First Real Ride On A 29er

Today I loaded up the rig and headed to one of our local trails...Gateway Park..I chose this trail for several reasons...one it is close to the homestead...two the most technical part of the trail is unloading the bike when you get there..my thinking was I could put the bike through its paces without worrying about rock gardens and such..kinda of break the new off of here...I must say the Geax tires that I sat up tubeless Saturday where still aired up today and had not lost any air overnight..that is a first with any tire that I have set up tubeless...usually takes a few days for everything to seal up and finally hold air.....

I went ou there today and did several laps with the new Goblin...there are several things I noted and several things that seemed to contradict what I have read..

-The larger wheel smoothed out the ride on the trail
-The Goblin though some say it is heavy rides like a bike a lot lighter
-If you want to go fast the Goblin will go fast..just put the power down on it and she scoots
-The bike is stiff but still delivers a comfortable ride
-The gearing is spot on..I never had to use the small chain ring up front...so good in fact I am considering running this bike as a 1x10 setup
-What i was expecting was slow turning in the twisty stuff as I have read..never happened...I was still able to carve through the stuff and hold speed...maybe it is from years of ripping around on a 26er and hucking the bike when I can or from riding by cross bike on single track..not sure but I never noticed the 29 inch wheel getting in the way of carving through stuff on the bike
-29 inch wheels roll...and roll..and if you carry momentum through stuff the wheels just roll over things...
-The Reba fork performed great as well as the X7 stuff on the bike...I though the saddle may be a bit cheese factor but it seemed solid and was rather comfortable..
-The Avid brakes worked great as well
-The Goblin seems like a solid rig and though some may consider it a little hefty it seems built for the long haul..which I find good...after going through to carbon frames I am beginning to rethink carbon and lightweight for mountain bikes...at least for me..if I was racing hard core no doubt I would be choosing the lightest stuff my wallet would allow me to purchase..

Overall so far I am pleases with the Goblin and it was a total blast to ride today...after hearing the hype about 29ers I can see many things where a 29er is a great choice..but one thing that really stood out to me was when you let off the gas and just wanted to cruise around it seemed so much easier to keep the momentum going forward than on my 26 inch wheels and also seemed a lot more comfortable...I am not going to be one of those dudes who starts doing back flips and proclaim that the 29er is the thing to have....I will never give up my 26ers because there is a lot of things they do well and they do it great..but having a 29er in the stable is for sure going to add some fun factor and allow me to enjoy the same trails I do on my 26ers....just in a different way..

As far as the Airborne Goblin goes..for the money..it is a excellent value..a quality bike..good specs..excellent ride..I had several people check it out today and they all seemed impressed with the bike and the looks of it...I have had a lot of bikes..good and bad...if you are one those that are stuck on big brand name and are brand loyal then this bike may not be your cup of coffee..but if you are a riders who wants the best bang for the dollar...wants a quality product that performs great and wants to be just a little different...then the Goblin will fit your needs perfect!     

So the bike is built..put some Sun Ringle Black Flag wheels on it so I can run tubeless..a short ride on the bike has lead me to one conclusion so far...if you want to go fast this thing will do it..it accelerates promptly once the power is out to the cranks and carries that rolling action...a trip to the shop only required some minor tweaking of the usual stuff..the Geax tires set up with a Stans Kit with zero issues and sealed right up...

The bike itself(29er) does feel a lot different than the 26er..you feel tall on the bike like you are sitting on it and not down in it like a lot of 26ers...not big deal really...kind of reminds me of riding my cyclocross  bike with flat bars and wider tires..I imagine with a few rides on a 29er most would adjust with no issues..and if a 29er is your first mountain bike there would be nothing to compare it to as far as pros vs cons...

The bike is stiff and provides a comfortable ride at least so far...have not got into the rough stuff yet..the Geax tires provide a nice blend of traction and low rolling resistance..the Sram X7 stuff works great and the Reba fork as well...the Reba is one of Rock Shoxs better forks in my opinion..this is the second Reba I have owned and the first worked flawlessly...once I get her out on a proper trail I will post up some better reviews...

Airborne Goblin 29er

Bike came today...I must say the thing was packed extremely well...took longer to unpack than it did to assemble..once unpacked it was as simple as putting the front wheel on...turning the stem around and attaching the handlebar..tightening everything up and done..about 22 minutes total..the bike looks solid and the pictures do not do it justice...it is not light..but then again it is not a 3000 dollar race bike..I guess around 26-27 pounds..which is respectful for a bike in this price range..I figure with the new wheels...carbon stem and seat post and handle bar I can knock a pound or two off...which will more than suite my needs...the bike is equipped with a full X7 drive train and Avid Elixr 7 brakes..Selle San Marco saddle...Airbornes in house seat post and handle bar and stem...for the 1200 dollars the bike cost and how it is equipped I could not touch one at a bike shop for less than 2000 most likely.. what I like most about the bike so far is its stance..it does not look like someone took to big wheels and tried to sandwich a frame in between them..I look forward to taking her out on her maiden voyage..  

Buying A New Bike

For all the hard cores out there we have all been down this road...buying a new bike..it can be a little intimidating to someone who is just getting into the sport..for others they know what they want and they know what they want to spend..they either go into a shop and get their new bike...have the sjop order it or order it themselves after some research..the best advise I bet anyone can give a new rider is buy the best bike you can from the start...if you do get into the sport and decide you want to keep at it you are going to get the upgrade bug...if you can bring yourself to spend the cash now you can prevent that need or the feeling that you need to improve your bike after a few months of riding..

Usually the more you spend you get a lighter bike with slightly better wheels and better drive train(shifters,brakes, and derailleurs)...though I would concentrate more on the frame and fork if you are getting a mountain bike..you can always replace other stuff as it breaks or as budget allows...

Knowing what to look for usually helps also..like the hierarchy of components..for instance Sram stuff is usually ranked from X4(entry level) X5,X7,X9,X0 and XX(highest). For Shimano it goes Acera(low),Deore,Deore LX,XT, and XTR(high) for mountain bikes...as you can imagine the higher you go the more expensive the bike is that is sporting these goods...so what do you get with the more you spend..better shifting, durability, weight savings if you are into that sort of stuff...I always try and get Sram x7 or X9 stuff as it performs very well..is dependable and if you do break something in a crash it is not gonna cost you a arm and leg to replace stuff...but if you are the type that is hung up on having the best of the best then spring for the XO and XTR stuff...but keep your wallet open..

Of course on a mountain bike there will be a suspension system...at least a front fork if you do not get a full suspension bike...these days the entry level forks seem to do a fair job compared to days of old..they are still limited on their travel and adjust-ability..I have seen some with lock out features which is nice...do not look for a Fox fork on an entry level bike..usually it will be a RockShox or Suntour type fork...they will work but just keep in mind they are made for light trail use and over time on technical trails they will wear out and need to be replaced...however by this time most people who have decided to keep riding have by now stepped up to another bike...

Usually the first thing people upgrade are wheels...and this is a a worthy upgrade..better hubs..usually lighter than stock and you will notice a definite improvement the moment you ride with your new wheels..plane on spending around 250 or above for some quality wheels..

Other things like lock on grips...saddles..handle bars and seat post are usually done to either aid in the bike fit or we just like to customize our bikes by throwing on some carbon stuff..not really necessary but sure is fun to do...

Whatever route you decide to go with in the bike purchase do a little research on the bike you plan on buying and read reviews of the product..there is a wealth of information out there and being an informed consumer will allow you to get the bike you want...not the one that the bike shop needs to get rid of...     

Pulling The Trigger on a 29er

So today I pulled the trigger on a new 29er...the time has come to suck up the pride and rebel attitude and dance with the big wheel crowd for a bit...my idea of the Niner build went by the wayside for a few reasons.

-Cost effective..though it is cool to build your own bike from the ground up...it is a lot more expensive and time consuming..one begins to delay the build as they mull over how they want the bike decked out..I have done this twice and though it was fun it was not cost effective..
-The people who I had talked to about this build never returned emails...at this point in my life customer service is a simple approach...no service...no customer..
-As this is my first 29er I did not want to break the bank on the bike so I decided to go hard tail and get the best equipped bike I could for the dollar..which will bring me to another dilemma I will discuss shortly.

So after much research and debating I went with a Airborne Goblin 29er...this is a direct to customer service company and the bike is shipped to your house and with minimal knowledge one can put the bike together out of the box...first the downside to doing it this way...

-No bike shop that gives free tuneups on your rig after you buy it from them.
-The argument that you should support your local bike shop..only support a shop that earns your business and after 25 years of buying bikes there is only one shop around here I can recommend right now..
-If something goes wrong with the bike I will need to deal with the issue and whatever company that issue may be with..such as fork or wheels..no biggie can not be worse than some of my latest issues with a certain 4000 dollar bike.

Now the plus..I just purchased a full Sram X7 with Juicy 7 brakes and a Reba fork for 1200 dollars...go to any bike shop in town and see what a bike speced like this will cost you...1800-2200 dollars...plus tax. Most all bikes from the big boys are made in the same place with of course each companies specs and quality control...and if nothing else and the frame does crap out on me I can buy another frame like a Niner for around 450 and build up another bike...the Niner X7 EMD is well over 2200 dollars..so is it a gamble...maybe..the reviews say not..Eric from Airborne has returned every email and phone call to me about this bike...call someone from Specialized and see if they will discuss their bike with you...good luck..they do answer emails though and they do stand behind their stuff and owning several Specialized bikes they are good bikes...now Cannondale will not even answer their emails..I have 2 Cannondales...issues with both of them and have been dealing with one issue for a year and a half...Trek bikes are good bikes..never a issue with any of them and great customer service,,,but could not find a Trek 29er that I liked...the Specialized 29ers just where not that good looking..so I also wanted something different than the usual stuff you see around here...so Airborne it was...

Airborne has been around before and where really into TI bikes back in the day..went away and came back under new owners and management I believe..from my correspondence with Eric they seem like dudes who love bikes and want to make a name getting riders on quality rigs at a great price,...or they are great salesman...either way it works for me...I tend to believe they are passionate about what they do...who calls a dude to discuss a bike purchase from a bike company...Airborne does...and the bike just looks trick...it is a 29er that has somehow managed to look like a real mountain bike and not something that someone tried to slam two big wheels on and the frame got caught in the middle...

I will post a review and pictures of it when it arrives and if anyone is interested in seeing one just let me know and I can arrange to meet you so you can check it out...this will be my second internet purchase of a bike...my first purchase yielded no problems and the bike only required normal maintenance and tune ups like any other bikes over the life of that bike..a minimal expense..

And for a side note...a few shops I asked about Airborne said they where junk..but the dudes selling the Specialized and Treks said Cannondale is junk...may have to give them one on that...dudes selling Cannondales knock on the other dudes...been that way for years..

I use to be hung up on having the best and lightest bike...over the years my brain has registered that someone is making some huge money on me...I have read dudes calling the Airborne Goblin a entry level 29er...because this dude is basing the level of a bike on the price tag..go in a bike shop and tell them you want a entry level 29er with Sram X7 and a Reba fork...you will be walking past the entry level bikes down to the intermediate ones..  

So after much hesitation and self argument to accept that my beloved 26 inch wheels still rule...which they do in my opinion I have finally caved in and decided to build a 29er..now my thinking is I am going to build this with parts I already have except the fork and wheels..it will be a budget build compared to going out and buying a new bike...I want to give it a whirl and see what all the buss is..apparently they are hear to stay at least until the 27er becomes the new 29er..

After riding my cross bike on several trails I can understand the benefit of the larger wheels as it pertains to rolling over stuff and keeping speed up once it gets going..I have decided to by pass the LBS route on this one as it seems to me bike shops are getting less and less interested in helping a brother out unless you buy the bike there from them...I have approached several shops about 29ers and either the bikes are not what I like and every shop tells me how great their bikes are and how the other shops bikes suck.,

I have been doing this for over 25 years and bought a lot of bikes..I have used almost every shop around here and honestly there are only 2 I could recommend right now to someone with a good conscious..when a shop forgets to put parts back on your bike it is time to move on...I will assemble what I can and what I can not I will suck it up and go find a shop somewhere to complete the build..

Apparently I am not the only one who has started to notice this..from talking to several other riders we compared experiences and it seems we have run into the same problem..if you are new to the sport and looking to buy a bike or upgrade your current affair do your research and ask around and talk to people who ride...

www.mtbr.com and www.roadbikereviews.com are full of great information and reviews..Craigslist can be a great place to find a good bike on the cheap...but if you go that route know what you are looking at and know the signs of abuse and wear...

A bike shop is still a great place to start but go in with both ears open and never make a compulsive purchase...look..feel...ride....and then read before you buy..

Anyway I will post up stuff as this little build progresses from birth to dirt grinder!   

Lake Ray Roberts-Greenbelt Corridor

I never thought i would really be into riding a Greenbelt..but I love this place..it is basically a gravel service road that runs between 380 in Denton to Pilot Point..a round trip is roughly 20 miles..nothing technical about it..ride it on a cross bike, hybrid or mountain bike..there is a rest stop at either end and in the middle...if you want to ad miles you can leave it and ride over to Isle Du Bois State Park from the Elm Fork Branch...if you really want to push it head over and ride some of the mountain bike trail at Isle Du Bois before heading back towards the 380 access trail head..usually plenty of people about on the weekends and a few during the week...nice and flat and if you want you can push yourself for speed and get a good work out...if you plan on doing any of the Dorba trail at Isle Du Bois ride a mountain bike...

The Greenbelt is a great place to ride or hike..alone or with the family..if goes through some wooded areas and then through some open fields..even though you are beside Denton you get the feeling you are way out in the country..just make sure you pay at the self pay station if you do not have a annual pass...the rangers come though and right down LP numbers of non payers and they send tickets/fines out in the mail.

If you are getting into the sport then a state park pass more than pays for itself..I use mine several times a week and within a month it has paid for itself..plus with the pass whoever is in the car gets in free..

Isle Du Bois Dorba Trail

This is one of the more difficult trails in the area..not so much as the entire trail is hard but the back side of the D loop is a killer..pretty much abounds of rock gardens..when you leave the trail head you will on the A loop heading out...as most state park trails go when you come to a junction or intersection on the trail stay left to keep going or go right to head back to the trail head..

The front side of the A,B,C loop is fairly easy though new comers may disagree...at the end of the out going C loop you will cross a cement path to get to the D Loop..or you can bail there and head out out on the cement path and ride the road back to the TH or make an immediate right and jump back on the C Loop and finish out the trail..if you cross the cement path it pretty much starts getting harder from there as in more technical with rocks and short climbs with rock gardens..this starts the loop that goes out and heads back to the cement path..once you do the front side of the D Loop and E Loop you will cross a field to the back side of the D Loop..you can go left on the dirt road and that will bypass this part of the trail and take you back around to the cement path where you reconnect to the C Loop to finish the trail...if you decide to press on and do the back side D Loop you will find a challenging and difficult section of the trail..it will test your bike handling skills and the more you ride it the better rider you will be..

Back on the C Loop there are some good long climbs and some fun technical stuff that is not to bad..once you cross over to the B Loop back it is pretty much a climb then onto the A Loop and back at the trail head..

The good-there are enough cut outs so one can pretty much dictate how much of the trail they want to ride..it is a good place to start honing your mountain bike skills and has enough challenging sections to keep it interesting. 

The bad-no rain makes the trail start turning to sand in some sections and the more it is ridden the longer the sand traps get..if you go early in the morning and are the first to ride the trail and the spiders are out you will be eating spider webs through most of the trail..colder weather it is not a issue..as a week ago when I rode there there where a lot of soft and sandy sections on the trail..but it is still worth checking out if you have never rode there.

 

DurtNurds Mountain Bike Crew

https://www.facebook.com/durtnurds.mtbikecrew

This is the link to the Facebook page..if and when I get enough people interested we will start planning some rides around on some local trails.

I imagine the rides will be on the weekends and I can fit some in on Monday and Tuesdays.

If enough interest is generated then we can get decals or jerseys or whatever the general consensus is.

Look for an upcoming review of a 29er I am building up..finally decided to take the plunge and gt one to see what the hype is..pretty sure I am going to like it as I love riding my cross bike at Gateway.

Speaking of Gateway Park..this is a great trail for new people into the sport. It is smooth hard packed stuff with very little climbs..the climbs it does have are short and to the point...nothing technical like rock gardens and such to speak of especially all the older stuff..I like to go out there when I want to go fast..just watch out for some of the creepy people that hang out near the trail..it is a city park..for the most part it is not a issue but form time to time you may see come creepy characters out there..it is off of N Beach...I usually park by the dog park and ride my bike over to the trail head..the dog park has people around all the time so I feel comfortable leaving my car there..from there ride across the parking lot towards the ball field..take the little gravel road over to the next parking lot and cross it to the sidewalk...go down the sidewalk and you will see the trail on the left hand side across from the FWMBA sign.

It is a great trail to get your feet wet on or just go out and rail if you want..I ride my cross bike with 700x32 tires on it all the time so it is pretty much good for any skill level rider..

Make sure you always wear a helmet and just be aware of your surroundings if you go during the week..weekends are not a problem..tons of people out and about.  

Been Awhile

It has been awhile since I posted on here...honestly it seems there is not much traffic and I figured what the heck..but after this past year and my experiences on the trail I decided to give it a whirl again.

I also have a Facebook page for DurtNurds..anyone can ask to join by sending a friend request.

I am located in North Fort Worth so it is mainly for riders in this area that want to join..ride..and learn.

I have been a racer and this group is not or will not be about racing..been there done that..later on that issue.

The goal will be if I get enough people interested is forming group rides at local trails. Skill level will not matter. I know what it is like to want to get into a sport and be intimated by those that have done it for awhile. So a lot of people go out and learn trial by fire style. It does not need to be that way as there are more of us into the riding than the bragging.

My whole motivation for this is to give people a group to belong to that loves to ride. A group that has no egos. If you ride a Huffy or a S Works Stumpy it is of no matter. It is about the sport. I woul like to get a few seasoned members to help guide new members who want to ride. I have been riding bikes for over 20 years and am a bike patrol instructor so there is some knowledge I can share.

I would like to also provide some basic maintenance clinics or whatever so new riders can keep some of their money in their pockets and perform some of the basic work on their bikes..which may keep you from walking out of the woods.

I have toyed with the DurtNurds Mountain Bike Crew idea for awhile..it is now time to do it and see where it goes.