Probably. I've ridden and enjoyed most of them on my cross bike, though a MTB is definitely the better tool for the job. I think I'll take the cross bike and try it if I go out there this weekend; There's a school of thought that says that in fresh snow, it's better to use a narrow tire that cuts through to solid ground, rather than a fat one that wants to wallow on top and slide around.

It's also in a really good area for road rides, so if the trails don't work out we can potentially hit the pavement, instead.

Some saturday after Christmas should work for me.

hey Gummee, thats cool.. where were you as a kid?
yeah, asutria is really cool to ride - specially the alps, northern italy. The "bundesstrassen" are just very beautiyful to ride, all the green, mountains - i dont like highways.
servus,
Andy

Dad was stationed at Grafenwoer (sp?) down in the SE corner of GER. After that, we headed up to Heidelberg. That was damn near 30 years ago tho. :cry

Spent a lot of time traveling round Europe in a Dodge van with a Mercedes Benz camper top grafted on it. Similar to this one.
http://awesomervauctions.com/uploade...van-709910.jpg
Fun times!

M

Two ride reports in one!!

Yesterday Stick Me and I went round Wakefield. Her using crapidfire shifters for the first time and me on the new Access. :thumb riding bike BTW. I hadn't had time to put the Z-Max-es back on the Dean so she was on some DP tires. :puke1 Don't think she had much traction. :nah Rode like a champ 'cause I took her on some barely remembered trails that weren't couch tater trails. I need to rebuild the mental map of Wakefield/Accotink. :nod Lots of roots, some rocks, some mud and lots of :ricky Some parts were over her head. She ended up walking a lot. :cry Gotta get her a little (lot!) more confident off-road. For a rank beginner, she's now ridden more shit than 90% of the people that own bicycles, so don't think I'm bitching! :nono Some of the trails required some 'muscling' to get up em. Didn't think much of it at the time, but...

Today's ride was out in/around Nokesville/Catlett/Aden. Linky to the Gmap Pedometer Route Road ride on the Crosshairs. :ricky I could tell by Vint Hill Farms Station that my legs were feelin yesterday's mtn ride. :nod Didn't have much gas left. :nah So what did I do? Modified the route a hair and STILL ended up out for 2.25!

Man! the ride from Catlett to the store where you turn left to get back to Nokesville (Elk Run Rd) is LOTS farther than I remember! :norton I was about to bonk, so I stopped in for 'emergency rations:' a Snickers and a bottle of Mtn Dew. :thumb Did the trick. Thank doG I keep some $1 bills in the tool kit for just this reason!

Right after the store, I got chased by a Pit Bull. :bluduh Fucker wasn't anywhere NEAR a leash/rope whatever. :mrskbasa Wished I had a CC permit at that moment... Shouted 'NO!' a few times and it finally got it thru its thick skull that I wasn't a snack. :nono

The rest of the ride was pretty well, well... a ride. I was tired. Legs were all kinda loaded up with lactic acid making any kind of standing to get over the hills 'interesting.'

The one interesting thing I saw was the back gate of Quantico's training areas is now closed and locked. :scratch Not sure why, 'cause there really ain't nuthin out there! Them's some good cycling roads, so I may hafta go round the gate and see what happens. :evil Nice rollers. Wheee! on the downs huff-puff-huff-puff on the ups to WHEE! on the downs. Repeat.

Its not snowing. :nah Its not sleeting. :nah I got in 2.25 hours on the bike. :thumb :ricky I WAS a hair overdressed tho. By about a base layer. Not bad considering how long its been since I've ridden in temps in the 30s (its 37deg out right now.) Only thing that got cold were my toes. The only reason THAT happened is 'cause I don't have proper booties and all I had on were toe booties and some thin wool socks. :norton Gonna hafta fix that asap.

You get in any riding? :ear

M

Scratch that. I took the cross bike out there today, and it was hopeless -- the narrow tires couldn't make any progress on snow more than a couple of inches deep. On snow that was sorta-packed by snowshoers, it was like trying to pedal through half-set concrete. I gave up after about 20 yards.

I'm pretty sure a mountain bike with the right tires and running low pressures could have handled it, but I won't be taking the cross bike back out there.

Not my idea, found it on the web.

http://xs322.xs.to/xs322/07500/RACK1.jpg

http://xs322.xs.to/xs322/07500/RACK2.jpg

http://xs322.xs.to/xs322/07500/RACK3.jpg

I tested it out this evening. I'm going to give its first voyage at sun rise. :clap

http://www.rodndtube.com/surf/info/s...oardRack.shtml

heh I see the surfers carrying boards on bikes around here quite a bit. rox that they aren't' driving cages to the beach...

Awesome rack!

Mark H.

Downhill frame for sale
 

My old school downhill spare frame has been sitting in my garage for over a decade. If someone is lusting aftr Bass Boat , metal flake paint job, this is the frame for you:

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k4...6/SUC50339.jpg

More pictures at:
http://s85.photobucket.com/albums/k4...0Straight%206/

Please help me with a price....
 

So a co-worker of mine calls me on Friday and says he wants to buy my bike from me. He's a good guy and I've been itching for something new. Can you guys give me some input on how much I should ask for my bike when I talk to him next.

It's a 2001 Kona Chute (19"). It's fully functional with an extra set of wheels and a un-mounted Marzocchi fork. Right now the it has a rigid fork, Hayes hydraulic brakes, Deore LX shifters & front deraileur, new Deore rear deraileur, Raceface Prodigy cranks & Protaper bar. I also added the third chain ring as it originally only had the two small ones and a bash ring. I should have all the original parts that I swapped out that should be pretty easy to find. The wheels on the bike currently are Mavic x317 w/XT disc hubs and the spares are Mavic 519 with rear XT disc and front QR20 disc (not branded). The fork is a Marzocchi QR20plus z.3 Series with with very little use. Tires are new this year.

I don't want to shaft him on price and I also want to get what is fair as well to help pay for my next bike. See photos below. Thanks for any input!
Justin
http://turbocelica.smugmug.com/galle...8088#233229668
http://turbocelica.smugmug.com/galle...8088#233230568
http://turbocelica.smugmug.com/galle...8088#233229675
http://turbocelica.smugmug.com/galle...8088#233230865
http://turbocelica.smugmug.com/galle...8088#233231099

that's a tough one. mountain bikes absolutely do NOT hold much value. I sold a fully tricked out top-o-line Klein attitude a few years ago for about 25% of it's value when new (few years before that). I think Perry did just about the same thing not very long ago.

It's a basic Kona frame, that shock is OK, wheels and brakes are nice, but it's all used. There are many good deals to be had new. I don't want to toss any numbers at you, but I'd say 50% of what a new Chute (or comparable Kona hardtail) is going for would be alright.

Thanks for the feedback. I understand what you're saying about the value dropping. I'd be happy if I get what you suggest.
Justin

+1

I think the only reason I got over 50% of what I paid was because of the typical Klein cutom paint job (the guy's wife said she had to have it), and it was a pre Trek Klein.

Take what you can get for it. I just saw wheels on craigslist a few weeks back, asking $200, I went there looked at them and they weren't worth over $100, she took $75 for them.

it beats being a dust collector.:D

Yet another ride report sans pics....

So Stick Me and I went out to Culpeper to surprise Shogs at the Thai place 'cause it was her birfday. :thumb Good Thai out in Culpeper of all places. :norton So, since hotel del Madre is LOTS closer, we (I) decided that we should stay out there and bring bikes to go riding in/around Nokesville. Temps were SUPPOSED to be mid-40s. :thumb :ricky

Woke up after a fitful nite of sleep (by both of us) with a headache. Well hell. :bluduh Ate and took some acetomenawhosies for the headache. Got dressed and headed out the door. You shoulda HEARD the bitching and moaning :ace Stick Me was doin the first 20-ish min we were out: 'I'm cold. My sinuses are frozen...' etc. Once she got warmed up, all was :thumb tho. So we did a shorter loop than I'd had planned 'cause she's workin tonite and needs to nap here in a bit. :nod

So we loop around Nokesville on some of the roads I ain't ridden in over a decade. Not too much has changed out in the boonies. :nah Thank doG! I really, really really like riding round my 'rents' house. :nod

This was her second ride on clipless pedals. So far, no falls. :nono No more numb feet. Only COLD feet!

Next up: buying the GF some warmer stuff!

M

Speaking of dust collectors.....I've got a pre-Trek Klein also. It's their first MTB called the MountainKlein. That'll be next on the chopping block I guess?