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| Lookin' Good At The Camp |
The Camp's south side is where the next IMBCS event will be held at the end of July. It is looking pretty good out there right now. All the trails have been maintained, the new re-routes are coming in, and some offending logs were removed, along with weeds alongside the sides of the trail.
The trails are actually pretty dry, and hard, like they get in summertime. I did find a lot of offending sticks though. Pesky 3/8ths to 3/4's inch diameter dead stick/branches that were getting caught in my spokes, rotors, and nearly de-derailleuring my bike at one spot. Bah! Sticks...... Shoulda brought out a single speed, that's what I shoulda done! Single speed devices would show those sticks who's boss, they would!
Other than that, it was fun flying around on the bike I did take out, a Specialized Epic Marathon. I was supposed to have ridden that down in Texas, but my little adventure with my knee kind of put a damper on that plan. I wish I could get back there and test this rig in the rocks, but that will have to wait.
We do have plenty of exposed roots, busted up embedded limestone, and logs to cross, which amount to their own unique challenges here. Not to mention the sandy corners, and off camber bits which always keep me on my toes.
In Other News: Did ya see where "Bicycling" announced their "Editor's Choice Awards"? They gave the nod to 29"ers outside the 29"er categories in a couple of key areas, I thought. Best value went to Salsa Cycles El Mariachi, and "Best Of The Best" went to the Santa Cruz Tall Boy.
One of these ol' days, that mag and others will cease to distinguish between wheel sizes, since I feel more and more rigs will be 29"ers, and all off road bikes will be "mountain bikes", and that's that.But I still wish they would have stuck with "all terrain bikes". Sounds more to the point, and more fun! Still, for this time and place, having a mainstream magazine say that the best value off roader is a 29"er, and the best overall mtb is a 29"er is really saying something. That couldn't have happened even just three years ago.
That's a lot of "win" right there!
5 comments:
@Nathan: As I've always said since hitting the web on this blog in '05- 29"ers aren't for everybody, but they are good for a lot of folks.
I am willing to bet that somewhere, someplace in New England someone is riding 29"ers on trails just like yours and digging it.
In fact, I know there is.
Just sayin'
Bottom line? Enjoy riding! Whatever human powered, two wheeled contraption you choose!
There are always specific conditions where small wheels will be good. I just did a ride in the Hamilton, MT area where I was very happy to be on the 26" wheeled Turner 5-Spot I was riding, but the very next day, was missing my big wheels on a ride closer to Missoula. Horses for courses... But modern big wheel bikes are more adept in a wider range of conditions than ever, that much I know for certain.
And @Nathan, if you've only "ridden a couple", its going to be tough for you to have the perspective to say definitively that 29"ers are not capable in "your conditions". That is simply not true.
I think Nathan's got it ass backwards.
A 29er actually helps navigate rock gardens, and techy New England trail features in my humble opinion.
Maybe he just needs to try a few of the newer 29ers to see the light a bit.
The Mainers I admire are rugged versatile,individual. I think it's a reflection of the topography. I'm riding a very simple two niner, but,...it will go just about anywhere. Keep an open mind.
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