Couple good spots i've been riding are..

Lake crabtree
Lake Johnson
Umstead Park
American Tobacco Trail

all are definately worth checkin out.

5/24/2007 11:29:49 AM

Where is American Tobacco Trail? I don't think that I saw it on trianglemtb.

Upgraded rear wheel to a Mavic Crossland! Trial run today hopefully.

5/24/2007 12:27:07 PM

^It's down near Cary if I remember right, triangleMTB can give you some decent directions if you want them. From what I remember it's basically just greenway so nothing all that exciting.

triangleMTB has a good amount of trails on the link to the left hand side that aren't listed on the front page.

[Edited on May 24, 2007 at 1:56 PM. Reason : .]

5/24/2007 1:55:06 PM

^ Yeah, it's not on trianglemtb.com, that's why I was asking. Doesn't sound that interesting though.

5/24/2007 2:03:19 PM

Yeah, it's not exactly technical.

Here it is, http://trianglemtb.com/pages/trails/att.html.

5/24/2007 2:10:20 PM

"Steel is stiffer than aluminum using the same amount of materials. Steel however weighs more and is susceptible to corrosion."

I wasn't talking specifically about the material properties, but rather the usual way each material is used when constructing a bike frame. Each material uses much different tubing sizes and and thicknesses. Because Steel has such high elastic and tensile strength, the tubes can be engineered to have more flex, while aluminium frames are generall constucted in a manner than gives them a stiffer ride. However this isn't extremenly noticable.

Haven't had a problem with corrosion on any of my steel bikes. I guess you should just make sure its covered in paint and use teflon tape on your bottom bracket threads.

I have also had an aluminium frame grow a fatigue crack through the downtube, failing after I jumped over a felled tree and folding the top tube 90 degrees. I was pretty lucky to just walk out of that one (clipped in too..)

[Edited on May 24, 2007 at 2:47 PM. Reason : .]

5/24/2007 2:32:51 PM

OK, I swear I clicked on trials and definitely did not come up with the pop up menu, but this time it did and sure enough there it was. Sorry for the n00bness.

5/24/2007 2:36:33 PM

nm

[Edited on May 24, 2007 at 2:48 PM. Reason : .]

5/24/2007 2:48:10 PM

Anyone riding tomorrow? When? Where?

5/25/2007 4:19:57 PM

I'm thinking about a metric century in Umstead tomorrow on my cross bike. But I might just stay on the couch all day.

5/27/2007 11:36:36 PM

Have any of you guys done Tsali?

5/28/2007 12:34:51 AM

Upgrading fork and headset soon, probably going to do handlebar and grips at the same time too. Trying to get this bike into shape.

Rode Crabtree last night, starting to get back into the hang of things...my jumping is coming back to me too. I guess lifting a steel frame + 200lb person is much more difficult than lifting an alum frame and 130lb 13 yr old person from 9 years ago.

Anyone up for a weekend ride?

[Edited on May 31, 2007 at 4:33 PM. Reason : .]

5/31/2007 4:33:22 PM

Wife and I are taking our bikes with us to Lake Norman this weekend. Anyone have local knowledge other than what I can dig up on the web? Looks like Itusi is popular.

5/31/2007 9:28:09 PM

Going riding at Rocky Road tomorrow...anyone know ~ how long it is?

6/1/2007 9:06:16 PM

^^ I went home last weekend and took my bike. Lake Norman State Park wasn't bad. We rode the 6.5 mile loop and I found it about as challenging as Lake Crabtree. The nice thing about it is that it is one way so you don't have to worry about oncoming traffic in the tight sections.

6/1/2007 11:02:48 PM

I found this old ass bike for cheap (think it's a Schwinn) and I'm thinking about taking it to Umstead. Is it busy out there during the weekdays? I'm not trying to embarrass myself...

6/2/2007 11:40:48 AM

You can't embarrass yourself on a bike. It takes you straight back to childhood.

6/2/2007 3:51:30 PM

just got back from there

damn i'm out of shape

6/2/2007 5:56:34 PM

Itusi @ Lake Norman State Park was very very fun today. I would describe it as being like crabtree except longer and with fewer roots. Trail is much faster and feels like it was very well thought out, there are no sudden shifts in tempo. 6.5 mile loop, fairly flat with enough terrain to be challenging, but open enough to go keep up a fast pace. The one-way trail means fewer worries about traffic and the signs were well done.

We'd go back tomorrow to do the other loop ("Monbo") but we're working up a pretty good hangover right now. Hoo-ray for leeching off the neighbor's wireless.

6/2/2007 11:56:40 PM

Rocky Road sure kicked my ass this weekend, it was definitely a wake up call for me to get in shape. Some of the funnest downhills in the RTP area I would imagine, but the uphills are fairly grueling. Would like to ride in about a month, when I get into better shape.

6/4/2007 12:08:25 PM

fucking rain, eh?

Has anyone been to Legend Park in Clayton? That's pretty much the only place I go. I live in Wendell and I don't think there is anything else close by.

6/12/2007 6:20:40 PM

Is rocky road the one right across the street from lake crabtree next to that water treatment plant? If so I rode a ways down it last week and it was awesome. I'm definitely going to go back out there and do the whole thing sometime.

^11 I did Tsali a long time ago and from what I remember it was pretty fun until I clipped a huge rock halfway down the mountain and got thrown into a tree.... I couldn't raise my left arm above my head for two weeks...

6/12/2007 6:40:07 PM

^I managed to potato chip my front wheel on the right loop of Tsali last summer. I ended up not being able to beat it back into shape and had to huff it 4 miles or so before I hit the trailhead. It's a great ride if you can avoid the weekend crowds.

On a sad note, the frame on my old Stumpjumper finally bit the dust. I'll probably end up getting a Rockhopper Comp or the like since I can't afford to drop $1400 on a new bike.

6/12/2007 8:00:28 PM

just got two new tires

6/12/2007 9:16:36 PM

Quote :

"Rocky Road sure kicked my ass this weekend, it was definitely a wake up call for me to get in shape. Some of the funnest downhills in the RTP area I would imagine, but the uphills are fairly grueling. Would like to ride in about a month, when I get into better shape."

Eh, not really. Most of the downhills are real rooty and none of them are really all that long. I suppose if you have a fat free ride bike with a lot of suspension you can bomb down them with a little less care and a lot more speed, but for your average XC rig, they aren't what I would call the most fun. I find myself using a lot of break on them, and I wouldn't exactly call myself a pussy.

Garner used to have some really good section that flowed well over longer downhill stretches, but I heard recently they have been tearing up some of the sections because they are putting a new high school there.

In my opinion, BeaverDam has some of the longer more flow-y downhills in the area, and the uphills aren't as steep and rooty/rocky as RR.

6/12/2007 10:29:08 PM

Hey i got some freeride stuff for sale if anybody would be intreasted 661 pants,Axo jersey,Bell full face helmet,Play and Axo shin guards and some Smith googles. Pm if you are intreasted.
Thanks

6/12/2007 10:40:14 PM

Quote :

"In my opinion, BeaverDam has some of the longer more flow-y downhills in the area, and the uphills aren't as steep and rooty/rocky as RR."

More downhill but less uphill? How'd they work that out?

6/13/2007 8:28:03 AM

I usually road bike 4-5 times a week, but try to get out mountain biking as much as a i can. If you guys are ever in the Charlotte area check out the new white water center. It's crazy.
http://www.usnwc.org/
There's mountain bike trails for all skill levels, and tons of stuff to do if anyone likes kayaking or rock climbing.

6/13/2007 9:01:13 AM

I was out at Lake Crabtree yesterday. Good times. They have really improved the trails since the last time I was out there. Some good obstacles have been built and the overall trail quality has improved.

6/13/2007 12:09:05 PM

I second Beaver Dam. We ventured up there a year ago, it was intense. Some of the downhills had us screaming.

6/13/2007 3:58:51 PM

Quote :

"the uphills aren't as steep and rooty/rocky as RR."

Meaning, some of the climbs are overall longer, just not as steep, so they are more manageable.

In particular, after you have ridden 6-7 miles of the South Loop (if you have done "The Drop Zone") you are faced with an especially arduous ~1-2 mile "climb" back to the entrance. It's just steep enough that you can't really ride it terribly fast unless you are in killer shape, and not so steep that it really requires power to get up it, just slow turning over of the pedals.

6/13/2007 6:36:37 PM

So I'm thinking that after many years of riding basically a stock bike, I need to upgrade some things.

My frame and components are good for now. The main things I am looking to upgrade are my brakes (older bike, need to move to disc brakes), my fork (the Headshock I have bottoms out too much) which will most likely lead to a new headset. Eventually, I'd like to get new cranks and a Thudbuster seat post as well.

Any suggestions on the brakes, fork or headset? I normally like to go with middle of the road products as opposed to lower or higher end stuff.

BTW, I have a '98 Cannondale F700 CAAD2.

6/14/2007 11:24:13 AM

what advantages of disk brakes make them worth the cost? I can see that the wheel rims don't wear over time, and that disk brakes might be better in the wet, but upgrading means a whole new wheelset, possibly replacing the fork trays on my bike rack, etc. is there something I don't know about disks?

6/14/2007 12:35:54 PM

^If you're asking that question, its probably not worth an upgrade. But I wouldn't buy a new mountain bike with rim brakes since I got used to discs. They're heavier, but give you so much more stopping power.

6/14/2007 3:02:54 PM

For me, I have cantilever brakes (older bike) and need an upgrade. They squeak all the time, aren't very responsive, and wear out break pads constantly.

Disc brakes are a more efficient braking mechanism, they are more responsive and take less "finger power" to produce better braking, and as you mentioned, are equally responsive in dry, wet, muddy or dusty conditions.

Disadvantages are the other upgrades required to accommodate the disc brake set up. wheels, fork, levers. I haven't upgraded anything really in the almost 10 years I've had my bike, it is time.

6/14/2007 3:08:23 PM

I also want to upgrade to disc brakes...problem with frames that were built in the mid to late 90's is that a lot of them don't have the mounts for the back brake. And if I wanted disc brakes, the back is where I would want them. This is a problem I am having right now, want to upgrade, but can't because of the frame; this is the reason I have previously asked about frame swaps.

Anyone that needs a good used fork, let me know, I have 2.

6/14/2007 5:52:19 PM

^Why do you want them in the rear? You have sooooo much more stopping power and control with the front brake. I very rarely use my rear brakes on road or off.

6/14/2007 6:01:06 PM

I use my rear brake more so than my front brake, and also I like to have good brakes in the back for some minor flatland stuff. Bouncing on the back tire and what not!

6/15/2007 1:38:11 AM

^^ Are you kidding? That's the way to get in an over-the-handle bar wreck. The front break should most often be complemented by the back break. If you're going down a hill and need to slow down, putting on your front breaks is not always a smart thing to do, it's either the back or a combination of both. Not to mention your handling goes down if you use the front breaks instead of the back.

6/18/2007 9:06:54 AM

you people are CRAZY. You have way more control feathering the front brake. Note that I said feathering. You will only get yourself into a skid trying to use the rear brake to stop.

6/18/2007 9:38:11 AM

^You do get more stopping power with the front brakes but they still should be used with the back ones, and probably less.

"After a while, the most common form of proper braking on a mountain bike — simultaneous front and rear braking, with slightly less pressure applied in front — will become second nature. As will an intuitive sense for when to use only one brake or the other."

http://gorp.away.com/gorp/activity/biking/skills/sb_braking3.htm

^Feathering usually requires both brakes. Utilizing the rear brakes more than the front. You lose handling and turning capabilities if you're smashing the front ones on more so than the back.

6/18/2007 9:44:07 AM

Advantages to disc brakes:
Braking surface is further away from water/dirt/mud/gunk/shit on trail that would normally reduce performance
They also offer better modulation and stopping power....although on cheaper setups the modulation may not be as good

Disadvantages:
Usually heavier
Expensive compared to rim brakes (need disc specific hub etc)

As far as putting disc brakes on your old bikes goes, dont waste your money. By the time you buy a decent wheelset, buy the brakes, and have them installed you could probably buy a new bike.

And for neodata686, the front brake gives you most of your stopping power. When braking a large percentage of the weight is shifted forward to the front wheel allowing it to have a much greater stopping power. There is very little weight on the rear wheel and it offers very little stopping power.

6/18/2007 9:56:48 AM

Quote :

"There is very little weight on the rear wheel and it offers very little stopping power."

How so? For example if you're going down a steep hill your center of mass should be back and over the seat, so there's more weight on the rear wheel. Yes if you're on the road or sprinting off the seat there might be more weight on the front wheel, but with mountain biking it's a little different. I've been doing research for the last 20 minutes, and everywhere i can find says when you feather brake for stopping you want to put most of pressure on the rear brakes, and less on the front.

[Edited on June 18, 2007 at 10:01 AM. Reason : .]

6/18/2007 10:00:09 AM

^^I've decided I'm just going to go with V-Brakes. Disc brakes would be awesome, but too expensive when all is said and done.

Besides, by just going with V-Brakes instead of Disc, I'll be able to save some money for a new fork.

Anyone have suggestions on a new fork? I do mostly cross country style riding, so I need a fork with good travel and easy to maintain/adjust.

6/18/2007 10:03:30 AM

when you apply the brake though the weight is shifting towards the front wheel no matter where your center of mass is hanging over. a mass in motion tries to stay in motion and will try to transfer the weight forward as the bike slows. you are over your rear wheel to keep from endoing which is what happens when too much weight is transfered forward.

6/18/2007 10:23:30 AM

True, once you start braking with the front brakes most of the weight is transfered to the front of the bike, but i still recommend using the front brakes in combination with the rear. It is possible to completely skid down a trail locking up the front wheel and allowing the rear wheel to spin, but you must be almost back behind the seat with maximum pedal clearance to the ground ("the platform").

We had bets one time on who could get down this hill with a completely locked up front wheel. I think two of us made it down without hitting the ground. Anyway i road bike much more than mountain bike, so i'm used to a mostly rear brake style with road biking because you're usually always right on the seat or towards the handlebars so rear braking is more efficient because you don't have to brake as often as with m. biking.

But i guess it's always good to remember that mountain biking is all about shifting of momentum and what you do with your body. While you shift your body forward and back, you have to compensate by braking more or less with the front/rear brakes. You want to be able to "throw" your bike whereever you want without worry of going overboard.

[Edited on June 18, 2007 at 10:45 AM. Reason : .]

6/18/2007 10:33:27 AM

Quote :

"I've been doing research for the last 20 minutes, "

get a life

When you brake, your mass is shifted forward and the rear wheel loses traction. This will cause you to skid if you don't know what you're doing. Careful use of the front brake brings you to a stop.

You should not hit the front brake hard when you're cornering hard or downhilling. That is probably what your research was talking about. But for stopping, your front brake is your only serious option.

Quote :

"It is possible to completely skid down a trail locking up the front wheel and allowing the rear wheel to spin, but you must be almost back behind the seat with maximum pedal clearance to the ground ("the platform")."

If you lock up the front wheel, you are an idiot and shouldn't be on a bike in the first place.

Quote :

"so i'm used to a mostly rear break style with road biking because you're usually always right on the seat or towards the handlebars so rear braking is more efficient because you don't have to brake as often as with m. biking."

Thats the dumbest thing I've ever heard. You should rely more heavily on the front brake in road biking than in mountain biking. You're on a smooth surface without sticks and stones to trip you up. The only reason to use the rear brake on asphalt is if you're cornering hard, or if you're just scared to brake properly.

Quote :

"a mostly rear break style with road biking"

If your bike has front and rear BREAKS, you should probably get it fixed.

[Edited on June 18, 2007 at 10:42 AM. Reason : .]

6/18/2007 10:37:17 AM

^ lol i'm bored at work, and took a coffee break and was reading up on biking because i'm planning a trip this weekend. You tell me to "get a life"? That's rude. So now i'm planning a biking trip this weekend and you insult that? What was the point of this thread again? 20 minutes of internet time on biking is a waste of time? Where do you get off saying something like that?

And no front braking is not your only "serious option". If you don't balance the two you're not using your weight efficiently. If you think just using your front brake to stop is good, you're un-experienced.

^Dude out of all the "brakes" i wrote, i made one mistype and wrote "break". You find it necessary to call me out on that to support your cause?

I've done my fair share of road biking, and trust me most people use the back brake more than the front.

Not to mention last time i road with George Hincapie he mentioned the road biking reliance on rear braking. Not to mention my dad puts 13k on his road bike every year biking 6.1 days a week starting at 4am in the morning riding 40-50 miles then going to work 9-5, and biking a few hundred miles on the weekend. Plus he's 62. Trust me i know road biking. Not to mention when Johan Bruyneel tells you to use your back brakes over your front, you better f***ing do it. Know who that is?

[Edited on June 18, 2007 at 10:57 AM. Reason : .]

6/18/2007 10:40:39 AM

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

Quote :

"Conventional wisdom says to use both brakes at the same time. This is probably good advice for beginners, who have not yet learned to use their brakes skillfully, but if you don't graduate past this stage, you will never be able to stop as short safely as a cyclist who has learned to use the front brake by itself. The rear brake is O.K. for situations where traction is poor, or for when your front tire blows, but for stopping on dry pavement, the front brake all by itself provides the maximum stopping power, both in theory and in practice. Generally I advise against using both brakes at the same time."

I've still yet to see a mountain bike with only a rear disc, but I've seen lots with a front disc. The exception to that is urban/ trials setups.



[Edited on June 18, 2007 at 11:02 AM. Reason : .]

6/18/2007 10:59:39 AM

^^ i liked how this cat started to name drop. who could give a flying fuck about your father or where he rides, how long and when?

still, rear braking is how it's done at least in regards to road cycling. i use mainly my rear brakes and feather my front calipers.

[Edited on June 18, 2007 at 11:02 AM. Reason : .]

6/18/2007 11:01:45 AM