NSMB - 2021 - Hardtail Thread

After 2 weeks in Toronto sitting on my butt a lot and walking a lot I was ready for some riding. Being new to the area I don't know what weather forecasts mean for trail conditions when it comes to snow. I figured some recon was in order. I expected lower trails to be in good condition so I headed up the mountain in Cumberland to see what things looked like. Open areas like this were fairly snowy. I rode quite a bit despite the snow, but for sure when things got more challenging uphill I was walking. If I had gears I would have ridden most of the time.

Despite the snow my bike shifted as good as in dry conditions. ;-)

Once in the trees the trails were in good condition and it was easy to ride and a lot of fun.

Lower down the trails were in normal winter conditions....just a bit moist. All in all it was a good day on the bike. I went up just above Sykes Bridge. If I had gears I would have gone higher, but my enthusiasm for pushing up the logging road ran out and with SS pedaling was not realistic. So my take would be there is still a lot of great riding to be had at the moment if you don't mind battling through some less fun sections to get to the good ones. Given my lack of local knowledge I'm sure I am not making best use of the trails in winter conditions, but I plan to do lots of exploring for the next 5 weeks until I have to head back to TO for another visit.

Posted by: Vikb

Despite the snow my bike shifted as good as in dry conditions. ;-)

Love it.  That looks like a fun day out.  I am envious.

Posted by: DanLees1978

Ha ha Pile of Donuts! Those are Peak District Millstones!

Oh, that's embarrassing. I suppose it's that situation where "to a person with a hammer, everything looks like a nail"? That certainly says something about me. #1, never explored anywhere that has those millstones. #2 I must really love donuts.

Thanks for educating me - and saving me a lot of $ - I now don't really want the frame as much as it doesn't have donuts.

@Vic - yup Marino rigid is on order. Andrew was kind enough to help me figure out some details with the geo. It's been 8 weeks since the order was finalized. They say 14 - fingers crossed it works out and isn't too late. I built some wheels in Nov and the rest of the parts build is all compiled and ready to go! I look forward to seeing your new rig all together. It looks really sweet.

Posted by: RAHrider

@Vic - yup Marino rigid is on order. Andrew was kind enough to help me figure out some details with the geo. It's been 8 weeks since the order was finalized. They say 14 - fingers crossed it works out and isn't too late. I built some wheels in Nov and the rest of the parts build is all compiled and ready to go! I look forward to seeing your new rig all together. It looks really sweet.

It's never too late to go rigid. I've got my rigid SS Krampus ready to roll anytime if you bring the Marino to Comox. :-)

Posted by: Vikb

Posted by: RAHrider

@Vic - yup Marino rigid is on order. Andrew was kind enough to help me figure out some details with the geo. It's been 8 weeks since the order was finalized. They say 14 - fingers crossed it works out and isn't too late. I built some wheels in Nov and the rest of the parts build is all compiled and ready to go! I look forward to seeing your new rig all together. It looks really sweet.

It's never too late to go rigid. I've got my rigid SS Krampus ready to roll anytime if you bring the Marino to Comox. :-)

The marino is going to live in comox. We should definitely get out!

As a new addition to the thread, just got this one. Picked it up for 650 from a super nice guy from squamish selling it on pinkbike. What a deal! It came with a Chris king rear hub, so I swapped it with my single speed hope hub on my gravel bike. Now I have 11 speed xt cassette on my gravel bike and a dedicated single speed trials hub on my trials bike. I got a new wider bar and some new rubber. It is really fun to ride. Manuals, endos, pedal kicks...does it all brilliantly. I put a tannus insert in the rear, I'm curious how that will feel. Finally some hope pedals that cost 1/4 the price of the whole bike. They are sweet!

Posted by: RAHrider

Posted by: Vikb

Posted by: RAHrider

@Vic - yup Marino rigid is on order. Andrew was kind enough to help me figure out some details with the geo. It's been 8 weeks since the order was finalized. They say 14 - fingers crossed it works out and isn't too late. I built some wheels in Nov and the rest of the parts build is all compiled and ready to go! I look forward to seeing your new rig all together. It looks really sweet.

It's never too late to go rigid. I've got my rigid SS Krampus ready to roll anytime if you bring the Marino to Comox. :-)

The marino is going to live in comox. We should definitely get out!

As a new addition to the thread, just got this one. Picked it up for 650 from a super nice guy from squamish selling it on pinkbike. What a deal! It came with a Chris king rear hub, so I swapped it with my single speed hope hub on my gravel bike. Now I have 11 speed xt cassette on my gravel bike and a dedicated single speed trials hub on my trials bike. I got a new wider bar and some new rubber. It is really fun to ride. Manuals, endos, pedal kicks...does it all brilliantly. I put a tannus insert in the rear, I'm curious how that will feel. Finally some hope pedals that cost 1/4 the price of the whole bike. They are sweet!

Busy browsing trials bikes on PB now ...

Abies that green machine looks sweet.

Funny how that has sort-of become the bike to have this year. 

Vik I robbed the fork off my hardtail for my full suspension bike. That leaves me with with "spare" 170mm lyrik I need to sell, then I'll buy a fork for the hardtail.  

I could adjust the travel back down and swap my FS fork back to the HT, but really I just need to get organized with a fork for the HT. 

Selling the lyrik will help fund the purchase of one of the whisky  rigid carbon forks with long axle to crown for the HT.

I needed the 170mm cranks off my SS bike for the geared hardtail build. I figured best go for a ride before I disassemble the bike in case I break something! My local trails were in the best shape since I moved here. Just enough moisture for hero dirt most places and a few spots of mud to get drifty in. I didn't even get attacked by any dogs. :-)

I'll be interested to see if the SS bike rides better with 175mm cranks. It has a tall BB so pedal strikes are not a concern and the longer cranks may provide more leverage when I am mashing out of the saddle.

New frame is looking bikey with fork and wheels installed. Nice lines. BB height is ~310mm...not as low as I thought so it should be okay.

Posted by: Kenny

Abies that green machine looks sweet.

Funny how that has sort-of become the bike to have this year.

Truly. I have a drop bar "gravel" bike but local loops are less gravel and more mixed terrain - connecting singletrack with neighborhood streets. A chore on the trail bike and some sections are double black diamond on drop bars. I sold that Salsa for like 600 USD. Silly me.

That Bird looks so good. Love the color.

Posted by: Kenny

Selling the lyrik will help fund the purchase of one of the whisky  rigid carbon forks with long axle to crown for the HT.

Rigid? Nice. I like that. You know you'll need to grow a sweet beard and ride in jorts...right? ;-)

After my unexpected dismount in a stream last weekend I pulled the cranks and BB for a peek.

Found a decent puddle in the shell and decided to avoid it happening again. A drill, some clear nail polish to seal the steel, and a zip tie to help water wick out. 

Ignore the dark blur by the hole, it's just an artifact from erasing the serial number.

Posted by: Vikb

Posted by: Kenny

Selling the lyrik will help fund the purchase of one of the whisky  rigid carbon forks with long axle to crown for the HT.

Rigid? Nice. I like that. You know you'll need to grow a sweet beard and ride in jorts...right? ;-)

Yep exactly. Need to get a hand made leather pannier for holding growlers of local IPA on the back as well. Hahaha. So hip.

More white stuff in Comox. Although it wasn't very snowy in the forest.

Posted by: Vikb

More white stuff in Comox. Although it wasn't very snowy in the forest.

So yours was the other tire tracks I saw.