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Northstar + hardtail + I'm a hack = ?

Biscuit

Turbo Monkey
Feb 12, 2003
1,768
1
Pleasant Hill, CA
Everything there can be ridden on a hardtail. It's just slower and a bit more technical.

If you want to be able to plow and go fast, you should rent.
 

bdamschen

Turbo Monkey
Nov 28, 2005
3,377
156
Spreckels, CA
That brings up a good question, if he should rent, where's the best place to do it at?

Cheese- I think I may have talked Kate and Nixon into going too, so they could also be renting.
 

Total Heckler

Beer and Bike Enthusiast
Apr 28, 2005
8,171
189
Santa Cruz, CA
I would rent a bike for sure. I have done it on a hardtail and my buddy did for years. It is totally do-able. But WAY more fun on a full suspension. There was a small shop in Auburn right near the Safeway there that my buddies ended up having great luck with for rentals. Cheaper and significantly less beat bikes than Northstars rentals.
 

bdamschen

Turbo Monkey
Nov 28, 2005
3,377
156
Spreckels, CA
Heh, negative on the prophet. There's no way it would survive thing horrible things you would do to it at northstar... I just got that sus dialed for me.

Auburn huh?
 

IVCrider

Chimp
Jun 24, 2006
85
0
In Traffic
Theres a good shop to rent from in Truckee right by Safeway, called cyclepaths. They rent some rm rmx's that ae better quality and cheaper than n*'s rentals.
 

J_B

Monkey
Sep 20, 2004
849
0
In My '09 WRX STI
I would rent a bike for sure. I have done it on a hardtail and my buddy did for years. It is totally do-able. But WAY more fun on a full suspension. There was a small shop in Auburn right near the Safeway there that my buddies ended up having great luck with for rentals. Cheaper and significantly less beat bikes than Northstars rentals.
Auburn Bike Works....
 

bdamschen

Turbo Monkey
Nov 28, 2005
3,377
156
Spreckels, CA
Sounds good.

Looks like cycle paths has bullits all day for $75 or northstar has faiths for the same price. Someone told me there were places to rent glorys and sundays (probably not the same shop). Anyone know if there is any truth to that rumor?
 

djjohnr

Turbo Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
3,001
1,693
Northern California
A buddy of mine rocked his single speed down Sticks, Dogbone, and Karpiel - with a rigid fork running DH wheels/tires.

He didn't go that slow either.
 

ryanxj

Chimp
Apr 27, 2006
78
0
A buddy of mine rocked his single speed down Sticks, Dogbone, and Karpiel - with a rigid fork running DH wheels/tires.

He didn't go that slow either.



Rigid? :crazy: On opening weekend I saw a guy taking a singlespeed hardtail with what looked like a 4" fork down Karpiel- and NO front brakes!

Ive ridden a hardtail up there before and it is all good for maybe the first couple of runs but after that you start getting beat up and if you thought your arms got tired on a dh bike, well then......good luck :)
 

IVCrider

Chimp
Jun 24, 2006
85
0
In Traffic
I brought my friend on a p3 down dog bone(the entire way) and he managed to do it fine. I did have to wait a while at the bottom for him though.
 

Low_b

Monkey
Mar 27, 2002
213
0
Them thar Foothills
Right.

Which exhibits the point of my original post.

Maybe you CAN ride everything at northstar on a hardtail.


But why the hell would you want to?
Not everyone is a rich kid who can afford 3-4 thousand dollar bike.
We roll with what we have.

Hope you dont fall off your high horse buddy.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Not everyone is a rich kid who can afford 3-4 thousand dollar bike.
We roll with what we have.

Hope you dont fall off your high horse buddy.
Eat my butt dimwit.

You don't know my financial situation and you obviously have no clue what I prioritize in my life. If you haven't figured it out, bikes fall into that realm. You seem to have some misconception on my age as well.


There's also an expectation of reality when someone asks a question regarding the best tool for the job. As someone who actually owns a dh bike and rides up there on one, how do you expect me to take you seriously?

Yeah you can ride a hardtail all over northstar but my participation in this thread started with the comment that you can ride EVERYTHING at northstar on a hardtail. And yeah you can..........and you increase your chances greatly of leaving in an ambulance.

Here's the thread title

Northstar + hardtail + I'm a hack
Sounds like some reservations about his current ability. So.....what's the responsible thing to do? Tell someone 'oh yeah sure, go ride everything there, you'll be fine' Yeah that's brilliant.

But then again I wouldn't expect someone who tries to JB weld their fork together and then beg the company for a replacement to have that strong a grip on logic.
 

Biscuit

Turbo Monkey
Feb 12, 2003
1,768
1
Pleasant Hill, CA
I will PAY you to ride a hardtail top to bottom of dogbone

so that I can film it

And yes I'm serious.
Done it on a P1 and have little desire to do it again.

It was a specific instance that sort of forced me into riding that bike there. But, if you are used to your bike, everything there is rideable on a hardtail. Just not as fast or as fun.

And your right about it increasing your odds of leaving in an ambulance.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Done it on a P1 and have little desire to do it again.

It was a specific instance that sort of forced me into riding that bike there. But, if you are used to your bike, everything there is rideable on a hardtail. Just not as fast or as fun.

And your right about it increasing your odds of leaving in an ambulance.
But you also knew the trails and knew what you were doing.
The offer still stands btw. You deserve beer for willingly doing that.:)

I rode my xc bike down karpiel then lower dogbone a few years ago just to see if I could do it.

I left with a square rear wheel and many holes in my skin.:D

Probably didn't help that I had 'this is normal speed' programmed into my head from riding the dh bike there.

Honestly though, unless you're just going for the multiple laps provided by a chairlift, there are SOOO many good places to ride around here on a smaller bike. I enjoy the xc riding around here as much as I do riding the big bike on the lifts.
 

Kevin G

Chimp
Jul 11, 2007
38
0
Fairfax, CA
So I had my Prophet up there on Saturday and it performed OK. Didn't do any double blacks, but did do Flameout and Gypsy.

Back to the original point of this thread, of course you could ride on any bike but aren't fun and survival important aspects of a trip to the Star?

Being a beginning DHer, I'm forcing myself to earn a DH machine. That said, my Prophet [a "lite FR" bike at best - although great for NorCal trails such as Annadel] has upgraded parts - except suspension - in order to withstand moderate punishment. But I can't wait to be able to enjoy N* with more confidence and speed on a more properly-suited bike. The conditions simply beg for it!

Sweeet
Or I could just borrow your prophet ;)
 

Biscuit

Turbo Monkey
Feb 12, 2003
1,768
1
Pleasant Hill, CA
But you also knew the trails and knew what you were doing.
The offer still stands btw. You deserve beer for willingly doing that.:)

I rode my xc bike down karpiel then lower dogbone a few years ago just to see if I could do it.

I left with a square rear wheel and many holes in my skin.:D

Probably didn't help that I had 'this is normal speed' programmed into my head from riding the dh bike there..
Yea, you kinda need to force yourself to follow someone slower. I've also done it on an xc bike with carbon cranks. Put 2.35 dh tires on it and it wasn't that bad. Actually, as long as you aren't going too fast it's kinda fun riding a light bike there.

*edit* now you've got the bug under my skin wondering if I could make it down on my xc ss-hardtail. I'm betting I could.. just gotta be carefull what you land on.

Honestly though, unless you're just going for the multiple laps provided by a chairlift, there are SOOO many good places to ride around here on a smaller bike. I enjoy the xc riding around here as much as I do riding the big bike on the lifts.
I agree. N* closing was a blessing in disguise for me. Otherwise I never would have been forced to explore and pedal. I've met more cool people and ridden more cool trails in the past two years than in the preceding five.
My current roomate is an ex-Tahoian, so I've met tons of people in the Truckee/Downer area who show me neat stuff.
 

NapalmCheese

Monkey
May 16, 2006
261
0
Los Gatos
Well, the weekend is over, I went to Northstar.

I rented a bike on the mountain, I rode, I crashed, and in the end did not have a positive experience with the rental shop.

The blue trails seem boringish, but the single blacks feel just at or perhaps a little above my skill level. Albeit I didn't explore much. All in all at this point in time, Northstar aint my cup of tea.

Thanks to everyone on here for giving me some insight and your recomendations.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
You're showing your age and maturity right there.

Maybe we should take this up face to face at N* next saturday.
Whatever.

You take it upon yourself to assume I have no reasons for expressing the views I do other than being some spoiled kid who doesn't work for his bikes and that's the reaction you're going to get........because you're so far off the mark it's not even funny.

Actually yes it is.


You've got to be pushing 40 these days and you're challenging me to a confrontation on the internet. Think really hard about that.

In the meantime........you started it! Did too!!
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Well, the weekend is over, I went to Northstar.

I rented a bike on the mountain, I rode, I crashed, and in the end did not have a positive experience with the rental shop.

The blue trails seem boringish, but the single blacks feel just at or perhaps a little above my skill level. Albeit I didn't explore much. All in all at this point in time, Northstar aint my cup of tea.

Thanks to everyone on here for giving me some insight and your recomendations.
With the other thread here now about the rental shop, you've got my curiosity piqued. What happened exactly? Those guys need to be keeping customers, not chasing them to truckee.

Glad you made it out in one piece. Next time you're up, check out some of the non-northstar trail riding around here......it's worth it.......and nothing like northstar.:)
 

Low_b

Monkey
Mar 27, 2002
213
0
Them thar Foothills
Whatever.

You take it upon yourself to assume I have no reasons for expressing the views I do other than being some spoiled kid who doesn't work for his bikes and that's the reaction you're going to get........because you're so far off the mark it's not even funny.

Actually yes it is.


You've got to be pushing 40 these days and you're challenging me to a confrontation on the internet. Think really hard about that.

In the meantime........you started it! Did too!!
Easy...All I said was take it face to face. I didnt say fist to face. But you talk like a big shot with your "I'm better than you" attitude and I want to see if you act the same in person, as you do here. :cheers:

No where did I call you rich boy. I said "not everyone is a rich kid who can afford a 3-4 thousand dollar bike".
You took it upon yourself to assume I was saying you were one. So obviously theres an underlying issue here. Did something I say touch too close too home.?:biggrin: