OMFG. Kate Cortney is the new MTB Cross Country WORLD FUCKING CHAMPION!!!!!

https://twitter.com/UCI_MTB/status/1038398643672424450

She's awesome!

Holy shit

Amazing to watch

A rainy Sunday afternoon had me watching the world MTB champs 
great racing and really has me yearning to bike a MT bike 

A rainy Sunday afternoon had me watching the world MTB champs 
great racing and really has me yearning to buy a MT bike 

Do it!

@jim_nelson
Already browsing , thinking about the Fathom2 

Fathom 2 is a 27.5 wheeled bike. Why not the 29r? Just curious as to the pros and cons of either wheel size.

Phil Maronilla said:

Fathom 2 is a 27.5 wheeled bike. Why not the 29r? Just curious as to the pros and cons of either wheel size.

I have no idea about mountain bikes , i wanted a 1x drive train  and it seemed affordable , should i be looking at a 29r? Cunningham Glazier ridge would probably where i ride it most

Giant also offers the Fathom as a 29er. 

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/bikes-fathom-29-2019

The hardtails are hard to beat that that price.

the 29ers roll over logs easier, whereas the 27.5s are supposed to be a little more nimble.

 What did Jim get?

I got a Fathom 29er. I dig it but need to ride it more.

(Merged "MTB" and "Mountain Biking" threads)

I'm looking to upgrade my mtb from the current 10yr old GT Zaskar 26inch. It looks like the Giant Fathom can switch between 29 and 27.5 plus tires? 

Jim - how hefty is the Fathom?

If u have the scratch...the reviews are amazing
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/bikes-anthem-29-2019

I did it , Fathom 29r on the way 

Suweet! 

What size did they put you on?

medium

They didnt put me on it , i figured it out myself , did i get it wrong?

It was a toss up for me - I got small but I was right on the cusp. You ride bigger road bikes than me so I think that sounds right.

When does it arrive?

In about a week

@twoyacks - how was Rocky point 50? I can't believe you did that on the slingshot.

Phil Maronilla said:

@twoyacks - how was Rocky point 50? I can't believe you did that on the slingshot.

Well...since you asked...
I would be remiss if I did not mention Ricky Cornetta had an awesome race!  Took 5th in Cat I Male under 45 with a time of 3:44

I've been in more stressful races (jersey pursuits, lead outs, 24 hour MTB relay races...situations where I didn't want to let a teammate down)...but this was perhaps the most painful race I've ever done.  I hemmed and hawed between riding the cross bike or the MTB...in the end I wasn't feeling the 26" wheels.  So the Slingshot got an extra brake lever a longer travel suspension post & the suspension stem installed.
I registered for the race...can u believe I'm a cat I in something?

"Shame Bell"....cuz anyone I passed on my 1992 Slingshot was getting a healthy dose of my bell...and a snarky "SHAME" as I went by...as well as this last view of me as I went up the trail...

It was a 2 camelbak race...
I had a plan.  It was 50 miles of mostly super tight, technical single track with a few long sections of fire road.  I figured I'd start at the back and keep my heart rate around 150. It was a mass start event & I didn't want to get in the way of the riders who could win, the relay teams etc. 


 This plan went out the window when the flag dropped.  I found myself stuck in the back of a long line of slow pokes...but it was a good warm up and prevented me from totally blowing up.  So I picked my way through with 2 other guys and after about 3 miles we had a clear trail ahead.  There were a few other cross bikes in the race and by the end of the first lap...I caught them all...including this chap

He got a shame bell...

Things were going well...I followed the mtb's and the second I saw the long stretch of fire road I went into the big ring & the drops and made my escape !!!  Things were going well....and then....someone ahead of me must have run over an in ground hornets nest...they swarmed me...the sound was deafening & frightening.  It was like a bad cartoon that was about to turn painful.  One of the buggers got into my glove and proceeded to sting me and sting me and...wait for it...sting me.  Couldn't take my hands off the bars till I was clear of the swarm.  Finally I started smashing my right hand with my left till the invader was dead.  My hand hurt...bad...and started to swell.

Here is what my other, normal hand looks like...slightly different

Karma for my shame bell shenanigans?   Perhaps...but I rode on (this was the 1st lap after all).  LOTS of people made out worse than me with multiple stings all over their bods...the organizers rerouted the course around the swarm by lap 2.
After lap 1 I dismount, drink a coke and scoff down half a snicker bar...and I'm off...following a fat bike who rolls over everything.  I'm bottoming out my front wheel way too often and can't believe I haven't flatted.  The rear der. is janked, I drop a chain behind the cassette, dismount and yank it free with my swollen hulk hand.

  I stay with the fat bike till the fire road & then turned on the jets...ding, ding
After lap 2 I dismount, drink a coke, finish that Snicker bar, swap out the camelbak and check my wheels which are dented but somehow holding air.  It's about two and half hours and 34 miles of riding mtb trails on skinny tires and my back and triceps are cooked.  But I push on alone...the only constant is the thudding sound of the suspension post topping out when it rebounds.  I catch a gaggle of mtb's and we are all suffering and everyone is asking everyone else if they should move over and let someone by...nobody wants to pass anyone...we are all cramping...the kind that makes you unclip and stick your leg out straight.  We hit some short power climbs...twice the guy in the lead can't get out of the saddle and can't pedal up the climb...he just stops pedaling and falls over...I feel sorry for him...but I portage and he gets the bell...ding ding
I make my last move...out of necessity.  I can not stand anymore or I'll cramp...I can not ride slow or I'll cramp (weird) so I push the only pace that seems to NOT cramp the legs...I finish alone in a time of 4:11
Did the cross bike cost me time?  Wads but what a visceral experience & a race I'll never forget.
They had beer at the finish...so my lady and I shared one...

and then I have another...

I spot Ragot...

and have another beer...

The Slingshot survives to tell the tale...albeit with plenty of war wounds

In case you missed it...Kissena was rep'd...I needed a good chamois today...

Strava is telling me to stay away from my bike for at least 3 days...avg heart rate 173 for 4 hours...
https://www.strava.com/activities/1828306079

I would totally sign up and do this race again next year....on full suspension 29'er

Damn Yacks, How I’ve missed your shenanigans. That was probably the most entertaining race report I’ve read all year. Love the shame bell and can’t beleive you continued racing after your hand exploded into the Hulk. Looks like a lot of fun

Best race report of the year. Kissena misses you man.

This makes me wonder about choosing a 27.5+ over a 29er hardtail.

I'm told that 27.5 will fit in my old Santa Cruz Superlight....but might be time to just join the 21st century...geometry's changed as well
I dunno about 27.5....it's weird they were supposed to put an end to 29er's and now companies are really circling back to 29's....I've looked at a bunch of online tests of 26.27.5 and 29 and the 29 always seems to come out on top
Those tests are always short and don't allow for the accumulative affects of the wheels on endurance...I would much rather see a true 2 hour timed test on all wheel sizes than a 10 minute test extrapolated up to an hour...26 is dead for sure... 27.5 versus 29 is a ragin dumpster fire right now...

watching the world championship cross country races was like eye candy...and incredible venue in Switzerland that challenged every aspect...fast downhills, slow downhills, root gardens, rock gardens, power climbs, rolling climbs...it had everything, cept a place to ever rest your legs
The ladies race was soo amazing and it proves when u never quit...good things happen

Today was my first day on a mountain bike, 2 hours at Cunningham was great fun , I rode one lap on flat pedals , but switched over to clip Ins which felt way better, one fall after hitting the wrong shift lever going up a hill but by the last time round I had the confidence to go over stuff I have looked at when on my cross bike , winter is going to be Fun

Yes!