careful out there guys:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37WUuOc_zRQ

I love how nobody stopped for him.

Oh, here it is...the thread I was looking for. My computer/eyes are funked up.

What's the MTB racing scene like around here?

The race scene here is better than you might expect if you don't mind driving 1 hour to 1.5 hours each way--similar to the 'cross scene in terms of distance.
The seminal series in the area is called H2H.  See :
http://www.h2hrace.com/
They're all good courses and in years past the series races were well organized.

A handful of other non H2H race, including a few longer events, in case that's gonna be your bag...

April 21st - Wawarsing
June 9th- Williams Lake
June 22 Lippman 38
June 30th Stewart Six Pack
August 3rd and 4th-Wildcat 100
No dates yet, but also look for: the Stewart 40 and 909 night time trial (around Halloween)

nice!

@William - I vote Scalpel.  For the stuff we ride here having some sort of suspension trumps 29r wheels.

I just posted this admittedly very subjective non-scientific article on comparing lap times between 26" and 29" wheels on the Tech thread:

http://reviews.mtbr.com/26er-or-29er-which-was-faster-at-the-24-hours-in-the-old-pueblo

 

@WilliamDC  Duh...Next you're going to telll me that the voices I hear from the little box in my hand are transmitted through various requencies of "waves" and are not work of a band faeries casting magikal spells upon the aether.

Get the Scalpel. Pop for the bucks while you've got a job and a discount. The Scalpel suspension system is relatively simple by current standards, but that makes it light and theoretically relatively problem free.  If a fully supended bike is helpful anywhere it is helpful here in the rocky rooty northeast, not so much in tame places like Graham Hills, but in more interesting terrain at places like Waywayanda and 909 (off the Taconic near Tyrell Road).  Rear suspension also helps climbing on anything more nuanced than a fire road.  I suppose if you want to develop ninja jedi like technical skills on a mountain bike you could spend a couple of years "training" yourself on a fully rigid bike, or a unicycle, or a penny farthing for that matter, but that seems kind of goofy--like riding a 25lb steel road bike with a straight block and solid rubber wheels to get faster on the road eventually.... when you switch to something contemporary. There's plenty of terrain out here that will challenge you on the short suspended Scalpel.  At the other extreme, I suppose  if you know that you're going to jump right into short track MTB racing or race the World Cup circuit thenI would maybe suggest a hardtail, but anything short of that I think you'll have more fun and likely be faster on a fully suspended bike. 

I can't wait to bring out my Specialized Stump Jumper from days gone by, and school you full suspension sissies.

By the way...it's orange.

I really want to MTB race again. Had a blast doing it in years gone by.

Marc Bertucco said:

I can't wait to bring out my Specialized Stump Jumper from days gone by, and school you full suspension sissies.

By the way...it's orange.

I really want to MTB race again. Had a blast doing it in years gone by.

Not to piss on your wheaties, but old mountain bikes are pieces of shit. But I say this lovingly, because I too tried to harken back to mid 90s mtb bike fun in this modern era. My first real bike was a steel GT hardtail from 1996. When I started riding dirt again last year, I had vaseline lens recollections of riding that bike, and dusted off the mothballs. They're stupid. Old school mountain geo (steep headtube angle/short headtube/long top tube) is awful on anything techy or rough. I wanted to throw my bike into the woods. And don't even get me started on cantilever brakes and Rock Shox MCU forks that lock up when it's cold. They may work passably on fireroads, or some wussy west coast singletrack. But if you can ride it on a cross bike, that ain't mountain biking, that's riding a dirty road.

mattie davitt said:

Marc Bertucco said:

I can't wait to bring out my Specialized Stump Jumper from days gone by, and school you full suspension sissies.

By the way...it's orange.

I really want to MTB race again. Had a blast doing it in years gone by.

Not to piss on your wheaties, but old mountain bikes are pieces of shit. But I say this lovingly, because I too tried to harken back to mid 90s mtb bike fun in this modern era. My first real bike was a steel GT hardtail from 1996. When I started riding dirt again last year, I had vaseline lens recollections of riding that bike, and dusted off the mothballs. They're stupid. Old school mountain geo (steep headtube angle/short headtube/long top tube) is awful on anything techy or rough. I wanted to throw my bike into the woods. And don't even get me started on cantilever brakes and Rock Shox MCU forks that lock up when it's cold. They may work passably on fireroads, or some wussy west coast singletrack. But if you can ride it on a cross bike, that ain't mountain biking, that's riding a dirty road.

This.  So much this.

To further illustrate, because I'm cheap, I'm riding a HOOPTYASS bikes direct motobecane $600 new dual suspension pogo stick and it's still a million times better then that bike.

Marc Bertucco
Why is it always about showing other people up with you competitive dudes? How about just enjoying the blissful camaraderie of a ride through the woods with your buddies?  Can't we all just get along? Naaah.... :  )

Marc Bertucco said:

I can't wait to ......school you full suspension sissies.

@Marc Bertucco P.S.-Orange Stumpy = Super Cool!

neilx said:

Marc Bertucco
Why is it always about showing other people up with you competitive dudes? How about just enjoying the blissful camaraderie of a ride through the woods with your buddies?  Can't we all just get along? Naaah.... :  )

Marc Bertucco said:

I can't wait to ......school you full suspension sissies.

the only reason we ride mountain bikes at work is to make fun of whoever falls down the most. 

@Marc P.P.S.-My first Gary Fisher was orange too.

@Mattie-Flames rock.

Anyone want to go to MTBNJ.com's Short Track race on March 23rd ?

@JoshC would like to check that out but won't have enough time riding again by then.

In support of the argument for full suspension.....

man, that sounds fun. i don't think i can wiggle out of work, otherwise it'd be a no brainer.

I should revise my statement - the 03\16 race is full for Men - the Women's field still has spots. 

My version of mtn biking happens in a city park.
Well, there was a vacation in Sedona once where I rented a bike and rode with some local stoners.

y'all wanna race mtn bikes?  here you go:  http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/03/news/tony-ramatladi-18-poised-to-take-on-698km-epic-mountain-bike-race_277791

I am in Philly and I just got my a$s handed to me by the terrain in the park here. Totally different then Cunningham or Graham Hills (the only other spots I have been mountain biking in recent times). 

@JoshuaC Cunningham and GH are definitely on the very low end of the technical spectrum here.  There's challenging stuff just a bit further from NYC though.  I can give you some ideas if what to check that out when you're ready. Your plan makes sense.