Sunday, March 11, 2007
There Is No 'Try'--Imagine and Do!
So I imagined myself on my new single speed (see last post!) doing an epic ride. There I was, leaving the house in the late afternoon. I headed straight for Almaden lake which would take me to the Camden single track that we all know and love. From there I cut across to Old Almaden Road and headed out to the Hacienda entrance of Quicksilver.
Once here, I imagined myself having second thoughts. Three miles up in one gear! Am I insane? Granted, my single speed is geared pretty low, since I am just a beginner at it. But still! Well, I rode the ten miles to get there so I might as well try it. Up and up I went. By the time I reached the picnic table I was pretty hot and my heart was booming in my ears. Nevertheless, I felt pretty good! After a brief rest (I imagined, because that is what I always do anyway) I headed UP! Many novices and pedestrians were hanging out and although I had my headphones in I could hear their gasps of astonishment as I headed up the hill. (This is imaginary, remember!)
The second mile was tough! The third was easier. I made it all the way without walking or stopping. Yeah! Anything can happen in your imagination. Reaching the top was a great reward. I had a quick rest at the picnic table and headed down to the reservoir. I wondered what it would be like without my beloved 44 tooth big ring. It was slower in the flat sections, but I had so much fun that it did not matter. I did not realize how much flex a full suspension bike has until I went down a long run on a fully ridged bike! I sure am glad it was a smooth fire road though.
After the downhill I contemplated taking an illegal trail and exiting the park. I decided against it and went to finish the loop instead. A good call since I felt really good and my muscles were warm. I passed countless riders and hikers and even horses on the way back around the front of the hill. Though I was pushing hard I still had enough breath to sing aloud some verses of "Mr Tambourine Man" and the "Song to Woody" as I drove hard through every dip, corner, and hill--to the great delight of those I was passing (imagination, remember!).
Finally reaching the table I was starting to feel tired and the fear of cramping set in. Should I go down back to Hacienda or head off to Mockingbird where I would have to face a series of short climbs again. Then the immortal words of that great Jedi master came to mind: There is no Try. I went for Mockingbird. The downhill was delicious and the climbs were climactic. I did not walk once, to my surprise. I heard a gasp (or sigh?) come down from the sky, which I could only take as a sound of surprise coming from Olympus. (Hermes was jealous of my speed, I take it!)
From Mockingbird I headed back to the Camden single track and back to the lake and back home. My guess is 30 miles total, and well over 2000 feet in elevation gain. I had never done that line before, even in imagination! When I was done imagining it all, I thought to myself, "Hey, self, let us go and do what we have just imagined! It will be recorded in the annals of mountain biking history as one of the greatest rides in two-wheeled history. And you will be remembered by generations. And when a Bible of cycling is finally recorded you will surely find yourself a partriarch in a chapter in its book of Genesis!" After such encouraging words from myself, how could I possibly refuse?
In short, I went and did it! Today I am a little sore. But I am glad I did it. Join me some time!
Once here, I imagined myself having second thoughts. Three miles up in one gear! Am I insane? Granted, my single speed is geared pretty low, since I am just a beginner at it. But still! Well, I rode the ten miles to get there so I might as well try it. Up and up I went. By the time I reached the picnic table I was pretty hot and my heart was booming in my ears. Nevertheless, I felt pretty good! After a brief rest (I imagined, because that is what I always do anyway) I headed UP! Many novices and pedestrians were hanging out and although I had my headphones in I could hear their gasps of astonishment as I headed up the hill. (This is imaginary, remember!)
The second mile was tough! The third was easier. I made it all the way without walking or stopping. Yeah! Anything can happen in your imagination. Reaching the top was a great reward. I had a quick rest at the picnic table and headed down to the reservoir. I wondered what it would be like without my beloved 44 tooth big ring. It was slower in the flat sections, but I had so much fun that it did not matter. I did not realize how much flex a full suspension bike has until I went down a long run on a fully ridged bike! I sure am glad it was a smooth fire road though.
After the downhill I contemplated taking an illegal trail and exiting the park. I decided against it and went to finish the loop instead. A good call since I felt really good and my muscles were warm. I passed countless riders and hikers and even horses on the way back around the front of the hill. Though I was pushing hard I still had enough breath to sing aloud some verses of "Mr Tambourine Man" and the "Song to Woody" as I drove hard through every dip, corner, and hill--to the great delight of those I was passing (imagination, remember!).
Finally reaching the table I was starting to feel tired and the fear of cramping set in. Should I go down back to Hacienda or head off to Mockingbird where I would have to face a series of short climbs again. Then the immortal words of that great Jedi master came to mind: There is no Try. I went for Mockingbird. The downhill was delicious and the climbs were climactic. I did not walk once, to my surprise. I heard a gasp (or sigh?) come down from the sky, which I could only take as a sound of surprise coming from Olympus. (Hermes was jealous of my speed, I take it!)
From Mockingbird I headed back to the Camden single track and back to the lake and back home. My guess is 30 miles total, and well over 2000 feet in elevation gain. I had never done that line before, even in imagination! When I was done imagining it all, I thought to myself, "Hey, self, let us go and do what we have just imagined! It will be recorded in the annals of mountain biking history as one of the greatest rides in two-wheeled history. And you will be remembered by generations. And when a Bible of cycling is finally recorded you will surely find yourself a partriarch in a chapter in its book of Genesis!" After such encouraging words from myself, how could I possibly refuse?
In short, I went and did it! Today I am a little sore. But I am glad I did it. Join me some time!
My New Ride--A Change of Plans
After all of my obsessing about what bike I would be getting next I decided to lower the bar a bit. Not really lower it actually. I just decided to go with something different and something less expensive.
Well, here she is! A Raleigh single speed 29er! Fully ridged too. After riding Scott's a little bit at our January trip to Wilder, I just could not stop thinking about the way it felt and how different it was. I also could not forget the incredible price! So after a few upgrades I took mine home for about 1K. My upgrades included a shorter stem and a smaller cog--brought it up from 20 to 23 teeth so I would not ever have to walk it up a hill. Also upgraded the BB5 mechanical disc brakes to Avid Juicy 5's and the basic headset to a Cane Creek Solos with a 10 year warranty. Scott gave me some old ergonomically formed bar ends and I was ready to roll!
Some great things that came with the bike are: 1) the steel frame, its angles are comfortable and it is reasonably light for what you pay for, 2) various parts by Easton, a trusted name in cycling, 3) parts by WTB, also a trusted name. Wheels and tires are both WTB. The WTB seat is one of the most comfortable that my rear has ever had the pleasure of sitting on. WAY more comfy than my 150 (yes, I am that dumb!) Bontrager carbon shell seat!
The bike weighs in at about 27 pounds. Seems like a lot. But I would have bought this bike if it weighed 30 pounds. I am not so concerned with weight any more. That is a money trap. I am more concerned with strength (my own) and with riding what I like.
Over the last week that I have had the bike I have already put about 100 miles on it, and I loved every single one! Simply put, the bike is really fun to ride. The single gear is a challenge for sure--slower on the flats and faster on the climbs--but I can already see myself getting stronger.
Main points:
Flat sections: slow going, but not too slow. You probably go about 10 mph but that gets you where you need to go in reasonable time. The thing to get used to is the constant fast spinning. When you are not used to it it tends to bob your rear up and down endlessly, which is annoying. The solution is a balance between coasting and pedaling. Pedal to keep the speed up, that is all. Yes, even old ladies will be passing you, but that is nothing. You will soon be on the dirt tearing it up.
Off road: The big tires roll over obstacles with ease compared to the 26ers. Even though fully ridged, the bike seems almost as if it has suspension. Not quite, but almost. It is bumpy, for sure, but doable. You do end up sorer than you would on your full suspension rig, but less that you might think. Jumps are another issue. I avoid them all, mostly. Just not pleasant. One thing I learned already was about rolling over tall rocks and such. Instead of flying off, sometimes if I push down the big wheels tend to smooth out the drop.
Climbing: Speed, momentum, conservation! I don't know what else to say. At the beginning of a ride climbing is harder. But I found that the longer I ride the easier climbing becomes. I guess I just get loosened up and warmed up to the point where it does not hurt any more. Climbing is clearly the toughest of the single speed challenges.
Downhill: Wow! This is where the combo of ridged and 29er really shines. Now I know what the phrase "takes corners like it is on rails" means. Smooth fire roads with lots of corners, that is where you see where this bike REALLY has it. I find I do not really miss the big gears. The challenge is different. Brake less in order to keep your speed. This means taking corners faster if you don't want to lose it.
My only question now is how far could I take this bike? Could I use a bigger cog? Could I climb to Bald Mountain? Could I get up Kennedy? Could I go all the way through the big loop--through Sierra Azul and Quicksilver? Without pushing, that is. Who knows?
Two improvements I think that would make this bike even better:
1) A faster engaging rear hub. I am looking at the Chris King, but the problem there is the price. It costs about 400! I believe it costs more than the regular hub! This price of course does not even include the price of the build. Maybe I'll wait on that. I don't have a spare 500 laying around these days.
2) A carbon handlebar. This is a component I have come to appreciate. I can't explain it (though I am sure someone can) but the feel of the carbon bar is different and pleasant. If I had $150 to burn I would buy an Easton monkeylite downhill bar. It is light but, as would be expected, very tough.
These upgrades are for the future. As it is now, I love the bike and I recommend it to anyone who wants to try something different but does not want to spend an arm and a leg to get it. The upgrades I made are probably not even necessary to really enjoy the bike. Without them one could get it for about 650 plus tax. I think that is a "steel".
Well, here she is! A Raleigh single speed 29er! Fully ridged too. After riding Scott's a little bit at our January trip to Wilder, I just could not stop thinking about the way it felt and how different it was. I also could not forget the incredible price! So after a few upgrades I took mine home for about 1K. My upgrades included a shorter stem and a smaller cog--brought it up from 20 to 23 teeth so I would not ever have to walk it up a hill. Also upgraded the BB5 mechanical disc brakes to Avid Juicy 5's and the basic headset to a Cane Creek Solos with a 10 year warranty. Scott gave me some old ergonomically formed bar ends and I was ready to roll!
Some great things that came with the bike are: 1) the steel frame, its angles are comfortable and it is reasonably light for what you pay for, 2) various parts by Easton, a trusted name in cycling, 3) parts by WTB, also a trusted name. Wheels and tires are both WTB. The WTB seat is one of the most comfortable that my rear has ever had the pleasure of sitting on. WAY more comfy than my 150 (yes, I am that dumb!) Bontrager carbon shell seat!
The bike weighs in at about 27 pounds. Seems like a lot. But I would have bought this bike if it weighed 30 pounds. I am not so concerned with weight any more. That is a money trap. I am more concerned with strength (my own) and with riding what I like.
Over the last week that I have had the bike I have already put about 100 miles on it, and I loved every single one! Simply put, the bike is really fun to ride. The single gear is a challenge for sure--slower on the flats and faster on the climbs--but I can already see myself getting stronger.
Main points:
Flat sections: slow going, but not too slow. You probably go about 10 mph but that gets you where you need to go in reasonable time. The thing to get used to is the constant fast spinning. When you are not used to it it tends to bob your rear up and down endlessly, which is annoying. The solution is a balance between coasting and pedaling. Pedal to keep the speed up, that is all. Yes, even old ladies will be passing you, but that is nothing. You will soon be on the dirt tearing it up.
Off road: The big tires roll over obstacles with ease compared to the 26ers. Even though fully ridged, the bike seems almost as if it has suspension. Not quite, but almost. It is bumpy, for sure, but doable. You do end up sorer than you would on your full suspension rig, but less that you might think. Jumps are another issue. I avoid them all, mostly. Just not pleasant. One thing I learned already was about rolling over tall rocks and such. Instead of flying off, sometimes if I push down the big wheels tend to smooth out the drop.
Climbing: Speed, momentum, conservation! I don't know what else to say. At the beginning of a ride climbing is harder. But I found that the longer I ride the easier climbing becomes. I guess I just get loosened up and warmed up to the point where it does not hurt any more. Climbing is clearly the toughest of the single speed challenges.
Downhill: Wow! This is where the combo of ridged and 29er really shines. Now I know what the phrase "takes corners like it is on rails" means. Smooth fire roads with lots of corners, that is where you see where this bike REALLY has it. I find I do not really miss the big gears. The challenge is different. Brake less in order to keep your speed. This means taking corners faster if you don't want to lose it.
My only question now is how far could I take this bike? Could I use a bigger cog? Could I climb to Bald Mountain? Could I get up Kennedy? Could I go all the way through the big loop--through Sierra Azul and Quicksilver? Without pushing, that is. Who knows?
Two improvements I think that would make this bike even better:
1) A faster engaging rear hub. I am looking at the Chris King, but the problem there is the price. It costs about 400! I believe it costs more than the regular hub! This price of course does not even include the price of the build. Maybe I'll wait on that. I don't have a spare 500 laying around these days.
2) A carbon handlebar. This is a component I have come to appreciate. I can't explain it (though I am sure someone can) but the feel of the carbon bar is different and pleasant. If I had $150 to burn I would buy an Easton monkeylite downhill bar. It is light but, as would be expected, very tough.
These upgrades are for the future. As it is now, I love the bike and I recommend it to anyone who wants to try something different but does not want to spend an arm and a leg to get it. The upgrades I made are probably not even necessary to really enjoy the bike. Without them one could get it for about 650 plus tax. I think that is a "steel".
Thursday, March 1, 2007
China Camp--Sweet Singletrack!
It never ceases to amaze me! We have so many great trails to ride where we live. Shane, who lives in Castro Valley, needed to find some good trails near his house. He learned about China Camp and has become very happy with the types of trails there. To try and balance out all the times he has come down here to check out demo, we decided that I would go up to his neck of the woods for once and see what trails he had found. I was glad I did!
China Camp has a network of trails that seem to wrap around a single, good sized hill. It can be found just north of the Richmond Bridge (somewhere, I was lost!). The ride starts out with a gradual climb that winds up some foliage covered single. The trail is very smooth with some mildly rocky sections. Nothing I would consider technical. This climb is challenging to try in the larger gears. In fact, on the second go-round I climbed the whole two miles in my big ring and middle cogs.
Once the climb is over, you start down a six-mile downhill that is essentially all single. It is fast and has a lot of sweeping turns and a series of bridges. It is also completely shaded by thick oak forest.
When the downhill is over you can pedal back around to the beginning on a long, undulating trail that is also very fast. If you have the strength, which WE did, can go around the whole thing again and again.
I could tell right when we started up the trail that this would be a fun place to ride at night. The singletrack is perfect, there are no stunts, and the trails are all kept up very nicely. The only downside to the place was the number of hikers. There were lots of families in the lower trails, which made it a little nerve wracking when coming around a blind corner.
Thanks Shane for the day on this new trail! And in spite of your broken crank arm dangling from your shoe, and the fact that you had to finish the last couple of miles pedaling with one foot, I had a great time and got an excellent work out.
China Camp has a network of trails that seem to wrap around a single, good sized hill. It can be found just north of the Richmond Bridge (somewhere, I was lost!). The ride starts out with a gradual climb that winds up some foliage covered single. The trail is very smooth with some mildly rocky sections. Nothing I would consider technical. This climb is challenging to try in the larger gears. In fact, on the second go-round I climbed the whole two miles in my big ring and middle cogs.
Once the climb is over, you start down a six-mile downhill that is essentially all single. It is fast and has a lot of sweeping turns and a series of bridges. It is also completely shaded by thick oak forest.
When the downhill is over you can pedal back around to the beginning on a long, undulating trail that is also very fast. If you have the strength, which WE did, can go around the whole thing again and again.
I could tell right when we started up the trail that this would be a fun place to ride at night. The singletrack is perfect, there are no stunts, and the trails are all kept up very nicely. The only downside to the place was the number of hikers. There were lots of families in the lower trails, which made it a little nerve wracking when coming around a blind corner.
Thanks Shane for the day on this new trail! And in spite of your broken crank arm dangling from your shoe, and the fact that you had to finish the last couple of miles pedaling with one foot, I had a great time and got an excellent work out.
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