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2021 Mountain Biking

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4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
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Fun weekend of riding with @AmyPJ & @utskier. Sunday was up at Pow Mow with a big group of ski instructors.
A7D70F5E-8336-4D59-B7B2-C1B1539DC8A8.jpeg


Amy & Martin
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Today was up by Snowbasin with a smaller crew.
Jeff & Nick
665C15ED-4CE3-4F68-886D-674603B00E04.jpeg


68317D5A-5765-4895-8C53-00705E5AAFC2.jpeg


00B94CCF-F3F2-4B3D-B352-BCC123C933C6.jpeg


The ride is known as Chicken Loop cuz I guess it looks like a chicken on a Strava map, not so much on mine.
C3B6A162-5A2D-4781-B923-D329BD9A26AC.jpeg
 

AmyPJ

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Fun weekend of riding with @AmyPJ & @utskier. Sunday was up at Pow Mow with a big group of ski instructors.
View attachment 141646

Amy & Martin
View attachment 141647

Today was up by Snowbasin with a smaller crew.
Jeff & Nick
View attachment 141648

View attachment 141649

View attachment 141650

The ride is known as Chicken Loop cuz I guess it looks like a chicken on a Strava map, not so much on mine.
View attachment 141651
It was so awesome to ride more than one day in a row, and in a social setting. Glad you joined us! I think we're all resigned to the idea that an AQI hovering at the lower end of moderate is as good as we're going to get.

Let the fall riding begin! Loving the cooler temps.
 

Tom K.

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A surprising day of color to me. I believe these are the huckleberry bushes turning already, on the upper portions of Whitefish Mountain.


IMG_0243.JPG




IMG_0244.JPG



IMG_0242.JPG
 

AmyPJ

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Picking the brains of the minds here: (@nay @Tom K. would love your thoughts) My bike is a titch too big. I feel I need to shift my weight forward vs. just staying centered when cornering--I feel really stretched out on the outside arm. Trek makes a S, M, ML, L, XL. I am on a medium and truly think a S/M would be perfect but of course it's not even an option (yet a M/L is.) I rode a small around a parking lot last year, which is hardly a valid test ride, however it felt pretty cramped (like, the bars would hit my knees on sharp turns.) I also do not like the curved top tube on the smalls. Resale opportunities are less. I fall squarely into the lower-middle of the chart for M and the very upper portion of S on their size chart. Their size chart, however, did not change when the geo of the Fuel EX changed two seasons ago. It is now longer.

@utskier rotated my bars to change the sweep and it did seem to tighten the cockpit enough that I can feel it. I don't love moving the seat forward to tighten the cockpit because that affects pedaling and knees. However, my saddle is on the forward side of things already. The stem on this bike is quite short. I have not explored changing my bars at all and am curious about sweep and what I might want to look for. I think I can adapt for any additional rise by removing some of the risers that are under the bars. I'm looking at going with something more dramatic than the stock Bontrager bars that come with the bike. Here is what the bike comes with: Bontrager Line Pro, OCLV Carbon, 35mm, 27.5mm rise, 780mm width https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/...VXeNWVWrhJnLGxJ9zgns9RQSBtnWYzahoCPwsQAvD_BwE

I have cut them down to 730mm wide.
Anyway, feedback or advice from the hivemind here?
 

Tom K.

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@AmyPJ I'd start by swapping your 45 stem for a 35 because it's easy, and will tell you quickly if this is the dimension you really want to change.

Probably opening a can of worms I don't really want to here, but this issue makes me think the idea of moving away from WSD bikes is a huge mistake. Guys and gals do, in fact, have some general physiological differences. My wife fits perfectly on her Lush, and feels like even a small FEX is too darn stretched out......
 

nay

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^^^^I agree, I run a 32mm stem on 35mm bars and the 32mm is a game changer for me, it was instantly noticeable in both comfort and performance. I’m 6’2“ with a decent ape index (long arms) on a 495mm reach bike with a low stack height and the 40mm stem was too long to the point of some shoulder pain. I bought 35mm handlebars with a degree more backsweep and added 20mm of fork travel that has increased stack height, but pulling the stem back made the most difference. If you could feel a different in handlebar sweep this will not only tighten up the cockpit, short stems feel a lot more stable, especially if you don’t want to be up over the bars for cornering (most of us who have “grown up” on newer bikes don’t…they are designed to be more neutral).

So I’d want the longer bike with the adjusted cockpit. It’s amazing how much difference 5mm can make and you may be able to raise the bars a bit depending on where your spacers are set. That can also make a big difference.
 

Rod9301

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Picking the brains of the minds here: (@nay @Tom K. would love your thoughts) My bike is a titch too big. I feel I need to shift my weight forward vs. just staying centered when cornering--I feel really stretched out on the outside arm. Trek makes a S, M, ML, L, XL. I am on a medium and truly think a S/M would be perfect but of course it's not even an option (yet a M/L is.) I rode a small around a parking lot last year, which is hardly a valid test ride, however it felt pretty cramped (like, the bars would hit my knees on sharp turns.) I also do not like the curved top tube on the smalls. Resale opportunities are less. I fall squarely into the lower-middle of the chart for M and the very upper portion of S on their size chart. Their size chart, however, did not change when the geo of the Fuel EX changed two seasons ago. It is now longer.

@utskier rotated my bars to change the sweep and it did seem to tighten the cockpit enough that I can feel it. I don't love moving the seat forward to tighten the cockpit because that affects pedaling and knees. However, my saddle is on the forward side of things already. The stem on this bike is quite short. I have not explored changing my bars at all and am curious about sweep and what I might want to look for. I think I can adapt for any additional rise by removing some of the risers that are under the bars. I'm looking at going with something more dramatic than the stock Bontrager bars that come with the bike. Here is what the bike comes with: Bontrager Line Pro, OCLV Carbon, 35mm, 27.5mm rise, 780mm width https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/...VXeNWVWrhJnLGxJ9zgns9RQSBtnWYzahoCPwsQAvD_BwE

I have cut them down to 730mm wide.
Anyway, feedback or advice from the hivemind here?
If the bike is slack, you need to move your weight forward when you corner, both standing(descending) and climbing (seated)
 

AmyPJ

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Thanks, guys! I'll go with the stem first. Hoping we can get one through the shop. @nay, I do tend to agree to make the bigger bike a bit smaller. Obviously, I've done OK on it, but more and more I'm just noticing having to move forward more than I feel I should when cornering. Standover isn't an issue, and the dropper post barely fits, but it does fit. I did get shorter crank arms.

I don't know about WSD being the issue, just not offering something like what's offered for what could be assumed mostly men (M/L) rather sucks.
 
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4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
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North Fork loop de loop this morning. AQI was marginal but seemed to get better. Some dusty areas showing up but otherwise a beautiful morning...

Climbing
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Descending
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Resting
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Lots of fun, flowy, turny, twisty trails ogsmile
C18F4946-4918-46D3-9C57-784A0C2EC854.jpeg
 

Tricia

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AQI has been pretty good the past few days so I've gotten out for a few rides.
A couple days ago I went alone on the usual ride from the house to the MTB park
Today, @Philpug and I went out for a ride up Peavine for about a 5 mile ride but I didn't feel like I was done yet, so we went to the Sierra Vista park and took a hot lap.

Its really good to ride in good air. *note the blue skies and clouds*
4919E9E7-C827-4793-B3BF-613ABA11891C.JPG
 

Tricia

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@Primoz it always looks like perpetual springtime instead of summer there. Hope to see some of your Autumn colors soon.

saw our first changing leaves here today.
View attachment 141435

Today I rode up into the Strawberry area of Snowbasin. The hardest part of the climb was having to cross this 10 foot deep ditch they had dug for laying some new snowmaking.
View attachment 141436

Luckily when I had to cross again up higher they had filled a path in.
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up to the top of the Becker chair.
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& down to Green Pond & East Fork.
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View attachment 141440
Just speed up a bit.jpg
 

Tom K.

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It's really good to ride in good air. *note the blue skies and clouds*

We had it, then we lost it, what a crap shoot this summer.

No views like this today (taken Tuesday)!

IMG_0240.JPG
 
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4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
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We had it, then we lost it, what a crap shoot this summer.
It must have blown from Utah to steamboat. Best air of the week today here.

Pow Mow today with my friend Jeff & a shuttle to ride DMI. With Covid-19 being an issue last year shuttling was out, so today was the first time since 2019 for me on this trail. The thing is too damn steep to ride up & requires solid brakes for the down. DMI was the finale after a bunch of loop de loops in the usual spots first. About 4 hours total on the trail...

The Airplane
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The East
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Cool to run into @ZionPow & crew
7ECCF218-BE6D-490F-8642-9770559FCB3F.jpeg


The calves
E7F7BD58-E105-4E91-9392-7D53C3B17B74.jpeg


The West
D59BDA21-B0B7-4701-B58B-83630C0C3E0D.jpeg


About halfway down the 3k’ descent of DMI.
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Around 3K’ of climbing yields about 6K’ of descending with the shuttle. Right to my front door, Not a bad day...
9AF04880-9F44-42D5-8564-CD3611C23CB9.jpeg


 
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Tricia

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4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
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[cough]e-bike[/cough]
Believe me, the thought has crossed my mind. I suppose you could ride up the road but AFAIK the DMI Trail is designated downhill only.
 

Rod9301

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Speaking of brakes, a couple of years ago got 4 piston brakes with 203 rotors on my new bike.

What a difference. (Good difference)
 

Tricia

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Believe me, the thought has crossed my mind. I suppose you could ride up the road but AFAIK the DMI Trail is designated downhill only.
One way trails do make sense in many cases.
 

4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
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One way trails do make sense in many cases.
Yes, it makes a lot of sense nowadays at least for MTB. I was against it for a long time but the number of riders has grown so much it would be the right and safe thing to do on a lot of trails. I do think that the same trail can have a different character depending on which Direction you ride. So hoping as more trails go this way that they are designated with odd and even days.
 

AmyPJ

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It must have blown from Utah to steamboat. Best air of the week today here.

Pow Mow today with my friend Jeff & a shuttle to ride DMI. With Covid-19 being an issue last year shuttling was out, so today was the first time since 2019 for me on this trail. The thing is too damn steep to ride up & requires solid brakes for the down. DMI was the finale after a bunch of loop de loops in the usual spots first. About 4 hours total on the trail...

The Airplane
View attachment 142078

The East
View attachment 142074

Cool to run into @ZionPow & crew
View attachment 142079

The calves
View attachment 142076

The West
View attachment 142075

About halfway down the 3k’ descent of DMI.
View attachment 142080

Around 3K’ of climbing yields about 6K’ of descending with the shuttle. Right to my front door, Not a bad day...
View attachment 142077

You rode with Jeff! Nice!
 
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