The Surly Mountain Biking Thread

[wd40 1976]

57 minutes ago, KuЯdt said:

If you're on DT350 hubs like I am, you just replace the 18t star ratchet it came with and put in this 54t.  That was one of the first things I did when I got the bike, and it improved the engagement immensely.  Plus now errrbody can hear me coming...no need for a fuckin bell.

but it's the cassette tho lol

[Your Mom 4763]

My Pivot 5.5 with Project 321 hubs has a pretty satisfying bee swarm to it.  It's about like the CK but when you're riding it's not nearly as loud as those videos, as it's behind and below you.  Lately I've been riding my older Salsa Horsethief more often and it's silent.  I miss the clicks when I come up from behind hikers.  

[Pescado_Rojo 19265]

2 hours ago, KuЯdt said:

If you're on DT350 hubs like I am, you just replace the 18t star ratchet it came with and put in this 54t.  That was one of the first things I did when I got the bike, and it improved the engagement immensely.  Plus now errrbody can hear me coming...no need for a fuckin bell.

I'm on DT240s hubs...hmmm. 

[TwiceHorn 30851]

2 hours ago, midtown said:

100% never heard that in 30 years of road cycling and in the last 15 years in SA where I guess we don't have douche riders.  That's is annoying as fuck. 

You're actually thinking of the old freewheel system, where the ratchet mechanism was actually part of a cogset that fit on the hub.

The modern system is freehub + cassette where the ratchet is contained between the driver and the hub itself and the cassette cogset has no moving parts.  I think some in the roady community still call the driver a "cassette body" or some such.  MTBers call it a driver.

I don't know if roadies give much of a shit about the driver since they aren't chasing max spread cassettes, but there are now three "standards,"  old Shimano, SRAM XD, and Shimano Micro-Spline.  The latter two permit 9 or 10 tooth small cogs, the old Shimano is limited to 11.

And, as Kurdt mentioned, the loud droning is the product of having, I dunno, a 30+ tooth ratchet.  Some are still pretty quiet though.  Do roadies care about engagement to the same extent as MTBers?

Edited October 2, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[midtown 3339]

I'm just an crotchety old dude yelling at the youth.. Components are so much more complicated and interesting

[wd40 1976]

we're all old.  well, except Your Mom.  sorta.  

no biggie.

on a semi-serious note, I'll once again pimp Hadley hubs.  about $120 cheaper than CK, and absolutely bomb-proof.  I service the rear hub about twice a year, and really, that's just a wipe down and re-oil, maybe change the seals (haven't had to yet on the current one, 3 years in).  have never touched the front hub, beyond spinning it to verify the bearings are still butter smooth.  been on the same front hub for 10 years?  rear had to change because boost took over.  I service  it out of guilt.  when freshly-oiled, it's silent (to my deaf ears).

made in USA.  it's a husband-wife operation, last I checked.  he machines, and she does CS.  a buddy sent one back for repair, and they just sent him a new one.

check them out on Balle Racing.  I think that's about the only place to buy them, direct.

CK makes good stuff.  they're just really, really proud of it.

[wd40 1976]

oof.  texted a buddy happy birthday, this morning, and got invited along on a ride up Leander way.  15.3 miles, 2183ft of climbing, 2:50 on the trail, 11.9mph avg.  when we weren't grindin', we were bookin'.  good times, til I bonked.  

got home just in time to see this.

indeed.

[KuЯdt 248]

That's a heck of a lot of elevation gain for around here. 

[wd40 1976]

On 10/4/2020 at 5:37 PM, KuЯdt said:

That's a heck of a lot of elevation gain for around here. 

got that right.  west of Lakeline, it gets very hilly.

some more lunchtime Brushy boinging, today.

 

[Pescado_Rojo 19265]

Nice!  Great song choice, too. I love Mudhoney

Hit me up if you're doing another lunch ride around Brushy during the week. I might be able to join you, since I'm stuck not traveling due to covid. I need someone to drag me along somewhere that's not Wilco regional. I'm in a rut, because it's so easy to get out for a quicky since it's literally next door to my house. 

[wd40 1976]

I usually go mondays or tuesdays.  depends on what's going on at work.  plus lately, I got some remodel dudes to herd in my master bath.

all very fluid.

[TexasHooch 5088]

This is pretty cool.  Just saw this old Specialized on an online auction.

https://www.k-bid.com/auction/34772/item/167

Best I can tell this is from around 2000. It only looks as though it's never been ridden.  

[midtown 3339]

Well I managed to break the SRAM SX derailleur after only what 15 rides?   As soon as I took it to the shop the mechanic said and another SX failure.   He used an old SX they had laying around that they fixed and I ordered a GX.   My plan was to upgrade components as they wear and or break just didn't imagine it would be that fast.   

[Pescado_Rojo 19265]

3 minutes ago, midtown said:

Well I managed to break the SRAM SX derailleur after only what 15 rides?   As soon as I took it to the shop the mechanic said and another SX failure.   He used an old SX they had laying around that they fixed and I ordered a GX.   My plan was to upgrade components as they wear and or break just didn't imagine it would be that fast.   

I broke my 6 year old XX derailleur a couple months ago, and had to get a GX as a replacement because the X01 and XX models were on backorder. It's definitely more clunky feeling than my old XX, but it seems to work fine. 

[midtown 3339]

3 minutes ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

X01 and XX models were on backorder.

They have some of those in stock.  $225?  yowza.  I don't need that high of a level but they sure did look purty in those purty white boxes.   Going from SX to GX will be a considerable upgrade.  

Edited October 23, 2020 by midtown

[Pescado_Rojo 19265]

2 minutes ago, midtown said:

They have some of those in stock.  $225?  yowza.  I don't need that high of a level.   Going from SX to GX will be a considerable upgrade.  

Yea, the newer 12 spd versions are available. I needed a 10 spd because I'm still on a 2X10 drivetrain. 

Edited October 23, 2020 by Pescado_Rojo

[wd40 1976]

I think I got one more 10spd X-9 der in my stash.  the return spring wore out on my old one, about a month ago.  hardly rode it, 5 years.  got them on close out for like $60 apiece.  not looking forward to the day when I gotta buy new shit.  the prices are insane.

had one of those Zen rides at lunch, today.  Ken's had a little sprinkle before I got there, but was mostly dry, until about 2/3 in, then it rained pretty decently for about 20 minutes.  at one point I just stopped, got off the bike, sat down and enjoyed it.  needed it after voting this morning (no CR).

it's chili weather right now, but I'm too tired to mess with it.  probably tomorrow.

Cheers

 

[Al_4_ISU 12376]

Parts finally came in, and she's ready to roll.  We got snowed out of the field (will be melted tomorrow) and should get a chance to pick it up this afternoon.  I would ride, but there's an inch of snow on everything and it's going to be a fucking mess.

But by the looks of the long term forecast,  we should be done harvesting nearly a month ahead of last year, and I should have a window before the snow sets in for the winter to ride a bit.

[wd40 1976]

some days, you eat the bar...

 

typical aftermath of November riding, around here

 

strava stat allegedness, below.  PR'd Rudy's, but still 15sec off the kom.  on the bright side:  I hit a 20mph top speed on it.  such a fun section.  hard to imagine skipping down it any faster.  but I didn't pedal very hard on the long flattish section at the top, so maybe that's the difference.

@Your Mom I finally re-found the bottom of Pump Station.  it's been right in front of me, but I've been turning up stream there and taking a different (less chunky) way back to TC every time, thinking I was headed towards it.  herpaderp.  

I also went all the way up Cheese Grater dab-free for the first time in probably ever.  so all-in-all, a good day.

[midtown 3339]

Made it out to Government State NA. Did the far reaches. Way over my current climbing abilities. Had to walk several times. Wildcat trail was great. . Front country is boring but a nice warm up or warm down

[wd40 1976]

Braff and I rode there, last year.  I looked at the mileage for Far Reaches and said fuckthat.  good to see it was every bit the beating we took on the shortcut.

bcgb again today.  more-or-less repeated the loop I did last week, but brought the camera, mostly to try to show how fun Rudy's is (failed).

 

[TwiceHorn 30851]

Well 10 weeks in and supposedly my frame replacement will be in the next shipment of Marin frames from ching chong land.

Guy told me it would take a while because of the pandemic and Marin sells out of the Hawk Hill and Rift Zone in weeks.  Apparently they can't keep a stock of replacements.

[KuЯdt 248]

12 hours ago, wd40 said:

Braff and I rode there, last year.  I looked at the mileage for Far Reaches and said fuckthat.  good to see it was every bit the beating we took on the shortcut.

bcgb again today.  more-or-less repeated the loop I did last week, but brought the camera, mostly to try to show how fun Rudy's is (failed).

 

Nice (and nice song choice), pretty fast coming down Rudy's.

I rode the BCGB saturday morning - TC and Jedi then came down from the quarry and took nothing but trails that looked unfamiliar to me.  I got into some really rough stuff back in there.  Ended up coming out via Panty Line.  Only 9 miles, but felt like I rode 30....BCGB has a way of beating you up.

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

On 11/6/2020 at 12:58 PM, midtown said:

Made it out to Government State NA. Did the far reaches. Way over my current climbing abilities. Had to walk several times. Wildcat trail was great. . Front country is boring but a nice warm up or warm down 

Yea, I tried far reaches in June I think.  Thought it wasn't technically difficult, but shit the climb is relentless. 

I normally take Johnston route to Caroline's loop then back, then do lytles loop once.

[Al_4_ISU 12376]

I went hiking in Govt Canyon the day we played in the Alamo Bowl a few years ago.  It was a really cool area for basically being in town.

Bike's out of the shop.  Harvest is basically complete.  Long term forecast is warmer and drier than average.  Next Friday (10 days from now) looks to be in the high 50's and quite dry.  Planning to take the day off and have a big ride day.

[midtown 3339]

5 hours ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

Yea, I tried far reaches in June I think.  Thought it wasn't technically difficult, but shit the climb is relentless. 

I wasn't clear about my route.  I started far reaches by accident. Miss the balcones trail.   After climbing all the way up to the first split I was done with that shit and cut down the Wildcat to Johnson.   Its not difficult but a few of the stair cases and loose rock had me walking.   I have a park pass now so I plan to pick up a reservation a few times a month.   

[TexPx 2307]

You're actually thinking of the old freewheel system, where the ratchet mechanism was actually part of a cogset that fit on the hub.
The modern system is freehub + cassette where the ratchet is contained between the driver and the hub itself and the cassette cogset has no moving parts.  I think some in the roady community still call the driver a "cassette body" or some such.  MTBers call it a driver.
I don't know if roadies give much of a shit about the driver since they aren't chasing max spread cassettes, but there are now three "standards,"  old Shimano, SRAM , and Shimano Micro-Spline.  The latter two permit 9 or 10 tooth small cogs, the old Shimano is limited to 11.
And, as Kurdt mentioned, the loud droning is the product of having, I dunno, a 30+ tooth ratchet.  Some are still pretty quiet though.  Do roadies care about engagement to the same extent as MTBers?

King uses a ring drive system instead of pawls that engage teeth on the freewheel body. Onyx makes a sprague clutch roller bearing hub which means total silence and instantaneous engagement from freewheeling to pedaling.

John Rader, inventor of the Aheadset, designed one that Cane Creek manufactured for a while in the mid 90s. Still have a prototype on the wife’s Breezer.


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[Al_4_ISU 12376]

Got out yesterday AM about sun up, before the ground thawed and got messy. Solid ride. No bad flubs or spots I had to walk, but I didn’t push it much either.

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

Did someone on this thread mention hill country state park?  I have the week off and am thinking about hitting it up, but not sure if it's worth the drive from SA.  From the pictures it looks rocky as hell and not much different than government canyon.  

 

[Al_4_ISU 12376]

Took the day off to celebrate the end of harvest. Gonna do at least 10 miles at the old Scout camp by Waterloo (I’ve posted pics in here). Should be on the trail well before 8. Overnight temps have been above freezing all week, so conditions should be primed.

[TwiceHorn 30851]

We have had a discussion about what type of shorts/chamois etc. people wear to ride.

I have a different angle and question on it.  I don't always wear a chamois or shorts with a chamois.  I have been buying this Hanes X Temp boxer brief things that are made of polyester, so they're like a chamois short, i.e. slick polyester, just without a chamois pad.

Well, I find that those underpants, either a polyester chamois short or the regular boxer brief, are slick and aid my "board shorts" or Fox Ranger riding shorts in sliding down.  So I find myself having to pull up my shorts fairly regularly.  They aren't going to fall off, but sometimes the crotch can hang on the nose of the saddle when I am moving around.

I tend to buy shorts that aren't tight in the waist, but with a waist adjustment so I can snug it up.  A tight waist seems like it would cut me, since I am bent at the waist most of the time riding.

If I wear cotton boxer briefs, the problem is less acute, but they aren't as comfortable.  And all my chamois shorts are slick polyester.  I notice this can happen with other athletic type shorts over the slick boxer briefs as well.

Maybe this is my anatomy and what comes with not being a flatbelly anymore.

Anyone have a similar problem/solution?

[Al_4_ISU 12376]

I wear biking singlets with ass pads whether I’m road riding or MTB. Love ‘em. I’m definitely not a flat belly (6’1” 220) but I’m not trying to impress anyone either. They’re super comfortable. I’ve tried wearing shorts over them to hide the moose knuckle, but like you, they catch.

I just kinda said fuck it.

[Al_4_ISU 12376]

Really fun ride to start the day. 10 miles, 70 minutes, and a few pic stops. Dirt was in awesome shape

[TwiceHorn 30851]

6 minutes ago, Al_4_ISU said:

I wear biking singlets with ass pads whether I’m road riding or MTB. Love ‘em. I’m definitely not a flat belly (6’1” 220) but I’m not trying to impress anyone either. They’re super comfortable. I’ve tried wearing shorts over them to hide the moose knuckle, but like you, they catch.

I just kinda said fuck it.

I guess that's one solution, yeah.  I can ride at least an hour and a half on my current saddle without ass pain or a chamois.  But if I plan on riding 10 miles or more or for longer than an hour, I rock the chamois.

The only time recently that my ass has hurt is after Goat Island Preserve, where the trail is flattish but bumpy af because it gets few riders.

Edited November 20, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[Al_4_ISU 12376]

I’m dumb with bike terms. There’s a chamois baked into my singlets.

[Pescado_Rojo 19265]

46 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

We have had a discussion about what type of shorts/chamois etc. people wear to ride.

I have a different angle and question on it.  I don't always wear a chamois or shorts with a chamois.  I have been buying this Hanes X Temp boxer brief things that are made of polyester, so they're like a chamois short, i.e. slick polyester, just without a chamois pad.

Well, I find that those underpants, either a polyester chamois short or the regular boxer brief, are slick and aid my "board shorts" or Fox Ranger riding shorts in sliding down.  So I find myself having to pull up my shorts fairly regularly.  They aren't going to fall off, but sometimes the crotch can hang on the nose of the saddle when I am moving around.

I tend to buy shorts that aren't tight in the waist, but with a waist adjustment so I can snug it up.  A tight waist seems like it would cut me, since I am bent at the waist most of the time riding.

If I wear cotton boxer briefs, the problem is less acute, but they aren't as comfortable.  And all my chamois shorts are slick polyester.  I notice this can happen with other athletic type shorts over the slick boxer briefs as well.

Maybe this is my anatomy and what comes with not being a flatbelly anymore.

Anyone have a similar problem/solution?

I have a pair of Zoic MTB shorts that came with a liner/chamois. The liner has a small loop on both hips, and the shorts have a snap loop that matches, so you can basically snap the shorts to the liner. Its small enough that I don't feel it rubbing or anything. 

[KuЯdt 248]

First trip to Bentonville is in the books.  That place is amazing and super fun.  The wife was with me and is a beginner so I spent a good bit of time walking her through various sections and didn't get a whole lot of time for solo rides.  We never even made it beyond Slaughter Pen, and there are still trails in that system we didn't get to.
I'm planning to go back next month and try to figure out how to jump.  I'm so bad at it and cased the shit out of everything.  Also need to re-ride some of this stuff, and hit that big step up I noped out of on Hammer Down.
 

 

[Al_4_ISU 12376]

First trip to Bentonville is in the books.  That place is amazing and super fun.  The wife was with me and is a beginner so I spent a good bit of time walking her through various sections and didn't get a whole lot of time for solo rides.  We never even made it beyond Slaughter Pen, and there are still trails in that system we didn't get to.
I'm planning to go back next month and try to figure out how to jump.  I'm so bad at it and cased the shit out of everything.  Also need to re-ride some of this stuff, and hit that big step up I noped out of on Hammer Down.
 
 

I’m hitting Eureka Springs in March. Really looking forward to riding NW Arky.

[wd40 1976]

On 11/22/2020 at 2:35 PM, KuЯdt said:

First trip to Bentonville is in the books.  That place is amazing and super fun.  The wife was with me and is a beginner so I spent a good bit of time walking her through various sections and didn't get a whole lot of time for solo rides.  We never even made it beyond Slaughter Pen, and there are still trails in that system we didn't get to.
I'm planning to go back next month and try to figure out how to jump.  I'm so bad at it and cased the shit out of everything.  Also need to re-ride some of this stuff, and hit that big step up I noped out of on Hammer Down.
 

 

very cool.  I didn't get to ride anywhere in Bentonville besides Coler Park.  some big stuff there ("Drop the Hammer" being the most famous).  trouble was:  a) it was pouring rain, and b)  I was alone with only one day to ride.  no lifts or shuttles there, and with the wet conditions, it was tough going.  couple badasses (driving sponsored sprinter vans, in town to support a XC race up at Bella Vista that weekend) said Coler took a lot of pedaling to keep enough speed for the jumps, so I didn't feel so bad.  I wonder if Slaughter Pens is similar.

I can definitely recommend Lake Leatherwood, just this side of Eureka Springs, if the jumpy stuff is your thing.   much bigger, steeper terrain, so no problems at all carrying speed (vids are posted around here somewhere...October 2019).  they tell you to park at the baseball fields, but I was the only one that did (maybe I'm illiterate).  but call them to make sure they have a shuttle driver working the day you want to hit it.   DH #5 was my favorite, iirc.  there is one xc loop to get you up to the top, but how many laps do you have in you, going that route?

 

[TwiceHorn 30851]

Welp.  Bike is ready.  Instead of a front triangle only, I got a whole new frame.  I think it got a degree slacker, too.  Not quite sure and not sure how I feel about that, either.

Color change, to this, I think:

Too bad I had just bought some blue grips to matchy matchy the old one.  But the dayglo yellow had started to fade.

Also, if they gave me a 2020 frame, rear travel increased to 125 from 120.  Does that require a new shock?

[TwiceHorn 30851]

On 11/20/2020 at 9:21 AM, Al_4_ISU said:

I’m dumb with bike terms. There’s a chamois baked into my singlets.

I just kind of meant that for me, not only would it expose my ball jazz, but it would be sort of overkill as I rarely actually wear chamois/pad underpants, even.

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

17 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Also, if they gave me a 2020 frame, rear travel increased to 125 from 120.  Does that require a new shock?

It's probably not a big deal, but never hurts to ask.  

[TwiceHorn 30851]

Fucking hell.

Got my bike back.  I did not straddle it at the shop because the seat was clearly too low.

As I was taking it off the rack at home, I notice this big M sticker on the frame.  I'm an L.

I straddled it and the reach is for a wee man.

I'm tempted to just buy a new bike altogether.

 

Plus, the frame is 2 degrees slacker, built for a 130mm fork with a 44mm offset, whereas I have a 120mm fork with 51mm offset.  I think that might be a big difference going the other way, so it's probably a disaster going this way.

And it's 125 travel with a 120mm shock.

I think I'm gonna go try a Ripmo AF and a Occam at my favorite shop tomorrow or next week.

Edited November 24, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[Al_4_ISU 12376]

That sucks man.  How long it will take you to source another bike?

[TwiceHorn 30851]

That's the $64,000 question.  There's probably nothing in stock anywhere.

[Pescado_Rojo 19265]

Do you have FB? Check the owners groups. I know on the Yeti groups local shops will post their available stock when they get bikes and will deal over the phone. 

[TwiceHorn 30851]

I'm having a rotten, shitass, no good, very sucky, cuntfuck week.

Car in the shop for the second time in a month.  Got rearended hit and run in a loaner, so that's gonna cost me a deductible.

And then this.

[Pescado_Rojo 19265]

Also, if you're interested in a Yeti there are a fair number of 2019 and 2020 barely ridden Large SB130s on the Tribe classifieds. 

[TwiceHorn 30851]

I might have a look at Yetis.  Nice bikes, I don't really want carbon though.

Believe it or not, I'm not really a klutz, but look at my fucking luck.  I don't really want to chance a carbon frame.

And yikes, I ain't spending 6 grand on a bike, new or used.

Edited November 24, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

Did a pretty good ride at government canyon yesterday.