Mountain Biking - Forum Archive

Aug 05, 2013 at 02:11 AM

Taconic 909: Part II

About 10th wheel going into the hole shot, I'm psyched. But then I see it an extremely narrow entrance into the single track, complete with rocky borders and hump of a gopher mound to ride over. Guys are naturally slowing dramatically. I kind of freak and stop and get off my bike. Not slick cx style mind you. "Cat 6, I might wear underwear underneath my bike-shorts" style. The groans behind me are audible...and deserved.

Through the rocky, rooty single track I'm doing ahem, not that great, and spending more time in the first half of the first lap, letting better bike handlers pass.

And the rest of lap one doesn't get much better. Rocks, roots, LOOK OUT FOR THAT TREE! There were a few sections of fire-road climbs where I kind of crushed it, pulling back mass amounts of time on guys who actually know how to ride a mountain bike. With a mile or so left in the first lap all I could think was, "do I really have to do another lap?" Then, I couldn't wait to see Sarah and Peter cheering for me in the feed zone.

On the second lap, I started to handle my business just a bit better. The descents, twists and turns weren't as scary. I was faster. Definitely faster. My goal was to pass folks on the "roadie" sections, but then not get caught when the course tightened up.

And I did. Success. Ish. Most of the field finished far in front of me, but having finished this race, 1 hour and 45 minutes of pounding, exhausted, still tired as I type this, I count this a very good day on the bike.

Marc Bertucco

Aug 05, 2013 at 02:16 AM

Post Race Pictures:

IMG_0886.JPG

IMG_0887.JPG

Phil Maronilla

Aug 05, 2013 at 02:40 AM

@Marc - is that a 1998 Stumpjumper Pro? Sweet rig. I still have my 1999 Comp as well. How did it handle? I've never used mine in a race.

mugwump

Aug 05, 2013 at 02:42 AM

Marc Bertucco said:

Post Race Pictures:

Not for nothing here, but your Stump seems to match your helmet. Perhaps this is why you returned this rig to your quiver.

Marc Bertucco

Aug 05, 2013 at 03:11 AM

Phillip Maronilla said:

@Marc - is that a 1998 Stumpjumper Pro? Sweet rig. I still have my 1999 Comp as well. How did it handle? I've never used mine in a race.

Honestly, Iforget the year, but yeah that sounds about right. Stumpjumper Pro. It came with a mix of Deore and XT components. 8 cogs in the back. I think the trigger shifting is reverse from what they do now. They little "easy" click, makes the derailleur go up the cogset. I actually like the way it shifts, it makes sense for the way I ride the hills. I'm happy with the bike overall. It held up better I think my fork needs to be rebuilt (have no idea how to do this), and I now have an out of true front wheel from something I hit along the way. But I won't be going crazy ordering up a new Cannondale MTB anytime soon.

mugwump said:

Marc Bertucco said:

Post Race Pictures:

Not for nothing here, but your Stump seems to match your helmet. Perhaps this is why you returned this rig to your quiver.

I'm definitely matchy-matchy. The sides of the helmet are still neon and match the bike. The top of my helmet is sun-faded to now match the jersey.

I forgot to mention a hilarious moment, during the day. Someone make sure that JP is outside before he reads this. Because if not, he'll never be able to get outside again because his head will have become so big that he won't make it through the front door after hearing this story.

While chatting waiting for the start with a local racer, I mentioned how this was my first race in years, blah, blah, blah. And some other dude rolls up and is all like, "just channel your inner JP."

[pffft, pffft, JPs head expands a bit]

Then while racing I come upon the same guy (I think he flatted?), who then shouts, "GO JP!" The guy who knows I'm not JP, just couldn't resist. Then I shout back, "I'll tell him you said hello!" And then...wait for it, the guy shouts back, "THAT DUDE IS A LEGEND!"

[CUE Michael Bay-like explosion of JP's head.]

twoyacks

Aug 05, 2013 at 03:24 AM

Nice Marc ! Oh man I miss the dirt. Bad knees and a bad back have forced me onto the pavement....sigh I did have some wild rigs in my day though and I was way better on the mtb than I ever was on the road....I was particularly fond of my Pro-Flex and Slingshot....and there wasn't a piece of carbon on either of em !

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neilx

Aug 05, 2013 at 03:24 AM

@Marc- Glad to hear you did. Kudos A few other good ones coming up which I'll post.

Jules

Aug 05, 2013 at 11:56 AM

Marc Bertucco said:

I forgot to mention a hilarious moment, during the day. Someone make sure that JP is outside before he reads this. Because if not, he'll never be able to get outside again because his head will have become so big that he won't make it through the front door after hearing this story.

While chatting waiting for the start with a local racer, I mentioned how this was my first race in years, blah, blah, blah. And some other dude rolls up and is all like, "just channel your inner JP."

[pffft, pffft, JPs head expands a bit]

Then while racing I come upon the same guy (I think he flatted?), who then shouts, "GO JP!" The guy who knows I'm not JP, just couldn't resist. Then I shout back, "I'll tell him you said hello!" And then...wait for it, the guy shouts back, "THAT DUDE IS A LEGEND!"

[CUE Michael Bay-like explosion of JP's head.]

I has confuse. They make mountain bikes with drops?

mugwump

Aug 05, 2013 at 01:05 PM

Jules said:

Marc Bertucco said:

I forgot to mention a hilarious moment, during the day. Someone make sure that JP is outside before he reads this. Because if not, he'll never be able to get outside again because his head will have become so big that he won't make it through the front door after hearing this story.

While chatting waiting for the start with a local racer, I mentioned how this was my first race in years, blah, blah, blah. And some other dude rolls up and is all like, "just channel your inner JP."

[pffft, pffft, JPs head expands a bit]

Then while racing I come upon the same guy (I think he flatted?), who then shouts, "GO JP!" The guy who knows I'm not JP, just couldn't resist. Then I shout back, "I'll tell him you said hello!" And then...wait for it, the guy shouts back, "THAT DUDE IS A LEGEND!"

[CUE Michael Bay-like explosion of JP's head.]

I has confuse. They make mountain bikes with drops?

@Jules,

Back in the day, I did some MTB races on my 'cross bike (28mm tri-cross knobbies). I didn't have a full quiver of fat bikes, so I chose not to try the Malone/Phelan/Curley/Tomac "drops on the mtb race bike" setup.

@Marc,

If only Edie had heard that, perhaps she'd be on Kissena today.

WilliamDC

Aug 06, 2013 at 06:33 PM

@marc - awesome job and awesome report - can't wait to ride witcha

@yacks - i SO wish you could still ride the knobbies - we could shred it together! could you handle cross?

twoyacks

Aug 06, 2013 at 08:27 PM

Nope...those days are over

WilliamDC

Aug 07, 2013 at 12:14 AM

maybe you could handle driving me to cross races, cutting me orange slices and/or periodically telling me i'm a bum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDCgp6JW8Ug

Jules

Aug 07, 2013 at 01:02 AM

Chuckle-out-loud

twoyacks

Aug 07, 2013 at 02:42 AM

If I show up...I am throwing beer on your skinny ass...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxgEF-t44gc

WilliamDC

Aug 07, 2013 at 03:41 AM

i'm thinking about heading to Cunningham on Sunday morning to do some trail ride

might ride cross, might ride mtb

anyone interested?

Phil Maronilla

Aug 07, 2013 at 11:07 AM

What time @ Cunningham @WDC? I'll bring my MTB for some practice.

Marc Bertucco

Aug 07, 2013 at 11:23 AM

FYI, for those who don't know, Cunningham Park's trails are 100% doable on a cross bike. At least the route that Eric took us on a few years back.

eragot

Aug 07, 2013 at 12:01 PM

I think all long island MTB trails are CX bike compatible.

Jules

Aug 07, 2013 at 02:18 PM

Marc Bertucco said:

FYI, for those who don't know, Cunningham Park's trails are 100% doable on a cross bike. At least the route that Eric took us on a few years back.

Didn't someone cook his collarbone chasing Eric through the pump track there a year or two back?

Jules

Aug 07, 2013 at 02:20 PM

@Yaks the best part of that is the word "Dronken" in the title!

dstokes

Aug 07, 2013 at 02:47 PM

@Jules: No one cooked their collarbone at the pump track. Even 6-year old Luka was able to ride this and other trails in Cunningham. I broke a shifter running into a tree at Stillwell, but I did the same at the Bubble Spring 'cross race (I need a sand pit to practice in this year).

WilliamDC

Aug 07, 2013 at 04:19 PM

@Phillip - not sure yet but will post here. prob hit the trails between 9 and 10am.

@jules - yes . . . one of kissena's more notable hounddog's crumbled his shoulder in Cunny two years ago . . . he was chasing Rich, though; as much as i'd like to blame him, Eric wasn't involved.

mugwump

Aug 07, 2013 at 06:18 PM

FWIW, I took my cx bike shod with slick road tires to Cunningham and did ok. And the body armor pump-track guys were shaking their head, saying it looked far too dangerous for them. Then I ran into Charlie L, followed him on a twisty grass course he made. and slid out.

WilliamDC

Aug 11, 2013 at 03:46 AM

all - just in case any of you were counting on seeing me at Cunny tomorrow . . . i won't be there.

vollbach put a wupping on my today and i have a bad cough and my bottom's sore and my porridge is too hot

you get the picture

soon, my droogs! new (ultrabudget) cross bike in the works!

Marc Bertucco

Aug 12, 2013 at 04:51 PM

Belleayre Mountain All Terrain Challenge Race Report:

So coming off a relatively successful day at the track, and good feeling from the previous week's MTB race, I was really looking forward to this race in the Catskills of NY. Unfortunately karma had other plans for me.

The out of true wheel, mentioned in another thread, continued , despite HOURS of work on it, continued to spin with a wobble that had it stopping dead in it's tracks. I had thought I had gotten it "straight enough," but I found out at the start line of my race that was not the case.

Of course getting to the start line was not without it's drama. Namely I had left the quick release end cap at home, and apparently my specialized wheel is some propriatary extra thick beefy axel set up and so no one has a cap that big. But the race organizer tells me that the end cap/bolts to some Yakima roof racks are actually the same size...

Cue me running around the parking lot like a crazy person trying to find a cap/bolt so that I could attach my front wheel to my bike. A big rusty bolt is located, the promoter tells me that it belongs to his brother in law and I should just take it (he's nowhere near his truck) and so I do. It fits!

That's when I discover that my staying up until 3:30 am, trying to fix my wheel did absolutely no good. NONE. Standing at the line I contemplating quitting right then and there. How am I going to do a race with a wheel that won't do a complete rotation without stopping on the drag of the brake pad? I contemplate undoing the QR for my front brake and racing with just the rears.

I do neither, I pedal ahead, leting my field go in front of me and figure, I'll just do the best I can despite the wheel rub. And then life just got worse. The course was absolutely brutal. So much twisty, rooty rocky single track.It was an insane course and just a few miles in, I knew that this would be one of my worst days on the bike. I couldn't do a thing. I got off the bike and walked sections of the course.

Sure, it would have helped to have a properly functioning bike, a FULL SUSPENSION bike,but I cannot tell a lie, the technicalities of this course absolutely dominated me.I got passed by EVERYONE in the categories behind me--including a woman who looked like she was dressed for yoga class. It took me an hour to go roughly 5 miles.

Normally I'm the type to finish out whatever race I start, but I actually started to fear injury and so after just one lap, I pulled myself and spent the rest of the day throwing rocks into a nearby stream with Peter.

If I can get a functiong front wheel, I'll attempt the track/MTB double again next weekend.

Phil Maronilla

Aug 12, 2013 at 05:47 PM

@Marc - do you want to borrow my front wheel that's on my stumpjumper for your races? It's the original wheel, and it doesn't have to be trued. It's a spare bike so you're not preventing me from using it.

Also, I'm curious, what brand & make of tires are you using? And for hydration, water bottle or a camelbak (for a 6 mile race)?

mattie davitt

Aug 12, 2013 at 09:25 PM

Told you so.

You know who doesn't care about our of true wheels, besides the honey badger? Disc brakes.

@marc

next race up north, you can borrow my dual 29er. swing by piermont anytime, I leave it at the shop.

mattie davitt

Aug 12, 2013 at 09:26 PM

Phillip Maronilla said:

@Marc - do you want to borrow my front wheel that's on my stumpjumper for your races? It's the original wheel, and it doesn't have to be trued. It's a spare bike so you're not preventing me from using it.
Also, I'm curious, what brand & make of tires are you using? And for hydration, water bottle or a camelbak (for a 6 mile race)?

camelbak, the time worth fumbling for a bottle, especially a bottle covered in mud and shit, ain't worth it.

Phil Maronilla

Aug 12, 2013 at 10:21 PM

I want to use a camelback @mattie, but I wasn't sure if it was necessary for a 6 mile MTB (I have no idea how long this takes). Not having to taste dirt while drinking is a big plus.

Marc Bertucco

Aug 13, 2013 at 12:28 AM

Phillip, that would be amazing if I could borrow your front wheel. This week, as it happens is jam packed with work and daddy-duties, so my time is incredibly tight...not sure when I can even make it to a bike shop to drop off my bum wheel. I could swing by, say Friday or Saturday evening, if that would work for you.

Hydration-wise, I've been going with 1 large water bottle, but most people on the racing circuit seem to be using camel backs. Part of the issue, I suspect has to do with the fact that dual suspension MTB's don't have enough room for a large bottle, and if you are racing in the heat over 1 hour, a small bottle might not be enough. But I cannot disagree with Mattie's point either. Namely, the more technical, bouncy, rocky twisty the course is, the longer you have to wait to drink.

I think the other thing to really think about hydration wise, for MTB or any other race for that matter, is making sure that you go into the race plenty hydrated ahead of time. Especially this time of year, when we are training and sweating 23 out of 24 hours a day, it's super easy to go into your race dehydrated. And then you remember you have to drink and you drink so much so fast so close to the start of your race that it overwhelms your stomach and you are riding around with a big water bed sloshing inside of you.

Tire wise....yikes, I have no idea. I'll have to check.

Mattie, that's a super generous offer too. Thanks I may just take you up on it. Even if riding a 29-er, scares me a bit, through the woods makes me think of an old-timey bike dude riding his high wheeler around.