Athlete Vaporists?

VapeEscapist

Medicine Buddha

The cake my fiance baked for my birthday last month (inner layering was lemon curd and fresh blueberries, buttercream outside).... Don't want to think how many miles one needs to ride to burn it off.

The chill has set in but I don't back down. No earth shattering mileage but some good 1.5-2 hour rides put in this month so far.

Stay frosty and watch for reckless (or wreckful?) holiday season drivers!

Happy hollindaise!
 

GetLeft

Well-Known Member
Our past few weeks have been generous as far as weather goes so I've gotten a handful of very leafy, beautiful late season rides in. Cold at the moment here but any dry sunny days mid 40 degrees and up I should be able to ride. I haven't done much riding this time of year in the past because opportunties aren't abundant but this is my first offseason without punching a clock so I'm hopeful for a little more activity.

@Helios Whiteface opens this weekend with runs from two peaks. Time to wax up the skis:

"We’re excited to announce we are opening this weekend on Saturday, 11/19 and Sunday, 11/20 for the start of the 2022/23 season!

Thanks to all of our snowmaking improvements, a little help from Mother Nature and our talented snowmaking crew, we were able to fire up the guns and make enough snow to open earlier than anticipated..." https://whiteface.com/mountain/conditions

Not sure what mother nature did other than not rain (hasn't been particularly cold yet). Whiteface and Gore and Belleayre are state supported recreational areas. Snowmaking tech is good these days and NY appears to be in strong support of skiing, with an eye on renewable energy and sustainability. More good reason to ski the face :tup:
 

GetLeft

Well-Known Member
Nothing difficult is open yet. Just a couple of nice long blue runs. Good early season warm ups. If you go mid week it should be wide open too.
 

Dustin McKief

Well-Known Member
After trying some easy trails with my old non-suspension mtb, I picked up a new hardtail. I live close enough to some trails that I plan to add lunch rides to my workouts instead of my usual runs. I’m psyched to learn and mix things up!

Also going to play some pond hockey, cross country ski and snowshoe to stay active.
 

GetLeft

Well-Known Member
Today was a crystal clear day in the Northeast after a stretch of some cold, overcast, windy weather. It reached 40 degrees a little after 12pm so I decided to hit the trails. The coldest weather I've ridden my mtb in. It was a fantastic ride. I have the right apparel and guessed right as far as layering so I didn't get cold until a little bit toward the end when the wind picked up and my toes got cold.

It was an unfamiliar experience and trippy as hell (thank you Durban). The sound of the frozen ground as you ride over it. The late autumn light through the leafless trees (already in my eyes at 2 pm!). The adjustments you need to make with your pedal stroke to keep the tires gripping the trail. The trails I ride have some insanely dedicated riders who maintain them and they blew a lot of the trails clear of the leaves, which are all down now. Other trails are still au naturel and I like them more maybe. Gotta know the trails to ride them when they're covered with leaves. Anyway I'm pleased to know that I can handle upper 30s / lower 40s. Should open up some riding opportunities that I haven't been able to take advantage of in the past. I'd never have been able to ride early afternoon on a weekday while I was working.

Retirement has brought some strange and unexpected adjustments in my perspective on things (kind of like today's ride : ). Still plenty of adjusting to come I'm sure. But one thing I can say to those of you who are plugging away: cheers to you. My hat's off to you. You sacrifice a lot to earn a living, regardless of how you're earning it. Take a moment every now and then to give yourself a pat on the back for making those sacrifices.

@stoic enjoy that hard tail. Let us know about your rides when you can. @Helios thanks for the link :tup:
 

Dustin McKief

Well-Known Member
@GetLeft , hats off to you, too! :clap:

I can handle 10s-20s if I'm doing something really aerobic (up-tempo runs or cross-country skiing). Choosing trails in the woods (vs out in the open) cuts down on the wind which can help. Getting outside is so important to enjoying (rather than putting up with) winters.

I had an active weekend, which was helped by a recent warmup after a long, cold spell that had me a bit down.

Got out on my ice skates for the first time in about 7 years and it felt great. No hockey game, but passed the puck around with friends and my skills came back pretty quickly (which was surprising). I also had a trippy sound experience there because the entire lake's ice was making noises that are hard to describe as it expanded in the sun. It did make some cracking noises in spots as I skated, but still looked like it was about 4" thick and safe. 😨

Did a loop hike with my wife in a new area. Great weather, views and conversation. I'm seeing a lot more e-bikes out there on our trails as time goes on. I am not interested in one now, but I have to admit that they look like a great way to cover more ground.

After work today, I got my new MTB out for my first 'real' trail. I picked an easy (green) loop that's a little over 500ft elevation gain, with a flowy trail back down. The ride up was a great workout and the bike felt great. I did have to lean my torso over the front wheel a few times due to the steep grades. The ride down had nice views and allowed me to work on my basic skills without feeling like I was going to fly off. I think I'll stick to greens for now until I feel more confident.
 

3dayphunk

Well-Known Member
Mountain biker here. I used to ride a lot in my 20s, a little in my 30s, and then stopped completely when we had children because I just couldn't figure out how to balance my time, or lack there of, well enough. Finally got back to it last year and have a good set of trails I can ride straight from my driveway to. Getting a couple more runs in before it gets really cold here in New England. There's little more fun to me than being in the wood mountain biking with a friend and vape session or two.
 

neoncheesecake

Well-Known Member
weather was wonderful last week - enough for me to fit in two skate sessions in 48 hours. day before thanksgiving was a balmy 60F, felt great. lots of skaters out to take advantage of the gorgeous weather so it was fun to watch the talented guys go at it. black friday was a great session with my friends, got a bit chilly toward the end but we had a great time. probably the last outdoor session of the year unless we get a freakishly mild day here in December.

nothing beats a good session with friends, learning new tricks, and then coming home to take a small rosin dab and vape some TM bowls for recovery purposes ;)
 

CANtalk

Well-Known Member
Love the discussion, & especially the MTB content :love:. Keep up the rides and reports @GetLeft, fun reads 👍. Congratulations & sounds awesome @stoic :nod:. Lots of excellent MTB stories have been posted here this year and it's great to see yours. I'm out of season now. Love the history @3dayphunk :clap:, I too rode a lot in my 20's and a little in my 30's... and no spring chicken years later now I'm in a multi-year MTB renaissance. Lost >50 lbs as well. My house is less than a mile from single track trails, with lots of options / variety. It's a revelation.

Anyone do MTB skinny's? There are of those features on my local trails and I've been able to tackle and do them the last few years, but they're the bane of me. Big kudos to anyone who's good, let alone uber proficient like this :bowdown:.
https://www.reddit.com/r/MTB/comments/xpl3xb
TGIF & have a great weekend y'all.

:peace: :leaf:
 
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3dayphunk

Well-Known Member
Love the discussion here and especially the MTB content :love:. Keep up the rides and reports @GetLeft, fun reads 👍. Congratulations & sounds awesome @stoic :nod:. Lots of excellent MTB stories have been posted here this year and it's great to see yours. I'm out of season now. Love the history @3dayphunk :clap:, I too rode a lot in my 20's and a little in my 30's... and no spring chicken years later now I'm in a multi-year MTB renaissance. Lost >50 lbs too. My house is than a mile from single track trails, with lots of options / variety. It's a revelation.

Anyone do MTB skinny's? There are of those features on my local trails and I've been able to tackle and do them the last few years, but they're the bane of me. Big kudos to anyone who's uber proficient, like this :bowdown:
https://www.reddit.com/r/MTB/comments/xpl3xb
TGIF & have a great weekend y'all.

:peace: :leaf:

Dude, that's sick video! I don't come across quite that here. Though I don't go to the more built up, advanced trails nearby me and should check out. I did just get new handle bars to put on for a ride this weekend though! :rockon:
 

GetLeft

Well-Known Member
hit and miss weather wise up here over the past week or so. When it's not too cold it's too wet and vice versa. Staying attentive for the right combination of elements, though. Good thing we've got the WC to keep our minds off missing the rides : )

Edit: was disappointed to see CA exit early. They kicked ass during the qualifying stage. It's a beautiful game but a cruel game, also!
 

His_Highness

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king
Its time to prepare for the annual 15k Gate River Run!! Time to start increasing the mileage from the 5k base. I usually start training for the Gate the week of Christmas which gives me 10 weeks to prepare but I'm starting a little earlier than usual this year.

Maybe I'll set out for a personal record (PR) this year......yeah, right.....I'm not chasing PRs anymore.....I'm chasing the party and unlimited free beer that comes with finishing the race ;)
 

GetLeft

Well-Known Member
Finally was able to get on my bike again after a two week hiatus caused by cold, wet weather. What a relief! Riding is pretty important to my mental health, I'm finding. With a little more freedom in my schedule than in recent years I'm hoping that riding will stay an option all winter and I'll be a happy jolly camper to all all season long :lmao:

It was slippery most of the way but I'm getting used to that aspect of riding in the cooler weather. Definitely felt the lack of conditioning and leg strength after a two week lay off. But with temps in the mid 40s and no rain yesterday, got a perfect day to hit the trails with my faithful riding buddy, Durbin.
 

GetLeft

Well-Known Member
Took my bike in for a comprehensive tune up today. Asked about the newer drivetrain setups you see on new bikes with a single front chainring (mine came with two and my previous mtb had three) and the high chainring in the back. The guy said my bike is basically current tech-wise with the exception of that transmission so I opted to have him update it to current standards. So tomorrow I'll be riding a bike with a new groupset, new crankset, new derailleur, new chain, new shifters. I'm stoked and ready to get dirty. Good thing I wasn't hit by vas during black friday 'cause if I had I probably wouldn't have gone for this upgrade.
 

Dustin McKief

Well-Known Member
Took my bike in for a comprehensive tune up today. Asked about the newer drivetrain setups you see on new bikes with a single front chainring (mine came with two and my previous mtb had three) and the high chainring in the back. The guy said my bike is basically current tech-wise with the exception of that transmission so I opted to have him update it to current standards. So tomorrow I'll be riding a bike with a new groupset, new crankset, new derailleur, new chain, new shifters. I'm stoked and ready to get dirty. Good thing I wasn't hit by vas during black friday 'cause if I had I probably wouldn't have gone for this upgrade.
My new bike came with 1x12. It's really nice, but I'm still training my brain to use it because it's so different from how I've shifted my whole life.

Today's MTB story: I've only had the bike a couple of weeks and it had been returned so when I built it you could tell that it had been assembled, unassembled and then repackaged for sale. When I assembled it initially, I used the included torque wrench to tighten the bars and stem when I installed them and have ridden it a few times since then with no issues.

Right before I left for my ride today, I was going to install some new pedals. I tried wrenching one off but couldn't get it, and I wanted to get going, so I just left. On the way to the trail, I could feel that something was loose. I assumed that it was the pedal I had wrenched on and decided to stop by my local shop to tighten it up quick and then continue on. I pull up to a stop sign where someone was directing traffic. She waves me on, and when I pushed hard on the pedal, the entire crank fell off! Several people are laughing hard as I go back and pick up the parts and start walking to the shop, which was thankfully only a couple of blocks away.

I'm feeling very fortunate that it didn't happen on the trail and that it didn't require any parts replacement. The shop put it all back together no charge and I was on my way and had a nice up and down green trail ride. Blustery winds, but some sunshine and relatively mild for the time of year. When I got back home, I checked the whole bike over. :tup:
 

GetLeft

Well-Known Member
went to pick up my bike with the upgraded drivetrain and am told about sales and financing and ... and I'm weak and would love a fatbike to play with on days like today (warm at 50 but rained yesterday so sloppy). I stay home on days like this if it's down to my mtb but if I had a fatbike would I really ride? Enough to make it worth the investment??? bad case of bas :|
 
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Knewt

Well-Known Member
went to pick up my bike with the upgraded drivetrain and am told about sales and financing and ... and I'm weak and would love a fatbike to play with on days like today (warm at 50 but rained yesterday so sloppy). I stay home on days like this if it's down to my mtb but if I had a fatbike would I really ride? Enough to make it worth the investment??? bad case of bas :|
I bought a Surly Moonlander in 2013, it was as fat as you could go in those days. I almost immediately abandoned my custom 5” travel 29er. The fatty was perfect for my conditions and my preferred riding style. Due to other circumstances I haven’t ridden a bike in years, but I hope to return to it soon.
 

CANtalk

Well-Known Member
Thx for the stories y'all, good luck and keep it up :tup:.

IMO, 1 X 11 or 12 MTB drivetrains are overrated unless you bounce chains off while riding, like those in the rocky mountains 👍. I've worn out a few drivetrains from big use, and in my current MTB setup for price/performance Shimano 2X10 XT replacements or equivalent work best. I literally used top and bottom gear on every trip this year for about 600 miles... from granny first gear to ~ 40 mph lol :wave:. And I only visit the rocky mountains :bowdown:.

I don't see fat bikes being the ticket in muddy trail use, but they rock in frozen conditions. It's gets too cold here for me to deal with fat bikes, but kudos to those who do, cheers :clap:. Expanding the bike stable is a welcome luxury, cheers!

I've recently moved on to my annual pattern of now watching MTB videos and recently Friday Fails again. Here are the first two videos, hard core too jml), so be warned :o. They help to slow me down... most people don't know dangerous mountain biking quickly gets :evil::evil:.




Have a spare $10K US for MTB, enjoy https://www.pinkbike.com/news/video-welcome-to-the-2022-fall-field-test.html

Be safe, have fun and enjoy the exercise / outdoors

:peace: :leaf:
 
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GetLeft

Well-Known Member
I'm not even sure what year my bike is anymore but this is it after a drive train reboot and top to bottom servicing. Feels newer than new and the mechanic even treated me to grips and valve caps that matched my bike colors : )



@stoic the crank came off? Scary. Glad it happened while you weren't moving.

@Knewt thanks for the feedback. Makes me feel better about my decision. Went ahead with the fatbike (Salsa Beargrease). Retirement present to me.



@CANtalk I hear what you're saying. My shimano slx 2x10 was the best set up I had had on a bike. Silky smooth shifting. All the range I needed. Unlike you, though, I rarely used the top chain ring. Since I see most new bike setups are 1x12 I trusted it would be the way to go. Also went with a change from shimano to sram. Not totally sold on the sram yet. But after one ride I can tell I do like the 1x10 set up. And yea a state park I like to ride at is around a lake so there are skinnies at a few places to get across watery areas. Once you get familiar with them they're fun. Until they're fun they're nervous making.

@His_Highness how's the prep for the 15k coming? Do you use a device to record your runs?
 

His_Highness

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king
@His_Highness how's the prep for the 15k coming? Do you use a device to record your runs?
Sweet ride you got! My low end MTB is a tricycle in comparison.

I use the Fitbit Sense (Onboard GPS) to record and monitor my runs. Mostly to relieve the boredom of running the same routes ... I monitor how far I've gone and how far I've got to go to meet my mileage requirement for that day's training for that 15k. I check the distance completed to decide which routes to run so I end up at the entrance to the sub-division I live in when I've completed the training requirement for that run/day.

I'm ahead of the training schedule at the moment but I've got to take it more seriously or I'll lose the early lead. Sometimes I have to decide between training, the holidays and grandkids.

Not long ago I mentioned the wild life I keep an eye out for since I run at night in an area that used to be natural when we moved here. I also use the Sense to change up a route to avoid the wild life when I spot them and still end up at my entrance. Recently a coyote attacked and killed a little dog being walked on leash and I ran by a young deer twice (coming and going). I worry about approaching deer at night like that because they get mesmerized by me and the lights I use and when they come out of it they could bolt into the road.

Sometimes the route I've run ends up being a primitive drawing when I view it using the GPS .... I once ran a route that ended up looking like a well-endowed man peeing.
 

Dustin McKief

Well-Known Member
I'm not even sure what year my bike is anymore but this is it after a drive train reboot and top to bottom servicing. Feels newer than new and the mechanic even treated me to grips and valve caps that matched my bike colors : )



@stoic the crank came off? Scary. Glad it happened while you weren't moving.

@Knewt thanks for the feedback. Makes me feel better about my decision. Went ahead with the fatbike (Salsa Beargrease). Retirement present to me.



@CANtalk I hear what you're saying. My shimano slx 2x10 was the best set up I had had on a bike. Silky smooth shifting. All the range I needed. Unlike you, though, I rarely used the top chain ring. Since I see most new bike setups are 1x12 I trusted it would be the way to go. Also went with a change from shimano to sram. Not totally sold on the sram yet. But after one ride I can tell I do like the 1x10 set up. And yea a state park I like to ride at is around a lake so there are skinnies at a few places to get across watery areas. Once you get familiar with them they're fun. Until they're fun they're nervous making.

@His_Highness how's the prep for the 15k coming? Do you use a device to record your runs?
Gotta love the new bike feeling and, of course, I get N+1! While skiing, I've seen those fat bikes on the trail and it looks like a lot of fun. Is that how you will use it mostly?

Yes, the crank fell off! I'm very lucky that it didn't happen while descending. I've decided to do a few upgrades (tubeless, dropper, pedals and grips) to get it dialed in.
 

CANtalk

Well-Known Member
Looks excellent @GetLeft! Great bikes & pics. Can't go wrong with a new 1X12 setup :nod:. SRAM is great stuff as well 👍, it looks high spec too on ur SRAM drivetrain upgrade... is it? (can't zoom in). High spec drivetrains are awesome and shifting is amazing (but they don't have to be the highest spec in MTB, since they are similar to the next spec down and just simply lighter weight). I never really mis-shift on these high end drivetrains which is huge for a good ride experience and enjoyment (I shift hundreds of times on a singe trail ride). I've been using a full XT for years now and will continue to stick with high spec Shimano or SRAM drivetrains, especially on a primary MTB 👍.

Sorry about my last post, I was haf and mangled the delivery :razz:. The reason I've been sticking with a 2X10 Shimano setup is because my MTB came with that, it works great for me in my trails/riding... and I don't want to spend significantly more money to get a 1X12 setup. It's also a big pita figuring out all the proper 1X components to select for a MTB drivetrain conversion (there are so many and lots of them are not interchangeable nor do they mix) if I'm not going to pay a bike shop to do that. I do most all of my own bike work maintenance every year to save money and it still costs me $300+ annually with the miles I put on (I do most everything but the front suspension service). It's expensive doing MTB maintenance, even before paying someone else to do it... but the dividends are huge. A well maintained mountain bike makes a massive difference in rideability and it helps to keep overall maintenance costs down over the long term as well... win win.

The wholesale MTB industry move to 1X setups has been a little dubious. Every drivetrain has advantages and disadvantages, including 1X and 2X setups, and newer is not necessarily better (depending on personal attributes and priorities). The 1x12 setups are finally getting to a good overall gearing spread (comparable to 2X setups) as opposed to the earlier 1X10 & 1X11 drivetrains. And future 1X13 and 1X14 setups will finally start to be a significant upgrade in most every way to 2X setups. The MTB industry has been dubious for a while now, with terribly short timelines of planned design obsolescence to drive people to buy new. Regular changes in minor MTB specs are constantly resulting in frame changes making bikes even 3-5 years old obsolete for the newest parts and options (from wheel size and wheel width to axle size changes, etc.). OTOH, older MTBs are still excellent and can be maintained far longer than for the 3-5 year obsolescence timelines. I still have my original hardtail MTB, it's >25 years old and as good as new hardtails on the local trails here).

HAF again :science::science: so sorry for any spelling and grammar awkwardness :doh:. And sorry for rambling on, many here know these things but it's good new info for at least a few readers. And I always enjoy shooting the breeze with y'all :tup:.

Crazy store @stoic 🤯 :ko:.

Moar stories and fat bike ride feedback 4 sure :clap:.

Cheers and have a great weekend.

:peace: :leaf:
 
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