So....in no particular order heres some stuff I learned today while riding 8 different mountainbikes on the twisty, dusty, rocky challenging singletrack of Bootleg Canyon outside of Las Vegas:
Every bike had a Shimano drivetrain. That's a huge shift! (No pun intended, really!) The trend over the past 3 years has been more and more SRAM stuff, at Shimano's expense. Not sure what it means but out of all three of us riding all day, only Ted had a bike w/ SRAM, and only the one.
I really like Hayes brakes. Actually.....I only really like the levers, 'cuz they feel good and have super-easy-to-adjust reach for my stubby digits. I don't really like any hydraulic brake over another - gimme cables!
I love riding in the desert! Okay...I knew that and have known it for 20+ years. Still......I frickin' love it!
After riding just about every state-of-the-art full sus design - Ellesworth, Ibis, Titus, Santa Cruz, etc - I really think that Cannondale has it knocked. The Rize I took to Moab and Fruita was every bit the bike all those fancy-ass ones are, for way less $. The Ellesworth Truth remains my 1st choice if you're buying.......but if it's my money on the table I'll be on a C-Dale Scapel, Rush or Rize.
I'm still 100% conflicted about the whole 29"/26" thing. I rode a Felt 29'r that claims to be the lightest on the market - it felt good. (The evening resounds w/ puns!) Then I ride the 26 version and like dit just as much. I rode Tony Ellesworth's personal ride....a pink 29'r Evolve......and it was fine. In fact.....I didn't even realize 'twas a big-wheeler 'til I was almost done /w a lap. (What does THAT mean, pray tell?) I rode a C-Dale 29'r and dug it, but more 'cuz it was a hardtail than any othr reason. (I had just done a lap on the much ballyhooed Ibis Mojo full-sus and it made me feel like I was shot and worn out for the day). So.......who knows? Not me, that's for damnsure.
Tomorrow is Demo Day #2.......Greg (who just arrived-fresh from finishing 11th in his age group @ the National Tri race in Portland), Aaron, Rick and I are gonna do the Tour of Lake Mead (aka "the hangover ride") first thing in the am, then I wanna ride some road and 'cross bikes. On Wed the Expo opens, then we go watch the huge "Cross Vegas Race then another day @ the show, then the huge crit, then we fly home to open the shop on Friday morning. We have a ton to get done in the next 3 days.........I'll try and keep you posted!
Later!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment