[canadmos]

This is what I'm struggling with here. They've taken existing trails, and placed useless berms in the fun DH sections and cut off the old lines. All it does is slow the trail down and make it easier to climb up. If anyone voices any objection, they tell us not to be so elitist, or that's what the land manager wants. It's really frustrating, because I don't know what to do... they seem oblivious (impervious/indifferent) to outside opinion.

I guess I could reach out and ask if there's a way to have a dialogue because lots of people seem to be unhappy and are voicing their opinion, but getting slapped down for speaking up.

Yeah its totally frustrating. I've mentioned it to them in the past and the response received is "well come out and build then". Which I can understand that response, but I'd rather spend time maintaining existing trail, than building lame new stuff (which I do).

And the way some of these clubs are structured, there is a huge political aspect to it. It just makes me want to bang my head against the wall.

 

[Bikael Molton]

Part of what’s wrong with legit trail work / advocacy orgs is that they are often run by people who aren’t great riders. This is a generalization, but older, wealthier dudes usually have more time, money and interest in sitting in boring board meetings or meetings with land managers.

That won’t change unless younger, better riders and builders join the orgs, take an active role, and change them from the inside. Bitching at them or complaining after the fact doesn’t help and will work against you.

The “earn your turns” and tentative old school 80s XC mentality is alive and kicking in these groups.

this is why I’ve recently engaged with my local orgs.
You can also easily start your own non-profit and Instagram and get a seat at the table pretty quickly.

it does take a great deal of commitment to understand land managers’ concerns and language, so the more you know about local environmental issues, plants and animals, and what local riders REALLY want will make your effort more effective.
It also helps if you have legit pro-level construction and excavation experience. (I don’t.)

At your local secret DJs or pirate DH trails, the better riders and diggers generally vote with their shovels and run the zone, as you guys know.

 

[toodles]

this. i'm not against berms, i'm against bermkakke.

I am. Fuck berms. Bring back wheel ruts for corners.

 

[buckoW]

Talking about ruts. We just did 3 days of DH testing/training for Worlds in Châtel.

 

[ianjenn]

I'll raise your ruts and give you 1 Joe "Fucking" Strummer in front of a Dirt Jump way before most of you where born....

 

[jstuhlman]

I'll raise your ruts and give you 1 Joe "Fucking" Strummer in front of a Dirt Jump way before most of you where born....View attachment 150082

that clashes with my beliefs, and also, don't you know we're all a bunch of crusty old bastards here?

 

[buckoW]

that clashes with my beliefs, and also, don't you know we're all a bunch of crusty old bastards here?

I’m 42!

 

[sundaydoug]

i'm immediately skeptical of anyone writing about mountain biking on any website

Fixed it for me

 

[toodles]

I’m 42!

Only 42? wow. Must have been a hard life

 

[buckoW]

Only 42? wow. Must have been a hard life

Ha, so hard. Aren’t you only a couple years behind?
Anyways, I try and stay flexible, just in case a good time comes my way disguised as an ebike.

 

[HardtailHack]

If you have a Scott you have to stay flexible, who knows when a shock or pivot bolt will snap?

 

[johnbryanpeters]

If you have a bicycle you have to stay flexible, who knows when a shock or pivot bolt will snap?

FTFY

 

[HardtailHack]

FTFY

Not if it's a hardtail..........and is just a piece of garage jewelry.

 

[toodles]

If you have a Scott you have to stay flexible, who knows when a shock or pivot bolt will snap?

Or front triangle

 

[buckoW]

If you have a Scott you have to stay flexible, who knows when a shock or pivot bolt will snap?

I’d say it’s more the colors that force me to stay flexible.

This is probably more up your alley.

Rocksled Suspension on Instagram: "More or less what the finished bike will look like. Still a few more things to sort out, but should be rolling by the end of the year! "

1,144 likes, 85 comments - rocksled_suspension on September 27, 2020: "More or less what the finished bike will look like. Still a few more things to sort out, but should be rolling by the end of the year! ".

www.instagram.com

 

[buckoW]

Or front triangle

Risking life and limb here!

 

[kidwoo]

Is that what they call the swiss fart release stance?

Cruz if not, now it is.

 

[HardtailHack]

Is that what they call the swiss fart release stance?

Cruz if not, now it is.

I think it is the Canadian surprise.
Hey Terrance, check out my Grim Donut!

 

[Happymtb.fr]

I’d say it’s more the colors that force me to stay flexible

I hope you're not the one deciding the colors of the collections... I could understand if you are colorblind

 

[buckoW]

I hope you're not the one deciding the colors of the collections... I could understand if you are colorblind

I learned how to choose my battles but only after alienating myself a tiny bit.

 

[kidwoo]

I learned how to choose my battles but only after alienating myself a tiny bit.

American desert rat surrounded by euro styling flourescents



I'm giggling a lil bit.

 

[Happymtb.fr]

I learned how to choose my battles but only after alienating myself a tiny bit.

Wise decision!
I might go Dangerholm on my Ransom this winter...

 

[Happymtb.fr]

American desert rat surrounded by euro styling flourescents

Isn't this "thing" American made, by and for?

The Hellatrail: An Abomination

I've been running a Turner DHR with Boxxer 27.5 front for a couple months now, just got back from 3rd trip to mammoth this weekend and can say with absolute certainty that this is a winning set up. HA is just at 62.5, BB raised to a little over 13.5. Maybe i just suck but i really appreciate...

ridemonkey.bikemag.com

/from a tiny bit butthurt euro

 

[kidwoo]

Isn't this "thing" American made, by and for?

The Hellatrail: An Abomination

I've been running a Turner DHR with Boxxer 27.5 front for a couple months now, just got back from 3rd trip to mammoth this weekend and can say with absolute certainty that this is a winning set up. HA is just at 62.5, BB raised to a little over 13.5. Maybe i just suck but i really appreciate...

ridemonkey.bikemag.com

Yes, with the appropriate framing in the thread title.

You guys make that shit and brag about it, and produce some weird ass CAD rendered video in italian that the rest of the world makes fun of.

 

[norbar]

Where‘s that? Sounds great.

Most of the time 27.5 wheels on a Large Ransom and sometimes a medium but the medium feels unstable when I get going faster.

Bali - Went with the Bali Bikepark guys. They are a bit disorganized when it comes to contact but when you ride with them it's pretty cool.

As for the Ransom. I'm 179cm and Went for a Large because I also tried a large reign this year but somehow I had serious trouble with moving around the bike and the steeps on Madeira kinda require that. Something that wasn't a problem on the Reign. Wonder if it's maybe a case of different cockpit setups since the bikes don't have drastically different sizing.

 

[buckoW]

Bali - Went with the Bali Bikepark guys. They are a bit disorganized when it comes to contact but when you ride with them it's pretty cool.

As for the Ransom. I'm 179cm and Went for a Large because I also tried a large reign this year but somehow I had serious trouble with moving around the bike and the steeps on Madeira kinda require that. Something that wasn't a problem on the Reign. Wonder if it's maybe a case of different cockpit setups since the bikes don't have drastically different sizing.

Oh nice! That would be a fun trip.
Carbon or alu front triangle? I run a 40mm stem with a 35mm rise bar to make the bike feel shorter and manual easier. Always a 27.5 rear wheel and I also cut the seat tube to run my seat lower and like that I can get along with the Large size. Full 29 with a low front end is much harder for me to corner and move the bike around while descending.

You can see here how the seat clamp is sitting on the weld. Not recommended to cut the frame but I like the large if i make it feel smaller and lower. I can’t ride super long reach bikes well with the riding techniques I currently possess. Anything above 470mm and I have to hang out, look for mushrooms and wait for the run to be over.

 

[Happymtb.fr]

How tall are you? @buckoW

 

[buckoW]

How tall are you? @buckoW

1.85m.

 

[Happymtb.fr]

1.85m.

I had a Bird AM9 in M/L size with 475mm in reach for my 1.75m. I felt like a passenger most of the time... it felt good when monstertrucking and fast straight lines tho.

I feel like the trend for longer reach starts to go too far and find interesting that you blame your riding skills instead. What do you reckon you need to improve to be able to ride bikes with longer reach?

As I see it, the speed at which we can move our body, and therefore our center of gravity, is limited so that there is a point from which we are no longer able to shift weight fast enough on the longer bikes. I can be wrong and weight shifting is not all there is when cycling...

 

[norbar]

Oh nice! That would be a fun trip.
Carbon or alu front triangle? I run a 40mm stem with a 35mm rise bar to make the bike feel shorter and manual easier. Always a 27.5 rear wheel and I also cut the seat tube to run my seat lower and like that I can get along with the Large size. Full 29 with a low front end is much harder for me to corner and move the bike around while descending.View attachment 150739

You can see here how the seat clamp is sitting on the weld. Not recommended to cut the frame but I like the large if i make it feel smaller and lower. I can’t ride super long reach bikes well with the riding techniques I currently possess. Anything above 470mm and I have to hang out, look for mushrooms and wait for the run to be over.

The Alu 920. You are 6cm taller so Large is easier for u. I'm just trying to pinpoint what caused the difference between the giant and the Scott.

As for Trips - I have a friend who really knows a few african countries well, as well as knowing languages but I just can't convice him to switch from road to be my guide

 

[Gary]

What do you reckon you need to improve to be able to ride bikes with longer reach?

Go faster. Everywhere

 

[toodles]

I had a Bird AM9 in M/L size with 475mm in reach for my 1.75m. I felt like a passenger most of the time... it felt good when monstertrucking and fast straight lines tho.

I've got stupid body geo. Literally the Canyon bike size finder gives me an error when I enter my height and leg length. Stupid short legs and longish torso. I forget the numbers exactly but its basically 175cm and like 78cm inseam?

Anyways, for me longer reach has been awesome. For ages I'd love the reach of Large sizes but the standover and minimum seat height was a killer. Now Mediums have grown to and surpassed the Large reach numbers of a couple years ago.

My first Patrol M was like 432mm reach, then a Kona Process M at 450 (50mm stem, 46 offset), then another Patrol at 450 (45mm stem, 37 offset). I'd still like to run a L at those numbers (closer to 475, maybe too long) but the new Commencal Meta TR punches out a 465mm reach, and the new Kona Process X is 465 and can be run in a mullet config. Things are getting goooood for us Dachshund people.... slowly but surely.

 

[Inclag]

Oh nice! That would be a fun trip.
Carbon or alu front triangle? I run a 40mm stem with a 35mm rise bar to make the bike feel shorter and manual easier. Always a 27.5 rear wheel and I also cut the seat tube to run my seat lower and like that I can get along with the Large size. Full 29 with a low front end is much harder for me to corner and move the bike around while descending.View attachment 150739

You can see here how the seat clamp is sitting on the weld. Not recommended to cut the frame but I like the large if i make it feel smaller and lower. I can’t ride super long reach bikes well with the riding techniques I currently possess. Anything above 470mm and I have to hang out, look for mushrooms and wait for the run to be over.

Any close ups of the seat tube mod? I've oft considered doing something similar.

 

[Happymtb.fr]

I've got stupid body geo. Literally the Canyon bike size finder gives me an error when I enter my height and leg length. Stupid short legs and longish torso. I forget the numbers exactly but its basically 175cm and like 78cm inseam?

Do you also have long arms combined with your long torso?
I am 175cm too, 81cm inseam and +6cm ape index.

Let me know what you think once you had some time on 465mm reach, or more, bikes. I seem to like best reach numbers around 440mm nevertheless I don't have much experience of bikes between 445 and 475...

 

[Westy]

I've got stupid body geo. Literally the Canyon bike size finder gives me an error when I enter my height and leg length. Stupid short legs and longish torso. I forget the numbers exactly but its basically 175cm and like 78cm inseam?

Anyways, for me longer reach has been awesome. For ages I'd love the reach of Large sizes but the standover and minimum seat height was a killer. Now Mediums have grown to and surpassed the Large reach numbers of a couple years ago.

My first Patrol M was like 432mm reach, then a Kona Process M at 450 (50mm stem, 46 offset), then another Patrol at 450 (45mm stem, 37 offset). I'd still like to run a L at those numbers (closer to 475, maybe too long) but the new Commencal Meta TR punches out a 465mm reach, and the new Kona Process X is 465 and can be run in a mullet config. Things are getting goooood for us Dachshund people.... slowly but surely.

 

[djjohnr]

I've got stupid body geo. Literally the Canyon bike size finder gives me an error when I enter my height and leg length. Stupid short legs and longish torso. I forget the numbers exactly but its basically 175cm and like 78cm inseam?

Anyways, for me longer reach has been awesome. For ages I'd love the reach of Large sizes but the standover and minimum seat height was a killer. Now Mediums have grown to and surpassed the Large reach numbers of a couple years ago.

My first Patrol M was like 432mm reach, then a Kona Process M at 450 (50mm stem, 46 offset), then another Patrol at 450 (45mm stem, 37 offset). I'd still like to run a L at those numbers (closer to 475, maybe too long) but the new Commencal Meta TR punches out a 465mm reach, and the new Kona Process X is 465 and can be run in a mullet config. Things are getting goooood for us Dachshund people.... slowly but surely.

Similar proportions here - 179/80. I've enjoyed the longer bike movement overall, however I've found chainstays feeling too long on a few bikes now; could be a result of having a COG farther forward on longer bikes than someone with longer legs (as chainstay length grows in proportion to wheelbase over time).

 

[Toshi]

I, too, am part of the long torso, positive ape index, short-ass legs crew.

425 mm reach initially. 445 mm now on the trailbike. Rented a 470 mm downhill bike iirc and that felt a bit long, but that was a very long and slack bike in many ways.

 

[toodles]

 

[Leafy]

Hey that no shins is offensive. I've got normal proportioned legs, for someone who's 5'2", which on someone who's 5'7" results in the whole +4 ape index and loving the longening of bikes. 170/71 and +10 for you cuntinetial types.

 

[Lelandjt]

you can ship an ebike battery ahead of your trip to your destination, there are regulations and labeling/shipping requirements that must be followed.

That's putting it lightly. Maybe I could find someone licensed to pack and ship a Li-Ion in a city as big as Denver but that's 2 hours away and still a crap shoot. Almost no one is likely to find that service close to home.
I've shipped a large Li-Ion battery at my local UPS store (told them it was bike parts) but that was illegal and it was staying in-country so little chance of being found out.