WrightwoodCalif.com Forum
Public Forums => Outdoors => Topic started by: SteelCommuter on Aug 25, 04, 06:51:53 PM
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I know you exist! I see some of you on my daily rides. Sometimes, a chance encounter on the trails. But I know very very few of you, fellow cyclists. Who on the forum has a beloved two-wheeled steed? What traills are your favorites? What kind of bike(s) do you have? Any single speeders out there, or even more impressive in Wrightwood, any fixies riding about? Cyclocrossers? Randonneurs? Steel? Anyone commute to work on bike?
So far, the only other cyclists I know are the neighbors' kids who come by for help on their flats. Plenty of people riding around on softtails, although that's a bit of overkill for most of the riding around here. I infrequently see roadies huffin' and puffin' with their double cranks on the 2.
Anyway, I'm hoping to see a roll call of the cyclist ranks in Wrightwood, and maybe people will see fit to testify their passion for whatever particular flavor of riding, trail, and/or bike that has their fancy.
My wife rides a Gunnar Crosshairs, a yellow cyclocross bike. Most people probably think it's a road bike when she rolls through town, but it is designed so you can throw some fat knobbies on it and ride it on any trail around here. She also has a hardtail mtn bike, a Fisher Paragon that is seeing marginal duty as of late.
We occasionally take turns riding a Jamis Exile with an xtracycle attached (xtracycle.com).
I have a mid-80s blue Centurion that I'll cruise on every once and a while, but I spend most of my time on a Rivendell Atlantis. I sold my mtn bike, so any trail riding I do is on the Atlantis. I'll eventually get a vintage mtn bike, but not now.
I always liked riding the fire roads between Grassy Hollow and Jackson Lake, the Blue Ridge trail, and went on the Manzanita once. I'd like to broaden my horizons for trails, though. Any suggestions?
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Hmmm, I think I know who you are, unless there's someone else in town with a Rivendell Atlantis! :)
You'll see me out on my road bike, but I'm not huffing and puffing because I have triple instead of double cranks.
As for my mountain bike, I've ridden those trails (except Manzanita) so I'd also be interested in hearing about any other trails in the area.
I'm tired after a just coming home from a business trip so that's all for now.
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I guess I should respond in some way, even though I seem to already be spoken for. I am the wife who rides the yellow bike. I love riding around here! The hills are awesome, especially on slick tires. And I too agree that there are lots of riders around here, maybe they just don't participate in the forums? What a shame, I'd like to see some representation. Anyway, it's true my paragon has not seen much dirt lately, I am really loving my cyclocross right now. But I think I hear blue ridge calling my name this weekend. 8)
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Carbon for the road, Aluminum Mtn bike, steel vintage tandem. Would love a cyclocross bike, I think it would make the perfect WW bike. I mostly ride my Mtn bike in town, but I'm getting some wheels set up witha 27 for my road bike (double), and should be on that by next week.
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And I too agree that there are lots of riders around here, maybe they just don't participate in the forums?
Most of the other riders I bump into are from down the hill, usually from Rancho Cucamonga. I've also met someone from Lytle Creek. Maybe my view is somewhat slanted since I'm a weekender and I'm seeing the ones that come up for the day?
I have seen a mountain bike rider who lives out on Desert Front Rd. I don't know if he's on the forum.
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I've got a vintage "77" Big Wheel with the blue handle power brake on the right side. Just recently put a few rubber washers between the blue plastic pedals and the pedal bolt, in hopes to avoid those nasty pinches on the summertime bare feet.
;D
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Hmmm, I think I know who you are, unless there's someone else in town with a Rivendell Atlantis! :)
I'm the only one, as far as I know :) . Maybe the next time you're up we can go on the Manzanita trail. It's been a while since I rode it, so I don't know if anything has changed, but it used to be the best trail within riding distance.
I think I know the guy on Desert Front; is he in his fifites?
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Carbon for the road, Aluminum Mtn bike, steel vintage tandem. Would love a cyclocross bike, I think it would make the perfect WW bike. I mostly ride my Mtn bike in town, but I'm getting some wheels set up witha 27 for my road bike (double), and should be on that by next week.
'Cross bikes do make a lot of sense up here; after all, many have clearance for fatter tires, allowing the use of studded snow tires. I have been thinking about ordering a pair for this winter. Also, cross bikes can tackle all the jeep and fire roads around here, and are tons of fun riding back to WW on the 2 from Inspiration Point. After a rain or when the snow is melting in the spring, though, fenders are a must for fast descents.
Is that 27 referring to the tire (27mm) or the cassette's big cog?
What kind of vintage tandem do you have? I bought a neglected Schwinn twin deluxe I've been meaning to restore at some point, when I have have the time/money/inclination to find the necessary parts. I probably will end up selling it to a friend who loves to do that sort of thing.
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i ride a couple of single speeds,a redline mono cog and santa cruz chameleon. both run 32/16 gears, and are set up for dirt. i haven't ridden too many trails around here. i hav ridden blue ridge trail and some dirt roads. also a couple of trails i don't know the name of.
i just moved up here in nov. and have been mostly working on my house, so i haven't had much extra time. mostly i just do short rides around town and to run errands. i can hardly wait 'till i have more time and can get back into it.
CARS-R-COFFINS
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I'm a fairly avid bike rider, i prefer riding around town but sometimes i'll go out on one of the trails. I usually take about a 30-60min ride every night around town. I have a red bike(dont know the exact brand, just some old thing from target) with silver headlight/taillight and a black rack on the back. There actually does't seem to be too many bike riders in this town, in the 3 weeks i've lived here i've seen mostly people running/walking.
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i ride a couple of single speeds,a redline mono cog and santa cruz chameleon. both run 32/16 gears, and are set up for dirt. i haven't ridden too many trails around here. i hav ridden blue ridge trail and some dirt roads. also a couple of trails i don't know the name of.
i just moved up here in nov. and have been mostly working on my house, so i haven't had much extra time. mostly i just do short rides around town and to run errands. i can hardly wait 'till i have more time and can get back into it.
CARS-R-COFFINS
How does that set-up work up here for the single speed? I've dreamed of setting up a ss or fixie, but I thought it might be frustrating in WW.
I'm working on my house, too. I use the trailer or the xtracycle sometimes to haul things from the hardware store or nursery. Pulling five bags of steer manure up some of the roads was quite a challenge!
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the 27 I referred to is a 27 tooth cog. My tandem is a twenty year old Santana. I just got done working on it for the evening it should be ready to ride by this weekend. I got a new mtn bike late last year, and would love to ride it more, I need to find someplace where I won't crash every time out. And I do mean EVERY time. Being clipped in off road is new to me.
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Yeah, the guy on Desert Front could be in his fifties, so we're probably thinking of the same guy.
I keep my touring bike (has drop road bars but mountain biking gearing and brakes) up in WW. I would use that for a cross bike, but the wheels are the older 27" instead of 700c, so knobbies (and snow tires) aren't available. But even with the touring tires it can still handle the fire roads, although I'll use my mountain bike for the tougher stuff. I got a pair of studded tires for my mountain bike
I scored a mountain bike tandem on Ebay recently for about half of MSRP. It's a blue 1996 KHS tandem that doesn't have many miles on it. It needs a little work before it's trail worthy, though.
I use a front brake on my fixie. But I'd hurt my knees if I tried to ride that or a singlespeed up in WW! So that bike stays down in the flatlands.
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Yeah, the guy on Desert Front could be in his fifties, so we're probably thinking of the same guy.
I keep my touring bike (has drop road bars but mountain biking gearing and brakes) up in WW. I would use that for a cross bike, but the wheels are the older 27" instead of 700c, so knobbies (and snow tires) aren't available. But even with the touring tires it can still handle the fire roads, although I'll use my mountain bike for the tougher stuff. I got a pair of studded tires for my mountain bike
There are 27 incher cross tires.
http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tires/630.html
Let me know if you get some.
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There are 27 incher cross tires.
http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tires/630.html
Let me know if you get some.
Ah, thanks for the info. I've been to the shop before, and although it is small, they are well-stocked with hard to find parts. I will be in Boston in mid-October and will probably pick up a few 27" cross tires there.
As for a 27" studded tire ... I will have to make my own:
http://users.rcn.com/icebike/Equipment/tires.htm
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By the way, a couple of questions:
1. When do they close Blue Ridge Road to traffic?
2. When's hunting season?
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By the way, a couple of questions:
1. When do they close Blue Ridge Road to traffic?
2. When's hunting season?
1) Generally when Mountain High opens. High fire risk this year could force ANF to close it earlier.
2) Archery hunting season for bear is currently open.
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"The guy in his fifties from Desert Front Rd." is probably my neighbor "Fuzzy". He will be thrilled with being thought of as 50ish.
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Well, I thought he might have been late 50s / early 60s, but wasn't going to say anything! :) The guy I'm thinking of has a mustache.
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When's hunting season?
Rifle hunting season for bear & deer opens the 2nd Saturday in October, for this area. (Oct 9, 2004)
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I've met the guy on Desert Front road too, he's really cool, he is always smiling! I can't believe you guys are talking about hunting. I suppose it would be best to go downhill during the season, that way they wouldn't mistake somebody going 20 miles an hour for a bear, how often do bear run at full speed? Perhaps we should wear orange and make human noises as we ride?
Anyway, enough about that. I want to know if there are women on this forum who ride. I've seen them out there. My neighbor and I often ride together, so that makes at least two. If there are women on the forum who ride, what and where do you ride? It would be cool to organize group rides if anyone out there is interested.
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I've met the guy on Desert Front road too, he's really cool, he is always smiling! I can't believe you guys are talking about hunting. I suppose it would be best to go downhill during the season, that way they wouldn't mistake somebody going 20 miles an hour for a bear, how often do bear run at full speed? Perhaps we should wear orange and make human noises as we ride?
Anyway, enough about that. I want to know if there are women on this forum who ride. I've seen them out there. My neighbor and I often ride together, so that makes at least two. If there are women on the forum who ride, what and where do you ride? It would be cool to organize group rides if anyone out there is interested.
i'd be interested in riding with the women! ;D
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Some of the other areas I've been thinking of exploring on the mountain bike are:
1. 4N04 and 4N57 past Table Mountain campground
2. 4N21 off Table Mountain Road, past JPL Observatory
3. Manzanita Trail from Vincent Gap, returning via 4N11
4. Closed part of Highway 39
5. 3N31 and 3N29 between Lone Pine Canyon and Lytle Creek.
I found these on my "Angeles High Country Trail Map", by Tom Harrison Maps, www.tomharrisonmaps.com
Before the weekend I picked up the mountain bike tandem from the bike shop. My wife and I drove it up to the end of Blue Ridge Road (at Guffy campground) and then rode the rest of the road to the end, near Wright Mountain, and back. We weren't going to take it down the Acorn Trail! After the weekend I'll try to post pictures of the tandem (not enough bandwidth through my cell phone).
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As promised, here is a photo of the new (to me) mountain bike tandem:
(http://www.briandesousa.com/bicycling/tech/images/mybike/mtbtandem.jpg)
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As promised, here is a photo of the new (to me) mountain bike tandem:
Brian,
Looks the captain is going to be leaning very far forward to reach the bars the way it's set up right now...Are you going to keep it that way?
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A few months ago, I sold my hardtail, my onl,y mountain bike. My wife is thinking about racing, and wants to ride more singletrack and technical trails, so I wanted to get another hardtail. Crusing internet classifieds, I was able to find a used one. My new (to me) Gunnar Rock Hound will be shipped this coming week to me. It's more than I could ever have asked for. It's a US-made frame, TIG-welded at the old Schwinn Paramount factory now operated by Waterford Precision Cycles. I bought it from an REI mechanic in Boulder, CO for what surely is wholesale. He's also iincluding as part of the purchase some Nitto moustache bars and aero brake levers.
When I have it, I'll try to post some pictures. This is the second used bike I have bought, and both were previously owned by bike mechanics. Both were Gunnar bikes (the first has been officially my wfe's cross bike for a while) and both were purchased at an amazing price. I think it really pays to buy used when you're dealing with a steel frame, and mechanics give the best deals since they can get everything at wholesale, and they certainly take care of their bikes.
I suggest that if anyone ever is trying to sell a bike in WW, or find a good one in the area, to use this thread to discuss it and ask questions. There are no shops in the vicinity, and I can imagine that might be frustrating to WW cyclists.
I don't know of any decent shops with used bikes around LA (I'm sure there are, I just don't know them) but Ye Olde Bicycle Shoppe and its partner store Pedal Pushing in San Diego are excellent. They have high quality used inventory and hard to find older parts. I recently went down there and traded in two beater bikes for a 1978 Holdsworth Professional, a British racing frame (Reynolds 531) used in the TdF. It's all Campagnolo parts, runs like a dream, and the asking price was $350. Of course, the owner is more than willing to do trades (as long as the offered trade is desirable). It's a nice place to visit if you are a bike nerd.
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Looks the captain is going to be leaning very far forward to reach the bars the way it's set up right now...Are you going to keep it that way?
It's not as far forward as it looks because the photo has the front wheel lower than the back wheel. The bars are actually slightly closer than on my regular mountain bike. I did have to change the stock flat bars to ones that have a 2" rise in order to get them up a little higher.
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I suggest that if anyone ever is trying to sell a bike in WW, or find a good one in the area, to use this thread to discuss it and ask questions.
Speaking of which, I have a bike (and a lot of parts for sale) at the link below.
http://www.mbcdesign.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=420&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=
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Speaking of which, I have a bike (and a lot of parts for sale) at the link below.
http://www.mbcdesign.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=420&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=
Brian, I'm a bit interested in the bottom bracket. You say it hasn't been used?
Also, maybe the lighting equipment and the mountain shifters, perhaps the cassette. I have an old lugged Schwinn mountain bike frame I've been thinking about building up as a 7 or 8 speed. I don't have the cash for this right now, but I might sell something. If I do, I wouldn't mind building it up with you...it would be fun. I wanted to have a fully rigid trekking bike; I already have cranks (sans chainrings), and a few other things. If you do sell this stuff, I would still be interested in having your input eventually on this.
You coming up anytime?
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Keep in mind that the bottom bracket is Italian threaded ... your Schwinn is probably English threaded.
I also have some eight speed cassettes and chains that I didn't put up for sale yet, since I'm building up another bike for someone. I'm sure I'll have some eight speed stuff left over when I'm done. I also have some flat mountain bars, stems, chainrings, and seatposts which I can part with.
I'm busy next weekend, but maybe the weekend after that I'll bring all my spare parts up with me and we can have a bike building party. :)
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Thought I should post some info about biking in the winter. Most people simply stop biking once the temps hit the fifties and below, which is a shame, because winter is a great time for riding.
I'm not the expert on this subject, but I have some suggestions for sub-forties and thirties riding.
1. Have tires appropriate for the conditions. If the roads are clear of snow and ice, your normal tires should do. But if ice is on the road, riding can become very sketchy. During the day in WW, often it's slushy so fenders may be the more immediate consideration. But a day or two after a snow black ice can blanket the streets (especially at night) and the only real precaution there is against a nasty fall are studded tires. Yes, they make studded bicycle tires. Nokian makes studded tires for both road and off-road purposes. This guy sells some: http://peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp
Here is a pic of the off road ones:
(http://peterwhitecycles.com/images/products/tires/wxc300.jpg)
When there is just snow on the ground, and ice hasn't formed yet, a skinny road bike tire cuts through very well. I've ridden on knobby fat tires, too, in the snow. If you get the off-road studded tires, it is entirely possible to ride the trails you go on in the summer.
2. Clothes are an equally important issue for winter riding. I've found that protecting your hands, feet, neck, and head from the cold and wind is key. Usually, I generate enough warmth around my torso and legs that a shirt, light sweater, windproof shell, and a pair of thermals under my pants are enough for most of my body. My hands, on the other hand, get very cold unless I wear a thick (and preferably) windproof pair of gloves. This is extremely important, and you will not like your ride if you wear thin or no gloves. For me head, I wear a beanie, and I try to cover my neck with the collar of a jacket or sweater. A neck warmer would be a good idea, I just don't have one.
One idea I had this winter was to buy wool sweaters and long sleeve shirts from thrift stores for my rides. It's very cheap, the wool is warm and doesn't get stinky like the plastics so fashionable right now, and you're recycling. I wear one sweater over and over, it thermostats so nicely I never feel cold or sweaty.
For a significant ride, longer than five miles or so, avoid using cotton, because when you sweat, it will become very very cold on your skin. Goes without saying for hikers, but applies even more so to cyclists, who encounter chilly winds on every winter ride.
3. Don't go too fast when the roads are even a bit icy. I fell last week, no injuries except to my ego, but w/o the studded tires the ice is just too treacherous to play around with.
4. Go ride! Riding in Wrightwood with snow around and the crisp cold air is fantastic. And you will never get stuck, because you can pick up your bike and move it. I don't know about everyone else, but I can't pick up my car.
Here's another picture I found on the icebike.com site. It's in the photo contest, and it nicely illustrates how, with the proper equipment, cycling is definitely a winter time activity.
(http://icebike.com/Gallery97/w0017.jpg)
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I find it funny that most of my friends - who think nothing of strapping a board or skis to their feet and freezing their tail off in the wind on the chair lift - think that any temperature below 65 degrees is too cold for riding!
I use the same clothing for winter riding and cross country skiing. Only major difference for cycling is that you need something over your shoes to keep your feet warm, as cycling shoes are designed for warmer conditions. Also, I carry one of those really thin balaclavas in case it gets cold or windy, it's thin enough to fit under the helmet.
While riding you're generating enough heat so that you can get away with less clothing than you would normally need if you were standing still. Therefore, I carry one extra layer in case I get a flat or have to stop for some other reason.
Coldest temperatures I've ever biked in were in the low 20s when I was back east in the fall. No snowstorms had come through, so I didn't have to deal with snow and ice issue. This week it even got in the low 30s down the hill, that didn't stop me.
I got those same studded tires as a birthday gift, so I need to try them out soon! :)
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Something else to be on the look out for!!!
::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)
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I find it funny that most of my friends - who think nothing of strapping a board or skis to their feet and freezing their tail off in the wind on the chair lift - think that any temperature below 65 degrees is too cold for riding!
I use the same clothing for winter riding and cross country skiing. Only major difference for cycling is that you need something over your shoes to keep your feet warm, as cycling shoes are designed for warmer conditions. Also, I carry one of those really thin balaclavas in case it gets cold or windy, it's thin enough to fit under the helmet.
While riding you're generating enough heat so that you can get away with less clothing than you would normally need if you were standing still. Therefore, I carry one extra layer in case I get a flat or have to stop for some other reason.
Coldest temperatures I've ever biked in were in the low 20s when I was back east in the fall. No snowstorms had come through, so I didn't have to deal with snow and ice issue. This week it even got in the low 30s down the hill, that didn't stop me.
I got those same studded tires as a birthday gift, so I need to try them out soon! :)
I would love to see them, Brian. You have to come up some time.
Dave
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(http://peterwhitecycles.com/images/products/tires/wxc300.jpg)
97bucks each :o
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97bucks each :o
That really isn't that much. Look how much people will dish out for ski and snowboard equipment, lift tickets, special technical clothing and gear, all of which is frequently replaced as the gear wears out or the person advances in skill. For $170-$194, you can get these and use them several seasons, and there are no special fees (unless you drive and then must have the $25 Adventure Pass). If bicycling is one of your priorities--instead of more expensive hobbies--a two hundred dollar purchase is quite reasonable to be able to go off road in the winter. I don't know how you built up your SC Chameleon, Ezzpete, but if you got a decent fork for it and a good component group, maybe a $100 Chris King headset, really the tires--definitely a component that affects the ride quality far more than most other components, except the saddle and handlebar--are a good investment. Why put a $600-$700 fork on (not that I would) and ride inappropriate tires for a whole season, or not ride at all?
Not riding, of course, being bad bad bad. :)
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97bucks each :o
That really isn't that much. Look how much people will dish out for ski and snowboard equipment, lift tickets, special technical clothing and gear, all of which is frequently replaced as the gear wears out or the person advances in skill. For $170-$194, you can get these and use them several seasons, and there are no special fees (unless you drive and then must have the $25 Adventure Pass). If bicycling is one of your priorities--instead of more expensive hobbies--a two hundred dollar purchase is quite reasonable to be able to go off road in the winter. I don't know how you built up your SC Chameleon, Ezzpete, but if you got a decent fork for it and a good component group, maybe a $100 Chris King headset, really the tires--definitely a component that affects the ride quality far more than most other components, except the saddle and handlebar--are a good investment. Why put a $600-$700 fork on (not that I would) and ride inappropriate tires for a whole season, or not ride at all?
Not riding, of course, being bad bad bad. :)
good points, and i agree, but i whine about the price of everything. knowing those tires probably cost about 5 bucks to make in some 3rd world country doesn't help either.
i've spent lots of $$ on bike parts i needed, or didn't.the major parts i needed for my Chameleon came off of a near new KHS FXT Pro that i didn't like, after paying 15 hundred bucks for it (frame for sale).
last year after moving here, i posted a question on one of the bike forums. i was asking what others wear in cold weather, adding that it was about 25deg. here. some people responded by telling me how lucky i was to have it so warm!
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Actually, I take my original statement back. I don't have the $97 tire, I have the $50 version with the fewer studs ... but probably still good enough.
Looks like I'll be up this coming weekend - but I will have to spend some time to get the $*%#@&# snowblower down the hill for repairs. Maybe we could go riding the fire roads by Blue Ridge or Jackson Lake with the new tires?
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has anyone ridden on any of the dirt roads around Mormon Rocks? to the south of 138 there is one that looks like it goes somewhat along the RR tracks.
one day during the heavy rains i was in the 15 and there was an awesome looking waterfall up there.it looks like the dirt road goes near there.
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Actually, I take my original statement back. I don't have the $97 tire, I have the $50 version with the fewer studs ... but probably still good enough.
Looks like I'll be up this coming weekend - but I will have to spend some time to get the $*%#@&# snowblower down the hill for repairs. Maybe we could go riding the fire roads by Blue Ridge or Jackson Lake with the new tires?
I'm up for a ride, but I don't have studded tires yet.
I'm about to take the dog out for his run and my ride up at Table Mtn, I think. I'll look at the conditions of those trails while I'm out.
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has anyone ridden on any of the dirt roads around Mormon Rocks? to the south of 138 there is one that looks like it goes somewhat along the RR tracks.
one day during the heavy rains i was in the 15 and there was an awesome looking waterfall up there.it looks like the dirt road goes near there.
I haven't tried anything there before. It might be worth a shot.
Ezzpete, there are other studded tires out there, including some $30-$40 models by Nashbar and Schwalbe.
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During the Runway Fire I drove my truck back in that area and it's definitely an interesting place. Looking over the topo map it does indicate that much of that area is a private road and/or belongs to the railroad. Check it out close so you don't end up with someone chasing you with a shotgun ::)
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SteelCommuter,
Just like going in the ocean or other potentially dangerous place it is always a good idea to go in two's (or more). Taking a cell phone would be very important also.
I would hate to think of someone falling on ice/snow with no help around.
Since ice is so hard, Helmets are a must!!!
I think of you as a son!
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BTW, if anyone is in the bike market, I've been doing some looking around and I've seen a lot of good deals for mtn bikes, touring bikes, road and tandems that I simply cannot take advantage of. I'd be glad to let people know about them, if interested.
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been on my indoor trainer, missing the outdoor rides. I know, bundle up, but I think I'll at least wait until the sun comes out.
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Hey, do you guys have any bike dealership reccomendations? I'm in the market for a MTB right now, and Sport Chalet just isn't cutting it :-[
So any suggestions would be great !
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Don's Bikes in Rialto. Tell them you are from Wrightwood. They've got some good customers up here.
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The Victor Valley Bicycle Club website has been updated and has a new address:
http://www.vvbc.us/
There's some information on a couple of bike shops in the Victorville area.
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I have been unimpressed with Victorville bike shops so far. But most bike shops leave me cold.
I walked into an Orange County shop once, I believe it was Switchback Cyclery. They seemed to be friendly, and knowledgeable. But the general problem is that every kind of yahoo may be working at a bike shop, and often gives you inappropriate advice, tries to sell you on the newest, baddest gear, and is interested only a teeny bit in hearing what you will be doing with the bike. Brian, if I'm being too harsh, go ahead and say so, but I wouldn't be surprised if you agree.
If I was going to look for the Standard TM aluminum hardtail with Deore or LX parts, then most places have this. REI is not a bad place to go to, but if you want to patronize a small shop I hear the Path and Switchback in OC are good shops. You can check out reviews and directions to shops on mybikesite.com in the So Cal section. There is one shop in Pasadena I want to visit some time, because the guy appeared to have some very good New Old Stock frames that he could build up for a decent price.
There are a few things I'd look for. A bike, especially a mtn bike, needs to be comfortable, but many shop guys will try to put you on a bike too small for you. I remember I bought my first bike from Sport Chalet (they still source Marin bikes, which are good bikes, but I would never buy from them now) and the employee tried to put me on a 19" frame, and my friend with me thought I should get it. But I tried the 21" (which had plenty of standover clearance) and it felt better, much better. The employee, who later became a roommate, oddly enough, couldn't imagine anyone but a giant riding it. I now know that he was operating on received opinions, mostly from people who race full-time, and hadn't been properly trained. Well, I bought the 21" bike and rode the hell out of it in Wrightwood, everyday, for a whole summer on any trail I could find, including the ski slopes. I used it for years at a campus bike, and now my brother rides it everyday everywhere. I know many people who buy a mtn bike a size too small, and ride it for a while and that's it. They feel squeezed, and uncomfortable, but they don't know why. So it gets abandoned, sold, and handed down to someone else.
The second thing that matters to me is the parts and how to maintain them. I've had every kind of brake out there, and despite some great rides with disc brakes (in Moab, among others) I think they're a pain to adjust and unnecessary. I prefer brakes that are easy to set up and inexpensive to maintain, like cantilevers and v-brakes. I prefer a 8 speed cassette because of the thicker chain and better shifting IMO (although 9 can be set up very well, I know). The handlebar is overlooked by most customers, but different handlebars make such a huge difference. Most mtn bikes sold today have suspension forks, and I'd prefer a heavier, maintenance-free fork versus some light wunderkind that has a zillion parts to maintain.
There's a ton of other long-term considerations, but the standard, aluminum hardtail is pretty much built in the same factory in Taiwan, sometimes with minor differences, and sold with different brand names in almost every shop with mtn bikes.
BTW: My wife has a Jamis Exile, normally $900 but Performance regularly discounts it to $500 around now, and it is a screaming good deal. It is well thought out.
IF you're doing your research, Dirtragmag.com has the best reviews of bikes for a magazine, and I like the user reviews on mtbr.com
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Hatebiscuit,
I don't know what size you are or anything, but I have a few bikes you could try to see what you're interested in. It wouldn't be a big deal.
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anybody been on their mtn bike in WW lately? I've been strictly on the road and I'm hoping for some mtn bike time soon. How are the trails?
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No, not me, I've been fighting this same cold for about six weeks!
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What's up with the proposed $7 fee on every new bicycle sold.
I have issues with this pending legislation. The recycling laws are starting to get out of hand. What recycling laws will come next?
How about putting the effort towards education?
February 25, 2005
SACRAMENTO ? A $7 fee would be charged on every new bicycle sold in California to promote a statewide recycling program, under recently introduced legislation.
Buyers would receive $3 back when they turned their bikes in to a certified recycler or community group that refurbishes or reuses the popular mode of transportation.
"Our landfills are jammed. Why not recycle parts of bicycles?" said Assemblywoman Betty Karnette, D-Long Beach, who is carrying the measure, AB 1103. "We can put bikes together and sell them cheaply or give them to people who can't afford bikes."
For years, California has charged a deposit on cans and bottles to fund recycling programs. More recently, the state has started collecting $6 to $10 on every new television and computer monitor sold to offset disposal costs.
But the new legislation has sparked a debate in the bicycling community over whether the fee would lead to more users by providing affordable bikes or if higher prices would hurt independent dealers who actively promote cycling through rides and education.
In Oakland, the nonprofit group Cycles of Change works with schools to offer bicycle safety and maintenance programs for 800 students. Those who complete the course can take home a bike.
"It would be very helpful," said Maya Carson, the program's co-director. "It would mean we could continue in the future and keep up with demand."
Demand also is booming at an innovative bicycle lending program in Arcata, home to Humboldt State University. Residents check out bicycles much like books. For a refundable $20 deposit, they can use the bikes for six months.
"It's a simple way to get people to use bicycles," said Bill Burton, who oversees the Arcata Library Bike project.
But not all bicycling enthusiasts embrace the idea of paying $7 more when they are ready for a new one.
"Anytime you add a fee to a new product, it's almost like an additional tax. Taxes for consumers are unfriendly, to say the least," said Brian Cox, vice president of Jax Bicycle Center, a five-store chain in Southern California.
Cox said there may be better alternatives that the biking community could explore with Karnette since her goals ? reducing landfill waste, encouraging more riders and helping those who can't afford a new bike ? are laudable.
Justin Fanslau, a lobbyist for the California Bicycle Coalition, said cyclists and retailers would be more interested in participating in voluntary recycling and reuse programs.
"I would imagine folks who purchase bikes in their own community, if given the option, would want to benefit their community," Fanslau said.
Fred Clements, executive director of a Costa Mesa-based national coalition of specialty bicycle dealers, fears higher fees would drive away business.
"A $7 charge would be difficult for them to handle," he said. "There's not a lot of profit. It's a business of passion."
Clements said lawmakers could find better targets for a redemption program.
"There are things thrown away that seem to be more onerous than bicycles," he said. "Bicycle riding should be encouraged, not discouraged."
Californians buy between 3 million and 4 million bicycles a year. Most pay under $100 at discount department stores, according to industry figures.
California landfills take in an estimated 250,000 bicycles a year, Karnette said.
"We're going to have to do something," she said. "This is a beginning."
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bicycles range in price from $35 to Thousands of dollars each. From what I've seen, bicycles are not the problem at landfills. There's a lot of stuff filling up the dumps. I don't think I've ever seen a bicycle there. I'm sure they are there, but its much more common to see wheels, shelving, lamps, broken toys, furnitutre, etc.... Isn't that what dump fees are for?
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What's up with the proposed $7 fee on every new bicycle sold.
I have issues with this pending legislation. The recycling laws are starting getting out of hand. What recycling laws will come next?
How about putting the effort towards education?
I couldn't agree more.
If a used bike is truly in good enough condition to reuse, then someone will sell it at a garage sale or donate it. Otherwise it is probably in bad enough condition, and it really does belong in a landfill.
I also fail to see the connection between charging a fee on new bikes and the recycling of old ones. But then I looked at the bill and found out that they're using the fee on new bikes to cover the administration of the recycling program.
As far as I know, none of us who are active in bicycling advocacy were consulted before this bill was proposed, and not very many support it.
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What's up with the proposed $7 fee on every new bicycle sold.
I have issues with this pending legislation. The recycling laws are starting to get out of hand. What recycling laws will come next?
How about putting the effort towards education?
I read this a few days ago, and have been giving it some consideration. I don't mind recycling taxes, as long as they are structured in a way that merely brings the price of a product closer to its true cost. After all, the true cost of a car is much more than the purchase price. I don't mean insurance costs, fuel, etc. It's just that the infrastructure necessary for so many people to use private cars for every kind of trip has all kinds of costs, often bourne by everyone, regardless of whether they use a car or not.
But this tax doesn't seem to work that way. It first assumes that every bike will at some point be given up by its owner, with either the intent to throw it away (and end up in a landfill) or perhaps stored and not sold to someone who will use it. It is also a regressive tax, because for lower-income people who might want a new, inexpensive bicycle, the $7 represents a much larger proportion of the total price of a cheap new bike than a $2000-5000 bike bought by a wealthier person. Whereas the sales tax is a percentage of the price, the $7 is a fixed tax. Ironically, it could (not necessarily) have the net effect of discouraging the purchase of the bike by a poorer person, even though (1) arguably that poorer person might be more likely to use than bike for commuting and (2) the potential savings and benefits of encouraging someone to commute by bike rather than car far, far exceed $7.
Additionally, the $7 doesn't really encourage the wealthier buyer to recycle their bike. After all, I imagine that most will either buy a more expensive bike that they will either keep or sell again, or if they have some cheapie for themselves or their kid, they are just as likely to throw it away with or without this $7. So perhaps the $7 pays for some of the landfill or other costs, but it doesn't really resolve the actual problem of landfill capacity, recycling habits, or other issues being addressed by the tax.
Just thinking on the quick, I would guess the government (and society) have more to gain from some sort of incentive for people to buy used bikes for commuting or to borrow a bike from a bike library. Use other tax revenue, say from cars or gasoline, to help fund cooperative, non-profit bike libraries with a small staff. The more someone uses a bike, the less burden they will have on national health costs, road maintenance, increasing levels of carbon in the atmosphere, etc. Some of these costs are easily calculable, some are more difficult, but all are much greater than some $7 short-term tax.
Just some thoughts.
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Very good post!
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The last week I've seen quite a few people out riding. Mostly mountain bikes, but also BMX, a cruiser, and a road bike (well, that was mine).
Anyone up for a ride club? I'm pretty sure most people here only have mountain bikes, so off-road rides are a good idea. But until June, many of my favorite trails have lots of snow on them, which can really slow you down a bit. In early January, I rode from town up the 2 and then down Big Pines to Jackson Lake, and back. It was a beautiful day, and I had a great time, so I'm thinking about doing it again this weekend.
By the way, I'm selling a handmade 1970s Holdsworth Professional, a British racing frame that was the Brit's choice for the TdF. It's in fine condition, nothing wrong with it, I just need to sell it to justify previous purchases. Own a classic racing bike.
I noticed that ezzpete is selling a Redline Monocog frameset and some parts on the classifieds. If anyone wants to scratch their singlespeed itch, it seems like a smoking deal.
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I'd be up for some sort of riding club, road or mountain or both.
A few times each year I'm able to herd up some friends from down the hill to visit and go on a mountain bike ride. Nothing too technical for this crowd, usually something like the Blue Ridge or Jackson Lake dirt fire roads, and we make sure we don't drop anyone on the ride. We go riding in the morning and then afterwards hang out on my deck while I fire up the grill for lunch. I'd be glad to invite some locals along to join us.
Has anyone done any of the rides with the Victor Valley Bicycle Club, road or mountain? They're doing a remote road ride up Glendora Mountain Road on Sunday, April 3. I was thinking of tagging along on that one.
http://www.vvbc.us/
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are bikes allowed on GMR right now? i was over there on wednesday and LA County has it closed, their website says it won't open until august! hopefully they'll get it done sooner than that.
www.ladpw.org/rmd/roadclosure/results.cfm
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Hey, thanks for the heads up.....
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Idon't know if anyone has already asked this but how come there isn't a bike shop here in town?
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Even in metropolitan areas with a significant number of cyclists with disposable income, bike shops are a low profit margin business with tons of headaches. In an area like Wrightwood, with very few cyclists, recreational or otherwise, it would just go kaput. I bike around everyday, and I see very few people riding. I see people who have bikes regularly use their cars to do the simplest of errands in town. The parents who buy bikes for their rapidly growing kids typically buy them for $50 to $100 at the big box stores, even though I would never trust such poorly assembled bicyles for kids.
It's sad, and I'm not happy with it, but the High Desert region can barely support a mediocre bike shop in Victorville, let alone a local shop here in WW. The only way I see anything remotely close to a shop here is a weekend volunteer center to help people fix bikes and get well-built bikes for a minimal cost, at no profit. You could pool together all the local abandoned bikes, fix them up, and give them away. You can't sell them, because of insurance reasons.
If anyone needs a shop, you either drive to a shop at least 45 minutes away, or ask your fellow bikers here in WW. And as I've said before, I do not mind helping people find good bikes for cheap.
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Thanks for the info steelcommuter.
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In addition, bike shops make almost nothing on selling the bikes themselves, especially when you consider how much square footage is needed on the floor for the bikes compared to everything else. Profit margins are higher on things like accessories and clothing. A good bike shop will make most of its money on service/repairs.
I was astonished when the owners (husband and wife) of the local bike shop near me in OC told me their annual salary. They are clearly doing it because they love their work, certainly not to get rich. When one of the owners got sick, some of the local cyclists pooled together to help with medical expenses.
By the way, Mountain Hardware has a decent selection of things like spare tubes. If anyone is really in a pinch, I keep a bunch of spare parts and a set of bike tools at my cabin.
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Check out this video from my new helmet camera, along 4N21 off Table Mountain Road. The audio could use a lot of work, and I can probably make the video more steady using the image stabilization feature in the editing software. But I thought this turned out pretty good for doing this for the first time.
http://www.briandesousa.com/mountainbike.wmv
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Very cool...
Do you have a link to the camera you're using?
What device is doing the recording?
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The helmet camera is from www.helmetcamera.com and sticks onto the bike helmet using super strong velcro. They also provide a small battery which I put into my back pocket. This same battery also powers the microphone. (Need to work on the wind noise thing.)
I'm recording with a commonly available Sony Mini DV camcorder, model number DCR-HC32. The helmet camera has RCA plugs that plug into a Sony cable (actually provided with the camcorder, no need to buy separately). Then the Sony cable plugs into the camcorder.
I had the camcorder in a bag on my rear rack. Next time I will probably put it into a padded fanny pack for better protection from vibration.
I used Pinnacle Studio 9 for the video editing. Although it doesn't do as much as something like Adobe Premier, it is reasonably priced and does what I need to.
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cool video, brian. thanks for sharing!
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Check out this video from my new helmet camera, along 4N21 off Table Mountain Road. The audio could use a lot of work, and I can probably make the video more steady using the image stabilization feature in the editing software. But I thought this turned out pretty good for doing this for the first time.
http://www.briandesousa.com/mountainbike.wmv
Is it true that you like to ride around the nudist colony in Devore? Just kidding!!
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Very cool Brian. When it faded to black is that when you crashed? Just kidding. :)
Next best thing to being there!
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Yeah, I edited out the part that said "where am I?" :)
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i think i'm the guy that rides the blue trek mtb up to town. if you get a nice easy ride let me know, i might be able to do a couple miles... fuzzy
From Desert Front Road? Is that you?
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"The guy in his fifties from Desert Front Rd." is probably my neighbor "Fuzzy". He will be thrilled with being thought of as 50ish.
Ah, it is you! Well, if you're "50ish", then I'm the "20ish" 6'2" guy on the big road bike you've seen on Highway 2. (OK, I'm actually in my late 30s, but people say I look young.) Welcome to the forum!
On one of the Saturdays in June, I'm going to invite some novice mountain bike friends up from down the hill. We'll drive up to the turnout on Table Mountain Road, and we'll do a casual out-and-back ride along the 4N21 road. I think it's four miles each way, right? Then we'll come back to my place and fire up the BBQ. So I'm not sure if it will be a ride with a BBQ afterward, or a BBQ with a ride before. :)
Anyone interested in coming along?
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"The guy in his fifties from Desert Front Rd." is probably my neighbor "Fuzzy". He will be thrilled with being thought of as 50ish.
Ah, it is you! Well, if you're "50ish", then I'm the "20ish" 6'2" guy on the big road bike you've seen on Highway 2. (OK, I'm actually in my late 30s, but people say I look young.) Welcome to the forum!
On one of the Saturdays in June, I'm going to invite some novice mountain bike friends up from down the hill. We'll drive up to the turnout on Table Mountain Road, and we'll do a casual out-and-back ride along the 4N21 road. I think it's four miles each way, right? Then we'll come back to my place and fire up the BBQ. So I'm not sure if it will be a ride with a BBQ afterward, or a BBQ with a ride before. :)
Anyone interested in coming along?
Yeah, it's about four miles, if you go to the top. There are a few trails/roads you can take to make it longer, which I suggest. Otherwise, it's a pretty short 8 miles. I often ride there from town to make it longer, but your friends probably wouldn't appreciate that.
If they come up, let me know. I usually take my dog up there so he run while I ride the trail, so he might come along, too.
BTW, there is still a major snow bank about 2 1/2 or 3 miles from the start, right where the road starts getting steeper and an unpaved road splits off to the north down the mountain into the desert. I don't know what the road is called, but that is also covered in snow. If you want to ride to the top, you can just walk over the snow bank and keep riding, or ride up one of the fire roads that allow you to bypass the snow by going east and then north. It's very steep, though. Anyway, that snow should be gone not too long from now. It hasn't stopped me.
They pretty much can take any bike on that trip. I've almost always rode one of my road bikes, and the fire trails are compact enough to ride any tire with a 27mm or more. Maybe you can use it as an excuse to show off that Litespeed you keep telling me about. I really want to see (ride) it :)
One other idea. Have your BBQ after. Tell people to pack a small sandwich (PBJs) and have a little picnic at the top or whenever. That way, they are hungry for your BBQ later, but not grumpy. And if it's real hot, I can show you a log in the shade to eat at instead of the top. Very nice.
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I rode up hwy 2 yesterday afternoon, and came back to the East side through town. A lot of gnats in the residential areas in town. I don't really notice them unless I'm on my bike. Enough to make you keep your mouth shut. Have they been around long?
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I went up to Grassy Hollow to check it out and noticed that the sign on the gate on Hwy 2 says no bicycles allowed. I was really wanting to put a backpack on and head out 2 and check the road and do some camping. Does anybody know whether I should or not. Also we were planning to ski Baden via bike to the trail head.
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Since that part of Highway 2 is closed to vehicles, Caltrans does indeed have the authority to close it to bicyclists. Yet it seems strange that they would have a sign prohibiting bicyclists while being silent about pedestrians.
A while back someone posted some pictures showing part of the road washed out between Grassy Hollow and Vincent Gap. Perhaps Caltrans is afraid of legal liability if a bicyclist were injured due to the poor road conditions. The blanket governmental immunity from liability on trails (and dirt roads also, I believe) does not extend to public paved roads.
Although I'm not a lawyer, it basically works like this. If you're mountain biking on a trail and crash because part of the trail ahead has washed away, then you can't sue. But if you're bicycling on a public paved road and crash because part of the road was washed away, you can sue - if the responsible government entity was or should have been aware of the condition. In this case, since they've closed the road to vehicles, they are obviously aware of the dangerous condition.
This whole liability thing applies to pedestrians also, so if Caltrans was afraid of being sued, you'd think they have a sign prohibiting pedestrians also.
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It may say something about peds.
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Since that part of Highway 2 is closed to vehicles, Caltrans does indeed have the authority to close it to bicyclists. Yet it seems strange that they would have a sign prohibiting bicyclists while being silent about pedestrians.
A while back someone posted some pictures showing part of the road washed out between Grassy Hollow and Vincent Gap. Perhaps Caltrans is afraid of legal liability if a bicyclist were injured due to the poor road conditions. The blanket governmental immunity from liability on trails (and dirt roads also, I believe) does not extend to public paved roads.
Although I'm not a lawyer, it basically works like this. If you're mountain biking on a trail and crash because part of the trail ahead has washed away, then you can't sue. But if you're bicycling on a public paved road and crash because part of the road was washed away, you can sue - if the responsible government entity was or should have been aware of the condition. In this case, since they've closed the road to vehicles, they are obviously aware of the dangerous condition.
This whole liability thing applies to pedestrians also, so if Caltrans was afraid of being sued, you'd think they have a sign prohibiting pedestrians also.
Brian is right. I talked to someone working the ranger station about this. I asked her what were the risks if my wife and I ignored the signs and rode in and camped somewhere, maybe for a few nights. She told me:
1. Chunks of the road are missing, washed out, destroyed. This applies to sections of road before and after Vincent Gap.
2. For a while (now?) an enforcement officer had been paid to monitor the closure and fine any trespassers.
3. If you have any problems, there will be no cell coverage, nobody will be nearby, no rangers to assist. This should not necessarily scare you off, but it means be prepared. If a trip in the closed area would be your first attempt at such a trip, you probably should not do it.
From the above, my main concern is that I have a path to travel on. I have to examine the pictures posted of the road conditions to figure that out.
As for pedestrians: when I rode my bike from my house over to Grassy Hollow about a week ago, the sign I saw prohibited pedestrians, too.
Justagiglio, if you decide to go camping, for god's sake, don't wear a backpack with your gear while on your bike. Get a trailer, a rack and panniers, a saddlebag, or an Xtracycle. A weighted backpack while riding ruins the fun. It's like getting in a car, and instead of putting your pack in the back, wearing it while sitting down. Why?? :)
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I rode up hwy 2 yesterday afternoon, and came back to the East side through town. A lot of gnats in the residential areas in town. I don't really notice them unless I'm on my bike. Enough to make you keep your mouth shut. Have they been around long?
The gnats appeared around two weeks ago, and I share your pain. Sunglasses and breathing through your nose are the usual defense mechanisms. In fact, breathing with your nose and shutting the mouth is so much better for air filtration.
Gnats and other bugs are worse in the May/June and September periods, at least for biking.
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Thanks guys...I will sit down with the boys to discuss everything and together we will make a collective decision.
Thanks again.
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I mentioned the Xtracycle, which allows you carry two hundred pounds of various kinds of gear or cargo. My wife and I have one, but I don't have a ready pic of our bike. Here's a pic snagged from the company website.
(http://www.xtracycle.com/html/images/shopBike.jpg)
You can carry surfboards, kayaks, camping gear, lumber, a second person or a dog. Here's a few examples:
(http://xtracycle.com/albums/1001-Uses/surf.sized.jpg)
If you don't know already, dogs love to run while you bike! In fact, I'm going to take a picture of mine today when we go out, and post it.
(http://xtracycle.com/albums/Going-Coastal/climbing_with_a_kayak.sized.jpg)
(http://xtracycle.com/albums/1001-Uses/kayak_expedition.sized.jpg)
I imagine skiis would be easy compared to the kayak.
If you have big gear, you can just a trailer or bags. This guy posted pics of his set-up on crazyguyonabike.com. He's carrying more weight than most need, though.
(http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journal/page/pic/?o=as&pic_id=29257&v=0&size=large)
Kent Peterson is training for the Great Divide race this year. A trail that runs along the continental divide, it is the longest course in the world. John Stamstad set a record back in the nineties people are still trying to beat. Anyway, Kent rides his bike everyday the way it will be set up for the off-road race.
(http://www.mile43.com/peterson/MonoLog/8-Monocog21.jpg)
You might notice that his bike is a single speed.
For off-road (and road) camping trips, like the White Rim and Kokopelli trails in Utah, some people prefer to take the Yak one wheel trailers.
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As promised, here are some pictures from one of my days with the dogs at Table Mountain.
Here's the crew that went with me: my wife, and two rascal dogs. I didn't realize it until later, by my dog was, um, occupied.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/steelcommuter/TMNT_Utah_pees.jpg)
Here I am, with a friend's dog. She is happy!
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/steelcommuter/Dave_Queenie.jpg)
This one shows one of the sections that was completely blocked by snow. My wife is shouldering her bike and walking.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/steelcommuter/Steph_shouldersbike.jpg)
Here is a close up picture of the big butthead.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/steelcommuter/Utah_his_shadow.jpg)
It was a very beautiful day. Here is a picture taken when I was riding the unpaved road that splits off the East Table Mountain road and runs down to the desert.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/steelcommuter/TMNT_desertview.jpg)
I might post more, but I have some errands to do.
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While going over to the Yodeler for lunch today, I saw a Trek T100 mountain bike tandem with a baby seat parked in front of the Evergreen Cafe. It had a hard to find dual-legged Esge kickstand. Is the owner anyone on this forum?
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I don't know who they are, but I saw them riding down Apple Ave. with baby on board this afternoon heading towards town.
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Over last fall and winter, I sold my mountain bike and then bought a Gunnar Rock Hound. I thought I'd share a picture.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/steelcommuter/gunnar_rockhound.jpg)
BTW, the picture was taken as dusk; it could be better. That sticker says, Bikes Just Smell Better.
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Yeah, it's about four miles, if you go to the top. There are a few trails/roads you can take to make it longer, which I suggest. Otherwise, it's a pretty short 8 miles. I often ride there from town to make it longer, but your friends probably wouldn't appreciate that.
What I'll do is have the beginners do the 8 mile route, while giving the advanced people the option to make it longer. Any suggestions?
BTW, there is still a major snow bank about 2 1/2 or 3 miles from the start, right where the road starts getting steeper and an unpaved road splits off to the north down the mountain into the desert. I don't know what the road is called, but that is also covered in snow. If you want to ride to the top, you can just walk over the snow bank and keep riding, or ride up one of the fire roads that allow you to bypass the snow by going east and then north. It's very steep, though. Anyway, that snow should be gone not too long from now. It hasn't stopped me.
Is that at the fork where you see a view of the desert to the north and a big hill to the northeast? I couldn't find the right way to go from there, maybe the snowbank was hiding the route. Any update on the snow?
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What I'll do is have the beginners do the 8 mile route, while giving the advanced people the option to make it longer. Any suggestions?
Is that at the fork where you see a view of the desert to the north and a big hill to the northeast? I couldn't find the right way to go from there, maybe the snowbank was hiding the route. Any update on the snow?
Yes, it's that fork. When the snow is gone, it's easy to remember to head right and stay on the paved road. As far as I know, it's probably passable by now. After all, it's been hot the last several days. I'll check today, go for a ride there.
Again, for the more adventurous, you can pick either of two fire roads and ride up to a clearing, then ride (I would probably have to walk) up a doubletrack trail at something like a 20 percent grade to the top of the hill, where it joins up with a fire road you can take north and then west to the paved road, past the part with the snow drift.
The longer routes sort of depend on who wants to keep riding. About a mile into the road, there is a alternate off-road route on your left that has about a quarter mile or so of rolling singletrack which then rejoins the paved road again further on. There are numerous fireroads, including that left turn at the fork you mentioned. There are also fireroads that, as far as I can tell, descend down the east face of the mountain towards Wrightwood. I suppose that one could take one of these fireroads down to the 2 and return to WW. Your house isn't the most difficult one in WW to find, if someone takes this option.
The one caveat anyone with you probably should take to heart is that there are always climbs. This is not a downhiller's dream, that's for sure. And it's been pretty warm, so if they do the climb to the top of TMnt, they might be winded and tired, already.
Let me know when you go, I'd be glad to come with.
Another idea you could try is to park a car at Jackson Lake, ride everyone to Inspiration Point, park, ride to Grassy Hollow and down the fire roads to the lake, and shuttle people back. If they are all into off-road biking, that's a short but fun ride.
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It looks like we'll do the ride on Saturday, June 18. If anyone else reading this is interested, drop me an instant message.
We've done the fire roads near Jackson Lake a couple of times, so we'll stick to the Table Mtn concept to give them something different.
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Did anyone see the group of high schoolers passing through today on their ride from Savannah, GA to Los Angeles? The timing seems to match with this tour group's plans, so it's probably them:
http://www.overlandadventures.com/article/view/6147/1/765/
I started talking with a couple of the riders just as a local in a red shirt had to leave. (Was that you, ezzpete? Sorry I didn't introduce myself.)
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anyone want to go for a night ride out table mt. road on friday night? we could start about 7:00PM, and have a sunset. the lights of the desert communities should be awesome.
you'll probably want to have a light, since there is no moon.
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Yeah, that's right! It's time to bump this thread back up. Hiking is cool and all, but bicycles seem to get neglected in the Outdoors forum.
I moved to NY last summer, and will be moving this May back to WW. Who is biking this summer?
I have a 29er frame that has been sleeping in a cardboard box while my wife and I were on the east coast, and I plan on building it up for this summer with parts I have lying around. It will be a rigid/no suspension bike (Surly Karate Monkey frame). What are other people building or buying?
I want to have some comrades to bike with this summer, and I have road and mountain bikes, so I'm versatile. My most used bicycle is built up as a commuter/randonneur/camping bike, and has a generator light. Here's a pic of it and my wonderful dog:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/steelcommuter/utah_and_atlantis.jpg)
and with a basket, yes, a basket:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/steelcommuter/atlantis_in_repose.jpg)
Here's a pic of my wife's bike, a mixte with style:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/steelcommuter/DCP_2805.jpg)
and
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/steelcommuter/glorius1.jpg)
Here's a pic of the 29er frame I haven't built up yet (someone's else build):
(http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/502/238900/DSC01415.JPG)
So, who will be riding this summer?
I've posted this pic in the past, but it bears repeating:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/steelcommuter/Dave_Queenie.jpg)
If you know Queenie (Carol's dog) then you know what a cool dog she is.
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Here's some pictures from Austin's first bike ride. He slept during most of it! We didn't go riding very far, just around town. Next time I'll have the upgraded seat inside the trailer, with the five point harness to hold him up better.
(http://www.briandesousa.com/baby/images/DSC05005.JPG)
(http://www.briandesousa.com/baby/images/DSC05009.JPG)
(http://www.briandesousa.com/baby/images/DSC05013.JPG)
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Here's some pictures from Austin's first bike ride. He slept during most of it! We didn't go riding very far, just around town. Next time I'll have the upgraded seat inside the trailer, with the five point harness to hold him up better.
Brian, that's really cool. I can't wait, but Sierra is younger than Austin. She 3.5 months, and I always hear that 18 months is the safest time to start taking them in trailer rides. It's not a hard rule, it's a matter of when they have the appropriate neck muscles and control.
Those are wonderful pictures. The only problem is Austin wanted to be towed by your Litespeed. What were you thinking?
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The generic rule I've heard nowadays is one year, although sometimes sooner. Key is neck muscles and control, as you say, including being able to support the weight of the helmet. I think another part of it is that bike trailers have gotten better, with harnesses similar to car seats.
Before riding, we converted the trailer to stroller mode, then put Austin in with his helmet and went for a walk. I thought that was a good test to see if his neck muscles and balance were good enough.
No, he didn't want to be towed by the Litespeed, he wanted to be towed by Mommy and Daddy on the tandem bike!
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What are other people building or buying?
That is what I need some advice on... I have been out of hiking commission for almost a year (long story) and because of recovering from some ankle surgery, need to find a way to get some non-impact aerobic workouts. I haven't been on a bike in over 5 years, and haven't done any real mountain biking. So, we are talking about someone who is 50 lbs overweight, out of shape (the only time I was in worse shape than I am right now is when I had pneumonia and couldn't walk across the room without getting winded). I know I have to start out slow and easy. But what to buy? I can't afford a really expensive bike, and with the riding I plan on doing, it would probably be a waste of technology. But I want something that will do me in the future as I get into better shape and want to tackle some tougher terrain. Any advice? Your talking to a real novice here and I don't know where or how to get started. :-\
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Here is a really good one if you don't want to get hurt K9:
(http://images.fotosearch.com/bigcomps/CRT/CRT153/007636MG.jpg)
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Here is a really good one if you don't want to get hurt K9:
(http://images.fotosearch.com/bigcomps/CRT/CRT153/007636MG.jpg)
Just for that one Mr. Smarty Pants---"may the fleas of a thousand camels invade your armpits!"
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That is what I need some advice on... I have been out of hiking commission for almost a year (long story) and because of recovering from some ankle surgery, need to find a way to get some non-impact aerobic workouts. I haven't been on a bike in over 5 years, and haven't done any real mountain biking. So, we are talking about someone who is 50 lbs overweight, out of shape (the only time I was in worse shape than I am right now is when I had pneumonia and couldn't walk across the room without getting winded). I know I have to start out slow and easy. But what to buy? I can't afford a really expensive bike, and with the riding I plan on doing, it would probably be a waste of technology. But I want something that will do me in the future as I get into better shape and want to tackle some tougher terrain. Any advice? Your talking to a real novice here and I don't know where or how to get started. :-\
Here's a good webpage that goes over the different types of bikes available: http://nbda.com/page.cfm?PageID=63
For someone just starting out, I'd recommend a hybrid bike, which is good for both pavement and dirt. It will even handle smooth dirt fire roads OK, although I wouldn't take it down a narrow rocky singletrack trail. Or you could go for a mountain bike, but some people starting out don't like to lean over as much.
The problem with just starting out and being in WW is that there's not a flat spot in town! Luckily, bikes now come with much lower gears than they used to. Most hybrids and mountain bikes should come with a triple chainring in front (as opposed to a double). That gives you a wider range of gears that would let you shift to a low enough gear to go up hills at almost walking speed if you had to.
For starters, I'd suggest driving halfway up Table Mountain Road and doing a ride out on the (relatively) flat paved road past the locked gate.
I'm not familiar with the nearest bike shops down the hill, so I can't help there.
Hope this helps, and good luck.
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What are other people building or buying?
That is what I need some advice on... I have been out of hiking commission for almost a year (long story) and because of recovering from some ankle surgery, need to find a way to get some non-impact aerobic workouts. I haven't been on a bike in over 5 years, and haven't done any real mountain biking. So, we are talking about someone who is 50 lbs overweight, out of shape (the only time I was in worse shape than I am right now is when I had pneumonia and couldn't walk across the room without getting winded). I know I have to start out slow and easy. But what to buy? I can't afford a really expensive bike, and with the riding I plan on doing, it would probably be a waste of technology. But I want something that will do me in the future as I get into better shape and want to tackle some tougher terrain. Any advice? Your talking to a real novice here and I don't know where or how to get started. :-\
K9,
I'll second the recommendation of Coates - they are the only store I really have been pleased with.
You really need to figure out a budget for this. If you want a pretty decent bike but have a low budget, used is the way to go. You can get *very* nice bikes used for $100-$500. You can also get serviceable new bikes in the $300 range. It depends on your needs and commitment. Brian is absolutely right about the grades here. The flattest extended ride in the WW area is the rolling paved road at Table Top Mnt, and the longest section of flattish streets in town are some of the East-West streets, and most of them are not flat.
That means you need a triple with a chainring in front that's at most 26 teeth, and preferable a cassette in back with a bailout cog of 32-34 teeth. Even if you really ride this bike and get stronger, your first times going up streets like Sheep Creek may require a very low gear. Heck, I'm a pretty strong rider and sometimes I'm plain tired out and want something very low.
Brian recommends a hybrid, and my only concern with hybrids are they tend to come with useless seats and are designed with the disadvantages of a road bike and a mountain bike, and few of the advantages. On the other hand, the market is offering better and better alternatives finally after a decade and more of poor options.
If you are in your 50s and out of shape, then you should find a bike with a comfortable position and wide range gearing. Most inexpensive new bikes that accomodate these needs have two main drawbacks - they come with flat mountain bike bars and they have Gel/squishy saddles, with seem to a newbie like a good idea but they give absolutely no support for the important parts of your behind. A harder but wide and contoured saddle is far better. The flat bars offer you only one hand position, which can be very hard on your wrists.
REI has some interesting bikes that you might want to look at, even when they exceed your price range. They can serve as a model, and there is an REI in Rancho. The Safari, the Transfer, the Randonee, the Buzz, and a few others are worth a look. I like the Randonee and Safari because they are equipped to be comfortable for long rides, and come with handlebars with multiple positions.
You will here all sorts of conflicting advice and hype at different shops, and even in the same shop by different people. It's a frustrating but inescapable part of buying a new bike. I do think Coates is better, usually, and there are some people at REI who know what they are doing. Just go in knowing some of the fundamental things you need, and don't stray from them. In WW, very few people ride and I suppose it is mainly a matter of the road grades. I see most people out on mountain bikes with wide knobby tires that do not leave the asphalt, and I think that maybe more would ride if they had parts that better suited their intended purposes.
good luck.
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Hey Steelcommuter,
Maybe we can get together this summer and ride till our legs fall off?
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Hey Steelcommuter,
Maybe we can get together this summer and ride till our legs fall off?
Sorry Chuck, but you'll be home with the baby. It's my turn to have my legs fall off. :P :-*
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Hey Steelcommuter,
Maybe we can get together this summer and ride till our legs fall off?
OK, but only if we promise not to use our brakes on the descents :'(
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Hey Steelcommuter,
Maybe we can get together this summer and ride till our legs fall off?
Sorry Chuck, but you'll be home with the baby. It's my turn to have my legs fall off. :P :-*
We'll just put her in my saddlebag. Then we can all go. It's warm and cozy in there, except for the tire levers. Hey, what am I doing? I have midterms to grade!
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Brian recommends a hybrid, and my only concern with hybrids are they tend to come with useless seats and are designed with the disadvantages of a road bike and a mountain bike, and few of the advantages. On the other hand, the market is offering better and better alternatives finally after a decade and more of poor options.
For people who don't know what they want and aren't sure what kind of riding they want to do, I tend to recommend a hybrid. I've seen many people go into a bike shop not knowing what they want, so the shop steers them towards a mountain bike. Then the new bike buyer decides he wants to use the bike on the paved bike trail most of the time, for which a mountain bike is overkill.
But if you absolutely know that you want a road bike or a mountain bike, then I say go with either of those rather than a hybrid.
A friend of mine has the Buzz from REI, and he really likes it. Even though it's marketed as a "commuter" or "urban" bike, I consider it a hybrid of sorts.
I also agree with SteelCommuter's post.
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Great photo's of your little one Brian. I always wanted to buy one of those trailers. I did buy one of those child seats that attach to the back of my bike. My 2 year old still fits in it, and I just got my 5 year old to ride without her training wheels. I am looking forward to warmer weather so we can go on some family rides.
Glad you enjoyed the photos! Those trailers aren't cheap new, my Burley d'Lite would have cost $429 (!) if I bought it new. I got mine on Ebay from someone in Claremont for about $80. Burley stocks spare parts even for their old trailers, which is why I can get an upgraded seat with better straps, and I can even replace the fabric on the sides when it wears out.
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anyone ridden the single track which is off to the side of the Table Mountain paved road? at the point where it crosses the paved road, it continues down into the canyon, in the direction of SH2 somewhere near mountain high. i tried to find the place where it meets the 2 but can't. anyone know the location. i've ridden it from the paved road at the crossing continuing in a westerly direction, ending at the corral. but haven't ridden the lower part. i don't want to start down and end up in private property. i'd like to start from the 2 and ride up.
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I have heard of others who have ridden that trail, ezzpete. I am just getting out my bike and trying it out again, after winter!!
I rode up Highway 2 the other day, and was glad to make it to Mt.High West...!
Gotta start somewhere, I guess.
my butt got numb, and I forgot to clip out my foot, and tipped over on the highway.! but it was only a flesh wound, so I kept on riding..
;D
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my butt got numb, and I forgot to clip out my foot, and tipped over on the highway.! but it was only a flesh wound, so I kept on riding..
;D
Ooo, that's embarassing..... Never done that myself ;D
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anyone ridden the single track which is off to the side of the Table Mountain paved road? at the point where it crosses the paved road, it continues down into the canyon, in the direction of SH2 somewhere near mountain high. i tried to find the place where it meets the 2 but can't. anyone know the location. i've ridden it from the paved road at the crossing continuing in a westerly direction, ending at the corral. but haven't ridden the lower part. i don't want to start down and end up in private property. i'd like to start from the 2 and ride up.
I've tried hiking up the trail from Rivera to find where it meets the paved gated road .... but then I gave up because it was a bit further (OK, maybe a lot further) than I originally thought, so I turned around walked back home.
Then I tried riding to the end of paved gated road and tried to find a trail that went to Rivera ... but I just found a bunch of dead ends.
I know what trail you're talking about, but I don't know where it meets the highway ... would be curious if anyone else knew.
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I've done that section, all though it's been awhile. You can get down to 2, and if I recall there are some switchbacks. It's not much riding, though, but gives you something different to do.
One of the rides I plan on doing when I get back to CA is the singletrack and doubletrack trail that extends from the Grassy Hollow road to Big Pines highway about 1/2 mile from its intersection with Hwy 2. Short fun ride.
Hey Robilin, that sucks about forgetting about being clipped in. It happens. I stopped using them a while ago when I decided I was tired of having to put on special shoes, especially since I commute by bike. In the summer, I just wear my Chacos :)
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yeah, i went down it yesterday. it's probably around one mile. looks like lots of bikers know about it, because there were bike tracks. the bottom section looks like someone has been doing some very meticulous trail maintanance.
going back up showed me just how out of shape i am. could have done it in my bike riding prime, but this time there were some hike-a-bike sections.
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We are thinking about riding the Jackson lake trail tomorrow (monday). It is a day off for husband. We will see how out of shape we are in!
definitly won't clip in on that trip! unless it is a long uphill.
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We are thinking about riding the Jackson lake trail tomorrow (monday). It is a day off for husband. We will see how out of shape we are in!
definitly won't clip in on that trip! unless it is a long uphill.
if it's the same trail i hiked, you will definatly find out if you in shape or not. and don't worry, it's a long uphill. ;D
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There's a nice loop to do there with the (sort of parallel) trail to the west.
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Ok, we didn't do it, I got sick yesterday... have to wait until i get over my cold/flu.
will definitly ride it sometime soon!
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They do the run from Wrightwood to La canada every year, is there anything like it for mountain biking?
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They do the run from Wrightwood to La canada every year, is there anything like it for mountain biking?
Not in this area, and I don't think it would be possible because the Pacific Crest Trail is sometimes the only dirt that gets you from A to B, and it is off-limits to bikes.
The closest thing is the road biking Angeles Crest Century:
http://www.planetultra.com/angelescrest/index.html
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near the bottom of the blue ridge trail, there's a small sign that says the trail is maintained by the "wrightwood mountain bike assoc". is there such a thing?
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near the bottom of the blue ridge trail, there's a small sign that says the trail is maintained by the "wrightwood mountain bike assoc". is there such a thing?
I've never heard of it, anyone else have?
By the way, yesterday morning and this morning, I saw a couple on road bikes crossing the wash at Thrush. Yesterday (the colder day) both riders wearing yellow windbreakers, while today only one of them was. Is it anyone on this forum?
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near the bottom of the blue ridge trail, there's a small sign that says the trail is maintained by the "wrightwood mountain bike assoc". is there such a thing?
I've never heard of it, anyone else have?
By the way, yesterday morning and this morning, I saw a couple on road bikes crossing the wash at Thrush. Yesterday (the colder day) both riders wearing yellow windbreakers, while today only one of them was. Is it anyone on this forum?
If I recall, the WMBA is not really an official group - you might ask Mike at the hardware store about it. It's a great idea to have one now, because there are probably enough mtn bikers to have a group, but not enough to discover them on your own w/o a group.
Maybe when I have everything together here, I'll schedule a ride/meeting. Won't be for a while, though.
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Maybe when I have everything together here, I'll schedule a ride/meeting. Won't be for a while, though.
A new Biker gang? ;D
(http://www.tobybarraud.com/38/standard/blacklable-1.jpg)
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There was a WW Mtn. Bike Club and we maintained the Blue Ridge Trail for many years. We also maintained (worked while we rode) many other trails around the area. This is done informally now, as the most members we ever had was about three and two no longer ride, but our main goal was always to keep trails in good condition, educate those who misused the forest and enjoy ourselves. Steelcommuter is right in that we were very informal. Remember, skids are for kids ;)
Greg
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They do the run from Wrightwood to La canada every year, is there anything like it for mountain biking?
What's even cooler than that are the big endurance events coming up. The Great Divide Race from the Canadian border to New Mexico is coming up, as well as Kokopelli. I'd like to see a late fall or winter High Desert off-road race that took advantage of the unpaved roads in the desert.
PCT used to be open to bikes, and I'm torn on the issue, because I want to ride it, but I'm afraid many riders will be irresponsible and abuse the trail. You can always poach the trail and risk a fine, but that's not a great long term solution to the absence of an equivalent of the PCT for riders.
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if anyone's ready to try singlespeed, check this out.
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/bik/165136301.html
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A mountain bike club would be fun! I kind of help on the trails whenever i hike/ride them anyways.
Picked up bags of trash from the beginning of Blue Ridge trail several weeks ago. I need to go back again, for more.
Also, moved some huge rocks off the part of Blue Ridge that had turned into a river.
every little bit helps.
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I like to mountain bike too, but the people on this thread look like they are more intense about it than I am. :P
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if anyone's ready to try singlespeed, check this out.
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/bik/165136301.html
That's a wonderful deal. If I wasn't broke...I'd get the 19" frame you have.
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Ok, time to revive this thread again. People, any of you interested in participating (for fun) in some cyclocross races? I want to race a few in beginner's class, and/or possibly single-speed category, and I'm encouraging my wife to do so, too.
If you're not hip to what 'cross racing is, it's a competitive event where people ride road bikes on a variety of terrains, off and on-road, and courses typically have obstacles that require riders to dismount and run with their bikes. It can be a very strenuous event, depending on your fitness and the class you race in. I'm interested in it mostly to do be with other bike riders and to keep in good shape.
You don't need a road bike, modified mountain bikes are permitted; a cross frame is ideal but not necessary. If anyone, women or men, are interested, drop me a line. It would be very cool for a gal who wants to train, because my wife would like some company and our baby makes it difficult for the two of us to ride together. This invitation is open to you, of course, regardless of whether you want to do the races. Each of us have several bikes for road and off-road, so we could tailor a ride for your needs.
PM me or post publicly, whatever you want.
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Make sure you check with Chuck about this, I understand he was quite the bike rider, up in Mammoth, last weekend. ;)
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Could anyone advise me on the quality of IBEX bicycles? I'm looking to buy some bikes and would appreciate any advice.
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I don't have any first hand experience with Ibex, but (and I've seen this with other brands) it looks like they're offering decent prices to get higher volume sales (albeit at less margin) in order to make a name for themselves. I did a quick search on some bicycle forums I'm on, and I found nothing extremely good or bad about that brand - so they're probably OK. That said, my personal preference is not to order a new bike on the web, I prefer to go to a bike shop, in part because they can help with some minor part swaps if needed.
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Thanks for the info.
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That said, my personal preference is not to order a new bike on the web, I prefer to go to a bike shop, in part because they can help with some minor part swaps if needed.
Brian- What if you were going to buy 15-20 new bikes for a mtn bike program for a local summer camp?
Tomas and I are looking to start such a program and have a limited budget. We are trying to consider initial price, simple maintenance and repair, durability, availability of replacement parts, etc.
We want to spend the money we have responsibly and have equipment that will last a while and not cost a lot to maintain.
We have also considered trying to get a manufacturer/dealer to sponsor the program for the kids we work with. Mostly low income and lots of children from the foster care systems around So.Cal.
Any thoughts and insight would be appreciated. Thanks.
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I'm always looking for someone to ride with. I'm middle-aged and ride strong uphill and careful downhill. By the way ELK, how much money do you think you might spend on those 15-20 bikes for kids?
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Looks like they're taking bikes on the lifts at Mt. Waterman:
http://www.mtwaterman.org/
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Hi everyone. Brand new here in ww. Looking for fellow road cyclists. Any local group rides? I have a mtn bike available to me, but i prefer blacktop. Saw a guy pull in to mtn hardware with a specialized tarmac on the roofrack, figured i would check here. Thanks!
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Welcome to the forum iamakidder. Your post was combined with an ongoing thread for consistency and to make topics of a similar nature easier to find. Please use the search function on the forum to see if a topic you wish to post on might already exist. Thanks, the moderators.
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Heya, thanks. To clarify, i am mostly looking for a road cycling group or partner. Does anyone up here work on bikes? I need a couple of wheels trued and a deraileur adjusted.
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It's been a while since I posted on the forum, thought I'd share this photo from earlier today of me and the 5 year old near Table Mountain.
(http://www.briandesousa.com/files/IMG_0045.jpg)
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Thought I'd share a story about how I helped out a couple of bicyclists passing through yesterday:
http://www.bikingbrian.com/2010/11/28/helping-a-fellow-bicycle-tourist-in-need/
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nice...saving them hours of down time by spending a little of your own was very cool. realizing that you had the wrench that they needed must have been exciting! ;D (to celebrate I think you should ride your mt. bike across your pano!)
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Im young enough to have only heard of it and seen a few VHS recordings but Im curious, what ever happened to The Crazy Rides(Not 100% sure thats what they were called)?
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I think they sobered up. ;D
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Maybe sobered up but never grew up (my step father was one of the many)
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Anyone have any of the thin "cone wrenches" (used to adjust hub bearings) which I could borrow for a few minutes? I don't want to have to go back down the hill for mine. Regular wrenches are too thick to fit in between the washers. Send me a private message if you do, that will be easier for me to see while I'm up here.
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Sorry Brian -- no wrenches, just a question:
I saw on the news that this year's Amgen bike race went through Mt. Baldy. Do you think there's any chance that they will route a future race through Wrightwood again? We really enjoyed watching it, last year! :2thumbsup:
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There's a new "Wrightwood Cyclery - coming soon" at the top of Park. A new bicycle shop or motorcycle shop? Seems a bit small for a motorcycle shop.
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The new shop is for bike repairs to start off with and maybe bike rentals down the road.
My bike is in desparate need of a tune up and I'm looking forward to their opening.
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http://www.wrightwoodcyclery.com/
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NICE!
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nice bike shop. good to see in wrightwood. we've got a mtn bike riding group on thursday afternoons now. check at the bike shop for place/time.
trying to get a group road ride together on the weekend if anyone is interested.
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I'd be interested in a weekend road ride, though don't plan around me, as I'm not up here consistently enough.
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My mountain bike was in need of a good tune up and being in town I had to try out Wrightwood Cyclery. The service was very quick and wow what a difference it made. Eric exemplifies the typical family run businesses in our community and I am glad to have the Cyclery in town.
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Hey Everyone,
Wrightwood Cyclery here.
Thank you so much for all the great comments about the shop.
I just wanted to let everyone know that the shopt wil be closed September 19th, 20th and the 21st while I attend Interbike. Interbike is the largest bicycle industry convention in the US. I'll be looking for brands and products that I think will fulfill Wrightwoods needs. If anyone out there has a suggestion on something I should check out or that you would like to see in our shop, or just want a report about some widget you heard about, let me know here or on my website. http://www.wrightwoodcyclery.com
Also, if you haven't already, be sure to like the Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/WrightwoodCyclery?ref=hl It's a sure way to stay up to date on shop events.
Look forward to seeing you on the trails.
Eric
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Something I was looking for at Walmart in the bike section that doesn't exist there--a pad to slip over a child's bike seat. We ride on the wash road on hwy 2, so to say its a bumpy ride is an understatement. . . I don't want to bother with a whole new seat, but would consider it if it were our only option.
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Hey Everyone,
Wrightwood Cyclery here.
Thank you so much for all the great comments about the shop.
I just wanted to let everyone know that the shopt wil be closed September 19th, 20th and the 21st while I attend Interbike. Interbike is the largest bicycle industry convention in the US. I'll be looking for brands and products that I think will fulfill Wrightwoods needs. If anyone out there has a suggestion on something I should check out or that you would like to see in our shop, or just want a report about some widget you heard about, let me know here or on my website. http://www.wrightwoodcyclery.com
Also, if you haven't already, be sure to like the Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/WrightwoodCyclery?ref=hl It's a sure way to stay up to date on shop events.
Look forward to seeing you on the trails.
Eric
Eric,
I haven't been in your shop, but I wish it great luck. I'm not buying new bike stuff right now, so I would probably be really frustrated at seeing all the cool stuff at Interbike I can't purchase. As far as brands, I would strongly suggest any that have an inexpensive bike with sport touring/all-rounder geometry, clearance for wider tires/fenders if desired (at least 35 mm), a triple crankset/cassette with a wide gear inch range, and preferably featuring a lightweight steel alloy frame. I don't know if you plan on carrying bikes or frames, but there you go. I really like the specs on Soma bicycles, for instance. If you carried a mountain bike, I would go with some a bit different than what every shop around the Inland Empire and High Desert already provides. I don't know if that's feasible, but I'm not interested in the ubiquitous conventional mountain bikes at most stores. A 650B bike that had fittings for both V-brakes and discs would be really cool. 29ers are, if you're tall enough, great for riding fire roads around here. A cyclocross bike makes a lot of sense, too. Also, a backcountry tourer similar to the REI Safari but with 26"/559 wheels.
I don't know if you plan on selling outside of our town through the internet, but there is an unfilled niche for 650B framesets, all-rounders, snow/sandbikes (Puglsey, etc.), tourers, randonneurs, and a few other types in Southern California. Impossible to sell them just to Wrightwood, but there is a Southern California market right now that just orders from shops in other states or Northern California right now because of the paucity of local bike shops that specialize.
Dave
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Hey Wrightwood,
Your local bike shop here.
Well, the snow has started to fall but that doesn'tmean that the trails are closed. Just need to get out there with some different equipment. Check out the website for rental info on snowshoes and fat bikes.
http://www.wrightwoodcyclery.com/fat-bikes.html
http://www.wrightwoodcyclery.com/snow-shoes.html
If you haven't been in the shop lately, you may not know that we have some kids bikes ready to be placed under a Christmas Tree. It's also not too late to put an order in from any of my distributors, including Jamis bikes, Kink bikes, 9:ZERO:7, or Vassago cycles.
Come on in. If I don't see you soon, have a great holiday season.
Wrightwood Cyclery
760-249-5256
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Caltrans survey to establish minimum safety design criteria for Class IV bikeways
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/bikewayguidance (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/bikewayguidance)