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

I make that joke all the time...Go figure our maritime trading happens in a landlocked state hours from the ocean. Even though most of our trading doesn't even happen in North America. Everything happens in cheap energy countries now

 

I would love to have one of those catamarans!

 

let's go do it. We could be living it up on a yacht!

 

I'm on a similar bike (Trail429). It came with Dissectors front & rear. I disliked the Dissectors from the first ride. I rode them for 4 months and just had enough of the "unpredictability." It seems like they are half-assed at everything and great at nothing. However, I will say that it's a fairly fast-rolling tire. I switched out to a DHR II front (EXO) and rear (EXO+) and it's like the bike finally came alive! On other bikes, I have mostly ran a DHF on front and most recently the Assegai on the front. I had never really considered the DHR II as a front tire. But...it works for me. The DHR II combo has proven to be a solid choice for this bike - especially considering my riding style (I tend to treat the 429 like a mini-Firebird) and where I ride (primarily Salt Lake valley & Park City). Also, as someone else said, I'm not looking for KOMs or PRs. I'll take a slower-rolling, grippier tire every time.

 

The DHR2 is a interesting front tire to me. If I was starting from scratch I think I'd try that front and Dissector rear.

 

Where in PNW are you at?

 

My super simple and cheap slide out bike rack.

I wanted a bike storage solution that would hide our bikes in the back of my truck. I have seen many people make drawers for them but i didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars on slides, and have something mounted in the back of the truck like that. I have also seen people bolt the fork mounts directly to the truck bed, which would making loading both bikes with the bed platform beside them a nightmare. To me, this was the best of both worlds.

It is just a piece of plywood, with fork mounts bolted to it. Cheap and low profile, but still slides in and out easily to load the bikes. The wheel well and legs for the bed platform do a good job keeping it inline when sliding it.



The fork mounts don't hold the bikes as securely as i would have hoped, but one ratchet strap wrapped around them like this gets the job done. I just have to make sure to keep it clean to avoid scratching them too much.



Slides out far enough to load the bikes, without feeling tippy.



I used lag bolts originally but they were not going to last. These nuts that suck into the plywood work amazingly, and don't hang below and get in the way like a regular nut does.



I didnt like how leaned over the bike was on these (due to the steep head tube angle) so I cut and re-welded them at a more appropriate angle. Now the bike sits more upright.

 

Just finished a full refresh of my daughters NICA race bike. It would have taken me all night,but our bike mechanic friend knocked it out in short order…
-Hunt wheels
-fresh Ardent and Ikon (tubeless)
-1x set up
-full clean and tune
We’ve been trying to get her a Canyon since November, dates get pushed out every week. Once we get that settled, this LaPierre will go to her little sister who starts racing next year but is already hot on her sisters tail!

 

Seattle area. West of Seattle on Kitsap Peninsula if you are familiar with the area. Lots of forest trail systems with punchy ups and downs continuously. So while not "chasing KOMs" maintaining momentum really changes the flow of the trails. Makes the connectors between the bigger downhill sections much more fun if ou can ride energetically and not just grind your way through.

But the more I think of it, I'm considering a DHR2 to put on now with DHF up front, then grab a Rekon and I can swap to DHR2/Rekon combo too.

 

Have you tried the Agressors? They roll just as fast but (to me) are more predictable than Rekons. If you go 2.3 on the Agressors, it's only a 60 g. difference.

 

I have not but the 2.3 Aggressor was another consideration on the back. Have you ridden the Rekon much? I hadn't even considered it until recently. Probably not what I want the next couple months while the loam is deep and often wet (Aggressor might not be either) but either could be a good choice as things dry out over the summer.

 

interested in your route. this looks pretty far northwest, if thats pikes peak?

JK. saw the other post. thats a killer ride.

 

Hey You Taco Owners.

I’m an old retired geezer who used to re-build bicycles as a kid back in the 1960s.

I built up bikes for my own children, but I’ve only built one bicycle for myself since then.

Anyhow I am going to build a bicycle for myself to ride. From what I can see on eBay things have changed an awful lot in the bicycle world and I need some serious advice.

I was hoping you guys could direct me to some decent bicycle building forum, not already overcrowded with trolls and posers.

 

Last week I attempted to do 30 laps on a trail loop near my house. Only managed to do 24 in the 12 hours I gave myself :/

Maybe ill try again later this summer. 2 supply drops from my gf to refill water and bring me food. and one kinda half drop where she brought me water for one bottle for my last hour.

surprisingly didn't feel terrible. a lap was short enough to be demanding, but 5ish minutes was enough to recover. i slowed down a bit in the heat of the day and also when my friend came and did a few laps with me.

glad i did it on my patrol and not my hard tail. even though i was probably a bit slower, and used more energy, the suspension really kept my body relaxed and more comfortable than my hard tail would.

stoked for more stupid long shit this summer.

ring the peak maybe? maybe @dually can give me a bit more detail on his pikes peak circumnavigating. tons of options here in colorado.

 

Right on man.... riding is awesome up there. Originally from Bellingham.

Yea I get the need for maintaining the momentum we have lots of trails like that down here.

I think you'll be stoked on DHR2 out back.

My thought process..Go with Max traction!!!! and up my fitness game...At least for me my rolling resistance ain't my problem is the 20ish extra lbs I'm packing around on my Dad bod..

check on Pink bike you can probably find value on a lightly used Rekon or dhr2 for that matter..

 

What a unit man... Props for trying! 55mile and 10k of climbing... puts you in the savage category in my book.

 

Nice ride man! You'll get it next time now you know what to expect

 

Are you part of the TacomaWorld Rides Strava group?
https://www.strava.com/clubs/tacomaworld

 

it looks like i am

 

I never checked that out since I joined, pretty neat!