Monday, May 8, 2017

2017 bicycle events that I might show up to!

All my reading last night got me a few event listings and series websites.

general 2017 Twin Cities events:
http://mnbiketrailnavigator.blogspot.com/2016/10/2017-minnesota-bike-tours-rides-races.html

MN Mountain Bike Series
http://www.mnmtbseries.com/page/show/4819-home

Lake Superior Gravity Series
http://www.lsgs.bike/

Dirt Cup Mountain Bike Sprints @ Three Rivers Parks

https://web2.vermontsystems.com/wbwsc/mnthreeriverswt.wsc/search.html?module=AR&type=OUTDOORRECREATION&subtype=MOUNTAINBIKING

Thats all i've got for now.

Cheers,
Gabe

Sunday, May 7, 2017

recouped and back in the saddle!

well, nearly a month later and I am back to the blog as well as the bike! Not too shabby.

First off I just saw this beauty and I want one so bad! Not that it is at all useful but it is awesome.
https://www.dakine.com/bags/bags-accessories/party-collection/party-bucket.html
Other than that it has been a rather Trialsy month. Bryan and myself got out twice or three times. I got the Norco Evolve back in riding shape, only to mess up one of the pedals, but we will get to that.

Riding with Bryan and Zac was awesome as they worked with me to develop my "climbing" skill and I now feel closer to getting up faces. We also did a bunch of side drops and wheelie drops as well so I feel like this summer might be the summer I make some serious inroads on the Trials skillset.

A few pictures here.

Yesterday I also got the Trek back out and met up with a few guys from work and rode Elm Creek singletrack for the first time this season. The advanced section, aka Grizzland, has a few more dirt-jump style lines in the works, which would be cool if I was confident on them! Parry, a coworker, is quite the wild one so I made him hit all the drops and jumps that I'm not comfortable on. Good fun.

Unfortunately the Enduro saga continues. I ended up running Jagwire replacement hoses on both the M985 Shimano XT brakes and I gained very little at the rear caliper. So I purchased a euro orientation brand new Shimano XT brake from Chain reaction Cycles in the UK, along with some trials parts, and installed that.
Unfortunately that rear brake feels nearly THE SAME! total squish, no grip till the very end of the stroke. Cannot lock up the rear wheel on asphalt.I plan to take the bike out for a ride with this brake before I throw it all away. :)

Because of that I have not had the enduro out for a proper ride at all yet! I still have to try out the spring fork and these brakes to know if it is worth even taking to Spirit Mountain. Very disappointing.

As I mentioned earlier I have put quite a few parts into the Norco Evolve to get a ride-able "urban" trials bike. In the last month or so I have bought:
-a nearly new front wheel.
-a new set of Try-All crank arms
-a new Neon HD bashring
-a new set of RaceFace Chester pedals
Lots of effort going into this thing but I really like it so I feel like that is okay.

Sorry for a lot of text with few pictures. I still have not mastered this blogging thing after all these years. :) I also have not done any youtube videos either which makes me sad. but tomorrow is monday so I have little to worry about for another week :/

Oh, and I am considering buying a brand new road bike.
-G