[Enginerd A2]

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Hey Asheville/Boone/Pisgah locals,
Two things:
One, I'm headed down to Asheville/Pisgah next week for some camping, paddling, and hopefully, riding. I would love to find a few locals who would be willing to show me around for a day of good local riding. I'm from Michigan, so I'm a little worried about keeping up on climbs, but I'd love the oppurtunity to ride with some cool peeps and see some of the good stuff, maybe even do some shuttle runs. Anything, really. I'll be riding a Planet X Compo with a Psylo, Hayes disks, and an ss drivetrain. Which brings me to my next point: I only have a singlespeed, and no more working geared drivetrain parts anywhere, soooo I'm thinking about running 32:18 instead of my usual 32:16 to help me out a little on the hills. Any thoughts on this? What do the local ss riders run?

Anyone, locals or otherwise, with any good info (including good campsites or places to paddle that aren't above Class I maybe II whitewater, even good cheap eats) PLEASE respond. Thank you in advance, I really appreciate any advice.

 

[cali4niabiker]

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Hey Asheville/Boone/Pisgah locals,
Two things:
One, I'm headed down to Asheville/Pisgah next week for some camping, paddling, and hopefully, riding. I would love to find a few locals who would be willing to show me around for a day of good local riding. I'm from Michigan, so I'm a little worried about keeping up on climbs, but I'd love the oppurtunity to ride with some cool peeps and see some of the good stuff, maybe even do some shuttle runs. Anything, really. I'll be riding a Planet X Compo with a Psylo, Hayes disks, and an ss drivetrain. Which brings me to my next point: I only have a singlespeed, and no more working geared drivetrain parts anywhere, soooo I'm thinking about running 32:18 instead of my usual 32:16 to help me out a little on the hills. Any thoughts on this? What do the local ss riders run?

Anyone, locals or otherwise, with any good info (including good campsites or places to paddle that aren't above Class I maybe II whitewater, even good cheap eats) PLEASE respond. Thank you in advance, I really appreciate any advice.

I recommend that you go down Natahala River (Class I - III). You might want to check out a couple of sections of the French Broad River (mostly class I - III stuff). Both rivers will be fun on a inflatable kayak, a real kayak, or ww canoe. Nearby is an awesome trail called Tsali (near Fontana, NC... ) and there are a few good local trails a couple of feet away from the river at the base. On your SS, you'll do fine with the climbs. However its been 5 years since I've been at Tsali, so I may be a bit behind on the new/old trails around Asheville.

 

[kidwoo]

Another vote for Tsali. That place is like a mountain cross trail for xc bikes minus the jumps. Super smoove. That's a little outside asheville but fun and if you go rafting on the natahala, you'll be right there. There are also some fun trails by Fontana dam as well. For what I'd call more "real" mountain biking (rough, roots, rocks) pisgah was my favorite place to ride on the east coast. There are so many great trails there.

 

[T-Pirate]

All about pisgah man. The climbs are big but I do everything on my DH bike. Just slow and I walk a lot too. I doubt I can get up to show you around but I can get you trail names and such.

Tsali's all right. It used to be more fun but they widened some of the trails and there are even fewer tech sections left. I am not as big a fan of tsali just because I prefer to suffer for an hour or so then descend for a long time. Tsali is like 100 feet up, 100 feet down all the time. Thompson and Left Loop are the two best at tsali.

 

[Jeremy R]

Yeah, Pisgah is almost a whole one hour drive from my house.
Poor me. :devil:
All the riding is good.
In Brevard, North Mills, Bent Creek etc...
On a single speed hardtail, Bent Creek would be a good bet.
Its right in Asheville, and any local shop can hook you up with a map.
If you go into Brevard, there are too many sweet trails to name.
Black Mountain, Daniel Ridge, Farlow, Bennet Gap etc....
I would bring the easier gear for Pisgah.
If you do go up to Nantahala, you need to ride Tsali.
Everybody needs to ride it once just to see how in the hell somebody made an east coast trail that is that fast and smooth.

 

[Enginerd A2]

I think we'll be spending most of the week camping in the area of Pisgah between Asheville and Boone, but the plan is pretty open and still coming together. Anyone know of some midweek group rides or any other planned rides in that area?

Also, we have 10' recreational kayaks and pretty limited whitewater experience (there are two class II sections near Ann Arbor and that's about it for southern Michigan), are there some tamer rivers?

Thanks for the replies thus far!

 

[cali4niabiker]

I think we'll be spending most of the week camping in the area of Pisgah between Asheville and Boone, but the plan is pretty open and still coming together. Anyone know of some midweek group rides or any other planned rides in that area?

Also, we have 10' recreational kayaks and pretty limited whitewater experience (there are two class II sections near Ann Arbor and that's about it for southern Michigan), are there some tamer rivers?

Thanks for the replies thus far!

The French Broad River.

 

[Curiouscaptian01]

Yeah, Pisgah is almost a whole one hour drive from my house.
Poor me. :devil:
All the riding is good.
In Brevard, North Mills, Bent Creek etc...
On a single speed hardtail, Bent Creek would be a good bet.
Its right in Asheville, and any local shop can hook you up with a map.
If you go into Brevard, there are too many sweet trails to name.
Black Mountain, Daniel Ridge, Farlow, Bennet Gap etc....
I would bring the easier gear for Pisgah.
If you do go up to Nantahala, you need to ride Tsali.
Everybody needs to ride it once just to see how in the hell somebody made an east coast trail that is that fast and smooth.

ummmm Bennet Gap, can't wait till I get to ride that trail again. It may be my favorite trail in Pisgah.

 

[kidwoo]

Is Kitsuma still around?

 

[Jeremy R]

Is Kitsuma still around?

I am ashamed to say that I have only hit Kitsuma up one time.
It was about the best trail that I have ever ridden, and I have not been back since.
As a matter of fact, I think I will ride it this weekend.

 

[me89]

dude go to a place called epic cycles in black mountain and tell them that eric sent you.and you need some guys to show you around the trails they will offer a ride on kitzuma or montreat i think.a bunch of awsome guys to ride with. they will hook you up with some good info about bent creek and i highly recomend tsali. perfect place to start your trip to get you used to the nc ridin. kitzuma might be a little ruff on your single speed ht. but non the less its raw. so good luck and hope you have fun. i would take you ridin but going camping with some friends major ridin weekend.

 

[biggins]

Is Kitsuma still around?

yes ands still dope as hell.i live 2.5 milesd from it. as for the paddling the lower green would be doable in that style boat. french broad sections below **** hole and ledges park. as for the single speed, most of the people i ride urban with run single speed and it ia also their xc bikes (endless lifetime) and they kill everything. you should ride tsali and trace ridge and.......

 

[kidwoo]

I am ashamed to say that I have only hit Kitsuma up one time.
It was about the best trail that I have ever ridden, and I have not been back since.
As a matter of fact, I think I will ride it this weekend.

Allright punk, I've ridden that place more than half a dozen times and I lived in Florida. Get out there!!!! And no stopping while climbing up those switchbacks!!

I've still got a scar from that place. Not from actually riding/falling on the trail but bumping into the metal gate you go around after pedaling back up the paved road. I was in such a dazed bliss I plowed my shoulder right into one of the poles. Wheeeeeeeee

I almost miss the east coast when I think about pisgah/asheville.



almost

 

[me89]

now wait dont you live on the east cost florida or is it different down there.

lol thats why we shuttle it so we dont have to climb that fire road.

 

[kidwoo]

now wait dont you live on the east cost florida or is it different down there.

lol thats why we shuttle it so we dont have to climb that fire road.

Lazy lazy lazy.

The climbs I do these days would be the equivalent of Kitsuma about 4 times.

I still miss NC riding though. I think it would take me a while to get used to traction again. I remember passing a guy at Tsali riding a cyclocross bike. I always thought that would be fun as hell there.

 

[biggins]

now wait dont you live on the east cost florida or is it different down there.

lol thats why we shuttle it so we dont have to climb that fire road.

werd

 

[TN]

I am ashamed to say that I have only hit Kitsuma up one time.
It was about the best trail that I have ever ridden, and I have not been back since.
As a matter of fact, I think I will ride it this weekend.

oh man, that was my first taste of real DH. thanx to biggins we are now a DH family (la with 2 podiums this year). It rocked. I want to go back now that my skill level has increased & my tiny nuts got a little bit bigger. I still have dreams about the first section running down the ridge.

Tsali is fun, but as said before, is nothing like Pisgah. In Pisgah we pushed alot & we had gears. We are not used to the long ass climbs.

this site has some good info on some popular trails... http://www.mtbikewnc.com/bestrides/brrides.html But the locals know all the primo spots...like Kitsuma.

you will have a blast.


OH YEAH-as far as camping just look for the little tent signs & set up camp. We had an awesome site around NO ONE by this beautiful creek (avery maybe)...I could have lived there.

 

[kidwoo]

Why are all the trails that have been xc trails for years now becoming "DH shuttle" trails? The same thing is happening out here. Trails that have always involved a climb now have people pushing 45lb bikes to them from a truck. I guess I'm showing my age here but am I the only one that still uses a front derailleur? NC is a little different in that big bikes don't make sand like they do in Tahoe but jeez. I'm starting to think I'm the only one with a DH bike that also goes for bike rides that don't involve driving.

Oh well rant over. I live on the west coast now. I'll keep my nose out.

 

[biggins]

Why are all the trails that have been xc trails for years now becoming "DH shuttle" trails? The same thing is happening out here. Trails that have always involved a climb now have people pushing 45lb bikes to them from a truck. I guess I'm showing my age here but am I the only one that still uses a front derailleur? NC is a little different in that big bikes don't make sand like they do in Tahoe but jeez. I'm starting to think I'm the only one with a DH bike that also goes for bike rides that don't involve driving.

Oh well rant over. I live on the west coast now. I'll keep my nose out.

hey man i have double rings on the front of my dh bike!

either way pushing/carrying/riding your dh rig up those switch backs is still a work out and to top it off i have riden my old 47 pound foes dhs tube with an 8 speed rear and 42 tooth up that road before so :eviltongu

and yes TN you are correct, avery creek, forest rd number 477. but if you are around boone the best place to camp is on the forest roads around edgemont.

 

[bizutch]

hey man i have double rings on the front of my dh bike!

either way pushing/carrying/riding your dh rig up those switch backs is still a work out and to top it off i have riden my old 47 pound foes dhs tube with an 8 speed rear and 42 tooth up that road before so :eviltongu

and yes TN you are correct, avery creek, forest rd number 477. but if you are around boone the best place to camp is on the forest roads around edgemont.

Kitsuma is closed...closed forever. No one can ride it ever again. Forget you heard of it and move on!!! It's all grown up with briars and the trails are booby trapped with fishing line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mumble: :mumble: :mumble: :mumble: :mumble: :mumble: :mumble: :mumble:

 

[biggins]

you are not allowed to ride kitsuma on a hardtail either. they are issuing $250 fines for it.

 

[cali4niabiker]

Pppppfffffttt. I'd pony up $250 if the trail is smoking awesome. Something along the lines of San Juan Trail (fav. spot is the rocky section - Trabuco Trail), Jesusita, or Rumas (spelling? or sounds like that). BTW, Rumas is in Santa Barbara. That trail kicks some ass!

Yeah, we'd end up making things worse if it is actually closed... some locals may get pissed off. Oh well.

 

[Sideways]

lol thats why we shuttle it so we dont have to climb that fire road.

That's lame. Real lame.

 

[T-Pirate]

That's lame. Real lame.

I wouldn't know...I STILL haven't ridden kitsuma. Shuttling is pretty stupid if you aren't doing multiple runs, but if you are doing a couple, then I think shuttling is real fun.

 

[Sideways]

I wouldn't know...I STILL haven't ridden kitsuma. Shuttling is pretty stupid if you aren't doing multiple runs, but if you are doing a couple, then I think shuttling is real fun.

The pedal back is butter and takes the same time that it does to set shuttle.
The problem here lays in the wa-hoo's who are digging up the trail towards the bottom.....who are definitely of the all-thrill/no-skill shuttleing sort.
If you've watched the decline of Kitsuma trail over the years, you'd have to agree that the situation is nothing short of depressing.

 

[bizutch]

The pedal back is butter and takes the same time that it does to set shuttle.
The problem here lays in the wa-hoo's who are digging up the trail towards the bottom.....who are definitely of the all-thrill/no-skill shuttleing sort.
If you've watched the decline of Kitsuma trail over the years, you'd have to agree that the situation is nothing short of depressing.

decline of the trail? somebody call the Whaaammmbulance.

 

[me89]

dude were just lazy and hate climbing fire roads its so damn boring and i would be more than willing to do more than one run on it but i ride with guys who dont want to do more than one. ohh and were LAZY LAZY LAZY dh riders.

 

[Jeremy R]

Yeah, I have to admit.
I would feel guilty rocking out a shuttle on Kitsuma.
It's just too nice.
Plus, its perfect for a trail bike, and that is all you really need on it.
The climb out is easy, and pushing a DH rig to the top of it would suck.
That said, I could take my DH bike down it, and do a whole lot less damage to the trail than some dude on an XC race bike dragging his brakes all the way down.
All this talk about trailriding has me drooling.
You can't beat Pisgah in the fall.

 

[profro]

You can't beat Pisgah in the fall.

I'm going to join ya.

 

[Jeremy R]

I'm going to join ya.

Seriously, you need to.
I ain't gonna touch the DH bike after the Windrock race,
and I can show you a ton of trails in Pisgah.

 

[kidwoo]

dude were just lazy and hate climbing fire roads its so damn boring and i would be more than willing to do more than one run on it but i ride with guys who dont want to do more than one. ohh and were LAZY LAZY LAZY dh riders.

If you can't climb that flat ass paved road back to the trailhead then yes, you are lazy. And I'd be willing to bet I can ride down that trail faster on my xc bike than my dh bike.

The point sideways and I are making is that there are places for DH bikes. Trails that have existed as xc trails for years get hammered by people who don't have the decency to learn how to ride a bike with less than 8 inches of travel worth a damn. Riding DH well takes both fitness and skill but the truth is, any fatass with a few grand to spend can ride one. Unskilled riders with big tires and big brakes fvck up trails like nothing else. Kitsuma is one of the funnest trails I've ridden back east and it sucks when it gets treated as a DH run. And seriously, you know it takes a lot of driving to get to the end of that trail. Just get a regular mountain bike and climb the damn thing. It will do the lifespan of you and the trail a lot of good. There are lots of people in the world who like riding bikes in evironments that don't mimic ski hills. Again, I don't even live on the east coast anymore but the problem is pretty much nationwide in the mtb community. Just ask the guys in pheonix or downieville. Getting a trail like Kitsuma known as a "DH run" will destroy it.

I don't know how you or your friends handle your big bikes so I realize it's not fair to attack you but try to understand my point. The truth is, more and more people are getting into "mountain biking" through big travel bikes and not taking the time to learn how to ride them without destroying the terrain they need to enjoy them on. And you know what? .....That's fine on trails designed to be DH runs. Not so much on trails that have been around for years and stayed in relatively good condition.

 

[me89]

well i will deffinatly agree with you on the trailbikes at kitzuma. friend rode a 02 gt idrive 1.0 on it and made every switch back and smoked dh. and had no prob.

well since theres so much love toward pisgah riding i think i might have to tell you guys about a little camping trip were takin in october after the fallen leaves and when its nice and cool if you can find us you are more than welcome to join. guys from g-vegas are comming and my xc crew on comming. i will have my sgs team dh done and my dh crew will be there as well. so good luck finding us. and when i find out what campground were at ill let you know.

 

[profro]

I'm going to build up that ASX as a 5" F/R trail bike with dual rings up front. I can't decide on a front fork. Fox RLC or a Z.1...

But since I am going to the National Championships, I won't be able to get her built until October.

 

[me89]

paved what the hell are you riding that is a rocky ass fire road with ruts and some pretty hard climbs on it and with a dh bike with 8 inches in the rear with 7 up front with a super t and about 45 lbs of bike it becomes a bitch of a climb if there was a flat paved road to ride i would be more than happy to ride back to the trail head. i think you need another trip up here if you ask me.

 

[me89]

we wont be going till the 15th so if you can get her done by then come join in on the festivities.

get the z.1 good freeride fork with a little bit more travel than the rlc. and i think its a coil right. but its up to you.

 

[kidwoo]

paved what the hell are you riding that is a rocky ass fire road with ruts and some pretty hard climbs on it and with a dh bike with 8 inches in the rear with 7 up front with a super t and about 45 lbs of bike it becomes a bitch of a climb if there was a flat paved road to ride i would be more than happy to ride back to the trail head. i think you need another trip up here if you ask me.

Like I said before, I haven't been there in about 4 years. Last time I rode it was summer 2000. But everything I said is still relevant. And regardless of the condition of the pavement/dirt whatever, it's not that hard of a climb...........on anything that's not a full blown dh bike. If that's the only bike you've got, then hey by all means ride it wherever you want. If the point I'm trying to make is completely out in left field to you then don't worry about it. I'm easy to ignore. Nobody can make you ride a small bike.

I'm just tired of watching so many good xc rides go to sh!t because mountain biking now involves a truckride to the top.

 

[me89]

dude i love xc rides on my xc bike not dh rides on them i see that as a dh hike a bike trail. so thats how i see if you want to climb the road climb it if i dont then i wont.

if you can come up and we can take you on a ride cause you need to ride it again its well worth it as you know. i will be more than happy to take you with my crew.

 

[kidwoo]

dude i love xc rides on my xc bike not dh rides on them i see that as a dh hike a bike trail. so thats how i see if you want to climb the road climb it if i dont then i wont.

Fair enough.

 

[me89]

Fox RLC or a Z.1...

you could get the z.1 sl. best of both worlds.

 

[punkassean]

Pppppfffffttt. I'd pony up $250 if the trail is smoking awesome. Something along the lines of San Juan Trail (fav. spot is the rocky section - Trabuco Trail), Jesusita, or Rumas (spelling? or sounds like that). BTW, Rumas is in Santa Barbara. That trail kicks some ass!...

Rumas?

Never heard of that one, do you mean Romero Canyon? Is this trail on the front side or in the back country?

Nothing wrong with a lil' shuttling here and there especially when you are a guy who's been climbing since well before most people ever thought of the concept of shuttling. Probably because there were no true "DH bikes" and "long-travel" bikes got a FULL 3" front and rear! I still "earn my turns" way more than 75% of the time, but I do love to shuttle now and again.