Fresh AIR

This is a solid contender to be my Pacifier. Red 5 left such an indelible mark on me, that all future bikes will be held to it's standard.
We're pretty darn close here. Essentially twins, the Scandium frames behave exactly alike. I made a size switch, from XL to L, because that's how I am.
I noticed that the L frame was more "tossable" but prone to being hung up on larger roots. I am willing to concede that I may have been picking stupid lines tonight. Whenever I test a new bike out, I often find the ugliest thing I can ride across, and hit it square on. It was super muggy in the woods, no air was moving, and as the old timers say "you could eat it with a spoon".
Conditions aside, this bike was at my beck and call at all times. I was able to climb over stuff that I have a suspicion I may not have been able to on Red 5, mainly due to gearing.

~I kept the bike in "6" out of solidarity for my SS brother who rode with me~

I noticed the shorter wheelbase right away. This is not a negative, only an observation. I used to ride a 16" '95 GT Zaskar back in the day. I could put that bike anywhere. I had the same feeling with this set up. It will just take time to adjust.

So, to sum up, AIR 9 kicks ass, especially mine. Crash karma came for me tonight. I actually used my helmet tonight. I managed to fall within sight of the exit in a nasty pile of exposed roots, I can't explain why.

If the weather cooperates (not rain) I'll have a good and detailed report on how this little chicken really behaves in the woods.

A Real Rarity

It's not often that Mandy and I get to ride together these days. Work and child care has a way of really screwing things up when it comes to riding bikes. Responsibility can really suck. The season is so short here in VT, so you have to take every opportunity you can.

With the discovery of some very local, and quite challenging trails, things are improving. No longer are we prey to waiting for group rides. We can ride from home. We can get a serious climb in, flowy singletrack, obstacles, drops, baby heads, log piles, dry creek crossings (more baby heads) and a screaming 45-55 MPH (depending on tires) descent, all in an hour and a half.

And as lame as it seems, there is seamless cell coverage. We can go out solo. If either of us gets hurt, it's 5 miuntes away by car. It is very rare to be able to have challenging trails like this, that are this easy to get to and so close to home.

Mandy rode her EMD, I rode my KM, as I am "between bikes" right now. I had an interesting turn down this rock, as the amount of torque applied to complete the maneuver, actually sent the rear tire right into the left chainstay. The picture is of me sliding, not riding.



I'm a big fan of vertical dropouts, and I will have pictures of the new build this week, and a first ride report. I'm not going to say what it will be yet, you will just have to check back...

Also I will add that what I was wearing tonight was fished out of the clean laundry. It just so happend to be the exact same outfit of the last riding post.

Nueve Salsa El Mariachi

I just took delivery of our first Salsa El Mariachi.
Another 29er offering from the Moto crew, the El Mariachi boasts a True Temper OX Platinum tubeset, matching CroMo fork, and killer looks!
This is a disc only frame, that can be run as a single speed or geared bike thanks to the Bushnell eccentric BB.

Of the two colors available, I picked the Tomatillo Green, which is, well, exactly the same color as a real tomatillo. Or Fresca. Or a margarita....

It makes me thirsty just looking at it.


Tire cleanance is not an issue, I checked the stays with an Exiwolf mounted on a Delgado rim, and there is plenty of room. Hopefully there is adequate clearance for some of these new "fat" 29er tires from WTB and Panaracer that everyone is in a tizzy about.


Sombreros off to the crew at Salsa and their latest contribution to the world of 29ers.
Ole!

Fi-yaaaah!!!

This was the scene today in downtown Waterbury Center.


Quite possibly one of the best fires I've seen, due to the proximity of my business. 3 doors down.


I just missed the electrical lines crackling and fizzing as they shorted out. It was most excellent.


The smoke was so thick, I had to batten down the hatches.
Everything smells like camp fire. My car, my clothes, the tires in the way back of the shop...


The house, well a total loss.


I would guess that old or faulty wiring is to blame, the house is (was) at least 200 years old, albiet run down.

No one was home, a fist fight broke out while the place burned, and someone was arrested.

All in all, quite an exciting day!

Last Ride for Red 5, Bon Jovi Style

Today was a bitter sweet day for me. I took Red 5 out for it's last ride under my control. It will be moving on to other adventures, which kinda makes me a little sad. I have spent the bulk of my off road time on this bike. It handles great, it's light, and it's oh so shiny red paint always makes you look again. I will surely miss it.

I had my Fisher rep in the store today, we took care of some business, and then we rode. This was to be a 29er single speed only ride, which is very cool. The mission, Perry Hill trails.

We only had time to sample a few of the trails that are up there, so we stuck to the ones we knew would be good eye openers for first timers. It had rained pretty hard the night before, so the trail that our group calls "Bloody Alex" was a total nightmare. Lots of slick mossy rocks, big root ball, and some pretty violent transitions. It's half downhill riding, half trials and 100% fun.




































We then looped back to do another loop called "6 Flags", which was in slightly better shape. It's a bit more loamy in there, but there are a few death drops on wet rock. You really have to know when to apply the power, and more importantly the brakes. One false move, and you are sliding.




















We eventually meandered and weaved through the lower sections until we exited the trail system, and took the 4 mile ride back to my house on the road. It was 85, high humidity,and we were all out of water. But boy, what a ride.





Red 5 leaves in a Blaze of Glory.

Exiwolf vs. Ignitor

This is probably one of the most heated debates in 29er land, which one of these tires is better?

It is a question that is just as hard to answer as the chicken and the egg quandary.
While the jury is out on which tire is better, I do have some opinions on each.
Exi or Ignitor?

WTB Exiwolf 2.3
It's a directional high volume tire, with shallow lugs, I'm running the kevlar version.
My first impression was instant love. I have long been a fan of WTB rubber, but I'm always leery of trying anything "new". After running Weirwolfs on my 26ers for many years, I thought Exis would make me just as happy. Though light they are not (around 820g for a kevlar bead tire), they're not a far stretch for someone who was pushing around a 750g 26" tire.
One of the cool things about this tire, is that on a wide rim, they become quite round. There is no transition point form the center knobs to the side knobs, making for a tire that you can really push without that squirmy feeling once you reach the point where the side lugs give up.
Of course, that also means, when you are out of grip, they slide.
They excelled on roots and dry off camber stuff, on wet they slid, predictable however, and regained their grip quickly.
I was also very surprised how well they gripped in the mud despite the shallow lugs, and relatively close tread pattern. They actually throw mud really well, and only spin if you unweight the saddle.
Thumbs up.

Maxxis Ignitor 2.1
Another directional tire, but lower volume. Despite this, the casing is only a bit smaller than the Exi. Tread is ramped, tightly spaced series of pentagons.
Well after spending most of the spring on the Exi, I really needed to be wowed to make a permanent change. Needless to say, I was wowed. The Ignitor rolls fast! And it's quite a bit lighter than the Exi, over 100g in some cases. It is not as high volume as the Exi, but almost the same size when comparing how the tread fills the chainstays.
The grip is all there - to a point. By this I mean, that the profile of this tire is more square, once you compromise the knobs, you slide. This tire exhibits a "tipping point", and also I feel it doesn't have as much traction on actual obstacles the way the Exi does. My first experience on this tire was at Catamount during the weekly race. I felt as if the tire could only be pushed so far before slipping on roots and rocks.
They also don't shed mud as well, but for some reason, they still hang on.
That being said, it is falling into line. Either I am learning, or the tire is breaking in. I am running lower pressure now, and it seems to be making a big difference.
Cool.

So?
Exis - Good all around grip in most conditions, slide controllably when pushed. Kinda heavy, but full of surprises when you think traction is not attainable.

Ignitors - Fast. Good grip. Light. Unpredictable in rooty sections, but extremely able tires in any condition, once you know the limits, they do not disappoint.


Yeah... I didn't really pick one did I?

Can't I just like both of them? Geez, it's almost like picking which one of your kids you like more...

Quality Clothing

I have to give a big shout out to Brent at Twin Six. I was the proud recipient of some much needed wardrobe improvements yesterday.


Design to me is one of the most crucial aspects of, well, anything really. To me, if it isnt thought out well, it will show through in the execution. The designs are simple and clean, the materials are top notch, and the packaging is fantastic. The garment labels double as beer coasters, and each one is different. The logos are clean, and I feel that it captures a classic yet timeless feel, totally inspired by bikes. Beauty is in the details.
Way to go.
I also happen to know that Brent rides a 29er, so that makes him extra cool in my book.

A Good Reason to Ride

Mandy has decided to do the Harpoon Brewery Point to Point ride. It's 110 miles, beginning in Windsor at the brewery, and ends in Burlington. Proceeds go to the Vermont Foodbank.
Details can be found here.
What to ride? Well, a road bike is appropriate, and I choose to look at it as a 29er with poor tire clearance. She'll be fine. We spent quite a bit of time getting her dialed in on her road bike. She has probably put way less than 110 miles on in in the 4 years she's owned it, but now that it actually fits her correctly, she will very easliy be able to acheive her goal.
We are accepting donations. Interested? Contact me at the shop for details on how, 802.244.7330

And now for another charity case. Poor Joe got steamrollered while playing soccer. Normally his feet are quite dainty, now they are purple and black.

Soccer is dangerous.

More 29er Goodness

Today was a very unusual day at the shop.
What started yesterday with a few inbound phone calls, ended up with this:


A customer from Southern Vermont found Bike 29, and with a few conversations throughout the day, we came up with this build. It isn't often that a custom bike materializes in less than 24 hours, but when it does, it's magic. This Dos Niner features the ever popular "Bike 29 Stock Wheelset", probably the best bang for the buck (even if I do say so myself), Reba fork, X9 drivetrain, Juicy brakes etc.
I can't wait for the first post ride phone call. This is his first 29er.


Also, in glowing white, we received an On One Inbred, our first one. This is a very cool frame, made from CroMo, and capable of handling discs or V-brakes, singlespeed and/or geared set ups. Based on the quality of this specimen, we will be seeing a few more of these in the near future. This is a very versatile frame for an amazing price.
Stay tuned for more...

Getting Mobbed

With the weather forcast calling for up to 2" of rain to fall through the night, with the occaisional thunder bumper. Instead of racing at Catamount, I thought today was a good opportunity to check out the Mobbs Hill trail system.

After several days of no rain, trail conditions were perfect. There were only a few wet spots, which I would imagine are always there, and the only real mud we found was right at the end.

It's a good thing we got out early, the skies opened up right after I got home.

I can safely say, that the folks at The Fellowship of the Wheel have been doing a bang up job. These folks maintain this, and several other Chittenden County trail systems.

Helmets off to you all.

We checked out Arcana first, a new trail system, that will be really good once it's worn in.
There were a couple of ugly spots that caused the Magic fork to "POP!", but this is exactly the kind of riding I love to do. A full body workout on a singlespeed.
It 's also a really good way to put any fork through it's paces.
Most of the transitions are short and violent at speed. The fork soaked everything up, and performed better than expected, but I still wished I had the plushness of the Reba. I experienced some pain in the wrists early in the ride.
I added 3 clicks to the IMV setting, increasing the amount of force required to activate the shock, which seemed to help. I was definitely getting full travel again today.

The trails on Mobbs Hill were excellent. There were a lot of exposed rock spines, which are fun to ride on. Having big wheels helps keep your momentum over the hollows and ruts, allowing you to clean sections that render most "small wheelers" working hard to keep up.


There is some very cool Waterbury style rocks to roll down. You definitly come across some cool features, you ride on drainage ridgelines, and down small chutes, always rolling and twisting through the trees.

There are some really old trees out there.

I didn't get any shots of the vintage car graveyard that you weave through on the way out. About 5 or 6 cars from the 40s and 50s are scattered about in the woods, riddled with bullet holes.



This is Vermont after all.





Needless to say, this was way better than racing in the rain.

Numero Dos

Today we finished another cool bike. Another one of our friends has stepped up to a 29er.
I'm not sure if he was feeling inadequate with his small wheels, but the outcome is the same.
One more rolls large.


After fine tuning the cockpit, and getting the last few adjustments dialed, these words were spoken:
"I feel like I am flying. This thing is amazing, I mean, I rode your bike, and that was OK, but this thing is AWESOME!"
Yes, it is awesome, and thanks Randy.
Fly.

First Impressions

I definitely noticed the change in handling. It was a little quicker than I normally like, but not
something I couldn't get used to in a few rides.
The fork definitely works, there is no noticeable fork bobbing when cranking away out of the saddle. The zip tie I put on the stanchion was telling me that the fork was compressing under bump force.
First we climbed out of the lower parking lot, up through a couple of meadows, and up a short singletrack. This is where I noticed the steering change. Much quicker, but not quite twitchy. No complaints with the fork at all in twisty singletrack with the occasional root thrown in there.
When we got to the top, we opted to try out a new trail called TNT.
Needless to say, we all had a blast (ha ha).
It's a new trail, not quite broken in yet, and it is filled with hollows, roots, tight turns, short evil climbs, and descents down sketchy off camber roots.

The perfect testing ground for a fork.

One of the tell tale signs that a fork isn't set up for me is wrist pain and arm pump. While I never experienced either of those symptoms, I had to back of the IMV 3 clicks for a more plush feel during a particularly rough section of trail. I kept it there for the rest of the ride, and noticed the same level of fork performance.
One of the things that struck me, was that this was a noisy fork in certain scenarios. Imagine flying around a corner, and having to go through a large hollow in the trail , followed by roots or rocks on the other side. Speed and gravity will naturally compress the fork as you transition into the hollow, but not this one. It gives a little on the G-out (bottom) but as soon as you hit those roots or rocks on the other side, that valve snaps open.
Not only do you hear it, you feel it. The sensation is not unlike riding with your headset incredibly loose. It make a loud clunk sound. But you are on the other side before you know it.
I'm going to need to fiddle with it some more.
On the way back to the car, we went downhill through the meadows. With speed, they exhibited some ripples, which the fork gobbled up with no movement at the bars.
I had to not stare at the fork. I wanted to see it move.
The zip tie told me I got 89mm of movement. Knowing that White Bros includes the 10mm bottom out bumper as part of the travel, I'd say we are spot on for travel.
I have a few more rides planned this week, where I'll be trying to find the sweet spot in the set up.
Stay tuned.
Ignitors rock too.

Fork Shootout

Boy, this is going to be a tough one.
The match up:
Rock Shox Reba Race 100mm vs White Brothers Magic 100mm

The subject vehicle will be the One 9 (aka Red 5). Having logged several hours with the Reba on some of the best riding this region has to offer, I am going to put the Magic to the test on some of the same trails over the next week or so.


One of my favorite features on the Reba, is the handlebar mounted lockout. It works when you need it, and I have only ever forgotten that it was locked out once. The Dual Air chambers on the Reba are also some of the most versatile on the market.
You can control how plush the fork feels by changing the air pressure in the negative chamber relative the positive one. I have mine set at 95+/95- with the rebound setting 2 full turns back from the slowest position.
It is a very plush fork, with an even feel throughout the travel. I have measured a full 98mm of travel on this fork. Not too bad.
The Reba also features huge 32mm stanchions which provide outstanding torsional stiffness, with superior tracking through rough singletrack.
The axle to crown is 495mm (eyeballed)

Both forks in this test weigh exactly the same, so this is going to be a performance test. That's all we really care about anyway right?

The Magic has a single air chamber, with this fancy Inertia Magnetic Valve. What is it? In a nutshell, it is a smart valve that can tell the difference between forces coming from above, and forces coming from below. Once it figures it out, it can then react accordingly. In a sense, the fork is supposed to be able to tell if you are huffing and puffing up and out of the saddle, at which point is restricts the amount of oil that can travel through the damper assembly, thus firming up. Once you hit a rock or a hole though, it opens right up, allowing the fork to absorb the bump force.

Sounds cool doesn't it?


Well, one of the things that will affect the test, is the Magic's lower axle to crown height, a measured 490mm (or there abouts...). This will effectively steepen the HT a small amount, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it will drop the bars by roughly 5mm, which will in turn change the steering.
That is bad, as I love the way this bike handles.
There was enough room on the steerer tube for one 5mm spacer, which put the bars right back where I had them relative to the ground, which should help the bike maintain it's feel. I measured all of these things in my own half-assed way, just to keep everything consistent.
Some folks might take a more "scientific" approach to it, but frankly, all I care about is the ride.

I set the single air chamber up with the factory recommended 80psi, and the IMV at 16 clicks in (I counted 33 possible). I will be fiddling with it tomorrow at the Millstone Trails in Barre.
It will be nice to see what kind of travel it actually gets. I'm still disappointed with the BW 0.8, but this is a whole new fork.

On a side note, I have also switched my trusty WTB Exiwolf 2.3s for some Maxxis Ignitor 2.1s.
They are practically the same size, with the main differences being tread style and weight. Look for that review in a few days, after I have had some time on them. As I currently have only 1 ride on the Ignitors, I am not really prepared to say anything more than, so far, I like them.

Like my Reba, I also really like my Exi's.

But that, is another show...
I'll be back tomorrow with my initial thoughts on the IMV, and some pictures.

Finding the goods

One of the cool things about all the rain we have gotten (and by "one of" I mean the only) is that it makes things grow. Besides making me grow impatient, it has really made the wildflowers explode.


Can you imagine having to ride through fields of these?

I have found an area that, unbelievable as it sounds, is very dry.
A bit off the beaten path, there are some very nice trails. I will post on them in the near future, but right now I am trying to work some things out with the development of this area.
Needless to say, you ride through lots of pretty flowers to get to some fun, rolly, twisty stuff. I kept the exploring to a minimum, as I had to race last night, but there is more than enough offshoots that I passed to keep me interested.

Lots of climbing is involved.

As for the race last night, well, I probably shouldn't have gone exploring. I felt like there was a wall in front of me the whole time. The Hill Side course was modified to keep things interesting. This has been the longest that the Hill Side has been the race route. The rain has made the Woods Side a muddy, mucky mess. We'll be lucky if we get to ride on that side next week. It just needs to not rain for a day or twelve.
The new course was fun, but not conducive for good singlespeed riding when tired.


Exciting things on the horizon. I did receive my new and improved White Brothers Fork. While I have a few miles on it, I am going to wait for a few more before I review it. I also have 2 sets of rubber that I have to give an opinion on.

Also in the works, is a new Dos Niner. We'll get to welcome another local to the world of 29ers as he relinquishes his old tiny wheeled ways.