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

TBH, if I was going to replace a chanring, I'd go oval since I'm doing it anyway. But I certainly wouldn't go replacing a perfectly good chainring and chain for one. The value / performance just isn't there.
Are you changing it to make climbs a bit easier? Or is the old one done?

 

It’s not done. I’m not doing it right now just planning for it. I would like to make my climbs easier.

 

Gotcha, makes sense. The wiseass in me wants to tell you to pedal more or do some squats, but the realist in me totally gets it.
We have some stupid steep climbs where I ride (usually straight up, then straight down), and I've found changing pedaling technique has helped me significantly more than the oval. Cadence, shifting, the right gear, pacing, watching my HR, etc...

EDIT: Here's a great routine that works amazing at getting your strength and mobility up specifically for MTB.

 

Her yoga stuff is pretty solid. 15 minutes a day does wonders. I need to get back into it

 

Question guys. On long, fast, choppy downhills such as fire roads and wide trails, my hands are hurting and going numb. Got my forks open and all settings to factory recommendations. Should I speed up or slow down rebound? Running carbon bars and I just ordered some PNW loam grips per a few recommendations.

 

I love those mazza’s. Been running them for a couple months now.



is anyone running Santa Cruz Reserves for a hoop? Thinking about pulling the trigger lol

 

Slow down your rebound.

 

Loosen up your grip. It’s not (likely) the suspension, most people who suffer from sore hands are guilty of “death grip.”

 

For fast choppy stuff, i thought making the rebound quicker was the answer?

 

I totally agree that you want your suspension to return to full height between hits but it can beat you death and make you less in control from fatigue.

edit: I prefer my rebound pretty quick (I like to push into my shocks and feel it push back) but I will adjust it for one sustained downhill that I ride infrequently.

 

https://enduro-mtb.com/en/how-to-get-rid-of-arm-pump/

This is a really good article that covers all the points/suggestions made by others.

Also as I re-read your statement I'm not actually sure I know what you are describing when you say, "long, fast, choppy downhills such as fire roads and wide trails." Choppy to me means lots of big rocks (larger than baseballs) and drops. I think you meant like "washboard" that develops on fire roads from wind? Let me know.

 

Common misconceptions. Faster rebound (usually) reduces hand and body fatigue over fast choppy stuff.
Think of it this way; if the rebound is fast, the suspension will follow the dips and rises, smoothly tracking over the surface. If you slow up your rebound, while going over chatter the suspension not be quick enough to follow the dips and will slam into the next hit, transferring that energy up to the rider.
All this is to some degree of sanity as too fast will cause the pogo effect and feel relentlessly active. You are trying to let the suspension do the fast work, so your body can focus on the larger movements.

 

For your take on it, i totally get your slower rebound idea and agree. I do think he meant more washboardy.

 

The fire roads/ breaks here are kind of a mix of washboard but is also littered with baseball or slightly larger sized rocks. I am usually only on these from the parking lot to the trails. Not really a fire road here but similar sized rocks.

 

Pic didn’t attach

 

That still looks pretty "small". Id crank the rebound a little farther to the rabbit and see how that does

 

Appreciate all the input.

 

@abacall may have hit the nail on the head with your grip and I’d turn it a little faster as @Gunshot-6A mentioned too.

 

Send it!

 

Rode Road on Saturday and Dirt on Sunday.

Took a bunch of newer riders, some on really old bikes to Waterworks. Still one of my favorite short, easy flowy trails around here.



no clue what happened to the sound on second run.