Official cyclist thread (Page 23 of 26)
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Originally Posted By -Ascent-: I’m familiar with NICA it’s a good program. Our local club does good work. Not really an XC guy but I help out the kids that want to make the jump to DH, enduro and freeride. Originally Posted By -Ascent-: Originally Posted By Dominion21: Many of you men have children; if not, then you likely have nephews or nieces. Only you can get them cycling, and here’s a great way to do it: sign them up with a local NICA club and start biking and racing off-road with others their age. - watch this video (there is even shooting, at the 8:10 mark). Not the newest video, but it makes the case.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6BUJg07ooQTo sign up, start here and find your state NICA organization: https://nationalmtb.org/ I am a NICA Coach. Please ask any/all questions I might be able to answer.  I’m familiar with NICA it’s a good program. Our local club does good work. Not really an XC guy but I help out the kids that want to make the jump to DH, enduro and freeride. Thanks!  Good point; I should clarify that: NICA practices and races mountain bikes in “XC” or cross country on trails. I’ll post another short video showing what it looks like in NICA (and the near-identical VAHS), youth racing, here in Virginia  VAHS MTB Series 2017 State Championship: Blue Ridge |
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Originally Posted By Fourman: hahah true just last week a team mate of mine got in a 10 person pile up due to new racers not knowing to hold their line. Yeah that tree is not moving...so when you all hit it must hurt. We just slide along and then hit others that are sliding also.  Don't get me started with racing in the rain....that really sucks. I only do it if it is a major race. My weekly races are nope. Originally Posted By Fourman: Originally Posted By -Ascent-: Originally Posted By Fourman: Originally Posted By -Ascent-: I'm new to making videos. I recently bought a new go pro. Here's one I threw together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5WON3wdlzkGive me 30mph turns with a pack of 50 any day. It's crazy when you guys are in a big group at high speeds and cornering. One person messes up and everyone goes down. I just have to look out for those pesky trees Don't get me started with racing in the rain....that really sucks. I only do it if it is a major race. My weekly races are nope. That pretty much ended any aspirations of mountain biking as a hobby. I still love the bike and slightly modified it for non-trail riding. Attached File |
Pour over coffee is best coffee.
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Originally Posted By -Obsessed-: Where do you guys sell used cycling gear? You’ll find (in general) what a shit-show the FaceBook marketplace is, BUT WAIT: - there are regional, “members only” FB marketplaces which are much better. I live here near DC, and there is a DC one (bought my son’s racebike on it) plus a NOVA-specific one. The other good option is PinkBike marketplace. My Privateer frame came from there. |
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Originally Posted By Dominion21: You’ll find (in general) what a shit-show the FaceBook marketplace is, BUT WAIT: - there are regional, “members only” FB marketplaces which are much better. I live here near DC, and there is a DC one (bought my son’s racebike on it) plus a NOVA-specific one. The other good option is PinkBike marketplace. My Privateer frame came from there. Awesome, I was thinking of listing on eBay. I converted from 2x GRX DI2 to 1x and just want to offload the old mechs and battery. Not a huge market for them unfortunately. I should have just been patient and waited for the 1x to release. Oh well.
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I was at the urban downhill race in PV Mexico yesterday. A few pics.Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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Originally Posted By AgeOne: I was at the urban downhill race in PV Mexico yesterday. A few pics.https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/317810/1000013393_jpg-3756791.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/317810/1000013395_jpg-3756792.JPGhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/317810/1000013420_jpg-3756793.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/317810/1000013464_jpg-3756794.JPG I’m not usually into the urban DH stuff but this race was pretty cool. |
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I have been racing a ton the last four days: Thursday Driveway Cat 2/3 race finished in the pack Saturday was Texas State championship Crit race. I got 11th in the Cat 3. Sunday was Driveway Cat 3/4 which I made a large attack with 4 to go with a team mate...did not work but have to try. Also on Sunday before my race I was the official "spotter" for the Juniors race and the Cat 4/5 race. So I have in a ton of hard riding. With all this I have a team that is starting to talk to me....they would provide most of my entry and travel fees....soooo maybe. I have now three days worth of video to work on lol...but after a few beers. |
Living in the free state of Texas
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Originally Posted By -Ascent-: I’m not usually into the urban DH stuff but this race was pretty cool. First one ive seen live. It was fun as fuck. I wish I could have been higher up the hill but it was nearly impossible to go up higher. After the event it was a giant party till wicked late. |
| I am heading to Seattle for 3 weeks this summer. I will have my bike and plan to hit Seward Park racing three times. I raced it in the late '80's and early '90's and won it a few times back then. Will be fun to show up...been watching some videos of the racing there and......they don't look as hard and fast as Texas racing. So could be very interesting. |
Living in the free state of Texas
I have tons of videos in my edit pipe....here is a race from the other week. Driveway April 30, 2026 - CAT 2/3 Championship Loop |
Living in the free state of Texas
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Had to pay the piper. Attached File Click To View Spoiler |
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Originally Posted By -Ascent-: Had to pay the piper. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/163367/IMG_9243_jpeg-3758578.JPG Click To View Spoiler  oh dang.....I don't do trees lol
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Living in the free state of Texas
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Originally Posted By Fourman: oh dang.....I don't do trees lolOriginally Posted By Fourman: Originally Posted By -Ascent-: Had to pay the piper. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/163367/IMG_9243_jpeg-3758578.JPG Click To View Spoiler oh dang.....I don't do trees lolIt was the pine needles that got me this time. I went into a berm a little high and my tire got into the pine needles and pushed my tire over the berm and went down into some gravel dirt. They ended up liquid stitching my arm back together. |
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Crappy Pic but I finally have a working solution for my Apidura 3L water bladder that lives in the frame bag. Made this out of kegerator tubing, an oversized check valve to prevent backflow, and I designed and printed an articulating bendy exoskeleton to prevent kinks and help the line stay where I want it. Basically makes it a giant bendy straw. Throughput is quite good too. Attached File |
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Originally Posted By -Obsessed-: Crappy Pic but I finally have a working solution for my Apidura 3L water bladder that lives in the frame bag. Made this out of kegerator tubing, an oversized check valve to prevent backflow, and I designed and printed an articulating bendy exoskeleton to prevent kinks and help the line stay where I want it. Basically makes it a giant bendy straw. Throughput is quite good too. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/467079/13927_jpg-3758650.JPG That’s Sweet! What bike is that? |
"One day, your body will become your priority whether by choice or by consequence" - PK
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Originally Posted By -Obsessed-: Crappy Pic but I finally have a working solution for my Apidura 3L water bladder that lives in the frame bag. Made this out of kegerator tubing, an oversized check valve to prevent backflow, and I designed and printed an articulating bendy exoskeleton to prevent kinks and help the line stay where I want it. Basically makes it a giant bendy straw. Throughput is quite good too. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/467079/13927_jpg-3758650.JPG Nice set up. I see you have a shockstop stem, I put the same one on my gravel bike. huge difference, just the right amount of compliance, I can still see where I'm going when I hit washboards now
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Originally Posted By Whamo: That’s Sweet! What bike is that? Its a Salsa Cutthroat V2. Invested far too much into it to try out bikepacking. GRX DI2, dual control brifters set up to shift up or down from either side, satellite shifters and auxiliary brake levers on the tops, redshift stem and seat post, DT Swiss X1900 wheels with 370LN 36T hubs, Rene Herse Snoqualmie Pass tubeless, custom Cedaero full frame and top tube packs, Apidura 3L water bladder in the frame bag, Edge 1040 Solar/Varia RL215, oval chain ring, OMM front and rear racks with OMM panniers/pack up front, dual anything cages on the fork, and dual bottle cages beside those. Waiting on Garmin XC210 pedals and I should be done... A cool $11k later.  Slightly less terrible picture, before being fully done. I've been tweaking things here and there for the past year almost. Attached File |
 Wrong Turn Criterium at the Driveway - May 3, 2026 - CAT 3/4 Shop House Loop |
Living in the free state of Texas
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Just did 18.5 miles with 4500+ feet climbing. Came home to pizza and pacifico, hard to beat! Found this flowy trail in the middle of nowhere Attached File |
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Convinced a colleague to bikepack RAGBRAI with me. Going to be three of us now. He picked up a Diverge Expert with the Rival XPLR 1x13. Gearing seems a bit high for bikepacking (25 gear inches in lowest gear) but we will see. It's IA so should be fine. I'm geared a bit low, 19, but I'd rather have more help on the low end VS needing to speed down the downhills. The first ride with the shockstop pro seatpost was incredible. Can't believe how well it works. |
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That seems like a pretty easy fix. He can get a smaller chainring and take a couple links out, if necessary. Sram goes down to 38t with their x-sync chainrings, but wolf tooth, race face, or someone else might go lower. Some of the pros at Traka were using 48t 1x setups, but I think a lot of them were running the 10-52 transmission cassette. |
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Originally Posted By Bourbonator: That seems like a pretty easy fix. He can get a smaller chainring and take a couple links out, if necessary. Sram goes down to 38t with their x-sync chainrings, but wolf tooth, race face, or someone else might go lower. Some of the pros at Traka were using 48t 1x setups, but I think a lot of them were running the 10-52 transmission cassette. You're talking to a couple of dudes that RAGBRAI is a lifetime achievement, the pinnacle of our endurance prowess, and strength is not our strength. I couldn't imagine a 48/52. I have a 36/51.  I'm pretty stoked about day 5 though. 160 mile day. 
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Originally Posted By Bourbonator: That's a long day. I thought most of the days were under 100 miles, guess not. Good luck to you and your friends! They are. They usually cap mandatory miles at around 90 at the high end, and days average about 65-70 usually. They always do a century loop but this year they are doing a century loop and a 250km loop for the American 250th but it's odd that it's measured in km. But I understand why.
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Originally Posted By -Obsessed-: I'm pretty stoked about day 5 though. 160 mile day. Nice. And Im worried about 66 mile day. Im off to race Vermejo Charcoal Burner. Attached File Attached File |
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Originally Posted By AgeOne: Nice. And Im worried about 66 mile day. Im off to race Vermejo Charcoal Burner. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/317810/1000013658_jpg-3762621.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/317810/1000013651_jpg-3762622.JPG You've got this. In fairness you have a race, I have a ride. Different mindset. I'm not a fast rider, I'm just not naturally built for it, I have the wrong muscle type apparently. I have a Peloton bike+ and do strictly power zone training on it and I've struggled to get FTP north of about 230. Which is pathetic, even when doing 100 miles a week. Not sure if I need to ride more or if I'm missing some obvious component. I carry a ton of work stress and generally don't sleep well so Im sure that's a factor too. Meanwhile my friend sent me this... This was 100% unpaved. That speed, distance, climb, and HR combo seems impossible. Dude is an animal. And he's super modest about it. Attached File |
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Originally Posted By -Obsessed-: You've got this. In fairness you have a race, I have a ride. Different mindset. I'm not a fast rider, I'm just not naturally built for it, I have the wrong muscle type apparently. I have a Peloton bike+ and do strictly power zone training on it and I've struggled to get FTP north of about 230. Which is pathetic, even when doing 100 miles a week. Not sure if I need to ride more or if I'm missing some obvious component. I carry a ton of work stress and generally don't sleep well so Im sure that's a factor too. Meanwhile my friend sent me this... This was 100% unpaved. That speed, distance, climb, and HR combo seems impossible. Dude is an animal. And he's super modest about it. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/467079/14067_jpg-3762635.JPG Damn. Well...strava says my ftp is 166 not quite sure if thats right. I don't know. I just go ride stuff Camping out here is dope. Attached File |
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Originally Posted By -Obsessed-: New gear. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/467079/14075_jpg-3763042.JPG |
Living in the free state of Texas
 Wrong Turn Criterium Texas State Critierum- May 2, 2026 - CAT 3 |
Living in the free state of Texas
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What software do you use for that? Amazingly cool to watch actually. Thanks for posting! 
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Originally Posted By Fourman: Good brand...I have two sets of the road pedals and they work great! I've been strongly considering power meter pedals. The faveros are really interesting and you don't lose too many metrics versus going with the garmin 210. Decisions, man! |
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Originally Posted By Bourbonator: I've been strongly considering power meter pedals. The faveros are really interesting and you don't lose too many metrics versus going with the garmin 210. Decisions, man! I had the 210s on order. But then started reading reviews and they apparently creak really bad due to the metal on metal contact. It was really bad on the 200s and I've been told that the metal design at that interface wasn't changed and thus the issue is likely to persist. Sucks as I love my Garmin stuff and cycling dynamics would have been neat, and I had them for 761 VS 799, but I don't want to deal with creaking. I've sold bikes over creaky BB issues so I'm not paying for creaking pedals. The MX-2 pedals also have insane battery life, 160 hours. Onlt thing I don't like is if you stop pedaling, the last cadence is the cadence displayed, not zero. At least on my Edge 1040 Solar. |
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Whoo. That was freaking tough. Attached File There ended up being a lot of sand and wind on the climbs. That was terrible I can't wait to do it again next year
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Originally Posted By -Obsessed-: I had the 210s on order. But then started reading reviews and they apparently creak really bad due to the metal on metal contact. It was really bad on the 200s and I've been told that the metal design at that interface wasn't changed and thus the issue is likely to persist. Sucks as I love my Garmin stuff and cycling dynamics would have been neat, and I had them for 761 VS 799, but I don't want to deal with creaking. I've sold bikes over creaky BB issues so I'm not paying for creaking pedals. The MX-2 pedals also have insane battery life, 160 hours. Onlt thing I don't like is if you stop pedaling, the last cadence is the cadence displayed, not zero. At least on my Edge 1040 Solar. Thanks for the insight. I also loath creaks. The favero has a better weatherproof rating, 67 vs x7. Let us know how they treat you! |
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Originally Posted By Bourbonator: Thanks for the insight. I also loath creaks. The favero has a better weatherproof rating, 67 vs x7. Let us know how they treat you! Will do! Was going to ride yesterday but got rained out and I didn't have time to get the bike dry afterwords so stayed in with the family... I normally really enjoy rain rides though. Did a quick test ride of just a few minutes to make sure my data screens were set up, etc and no obvious issues yet. It reported cadance, power, balance, etc just fine. We will see if it has any issues connecting, etc... Silly bugs like that, otherwise so far seems to do what it says. I may run a ramp test outdoors to see how easy it is to hold a specific wattage. I've always done the 20 minute test but some people say they habitually underperformed on those and that a ramp test is more accurate. I did a peak of 1400 watts (fresh legs, don't get excited ) in a sprint which seems to jive with my peloton, maybe a hair higher than what I can accomplish on a peloton but I can definitely get more power to the pedals on the bike so it hangs, I think. Just want to see if I can use it as feedback for dialing in a given effort... I tend to over-exert on hills for example and so want to see if I can use it to hold a more realistic output that won't kill my stamina.This is all heresy until I get some time on the whole setup and try it. I keep tweaking things as I find improvements. I will say the shockstop pro seatpost is probably the best investment yet. Works astonishingly well. |
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Originally Posted By -Obsessed-: What software do you use for that? Amazingly cool to watch actually. Thanks for posting! A few items I might change in time: 1. New telemetry software....there is a $80 one out there that is new. They do tons of updates and also do Strava integration. Also free updates for life. I am also always trying to tweak my telemetry to something interesting. 2. Still working on better youtube thumbnails....That is a work in progress 3. I might do voice over in the videos....but that adds a few more steps and I am not sure if I am ready to hear myself. 4. Add video of me talking.....same "issues" as in number 3 lol 5. Insta360 might be sending me an X5 which might change many many steps....we will see. I normally have 1-2 videos in my work queue since I race weekly. One of my next videos there was a snake on the course then 2 minutes later a wreck in front of me.....With Tulsa around the corner I will have tons of edit. |
Living in the free state of Texas
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Originally Posted By Bourbonator: I've been strongly considering power meter pedals. The faveros are really interesting and you don't lose too many metrics versus going with the garmin 210. Decisions, man! Originally Posted By Bourbonator: Originally Posted By Fourman: Good brand...I have two sets of the road pedals and they work great! I've been strongly considering power meter pedals. The faveros are really interesting and you don't lose too many metrics versus going with the garmin 210. Decisions, man! |
Living in the free state of Texas
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Originally Posted By Fourman: Yeah they have been good and when I have had any issues the support is top notch...only sucks is all support is in Italy Originally Posted By Fourman: Originally Posted By Bourbonator: Originally Posted By Fourman: Good brand...I have two sets of the road pedals and they work great! I've been strongly considering power meter pedals. The faveros are really interesting and you don't lose too many metrics versus going with the garmin 210. Decisions, man! What issues have you had? As to ftp and strava, forget the numbers and just ride! (Yes, I realize the irony as I ask about power meter pedals) |
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Originally Posted By Bourbonator: What issues have you had? As to ftp and strava, forget the numbers and just ride! (Yes, I realize the irony as I ask about power meter pedals) Originally Posted By Bourbonator: Originally Posted By Fourman: Originally Posted By Bourbonator: Originally Posted By Fourman: Good brand...I have two sets of the road pedals and they work great! I've been strongly considering power meter pedals. The faveros are really interesting and you don't lose too many metrics versus going with the garmin 210. Decisions, man! What issues have you had? As to ftp and strava, forget the numbers and just ride! (Yes, I realize the irony as I ask about power meter pedals) |
Living in the free state of Texas
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Do any of you guys use TrainerRoad? I use Garmin Connect to just keep an overall sense of my training and load, etc, and will obviously cycle outdoors but for indoors I have a Peloton Bike+ and do power zone training, but from what my AI assisted research is saying is that Peloton power zone classes are garbage and spend too much time in Z2 and Z3 and not enough in Z1 and not enough in Z4-7 so you waste effort with little results. I then was doing some digging and there is a device called a FitSwitch that plugs into your Peloton and converts it to basically an open source smart trainer, and they have TrainerRoad which is apparently way better at custom-tailored workout plans for your exact fitness level and goals. It's also half the price of the peloton subscription so sounds pretty good, but there is little in the way of actual in depth perspective from what I can see. |
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I do not. I have a wahoo kickr 2, and I do most of my trainer workouts by heart rate. Occasionally I'll do a hill workout or some sprints, but I mostly use it for maintaining aerobic base. Training for the Uphill Athlete is a pretty well-regarded source for endurance training. Ignore that it's directed toward mountain running and ski mountaineering, all the advice is applicable for endurance endeavors. (The previous edition was geared towards mountaineering, but the authors are trying to reach a broader audience). |
$4000 vs $6,000 vs $5,000 EMTB Battle! Aventon Current ADV vs Trek Rail+ vs Levo Gen 4 Bosch vs Specialized vs Aventon Ultra X Motor — The Aventon is fast but is it a good mountain bike? |
Official cyclist thread (Page 23 of 26)
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