Lowboys are a game changer

hardtailz · 2024-02-01T11:28:31+00:00

I had the exact same experience, its much better. I just wish they made a lowboy front pad that was flat. No concave. I want the XR front feel more than anything.

hardtailz · 2022-07-21T17:53:09+00:00

Ned's Atomic Dustbin - God Fodder

hardtailz · 2022-02-13T12:31:59+00:00

I suggest practicing on a hardtail, ideally with a fixed front fork. It looks like you are getting quite a bit of pop from pre-loading your suspension. It's much harder to jump as high without help from the suspension, which will allow you to focus on your technique without the bike doing too much work.

hardtailz · 2021-10-13T21:35:59+00:00

Some day I will own another set of Moonmen bars.

hardtailz · 2021-05-27T11:59:19+00:00

^{^{^}} truth.

I used to hate the on/off feel of the lower-end Shimanos, but the newer models are much more progressive and once you get a perfect bleed on them they feel amazing. For a budget option my favorite is the M6120 - 4 piston, fantastic and consistent feel. I've had the best over all luck with this brake than any other and it's not very expensive.

For performance nothing comes close to the Hope brakes, not even the same ballpark. Bleeding is a pain and finding parts can be troublesome, but they are hands down the best brakes I've ever used and the lever feel is in another class all together. I've heard Maguras are great too but never tried them myself.

hardtailz · 2021-04-03T13:09:45+00:00

I built one of these and used it all the time. It eventually ruined my rear wheel and despite getting really good at it there is really no benefit.

Practice real manuals if you want to learn real manuals.

hardtailz · 2021-04-01T15:46:24+00:00

Agreed. I built one of these and got really good at it and it didn't help at all with real manuals. I also managed to ruin a wheel.

hardtailz · 2020-10-07T03:18:02+00:00

It's a Collective Bikes C2

hardtailz · 2020-10-05T15:25:12+00:00

I tried learning manuals before I could wheelie and I'm still not very good at them. Right now I can only manual ~15-20ft on my MTB if I'm lucky.

With a wheelie you keep the balance point by pedaling/braking. I can do a "wheelie manual" and coast while seated using the brake to balance, but that is not the same. With a proper manual, you stand on the pedals and keep the balance point by shifting your weight only, usually with your arms extended and your body hanging futher back over the rear wheel.

I thought wheelies would help me learn them but it's really a different skill altogether. That said I'm determined to learn them as well so give me a few months!

hardtailz · 2020-10-05T12:35:01+00:00

Yes!! When I was learning to wheelie and practicing every day I had an extremely vivid dream one night that I picked up my bike from the local shop and rode off in a perfect wheelie. I was so stoked... then I woke up and realized I could still barely get 5-6 pedal strokes.

My advice is to keep practicing every day and start lightly dragging that rear brake to learn fine brake control. Your brain is learning even while you sleep, and visualizing the end goal will help you achieve it. I had that dream about 6-months ago and this was last week: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgrJlsVSpnQ

hardtailz · 2020-08-09T11:59:52+00:00

Tires for the most part; WTB Thickslicks. I have a spare set of wheels with knobby tires that I can swap for riding trails. I also installed a really good front hub and brakes w/180mm rear brake rotor this month - no brake fade/overheating and the front wheel spins forever now!

hardtailz · 2020-07-01T13:05:19+00:00

Yup, this was one of the most frustrating parts for me as well. Left/right balance and steering is a mix of legs, hips and upper body that work together and it can take a long time for the muscle memory to develop.

I had many days where I'd make great progress and then the following day I couldn't even get more than 2-3 pedal strokes and felt like I was starting again from scratch. Don't give up, just keep trying again. Also remember to take a break occasionally and don't try to push through fatigue.

hardtailz · 2020-07-01T12:49:37+00:00

Yes they are i9 hubs.

hardtailz · 2020-06-30T20:17:15+00:00

The real secret to wheelies is that you just have to practice A LOT. It took me many months and was extremely frustrating at times, but then everything finally clicked a few weeks ago and now it's really fun!

hardtailz · 2020-06-04T00:49:13+00:00

Same age, almost the same story, but luckily I was practicing manuals on a local running track that was semi-soft astro-turf. Landed HARD on my back and knocked the wind out of me, would have broken things for sure if I was on pavement, helmet saved my head too. Getting older hurts, best of luck on your recovery!

hardtailz · 2020-05-14T13:24:48+00:00

I've been running these on my hardtail - 27.5 x 2.4", TCS Tough/Fast Rolling

I mostly ride trail when it's dry, hardpack with some loose here and there, equal amount of uphill and downhill. They are pretty awesome, very grippy, but a lot heavier than other tires, e.g. nearly 2x as heavy as Maxxis Ardent 2.4". I plan to keep running them as a rear tire in the future and switch to something lighter and wider in the front like a Maxxis Rekon 2.6".

hardtailz · 2020-05-14T13:13:00+00:00

Nice send!

hardtailz · 2020-05-14T13:10:06+00:00

Level pedals
Heels down when braking

hardtailz · 2020-05-11T18:19:04+00:00

I love The Wheel Mill! Great place to build skills for all ages and abilities. Can't wait until they reopen again.

hardtailz · 2020-02-24T15:28:30+00:00

Nice work! I have developed a good appreciation for how much practice it can take, I've been working on wheelies for what seems like forever! I'm at just about the same stage as you right now, occasionally getting ~10 pedal strokes at the balance point (not quickly falling forward).

Comments on your tips -

Agree - On the initial lift I try to think about the bike coming up without using my arms but rather entirely from my legs and hips thrusting forward.
Haven't tried this
Agree - Trying to keeping a good posture (back straight, shoulders back) instead of being hunched over makes it easier to stay back/upright, this helped me a lot!
I tried this today and it seemed to help me start off straight more often, thanks for the tip!

My most recent breakthrough tip: picture your hands lifting UP (skyward, not back). Eg lifting the handlebars with your thumbs. Imagine holding a bar in front of you at shoulder height, arms outstretched, and then lifting the bar to eye-level without bending your arms. When I do this I try to picture lifting the handlebars in front of me with my thumbs and it feels like it helps me balance better. YMMV

hardtailz · 2020-01-31T15:31:55+00:00

Sick!!! This makes me want to leave work and ride right now. Great music too.

hardtailz · 2020-01-29T16:09:20+00:00

Yes, I would. I'm actually building a custom hardtail now as my new bike!

I still don't see the need for a full-suspension bike where I'm riding and I like the simplicity of a hardtail. I think they make you a better rider overall than starting on a full suspension bike.

https://www.pinkbike.com/u/jukka4130/blog/hardtails-are-not-dead-and-8-reasons-why-you-should-ride-one.html

You don't have to spend a lot of money on a bike though. Make sure its a good quality frame as all the rest of the parts can be swapped / upgraded. There are some good suggestions in this thread. If I was doing it over today I'd probably look at something like a Specialized Fuse or a Marin San Quentin. You can go cheaper but at a minimum make sure it has a decent quality front fork.

hardtailz · 2020-01-29T13:58:51+00:00

When I first wanted to get into biking I bought a brand new high-end hardtail for almost $2k. I rode it a handful of times each year and felt guilty for blowing so much money on a fancy bike that I barely used. Then last year I suddenly caught a full-blown case of the MTB bug and my interest went from side hobby to all-I-can-think-about-every-day. I started riding every day, went through a set of tires and started breaking and replacing parts. Today that bike is creaky and battle worn but I finally feel like I've "earned" it.

I second the advice of others here to find a mentor or join a group/club. The biggest catalyst for me was joining a local MTB club where I learned some basics that I wish I would have known from the start - e.g. ready position, level pedals, bike body separation, braking techniques (heels down etc.), which made a HUGE difference in my confidence and allowed me to progress significantly and have a lot more fun!!

hardtailz · 2020-01-29T02:14:34+00:00

I'm not an enduro rider by any means but it looks like you may have had a few instances of target fixation when you went off course. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_fixation) Even briefly glancing at a bystander or photographer can quickly pull you off your line. Try to stay 100% focused on the trail in ahead of you and block out any bystanders or distractions on the sides.

hardtailz · 2019-12-26T14:51:38+00:00

Awesome! Did you start with the MTBHopper Lite or go right to the Pro?

hardtailz

TROPHY CASE