20/20 NE - I can see clearly now

[jackstraw]

Sounds awesome!

Agree with the small bump thing.

It is amazing how bikes continually improve. At some point it has to end, right?

Someday - This is it...this XYZ bike is the best bike ever and nothing can be improved upon!!

[jhyatt]

Which SC is that?
Looks very different from my 5010CC. Really long and low, I can imagine it descends well, but climbing?
Love the color!

Great day to ride but the fork for my new rig showed up so my afternoon was spent doing final tweaks on my new toy. Really hoping for dry trails this weekend.

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[WaistDeepGroomers]

Sounds awesome!

Agree with the small bump thing.

It is amazing how bikes continually improve. At some point it has to end, right?

Someday - This is it...this XYZ bike is the best bike ever and nothing can be improved upon!!

I am finding that I miss shorter bikes with steeper HT angles. Everything has been pushing towards improved compliance, climbing, and descending, but I miss the taught wheelbases and whippiness/poppiness of bikes of a few years past. Has me eyeing used bikes from a few years back for day-to-day trail riding close to the coast with minimal vert.

[HankScorpio]

Which SC is that?
Looks very different from my 5010CC. Really long and low, I can imagine it descends well, but climbing?
Love the color!

Its a 2020 Hightower, 150mm/140mm. Haven't really gotten it on the trail yet but everything I read about it says its a great climber. It may look like a gravity bike but should efficient up and down.

[jackstraw]

I am finding that I miss shorter bikes with steeper HT angles. Everything has been pushing towards improved compliance, climbing, and descending, but I miss the taught wheelbases and whippiness/poppiness of bikes of a few years past. Has me eyeing used bikes from a few years back for day-to-day trail riding close to the coast with minimal vert.

I have the perfect 26er for you!

I get what you're saying, but I still like the new geo mo betta and I'm on relatively old tech now. Mine is a '16 w/ 67°.

[Anospa]

I am finding that I miss shorter bikes with steeper HT angles. Everything has been pushing towards improved compliance, climbing, and descending, but I miss the taught wheelbases and whippiness/poppiness of bikes of a few years past. Has me eyeing used bikes from a few years back for day-to-day trail riding close to the coast with minimal vert.

My Devinci Troy frame and my Spartan will be for sale soon!

In all seriousness, the Troy is hard to let go of, very capable play bike without being massively overbiked locally.

[jhyatt]

cool! I think dropper posts have more drop now so the frames have to accomodate so they look like that.

Its a 2020 Hightower, 150mm/140mm. Haven't really gotten it on the trail yet but everything I read about it says its a great climber. It may look like a gravity bike but should efficient up and down.

[Peruvian]

I am finding that I miss shorter bikes with steeper HT angles. Everything has been pushing towards improved compliance, climbing, and descending, but I miss the taught wheelbases and whippiness/poppiness of bikes of a few years past. Has me eyeing used bikes from a few years back for day-to-day trail riding close to the coast with minimal vert.

I just came across this video the other day, explaining the newer riding technique that modern geo bikes require. I thought it was interesting and I'll likely try and incorporate a more forward/aggressive position when riding in the future.

[jhyatt]

I am with you. When do you think the change was made? I have a 5 year old 5010 that is so whippy and poppy and fun.

Edit: I watched that riding skills video and the notes mention head tube angle of 65 as a cutoff between old and new school. My bike has 68 which was pretty slack back in the day.

2020 Hightower is 65.5 HTA

I am finding that I miss shorter bikes with steeper HT angles. Everything has been pushing towards improved compliance, climbing, and descending, but I miss the taught wheelbases and whippiness/poppiness of bikes of a few years past. Has me eyeing used bikes from a few years back for day-to-day trail riding close to the coast with minimal vert.

[jackstraw]

I just came across this video the other day, explaining the newer riding technique that modern geo bikes require. I thought it was interesting and I'll likely try and incorporate a more forward/aggressive position when riding in the future.

One thing I've noticed with my SC HT is she can be loose in the front end and it's a fine line on being too far forward. I still struggle at times being in the sweet spot. When I demo'd the new Salsa Rustler I felt like I was on a rail thru the turn with virtually no effort to find the right position. Also, that's comparing a 650B vs a 29er. I'm not sure how much of a difference that really makes today.

[k2blt]

#1-"Phase & Confused" the 2nd longest single track in NE(6.2 miles) (Finger trail is 12 miles)

#2- "Missing Persons" Bstreet

Rode Phased & Confused this morning. Quite a few people at the Rock today... some no bueno!

[ticketchecker]

Yeah that blue looks great on the new HT, better in your pics than it does on the SC website.

My old Bronson is 66 degree, I put a new debonair air spring in it last year and decided to not extend the travel which would have changed the HTA a wee bit. After talking it over with the shop dudes it seemed keeping the climbing attitude where it is was going to be better than going up to 160 and slacking it more.

I'm totally overbiked to begin with anyway, so there's that.

[Laps]

Yeah it’s low, long and slack for sure but that’s how trail bikes are in 2020, I guess. I got the frame late last fall and have been piecing it together all winter. Built it with a Lyrik, XT 12 speed, Race Face/Hope wheels, PNW dropper and Race Face Atlas bits. Gotta support the local economy in these tough times, amiright?


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Which pnw post did you go with? I am looking at those for my new frame.


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[HankScorpio]

Which pnw post did you go with? I am looking at those for my new frame.


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I got the 170mm Bachelor with their Loam Lever. Easy to set up, very solid and its supposed to be super reliable. I've had mixed experiences with various droppers but I've got faith in this one.


Side note - any word on trails up your way? Might be wishful thinking but I hope something dries out enough for the weekend.

[Laps]

Everything is soaked from today and early yesterday. Not looking good tomorrow or Sunday. Maybe/hopefully next week. I will pm if Conditions miraculously get good.


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[HankScorpio]

Everything is soaked from today and early yesterday. Not looking good tomorrow or Sunday. Maybe/hopefully next week. I will pm if Conditions miraculously get good.


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Yeah I figured things were still a bit too saturated. Definitely shoot me a pm if you hear of things drying up.

Still a bit of ice/snow in the woods around here. Weather next week is looking better.


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[carlh]

I recently put a closeout rainier v2 dropper on my hardtail and it is much nicer than the saggy reverb that was on there before. $200 including a loam lever straight from pnw.

Which pnw post did you go with? I am looking at those for my new frame.


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[ticketchecker]

Food for thought about riding with others these days

https://www.potomacpedalers.org/colu...as2c59iDJFfRhg

[jhyatt]

Reverbs are the worst. Replaced mine twice (warranty) before finally getting the fox dropper.
Who thought to make a dropper hydraulic actuated? Why?

I recently put a closeout rainier v2 dropper on my hardtail and it is much nicer than the saggy reverb that was on there before. $200 including a loam lever straight from pnw.

[jackstraw]

Food for thought about riding with others these days

https://www.potomacpedalers.org/colu...as2c59iDJFfRhg

Good info.

[HankScorpio]

Reverbs are the worst. Replaced mine twice (warranty) before finally getting the fox dropper.
Who thought to make a dropper hydraulic actuated? Why?

I had a couple first gen Reverbs and they were awful. Also had a KS Lev and Race Face dropper that were almost as bad. The Fox Transfer on my hardtail is going on season 3 and still works like the day I installed it.

[singlecross]

[QUOTE=ticketchecker;5947830]Food for thought about riding with others these days]

Thats why I stopped riding with others years ago. Yeah, I was a chronic wheelsucker... which moving to a singlespeed cross bike cured me of. I got dropped a lot sooner and started enjoying the rides a lot more. And an internet username was born.

[geomorph]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...d=110392349615

Mt A in Maine closing down. Probably others to follow. I've been on my gravel bike while trails dried and had my mtb in the shop but probably won't be driving to any trails for a bit.

[gravitylover]

If you read down through the comments it says the trails are open for riding and hiking but there will be no parking or facilities available on the property.

[geomorph]

This is America so shutting down parking is basically the same as shutting it down altogether. There's a network of trails I ride 1 mile from my house but I'd guess I'm in the minority when it comes to riding from my door.