[Bullitrider]

I've been living in close proximity to some of the best built trails am only now starting to see the light. Went to Fromme this weekend and had a blast. It was my first time there and I'm still wondering why. Here's some pics of the ride. Not sure but I think we did Upper Oilcan to Ladies Only to Lower Oilcan. It rocked!

 

[Bullitrider]

Here's some more.

 

[Bullitrider]

A couple more...

 

[caputo1989]

Looks Cold. But sweet.

 

[largextracheese]

You forgot to thank your guide. The pics look good. It's hard to get good pics in those low light conditions. I had a great time. That snow was actually pretty cool. It did hinder some of the stunt riding, but not much. Thinking about ripping those trails is a fine way to fall asleep at night. Is that all the pics? You know I'm a pic wh*re Mike. Thanks for posting. Next time I'll show you more goodies to plunder!!!

 

[largextracheese]

I now see the cause of Erin's slide into home base in his last pic. His rear wheel has an anchor attached to it. Damn that was funny!!

 

[Gex]

I <3 fromme such a good time i need to go back. woh large ur in sammamish? holla at a local brother

 

[fattyfat1]

yo gonna take me next time mikey? all i gotta ask is which bike, fatty fat or stinky?

 

[largextracheese]

Hey Gex. We've pehaps met before. I did run into somebody who lives in Redmond at PA last time. The Aqua Blue/green Nicolia's? Probably not you. Where are you at?

 

[largextracheese]

We actually rode upper oilcan to ladies, upper and lower. We were kinda talking about bike setup for up there. I personally liked having the bigbike (Bighit + shiver) up there. My bike is 49lbs and it can be a workout, but at Fromme the climb isn't too steep and I was able to ride most of the way with a few stops. Jason was on his AC! with a Sherman and we swapped on the way up to feel the difference. I was more than happy to trade for the AC1 on the way up, but on the way down, some of those steep rooty sections, I was loving the bigfork and extra stability. I'd say bring the bike you're most comfortable on. These trails force you into being one with the bike. Balance and confidence are the keys here. Damn fun place...

 

[Bullitrider]

Large: Those aren't all the pics but some of the better ones. I just tried to get everyone in with a variety of spots rather than everyone in the same spot.

Fatty: The Stinky should be good. It's hard to carry speed when you're navigating the roots, rocks and planks. Especially in the snow. Can't wait until it's dry! (relatively)

 

[Big B]

Bruised thigh, sore right shoulder, strained left shoulder blade, bruised right knee and scattering of nickel sized chunks outta my full face, busted cell phone, busted camera...yup, it was definately one of the best rides of my life so far!
Thanks for the guide Chad! I can't wait to get back up there. Awesome pics Mike! Those rollercoaster ladders look great.

 

[Big B]

... which bike, fatty fat or stinky?

I would highly recommend 7"+ front and back on whatever rig you choose to ride. :dancing:
Ladies Only really put the smack-down on the ol' AC1 (5" front, 6" back). :nuts:

 

[largextracheese]

That's a funny post. BigB, you definitely represented, but sounds like you payed the price. I have a few scrapes, but nothin' major. The sound of armor bouncing off rocks is what sticks in my mind....

 

[Gex]

No im on the Platue i ride a blue dhr and 243 hardtail with a talas on the front. Hit me up with a pm if u ever wanna ride 27.

 

[seand]

you dont need that much travel for fromme!! I did just fine on a hardtail with 6" up front for an entire season on fromme. i actually found a bigger bike to be a hinderance. its not fast gnarly downhill, but slow techie riding..the more you can navigate the better...

there are only a couple places where having lots of travel comes in handy, and that is because of the nasty lack-o-tranny not because of the actual terrain.

my 243+slider was the perfect combo for fromme...when i switched over to my 7/7 fully, fromme suddenly became a monsterous workout...i recommend a lighter bike, but then again, some think you need a whistler rig for SST...ride whatever you are comfy with, but dont think you NEED lots and lots o' travel.

the climb up is easy...nobody should have to walk that climb unless they have no gears

ladies only is fun...lower ladies can do some damage to any bike with some of the lines you can choose...the only trail i would say you need oodles of travel on is gmg...

 

[Big B]

you dont need that much travel for fromme!!

That's 'cause your 26...just a young buck.
Just kidding, I know everybody's different. To each their own. Personally, I would like a nice 7-n-7 rig, but my AC1 with the Slider will do nicely until the headtube is ovalized beyond repair.

 

[seand]

funny you mention that about your ac1...a friend of mine just sent his back to giant for warrenty...cracked headtube and ovalized BB made for a bad day at cypress....now cypress is a place i would say more travel the better...

id take a 7/7 bike on fromme if it weighed something less than 35 pounds...as much as i like doing laps on fromme with 40+ pounds o' bike, its much easier with a 30lb hardtail and multiple rings

 

[ChainWhip]

Nice pics - thanks for sharing... I remember the best I've ever had it on CBC was in blizzard conditions: The trail was like sandpaper! Absolutely mint...

 

[Big B]

funny you mention that about your ac1...a friend of mine just sent his back to giant for warrenty...

Good luck with that. The local Giant rep and the main warranty dude at Giant refused to warranty my headtube (1.5 years old and I have the sales receipt). They just gave me some inserts to convert it to a regular headset. And to think I was going to buy a Faith... :angry: not any more!

I would love to hear how your friend's warranty issue is resolved. Keep me posted if you can remember.

 

[seand]

oh, giant took ownership of the issue and is sending him a new framset to make good on his broken one. But he went through giant canada, not giant usa...probably made the difference huh?

 

[Big B]

I guess I'll have to ride mine until it cracks, then try the Canadian route.
I'm happy for your friend, that's how it is supposed to work!

 

[cove rider]

i need to find out were this fromme is and go their

 

[fattyfat1]

thanx for the input! the fatty fat has an avy and a shiver, and weighs 50 lbs. tons of travel, 10 and tree-quarter inches in the rear. mikey calls it the leveler! purty much ride over or through anything. i would be more comfortable on my 6" stinky because of the "flickability". nice stiff front end but the fork is stock drop off triple that is harsh as hell over small bumps. fatty is definetely better in the big drop department, but kind of a slug to manuever. i will try bigger stuff on the fatty, but i can jump and ride slow technical stuff better on the stinky. any other input you guys have is greatly appreciated!

 

[largextracheese]

The Stinky would serve you well. I went up there with EB (Fellow monkey) right after he got his 66 on his stinky. It was serving him well. I saw some guys on Transitions up there too on Sat. Those bikes would serve you well too. I guess a good fork and a slack headangle are really what's important. Hardtail, sure, with a decent fork. I like the big plush machines though. I really just like the feel of a big suishy bike. It partly my gearhead side coming out, and feeling what technology can do. I have a five inch bike that could probably handle that stuff, but at the end of the day, I would be beat up and sore. I don't mind riding SST or the like with either bike. It just depends on my mood. Most of us have made the transition over the yrs' from full rigid to suspension, and I can tell you, I like the suspension, mucho!! It's not about skills, it's about fun, in my mind.

 

[cove rider]

where is fromme?

 

[Bullitrider]

It's part of the North Shore. We took the truck route, sidestepping the Blaine crossing, on hwy 15 N to hwy 1 W. Take the Mountain Highway exit and you're right there.

Hey Large, FattyFat and I are thinking about hitting it again this weekend. What do think? Anyone else?

 

[fattyfat1]

i agree! mucho travel does rock. with armour you feel like you can jump off anything! oh you are gonna hate me for saying this......... i feel that in a lot of situations, the fatty has too much travel. oh god did i just say that out loud? is too much travel even possible?

 

[largextracheese]

Do not say such filthy things!!! I can't. Damn!!!

 

[Bullitrider]

That sucks. :nuts: This time I'm gonna be prepared.

 

[seand]

i cased a couple of the gaps on airsupply and wished i had more travel i also wished i had more travel one of the times i hit the sideshow stepdown gapper last summer after the tranny got mashed up...it was painful

if you are just running the "tourist" gauntlet on fromme (7th, krikum, UOC, Ladies, Espresso, etc) then go for a lighter bike...if you are hitting up some of the others - starfish, groovula, water tower gapper trail, gint, gmg - you may want to save your legs and bum and bring up more squish


cove - fromme is on grouse mountain.

 

[largextracheese]

Sean, what is you're favorite loop. This is something I'm curious about. I was scanning the map, and I've rode most of the "tourist trails", as well as pink starfish and I think, Digger last yr. I'd like to start checking out the other lines.
Grannies looks cool. What others do you recommend? I really like Ladies upper and lower. I've yet to hit espresso too. Spill the beans my friend.....

 

[gooch]

Hey Large, FattyFat and I are thinking about hitting it again this weekend. What do think? Anyone else?

Are you going up Sat or Sunday???

 

[Bullitrider]

Don't know yet. Maybe Sat.

 

[seand]

Sean, what is you're favorite loop. This is something I'm curious about. I was scanning the map, and I've rode most of the "tourist trails", as well as pink starfish and I think, Digger last yr. I'd like to start checking out the other lines.
Grannies looks cool. What others do you recommend? I really like Ladies upper and lower. I've yet to hit espresso too. Spill the beans my friend.....

im not telling! stay off my trails!!!


j/k


it really depends who i am riding with...if its a complete newcomer to fromme, i may head down 7th to the bottom...or if they are comfy with their riding, UOC on down....

i like to take a few different loops...

-for a truely epic loop: executioner or bitches brew->bp->back up
-for the long haul: squeaky elbow/walk in the clouds (used to be awesome)->bookwus/UOC/circus->starfish->groovula->lower boundary/lower digger/lower crippler
-for the most intimate 'get lost in the woods' experience: all the way up to gmg and down

we were planning a trip to fromme this past weekend, but it was gross out and we stayed local and built...next time we go you are more than welcome to come...not sure what we will do though...

i think id like to go for another full triple-crown day though...
a lap on fromme->a couple laps on cypress->2 laps on seymour->a pub for a couple hours of shooting the **** with everyone about the carnage from the day...summer provides the best-est-est riding

 

[largextracheese]

Ok, but what do you consider you're favorite trail up there?

 

[seand]

when dry, espresso flows nicely...same with groovula...

i love bitches brew...and a walk in the clouds used to always make my day...until dan gave up on it

i used to love watching people fall off the skinny lines on whatchamacallit before it was decommed....

my favs..
starfish, circus, bitches, groovula, espresso, gmg

 

[cove rider]

i would go but i will be in moab hahahahahahaha

 

[largextracheese]

Moab over the Shore? We should be the ones laughing my man!

 

[Fire Rider]

Man those pics made my fingers hurt all over again! Next time I'm filling my camelback with SHC (special hot chocolate, with a kick!) . Thank again for the tour Mr. Cheese. I met up with Aaron on Sun and that boy was sore.