As I often say, F balls. My bike was making some weird noises today at the Collonade and when I went to inspect it I noticed about 4 different things that were busted. Rear disc is not aligned properly, front derailleur is clicking, rear derailleur won’t shift to the highest gear, and the chain slap protector hanging off the front chain ring is misaligned. If I knew how to fix any of them I would, but unfortunately I don’t. So there goes $100 at the local bike shop.
Archive for the ‘Mountain Biking’ Category
Post Collonade – Bike Maintenance Required
July 22, 2009Tiger’s Milk
July 20, 2009The last time I road the Tiger Mountain Preston Railroad trail felt like I was riding down a river. I’d never been as wet and cold on a ride in my life. The ride today couldn’t have been different. It was a gorgeous, cloudless 75 degree day on one of Seattle’s most famous rides.
A smoother section of trail on Tiger Mountain courtesy of http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/photo282988.htm
The ride begins with a grueling 3 mile climb up a forest road. Once over, you enter the main part of the Tiger trail. It consists of about 4 long and straight segments (perhaps 7 or 8 minutes each) broken up by 3 or 4 switchbacks. The thing that makes Tiger so fun, besides being able to let loose on the straights, is the amount of gnarly rocks and roots through that hammer you throughout the ride. I’ve honestly never ridden anything like it. Two things are a must on the trail: a burly full suspension bike and a strong belief in the mountain biking adage that you are safer in dangerous terrain when you are going faster.
I felt good on the ride today, and it’s been great in my last couple rides as I’ve constantly noticed improvement in my riding. But watching my friend Adam create a 1 minute lead on me during an 8 minute segment of trail still reminds me of the amateur I am.
It’s nice to see you again St. Edward
July 17, 2009St. Edwards State Park in Kirkland, WA was the first place I rode when I moved to Washington, and it is still on of my favorites. It has the right balance between technical logs, tight trees, sharp turns, steep switchbacks, and any other variety of mountain bike terrain you can think of. In the end, it’s got an amazing flow that I never get sick of. I rode the trail well today, and I credit it to my time at the I5 collonade (see my previous post regarding my theory on practice).
Another day at the I5 Collonade
July 16, 2009The I5 Collonade Bike Park is about a five minute ride from my place in Eastlake. I try to make it down there once a week, at least, in addition to another ride at one of the many trails in the greater Seattle area. The Collonade is sick place to refine your skills. As I was explaining it to my buddy Eric today, the Collonade is the practice field; the trails are the game. Honing your balance, cornering, and whatever other skills you’re interested in developing at the Collonade makes trail riding so much more fun.
Every time I hit the Collonade I try to get better at something. This means I ride something more confident that normal, or I ride something I never have ridden before. Today I accomplished two things I hadn’t done before. First, I rode the switchbacks better than I ever have. I only came off my bike once (maybe twice) on the way up and again, once on the way down.
Switchbacks
Second, while I’ve done the cross board navigation feature before, I’ve never done it with the balance and confidence I had today. The move requires you be comfortable getting up onto the left board and then make a large but subtle and slow turn onto the cross board.
Cross board navigation
Today I rode it so well that I was able to ride up the left board, completely stop, turn my tire, and then get onto the cross board. From there, you’ll feel for a brief second that your back tire will drop out from underneath you. If you’ve made your turn onto the cross log wide enough, you’ll be fine. And here’s the part I usually screw up. You’ve focused so much on just making that simple right turn, but now you need to readjust your balance and get cleanly onto the right board. I usually lose my balance here and jump off. But today I rode it smoothly with a clean roll down the opposite side. When you nail a feature like that, it just feels money.
I shant be too quick to pat myself on the back, of course; there are still Collonade demons I need to exercise, like nemesis number 1.
Nemesis number 1: Looking down from above
Nemesis number 1: Profile
