I took the new bike out for it's first romp this past Friday on one of the local trails. The thing climbs like mad... it's awesome! I cleared some technical obstacles that I've never done before, which was a great feeling.
The most difficult is a rock shelf about 24" high that has just enough angle to it that you can ride it up. It is in a tight, singletrack area with a sharp, slightly uphill left turn just before, so it's difficult to get any momentum. Going through the turn, you have do drop into Granny Gear and spin like crazy. The rock levels off as it turns to the right, and just over a bike's length more, rises again about 5". Then there is another sharp right on top of the huge rock, and a steep, rocky descent down through smaller rocks. After that, another bike length and another steep 12" drop.
Felt so good that I cleared it I was yelling like crazy. If there was anyone else out there, I'm sure they thought I was a nutcase. I was so pumped that on my return loop, I did the whole thing in reverse, which I had never ridden backwards at all... and cleared it! After the ride, I stopped off at the map at the trailhead and noticed the route was considered "difficult." Man, it felt great! Wish I had someone there to witness it!
I'm curious, though. Do any of you try multiple times to clear an obstacle if you don't succeed the first time? I do. There were some that I cleared the first time and others I didn't clear but knew I could do. So I went back and tried again and again until I got it right. Anyone else do this, or do you wait for the next time you ride that area.
I was riding alone, and the trails were absolutely deserted. If I were with a group and they kept going, I'd obviously get back on after the obstacle and keep up. And if it were peak riding hours, I wouldn't.
The most difficult is a rock shelf about 24" high that has just enough angle to it that you can ride it up. It is in a tight, singletrack area with a sharp, slightly uphill left turn just before, so it's difficult to get any momentum. Going through the turn, you have do drop into Granny Gear and spin like crazy. The rock levels off as it turns to the right, and just over a bike's length more, rises again about 5". Then there is another sharp right on top of the huge rock, and a steep, rocky descent down through smaller rocks. After that, another bike length and another steep 12" drop.
Felt so good that I cleared it I was yelling like crazy. If there was anyone else out there, I'm sure they thought I was a nutcase. I was so pumped that on my return loop, I did the whole thing in reverse, which I had never ridden backwards at all... and cleared it! After the ride, I stopped off at the map at the trailhead and noticed the route was considered "difficult." Man, it felt great! Wish I had someone there to witness it!
I'm curious, though. Do any of you try multiple times to clear an obstacle if you don't succeed the first time? I do. There were some that I cleared the first time and others I didn't clear but knew I could do. So I went back and tried again and again until I got it right. Anyone else do this, or do you wait for the next time you ride that area.
I was riding alone, and the trails were absolutely deserted. If I were with a group and they kept going, I'd obviously get back on after the obstacle and keep up. And if it were peak riding hours, I wouldn't.
