Big Bear Ride Report

Sun, in my opinion those types of trails suck on a bike. They are sometimes trying in my Jeep and I have watched bikes trying to run these and it doesn't seem like any of them are enjoying themselves at that time. I much prefer trails that you can ride with some speed and not worry about the boulder fields.
Kind of reminds me of triathlons and those type of athletes. You never see them smiling on that last leg of the race. They all look placid and miserable yet they cant wait to do it again. I cant relate to their misery. The only thing I understand is different strokes for different folks.

Some guys like hard core death defying challenge but not me. I like small doses of difficulty (difficult to me that is,) but not miles and miles of it. It just wears me out and beats me up too much. Plus I tense up too much and head trip myself sometimes. Trails like John Bull sure do make you a better rider though. In a perfect world I would get small doses of everything all year long to keep my skills up. What I like about the easier LPNF trails are they are just enough technical challenge for me but Im still able to keep the fun factor up :D
 
its the challenge of it.... its hard to explain how great of a feeling it is to make it up something you know is gnarly or something you never could make it up before. Its a feeling of conquer... i like to conquer new obsticals and push my limits.... now would i want to ride nothing but that all day ... no but its fun in a challenging way to push your limits and try the gnarly once in a while.
 
its the challenge of it.... its hard to explain how great of a feeling it is to make it up something you know is gnarly or something you never could make it up before. Its a feeling of conquer... i like to conquer new obsticals and push my limits.... now would i want to ride nothing but that all day ... no but its fun in a challenging way to push your limits and try the gnarly once in a while.

Oh I get THAT feeling and your right, THERE IS NOTHING LIKE IT! Some of my best moments on the bike were making something I didnt think i would or could make. Often it gets me to a place where I can look down, across or back at what I just rode. Often a Mt. top or rugged terrain that has been blessed by Mother Nature. Wild flowers, wild life, wild streams. That is what LOVE about this sport. Such a great workout plus, it can take you to places that are hard to get to even by foot. It can be nice to shut down sometimes and take it all in. So peacful (depending on who your riding with:smirk:) The nature fix is as fulfilling as the riding. The best of both worlds! Gosh, Im getting excite just thinking about being back on the bike:wiggle:
 
Like I said, I ran that last year and yes it was right at my skill leavel and amount of miles that I enjoyed it. Now that my LC is done I am going to run it it that. I'll bet I like it better on a bike. Lots of rocks but plenty of clean lines on a bike with a trials tire. The guys I ran with on knobbies had a little harder time and they were better riders than me IMHO. I can't wait till next year for another go at it.
 
Like I said, I ran that last year and yes it was right at my skill leavel and amount of miles that I enjoyed it. Now that my LC is done I am going to run it it that. I'll bet I like it better on a bike. Lots of rocks but plenty of clean lines on a bike with a trials tire. The guys I ran with on knobbies had a little harder time and they were better riders than me IMHO. I can't wait till next year for another go at it.

I want to try those trial tires but Im scared I wont like them yet everyone who runs them loves them. But how good are they in the sand? I cant picture a sandy hillclimb being so easy with them, or in muddy conditions. It just seems like knobbies would be the best for across the board terrrain, but me know nothing:noidea:

I look forward to another LPNF DBA ride and hope to make it.

Factors of riding dirt are: Buddy available, date available, logistics work, bike works, body is ready, then it's a GO!:ride: It's not like stepping off your porch any ol time to train for a triathlon:smirk::P J/K I wish I were in that kind of shape.
 
I want to try those trial tires but Im scared I wont like them yet everyone who runs them loves them. But how good are they in the sand? I cant picture a sandy hillclimb being so easy with them, or in muddy conditions. It just seems like knobbies would be the best for across the board terrrain, but me know nothing:noidea:

I look forward to another LPNF DBA ride and hope to make it.

Factors of riding dirt are: Buddy available, date available, logistics work, bike works, body is ready, then it's a GO!:ride: It's not like stepping off your porch any ol time to train for a triathlon:smirk::P J/K I wish I were in that kind of shape.
There are different kinds of trials tires. The one that I run (and love--Pirelli MT-43) is kind of a hybrid. Stiffer sidewall than a regular trials tire, but has trials type nobbies. As Travace said, either you love em or hate em. But I have to disagree with Trav on the point that the backend won't break loose. It will, especially in loose dry riding conditions. It just is a bit harder to break loose. Another trick is to put more air in the trials tire if you want it to break loose easier. The only conditions where they are not good is in mud or deep sand. For desert, they are terrific.
 
yea that's fair... i shouldn't say they wont but yea from what i heard is you really have to try to get em to break loose. They are worth a try Sun. Only reason why i dont is i know they go against my style of riding.
 
yea that's fair... i shouldn't say they wont but yea from what i heard is you really have to try to get em to break loose. They are worth a try Sun. Only reason why i dont is i know they go against my style of riding.
Me too. I just can't see me on my bike with trials tires.
 
Here's my take on the trials tires. They work really well for the Big Bear kind of stuff. However, I still find myself running knobbies in the desert. I might try them in the desert as well, but that's where all the tough guys ride and I don't want to look gay in front of them! :smirk:
 
Here's my take on the trials tires. They work really well for the Big Bear kind of stuff. However, I still find myself running knobbies in the desert. I might try them in the desert as well, but that's where all the tough guys ride and I don't want to look gay in front of them! :smirk:

It depends on what "style" of riding you do in the desert, putting around trail riding, rocks, etc. a trials tire might be OK however as Geek said, not good in deep sand and there is a lot of deep sand out there. I doubt you'll find a desert racer using a trials tire. Trials treads help you grip onto larger rocks where a knobby will roll or even bounce off of...The center knobby works as a scoop in the sand therefore it SHOULD work better in that and any other loose stuff...:prof:
 
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