Mic profile

I am really intrigued by the beast...I love hardtail riding so much, apart from bikepark shredding. Still, I think I would love to test ride one but live on the wrong continent, and my plan is to buy a new ht in two years, and I think I would go with a Stylus again, this time with 27.5 wheels. I like it playful and nimble.

Still...awesome way to go for Chromag.

And does it hold a water bottle and spares?

Thank you for that feature, I really enjoyed it. I can still remember an interview with Jared in the old Dirt Mag when it was still paper, this interview literally made me taking up hot/cold showers after a practise or training session. Really inspirational.

Thanks for that tale, the name Pulp Traction kind of always floated there in the back of the English-speaking mtb world, now I know why.

Any chance The Moment will be available on dvd/blu-ray?

I might have. I rememer having read it, and since I have not thrown away any copy of Bike I bought or subscribed to, chances are good. I check this weekend.

I am a dad myself, and yes, when we lived together before the break it was at times challenging. 

But in this day and age of easy-to-access info and training and coaching your argument is not really all that valid in the long run. 

Dads and moms need time to get used to the new vircumstances but sooner or later it all comes down to the facts that 

• every single one of us gas 24 hours. How and with what we spend them depends on each one of us.

• if a rider wants to improve and stay healthy long term he/she does not come around input/training from other areas/pursuits, be it yoga or lifting.

• being a good dad entails being a positive, life-affirming role model. And for that Little Toddler should understand that health and happiness can be connected to training and goals. 

But....I can remember that time of "I just want to go gor a ride NOW!" time pretty well, after the birth and the first time.

That is a great piece with some really solid advice, Cam. 

I am currently in hospital after a stupid training related movement gave me a prolapsed disc L5 S1 with sciatica.

All more or less good now, and the best part without surgery. Rest and rehab now, got a good physiotherapist. 

What I am once again checking as a personal upgrade is a new trail helmet with maximum coverage. What good is a fit and strong body if your head is not as protected as it could be? 

And yes, the most simple way to improve performance is fine tuning the engine and skills associated with it. But that is not as easy as buying that set of cranks or wheels. 

Anyways, enough of a middle-age rant, thanks for the article.

That was really sick! Sick rider, sick bike, sick trailriding, sick picnic table manual, wall ride, roof drop, stairgaps. Awesome. True style never gets old. 

And that T-shirt. Sweet.

Oh the optimism of youth? Seriously? Because of the weather? 

Perfect winter conditions.....after a certain age time is precious and that is a bigger issue than cold temps and a but of mud.

Re: Seond hand/used bike issues mentioned

I think that this is not really a legit issue if a person wants to start riding. It would make for a great Satruday late afternoon with a drink or two while pulling apart that used bike and get some skills in being self sufficient.

And a bike rider does need a few tools anyways, and fixing a bike at home can be done with a mini/multi tool, might be no fun - but can be done.

This issue might be different for people who do not care at all about how a bike is working or who only ride because of the hype, true.

The question at the beginning of the editorial is purely rhetoric, though. Who gives a shit about what anyone is riding?

Some attachments from this year's summer trip.

The week before Xmas 2017 I was in hospital with a blown disc L5 S1 (pretty big and pressing on my left sciatic nerve), I was unable to walk or even sit.

Lots of pain killers (think pink Elephants floating through the room) with the statement that surgery might be unavoidable.

I talked to quite a few doctors and surgeons and physios before even getting myself checked into hospital by my 'normal' doctor.

What was done was that the nerve roots were kind of 'fused' with anaestethics and cortisone.

1.5 years later I reallyneed to take care of my back. I lift quite regularly and do move a lot.

I was told in hospital that nowadays surgery is the very last resort since they still try to understand and figure out how the spinal system (nerves etc)is working and at times even "healing itself" (back into equilibrium, kind of).

And I got the book on spine health and 'self diagnosis and treatment' by Stu McGill which changed my daily routine and the way I lift.

Side note: After three weeks of only park (still my old Cove) and singletrack riding (still a 26 Stylus) in the Alps (plus a rubber band morning routine to keep everything resilient and smooth), I did some easy lifting yesterday and some road riding and enjoy today in bed...on a hot water bottle. Just sore lower back, not the spine/disc...thank God. 

The gist of my words:

Surgery should be the very last resort....it takes away something that can never truly be replaced.

Collect as much info by various/different experts....esp sports physio/people.

Experiment and learn as much as possible about how the spine can be strengthened and protected. This might mean a change of eating habits/moving patterns ... perhaps right down to walking and shoes etc.

Good luck!

Hi Tungsten. 

Thanks for sharing, similar stuff is floating around in Europe as well, in bits and pieces. 

Guess I might use the text for my asvanced English classes. Sweet.

Posted by: aShogunNamedMarcus

And thats because it's not made up (and I even commented first on the Bolton appoitnment).

Hillary just would've pieced the country out like an old downhill bike (iow, sell out).

And Trump does not do that, either? Really? Come on....

Carrying the already mentioned things is a must, I like to add TP on loonger rides, at times I like to carry a folding saw as well to clear deadfall. And enough food. 

Concerning trail etiquette, I ride almost exclusively on multi-use trails, so I have gotten used to either come to a full stop (on tight and twisty singletrack) when meeting hikers and equestrians although most horses hear me well in advance and the riders have time to react. Still.... I think it has something to do with courtesy and manners. I always say Hi as well, despite from a few rotten apples most hikers and equestrians are thankful and up for a small chat. 

Uphill riders have a right of way on multi-directional trails in my opinion. I no longer fall for my mokey brqin who is hellbent on Strava. 

Kind of like using common sense. And what is important to not leave skids and thrashed trails on multi-use ones.

I thought about sending an email from over here, you still need it...it seems that Grannies is save, more or less.

Thank you for your input, it was a problem of faulty technique - my hands were/are a bit too fast compared to the rest of the body. I had a coach take a look at my form and, well, I need to work on and improve my form, that is ...actively "catch" the bar with my delts/clavicles. So even less smartypants, more humbleness and less weight, even more practise.

I keep practising and let you know how I fare.

By the way, I am halfway through the book "The System - Soviet Periodization adapted for the American Strength Coach" by Parker, Miller and Panariello, which details planning and programming off-season, transitional and in-season strength training for various american football skills levels and athletes, specifically written for coaches. I like it, and the info can be adjusted to other sports as well. My take away so far is the number of reps that need/should be programmed. Since I do not have the money to have a personal coach year round, and rely on going to a bigbox gym or train at home most of the time, I like reading material like that.

Posted by: Stuminator

Biking pros young & old have been coming forward espousing the virtues of e-bikes. I guess it's a fine line between selling out or pissing off your purist mountain bike fan base or putting bread on the table.

Yes, exactly. I remember the comments on a short edit of Ryan Howard and Brandon Semenuk, among others, riding somehwere in California on ebikes, trying some jibbing at an old bridge, sliding and goofing around. Most comments were along the lines of "How can you?"

What most riders forget is ...these riders are professional athletes, they make a living riding for certain brands. It is not that they work from 9-5 in an office downtown and go for a quick spin around the neighbourhood. All these athletes "do not get free bikes for nothing" as Harookz so pointedly said a long time ago in a video.

If a company wants them to ride an ebike, it probably says so in the contract.

It seems that quite a lot of people forget this.

Posted by: Stuminator

Posted by: Mic

Posted by: Endur-Bro

Plenty of cougars in Weat Van.

I was thinking of inserting a joke as well. LoL.

Anyways, I'd love to see one in the wild. Such awesome animals, such pure and brute power and effortlessly smooth if need be.

They usually see you before you see them.

True for both kinds, I guess.

Freeride will be great again.