CamelBak Podium Flow belt review

Bum bag, Hip Bag, Enduro Pack...no matter what you call them, they are back.

My first return step into backpack less riding came with the Dakine Hotlaps. It fit okay, but I was looking for more storage space. That led me to the CamelBak Palos LR4. It could haul more water and gear, but self loosened and bounced around. Next I tried the new CamelBak repack and Osprey Savu. The Osprey didn't fit me well and I  liked the Repack  but  it felt like too much for my average ride after work.

That led me to the CamelBak Podium Flow belt. It is a minimalist pack that holds one water bottle and enough space for a few tools and snacks. I immediately loved it.

The back contact patch is smaller than other packs I tried so it just disappears on my back as I ride.  There really aren't any fancy attachments. Loosen the straps a little for the climb then tighten them on the downhill. The water bottle is also angled in the pouch. This allows easy access for drinking while riding and even easiee to return.

The one drawback I have found is that when I try to overload the pack, it feels less supported and pulls more, probably because of the smaller contact patch on the back. Keep that in mind and you'll love this pack.

For rides over two hours I'll stick with my CamelBak repack. But,  shorter rides the Camelback podium flow belt deserves the top spot on the podium. It keeps me exploring, One Trail at a Time.

Airborne Goblin Evo

About a year ago I read a very positive review about the Airborne Goblin Evo. The bikes were sold out online and ever since then I have been stalking the local used bike ads hoping that one might pop up. (I joke with my wife that while other men might spend their nights lit by a dim computer screen searching for less savory topics, I will be looking at  and for bikes. Every once and a while, just to keep things interesting, I lean over and show her my most recent find, joking that if we didn't have kids....but I digress.


A month ago the above bike popped up online and I texted the seller immediately and aggressively asked to meet him the next day to buy it. I could not be happier.

The first thing I noticed was how stiff the bike felt. With through axles front and back, there is little deflection from rocks and the bike just seems to go where you point it. For the price, the build is fantastic with a Revelation solo air up front and decent components through out.


The slack head angle keeps the bike stable on descents but takes some getting used to on tight corners. The bike needs to be leaned over but when it does it is predictable and corners well. I am not sold on the Maxxis Ardent tires yet, but those can be easily changed.

The seatpost angle is a little steeper then my other bikes, but steep is good in this case. This bike climbs like a beast.  I feel more centered over the bike and the back tire holds like glue. However, with the steep seat tube angle I did add a dropper seatpost for descending. With the seat at full height, I felt a little far forward and it made it more difficult to lean the bike over in turns.  Add the dropper and all that goes away.


I have only been riding it for about a month, but so far I am impressed.

Catalyst Pedal by Pedaling Innovations

THE BACKSTORY

I’ve been riding consistently for over 10 years now and the first time I used clipless, they were too tight and would fall anytime someone stopped. At one point, I crossed a river and fell. I submerged completely, floating sideways down the river connected to my bike!  However, after several years, riding clipless became second nature and I never really thought about it. 

A few years back, I was having a bit of knee pain and had heard riding flats helped.  Again, the first few rides were a bit sketchy, but noticed not only my legs felt better, but flats were FUN!  I switched back and forth while I was racing some Super D and Enduro and really started to appreciate the benefits of both pedals.

In November, I was looking at getting a new pair of flats and saw the catalyst pedal from www.pedalinginnovations.com.  My first thought was how massive they were and wondered why on earth anyone would want something like that.  However, I like trying new bike bits and with a 30 day money back guarantee, I figured I had nothing to lose and ordered a pair. 

I received the pedals and they were noticeably larger than any other pedal I’d seen, but looked like quality pedals that will last.  For the first ride, we went to St. George Utah..   

FIRST RIDE REVIEW

My first thought was, “well, it’s a pedal”.

When I finally got to ride them, almost immediately, I noticed was the support under the foot.  While it felt a bit odd initially and will take a few rides to get used to, my pedal stroke felt noticeably stronger going up really steep inclines. This isn’t just “new bike gear” phenomena that occurs or some hopeful thought in my head since I dropped some cash on a new part.  This was my first ride in Utah with any really steep pitches in several months.  (I temporarily moved from Utah to Illinois.. Yes, it was a bad decision if you like bikes and if there are any job openings in Utah to help get me back earlier, let me knowJ) Along with that, I just had knee surgery the month before.   With these pedals, I had more power available where I could actually use a more deliberate pedal stroke while regulating the power to the pedals.  These were in spots, where normally I would either get a “running start” and go up as fast as I could or put it in granny and spin, or end up spinning out and walking.  This time, even after the surgery and living in the flat lands, I never got out of my middle ring on a 3X9 drivetrain (which is pretty good for me and about 20 miles of riding) or slipped a tire!  It really was pretty incredible.

The second thing I noticed is the amount of traction these things provided.  I have the first version of the FiveTen Freerider XVI Elements and while I’ve never had an issue slipping a pedal in those shoes, I’ve also never had a pedal with too much traction… until I put these on.   If you slip a pedal on these, you really need to check the organ between your ears and your bike handling skills, cuz it ain’t the pedal...  In fact, there was so much traction, I am actually going to remove probably 5 pins on each side and keep them as spares.

As you can tell, they climb and pedal well, but I was a bit skeptical on how they would feel while descending. I will need to put in more time with the trail sloped down to come to a final conclusion, but after the first ride, things are looking good.  I kept imagining just smashing into things and not being able to drop my heels like I normally do, but those concerns were un-founded.  I dropped my heels just fine and felt surprisingly agile.  It was similar to a normal flat pedal, but with loads of traction and support.  I’ve only had my feet tire out a couple of times with other pedals, but if someone has that issue, these pedals will pretty much solve it. 

What really sold me was the lack of knee pain and discomfort.  Initially, I started riding with the foot placed a bit forward from where I normally would, but not as far forward as shown on the little sheet that came with the pedals.  My recovering knee was feeling a bit off and by the end of the first ride (about 9 miles) stared to hurt a bit.  On the second ride, I put them where they were designed to be and during the first climb, no more knee pain or discomfort at all!!  It was there I decided to keep the pedals on for a long long time.  

With all of the positives, it will take a bit to get used to riding with a new foot placement.  After the 20 miles, it was already feeling pretty good, but I can't say I'm already used to it. I've heard people that are instantly comfortable.  I'm not one of those people, but almost there.

Lastly, Pedaling Innovations has outstanding customer service.  The pedals shipped during the Holidays while I was in Utah.  On my order, I put a note to ship to Utah if they shipped in December.  I got an e-mail saying the shipped to my address in Illinois and contacted James.  He immediately sent me another pair to my Utah address and mentioned if the other pedals were still in IL when I arrived, he would issue a return authorization.

I look forward to putting in more time on them and will write an update after several months.

Biking the Doldrums

No I'm not talking about the equatorial region that struck dread and sometimes insanity into the hearts of sailors for hundreds of years, although the effect can be the same. I'm talking about the doldrums of February and March, a time when biking is scarce and the  good snow for skiing or snowshoeing is quickly melting. 

Lets get something out of the way right now, over the years we have become what some might consider "snow snobs". If it is not deep, light and refreshed frequently we don't like it. This year we have only strapped on the snowshoes and skis once.  Don't get me wrong, normally we have been snowshoeing and skiing, for 2-3 months now, but this year has been pathetic. 

In other years mid February rolls around and the excitement of snowshoeing has worn off, but the trails, even the lower ones,  are still snow covered, or too muddy for any real riding. (Fat tires not included, having not fallen for that 'trend'  yet). Leaving one or even two dreaded months of waiting. 

This year has been different, there is some lousy snow high in the mountains, but surprisingly some of the lower trails are open, and the afternoon temperatures hover around 55-65 degrees allowing for some afterwork and Saturday rides.

It began a few weeks ago when I noticed that my normal winter starved Strava feed began filling up with rides,  from riders who don't own fat bikes. Some were on roads,  others on dirt. I decided it was time to try. 

Surprisingly the trail was mostly dry,  even dusty in places.  But it was one of those evenings when it is just good to be on a bike with nice temperatures and nicer trails.   It gave me a glimpse of another good year of riding and exploring one trail at a time. 

I couldn't help but thinking of those sailors who sat for weeks or even months waiting for wind.  Sure the comparison is slim. We have food and water and are not likely to die.   But,  for those who really love the outdoors and specifically putting foot to pedal,  the insanity can be the same. 



2013 Stumpjumper EVO Comp VS. Aluminum Santa Cruz Bronson

In seeing the popularity of the Santa Cruz Bronson (which is an awesome bike if you’ve read my review) I decided to write up a review on the 2013 Specialized Stumpjumper EVO comp and do a little comparison to the Bronson.  I know some people may be as surprised as I was…maybe even upset..

I rode the Bronson for a while and found I was always comparing it to my old EVO.  One ride, I ran into someone with an EVO and we switched bikes for a bit as he wanted to try out the Bronson.  While riding the Evo, I remembered how much I liked that bike.   With the 27.5 wheel craze and popularity of the Bronson, decided to sell it.  I soon found a used Stumpy evo with 26” wheels and bought it.

On the first few rides, I thought I would feel awkward on the bike and smaller wheel.  I put on a short stem and wider bars and immediately felt at home.  I did notice the smaller wheel, but after a few pedal strokes, was already used to it.  We have some good trails with a lot of variety by our home.  They have some really steep climbs, some dirt roads, lots of smooth single track, some technical trails and a few that are really rocky.   I’ve ridden this bike a ton locally, in Moab, and St. George and every ride is a blast! 

While climbing, the bike feels light and goes up easily.  On really steep sections where I felt I was fighting the Bronson, the Evo scooted up surprisingly well.  After long steep climbs, I found I actually had more energy than I did on the Bronson.  You could feel the mid-sized wheel roll over things a bit better, but the FSR suspension was so plush, it kept traction and was really enjoyable climbing.  It wasn’t a 22lb racer, but for a bike with 150mm of travel and 26” wheels, it shouldn’t do as well as it does going uphill.  When the trail was flat, the Bronson held speed a little easier than the Evo, but I was blown away at how well it climbs.

Like the Bronson, when you point the bike downhill you see what the bike was made for.  The suspension was so supple and plush you can just fly over rocky terrain.  Where the Evo is a bit more playful and can hop and play over rocky trails, the Bronson has more of a, “I’m going to plow over stuff and not even worry about it” attitude.  Cornering on this bike, with its low BB and short stays is so much fun!  However, I think this is where I preferred the mid-size wheel a bit more.  If the corner was really loose and rocky, the smaller wheel had to be guided through a little more where the 27.5 wheel held the line without too much worry.  Both bikes were a blast going down, but the Evo seemed easier to ride aggressively and just have fun while the Bronson was a little bit more business.  With that being said, on every single Strava segment, my fastest times were on the Stumpy Evo.  Was it the bike or was it because I was just having a freaking blast?  That is a good question.

After riding many bikes in many different areas, these two were my favorites.  If I had to pick a favorite bike of all time, it would be the Stumpy Evo for how much fun it is to ride and how well it handles everything from XC loops to shuttle trails.  The Bronson is an awesome bike and super fun to ride, but I would give the edge to the Evo.

It seems every ride, I stopped caring about wheel sizes, latest bikes, being fast and just had fun riding and that is what it is all about.

So, go ride your bike..

Wallsburg to Vivian...It's an adventure.

Some time ago we read or heard about, I forget which, a trail that begins in Wallsburg Utah and ends at Vivian park in Provo canyon. We tried riding it from Vivian, but the trail was steep and ridiculously rocky and loose. We don't mind Hike-a-bikes, but that was too much and too far. After some research we were finally able to find and connect the trails, from Wallsburg to Vivian, and the result was amazing views and  beautiful singletrack all culminating in a long loose and rocky descent.

Climbing up from Wallsburg, the trail was over grown and rough in places. This trail is frequented more by motorcycles than bicycles. We loved the remote feeling it offered. The climb is shaded and nice.

The views on the way up are amazing. After some climbing we came to the spot we thought was the top. There was a great view, as well as a great place to stop and re-fuel. We were dead wrong. After relaxing we began to pedal and within 100 feet saw the trail climb steeply in front of us. Later the gps tracks would show it was about a 1700 vert feet hike a bike. I mean, sure those who are in super shape could ride parts of it but for a heavier-out-of-shape rider, it was a hike a bike. After some frustration, we reached another summit, which finally lead to the downhill.

 

There are no pictures of this downhill ride. Partly because Guthrie was a head of me, mostly because it is a rough, baby-head filled, hand jarring long descent. Don't get me wrong, we loved it, but the entire ride took concentration and muscle to not fly off the trail into the bushes, which, although much effort was exhausted to prevent, occurred quite frequently.  The descent is what makes it an adventure trail, the ride is fantastic, overgrown, and rocky and loose at the end, but we will definitely do it again as we keep on exploring one trail at a time.

 

Wallsburg to Vivian Park

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near Provo, Utah

Relentless and Rewarding

Someone once told me, regarding mountain bike racing, that if you ever got off your bike you should be instantly disqualified. I responded by suggesting that if you never got off your bike, you probably were not riding difficult enough trails. Whether my statement is true or not, lately it has seemed that the relentlessly steep trails seem to lead to some of the most rewarding areas and riding.

For some time we have been wanting to try and ride to Cascade Saddle from Big Springs. We heard it was steep, knew it was a popular motorcycle trail and had ridden the first 3 miles where it did indeed get steep, but could not find any gps tracks or much about it after that. Supposedly it is 5 or 6 miles to the pass.  Saturday we decided to give it a try.

Miles 1-2 are normal riding, scenic, nice trail, kosher stuff, 2-3 get steeper with some hike-a-bike,  3-4 the riding stops and the pushing and carrying begins. But this is not your momma's hike a bike. These are steep, loose chutes, that climb straight up the mountain in places.  But, the views, the views were incredible.

In the end, we didn't make it all the way to the top. Snow began to cover the trail in a lot of places and a huge avalanche, above, blocked the path entirely. We hiked over it for sometime, but not knowing what to expect and needing to get home for a city carnival we promised to take our kids to forced us to turn around.

The views were fantastic, the climb was even fun, but descending this trail is pure bliss. The top is a hang back, super steep, baby head filled, rocky chute decent, followed my mellow rough trail riding and finally smooth cruising.

After it was all said and done, we ended up climbing 3,100 feet in 4.1 miles. The ride able part is about 15% grade and after that I have no idea. It took us about an hour and a half up and 20 minutes down, but it is worth every second. We heard that you can access the top of this trail from a ride in Wallsburg, the plans are already in place...finding new rides, one trail at a time.

Grafton with Guacamole

Grafton is as rough and Gnarly as the pioneers that first settled there. We met up at the cemetery and spent some time reading the grave markers. Indians, sickness, and even a swinging accident was the cause of many of those resting there.  It is remarkable how tough those initial settlers were.

 The final trail to the valley was cut by those pioneers into the side of the Mesa to get timber. Ravines and gullies were filled with rocks until the trail was usable. In recent years that trail has been resurrected by Mountain bikers, but it hasn't lost a bit of it's original grit. The scenery isn't bad as well, although as we stood on the overlook below, before the final descent, I wondered if the people who originally lived here, after a long day of gather wood during a long hot summer day in a location that can begin to feel like the surface of the sun, thought is was. I am doubtful. 

We were lucky to ride it with someone who has spent some time exploring the upper trails and was able to link together a great system of trails. The link below is the GPS to that track;

Grafton Mesa at EveryTrail

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Utah

The trail ends with some pretty decent drops and one gap jump. Guthrie decided to try one of the more mellow ones, I opted for the easy way out and longer way around. This one actually looks works from the bottom.

We ended up riding it twice then went into Springdale for some lunch. After a long lunch, drawn out by a St. Patrick's day parade through town, then out of town will all the cars leaving, we headed up to Guacamole.

The trail is fairly, mellow, intermediate, with small elevation gain, but still a lot of fun, with some good views. 

Guthrie tried out the Bronson on some a few steep drops and was impressed with how easy they seemed, or at least I was.

The only drawback to the day was the Maxxis Ardent 2.25 tire. Here is our review; it sucks don't buy it. If it does last more than two or three rides, you will suffer constant flats and lack of traction. On the positive side, it was fairly easy to get off the rim, so a new tire could replace it.  

Grafton is on our list as a favorite. There are a lot of options out there and opportunities to keep exploring one trail at a time. 

It's not about the size

I remember it like yesterday. 

Riding down the street, with thoughts focused on another adventure, my buddy cut in front of me and I went down hard. The left cantilever brake broke off, sheering the welded brake boss from my cherished and well used Diamond back ridge runner. 

I loved that bike. The world, and trails seem to come alive on it. I first rode Hogs Hollow on that bike. My first ride up American Fork Canyon was in its saddle. It became my pathway to adventure. My next bike was a Diamond Back ascent, top of the line at the time, bought with money saved during a long summer working construction. Believing  bigger was better, at only 5'9" I bought an XL. The shop manager, my uncle, tried to talk me out of it, but I was convinced I wanted the biggest and the best. I loved that bike, but it never fit me. I could never get balanced, never seemed comfortable. Hills were steeper, corners were tighter, and rides just seemed longer. 

I learned my lesson. Size Matters.

25 years later and that lesson remains. I am slow to change my bike, once it fits, I stick with it. I sat, at the back of the pack mostly, and watched as other shortened their stems, widened their bars, dropped their seats and pulled farther away from me on the descents. After 5 years I finally gave in. First, a shorter stem. Next, a dropper seatpost...incredible. Third, wide bars, 750 mm to be exact. 

Riding seems new again. The descents are faster and sharper. Trails seem different, more flowy, scenic and adventurous. The wild seems less, and more, wild. I wish I had done it sooner, yet I don't. Biking, Mountain biking, is about staying connected to the past, the trails, but it is more than that. It is about staying connected with myself. Change is good, bigger can be better, but with all the change we cannot lose the spirit that brought us into the sport, the reason we ride. Perhaps that is the reason I didn't want to change, I didn't want to lose that connection to the ride, that past, the reason and the desire to keep exploring one trail at a time. 

Las Vegas - A Different Perspective

This past weekend we packed the family up for a trip to Vegas.  The in-laws bought a townhome down there, so we wanted to take a few days and do some fun stuff outside.  Our typical Vegas trip is walk on the strip, go to a buffet or show.  This time was all about getting outside away from how we typically experience Vegas from a different point of view.

 

The first day, I woke up early and headed to Bootleg Canyon in Boulder City.  The plan was do ride part of the Banzai enduro course to experience what Bootleg has to offer.  After some research, I was going to take a shuttle up and ride.  However, I arrived well before any shuttle would come.  Another mtn biker came down and I asked him about the trails.  He said to pedal up the road to boy scout and only ride the front side unless I had body armor and a DH bike.  I typically follow locals’ advice, but decided to pedal up Girl Scout to caldera since nobody was out yet.

Girl Scout was a nice easy climb and then I decided to do inner caldera.  It was fun.  When I hit the road again, I went up to boy scout and I remembered what the local said.  “Only ride the front trails if you have body armor and a DH bike” I didn't have a DH bike or body armor, but decided it could be fun to try.  After all, I could just walk down if it was too crazy.  I went up to where the DH tracks start and did Armageddon, Snakeback, BC to the bike park area.  It was a blast!  It has been a bit since I felt nervous on a bike, but with the rocks, loose dirt around off camber corners and steep sections kept me on my toes.  The local wasn't kidding that if you ate it without body armor, it would not be good.  The rocks are jacked.  It made for a fun/different ride.  Then I pedaled back up to the top of boyscout and came down to the car via boyscout, girl scout, and another trail.  It was a good ride and it was off for some hiking with the family.

The next day I went over and did the cowboy trails.  I knew little about these trails, but saw a youtube video of one called kibbles and bits.  They said it was more challenging than it looked, so I thought I would give it a go.  Kibbles and bits was a super fun trail and offered some good views of red rock canyon area.  It was a bit more technical, but nothing an intermediate rider couldn’t clear.  I made my way up to the top and I don’t remember all the different trail names, but I made my way to an “expert” level rated trail called bomb voyage.  This trail was amazing!  It was loose, rocky, steep, included a few drops and technical bits.  I really enjoyed riding it.

 

The cowboy trails were different than bootleg and I actually enjoyed them more.  It was a really good weekend and hope to make it down there a bit more during the cold months here in Utah.

Selective Snowshoeing

We are selective snowshoers. If the snow is not deep and decent, we usually opt for cross country skiing, or more happily a bike trip to somewhere warm in place of strapping on the snowshoes. Last year I only went twice.  This year the snowshoes have remained in their place hanging next to an old picture of Glen Plake and skis that had been out much too infrequently. With a major mountain snowstorm forecast for the weekend, we decided it was time to get out.

We headed up American Fork canyon, with high hopes and were not disappointed.

We began climbing up pine hollow. As we climbed the falling snow alternated from blizzard like conditions to blissfully falling, this was going to be a good day. My father in the background is 72 years old.

Stopping for a minute at the bottom of little puke climb up to the ridge trail.

We made it to the large valley, where the snow was very deep and untracked. Here my father turned around but, owing to our sense of adventure, we broke trail through the meadow to the salamander flat overlook.

We only ended up snow shoeing about 5 miles, a relatively short trip, but with the snow as good and deep as it was, it was well worth it. 





SANTA CRUZ ALUMINUM BRONSON REVIEW

 

This last year has been a little unusual for my mountain biking.  I sold the Stumpy EVO to get another bike and it didn’t work out the way I planned and didn’t really have a bike for a while.  Then the wife and I had another baby and with everything going on, it was a bit more difficult to get out.  

 

After a few months of searching, I was able to get the new aluminum Bronson.  Now, I LOVED my EVO, but the Bronson made it a little easier to move on.  I’ve ridden it quite a bit over the last few months and have taken it to Moab, Sedona, Park City, and quite a few local trails here in Utah.  All the Bronson reviews I can find happen to be on the $10,000.00 Carbon dream bike, so I thought I would offer my thoughts on the Aluminum model.  It doesn’t have anything fancy like the XO1 or XX1 drive train, the pike, Kashima coated suspension, or any of the other latest and greatest things that I would assume most people don’t have yet.  I built it with a Shimano XT 2X10 (with SLX crank) drive train and the suspension is the 2014 fox float CTD, flow EX rims, and DTswiss hubs.

 

First off, I am no expert or English major.  There will be grammatical errors and this is my opinion on the bike.  However, I do ride quite a bit on a variety of terrain and have ridden a variety of bikes.  I tried to make myself love the 29er, but after a lot of riding the big wheel, it just never happened.  They were fast, but it looks like I prefer the smaller wheel sizes.

 

Anyway, the short review of this bike is it is awesome. 

 

Getting the bike set-up.

Long story short.. it took me several rides to get it set up.  I’ve heard of people going on a test ride and hating it.  I would understand why they feel this way.  The first half dozen rides, I always felt the need to adjust something on it.  I finally got it dialed and it is a blast to ride.

 

Going UP…

 

This bike is a very capable climber and feels lighter than the 31.8 lbs the scale suggests.  After climbing a lot in both Trail and descend mode, it actually feels better in descend mode unless you like spandex and climbing paved roads.  You can tell a difference in Trail, but if you are into real mtn biking and pedaling over rocks or roots on real trails, it keeps its traction better with the switch to the “D” setting. Even with it in descend mode and you get on the pedals, there is little discernible shock movement or pedal bob. 

 

The Bronson is a good technical climber, but the one drawback with the rear suspension stiffening up while pedaling is over multiple rocky ledges going uphill.  It doesn’t smooth those climbs as well as some other designs.  You can still make the climb, but it isn't as smooth or fun sometimes.  The only place I really noticed was on a couple climbs in Moab and Sedona, but most climbs it hasn't been an issue.  I guess this is a trade off for more efficient pedaling on flats etc were I appreciate the added pedal platform.  With that being said, as long as I have the power to keep pedaling, the bike will keep going.

 

Going DOWN…

 

This is where you really appreciate the Bronson.  The faster you go, the better the bike works.  There are a few rocky descents near my home that people generally avoid when they ride.  I like those kinds of descents and the Bronson just seems to eat up the rocky stuff going down.  I was so surprised the first few times I rode it, I had to get off, push my bike back to the top and re-ride some sections because I thought I had missed hitting some of the roughest places.  It is incredible! 

 

It is crazy smooth and cornering is a blast.  The bike allows you to really exit corners with more speed than I was used to and offers a whole lot of confidence on fast wide open descents. It doesn't matter if it is smooth, rocky, rooty, muddy, dusty or hard, the Bronson loves going fast and will allow you to push a speed you're wife wouldn't be comfortable with.

Other things to consider...

One thing that caught my attention on this bike, other than it looks good, is the ease of maintenance.  You can service all pivots without even taking the drivetrain off and it has a threaded BB instead of stupid pressfit!  That is a huge win.

SC also offers a lifetime warranty on the bearings!  Just send them in and they will send you new ones back.  What other company does that?  None that I can think of.  They also have a 5 year warranty on the frame and lifetime crash replacement deal.  They will get you a super discounted new frame if this one ever breaks..  Which, by looking at the construction, won't ever happen.

This bike will last a long time and if you're like me, this is very important to mention to my wife after spending a few bills on a new bike.

 

Overall Take:

 

If you like going fast and having fun on a solid bike, the Bronson should be on your short list.

 

 

 

 

 

Riding the Mouth of Provo

It's another Friday at work and I'm planning another long ride on Saturday using Skid Map. As I link trails together into one large and hopefully adventurous loop, the trail names begin to conjure up memories of a summer and fall of exceptional riding.

Sun Valley Super Enduro

  This past weekend I participated in the first Sun Valley Super Enduro.  Simply put, it was rad.  The trails, while not really technical, had a good mix of loose, fast, flowy and wide open sections.    The Sun Valley Enduro really tested skill and fitness with four stages ranging from 5-10 miles.  The stages ended up being about 18-35 minute mostly downhill sections of adrenaline pumping fun.  Plus, the views were amazing and everyone seemed to be having a blast.  

I have done a few Enduro races and the stages typically range from 5-12 minutes.  With the longer stages, new trails and an unfamiliar bike, I really had no idea what to expect.  However, it exceeded my expectations and I learned the rockier and more challenging the trail, (without a lot of climbing) the more I like it. I realized 5-8 miles was a great length for an enduro race and I actually really liked racing blind.   I also learned the importance of racing on a bike you know is set up well.

The race was super fun, the format was awesome, timing was great, and location was gorgeous.   After the 4 stages, with 6 dropped chains, 1 fixed flat for another racer, 4 crashes, a broken shifter, sore wrist and back, I made it safely down in 8^th out of only 14 in my class. Not the best overall result, but I had a ton of fun.

Leading up to the race, I unintentionally lost 9lbs from the flu the week before. I knew I was going to have issues, but the issues ended up being different than expected.  The first stage was loose and rocky up top with lots of pedaling.  I kept thinking it was an XC race someone called enduro, so people would show up.  Luckily, after the entire race, I was wrong.

Within a couple of minutes on the first stage, I dropped my chain twice.  About 30 second later, it came off a third time and was completely tangled and looped around, so I got off to fix it.   About 40 ft away there was a girl with a flat that asked if I had some extra tire levers.  Since it was going to take me a bit to fix my bike, I changed her flat.  Then I fixed my chain and adjusted my derailleur to hopefully prevent any more drops.  After a lengthy stop, I decided just to have some fun and instead of looking for speed, I was boosting off rocks and roots every chance I had.  It was a blast.  I finished 2^nd or 3^rd to last, just in front of a couple other guys with mechanicals.

At the bottom, my chain came off again and was hanging on by ½ a link, so I fixed it and went to the next stage.

Stage two was a bit smoother.  It went well, but I ate it pretty hard.  I came in too fast on a blind corner and ended up sliding down loose shell rock for about 8’-9’.  Luckily, I was on my back and side, so the bike was okay.   I ended up in 3^rd.

That night, we went back to the hotel and decided to ride the bikes to town to get some dinner.  We went to this little pizzeria place and loaded up on some pasta and went back to the hotel.  That town is such a cool place.

After a restless sleep, we headed up the mtn for stage 3.  This stage was probably the best for me.  It was loose, fairly steep, fast and rocky with a lot of corners and blown out switchbacks.  As you got lower it was fairly smooth and pedally.  I’m still not entirely sure what happened, but crashed and this time broke the shifter off the bike.  I wrapped it around the bars to get me down and luckily wasn’t shifting all over the place and I ended up in 2^nd.

At the bottom of the stage, Eric had bent his derailleur and flatted.  We were debating on just not finishing the race and heading back.  After a little rest, I figured I could zip tie the shifter to the bars and probably make it down in one piece with limited shifting, so off I went.

The fourth stage was going well and despite the broken shifter, I felt like I was having a great run.  I passed a couple of guys ahead of me and could see the dust from the next guy.  Right as I passed him, the chain did what it was going best and came off…  I reached down and put it on real quick and started pedaling.  After a little while, I came into a rough spot and this time the chain wrapped around my crank and wedged itself between the rear cog and frame.  As I looked down to see what was going on, I went off the trail, over the bars and rolled down the hill.  It was really soft dirt, so no bad injury luckily, so I got up checked the bike, put the chain back on and was off.  After all that, I took 4^th.

It sounds like nothing went really well, but it was actually such a fun race and I hope to make it up there again next year.  The longer, high-speed stages with the variety of trails really made it a lot of fun.  We got to see a new place, ride some new trails and have another adventure