I Rode My Bike Today...

Free afternoon for a ride with buddy Allan, so decided to introduce him to Wildwood Canyon State Park. Well, finishing there anyway. Rode first through suburbia, then up to El Dorado. I was feeling not 100%... weak legs and sweating a lot. No bueno. Kept going over the saddle and into the the park from the top end. It was amazing! Just perfectly lit up with all the green of a SoCal winter. Stopped at the abandoned farm, checked it out, and pushed on to the the trail network that's up there. I was still feeling less than 100%, so grinned and beard it... finally go to some what I consider one of the best bits of singletrack around... just a perfect little oak-shrouded canyon to roll down. Wish it went on for a lot longer than it did!

13/1,900

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I rode this afternoon at the Oaks. @horsebikerider and I left together, but she wasn't down for climbing, so we parted ways. I hooked up with @cajun and @H2oChick. Had to sprint to chase them down.

G-reg was on his new rig. The pace was on the quicker side. Got to chase him down the DH's....he's gonna be much faster, it was fun.

Up Oak, down Yucca, up Coachwhip, Deer CCW, Barham, Cactus, BumbleBee, Grasshopper, then out.

Rode til dark.

Ran into @Cornholio on our way into the park.

Good ride tonight.

14.5 / 1850'

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I rode LCWP, only 5th time on the new Hightower. It was a great ride, perfect weather (gawd I don't miss the Pacific Northwest this time of year.) I came across a small rattlesnake in the NIX parking lot, took a couple pics. Another rider rolled up , did the same, and we were chatting about rattlesnakes and how cool and scary they are. I never saw them growing up in Seattle except the zoo, so I usually stop and check them out. Anyway, a SUV rolls up. I moved my bike to let them get by, the other guy was near the snake, waving them around it. They ran over it instead. Bottom third of the tail, guts and gore, but head still very lively. We couldn't tell if it was intentional or not. We yelled at them a bit but they drove off. We agreed the snake was mortally wounded and suffering. I wanted to put it out of its misery, so threw a large rock trying for a head shot...but hit it mid section thus increasing its misery. The other guy said he would go find a ranger to dispose of it. I rode off, I had had enough. Sure felt bad for the snake ending that way.
The ride was otherwise great, Lizards, Camarillo, Stagecoach especially. It think the Hightower is going to be a fine choice, needs some adjustments, and the seat post dropper is cheap race face, I have to grab it like a g-dawg hip hopper near the crotch to pull it because it doesn't extend back up.https://www.strava.com/activities/2991905807
 
Robbie said:
I rode LCWP, only 5th time on the new Hightower. It was a great ride, perfect weather (gawd I don't miss the Pacific Northwest this time of year.) I came across a small rattlesnake in the NIX parking lot, took a couple pics. Another rider rolled up , did the same, and we were chatting about rattlesnakes and how cool and scary they are. I never saw them growing up in Seattle except the zoo, so I usually stop and check them out. Anyway, a SUV rolls up. I moved my bike to let them get by, the other guy was near the snake, waving them around it. They ran over it instead. Bottom third of the tail, guts and gore, but head still very lively. We couldn't tell if it was intentional or not. We yelled at them a bit but they drove off. We agreed the snake was mortally wounded and suffering. I wanted to put it out of its misery, so threw a large rock trying for a head shot...but hit it mid section thus increasing its misery. The other guy said he would go find a ranger to dispose of it. I rode off, I had had enough. Sure felt bad for the snake ending that way.
The ride was otherwise great, Lizards, Camarillo, Stagecoach especially. It think the Hightower is going to be a fine choice, needs some adjustments, and the seat post dropper is cheap race face, I have to grab it like a g-dawg hip hopper near the crotch to pull it because it doesn't extend back up.https://www.strava.com/activities/2991905807
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:( :(
 
Robbie said:
I rode LCWP, only 5th time on the new Hightower. It was a great ride, perfect weather (gawd I don't miss the Pacific Northwest this time of year.) I came across a small rattlesnake in the NIX parking lot, took a couple pics. Another rider rolled up , did the same, and we were chatting about rattlesnakes and how cool and scary they are. I never saw them growing up in Seattle except the zoo, so I usually stop and check them out. Anyway, a SUV rolls up. I moved my bike to let them get by, the other guy was near the snake, waving them around it. They ran over it instead. Bottom third of the tail, guts and gore, but head still very lively. We couldn't tell if it was intentional or not. We yelled at them a bit but they drove off. We agreed the snake was mortally wounded and suffering. I wanted to put it out of its misery, so threw a large rock trying for a head shot...but hit it mid section thus increasing its misery. The other guy said he would go find a ranger to dispose of it. I rode off, I had had enough. Sure felt bad for the snake ending that way.
The ride was otherwise great, Lizards, Camarillo, Stagecoach especially. It think the Hightower is going to be a fine choice, needs some adjustments, and the seat post dropper is cheap race face, I have to grab it like a g-dawg hip hopper near the crotch to pull it because it doesn't extend back up.https://www.strava.com/activities/2991905807
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True upping the pressure on the seatpost. You have to remove the seat to get at the valve. 140psi IIRC. I have the same one with the same problem, and that works great!
 
Faust29 said:
How is she liking the new bike?
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So far so good! She's out riding it fairly consistently, so I guess that's the answer! The big hump she has to get over is learning to use SPuDs right now. She's doing a lot of slow-speed falls. As soon as she gets that skill down, she'll be good to go!

I'm trying to figure out tires for her now. It has some worn MaXXis Crossmarks which I'm just not sure are grippy enough. I don't want them sliding out on her. Flip side is, I want something really fast to maximize her wattage. I think that if she has to push a big heavy tire, she'll be less enthusiastic about riding. The flip side is she will be less enthusiastic about picking herself off the trail if she stays with faster tires.
 
Cyclotourist said:
So far so good! She's out riding it fairly consistently, so I guess that's the answer! The big hump she has to get over is learning to use SPuDs right now. She's doing a lot of slow-speed falls. As soon as she gets that skill down, she'll be good to go!

I'm trying to figure out tires for her now. It has some worn MaXXis Crossmarks which I'm just not sure are grippy enough. I don't want them sliding out on her. Flip side is, I want something really fast to maximize her wattage. I think that if she has to push a big heavy tire, she'll be less enthusiastic about riding. The flip side is she will be less enthusiastic about picking herself off the trail if she stays with faster tires.
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I think the Crossmarks are on the heavy side compared to the more modern Maxxis tires. What about a Rekon Race/Rekon combo? The 2.2s are really light... Or Rekon/Rekon in 2.2? The Rekons are all under 700 grams at that size...
 
SnakeCharmer said:
My friend (who SS's) says that standing while climbing on a SS bike is different. You hammer in a way that doesn't cause you or your fork to bob.
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There might be some truth to that... I love getting up to pedal, because you focus more. Breathing, bike, body English, upper body movements, cadence. They all come together and things get really serene. Unless I'm on pavement, I don't lock out the fork on the single speed.

Mini Professor was with us yesterday. As we started up the lower switchbacks, he asked if I was going to stand the whole time. :Roflmao
 
Faust29 said:
San Juan to Cocktail Rock with the Professor and Mini Professor. I left the cheater bike at home. Like most trails, San Juan is so much better on the single speed... :thumbsup: :whistling: :p :whistling:
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(1) Wait a minute! What is that bike mount that has your computer out in front of your stem? I have a short stem and can't mount my computer on it, so I have it on my bar, but it isn't optimal.

(2) Rode up Maple Springs this afternoon with my buddy Dean. Got up to the 2nd switchback in the dirt, but turned around at sunset. What is with all the TRAFFIC? It was a Wednesday night, for heaven's sake, and yet there were more trucks and motos out than I usually see on weekends!! Just tons and tons of trucks, everywhere. Aside from the motor traffic, conditions for a ride were perfect. Still a little snow on the north flanks of Modjeska, but nothing in the road itself (at least as far as we went). Nice ride to shake out some cobwebs... but I will avoid Maple Springs as an out-and-back as long as the gate is still open... felt like I was trying to bike on El Toro Road :)
 
BonsaiNut said:
(1) Wait a minute! What is that bike mount that has your computer out in front of your stem? I have a short stem and can't mount my computer on it, so I have it on my bar, but it isn't optimal.

(2) Rode up Maple Springs this afternoon with my buddy Dean. Got up to the 2nd switchback in the dirt, but turned around at sunset. What is with all the TRAFFIC? It was a Wednesday night, for heaven's sake, and yet there were more trucks and motos out than I usually see on weekends!! Just tons and tons of trucks, everywhere. Aside from the motor traffic, conditions for a ride were perfect. Still a little snow on the north flanks of Modjeska, but nothing in the road itself (at least as far as we went). Nice ride to shake out some cobwebs... but I will avoid Maple Springs as an out-and-back as long as the gate is still open... felt like I was trying to bike on El Toro Road :)
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1. That is the "aero" mount that came with the Wahoo. It's similar to the road mount that Garmin has. Don't quote me, but I may have one in the garage. I'll look for it later... It's yours if I find it!

2. I was hoping the gate would stay closed. :thumbsdown:
 
First ride in a while, between a bum shoulder, a head cold and travel. Awesome day at Ridge Park, I don’t get many weekday opportunities to ride in winter so it was neat.

stopped by Pro Bike Supply to visit the SB130 too...why nobody carries demo bikes in XL is beyond my comprehension.
 
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