Kyle

Was there recently with a DHF/Ikon.  The Ikon wasn't quite knobby enough for some stuff, an aggressor would probably be better.  But then again a ton of the trails are smooth and extremely pedally.  Pick your rear tire depending on how hard you're going to hit it vs pedal.

Check out Handcut Hollow, was my favorite place I've ridden there.  The "zone 2" part of the trail "zone 5" was very Austinesque.

I know it's not advised, but I've soldered to the ends of an 18650 a bunch of times and I'm still alive.  I used low temp solder, a big tip, RA flux, and just tried to get it done as fast as possible.

A couple ash junipers in my yard that survived snowpocalypse got totally splattered today.  A cedar elm had most of the top break off.  It's carnage among the cedar elms in the neighborhood.  Even the live oaks have lost a few big branches. 

I never thought it would come to this, but I ordered a curbside chainsaw from ho depot in case they sell out and all the tree guys are too busy forever after this.

I've ridden past this campsite a bunch of times: https://goo.gl/maps/t2vD2m85m9Gmxivg6

but I can't figure out how to register for a spot.  It seems like all that's listed is for big parks like Russell. 

Anyone ever done this?

That is a really weird place to have scratches.  The scratches themselves shouldn't affect anything as long as it still sits flush.  

Your picture is blurry, but what is this?

Make sure you research what you need to do to ensure it heals with full function.

I broke my pinky one joint up.  I went to an ortho and an occupational therapist and followed their rehab steps with maximum overkill.  When it was fully healed I only had ~90% range of motion, which they told me was an unusually good result.

So don't assume it's just going to heal normally by itself.

The hand specialist ortho I went to was really good if you want his info.

I am skeptical about bending back hangers after I had one break while pedaling the ride after the shop "fixed" it.

Au naturel.  Keeps other people off the trail.

I DIY'd my top tube recently.  It was surprisingly easy.  I imagine a bottom bracket would be a little more difficult.

You could try mixing it with RV antifreeze instead of water.  Antifreeze definitely evaporates more slowly.  It's pretty cheap too.

I'm definitely interested in how the Berryman works out long term.

asdf

15 minutes ago, bear said:

i switched to 165mm cranks this past year on both my mtb and I gotta say it's a good thing, don't miss 175 at all. yet.

I went from 175->170 a few years ago and I think it was positive as far as rock strikes, but negative in that it feels like I'm always one gear higher.

I was just thinking about putting 175s on for the dragonslayer next month.

On 10/15/2021 at 12:55 PM, ATXZJ said:

I'm similar in that i'd like to buy my wife one so we can stay out longer and go further. She's in her early 40s, fairly fit and IMHO, just needs to keep working on her cardio before making that purchase.

Ask me again when we hit 60 and I'll probably have a different answer.

It's an e-bike. Of course it's company policy never to, imply ownership in the event of an e-bike... always use the indefinite article an e-bike, never your e-bike.

7 hours ago, AustinBike said:

Nope, I switched to a 29er. 

Here's the big difference: I can ride the 29er every single place I could ride the 26er.

That is not the case with e-MTBs. 

Because they are not allowed on the vast majority of the trails, it is not only and expensive bike but it is an expensive bike with limited riding potential. 

If they could be ridden everywhere there would be far more appeal, but who wants to spend $7K on something  that you can ride at only a handful of places?

Well, realistically speaking they're getting ridden everywhere. 

Which HEB?

5 hours ago, mack_turtle said:

some time around last December-January, I has two minor incidents on BCGB trails on separate rides. one was a slow-motion falling over that wrenched my left arm up over my head. the second was a helmet-bounce off a very immoveable tree. I ignored it for a while but I could not ride very long before burning and numbness overtook my left arm and hand. it was diagnosed as a pinched nerve and the doc at my PCP office gave me some stretches and muscle relaxers. the stretches were minimally helpful and the muscle relaxers made me totally useless in the daytime.

I sought help from a physical therapist and visited her at least a dozen times in spring and early summer. I was feeling 100% and rode Castell Grind with no problems. I said I was feeling good enough to not need any more help and she released me.

then two weeks ago, I went on a short, chill ride around the neighborhood with the wife on the gravel bike and my fingers went numb before I reached the end of the block. my neck and shoulder feel wrecked. so I'm going back to PT next week. very grateful that they were able to get me back in and work with insurance! my PT was all exercises and stretches and massage. she recommended dry needling the last time and I turned it down, but I'm willing to try anything at this point.

I can ride my mountain bike with no apparent problems, but the drop bar bike kills me. I could mitigate that by altering my setup on the gravel bike, but that does not account for why my left side hurts, and my right is fine. I don't want to cover up an injury, I want to heal it.

It sounds like you have the right idea.  I think if you're active you just need to accept that you'll be doing some form of PT for life.  You've gotta fight to keep 100% function and ROM for as long as possible.

I watch my kids effortlessly drop into deep squats and it reminds me of a deficiency I have, so I'm working on it.

10 hours ago, AntonioGG said:

For those making home brews and saying it works, what kind of testing are y’all doing or what kind of first hand experience with a puncture have you had?  My experience with orange seal has been awful but with Stan’s I’ve had big enough holes that I get two revolutions of Stan’s squirting before it completely stops.  I know I also have smaller punctures that I only learn about at a tire’s last bit of life where it starts weeping.  I’m not wanting to discourage or criticize, rather I would love to brew my own too, but not without some assurances.

I guess I just know it works 'cause it works.   I've been using it for like 5-6 years easily at this point and I think the only times I've had to use a tube is pinch flats or other side wall failure.  

3 hours ago, AustinBike said:

That is generally my thought on this. Sealant is like a parachute. Stan's is the parachute that I packed myself, I know it will work. All of the other ones are like a parachute that someone else packed for you - it is hard to be 100% confident.

Cheaper is better in many situations, and I am as cheap as it gets, but sealant is like sushi to me - it is not worth skimping.

You're buying a parachute (stans) because it has a long mediocre usage history.  It'll save your life a lot of the time, at a production cost with room for acceptable markup.  Hey you can buy a version of stans where they don't skimp (as much?) on ingredients: https://www.notubes.com/stan-s-race-sealant-quart

DIY sealant really isn't about cost to me at this point.  It's nice that it's 1/3 the price of Stans and that I can conveniently make it in big 2.5 quart batches and use it liberally, but at this point in my life my ride time is really precious so I'm glad to know it works.

I'm still using the recipe from that old thread. 

The only improvement is after a batch has been sitting in the garage for 6 months or so I'll add a couple ounces of ammonia to the bottle to adjust viscosity.  

I wonder if there's a covid related latex shortage...

Years ago we were doing a big group preride at Reveille before a race.  A guy tagged along with a bluetooth speaker blasting lincoln park remixes.  After a little while he crashed, the speaker broke, and everyone cheered.

That would be reasonable, but I think the only place I've ever had a spoke break is at the threads.

I've never had to take my chain off mid-ride, but if I did I would push the pin out of the old master link with my multi-tool and replace it with the spare link I carry.

I have carbon bars on my SS and I really only notice the flex in a bad way when I'm standing and grinding.  The bike has a fork though.  It probably would improve comfort, but on a SS where you're really wrenching on the bars more often there is that downside.

Using miles to compare anything in MTB terms doesn't make a lot of sense.  More like miles, rider weight, climbing per mile, belligerence multiplier.

https://www.heb.com/product-detail/gulf-wax-household-paraffin-wax-16-oz/156662