[jimw]

You know how it is when you decide to spend your hard-earned cash on something like a new bike, and then you can't really talk about it to your family or "normal" friends because they just don't quite get it?

Well, that's where you guys come in...

I used to think big bikes were dumb (I used to think full suspension was dumb too, but have since realized that *I* was dumb). How could you possibly need more than 5, maybe 6 inches of travel, unless you were doing some stupidly large hits or something? *I* certainly would never want to do that!

That all changed after a few recent trips to Whistler and Oregon. I was sold on why big bikes are cool. So I started looking around, but wasn't really finding anything that matched what I wanted or wanted to pay.

Then, through being in the right place at the right time, I found a reason to deplete my "emergency gear fund". My friends and family are going to be bummed when their Christmas present this year consists of just a card!

If any of you know Z at ABS, this was his bike. Totally sweet setup. Obviously killer for going downhill. I got the granny on it so that I can actually pedal it back up on the local trails, and it pedals surprisingly well. You may laugh at the gravity dropper seatpost, but that thing rocks!

Tested it out this weekend on a ride with markk. Finally hit this drop off DC that has been taunting me for a year (BTW, thanks to punkassean for giving me the skinny on how to hit this drop - let off the brakes once you turn into the run-in!):

Totally smooth on the new bike. I think it's a keeper.

Near the bottom of DC, we saw this guy come ripping by on a full-on DH quad:

I recognized his face from somewhere. Then I remembered him from a bike-to-work week tour of the Santa Cruz Bikes facility. His name is Eric, and he does all the frame stress testing and analysis there. Cool guy. I think he was a DH racer before the accident that left him in a wheelchair. Now he's doing the quad thing. Check out that rig - it's got 4 Fox DHX's! He was talking about how he did the quad mountaincross at crankworks this year. Can you imagine 4 of these guys charging down a mtn-x course, trying to knock each other over?!

 

[patineto]

Jim Brilliant post, you capture the spirit of adventure like a few can do, (specially me with the chessy ingles)

thanks so much for the tour with the words and the awesome fotos, specially that fancy quad,, that thing rocks.

Ricardo from berkeley

 

[scurban]

Great Bike, great Post, & a very nice picture of the drop. I'm very impressed!

 

[Total Heckler]

Nice post.

Sick bike!

I'm still working up the guts to hit the drop. I think one of the next times im out there I am going to hit it.

Also, you ran into those guys the run before I met up with them. Eric Lindsley is a freaking awesome guy. I can also see Matt on the big hit and Jamie on the v10. =]


EDIT:
Forgot this story about Eric:
http://www.nsmb.com/trail_tales/factorychair_06_05.php

 

[Tattooo]

What hubs and fork crowns are on that bike? Frigging nice bike!

 

[jimw]

I knew you guys would understand!

Couple notes:

Heckler - Thanks for the link to the story about Eric, that's a great article. Totally consistent with my experience the two times I've talked to him. Cool pics from DeLa BTW. I need to get out there one of these days and hit up that hip. Gotta learn how to do a tabletop one of these days! I'm sure we'll meet up one of these days. That DC drop is actually really smooth. Someone worked on the runout recently and right now it's in prime shape. We ran into another guy on the trail who had apparently been looking for that drop for a while, so I told him where it was. I didn't think he was actually going to hit it, otherwise I would have gone with him or at least told him how fast to go etc. Apparently he tried it, came up short and cased on the root at the top of the tranny, and endoed. That's the main thing to worry about there, so, uh, don't do that. If you go fast enough it's really smooth. "Fast enough" means letting off the brakes as soon as you've made the turn into the short run-in.

Tattoo - Hubs are Hadley; fork crowns are the 888 flat crowns from Risse. Apparently they lower the front end about an inch; makes a big difference in handling.

 

[Scarpa]

Congrats on the new bike Jim! I know the feeling, I just got myself a new bike and it's opened up a whole new world of biking (and pain) to me.

I remember reading your post about Whistler and Oregon, it actually helped me decide to buy a more DJ/freeride type bike and I must have watched your little slalom vid 50 times.

 

[black noise]

That Demo 9 is sooo nice. I was talking to Z about it and he was really bummed to let it go, it's nice to see that someone is getting good use out of it.

 

[jimw]

Scarpa, glad you liked those posts, and congrats on the new bike! BTW, if you like slalom, you have to check out Sand Hill Ranch if you haven't already. They have a nice slalom course. Here's a video of some guys who actually know what they're doing riding it:

http://www.leelikesbikes.com/Stories/113003/SHslalHigh.mov

black noise, I know Z really hated to sell that bike. I see him at the shop a lot, so at least it's kind of "in the family".

In other news, after 3 rides the lower fork crown is messed up. The main bolt that attaches it to the steer tube pushed all the way through the aluminum block. It's a really tiny piece of metal behind the bolt head, seems like a bad design to me. Looks like Risse is going to warrantee it. I wonder if this is a common issue?

 

[Raacerx]

beautiful bike. you will be very happy. especially when you replace that manipoo in the back. changed the bike for me and dropped weight.

 

[jimw]

beautiful bike. you will be very happy. especially when you replace that manipoo in the back. changed the bike for me and dropped weight.

What did you replace it with? Fox DHX? So far the Swinger seems to be working well, but I'm still getting used to it and figuring out all the adjustments.

 

[bikenweed]

Hey Jimw, where is your avatar pic from? If you don't want to tell the world, PM me, I would love to ride some new trails! Sick bike btw, I was stoked on my 8.

 

[scurban]

Hey Jimw, where is your avatar pic from? If you don't want to tell the world, PM me, I would love to ride some new trails! Sick bike btw, I was stoked on my 8.

It's the Perrot's Ferry Bridge Trail in Sonora, CA

 

[jimw]

Been out of town so missed the question bikenweed. Yeah, that's Parrot's Ferry, what a great trail. Might be time for a trip up there again soon. Here's a post from the last time:

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104354

Just dislocated the shoulder snowboarding last week, so might have to stay off the Demo for a bit... damn!