All Things Bikes and Tacos! (...and every vehicle imaginable)

I've finally gotten to where I can make it up the stupid road the whole way at Monte Sano to start the rides...so I know I'm improving at this climbing crap, doesn't mean I like it lol

 

This wont be getting hard use, I have a big Stihl for that. Mostly bought it for tree trimming on trails and getting firewood when camping. I've had some bad luck with Ryobi as well though, seem to be more consumer than contractor targeted.

 

It's actually a 29x3" SS, and it's addicting as hell! It rolls over anything and everything and it's much easier to get up to speed than one would expect with so much rubber at each end. I'm seriously infatuated with steel 29+ bikes at the moment, so definitely recommend trying one if you can.

 

lol. That hill we went up when I was there?

 

probably. we basically ride it at the start of every ride there.

 

Does anyone else use Trailforks to track rides? Ive had some issues with battery life and it stop recording. I tried Strava last night and it is better, but I like the trails image better with Trailforks

 

I wonder if you could meme it up the first hill I ride at tannehill. It’s short but steep

 

I use Trailforks for offline maps and to find new trails but Strava for ride tracking.

 

meme it up?

I can usually do the shorter ups, it's the extended duration ones. The road at Monte Sano is 1.2 miles uphill the whole way. according to trailforks only 264ft climb, but it's steady the whole way up. just wears me out, but I'm making it the whole way now.

 

That sounds like the way to go. I do like all the data that strava has.

 

They are fun. I found that I could go down to 2.6ish without much compromise on grip and save a bit of weight. Lots of good, reasonable price wheels/rims in the 30mm range, too.

 

@113tac you decide on a new bike yet?

 

I did that with my 27.5+ full squish -- took it down to 2.6" tires to gain some speed/agility. However, with the hardtail SS, the 3" tires at 12 and 16 psi are just too much fun to give up. It literally plows through and over everything I aim it at, and doing so no longer requires much thought on easy/moderate tech stuff (there's no need to search out perfect lines).

Then again, I have a very "one of each" philosophy with my quiver. I can't stop adding arrows... it's a real addiction! lol

 

You think 27.5+ would be as fun on a hardtail? My frame can take 29 or 27.5+, but no 29+. I was thinking it'd be funny to have skinnier 29s for commuting and a 27.5+ wheelset for trail.

 

Can confirm 27.5+ is fun on a hardtail. My Surly Karate Monkey is set up with 27.5x3.0 and it's a damn good time. I actually picked it up with plans on going to 29er but I'm having too much fun with it in it's current set up. It's a relatively new bike (my quarantine bike) and I can't believe how much I've been riding it. I just set it up as tubeless and only have one ride on the tubeless set up but with the lower tire pressure, it has a really nice squish to it.

 

I have a 27.5+ chameleon. I kept the tires at 2.6” and I can’t tell you how much fun that bike is

 

BOX makes some killer groupsets that are remarkably cheap if you wanted to take a look. I think the Box 2 is the one you want. Not the greatest, but a 10-46 10 speed is pretty baller.

 

BOX headquarters is a couple miles from me, super legit dudes from my understanding

 

Decision time: Do I take the Sentinel or the Stache for a Gooseberry lap on Saturday?

Sentinel is def overkill on travel for the loop, but has some squish.

Stache is more efficient, but your ass is gonna eat the chatter of the pockmarked granite all day long.

Sunday ride either/or is fine...decisions decisions

 

sentinel. Save yourself from the chatter so the Sunday ride is more enjoyable