SO has anyone here ridden Dark Mountain or UWarrie? I'm looking for some feedback on how hard they hard they are, compared to local official trails.

Thanks




^ yeah I love Jensen...it's where I order most of my stuff (chainlove provides about 2% too)

8/9/2010 2:47:09 PM

both locations have more climbing and more rocks

there are places at both locations to pick up some decent downhill runs, and plenty of technical riding at both.

while neither are particularly more difficult than riding in the triangle, they will require slightly different skill set than the relatively flat, non-technical trails of the triangle

both are great places to ride though!

8/9/2010 4:16:19 PM

Anyone need a nice mountain bike? I have a red Giant NRS2 that has been in my closet and only has five rides on it in two years. Shimano XT components and I'll throw in a Camelback or two, a helmet and some bike gloves. $600 OBO - was $1300 new.

8/10/2010 9:02:41 AM

^^ how is dark mountain compared to something like new light? or legend park in clayton? are any trails in the area comparable? Legend has some pretty steep downhills (for me at least)...

8/12/2010 2:25:56 PM

I rode Warrior Creek last summer and it is somewhat comparable to 286. I liked it, and wouldn't mind going back sometime soon.

8/16/2010 7:54:42 PM

Does anyone have any experience with Hennessy hammocks? I am thinking about getting one and wanted to hear some other comments first. My idea is to use one of these on my thru-hike.

8/21/2010 6:35:32 PM

I'm looking to make a solo mtb/camping trip this weekend...any suggestions? I've ridden Tsali a few times and love it, but looking for something different.

9/2/2010 8:37:19 PM

Quote :

"I rode Warrior Creek last summer and it is somewhat comparable to 286"

I loved Warrior Creek. I'm a big fan of 286 but Warrior Creek has much longer downhills and tons of well built berms all over the place. Can't wait to go back.

Might be riding Chapel Hill trails on Saturday...whats everyone think of those (assuming theres not many places to ride in Chapel Hill...)?

9/2/2010 9:43:53 PM

Rode 35 miles out at DuPont State forest today. BEAUTIFUL scenery and awesome trails. Some ridiculous climbs though!

9/4/2010 6:27:59 PM

anyone up near asheville...wanting to ride bent creek in the morning?

doesnt matter what time we roll out, just have to be back at the car by 230

9/5/2010 12:23:14 AM

woah this is some sick stuff

9/22/2010 11:35:53 PM

woah woah woah... back that up to about .... 1:30.. yeah... pause.

9/23/2010 1:22:13 AM

for a casual rider, does the tire tube matter? are those self-sealing tubes worth it? i have a GT avalanche 3.0 i picked up off CL for $100 a couple of years ago (it was practically new) and my wife has a specialized (i don't know about the model or anything) and our bikes have been sitting in the garage for a couple of years

we got a couple of those $45 bicycle chain tune-up groupons from yesterday and we're going to have someone check them out and do some basic maintenance sometime soon, but she needs new tire tubes...i was in walmart (ugh) earlier today and saw that basic bell tubes are $4.50, their self seal are $8, and their self seal max (or whatever it is) are $10...there's also this "slime" brand of self-sealing tubes that are just slightly less...do these work? are they worth the extra money (no, the difference is not big, but if they're not worth buying, i'd just as soon not)?

10/6/2010 3:59:20 PM

For the most part, no.

That being said however, shop tubes are typically a bit better quality than those you find in Wallyworld.

I would advise against the slime brand or any self-sealing tube for the most part, unless you find yourself frequently riding in areas that have an abundance of thorns. Not saying they dont work, they just dont work well enough to justify the price and weight penalty.

You're likely better off buying new tubes from Bicycle Chain. Buy a Park patch kit (pre-glued) and learn to change them yourself. Seriously. On my road bike (5-7k miles/year), I'll patch the tube five or six times before replacing. Definitely saves $$$.

Patch kit, with six patches: $6
-or-
New tube: $6

10/6/2010 5:19:06 PM

Gonna be rolling to the start line for the 8 Hours of Raccoon in just over 30 hours

I've done 24 hours of booty twice and a 24-hr trainer ride for charity before, but this is my first adventure into solo endurance racing.

pretty confident of the overall course, although the promoters just finalized the actual route for race day....not too pleased about that small detail change at the last minute, but what can you do

Anyways...if any of yall happen to be in the Chattanooga area this weekend, and want to put the hurtin on yourself, http://goneriding.com/2010/8%20Hours%20of%20Raccoon/10-firstpage.pdf

10/8/2010 12:43:19 AM

^nice, good luck.

I'm thinking about getting into XC racing this summer. A lot of the people i've been cross racing with are into that as well and i always had a lot of fun mountain biking.

Its a solid $2000 investment though for a decent 29er hardtail.

10/13/2010 8:23:34 AM

^what are you riding now?

why are you thinking that you need a 29er?

10/13/2010 10:16:24 AM

i don't have a mountain bike at all now, i sold my old one a couple years ago. in the couple of years since i've been into mountain biking, it seems the opinion of 29ers has gone from fad to almost a no brainer. even a couple of smaller women who are very competitive XC racers are moving to 29ers. i know the size of the person is becoming less of an issue with newer 29er geometries, but i'm 6'3 so it makes even more sense. That and riding my cross bike on single track isn't that bad, big wheels are nice.

10/13/2010 6:21:19 PM

eh...Im not sold on the hype

Put the $2000 towards 26", you'll get more bike for the money.

10/14/2010 9:27:15 AM

i have what i think is a 2006 (i bought it "new" used on CL a couple of years ago) GT avalanche 3.0 with v-brakes (or rim brakes...what do you call them?)

a quick google search implies that you could buy the bike with disc brakes, so i think it has the mounts already...if it does, how expensive and hard would it be to upgrade to disc brakes? i am not a hardcore biker, nor do i anticipate riding any crazy trails where disc brakes would be especially useful...rather, i just like that they stop better (or seem to) than rim brakes and if it's not very expensive, i'd just as soon go ahead and swap them out...i don't need the best, just something decent

what would i look for to tell if it supports disc brakes?

[Edited on November 2, 2010 at 8:28 AM. Reason : might be 2005, but i'm fairly certain is 2006 based on color scheme]

11/2/2010 8:23:07 AM

The easiest way to check is to see if there are small bosses on the front fork. That is where the mounting screws would go in.

11/2/2010 9:11:16 AM

I've got a buddy in the market for a used MTB, somewhere in the $800 or less price range. He'd prefer a 29er, but is open to 26 too. PM me if you have anything...

11/2/2010 9:58:16 AM

alright! my GT has the holes on both the front and the back and my wife's specialized has the same holes on the back (the front is different, though i'm pretty sure hers will accept disc brakes, too)

so...where do i go from here? what's the best value route? again, i don't need anything special, just some basic disc brakes...mechanical is a lot cheaper than hydraulic and i think they'll be fine...so what will i need (do they come in kits or will i need separate components)?

how horrible would this be? http://cgi.ebay.com/290494100000

or should i look for a good deal on something like an avid BB-7 kit?

11/2/2010 12:26:04 PM

short answer: BB7 and done

long answer: we had a customer that bought the same kit you've linked. They [i]worked]/i], but then again the guy had a pretty low standard for braking.

The BB7s will last forever, and when set up properly and maintained on a regular basis are fantastic brakes. Very powerful, more so than plenty of the no-name hydraulic discs you might find.

The BB7 will come with caliper and rotor. You'll still need to figure out what levers you want. Personally, Id go with the Avid Speed Dial 7. One, the adjustments on the lever really help the BB7 live up to their full potential. And two, Im always a fan of matching components.

Yea, this route is more expensive than the kit from ebay. Keep in mind though, brakes can save your life, or at the least, make the experience more enjoyable.

11/2/2010 1:37:13 PM

^^ check trianglemtb...might be able to find a good used set there

11/2/2010 4:29:54 PM

will BB5's work? what's the difference?

11/3/2010 10:35:04 AM

adjustability, ease of setup

if you are deadset on cable discs, might as well get some worth a damn...the BB7 should be the only consideration

11/10/2010 9:51:42 PM

Got a Crank Bros Joplin R dropper seatpost (NIB) up for sale. I'm heading to Raleigh on Friday and can bring with if anyone is interested...or can meet anywhere between Chattanooga and Raleigh sometime over the holiday wkend.

[link]http://http://www.crankbrothers.com/seatposts_joplinr.php[/link]

Fits 31.6, new in the box, has all parts, remote handlebar lever, etc

$180 (firm) and I'll install if ya want

holllaaaa

11/24/2010 3:35:10 AM

Where is the best place to park and ride at umstead? My dad and I are gonna be up there this weekend.

11/24/2010 10:10:42 AM

It's up to you, but here are a few options I know of...

Glenwood side:
-Park at the visitor center and ride down the paved/gravel roads to the trailhead
-Drive down the paved/gravel roads to the biking/horse trailer parking (near the trailhead)
-Park on Ebenezer Church Rd at the church, or in the grass on the other side of the bridge (just after the church)

Cary side:
-Old Reedy Creek road by Lake Crabtree



[Edited on November 24, 2010 at 1:11 PM. Reason : .]

[Edited on November 24, 2010 at 1:12 PM. Reason : .]

11/24/2010 1:09:16 PM

Got some parts laying around needing to move:

Mavic Deetraks wheelset
-brand new, never mounted/ridden
-20mm front, bolt on rear
-includes brand new, never ridden Specialized DH tires/tubes
-includes brand new 9spd Sram cassette (dont have gear ratio handy, but can provide)

2005 Manitou Sherman Slider fork
-170mm travel
-urban camo finish (98% new, has one discolored spot...not a scratch or gouge... on upper stanchion, small scratch at axle clamp)
-completely rebuilt, new seals, etc.
-fairly long steerer (can get exact length)

Race Face Diabolus bar/stem combo
-brand new stem, black, 31.8, 70mm, 10deg
-brand new handlebar, black, 31.8, 28", 1.5" rise
-includes brand new ODI Ruffian lock on grips


more to come...just getting this ish out there

holla!

11/29/2010 5:35:14 PM

Just getting back into riding. I've decided I need one of these frames. My life depends on it

How much can I expect to spend on a single speed set up with components worthy of these frames?

12/2/2010 8:10:58 AM

Quote :

"eh...Im not sold on the hype Put the $2000 towards 26", you'll get more bike for the money."

Didn't see this discussion before, but I'll throw in my $.02

I switched to a 29er and really like it. The biggest benefit I've seen is that all those roots at Crabtree suddenly got a lot smaller the day I bought this bike. They're less of an obstacle when climbing and they get soaked up easier when you're bombing downhill.

I'm 6'1" and I'd be a little worried about the standover height if I were any shorter. There's not a lot of room if I need to put my feet down in an emergency and I don't want this to happen:

followed by:

and then:

12/2/2010 11:57:20 AM

^what bike do you have?

I'm 6'3, but i have long legs so i like bikes w/ relatively shorter top tubes. Ridley road/cross geometry is amazingly perfect for me.

I'm tempted by the Motobecane Ti Fly bikes on bikesdirect.com. They have the same geo as a Gary Fisher SuperFly or a Paragon. I've ridden both the 19 and 21 Paragon.. i feel like im in between. Like the seat tube length of the 21 and the TT length of the 19.

I need to ride a 29er Stumpjumper, Specialized geo has fit me great in the past.

12/3/2010 9:05:12 PM

Quote :

"I'm 6'3, but i have long legs so i like bikes w/ relatively shorter top tubes. "

Speaking of....I've had my road bike since March 06 and once I started putting in bigger rides (50+) I always felt my position just was never right. And I could never get it right. I finally got around to taking my measurements and one of the calculators I found recommended a seat tube that is 2.5" longer than I actually have and a top tube that is 1.5" shorter. I always felt jammed and stretched and the numbers bear it out.

Unfortunately, it seems only the Italian makers favor the shorter top tube geometry and all of them are expensive (Pinarello, Colnago, Bianchi, etc).

12/3/2010 9:33:57 PM

And the Belgians with Ridleys, check 'em out. Can you believe i ride a 56cm Ridley cross bike? And i only have maybe 1.5" of stand over clearance. Theyre freakishly tall bikes. I'd probably go for a 58 as a road bike though to get a little longer and more race'y. cross bikes are better to have a little smaller so you can whip 'em around and feel comfortable falling off and getting back on, etc. Alas, i can't afford a proper road bike, so this cross bike w/ slicks IS my road bike. and it works well enough for that.

12/4/2010 11:22:22 AM

I guess 56cm is the top tube? I've already forgotten what I was reading a couple weeks ago about how the frame is identified. I think generally the reference is seat tube = top tube but that has changed quite a bit in recent years?

This is what the competitive cyclist calculator generated for me based on my measurements (from most aggressive to least aggressive fit):

Quote :

"The Competitive Fit (cm) ------------------------------------------- Seat tube range c-c: 51.4 - 51.9 Seat tube range c-t: 53.0 - 53.5 Top tube length: 52.0 - 52.4 Stem Length: 10.5 - 11.1 BB-Saddle Position: 67.8 - 69.8 Saddle-Handlebar: 49.9 - 50.5 Saddle Setback: 4.3 - 4.7 The Eddy Fit (cm) ------------------------------------------- Seat tube range c-c: 52.6 - 53.1 Seat tube range c-t: 54.2 - 54.7 Top tube length: 52.0 - 52.4 Stem Length: 9.4 - 10.0 BB-Saddle Position: 67.0 - 69.0 Saddle-Handlebar: 50.7 - 51.3 Saddle Setback: 5.5 - 5.9 The French Fit (cm) ------------------------------------------- Seat tube range c-c: 54.3 - 54.8 Seat tube range c-t: 55.9 - 56.4 Top tube length: 53.2 - 53.6 Stem Length: 9.6 - 10.2 BB-Saddle Position: 65.3 - 67.3 Saddle-Handlebar: 52.4 - 53.0 Saddle Setback: 5.0 - 5.4 "

That most aggressive fit still calls for a seat tube of ~51.7 c-c. My bike is 46.5. I had the saddle cranked up trying to compensate, which had me feeling like I was doing a handstand on the handlebars. I'd finish 70 mile rides with my neck and shoulder muscles hurting vastly worse than anything in my legs.

12/4/2010 12:28:03 PM

Quote :

"^what bike do you have?"

09 Stumpjumper 29er.

The only thing I don't like about is that Rock Shox Reba that came on it. Way too much flex in the stanchions. The Fox equivalent was a much better fork.

12/5/2010 7:01:52 PM

The weather should be warming up soon, any active tww mtb'ers?

2/6/2011 8:48:31 PM

planning on hitting up sanlee for the first time with a group of my buddies saturday on my new singlespeed 29er.

2/6/2011 10:38:16 PM

I'm a bit out of shape, but I was thinking of hitting up Crabtree today, then I remembered it rained a bunch yesterday and gave up on the idea

2/6/2011 10:54:29 PM

Anyone ridden at Centennial Campus lately? Are the trails still around??

2/17/2011 1:28:47 PM

haaaaaaa

2/17/2011 5:24:41 PM

Rode the lake crabtree trails this weekend for the first time (i'm in Fayetteville). Pretty impressed with the work they did with the various features and builds. Little bit too crowded for my tastes, though.

2/28/2011 1:54:10 PM

^^^ I think they're mostly gone

2/28/2011 1:59:55 PM

Starting a brand new SS build. Will post details as it comes together.

4/6/2011 1:39:33 PM

Quote :

"Rode the lake crabtree trails this weekend for the first time (i'm in Fayetteville). Pretty impressed with the work they did with the various features and builds. Little bit too crowded for my tastes, though."

The trails at Harris Lake are probably a bit closer to you, and less used, too.

4/6/2011 6:48:23 PM

bttt

6/8/2011 12:17:47 PM

reminds me that I have a brand new Shimano XT cassette and Avid Elixir3 brakes that need to go on my bike soon

6/8/2011 9:15:53 PM

^how old is the cassette you are replacing?

planning on new chain also? if not, why?

6/9/2011 1:09:29 PM