slyfink profile

fwiw, I've seen advertisements for these on Euro-based sites, and have been curious about them: https://cronoteam.com/en/winter-cw1e/ they seem to hit all the design elements I like, but it's hard to find a review of them though... (hint hint...)

that's good info, thanks! any word on insulation?

My buddies that are still riding flats for fatbiking (in the winter) are all using these: https://www.marks.com/en/pdp/helly-hansen-men-s-bivy-2-0-icefx-t-max-heat-waterproof-winter-boots-black-grey-53551875f.html?loc=plp&&colorCode=COLOUR_ASSORTED 

They've lasted several years, and they haven't really complained about lack of traction. But we're not flat-pedal riders in the summer, so don't really have anything to compare against.

hmmm. interesting. I might be looking to replace my 10 (or is that 12 or 14 year old) Specialized Defrosters soon. I'll start wearing them in the shoulder season once it reaches about +5°C. They have just enough insulation to remain comfortable with normal wool socks down to about -8°C. Below that, I use my heated socks (Lenz) down to -15. Below that, I'll throw on a neoprene shoe covers and I'm good till -20. Below that, it's not fun anymore, so I'll just stay home. for me, this is like a layering system for jackets. Given they get most of their use in the winter, they tend to last a loooong time, and I really like their versatility, so I have found them a good value in the end. My main gripe with them is the stack height, and - most importantly - not being able to get the cleat far enough back.

so these have piqued my interest, but a few questions remain: how far back can the cleat go (you said to the arch of your foot... as in half way back?), and what kind of insulation is there? fleece? thinsulate? primaloft? none?

perhaps the watch is meant to be strapped to your handlebar and used in conjunction with a chest strap? that's how I would treat anything of that size...

I am in a similar situation where I am, but see it from the opposite side of the mirror! ha! As mountain bikers here have become more numerous, it became untenable for the managers of the public land to ignore or exclude us. As a result, the local trail association has finally found traction in sanctioning and legitimizing many of the unsanctioned trails. The problem is that they have taken the old trails - the one's I've been riding for close to (or is that over?) 30 years now - and fully dumbed them down. Berms everywhere, filling in dirt between rocks and roots, and essentially making it easier to ride for people new to the sport and people moving into the developments that are being built on the periphery of the forest. 

This might sound great, but for me and the people who have been riding these trails over the years, we've lost the magic and challenge of what made it appealing to us. So we've migrated - built new trails or connectors between old great trails, so we can still ride the stuff that drew us to the sport in the first place. I understand the challenge of trying to please everyone (I was involved in the trail association in its early days and know full well that trying to get mountain bikers to agree on anything is like herding cats), but if some level of cooperation/consideration could be given to the old timers instead of making everything a bermy blue trail, I think that would be go a long way. 

All this to say, yes we undoubtedly need to evolve, but we don't need turn our backs entirely on the old ways either.

I have a pair of OR Ferrosi pants that I bought on a deep discount back when MEC was still a coop. They were too big, but with the discount, I could afford to have them tailored and still come out ahead. Now I have semi-custom pants that perform and fit me how I want them to. pretty sweet.

anyone remember these? I liked mine. didn't even need a new hanger standard. but that was back in the day of gs and ss cages, so slightly less exposed to roots and rocks.

All the lights in the world won't save you if the driver is looking at their phone. After a few too many close encounters of the metallic hood kind, and a couple of road ragers getting out of their vehicles to start a fight, I'm done with commuting by bike on city streets. I can get to my current place of work entirely on segregated paths, and rode there year round (until two years ago) but apparently we have given up the lease on this location and will be moving out this summer.  I don't know where my new office will be yet, but I hope I can get there via dedicated bike infrastructure...

riding in the forest is much safer.

your intro got me thinking about that roll of 3M mastic tape I have lying around... it seems to be the only tape I can find that stays put on my frame. seems like it could be a good solution for the brakes on the commuter (here on the east coast of Canada), and possibly the fatbike for winter riding. anyone have experience with it on brake levers?

re pogies, it's definitely a question of preference. Personally I don't like them. I like to ride with my hands just slightly off the edge of the bar, and pogies don't really allow for that (at least my 45N don't). I find they force me into one hand position. I also find they run really warm. warm enough that I have to wear thin gloves. But then if I crash or pull my hand out of the pogie for whatever reason, my glove is wet and gets cold quickly. they also make it harder to push the bike. For the price of them, I feel that an investment in heated gloves is better. with the benefit that you can use them for other sports (e.g. commuting, nordic skiing, DH skiing, skating, walking the dogs, waiting for the bus etc etc etc)

ridden the KS LEV? howzit compare? you compare it to Reverb and Special-Ed's posts, but my experience is with the LEV, whose features are closer to the Kronolog than the other two… thoughts?

I'd be really curious to know what tires the top 20 were on. Width and casing, tubeless (or not), and how many tires they went through during the race…

Thanks for the coverage guys, it was awesome. This race is definitely on my bucket list….

It's probably hard to measure the impact that Digger has had on mountainbiking in general, not just to the North Shore. I remember flipping through Bike mag waaaay back in the early 90's and dreaming about riding North Shore type stuff. Then watching the NSX series of videos. I think the Shore spawned a style of riding that has spread throughout the world, and Digger is in no small part responsible for that, having envisioned, and created those trails. I think he needs more than a plaque, he needs a statue!!!

In the mean time, I'll raise my glass in his hounour after my next ride (which should be tonight).

How 'bout a Tall Boy vs. Evo 29r head-to-head, mano-a-mano style?

I thought I'd just add a note about feedback's customer service. I have an old "Ultimate" bike stand that had broken parts. I eventually found out that Feedback had bought Ultimate, and so I emailed them about replacement parts. Not only are they stocking replacement parts for Ultimate racks, they are also honouring warranty's and offering discounted rates to retrofit and upgrade Ultimate racks to the new (higher) quality of Feedback's designs. They were willing to work with me on shipping options, and helpful in helping me figure out how to do the retrofit. I was pleasantly surprised. they're good people.

"Not just because of the trails, the tales and the exquisite women, but because of the people." Are you suggesting that women aren't people?!?!

otherwise, nice write-up… makes me want to go.

I'm not sure I understand your beef with the contact adjust. Are you saying you run your levers as far from the bar as possible, and so therefore the reach adjustment is useless? If that's the case, then you're the opposite of me. I try and run my levers as close to the bar as possible, and without a contact adjustment, I can't get the lever close enough. which then renders reach adjustment useless. I run the levers close to the bar because I have short fingers, and I try and keep my hand as closed as possible to avoid arm pump.

nice write up though… keep us posted about how the bleedings go.

could be the Jura, or the foothills of the alps, a little farther south and west.

i have a question though, can it be called an "enduro" ride if he doesn't have any water? Maybe he stops to drink from the streams… :)

I'd like to know about the rims/wheels. what was it like to ride carbon rims, and do they seem like they'll hold up to some abuse?

hahaha, lol at the Dobermann "Le Pink"… it's the name of a strip club in Gatineau (well, Aylmer to be exact)!!!