pete@nsmb.com profile

Nice if you’re riding somewhere remote but on busy trails I promise not everyone shares your taste in music - or playing it out loud (even if it’s quiet).

If you get the fit and placement right, they’re solid. Every now and then an ear piece flange will migrate and then slowly work it’s way loose, but you can feel it happening and jam it back in with one hand while riding.

The Wildcats only fog up when you stop moving so I just pull em off until I start moving again.

I can understand your perspective. Although for me it depends on the bike's material: I think a carbon bike should be kept in good to great condition - I don't mind the odd scuff or nick but the material just seems like it deserves to be clean with a touch of gleam.

Metal on the other hand - whether steel or alloy - looks better with rubs, scuffs, and patina. I like how metal shows wear and it doesn't say 'I'm weak' but rather 'I've been used a ton and I'm just getting started'.

That said, I'm still getting some RideWrap for the down tube, top tube, and stays on my Chromag.

It's perfect already. I don't know if it could be improved upon.

Great job on the pod, AJ, and thanks as always, Yoann.

But really just came here to say that that video was amazing.

1) On a lot of the trails around here, we don't ride that fast.

2) It's so wet and climbs so intense, even the best glasses fog up. Some people just bag 'em (or their goggles) until the top and then bring 'em out, but...

3) Dust only an issue a few months of the year (except in Pemberton and to some extent, Whistler), and again, speeds are lower. Except in Pemby. And sometimes Whistler.

When it gets really dark and wet, I put them away, too. Except if we're riding trails where we're bushwhacking a bit or in areas that don't get a lot of riders, where stray branches are a hazard.

Narcissus Gold. Love it. Too bad they're scratching for you. Make sure that bag is clean - mine get dirty easily so I regularly clean them using mild soap. I find they pick up grease but also bits of dirt and that stuff is super abrasive.

Ah, you can get Rose ChromaPop on just about everything - that's the primary lens that comes with the Wildcats I have. I like the lens, it's just still too dark under our thick canopy. That lens is also available with the Attack MTB I mentioned and many others. If I lived in Squamish, Whistler, or Pemberton, I'd likely get more use out of that lens. Here, it's dark city.

Haha! I hear ya. Sounds like your crew has got a solid Wildcat/Pit Viper vibe. Problem is on the shore you can never wear most of the lenses the Wildcats come with. Even the Chromapop Rose Flash is too dark for all but the sunniest summer days (I tried).

Here's my favourite frame colour though - such a sweet throwback combo.

And yeah, try a podcast while riding. No, you don't need fancy true wireless earbuds, but I tried other options and nothing unlocked the option until I went that route. All other things (wires, older gen Bluetooth, some that didn't fit well or weren't waterproof) didn't work for one reason or another. There are alternatives to the Jaybirds, too, but they're still one of the best intersections of price and features. Unfortunately, I tried some Airpods Pro and they sound amazing but I wouldn't ever want to risk losing one while riding. $$$

I think I can add some useful info to this thread. 

First, I'm also a big fan of photochromic lenses. I've had great luck with Smith and Ryders and most recently, these shades from Julbo: https://www.julbo.com/en_ca/segment

For north shore/heavily forested conditions, particularly in winter, even the 'clearest' photochromic lenses usually have a small amount of tint that inhibits a bit of light, so when it's really dark/crappy and wet, I go with a full clear lens (I never find myself wishing I had a tinted lens - even on the ride home - btwn October and March anyway).

Lenses and their coatings can get saturated - even Ryders' vaunted antiFog has its limits, and you'll meet those limits while climbing through wet conditions on a colder day. So, if the ride involves a climb first (don't they always?) I'll begin with the glasses inside a lens bag, in a pocket that won't get wet or see pass-through condensation. In other words, NOT a jacket pocket, back jersey pocket, etc. Hip bag/pack all the way. Pull them out for the descent, and the antifog coating will be intact and you've given yourself a head start. Use that lens cloth to dry/clean them periodically, then stash it in a dry pocket.

Stashing on the helmet when climbing is convenient if you can pull it off, but works a lot better for roadies or fast rides, otherwise the heat coming off your head will outmatch the air flow and your glasses will be fogged up. Again, in warmer conditions you'll have better luck, but below about 15 degrees C, it's tough to manage. A roadie trip that does work, however, is clipping the glasses to the back of your jersey or jacket. They won't be subject to ventilation or condensation. They can still get wet back there but it's not too bad, they'll stay in place for mellow riding, and you won't likely forget them there. They're also easy to get at if you decide you want them on while climbing.

Public parking in the Dempsey/Braemar area has been restricted to the north side of Braemar for quite a few weeks now. Residents only on the south side. It's been busy, but when the packed up cars are focused across the road from the residents, that at least provides a bit of a buffer. And the packed area doesn't extend too far away - you can park 300 meters down the road and have all the room you want.

Unsurprisingly this thread strayed a bit from the original question but it's been a good read. 

The poll is flawed, though: you need to include an option stating that the respondent feels as safe riding in the US as in Canada. Instead it goes from 'only when choosing a riding location carefully' to 'feel safer riding in the US than in Canada'. In any case I realize the poll is secondary to the question. 

I think it's an interesting topic and a use case outside the typical assumption for gun use - at least to people outside the US, whereas for many Americans this question probably doesn't seem out of the ordinary at all. Personally, I've been traveling to the US very frequently since I was very young and can count the number of times I've felt unsafe on one hand: one of those was when driving in Palo Alto and a wrong turn had us driving through a neighbourhood complete with several porches filled with guys that looked like gang members drinking Olde English in the middle of the day. We definitely missed the turn to Stanford. The irony of it all wasn't lost on us, once we had a chance to exhale and laugh about it. 

Anyway, I understand why people feel unsafe in the US but I also think it's irrational. Life is inherently unsafe and driving a car is the most dangerous thing you do on a daily basis. Of course there are dangerous people and your chances of being shot are higher in the US than Canada, but a high number of gunshot wounds are also either self-inflicted or caused by a weapon owned by the injured. Don't carry and your odds reduce significantly. 

But I also understand the American psyche and the attitudes and history that shaped the ideas around self-determination, guns and freedom, having studied it in university and being fascinated by American history for some time before and after post-sec. 

What's funny though is that despite all my time spent down there skiing, riding and golfing - often in remote places - I never encountered the discussion of carrying a gun while riding until about 5 years ago. We were in rural Oregon and bumped into a few fellas also out riding and we ended up shutting back up together. They were friendly and showed us a few trails. We had fun. At some point the topic of carrying while riding came up - I think because we encountered some shells on the ground (not a rare occurrence in Oregon) but one of them may have broached it when mentioning that there were some meth-cook RVs in the area a la Breaking Bad. Whatever it was, the one guy mentioned that he always carries when riding in that area - and always, as I recall. 

We asked if he'd ever bumped into any meth-cookers in the area? 'Yes'. 

Had any of them ever been a problem or made him feel threatened? 'No'. 

Huh. Ok then. America and guns in a nutshell. 

The other mention I wanted to make was with respect to wildlife and protection - bear spray vs guns. Came across this article awhile back and thought it was worth posting for those that are interested. 

https://www.outsideonline.com/2401248/does-bear-spray-work

Posted by: Stuminator

Played golf & rode on the same day. Life is good. (Did a lot better on the bike, lol)

As someone who loves golf and used to pack them both into a day on a regular basis, that is good living indeed. 6 or 7 am tee time, done before noon, ride in the early afternoon and retire somewhere with a bit of sun and a beer.

Had a quick thought about the second part of your post - that you did a lot better on the bike - and that made me think 'yep, that's me too these days'. But part of that is the quantifiable nature of golf. We don't HAVE to keep score, but we always do. The bike equivalent would be to monitor your speed in real time (a la Strava premium) and judge ourselves 60+ times over the course of a ride ("you suck! what kind of line was that?", "Damn I'm fat and slow" would be 90% of the time, and every now and then: "I am the greatest rider this trail has ever seen (at least in the last hour)").

Which made me go even further down the rabbit hole. Part of the misery of golf is that we obsess with keeping score all the time, but it's not necessary in some ways - and in mountain biking, we're free to enjoy ourselves and play like kids and not worry about bogeys or double bogeys (or losing $5 on a hole). Is this an inherent advantage of a sport like mountain biking? Yes, I think it is.

And lastly, a round of golf for the average hacker can involve a lot of bogeys, double bogeys, etc. Is there an equivalent in golf? If a par is making it through a section of trail according to an arbitrary standard (fairly smooth and fast, no mishaps) then a birdie would be hitting it faster or smoother than usual, or nailing a section you don't normally expect to ride clean. But a bogey, or worse, a double bogey? A come-off, and one with consequences. 

Good thing we don't have that many bogeys on a mountain bike ride.

Posted by: craw

Posted by: pete@nsmb.com

Hey craw, the new XT Trail pedals seem to have a stiffer spring than the new XTR Trails. I noticed this recently while swapping between test bikes and using both sets of pedals (both new). I fired a question off to Shimano to find out if the XT Trails have a stiffer spring but haven't heard back yet. I love the XTRs and run 'em cranked all the way down and that's sufficient for me, whereas those XTs were too stiff and I hadn't even cranked them in all the way. Only slightly heavier, but cheaper = great option.

That's an ideal solution if it's true. My current pedals are XTR but I have zero issue using XT. Do you think this logic applies to DX pedals as well?

I haven't had a reply. Will ask again, and include DX. Also, keep your eyes open, the new Saint clipless pedal will be available soon - we're trying to get a pair asap for testing and spring tension is something we'll pay specific attention to.

Posted by: grambo

Posted by: tungsten

They offer frame only yet?

Nope, not part of their business model which depends on doing massive OEM parts orders with Shimano, e13, Fox, RockShox etc. Also why they don't offer customization options instead focusing on limited SKU's with high volumes.

Pete: have had NSMB whitelisted on uBlock, no issues with ads.

Thank you!

I use uBlock as well. But you guys are whitelisting your favourite MTB site(s), right? And if not, I'd love to hear directly if we've been running ad types that you find offensive. We try to keep a pretty clean reading environment around here, but some ads are necessary.

I had the same problem with RF Indy pads tearing, but that was before I knew this trick (applies to ALL slide-on knee pads): 

When you put them on or take them off your foot, rotate them so that they face backwards. This puts less stress on the stretchy material, and they'll slide on and off more easily. Whatever knee pads you run, they'll last longer.

Also, I don't know if you can find them in many places yet, but I can recommend the Sweet Protection Bear Suit knee pads. Nice to pedal in, stay in place, no chafe.

Hey craw, the new XT Trail pedals seem to have a stiffer spring than the new XTR Trails. I noticed this recently while swapping between test bikes and using both sets of pedals (both new). I fired a question off to Shimano to find out if the XT Trails have a stiffer spring but haven't heard back yet. I love the XTRs and run 'em cranked all the way down and that's sufficient for me, whereas those XTs were too stiff and I hadn't even cranked them in all the way. Only slightly heavier, but cheaper = great option.

Hi guys, with a nod to the local shops, I have unstuck thus thread. Niels figured it was helpful, and it is, but you're right, it's also a bit of an extra push to the online guys which is unfair in light of the fact that the Inside Line is a paid board used mostly by local shops. 

<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">We certainly advocate supporting your LBS whenever possible but also realize that the reality is that sometimes online pricing is impossible to resist. Poz's info is useful and naturally can remain as a reference - thanks for compiling it, Poz. </span>