Topic: Bike news, cool biking videos, pictures, etc...

[YaMon]

Don't knock it till you tried it. I spent two weeks up at Whistler last summer and let me tell you, those guys know how to ride up there. What they call a XC trail is so steep you can hardly walk up it, yet I saw guys with BIG bikes ride up.

Technically....those riders were off the scale. I remember trying to follow a BIG guy through some of the harder trails like "A River Runs Through It" and could not do it.

As far as coming down the hill, you better have some big cohones, cause half the time you are in the air...

Great place BTW.

[BillT]

Still hoping to make it out to Whistler at some point in the 2-3 years.

I'd love to get pointers from a pro that apparantly can teach on how to get down a mountain faster.  I'm generally kinda quick when it gets steep, but I know i can use a lot of help when it comes to really railing turns.

[KRUNNCHERO]

Still hoping to make it out to Whistler at some point in the 2-3 years.

I'd love to get pointers from a pro that apparantly can teach on how to get down a mountain faster.  I'm generally kinda quick when it gets steep, but I know i can use a lot of help when it comes to really railing turns.

No knockage here. DH/NS mtbing is the only way in my opinion. I'd love to go to Whistler, but that would have to be a vacation all in itself.

[BillT]

Still hoping to make it out to Whistler at some point in the 2-3 years.

I'd love to get pointers from a pro that apparantly can teach on how to get down a mountain faster.  I'm generally kinda quick when it gets steep, but I know i can use a lot of help when it comes to really railing turns.

No knockage here. DH/NS mtbing is the only way in my opinion. I'd love to go to Whistler, but that would have to be a vacation all in itself.

Given the choice, I'd take day of lift assisted/shuttled riding over XC ride probably 3 out of 4 times, but do really like just all kinda of riding.

If everything goes as planned this year, I'll be able to hit the lifts at Mammoth, Nortstar, Deer Valley (Park City), and Diablo and maybe get into some good pedaling in at Bootleg Canyon in Las Vegas and in Phoenix.

[YaMon]

Maybe you should consider coming to the Jamaica FTF in February. That is where I have met the likes of Cameron McCaul, Kathy Pruitt (07 DH National Champion), Kyle Ebbett (rides for Scott Bikes), Katrina Strand ( Canadian DH Champion and one of the instructors for Gravity), Robbie Bourdon, Jay Hoots (Norco), Thomas Vanderham and Ogee (works for Santa Cruz and is Mark Weir's riding partner).

Anyways, don't mean to throw names around....but I have met and ridden with these guys over the past 3 years. When guys like Cameron and Vanderham ride you can't believe what you are seeing. FAST. I saw Robbie Bourdon do a wheelie through a section that was mossy and slippery and just laughed through it all.

Incredible speed is all I can say, and they make it look so easy.

[BillT]

With the excpeiton of the Mammoth/Northstar trip, all the other places I plan on going will actually be part of business trips (its nice being in the resort business) where I'll go for the week to do work and then stay the weekend to ride.

I once rode for a day at Mammoth with a pro female xc racer that rode a hardtail with a leaky front shock that just schooled me and my friends (all on big hit bikes) down the mountain all day...talk about humiliating...just imagine what guys that specialized in that kind of riding would do

[YaMon]

I used to think badly about shuttle runs till I went to Whistler. What you have to remember is that you are doing 8-10 runs a day and that kind of riding requires a tremendous amount of concentration. You cannot let up for one second when you are on those trails and looking out for dropoffs, tabletops, wall rides, etc. can't wait to go back.

[BillT]

When we go out West and use shuttles/lifts, we easily put in 30-50 mile days which we just couldn't do if we had to pedal up.

[BillT]

Cool video and small write up about the Colonnade mountain bike skills park in Seattle.  This park is pretty unique as it was almost entirely built under a highway overpass.  Lots of cool stunts, jumps, etc there for all skill levels to enjoy.

[BillT]

Looks like Santa Cruz is stepping into the carbon game - 4" of travel, 4.2 lb frame, with full builds in the low 20's.

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/santa-cruz-blur-carbon-2009.html

[nick]

Nice ^

[jdk]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I need a cigarette now..





Word on MTBR is by the end of March..

I'll be reloading the Santa Cruz forum every 5 minutes until then.

[BillT]

Pretty cool sutff - Avalanche Shocks is offering a 'build it yourself' rear shock kit.  It gives you the parts to make shocks of various stroke lengths and eye-to-eye lengths as well as custom tune the damping, etc.  I wonder how much it will end up costing?

http://www.avalanchedownhillracing.com/

[BillT]

But not happy with the rest of your Cannondale?  This company offers adapters to allow you to put your Lefty on just about any bike with a standard 1 -1/8" head tube - http://www.project321.com/bikeadapters.php

Here's a picture/write-up of a Blur with a Lefty - http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=487155

[Тгірlе Т]

I've seen a few pics of other brands with Leftys on them.  Kinda cool looking.