a pain to deal with at home in your garage, and even more so when you’re sitting on top of a pile of rocks in the cold rain on top of a mountain.  I was glad I didn’t need them.  I was also impressed with the valves that came with the wheels. They’re very high quality with nice machining and removeable cores so you can easily inject fresh sealant.

Here you can see the high quality valves and machining between the spokes to save weight.

Verdict

When I review gear I try to be subjective and point out the strengths and the weaknesses of the items.  I don’t just leave out the bad, because it’s not fair to you if a review influences your decision to drop your hard earned cash on something.  With most stuff out there it’s pretty easy to find at least a few areas that could use improvement.  But honestly, with these wheels there’s not much to complain about.  The one suggestion I have: it would be sweet if Fulcrum included a few extra spokes with the wheels, one of each length used.  I didn’t break any, but if I had it would take a little while to get a replacement since they’re proprietary to these wheels and the local bike shop isn’t likely to have extras laying around.  That’s really my only nit pick.

Light and stiff wheels make steep inclines a little easier to scale.  Photo: BrianW

The Fulcrum Red Metal 29 XL wheels are fairly light, look good, set up well with tubeless-ready tires (even though they’re designed for UST tires, which will also work well), are stiff, and durable.  I wanted to complain about the price, but they’re in line with other high-end wheels.  In fact, they’re about the same weight as the DT Swiss XM 1550 Tricon 29 wheels yet cost approximately $650 less, and about $100 less than the WTB Stryker 29 wheels (the WTB’s are about 100g lighter however).  These wheels aren’t cheap, but they’re a premium wheelset with lots of engineering behind them, they’re built by hand (that’s a big deal!), and they come with lots of extras parts (all detailed in the On-Test article).  You can of course put together lighter wheels for less money yourself, but if you’re looking for a high-end, no-assembly-required stock wheelset with some Italian flair, the Red Metal 29 XLs are worth a look.

Special thanks to Fulcrum for providing the Red Metal 29 XL wheels for review.  See Fulcrum’s complete product line up on their website right here.

Related posts:

1. On Test: Fulcrum Red Metal 29 XL Mountain Bike Wheels
2. Final Review: Slingshot Ripper 29er Mountain Bike
3. Fulcrum Red Fire DH Wheelset Review

Related posts:

1. Cinema Sunday: Downmall
2. Cinema Sunday: Exposure
3. Cinema Sunday: “Routes”

As you browse through the photos below, you will see that we aren’t just doing diversity for diversity’s sake–we have amazing photographers from each of those countries that have submitted amazing photographs. Thanks guys for making the Photo of the Day feature possible!

Titan Desert race, Morocco. Photo: Titan Desert.

“Taking in the view on the Col Chesery.” Trail: Champery Via The Col Du Cou, France. Photo: Sian_Hughes.

La Florida, Hidalgo, Mexico. Photo: Andrea Francavilla.

Redentore, Italy. Photo: Sergio Barboni.

“Dropping in.” Trail: Dagmar, Ontario. Photo: element22.

“Scenic uh-traction.” Idaho. Photo: chukt.

“Descending to Barme.” Trail: Champery Via The Col Du Cou, France. Photo: Sian_Hughes.

Your Turn: What was your favorite photo this week?

Related posts:

1. Week in Review: Featured Mountain Bike Photos
2. Week In Review: Featured Mountain Biking Photos
3. Week in Review: Mountain Bike PODS

And now for something completely different. The Tyke Toter is a seat + handlebar that attaches to an adult’s bike seatpost, allowing your toddler to go along for the ride. My daughter and I have been testing the Tyke Toter for several weeks now and we both love it. We even rode a little singletrack together – just don’t tell her Mom.

Construction & Design

The Tyke Toter features a fairly simple design with a seat, handlebar, and a footrest. The seat and handlebar assembly attaches to a seatpost using a quick release clamp, making it quick and easy to attach to most bikes. The company doesn’t recommend attaching the clamp to a carbon seatpost for obvious reasons.

The plastic footrest attaches to the downtube using velcro so you can adjust as necessary. I found the velcro needs to be very tight to avoid slippage; fortunately my bottle cage is at just the right position to keep the footrest from sliding down too far.

The overall construction is super durable and sturdy – it’s basically just a single curved alloy bar with a plastic seat attached. The handlebar is covered with grippy rubber and feels super solid. Even the seat has a thin layer of foam for cushioning (at a glance I assumed it was hard plastic).

Installation

Installing the Tyke Toter on the bike is fairly straightforward using the quick release seatpost clamp. It’s important to get the clamp super tight so the Tyke Toter doesn’t rotate around the seatpost (always verify before you install your kid). I also found I needed to drop my seatpost a lot to make this work. Mounting the bike from the front is nearly impossible with the Tyke Toter over your top tube so you need the seat low to get on and off the bike. Install the footrest on your downtube, making sure it’s tight, and you’re all set!

On the Bike

Initially it took a little coaxing to get my two-year-old on the Tyke Toter but one purple lollipop later and we were off! On our first ride I must’ve said “hold onto the handlebars!” a million times but she really didn’t need my coaching – it was almost natural for her to balance and secure herself. After just a few rides she was taking her hands off the bars to point at things and showing off by ringing the bell on MY handlebars.

Overall the bike feels very stable with the Tyke Toter on board and it’s great having my daughter up front so I can keep an eye on her. She loves it because she can actually see where we’re going so it’s a win-win. Riding with the seat down low is a little uncomfortable – I end up riding bow-legged just to clear her seat – so I’ve been sticking to mostly short rides to the playground. Riding for more than 30 minutes at a time would get uncomfortable for us both.

Ok, so this is a mountain biking website – what about singletrack? Keeping in mind all the potential ways you could injure yourself or your child while using this product, Tyke Toter presents this warning:

do not brake hard or fast, ride on rough terrain or in hazardous conditions, ride at high speeds, race, go off-road, or ride where there is high traffic

That’s good advice – but I still had to take the Tyke Toter off road for my daughter’s first singletrack experience! We found a fairly short, flat path in a local park to experiment and I’m happy to say riding singletrack with the Tyke Toter is entirely doable. Keep in mind, however, the child’s seat isn’t very comfortable so you’ll want to keep the bumps to a minimum (my FS bike gave a MUCH smoother ride than my hardtail). Also, because the footrest is only secured with velcro it doesn’t provide a lot of stability for the child to stand up to take weight off the seat (as if he or she would even think to do that on the trail). That’s not to say my daughter didn’t stand up during any of our rides, though each time she did I told her to sit down and stop showing off.

Whenever I rode with the Tyke Toter around town I got a ton of looks and comments – and I’m pretty sure they were all positive (no one accused me of endangering my child so that’s good). In fact, at the town square a guy asked to take a cellphone pic of the Tyke Toter because he wanted to get one for his kid. Always make sure your child wears a helmet on the Tyke Toter and wear one yourself to set a good example.

If you’re looking for a way to take your toddler along for a ride, check out the Tyke Toter. You won’t be shredding singletrack with your kid yet but it’s a great way to get around town – and to sneak onto the dirt every now and then.

Related posts:

1. 4 FREE Ways to Reduce Your Bike’s Weight
2. Feedback Sports Pro-Elite Bike Repair Stand Review
3. Rear-view camera for your bike

Easton recently released the Havoc 150 UST wheels and I had a chance to throw a pair on my new Santa Cruz V10C  and give them a whirl.

Just to be clear: these are not the Havoc DH wheels but rather a lightweight option that a race-oriented rider would want. The Havoc DH wheels are available if you are interested in a pair of heavy-duty hoops.

Specs

The Havoc 150 USTs tip the scales at a mind-blowing 1870 grams–so I felt a bit of trepidation tossing on a set of wheels that are as light as most trail wheels. But seeing how well the Havoc USTs held up on my freeride bike, I had to see how they would work on my much faster DH rig.

Santa Cruz V10C Test Bike.

The Easton Havoc UST 150 is sold as rear-only or as a set. The Havoc 150 uses the same 23mm inner width/28mm outer width rim as the Havoc, but features a 12x150mm spaced rear hub (157mm adapters included).

The rim material is Easton’s own EA90 aluminum and is welded together at the seam with a final grinding to finish. Holding this all together are 28 straight-gauge spokes in the rear and 24 double-butted Sapim spokes in the front with Easton’s proprietary alloy nipples (that are still compatible with standard spoke wrenches).

As with the regular Havocs, you have a choice of the bold orange anodized hub (with matching graphics on the rims) or the stealthier gray version that doesn’t stand out as much (if that is even possible–these are Easton wheels after all).

The Havoc 150 features the same 3 cam pawl freehub body as the previous 135mm version I reviewed not too long ago, and still has the same smooth feeling and quiet operation. A tight 7° resolution on the freehub makes for lightning-fast engagement of the cassette when you just have to fit one more pedal stroke in.

Installation

Installing UST tires on these wheels was a snap. I tossed on a set of  Fat Alberts as well as a set of Big Bettys with no issues at all. Despite being UST, I still added about 4oz of Stan’s for added security, which is always good to do. To make things easy I also sprayed a small amount of soapy water around the beads of the rim when pumping up the tires. At just 12 PSI I had both sides of the tires snap over the safety ridges, nice and secure.

Out on the Slopes

On the slopes, my very first impression was OMFG wow! I can’t believe how fast and nimble a set of these make a bike! The reduction in mass is very noticeable over a 2000 gram set. And it wasn’t just my opinion – all the guys who had a go on the bike with these wheels felt the same.

We were all very impressed with the rate at which the bike can accelerate, brake, and corner. I did find a small amount of lateral flex, especially when hitting the bermed corners, but nothing that really made me worry. I was equally impressed that the wheel held up very well despite my 200lb riding weight. Don’t get me wrong, I cringed more than once when entering some rock gardens, thinking I was going to be eating a spoke-and-rubber sandwich, but fortunately that was not the case.

I did have a slight warp start to come on after some hard hits, but nothing a few tweaks of the spokes couldn’t handle. That could have very well happened when I didn’t check my pressure and ran it too low for a day or two (note: always check your pressures before you ride).

So who are these wheels really for? Well, if you’re a hucker who plans on running every run like it’s your last, and regularly says “Hey guys! Watch this!” (while your buddies have their fingers on the speed dial for 911), then these are not for you. Easton still sells the Havoc DHs for that.

If you are a racer or a fast rider who wants the absolute lightest set out there (without spending the equivalent of some third world countries’ GDP), then these are for you. Easton has produced a truly usable set of great wheels for your DH rig with 150mm rear spacing.

Bottom Line

These wheels cost $1000 USD for the pair and are worth the investment. The price is about mid-scale as far as wheels go (today carbon wheels are the top shelf items), and they run in direct competition with Mavic, Sun-Ringle, I9, Fulcrum and others. These really give everyone else a tough run for the money!

Stay tuned for a mid-season report after my visit to Mountain Creek Bike Park.

I would like to thank the folks at Easton for sending these wheels down for review.

Related posts:

1. Easton Havoc 26″ MTB Wheel Review
2. Easton AM Havoc Wheel Set Review
3. Easton Havoc DH Wheels review

In this article I will explain the basic techniques required for riding a pump track. But when I say “pump track,” there are probably a number of people that have no idea what I’m talking about.

A pump track is a continuous circuit of dirt rollers, berms, and jumps that loops back on itself, allowing you to ride it continuously.

Photo right: Me riding the advanced pump track at Big Creek. Photo: Summer H.

Why should I ride a pump track?

Riding a pump track will teach you a number of critical skills that can benefit you in tangible ways out on the singletrack:

1. It teaches you how to pump the terrain to gain speed (more on this below).
2. It teaches you how to ride berms and improve cornering.
3. It teaches you how to maintain momentum in order to ride as fast as possible.
4. It helps you learn how to look several steps ahead of where you’re riding.
5. It creates a playful bike-handling demeanor, allowing you to see interesting lines on the trail that might not be so obvious.
6. It provides an intense full-body workout in a very short amount of time.
7. It’s tons of fun!

Part of a pump track.

What kind of bike should I ride?

The ideal bike for a pump track is a dirt jump bike:

Element22′s Banshee Amp DJ Bike.

Dirt jump bikes have 26″ wheels, super short chainstays, aggressive geometry, beefy frames, hardy components, stiff forks, and a super-low seat. They are designed and built with dirt jumping in mind, and pump tracks are a natural spinoff from dual slalom courses and dirt jumps with their berms, doubles, and rhythm sections.

While a DJ bike is the ideal machine, you can sample a pumptrack with just about anything. If you have 26″ wheels and a rear end with no suspension, you’re in pretty good shape: just drop the saddle so you have room to let the bike move under you.

Pump Track 101

As mentioned above, the basic goal of a pump track, besides having fun, is to teach you how to pump the terrain to maintain speed. Pump tracks are set up with a series of rollers and berms that, if the track is designed well and you are riding it correctly, should allow you to gain and maintain your speed through the track without pedaling at all.

Rollers on a pump track.

To do this, as you approach a roller, unweight your front wheel on the front side of the roller. As the wheel crests the top, transfer your weight forward and push down with your arms (and then with your feet) to input power on the downslope. This “pumping” motion (hence the name “pump” track) is what will generate and maintain your speed through the track.

Berm on a pump track.

As you approach a berm, make sure you control your speed into it, then maintain good cornering position through the berm, and try to exit on the other end with more speed than you entered. As you ride the berm, make sure you are looking well through the turn at your exit point, and as you approach the exit, make sure that you continue to look even beyond that.

One of the key ingredients to successful pump track riding (and mountain biking in general) is to maintain a quiet upper body. While the bike will be moving up, down, and sideways beneath you, the goal is to keep your torso, the center of your mass, traveling in as straight of a line as possible as quickly and as fluidly as possible.

Some locations will provide a beginner pump track and an advanced track. No matter what your mountain bike skill level, if you’ve never ridden a pump track before its always a good idea to get the hang of it on the beginner track first. If your local trail only offers an “advanced” track, never fear. The beauty of most pump tracks is that, generally, they can be as easy or as difficult as you make them.

Advanced Techniques

Some sections of a more advanced pump track can be rolled like normal by your average rider, but an advanced rider could possibly do a couple of different things. For instance, look at this feature pictured below:

Advanced feature on a pump track.

It may be hard to tell just from looking at this photo, but this feature can be rolled like normal by an average rider, or an advanced rider could manual over it (riding on just the rear wheel without pedaling). Or, if his speed is high enough and he’s got the rhythm of the track down, he could “double it up” by jumping off the front side of the mound, airing over the flat top section, and landing on the downslope on the back side. Manualing through rollers and gapping certain features with the right rhythm allows experienced riders to gain and maintain significantly more speed on a pump track than your average Joe (like myself).

Video

Want to see how to all works together? Watch Mick Hannah tear up his backyard pump track. It is nowhere near as easy as he makes it look.

Your Turn: Have you ever ridden a pump track?

Related posts:

1. UK High School Gets Mountain Bike Track
2. The $242 track stand
3. How to Track Your MTB Statistics Using Singletracks.com

This past weekend I completed my first dirty century mountain bike ride – the Cohutta 100 – near Ducktown, TN. It took me nearly 13 grueling hours to finish the 100-mile course with 14,000 feet of climbing but I’m proud to say I am an official finisher! Here’s how my day shook out.

The race started at the Ocoee Whitewater Center in Tennessee, home of the 1996 Olympic canoe, kayak, and slalom events and the Tanasi trailhead. As I nervously prepped my gear in the pre-race darkness I began to second guess whether the sun would actually come up for the race. Thankfully, just before the 7am start, dawn broke and there was an menacing fog in the air. I lined up near the back of the pack and awaited the gun.

For the first 3 miles, the course ran along US Highway 64 with an official police escort to the top of Boyd Gap. This turned out to be a great way to split up the pack ahead of the early singletrack sections and I decided to pass a few folks on the paved climb.

Once we hit the singletrack it was pretty much tire-to-tire for the next 5 or 6 miles – a continuous conga line of mountain bikers stretching at least half a mile front to back. In a few spots the pace would slow down for a rock or a root, causing a ripple down the line. At one point I wasn’t paying attention and the rider in front of me came to a near complete stop. Panicking, I unclipped and put my left foot down, causing a chain reaction of groans and unclipping sounds behind me. Without looking back, I apologized to the rider directly behind me and vowed to stay clipped in and on my bike the rest of the way through the singletrack.

On the trail I noticed tires, CO2, energy bars, water bottles, and multi-tools all over the place, accidentally dropped out of unzipped bags and loose jersey pockets. This made me worry – was my seat bag still zipped? What would I do without my multi-tool? With everyone riding so close together I found it hard to imagine that someone could drop their stuff without the rider directly behind them letting them know. Then again, maybe some of the more competitive riders simply couldn’t afford to double back to pick up their supplies.

Aside from the paved section at the beginning, the first 18 miles was mostly singletrack and the Tansi trails were in great shape. Having all those riders around forced me into a nice pace and made the miles disappear quickly. Before I knew it, we were 23 miles in at aid station #2 and the volunteers did a great job finding drop bags and filling water bottles quickly. From here the route was mostly flat before beginning the first of two very long climbs.

About two-thirds of the way up the first big climb, aid station #3 came into focus and I overheard one of the volunteers saying they were running low on water. This seemed strange since it was so early in the race and everyone would be passing through this aid station again on the return trip. I later decided the volunteer was just kidding – of course they would have enough water – that’s the most important thing about an aid station after all!

After hitting a peak of about 3,600 feet, the fire roads turned down and I began seeing riders at the front of the pack returning up the road I was now descending. The descent seemed steep and with every turn I was dreading the return trip more and more. Many of the pros looked like they were having a tough time which meant I’d be lucky just to make it back.

Aid station #4 was located near the start of the first Pinhoti singletrack section and I was glad to be in familiar territory. Back in December I rode this part of the route so I knew what to expect. The singletrack was amazing and somehow I had the trail to myself – no one in front or behind me the entire way. After descending about 3 miles on the singletrack, I popped out onto the forest road near Mulberry Gap and while cruising on a flat stretch I heard a loud ping: a popped spoke.

This is pretty much the exact spot where my spoke popped (but on a different day).

I have no idea what caused the spoke to break, not that it mattered anyway. I knew riding a wheel with a missing spoke wasn’t a big deal but I wasn’t happy with the fact that I still had 40 miles to go. I wrapped the broken spoke around its nearest neighbor which worked pretty well, except for the fact that it rubbed my brake caliper every time the wheel went around. By the end of the race I had shaved down what felt like an eighth of an inch off the caliper body.

At mile 60 – basically the farthest point out on the course – there were two volunteers handing out wristbands to prove riders hadn’t turned around early. These guys had a great system and were able to slap the wristbands on riders’ outstretched arms in motion.

Back at aid station #4 for the second time (now station #5) I laid down on the ground and it felt great – a little too great. The steepest big climb of the day was ahead and it didn’t help that many of the riders around me were talking about quitting at this point. After several minutes I decided I needed to get going so I started up the climb.

The next 7 miles or so were the toughest of the race and I’m not sure if I spent more time on or off the bike on the way up. Not long after reaching the top of the fire road climb, the course diverted onto another section of the Pinhoti trail that was fast and a lot of fun. I heard several complaints about this “new” course from Cohutta veterans but to me it was great: fire road climbs and singletrack descents (where possible). I was afraid I would be too tired to enjoy the singletrack but it turned out to be a great mental pick-me-up.

Coming out of the singletrack there was a long-ish fire road climb to aid station #6 (same as #3) and along the way I passed several farm houses in the hills. This climb was easily the hottest – full sun and 80 degrees – and both of my water bottles were empty, despite filling both at the last aid station.

As I approached the water cooler, one of the volunteers asked me to only fill one bottle since they were nearly out of water. Uh oh. Luckily I had stashed a bottle of Powerade in my sag bag but another rider beside me wasn’t so lucky and he was LIVID. There was an ambulance standing by but I’m not sure anyone really appreciated the situation. If the water ran out there would be a full-on emergency or at least a mutiny (one rider said he’d quit the race on the spot if they weren’t able to fill his water bottle).

I really wanted to get going to escape the building negative vibe at the aid station but as a bit of parting advice I suggested one of the volunteers (there were at least half a dozen standing around) drive down to one of the houses nearby to look for a spigot. Hopefully they took the advice.

My Strava stats, post ride. Despite clocking 104 miles the course is officially 100 miles long.

At this point I was 75 miles in and the course was mostly downhill from here. I needed to make it to the last aid station as quickly as possible to avoid the cutoff time (I wasn’t sure if it was 6 or 6:30pm). Luckily I made it with time to spare and rested up for the final 13 miles of fire road climbing and singletrack descending.

After about 5 miles on the gravel road, the course finally returned to the Tanasi singletrack but I wasn’t sure how much farther I had to go. My GPS registered 100 miles but I still hadn’t hit the Thunder Rock trail which I knew was the final descent. The riders around me were complaining – this sucks, where is the finish? – but I was focused and trying to stay positive. I surprised myself by navigating the fairly technical singletrack quickly and flawlessly and the next thing I knew, I was within sight of the river and the finish line.

I big-ringed it the rest of the way and crossed the finish line at 12 hours, 46 minutes with little daylight to spare. Mission accomplished!

Back at the car I was completely dehydrated (I weighed about 10 lbs. less than when I started) and I felt pretty sore the next day but otherwise everything turned out ok. Later this month I’ll share my “finisher’s” training plan for those who are thinking about tackling the dirty century beast themselves.

Related posts:

1. 100 Days to the Cohutta 100 Mountain Bike Race
2. Race Report & What I Learned at My First XC Mountain Bike Race
3. Snake Creek Gap Time Trial #1 Race Report

The Mustang region in the Himalayas of Nepal is a land so beautiful, it has long been the ultimate dream for adventurers all over the world. Here, the sacred peaks of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri – shining with snow all year round, tower over the Kali Gandaki River, forming the deepest valley on the planet.

Follow local rider Mandil Pradhan as he rides in the shadows of the world’s highest mountains, through mystic Himalayan villages, on trails that have been trodden upon for centuries.

Enjoy the video:

Related posts:

1. Cinema Sunday: “If Only Every Mountain Biking Video Was Shot Like This”
2. Forget Everest: Mountain bike race in Nepal
3. Mountain bike trail video profiles

These ladies could teach us all a thing or two about bike tires.

Schwalbe, Maxxis, Continental, Bontrager, Panaracer, Pacenti, Kenda, Vee, WTB, Hutchinson, Geax, Intense, Nokian, Specialized, Tioga, Michelin and many more manufacturers are in the tire game. Tread pattern, rubber compound, casing material, threads per inch, folding or not, tubeless or tubed, ERD, rim width, 26″, 29″, 650B? Wow – there are lots and lots of choices out there for the dirt lovers among us. Where to start, what to try, and who can tell you what is best?

Not me! I cannot tell you the best tire for your bike, your trails, your conditions, your riding style, your skill level. Nor can the gnarliest bro in your bro pack. BUT collectively you all can discover some verrrrrry interesting facts about the things that are responsible for keeping your bike (and by association, you) in contact with the trail surface in the most effective manner possible. The key here is to try as many different combinations of brands, tread patterns and tire pressures as possible to ‘dial in’ your tire selection and understand what works in varying conditions.

As I mentioned in my post about my local trails, familiar dirt is the best place to fine tune your gear selection and setup. Hit the same trail loop 4x in a row during the same ride, but start at the highest tire pressure you would ride and dial down each circuit. Better yet, if you’ve got a friend with the same gearing and wheel size, swap wheels with them and see what works best for you. Tires are not cheap, but collectively you and your crew can rotate rubber in an effort to match each riders’ rig, skill level, and riding style. Experiment as often as you can in a semi-controlled environment and I guarantee you’ll learn something about your bike, your components, and your riding. You might even get faster!

Photo straight up stolen from Continental’s website

Got a race coming up and predict sloppy conditions? Wouldn’t it be nice to know which tire gives you the most grip in the loose? Taking your bike to some new trails and don’t know what to expect? You should most definitely have a ‘go-to’ tire that can handle most conditions while still rolling quickly and gripping when it needs to. Are your local trails springtime-perfect? That cush, grippy-but-firm, oh-so-fast Dirt of Valhalla? You should have in your quiver the balls-to-the-wall, go-fast singletrack destroyer. I’d go so far as to say you could shave considerable time off of your best trail lap once you’re dialed in (if you’re the type to need empirical evidence for everything). I just like to feel fast.

Bite me!

So here’s my advice to you: no matter how you do it I recommend you try as many different tires as will fit your bike and are appropriate for your preferred riding conditions. It’s much easier with a group of riders that are willing to buy, swap, and repeat the process until every shredder has identified their favorite tire for every condition. Or if you’re loaded just go out, buy a sampler and go to town. Either way, experiment with your setup and understand that these rubber donuts can make the difference between operating at a fraction of your potential and bringing you right to the edge of your abilities, possibly even upping your game. Get out there and shred, young padawan…

Related posts:

1. Two DH Tires from ITS: The 909 & Intruder
2. How to avoid flat tires on the trail (or, why you get so many flats)
3. Intense Tires MK2 Review

Sit back and enjoy if you can… or if you’re like me, sit on the edge of your seat with your mouth hanging open.

Related posts:

1. Cinema Sunday: Danny MacAskill, Inspired Bicycles
2. Cinema Sunday: Danny Hart’s 2011 DH World Championship Winning Run at Champery
3. Cinema Sunday: Exposure

Lost Lake in Whistler, BC. Photo: manuel1821.

Trail: Forcella Angagnola, Bolognola, Italy. Photo: Sergio Barboni.

Expert Play Area, Reservoir Trails, Curt Gowdy State Park, Cheyenne, WY. Photo: RoadWarrior.

Trail: The Ribbon, Grand Junction, Colorado. Photo: Miniskibum.

Monte Castel S.Maria, Italy. Photo: Sergio Barboni.

Village Trail, Telluride, Colorado. Photo: Esares.

“Carl climbing onto the crete form the refuge Bonhomme.” French Alps. Trail: Champery Via The Col Du Cou, France. Photo: Sian_Hughes.

Related posts:

1. Spring Is Here! (Last Week’s Mountain Bike PODs)
2. Week in Review: Mountain Bike PODS
3. Week in Review: Mountain Bike PODs

What to Carry

The only tool needed for chain repair is a chain tool. Here is what I carry:

• Crank Bros Multi 17, with chain tool
• SRAM Power Link or KMC Missing Link
  (they come in 8, 9, or 10 speed models. Make sure to get the right one)

Unlike some issues, a broken chain is immediate and obvious. Depending on what you were doing when it snapped, it may fall off into the dirt, wrap around the bottom bracket, or most likely, just hang in place. Either way, get off the trail and find a clean place to work in case any small parts get dropped during the repair.

ONOZ! I broke my chain!

Repairing the Chain

The first step is to remove the broken link. This is where the chain tool is needed. The tool will have a recess shaped for laying the chain link in, holding the chain firmly while the screw plunger presses the pin out. This step can be performed with the chain still on the bike, or it can be pulled off and laid flat.

(Click the pics for a close-up view)

Remove the broken link such that you are left with the ‘inner’ link of the chain on both ends. Like this:

The chain is now ready for the Powerlink. Insert each half into one end of the chain, from opposite sides, so that the pins and plates will interlock:

All that’s left is to snap the power link together. Look closely at the two link plates and you will see a slightly oversized opening on each one. Push the pins through those slots and then yank the chain. Done!

Of course if you removed the chain entirely, you’ll want to route it through the derailleur and around the cassette before joining the power link. The photo to the left is a reference pic of the path the chain takes through the rear derailleur.

Basically when the chain comes down off the back of the cassette, it goes over and in front of the top idler pulley, and then behind and under the bottom one.

With your chain repaired and back in place, pick up the loose links you removed, make sure to grab your multi-tool, and resume your ride!

Also, if a chain breaks out on the trail, it’s generally a good idea to replace it as soon as possible, making sure to keep your power link for future emergency use.

Related posts:

1. Trailside Repairs: Fixing A Flat Tire
2. How to fix or replace your MTB chain
3. What to do with a broken Garmin eTrex Vista?

Man, this ‘winter’ has made it tough to plan for the right gear. I imagine most of you in the cooler climates have been on a good many rides with way too many layers. As I mature in my great pursuit of The Perfect Ride I have become a bit of a gear freak and weight weenie. Not necessarily on the bike, but clothes and accessories make me the happiest when they work well, look good, and don’t weigh me down. Enter this fine garment:

Pearl Izumi describes it thusly: “Wind-proof and water resistant, the comfortable and breathable Men’s Elite Barrier Jacket provides lightweight, packable protection from a wide range of weather conditions.” There you have it; it’s the lightweight and packable parts that put a rise in my baggies. I’ve been on enough rides in far-off locales with difficult-to-predict weather patterns that leave me too hot, too cold, soaking wet, or just plain uncomfortable. Layers are the key! But carrying all these things that allow you to be prepared for any circumstance can get heavy. Every jump, bump, and climb reminds you of the extra mass being worked on by gravity. So give me the lightest-weight technical fabrics made from hummingbird farts and the nose hairs of angels. I’ll pay for it!

Little features like the zipper garage and great-for-gloves zipper pull are pretty sweet

Despite this jacket packing down to jersey pocket size and weighing no more than a peanut butter and banana sandwich, Pearl Izumi has worked in some great features: pictured above is the zipper pull that is simple to grab and there’s even a zipper garage that keeps your neck protected from cold metal. Fantastic reflective details (pictures below) keep you visible front, rear, and side for the dark ride home from your local trails. The collar is cut ergonomically so when you’re down in the drops of your ‘cross bike you’re not getting choked out. My only nit to pick is the tiny rectangles of hook and loop that secure the back pocket: hard to know when it’s closed and won’t hold together with any heavy or bulky items back there. Another welcome feature would be the ability to collapse the jacket into its own pocket for storing in your hydration pack or jersey.

Retro reflectivity for acting the fool at night

The PI Elite Barrier jacket has become my go-to garment to grab and jam in the backpack if I know I’ll be out after dark. Super lightweight jackets are sometimes overly delicate with thin material, minimal stitching, etc. but in the course of the review I treated this one roughly and it has held up like a champ. The venting and breathable fabric do a great job of keeping you comfortable. As for water resistance it’s decent for a sprinkle; if I know it’s going to really come down I’ve got a Pearl Izumi Am-Fib jacket that is impermeable, as long as you don’t mind it getting swampy inside.

Performs well off the bike too

Be prepared, be comfortable, be protected – all without extra bulk or weight. Pearl Izumi can help you with this. When you want to start that epic day of riding at the crack of dawn, stretch it out until the sun sets and takes the warmth with it, or just be visible and stylish while committing some harmless shenanigans, arm yourself with this garment and get rolling.

Thanks to Pearl Izumi for providing the Elite Barrier Jacket for review.

Related posts:

1. Pearl Izumi being sold to Shimano
2. Gore Tool Jacket and Fusion SO Pants
3. Stay off the Trainer and on the Singletrack: 7 Essential Pieces of Cycling Apparel for Winter MTBing

Man, as short as this winter was, it felt really long. Just before the snow started to fall on the slopes, Cane Creek sent down some gear for testing, including the Double Barrel rear shock.

I was super stoked to give this shock a go! Coming from a racing background, I have worked with suspension for a long time and have a real affinity for it. The DB caught my attention when it made its very first appearance back in 2005, when Cane Creek teamed up with Öhlins to develop it. At that time I said to my friends, “Finally, a real shock.” Unfortunately, the first few were crazy expensive to buy up here in Ontario.

Specs

What attracted me to the Cane Creek in the first place was the 4-way adjustment, with names that I recognized: high and low speed compression (HSC, LSC), high and low speed rebound (HSR, LSR). Simple, easy to understand, and no need to guess what the manufacturer really means. No need to worry about at what point in the travel you will get a change and no need to turn to this angle or that for adjustment–just +/ – and the adjustment. Most importantly, all the adjustments are in one spot, using one tool, with definitive clicks.

The function of the double barrel is remarkable to behold. This video explains how it works:

One thing I really like about this design is the cross-flow of fluid through the circuits so that one doesn’t affect the other. This thinking is similar to a high-paced restaurant with an “In” door and an “Out” door to the kitchen. With this design, everything can stay in one spot for easy adjustment.

As stated before, you have the two compression settings and the two rebound settings which are super easy and clear to adjust with the supplied tool from Cane Creek:

You do have two more adjustments but they are mostly just one-time deals. Those would be selecting spring rate and setting the preload on the spring. Both are very important for the proper operation of this shock. Again, the supplied tool makes for easy adjustment of the preload on the coil as it applies additional leverage on the spring adjustment nut.

Another excellent feature, not found on the shock but rather on Cane Creek’s website, is the comprehensive (and still growing) tuning tips page and base tune guides. I haven’t found a slicker program out there yet! The only problem with the guides is that they don’t really take into account the rider’s weight for the shock setting. The only part that does take your weight into account is the spring calculator. Nevertheless, it’s a great start. Just keep in mind that if you’re a heavier rider you need to up most of the settings a few clicks.

The nearly all-alloy construction keeps the twin tube shock weight as low as possible at about 442 grams (depending on size). The 8mm 4130 induction-hardened shaft doesn’t add too much weight, and the thinner diameter of the shaft improves small bump sensitivity.

Installation

Installing the Cane Creek Double Barrel is pretty easy–the only real worry is ordering the correct mounting hardware and length. Installing the spring (sold separately) is pretty easy: turn the spring adjustment nut all the way up to allow the spring to fit in place and then correctly align the spring clip.

The next step required some assistance: I had my wife help out and measure the eye-to-eye distance while I was standing on the bike in riding position.

After playing with the preload settings for a while and one spring change, I finally got the 35% sag I was looking for. As for setting up the dampening circuits, I followed Cane Creek’s base settings but added 2 extra clicks on the LSC, and a half turn on the HSC and HSR.

Out on the Slopes

I decided to test the Double Barrel out on my Santa Cruz V10C.

I have to say: the first few runs were a real learning curve for me.  The rear end of the bike basically tossed me right off (more than once) due to the full turn I added to the HSR and a click to the LSR.

Hitting the jumps, my initial adjustments did make a big difference, but there was still an issue of instability in the air. I chalked that up to improper positioning of the front of the bike, so I rolled the bar back a bit, lowered the fork stanchions on the BoXXer, and added a bit more bottom-out resistance and half a turn on HSC on the front end. That really tamed things down so I could further improve the bike’s handling.

In the end, I removed a quarter turn from the HSR and added a half-turn more on the HSC on the Double Barrel and it was golden. Not only did the bike jump and absorb the hits nice and evenly with no bucking, but on the higher-speed berms the bike felt solid underneath without a sinking / wallowing feeling coming out of the corners. Over the roots and rocks the rear tracked nicely, providing good grip in the rock gardens.

Bottom Line

The Double Barrel is available for about $650 plus $35 for the spring and for that you’re getting a superior shock that stays true to its race-bred heritage! Every ride is a great ride and the easy-to-follow tutorials and tuning guide allow the rider to truly tune bike performance to its best.

The only thing I wish for is this exact shock at a total weight of 450 grams. But wait… the new DBair is now available and is shipping to retailers as I type this! One could only hope…

Many thanks to Cane Creek for sending out the Double Barrel shock for review!

Related posts:

1. Cane Creek 40 Integrated Headset Review
2. RockShox Vivid 5.1 MTB Shock Review
3. Elka Stage 5 MTB Shock Review

About Singletrack Sisters:  According to their Facebook page, Singletrack & Skinny Tire Sisters of Western Colorado is “a cycling group for women who love to mountain and road bike in Western Colorado.”  They want to get all experience levels – from novice to expert – involved in both road and mountain biking on the Western Slope.

Cruising on Prime Cut (photo: Nola Svoboda)

Before the Ride:  I have no problem admitting that I am maybe not the best type of person to do a “group” ride with.  Don’t get me wrong, I like riding with friends and co-workers but for me the decisions like, “What time?  Where are we going?  What do you feel like riding?” seem to take forever.  Recently I’ve tried to take a much more laid back approach with co-worker group rides.  I am patient.  I happily wait on people and really enjoy all the trails out here so much that whatever trail gets picked is one I’ll gladly ride.  And you know what?  This is a much better way to ride with a group.  Just chill and enjoy it.

So I went into my first real, not-co-workers-but-people-who-have-formed-an-actual-mountain-bike-group  group ride with no qualms at all about time, place, or trails.  That could be because the group’s Facebook page said, “This Wednesday we’re riding at 18 Road.  Please be there by 5:45, wheels up at 6!”  That takes all the decision-making and guesswork out of it.  Easy!

Heading towards a rocky patch on Prime Cut (photo: Nola Svoboda)

During the Ride:  There were 8 of us who braved the 30 mph wind gusts in the deserts of Fruita for this ride.  Two women were beginners, some were much more advanced than me, and I guess the rest of us fell in the middle.  Almost immediately we naturally formed two groups:  the lead pack of super fast ladies, and the more moderately-paced pack I was in.  I assume this is what happens most of the time and it worked out well as we all met up at frequent rest spots.

Because the group was small we all agreed to ride the same set of trails – there wasn’t a “beginners” group and an “advanced” group.  At 18 Road the trails we rode are suitable for most everyone from moderate beginners on up.  You might have to walk parts, but overall you can have a good time no matter what level you are.  Your lungs will take more of a beating than anything.

I found myself in the middle of the pack for the most part, pushing myself harder than normal to keep up.  That’s good though – sometimes you need to push yourself.  You don’t get better by standing still, that’s for sure.

I was really impressed with the stamina of this group!  They were all fit and fast and friendly.  It’s amazing how quickly we all adapted to one another.  “Everyone ok back there?” “Did everyone make it?” “Nice job!” were common phrases to hear during the ride.

Toward the end I split off from the group because I was running short on time.  I picked up a pizza to go from The Hot Tomato and headed home.  The others finished their ride and then headed for après bike pizza and beer.  What better way to end a group ride?

My friend Nola conquers a tough section on Prime Cut (photo: Nola Svoboda)

My thoughts post-ride:

• I can see the benefits of group rides.  Group rides either force you to push yourself harder or require you to slow down and take it easy.  Both of these options can be a nice change from your normal routine.
• Group rides make it easier to try new trails or technical spots because you know you’ve got plenty of people around to cart you out if you get too bloody.
• There is always someone to take pictures!  Last night we had one person using a GoPro to capture video footage and another taking photos.
• There is always the chance you might find yourself in over your head with a group ride.  If you are brand new to riding and this is your first trail ride ever, you might want to email the person in charge of the group to find out more information.  Is there a specific night that beginners ride?
• Groups offer support.  When you ride alone, you can say to yourself, “Yeah!  Way to clean that!”  But when other people say it?  It’s way better.
• Riding with a new group is like skiing with a new group – everyone has their own style and you learn more from watching them.  You become more adventurous and ultimately become a better rider by riding with more people and different people.

Nola’s thoughts post-ride:

Ok, what I like about riding with the Sisters…

• I like to meet more women in the valley that ride.
• I like to watch each person’s individual riding style. I have found that I can learn many things by watching others ride.
• I like how from time to time there are mini practice sessions on various obstacles that most women struggle on. The group members give pointers and tips to help you conquer!
• I like how the flow of the group naturally splits up. The faster ladies lead and the slower ladies feel comfortable further back.
• I like that no matter where you ride in the group, faster or slower, the ride will get your butt into shape!
• I like how social it is. At first it’s quiet, but as the women warm up, things get a whole lot more chatty.
• I like how by the end of a single ride, you feel like you’ve made new connections and friends.

Below are a few more photos from our night.  As you can tell, even taking photos was a group effort!

Me trying to outrun the 30 mph winds at the bottom of Joe's Ridge (photo: Jennifer Sliney)

Nola lovin' the jump at the bottom of Joe's Ridge (photo: Jennifer Sliney)

Nola and me heading up Prime Cut (photo: Nola Svoboda)

Looking for a group ride near you? Contact your local MTB club or bike shop to find times and locations!

Related posts:

1. Crankbrothers Christmas Sidewalk Sale & Group Ride w/ Hans Rey
2. Singletrack for beginners
3. SRAM XX MTB component group rumors

Let’s look at how the different dimensions of a bike frame affect trail handling, and how mountain bikes get classified into different sub-categories like XC or Downhill.

When looking at a bike geometry chart, these are the measurements that most affect how the bike handles:

• Head Tube Angle
• Seat Tube Angle
• Chainstay Length
• Wheelbase
• Travel Amount

The head tube angle is a measurement, in degrees, of the head tube – where the top of the fork passes through the frame. 90° would be straight up and down, and any number less than that represents a setup where the bottom of the fork is further away from the center of the bike than the top.

The seat tube angle, just like the head tube, is measured in degrees. The same principles apply.

The chainstay length is measured from the bottom bracket to where the rear wheel attaches.

The wheelbase is the distance between the two wheels, at the points where they contact the ground.

Travel amount is fairly self-explanatory. For a hardtail bike, travel refers to just the fork. For a full suspension bike, front and rear travel are both referenced.

“The sales guy said this bike has a nice slack geometry. Is that a good thing?”

Bikes intended for XC racing will have fairly steep head and seat tube angles (i.e. closer to 90°). The head tube angle on a bike like this will be in the range of 70° to 72° and the seat tube will be around 73° or more. These steep angles will place the rider over the center of the bike for powerful, efficient pedaling, and the front wheel will tend to go in a straight line while climbing. These bikes are fast and efficient on relatively non-technical trails with lots of climbing, but on really rough stuff and on downhill, the forward rider position and steeper fork angle can make an endo more likely.

XC vs All Mountain vs Downhill

A “slack” geometry means that these angles are lower, which in effect moves the rider further back in relation to the center of the bike and the front wheel is further out in front. At the extreme end of this design concept is the downhill bike. With angles in the mid 60′s, these bikes can handle super steep downhill trail sections without the rider being pitched forward, and the front wheel strikes obstacles at an angle that allows the fork to absorb the impact and lets the wheel go up and over. As you might imagine, bikes with really slack angles tend to be terrible for riding uphill. At best the front wheel will wander and at worst the whole bike will “wheelie out” or flip over backwards.

In between these two extremes is the All Mountain or Trail bike, which attempts to be a good climber while still descending confidently. These are the most common bikes on the LBS showroom floor and will have a head tube angle in the 67° to 70° range and relatively short chainstays.

“What about chainstay length?”

In general, a longer chainstay will produce a bike that tracks well and wants to go in a straight line. A shorter chainstay will bring the rear wheel in closer to the center of the bike, and will make it easier to loft the front end over obstacles. Manuals and wheelies will be a cinch on a short chainstay bike, and more difficult when they are longer. Chainstay length also affects the overall wheelbase of the bike. A shorter wheelbase will allow for tighter turns, while a longer wheelbase  can be more stable at high speed. Traditionally, XC bikes had longer chainstays and wheelbases while all mountain and downhill geometries were much shorter, but that trend is changing lately with XC bikes getting the shorter chainstay treatment as well.

“This bike has 9 inches of travel! More is better, right?”

Not too long ago 4″ of travel was the norm. Advances in frame design have allowed newer bikes to be set up with longer travel without the penalties of pedal bob and brake dive suffered by older models. Today’s bikes fall into three loose categories based in part on the geometry factors above, and also the amount of travel.

XC bikes, especially 29ers, will still have the tried and true 4″ (100mm) of travel. 120mm forks are also pretty popular in this category. Either way, these bikes are designed to go fast over race courses and may not be your best choice for shredding the gnar as a weekend warrior.

A fairly typical XC Hardtail Bike

Next we have Trail or All Mountain bikes. Some manufacturers split these out as two categories, but they are pretty similar. Bikes in this category will have from 5″ to as much as 7″ of travel. These are the “do it all” bikes and they are designed to be respectable climbers, but they are still comfortable on rough downhill. These bike will also employ design tricks like adjustable travel forks, lockout rear suspension, and height adjustable seat posts.

Freeride and Downhill bikes are meant for going fast downhill and hucking off things. Period. These bikes are heavy, and terrible for pedaling uphill. They are best suited for lift-serviced trails and shuttle runs. 8″ to 9″ of front and rear travel is the norm in this category.

element22′s downhill bike

Hopefully this info will help you understand what you are looking at when you are out bike shopping. It’s no coincidence that most of the bikes you see at the shop fall into the All Mountain or Trail categories. These are ‘regular’ bikes for regular people to go out and ride. They can climb, they can descend, and they are comfortable for all-day XC epics. They are light enough for some casual racing, yet strong enough for some drops and stunts. Once you move out of the middle of this bell curve is when you start needing a pure XC race machine, or a hard core downhill rig. When that time comes, you’ll know.

Related posts:

1. MTB Frame Geometry Part 1: How It Fits
2. The Diamondback Sortie Black Mountain Bike Frame
3. Learn How to Build Your Own Custom Mountain Bike Frame