The Shed: It's mounatin bike season somwwhere

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

By Henry Sweets

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-Over abundant snow this winter means longer waits for mountain bike season, but still spring weather has blown into town, and bike-psyche with it. You might be going to shred Moab or Fruta. But if you can’t make it that far, never fear. There are some nearby options.

Andy Olpin from Wilson Backcountry Sports said he has already gotten his mountain bike fix in Dubois, Wyo. Although there is snow on the ground all the way over Togwotee Pass, the red sandstone badlands area around Dubois is already ready for riding. Just go straight where Highway 287/26 veers right and follow signs to the town landfill. Just beyond the dump are some access points to the trails. The trails aren’t much to write home about, and most are short loops but they are a surefire way to get a springtime bike buzz.

Snow and rain earlier this week didn’t help, but Pocatello, Idaho, trails have cleared, and Sam Morris from Scott’s Ski and Sports said some people are already out riding them. Most of the good trails are in the downtown area, so stop by their shop located in Pocatello at 224 North Main Street for a detailed map of the local trails.

If you feel up for a few more hours of driving, Brandon Campisi from Fitzgerald’s Bike Shop recommended the trails of Vernal, Utah, which is located between the Flaming Gorge and Dinosaur National Monument. The area is a few of hours closer to us than Moab or Fruita. He described the trails as “real single track,” with trails six or nine inches wide instead of a foot or more. Vernal’s Altitude Bicycles has a great Web site posting updated trail conditions in the area. Find them at www.altitudecycle.com.

If you’re going to Moab
Campisi and Matt Havilland from Hoback Sports both pointed out that lots of water, a good multi tool, spare parts and plenty of energy food are essential for trips to the desert. Campisi also recommended a fatter tire to handle lower tire pressure for better grip on the slick rock. The fatter tires give buoyancy in the sandy trails of Moab.
But what is the essential tool you might forget if going to Moab?

“Lots of real beer,” Olpin told me, and with good reason. The beer in Utah is only 3.2 percent alcohol, thanks to state law. That’s almost half the alcohol content you get elsewhere. If you come prepared, you won’t be left chugging watery Utah brews, and you will probably make friends at the campsite.

This year’s best
This year’s bike lines have a few new features in common. Across the board, companies are offering more and more women-specific options.

“There’s something at every price point for the female rider,” Campisi said. It also seems that most companies are tweaking the rear suspension configurations on some bikes to minimize weight and the effects of braking and pedaling.

Olpin of Wilson Backcountry Sports told us the Kona Dog series bikes weigh less with frames now made of Scandium. Also the Kona Coiler series has a new “pedal-friendly” linkage called the Magik Wink.

Campisi said the Giant full suspension mountain bikes have all shed about a pound with their newly designed Maestro system.

And since Trek no longer sponsors Lance Armstrong, they have been able to sink a lot more money into their mountain bike division, Havilland said. In addition, the Fuel EX series utilizes a pivot point that goes straight through the rear axle path, and the rear shock floats off of the frame “giving it the feeling of bottomless travel,” and more sensitivity while braking, he said.

He also said that the Specialized Stumpjumper suspension system has been redesigned to allow for full seat post adjustment, so the post doesn’t have to be custom fit to the rider.

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The Shed: It's mounatin bike season somwwhere | Planet JH News Article: Sports & Recreation

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