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

I'm here for you man, anytime you need it.

 

No no. We need to stoke he ego and goad him into an elaborate "The Emperor's New Clothes" prank

 

I was thinking about this the other day - I think my bike progression aided in my riding progression. My first real trail bike was actually a 6" FS bike because I found it cheap. It allowed me to gain confidence really quickly, which I would argue is maybe even more important than skill early on. At the time I was riding with some fast XC types on light hardtails and in race shape and of course I had a hard time keeping up if the trail wasn't pointed down (bike was also like 34 lbs). I was also riding flats. So I bought an all mountain steel HT and swapped all my parts over. Now was the time to hone my skills and learn to make better line choices etc. It really did check my confidence on DHs though. I eventually transitioned to clipless as well. After a few years and a couple long rides that killed on the HT, I went back to a FS and haven't looked back. Oh and I've switched back to flats again and love it. Another confidence boost while progressing in airborne endeavors. Back where I started on a heavy ass FS bike and flats, but I don't think I'd be the same rider had I not gained the experience of other types of bikes and clipless riding.

I think a FS bike can help with confidence early on, but a HT for sure teaches you technique better. Both are super fun and have their places. I don't have a HT anymore, but I could see adding one to the stable again at some point.

For real? I was thinking about ordering a couple pairs of cheepo Amazon models.

 

That's exactly what they are

X-TIGER Polarized Sports Sunglasses with 5 Interchangeable Lenses,Mens Womens Cycling Bike Glasses,Baseball Running Fishing

https://www.amazon.com/X-TIGER-Polarized-Sunglasses-Interchangeable-Baseball/dp/B07QFPG73W

 

My buddy checked out Bobsled after I left and said it was a f'n blast, so I'll have to add it to the list this time around. I haven't been much of a jumper since I shattered my leg, though, so I'll likely ride around any launch with the word "gap" in it...lol

 

That's most of Bobsled, but you can take the ride-around on every feature and still have a blast.

The last little section is super fun with ton of kickers, etc that people have built into the hillside. You kinda have to be "rider beware" though, because I have hit a jump once or twice and it was fine, and then I'll ride it again a month later and that kicker is now a gapped step up as someone changed "their" line.

 

I realize that...looked them up. I was just making sure you were serious and hoping for some elaboration on your experience with them. My primary concern with something that cheap would be lens/optics quality. Though at that price they could be worth it just for a cheap but big clear lens option.

 

then there are the car jumps. some of them are gaps, some of them are tabletops. I keep forgetting which ones are which so I end up just going around all of them. Still a blast on the sled though.

 

Yeah, I skip the cars for the same reason. Then again, even the table topped ones will mangle a foot with rusty sheet metal if you get your foot in a hole in the roof, etc.

 

I've got two car "gaps" that I hit regularly if I'm feeling good. Honestly, I think the upper part of bobsled is scarier than the lower part. It's pretty steep and rutted out and there are random rocks and trees all over the place. Plus if you don't start your run at the right time you could run in to somebody that has no idea what they got themselves in to and is walking down, or up, the middle.

@stronghammer I recommend learning to bunny hop in a grass field. Watch one of the youtube videos, I like this one, and then put some object in the grass and try to jump over it. Once you get that technique down, it'll be much easier on the trail.

On the sunglasses front, I'm using a $20 pair off Amazon that came with three different lenses. They've been working great for over a year now. They look real good on the dog too!

 

yeah, the upper upper part is so bad. and then it sorta mellows out after the first crossing with legacy. Then you understand why it's called "Bobsled". Great berms. And the lowe rpart is just a fun playground. I've been slowly getting better at some of the smaller gap jumps.

 

#RadDogsofTW

 

Ive been there

hardest part was getting the confidence to jump again but I eventually did get back in to it, but I don’t do jumps that big anymore

 

No pain no game


Also stopped to help a turtle cross the road today on the way to the trails. He totally would have been flattened had I not seen/stopped

 

Damnnn! You really fucked up that whole thing, didn't ya? That's a lot of metal. Sorry to see it!

Here's my old jigsaw puzzle... 20+ pieces of "fun" that changed the way I ride forever.

 

whoo man, that's rough. glad you are able to ride again!

 

What were you trying to jump? The Grand Canyon? I’m so glad I did not see that before I started my last ride.

 

Good lord....

 

Here's my aggressive hardtail, a Whyte 901. I cracked the chainstay right now and am waiting for the new frame to arrive (replaced under warranty and they're paying for my local shop to swap everything over). I love the bike!

 

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