There’s a new singletrack at SME. It connects the upper section where you had to go off-property to make a loop down to the powerline above the apartments off 31^st st. You cant see it from the main trail, but its most definitely there. Its an approved trail, but it really isn’t cut in well yet, and will need a bridge or two built across the creek. Or maybe some rock armoring. In any case, it needs a little sanitizing since the rocks made George bleed white latex today.

 I have about 50-60 miles in now on George, and he is a good little monkey but is always very curious. He wears shoes made by Maxxis, and although they have been pretty good for me over the past few years, today we experienced the dreaded sidewall cut. Ive been running them tubeless, courtesy of Stans No-Tubes Arch rims, tape, and sealant. They have been pretty good- good traction, low weight, fast-rolling…all the things that make a wheel/tire combo feel good. One thing, though, not enough sidewall protection to fend of a sharp-edged rock along some rough-cut singletrack. Crap. Bowman rolled up, watched me drain the latex out of the tire (since it would just come out anyway as soon as I aired up the tube) and then was pretty much convinced tubeless wasn’t for him. Oh well.

When I first saw the cut, I didn’t really understand why it didn’t seal- then when I got home, I really saw the gash- about 1 inch long. No sealant could patch that kind of hole. Bummer. Guess I need a new tire now too. I figure Ill keep running the Maxxis tires- I really like the way they perform, but for winter I think George will get some more robust shoes. Changing flats  in freezing temps sucks.

Like proud mary, I rolled some big wheels today. Steve at Saucon Valley Bikes was kind enough to let me take a demo today on a Titus Racer-X 29’er. I met Mike Faust at Roaring Creek which is a part of Wieser State Forest. There was about an inch of snow on the ground, and the sky was clearing. I swung a leg over the big bike, clipped in, and we headed up the long fire road leading to the entrance to the first climb. From the bottom, we soon gained about 900 vertical feet. Im not the greatest climber, but with the stability of this bike, along with the huge wheels clad with 2.35 Nevegal tires I learned to chock back my pride, clicked into granny gear and crawled up the snowy slope to the top. Clean. No spin outs, no fumbles, just a slow, steady climb to the top. Very cool.

We rolled on, dipping in and out of smaller ups and down for the next 20 miles or so. The ride was great, the terrain was fun and varied, and I really did enjoy the ride. Once the wheels were rolling, they rolled well and held their lines tenaciously. These characteristics did come at a price, however. The price for the wheels that keep rolling? They didn’t want to spin up quickly so starts were tougher than with a 26’er, and bringing them to a halt took more time as well. Maybe larger rotors would help that part out since these were standard 6-inch XT units. The price for the stability? I had a really hard time lofting the front wheel when I wanted to, so I hit some rocks and logs much more squarely than I do on a smaller wheel.

I gotta say Im mixed. It was a great bike, and if I was trail riding all day I think it would be a great ride. On the other hand I feel the qualities of a 29er seem to fit best on a singlespeed. Having demoed some SS 29’ers, that’s where I am feeling the benefits of the wheel size really lie- great traction to stand and mash up hills. Smooth rolling to keep momentum going. That, to me, is singlespeed heaven. But with the choice of gears, I really like the snap of my 26 inch wheels under me, so I think that is how I will do it. A 29er singlespeed, and my 26 inch FS sports car. Good day, good ride, good learning. I love this stuff.

Following the clothing theme of this week, I thought I would share a mail I just sent to my folks who wanted to be more active in the colder months, but werent sure how to dress. This topic comes up every year as the weather shifts from warm to cold and vice-versa. So here it is-

Bottom line here is its about 
moisture control- keeping it away from your skin is key so your base 
layer is your most important piece. You will likely need one for both 
hot as well as cool conditions. I like the stuff from Craft best, but 
Under Armor works well too. Dont go too heavy with your 'cool' base 
unless you want to also do a mid-temp piece as well because it will 
limit your options to dress for the weather. Your second needs to be 
something that wicks moisture away as well, so choose something with 
wicking technology. My brands of choice here are Craft, Sugoi, and Louis 
Garneau. For all-year layering, you will need both a short sleeve piece 
and a long-sleeve piece. The long-sleeve piece can be used as an outer 
layer on days where it is borderline between short/long sleeve weather 
with the short sleeve underneath it. Next you will want a thermal layer 
of some sort. I like wool- preferably merino. There is a company called 
Portland Cyclewear with the best prices on these pieces, and even though 
there is a rear pocket, these are 'casual' enough to wear on their own. 
If you can find something cheaper elsewhere let me know about it, but 
this piece is a go-to piece for me. I can wear it with my cool base on 
borderline days, or with my warm base on cooler days, or it can be used 
as a mid-layer on really cold days. This piece is key after your base 
layer. Next piece would be a heavy thermal layer like a fleece vest. I 
prefer fleece with wind-protection at least on the front panel. Look for 
things like Gore Windstopper or similar- there is a range of this kind 
of thing on the market. I have also found that this layer is best served 
as a vest because it is more flexible in terms of latering and 
conditions than a full jacket. Your final layer should be a shell- 
preferably breathable/waterproof and convertible to a vest.  For your 
legs, the rules are similar, but I rarely go more than 3 layers. Usually 
a base of lycra shorts for cycling or those under-armor briefs you got 
me for christmas, then a thermal if necessary, and finally a 
windproof/water resistant breathable top layer. Summer is just wicking 
shorts. If you want to get specific conditions leggings, look to Craft 
or Sugoi- they both have a broad range of pants and tights. I also like 
knickers for transitional weather but thats just me. Hopefully this 
helps you out.

 Ride fast- take chances-

/Dan