Ddean profile

Im n=2 also with a custom steel hardtail and a Spire, with all the travel like you say. The Spire is more versatile than the hardtail as it pedals great for what it is. In fast rough stuff there is just no way to make the hardtail work but I can do slower techy stuff on the Spire just fine if I can manage pedal strikes. I ride the hardtail more than the Spire though!

Agree, and for me 29+ is even one notch better. On slow tech'y terrain, nothing beats a hardtail, but being able to run low pressure wide rubber with inserts does amp up your traction when you need it and softens the ride a bit more when you're in faster rougher sections. I dont know if a 3inch is the best for the front (although thats what I use on my hardtail), but I think a 3inch is the best rear width. Makes sense to me for all performance hardtails to at least maintain that option regardless of what diameter they run.

And here is another shout out to Andy on Crippler. What a great dude and asset to the community. Asks for nothing. Delivers everything he has and without any complaints and with so much stoke in sometimes not the friendliest of conditions.

The biggest problem with the Shore is that there is only one Andy and only one Jerry and only one Stan and only one Mark and only one Kevin (actually there are two Kevins!) and only one S&L and only one.....and Im missing a hundred but its still too tiny a number for the number of riders there are poaching the siht out of everthing they come across in the woods.

Great shots. Great read. Your words and photos capture just how lucky we all are to live where we do, perfectly.

All the best for 2023!

Unbelievable captures of the Shore, in all its realness and glory.

Great review! Great photos!

Price tag is insane. My Carbon Fox factory Spire with XT was thousands less.

I see it, although Im not sure that Id choose a gravel ride on the same "connectors" that I use to link up MTB trails instead of an MTB ride, but I can appreciate that its another way to enjoy bikes in the "woods", and thats what most of MTBing is for me.

One thing is for certain, these bikes have evolved a hundred years since I bought my JTS with cantis.

That is extremely helpful! Thank you!

Where are you guys who live on the Shore riding these bikes? 

Heading east seems obvious to me, but it seems that you are finding dirt/gravel miles on the Shore? Really?

I can see up Cypress on BLT and up and over and down Cypress West trail - but why? Fromme, up Mountain Hwy and back down Mountain Hwy, but why? Im sure theres an equivalent Seymour route.....but why?

My background is road and one of the things that I miss (basically the only thing I miss) is the breadth of geography that you cover on a road bike versus a MTB, which if you're pounding miles tends to be looping different trails within the same zone), and I would love to find a way to re-connect with that experience.

Not sure that type of adventure is possible on the Shore, so Im asking. Ill get one of these things if it is!!!

29+ on a hardtail is a real thing!

Softens it up a bit with monster traction in the rear. A 2.8 might be a bit better on the front for precision, but I have not disliked my 3.0 DHFs enough to want to try something different, and I know the 3.0 DHRII on the back is exactly what I want.

I cant imagine going to a different size for a HT, especially on the back. Makes the bike IMO.

Very sad. It seems that his contributions, be them trails, in film or stories, will live on as long as the Shore itself. Wish I knew him. 

Long live Goat Legs Gabe.

Posted by: mammal

Posted by: [email protected]

Posted by: xy9ine

someone have pics of said SGS bridges? now i'm intrigued.

From 3:55 in below video. They lead you across a steep mountainside into a difficult rock move near the end.

I haven't ridden that in close to a decade, and the last time I did, I incurred massive stanchion damage via that jagged rock that reaches out to the right at 4:35. It was a bit wet that day, and I felt like a total alien on the bike.

Isn't that the Antagonizer?

That video starts on a trail called Prayer Flags, or Upper SGS, depending upon who you ask, and is briefly on Antagonizer around 1:05 before the rider heads down again on SGS. Quick fact, SGS is named after the builders initials (SG)'s and S(hit).

I know that you do, old timer!!!

Running great. Thank you for keeping the wheels greased. I’m thinking of getting back working up there despite the obvious.

Bringing anything but a hardtail to this (oldest of) trail would be…..less fun.

You guys need to check out my fav Cypress line - lots more riding than the Slippery/PT/UTC/Wu line.

UJp BLT to the Double cross connector. Hit DC or various alternatives to get you to where DC crosses SexGirl. SexGirl to Fern. Take the cross mountain (OCM Connector on TF) to S&M and go down S&M to the Upper Mountain Path.

Amazing line down.

Heres my Naked leaning...with a Superflux! Love a good beer in the middle of a ride...liquid courage got me about 100m down the trail from here as I attempted a janky rock feature (for the first time)...right into it, no looking, OTB

Ive been 3' front and back on this bike for a couple years. If this set up has a weakness, I think its what happens to the front tire at low pressure (13ish psi) in higher strain banked turns - Im thinking of trying a 2.6 front for precision. Three inch rear with cushcore is amazing.

Ask and you shall receive!!!

There are two issues, 1) the recurring concern that comes from recent popularity and diversity of user groups in overlapping common spaces, and 2) what happens when there are "conflicts" in the woods.

The incident that I outlined was fairly typical until the verbal assault happened. The approach speed and awareness of the riders, whether they were on the wrong side of appropriate or not, did not result in a collision or a near-miss. Riders ripping down a "multi-use" trail, while more risky in some areas than others, is not worth more than the gentle reminder that we all need to pay more caution than we are used to in some areas on Cypress.

To me, this incident is defined by the behavior of the riders verbally assaulting the hiker.

I’ve been bothered by reports of asinine behaviour from three riders on WuTang on Wednesday afternoon. Riders were on DH bikes.

Hiker with a dog was walking at the top of WuTang. Riders didn’t provide proper caution when approaching and when the hiker asked them to slow down, they proceeded to yell obscenities; it sounds to me like this was a viscous verbal assault.

Firstly, there are only three authorized trails on Cypress; WuTang is not one of them. Hikers with dogs or young kids have equally as much right to be there (none) as you do. Riders need to be prepared to meet unexpected obstacles around the next turn - it might be a dog but it also might be a family sitting down in the middle of the trail. Foot traffic on Cypress is way up, especially on the trails above the first switchback. Your days of blindly flying down these trails on DH bikes are probably over unfortunately. The good news is that you can theoretically do that on the authorized trails

I understand what happens when riders on fast bikes come across people on foot with dogs, I’ve been on both sides of that equation dozens of times. But there is NEVER any reason to verbally assault someone for simply walking in the woods with their dog. Your asinine behaviour makes us all look bad. The woman you yelled at probably rides Cypress more than you three do, but had this been one of the (many) people who are currently writing letters to DWV and BPP about how now that mountain bikers have their own authorized area around Mystery that bikes should be prohibited from the rest of Cypress, they’d have written to the NorthShore News or the District about what horrible people us bikers are. You three made us all look bad on Wednesday - including the many people who are fighting for your ability to continue to ride these trails. You are not entitled to ride them- it’s a privilege.

Perhaps if you realized that you were not anonymous behind your full faces and goggles you would have thought twice about your behaviour.

Lessons for us all, please expect to come across hikers with dogs on Cypress (especially close to the first switchback), it’s a multiuse area and others have as much right to be there as you (again, nobody has any right to be there) and FFS don’t be a$$holes when you come across others

Many people are working hard to retain an ability to ride Cypress’ trails outside of those which are authorized. It’s important that we maintain a positive reputation amongst those who decide if we get to keep riding there or not. Let’s be positive contributors to the community as often as possible. Happy trails to all!

Spire