LWK profile

sorry if I am a bit daft but I dont quite follow the comments re shifting.  "... SRAM has Shimano licked in the shifting game.." but then XTR "...is the new standard for shifting".  So you like the SRAM feel but the Shimano actually works better?

good info!  Its good to know the recommended settings are likely not far off from "ideal", especially for an average rider.  Also interesting that a bit more PSI resulted in a better ride - I found the same in my limited experience to date with the Float X2.  

I've also observed the difference in pressure when checking.  I suspect it may be a combination of temperature and elevation changes, any small internal pressure changes with heat while in use, maybe lose a bit putting the pump on/off.  As said above, I doubt the pressure change is solely due to the small ambient temp range we're talking about.

A similar article on the rear shock would be great.  and what sort of digital pressure gauge do you use?

excellent review as usual Andrew!  Curious on your thoughts re the pros/cons and why you'd pick this over the Trek Stache (which also comes in alu and carbon flavors)?

Andrew, you've talked about cold hands and carbon levers enough that it seems like a bit of an obsession! :)  I live in the prairies and so I am well versed with cold.  I just wear my big Hestra lobster claw mitts and I'm good.  Why do decent gloves not work?  I am assuming its wet weather riding for you in the winter - is that the problem?  Tech nature of Shore riding that requires frequent and hard braking? poor blood circulation in your hands?  All the above? Not poking at you, just honestly curious!

thx Pete, fair reply.  I'm not involved in trail advocacy but for sure acknowledge the huge efforts required.  

I guess I was thinking mainly of areas that I like to ride that are rather remote and so not much in the way of trail building .  And in this context, some braiding or blown out corners seems inevitable and maybe irrelevant in the overall scheme of things.

For areas with more dedicated building for dedicated trail networks I think a couple of things.  First, build robust trails that can withstand a beating, its not unreasonable to have to do a bit of maintenance on occasion and maybe most important dont ride in poor conditions.  I realize you can ride when its raining on the coast but in many areas wet = mud and mud + bikes = a miserable mess for everyone.  but I have no idea how you enforce common sense...

anyway, good article and discussion!

While I do think respect is a good thing (in all aspects of life), here's maybe a counterpoint.  Its dirt and rocks in the bush.   We're not strip mining or clear cut logging or building and then wrecking 8 lane freeways.  Dont we ride bikes in the bush because its fun?  jumps, drops, steeps, speed, rock gardens, cornering g forces are fun.  Rides without those sort of things are basically road rides (also fun, but not mtn biking IMO).

As for MTB media, who cares and what are you going to do?  They are going to film what they're going to film and for all we as consumers know the crew put more work into the trail before and after filming than the rest of us ever will.  

Land is constantly evolving - slopes slump, big snow years and rain storms create trenches and washouts, etc.  I see this all the time in my riding in AB and BC.  Often the trail itself is so inconsequential in the landscape that its almost funny how seriously we take it.  So I take a bit more of an organic approach to this - land evolves and trails can come, change and maybe need to disappear sometimes.

Not advocating for no rules or no respect.  I just think there is a bit of a sliding scale maybe depending on the terrain and volume of traffic and that maybe some of this is overblown a bit.

Not sure how this would work on tighter, low slope "normal" trails but to me this looks like an ideal hard tail for riding the gnarliest trails around Whistler.  

I dont get all the yelling about HT angle.  If your suspension fork moves up and down then yes the HT angle has to change but if you're that obsessed or perturbed by the idea then maybe a hardtail isnt your ride.

Marketing is a fickle mistress and Chromag does seem to have that black art mastered but... this is hardly progressive.  Wheel size aside, Nicolai has had a HT with similar geometry for several years now.  And I think at least a few other European brands as well.  Blasphemy, I know :)

"Our main goal and focus right now is to have 100% quality production, deliver to our customers on time, and make sure we support the product in the market."  subtle dig at the other S? LOL

it looks cool and well done but I tend to agree with legbacon regarding my bike parts priorities

As someone who provides some MTB coaching and having attended various PMBI courses, I have to cringe at some of the experiences people have had!  The ability to pro-bro-shred does not equal the ability to teach anything.  MTB skills coaching is fundamentally about teaching, not showing off your self perceived pro riding skills.  I've had to really work and practice to improve aspects of my riding and I think that helps my teaching.

Teaching means you understand the fundamentals, know how skills build and progress, and are able to combine that theoretical knowledge with the ability to observe people's movements, understand what they are doing and finally be able to communicate all this to them in a way that they can understand and relate to.

I can imagine its hard to find a "good" coach but I do think the PMBI certifications provide a pretty solid framework and foundation.  And for what its worth, I think cornering is actually the hardest MTB skill to master and/or teach - there is just so much going on, variables to deal with and options to use.

I enjoyed the bits I watched of the event and the coverage afterwards. I think its ironic that the event is held in some terrifying and unforgiving terrain, which is then largely manicured into slope style hits, albeit very large ones!  I also really liked Brendan's run.  But, I wonder if huge tricks are required to separate the riders now. I suspect most riders there could do Brendan's line as well as he did.  Not sure if the opposite would hold?  Rampage seems like its in a bit of an awkward adolescence where its not quite sure what it is.

I think its pretty clear that 5:10 soles are not particularly durable, esp for heavier riders, lots of bike park riding, etc.  

I mentioned above that I was going to try a pair of Shimano flat pedal shoes (GR9 model, but all their models have the same sole).  I have a couple of rides in now and initial impression is that they are very grippy.  Maybe not as soft and "sticky" as a 5:10 but the combo of the small interlocking tread pattern and rubber does seem to grip very well.  For reference, I have HT and Shimano Saint pedals on my various bikes and have been on flat pedals/shoes since forever.

Time will tell regarding durability but initial impressions on grip and performance are very positive.  So I'm thinking/hoping there is finally an option to 5:10 shoes

I suppose it depends on how much you weigh and how hard you ride, but I would tend to agree.  My experience the past several years is that I get about 3/4 of a season out of a pair of 5:10s.  I  find that I seem to be heavy enough and ride enough that the sole gets chewed through with basically nothing left.  I ride them till that happens and the outer sole starts to tear apart from the mid sole and then I have to discard them.  I am tired enough of the short life and expense that I am trying a pair of the new Shimano GR9 instead.

I cant imagine MTB on an ebike, I'll freely admit I am a snob that way.  Its a pathetic motorbike and a ponderous MTB; neither of which appeal to  me.   I also commute by bike and am fortunate to have a short and pleasant ride; but if I didnt I would have been an early ebike adopter years ago.  I snickered at the plus wheeled MTB ebike I started seeing in my work parkade this past winter, but then saw the owner one day.  she was middle aged and overweight and I though good for her for getting out and riding instead of just driving.  

As stated in previous posts, all the arguments against ebikes are pretty much replicas of the hiker vs. biker or skier vs. snowboarder rants.  I am seeing many more ebikes on the paths and trails this summer, yet absolutely none of them are shredding anything.   The riders are doing well just to stay upright while gently cruising along.  I watched a group of 10 local top riders ride hard down a trail and thought to myself that they likely put more wear and tear on that trail  in 5 minutes than a 100 ebikers ever would.  Why are the top riders "cool" but the ebikers should be "banned"?  I think the concerns about motor mods, improving technology, etc are very valid but I also am at a loss as to how to manage or regulate that in the real world. Why would I begrudge my excellent LBS a new source of revenue, both sales and service?

All this to say that I really think its all shades of grey; the sport will evolve however it will evolve, for better and/or worse.

no experience with the Reverb but I have two 9.8's on separate bikes.  The first one has a solid season of use and zero problems.  Love it.  The second one had a a problem holding air right from purchase (exactly as T-mack describes above).  LBS had an excruciating time getting response/service from 9.8.  By the time I got it back the season was basically over so it has sat in a box since; will put it on one of my bikes as soon as the local trails dry out.  Hopefully it will be fine now but yea, a bit disappointed overall.

any experience or comments on the Bontranger Lithos or Evoke storm shells? I dont need to worry about coastal type monsoon rains but would be for cool/cold fall riding when raining moderately.

Thanks. Maiden voyage was the first PORCA toonie on Saturday. This is now my do-it-all one and only bike after selling my Trance SX to build my dream hardtail, pretty stoked on it!

The Chromag boys sure make some nice products. Love the attention to detail, sweet colour and clean welds.

I have a 2014 Stylus that I love and use for everything from dirt jumping to commuting. However, I have found the relatively short TT and esp the 70 degree seat tube angle to make pedal oriented rides a bit tough. I am 5'11" and ride a size Large.

The new 2016 version has an ~ 1" longer ETT and a 73 degree seat tube angle so I think that would make for a better all around ride? any comments or thoughts? thx!