basscyclist thread picture thread

[Mark Reccord]

High level guys have great handling but even they crash. I saw Jeff Kendall-Weed on YouTube attempt to make a 30 foot jump. Somehow, he went too far to one side and hit a tree really hard...not a good day for Jeff. And this is the guy who can do wheelie down a trail with no effort.

Yeah, when the elite riders go down, it's usually bad because they're either going monstrously fast or riding really high consequence moves.

No, this was in the city - a little collection of urban forest trails near Island Park Dr.

Small world! Similarly, I've ridden SMH more times than I can count, starting years before the Terry Fox extension killed half the system - and before that guy built the house on the top of the hill on Huntmar. But still super fun. Last time I was out there, though, the system was pretty congested with families, dog walkers and all manner of mountain bikers. Sucked considering you used to be able to ride for weeks without seeing too many other people. Except for Outback. That still takes some skill - flat-ish, but yes quite technical. I raced at Fortune for years and been riding the Gats since 1988. Firetower, Wolf, Foreplay, Multiple Orgasm and all that good stuff. Good times!

I am looking into a drivetrain conversion. Just got a message from the online vendor that half the parts I ordered are no longer available. Not backordered, no longer available. I'm fine with 26" wheels - I have a small cache of 26" tires for some reason - but how much longer will I be able to keep this 9 speed drivetrain going....covid or not. The 1x11 looks interesting, if I can keep my current wheelset.

Down by the river? My sister lives in the area (very close to MEC) so that might interest me next time I'm in Ottawa, whenever that might be. Could be a while yet. Yeah, we used to park on Hines Rd just off March and ride from there over to the parking lot on GFR before it was paved and before they extended Terry Fox, and then into the trails from there, including a bit of poaching the dark side... The Ridgetop/Outback area is good fun, lots of tech moves for sure. I didn't get a lot of riding in the Gats outside of the Fortune XC and DH tracks because at the time the NCC had banned bikes on most of the trails and were enforcing it. The DH trails at Fortune are as gnarly as anything I've seen and I've been to BC multiple times for biking.

Yeah, I think you should be able to go to a 1x11 with your current wheels. 9,10 and 11 speed cassettes are the same width so the 11-speed ones will fit on your 9-speed freehub spline. I'd reccommend probably a 32t chainring and an 11-46 or 50 cassette. Shimano SLX is a pretty reasonably priced and well regarded group. SRAM GX is a bit more expensive but still not bad. I've been using Sunrace cassettes for the past few years as well. They are a good value. 1x drivetrain with a clutch derailleur is really nice. I loved getting rid of the front mech.

And, in the spirit of the thread, here's a pic from a few weeks ago. If you turn 90 degrees to the right you can see most of the St. John's metro area.

 

[DirtDog]

Yeah, when the elite riders go down, it's usually bad because they're either going monstrously fast or riding really high consequence moves.



Down by the river? My sister lives in the area (very close to MEC) so that might interest me next time I'm in Ottawa, whenever that might be. Could be a while yet. Yeah, we used to park on Hines Rd just off March and ride from there over to the parking lot on GFR before it was paved and before they extended Terry Fox, and then into the trails from there, including a bit of poaching the dark side... The Ridgetop/Outback area is good fun, lots of tech moves for sure. I didn't get a lot of riding in the Gats outside of the Fortune XC and DH tracks because at the time the NCC had banned bikes on most of the trails and were enforcing it. The DH trails at Fortune are as gnarly as anything I've seen and I've been to BC multiple times for biking.

Yeah, I think you should be able to go to a 1x11 with your current wheels. 9,10 and 11 speed cassettes are the same width so the 11-speed ones will fit on your 9-speed freehub spline. I'd reccommend probably a 32t chainring and an 11-46 or 50 cassette. Shimano SLX is a pretty reasonably priced and well regarded group. SRAM GX is a bit more expensive but still not bad. I've been using Sunrace cassettes for the past few years as well. They are a good value. 1x drivetrain with a clutch derailleur is really nice. I loved getting rid of the front mech.

And, in the spirit of the thread, here's a pic from a few weeks ago. If you turn 90 degrees to the right you can see most of the St. John's metro area.

View attachment 3906637

Very nice! I've seen a bunch of your pics from the Rock - makes me salivate every time!!!

I'll PM you a simple GPS track I made - overlaid on Google. Just to set your expectations, not very thrilling but good for a quick pump without having to drive anywhere. It's all NCC land, so the same fun and games from 20-30 years ago apply.

The other day, I came across an old lady walking her dog. Waited politely for her to realize I was coming up behind her. I said, when you have a chance, I'd like to pass you. She said, back up into the open area and you can come by (we were about 20 feet into the woods at that point). I obliged, then she said: those trails are too small for a bike. I replied - lots of room for a bike in there and scooted off. The next day, I found all kinds of logs laid over that part of the trails and some other sections as well. Oy vey. So I did the right thing, cleared all the debris off the trail and went around for another fast circuit.

Some people....anyways all that to say that there are some anti-mountain bike people out there. I've been out riding those trails daily for two straight months now and don't often see anyone - or not enough for conflict anyways. Never see other riders - well maybe kids out on their Huffys. Before that I walked those trails (was still muddy in places) and saw NO ONE for weeks. Just have to go back to the old "Hi" and "Have a great day" strategy while out riding. Now there's even more people out there with zero situational awareness - and it's worse now when they're all wearing earbuds or have their faces in their phones.

Now I remember why I switched to motorcycles 10 years ago and ride in places the average person would never go.

 

[Yonni]

This is my Superior XP 949 MTB.

I haven't ridden in over a year as the last race I did gave me a frozen shoulder, which I'm still recovering from. I'm more of a roadie but don't have a photo handy of my Cannondale six13 with handbuilt wheels. That's the bike I'll ride till I die. I've taken it up alps, over the longest climb in the UK and some rough bits of the Lake District. It's better than I am.

 

[4Mal]

I loved getting rid of the front mech.

View attachment 3906637[/QUOTE]

ditto that! and, pretty Canadian Carbon. Django ? Looks similar to my steed.

 

[Mark Reccord]

Very nice! I've seen a bunch of your pics from the Rock - makes me salivate every time!!!

I'll PM you a simple GPS track I made - overlaid on Google. Just to set your expectations, not very thrilling but good for a quick pump without having to drive anywhere. It's all NCC land, so the same fun and games from 20-30 years ago apply.

The other day, I came across an old lady walking her dog. Waited politely for her to realize I was coming up behind her. I said, when you have a chance, I'd like to pass you. She said, back up into the open area and you can come by (we were about 20 feet into the woods at that point). I obliged, then she said: those trails are too small for a bike. I replied - lots of room for a bike in there and scooted off. The next day, I found all kinds of logs laid over that part of the trails and some other sections as well. Oy vey. So I did the right thing, cleared all the debris off the trail and went around for another fast circuit.

Some people....anyways all that to say that there are some anti-mountain bike people out there. I've been out riding those trails daily for two straight months now and don't often see anyone - or not enough for conflict anyways. Never see other riders - well maybe kids out on their Huffys. Before that I walked those trails (was still muddy in places) and saw NO ONE for weeks. Just have to go back to the old "Hi" and "Have a great day" strategy while out riding. Now there's even more people out there with zero situational awareness - and it's worse now when they're all wearing earbuds or have their faces in their phones.

Now I remember why I switched to motorcycles 10 years ago and ride in places the average person would never go.

Thanks! Yeah, there's a still a bit of that nonsense around and it's actually cropped up here a bunch of times since covid. I had my first ever negative interaction with a hiker this spring on a trail that I friggin' built, no less. It was a couple, about my age (late 40s). I actually stopped and got off to let them and their dog go by and the woman said "this is a hiking trail, you shouldn't be riding your bike here." I chuckled and said "This trail was built by mountain bikers." She said "how do you know it was built by mountain bikers?" and I said "because I bleeping built it." Which took the wind out of her sails instantly. I then said that all non-motorized users are welcome and that I had the landowner's blessing to build trails there and wished them a good day...

I loved getting rid of the front mech.

View attachment 3906637

ditto that! and, pretty Canadian Carbon. Django ? Looks similar to my steed.[/QUOTE]

It's an alloy Troy. Carbon's too rich for my blood these days.

 

[Mark Reccord]

New video of some of the local trails. Watch in 1080...

 

[4Mal]

and, pretty Canadian Carbon. Django ? Looks similar to my steed.

It's an alloy Troy. Carbon's too rich for my blood these days. [/QUOTE]

between 1 Cervelo, 1 Trek and 3 Devinci's in the house... well to paraphrase It love the smell of burning plastic in the morning... reminds me of ... carbon ;-)

based on the trails I've seen in your pics a Troy makes more sense. I don't feel the difference between carbon and aluminum on a mtn bike nearly as much as on a road machine. Carbon hoops on the other hand make ton of difference to me.

 

[4Mal]

New video of some of the local trails. Watch in 1080...

nope ... just nope! hope you and the homies are well insured ;-) Well I guess you don't really need to be up there but you get my point...

 

[DirtDog]

New video of some of the local trails. Watch in 1080...

SWEEET! I'd totally be into riding that!

 

[Mark Reccord]

nope ... just nope! hope you and the homies are well insured ;-) Well I guess you don't really need to be up there but you get my point...

I mean, yeah, we're pretty lucky with universal health care in that it doesn't cost a fortune if we maim ourselves but everyone I ride with is a dad with a career so we can't really afford to be out with injuries anyway. I'm actually a pretty cautious rider but my threshold for what I will walk away from is pretty high (from years of riding terrain like in this video and many trips to Whistler and other bike parks). I ride 90% of the stuff in that video without much worry but there are a few sections where I do the ridearound. The very first roll in, for example. That's way more intimidating in person, GoPro effect is definitely a factor.

SWEEET! I'd totally be into riding that!

Yeah, it's a lot of fun. Gotta be on your toes 100% of the time, though, much like SMH or Fortune.

This is a panorama I took at the top of the first trail in that video on Sunday. If you're here, you know it's about to get real. Views, we got 'em, though it was foggy (and windy) Sunday morning. We can usually see Cape Spear from here.

Few pics from the other evening, on another coastal trail just outside of town (not as gnarly as the ones in the video). About 10 minutes after I took these pics we stopped on the cliff's edge and saw a pod of humpback whales feeding just offshore. Couldn't get any pics of them with my phone, sadly.

One of my buddies getting a bit knife-fighty on his first attempt at this steep section. He made it.

 

[Mark Reccord]

Oh, and that's a sheer 400' drop to the North Atlantic 10' past the lads in that first pic. The trail gets a little closer than that in a couple of spots which you need to pay attention to when riding...

 

[fokof]

A couple of shots last week.
Got a friend chalet for 2 weeks , no single tracks but a lot of 4 wheels trails. ( And mosquitos! )
These can be VERY though to climb sometimes , very technical because of the big rocks and logs.

It doesn't show on the 2nd pic but very steep.

 

[elgecko]

Since the Trail Smurf got upgraded, my hardtail got all the hand-me-downs. It got an SRAM X.9 drivetrain, carbon bars, upgraded from mechanical to hydraulic brakes, and because I loved the dropper on the Trail Smurf so much, I got one for my hardtail too! Note the goat herd on the skyline.

 

[jetsaber]

i have done these back in the 1989 .
Fun Rides

 

[elgecko]

Q: How much junk can you fit in this trunk?
A: A plethora! It's one ginormous blue gum tree.

 

[Mark Reccord]

So yeah, this:



I think this is the most stunning display of bike skill I have ever seen and the filming is unreal. Remy Metailler is on a different plane of existence from the rest of us.

 

[elgecko]

Carbon Canyon, California

 

[4Mal]

Wild Sweet Peas a little past their prime, pinot gris grape and Mt Hood from my ride today.

 

[elgecko]

 

[Yonni]

Question for the roadies out there:
Disc brakes? Why are we being forced into them? You can't buy a halfway decent Road bike these days without discs. Watching the Dauphine this week and the peloton is split. They can probably handle the difference in a group fine. Add mixed skill and mixed breaking efficiency to an amateur sportive and it's asking for trouble. We've had more accidents and even deaths in sportives in the UK recently. That could be due to the increase in popularity since hipsters made cycling "cool" and we hosted the start of the Tour de France. Many middle aged guys on expensive bikes but no clue how to ride in a group. I saw it in the alps at the etape as I glided past a guy in full team Sky kit on a Pinarello Dogma and Zipp 808s. This was on a course with about 20 miles flat at the start and then 70 miles of nothing but climb and descent. Those wheels looked very heavy going up the Madeleine. I digress... point is, people buy what the manufacturers have and assume it must be the best if it's more expensive. Give me a 10 speed Cannondale frame with hand built wheels and manual gears and I can cope with anything. I don't want digital gears, I don't need 11 or 12 on the block and I certainly don't need disc brakes (which take much more maintenance than callipers). I have Ultegra brakes on my Six13 and it performs as well as I need it to. I've descended 20% gradients in the wet on 105 callipers, no sweat. My main beef is that the manufacturers (Shimano especially) are discontinuing higher end groups to force us into the next best thing. Case in point: I can no longer source 10 speed levers and would be forced to upgrade my whole group set if I ever need to replace a brake lever. I like cycling for its man powered simplicity. I have a frame that fits me like a glove and that I want to ride till I die. But if I'm forced to switch to discs at some point in the future due to lack of parts, I'll need to replace a perfectly good bike. Hopefully in 15 years a new breed of hipster will discover Millenium (pre-digital and disc) bikes and a whole new retro cycling boom will happen. Otherwise, bury me with my Cannondale Six13.