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

I’ll see your “68” and raise you…
My daughter’s first Cyclocross plate number, she still doesn’t know why I was laughing.

 

We all start somewhere. I'm stoked to see anyone get onto any bike! Especially when you can enjoy it with your family.

 

This summer I plan to keep my 2019 giant trance 2 on hand and use as a bike to lend to people and try and get more of the homies into mountain bikes. I don’t think I’d get much for it so having it as a bike to teach people on should be good since it’s not a hardtail but also not big travel bike. And 27.5 wheels makes it easier to handle for a beginner. Plus they won’t burn through the brakes halfway down a trail

 

Yea somewhere buried in here haha. I’ll see if I can resurrect it for ya.

Spoiler, I’m on a Spur. Really liked the Smugger, but simply gelled more.

 

Awesome!

 

I'd say I put a little over 300 miles on it, not too terrible of a lifespan.

Lots of fun. Very low key, but they're doing a great job for free events. Three more rounds this fall on the higher elevation Sandia trails is what the organizers were telling folks.

 

Haha I see one of my friends who races that series in the photo... even with the logo blocked I could never miss the SPAM jersey.

 

@mtskibum16 I lied. There wasn't much of a review from me on the Smuggler. Moreso me just moaning like a child about how the shit brake setup got in my head.

Considering your location and how you've seemingly been a bit let down on the Following, I'd suggest you get on Smuggler demo. While you're at it you should try a Spur. The Spur is everything the Evil is and more. The Following takes a slight advantage in the chunk with a more composed rear suspension (no flex stays and SuperBoost), but then also looses that edge in the steep stuff due to its steeper HA. The Smuggler accomplishes all those things with a little more brawn in the form of more travel.

 

Yeah I have a feeling the Smuggler will be the sweet spot for me. The -1 head angle spacer on the Following really made a difference for me on that bike though (in seated climbing and for general descending) Between that and some cockpit changes I'll probably ride it through this season. I have embarrassingly few miles on it and feel it deserves a chance. I have yet to be let down descending that bike on anything.

Still I can see the Smuggler being in the sweet spot for my trails.

 

I am interested if no one else is.

 

This year is anyone doing downieville? Or Tahoe shuttle days? Let me know on both! I don’t have many buddies who ride out here unfortunately

 

@backcountryj lets get that SC set up SS and get you signed up. Brainchild is one of the guys from my SS group. Gonna be fun. Weather permitting a few of us are gonna camp so we don’t have to drive home

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-he...or-veterans-dahlonega-ga-tickets-593841123787

 

Looks like I got some work to do.

 

https://m.pinkbike.com/buysell/3622226/

I don’t think I trust

 

shoot me a pm and I should be able to have them off the bike this weekend.

 

Come to find, you can't post on TW when you're abroad. Here are my only 2 shots from my visit to the PI last week. Riding there is mostly paved until you get up high and there is always food (silken tofu in the pic). I just got back yesterday morning and hit the dirt immediately (sun is the best jet lag cure).

 

I have a couple of 34 SC (one with Fit 4 and the other with Grip). Surprisingly, the Grip damper feels better damped than the Fit 4 (meaning, less spiky in the middle). My newer 36 is Grip 2 and that feels pretty good but my favorite is still the old RC2 that I have on the Atlanta Evil. I wish they still made that.

 

PM'd

 

Now to wait. And looks for parts on pinkbike...

 

Finally got around to throwing on the Profile/WAO wheelset. Hit some gap jumps that were recently reworked that required me to nut up.