Putting the Hoss in the Saddle

Hoss wasn’t a brand that I was incredibly familiar with; most bike shops in my area don’t carry the brand. However, when I found myself with a gift certificate to Hoss I didn’t hesitate to order a pair of shorts because all my shorts are now snug in the waist. I blame this entirely on my wife, who shrinks all my clothes in the laundry. So after much thought, meditation, and prayer, I chose Hoss’s Stallion model. The Stallion model is a handsome board short cut and I prefer that style.

For a company not as well know as Fox, Oakley, or Pearl Izumi they did a superb job on the construction of these shorts. First off I ordered them a size larger than usual–every pair of shorts I have ever purchased for biking run small. I attribute this to a mafia conspiracy. So the fact that these shorts fit was the first plus.

The next thing I noticed was the chamois. The softest thing to ever handle my undercarriage. One of the nicest things about this chamois is the smallest and finest stitching of any chamois I’ve ever worn. I have a pair of shorts that were expensive, but they have massive stitches holding the chamois to the shorts, which gives me a very unpleasant rash on long rides. I haven’t gotten a rash yet from this chamois (plus!). Another thing I liked is the chamois on a removable mess short liner with spandex leg grippers. I haven’t ridden without the chamois yet, or swapped the liner into another short, but you could if you so choose. It’s nice to have option.   Read more

Klondike Bluffs Mountain Bike Trail Review

In the wake of the extremely large shadows that both the Porcupine Rim Trail, Poison Spider, and the Slick Rock Trail (of course), the Klondike Bluffs Trail is often missed on a Moab trip. This is unfortunate, I have been going to Moab for 4 or 5 years now and this is honestly one of my favorite trails that I have ever ridden. What I think is the coolest thing about this trail is that about anyone can ride it. You do have to be in shape, it is a pretty long climb, but it is not super technical and scary for someone who is new to biking. Riding on slick rock (the substance not the trail) is one of the most interesting things I have ever done on a bike. When you climb it almost feels like asphalt, your tires grip and don’t spin out. What is nice is you can do a climb with much less energy than climbing on dirt. Klondike Bluffs I would say is at least 90% slick rock.

How to get to Klondike Bluffs is head north out of Moab, pass Arches National Park and there will be a sign on the east side of the highway about 15 miles out of town. There is a parking lot right there, but do yourself a favor and drive in on the dirt road. This road is not fun, it is mostly gravel and sand. Eventually you will come to another parking lot, this is the spot to park. The trail head is right there you can’t miss it. There are actually two trail shortly after the start, look for the higher one that is the one you want to take, you will bypass a HUGE sand trap by doing so. Once the trails merge there will be a small sand trap that you can navigate through. One of the best parts of the ride is to sit there and watch people ride through the sand and eat it. I was following my wife and she didn’t carry her momentum into the sand well, and she was still getting used to the clipless pedals, when she hit the sand it stopped her flat, paused her straight up, then just fell straight over on her side. I will probably be sleeping on the couch for the next two weeks for this, but once I realized she was okay, I laughed so hard that I almost did the same thing. So be sure to stop by the sand trap to get a few laughs.  Read more

All Harlot and No STD’s

The snow finally melted enough for me to break out the old steed after her long winter nap. While back in the saddle I tried out the new Harlot Hawkeye mountain bike shorts. These shorts are typically what you would consider a downhill short, but since the downhill trails are covered in snow and mud I figured why not a cross county ride?

These shorts are great, but they are not perfect, so let me start with what I don’t like, then the rest is what I do like. First off, if you are going to name your company Harlot your model names should be Harlot names. Hawkeye was a doctor in the TV show MASH, and he was no harlot. A boozer yes, but not a harlot. Harlot should use names like Jezebel (sounds like a harlot from biblical times) or Mustang Ranch (not really a ranch, but if you are familiar with Nevada you know what I mean). This is more a marketing issue, so Harlot if you want to hire me to make your line sound more sleazy consider me your newest harlot.

Second, and this is a complaint across the board with mountain bike shorts. I have not ordered one pair that fits right. They all run way too small. What is the deal with the mountain bike industry? When I order board shorts in the same size I have way too much crack hanging out. Mountain bike shorts…I feel like Santa Clause climbing into a wet suit. In reality, especially with a downhill short, mountain bike shorts should run big so you can fit pads under them if you so desire. There are some pretty nifty impact shorts on the market, but now in order to wear them I need to get another pair of mountain bike shorts. Sure I could lose a few pounds to fit better into them, but it is still winter here in Utah and I still have my winter coat…if you know what I mean. This must be a conspiracy to make shorts run small to motivate us to ride so those lbs will come off. I am sure this is one of those back smoke filled dark room conversations that take place at Interbike, and oh yes they do exist.  Read more

Seasons Mountain Bike Film Review

Several weeks ago I threw on my mini skirt and my high heels and went out into the snow and ice filled streets of Park City and tried to get in parties that I was not on the list for at the Sundance Film Festival. Okay since I look awful in a mini skirt and the high heels kill my toes I opted not to go party hopping and celebutard hunting. Instead I went to the X-Dance Festival showings. X-Dance is the action sports film festival held at the same time as the Sundance Film Festival. This is something that is really cool for all action sports. Much of the time the film producers, directors, and athletes show up and will answer questions about their films. It is definitely a push in the right direction for action sports a like, including mountain biking.

This year the mountain biking film Seasons was among the films selected for the X-Dance Film Festival and I went to the screening of it. I have to say my socks were blown off when I saw this film. Seasons is a mountain bike film by The Collective and it follows seven of the worlds tops mountain bikers through all four seasons of the year. The four seasons theme was one that I was stoked on instead of a “trick documentary” on who can go the gnarliest it followers the riders on how they prepare to do what they do best, then it shows them out and throwing down their best lines later on in the film. With this unique format you really feel that you get to know the riders of this film and see what they go through to prepare for what we see in normal videos and magazines.

One of the things I really liked about this film is it wasn’t just a huck fest. Don’t get me wrong I love watching footage of the Red Bull Rampage that takes place down in Virgin, UT. I love seeing Utah footage and gnarly cliff dropping footage as well. This film has a lot more finesse style of riding. Bottom line this film has the best trail shots that I have ever seen, hands down no question about it.. Trail footage is defiantly more difficult to capture well than jumps and cliffs. The director was there and he said for one of the segments they had a 500 foot zip line follow cam set up through the trees. It took them over a day and a half just to setup the camera.

Another thing that I was pretty stoked on was showing what riders do in the offseason. What these guys do when they are training make them seem more human than just some nut job freak of natures. This film captures how these amazing athletes get to be where they are at through their off season training. Showing the riders training and learning process made my respect for these riders grow even more by seeing how hard they work to do what they do so well.

There was a decent amount of contest and race footage in this film as well. The way captured these events was only on the riders that were in the film, so it wasn’t much of the other competitors. This was a different approach most films try to show the best and worst footage of what went down in a contest or race but this film showed as much of the riders’ runs as possible. Some of the trails that these downhill guys hit for the races are insane. Plus in the contests the features that they have are just as insane as some of the freeriding hits that they take.

One of the biggest highlights of the film was the end. The filmmakers got all the riders in the movie together at a house up at Whistler and did some freeriding group rides. Since this is such a dynamic group of riders from racers to freeriders that is made for some awesome shots with the different backgrounds.

Seasons is defiantly a movie to pick up, this video will totally motivate you to get out and ride and push yourself to new heights on a bike. It is hands down my favorite mountain bike movie of all time.

For more info check out the website.

Happy Trails: 8 Tips to Meet a Girl Who Mountain Bikes

There was a fabulous article published on this site a few months back about how to get your girl to ride without dumping you. This is a great article, however there are a good number of guys out there wishing they had a girl to use the tips in this article. I was once that guy who had nobody nagging him about what time he was going to be home from his trail tromp. Since then I have gained some credentials on how to meet a girl who rides. For those biking bachelors this may give you some helpful information, instead of getting your girl into riding just meet one who already rides, and your life will seem like Moab with no flat tires for the rest of your life…sort of. This article has been inspired by and dedicated to my lovely wife Brooke who I love more than life itself.

Since I mentioned that I had credentials in meeting girls that bike let me state them. I met my wife on a mountain biking trip in Moab. We had some mutual friends that invited us both on a biking trip, the sparks flew and the emotions ran high and she actually said yes when I asked her to marry me. Since then we take biking trips all summer long, she understands when my buddies and I want to go on a quick ride after work, and get this, she is actually sympathetic when I get home late because of a flat or mechanical failure of the bike. To make the story even better I actually met my wife while I was on a date with a different girl who also mountain bikes. So I do have experience meeting and courting ladies that pedal. So let me outline some simple ways to meet girls who bike, the rest is up to you. For the record many of these tips are best if you are riding alone, that way your buddy doesn’t tax your game or get butt hurt that you bailed on him for a hot piece of tail on the trail.

1. The Chairlift Approach

One of the easiest ways to meet girls who bike is to ride popular trails. I found this works best at resort areas especially ones with a chairlift. For example our local resort is about a 20 minute chair ride up to the top and that is plenty of time to meet and get to know a lady. What you do is you hang out at the bottom and when you see a girl get in the lift line get in line behind her. Then you must do your best to make small talk and tell her you are alone and hate riding up the long chair ride by yourself and ask if you can ride up with her. I have made some great friends on the lift that I met this very way. A smart tip is to have your cell phone or the very least a pen and paper to get her number to “go ride sometime.”  Read more

Separation of Bike and State?

With all this talk about reaching across the isle to the opposing political party President George W. Bush is trying to do just that for mountain bikers who are both red and blue. The Biker-in-Chief is trying to open up more trails in national parks across the nation to mountain bikers. President Bush, who actually is an avid mountain biker himself, wants to put the trail making of trail regulations to the managers of the pubic lands instead of those that sit behind a desk in DC. The process of opening up trails to bikers is a long and tedious one; in which the public has to be formally notified a process that currently takes years.

What the President wants to do is streamline the process so he can legally take “Mountain-Bike-One” out for a spin in what was once forbidden backcountry. This new regulation is not without opposition. In an article written by the Associated Press the author cites Environmental advocate Jeff Ruch, “Mountain bikers are blamed for erosion of trails and trampling native plants. They also disturb other park users, such as hikers, birders and horseback riders.”

After doing some research for this article it turns out that many sources agree that President Bush is quite an avid mountain biker, and quite good as well. He took up biking as a lower impact form of exercise after suffering a knee injury. “Mountain-Bike-One,” as the President has nicknamed his steed, is a Trek Top Fuel 98 with a custom paint job. Bush frequently rides around both his ranch in Crawford, Texas and in and around the DC area.

I am not one to mix biking and politics, but this is one political move that most bikers should agree on regardless how much you like or dislike the “Biker-in-Chief.”

Associated Press article below:

This just in from the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration plans to make it easier for mountain bikers to gain access to national parks and other public lands before the president — an avid cyclist himself — leaves office.

The National Park Service confirmed Tuesday that it is preparing a rule that will allow decisions about some mountain bike trails to be made by park managers instead of federal regulators in Washington, a process that can take years.

A park service spokesman said the rule would be proposed no later than Nov. 15 so it could be final before Bush leaves office. If adopted, the proposal would likely result in more mountain biking opportunities on public lands.

Currently, the Park Service has to adopt a special regulation to open up trails to mountain bikes, which requires the public to be formally notified. The same process is required for all-terrain vehicles and other motorized recreation on park lands.

“We are trying to give superintendents a little bit of latitude especially for non-controversial proposals for bicycling in parks,” said Jeffrey Olson, a spokesman for the service. “We are responding to public demand.”

Environmental advocate Jeff Ruch called the rule a lame-duck gift for the mountain biking lobby from the “Mountain-Biker-in-Chief,” referring to Bush.

Ruch, executive director of the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said the proposal would open up backcountry trails to mountain bikers. Mountain bikers are blamed for erosion of trails and trampling native plants. They also disturb other park users, such as hikers, birders and horseback riders.

During his tenure as president, Bush has embraced mountain biking as a low-impact alternative to running, which is hard on his knees. The president — who has a blue and white Trek bicycle dubbed Mountain Bike One — often rides on his ranch in Crawford, Tex. and in the Washington, D.C. area. He also has received several mountain bikes from companies like Cannondale and Trek.

The International Mountain Biking Association, which is supported by some of the same companies that gave Bush bikes, said Tuesday it didn’t believe the timing of the rule had anything to do with the president’s penchant for pedaling.

“It is extraneous to this (rule) that the president has interest in mountain biking. I don’t think that has been an influencer in this case,” said Mark Eller, communications director for the group, which has been lobbying to change the rules since the early 1990s.

About 30 properties managed by the National Park Service include trails approved for mountain bikes now, he said.

A calendar for Lyle Laverty, the Interior Department’s Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks also shows that the mountain bike rule is one the administration’s remaining priorities.

In April 2006, after a 65-minute ride through Napa County wine country on Earth Day, the president told an AP reporter: “We’re able to enjoy the beauty without really disrupting pristine nature of the place. It’s a classic way for mankind to enjoy God’s gift.”

Mountain Bike Cable Tension

Many of us have the experience when we are on the trail and are transitioning into the big climb. Your fingers are poised over the shifters ready to rapid fire into the appropriate gear to ascend to the top of the climb. As your momentum starts to decrease your finger fires off a few clicks on the shifter you begin to pedal so the derailleur will shift your chain to your desired cog or gear and BAM! Your chest is thrown into your bars just before your front tire folds over and you are thinking “I hope I can get out of my clipless pedals before my bike hits the ground.” Your derailleur did it again, it missed your desired gear, didn’t shift, your chain came off, or…something else similar. The bottom line is your derailleur let you down. For years I rode under the assumption that if my derailleur was on the fritz then this is a task for a licensed professional and I either toughed it out with a bike shifting poorly or I did the hike a bike out. For all I knew a derailleur is not something that you can fix on the trail like a flat tire. However I was wrong.

When you encounter a shifting problem on the trail a lot of time it has to do with cable tension, which can be a very simple problem to remedy enough to get you back in the saddle to finish the ride. The cable in question is the one that runs from the shifter to the derailleur. On most mountain bikes there is a knob where this cable meets the shifter. This knob is one of the ways that you can fine tune cable tension on your bike. So if you are on the trail and you are having problems with your bike shifting properly simply identify which derailleur is having the problem. Then locate the cable for the corresponding derailleur and turn the knob no more than about 45 degrees. If problem still persists then go another 45 degrees in the same direction. Continue with this until you are able to shift your bike well enough that you can comfortably finish your ride. If the problem gets worse return the knob the original position. Once you are back at the original position turn the knob opposite of the way you originally turned it. I have found this to be a quick fix about 85% of my on the trail shifting problems. This is just a band-aid and if it works, I do strongly encourage you to seek out a professional to tune your bike. This is just some advice that I learned to pick up along the way to share with you to help you out when you are on the trail. Most of us do not ride with our bike mechanic to fix all our problems when they happen.

If this does not work for you another antidote that I have used more than once on the trail is to use an Allen wrench to manually adjust the cable tension at the derailleur. Sometimes I was able to adjust it so it would shift just fine. Most of the time, at least when it was a problem with just my front derailleur, I had to either adjust the tension so I could only use my bottom two sprockets. Occasionally when my cable tension was so bad (because I was too cheap to take it to a shop, I know this is my bad) that my chain was constantly falling off I had to adjust the cable tension at the front derailleur so it would not shift on the front derailleur at all. I was still able to use the rear, but my front derailleur was so out of tune that nothing else could have been done on the trail other than rigging it to stay in the smallest sprocket just to get back to the trailhead. This makes for a frustrating day of riding, do not let your bike get as out of tune as I did, but if you do, which I know some of you will, you will know what to do WHEN not if disaster strikes.

Cable tension is a regular problem with mountain bikes, and you are not alone in the problems with shifting world. It is a problem that plagues both full suspension and hardtails alike. However I have found full suspensions to be more problematic with cable tension than the hardtails. Some of the things that cause cable tension problems are:

1. Riding: mountain bikes take impact and abuse and this causes movable parts to move.
2. Shifting: when you shift your cable moves and pulls your derailleur in one direction or another.
3. Transport: we are all guilty of being too over zealous and throwing our steed into the back of a truck to hurry and get to the trail head as soon as possible and this can push your derailleur into a position that stretches your cable beyond where it is properly functioning.
4. Storage: improperly storing your bike can make components shift and move and cause cable tension to be thrown off.

So take care of your bike and have it serviced by a professional regularly so you can minimize on the trail catastrophes. Because problems don’t occur in the parking lot or just after your ride is over. They happen when you are too committed to return the way you came or right before you get to the good part of the trail.