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Mountain Biking 2016!

AmyPJ

Skiing the powder
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Nov 12, 2015
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7,835
Location
Ogden, UT
I was looking from the gondola across the way to one of my favorite mountain biking areas, and thinking the snow has melted from that area, might be able to get out on the bike sooner than I'd been anticipating! As much as I'm really, really sad to see ski season go, I look at pics from the past two summers here and remember that summer in Utah is AWESOME!

Fellow MTBers, chime in!

(Soon, the mountain will look like this!)
11403093_10207403246505701_4946417590426523888_n.jpg
11222531_10207333104512195_7413951390362286091_n.jpg
11828732_10207693362798427_7695380577431873509_n.jpg
 

scott43

So much better than a pro
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
13,549
Location
Great White North
I've built a new road bike up and am aiming to commute to work this year. My mountain biking will be severely curtailed unfortunately due to the new addition to the family. :) And I'm doing physio for my ancient busted up hip and it seems to be working much better than past physio attempts so I'm optimistic that I'll be in decent shape by June!
 

ErikL

AKA Bro12
Skier
Joined
Jan 6, 2016
Posts
214
Location
Reno, NV
The upper trails around here are still kind of snowy, but the lower ones are clear and dry and I'm rearin' to get back on the bike! Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your season of choice), it looks like we'll get some more storms next week, shutting down the trails until they can dry out. The dirt is clay, so it turns into sticky, heavy peanut butter when it's wet. I guess I was able to keep some level of fitness over the winter by skiing and hooking my road bike up to a trainer occasionally, but I still have a lot of work to do before I'm getting big rides in again. Oh well, it's the nature of having four seasons and living half an hour from skiing.
 

Gerry Rhoades

mtcyclist rippin' again
Industry Insider
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Posts
563
Location
Billings, MT
I got my dropper seatpost installed on my 29r today. Just need to run the cable to the remote tomorrow. After having gone over the bars a couple of times on the 29r I decided I needed to get a dropper post on it. Fat bike doesn't need one but it is getting new pedals, CB Double Shots.:cool:
 
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AmyPJ

AmyPJ

Skiing the powder
SkiTalk Tester
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
7,835
Location
Ogden, UT
I got my dropper seatpost installed on my 29r today. Just need to run the cable to the remote tomorrow. After having gone over the bars a couple of times on the 29r I decided I needed to get a dropper post on it. Fat bike doesn't need one but it is getting new pedals, CB Double Shots.:cool:
I've contemplated a dropper, but I have a feeling I'd never be able to coordinate all those actions at once--brakes, shifting, seatpost AND staying upright while trying to navigate rocks and switchbacks.
 

tball

Unzipped
Skier
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Nov 12, 2015
Posts
4,362
Location
Denver, CO
I really like the idea of a dropper. I'm so much faster and safer going down with a lower seat. So many rides around here are long up followed by long down it makes sense to lower my seat. I don't, though, because you can't take the time in a race, so I need to be accustomed riding downhill with my seat up.

Are there any FS XC bikes with droppers yet?
 

ErikL

AKA Bro12
Skier
Joined
Jan 6, 2016
Posts
214
Location
Reno, NV
You people without droppers are stuck in the 20th century! I use a dropper on my all-mtn-ish 130mm bike. The sense of security and confidence from dropping the saddle out of the way and getting yourself low and back is incredible. I wasn't a believer until I dropped my post manually one day, and then I ordered a dropper after that ride. With a good remote it's just one of those things that becomes second nature, like brakes and shifting. You start to learn where to hit that remote and drop that post.

I wouldn't be surprised to see droppers on XC bikes, as that's where I honestly feel they have the greatest benefit, due to the bike's more upright geometry and less suspension. A light dropper only weighs about a pound more than a standard post. Having the saddle out of the way would give an XC rider much more control. I believe Nibali was even using a prototype non-remote dropper in one of the grand tours for a day, but on a mountain bike a remote is best.

All that said, droppers are still relatively new technology. You always hear those horror stories of them failing mid-ride or taking forever to service. But with the flood of droppers on the market, manufacturers have incentive to make their product better and more reliable, so I believe many current issues will be solved soon.
 

Josh Matta

Skiing the powder
Pass Pulled
Joined
Dec 21, 2015
Posts
4,123
I really like the idea of a dropper. I'm so much faster and safer going down with a lower seat. So many rides around here are long up followed by long down it makes sense to lower my seat. I don't, though, because you can't take the time in a race, so I need to be accustomed riding downhill with my seat up.

Are there any FS XC bikes with droppers yet?

As long as your current bike has a seat post diameter and enough depth to take a dropper just put one your current bike.

@AmyPJ you usually try to drop your post well before the tech sections. With that said I hit my mid jump sometimes now.

riding a bike with out a dropper will give anyone an excuse to suck though,and go slow downhill.
 

Josh Matta

Skiing the powder
Pass Pulled
Joined
Dec 21, 2015
Posts
4,123
I was looking from the gondola across the way to one of my favorite mountain biking areas, and thinking the snow has melted from that area, might be able to get out on the bike sooner than I'd been anticipating! As much as I'm really, really sad to see ski season go, I look at pics from the past two summers here and remember that summer in Utah is AWESOME!

Fellow MTBers, chime in!

(Soon, the mountain will look like this!)
11403093_10207403246505701_4946417590426523888_n.jpg
11222531_10207333104512195_7413951390362286091_n.jpg
11828732_10207693362798427_7695380577431873509_n.jpg

If your looking to get out earlier Lambert Park in American Fork is basically open year rounds.

http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/trails/lambert.htm
 

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