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One of those things I've always wanted to do

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 8:44 pm
by mrlexan
Well, After 37 years on the planet and never doing one of things I have always thought about and should have picked up in my teens or 20s, here's how I spend my Sat and Sun mornings. I have been doing some traveling to ride as well, at least when it's convenient. There are a number of places here locally that are 10 - 30 minutes away. Chattanoga, 2 hours away, has some great places. Even went to the "Mecca" of the East for XC, Tsali in Bryson City, NC. Then the icing on the cake, with the black one...... going on a week vacation in Snowshoe in WV http://ride.snowshoemtn.com/index.htm next month for some DH riding (CAN'T FRIGGIN WAIT). The 2010 Trek Fuel EX9 is my XC and the 2009 Cannondale Perp, the black one, is my Downhill bike (but got my eye on a new Santa Cruz DH bike).

Anyone else ride? Post pics.

Top pic is me about 3 feet off the ground. Not in focus, wife doesn't have photog skills, but I think it looks cool.

Re: One of those things I've always wanted to do

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 8:46 pm
by mrlexan
The Perp. I'll post some pics of me on the bike when I get back from WV.

Re: One of those things I've always wanted to do

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 8:47 pm
by mrlexan
Any my wife on her EX7

Re: One of those things I've always wanted to do

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 9:02 pm
by aconsola
I'm jealous. I've only gotten out once on the bike this year. Had surgery in april and then june on my wrists for carpal tunnel. hands would go completely numb within 10 minutes of riding. :evil: I stopped riding earlier than I would have liked in the fall because of the numbness and took it easy all winter figuring that it would settle down and I could ride in the spring, but no such luck.

I usually ride cross country single track type stuff. I did downhill once on a hardtail with cantilever brakes 10+ years ago, nothing since.

My main ride is a Cannondale Rush with a carbon lefty. The lefty is a sweet "fork" I can't wait to get back on the bike.

Re: One of those things I've always wanted to do

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 9:17 pm
by Halgar
I don't do XC, but I have been out doing 10 - 13 miles a day on my Trek 7100
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Re: One of those things I've always wanted to do

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 10:18 pm
by mrlexan
Have you checked out some of the pics and vids on Snowshoe's site? It pretty dang cool. Been thinking about entering this in October: http://www.parismountaindownhill.com/. I probably will, just need to either get a new DH bike (the Santa Cruz) or just replace the front with a dual crown Fox 40 or Boxxer WC first. I just want to go fast!

You should check out this trailer too: http://www.anthillfilms.com/followme.php

Wife thinks I am getting insane as I get close to 40 or I am starting my mid-life crisis and acting like a 20 year old. I've already hyper-extended my life wirst twice pretty bad, but I've a Allsport Dynamics MotoX wrist guard on it's way.

Re: One of those things I've always wanted to do

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:03 pm
by Eau Rouge
I do vintage mountain bikes now—I had my fill of barreling downhill on a FS rig when I was in my 20s. I rode Turners back then, and still the plushest ride I have ever had on a XC bike that had shocks. My current ride is an early 90s Fat Chance Wicked. Stupid light steel.

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I also happen to own FatCogs.com, which is a site like this, but for vintage mountain bike (Fat City Cycles/Fat Chance) geeks. :mrgreen:

Re: One of those things I've always wanted to do

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:23 pm
by MelvinsArmy
I guess you could say I do a little XC, in the form of a NYC commute to work. No dirt, few trees, but plenty of automobile traffic. pedestrians, pot holes and other fun things to dodge and deal with.

My primary bike is an 07 Soma Groove that I built up from parts. This bike is pretty sweet, an ideal urban bicycle for me. I think I need to replace the bottom bracket though.
SomaGroove.jpg

My 1994 Gary Fisher Aquila. I love this bike. I had a black one that I bought new in 94, but I sold it to a good friend back around 2000 or so. He wouldn't sell it back, so I built the Soma, the closest thing I could get to the old Gary. I love, love, love rigid chromoly frames, I don't think I'll ever by another aluminum frame. Anyway, I found this one on eBay a couple years ago in nearly mint condition. To make it a little more commuter friendly/comfortable, put some taller bars on it, a shorter stem, some street tires and a Brooks saddle. I love this bike.
gary1.jpg

Re: One of those things I've always wanted to do

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:31 pm
by treehugger
i had the same trouble my hands going numb when i went to alloy, my first canondale lasted 6 months then went back to steel i like the slop of steel the over sized alloy is pretty cool but its to ridged for me it was the doc that recommended i try his bike for a few weeks (steel ) and i new within minuets that's what the numb hands came from .

i haven't done any riding since i moved to the states the roads dont like cycles here but the wife and i did get this a couple of days ago we took it for a spin last night great fun im looking forward to taking it camping next time we go .
Paul

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Re: One of those things I've always wanted to do

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 2:31 am
by aeiou
Great rides. I haven't had the mountain bike on the trails in years. I've always wanted to try the ski area downhill thing, though. That would be a blast.

Most of my riding is with the family these days and a few solo miles here and there. Here's what we ride most often:
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diamondback_b002c8hjno.jpg (44.75 KiB) Viewed 1997 times

Re: One of those things I've always wanted to do

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 3:02 am
by lpddpd
Well my wife and I ride once or twice a week if we can. Would love to get in more miles but on road its 30-40 miles a shot. On mountain we don't measure. She's not as comfortable on the mountain bike so we tend to keep it tame.

Here's the road bikes.
Felt Bikes.JPG
Here's the mtn. bikes.
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And here's a pic from this year's TOC. It was the same day that Lance crashed out, but I was just as happy to have Horner, Schleck, and Hinacapie in the same shot.
IMG_1012.JPG
Watching a bike race like this is like waiting for a roller coaster ride. They shut the roads down an hour before they get there so you wait and wait and then they go by so fast you barely see who's there and then you have a few stragglers and the CHP says the road is open and that's it. Go home to see on tv or online who won.

Re: One of those things I've always wanted to do

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 3:04 am
by Y'ernat Al
Here's my 1981 King Sting, all vintage 'cept for the Gripshift retro-fit. I can only ride one bike at a time, this takes me up and down the boardwalk. No downhill equipment here, just low and slow...
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Re: One of those things I've always wanted to do

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 8:48 am
by jwscab
I used to ride a few times a week with some friends and brothers. We have a nice lake thats about 15 miles around, lots of different terrain to go through....nothing hardcore, but we've had our share of bloody thorns and busted parts.

I just have a crusty old Specialized cro-mo frame bike....now we are all busy with families, busted knees, and no time, so we haven't ridden in easily 3 yrs. I have to get back on the bike though, always was a good workout and i need to start doing some excercise.....

Re: One of those things I've always wanted to do

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 9:20 am
by bearrickster
A good friend of mine just got me into rideing again. he is big into mountian bikes and through this one together for me. I am just starting out I dont like the rear shock bikes, I like the hard tails. it saids its a FUGI MX 880 I justpicked out a frame I liked and we put it together, it rides great.

Re: One of those things I've always wanted to do

Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2010 9:53 am
by Eau Rouge
lpddpd wrote:It was the same day that Lance crashed out...
It's ALWAYS a good day when that happens. ;)