My first opportunity to ride legitimate downhill trails on a legitimate downhill bike was in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I rode a Rocky Mountain Slayer 30, which was way more bike than I was used to, and a hell of a good time. I will definitely be hitting up a local mountain in NJ for a […]
Ryan’s Endurance Cross Country Tips
Some of my most memorable rides have been endurance cross country rides. I am not exactly sure what the definition of an “endurance ride” is but I would loosely sum it up as a ride that is over 25 miles and over 2 hours in time. Let’s not get this confused with “enduro” racing which […]
The Empire Strikes Back – Bamboo Bikes a Secret Weapon
Lets just all get it out of our system shall we? Go on, you have a massive urge to let out a loud whinge and have a long winded rant about the relevance of the idea of bamboo bikes and how terrible the whole idea is and how the industry conspires to perpetually find ways […]
The Grand Adventure
Everyone loves adventures, right? After all, what’s the point in picking up a hobby if it’s a boring one? My favourite thing about mountain biking is the fact that all my rides – whether they be the Sunday morning (amongst probably too many others) hangover cures or the Friday marathoners – are adventures. As someone […]
The Epic Failure
So the perfect night arrives and you get some time to hit the trails. The weather is not hot, but not cold. The trail is dried out, but not too dry. There are not a lot of people or bikers on the the trail to get in the way. All you need is an hour […]
15 Seconds
Fifteen seconds was the difference between a podium spot and none at the last East Cup Cornwall. After finishing the race and hanging with buddies and having laughs it doesn’t mean much. At that point it’s all over.. the hurt, the gasping, and the beer tastes good. It is later on at home or at […]
Volunteers: Making Events and Trails Happen
The first post that I came across, at TMBL, was Shannon’s article about bike clubs. Something in it spoke to me. When I bought my first mountain bike in 2007 (a Kona Caldera, for the record) I took it out to my local club rides and we both were welcomed there. I was made to […]
Us and Them, or Who Owns the Land Anyway?
This past week, a horrifying picture made the rapid social media rounds in our neck of the woods. The picture shows a local rider and bike shop employee with a severe red gash across his neck. The accompanying story said merely that “Unfortunately you will now need to use extreme caution riding in the Durance […]
It’s Not About The Bike
Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE my bike, But it’s not why I love the sport; it’s just a tool to get me out there and back home safely. The reason I ride is not because of the bike, or the gear; those things don’t even make the list. While gear can make things […]
Why I Want to Move to Jackson Hole
Since arriving in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, I’ve been surrounded by nothing but breathtaking mountain views and people on mountain bikes. I’ve really never had the experience of visiting a popular bike town–so my frame of comparison is nonexistent–but I just couldn’t believe how many mountain bikes were around me. Jackson Hole is certainly well-known for its […]