Official anything Mt. Bike thread.

[jester3681]

As I've been looking for a road bike, Amazon has a pretty good size guide on their site. It lists your height/inseam and the sizes that would fit you. There are two charts - one for road and one for mountain. Pretty good tool.

[jester3681]

And while you're there, price out a three-wolf-moon tee shirt and read the comments.

[Zorro]

I try to pay attention to the updates, but all of the COMBO trails are built to hold water and this accounts for 90% of the problem (the other being popularity because of their location). Mohican almost never closes, but most of it is built to drain and P1, P2 and Chestnut Ridge hold water like a motherfucker. P1 especially...that's just a badly cut course.

More important than staying off a wet trail is riding it sensibly. When it's wet here and there go through the wet areas instead of creating new trail around every mudpuddle. THAT ruins train worse than ruts. Ruts can be repaired easily, but a trail that's been widened or re-routed can't.

I agree with all of this. p1 is usually a mess after any rain. mohican benefits from being on top of a mountain and less traffic since it's harder to do multiple loops and it's in the middle of amish country.

You can usually get away with a slightly smaller bike for MTB since you don't spend a ton of time in the seat. When I rode a lot, I rode about a size smaller than I normally would just because it was lighter and easier to throw around. But I'd ride relatively short distances (10-15 miles at a time), so I spend more time out of the seat than I would on a road bike.

I never stand on my mtn bike (unless going over obstacles). you use more energy standing. Plus, on hill climbs you get more traction and leverage.

As I've been looking for a road bike, Amazon has a pretty good size guide on their site. It lists your height/inseam and the sizes that would fit you. There are two charts - one for road and one for mountain. Pretty good tool.

Just go to a good bike store. they'll tell ya which size you need.

[CBBaron]

You can usually get away with a slightly smaller bike for MTB since you don't spend a ton of time in the seat. When I rode a lot, I rode about a size smaller than I normally would just because it was lighter and easier to throw around. But I'd ride relatively short distances (10-15 miles at a time), so I spend more time out of the seat than I would on a road bike.

Inseam should not matter much for either sizing except to have sufficient standover height. Seat height is easily adjusted to accommodate inseams and its easy to get a longer seat post if necessary.

More important is reach. A good bike shop should be able to help with fit. It seems many riders prefer frames on the small side of recommended to reduce weight and improve handling. This is more true of MTB than road.

Craig

[oldschoolsdime92]

I don't do much mountain bike riding, due to the lack of trails in my area, but my roadie is another story. ^ Reach is pretty important on the road, due to the amount of time you spend in the seat. I prefer my road bikes to be alittle shorter. I feel I have more leverage on long climbs.

this is a little 21 miler i did not too long ago.

When I'm not on the roadie, my other ride is my 20 inch. ( I also have a cruiser, 24 inch bmx)

Edited January 31, 2013 by oldschoolsdime92

[swingset]

I agree with all of this. p1 is usually a mess after any rain. mohican benefits from being on top of a mountain and less traffic since it's harder to do multiple loops and it's in the middle of amish country.

A lot of the problem is the way the trails were put in...Mohican has natural run off, that's true but even on flatter ground you should slope your trail or make cuts where run-off or collection is a problem. I realize why P1 was done the way it was, it was an outlaw trail turned legitimate, but P2 and Chestnut are just poor trail design. I'm not knocking COMBO's efforts, they're very pro-active in maintaining and guarding the trails, but I think they lack a good trail builder. I can name a lot of areas of P2 and Chestnut where it slogs needlessly down between two ridges into a perpetually sloppy zone while the ridges on either side stay firm and could have been employed. That's the mark of a hurried effort.

When I lived out west trail layouts were taken seriously even for motorcycles and they were most always cut with drainage in mind. You can ride a well cut trail even when it's pretty wet...and it takes less maintenance and less closure to protect it.

[Zorro]

A lot of the problem is the way the trails were put in...Mohican has natural run off, that's true but even on flatter ground you should slope your trail or make cuts where run-off or collection is a problem. I realize why P1 was done the way it was, it was an outlaw trail turned legitimate, but P2 and Chestnut are just poor trail design. I'm not knocking COMBO's efforts, they're very pro-active in maintaining and guarding the trails, but I think they lack a good trail builder. I can name a lot of areas of P2 and Chestnut where it slogs needlessly down between two ridges into a perpetually sloppy zone while the ridges on either side stay firm and could have been employed. That's the mark of a hurried effort.

When I lived out west trail layouts were taken seriously even for motorcycles and they were most always cut with drainage in mind. You can ride a well cut trail even when it's pretty wet...and it takes less maintenance and less closure to protect it.

I rarely ride p1 and never knew the history behind it. P2 is decent and only has a few problem areas it seems. i know nothing about trail building...especially trail building along a wetland...so I'll take your word for it.

[Bubba]

True that trail design is of great importance for sustainability, but truth is the soil in the Midwest just plain sucks for drainage. I've been involved in helping to build trails around here (Cincinnati/NKY) for years and no matter how well they're designed, our mucky clay is a problem after a rain and especially during our freeze-thaw cycles. The soils out west are much better at draining water quickly and thus, offer better traction and stand up better to year-round traffic. I've ridden MTB and MX in CO, NM and UT and it's a whole different game out there.

[swingset]

True that trail design is of great importance for sustainability, but truth is the soil in the Midwest just plain sucks for drainage. I've been involved in helping to build trails around here (Cincinnati/NKY) for years and no matter how well they're designed, our mucky clay is a problem after a rain and especially during our freeze-thaw cycles. The soils out west are much better at draining water quickly and thus, offer better traction and stand up better to year-round traffic. I've ridden MTB and MX in CO, NM and UT and it's a whole different game out there.

True, clay and heavy soils are problematic for drainage, but it's not impossible to build for drainage just more difficult. The PNW has a problem with run-off stripping heavily ridden trails, so the methods differ but problems can be the same. 4 degree slope will work on any hill, and a cut line can divert any rain. It's hard to eliminate freeze-thaw, for that you need some intimate knowledge of the ground during those times and build around it. And, if you have a run or area where it just won't move the water you can use rocks or man-made features to overcome it. It can be done, and on a network like Alum so serviced by a large metro it's really the only way or you'll do what COMBO does which is continually battle the elements. They're learning, P1 has been improved a lot in the last couple years.

My single track was built for motorcycles, so it's kind of extreme for a bike but it's holding up to year round riding on both. But, I know the land very well and paid a lot of attention to how it drained and behaved before I cut the trail. I doubt COMBO had that luxury when they installed most of their trails. I know the trails at Star Hill were laid out by a guy who knows that land very very well, and it shows. It stays dry like Mohican does.

[oldschoolsdime92]

cruiser tonight-

http://youtu.be/fHfQJXRH3WA

Edited February 1, 2013 by oldschoolsdime92

[Mykill]

We will all get together for a ride when the weather turns. Im not riding and freezing.

Swingset, is Star Hill multiple trails or just a loop? I work in Newark Thursday nights and was planning on bringing my bike to ride after work Friday mornings. That place sounds perfect.

[swingset]

We will all get together for a ride when the weather turns. Im not riding and freezing.

Swingset, is Star Hill multiple trails or just a loop? I work in Newark Thursday nights and was planning on bringing my bike to ride after work Friday mornings. That place sounds perfect.

It's a loop mostly. Kinda hard to find tho, I'd tag along with one of the Bike Doctor rides, best way to hit them and figure them out. They do rides on Fridays.

Edited February 1, 2013 by swingset

[motozachl]

Just reading all these posts makes me ecstatic for riding again this spring

[blue03636]

We will all get together for a ride when the weather turns. Im not riding and freezing.

Lets do this, I have 20lbs I want to drop and plan on riding to work when the weather gets better.

[swingset]

I'm ready to ride again.

I fucking hate working out indoors I'm jonesing to get on the trails. It's about a million times more fun blasting down a trail working your butt off than tethered to a treadmill.

I'd love to be one of those nutty hardcases that can ride in the frozen weather...but fuck that. Can't even breathe when it's that cold...snot-sickles, wheezing, the ground is hard as fucking concrete. I just can't do it. I grew up in Phoenix, I'm a pussy.

[CephasGT]

I went out with a few guys at John Bryan a week ago in the snow. Good fun, even if it took us 2 hours to go 5 miles!

Can't wait for Spring, though. Anybody else here doing the Sub 9 Death March?

http://www.sub9deathmarch.com/

[Zorro]

I went out with a few guys at John Bryan a week ago in the snow. Good fun, even if it took us 2 hours to go 5 miles!

Can't wait for Spring, though. Anybody else here doing the Sub 9 Death March?

http://www.sub9deathmarch.com/

that seems pretty fun!

Anyone doing Mohican 100?

http://ombc.net/mtb-100/mohican-100-mountain-bike-race

[AWW$HEEET]

I so badly wanna ride the mohican 100, but I am out of shape right now. I saw my buddies drive train after riding it. Completely FUCKED.

[swingset]

I'd have trouble riding the Mohican 10 right now.

[CephasGT]

Mohican's on my wanna-do list. I have to get to the next level in terms of fitness and skill first, though. I plan on doing a 6 hour race solo this year, and a bunch of shorter races. Not sure that I'm ready for a full 100 miler though.

[CBBaron]

Mohican's on my wanna-do list. I have to get to the next level in terms of fitness and skill first, though. I plan on doing a 6 hour race solo this year, and a bunch of shorter races. Not sure that I'm ready for a full 100 miler though.

I believe they have a 100km (62 mile) option also. But Im with swingset where a 10 would do me in.

Since my disc hernia last fall I have not even tried riding but I am anxious to do so again. Once we get dry roads again I will see how I do on the road. I can't stand working out indoors either.

Craig

Edited March 14, 2013 by CBBaron

[AWW$HEEET]

id be down in the spring to tackle a loop at mohican. i rode it with my buddy once but he cramped up halfway through. i still have never ridden the full loop.

[Zorro]

They do have the 100km option as well. the 100 miler is no joke...you're not just gonna show up and do it. I did it last year and i'm training to do it again this year. 4 months away!!!

[Zorro]

Has anyone been out biking lately? I went to Mohican last weekend...muddy as fug.

[blue03636]

I went out saturday and it was muddy.