Thursday, June 04, 2009


Make a Change

Heading into another fun, nothing to lose (but my teeth) race this weekend. The NYCMTB All-City XC MTB At Highbridge Park. The idea every season is to do some different stuff, and this qualifies as completely different. It's in the heart of Manhattan, apparently you ride over broken glass and discarded hypodermic needles while neighborhood kids spit at you and throw shit. Sounds awesome doesn't it?

In anticipation of the event, I made some changes to my tire set up. Thus far this season I've gone with a bring a Bazooka to every type fight mentality. When I showed up to fight those quadriplegic care bears, they were totally freaked out. What I mean by that in reality is that I've run the Mud Xs almost exclusively, regardless of conditions. After watching the preview video below, I decided to make some changes.





It looks pretty dusty, dry, hard-packed, and kinda shockingly gnarly. Decided to swap the tires out to a full-size 2.1 XDX in the front. Looks and rides a lot bigger than most 2.1s I've met. Threw a wee lil' XR1 in the rear. Went out for the Wednesday Cutler ride to check the set up out. Noticed right off the bat that they roll better on the pavement, and once I was in the woods I was liking the big (to me) front tire and really noticing how fast the rear wheel spun up to speed. For Cutler's dry, hard trails they worked great, but pretty sure they would not be the thing for anything loose or muddy. We'll see, perhaps I will keep them on until The Stoopid 50.


My silly bar ends. Yes I use bar ends. I prefer Singletrack Solutions ST Lites (below) but since they are unavailable from QBP at the moment I had to go with their big, lame brothers, the "Pro" model. They are more expensive, heavier, and more ergonomic (maybe for Lobster Boy). I run them backwards so that while standing and climbing my center of gravity is farther back over the rear wheel. That and I can more seamlessly transition between my the bar ends and my normal riding position.

zzz


5 comments:

Georges Rouan said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Rigidnsingle said...

Thom good luck at Highbridge, you hit the nail on the head with the discription (spiting optional) consider running a 19 or a 20 with a 34t, its pretty much all up or down and fairly technical, Joc and I are doing the 6hr....

Bullitt said...

Why is the quickie release on the drive side?

I love those bars ends too.

Sorry I have not called you about djing. ....

Georges Rouan said...

Don't worry Thom- I cleaned the glass and needles special for you. This year we instituted a no spitting policy with the ladies in case you want to girl up.

At a Highbridge race, after growing up in NYC for my whole it is the only time in my life I have witnessed/smelled crack smoking (seen the H being shot up on the lower east side a bunch of times- one of the benefits of living near 3 different methadone clinics) but this year will be different: one of the guys in the club is a cop and so Five-O will be out in force to limit vagrants and other sundry characters that make up demograpghics of NYC.

Rigidnsingle- Jokes aside, RS is right about the terrain: up and down and techy. Not a ride in the park.

Double check- but I think I got your registration right. If not I will adjust.

What size shirt do you want?
Is your girl coming?

zencycle said...

I love bar ends. I never ride an MTB off road without them.