2022 Mountain Biking

[AmyPJ]

Nope. Still uber-stiff. But despite this perceived flaw, it's worth noting that I set three PRs on ~ one hour long CDT sections outside Butte MT this weekend -- 3 minutes, 2.5 minutes and 2 minutes. This is a fast, smooth bike!

Fox shock in the house. Should get it on and out for a spin tomorrow. Stay tuned!

I'm just leaving mine open all the time now. I put an XR3 2.4 on the rear and it felt much better. That tire is almost half a pound lighter than the XR4 2.6! Was a cruisy ride with @4ster and @utskier.

 

[4ster]

I'm just leaving mine open all the time now. I put an XR3 2.4 on the rear and it felt much better. That tire is almost half a pound lighter than the XR4 2.6! Was a cruisy ride with @4ster and @utskier.

& the après was pretty cruisy too!

 

[Doug Briggs]

Another ride, another tree to slay. Plus a brand new trail.

This was a live tree so a bit more effort than the usual dead ones. Just when I needed it a couple of women showed up with one stabilizing the trunk as the first cut let the remaining section move around, making the saw bind. Thank you ladies.

The new trail was the lower part of Chantilly. The upper part of Chantilly was new this spring. Altogether upper, middle (old) and lower Chantilly make a nice way to get up to the height of land where five trails now form a mega-junction of sorts. Slalom, Gold Run Gulch Road, Little Corporal and Betty's Trail completed the relatively short ride. I was going out this evening so didn't want to overdo it.

I had a delightful dinner at Aurum (Thanks, Phil!), my first absinthe and the second of three nights with Béla Fleck on his 'My Bluegrass Heart' tour. The first was last December with his 'house band' from the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and tonight and Saturday are a completely new lineup and about as good as it gets.

Life is good.

 

[Tom K.]

I'm just leaving mine open all the time now. I put an XR3 2.4 on the rear and it felt much better. That tire is almost half a pound lighter than the XR4 2.6! Was a cruisy ride with @4ster and @utskier.

Another thing about that shock that argues for just leaving it open is that flipping the lever back and forth often results in the "open" adjuster changing position. Grr.

The XR4 2.6 is odd. SO much heavier than its 2.4 counterparts.

 

[Tony S]

Another thing about that shock that argues for just leaving it open is that flipping the lever back and forth often results in the "open" adjuster changing position. Grr.

The XR4 2.6 is odd. SO much heavier than its 2.4 counterparts.

I've been on the XR4 2.4 for a year now and my reaction is, "meh." Now, I understand that losing 15 lbs off of ME is the correct approach to increasing speed, distance, efficiency. I totally do. But this comment is about tires, not spare tires. And I say, "meh."

The tire is FINE. It's just fine. But that's the problem. It doesn't really inspire me in any of the performance areas.

I'm going back to less chunky tires - in the rear, for certain; in the front, maybe, but not the XR4.

 

[Doug Briggs]

This may or may not be obvious, but location of use will have a lot to do with tire performance. New England (roots, rock, reggae) vs Rocky Mountain (rock (duh), dust and gravel) affect the type of traction required. Kind of like ski selection. What works in the east may be inappropriate for skiing out west and vice versa.

I had a fairly small knob rear tire until I tore the sidewall. It was due to shortages last season that I got that tire. When I replaced it I replaced with a much more aggressive knob and have been much more satisfied with performance. I'm riding in CO on rock, mineral soil along with some loose gravel.

 

[Andy Mink]

location of use will have a lot to do with tire performance

One of the most popular setup around here (Tahoe, Reno, Carson City, Truckee) is DHF and DHR2. Two pretty aggressive tires because a lot of the time you have to get through the dust before your get to the trail tread. I run the EXO+ on the rear and EXO on the front because after you get through the dust you have to get through the pointy rocks. The only other tires I've had are the Maxxis Rekons and I never felt like I was sticking to the trail. Fortunately, weight isn't an issue since mine is an emtb.

 

[Lauren]

One of the most popular setup around here (Tahoe, Reno, Carson City, Truckee) is DHF and DHR2

I love this set up on the east coast...a bit aggressive for some mellow trails, but they climb over roots and rocks like a beast...even in wet conditions. I also love how the side knobs hookup on downhill flow trails.

 

[Tom K.]

I've been on the XR4 2.4 for a year now and my reaction is, "meh." Now, I understand that losing 15 lbs off of ME is the correct approach to increasing speed, distance, efficiency. I totally do. But this comment is about tires, not spare tires. And I say, "meh."

The tire is FINE. It's just fine. But that's the problem. It doesn't really inspire me in any of the performance areas.

I'm going back to less chunky tires - in the rear, for certain; in the front, maybe, but not the XR4.

Huh, I absolutely love the XR4 in the 2.4 size, mainly as a front tire, but out back too when things are not so dry. It doesn't have the most outright traction of any tire, but its breakaway is so gradual and almost telepathic, that it is a worthwhile tradeoff for me. I also find that with the Vittoria Barzo up front.

That is decidedly not something I'd ever say about a DHF. I found it to hold, and keep on holding, then suddenly find myself in the brush, wondering what happened. And, again for me, the ex-racer in me cannot abide by how slowly they roll.

After all Mink, I don't yet have a motor assist!

 

[Tony S]

One of the most popular setup around here (Tahoe, Reno, Carson City, Truckee) is DHF and DHR2.

ebiker

I love this set up on the east coast.

downhiller

And, again for me, the ex-racer in me cannot abide by how slowly they roll.

fellow traveler

 

[AmyPJ]

ebiker


downhiller


fellow traveler

Haha! You aren't wrong! I also like the XR4 a lot, and between the two of us in the household and the terrain we ride (shark fin rocks are a pretty regular feature here) and amount we ride, that tire has been rock-solid for us. That being said, those of us who are doing a lot of climbing and are used to riding a bit on the quicker side, the XR3 is a better choice. I've always been put off by the weight of Maxxis tires, and since I have literally had zero issues with Bontrager in 8 years of riding them, I'll stick with them.

Now, another question: Anyone used or know anything about the MegNeg for Rock Shox? I'd like it for the purpose of making climbing a bit more efficient with the shock open. Or, a little more forgiving with the shock closed. Buying a whole new shock like @Tom K. has done is not in the budget. Besides, ski season is around the corner and we have some Stockli's on order

 

[Tom K.]

Now, another question: Anyone used or know anything about the MegNeg for Rock Shox? I'd like it for the purpose of making climbing a bit more efficient with the shock open. Or, a little more forgiving with the shock closed.

So, with the disclaimer that I'm nothing approaching a Rockshox expert, I'll offer the following:

1. When I unscrewed the air can on my stock RS, it sure looked like it had volume reducers on both the positive and negative sides of the shock. Two of each.

2. If that is actually the case, adding another negative VR should make the shock firmer before it hits 30% sag. But.....moving the low speed damping clicker from 0 to + is an easier way to approach this.

3. Nothing this simple will affect the firmness of the shock when the lever is switched. This brings a different damping circuit into play. With Fox you can choose to valve this CMF for firm or CMS for less firm of a lockout. No idea with RS.

One ride in with the new 3-position Fox DPS shock. I'll just say that middle mode is magical. Chews up trail, but keeps those initial climbing pedaling strokes from feeling a bit soggy until you're up to speed. Energy transfer is far more immediate.

 

[Andy Mink]

This is an interesting test on tire width. Certainly, as the fellow says, there are variables but the take away (for THESE tires on THIS bike ridden by THIS guy in THESE conditions) the 2.8s were as fast or faster in everything except smooth tarmac. If you have 25 minutes it's a good watch.

 

[4ster]

I have been running 2.5 DHF & Aggressor’s on the rear of my RipMo since I bought it in 2018 & my Trek Remedy beforehan, probably 4 or 5 sets. Tahoe is mostly decomposed granite (think coarse sand) or solid granite but they have worked well in northern Utah as well. They are durable & predictable for my needs but I don’t worry about weight, in fact my bikes have gotten bigger, burlier & heavier over the years but I am not racing.
My 4 previous bikes were all Trek and came stock with Bontrager tires. I am the kind of guy who usually just plays the cards I am dealt but to be honest I couldn’t wait for them to wear out so I could switch to Maxxis (High Rollers & High Roller ll’s). The Bontrager’s would barely get 500 miles and would usually start loosing grip & sliding out on me sooner than that so I didn’t have to wait long to switch. With that said my Trek Rail came with 2.6 Bontrager SE5’s & I am pretty happy with them. I just turned 1300 miles & although the center knobs on the rear are pretty worn down the side knobs are still good & the front seems to be in good shape. Not sure if I will replace with the same or try something different. I rode a bike with a Maxxis Assegai (front) last year & thought it was one I would like.

Today l rode the Powder Mountain loop de loop were the temperatures were perfect & the air was good.
Trail Yeah intersection

Lunch rock

Detour on an old double track to get this valley view

Rain in the forecast for the rest of the week!

 

[Andy Mink]

Rain in the forecast for the rest of the week!

Boy, I hope it comes through! Good to see blue skies. Reno is in the soup.

 

[Andy Mink]

Boy, I hope it comes through! Good to see blue skies. Reno is in the soup.

It just dawned on me that @4ster is NOT in Tahoe now. Weather here is for continued no rain.

 

[Tony S]

This is an interesting test on tire width. Certainly, as the fellow says, there are variables but the take away (for THESE tires on THIS bike ridden by THIS guy in THESE conditions) the 2.8s were as fast or faster in everything except smooth tarmac. If you have 25 minutes it's a good watch.

Interesting. My observation is that his climbing test was very short (one minute), and that he didn't have a "long ride" test. I.e., What happens if you go out on a three hour ride, with 750 meters of climbing, on each of these tires?

Also interesting was that he mentioned another test his colleague did, between 2.0 and 2.2" tires, for XC. 2.2" tire won there. "Well duh," is my response. (I remember the 1.9 vs 2.1 debates!)

So what's my point? My point is that I suspect many people are "over tired" for what they really do, just like many people are "over skied" for what they really do. What THIS guy did was ride a lot of short "session-y" segments, on an enduro bike, with a bias toward descents. On that basis, I have no doubt that 2.8s are a great choice. However, that's not my riding. YMMV, as Andy suggests.

 

[wooglin]

Getting pretty deep in the weeds here folks. Can’t we just ride bikes?

 

[4ster]

It just dawned on me that @4ster is NOT in Tahoe now. Weather here is for continued no rain.

Sorry about that. I think I left at the right time. SLT AQI looked almost unsurvivable yesterday .
I have been watching the Mosquito Fire updates & it sounded like they only got a few drops yesterday. Over 40,000 acres now!

 

[4ster]

Getting pretty deep in the weeds here folks. Can’t we just ride bikes?

I am one who pretty much just rides bikes. I kind of like it when I come here where other people can nerd out for me, otherwise I can only learn from my own experience mistakes