New Whip? New toys for the dependable steed?
- Thread starter mykel
- Start date
Got rid of my Trail Pistol awhile back before GG's stock tanked. Scored a V1 Druid for half off before they dropped the V2.
I genuinely didn’t mean to do that - hadn’t even realised I had! I don’t love Schwalbe but got nothing particular against them..!
Tasty build right there, nice one!
How's it ride?
keen to hear what you think.
Tasty build right there, nice one!
It's been great so far. Large part of my decision to go with the Druid was long chainstays. I really liked how the GG rode in Gnarvana mode with the longer stays vs the Pistol(a) mode w/the shorter stays, but riding around my local trails w/160mm was def. overkill. I instantly felt better/more centered(duh) off jumps with the Druid. It gobbles up rough terrain just as you would expect. Took me some time to get my timing re-calibrated to pop off trail features and be less of a passenger on the bike when going fast. Yeah, it's not a super active bike, but when you get used to it and dial in the shock settings it's still relatively easy to move around. That being said I didn't realize how sensitive this bike is to shocks (it might just be me?). I could not for the life of me get the Kitsuma Air to work as good as the Ohlins TTX2(I think) air that it came with. Just recently swapped over the Bomber CR Coil (had it rebuilt and re-tuned for the Druid before swapping) to play with that, still have to dial it and then I'll decide if I like it better than the Ohlins (I can say it's def. better than the Kitsuma). I am able to get full travel with the coil vs the Ohlins which I have yet to get full travel even with it under-inflated for a bit (bad shock pump), seems like all that progression at the end of the stroke built into the linkage will slightly(talking like 2-3mm of stroke) limit your travel with an air shock. Yeah drag is noticeable, shifting was kinda shitty with the stock e13 guide, much better with the MRP guide. I did break a chain link by hulk pedaling in way too hard of a gear uphill. Haven't really had issues with dropping chains. OK that's enough run-on sentences/paragraph for one day
I think that's String lake, but I'm not sure.
But holy Hannah .
But holy Hannah .
But holy Hannah .
How heavy do those Kodiak grizzlies get, JM?
(I know that’s pretty far from you)
(I know that’s pretty far from you)
That's probably what that max weight is from.
Apparently the california ones were kodiak-ish size. Before the progressive golden state killed them all.
Either way, they're all about this size in my mind
Agreed. I haven’t run into a Grizzly while riding here in 26 years, but with the success of the Grizzly protection, they are basically in our entire trail area. Huge change. It’s really a matter of time until I do, I have started carrying bear spray more and more.
That is reason #1 I don't live in Helena right now. I've got a job there waiting for me if I want it.
I spend way too much time alone in the woods by myself. Those things skurrr me. I've seen 3 out in the woods in my life....all in montana, and nowhere near jellystone.
So are we talking about a 700lb Jellystone bear or did you change that goalpost? But the heaviest typical bull moose is more like 1500. Dangerous as F. Got charged by a small one just a week ago and F-me, you can't get out of the way fast on those goddam hok skis.
Me too. I like trambling around in the woods, off trail, and usually alone for hours. And usually at dusk. it gets…spooky.
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Every brown bear I ever met either ran like a scared kid or straight did not give a fuck about my presence.
not what your instagram story says
sure those weren't black bears (sometimes colored brown)?
they chickinz
Naw they was YNP griz bears. We interacted with 13 different bears in 8 weeks. The bison were the dangerous critters.
This was one that didn't care one bit about us...
The three I've seen in the extra-park environment were the same. One in particular had been staring at me for god knows how long before I saw it.....like 40 ft away from me. And I had food in my hand.
It's just when they decide they do care that gets me. Because sometimes they do.
If you wake one up, find one eating, or find yourself around cubs - your basically toast. Also, every YNP bear attack has been groups of 1 or 2 - no party of 3 or more has ever been attacked.
Bison are scary but not really out in nature. The moose though are thick in places and they are stubborn as it gets.
Bison are scary but not really out in nature. The moose though are thick in places and they are stubborn as it gets.
A couple of friends of mine were on a night ride and came across a deer that was down in the middle of the trail, bit on the neck and bleeding out but not dead yet. They didn't see the mountain lion but it had to have been right there. I'm glad I missed that one.
We consistently run into howling monkeys and a couple of red foxes in our evening rides down here. They seem to have a pretty consistent schedule, which is crazy, because every Saturday at 6.30 PM the foxes would be at the same spot in the trail.
However, my scariest run into had to be that time this past winter, sunset time, when a 400 kg wild boar jumped into the trail in front of me and just led me for like 50-60 meters, maybe 5-6 meters ahead of me, before it could find an opening in the dense bushes to run away. I immediately ran into a bunch of 10-15 trail runners who were doing the trail in the opposite way, and all I could think of was the boar bashing into them hadn't it found that opening.
However, my scariest run into had to be that time this past winter, sunset time, when a 400 kg wild boar jumped into the trail in front of me and just led me for like 50-60 meters, maybe 5-6 meters ahead of me, before it could find an opening in the dense bushes to run away. I immediately ran into a bunch of 10-15 trail runners who were doing the trail in the opposite way, and all I could think of was the boar bashing into them hadn't it found that opening.
Over the years have seen three mountain lions, several bear, and one moose.
The moose was more terrifying by far. Huge and very close. I kept slow and quiet while getting sime distance.
I see a lot of moose snowmobiling in northern Maine. They use the trails to move around when the snow is too deep. Only been charged once. Luckily she got within about ten feet and stopped and darted into the woods. Scary as fuck.
I saw a potential Darwin Award contestant try to walk up and pet a black bear in Whistler. Home boy got about 10 feet from the bear with his hand out and the thing turned around, stared at him and stood up. Dude decided to back the fvck off.
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Flip flop approved....was too anxious so my reeds and i went and did a quick hit..pulled my back before hand today, didn't give me any crap goofing off.
Figure goes up to 6' so the truck will get.jumped in next few weeks...
Figure goes up to 6' so the truck will get.jumped in next few weeks...
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Why YES, YES I am...it is a write off and so will be either a foam pit or airbag