Yes, hello Pool! The red cape doesn't sound like a bad idea, ¡olé! ha ha ha On another note, today Inter and I and two others went to La Pedriza on our road bikes. BTW, after spending some time doing maintenance work on my Rallon, looks like now it's my road bike's turn cos the derrailleur was not derrailling very well today. In fact went up La Pedriza on the second cog instead of the first. You know, the road bike seems so simple next to my full sus, but still, let's see if I can get the thing working right. It might be time to change the shifting cables and housing. Here's a picture of the four of us at Quebrantaherraduras en La Pedriza. You can see why those clouds were making us uneasy, but in the end we didn't get rained on.
Hi guys! Too much time off the radar, I know. I need some time to sit down without being in a constant hurry, but anyway, I had something pending with you people. When we first met in Alcalá I told Chain about a very nice video which is the best propaganda for our tracks, here in Alcalá... here it is! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGs-zZtmY0A And this other is by Ruloss courtesy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-oKudyq6XPs Enjoy them!
Cool! :fumador, thank you Mario. Having experienced such fun in your playground, those vids are the spitting image of what we now Know how it is to ride there!. Take for instance vid #2 at 3.08". It wouldn´t be an exageration to say that if you sneeze, you DIE!. You have to be pretty accurate in your calculations and skills to not make any mistakes. Otherwise you´ll be given up for dead and buried!. :twisted: Did Ruloss make this video? Looks kinda professional to me...
Yeah, it´s paradoxical when top road bikes are likely to be more expensive than top full bikes because, as you say, a full suspension system in a top enduro/MTB frame requires at least the same if not more technology. Top roadies are overpriced. Just for the sake of annoying people forgetting the essentials. A long, boring and tedious video in which an experienced cyclist talks about the deterioration he sees in cycling from a fitness sport into a "equipment paranoia" sport... ;-) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF4MIEkIBZs
Just take into account that you did it also, because you also visited some pretty deep cliffs, didn't you? As both of you could see, here we have our own theme park. Anyway I'm looking forward to being your guest there in El Pardo, because I'm totally convinced that there is full of entertainment there too.
In fact, I adopted a technique called "cross-eyed to survive" ;-) Just whistle and we will be pleased to host you in Madrid whenever you wish!!!. ;-)
:meparto :qmeparto it's a very interesting technique. Some day you'll have an appointment at El Pardo, but now I need to charge my batteries after the tremendous route of this morning... Only 75 kms :alloreto (my legs are smashed! :crybaby)
Yes, as Inter says, thanks for the videos, Mario. Nice! They bring back good memories of pedaling in Alcalá. If you want to visit el Pardo some time, let us know and we'll work out a time. 75 kms on a mountain bike is A LOT, Don't think I've ever done that many. Inter, the bicycle truth video looks interesting, I saw the beginning but don't have time to watch all of it right now. BTW Inter, remember I mentioned my bike wasn't shifting properly. Well, I had a look at it this afternoon and the shift cable was just hanging on by two strands. If it had broken, I'd have gone back to madrid on the small cog. You can see it in the photo, sorry the quality leaves something to be desired. [/URL] Uploaded with ImageShack.us[/IMG]
I watched it and actually I found it interesting. It's so rare to hear an anti-consumer voice. And he makes good points, like about how overpriced some of these bikes are, and that there's an equipment focus (consumer focus) rather than a recreational one. Unfortunately, this is the world we live in. Also bike tires and car tires cost about the same, yet the former last maybe 3,000 miles while the latter maybe 50,000. Chains on bicycles and on motorcycles can be campared similarly. I sympathise with his basic message, tho we don't see eye to eye on everything. A video well worth watching, tho completely unsexy, just seems to plod along.
So, literally our ride to La Pedriza was hanging by a thread!. I wonder how long it would have taken us to get home from there on the small cog!. All right, all right... it wouldn´t be exactly that calamity, you know we are resourceful people, and can make anything work, can figure out a way... yes, It turns out once my shiff cable broke and I Know how to avoid riding in the smaller cog: Just used a stick to lock the chain in the middle gear. It´s an easy and effective way to solve the problem with materials we can find at hand. ;-) Actually I do also sympathise with the idea underneath his video. In fact, I´m putting it into practice and it´s working!!!. Not being a pro nor having the intention to be one can make you save a lot ;-)
That´s the equivalent of a 100 mile road bike ride on the pavement... :clap Pd. After seeing "the route", I´ve to correct myself. Man, that´s not a 100 mile roadie ride equivalency but at least a 115 one! (+- 180 Kmts!!!) ;-) Ver el archivo adjunto 3421340
Actually I haven't heard of using a stick to hold the derailleur in position, but if you have a chain breaker you can remove the chain from the derailler, I mean from the pulleys. You shorten the chain, and leave it on a middle cog where it stays for the rest of the ride. You've turned your bike into a single speed: up front the chain has to stay on one the chainrings at all times because obviously you don't have the derailleur to take up the chain slack. Well, I'd say there's a big difference in performance between a 400-euro bike and a 2,000-euro one. But how much can there really be between a 2,000-euro steed and a 10,000-euro one. At this point, you're probably just splitting hairs, tho for top drawer pro riders where every second counts, maybe it makes sense. My experience is that mountain biking (at least in the Sierras) is much more demanding than riding on asfault. I suppose it all depends, but I'd say 75 km in the dirt is equivalent to 150 on the road. Off-road you get much steeper hills, and technical sections which are demanding and tiring and slow you down. Have you seen this? Mountain bike vs road bike. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3b6TRpucpU
Hard to compare. In the battle to decide which is more demanding we have to factor in so many differences in relation to physical constitution. Total different workouts. I´m an atypical rider. I think I have my body more prepared for Cross-Country rides and like them a lot, but the sensations I receive from riding a road bike are even more pleasant to me!. ;-)
The lastest news coming from Decathlon say that they have announced a new lifetime guarantee on their steel and aluminium frames to be purchased from now on. Cool, another lifetime warranty in the market!, but in the other hand doesn´t it sound like a lack of confidence in carbon frames? These are the kind of announcements that catch my eye! ;-) This way, a 530 euro Triban bike or a 200 euro Rockrider 5.1 like these are guaranteed for life: Whereas this Facet 7 model priced 2700 euros or 2030 euro Rockrider 5.7 are not: ;-)
You know, serious cross country riders, I mean the guys who race XC, or ride as if they were, are some bad ass mother fuckers (ha ha). Just check out Burry Stander in the above video, 'Reto en Navacerrada'. When he was on the XC bike going up el Calvario and Andy on the road bike going up the M-601, he got to the top of Navarrada only 45 seconds after Andy (if memory serves). Wow! But when they switched bikes and routes, he got there like five minutes before Andy! I've gone up el Calvario and it blows my mind to think that Burry flew up that as fast as a guy on a road bike on asphalt. I was just crawling up it. Really really mind-blowing. Totally beyond anything I could ever do. You know Inter, you should sign up for an all-mountain ride sometime. It's kind of like touring but in the Sierras. The rides tend to be long, plenty of uphills and downhills, very scenic and beautiful, a lot of fun! But you need to be well prepared, take plenty of water, food, tools, and spare parts. And yes, interesting that Decathlon is willing to back up their steel and aluminum frames with a lifetime guarantee, but not the carbon fiber ones. Not exactly a vote of confidence for the latter.
Yeah! Some brands like Cannondale distinguish between Cross country and XC race bikes, the latter taking the cake for being the most demanding and specialized XC bikes. We believed and time is proving us right, that a slight difference in bike concept will trigger a new bike modality, so nowadays there are differences between (f.i.) rear suspension designs, if they are intended for Overmountain, Enduro, XC, Xc race, etc... Kinda pun if we say the squeaking wheel gets the oil!!! ;-) Hey, very cool photo there mate! Talking of a wide variety of bike modalities and seeing you riding up and down the rocks in the Sierras, I wonder if you´d like to biketrial!!! : Cheers!
Hey Mackem! Incredible day today, I´m off for a quick ride myself now to CdC!!!. Your Chumba is so hot!. Btw, Where exactly did you shot the photo? Very nice cliffs, like a framed picture... Where there’s smoke, there’s fire: Are these people walking on a trail? Nice!!! Cheers!
It's just the coast in Bizkaia between Gorliz and Plentzia. There's a paved path that runs alongside the trail, so people arent a problem
