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Big_papa_nuts

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Posts posted by Big_papa_nuts

    Bentonville - 8.5 hr drive from Austin

    in MTB Destinations

    Posted

    On 4/22/2019 at 1:20 PM, 2112Greg said:

    Making the trip with The Tip, I'll add a couple of cents as well.  This was my second trip to BV, went last year in June.  It was hot but not intolerable.  Go now, it's perfect weather in the Spring or early Fall.  

    Before the last trip last year, I watched a ton of videos, read about the trails and how they are in contrast to much of what we ride in a lot of central Texas systems.  It's almost ALL flow, very little technical bits and rocks are the exception, not the rule, as they are here on our local trails.  The Back 40 is my favorite section out there, it's a ton of fun...but you have to climb.  I prepared this year AND last by hitting the BCBG a lot (Ed's Bowl, etc) and Lakeway as much as possible.  You HAVE to have climbing legs to make the most of BV.  It's essential to having a good experience there.

    The Back 40 is a giant loop, but it also has a number of inside segments that are great.  Floride is absolutely AWESOME.  All of them are fun in their own way, but Floride is just out of this world.  If you hit the Back 40, that's a MUST.  If you want to get your technical/janky fix, then the Ledges is for you.  Not only is it technically challenging, it's got some pretty serious consequences for a mistake (like falling down a cliffside).  Definitely the most difficult segment of the area systems.  That said, I love this kind of riding.  It keeps you on your toes and your skills sharp.

    There is something for everyone, but it's overall I'd say it's aimed at the intermediate rider and above.  Some of the flowy fun stuff in Slaughter Pen would be fun for a beginning rider, but overall it's for experienced riders.  And climbing, you will be climbing.  It's not sustained slogs up hills, much of the Back 40, going CCW, you go up berms/wide switchbacks which sounds weird, but it's a pretty efficient way to get up a steep climb.  And there are lots of them...but almost all of them have some sweet payoff.

    If you're thinking of going to BV, research it, study the trails, watch videos of trails, look at Strava rides, see the kinds of elevation that will be expected and then train by doing Lakeway, Ed's Bowl and stuff that requires climbing around you.  If you can't climb or don't like to, then BV isn't something you'd enjoy.  I did 103 miles which is just about everything in the whole Slaughter Pen, Bella Vista and a little bit of Coler and did about 8,000 feet of climbing.  Prepare yourself!

    Our group of 10 riders loved just about everything about it.  My gf and I are planning on going back later this year.  The entire culture of the city is centered on bikes...and not just mtbs (but that's it's focus)...but BV is a biker's dream.  And it just so happens that for mountain bikers, it's AMAZING.  

    You're crazy. I literally rode Flowride an hour ago and pedaled 90% of the time. Huge disappointment.

     

    Imo the only trails on the Back 40 with any redeeming qualities are Ledges, What the Chuck, and some parts of Pinyon Creek.

     

    This is actually my second time out here and I was only convinced to come back because people keep telling me that all the good stuff is inside the Back 40 loop. After today I can confidently say they are full of shit. The Back 40 is currently on the top of my list of worst trail systems I have ever ridden.

    Where to go in arkansas?

    in Mountain Biking Discussion

    Posted

    I rode The Back 40 and a good chunk of the Womble and came out wondering what the heck people were raving about. I'm going back in October because I must have missed something based on the way people talk. Plus I'll ride the Lovit.

    Tent camping at the Bella Vista RV park is a bit lacking, as it's just a small feild next to an RV park you get to camp in, but the facilities are pretty nice. Camping near the Lovit and Womble are much nicer. Arkansas does have one of the nicest campgrounds I have been to, the Shady Lake state rec area. We got there a day after a tornado though so I didn't get to ride the nearby trails.

    Big Bend weekend

    in Mountain Biking Discussion

    Posted

    Taking a dog to the national park can be tough. Ime you have to hike around to really get the experience and your not allowed to leave your dog in the car, nor should you, and they aren't allowed basically anywhere cars can't go. We talked to a lot of people who had boarded their dogs just for this reason, and one woman who had drove out (something like 3 hours) to the nearest kennel in the middle of her stay just so she could do things. The bends are no place for pets anyways. Everything is hostile out there.

    • Like 1

    New Bike Day - Sunday Forecaster

    in BMX & Dirt Jumpers

    Posted · Edited by Big_papa_nuts

    On 1/26/2019 at 3:49 PM, AntonioGG said:

    How do you like the bike so far?

    How did you decide on the Sunday?

    I am shopping for a bike for my son. I'm looking for quality used bike, but will also look at a new Sunday, and the Mongoose L100 seems to be recommended too.

    Stay away from bigger brands like Mongoose, GT, Haro, etc. They are run by people who don't ride and will try to sell you a bike that is mostly shit based in a few "nice" parts. Smaller, rider run brands like Sunday and FBM do a very good job at putting together a bike that will work in the real world because that have to experience to work with.

     

    I'd go to Empire because those guys all ride and won't steer you wrong, but at they very least talk to someone who rides BMX on a regular basis before you buy.

     

    Fwiw I ride a Sunday, but it's an older model, and it's been a great bike.

    • Like 2

    Hardtail setup options

    in Mountain Biking Discussion

    Posted

    You kinda fucked these days if you want a hardtail with less then a 120mm fork, unless you're a racer boy. That being said suspension is getting good enough that what seemed like a lot of travel a few years ago is surprisingly manageable today.

    Mack, I think one of your biggest problems is you have a pretty unsophisticated fork. Imo something with a stiffer chassis and better damper will make the 140ish fork your bike was designed for feel much more reasonable.

    Locktite on a Cassette Ring?

    in Mountain Biking Discussion

    Posted

    9 hours ago, mack_turtle said:

    Loctite makes a lot of products. The light blue 242 product should do it without being dangerously difficult to remove.

     

    However, all lock rings should stay secure when properly tightened. Use a torque wrench. If it still comes loose, there may be something else going on. Is the cassette missing a spacer?

    Thank you.

    7 hours ago, Anita Handle said:

    Ok newb, come back when you've torqued it to 40Nm. It's more than you think.

    This. Most cassette lock rings have a knurled interface that should never come bloomed so if it's properly tightened and it comes loose something is wrong.

    • Like 1

    Pay It Forward

    in Mountain Biking Discussion

    Posted

    10 hours ago, mack_turtle said:

    I managed to break part of the spider off this crankset, so you can't safely use 104 BCD rings on it. However, it's a 2x crankset so the small ring holes (64BCD?) are still fine. If you want a crankset that will only be used with a tiny ring, you can have this. Fat bike? Cargo bike? Kids bike?
    No BB, 170mm arms, made for 68/73mm bottom brackets.

     

     

    FB_IMG_1551013841127.jpg

    Wolf Tooth and AB hoth make 30t N/W rings that fit in the granny spot. If you're right foot forward you could just get one of those, bolt on a half guard, and get some use out of those.

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