@Marc - I'll bring in the wheel on Wednesday to work.  I'm in the city.  I can meet you Wednesday after work uptown somewhere (or whatever day you can meet).

I'm thinking about a MTN Bike campaign next year.  Is there "Can't Miss Races" list for MTN bikes?

I'm thinking it might culminate in Leadville if the stars align...

@Jules

Very cool.

There's a bunch of stuff below that you'll have to pick and choose from based on the Leadville date for next year (currently TBA)--assuming that is your race goal.

Generally
Leadville slots are tight.  50% pf those who wish to race get slots through lottery and the other 50% through placement in certain qualifying events.  Keep abreast of the deadline.  I think the lottery in the past happened in January.  Do you know Rob Spillman (Wonder Wheels)?  He's done Leadville.  You may want to chat with him. I also have a friend I can introduce you to who's done it several times.

Local Races
Start with racing as much of the Campmor H2H series, which includes most of the good local courses. I can help you pick between them.
http://www.h2hrace.com/

Aside from one of the Leadville qualifiers, get in a few 100 mile MTB races.  (Do them with a bag over your head to simulate Leadville)

Wildcat 100
http://www.wildcatepicevents.com/wc-100/

Wilderness 101
http://www.mtntouring.com/mountain/htm/wilderness_101/w101_body.htm

Shenandoah 100
http://www.mtntouring.com/mountain/htm/shenandoah_mountain_100/page_sm100.htm

Hampshire 100
http://www.hampshire100.com/

As you know, the Leadville Race runs between 10k and 12.5k ft  of altitude so....
do any of the Rocky Mountain Endurance series Races that fit your training schedule to get used to racing at altitude.

http://www.warriorscycling.com/races/
 
As I'm sure you know, getting to altitude a few weeks ahead of time will supposedly allow some acclimatization to the altitude. But I'll let you physiologically savvy folks figure out the right protocol for that.

Most importantly, come out on some slow xc rides post 'cross season if you want to get your xc sea legs back before the xc season begins.

Thanks Neil!

I finally rode a 29er out here in California. Mostly single and double track. It was easy to handle and seemed natural. It took me 50min to ride to the trail in Palo alto and I was keeping up or passing the roadies. As for the trail, wow 22x32 gets you up serious stuff. The tires were overly pumped.

The thing I found was that when standing the bike was suddenly ponderous. I liked the hard tail and it was fine for the terrain. However, I would have climbed and handled better on my CX bike due to the lighter weight and greater maneuverability. The descents were better on the MTB.

Going to rent another for a few days of riding around lake Tahoe. Report to come.

High in Tahoe.

Well, after two rocky races in a row, I'm just about to concede that racing my hard tail 26 incher is a little like bringing a knife to a gun fight. Of course that didn't stop Brittlee Bowman from rocking the women's field in her first ever Mtb race and taking second. But we all know that I am no Britlee. I was content, with the big assist from Phillip's front wheel to complete the race without major catastrophe. Phillip was getting ready for his race as I departed. I'm looking forward to hearing how he made out.

I'm with you @Marc -

All this talk about Mtn biking makes me want to try Leadville, but on a cross bike. Seems that if 90% is paved or dirt roads then a cross bike would be the way to go. Might have to walk some spots but would make up time elsewhere.

@Marc-You've yet to see the rockiest courses that the local races offer...those would probably be Ringwood, Jungle Habitat, and Wawayanda. Fork technology has gotten a lot better since your bike's vintage.  Even a hardtail with a decent fork with 100mm travel and tubeless tires can make rocky  technical stuff feel better.   More so, a hardtaill 29er, which would smooth it out a little bit and give you more security from being pitched forward into an endo. It still takes handling on a full suspension bike, but a little less so and you can also take rougher lines and you feel less fatigued for sure.

Phillip- Having the fitness on the climbs as you do is more important,  The technical/descending stuff should come quickly with some practice  I remember taking the chairlift up to the course there with my dog squeezed in with me.  (Do they have a real gondola there now?)

...and I never will. Probably, anyway. It's a little frustrating these courses. I mean, I never have done a lot of MTB races, but of the handful I've done back in the way back, have been nothing like the last two weekends. I wonder if course designers construct courses based on what works with the latest and greatest tech?

At least in road racing, my bike from a similar time period is not such a limiting factor. Sure, it's a little heavier and flexy than most, but the performance gap between it and it's modern brethren is fairly narrow compared to the world of mountain bikes...it seems.

Ultimately, I think I'll just have to be more selective about which MTB events I race in next year, and those weekends that there isn't a suitable MTB race for me and my ancient technology, I'll head up the Taconic and beat around those trails to practice my handling skills for cross.

All this thread is good for is denting my wallet and making by basement more crowded.

Its a real gondola now.. I have to add that it seems some of the rocky sections were man made. The rocks were made if broken up cement walks or something.

In any case, if I do another of these, I'd like to try a full suspension with maybe more travel up front. My arms and hands were tired midway thru.

Cannondale discount @Jim.. Ha!

@Phillip- Now that's high tech.  Cool.

@Marc-I can help you identify a few of the local places that tend to be less rocky/technical for next season.  Off the top of my head Stewart, Lewis Morris, Lippman, and Tymor (coming up September 15th) .  Taconic 909 is one wrung up (or down) in that it is slightly more technical than the aforementioned.

The courses around here that are rocky and technical have mostly been that way for a long time (i.e., at least 15 years).  People just ride them faster with the new technology.   Mount Snow, particularly when it's wet (and it's usually wet), in Vermont trumps just about everything down here for technical terrain -- it's as much about slimy wet roots there as about rocks. The combination can be devastating.  I've had the fractured ribs to prove it.  : )  @JP-You've probably raced at Mt. Snow-no?

It's entirely possible that they've created a rocky section for the race at Mountain Creek,  It's funny because in the world of pro mountain bilking the courses (particularly the "short track") courses have gotten less technical over the last bunch of years as promoters have tried to hold them at more spectator friendly venues nearer to population centers  And then when folks started complaining about that, the promoters added short crazy hard "man-made" obstacles (for instance on the World Cup courses) which of course never feel as organic (at least as spectator) as a naturally tough course might feel.

Recent technical bike developments (combined with astute marketing) however have given rise to a new disciplines like "Enduro" racing, which is sort of a blend between cross country and downhill, with cross-country-like climbing and then super nasty technical descending.  The bikes are heavier, have significant amounts of travel (5+ inches) front and rear and slacker angles for stable fast descending.

neilx said:

The courses around here that are rocky and technical have mostly been that way for a long time (i.e., at least 15 years).  People just ride them faster with the new technology.   Mount Snow, particularly when it's wet (and it's usually wet), in Vermont trumps just about everything down here for technical terrain -- it's as much about slimy wet roots there as about rocks. The combination can be devastating.  I've had the fractured ribs to prove it.  : )  @JP-You've probably raced at Mt. Snow-no?

@neilx,

@JP- I figured, if nothing else, you might have been to Mt. Snow in your journalistic capacity to cover the annual night-time naked dirt crit.

(I heart lurking this thread)

neilx said:

@JP- I figured, if nothing else, you might have been to Mt. Snow in your journalistic capacity to cover the annual night-time naked dirt crit.

local photographer Marco Quezada used to take part.  The he moved on to taking pictures.

mugwump said:

local photographer Marco Quezada used to take part.  The he moved on to taking pictures.

@JP - File that under, " I like to watch." 

As you know, these naked crits took place at night after the Nationals in a packed dirt parking lot.  A circle of cars was positioned throughout the lot -- their headlights providing the light.  Beer was plentiful, both among the spectators and the participants and was tossed with abandon up the nekkid riders.  It was a really great mix or riders from pros to amateurs, women and men, some with fig leave modesty panels and others absolutely flaunting it. THE WEIRDEST THING HOWEVER was watching one night as a naked racer ripped it up (figuratively) in the field, pulling a Burley kid's trailer in which a kid doll wearing a helmet was strapped in. The trailer puller was at the back of the pack for the most part, but was going quickly considering the load and making a show out of drifting the trailer out in the corners while kicking up a ton of dust and getting spewed upon with beer rain.  When the crit ended, the Burley-pulling rider ended up exiting the course right where I was standing and I said to him something like"[t]hat doll idea was hysterical!" At which point, he turns his head back to the trailer and says in a sweet voice: "Are you a doll?"  At which point the occupant of the trailer, who I now realize is an actual little boy, leans forward into the light and with high but loud voice shouts "I ain't no doll!"  I'm still not sure if that qualifies as borderline abuse or is the most enriching thing he could have done for his kid, but man was that a revelation at the time.

I'm thinking of signing up for Tymor..  I like that MTB racing is different than road racing.  A few minor tweaks for me when I go - lower tire pressure, a gel, a camelbak.

@Phillip-I'm not going to race but I be able to go up on the 14th to do a pre-ride of the course (if you're interested). It's normally a town park closed to anyone without a permit, but on the day before the race it's usually course marked open for pre-riding without a permit.

@Marc B. shredding the trail...

Anyone know of good off road trails to ride in the Ithaca area?

@Phillip - Are you still racing Tymor next weekend?  Don't know what your work schedule is but one of the guys from Brooklyn MTB Meet Up group is headed up  there to (pre) ride the CAT I course this Tuesday.
https://us-mg4.mail.yahoo.com/neo/launch?.rand=6p7rcfe4vdlo3#mail

Also, I may still be able to head up early next Saturday if you're interested.

I will race Tymor on the 15th.  I can't make it on Tuesday though, I would need to put in for a day off in advance.  Also, this weekend, I'm racing at Nittany.  Thanks for the offer.

Nooooooob question!!

This Saturday night at Taconic 909 is one the single best mountain bike events around.  It's the DARKNESS AT 909: The annual 909 Halloween Night Race.  The race is an individual time trial format on mountain bikes, through the woods, at night.  Costumes are optional but pretty common.  Appropriate bike lighting is mandatory f course.  Can't recommend this one highly enough (if you're comfortable riding at night).

https://www.bikereg.com/Net/darkness--909-halloween-night-race

P.S.-I think Kissena mattie davitt will be doing the race.

Are you going?

Best,

-Eric

Eric J. Robertson

*Mr. X Gotham*
214 Sullivan Street
New York, NY 10012
ejr@mrxfx.com
Office (212) 993-7878
Mobile (917) 509-4696

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On Tue, Oct 22, 2013 at 10:31 PM, neilx <