The Surly Mountain Biking Thread

[Al_4_ISU 12375]

16 hours ago, Braff Zacklin said:

These are Shimano brakes, so even the single-piston varieties are "touchy" in that the bite point is early. SRAM brakes tend to give you more initial modulation, but I think either are easy to learn and adapt to.

For me, the bite point on the two-piston version feels about the same as on a single-pot model, I'm just not having to pull on the lever as hard to get the same amount of stopping power. Depending on how high you want to climb, you can descend for 10, 20, even 30 minutes straight without stopping, so the extra power for less effort should reduce hand fatigue/arm pump, and the larger rotor will help dissipate heat.

I would recommend learning bike maintenance for anyone who rides a lot. Most shops do a good job (or want to do a good job), but getting it done quickly is occasionally more important than getting it done right.

Do you buy your own parts? If so, consider adding a couple of tools to each order. A chain whip here, some P-handled allen keys there. Before you know it, you'll have what it takes to cover 99 percent of your maintenance needs.

I never have bought my own parts, but I'm sure I'll start doing it now.

[TwiceHorn 30851]

18 hours ago, Braff Zacklin said:

you can descend for 10, 20, even 30 minutes straight without stopping

Hahaha, what is this sorcery? I'm trying mightily to use my dropper, but the fact that we get maybe a minute's worth of descent, if that, often followed closely by another climb, is why I can't really get into it.  I am trying to use it for turning, where I can see the utility, but I seem to be lanky enough to lean the bike ok without dropping the post, for the speed we are able to carry through turns.  And, of course, on our turns, lacking descent most of the time, you only need it down for maybe five seconds, if that. 

As mentioned above, Frisco NW is one of the few trails that has descending turns where you can really try to shred.  The little Mongo thing on Katie Jackson is kind of fun to see what a dropper does on "jumpy" rollers, but the turns are bermed, so there's no carving involved.

Some Ripley AF Deores, like mine, came with 4-pot brakes, due to parts substitution.  Mine didn't though.  Fairly certain I have no use for them.  The two-pot Deores have plenty of stopping power, as evidenced by my armadillo encounter related above.  Damn things nearly launched me off the bike.  I suppose any hydraulic brakes are pretty fully capable of that, but I have never come as close to testing that theory as when the armadillo went straight across my path at some speed.

Edited September 13, 2022 by TwiceHorn

[Braff Zacklin 13299]

58 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

Hahaha, what is this sorcery? I'm trying mightily to use my dropper, but the fact that we get maybe a minute's worth of descent, if that, often followed closely by another climb, is why I can't really get into it.  I am trying to use it for turning, where I can see the utility, but I seem to be lanky enough to lean the bike ok without dropping the post, for the speed we are able to carry through turns.  And, of course, on our turns, lacking descent most of the time, you only need it down for maybe five seconds, if that. 

As mentioned above, Frisco NW is one of the few trails that has descending turns where you can really try to shred.  The little Mongo thing on Katie Jackson is kind of fun to see what a dropper does on "jumpy" rollers, but the turns are bermed, so there's no carving involved.

Some Ripley AF Deores, like mine, came with 4-pot brakes, due to parts substitution.  Mine didn't though.  Fairly certain I have no use for them.  The two-pot Deores have plenty of stopping power, as evidenced by my armadillo encounter related above.  Damn things nearly launched me off the bike.  I suppose any hydraulic brakes are pretty fully capable of that, but I have never come as close to testing that theory as when the armadillo went straight across my path at some speed.

Well, the catch is, for a 20-minute descent, you're climbing for an hour, possibly more.

There's nothing wrong with two-pot (or even single-pot) calipers. Pol Pot, however, is right out. (It's tough, kid, but it's life.)

Back wheel on the squishy has dual piston and I don't foresee a need to ever upgrade. Hardtail is still set up with single-pot mechs, and I can one-finger brake them all the way to the bottom, but it's definitely more work.

I just wanted more power/heat dissipation up front for lengthy descents.

Drop your heels and move your weight back when braking "vigorously" and you shouldn't endo no matter how hard you stomp the levers.

[TwiceHorn 30851]

10 minutes ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Well, the catch is, for a 20-minute descent, you're climbing for an hour, possibly more.

There's nothing wrong with two-pot (or even single-pot) calipers. Pol Pot, however, is right out. (It's tough, kid, but it's life.)

Back wheel on the squishy has dual piston and I don't foresee a need to ever upgrade. Hardtail is still set up with single-pot mechs, and I can one-finger brake them all the way to the bottom, but it's definitely more work.

I just wanted more power/heat dissipation up front for lengthy descents.

Drop your heels and move your weight back when braking "vigorously" and you shouldn't endo no matter how hard you stomp the levers.

Normally yes, I employ sound braking technique.  In this particular instance, I was boogeying with good pedaling form and completely panic stopped.

[Braff Zacklin 13299]

If you normally do as suggested, you wouldn't have almost gone endo, Twice.

Practice, practice, practice until it becomes reflex for you to drop your heels and shift your weight back anytime you grab the brakes hard.

[jw4381 3044]

Found a cool lollipopish ride with some good technical challenges. 
 

Glad to see all you compadres still at it. 
 

[Al_4_ISU 12375]

Just booked a trip to NWA in mid March.  Plan is to do the whole Back 40 one of the days.  Anyone here ever done it?

[Braff Zacklin 13299]

Rocky Mountain maples are just beginning to blush. Should have better photos from up higher next week.

And would you believe it stormed less than an hour after this picture was taken?

[Aqua Buddha 14256]

On 9/19/2022 at 9:52 AM, Al_4_ISU said:

Just booked a trip to NWA in mid March.  Plan is to do the whole Back 40 one of the days.  Anyone here ever done it?

I haven't but people do it.  It's challenging but doable.  

Good luck on the weather mid March.  Total crap shoot that time of year.

[TwiceHorn 30851]

Spent a week off the bike due to Covid or my first seasonal allergy snotfest since Covid started.  So I was a little worried about how I'd do on the bike.

Went to the flat-as-a pancake LB Houston so as not to challenge myself overly on a Sunday around noon.  Ride went well, felt pretty good and put down 9 miles with some actual bursts of speed without horking up a lung, although I did have to blow some snot rockets.

However, and I think i have mentioned this before, that trail is out Northwest Highway around Luna Road, where there are a few skanky tit bars, a porn store, and what seem to be hotsheet motels.  And that seems to equate to the parking lot at one of the two trailheads being full of cars that seem to be creepy men "loitering" for sexual encounters.

It's bizarre, all the cars are decent, late models, some empty and some with occupants.  The empty ones would seem to indicate that the drivers are out in the woods "trysting" or whatever.  So when I pass that trailhead, I am always apprehensive about what I am going to come across.  I'm not really wild about the prospect of encountering a Deliverance reenactment, but I suppose they aren't an actual threat, just an eye-bleach occasion.

Also, as I have mentioned, that trail was closed for several years due to sewer line work by the City.  It has reopened, but isn't exactly as I remembered.  I've gone down some loops that still have signs up, only to find them massively overgrown and/or blocked by fallen trees and limbs.

Came across this doozy, which I think is the most massive blockage I have ever come across.

It's not as impressive in the photo as real life.  There's only about a foot under the tree and the tree itself is about 2' in diameter.  No easy way under, over, or around that one.

Also encountered a dufus on an e-bike going the wrong way on the trail, at a pretty good clip.  I stopped and swerved off the trail, I don't think he even blipped his brakes.

I see a fair number of e-bikes on the northern trails like Erwin and Northshore, but the riders generally aren't doing anything shtheaded.  Haven't seen many on the more "in-town" trails.  It's odd, some of the e-bike riders are a little older, as you might expect, but a fair number are not and look to be in pretty good shape.  Kind of mystifying.

Edited October 3, 2022 by TwiceHorn

[KuЯdt 248]

On 9/19/2022 at 9:52 AM, Al_4_ISU said:

Just booked a trip to NWA in mid March.  Plan is to do the whole Back 40 one of the days.  Anyone here ever done it?

I did the full Back 40 loop about a year and a half ago.  It’s pretty xc, with a few bonus side trails or loops you can do.  There’s a good amount of cumulative climbing.

The Little Sugar system across the highway is similar, but with more jump lines, tech sections, and has the Huntley Gravity Zone as well.  It felt to me like Little Sugar has more climbing too.

   

[Al_4_ISU 12375]

16 hours ago, KuЯdt said:

I did the full Back 40 loop about a year and a half ago.  It’s pretty xc, with a few bonus side trails or loops you can do.  There’s a good amount of cumulative climbing.

The Little Sugar system across the highway is similar, but with more jump lines, tech sections, and has the Huntley Gravity Zone as well.  It felt to me like Little Sugar has more climbing too.

   

I'm way more of an XC guy with no interest in jump lines and tech, so this sounds perfect.

My NWA experience is Great Passion Play in Eureka and Hobbs State Park between Eureka and Bentonville.  Both were pretty awesome XC style trail systems.

[Al_4_ISU 12375]

On 9/23/2022 at 11:23 AM, Aqua Buddha said:

I haven't but people do it.  It's challenging but doable.  

Good luck on the weather mid March.  Total crap shoot that time of year.

It looks like it's 20ish miles.  I did 15-16 in one shot this summer in northern Minnesota.  Less climbing than Back 40 would have.

My plan is to start early (7-8AM) budget 4 or 5 hours.  It looks like there's plenty of road crossing and easy access if I bonk and need to get bailed out.

[TwiceHorn 30851]

21 minutes ago, Al_4_ISU said:

It looks like it's 20ish miles.  I did 15-16 in one shot this summer in northern Minnesota.  Less climbing than Back 40 would have.

My plan is to start early (7-8AM) budget 4 or 5 hours.  It looks like there's plenty of road crossing and easy access if I bonk and need to get bailed out.

I've seen some comments in various forums that you kind of need to plan your route because if you take all of the optional loops, you could be in for a very long ride.

No personal knowledge, but I have seen several comments to that effect over the years.

[Al_4_ISU 12375]

11 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

I've seen some comments in various forums that you kind of need to plan your route because if you take all of the optional loops, you could be in for a very long ride.

No personal knowledge, but I have seen several comments to that effect over the years.

I haven't read much about it, but I've seen these optional loops on Trailforks.

My plan is just to stick to the basic trail, which according to TF is 22 miles and just under 2400' of climb.  Equals out to 109' of gain per mile, which is almost exactly like my main 8 mile loop at my normal spot (and 2 miles of that is purely flat along a river, so with that in mind it's closer 135' gain per mile).  All of that seems completely within my capabilities.

https://www.trailforks.com/trails/the-back-40-loop/

[TwiceHorn 30851]

Been lazy the last few days, still coughing up a bit of snot from whatever sickness that was.  Finally unassed myself to go to Harry Moss.

Didn't feel particularly steezy and kind of expected to tire out/get bored pretty quickly.  Instead, I set a new PR by almost 1 mph.

I did not, however, clean that mess I posted above, because there was another rider hung up on it.  Even stood around and bsed with the guy for a few minutes (I think those stops cut into measured speed because it takes a while for GPS to figure out you're not moving).

[Aqua Buddha 14256]

On 10/5/2022 at 7:37 AM, Al_4_ISU said:

It looks like it's 20ish miles.  I did 15-16 in one shot this summer in northern Minnesota.  Less climbing than Back 40 would have.

My plan is to start early (7-8AM) budget 4 or 5 hours.  It looks like there's plenty of road crossing and easy access if I bonk and need to get bailed out.

There are also plenty of connectors if you have to cut it short.  

There was some pro that came to town a year or so ago and rode the entire Bentonville/Bella Vista network in one day.  Even the locals were like "shit, how is that possible?"

 

[jw4381 3044]

Getting faster. 
 

[TwiceHorn 30851]

Still trying to get back into my regular riding schedule after being sick and a bunch of life bullshit.  Went to Rowlett Creek and started strong, but the climbs in the back kind of got to me, although I made them all.   Cut the ride a bit short at 7.5 miles as I was feeling a bit fatigued, not huffing, no bonk, just kinda tired.  But set a speed PR.

[sasquatch69 576]

Finally made it down to Spider Mountain this weekend, and it definitely lives up to the hype.  Given that I'm still on a hardtail, I mainly stuck to the greens; I tried all but one of the blues and made it down one of them without stopping, but had to walk certain points on the rest (and honestly, there's too many stairstep rocks to get any kind of speed on a hardtail without it being so rough that I almost lost grip on my handlebars a couple times).  Overall, it provides some gorgeous Hill Country scenery, seems to be well run and has a decent bar on property with wood-fired pizzas and a solid beer selection.  I also learned the lift is the old Lift 1 at Taos Ski Valley (replaced in 2018), which is pretty cool.

We topped off the day at Barrow Brewing in Salado before heading back to Dallas.  Great day, and hope to do it again soon.

 

 

 

[Al_4_ISU 12375]

Unseasonable cold and snow are keeping me from the harvest finish line, but I’m getting plenty of fat biking in

[TwiceHorn 30851]

Well, another round of illness and shitty weather have kept me off of all bikes since late October.

Went to Moss, which finally opened after the latest storms and it was muddy in that way that makes pedaling hard.  Whew boy, that was a beating. I only did something like 2-3 miles and quit.  My fitness is in the shitter after being pretty good from new bike day to Septemberish.

[sasquatch69 576]

On 12/5/2022 at 10:41 PM, TwiceHorn said:

Well, another round of illness and shitty weather have kept me off of all bikes since late October.

Went to Moss, which finally opened after the latest storms and it was muddy in that way that makes pedaling hard.  Whew boy, that was a beating. I only did something like 2-3 miles and quit.  My fitness is in the shitter after being pretty good from new bike day to Septemberish.

That sucks, and I've been there.  I ended up doing a fair amount of (paved) trail riding when I was trying to come back after a month off due to Covid, and it really worked.  I'm now trying to ride in to work (North Dallas to Uptown area) at least once a week, via WRC/SoPac/Ridgewood/Katy trails.

[Gale Snoats 242]

Any recs bw trek cannondale or woom for a 12 yr old girl to ride around the neighborhood and maybe some light trail riding?

[TwiceHorn 30851]

On 12/7/2022 at 12:39 PM, sasquatch69 said:

That sucks, and I've been there.  I ended up doing a fair amount of (paved) trail riding when I was trying to come back after a month off due to Covid, and it really worked.  I'm now trying to ride in to work (North Dallas to Uptown area) at least once a week, via WRC/SoPac/Ridgewood/Katy trails.

Yeah I didn't ride the singlespeed either.  I didn't record a ride in the entire month of November and much of December and it's pretty bad.  Took me a while to shake the cough from the second round of sickness, but that's gone finally, but my nose is still stuffy when I ride and I can't breathe right.  But I rode three of the last four days and the ground has been pretty sticky despite clear weather and a lot of wind, so that makes it a bit of a workout even if I'm not going much over 5 miles, which I am not.

I even trekked out to Gateway and it was sticky and the last couple of times I rode it I guess I was in some kind of shape because I didn't find the west loop to be at all challenging on the climbs, but it tuckered me out pretty good this time.

Man, the low parts of Moss are wetter than I have ever seen.  Not just muddy, but inundated.

[TwiceHorn 30851]

I have some dumb questions about seesaws.  There are a few on the DFW trails, mostly about 8-10 feet long maybe 2 feet tall (thinking Harry Moss and Rowlett Creek).

Some years ago, I first attempted the one at Harry Moss and just rolled it, with the main challenge I think being shifting weight back when you suddenly go from pointed up to pointed down, so you don't go OTB.  So I did that a few times, said woo, and then ignored them for a couple of years.

Lately, being out of shape, I have been hitting them again just to spice things up and maybe a bit of self-loathing.  It feels very much different now than when I used to roll them.  First off, I think I'm hitting them faster and that leads to it feeling like a kicker and that I am actually launching a bit so the bike comes down more level without the sharp drop feeling I used to get.

Relatedly, there's a little section at Katie Jackson called Mongo that has some sharp (steep but not very tall) rollers that I have kind of been pumping based on some video I saw (Kyle & April?) about learning to jump that taught if you are pumping things correctly, you will come close to getting airborne depending on what you do next (stand up or push back down) and that is the basis of jumping.  I have been thinking that I am experiencing that, and, although I know what to do to get airborne intellectually, from a body mechanics standpoint, I have no idea.

It feels like a similar thing is going on with the seesaws.  Am I insane?  Am I on the verge of learning to jump at age 56?  Am I gearing up for  trip to the ER?

[TwiceHorn 30851]

This is strange to me, but gratifying.  I went up to Katie Jackson this afternoon, kind of expecting a bit of a death march because I'm still recovering fitness from my long lay off and illness.  Didn't feel super strong or super weak, just really average.

So, I start off and do the usual, entire red loop, then about 2/3 to 3/4 of blue loop to get to the turnoff to yellow.  It's flat as a pancake basically, so no climbing, but no speed boosts from descents, either, just a pedal-fest.  It's twisty as hell, though.  I felt pretty damn good about my carving through the trees, but didn't think I was particularly hauling, just the slow is smooth, smooth is fast kind of thing.  When I got to the turnoff to yellow, I stopped to drink and check my distance.  2.4 miles at 10mph.  Sad, I guess, but I don't believe I have ever clocked 10mph on any decent distance of any off-road trail before.  I was shocked.  Close to it, but never actually 10.x, that I saw on the tracker.

So, I did yellow, trying to be speedy, but it's got some mild climbing and tech that are bound to slow one down a little and also some descending where I broke my collarbone that could buy some speed back.  There was some work being done on the descendy part, so I took it pretty easy there. Then the entirety of blue loop, again. And still finished up 6.6 miles at 9 mph, a new PR by about 0.8 mph.  And I had been getting progressively faster on KJP since new bike day, but not quite like this.

I've been getting faster on everything I ride, pretty much.  But I really wouldn't have expected it at KJP because of the twisties.  I would more have expected cresting 10mph on River Legacy or Rowlett Creek because they are less twisty and similarly flat.

WIld.  I give a lot of credit to the RIpley, it has kind of re-energized my riding in a way I didn't think possible, and still don't fully understand why.

Edited January 7, 2023 by TwiceHorn

[Al_4_ISU 12375]

First real fat bike ride of the year. The county gave us the go ahead to groom and ride. Awesome conditions.

[TwiceHorn 30851]

5 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

First real fat bike ride of the year. The county gave us the go ahead to groom and ride. Awesome conditions.

How cold is that?  I don't really have the gear to ride in much below the upper 40s or lower 50s.  I'm not sure I even want to attempt it.

[Al_4_ISU 12375]

3 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

How cold is that?  I don't really have the gear to ride in much below the upper 40s or lower 50s.  I'm not sure I even want to attempt it.

23ish.  I have gear for down to subzero. I’ve cross country skied below 0, but never biked.

If you’re out of the wind, it doesn’t get painful until 0.  Winter comfort is 100% about proper gear.

[TwiceHorn 30851]

8 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

23ish.  I have gear for down to subzero. I’ve cross country skied below 0, but never biked.

If you’re out of the wind, it doesn’t get painful until 0.  Winter comfort is 100% about proper gear.

Yeah, seems like XC gear and familiarity is pretty key.  Are you able to wear regular shoes or do you have boots too?

[Al_4_ISU 12375]

3 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Yeah, seems like XC gear and familiarity is pretty key.  Are you able to wear regular shoes or do you have boots too?

I’ve done both.  North of 15 I’ll wear regular shoes and hardcore socks.  Below that and I go for my heavy winter boots.  My boots are pretty waterproof and very comfortable, but you get better grip and control with the shoes.

[Al_4_ISU 12375]

Looks like I had to scuttle my NWA/Back 40 trip for March.  Between moving into a new house, wife starting a new job, and a kid on the way (wife using full maternity leave and doesn't want to burn vacation prior), it just doesn't make sense from a time or financial standpoint.

I plan to counter it by taking a lot of Fridays off instead and maybe going riding in places that are like a 2/3 hour drive away from home.  There are some really good systems up in Wisconsin that fit that bill, and maybe even hitting the Minnesota Iron Range again.

[Your Mom 4763]

So my 17 year old is starting to ride a little bit.  It’s tough to fit in his schedule but he’s had fun lately and we are doing a mountain bike vacation together this summer.  So I need to get him a bike, which seems like the perfect excuse to buy myself a bike instead and let him ride it.  Already have a burly trail/enduro rig and I’d like to avoid too much crossover so I’m looking for a lighter, faster XC bike.  The kid doesn’t really like gnarly terrain yet so it’ll suit him well and I’ll ride it on my neighborhood trails where my current bike is overkill.  

I demoed a Orbea Oiz all weekend and had a blast on it.  I’d forgotten how fast a short travel stiff bike is.  It’s probably 6-7 pounds lighter than my bike and it just doesn’t bounce at all when you pedal, even with the suspension full open.  I’m not a big Strava guy but most of my stuff gets logged on there and with a moderate effort I set a 40 second PR on a short local <1 mile chunky trail I’ve done hundreds of times before (DiscGo DiscGo for you SATN’ers). Just really surprised at the difference in speed.   It handled basic blue trails with chunk and ledges fine, though not nearly as comfortably as I’m used to.  I guess XC race courses are getting rowdier and XC bikes are getting slacker and more travel for them.  

Not going to buy it yet.  Gonna scour the used market for a bit first.  

[TwiceHorn 30851]

On 1/24/2023 at 2:07 PM, Your Mom said:

So my 17 year old is starting to ride a little bit.  It’s tough to fit in his schedule but he’s had fun lately and we are doing a mountain bike vacation together this summer.  So I need to get him a bike, which seems like the perfect excuse to buy myself a bike instead and let him ride it.  Already have a burly trail/enduro rig and I’d like to avoid too much crossover so I’m looking for a lighter, faster XC bike.  The kid doesn’t really like gnarly terrain yet so it’ll suit him well and I’ll ride it on my neighborhood trails where my current bike is overkill.  

I demoed a Orbea Oiz all weekend and had a blast on it.  I’d forgotten how fast a short travel stiff bike is.  It’s probably 6-7 pounds lighter than my bike and it just doesn’t bounce at all when you pedal, even with the suspension full open.  I’m not a big Strava guy but most of my stuff gets logged on there and with a moderate effort I set a 40 second PR on a short local <1 mile chunky trail I’ve done hundreds of times before (DiscGo DiscGo for you SATN’ers). Just really surprised at the difference in speed.   It handled basic blue trails with chunk and ledges fine, though not nearly as comfortably as I’m used to.  I guess XC race courses are getting rowdier and XC bikes are getting slacker and more travel for them.  

Not going to buy it yet.  Gonna scour the used market for a bit first.  

It seems that FS XC and "downcountry" or whatever you want to call short-travel bikes, ~120mm travel, are having a renaissance these days.  People on the fora are just jizzing over bikes like the Oiz, Transition Spur, Epic Evo, Ripley, etc.  It may be that frame kinematics and suspension has gotten so good that people that thought they used to have to pedal an enduro rig around to feel comfortable on descents are having second thoughts.

Between crappy weather, closed trails and house-buying, I had my first free day in a while and trekked down to Waxahachie to ride the Hachie MTB trail.  It''s just a green, but that's what I wanted because this is my third ride in six weeks or so and I wasn't feeling some of the climbier trails that were open today.  Had a good ride just carving and flowing shit without having to huff and puff too much, and exploring a new trail that didn't have any unpleasant surprises.  it's also fairly long, but an out and back, so I was able to pound out 10 miles and that felt pretty good.

Edited February 20, 2023 by TwiceHorn

[sasquatch69 576]

Haven't posted here in a while, but I've already ridden 150 miles since January 1, just by finding time every opportunity I can when weather is decent and trails are open.  I did upgrade the front fork to a Rockshox Judy (from my stock Suntour coil fork) and it's made a huge difference in comfort - and the remote lockout has been handy when climbing.  Northshore has been my trail of choice for just getting in fun miles, and it's pretty glorious this time of year (I like it better than when trees are full and green).

Also, Big Cedar Wilderness is nearing completion of the process to become a Dallas city park, which is great news as most of the lower acreage where a lot of the trails are (250+ ac) was under constant threat of development: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/big-cedar-wilderness-may-become-a-dallas-city-park/3198804/

Photo: Below the drop on 2W at Northshore from early Feb, just before the ice storm.

 

Edited February 22, 2023 by sasquatch69

[TwiceHorn 30851]

51 minutes ago, sasquatch69 said:

Haven't posted here in a while, but I've already ridden 150 miles since January 1, just by finding time every opportunity I can when weather is decent and trails are open.  I did upgrade the front fork to a Rockshox Judy (from my stock Suntour coil fork) and it's made a huge difference in comfort - and the remote lockout has been handy when climbing.  Northshore has been my trail of choice for just getting in fun miles, and it's pretty glorious this time of year (I like it better than when trees are full and green).

Also, Big Cedar Wilderness is nearing completion of the process to become a Dallas city park, which is great news as most of the lower acreage where a lot of the trails are (250+ ac) was under constant threat of development: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/big-cedar-wilderness-may-become-a-dallas-city-park/3198804/

Photo: Below the drop on 2W at Northshore from early Feb, just before the ice storm.

 

Did you have a coil fork before?  I've only ridden Big Cedar once, the green trails, because historically I think it was one of the rowdier trails out there and I am intimidated.  That might not be so true anymore.

Only ridden NS once too and it was fine, but quite a trek for me and a bit crowded.

There's supposed to be another new trail around Tenison golf course before too long https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2022/11/creekside-park-details-dallas-trail-dorba/

[TwiceHorn 30851]

Well, for all the jizzing I have been doing over the Ibis Ripley AF, I finally realized that probably the biggest contributor to my newfound speed is dumping about 20-30 lbs over the last couple of years.  That's attributable in part to the single-speed road bike as well as to the Ripley.  I push a little harder and go a little faster on both bikes because a) road and b) something about the Ripley's handling makes me more confident going faster on trails.  It's a great pedaling platform, but there's something I just can't explain about how it just suits me turning and climbing in a way that the Rift Zone just didn't.

[Braff Zacklin 13299]

22 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

Well, for all the jizzing I have been doing over the Ibis Ripley AF, I finally realized that probably the biggest contributor to my newfound speed is dumping about 20-30 lbs over the last couple of years.  That's attributable in part to the single-speed road bike as well as to the Ripley.  I push a little harder and go a little faster on both bikes because a) road and b) something about the Ripley's handling makes me more confident going faster on trails.  It's a great pedaling platform, but there's something I just can't explain about how it just suits me turning and climbing in a way that the Rift Zone just didn't.

There is no single factor that will improve your riding--particularly with respect to climbing or sustained RPMs--than weight.

I'm even faster on descents when lighter because I'm fitter/recover faster and have more energy to invest into cornering and weighting the bike.

[TwiceHorn 30851]

On 8/31/2022 at 1:48 PM, TwiceHorn said:

This damn thing, the next-to-last climb-turn on Harry Moss Blue, rarely fails to get me.

I have historically always gone right on this, although I note (and it's obvious here), that the rocks to the left probably offer an easier path, but it's exposed further to the left and avoiding a bar strike on that tree is a key consideration.  Like everything around here, it changes a little bit after big rains or long droughts.

That small root right after the biggish one seems almost perfectly positioned to halt your momentum after bumping over the bigger one.  But it seems like it is always something different.  Today it was a pedal strike on the root by the front wheel in the pic.

You can't see it in the pic, but the whole thing is obscured from the run-in because you have to turn a pretty sharp right to climb it.  So you kind of have to go by memory as to how to attack it.  Carrying a bit more speed/momentum would probably help, but it's a little hard to do because it's blind.

I have successfully ridden it a few times, but without any real strategy, just luck.  Lately it has been foiling me.

So I rode Moss today and it was kinda swampy in the low parts, made things a bit unpleasant.

But I did ride this and finally went left.   I just "sent it" without trying to roll it or anything and friggin graunched my chainring on some of that concrete.  I really didn't think this was "ledgy" enough to do that and I have usually avoided chainring hits on things that bear the scars of others' foolishness.  Other than that, it is probably a better way up than to the left.  Nothing damaged as far as I can tell.  Rode fine for a few more miles.

Edited April 5, 2023 by TwiceHorn

[TwiceHorn 30851]

Rode Cedar Hill State Park today for the first time ever.  Pretty fun trail!  Should have made it out sooner.

[Jiggy-Z 3422]

Not really Mountain Biking related, but I thought I would cast my net wide.

Also, will post in HELP and Road Bike threads.

Mods, please move if in the wrong place.

Jiggy-Z is biking the MS 150 at the end of the month.  SO this is the opportunity for the Surly 1% to show their quality by donating to the MS Society through my rider account to help end MS.  Jiggy-Z has been a member of this board and TOS since 2011ish, and I have never asked for anything except for maybe a hand in putting up a shelter on the Matagorda trip back in 2013.

PM me, and I will send you a link to my rider account on the MS Society donation page.  They pretty much take every form of payment, and donations start as low as $35.00 up to something more befitting the $urly Elite.  Thanks, assholes.

 

[Al_4_ISU 12375]

First Decorah ride of the year. About time.

[jw4381 3044]

 

 

“Heaven on Earth” section of the South Boundary trail today. 
Good times. 

o

[jw4381 3044]

Did everyone quit riding mountain bikes? Oh yeah, the heat. I’ve taken to going way up high into the forest to avoid it. 
 

 

 

 

[Your Mom 4763]

I’ve been doing my same old neighborhood trails. Nothing really worth posting. Heading to Scotland in 2 weeks for 6 days of riding with my son though. 

[Al_4_ISU 12375]

14 hours ago, Your Mom said:

I’ve been doing my same old neighborhood trails. Nothing really worth posting. Heading to Scotland in 2 weeks for 6 days of riding with my son though. 

Same.  Been riding trails y'all have seen a lot of pictures of already.  Getting plenty of riding in this year, but almost no new ground.

I did try a new-to-me trail system on Sunday, but had limited time and didn't take pictures.  It's nice to have that system available when life takes me through that area (as was the case Sunday) but not worth the 1.5 hour drive from home when I have much more extensive, physically challenging, and scenic places to ride closer.

Have fun in Scotland.  That sounds like a blast.

[jw4381 3044]

South Boundary Trail

We shuttled to Garcia Park, which is halfway between Taos and Angel Fire, more or less. Then headed west on a mostly downhill single track. Good times. 650 feet of climbing for 3500 feet of downhill.

 

[TwiceHorn 30851]

That's pretty epic.  I wish I could string together a 15-20 mile ride without getting dizzy going in circles.

[TwiceHorn 30851]

I got in a few rides in May in the 80s to try to acclimate, then June hit like August and I was just fucked.  We got some rain too.  I have been doing five-milers before noon and it's already 80+ at sunrise, with attendant humidity.  I do tend to prefer pre-noon lower temps and higher humidity to riding near dusk when it's scorching, but a dry heat!!  But it's a little too moist early, plus I have to deal with traffic, so 5-mile heatstroke rides it is.