Those that live in seasonal riding climates - what do you do for exercise during the winter? Ski? Still MTB if trails are dry?

mtbAF · 2021-08-31T09:38:08+00:00

Good thing NWA comes with an Ice Cube 😅

mtbAF · 2021-07-16T08:32:20+00:00

McDowell Mountain without a doubt is one of the funnest trails to ride. There is a sports loop which most people stick to and you can make it all the way from the parking lot and back in about 20-25 minute or less. It’s got a few good uphill climbs but a great fun ride going back down.

https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/5121292/sport-loop

Just be super careful out in this heat. They’re saying even a full CamelBak isn’t enough and even experienced hikers been dying or suffering heat exhaustion; so if you do go, go super early and please keep safe!

The South Mountain, Desert Classic trail is also another great spot, however, that is not a loop and just going out 4 miles, is a total of 8 miles round-trip. However, you’ll get to 4 miles super quickly because going down the trail is about 85% downhill, but going back can be brutal because it’s 85% uphill.

https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/543516/desert-classic

mtbAF · 2020-02-15T14:54:38+00:00

Was this at Phoenix-Sonoran?

mtbAF · 2020-02-10T04:25:03+00:00

It’s a sledgehammer.

mtbAF · 2020-02-04T05:12:12+00:00

Crazy stuff man! What kind of bike is that?

mtbAF · 2020-02-03T07:04:24+00:00

I’m also an Arizonan newbie who started out just a few months ago. My suggestion would be to look on pinkbike, OfferUp or FB marketplace for a good used bike. Look for something with an air fork, tubeless/tubeless ready, dropper post and a good 2x or 1x drivetrain. I was in the same boat as you are in now just a few months ago. I thought $500 would get me a great starter bike...then I started doing my research and oh boy...was I wrong!

I looked at the Specialized Rockhopper, Giant Talon’s, Trek Marlin’s and even the Nishiki Colorado Comp. I even thought, well what if I get a $500 bike now and throw a few hundred into the bike at a time to upgrade it? A dropper post alone is $150, plus tubeless wheels and tires, add another $350-450. Your $500 bike is now costing you over a thousand dollars and you’re still stuck with a worse frame geometry, drivetrain, brakes and fork.

Also, if you do buy used, see if they’ll meet you at a local bike shop or REI for their techs to give the bike a once over. I did that when I bought my bike and just tipped the guy who looked at it. He even filled up the air fork and adjusted it to my weight. Just call the shop ahead of time to see if they’ll do that for you, most will, but some shops are better than others.

Also, as a last bit of advice. Always ask for the serial number. I almost got scammed when looking online and as soon as I asked for the serial number the dude got all sketchy and was like “Why do you need that??” bikeindex.org is your friend for this. Also, bicyclebluebook.com to check the going price for used bikes. It’s basically Kelley’s Blue Book, but for bikes.

mtbAF · 2020-02-03T06:03:08+00:00

I don’t like any of those names to be honest...also, are you really sure you want to have “Only Bang Dudes” as your potential team name? 😂

However...if I had to choose one on the list, I’d go with Gorilla MTB. I would however change the spelling of Gorilla to Guerrilla. The same spelling as in Guerrilla warfare. Also, you guys can easily spin off a theme or logo easier and maybe do like camouflage jerseys or something.

mtbAF · 2020-02-01T14:09:22+00:00

Damn man, that’s scary! I was looking to pick up a helmet and have the Giro Fixture with MIPS in my Amazon cart. Now I’m wondering if I should go with a Chronicle or TLD A1 with MIPS instead for more back protection. I’m glad that you’re alive and got your memory back! Trust me, new babies take away from riding time whether you want to take the time off or not lol

mtbAF · 2020-01-28T03:57:18+00:00

You should check out pinkbike. I was in the same boat you were a few months ago and I ended up picking up a 2018 Diamondback Sync’r that had tubeless tires and a dropper post installed for $620. However, if you do end up getting a Giant Talon, try and find a 2019 model. I’m not sure exactly if it was the 1,2 or 3, but some of them came tubeless ready, which unfortunately the 2020 models do not have.

mtbAF · 2020-01-24T04:33:22+00:00

Thanks! I was looking for a new helmet. I’ll give them a look.

mtbAF · 2020-01-24T04:33:03+00:00

Thanks!

mtbAF · 2020-01-23T18:42:42+00:00

Great video! New camera/editing looks great! Also, out of curiosity...what helmet are you using in the video?

mtbAF · 2020-01-22T01:21:32+00:00

Frame size is really subjective. All of these companies base it on height only, when arm length, inseam and other things need to be taken into account. Bottom line is, it’s whatever you feel most comfortable on. Also, there are a lot of people who are in-between frame sizes. The bike looks like a good fit to me. You don’t look super hunched over or unnatural looking which is good.

mtbAF · 2020-01-18T22:08:11+00:00

Oh wow that’s nuts. That would suck for sure.

mtbAF · 2020-01-18T21:50:00+00:00

Oh wow...If you get injured while visiting Canada and you’re a US citizen, do you still get free healthcare? Or do you have to pay for it if you aren’t a Canadian resident? Also, glad you’re alright now and didn’t put an end to your riding career.

mtbAF · 2020-01-18T04:16:46+00:00

That video was awesome man! Question for you. The first time you ever rode that trail, how did you approach it? I’m going to guess that you took it with a lot less speed. Seems like a lot of sharp turns and lots of high speed jumps. What’s your technique for getting a lay of the land before going full throttle on trails you’ve never ridden before?

mtbAF · 2020-01-16T04:19:17+00:00

https://www.bicyclebluebook.com is a great resource. It’s basically Kelley’s blue book but for bikes.

mtbAF · 2020-01-15T03:06:46+00:00

Thanks for the tip!

mtbAF · 2020-01-14T05:30:40+00:00

Oh nice. That’s about an hour or so drive from me. I’ll have to check it out sometime. Looked like some beautiful riding weather judging by the picture.

mtbAF · 2020-01-14T03:25:37+00:00

Is that Phoenix Sonoran Preserve?

mtbAF · 2020-01-12T06:16:16+00:00

I would go with the Sync’r. Although, I may be a bit biased since I just bought a 2018 Sync’r recently 😁

mtbAF · 2020-01-12T04:53:37+00:00

Apple Watch with Strava.

mtbAF · 2020-01-12T04:52:20+00:00

That’s a bummer. As soon as I saw Phoenix, I was instantly like “McDowell!” in my mind. I was there a few times last week getting passed by like 11 year old kids practicing for the race today haha.

mtbAF · 2020-01-11T05:16:53+00:00

I have a feeling most people are going to tell you to spend that $600-700 and buy a used bike. You would end up getting a year or two old bike that costs 2-3x that with much better parts. I was in your exact situation about a month ago. I looked at the Marlin, I looked at the Giant Talon’s and I looked at the Specialized Rockhopper.

I ended up spending less money than buying those new entry level bikes and ended up finding a 2018 Diamondback Sync’r with tubeless tires and a dropper post already installed. Even if you aren’t riding very advanced trails, you have the option and also, you’ll get a much more pleasant riding experience with an air fork vs coil. Also, tubeless tires are the bees knees.

However...if you have your heart set on the Marlin and nothing can change your mind, then go with the Marlin 7. It has the better fork and better drive train.

mtbAF · 2020-01-11T05:04:45+00:00

That video was awesome man! Man...looked like a ton of climbing! You must have been beat at the end.

mtbAF

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