Ready to Drink a Growler

Things are a-changin’; again, and always it seems.  Getting ready for the Gunnison Growler this weekend meant changing my bike setup a bit.  I have been running my Niner Air 9 with a Cannondale Lefty 80mm fork.  I love the Lefty fork for being super light, stiff, and extremely plush.  That being said, 80mm of travel, and the resulting sketchy handling, was not a preferable setup for the super rocky, technical, tight, and steep trails in Hartman Rocks.  So I put on my new and unused White Brothers Loop 100mm fork.  First things first; I had to get the front end dropped back down to a more “XC” stance.  A quick trip to Boulder Cycle Sport fixed that, and I was all set up with a sweet stem that can provide either 20° or 28° drop.  This is more “negative rise” than I’ve ever run, but corrected my positioning on the bike.  During my first ride on some local trails I was instantly impressed and happy with the “new” handling of the bike.  The extra 20mm of travel seemed to have slackened the geometry just a hair, and I was throwing the bike around corners faster and more comfortably than I ever could with the Lefty.  And OH MAN was I having fun blasting through rock gardens, pummeling roots and hitting every jump I could find with the increased travel of the Loop fork.  It is so plush when you get into some rough stuff, but then stays nice and stiff when climbing.  Needless to say, but after one short spin on the new setup I’m extremely excited to really put it to test at the Growler.

Niner Air 9, White Brothers Loop, Ergon SM3, Maxxis Ikon, Crank Brothers, Formula R1

Here’s a short interview with multiple-times Leadville 100 Champion Dave Weins, about HIS race, the Growler.  The nature of the course is all up-and-down, all the time.  I hope this suits me well.  It should make for perfect singlespeed riding, provided I selected the right gear. Hopefully I have enough energy left to post after the race.  Cheers.

New Beast: 2013 SS Race Bike

On Saturday morning I got an email from Pro Peloton saying that my frame had arrived; my new frame that I have been waiting months for.  It was an incredibly nice day, so instead of being the kid on Christmas morning and rushing over to unwrap my new toy, I decided to persevere and go on a long ride.  I took the cross bike into the mountains, up to Jamestown, back down the canyon, then up James canyon almost to Ward, before I noticed a slow leak in my rear tire.  So I turned around and headed back.  About 8 miles all downhill, stopping every 2 miles or so to put more air in my tire.  Normally this would’ve ruined my day, but I knew what lay ahead.

I picked it up around 5pm Saturday, traded ProP a growler of Mountain Sun stout and cash, and went home.  By 10pm Saturday night my new bike was put together in entirety.  These 5 hours could have been expedited had it not been for beers and social activity at my house that had me taking breaks.  Everything went together pretty smoothly.  Unfortunately it would not be ready to ride until I could get it to the shop for the brake lines to be trimmed.  So here it sat, staring me down in all its beauty.

After months of waiting, contemplating setups, compiling parts, and most importantly, not riding a singlespeed(!!), my dreams are finally a reality.  The bike that I will do most of my racing on in 2013, barring any catastrophic events, has finally been finished.  I could jump into the juicy details of this amazing, way-too-good-to-be-true, I-am-not-worthy, not-fit-for-someone-of-my-income-status build that I have put together, but first I would like to take a step back.  Why and how did this all happen?  How is it that I have this amazing machine sitting in front of me (literally, right now, I’m looking at it.  Drooling slightly.)?  Four months of agonizing SS-withdraw and here I am.  It turns out that anything good is worth waiting for.  

First I had to break my old S.I.R.9. 2 ½ years of abuse and racing and voila! Next, decide on new frame, and coinciding parts. Luckily, the frame decision process and monetary acquisitions took longer than expected because it gave me time to acquire a baller set of components for this build.  A few, unforeseen circumstances happened that would accelerate the process while keeping it affordable.  First, enter VeloSwap in Denver.  Among the millions of bike parts available at discounted prices, I found these Magura Marta SL brakes on the cheap!  One of the most expensive parts of my build: check.  Next up, thanks to some awesome product support from sponsors such as Crank Brothers and Maxxis, fancy carbon bits and new rubber was acquired.  The last component of real importance and expense would be the crankset.   Being that there are a plethora of nice cranksets on the market, how does one decide?  As I was scouring online retailers for the best crankset, price per weight, and one that is still external BB, it dawned on me that SRAM had just released an industry-breakthrough crankset this year.  The new XX1 group from SRAM is probably the most influential new product on the market.  Oh, it comes in external BB?  Oh, it’s still way more affordable than XTR, while also being lighter? It was also designed as a single-chainring specific crank, so I don’t have to buy a triple crankset again and use it for SS?  Okay, SOLD.  Thanks to good friends at Virtuous Cycles, the XX1 crankset was had only days after checking it out online.  Once I knew that my frame was on order, I sent my Lefty fork over to Mendon Cyclesmith for a complete service and overhaul.

It seemed like it took forever to finally get this build wrapped up, but it turns out that the extra time was a blessing.  Instead of rushing to buy parts, and either over-spending or getting less-than ideal stuff, I waited and think I have put together the most optimal race bike.

The Goods:

Frame:  2013 Niner One 9 (L)

Fork:  Lefty Carbon DLR 80mm (soon replacing with 100mm carbon Lefty)

Wheels:  Stans Race Gold

Tires:  (f)Maxxis Ardent 2.4 Exo (r)Maxxis Crossmark 2.1

Cranks:  SRAM XX1

Chainring:  XX1 32t (soon to be MRP Bling Ring)

Cog:  Chris King cogs all day

Brakes:  Magura Marta SL (soon to be Formula R1 Racing)

Seatpost:  Easton EC90

Saddle:  Fi’zi:k Tundra II

Stem:  Ritchey WCS

Handlebars:  Crank Brother Cobalt 11 carbon

Grips:  Ergon GX2 Team Carbon

Pedals:  Crank Brothers Candy 3

Weight: 19.5 lbs (could drop a lb with lighter tires, but I love beefy rubber!)

 

This is an absolute dream build.  Never would I have thought, even 6 months ago, that I’d be riding such a well-equipped machine.  I’ve talked a lot about how I was not on a competitive, by comparison, race bike last year.  Now I am.  Now I have no excuses but to go out and crush.  I must give much love to my support and product sponsors for helping make this happen.

Thanks Virtuous Cycles, Maxxis Tires, Crank Brothers, Formula Brakes, Smith Eyewear, WhiteBrothers/MRP.

First Ride Impressions:

Light, stiff, fast.  Period.  I can’t wait to ride this thing again!!  It is the lightest and most stiff MTB I’ve owned.  I took it out for an inaugural ride up Sunshine Canyon, then over to Betasso Preserve for some singletrack action.  My first impressions while climbing up the road were of the quietness and efficiency of SRAM’s new XX1 crankset paired with the Chris King cog.  There has been some speculation in the MTB world whether this crankset would work well with 10-speed chains.  SRAM has designed their all-new XX1 drivetrain to work with their proprietary 11-speed chain, but for SS use it works great with a 10-speed chain.  It was super quiet and efficient all day.  Next up, the brand new Magura Marta SL brakes.  Since they were brand new, they needed some bedding in before good power could be had.  After that, I really liked the modulation and feel.  Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced good modulation before.  The only other hydraulics I’ve used have been Avid Elixirs, which are pretty much “on” or “off”.  The Avids are powerful, but can also be quite grabby.  The modulation and touch of the Maguras was very nice.  I wouldn’t say they are as powerful as the Elixir CR’s I run on other bikes, but are much nicer to use.  Once hitting the trails, the real magic of this bike started to shine.  First off, I love big beefy tires.  In my opinion, tires are the most important part of your ride.  They are the only thing that makes contact with the ground!  I’ve seen my fair share of racers running super-lightweight flimsy side-wall tires that don’t perform very well and are also extremely prone to flatting.  Not for me.  Having that big cush and awesome grip of the Ardent 2.4 up front was confidence inspiring.  Paired with the Crossmark on the rear, which proved to be an excellent rear tire choice for singlespeeding, this combo was making me happy throughout the ride.  Last but definitely not least was the new One 9 frame.  Once on the trail, I was happily reminded of why I loved the geometry of the SIR9 so much!  The handling and fit of the One9 felt eerily similar to that of my old steed.  For this reason, I instantly felt comfortable on it.  Its light weight and stiffness were apparent as it would accelerate quickly and almost dance or skip over small obstacles.  Much more time is needed on this frame before I can give a full review but my initial reactions are that it is everything I was missing on the SIR9 in the stiffness and weight realms, and is going to be a great race bike for this year.  

  

Now all I need is this snow to go away in Colorado, so I can get out and ride more!!

Wintspiration

I need to update this more frequently.  But not always at 2 in the morning!  Some people will be getting up for work a mere hours from now, and I’m just winding down.  But honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way!  I work nights so I can enjoy my days.  Speaking of enjoying my days, what have I been doing with them?  Shortly after my last post, in which I had suddenly been too tired to continue a ride, I spent a couple of days in pure rest mode.  Probably more rest then I’ve gotten in months.  It was something natural that came over my body that I just had to listen to.  I wasn’t sick, but was running on low energy for about 3 or 4 days.  Normally I would push through and get out and ride regardless; this the infection that many cyclists have, always feeling like we are regressing or “losing it”, but in this instance I decided to let it be.  Since then my riding has been mostly mundane.  I need to find the inspiration somewhere to get back out and start hammering again.  I know it will come, and I will find it, but for now it’s a slow process.  That’s okay though, because there is so much in the way of mountain biking right around the corner, and I will surely get my fill. 

The first thing on my definite schedule is the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey in April.  I’m so excited to be getting back out to California again!  Not so excited about taking my licks from all of the top MTB Pros that will be there, but so it goes.  Everybody has to experience it.  It will be a UCI-type XC race, which I am not at all used to.  In the last couple of years the UCI has reworked what it considers mountain bike races, switching from backcountry, singletrack epics, to viewer friendly, technically challenging, fast and furious courses with minimal climbing.  These courses are best-suited to the big-power guys.  I am not a big-power guy. Before that, there are a couple of Pro XCT stops in southern California in March.  If I can swing it, I’ll also try to be out there then.  If not, some trips to Moab and Sedona will probably be in store.  Then, in May the real racing begins.  There is the Rocky Mountain Endurance Series season opener in mid-May, followed by the Gunnison Growler a week later.  After that, everything becomes a blur!  I kick off my foray into the ultra endurance scene with 100-mile races in Ohio then Michigan only two weeks apart.  Then Marathon Nationals, Breck100, and more!  Whewww! I hope it all works out.

In my immediate line of sight, there is this thing called Stout Month.  In its 20^th year of existence, the heavy hitting dark beer extravaganza at the Mountain Sun Pubs is something to behold.  Let me preface this by acknowledging my own skepticism toward both the epicness and the appeal of having over 10 stouts on tap at all times.  Big deal.  Who even wants to drink this much stout, right?  Well, apparently every beer drinker in Boulder!  The talk was not cheap!  It is truly something special.  The influx of amazing beers and variety of our constantly changing tap wall has made me change my mind.  Every day something new hits the wall that I have to try!  More than anything, it has been the guest taps that I have enjoyed the most.  We have gotten all of the best stouts, some of which are extremely small-batch, from local Colorado breweries.  New Belgium Lips of Faith, O’dell Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout, Renegade Peanut Butter Cup, Avery The Czar, Avery Tweak, Great Divide Oak-aged Coffee Imperial, and more from Ska, Strange Brewing, Telluride, Equinox, Cooper Smith, Left Hand, Elevation, Wynkoop, Boulder Beer, River North, Gravity, and more.  This in conjunction with our personal rotation of 40+ in-house stouts.  It’s a stout explosion.  But that’s not the only thing exploding.  Facial hair also explodes in odd forms and variety this month, as it is tradition for Stout Month to coincide with Chop Month.   

Mine was a small explosion.  More like a fire-cracker.

More bike goods to come, as they come funneling in, including my new 2013 singlespeed race bike build!  Cheers.

Winter Daze

Its winter in Colorado.  Damn its col… O sweet it’s Spring in Colorado.  Ahhh, soak in that warm sunsh… shit, its winter in Colorado again. 

Today I departed for what was supposed to be a big ride in the mountains.  It only took about 20 minutes to realize that today wasn’t my day.  It felt like I had jet lag.  I’m actually not sure at all what jet lag feels like, but if it feels anything like the wind-down after 10 days of working my ass off, riding my ass off, and then partying my ass off, then I had it.  And I don’t have much ass to lose.  Not to mention that my body was still recovering from the 4 ½ hours spent on my new 31 lb full-suspension the day before.  It was a shred-fest.  More on that later.  So after a few short miles this morning I turned it around; something I rarely, if ever, do.  I’ve spent countless rides in the doldrums, only the dregs of energy left in my body, pushing on and through, coming out the other side usually feeling worse.  It’s not a pretty sight, and today I decided against it.  Good thing I did!  A few hours after returning home, at which point I would’ve been somewhere high in the mountains, a white cloud engulfed the hills in front of me and proceeded to dump snow.  Never have I been so happy with my decision to give up and be lazy.  Cheers to being a quitter. 

Not my pic, but much like I saw this afternoon.

Speaking of quitting, shouldn’t Lance just give up?  Jesus man, everyone knows what you did, doesn’t care anymore and you still can’t tell the truth?  That “confession” bullshit was so lame.  Oh, you’re being SO sincere Lance.  But only sincere enough to hopefully get your ass out of trouble.  You can just keep lying about everything else that doesn’t matter and hopefully no one will notice.  And hopefully not many people did.  I did completely waste a couple hours of my life watching the first Doprah episode, and still haven’t seen the second.  It was pathetic, that’s it. Rant over.

Back to cool shit.  I actually used my day in a semi-productive, semi-expensive, semi-exploratory manner.  Sorry, I’m kind of sort of a little bit non-committal sometimes.  Anyways, with a new build on the cusp of becoming a reality, I needed to make some moves.  Luckily, it’s a singlespeed, so not many “moves” need to be made.  I have already secured bars, stem, post, fork(YOU!), wheels, brakes, etc.  How am I supposed to make all of this stuff go around? Right, cranks.  A few minutes of perusing the interwebs (which usually catches me like a fly wherein the giant spider comes in to suck my brain dry) were all it took to find my match.  SRAM’s new XX1 crankset.  Still comes in a “normal” bottom bracket configuration, lightweight, and the hottest shit going!  Boom! Ordered. Done.  Then I packaged up and sent my fancy crabon fibre Lefty off to Mendon Cyclesmith for some much needed maintenance.  Maybe a much-needed overhaul.  We’ll see.   Next up I get an email from some guy at some shop telling me that some color choice for my new frame was only some number of weeks out.  Good to know that I don’t have to succumb to the Henry Ford marketing model from the 30’s.  “You can have any color as long as it’s black” is not a good marketing option for modern-day bike companies.

So it’s snowing right now.  Yesterday was a bit different.  I was slightly (tremendously) hung over, but couldn’t pass up the opportunity to enjoy shorts and t-shirt sunny weather coupled with dry trails and a new shred-worthy steed ready to rock and roll.  I made my way to the nearby Heil Ranch trail, which at its best is a rocky trail, at its worst a complete clusterfuck rock garden.  I ride this trail about once a month, and the succession usually goes like this:  

 O sweet, rocks, obstacles, challenges... damn I’m feeling good, this is hard but fun, really making me work... okay a little bit is fun, but can I just get to some flowing singletrack... no! More rocks! Your hands hurt? More rocks!  Oh your back hurts? More rocks! Wanna go uphill, downhill, sideways, in/out? More rocks! Screw this; I’m not coming back for a month.   

In fairness, the builders have done their best at creating a sweet trail system out of a boulder field, and I’ve been riding it on a hardtail.  On this day my experience was different.  It was my first time on a full-suspension in over 6 months, and one with more travel than any bike I’ve owned.  As I made the initial climb the feeling I had forgotten quickly came back.  Just sit back, grind, and let the front/rear do their work.  No need for carefully executed line choices.  Just plow right into, through, and over those pesky little trail obstructions.  And when the trail goes down is when the going gets good.  It didn’t take long for me to gain a fair amount of confidence in the Shinobi’s capabilities.  With new found confidence in my machine, it was only my own confidence in descending and skill that held me back.  Let er rip!  4 ½ hours, 36 miles, including a trip through Lyons up to Hall Ranch, a spin around there and back down through Heil Ranch one more time was all it took for a good day. 

I learned a lot about the Shinobi yesterday, but many more rides need to be had on this machine to give an objective review.  First, it descends better than any bike I’ve owned.  That might be obvious considering the 140mm of travel up front, but I think it has more to do with the geometry and slack head tube angle.  What was most surprising to me was the climbing efficiency.  I honestly could not tell if the back was bobbing at all while climbing!  And when standing up and powering to get up a steep or techy section, it seemed to leap forward without any hesitation.  Considering I climbed over 4400ft on a 31 lb bike and left without feeling much tire in my legs means it must be an efficient climbing bike.  The handling felt good, but a lot more time needs to be spent on it for me to completely figure it out.  Overall, it is definitely an incredibly stiff, burly, and capable machine.  The FUN is back!

And then I made rice cakes.  Never should your ClifBar expenditure exceed beer.  As I am writing this my roommates are devouring them.  Fail.

Dick's Power Mix