@deniz - I ride about 300 days per year. I fat bike in true winter, but (until I moved recently) I would ride Squamish, Pemberton and North Van in the winter on my mountain bikes (2020 Sight or 2020 Optic or 2022 e-Sight). I would ride Whistler until the snow fell and have ridden Dark Crystal as late as mid November (but never when it is really wet - bad trail manners and disrespectful to the builders).
As I am a product development test rider almost every ride is an analysis of what is working and why? Also how could this be better. Sometimes the question that is raised is: "why does this (insert dollar amount) product not do it's job as well as it is claimed?" but mostly it is "this product is very good/ excellent but how could it be better?".
At 3500 + km per year I am into at least four or five sets of tyres so that is another area that is always being assessed. It is also a component that I pay the most for (relatively) so I am super interested in value for money.
Also my wife gets mad when I crash and hurt myself especially if it is because I tried to milk another day/ week out of a tyre!! I don't hold any truck with a longer lasting compound rear tyre - I expect it to stick as well as the front tyre and understand that it will wear out faster.
I have ridden -13ºC and perfectly dry in Pemberton in December and during a 1" in two hours down pour in Squamish and North Van in January (and June !!!). And dusty, dry, no soil, all rubble, deep summer conditions in Whistler. There have been mint perfect trail conditions and post Crankworx bike park trail conditions.
After 14 years of riding at least 150 days per year there I would say I have well and truly tested most tyres and components at a realistic level.
Jan. 17, 2023, 10:09 a.m. - AndrewR
@deniz - I ride about 300 days per year. I fat bike in true winter, but (until I moved recently) I would ride Squamish, Pemberton and North Van in the winter on my mountain bikes (2020 Sight or 2020 Optic or 2022 e-Sight). I would ride Whistler until the snow fell and have ridden Dark Crystal as late as mid November (but never when it is really wet - bad trail manners and disrespectful to the builders). As I am a product development test rider almost every ride is an analysis of what is working and why? Also how could this be better. Sometimes the question that is raised is: "why does this (insert dollar amount) product not do it's job as well as it is claimed?" but mostly it is "this product is very good/ excellent but how could it be better?". At 3500 + km per year I am into at least four or five sets of tyres so that is another area that is always being assessed. It is also a component that I pay the most for (relatively) so I am super interested in value for money. Also my wife gets mad when I crash and hurt myself especially if it is because I tried to milk another day/ week out of a tyre!! I don't hold any truck with a longer lasting compound rear tyre - I expect it to stick as well as the front tyre and understand that it will wear out faster. I have ridden -13ºC and perfectly dry in Pemberton in December and during a 1" in two hours down pour in Squamish and North Van in January (and June !!!). And dusty, dry, no soil, all rubble, deep summer conditions in Whistler. There have been mint perfect trail conditions and post Crankworx bike park trail conditions. After 14 years of riding at least 150 days per year there I would say I have well and truly tested most tyres and components at a realistic level.