Introduction to biking sub-forum

[TiGeo]

Hey regulars of the bicycle sub-form. Long time member/poster, first time here/never really considered this one. I've been riding/racing mountainbikes since 1991. I worked in two different shops as a mechanic throughout the mid-90s while in college/grad school and retained a lot of that knowledge so quite good at troubleshooting/fixing bikes form basic stuff to rebuilding suspension components and building wheels. Went through a heavy dose of mtb racing in the '90s including two tours of the infamous 24 hours of Canaan in WV (the golden age...such great bikes/tech back then...most of which sucked haha), then graduating/work/kids so a bit of a break there during the 2000s, back on the bikes (adding road at this point for fitness) and racing mtbs/gravel and even cyclocross regularly; got started back on a 29er single speed to sort myself out. Did all of best/biggest epic rides and races of my life during that period. COVID caused bike-mania which killed the local trails here so took another break but back on it and have been riding again regularly. Follow me on Strava:

https://www.strava.com/athletes/741366

Didn't have any great pics of my current stable but here is what I have, cars in the pics as well because it's BITOG!

Also b/c BITOG, my current lube etc. choice is Squirt, Rock n' Roll Gold or the Extreme for winter, and Phil Woods grease.

2013 Specialized Roubaix (road) - 10 speed Ultegra, custom carbon aero wheels, S-Works carbon seatpost/handlebar (buddy's Ford F-150 Tremor...sweeeeet truck!)
2015 Specialized Crux (setup as a gravel/do-it-all) - Sram Force, custom carbon wheels, Easton carbon flared handlebar and S-Works vibration-damping seat post (on top of my legendary 2003 Passat W8 wagon)
2017 Niner RKT 9 RDO 9 (mountain) - Sram Eagle X01, Fox Factory suspension/dropper, carbon wheels (on the W8)

 

[TiGeo]

A few racing photos:

1997 24 Hours of Canaan WV. Schwinn Homegrown...man that was a great bike! 5 person team...4 dudes/1 chick. Epic!

Dominion River Rock, Richmond, VA. Specialized Stumpjumper HT, lightest mtb I ever had...22 on the dot.

Crit (no thanks haha):

Monstercross 50 mile gravel race in Pocahantas State Park, VA. Did this one every year for about 7 years including on a tandem!

Cyclocross madness:

Dominion River Rock in the rain so all urban/no trails, buddy in front and I podiumed in pro/expert:

 

[AZjeff]

Ha! We rode the first 24hrs (92?) with a 5 person team, my unsuspecting wife was the female. That race was just stupid, it rained, why did we have fun suffering?? (we're still married). We rented a room in the motel at the other end of town to get cleaned up in, I did a lap and got in just before dawn and was walking through Davis right up the center of the street and passed a hound dog walking the other way. Epic indeed. Wife was on a lap that would have crossed the finish line 10 minutes before 24 hours, we were out of contention and nobody wanted to ride another lap so we held her at the campsite until a minute after then packed up and went home. Did you race from town or had it moved to the ski resort?

 

[TiGeo]

Ha! We rode the first 24hrs (92?) with a 5 person team, my unsuspecting wife was the female. That race was just stupid, it rained, why did we have fun suffering?? (we're still married). We rented a room in the motel at the other end of town to get cleaned up in, I did a lap and got in just before dawn and was walking through Davis right up the center of the street and passed a hound dog walking the other way. Epic indeed. Wife was on a lap that would have crossed the finish line 10 minutes before 24 hours, we were out of contention and nobody wanted to ride another lap so we held her at the campsite until a minute after then packed up and went home. Did you race from town or had it moved to the ski resort?

Wow. First year was 94 or 5 I believe? I had a girl I rode with that did it that year....MUUUDDDDD!

We rented a house at the resort so were right there. I did it 96 and 97. I have lots of pics. Amazing time.

 

[TiGeo]

Ha! We rode the first 24hrs (92?) with a 5 person team, my unsuspecting wife was the female. That race was just stupid, it rained, why did we have fun suffering?? (we're still married). We rented a room in the motel at the other end of town to get cleaned up in, I did a lap and got in just before dawn and was walking through Davis right up the center of the street and passed a hound dog walking the other way. Epic indeed. Wife was on a lap that would have crossed the finish line 10 minutes before 24 hours, we were out of contention and nobody wanted to ride another lap so we held her at the campsite until a minute after then packed up and went home. Did you race from town or had it moved to the ski resort?

I remember the long climb at night....got someone in my light...a girl on the side of the fire road crying...misery! So many great stories. John Stampsted passing by me...OG solo guy! Team Hugeass from Harrisonburg on the fixies and coming down to the finish naked. Wore the same shorts passed to the next rider for the whole race. Drunk dudes that drug a couch back into the woods on the trail and seeing that in your headlight!

 

[AZjeff]

The first few years the course was in the woods literally just out of Davis on some of the famous Blackwater 100 motorcycle course. Maybe we rode the last year of the old course before it was moved to the ski area. You didn't get to ride on the famous Moon Rocks section? How did we ride those bikes with the 140mm flat stem and 22 inch bars and 80mm travel?

 

[TiGeo]

The first few years the course was in the woods literally just out of Davis on some of the famous Blackwater 100 motorcycle course. Maybe we rode the last year of the old course before it was moved to the ski area. You didn't get to ride on the famous Moon Rocks section? How did we ride those bikes with the 140mm flat stem and 22 inch bars and 80mm travel?

I'm not familiar with that but sounds fun! Moon rocks...where was that? Agreed on the bikes...80mm? How about 63 haha. Canti brakes first year on a full suspension Specialized Stumphumper FSR (first year of that bike was '95). The pic on my Homegrown at least I had V brakes! Super narrow bars and bar ends.

 

[TiGeo]

1996 Team Roadkill with Gravy. Number in her mouth/beast mode coming into transition. Told that dude to move over!

1996 me on Specy FSR over/under at start/finish.

LeMans start!

 

[AZjeff]

No race pics handy but here's my 96 Stumpjumper in current state. Bought new, it's had many iterations.

Remember these Avid Arch Rival 50 brakes that were their answer to Shimano's linkage XT brakes?

2000 Litespeed Pisgah in near original XT build. Short tall stem and Avid BB5 mechanical brakes (Replaced the Magura Louise discs)

Love all the SILVER!! Still ride both.

Here is the Moon Rocks: 39°08'59.2"N 79°24'30.8"W It was a rock formation that the strata was tilted 90 deg or whatever and eroded so it was like riding across giant corduroy rock cloth sometimes riding with the ridges sometimes riding across.

 

[picklyrickly1073]

Highly suggest Silca Synergetic if you’re using Gold. I use Synergetic on the MTB and their Super Secret Drip wax on the road

I’d consider MTB racing but my FUEL EX is not exactly a race bike, and after I got wrecked in a crit have no desire to go back

 

[TiGeo]

Highly suggest Silca Synergetic if you’re using Gold. I use Synergetic on the MTB and their Super Secret Drip wax on the road

I’d consider MTB racing but my FUEL EX is not exactly a race bike, and after I got wrecked in a crit have no desire to go back

Not heard of it, will check it out. Really like Squirt and had good results with Dumonde Tech.

 

[wavinwayne]

Here's me A LONG TIME AGO at the 24 hours of Conyers.

 

[TiGeo]

Here's me A LONG TIME AGO at the 24 hours of Conyers.

View attachment 217912

Narrow bars!

 

[wavinwayne]

Narrow bars!

They didn't feel that narrow, but they do look it in the picture. I've still got them in a box somewhere. Swapped them for a carbon fiber bar.

 

[picklyrickly1073]

Def closer to my 36cm road than my 75cm MTB haha

 

[TiGeo]

Here's narrow!

 

[vavavroom]

I misread the header as Introduction of the bikini sub-forum! I vacillated between feelings of horror and curiosity until I realized my mistake.

 

[picklyrickly1073]

The stuff we wear isn't far off...

 

[D60]

Here's narrow!

View attachment 217918

18" Hyperlites were all the rage in the '90s

Now we've gone to the other extreme and I think modern bars are at least a few inches too wide. Not sure I can get behind the whole "push-up" standard.

HOWEVER, on my new Trance I finally figured out why we need stupid wide bars: it allows one to hold a line climbing with today's slack head tube angles. It suddenly hit me like a literal epiphany the other day! But I still don't like tagging the ends of my grips on trees on tight descents.....

 

[853okg]

Not heard of it, will check it out. Really like Squirt and had good results with Dumonde Tech.

Dumonde Tech is the business. I say use what you like but I find waxing for the birds, and the performance isn’t as good, IMO. I say this as someone who can use whatever I want, for free, and who fixes bikes for a living every day. I’ll use whatever you want to pay for, and respect your choice regardless. Some people put ketchup on hot dogs. Who am I to say they’re wrong?