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

Oh snap we got an SST in here. AND it's at the top of TWE.

 

Finally got the new bike out for a ride a couple of weekends ago.

 

Is that the contour or explorer shell on your truck?

i have the contour and its very difficult to see out of the back, like the glass stains or something. im thinking about adding rainex or something similar to try and keep it cleaner. its like the angle of the glass just attracts dirt

 

I rode it all the way up and all the way down, it’s an amazing bike. A true quiver killer if short travel is your thing.

 

It's the Explorer, so pre-Contour.

I don't have any issues other than the front glass causes a reflection and I will see the taillights of the cars in front of me in the rear view mirror..

 

i notice the tail lights in my rear view also. i guess thats just a topper thing?

 

Finally got a bike rack that I feel comfortable leaving on my truck.... just gotta make sure not to drive into the garage with the bike mounted.

Specialized RockHopper Expert on Thule Upride, RhinoRack crossbars/feet, on top PaceEdwards UltraGroove bed cover

 

Ughh... Did that ONCE. The whole loop is the worst, real sufferfest (for me).

In my mind, long tavel vs. short travel is like a powder day vs. a spring day (on a snowboard, skis).
I'm always going to want to ride the big bike first, but not on flatter terrain. More fun on steeper, faster, feature-filled rides.
The little bike is fun as hell on jibs, carves, and just goofin around. More fun on rolling terrain.

For those of you who don't get powder days, well....

My Arrival will never be as engaging as the 5010 on pedally trails, and I'm not taking the 5010 on the gnarly shit.
There's bikes that can do both pretty well. But I've never found one that can be nearly as good on either end of the spectrum. There are riders out there that can kick my butt on the downs of smaller bikes, but I'd argue they'd be even faster/better on a bigger bike.

 

idk. you seemed to kick my butt on similarly big bikes. so..... :shrug:

 

There's no perfect bike.


Riding Mag 7 in a couple weeks. I want the Following for 6 out of 7, and then the Firebird for Portal. Maybe I should've stuck with just one bike to make my decisions easier.

 

You get up, check the report and forecast....right in the grey are between skis. You throw both in the roof box and debate with yourself all the way to the mountain. Parking lot, decision time, what f$%&ing skis should I pick!? I really want to grab the pow sticks but the daily drivers probably make more sense. But god damn I love my Billy Goats....powder skis it is.

Ultimately I'd be better off with two (or more) mountain bikes. But there are a few reasons I haven't gone that route and instead look for the quiver killer but that does lead to more compromise no doubt.

 

How are you liking the 5010?

Im still very 27.5 curious. Actually just reserved Shadowcat for an upcoming Pivot demo day early next month.

 

I recall you towing me in to some of the gnars my friend... And I certainly wouldn't have stepped to that freakin' cliff face if you and your buds weren't there egging me on.

The 5010 is a MX, and so far so good! I only have a couple rides on it, mostly spent the time tuning the suspension.
It was exactly what I hoped it would be. Playful, poppy, great pedaler. Rode it on 18rd in Fruita. Fast, flowy, playful trails that are all about constant engagement and side hits. The rear end was fun; it would step out but under control, loved a drift. It definitely trades speed for fun though, I have a feeling that's what most MX vs. 29rs do.
Excited to take it on some real singletrack, open it up. I have a feeling I'll be riding that until big terrain opens up.

 

I'm on a 2020 5010 full 27.5" and love it. Only thing I would, and probably will, change is adding a little travel up front. It's a good to pedal, fun to ride flow on, and can handle the bike park (would do better with bigger fork). It's very rare I feel under-biked here in the Northeast.

 

Thanks for the feedback. Similarly, I’m quite content on my current primary, Transition Spur. It very much jives with my local trails and I seldom feel underbiked. The few places that I’m willing to ride that could warrant a bigger bike, I lack the skills needed to exceed the Spurs capabilities anyway.

I fully acknowledge that 29 is faster, has better roll over, etc. But I do still wonder how a 27.5 bike would compare in my hands. My Chameleon is setup 27.5, but that’s such an apples to oranges comparison I don’t feel it’s a good gauge.

 

hahaha. that's mostly fair. lol. can't wait to get riding that shit again.

 

I put eeWings (and a new bb) on my bike the last time I was in CA. The first 2 rides, the bike pedaled like, crap. I thought it was too much preload or maybe the oval chainring was off somehow. I wasn't able to climb off the saddle efficiently. Got back to CA this week, bike still felt crappy when climbing so I got home determined to take it all apart when I realized this. I need to fire my mechanic.

 

That guy sucks. Bet he’s quite the goon…

Got in one last ride before the time changes, and the next 36hr rain fest sets in. After gabbing about my lil chameleon she got the call.

*token taco shot

 

lolololol. not sure if prank or just bad work. ahhah.