gotdurt

Make it a priority, you'll be glad you did. SoMo is one of the few places that I would be willing to drive 2000 miles for a 3 day round trip just to ride one day. East National is a special kind of fun, even going up... Geronimo is a hoot and Holbert will humble you... countless other options too.

Not so new to those of us old enough to remember... Yamaha: Kawasaki: I was more offended by the fact that those old dudes still have that kind of riding in them.

Since the late 90's (including living there for a few years) I've run to AZ at least once a year passing through El Paso, and I always think about stopping to check out some of the trails... but just haven't brought myself to do so. I guess I figure that's just one less ride I'll get in AZ, and we can't mess with that... I dig the van life more because I can relate to it.

I'll guarantee you that it's at least partially financial; print mags have always been a tough industry, and in this day of free real-time information, print is a hard sell to advertisers and readers alike. I used to be a magazine junkie (I'm a man of many hobbies), but I'll bet it has been a decade since I last purchased one... in fact I don't even pay for online subscriptions anymore, when I can get all the info I need (and then some) from social media, forums, news sites (ie: Pinkbike, Vital, MTBR, etc for the bike industry), Youtube, blogs, etc... I have absolutely no reason to spend money on a magazine with redundant info that will end up in the trash after sitting in a stack for 10 years. Pretty much everyone I know is the same way. DR had a strong following on social media (including myself), but that doesn't translate to magazine sales or even online sub's; there comes a point when your original vision stops paying the bills, you have to decide if changing with the times is a worthwhile and fulfilling endeavor (I can actually relate). Dirt Rag was cool in it's early days; to me it represented the creative, playful, colorful, rebellious MTB culture of the 80's and 90's that no one took too seriously, the era I personally miss most. As he pointed out, the industry is a different beast now, and I personally saw them as one of the few remaining flickers of that era.

Seems relevant... Dirt Rag is dead

I think the 2 or 3 that I saw were stapled to trees, I know at least one of them was at a bridge.

Nah, I'm not a Strava-er. Next time I'm out, I'll take a pic if it happens again. I think 2 were bridges, at least one was.

So trying to ease back into riding some, went over to the "new" peddlers for some low impact pedaling... Wow, someone's been hard at work! I guess it's been a couple of years since I rode it last (since finger recovery). Question though: I started the right direction at the entrance, and seemed to continue the correct direction (arrow signs facing me), until I reached the creek section closest to the eastern-most ball field parking lot, where I noticed some of the signs faced the other direction... I decided to just keep going, and once I passed back under Parmer, the signs were facing me again... I'm fairly certain I didn't jump-trail twice, but since many of the re-used segments reversed direction with the new trails and re-routes, it's possible that I did out of old habit... or are the signs backwards?

SoMo has some of the best trails on the planet (at least the ones I've ridden in the US 😜)... he's definitely getting the most out of it, but when you ride there you'll feel like you are riding the same way... love that place.

When I was a young kid around 1980, I wanted a freewheel hub, because it seemed like all the "good" bikes had them.... I couldn't afford such a bike at the time, So I pulled my coaster brake hub apart to see how it worked... I found that if you just removed the arc-shaped brake shoes, it would freewheel... of course, it was still heavy and the forward engagement still sucked, but I still felt cool, and no more locking up the back wheel on hard landings 😁. Plus, there was no back-pedal when rolling in reverse! I also discovered that removing the arm that attached to the frame would allow you to engage in reverse (with the shoes still installed)... When I got into freestyle, I kept rear coaster brake mags around converted each way for tricks... then a few years later ACS came out with the RL Edge Hub, which behaved like a coaster brake hub without brake shoes, except better engagement (and they made an obnoxious, embarrassing moaning noise when coasting, lol). That was almost 35 years ago, so I'd imagine there are lots of perfected options nowadays...

Sheesh... I feel bad now. I had kinda written off the replacement since he was having the issues posted above. I was about to send him a follow up today to see what was up and searched for the last email to reply to, only to discover that just a few days after I posted above, he apparently sent me an email that I did not see... with this photo and a request for approval before finishing... Hopefully we can still pick up where we left off...

Nope, shoulders and elbows have just been too bad. I've been trying not to do anything that I don't absolutely have to. Getting seriously stir crazy though, which is usually when I do something stupid, like start riding again and make it worse...

Can I borrow your shoulders?

Finally got it built up... not bad for under $100. Thanks to those that helped... Now, where's that first cold front?

PMs sent. Fontrain has some 9spd stuff for me, but I could use that to upgrade the old 8spd Gripshift stuff on his old bike for his brother instead.

For those those that didn't see my frame thread, I'm piecing together a bike for my oldest son that that suddenly and rapidly outgrew his bike (so did his little brother, who is inheriting it). I have a frame and fork now, so I need a few parts... I need: 9 speed Shimano shifter (I have a 9spd cassette and RD) OR a Shadow/Shadow+ RD and a SRAM 9spd shifter (pull ratio is similar and can be modified to work) OR a 10spd RD/Shifter/Cassette, Shimano or SRAM (if the price is right) 104 BCD cranks (Octalink or ISIS) and a bottom bracket to match (option B: later 2-pc crankset, if the price is right). It needs to be 104 BCD though so I can use my NW chainrings. For the cranks, I am considering these, but hoping to find an older name brand 3pc set for less: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LWXUV7I/ref=crt_ewc_title_dp_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A38N3TNH1N2LMX I have new parts sitting in "shopping carts" on Amazon, Jenson and Ebay totaling about $130, but thought I'd see what I can scrape up used first. This bike will be primarily for riding to school and friends' houses, with only occasional trail use and moderate risk for theft, so I'm not interested in spending much on it , just functional stuff to get him rolling...

Good meeting you too John, he's pretty excited about having an adult sized bike, even if he has to mount with a rolling start for a little while as he grows into it 😄

Thanks for all the pics/efforts, but he's already outgrown 15/16" (16s tend to be much shorter TT/reach than the 17-18 range) and still growing, and 19" would be the max I'd want to put him on right now (he'll grow into it in a year or so). I'm ruling out FS for simplicity/maintenance/parts availability purposes; I'll be his tech, and I don't want to be tasked with linkage maintenance, chasing squeaks, creaks, etc.

Where? Their USA website doesn't show frames for sale...

It appears that way, the Rockhopper guy never responded to emails, and he took the ad down today.

How'd I miss that one? Thanks, I'll check it out.

It needs to be a 17" minimum, he's 5'9". I'd also like to stick with 26" wheels, since that's what I have, plus 26" frames etc will be older and thus cheaper; I'm hoping to spend no more than $200 on the frame and fork... I don't have any 29ers, so that would end up being a money pit to build.

I'm pretty open to anything decent from the past 2 decades for the frame, fork might need to be a little later just for serviceability.

My oldest recently shot up in height and needs a bike to ride to school and occasional light trail riding; his 14" frame Kona isn't cutting it anymore... plus his younger brother also long-outgrew his 20" MTB and needs the 14" 26er... Soooo... Since I have some 26" wheels and some other parts, I'm looking for a 26" hardtail, medium (17-18") with QR dropouts and disc mounts... preferably with a straight 1-1/8 headtube. I'll also need a fork to match, in the 100mm range, but depending on the make/model, I might be able to reduce the travel as needed if you have something longer... -OR- I'd also be open to a complete bike of the same size/ description, for the right price... Whatcha got for a tight budget?

Okay, so update... we (he and I) went through the process again, and designed the perfect bike, then all this happened: https://singletrackworld.com/2019/05/marino-bikes-sell-off-of-sick-bicycles-frames/ https://www.pinkbike.com/news/sick-bicycles-manufacturer-selling-off-sick-branded-frames-claiming-lack-of-payment.html https://www.archynewsy.com/manufacturer-of-sick-bicycles-that-sell-frames-claiming-no-payment/ Followed by this: Wife in the Hospital... So, we'll just have to make the most of the frame I have for now... I went ahead and built it as-intended: My shoulders finally felt good enough to get out on it since the previous post, and I have to say, this thing feels even better than I remembered; I pretty much hit the nail on the head! If I ever get the new one, it'll be the perfect hardtail, IMO (it's already the best I've ever ridden). But alas, my shoulders didn't last long, so I'm going to chill until at least fall...