Mountain Biking 2020

[Erik Timmerman]

Had a little ride with @Josh Matta today. He got one picture at the top of the hill. Leaves are changing! Somehow this one looks like I am going uphill, but it’s quite the opposite.

 

[Tom K.]

Somehow this one looks like I am going uphill, but it’s quite the opposite.

The crazy thing is that both you and the dog look like you're going uphill, despite being headed in opposite directions.

M C Escher much?!

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Random friendly dog that popped out of the woods when we got to the top. He tried to hang with us, but he wasn't very fast.

 

[nay]

New bike day. The new Hightower is unreal. Did not expect a huge difference but its significant. The rear suspension works much better. When climbing the new one rides higher in the travel than the old one without the need to increase rear shock air pressure over recommended. The new rear susp. is plusher than the v1 overall but pedals a bit better. Very nice balance. The new Fox 36 Performance has the Grip damper (not the grip2 obviously) and it is simple but feels noticeably plusher off the top compared to my 2018 Performance Elite with the Fit4. Again, without the need to deviate too much from rec. air pressure.

That’s great to hear. You had some earlier thoughts/concerns about not wanting significantly more aggressive geometry for climbing, but it seems all in the positive category? Per Blister:

We’re pretty deep into rockered skis can’t carve territory with mtb geo these days.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Today I took a shot of the sign I omitted before:

Nowadays the town and county are harvesting the dredge rock then rebuilding rivers and riparian zones. My neighborhood was built on dredge rock likely exposed by one of the dredges mentioned in the sign. There are protected historic dredge rock zones.

Also from today...

 

[Ken_R]

That’s great to hear. You had some earlier thoughts/concerns about not wanting significantly more aggressive geometry for climbing, but it seems all in the positive category? Per Blister:

View attachment 110508
We’re pretty deep into rockered skis can’t carve territory with mtb geo these days.

The biggest difference in Geometry I noticed was the steeper effective seat tube angle. My seat is pretty high so I am kinda sensitive to that. The new angle felt awesome. Really steep climbs are much more pleasant even with the steeper head tube angle. I think the shorter fork offset compensates for that. The length of the bike when riding didnt feel that different. It actually handled steep and tight switchbacks a tad better than the v1. The v1 was really stable on the downhills and this one is not that different and maybe a tad better. Overall the whole geometry just works very very well. Loved it.

Also, this new bike has really more traction when climbing. That is a pretty big deal here in Colorado with all the loose rocks on most climbs. I went up Box O Rocks almost like nothing. I only didnt clear the very very loose section that is full of large marbles. The V1 felt like a larger, sluggier bike. This one feels large and stable when you need it but short and agile when you want.

 

[nay]

The biggest difference in Geometry I noticed was the steeper effective seat tube angle. My seat is pretty high so I am kinda sensitive to that. The new angle felt awesome. Really steep climbs are much more pleasant even with the steeper head tube angle. I think the shorter fork offset compensates for that. The length of the bike when riding didnt feel that different. It actually handled steep and tight switchbacks a tad better than the v1. The v1 was really stable on the downhills and this one is not that different and maybe a tad better. Overall the whole geometry just works very very well. Loved it.

Also, this new bike has really more traction when climbing. That is a pretty big deal here in Colorado with all the loose rocks on most climbs. I went up Box O Rocks almost like nothing. I only didnt clear the very very loose section that is full of large marbles. The V1 felt like a larger, sluggier bike. This one feels large and stable when you need it but short and agile when you want.

That’s a great description of exactly what I experienced going from Stumpy ST (the less slack shorter travel “climber”) to the DH geo Evo. The Evo crushes it in climbing traction, it is a lot happier in “slow tech” up or down, and it obliterates the ST downhill. The only “cost” I can come up with is 3 lbs is a lot if you want to race long distances.

We’re talking about doing the Grand Traverse (connecting CB to Aspen, 7,700’ of climbing over 42 miles) next year. On the “sleds”.

My seat is also high (long inseam) and the stretched out front end, reduced offset, and steeper seat angle is so natural. All of which translates into climbing better and pedaling efficiency, after which it points downhill as a full enduro bike.

 

[nay]

Sessioning the local with boy 3, who has been getting terribly over-terrained at Hartman Rocks this summer with his older brother and others members of the Western Colorado U mtb team. I have also been over-terrained, just not quite a badly. Or that was last year.

He rode two tight chute drops that had been in his head all season. Both easy today, he couldn’t believe it. I rode some fun playground lines off the main trail. Not bad for a neighborhood park that borders a major interstate.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Looks fun @nay

 

[Doug Briggs]

The big ride went off without a hitch. A couple riders bailed last minute, but that was fine as we ended up with 5 total.

Note about 7.3 miles of level terrain starting about mile 22. That was one looong ditch and a great way to travel after about 4.5K feet of climbing.

A good start of the day. It was promising to be overcast, but dry. The forecast kept true to its word.

Approaching the first summit. Yes, there are 5 in the photo. One had to do an out and back from the first summit to make it to work.

Continuing on to French Pass.

But not before I looked back to where we'd come from.

Looking around from French Pass.

During the first descent, Daymon stopped ahead of me to point out this Pinyon Pine.

Again, looking back.

After some zigging and zagging (on purpose) we got to this primitive trail. It was an old road/trail of some sort that has fallen into disuse.

The trail is nearly invisible. So plush and sweet. And it is a great connector.

Mike at the terminus of the primitive trail where it joins the Colorado Trail.

Lunch Rock.

The view from Lunch Rock.

Approaching the second summit, Georgia Pass, but looking back to Park County.

Jeff during a photo shoot. I had all the riders go by while I took multiple shots.

Daymon on the Great Flume. A portion of the Flume is in the background.

 

[4ster]

Back in Utah riding with the Snowbasin crew including @AmyPJ

Fall colors are beginning to pop.

A good rain yesterday provided the best dirt in a month & motivated me to do it twice.

 

[firebanex]

Rode my first Enduro race today. It is the very first time that an enduro race has even been put on in our area, so new things for everyone. Weather was foggy to start with and about 40*f the entire day, pretty much slightly colder than perfect temps. It was a three stage course that linked up some very newly cut trails to the established singletracks.. they were some super new cuts, looked like they had brush wacked a bit and then rode bikes down a couple dozen times to make a trail. Trail conditions were greasy, wet, and full of leaves. I was aiming for completion and survival.

Ride up the road climb to the first stage

This was the entrance to stage 1.. very rough trail. According to Strava it is about a -25% grade over .3 miles of off camber, rooty, leafy, wet, soft, switchbacks. I feel bad for the Equinox Marathon runners next year, this is the reroute to avoid a bunch of private property that doesn't want the course on their property anymore. I think it'll be worse on foot, at least on a bike you can roll over things. I managed to stay on my bike and survived. Then it was a very high speed doubletrack with some bad drainage ruts and grade reversals to navigate to the end of the stage, nothing too difficult, just really fast.

Climb out of stage 1 was a yucky road.. but the sun was out and I climbed up with a group of other riders and chatted about bikes and things.

I forgot to take a picture of the start of Stages 2 and 3 but they had the same starting spot, with either a left or right turn after the drop in sending you down opposite sides of the singletrack network. With the exception of a couple parts of rough cut on stage 3, these are the regular trails we all ride. I crashed pretty good half way down stage 2, so glad I had both knee and elbow pads on.. it was one of those crashes where the rear wheel slips out on a turn and you just go bar first into the dirt. Broke the lockon off my left grip clean off and since I have a twistlock style suspension lockout, it ment that now I had a portion of my grip that was attached on by nothing but prayers. I guess I still deathgrip pretty well because I didn't have as much issue with the broken grip like I thought I would.

The climb back up for stage 3 involved a portion of the Equinox marathon course as well, it was a tough but straight forward climb back up. I hike-a-biked a bit of it while eating and rehydrating a bit.

I had zero illusions about doing well time wise. I think I was in the bottom 50%, but I didn't die, had fun, and completed my first ever mtb race!

 

[Joel]

I'm jealous of the pics I see, the smoke around me has been keeping me off my bike. Some days I seem more sensitive than others. I just don't think I want to be sucking the smoke deep into my lungs. Some days my eyes burn just being outside.

How many others are being impacted?

 

[4ster]

How many others are being impacted?

check this thread...

2020 Online fire and smoke maps

We are now at the near breaking point of we humans capability dealing with all the current fires. Most in rural areas are sadly just going to burn and burn while firefighters focus on saving urban structures. To understand where fires are active, go to this satellite thermal imaging link that...

www.pugski.com

 

[Wilhelmson]

As usual one or two bad pictures. Didn't see a soul in the unorganized territory but some great trails with features.

 

[Doug Briggs]

Another lovely ride in Breck.

The change in colors has been quick and fairly universal throughout the county. The foliage will all be over soon, it seems.

 

[Slim]

the 12 y.o. daughter. Away from the shore of Lake Superior, thé leaves are really starting to turn. Might be due to th super dry condition.

 

[Doug Briggs]

View attachment 110763
the 12 y.o. daughter. Away from the shore of Lake Superior, thé leaves are really starting to turn. Might be due to th super dry condition.

I miss the variety of colors that I grew up with in New Hampster. We have primarily have Aspens and nothing else at this elevation. Traveling lower in CO does yield greater variety, though. I just don't wander much lately.

 

[AmyPJ]

I’ve been slacking on my climbing and I felt it today. I tend to lose my motivation to ride come August. Finally climbed Sardine today, and I was cooked. But it was pretty! One fun thing about being in a ski community is you never know who you’ll run into out in the trail. @4ster knows Mr. Hoffman, who was a former WC racer IIRC- @Doug Briggs you might know him too? (Not posting his pic for privacy, but took one of him and utskier.)

 

[ZionPow]

One fun thing about being in a ski community is you never know who you’ll run into out in the trail. @4ster knows Mr. Hoffman, who was a former WC racer

I have known Mr. Hoffman over 40 years. And he has passed me like I was standing still numerous times both on skis and mountain bikes! He is a legend of Snowbasin!