gdharries profile

Your list of theoretical bike attributes - aluminum frame, simple cable routing, water bottle in front triangle, good brakes and reasonable drivetrain - made me wonder if somehow you influenced me to choose the bike I did (2022 Trek Fuel EX 8) a couple of years ago.

I'd like to think I arrived at the similar "ideal bike" conclusion on my own, but I don't want to take away from your social influence skills. So powerful!

I dig a bike that I saw on NSMB this past summer, namely this Transition Spire. I think it looks awesome; so utilitarian but also stylish and burly.

I have a Bike Jerks "Keep on Truckin'" topcap on my fat bike!

Ah, I understand now. Yes, what I own are far from proper diving watches!

My experience with cheap ($100) mechanical watches has been the opposite. I've bought and owned 2 over the span of 15 years. They've run perfectly.

The first watch was a Casio G-Shock with bars over the face, as it was a skateboarding specific model. That one rusted out from the inside due to too much swimming with it.

The other, and the one I have now is a Timex. Again, $100.

Honestly, the less I am connected to computers the better my life is, especially when in the outdoors. And I say that as a guy who has spent the last 25 years of my career in IT and digital.

Okay, so I'm old(er) but....what's a Euro Turn?

I know about a Euro Carve in snowboarding and Euro Step in basketball, but this Euro Turn is new to me.

I take comfort in the saying, "The older I get, the better I was."

But which CAD $1,880 full suspension trail bike? The cheapest new, say Norco Fluid FS is $3,000. A base Trek Fuel EX is $3,500.

If the max you have is $2,000 then I’d pick the Roscoe.

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Andrew - I love this article of yours. Great stuff.

I had a 2016 Kona Hei Hei that I adored. The Hei Hei felt very much like a hardtail with its 100mm of rear suspension.

Far from plush. Just enough travel to take the edge off, like you describe. I rode it everywhere, including on trails I probably shouldn’t have.

Head angle was 67 degrees, I think. 120mm fork.

I sold the Hei Hei as I broke the rear triangle and got that replaced under warranty. I figured I should get something beefier to suit my stature.

Years later now, and after reading your article here, I realize how amazingly capable, ahead of its time and fun that little bike was.

The Hei Hei too was a bike to be ridden like a hardtail, and not like a Process or some other long travel sqush machine.

Our volunteer trail groomers beg/plead that only people with 3.8” tires or larger ride the these types of trails. The narrower tires dig in and create ruts, which then ice over and create issues.

Could just be where we live, but makes sense to me. We have a big fat bike population.

I know I feel like I’m blinding drivers on occasion, as it’s clear they are slowing down and swerving (!) to get out of my range. The swerving part isn’t ideal, naturally.

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FWIW an upright bike is not meant or designed to be ridden dynamically (like a mountain bike is for example). You just sit and pedal.

I'd probably prefer to avoid a suspension fork and/or suspension seatpost for simplicity. I think tire volume is a nice simple and effective way to increase comfort. I doubt going all the way to fat tires is necessary but we'll try to test all options.

My wife bought a Specialized Turbo Vado 3.0 Step-Through this summer, with the suspension fork, and she really appreciates the extra cush.

Most e-bikes are heavy and upright so you're not lifting the front wheel over obstacles and instead plow into stuff on occasion. Even with fat 650b (2.3") tires at low pressure, the fork makes a noticeable difference. She also test rode bikes without suspension, and much preferred the Vado.

I am unsure if Life Cycles rents bikes, but if they do, they're close by in Abbotsford.

Nice Rocky...but I'm mostly interested in the gravel bike :-)

Blasphemy, I know.

Are you logged in when you try to view the images?

I’m looking forward to again riding my 2022 Trek Fuel EX 8 in size XXL. No part upgrades planned as of yet.

Just have to wait 5 more months until the snow melts 😧

Another vote for Loam Goat from me!

If you’re open to other brands, VelociRAX works for road, gravel and mountain bikes. A friend of mine has one and it’s pretty sweet. We used it this past weekend to haul 6 bikes for an enduro one day, and the day after, 6 gravel bikes.

I'm 6'3" with a 37" inseam. I've broken multiple frames in the same spot as you, on the seat tube. I've also bent seat posts. Hence, long droppers and short seat tubes scare me.

My mountain bike, a Trek Fuel EX 8 in size XXL has a 21.2" (540mm) seat tube which seems ideal.

My gravel bike's seat tube is 22.8" (580mm) and is perhaps a little long. Standover is high on that one.

I personally would no longer buy a bike with anything shorter than a 530-540mm seat tube-wise but those are getting rare outside of custom frames.

Beautiful bike and great job on the decorating. That’s an Aspero, correct?

Rollers are great for improving balance and learning how to hold a line. It only takes a short while to get used to staying upright.

Also, fun at parties.

When we used to have parties, that is.