2023 Mountain Biking

[firebanex]

I'm slightly feeling bad about the thread derailment.. so here is why I haven't riden anymore this week. Warranty repair kit is in the mail and I ghettoed it back together with the longer end of the broken wire. That plus a voile strap and I should be good till the parts show up.

 

[nay]

Yup. Sunringle Mulefuts are the "standard cheap" option for fatbikes. Not like there are really any other options though. They are still quite good for what they need to do, the rear hub has some bearing durability problems but otherwise they are light enough, strong, and work for all situations.
Double walled carbon rims are the bombproof 4-season option if you don't want a full on lightweight snow set of wheels. Something like the Nextie Wild Dragon is a pretty popular choice and not all that much heavier than the single wall rims that Nextie or HED make. I'm 80% convinced to do a single walled snow only set of wheels with 45nrth Husker Du's for max speed and float along with keeping the mulefuts with a set of aggressive partially studded fat's for the preseason tussock and ice bashing rides.

This all makes sense. I go back to the reality that I ride technical trails in the snow on my Stumpy Evo and the idea that I wouldn’t on the fatbike is self delusion. This pic I pulled from the Hartman Rocks trail writeup is the drop in to V-Drop, which is a stupidly loose trail and this drop in you start almost from a standstill because of the steep climb on the other side.

I’ve eaten it a few times on this trail, it’s probably a lot better in the snow because it has just badly placed rocks and roots in the dry, but like why wouldn’t we ride this? (not ms nay and me, mind you).

Same reason I’m disinclined to buy a fatbike with road bike geometry, I’ve been OTB once in here and would like to keep it that way. This might further suggest the idea of having a fork (as pictured), but I’d just as soon prove that in or out. It’s one of those things were in a low snow year you’d want it and in a higher snow year like this year would it really matter?

 

[chris_the_wrench]

Original plan was to ride 5-8 miles up the groomed(for snowmobile) road and then jump on some singletrack for the return trip. As soon as I got off the groomed road the bike sunk almost to the axles and footsteps sunk to my knee. So after 30 minutes and less than a 1/2 mile I retreated back to the groomed road with soaking wet and cold feet. Beautiful day to be out regardless.

 

[firebanex]

I've had rides like that.. it really quickly gets into type 2 fun and borderline type 3 fun. Those tan walls look good on that bike!

This all makes sense. I go back to the reality that I ride technical trails in the snow on my Stumpy Evo and the idea that I wouldn’t on the fatbike is self delusion. This pic I pulled from the Hartman Rocks trail writeup is the drop in to V-Drop, which is a stupidly loose trail and this drop in you start almost from a standstill because of the steep climb on the other side.


I’ve eaten it a few times on this trail, it’s probably a lot better in the snow because it has just badly placed rocks and roots in the dry, but like why wouldn’t we ride this? (not ms nay and me, mind you).

Same reason I’m disinclined to buy a fatbike with road bike geometry, I’ve been OTB once in here and would like to keep it that way. This might further suggest the idea of having a fork (as pictured), but I’d just as soon prove that in or out. It’s one of those things were in a low snow year you’d want it and in a higher snow year like this year would it really matter?

Fatbikes seem to have settled on around a 69* head angle and longish chainstays. Pretty much an endurance XC type bike which is a fair amount of the use a fatty gets in the winter. I personally think that a 68* or 67* head angle might benefit us more, slow the steering a bit but it might unweight the front wheel too much for proper snow riding. Suspension forks really do help with low tide riding! Bad thing is there isn't many choices for a good one, the Manitou Mastodon and Wren inverted fork both work pretty well in the cold tho.

I rode on Monday with my riding partner and his little dog, was just a good chill ride and it started snowing pretty good while we were out. It's somewhat surreal with all the reflected light off the clouds illuminating things.

 

[firebanex]

This time the creepy penguin house had a bigger bucket of treats, including milk bones for puppers. I'm sure that it's perfectly safe.. but a huge NOPE from me.

 

[Tom K.]

^^^ Minus 10....props!

Most of the time here, even in big cold snaps, if I wait until 1 or 2 PM, it will make it to zero or a bit higher.

 

[nay]

I've had rides like that.. it really quickly gets into type 2 fun and borderline type 3 fun. Those tan walls look good on that bike!


Fatbikes seem to have settled on around a 69* head angle and longish chainstays. Pretty much an endurance XC type bike which is a fair amount of the use a fatty gets in the winter. I personally think that a 68* or 67* head angle might benefit us more, slow the steering a bit but it might unweight the front wheel too much for proper snow riding. Suspension forks really do help with low tide riding! Bad thing is there isn't many choices for a good one, the Manitou Mastodon and Wren inverted fork both work pretty well in the cold tho.

I rode on Monday with my riding partner and his little dog, was just a good chill ride and it started snowing pretty good while we were out. It's somewhat surreal with all the reflected light off the clouds illuminating things.
View attachment 192867

The new version of the Kings Peak has a 67* head angle with 450mm chainstays and in XL reach is 490mm and wheelbase is 1232mm. That’s a reasonably modern trail bike geo for a bike that isn’t designed to be snappy quick.

Outdoor Gear Lab did a best fatbike test and rated the Fezzari tops, specifically awarding it tops in versatility. So maybe there is something to getting away from small bikes no matter what you are riding.

The 5 Best Fat Bikes of 2024

Are you looking for the best fat bike for riding on the snow, sand, and everything in between? Over the past several years, we've ridden over 17 of the...

www.outdoorgearlab.com

I guess some dude rode this bike across Iceland though in a cool yellow color so there’s that. I’m also excessively bored even though my new ‘third foot’ cane arrived today so I need to be careful with that

I have been riding in about the top 25% on a now daily 30 minute Peloton low impact ride. It’s winter riding at least.

 

[Andy Mink]

 

[chris_the_wrench]

I'm slightly feeling bad about the thread derailment.. so here is why I haven't riden anymore this week. Warranty repair kit is in the mail and I ghettoed it back together with the longer end of the broken wire. That plus a voile strap and I should be good till the parts show up.

Are you guys up there seeing alot of durability issues with boas on your winter cycling boots? I really like boas on my ‘normal’ cycling shoes but im abit concerned about them on dedicated winter riding boots.

 

[firebanex]

Yes and no. Mine are 3 seasons old now and this is the first issue I've had so far. The design of the 45nrth Wolfhammer makes the routing of the single BOA set up.. less than ideal if you have low volume feet and ankles. I gotta crank them down, flex the ankles, crank, flex and crank before they feel right on my feet. I also stuck some stock 4mil skiboot liner footbeds under the insole to help take up some of the excess volumn in mine. Got a friend who broke the BOA wire 20 miles into the ITI and did the remaining 320miles with a viole strape around them. He now has some custom sewn on laces instead of the boa. I've got some ideas for a backup strap system for mine, I need him to sew it on for me as he's got an industrial sewing machine.

 

[Tom K.]

Are you guys up there seeing alot of durability issues with boas on your winter cycling boots?

I'm going on winter season #3 and both my Bontrager shoe/boots have BOAs.

So far, so good.

I do give them a rinse and lube every October, whether they need it or not....

 

[firebanex]

Snowy singletrack and a bunch of downed trees last night. Took my sisters triathlete boyfriend along too, this was his second time on a fatbike and first time on this route. He had fun! I guess I'll let him keep dating my sister.

 

[chris_the_wrench]

I'm going on winter season #3 and both my Bontrager shoe/boots have BOAs.

Trek states those old man winter boots have a range of 10f-25f, you think thats accurate with a light to mid weight sock?

 

[nay]

Whelp. I signed up for the Gunnison Growler (32 mile version this time instead of 40) with my eldest son, who is a big mountain runner but got into mountain biking on my old Trek hardtail while recovering from plantar fasciitis. He has a coach who thinks he might be able to break the record V02 max recorded at sea level given his performance at the Western Colorado U. HAP (High Altitude Performance) Lab so I will lose to him badly.

This of course is dependent on the idea that it is remotely reasonable based on hip recovery to be doing anything on May 27th, but those are my bones goals. I’m able to ride the Peloton at 3/4 strength now at 6 weeks so we’ll see.

I really do need a XC bike, though, the Stumpy Evo is just stupid for that ride. I’ll probably just ride it anyway with some XC tires if I make it.

 

[cantunamunch]

Yesterday was my second day on the geared hardtail since the start of the year - and it sucked. Or I sucked.

I previously posted about this syndrome in the 'value-exercise' thread here

Is there any value in doing exercises that simulate ski movements in a non-ski setting?

Well that will put most people in their place. My 220 lb brother and I used to pretend wrestle and I could Gorilla drop him. No way I can do that now. I can’t dunk anymore either but can at least touch the rim. Actually, for an average 6 foot person dunking takes as much technique as strength.

www.skitalk.com

Anyway, I spent most of January doing rides on the SS hardtail - and I had no problem transitioning to the geared HT, no problem responding to sudden pop-ups, no problem finding over-the-crest power, no problem finding power after obstacles or jumps.

I spent most of Feb. on the gravel/all-road bike. And come March 1st, I was more slower, more winded (and felt worse in the second and third hour) when I went out for the geared HT ride. I had like zero reserve for any of that small sh*t that sucks power - stuff that I was totally ready for back in January.

I have no wisdom here other than road/gravel may show macro mileage/time/vertical results but makes one lazy in the small things.

 

[nay]

Yesterday was my second day on the geared hardtail since the start of the year - and it sucked. Or I sucked.

I previously posted about this syndrome in the 'value-exercise' thread here

Is there any value in doing exercises that simulate ski movements in a non-ski setting?

Well that will put most people in their place. My 220 lb brother and I used to pretend wrestle and I could Gorilla drop him. No way I can do that now. I can’t dunk anymore either but can at least touch the rim. Actually, for an average 6 foot person dunking takes as much technique as strength.

www.skitalk.com

Anyway, I spent most of January doing rides on the SS hardtail - and I had no problem transitioning to the geared HT, no problem responding to sudden pop-ups, no problem finding over-the-crest power, no problem finding power after obstacles or jumps.

I spent most of Feb. on the gravel/all-road bike. And come March 1st, I was more slower, more winded (and felt worse in the second and third hour) when I went out for the geared HT ride. I had like zero reserve for any of that small sh*t that sucks power - stuff that I was totally ready for back in January.

I have no wisdom here other than road/gravel may show macro mileage/time/vertical results but makes one lazy in the small things.

I don’t think we can overstate the degree to which ‘techy XC’ mountain biking is a constant aerobic/anaerobic trade off where you have to burst over and over while you are at a 90% baseline. That’s a reason I prefer constantly techy riding that accumulates vert over a high quantity of small events vs. the big climb and one down - I feel like I get more out of the time spent and it is much higher at cross training strength.

But…since I spend most of my time on the former by the time high alpine season comes around with rides climbing from 9K to say 11.5K altitude…I tend to get my assed kicked more than I am expecting. I’m fine strength/endurance wise on the downhill, but grinding out bitch grade miles at high altitude on rough singletrack relies on some of the endurance training that an hour long tech ride doesn’t build.

Especially when an enduro class bike is suggested for the downhill so you aren’t riding a speed machine uphill. The absolute #1 thing I am most bummed about with my hip break isn’t the loss of the ski season, it’s the loss of 3x per week of mountain bike rides and fitness. I’m struggling with the idea of losing any of it.

 

[cantunamunch]

Eh, you're just trying to make me feel I haven't wasted all of Feb. so thanks

 

[Tom K.]

Trek states those old man winter boots have a range of 10f-25f, you think thats accurate with a light to mid weight sock?

Yes, exactly. Below 10f I pull out the heated socks.

However, it's not quite that simple. I have the biggest OMW boots made, and they were a little small, and I found the removable felt booties made the boots really hard to get on and off.

So booties no more for me. Just two pair of thick socks and a thick insulating insole and some dry silicone spray and they are easy to get on and off and warm as toast.

I really do need a XC bike, though, the Stumpy Evo is just stupid for that ride. I’ll probably just ride it anyway with some XC tires if I make it.

Just get yourself a downcountry bike. You know you're going to eventually. And I have no problem with that term. It's easy to type and everybody knows what it means so I don't get the hullaballoo over it.

But mostly I hope your hip healing lets you get throttled by race with your kid!

I have no wisdom here other than road/gravel may show macro mileage/time/vertical results but makes one lazy in the small things.

Road miles are definitely an asset to mtb racing fitness, but people that think road miles are all you need for mtb racing/riding are called "losers".

I've found that if you have good, strong road fitness, the poppy strength you need for mtb comes very quickly. I bet you can get it back in 5 hours.

 

[cantunamunch]

I've found that if you have good, strong road fitness, the poppy strength you need for mtb comes very quickly. I bet you can get it back in 5 hours.

Eh I'm hoping you're right - and today's spin on the SS suggests you might be. Even if it happens, just like in the original thread, I am at a loss to explain it physiologically, other than 'It's in your head, HTFU'.



( In a similar vein, I simply can't explain to my roadie/hybrid friend that gravel doesn't really take away power, it just keeps you honest about staying seated and spinning, instead of trying to overgear and post out of trouble out of the saddle. His idiom doesn't allow those concepts together)

 

[cantunamunch]

View attachment 192201

Is that steel? Or polymer strands?