Archive | Mountain Biking

It’s About Ned

By soiledchamois on December 11, 2013 in Mountain Biking, Random

Ned

I would say that 99.9% of cyclists (including myself) were pretty pissed and disappointed at Specialized and their corporate wankery towards the Cafe Roubaix shop. I am also relieved to see that things are smoothing out and we don’t have to hear about it anymore. I hadn’t even planned on mentioning the whole small shop vs giant bike brand with apparently nothing else to worry about saga, since just about every single cycling media (and pseudo cycling media) outlet already has. BUT, I wanted to repost (for my sake) a little PS piece that I did for xxcmag.com a while back and figured I better justify giving Specialized any free positive coverage (fingers are still crossed they don’t sue me for mentioning their name here).

Oh well, this isn’t about the bike anyway, it’s about Ned. Dude was a mountain bike legend no matter who he raced for or what he raced on. Who among us hasn’t at least taken a peek inside his book Mountain Bike Like A Champion while loitering around Barnes & Noble, drinking coffee and not buying anything? Hmm… in hindsight I should have really paid more attention to the chapter on high-speed turns.

Making Do

By soiledchamois on December 8, 2013 in Mountain Biking

winterish

In attempts to get my head out of what Wifey so often refers to as The Bell Jar, I forced myself to dawn six layers of gear and go for a ride at Mid today. The result? Well, it was nice to get outside and out of the gym and basement, but the conditions were not all that ideal. It still helped a bit though.

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Cold Weekend

By soiledchamois on November 24, 2013 in Cycling, Mountain Biking

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I guess you could call this Welcome Winter Weekend. Some say “welcome,” I say “fuck it, I hate winter.”

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A Perfect Day For A Road Ride

By soiledchamois on November 21, 2013 in Mountain Biking

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Today was a perfect day for a road ride. Naturally, I went for a mountain bike ride.

You would think that I would have remembered the gusting 40+ mile per hour winds that rocked Michigan last Sunday and Monday. You would also think that I wouldn’t be forced to use an iPhone to take pics because I forgot my real camera on my desk. Go ahead and think those things, but you would be wrong.

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The Name Fit The Bike

By soiledchamois on November 18, 2013 in Mountain Biking

kellymbpic Mountain bike pioneer Charlie Kelly in a promotional photo (circa 1980-ish?) taken by Gary Fisher for their company– MountainBikes. According to Kelly’s personal (history packed) website, the bike in the photo was Fisher’s as he couldn’t yet afford one of the very bikes they were selling.

Back then, you paid $1,300 up front to a couple of California hippies, waited a month or more and eventually you got yourself a 28 pound, fully rigid mountain bike.

Check out Kelly’s site for a shit ton of amazing photos and information about the early days of mountain biking. It’s pretty cool to see so much history of a sport that was invented during my lifetime.

The Geek of The Tree Rings

By soiledchamois on November 16, 2013 in Mountain Biking, Random

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Balls Deep In Deer

Even though Michigan is balls deep into deer season, I took a chance and rode in the woods today anyway. My local trails are on non-hunting land, but they still come close to private land and have a slight reroute to try and keep meaty bike geeks like me from getting capped in the buttocks, but it is still a bit of a risk since I think I read once that a rifle bullet can travel like 32 miles or something ridiculous like that. OK, maybe not that far, but pretty far. I left my fur riding vest and antler helmet at home just in case.

The Pic

The tree in the pic above fell across the trail a year or two ago. I pass it EVERY ride but only today stopped to take a look at its rings (mostly due to having to wiz). Pretty cool to see the rings n’at..

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Taking Advantage

By soiledchamois on November 14, 2013 in Mountain Biking, Random

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In between my days at the gym I have been trying to get out and enjoy the dirt before the snow flies. As you can see from the ground in the pic above, it has been flying here and there but it has a long way to go before it causes any worry or would make me think about maybe regretting not purchasing a fat bike.

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Dirt Highway

By soiledchamois on November 12, 2013 in Mountain Biking

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Almost every trail system has one or two parts that you can either A. Recover and take in some fluids and/or nutrition or B. Put the hammer down and get all “speeder bike on Endor“. The pic above is of from my local trail system at the Mid Michigan Community College. Most of the 16-ish mile loop is undulating and lumpy with some roots and embedded rock thrown in to make your lower back feel “alive” and glad you have a full suspension (or make you wish for one). However, this particular section is currently wet, packed down dirt and sand, sort of like a dirt highway that you can get you reach speeds of 17 mph or more if you choose, before hanging a right into some slower, new trail with lots of twists and turns. Either way, it’s all good.

Dirt is always good. Singletrack is always better… whether fast and smooth, slow and rocky or twisty and turny.

Forest Facts

By soiledchamois on November 11, 2013 in Mountain Biking, Random

facts

I cannot be certain if a falling tree makes a sound when no one is around, but I am quite certain that if a tree falls in a forest it will ALWAS find its way across the trail. It’s a fact.

Leaves & Bike Love

By soiledchamois on November 9, 2013 in Mountain Biking

After more than a week, I finally made it out on the trails. I’m sure glad I did because with winds gusting from the south at 20+ MPH I sure as hell didn’t want to be out on the roads getting blown around like a fat, lycra-clad piece of rubbish that had a date with a truck’s grill.

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