Going To Build A Gravel Grinder

Well there seems to be a new discipline in the bike world...not so much new as it seems to be catching the eye of many riders..gravel grinding...basically riding bikes on gravel roads..the gnarlier the road the better..the longer the roads and ride the better...the colder and wetter the weather the better...pretty much a sub culture of dudes who like to ride and suffer...like the down hill of road biking...a couple advantages to this discipline is fewer cars to deal with...you pretty much can do it with any bike other than a traditional road bike unless you are so hard core you like changing tires and hearing rocks clunk off of you high zoot carbon road frame..actually you just can not run tires wide enough on the road bike to get a decent tire set up to accomplish riding serious gravel roads..

I got into the gravel grinding thing as kind of a fluke...I was wanting a bike that I could use for everything..road..off road...commuter...and ended up getting a cyclocross bike..other than the geometry and brake set up these bikes look pretty much like a standard road bike..I am currently running some 700x35 Schwalbe tires on mine and have ridden trails around here like Gateway..Isle Du Bois and Johnsons Branch..Gateway was fun..the other 2 trails not so much fun and  I rode them because a few dudes I know said it could not be done...blah..I did it..and paid..sore..beaten down and it took me twice as long compared to my mountain bike..

Riding the cross bike on gravel roads has worked great for 90 per cent of the roads I have done..but even a cross bike has it limits as far as how wide a tire you can fir in there..so this was my first year to try a 29er and as I have been riding the 29er this reoccurring thought keeps going through my head...like a mad doctor...I want to merge a 29er and a cross bike into one ultimate gravel grinder...I have a spare cross bike that is to big..so I am going to get a 29er hard tail frame..build it up with every part I can off of my spare cross bike...drive train..crank..handle bar..everything..get  rigid fork and slap some road disc brakes on the new frame...29er wheels...and see what I come up with...the goal is to build a bike that is still gravel grinding capable..keep the weight down some..but will be more comfortable than my cross bike..will still be trial worthy by slapping bigger 29x2.1 tires on it if I desire..think this may either look so cool or so hideous that either way it will be something out of the norm and will serve the task at hand great!

Airborne Goblin 29er

So I have had the bike for several months now and have had time to put some miles on it and draw some real world conclusions..The only things I have changed on it is upgrading the wheels to Sun Ringle Black Flag wheels and a FSA carbon handle bar and seat post..I have always tried o put carbon on hard tails to help reduce vibration from rough terrain..it does help some but I am not going to say it is one of those things that is an eye opener upgrade..but every little bit helps.

The bike overall has been a stellar performer and at the price point of roughly 1200 dollars I would be hard pressed to find another bike with the components and fork on this anywhere around that was new. I will say once up to speed this thing rolls and on flat and smooth surfaces it wants to go fast and if you got the legs you can scream on this bike..

The larger wheels means more control over rocky stuff...less fiddling with finding the exact line to plow through and more confidence inspiring over certain technical terrain..my experience so fr is leading me to think a 29er is a little more forgiving in the error of rider input..and one thing I have not suffered from yet is the inevitable front wheel stall like a 26er..you know that pint where the fron wheel hits an obstacle and just stops usually forcing you to get off the bike or really power the thing up and over the obstacle...this thing just rolls over stuff like that..

Is it light..hmmm..what is light..race light..like a full carbon with xo stuff...no..then again it would not be fair to compare this bike to a bike in that price range...is it light enough for the budget minded rider or racer who wants a good solid piece of equipment to serve them well...sure is..if I still raced I would have no problems using this bike to compete with...as racers we always change stuff anyway to meet our own personal preference..

Airborne is the only company I know of that is active on forums and talking directly to their customers and people who ride their bikes...they provide accurate and prompt answers to questions asked and seem to be into the biking culture like the riders who purchase their bikes...would I recommend them..YES..my next bike purchase will be another Airborne...they have addressed many of the issues we as normal everyday riders face..quality product...great price..and most of all customer service....try and get that from some of the big names and you will be sending and waiting for a lot of emails or a area rep to decide the fate of your bike..I know as I am currently dealing with a bif name company on an ongoing issue with a bike that I recently purchased...I hope Airborne is here to stay and if you have not decided on a 29er yet..give it a try..as a long time 29er hold out all I can say id there is some credence to the so called hype.

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..