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The first Annual Bend Super D looks to be .. super

jasonvh — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:12:13 +0000

Bend has been blowing up with its reputation for sweet trails, and now has a Super D event on the schedule. Only three hours from Portland, the course is 8 miles long, with 1500 feet of descending, and only 300 feet of climbing. It sounds pretty damn sweet to me, and it is the perfect excuse to check out Bend’s riding scene.

Bend Super D: September 19, 2010

Here’s the scoop:

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Limit to 150 racers
Free shuttles for competitors Sunday from 8-4
Free spectator shuttles from Wanoga to Finish line and back
Prises to top three in each category
Orbra License required, available at registration
Online registration open until Sept 17

For more info, check out BendSuperD.com

Check out a preview of the course:

On a side note, Ih8bikes is officially a sponsor of the race- make sure to check out the event t-shirt, (in addition to the illustration for the event flyer) designed by yours truly.

Riding the 2011 Trek Scratch- first look

jasonvh — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:08:41 +0000

Last year I did a post on the release of the Trek Scratch. A cross between the popular Remedy and the Session 88 down hill machine, the Scratch is a curious mix between an aggressive all mountain bike, and light freeride bike. In many ways, the Scratch is Trek’s answer to the popular SX Trail from big brand competitor Specialized- a light and flickable freerider that jumps well, while still being capable of pedaling back up. Trek is relatively new to the gravity game though, while Specialized has been running full steam ahead since the release of the Demo 9 over five years ago. While Trek has quietly been making long travel single pivot freeride oriented machines for a while, it wasn’t until the ABP design was incorporated into their gravity program that their bikes really took off.

2010 Trek Scratch Coil

What has surprised me is how few Scratch models I’ve seen on local trails. (likely due to the retail pricing- the flagship Scratch 9 lists for $5769, while the SX Trail comes in at $4800, almost $1000 less. Yow! That’s a lot of lift tickets and dime bags! You know how you dirt bag freeriders are, and yes, I know people don’t really do dime bags anymore) One thing the Scratch features that the SX doesn’t is pedalability. I ride with several friends that rock the SX Trail. Can they keep up on the climbs back up? Kind of. The Scratch offers a different proposition, with a pedal-friendly seat tube angle of 74.1°, you are positioned significantly better for climbing, even with the short stem/wide bar cockpit most freeriders run. In fact, the bike looks like it would be an excellent bike for the northwest- a light freerider capable of the stunts and features of Black Rock and Post Canyon, but very easily pedaled up for another run. I’ve wanted to spend some time on one for a while. Since I’m currently riding both a Session 88 and a Remedy, I had to get a taste of the new sibling. During our Crankworx trip I finally was able to get a ride in on both the 2010 and the 2011 Scratch coil models.

Taking a break on Ninja Cougar on the 2010 Scratch.

Since I was with a friend, we took both 2010 and 2011 Scratch coil models out for a few runs down the mountain. The plan was to head down Ninja Cougar, as it is a bit tighter of a run than many of the groomers, and seemed like it would fit the personality and intended use of this bike well. To get there, we dropped into A-line. For this first run I was on the 2010 model.

To date, I’ve only been down A-line on my Session 88. Last year with a Totem fork on the front end, and this year with a Boxxer. Needless to say, the Scratch feels considerably lighter than the DH bike. In fact, initially it made me nervous- it felt more like riding my Remedy down the jump trail than the DH bike, although the cockpit length has the shorter top tube and reach of a DH bike. That said, it didn’t stop me from sending it while riding down A-line. The bike felt retardedly light. Maybe even too light. (is there really such a thing?)

The build of the 2010 bike was a bit confusing to me, but probably felt off because I wasn’t used to it. I run 29.24″ bars on both my DH bike and my trail bike, so getting on this bike with narrower 28″ bars felt a bit twitchy. That said, I’m more interested in testing the frame capabilities, not the spec decided on by a product manager trying to please some consumer demographic. I’m not sure Trek knows exactly who that is yet- looking at the bikes Cam and Brandon are riding show that what they’re riding looks more like small sized Remedy frames. If Trek wanted to sell more Scratches, it would make sense to get them on this bike. (Take a look at what comes up when you Google Cam Mccaul/ Bike Check … hmm. Next time I see those guys, I should film one myself) Darren Berrecloth rides an SX Trail, and SX, and a Demo. Cam and Brandon are riding the Ticket, the Session, and un-obtainium versions of what looks like a beefed up Remedy. (I could be wrong though, it could just be a small Remedy frame, though I believe last year his SS bike didn’t have the full-floater shock mount)

2011 Trek Scratch Coil

What kind of bike is it?

The Scratch isn’t sure if it is a hard-core trail bike, a slopestyle bike, or a light freeride bike. From the geometry numbers, it looks like the frame could handle more than a little of all of that. The 2010 felt like they were trying to make the Scratch a trail bike that could handle burly shit, as opposed to a light freerider, based on the cockpit set up. I was feeling a bit squirrelly with the “narrow” low rise bars. In fact, the cockpit was considerably more “XC” or “all mountain” than my personal Remedy, with its 50mm stem and 2″ rise, 29″ Sunline bars. (and I ride and climb everything with that set up.) In fact, the Scratch basically felt like my Remedy, but with .5″ inches shorter reach on the top tube, a slightly heavier tubeset, a coil shock, and another .5″- .75″ inches of travel. And that is exactly why I’m so intrigued with this bike. I’ve ridden the Remedy on just about everything. I almost took it for a run down the slopestyle course at the Ranchstyle even- that is how solid that bike works as an all arounder. The reason I didn’t? My shock set-up at the time, lack of a chain guide, and a long top tube.

The 2011 down tube armor on the Trek Scratch

It is really hard to give this bike a fair shake after only a few runs on chatter-bump filled terrain, especially since I was directly comparing it to the Session 88 I was riding just before hand. Ideally, I’d like to get one on our local trails here- a pedal up Seven Springs at Post Canyon with a DH session on all the jump lines and stunts on the way back down would be a way better testing scenario of its all around capabilities than strictly gravity trails at the bike park.

On the second run I switched bikes with Matthew for some time on the 2011 model. The biggest difference between the 2010 and the 2011 was the spec of the 7″ travel Fox single crown fork. That extra inch of travel makes a huge difference though. It removed the nervous feeling I was getting at speed and over braking bumps, and really made this bike fun at the bike park. Another upgrade to the bike was a carry-over from the carbon Remedy model- the down tube armor.

The down tube armor is a welcome addition. While the Remedy and Session bikes are strong and light, some of the light weight is attributed to thin tubing. I haven’t had a single issue with the strength of my (Trek) bikes even though I’ve been wringing the crap out of them, but I do have dents and small dings on my down tubes where my T.H.E. fender (which I run year-round) doesn’t protect the frame.

Bontrager stem on the 2011 Scratch

The cockpit looks better as well; I liked the stem and bar spec better on the 2011. The higher rise bar felt way better while boosting the jumps and wall rides on Crank It Up. In a way, stem and bar spec doesn’t matter to me, since I already have personal faves I would run, but it is nice to have parts lying around that can be useable, as opposed to dumped in the recycling bin. For the average buyer though, this makes a big difference, since many bike shops don’t like to do bar and stem swaps. In 2011, the bike is starting to find its voice. The air models continue to retain the hard core all mountain vibe, while the coil models feel way more like a light freerider or slopestyle machine.

That said, for bike park use, we both preferred the 2011 model. In fact, after a run, Matthew wanted to 2011 bike back- he was feeling way sketched out on the 2010 on the jump lines. Turns out the 7″ Fox 36 Van makes a huge difference in the gnar. (as to be expected)

Getting ready to drop into Crank It Up

The verdict

When considering both models in their stock form, and for bike park use, the 2011 felt like the way to go. Where the 2010 felt sketchy, the 2011 felt like a light and fully whippable version of my Session 88. Those considering a 2010 Scratch air vs. a Scratch coil will do well to consider where they will be riding the bike.

I’m hoping to source a 2011 Scratch frame for the coming season to replace my Remedy, as I liked what I was feeling with this bike. Our few runs on the bike really weren’t enough get a solid impression on how it would do as an all-arounder, but we liked what we saw. For me, the question is: how light can you build a Trek Scratch for epic all mountain rides, while still maintaining the big hit capability? The 2010 Scratch coil comes in around 35lbs. That is heavy for a trail bike. While it certainly is all relative, try keeping up with guys on 26lb. 5″ travel trail machines on a bike 10lbs. heaver. I’m certainly one of those riders that want it all, but when you are putting out this much coin for your dream ride, I don’t think that is unrealistic. Guys are building up hardcore all-mountain quiver-killing machines with DH tires at sub 30 weights now. Although it will cost you an arm and a leg, the best part is that we consumers have a ton of sweet options to choose from.

Crankworx Road Trip 2010

jasonvh — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:38:22 +0000

The goal was to be on the road and to arrive in Whistler with time to ride the pump track before the Saint Deep Summer slide show. It was a good plan, and we were on track to make it- until we hit evening traffic in Vancouver. Up until that point we had made great time; even our border crossing went quickly. No anal probes were administered, and we didn’t even have to get out of the car. One look at the massive amount of crap stacked in the bed of the pickup probably had something to do with that one.

Four dudes, one chick. One fully loaded pickup.

Our dreams of riding shortly after arriving were dashed, but we did get some cool Saint pint glasses at the Saint slide show to comfort our sorrows. The Kokanee, sadly, wasn’t included with the cost of entry. I forgot how much stuff costs in Canada, but I think I remember seeing a case of beer running about $45 or so. Damn!

Freeriding's holy land: Whistler

With this view taunting us, we were off to look at slideshows of photos taken for the comp. There was a large quantity of gorgeous imagery being projected for our viewing pleasure. Bike Magazine Contributor Jordan Manley ended up with the win- his images really did a good job showing a solid perspective on what Whistler was all about: trails and epic riding. Must be nice to be a local and have this sort of greatness in your backyard. What is it about Whistler that makes us want to become Canadian? Is it the insanely awesome riding, the mountains, or the free health care? Maybe it’s all of the above.

Ryan and Kaylee Gibb: awesome peeps

After the show it was off to the pub, where we partook in pitchers while watching Follow Me on screens, over and over. GA! I just wanted to get out and ride. When it was finally the next morning, and time to ride, the day began with a warm-up run down Crank It Up. Joining me for this run was PDX yokel and grumpy-man (as in surlier than me) Mr. Corey Tepper, and friends. Someone got held up on the trail, so I shamelessly ditched them to get onto my second run when I spotted some of my favorite Canadians, Mr. and Mrs. Gibb. I hadn’t met Ryan yet, but just about all of us have seen the previews for his new MTB film Lifecycles.

You are at the start of Freight Train.

The Gibbs have been living the dream for the last three years in trying to get the film made and finished. Word is they hope to have the official premier for Interbike, just weeks away. The movie has been over budget for some time now, which means the Gibbs have been scraping to get by, and we discussed the pros and cons of trying to live the dream. It’s not an easy road. However, Ryan and his partner are on the verge of raising the bar for mountain bike films to a whole another level. Hopefully it makes it all worth it in the end.

This gap featured in Follow Me is way bigger in person. I'm not ashamed to say I didn't have the urge to try it.

I don’t even own a Blue-Ray player yet, but I’m planning to pre-order the movie in high-def. It looks that good. The Gibbs took me up to the top of the mountain for the first time and showed me the wonder that is Freight Train. Super good stuff.

Kaylee sends it down the GLC drop for her first time

The Gibbs had to take off after a few runs to do a shoot somewhere, so I grabbed a almost-free can of Monster energy and got back in line. While standing in the singles line I ran into Jon Kennedy, marketing guy for Diamond Back Bikes in Seattle. He was doing some “testing” of his latest ride, (the 2011 Diamondback ScapeGoat) so I got to check it out. (Pinkbike actually did a feature on it. Check it out here.)

Jon Kennedy and the 2011 Diamondback Scapegoat

I can’t say I’ve been a fan of the Diamondback all mountain line to date, with their relatively steep 68° head angle, and lack of stand over. They have been gaining in popularity though, and for 2011, the all mountain line looks considerably more dialed. With the new 2011 Fox 7″ single crown fork the bike comes in at 66°, and it now has additional stand over. If you consider the features at Black Rock and Post Canyon part of your normal all mountain ride, this might be a good bike to check out for next year. Check it out here. They also have a true DH platform in development which we should see by this time next year.

Did I mention Jon is a skilled rider to boot? Thanks go to Jon for showing me even more of the trails up top. We had a hollering good time shredding a train down Dirt Merchant.

Later on I met up with the PDX crew and we did many runs down the mountain. Zim took his riding to the next level by going big on this rock wall. Yeah!

Zim on the rock wallride on Duffman

On day two of the trip, I stopped by the SRAM truck to get some love for my Boxxer, and to say hi to Jon C and Evan W at SRAM. These guys are always on the go, following the traveling road show that is the DH race circuit. While I’m capable of redoing the damping on my fork, there is something to be said for having all the right parts, and the right tools on hand. Evan was on Boxxer duty, and had over 12 forks lined up at one point. Watching him tear apart my fork was a lot like watching a totally dialed bar tender making his specialty drink. Not just any bartender either, I’m talking Tom Cruise in “Cocktail.” Evan is the man.

Evan is a master of the Boxxer pro-tune.

He blew my mind by completely revamping my fork. Not only did I get the full pro-tune, but new seals, dampers, and bushings made my day. The fork now rides better than any Boxxer I’ve ever owned. My next run down the mountain (and every one after that) was seriously off the hizzy, and my riding for the rest of the trip got better and better. Evan and Jon, next time I’m in Colorado, drinks are on me.

My Trek Session 88 got some serious love

While I was hanging out in the square, I stopped by the Decline booth to visit Nicole and pick up a copy of the latest issue. Two of my photos from the Ashland Super D ran in this month’s issue. Check it out:

Nicole from Decline holds the latest issue with my shot of Weir.

While I was bugging the boys at SRAM, I peeped Black Box Manager Jon Cancellier’s latest ride, a tricked out Carbon Enduro. Six inches of travel front and rear, DH tires, 5″ height adjustable seat post, air sprung DH rear shock, 10 speed XX drive train, weighing in at a total of 30lbs.

You may be jealous now. I know I might be. A little. With light wheels, his ride comes in at 26-27lbs. I used to race Cross Country on a Trek Y-22 that weighed 27lbs. Yeah, his bike is pretty bad ass.

Jon C of SRAM always has the latest and greatest gear.

The upper mountain has a lot of rad trails to explore. I only made it to a handful of them- hopefully I’ll be back again soon to finish exploring. Maybe I’ll even shoot some photos. The problem with being a newbie to Whistler (2nd trip) is that you just want to ride until you can’t anymore. And nothing else.

This trail was sweet. After I rode this section, I had to hike back and shoot the next guy.

Stay tuned for my photos from the slopestyle and additional photos of the pump track. In the meantime, check out my coverage of the Crankworx Pump Track Challenge on MBA’s website.

2010 Black Rock Shuttle Day Gallery

jasonvh — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 05:29:14 +0000

Two days of shuttled riding. Funds were raised towards a great cause, and an incredible time was had by all those that came out to ride.

Although it the trails were loose and a bit dusty, conditions of the trails were otherwise incredible. It doesn’t get much better than a day at Black Rock without having to push up. However, two days of riding at Black Rock without having to hike-a-bike did it.

I wished I had been able to get more pics of the action, but shooting the natural light at Black Rock means a small window of time to capture those moments. I can’t blame anyone for not wanting to stop and ride for the camera- I was in the same boat myself. I did make an effort to try to document the hard work of the volunteers that worked non-stop to keep the shuttle trucks moving, when they wanted to ride just as bad as the rest of us.

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Video edit coming soon.

Feel free to use the images on Facebook and personal blogs, providing a link and photocredit is given back to this site, and the watermark remains intact. For all other uses, please contact jason@ihatebikes.net. Thanks.

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

The Northwest School of Freeride at Windells Camp

jasonvh — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:45:39 +0000

Portland, Oregon has one of the largest concentrations of bicycle friendly concrete skateparks. It is heaven for a lot of 20″ riders, and more than a few top rank BMXers live in the area and call it home. However, when it comes to dirt, and facilities for beginners and intermediates, there isn’t anything for rider to go and practice their skills. (Which is pretty messed up) Concrete parks tend to be popular and crowded, and a 30+ year old freerider isn’t a very common sight at the local skate park. Add to the fact that the nature of BMX is considerably more technical than trail riding, and a lot of single track fans are left in the cold.

However, if you are ready to take your riding to the next level and learn skills in a safe environment, short of heading to Whistler, the next best thing may be checking out the Northwest School of Freeride.

Based at the famous Windells Snow and Skate camp, has in recent years added BMX to the curriculum, and even more recently Freeriding.

We were up there recently checking out some of the action that went down at the Gatorade Freeflow Tour.

Haro Pro rider Brian Miller shreds both the 20" and the big wheels.

The four jump comp line.

Freeflow comp winner Houston Harmsen of Murrieta, CA

Jumps were boosted, flips were whipped, and riders threw down.

After the comp, I spent some time wandering around the campus and poking around in the woods and chatted with Barrett Polychronis, one of the camp’s BMX coaches about some of the ideas for new features he has kicking around. (there is some cool stuff in the works)

Windells has one of the best concrete parks around.

The main features of Windells are skateboarding oriented, and every where you look there is something to ride, grind, or skate. It’s much like walking around the set of a Tony Hawk skateboard video game. Once you get to the dirt though, you’ll see a line for every level of ability.

Jaymo demos the intermediate jump line for us.

The freeriding appears to have been toned down for this year with the removal of the Boyko line that was featured in Follow Me. It has bee replaced with a humongous ski/snowboard kicker and a giant inflatable cushion. According to Barrett, he and Shane have been hard at work on re-doing much of the dirt area, and they expect to have it done before the fall dirt camps.

Some of the wood features hidden on the hill

It’s not all good

The biggest bummer about Windells is that it is a camp first. As a business, it exists to teach the campers. They also have insurance issues that limit opening up the campus for public use on a regular basis. While there are open bike jams, ($20 for all day access, 9am-5pm) they are limited to dates when the campus isn’t overrun with campers. Great for the camper experience, as they are able to learn their skills in a safe environment free of pressure, but unfortunately Portland riders are still out of luck until the Sunday Open Bike Jams open in September.

Which of course leads to the bigger question, why does the biggest city in Oregon lack public or private facilities like this, and what would it take to make it happen? Salem has public jumps, as does Hood River.

For more information check out the Windells Camp website or NWSOF.com

Gallery

The Dog River All Mountain Shuttle

jasonvh — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:44:03 +0000

The Dog River Trail is one of those gems that is way less popular than it really should be. This spring the trail was the course of the Fluid Ride Cup Enduro DH. We didn’t make it out to this event, and I’m still kicking myself for not making the extra effort to do so. (next year for sure)

Although the trail is obviously popular, based on the traffic at the exit of the trail head, (where we dropped our fetch vehicles) I’m actually surprised at how few people I know have ridden this trail.

Dog River Trail

Located on the Hood River side of Mount Hood, the Dog River Trail is just one section of a trail system that features enough single track riding that one could feasibly get lost for days. The trail system also includes the Surveyor’s Ridge Trail, and it is entirely possible that there simply is so much epic riding in the area that it is overshadowed by the internationally renown Post Canyon trails.

Izaak Van Horn negotiates some rocks on an exposed section of trail.

Riding trails like this simply makes me jealous of the residents of the Hood River area. Whereas Portland is simply fighting to get a fitness loop on genuine single track trail, Hood River has so much riding that a trail like this doesn’t even make it on the radar for many. With at least 1.5 hours of drive time to reach the trail, it is quite a stretch to make it out here, but if you love riding big travel trail bikes down ripping single track, you owe it to yourself to check this trail out. Eight miles of a ripping descent await you, with some seriously epic views. A solid climb a few miles in eliminates the desire to bring a heavier freeride bike, but on my 6″ travel Trek Remedy and high volume single ply tires, I was a happy little clam with the wind in my hair all the way down this excellent piece of trail goodness.

A typical piece of the single track in store.

The trail is pretty typical of those found in the pacific northwest; forest single track littered with roots and rocks. There is a sweet rock garden section that comes up about halfway down the trail that was super fun, but we saw riders on bikes ranging from front suspension XC hard tail rigs, to a Nomad with a heavy build kit.

To find the trail, I recommend picking up a copy of the Hood River Trail map, which is available at any local bike shop. I remember riding many of these trails years ago, in my XC days, and if I recall correctly, it is entirely possible to do an even longer all mountain option, starting from a higher point on Lookout Mountain. Half of our riding group had to split after two laps down the trail, so we followed it up with a quick spin up 7 Streams at Post Canyon before heading home.

Almost to the bottom.

Gallery

Gravity Dropper Classic Adjustable Seat Post- Long Term Review

jasonvh — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 04:12:13 +0000

After more than four years of abuse (mounted on numerous frames, both full suspension and rigid) my Gravity Dropper Classic Adjustable height seat post has given up the ghost. And while I’m a bit bummed, and a bit disappointed, I honestly can’t say there are a lot of products I’ve owned this long. It’s been a long run, and while it is currently out of order, it’s been a great product, and I would buy one all over again.

I currently own two adjustable height seat posts from Gravity Dropper. (I actually own a total of three adjustable height posts- including a Crank Bros Joplin) The first one Gravity Dropper was a 3 inch adjustable model- one of the first. I was an early adopter to the adjustable height seat posts- I’ve always wanted one, to the point where I had sketched and doodled my own designs for a telescoping seat post. I never had aspirations to build and market them, I just wanted to be able to rip a trail and drop the seat without pausing.

My Gravity Dropper seat post, installed on a Wolfhound single speed.

When the 4 inch model was released, I picked one up right away. Three inches was good. Four was even better. In my ideal world, I’d be able to slam my seat all the way down with the flick of a switch.

The benefits of having an adjustable height seat post should be obvious to anyone that stops and lowers their seat at any point during a ride. After riding with one, I can’t imagine riding without an adjustable height post. Have you ever had a stupid crash late in a ride, because you were too lazy to lower your seat? Those don’t happen anymore. (At least not because your seat was too high) Push the lever, slam the seat down, and get as tech on the trail as you want. (on burly descents you can still lower the seat post at the QR for maximum clearance.) The product is extremely simple to use as well. Just stand up, push the lever until you hear the click in your post, (that is the sound of the pin dis-engaging) then sit on the post, lowering it. Then release the lever. Once you do it on a ride a few times, the motion is mastered and you can lower your post easily at any point, even in technical sections.

Installed on an Intense Tracer.

In the time that I’ve owned the posts, they’ve stopped working a few times due to mechanical failure. For the most part, it has been an easy fix. (As long as you have the .050 allen wrench still- these are not easy to find, so don’t lose it.) Because the remote actuates the post via a derailleur cable, it is prone to contamination like any cable and housing. Muddy rides and frozen temperatures have both taken my post out of commission, but each time it was relatively easy to repair. Admittedly, I do have a number of years as a professional bike mechanic that most people don’t, but if your post goes wack, you can always take it to your local bike shop and they can get you sorted out.

Replacing a snapped cable on the Gravity Dropper is fairly simple if you have the correct allen key. (don't lose it, it is SMALL)

Unlike other posts on the market, the Gravity Dropper is a mechanical system. It is pretty basic: a tube with a seat mount slides up and down inside another tube, much like a fork. To control the side to side play, two plastic shims sit inside a groove in the inner tube. The outer tube has a matching groove. It is a simple system, and it works well. I have never noticed play in my saddle.

The height of the post is set via holes drilled in the inside tube. When you pull on the lever on the handlebar, a magnet pulls a pin out of the inside tube, allowing the saddle height to be changed. When the lever is released, the pin is pushed back in by magnet with the reverse polarity.

Installing a new cable.

The only drawbacks to the seat post is that with all the moving parts, things wear out, and eventually break. Besides having to replace worn out derailleur cables, I’ve also had the Gravity Dropper unit (part #80 in this diagram) separate from the lower seat post tube. I sent it back, and Gravity Dropper covered the repair under warranty.

Last time I inspected the post, I found cracks in the top seat clamp in both of my posts. They have yet to fully fail, but recently the inside tube on my 4″ post did, cracking halfway through. Because of the resulting bend, the post no longer will slide up and down, and it will cost me about $50 to get the post running again. I will also probably replace the boots on both posts at this time.

Oops, I did it again.

Detail of the broken inner tube (part #22) on a Gravity Dropper Classic.

I have been holding off on replacing the cracks in the top seat clamp, as Gravity Dropper has been experimenting with an I-beam compatible head. (update: it is now out, and it is awesome.) Seeing as how this seat post has already out-lived several sets of Ti-railed WTB Laser team saddles, I’m looking forward to the upgrade. (note: a call to Gravity Dropper has confirmed that the replacement I-beam compatible head is now available and shipping out)

The Gravity Dropper Classic Adjustable post is a 27.2mm post. It is easily shimmed to fit most full suspension frames. I have a number of shims in my tool box, as I’ve used the post on a number of frames including the Intense Tracer VP, Trek Remedy, Fisher Roscoe, Specialized Enduro SL 2007, Enduro 2006, Enduro 2005, custom Wolfhound hard tail, On-One Inbred, and custom Jericho hardtail frame.

The post in its lowered position on my Trek Remedy.

Even though I’ve had more than my share of frustration with this post, the majority of the time it has worked as intended, and is my favorite upgrade to any bike. It allows me to focus on the ride, and less on stopping to change the height of my saddle. Before I had this product, I’d often get lazy and ride with my saddle lowered a few inches, which ended up causing knee pain on long rides. Obviously, it isn’t an issue now.

I do wish I had the ability to drop the seat all the way down. With the Gravity Dropper Classic, it gets fairly low, but the mechanism restricts how low it can get. The newer Gravity Dropper Turbo appears to have addressed this somewhat, and I’m looking forward to trying one at some point in the future. I also wish the post had at least another inch of drop- 5″ would be ideal (if not more). I’ve been trying to milk this product until the next generation is released, but with the recent failure, I may be forced to simply repair the post I currently have.

I also have a Crank Brothers Joplin R post that I am testing. Stay tuned for a follow up comparing the two seat posts. Since I’ve been using this post, a number of other products have been released that I’m also hoping to get my hands on, including models from Rock Shox, KS Suspension, and Rase.

My seat post is down, but not out. I’ll be ordering the replacement parts tomorrow.

(updated 6/21/2010) I just got off the phone with Gravity Dropper and I’ve found that the cracked inner tube will be covered under warranty. I’m having them upgrade it to the i-beam head, which they are doing for a small charge. Kudos for the customer service.

Mount Hood SkiBowl Bike Park Opens this weekend

jasonvh — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:08:14 +0000

Mount Hood SkiBowl is finally opening this weekend for your gravity driven riding pleasure. There still is snow on the upper mountain, but the lower trails will be open.

SkiBowl is one of those gravity parks that has always had excellent terrain with a lot of potential. Unfortunately, like the rest of Oregon, they have had a hard time making progress due to the slow process required by the Forest Service as well protests from anti-bike groups. Fortunately, things may be slowly turning in our favor. According to Troy Fischer of SkiBowl, some good news is on the horizon. SkiBowl recently was approved for the construction of three new freeride oriented trails. The new trails will utilize a number of man made created elements in order to minimize damage to certain elements and increase sustainability, and will be ranked as Blue Square or intermediate level trails. One of the blues will also feature more advanced Black Diamond elements. Construction is expected to be completed this fall.

Many have asked why trails like Gnar-Gnar have never been developed any further to incorporate more grade reversals, grade dips, rollers, or jumps. The main reason for this is that all the trails on the main face need to be groomed once the snow season hits. Because of this, all new trail construction is taking place off the beaten path, much like the new intermediate level shore-style freeride trail that was constructed last year.

Expect to see more trails like this intermediate level freeride oriented trail this year.

In addition, a green level skills development area is planned and in the works, with completion likely taking place by the end of this year’s riding season. A full time trail crew will be working, so remember to give them words of encouragement when you’re out shredding the trails.

The Bike Park will open June 19th.

Download a Mountain Bike Trail Map here. (PDF)
For info on ticket pricing and passes click here.

Haven’t ridden SkiBowl yet? Here’s a clip pulled from Vimeo.

Scotty Graham Memorial – Pro E Downhill – 08 from Wayback Films on Vimeo.

Black Rock Shuttle Day Fundraiser for NWTA

jasonvh — Thu, 27 May 2010 18:44:21 +0000

(Via Joe Rykowski) Northwest Trail Alliance is hosting a shuttle day event at Black Rock Mountain Bike Area (near Falls City, Oregon) on Sunday, July 25 for people who have donated $55 or more towards the match funding needed for purchase of ST240 singletrack trail construction machine.

The Cause

NWTA has been recommended for funding thru Oregon Parks & Recreation for an 2010 RTP grant requesting $90,000 towards project for purchase of trail machine, enclosed trailer, and operator training. But NWTA needs to raise about $18,000 in match funding (we have secured $8,000 so far), and this shuttle fundraiser event will generate another $4,000 towards our goal.

How to earn a shuttle pass

Step 1: Be one of the first 100 to donate at least $55 towards grant match funding for ST240 machine. To donate, use the NWTA Shopping Cart — http://nw-trail.org/donateST240 a) add amount to cart, b) click Shopping Cart link to Checkout (and pay by credit card). You can specify a larger amount if you wanted to. why donate more? I dunno, say, maybe because you wanted to attend Saturday evening shuttle event as well which requires minimum donation of $75 and just cuz you are giving to help pay for an awesome trail building machine to be owned by NWTA.

To donate by mailing in a personal check, contact amy@nw-trail.org for instructions and be sure to specify ST240 donation in memo.

Donation Award Levels available:

“Full Meal Deal (you bring the meal)” Donation Level - If you donate at least $75 towards grant matching, then you’ll be eligible to sign-up for two passes – one for evening of Saturday, July 24th (starting at 3pm-ish) and another pass for full day Sunday, July 25th. Saturday Lunch/Dinner NOT provided.

“Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! (only)” Donation Level – If you donate at least $55 towards grant matching, then as a thank you for your support you will be eligible to register for a shuttle day pass on Sunday, July 25th. LUNCH INCLUDED.

Step 2: REGISTER to RIDE! Now that you donated at least $55, as a thank you for your support… head to ORBike.com to register as shuttle participant! (Note: Registration will be open SOON).

Note: shuttle passes ARE transferrable but no refunds. Contact joer@nw-trail.org for registration transfers.

Loading up during the last shuttle day

THANK YOU TO THE TRAIL BUILDERS

MUCH THANKS TO BRMBA!

We thank Black Rock Mountain Bike Association (BRMBA) for allowing NWTA to host this event on their trails and for their tireless dedication working to build and maintain these trails over the past 8 years to make Black Rock Mountain Biking Area into one of Oregon’s best DH/Freeride specific trail systems on Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) managed public land.

NWTA will be discussing hosting a Fall volunteer trail work day in collaboration with BRMBA to help offset some of the wear/tear of this shuttle day event. Respect!

Get ready for more shuttled Black Rock radness.

The trails

Click here for trail map / driving directions.

Photo: Joe R

There are opportunities for beginner, intermediate, and advanced level riders to start from the top of Mount Brown and decend their choice of trail designed and built for DH and Freeride biking. Many challenging trail features to “send it” (as the North Shore Canadians like to say) which have been featured in several recent mountain biking films (including New World Disorder). Just search YouTube for “Black Rock Falls City” and you’ll find many more videos from raving fans of this epic destination for gravity fueled fun!

Shuttle day fundraiser event details

NO DAY OF REGISTRATIONS! There will be a limit of 100 participants. Lunch is included. You must provide your own bike, gear, and full face helmet (at least a helmet is REQUIRED).

Contact joer@nw-trail.org if you have specific questions.

Sign-in will open at 9am, and first truck will begin shuttle up Mount Brown by 9:30am. Trucks will run from 9:30am to 4:30pm on Sunday, and starting about 3pm on Saturday (for those who have donated at least $75 and want to have an evening shuttle as well as full day shuttle on Sunday).

First aid tent will be located at Basic Training skill area (where the trucks will be reloading for shuttle up).

Average number of runs for past shuttle events is 6-8. (but we expect to do more since weather will be great i.e. not muddy and there’s smaller number of participants – we are going to run 3 flatbed trucks).

Camping

Camping on trail will not be possible. Oregon Department of Forestry has mandated that no event participants drive up past the Orange gate.

Other camping opportunities available in Falls City:

Greenhaven RV camp - 40 spaces (30 full hookup + 10 camping), water and electricity, restrooms and shower
(503)787-4510 Office
Backyard camping – Several local residents are willing to host small groups – RV parking and campers in backyards (contact joer@nw-trail.org for details)

Other Lodging:

Best Western Dallas Inn & Suites

250 Orchard Drive
Dallas, Oregon 97338
503.623.6000

Riverside Inn & Suites

517 Main Street
Dallas, Oregon 97338
503.623.8163

Courtesy Inn

270 N. Pacific Avenue
Monmouth, Oregon 97361
503.838.4438

Event Parking

There is NO EVENT PARKING at trailhead or up the Socialist Valley road.

As of 5/25 NWTA is working on the logistics for where participants will park and how to move you, your gear, and bikes up to the Black Rock trail system. Don’t worry, it’ll be fun no matter what!

Event Photography

Provided by Jason Van Horn (from ihatebikes.net, that is me). Yep, we’ll be shooting pics of the radness, and posting them here and sharing them. (the images are to be used for personal use only please).

Fresh facelift for the site; IHB website redesigned

jasonvh — Mon, 24 May 2010 19:35:06 +0000

You may have noticed a few changes in the look of the website. It might not appear to be that much different (yet), but that is because most of the changes are underneath the hood. What’s the point of being a web designer if you don’t redesign the website now and then? I’m not done either- so far, most of the changes have been set in place to support the plans I have coming down the road, and the site redesign is still underway.

T-shirts are available. We’ve also found the tub of t-shirts that have been eluding us during our last year of traveling, and have some t-shirts for sale. Check it out in the store link up top, and stay tuned for a working shopping cart to make it easy to buy one.

We appreciate all the props you guys have given, and hope you continue to make Ih8bikes one of your favorite spots to check in on during your regular web surfing sessions. Currently the site is being retooled in order to streamline posting the same great content you’ve come to expect. We’re stoked to be coming into the dry season (finally) and plan to ride our asses off, and bring you the latest in freeride, DH, all mountain happenings.

New logo, same old attitude. With the retooling, we’ve also changed up the logo slightly. Don’t understand the hate? Check out the new section up top, where we answer the all-too-frequently asked question: “Why do you hate bikes?”

I’d like to think most of my peeps get the love/ hate thing, but I imagine there are plenty of riders that have never gotten seriously banged up riding their bikes. Eventually, we all hit the ground, especially if you love pinning it on the downhills. Either way, drop a line in the comments below, we’d love to hear what you think.

With all the rain, I’ve even considering dusting off the old 20″ and hitting up all the fast-to-dry bike friendly skateparks, and documenting what’s going on in a new BMX section. We’re taking advantage of living in a bike friendly urban area, and built up some pavement friendly cruising machines too. That includes a fixed gear, so feel free to unleash the fixed gear hate in the comments below. (we love that)

Interested in writing a guest post, or have some news, suggestions on new web features you’d like to see, or info to share? please drop a line at jason@ihatebikes.net. Maybe you just want to hang out and shoot some pictures? That works. I like to rock the party too.

Are you a bike shop, or interested in purchasing some ad space? We’re thinking about you too. Drop us a line if you are interested in working with us. And while we’re on the subject, if you are a fan of the site, please support our advertisers and partners. Each time you support our partners, a bit goes back into the site.

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