The Surly Mountain Biking Thread

[TwiceHorn 30851]

6 hours ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

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

The answer to this is that the shock size is the same 210x50, so they don't really go by travel, which kind of makes sense.  And 5mm is less than a quarter inch.

I suppose, though, that the slacker headtube and longer offset is going to mean more wander-y steering for me, and I was just getting used to the 67.5.

Edited November 25, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[Pescado_Rojo 19265]

So they closed one of the better singletrack loops on my "home" trail. It was almost two miles of trail squeezed into about 20 acres with lots of switchbacks, rooty tree gates and a couple limestone steps. Truthfully, it would have been more fun if they'd taken a few of the switchbacks out and made it flow better, but in a park full of pretty basic XC type trails, it was at least mildly challenging.

 So why did they close it? Officially, it's been designated Golden Cheek Warbler habitat. I think what really happened is this...This trail was kind of stealth. It was just a small little trailhead into some brush and was pretty nondescript, until Covid. Then a family that lived in the neighborhood right behind the trail started lining the trail with rocks. Like, every evening they would take their young kids out there (I assume to get them out of the house for a bit) for an hour or so, and find rocks and line the trail with them. Over the course of a couple months, they lined the whole thing, then started sweeping it clean in the evening. It looked like a BMX track back there. Then, I guess they were proud of their creation, so they decided to line the entry trail all the way out to the main hiking path, and build two rock stacks to pinpoint the trailhead. I guess once that happened, the park superintendent noticed it and that was that. Rode by it yesterday, and they had built a wooden fence out of cedars and blocked the two entrances. I talked to one of the guys doing the work, which is where I heard the GCW excuse, and he said they were going to go in and completely "remediate" the trail and return it to natural. 

[Your Mom 4763]

There is a pretty active FB group in Austin with mountain bikes for sale.  I’ve bought 2 bikes from Pinbike also with good results. You can filter the results to local only. 

[Stinkpalm 675]

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.
 

 

Wife and I were up there this weekend as well, for a quick fly fishing/mtb trip. Rode Coler, Slaughter Pen, and hit up the Railyard. The trails up there are just unreal. For anyone that hasn’t been or is unfamiliar... it’s mtb heaven. There are a literal fuckton of trails in NWA and they range from mild, flowy greens to butt-puckering blacks with BIG drops and jump lines. 

[Stinkpalm 675]

double

Edited November 25, 2020 by Stinkpalm
Dp

[KuЯdt 248]

On 11/23/2020 at 6:24 PM, wd40 said:

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?

yeah, Slaughter Pen definitely requires some pedaling to make the jumps.  Not a whole lot of vert there, but there are a couple of decent short downhill trails in there.  I realized that I totally missed one I intended to hit - Warthog/Blackbird.  I was on Tatamagouche with the wife and she was so over it at that point since that trail is more like what we have here - rocky, ledgy singletrack.  So we bailed, otherwise I'd have made my way up there.  Next time.

Thanks for the tips on the other stuff around there.  Next trip I'm planning to hit Coler, Back40 and I had heard some about Leatherwood so sounds like I need to check that out as well. 

[KuЯdt 248]

16 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

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.

ugh, sorry man that sucks. I hear great things about Ripmo AF, and can vouch for the Occam.

[TwiceHorn 30851]

This is intriguing.  https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2685264/

Local, carbon, short travel.  Part of me wants more travel, the rest of me knows that 120/120 or thereabouts is all I'll ever need/want.  The Trance has pretty good reviews, although Giant for some reason is never at the top of my list.

Edited November 25, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[TwiceHorn 30851]

28 minutes ago, KuЯdt said:

ugh, sorry man that sucks. I hear great things about Ripmo AF, and can vouch for the Occam.

Yeah, I think it was you that pointed my eye in that direction.  Everyone raves about Ibis.  I would prefer Al, but really the Ripmo is more bike than I want/need.

Edited November 25, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[Pescado_Rojo 19265]

Are you thinking all new bike, or is your current ride new enough you could move parts over? I think there are frames and forks available, it's all the gruppo stuff that's way backordered. 

[TwiceHorn 30851]

17 minutes ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

Are you thinking all new bike, or is your current ride new enough you could move parts over? I think there are frames and forks available, it's all the gruppo stuff that's way backordered. 

Good point.  Seems like if I bought something, I'd want to upgrade a little.  I have NX11 mech and it's fine, but has 1000 miles on it.  Shit Shimano brakes, but they're fine for me.  Really my bike is fine for me, but upppppgraaaaadeeeesss!

Seriously, though, most of my components are pretty mediocre and getting worn, so I'm not sure how much sense that makes.  Although, as far as getting on the trail, it makes a lot of sense, except I don't have the tools to effect a complete changeover.

Edited November 25, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[TwiceHorn 30851]

Super curious thing.  I have been comparing the geo of the 20-21 frame to the 18 frame that it replaces.  First off, it is two degrees slacker (67.5 v. 65.5).  Fine.  But that filters down through all the geo to really change things up.  It also has a steeper seat post (76 v. 74.8).

The reach on the medium is actually about the same as the 2018 L.  But the effective top tube is a lot shorter, which is what I was feeling.

I don't know if the dealer I'm working with fucked up, or Marin thought a 20 M = an 18 L or what.  I did not specify what size it was, it never occurred to me.  The receipt that I had to provide did say L.  And the S/N that they went by had to indicate that it was an L.

Dealer wants me to bring it back, obvs, but said something about measuring the head tube.  That seemed odd.

Now I know why:  the M has a 105mm head tube and the L has 110.  So he had to cut the steerer down.

Who owes me a new fork?  And how much should I be willing to chip in for an upgrade?

Edited November 25, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[Stinkpalm 675]

Damn man, that shit snowball just keeps rollin’ and growin’

[MFEU93MK9S8IW6K6FV0X 95]

I had ordered some tires from Specialized and FedEx lost them.  The Specialized customer service guy said "sorry man, we refunded your money.  Here is a code for 15% off anything on the site."  I quickly repurchased the tires before realizing wait a minute, that could have been put to better use.  Ha, oh well.

 

 

[Al_4_ISU 12376]

So regarding Fayetteville and the Slaughter Pen system, is there anything there for someone who like cross country riding in a natural setting and isn't that interested in jumps, features, etc?  Or am I better off sticking to the more remote NWA trails that are in less developed areas?

The Fayetteville system looks really impressive, but does seem feature heavy and never far from civilization.

[Al_4_ISU 12376]

On 11/23/2020 at 6:24 PM, wd40 said:

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?

 

So I've booked a few night in Eureka Springs in March, and I got the impression there was plenty of XC at Leatherwood.  Am I missing the boat there?

Edited November 25, 2020 by Al_4_ISU

[TwiceHorn 30851]

Welp, I was wrong about the steerer, there's just a 5mm spacer in there, so he didn't cut.

He had to measure the head tube and the seat tube to prove to Marin that it is in fact a M frame, notwithstanding that it has a little M sticker on it.

So there's some chance with this latest shipment of frames from which my M came, there is a replacement inventory and it can all be ready next week.  Or it may be another 8 week saga.

I have an email to the dude with the GIant Trance, too.

Oh yeah, and the frame now has an internally routed rear brake hose that was external before, so it needs another 2-3 inches.  And he said it is damned near impossible to find Shimano brake hose.

Edited November 25, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[TwiceHorn 30851]

Lmao.  A 2019 Carbon Hightower, XX1 for $800 on CL.

https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/bik/d/dallas-2019-santa-cruz-hightower-lt/7236726861.html

On the other hand, someone got a nice bike stolen.  Motherfucker.

[wd40 1976]

10 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Super curious thing.  I have been comparing the geo of the 20-21 frame to the 18 frame that it replaces.  First off, it is two degrees slacker (67.5 v. 65.5).  Fine.  But that filters down through all the geo to really change things up.  It also has a steeper seat post (76 v. 74.8).

The reach on the medium is actually about the same as the 2018 L.  But the effective top tube is a lot shorter, which is what I was feeling.

I don't know if the dealer I'm working with fucked up, or Marin thought a 20 M = an 18 L or what.  I did not specify what size it was, it never occurred to me.  The receipt that I had to provide did say L.  And the S/N that they went by had to indicate that it was an L.

Dealer wants me to bring it back, obvs, but said something about measuring the head tube.  That seemed odd.

Now I know why:  the M has a 105mm head tube and the L has 110.  So he had to cut the steerer down.

Who owes me a new fork?  And how much should I be willing to chip in for an upgrade?

jfc.  that sucks.   Sorry dude.  but the steerer shouldn't be cut that close.  I gotta think you can find spacers small enough  that will salvage it.  that is, assuming the shop that cut it unnecessarily short doesn't own their mistake.

[TwiceHorn 30851]

13 minutes ago, wd40 said:

jfc.  that sucks.   Sorry dude.  but the steerer shouldn't be cut that close.  I gotta think you can find spacers small enough  that will salvage it.  that is, assuming the shop that cut it unnecessarily short doesn't own their mistake.

They didn't.  That was my own rank speculation because at the time, I couldn't figure out whose fault it was and the shop owner said "I need to measure the head tube."

I went out and looked this morning and there's an additional half-spacer in there for the extra 5mm.

Marin apparently didn't believe that the frame they sent was an M and even contended that the sticker was wrong.  So, he measured the head tube length and the seat tube, took pix and sent them in.

[wd40 1976]

7 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

So I've booked a few night in Eureka Springs in March, and I got the impression there was plenty of XC at Leatherwood.  Am I missing the boat there?

there is one XC loop trail I'm aware of (but didn't ride) at Leatherwood.

Back 40 in Bella Vista is one of those bucketlist trails.  that would be my recommendation for XC.  there's a lot of debate about which direction to go.  I went counter-clockwise, and thought it was pretty good, that way.  I happened to pick a trailhead with the longest downhill run on the trail, right off the bat.  so maybe that galvanized my feelings on going ccw.  

I did one of the little side loops, supposedly the technical one, and it did have some rocks and ledges to contend with.  a nice break from the flowing-through-the-pines thing that is most of the trail.  

per Strava, my loop was 22.57 miles, 2016' of climbing.

fwiw, everyone else I saw that day was going clockwise, but they were prerideing for the race, that weekend.  

[KuЯdt 248]

21 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

So regarding Fayetteville and the Slaughter Pen system, is there anything there for someone who like cross country riding in a natural setting and isn't that interested in jumps, features, etc?  Or am I better off sticking to the more remote NWA trails that are in less developed areas?

There is definitely some XC stuff in the Slaughter Pen system.   Tatamagouche and Medusa in phase 1, along with other trails near there that I didn't ride (Schroen Train and stuff around there, Rim Trail).  I'd recommend exploring Slaughter Pen regardless as it has all types of different stuff, and is just so much fun.

 

14 hours ago, wd40 said:

I went counter-clockwise, and thought it was pretty good, that way.  I happened to pick a trailhead with the longest downhill run on the trail, right off the bat.  so maybe that galvanized my feelings on going ccw.  

Hmm, I had been wondering which direction to take that trail.  I'm told not to miss the Ledges trail, and it's apparently best ridden S to N, so that would line up nicely with riding Back 40 CCW.

[wd40 1976]

16 minutes ago, KuЯdt said:

There is definitely some XC stuff in the Slaughter Pen system.   Tatamagouche and Medusa in phase 1, along with other trails near there that I didn't ride (Schroen Train and stuff around there, Rim Trail).  I'd recommend exploring Slaughter Pen regardless as it has all types of different stuff, and is just so much fun.

 

Hmm, I had been wondering which direction to take that trail.  I'm told not to miss the Ledges trail, and it's apparently best ridden S to N, so that would line up nicely with riding Back 40 CCW.

that's it.  couldn't remember the name (even though I described it as having ledges, above).  and I would agree, Ledges flowed better, ccw.  couple puckery drops would be likely hikeabikes going the other way (similar to Dump Truck, heading toward Rudy's, iirc).

also, navigating was a bit of a challenge at times, signage being hit or miss as you cross streets and whatnot.  so make sure your gps is working.

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

20 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Lmao.  A 2019 Carbon Hightower, XX1 for $800 on CL.

https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/bik/d/dallas-2019-santa-cruz-hightower-lt/7236726861.html

On the other hand, someone got a nice bike stolen.  Motherfucker.

It's not stolen, it doesn't exist.  It's a scam.  I dont know what the scam is, but you know it's a scam if they try to embed the email address in the ad instead of using the Craigslist email proxy system.  

 

[Al_4_ISU 12376]

Had a great ride this morning. Extremely thankful for the long, dry MTB season we’ve had this year. Now it’s game time.

[TwiceHorn 30851]

Grrr.  I have missed some pretty prime biking weather.  I just noticed that Giant Trance I posted above is a year old, so that is probably off the table.  Hopefully, Marin can ship an L frame immediately and I don't get too hung up on the brake hose issue.  

[TwiceHorn 30851]

Ok.  This caught my eye.  Well ridden and VERY different (also way too much) bike for me.  27.5, Carbon, 160/150.  https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2904040/

But, it might be very educational in terms of contrast with my near-XC bike and top flight, if worn components.

Some of you more experienced folks want to opine on this, especially condition?  @wd40@KuЯdt@Pescado_Rojo@Braff Zacklin

Edited November 27, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[KuЯdt 248]

On 11/27/2020 at 9:21 AM, TwiceHorn said:

Ok.  This caught my eye.  Well ridden and VERY different (also way too much) bike for me.  27.5, Carbon, 160/150.  https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2904040/

But, it might be very educational in terms of contrast with my near-XC bike and top flight, if worn components.

Some of you more experienced folks want to opine on this, especially condition?  @wd40@KuЯdt@Pescado_Rojo@Braff Zacklin

That's a pretty well spec'd bike for sure.  Looks like it's seen a few crashes with all the scratches on it.  I'd want to take a close inspection if it were me, and make sure there were no hard impact points or cracks.  Yeah that seems like it would be a drastic change for you as this is pretty much an enduro rig, and with 650b wheels.

I will say that when I was looking at bikes last year, I thought I wanted a "downcountry" bike in the 120 range.  Test riding the Occam changed my mind, and having owned and ridden it for a while it changed my outlook even more on what I wanted out of a bike and how I ride. 

So even if you don't pick this one up, you might want to consider options that you may have considered too much bike in the past.

[Pescado_Rojo 19265]

I think it would be hard for me to go down from 29" wheels now that I've gotten used to them, and I don't know how I'd feel about that much travel if I did a lot of climbing (I do), but at that price if you bought it and hated it you could probably flip it pretty quickly for close to what you've got in it. 

[destroya 358]

Can someone catch me up on the various types of mountain bikes?  I rode a ton in the 90s but bikes have come a long way since then.  I live in Austin and would mainly ride the Greenbelt, south trails, slaughter creek trail etc.  

Edited November 30, 2020 by destroya

[Your Mom 4763]

15 hours ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

I think it would be hard for me to go down from 29" wheels now that I've gotten used to them, and I don't know how I'd feel about that much travel if I did a lot of climbing (I do), but at that price if you bought it and hated it you could probably flip it pretty quickly for close to what you've got in it. 

This.  Last Spring I bought a used Pivot 5.5  27.5  160/140  thinking it'd be more fun and easier to hop around on, hold manuals longer at slow speed off ledges, etc...  I had been riding a 2014 Salsa Horsethief 29 130/120 for the last couple years and was planning to hand it down to my son and have it as a backup bike.   I have learned that in anything moderately chunky I'm way better off with a 29.  The Pivot is more travel, more bike, carbon and it's a blast on jumps and flow trails but around here I ride more on chunk than flow.   I've compared them many times on identical rides and there are always a few spots I struggle or fail to get over on the Pivot and can charge right up on the Salsa.  I keep telling myself I'm about to sell the Pivot and use the cash to get another 29... but only after I take it out the the flow trail at Reveille Peak one last time.    One last time keeps happening but I swear I'm about to put it on the market.

[Your Mom 4763]

15 hours ago, destroya said:

Can someone catch me up on the various types of mountain bikes?  I rode a ton in the 90s but bikes have come a long way since then.  I live in Austin and would mainly ride the Greenbelt, south trails, slaughter creek trail etc.  

In order from smooth trails to  Red Bull Rampage back flip drops you have:

Cross country Bikes, Trail bikes (all-mountain), Enduro bikes (also sometimes considered all-mountain), Downhill bikes

A XC bike will generally have less suspension travel and will go faster and climb better than a trail bike.  A trail bike will have more suspension and a slacker head tube angle to make it easier to keep the weight rearward and to roll steep stuff without doing an endo.  There will also be bikes that blur the lines between those categories, XC but with more travel... Trail but with faster geometry, etc...  I'm old enough to enjoy the extra travel of a trail bike so my back doesn't feel all of it the next day, but that comes at the expense of speed.  Either a XC bike or a trail bike will do you fine for the trails you mentioned.  The trail bike will get you up and over chunkier stuff a little easier than a XC bike.  But the best rider I know is a 19 year old kid down the street who regularly rides repeats up the Hill of Life on the BCG gets up it clean every time on a XC bike.  Check the bike manufactures websites and see which bikes in their line are XC and which are Trail so you know which bikes compare to which across different brands.  They will all have differences in geometry and the numbers might mean something to you but if you're like me you just need to test ride them to know what feels right.  

Ignore the Enduro and DH bikes...  But if you ignore that advice I have a sweet deal on a Pivot 5.5 trail/enduro rig.  

And it's a bad time to be buying bikes.  Manufacturers got way behind during COVID shutdowns and new bikes at shops are often back ordered by months.  That has driven up the prices on the used market.  

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

22 hours ago, destroya said:

Can someone catch me up on the various types of mountain bikes?  I rode a ton in the 90s but bikes have come a long way since then.  I live in Austin and would mainly ride the Greenbelt, south trails, slaughter creek trail etc.  

Just get the most bike for the money you have.  I rode for 20 years on a hard tail before going full, but you sound old so maybe full suss is better.

I'll tell you the reason I felt the need to get a new bike a few months ago. The standards have changed in the last decade and finding parts for my old bike was becoming difficult.

1.make sure It has a tapered headtube.    I haven't seen many new bikes without it, even low end, but if you look at used bikes it's something to avoid. There are very few straight tube forks being built nowdays, you might not even be able to find one in 5 years.

2.  Boost wheels.  It's a new standard.   It's not as big a deal breaker as the tapered headtube because a wheelset can last 20 years if it's quality. But 135mm QR wheels are becoming harder to find.   

 

Other than that all the fat tire,tubeless, slack, 160mm, dropper post, carbon fiber,  stuff is really just luxury.  

[TwiceHorn 30851]

1 hour ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

Just get the most bike for the money you have.  I rode for 20 years on a hard tail before going full, but you sound old so maybe full suss is better.

I'll tell you the reason I felt the need to get a new bike a few months ago. The standards have changed in the last decade and finding parts for my old bike was becoming difficult.

1.make sure It has a tapered headtube.    I haven't seen many new bikes without it, even low end, but if you look at used bikes it's something to avoid. There are very few straight tube forks being built nowdays, you might not even be able to find one in 5 years.

2.  Boost wheels.  It's a new standard.   It's not as big a deal breaker as the tapered headtube because a wheelset can last 20 years if it's quality. But 135mm QR wheels are becoming harder to find.   

 

Other than that all the fat tire,tubeless, slack, 160mm, dropper post, carbon fiber,  stuff is really just luxury.  

The only other thing I might add to this is decide early whether you think you want 12 speeds (and a 9 or 10 tooth high gear).  Current 11 speed setups use a different driver (standard Shimano) than 12 spd, which use either SRAM XD or Shimano Micro Spline, to give a skosh extra room for one more cog and to make the smallest one something other than 11 tooth.

Not a huge hairy deal, but you'll have to change out the driver along with the RD and cassette, and some of the lower-end hubs won't offer that ability.

dingleberry nailed the main two standards that affect upgradeability.

[midtown 3339]

Give the bike shop your credit card. Borrow a $12k bike and put it under the tree. Leave price tag on. Wife flips out. You get to spend the rest of the day in the garage drinking whiskey away from your in laws. Return bike for reasonable rig next day.

[sasquatch69 576]

Just found this thread.  Life changes brought about by the pandemic (mainly, WFH and a lot more free time) brought me back to mountain biking here in D/FW after years of very little activity.  In the past few months, I've spent a lot of time riding at Rowlett Preserve (close to home), and decent rides at Katie Jackson, Boulder Park, Northshore and a couple state parks east of town.  Last weekend I discovered Big Cedar and loved it, although I'm very much a green/blue trail kind of guy (I like more distance riding with turns and a few *little* hills/jumps now and then, but the really challenging stuff is right out for me and my early-40s dad bod).

I'm still riding the dual-suspension GT RTS-3 I got in college - got it worked on earlier this year (full tuneup, new front derailleur, etc.) which really made a difference.   Given the advancements in bike tech since the mid-90s, though, am I really missing out by not having a newer bike?  Or will this continue to be sufficient for my needs?  I do enjoy riding it.

Edited December 2, 2020 by sasquatch69

[wd40 1976]

agree with switzer and 2x on the shifting standards of major components as a big consideration.  but if it works for you, ride it.  

otherwise, I'll just say the scary stuff generally turns out to not be so scary on bikes with current geometry, dropper posts, etc..  for old farts like me, there's a lot of unlearning to do.  gotten past a lot of that, but there are still days where shit just doesn't look good to me.

[TwiceHorn 30851]

8 hours ago, sasquatch69 said:

Just found this thread.  Life changes brought about by the pandemic (mainly, WFH and a lot more free time) brought me back to mountain biking here in D/FW after years of very little activity.  In the past few months, I've spent a lot of time riding at Rowlett Preserve (close to home), and decent rides at Katie Jackson, Boulder Park, Northshore and a couple state parks east of town.  Last weekend I discovered Big Cedar and loved it, although I'm very much a green/blue trail kind of guy (I like more distance riding with turns and a few *little* hills/jumps now and then, but the really challenging stuff is right out for me and my early-40s dad bod).

I'm still riding the dual-suspension GT RTS-3 I got in college - got it worked on earlier this year (full tuneup, new front derailleur, etc.) which really made a difference.   Given the advancements in bike tech since the mid-90s, though, am I really missing out by not having a newer bike?  Or will this continue to be sufficient for my needs?  I do enjoy riding it.

Welcome to the thread.  We ride a lot of the same stuff.  

I have always been intimidated by Big Cedar, I think mainly because the central loop (Ranger?) is long, and blue and there doesn't seem to be any way to shortcut it.    I can handle most DFW blues just fine, but there's enough variance in it that Big Cedar makes me wary.

Plus, it has always been the "most technical" and challenging trail in DFW.

[midtown 3339]

9 hours ago, sasquatch69 said:

am I really missing out by not having a newer bike?  Or will this continue to be sufficient for my needs?  I do enjoy riding it.

No.  If you enjoy riding the bike you have keep on riding.

[Pescado_Rojo 19265]

2 minutes ago, midtown said:

No.  If you enjoy riding the bike you have keep on riding.

One thing I'll say, as I have a Mountain Goat Whiskeytown Racer from the same era...quality replacement components are getting harder and harder to find. If you trash a derailleur or something, you're going to be scavenging ebay and vintage mountain bike forums looking for replacements.  

[sasquatch69 576]

2 hours ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

One thing I'll say, as I have a Mountain Goat Whiskeytown Racer from the same era...quality replacement components are getting harder and harder to find. If you trash a derailleur or something, you're going to be scavenging ebay and vintage mountain bike forums looking for replacements.  

Yeah, I've thought about that.  Our little neighborhood shop has some older stuff laying around (or knows where to find it) and they've assured me I'm good for a while.  I do worry about how long the shocks will hold out.  The front fork is probably fairly easy to replace, but the rear suspension is unique and wasn't all that common even back then.

 

As for the brakes, if I ever have a catastrophic failure I'll probably try going from cantilever to V-brakes, but I don't think disc would work on this bike.

Edited December 2, 2020 by sasquatch69

[Pescado_Rojo 19265]

1 hour ago, sasquatch69 said:

Yeah, I've thought about that.  Our little neighborhood shop has some older stuff laying around (or knows where to find it) and they've assured me I'm good for a while.  I do worry about how long the shocks will hold out.  The front fork is probably fairly easy to replace, but the rear suspension is unique and wasn't all that common even back then.

 

As for the brakes, if I ever have a catastrophic failure I'll probably try going from cantilever to V-brakes, but I don't think disc would work on this bike.

If I recall, most of those RSC forks are coil, so not too much to go wrong. If it's elastomer, there are a few companies still making replacements. If it's air, you might have issues finding rebuild kits. I've got an old Rock Shox Mag 21 that's impossible to find rebuild kits for. I ended up finding a new old stock Manitou M2 with an uncut steerer tube and doing a fork swap. The Manitou actually looks better on the bike, so it all worked out. If you're on FB, check out Vintage Mountain Bike Collectors Society. They post some cool bikes, and there's lots of good parts guys on there. 

[sasquatch69 576]

On 12/2/2020 at 6:56 AM, TwiceHorn said:

Welcome to the thread.  We ride a lot of the same stuff.  

I have always been intimidated by Big Cedar, I think mainly because the central loop (Ranger?) is long, and blue and there doesn't seem to be any way to shortcut it.    I can handle most DFW blues just fine, but there's enough variance in it that Big Cedar makes me wary.

Plus, it has always been the "most technical" and challenging trail in DFW.

Spent a couple hours at Big Cedar yesterday, and did the northern part of Ranger Loop for the first time. It may be the hardest but most enjoyable trail I've ever ridden in Texas (on admittedly limited experience, since I don't do the really challenging stuff) - some absolutely beautiful stretches and speedy downhills, but brutal climbs as well. I had to get off the bike and walk it several times. 

The biggest issue out there right now is that Oncor just came in and clearcut the whole utility easement that several trails run through, so when you get to the part of Ranger that crosses the easement you lose track of where the trail is and end up in a rutted mess of dozer tracks. I ended up having to jump a fence and ride along Camp Wisdom and Eagle Ford back to the church trailhead entrance, which sucked. If you're going to do the loop, make sure you take the "Ranger Bypass" a bit after you pass the fork for the Man Bites Dog loop - otherwise you'll end up lost on the easement.

Overall, I still got ~8mi of mostly enjoyable riding in on a beautiful afternoon. 

Edited December 6, 2020 by sasquatch69

[Al_4_ISU 12376]

Another early AM pre thaw ride yesterday. Chance of snow later this week, which could signal the end of this great late season run.

[TwiceHorn 30851]

4 hours ago, sasquatch69 said:

Spent a couple hours at Big Cedar yesterday, and did the northern part of Ranger Loop for the first time. It may be the hardest but most enjoyable trail I've ever ridden in Texas (on admittedly limited experience, since I don't do the really challenging stuff) - some absolutely beautiful stretches and speedy downhills, but brutal climbs as well. I had to get off the bike and walk it several times. 

The biggest issue out there right now is that Oncor just came in and clearcut the whole utility easement that several trails run through, so when you get to the part of Ranger that crosses the easement you lose track of where the trail is and end up in a rutted mess of dozer tracks. I ended up having to jump a fence and ride along Camp Wisdom and Eagle Ford back to the church trailhead entrance, which sucked. If you're going to do the loop, make sure you take the "Ranger Bypass" a bit after you pass the fork for the Man Bites Dog loop - otherwise you'll end up lost on the easement.

Overall, I still got ~8mi of mostly enjoyable riding in on a beautiful afternoon. 

So I guess that means that Ranger, which is what, like 12 miles or so, has some kind of fire road or utility easement that lets you go back to the trailhead?

I've noted the two green loops are off Ranger and the maps maybe show some kind of fire road so you could shortcut some of the loop, but have never been sure.  Otherwise, it wouldn't make much sense to have green loops that you have to complete a blue loop to get to and from. 

[sasquatch69 576]

6 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

So I guess that means that Ranger, which is what, like 12 miles or so, has some kind of fire road or utility easement that lets you go back to the trailhead?

I've noted the two green loops are off Ranger and the maps maybe show some kind of fire road so you could shortcut some of the loop, but have never been sure.  Otherwise, it wouldn't make much sense to have green loops that you have to complete a blue loop to get to and from. 

Apologies in advance for my shitty graphic, but hopefully this helps.

- After a few hours exploring the property, I've found a good approach for newbies like me is to start by getting on the purple fire road RIGHT at the entrance to the parking lot off Isom Drive (red arrow below), which takes you to the first green trail, Dragonfly (yellow circle).  That bypasses the path to Dragonfly from the actual trailhead, which is a major drop right at the beginning.

- Dragonfly spits out on the fire road, and from there turn right and go up to I Can, the next green trail (orange circle)

- When you get done with that, go back south on the purple fire road to pick up Ranger (blue) just north of Dragonfly and head east - it takes you around the edge of the housing development up into the eastern part of the property (just don't take the fork for Copperhead Ridge). Some fun downhills and beautiful scenery along Ranger there, but be sure to take the green bypass (purple arrow) back to take Ranger southbound back into the heart of the property.  Otherwise, Ranger keeps going northwest and spits you out on the easement where the trails have been erased (red X).  

(Map source: https://www.trailforks.com/region/big-cedar-wilderness-trails/)

  

Edited December 7, 2020 by sasquatch69

[TwiceHorn 30851]

That's a lot of help, thanks.

[TwiceHorn 30851]

I'm so itchy to ride, I keep looking at ads.  

This is an older bike but seems to be "rebuilt" with nice newish stuff and the price is right.  It's 27.5, but slackish at 67 degrees.

https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2911512/

Just noticed it has shitty brakes to be SLX ders.  Oh well.

Edited December 7, 2020 by TwiceHorn

[APEX 63]

22 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

Another early AM pre thaw ride yesterday. Chance of snow later this week, which could signal the end of this great late season run.

Not mountain biking related but just signed up for RAGBRAI for July 25-31. Looking forward to riding across Iowa. Longest ride is currently only 35 miles so definitely need to get on the saddle more to train

[Al_4_ISU 12376]

17 minutes ago, APEX said:

Not mountain biking related but just signed up for RAGBRAI for July 25-31. Looking forward to riding across Iowa. Longest ride is currently only 35 miles so definitely need to get on the saddle more to train

I hope to get some RAGBRAI in this year.  I've never done all of it, but have hit significant chunks in '14, '17, and '19.  It's an absolute blast.  It will also change your belief about how flat Iowa is.

You'll definitely need to start upping your mileage.  In '19, my buddy who had never ridden more than 42 miles in a single ride came along for the last two days.  The first day we rode ended up being 90 miles on everyone's mapping software, and it was around 95 degrees that day with an unusual amount of head wind.  We got to Burlington about 5:00PM, and set up camp.  He passed out around 6PM, then woke back up around 7:30, ate a brat and drank a beer and fell back asleep until the sun came out.  He was whipped.