Before we get on with my race report, I’d like to give you some background on how I got into this mess. You see a few months ago I started doing really well at XC. Allot of it had to do with the fact that I was riding a really fast bike, the Airborne Goblin 29er. With my new found confidence on two wheels I some how convinced myself that I should give XC racing a try. My racing background has primarily been in DH and I figured racing XC would take me out of my comfort zone as well as make it a challenge. Good attitude to have, right?
Fast forward to 02/23/2013, I somehow convinced team racer, Art Aguilar to join me on the condition MtnBikeRiders.com sponsors his race fee. He was riding LadyP’s Airborne Hobgoblin for the event.
Oh and guess who else I was able to convince to race with us. Our very own Albacore!
I almost forgot, Super Dan was there too! But he was going to tackle the Super D event. Don’t you just love how he color coordinate’s his jersey with everything on his bike…and his cell phone case!
Now I don’t have any actual race photos of any of us since we were…racing. But I managed to snap a picture of my results as well as Art’s. By the way we both entered as Beginners.
Low and behold we got medals! I took 4th in my category and Art took 3rd!
Did you all notice that Art and I matched our outfits! We certainly got compliments from people who could appreciate a sweet looking jersey.
Here’s our rigs that we used to get to our medals. The Airborne Goblin and the Airborne Hobgoblin.
While we were waiting for the awards ceremony, we met up with Olympic BMXer and Airborne Bicycles Racer, Barry Nobles. He was on the new Airborne Toxin 7″ bike.
Barry was kind enough to let Art check it out.
Here’s a shot of the rear linkage. I probably should taken it from the other side to get a better view.
So there you have it my XC ride report. I guess you can say it was my idea to do it. As tough as it was, both Art and I agreed it was pretty rewarding to race. We felt great after and heck you never know, this XC racing thing could grow on me. As I headed home, Art was pulling double duty and went out to go practice the DH course on his Taka.
Category: Team MtnBikeRiders.com
The “Who’s idea was this” Race Report
MtnBikeRiders.com Team Roster for 2013
We’re happy to announce our team roster for 2013. There’s been a few changes, but the biggest news is that our very own Lady P is back on the XC scene! Lady P will be competing as a Sport Level XC racer.
The rest of the team will consist of the following riders: Corey Pond, Art Aguilar, Jerry Hazard, Neal Bryant, Dan Burdett, Bryan Doney, Nick DiBlasi,Wes Castro and RL Policar.
Enduro Stuff: OC Parks Tour 2012
This summer in Orange County, Enduro Stuff held a series of four races in the local country parks, entitle OC Parks Tour, starting at Aliso & Wood Canyons Park, then Santiago Oaks Regional Park, O’Neill Regional Park, and ending at Caspers Wilderness Park. I had not raced any other races put on by Enduro Stuff before, and they did a great job of organizing and running these events. They even held formal pre-rides for riders to come check out the course before the events. Being XC races, I was on my SS for this series.
The first race, held at Aliso Woods, was especially early in the morning on May 5th with a start time of 6:30am. Luckily for me, I live in Aliso Viejo, so the 5 minute drive to the event was the shortest drive ever for me to any race. It was chilly on the line with the sun having just crept above the horizon. The course was a lollipop layout starting with fire-road off the starting line (which was just across the street (Alicia) from the entrance to Laguna-Niguel Regional Park). The fire-road let to the Aliso trail-head bypassing main paved entrance. From there it headed directly to the bottom of Mathis via the main fire-road. Up until that point, the course was relatively flat. Mathis is a major climb ascending about 1000′ft. in 1 mile. The first 25% of the trail is the steepest, and clearing that part is the hardest section of the climb. On the SS is it quite a lung-burner. After the climb, Mathis leads to the ridge-line trail West Ridge. A quick right then and the course head down to Rock-it trail. If you cannot gather or guess from the name, there is a large rock garden in the middle of this trail which is like a big cheese grater. It starts out with nice, tight, and twisty single-track that opens up in the middle with the rock garden and then back to awesome, flowy single-track with a long straight chute out at the bottom. From the bottom of Rock-it, the course made one more loop up Mathis and down Rock-it a second time before returning toward the start/finish the we we came. If Mathis was not hard enough the first time, it surely was the second. I ended up with a 3rd place finish for this race.
Blazing Down Rock-it @ Aliso Woods.
I missed the second race of the series on July 14th at Santiago Oaks, as I was out of town.
The third race was held at O’Neill Regional Park on Aug 25th. I had never ridden in this park before, so I definitely took advantage of the pre-ride event to familiarize myself with the course. The course had two sections to it, an out-and-back first section to separate and thin out the riders, and then a single-track loop. Starting briefly with some single-track the course quickly led to a river-bed crossing. This section was sandy, rocky, loose and a potential hike if you lost your momentum. I wanted to be the first through this section as to not get bogged down by other riders struggle through or dismounting. Across the River began a short pavement climb to a longer mild upward pavement grade. After about 2 miles or so, we made a U-turn and jumped onto single-track that paralleled the road for the return route.
The first section of the course was pretty straight-forward and uneventful with a few switchbacks at the end, but the looping section of the course is where all the fun (good & bad) was to be had. Passing back through the starting area, the lap began up pavement for a few hundred yards before jogging left and onto single-track. A mild climb led to a quick single-track descent, with a quick turn at the bottom where too much speed could be troublesome. From there the course headed a pavement climb that was steep enough to be tough, at for me with each recurring lap on the single-speed. At the top of the pavement a double-track trail continues the upward grind. After quick descent the trail hit the steepest section and was just barely cleanable for me with only one gear. Shortly after this section the trail reaches it peak and a single-track drops off to the left. This is the major descent of the loop and it is fast, fun, and twisty. This was by far my favorite portion of the course. At the bottom it spits out to a pavement section that led generally down toward more laps or the finish line. I completed this race with a 5th place finish.
Cresting the biggest climb @ O’Niell.
The fourth and final race of the series was held on Novemeber 3rd at Caspers Wilderness Park in the San Juan foothills. It was a chilly 43 degrees (F) upon driving up to the race venue and slowly warmed up into gorgeous racing weather. The course was simple one and consisted of a short loop and a long loop branching off of the same climb. Out of the gate the course started on pavement for a bit then headed to a left and began an undulating climb of varying grades. For the short course, a quick left down the hill over some loose dirt led quickly down to a lower rolling fire-road which headed back to the start for then next lap. The long loop passed the turn for the short loop and continued the climbing. At the top of the long loop, a FAST fire road descent lead down to the same lower road, but another mile or so out. I finished this race in 2nd place.
Flying down a fireroad @ Caspers.
With three out of four races completed I ended in second place overall for the series. This series was unique in the it was held solely in local Orange County parks, and made great use of the available trails. The events had a great atmosphere and weas well enjoyed by the racers. Ron ,the head of Enduro Stuff, made sure to choose courses that were spectator friendly and fun for the racers. Post-race each event had food available and a raffle (in which I won a new light). Being a newer race series for the area the attendance was reasonable, but not overwhelming. In other words, if you have not been to or raced at one of these events, there is room for you!
OC Parks Tour Series Results Podium
Special thanks to Called to Creation, local MTB photog, for all the photos above. You can view more MTB photos from all the these races and other events as well on his site.
TwoFast4U Tandem Race Update
On Sunday, Nick D. and I participated in the first race of the Triple Crown Series as tandem racers. Mind you, they don’t actually have a tandem category so we entered in the 200+ category since our combined weight along with the tandem was probably over 400lbs. We made sure that we matched our jerseys and wore the highly coveted Pink Tuxedo jerseys. This ensemble along with us riding the tandem proved to be a crowd favorite. In fact even the Race Marshals through out the course kept taking photos of us riding.
Nick and I warmed up by practicing some parts of the trail, already we knew this would be a tricky race since there were some great single track. Tricky as in weaving with up and downs, great on a regular bike, but on the tandem it would be far more difficult.
One our first lap we were doing pretty well, we managed to do all the climbs and at some of the tougher descents, Nick dismounted and I would blaze down the trail solo and meet him at the bottom where he’d jump back on. I have to hand it to the race organizers, they marked out a great course, very challenging and fun on the techy stuff.
As we were finishing up our first lap, we come in to the spectator area and one of the marshals yells out “PINK TANDEM PINK TANDEM!” As soon as he said that the MC started talking about us and then the crowd erupted in cheers! Nick and I felt like super stars because we had so many people taking pictures and videos of us as we rode by. This certainly boosted our motivation to finish the race.
On lap 2 is when all hell broke loose. First our rear brakes stopped working, then we’re coming in super hot into one of the descents and BOOM! We crashed! The front wheel went into a sandy rut and we went down. But we didn’t just go down, it was one of those things where I landed on my left side, hit my shoulder and my head on the ground and then Nick falls on top of me. It was what I would call a very “intimate fall.” We brush ourselves off and make small chit chat to shake off that awkwardness of falling on top of each other by saying, “So how about them Saints?!” and “Ya, what about them Jets!” We were fine and the bike was in great shape. So we continued onto the next climb. On our way down the mountain, there’s some great single track, again perfect for a normal bike, but a beast to handle on a tandem. Then we get to a point where we had to muscle our way up a steep climb, we shifted gears, I called out to pedal hard and we’re motoring up the hill and BOOM! Chain comes off, we start rolling backwards down the hill and could barely stop. Upon inspection of the bike, we saw that due to the amount of torque we were pushing out, we bent the cranks.
We knew that this was the end of our race. We make our way down the hill towards the cheering crowd and I signal to the Marshals that we’re done due to a mechanical. Nick and I were both bummed and relieved. We wanted to finish the race, but we knew how hard the course was. So for now we DNF’d due to a mechanical, not because we didn’t want to.
Watch this clip and you’ll see the damage on the crank.
By the way, I do want to thank Nick for racing with me. Not many are brave enough to take on a tandem, let along race with one. Great job to him for being a great Stoker!
Review: Serfas Glasses
As a part of the MtnBikeRiders.com racing team we are sponsored by Serfas. This year they have provided us with sunglasses. I was able to pick out two models from the product line. After perusing the website, I was able to find two pair that were available with polarized lenses. Polarized lenses are a requirement for me when it comes to sunglasses. Not only are they better for your eyes, they look better and are clearer from the wearer’s perspective. When it comes to sunglasses, I ALWAYS wear them. They might as well be permanently attached. I don’t go outside with them. It’s like my smart phone, almost always within reach.
Serfas Syke Out w/ Polarized Lenses
The two models that I chose are the Syke Out and the Force 5. Both models came with several different sets of lenses, a nice protective microfiber pouch for cleaning, and a good quality case. The different lens options included with both glasses are the following from light to dark: clear (great for night riding!), light tint (rose), polarized (brown/amber), and dark tint (grey).
The Syke Out glasses have been my go to riding glasses, and they have been outstanding. They have a metal, adjustable nose-piece and open or exposed lens edges on the bottom. This is not my preference for a nose piece, but I have not had any issues with it. I tend to find the plastic uni-body more comfortable. When it comes to riding glasses, I have found that a high-contrast amber lens tint has been the best. The Syke out lens (polarized lens) is a light brown/amber tint and is a touch light as well than the Force 5. It has been great for riding in all daylight conditions. These glasses DO NOT slip off my face at all while riding. They stay in place no matter how much I sweat. They breathe excellently, and do not fog up till you stop moving for too long. I do use some lens cleaner that includes anti-fog properties, but these glasses did not really need much help in that area. The lenses have good clarity, and have held up with with 6 months of riding so far. I generally have to replace riding glasses once a year because they just suffer to much abuse are are scratched. The Syke Out’s are still in great shape with no major scratches. My only complaint is not really a legitimate one, but in super dusty trails, I have had trouble with dust in around the glasses and in my eyes, but the only real solution here would be googles. So I don’t really count that as a negative here.
Serfas Force 5 w/ Polarized Lenses
The Force 5 glasses were closer to my aesthetic preferences, so I wear these to work, driving, hanging out, and generally anytime I am not riding. The lenses are a little darker than the Syke Out’s, which I think is good for more relaxed situations. The styling actually reminds me of some Black Fly glasses I had back in the day. They are light and uber-comfortable.
I would recommend both of these pairs of glasses from Serfas. They have held up well, under high use and abuse and still look good with lenses in good shape.
Syke Out Glasses in Use During a Race.
Syke Out Verdict:
Breath-ability: 5/5
Fit/Comfort: 4/5
Lens Color/Shade: 5/5
Clarity: 4.5/5
Lens Durability/Scratch Resistance: 4.5/5
Force 5 Verdict:
Breath-ability: 4/5
Fit/Comfort: 5/5
Lens Color/Shade: 5/5
Clarity: 4.5/5
Lens Durability/Scratch Resistance: 4.5/5
3 feet
One of my favorite pictures of my Bro-Friend Art Aguilar is from the most recent Sea Otter Race. Check out how much air he got!
Baja Designs Strykr SL Light System
Strykr SL
With summer on the way, and HOT temps already this week, I have been thinking of doing some late night riding to beat the heat. Shannon Scott the Bike Division Director over at Baja Designs sent over a Strykr SL for testing. The Strkr SL is a helmet, or handlebar mounted light system for mountain, road, motorcycle, or ATV use. The SL is rated at 925 lumens and only weighing 470 grams. Baja Designs claims it has a full 12 hours of burn time, and is completely waterproof up to 33 feet. You can get this set up for $249.95 at BajaDesigns.com
Here is what the SL package includes:
•Light Head (Wide Reflector)
•Additional Spot Reflector
•O-ring Bar Mount
•Helmet Mount (Short Velcro Strap & Long Velcro Strap)
•Bar Rubbers (22mm, 25.4mm, 28.5mm, 31.8mm)
•Battery Pack
•Charger
•30″ Cord
•3/8″ x 20″ Velcro Strap
Head unit with Bar Mount
First impressions:
- Headunit looks like it can take a serious beating
- Handlebar Mount looks solid
- Cord options are cool, short for running the battery up front, or add the extention and run it under your seat.
- ON/OFF Button easy to access
Top Veiw
Although the night riding season has recently passed, I am looking forward to doing some late night rides, and putting the Strykr to the test. Check back for more updates.
Fontana Nationals Super D
Finish line jump on the 4X track
Team Big Bear rolled through Fontana on March 24 with their latest bag of endurance offerings and I was on board for the super d. For those of you who are unaware, super d is an awesome combination of downhill and cross country with a spirited amount of pain and suffering mixed in. The course designers at Fontana created a beautiful pair of courses which appeal strongly to gravity riders but will punish those who aren’t fit. There is a short course which races in about 4-5 minutes and a long course which is about 6-8 minutes in length. Each of the two offered a good mix of climbing, technical descending and both ended on the four cross track pushing riders abilities there as well. This would be my second super d race and, having learned my lesson from the first one, I put a lot more effort into my preparation. My cardio was better adapted for races of this length, I knew the courses better, and I was much more used to the bike I had been using which was the KHS 556.
Obviously this point is subjective, but I feel the KHS is the perfect bike for a super d of this nature. The bike pedals extremely efficiently and even has lockout controls for the fork and shock. These lockouts are not remotely mounted which makes them a little funny to activate during a race but I found it possible and useful. The bike is very light considering it’s hefting 5.5in of travel around everywhere it goes making it real easy to lift up and over obstacles. This is crucial because carrying speed is the ticket to doing well at the Southridge venue. Of course though, the most important thing is that the bike matches the new 5 Year duds.
I was caught off guard by Team Big Bear’s skill classifications as there was no beginner, sport or expert division; instead there was only pro and open meaning the other three were all lumped together. This made my decision process a little easier considering I was torn between sport and expert, but this also intimidated me because it was a decent size group I was up against and there were a handful of talented experts in there. Not to make excuses here, but I felt that it would be difficult to be competitive in expert without a seat dropper especially with the added course length over the last time I raced. I calmed my nerves with a couple practice runs and was feeling ready.
Just past the next rider
Off I went for the first race run on the longer course. This consisted of some minor rock gardens and an array of turns with a steady down hill slope.About a minute into the run the course became much less assisted by gravity and this was when I passed the first rider. He moved readily for me to get by and I chugged on to the next major juncture: the DH hecklers. The super d course briefly intersected a paved road which is the same road that shuttles the downhillers. This was one of the most exhausting sprints on the course and the DH guys were ready with their “motivational” banter to make me push hard through it. I cleaned all the technical parts of the course much like I was hoping and was just suffering through the final XC part of the course when I saw the next rider ahead. My heart rate at this point was well above 100% max and I was beat tired yet incredibly determined to pass the next rider. When we came to the final sprint before the 4X course I had to strike because I new it would be difficult to do on the 4X track and I knew he would hold me back if I stayed behind. He would not let this be an easy overtake because as I sprinted he did the same. I barely edged him out and finished out the race literally the most exhausted I had ever been in my life.
Needless to say, the long, steep push back to the top was as slow and scenic as I would be allowed, punctuated with many water breaks. I was fully gassed after the first run and I knew it, fortunately the second time through involved much less pedaling that the first. About half way down the second race run there was a good technical rock garden with a multitude of lines. Coming into this section I noticed a very hearty number of raging spectators who seemed to have the depreciated sobriety levels that any racer would feel blessed to preform for. I elected to take the “hero” line with a decent size (relative to these smaller bikes) huck off a boulder which really fired those guys up. I was shocked they were all there just to watch the super d. Is this niche of biking finally gaining momentum? Again, I passed one rider ahead and then took it shamefully easy on the final pedal to the finish.
Not disappointed, just exhausted...and matching
My goal was to place top five and stand on the elusive podium once again. They posted the results for the individual runs and I tried feverishly to do the mental math to determine my placement but there were too many variables for me to take in. Finally, the results were posted and my efforts reflected my ambitions as I got 5th out of 15 riders. Elated, I waited for the podium ceremony to start so I could represent my team up there but I nearly choked when I saw that Team Big Bear only ran the awards three riders deep. I guess I’ll have to break top three next time I’m looking for recognition.
This discipline requires a more well rounded rider but is also generally easier on the body when compared to downhill which broadens the age range of riders that can be competitive. My speculation is that mountain biking is still a very new sport and with the early boomers now getting older they are seeking new ways to use their talents to compete. That could be one of the main reasons super d is growing but another is that this form is the closest to normal trail riding which is what the majority of mountain bikers partake in, thus making super d the least foreign to riders who are new to competition. Hopefully it continues to grow and fuel a new sect of super d specific products and marketing.
5 year Anniversary Jerseys are here!
Just got these babies in! Perfect timing for this weekend’s Nationals in Fontana, Ca. This is a 3/4 sleeve jersey that can be used for any style of riding. Even Piggy Back Rides.
I’d like to thank those who pre-ordered!
Specialized Carve Pro 29er Review
New for 2012 is the Carve 29 from Specialized. The Pro sits at the top of the line up above the Comp, and Expert models. The Carve Pro comes with a good range of components: Shimano brakes and drivetrain, Rockshox Recon Fork, and Specialized everything else. This line of bikes is for the riders that desire a fast and durable hardtail 29er, but doesn’t want to spend the cash for the Stumpjumper HT. Lets look at what you get for the $2000 price tag.
27.7 pounds with pedals and cages
The frame is made from fully manipulated M4 aluminum with XC 29er-specific geo. Tapered tubes all over with a headtube thats 1 1/8″ to 1 1/2″, a seat tube that starts from a small 27.2 and widens at the BB area, and a very sleek looking top tube that slowly thins out as it meets the seat tube. The Seat tube also has a slight bend in it to tuck the rear wheel under the rider, keeping the chainstays on the short side. The seatstays are bridge-less for more “vertical compliance while torsionally stiffening the rear triangle ” according to Specialized. The rear brake is post mount for a clean simple look. The first thing I noticed riding The Carve is, it’s Stiff! It”s been a while since I have ridden an Aluminum Hardtail. The good side to this is, all the power you’re putting to the pedals, goes straight to the ground. I felt zero flex from the frame, even out of the saddle, under hard effort.
Bent and Tapered Seat Tube.
Brige-less/Oval Shaped Seatstays
The Fork is a Rockshox Recon Gold TK SL that features a Tapered Steerer, Hollow Aluminum crown, 32mm Aluminum Uppers, and Light Weight Magnesium Lowers. The Pro model also has a handlebar mounted Lockout, which does not come on the Expert and Comp models. According to the recommended pressure chart on the fork, I should of set the psi between 90 and 110, for my 145lb weight. I started at 100 psi, and didn’t get 20% sag till 70 psi. After a few rides, 75 psi was the best feeling set up, with the rebound set in the middle. The Recon felt like it had more than its 80mm of travel. Its smooth and strong. I never had any issues with it’s performance. Although I am used to leaving my front suspension unlocked for 90% of my riding. The remote Lockout was convenient, and worked great.
1 1/8 to 1 1/2 and remote lockout on the Recon Gold.
Drivetrain/Brakes were a pretty simple, yet proven, Shimano Deroe/SLX/XT combo. Using the Dyna-Sys System, which is 24/32/42 rings up front and a 10 speed 11-36 cassatte in the rear, gives you plenty of gear choices no matter what terrain your riding. The SLX shifters and XT rear derailleur delivered ultra solid shifts. The Shimano Deore Servo Wave hydraulic brakes came with 180/160 rotors. Even though the brakes could bring your speed down pretty good, they were very noisy! Even after adjusting, and cleaning. Almost unbearable at times. Also, the levers seemed short and stubby, no matter were I put them, they weren’t comfortable. The brakes were just not up to par with the rest of this bike.
Deore Brakes/SLX Shifters/Rockshox Lockout lever
XT Dyna-Sys 10 Speed Deraileur/Carve Stout 29 Rims
Rounding out the package is a slew of Specialized branded parts. A 27 inch alloy flat bar bolted to the 75mm stem, put my weight centered on the bike. The Specialized Body Geometry XCT Grips were great, expecially on longer rides. The Carve saddle is 143mm wide with hollow Cr-Mo rails. I love Specialized saddles, especially the Phenom model, but if I put in more than 25 or so miles on the carve saddle, it seemed a little uncomfortable. Last but not least, are those big wheels. The Carve Stout 29 rims are alloy double walled, laced with Stainless 2mm spokes, to 32 hole Stout hubs. Both Hubs have sealed cartridge bearings and spin smooth. The wheels are strong and can take abuse. They are not the lightest out there for sure, but were solid and stiff. The front uses an oversized dropout interface for front-end rigidity. This means the endcaps on the hubs and QR are larger than normal where they clamp down on the fork. This, added to the Tapered Steer Tube made for a very stiff front end. The Captain Control tires are some of my favorite trail tires. They feel bigger than their 2.0 size. They bite well in the corners, and are predictable when pushed to their limit. Although set up with tubes, they are tubeless ready, or “2Bliss” as Specialized calls it.
Stout Hubs/Oversized Interface
Comfy BG Grips
I normally ride a HT 29er. So whats different about this one? If I had to pick one thing, it would be it handles great. Actually, it handles better than most 29ers I’ve ridden. I also wanted to get the opinion of someone who doesn’t normally ride a 29er. One of my riding buddies normally rides a 26 inch dual susp. He and I did a 10 mile loop at our local spot with the Carve. This is what he had to say, “The bike pedals smoothly, accelerates quickly, and climbs great. I need to get a 29er!” This bike make him a 29er believer. If I could make small changes I’d say, a carbon seatpost would have more flex and would be more comfortable on longer rides. Also going tubeless would allow you to run lower pessures, giving you more traction and better ride quality. And as I stated before, the Deore brake didn’t impress me. Upgrading to the XT or just SLX brakes would make the component spec super solid. With the Carve line starting at only $1350, and the Pro tested here retailing for $2000, I think Specialized did a good job at putting together a durable bike than performs good without breaking the bank.
