Want to go fast?

Most of these blog posts have been about fat tires, some were very fat, but recently I've spent some time on skinny tires and down in the drops. This hasn't been entirely foreign to me, I had a road bike until I sold it late last summer. What has been foreign is that the two bikes I have been riding are both very fast and both very comfortable. One is more comfortable, the Domane, and the other is much faster, the Madone. I first rode the Domane last summer and was blown away by how comfortable and efficient it is. My first ride on the Madone  blew me away because of how fast and stable it is. Matt had his best time up the Divide on a 2013 Madone, even though it was early season and "only" equipped with Ultegra.

My first real ride on the Madone was through Sardine Canyon to Logan and I was blown away by how fast AND comfortable it is. I signed up for my first shot at LOTOJA this year and had made my decision to ride it on a Domane, until that ride. Undoubtedly, the Domane is the more comfortable ride and still more than acceptably quick, as demonstrated by Fabian Cancellara this Spring. But the new Madone is the fastest bike I have ever ridden and silly fun to ride. Because of this, I ordered my Madone today. And also why I am willing to sacrifice a bit of comfort, as provided by the Domane, in exchange for some extra speed. Here's a video about what makes the 2013 Madone extra special.

Rock Shox Vivid Rear Shock-Is it a big deal?

Recently, Rock Shox released this video to let people know about their new Vivid and Vivid Air rear shocks. People all over the internet were outraged that they weren't able to purchase these new wonders, because you had to have a UCI license to make the purchase. Some even resorted to saying things like, "Well, I didn't even want one anyway." What do you think, did the marketing people turn you off of their product or make you want to have it more?



2014 RockShox Vivid R2C on Pinkbike

Yeti spotted at The Bike Shoppe

We just built up a fleet of Yeti Cycles SB-66, both aluminum and carbon, and the SB-95. SB stands for Super Bike. 66 is for 26 inch wheels and 6 inches of travel. 95 is 29 inch wheels and 5 inches of travel.

Yeti has a rich history in racing with legends like John Tomac, Paul Rowney, and Julie Furtado. Few brands generate the kind of excitement that Yeti Cycles has. They even continue to produce the amazing ARC frame that was originally developed in the early '90s.

Here are some videos explaining how a company can label a bike a Super Bike.

San Jorge Training Camp 2013

February 1-2 we closed down (mostly) for training in St. George. We discussed many important matters of how to best help those of you coming into the shop, as well as how to huck a 4 footer on a hard tail 29er. Jacob Harper was able to grasp onto both of these concepts best. We were able get in some riding while down there. This is a video of one of the trails we rode. Directions were somewhat limited and we ended up in a wash with an insane climb back to the vehicles. We lead hard lives here at The Bike Shoppe.

3x, 2x, or 1x?

I'm in the market for a new bike. I've been trying to decide which components to go with and even which gearing. I've ridden a 2x10 drive train for the last 2 years and have loved it. The thing I like best is that it is simpler than a triple crank. I definitely like the range of a 3x10, but I hardly use the full range. With SRAM's XX1 group, simplicity is taken up a notch, or maybe down because smaller numbers are simpler. This is the route I'm convinced I should go. Having a much wider ratio cassette but combining it with only one ring and making it very difficult to drop a chain makes me think I'll spend more time riding and less time messing with my bike.

 Here's a video that talks more about XX1. If you have more questions you can stop in to The Bike Shoppe and ask, I've been trying to find a way to talk myself out of it for a less expensive kit and so I've researched it and all of it's flaws. Plus you can take a look at it yourself, we have a couple kits there for your viewing pleasure.

Buy Local or Buy Online

Most of us have heard that buying local helps the local economy, but how does it help the consumer making the purchase. This is a good read to help you decide if it's worth your time to go to a local bike shop, gain a relationship with them, and have them help you decide what the best way to increase performance and enjoyment on the bike would be or research endless forums about how to shave 30 grams by re-lacing your wheels with lighter spokes.

Pinkbike's Burning Question: Shop Local or Online?

More Biking in the Snow

Here's another snow bike video. This edit is to appease the critics (Nate and Cody) of the last one. It's shorter and the music is more rock oriented. The next video with still be with fat tires, just not as fat. I'm looking forward to filming that one, you all should look forward to watching it.