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I actually dont care if someone does not wear a helmet. That is totally their problem. I'll do me. They do them. If they get hurt. Meh Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

I've been riding a ~2011 Niner with 10-speed and old Hope brakes. With all of the deals going on these days I managed to pick up a new 11-speed XT and some new XT brakes. Let me just say two things: 1. If you have never cut your own brake lines because you were afraid of screwing it up, it is WAY easier than you think. The front brakes come pre-cut (and close to the perfect length) and the rear takes about 2 minutes to do it right. A quick bleed and you are ready to go. I love the bleed system on Shimano, never thought I would say that, but they really do make great brakes. 2. 11-speed is dirt cheap these days, if you are not running it, take a look at it. I had a 42T on my 10-speed and going to 11-speed allowed me to get more range. I put a 32T on the front, getting me a little more top end vs. my 30T and the total gear range is better than the old 10-speed. The weird gap is between the 46T and the 37T. I rarely ride in the granny on the back (with my 42T most of my climbing was in the middle 36T) so it feels like the other options are more evenly spaced. A few hundred bucks and two hours of time were well worth it to bring this bike into the current decade. And the old bits can transition to my HT eventually so that I can get rid of the damn Elixr brakes...

Wow, if you haven't been out to Suburban Ninja for a while like me, you're in for a surprise with all the new trail. Cafeend gave me a tour yesterday and by the end, we couldn't even figure out how we made it back to the main trail. So freaking cool! Get out there and get lost, you'll be glad you did! Stop at The Peddler bike shop and give them some thanks. It's so awesome we have something like this in our backyard.

I rode the Madrone / Juniper Ridge loop today. I cleared several "bad spots". Two were truly downed trees across the trail. Several others were face slappers that had grown into the trail. If I could ride under or around it while staying on the trail, I left it. I will get back out to clear the rest of Juniper Ridge next week. I also "no dabbed" all of the tree gates but one. I snagged a pedal on that one.

What's wrong with your brakes is that they're SRAM.😝

You can cut brake hoses to length without needing to bleed them. it's pretty easy. Squeeze the pads together without a disc or block, disconnect line at the lever being careful not to let line fall below caliper level. Cut line to length, install new olive and barb reconnect line to lever and us a screwdriver of stiff blade putty knife to push the caliper pistons back in and you're done. Install wheel with disc and pump lever to bring the feel back. I've done it many times with no issues.

Yes. But at least i corrected it before you mentioned it. Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Yeah, that still hurts a little. 😆 Maybe someone will flag that Oak branch on Mulligan before I get back out that way. 🙂

I'll throw my helmet at you

Post up if you need help getting this installed.

I wasn't quite that blunt, but the other day I came up a semi-tech section at DD where a group of about 4-5 guys were gathered waiting to see if they were going to proceed on. One guy had a helmet on. As I rolled up the tech ledges and approached, I stated firmly, "wow! you guys are brave!". They chuckled with a "why?" response. As I disappeared down the trail I yelled out.. "for not wearing a helmet here!". By the first look on their faces, I think they thought I was actually going to give them props for just being out there on the trail. LOL. -CJB

Yes I have ridden Juniper Ridge. I ride it at least once per year. I think I have ridden every obstacle on the trail without dabbing at least once. Note I did not say I have no-dabbed the entire trail on the same ride. I still miss and miss a lot. You might want to know that not only have I ridden it, I also helped build it (second only to Charlie on the number of hours spent). When we are cutting trees for a new trail, we will always leave it on the 'tighter' side. Why? We can (and do) go back and take out more trees. But we cannot go put them back. So we leave the trail tighter at the beginning and open it up where we think it needs to be wider. There were also other considerations for that trail. One was keeping horses off the single track. Leaving tight tree gates and low hanging branches discourages horses. The other was ATVs. Same thing there. A group not associated with MTB followed the single track we had just cut and was widening it and smoothing it for ATVs. We chose not to build and maintain an ATV trail so it needs to be narrower. We intentionally left the next couple of tree gates passed where the ATV folks has cleared. So how do you ride a tree gate that is narrower than your handlebars? (I could not find the Dirt Bike magazine so I will describe it.) As you approach the tree gate, stand up and level your pedals once you have enough speed to coast thru. Keep your knees and elbows in line but you don't need to try to 'tuck them in'. Pick the side you will favor - usually the side that is farthest along the trail (as opposed to closest to you). Move your bike to that side of the trail so that hand will hit the tree if you tried to just ride thru. Just before that hand hits the tree, pull that hand back like you were steering a slow speed turn in that direction while keeping the bike vertical (no lean). That will effectively "stop" that hand while moving the other hand forward. Once the 'other hand' passes the tree on that side, lean the bike aggressively like you were turning in the opposite direction of the steered turn. The lean should clear the hand that was about the hit the tree. Shove that hand forward and straighten the bike up right again. Your bars are now past both trees. Hopefully, you can clear the rest of your bike between the trees. The pedal on the 'favored side' will be the next thing to work on clearing. Hopefully this word description makes sense. If I screw up this move, I end up stopped, standing on the pedals with my shoulder against one of the trees. From there I can untangle myself and ride away without dabbing. The more I practice this move the higher speed I can carry thru the trees. I suggest you start learning it my planning to ride into the tree gate and stop with your shoulder on a tree, then learn the move. Then learn to carry some speed (not stop). I hope that helps.

That wasn't me at my most polite, no. But it was meant more snarky/tongue-in-cheek than downright insulting.

This type a talk is frowned upon in these here parts boy. Best you get used to them tree gates or else we will have sic Bartman on you.

woah woah woah! huge apples to oranges comparison youre making there. I dont have a problem with e-bikes either, but dont compare suspension and a dropper post to adding a motor to a bicycle. one of the biggest pride points about riding bicycles is that youre completely driven and propelled by your own generated human power. all that distance you just covered, or that huge mountain you just ascended - all done with your heart, lungs, and muscles. not a motor. you can add all the shocks and droppers and fancy bling components to your bike and its still a bicycle. but the moment you add a motor for propulsion its not longer a bicycle, its a motorized vehicle. the end if you crank up the far west blvd hill on a bike next to a guy riding an e-bike and you both set strava PRs at the top, the achievements arent the same. that being said I totally promote ebikes for people that arent able bodied, but if you are able bodied, you loose some points there

I'm not sure anyone (including myself) would consider me "able-bodied" at this point, but I am still capable of riding a non-e-mtb. Every painful morning I wake up, I look more forward to the e-mtb w/pussification. Oh, and I'll flip you off too when I'm stopped on the trail adjusting my sports depends 🙂

Yea last Friday was nasty. I was on 1/4 and had the flash of a headache come on then rapidly disappear. I'm no fool and called it a day. I was lethargic the rest of the afternoon. Likewise I was heavily hydrated but have learned from past mistakes to now recognize when to bail on a ride Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Last Friday evening was too hot. The heat index was well above 100 degrees. I did some building at the entrance to Peddlers Pass (improving sightlines for those entering and exiting the trail). I was there longer than expected (3 hours). After 2.5 hours I started to see the 1st signs of heat exhaustion, no energy and a little nauseous. At 3 hours I recognized I better stop before it got worse. That night I threw up several times and felt like S!@#. I drank plenty of water and was working in the shade. I was really surprised at how quickly the symptoms started. Normally, my early warning symptom is a slight headache, when get that I stop. This time, no headache, straight to throwing up. Make sure you educate yourself on the symptoms.

The widespread adoption of e-mtbs by people who are otherwise able-bodied is the best case for alarm over the wussification of America. Wussies will disagree.

Even low-hanging branches 🤣 Sorry could not help myself.