Hey weight weenies, I got another one for you! Actually, this is for everyone who’s into lightweight XC gear: The Manitou R7 Elite 100mm (MSRP $450) is the perfect choice for those who are looking for an affordable, lightweight, XC performance suspension fork. The R7 Elite comes in both 100mm and 80mm travel configurations and has great features everyone will appreciate while ditching the unnecessary features that inflate weight and cost.

For starters, this fork is very light - just a touch over 3 lbs. The R7 Elite includes post mounts for disc brakes (no V-brake mounts) and the post bosses where you mount your brake are already machined flat with no paint (very important for installing brakes properly). The controls are simple and well thought out and can be manipulated without removing a glove. The R7 also gives you independent compression and rebound controls.

Installation

Installation is fairly straightforward and you can use the fork installation guide that I posted previously for details. Otherwise, here’s the short version: First, remove the old components as an assembly. Record the steering tube length of the old fork and then mark the new fork with the same measurement with a fine felt-tip marker. After confirming the measurements a few times, cut the steering tube to the correct length using a very sharp pipe cutter. Once the steering tube is cut, remove the burrs and don’t forget to install a fresh star nut (use a nut setter such as the TNS-1 from Park tools).

Setup

Once the wheels, brakes, and stem bolts are all torqued in place, the next step is to air up the fork and set the sag. Manitou asks that you use about 50% to 60% of your body weight, in my case 110lbs as a starting point of pressure for the fork’s air spring pressure. Then measure the distance from the front axle centerline to the bottom of the crown when no one is sitting on the bike and write down this measurement. Next, sit on the bike and measure the same distance as before (it’s important to be in the normal riding position, weight centered, with your feet on the pedals). Subtract the second measurement from the first and the result is the sag. Seeing that this is a 100mm fork and I wanted a 15% sag, I chose a measurement of 85mm. After all, this is an XC fork designed for racing meaning I’ll want as little bob as possible, yet as much tracking as I can get. Following the recommended procedure for setting sag will make a huge difference in performance.

Compression

This fork comes with independent compression and rebound adjustments. The method I always follow for adjusting fork settings starts with a quick ride around, bouncing the fork here and there to get the fork’s internals well lubricated. Once that is complete I hit the trail to see how the fork is reacts to the terrain. Specifically I’m looking for excessive dive when braking or bigger hits (remember this is an XC fork so a big hit here is about a foot). Based on my observations I dial in compression to the point where I get minimal dive when hitting the brakes but not enough that I feel the impacts are jarring my wrists. Once I’m comfortable with the compression setting I concentrate on rebound.

Rebound

The procedure for finding the right rebound settings is very much like the procedure for compression - it’s all about adjusting to your feel. Here I take the bike over a bump and feel for the speed at which the fork returns back. I adjust the fork so that it returns in a controlled manner and not too quickly (which often feels like a stinging sensation on your wrists). With a slow rebound setting the fork “packs down” (does not return fast enough before the next bump on the trail) and limits travel.

XC trail riding

Once the fork is set and after a few hours of breaking in the seals I hit my favorite XC trails at the DVP and Albion Hills where they host some of the 24 Hour events here in Ontario. Both Albion and the DVP offer a variety of trail conditions including heavily rooted and washboard sections - a good challenge for any fork!

My first impressions with the R7 were pretty much what I anticipated: fast, responsive, and stiff. On the trails with the R7 I felt everything and knew exactly where the fork was going; the R7 is basically a point and shoot affair. The fork tracks without flexing even when riding off-camber sections or in any other situation for that matter. When hitting roots and ruts on the trails the R7 soaked up the hits well and did a great job at keeping the tire in contact with the ground at all times, even over washboard sections.

This fork is not equipped with a lock out (yet) so to use the R7 effectively you should remain seated while climbing and stay slightly forward on the bike during steep climbs. When holding that riding position, the fork works great at preventing unwanted bobbing. Riding one to two foot drop offs I found the fork absorbed the hits well and returned to ride height under full control.

Rating the R7 Elite

Thanks to the folks at Manitou for the chance to review the R7  Elite. For further information on Manitou’s  products check out the website which is now updated with all the new forks as well as a wealth of information for all their gear.

Cheers!

R7 Elite Specifications

So apparently this story is getting picked up all over the place and at first I was pretty excited at the prospects: Google Street View is expanding to hiking and biking trails. For those who are not familiar with Google Street View, it basically allows you to view locations on a map as if you were standing right there on the street (or now, trail). Google collects millions of photos using a vehicle mounted camera and GPS and stitches the images together to create sort of an online virtual reality experience. Sure privacy advocates aren’t too fond of it since Google is snapping pics of innocent bystanders and private properties but that’s another debate…

Anyway, it turns out Google just mapped and posted its first bike trail - a path in Monterey, CA. The article that’s floating around doesn’t give the name of the trail but I assumed it would be somewhere awesome like Fort Ord. Fortunately this website has located the elusive Google “Bike View” trail: it’s the (wide, concrete) Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail that runs right through downtown. Ahhh, it’s that kind of bike “trail”…

The article mentions the rig that was used to get the trail shots is some sort of “trike” which I assume is necessary because the tech is so heavy (batteries, cameras, gps, etc.). Until the rig shrinks I don’t think we’ll be seeing any singletrack views anytime soon - though Google is said to be working on mapping “hiking and biking trails” in California, Italy, and the UK.

Ultimately this is a pretty cool development but I can’t see myself spending hours (or even more than 5 minutes) clicking through a “virtual trail.” I’d much rather be out there riding it!

Pretty much the biggest upgrade you can give your mountain bike is a new fork but the installation can seem daunting even to experienced MTB tinkerers. If you’ve been considering a fork upgrade but aren’t sure where to start, you’re in luck: here is the step by step procedure that nearly all shops will use to successfully replace your MTB fork. Once you get good at the procedure you could easily do this task in about 35 minutes but for the first time, allot yourself a good hour and a bit. No need to rush this job -the more care you take the better results you will have.

Read your manufacturer’s instructions

The very first thing anyone should do is read the installation instructions. I don’t care if you are an experienced mechanic or a bike tech, there is always something in there that you may not have know or forgotten, and funny thing it is usually the most important piece of information that you need.

Gathering  all the Tools

To do this job you need to round up a few items and tools:

Bike stand
Shop rags (to clean up remove excessive grease)
Allen sockets 3, 4, 5, 6mm (for use with your torque wrench)
Allen keys 3, 4, 5, 6mm
Side cutter (for removing old tie straps)
Soft face hammer
Chisel / standard screwdriver or crown race puller (Park tool #CRP-1)
Tape measure or ruler
Hack saw
Half round file with holder
Pipe cutter with new blade
Threadless saw guide (Park tool #SG-6 or similar)
Threadless nut installer (Park tool #TNS-1 or similar)
Tube that will fit over the steering tube and install the lower crown race
Torque wrench
Shock pump (high pressure up to 250psi)

You may need a new brake adapter if you are changing a fork that had IS (International Standard) mounts to one with post mounts but if your forks use the same mounting system you won’t need an adapter.

Warnings

This is IMPORTANT: If you do not feel you can do this, then don’t. Steering tubes are generally not replaceable so if you cut yours too short, then you’re outta luck. As always, MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE! When in doubt, read the last sentence again.  When cutting you should wear safety glasses and you should never use a file without a handle. Be careful not to nick the side of the steering tube with any sharp object.

Removing front wheel and top cap

The very first step is to remove the front wheel. Next, release the top cap, take it off, and put it aside in a container so you don’t loose the bolt and cap.

Removing the front brake

Most bikes today use post mount brakes and in this case, it’s a simple matter of removing the two bolts that secure the caliper onto the fork. If you have an IS adapter, (International Standard) remove the brake from that point. Make sure all the hardware is placed in a small plastic bag (these use different bolts and should be kept separate).

Removing Brake Hose

Most bikes have the brake hose attached to it in one of two ways: a small plastic mount or a plastic tie wrap. If your fork uses a tie wrap, carefully cut it off, avoiding touching your brake line. Otherwise, simply remove the hex bolt that holds the clip in place and move the brake hose and caliper away. Under no circumstances should you be removing the brake line from the caliper.

Removing Stem Assembly

Use the series of photos below for the following instructions.

With one hand on the lower crown, hold the fork in position while loosening the stem bolts. The moment the bolts are loosened the fork will fall so better to be safe than sorry! Once you have released the bolts enough, remove the stem and bar as an assembly and allow it to sit on one side of the bike. Afterward, remove the spacers and top crown race and place them somewhere safe.

Remove fork

Once you have removed the fork you’ll find the lower bearing race and seal which you’ll need to remove so pay attention to the orientation of the bearing. Your bearing may not look like the one in the picture (this is what is called a cartridge bearing) but bearings won’t stray too far from this design. Keep in mind cartridge bearings are packed with grease so check to see how smooth they are moving (twist them and feel for grittiness, the smoother the better). If your bearings are rough you may want to consider a new headset at this time.

Remove lower crown race

If you plan on reusing your old headset you’ll need to remove the lower race; otherwise, skip this step. There are a two ways that you can remove the lower race: use Park Tools CRP-1 OR if you are careful enough you can use a sharp chisel or a screw driver and gently tap the race off by working around ring, removing it evenly. Just be careful not to hit the steering tube! Wedge the tool between the fork crown and race, prying it upward until it pops off. Once off, put the race with the other parts of the headset.

Measuring Steering Tube Length

Measure the existing steering tube from the mounting face of the crown to the end of the steering tube (you may want to record that number). Next mark the new steering tube with a felt marker.

If you’re placing a new headset and it is not the same as the one that came off, you’ll need to use another method to figure out the steering length. To do that, first measure the head tube of the bike, then check the manufacturer’s info for the stack height of the headset plus the spacers and the thickness of the stem. Add it all up and with that total number subtract 2mm and that should be the length that you need to cut.

Head tube length  +
Headset stack height  +
Spacer stack  +
Stem thickness  +

Subtract 2mm from that total (this is for the top cap clearance and space required to preload the bearings).

Mark and cut the fork

With the correct length marked on your fork you now have two options for cutting the fork. The first method is to use a threadless saw guide and a hack saw. Set your guide so that when the blade draws over your mark it sits just above the cut line - this ensures that the tube extension doesn’t get cut to short. Ease up on the last few strokes before cutting through - this will prevent a large burr from forming at the end that will have to be filed clean. Finally, carefully remove the saw marks off the top and file the edge at a 45 degree angle to ensure there is no burr or edge that can scratch you or components on installation.

The second method involves the use of a pipe cutter with a fresh blade (shown above). Just make sure to line up your pipe cutter just above the cut line and rotate evenly to get a clean cut.

Installing the star nut

This step really is really best accomplished using a star nut setting tool, though you could try to install it by other means (you will have a very hard time doing so). Screw the star nut onto the nut setting tool all the way, then line up the star nut with the steering tube (do your best at lining things up here otherwise you will have issues later). Tap the star nut in to place and make sure you set it in a minimum of 5mm. Some tools have a stop that will set the nut in the right way every time.

Install the lower bearing race

Once the star nut is installed it’s time to install the lower bearing race. You can go and purchase the correct tool from a tool manufacturer such as Park or find yourself a tube that fits over the steering tube.  I fashioned the tube shown here myself and included a small nylon ring to protect the bearing race. Carefully tap the bearing ring in place and make sure the race sits squarely on the fork crown.

Install fork

Once the lower bearing race is installed you can go ahead and replace the fork. Remember to replace the lower bearing and seal, then install the fork. Next, install the upper bearing, keeping in mind the orientation of the bearing, then install the compression ring (make sure flat side up) and the top cover. If you plan on using spacers below the stem, install them now followed by the stem itself. You should end up with 2- 3mm of space. Finally you can replace the top cap and stem bolt. Do not torque anything yet.

Install the front brake and cable

At this point you should be ready to install the front brake. When you have the brake loosely installed, make sure you’re using the correct bolt length (there should be 8 threads exposed past the caliper). Replace the front wheel with disk, being careful not to jam your rotor into the pads. Once the front wheel is correctly installed now you can set the caliper in place. The way I usually set up the brake is to slowly compress the brake lever, keeping the caliper as centered as possible when applying brake pressure. Slowly tighten the bolts down. Release the brake and spin the wheel while listening to make sure that the pads are not contacting the rotor. You may need to re-adjust the brake by loosening the bolts slightly and carefully moving the caliper until you don’t hear it rubbing when spinning the wheel. DO NOT stick your fingers near the rotor while in motion.

Once you are satisfied with the performance of the front brake, apply brake pressure again and torque the caliper bolts to the amount recommended by both the brake and fork manufacturers. If the fork you are installing states a lower torque value, use that one.  The final job is to keep the cable from rubbing on any moving parts. Some forks come with a convenient mounting point, others require a tie wrap.

Now it’s finally time to line up the wheel with the stem and bars. Stand in front of your bike and hold the wheel between your legs. With your hands grab the bars and wiggle them side to side, slowly centering the bars. Once set you can tighten the stem bolts a bit.

Now, double check to see if the bar is straight. Grab the front brake and rock the bike fore and aft while listening and feeling for a light clunk. If the front clunks you may have insufficient pre-load on the stem top cap in which case you’ll need to loosen the two stem bolts slightly and give the top cap bolt a half turn. Keep doing this until the clunk disappears. If the steering suddenly gets too stiff, you went too far on the top cap tension. Once you have the correct tension, line it up and now torque the stem bolts (use the correct torque from the stem manufacturer).

Now - you’re done! You did it!

Cheers.

Just a quick thanks to the folks at Manitou,Hayes and Opus for their support.

Well, it turns out the rumors about Iron Horse were mostly true: the company declared bankruptcy and an auction for assets and trademarks is scheduled for July 13. Bids are coming in around the $2 million mark which doesn’t seem bad when you consider that’s the price of just 320 Iron Horse Sunday World Cup mountain bikes Anyone want to go in with me and make a bid?

Pacific Cycles (the guys who make Wal-Mart bikes, among others) appear to be the high bidders right now but Randall Scott’s Outdoor Cycles company is also making a bid. Scott’s bid may be more attractive given that he’s the son of the former Iron Horse president and the deal would include a percentage of licensing royalties (though less $$ up front). The company is currently based in Nevada and also builds bikes under the Jeep, Columbia, and K2 brand names and owns several trademarks including Hollowpoint and Triump.

It’s always sad to see MTB companies go bust, though based on previous rumors it sounds like this one has been a long time coming. Hopefully the new owners will bring Iron Horse back much stronger…

A few interesting stories from around the MTB world:

Missy Giove charged with marijuana distribution. Badass downhiller racer, 14-time NORBA champion, and 11 time World Cup winner Missy Giove was busted this week for driving a truck full of 400 pounds of Mary Jane in upstate New York. Missy faces up to 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine if convicted.

I have to admit I wasn’t too familiar with Missy Giove and her accomplishments but the article I read mentioned some interesting tidbits like the fact that she usually biked with a dead piranha around her neck. I’m thinking someone could make a movie about this woman’s life that could appeal to groups beyond the MTB world…

Rains close trails in Telluride, CO. Apparently it’s not just Florida and east coast mountain bikers that are getting rained out this year - even in dry Colorado the Forest Service was forced to close popular trails due to the rain. A few trails, like the Village Trail, Coonskin Loop, and Ridge Trail have reopened while others, like See Forever Trail and Basin Trail are still closed due to conditions.

Peaks Trail in Breckenridge, CO. Photo by utedude.

Breckenridge, CO hosts first annual Bike Week. Okay, judging by the dates (July 4 - 12) it’s a little longer than a week but the idea is to highlight the amazing MTB trails in and around the popular ski town. Officials claim there are more than 1,000 miles of interconnected backcountry trails in Summit County and they’ve even marked out five 20-30 mile bike loops you can “self-tour.” There will be lectures, movies, and demos happening all week plus the Breck Epic MTB stage race will be taking place July 5-10. Anyone have a place where I can crash in Breck next month?

This week I came across a couple MTB news items that, although unrelated, point to interesting trends affecting the mountain bike world…

Image from cnano-rhone-alpes.org.

James Easton donates $2M to UCLA for Carbon Nanotube Research: Remember the early days of mountain biking when guys could just modify old Schwinn bikes into badass off road machines? Or even the days when anyone who knew a thing or two about welding could throw together a bike frame? Those days are coming to a close as carbon fiber and now, carbon nanotubes become the mountain bike frame and component materials of choice.

Easton actually makes a number of products beyond mountain bike handlebars and wheels including golf clubs, tents, bows and arrows, baseball bats, helmets, and every hockey sticks. While there’s no direct link between the carbon nanotube research funding and any upcoming MTB products (that we know of), it just goes to show the technology involved in building mountain bikes is becoming more and more complex. Is there a 5-pound rig in the future for mountain bikers? Time will tell…

Unemployed Australians Build Mountain Bike Trails: The world economy has hit a bit of a rough spot but in Queensland, Australia the government is paying unemployed workers to build downhill and cross country MTB trails at Amamoor in the Mary Valley. Workers receive training in chainsaw operation and trail building and will even get a chance to build trail features and obstacles.

It’s interesting to think about how many of the trails we ride today were actually built for hiking during the New Deal in the 1930s. These days it’s mostly volunteers who are adapting old trails to new uses but building trails AND getting paid - now that’s a trend I’m on board with!

Ok, so this is BIG news. For those who don’t know, Marin County is basically where mountain biking was invented but for the last decade or so mountain bikers have been kicked off just about every trail in the area. Mount Tamalpais (Mt. Tam) in particular hosted many of the first (informal) mountain bike races and has been off limits to mountain bikes for years.

Now the California State Parks department is proposing opening 4 miles of trail in the foothills of Mt. Tam to mountain bikes and is soliciting public input. That’s where we come in.

Take a minute or two and fill out this comment form letting California State Parks know you support mountain biking in Marin County. Read more details below (from IMBA) so ya know what you’re talking about (also note the part about hiking and equestrian groups vowing to fight the proposal).

California State Parks has announced a proposal to open singletrack for mountain biking in Marin County, on the shoulders of Mt. Tamalpais. The agency plans to permit bicycle use on the 4-mile Bill’s Trail segment and is soliciting public commentary on the project.

This landmark opportunity is the direct result of more than three years of partnership building with the parks department by IMBA California, Access4Bikes and the Bicycle Trails Council of Marin. A successful opening of Bill’s Trail will set the stage for bicycle access to several other singletrack trails in Marin, which is widely considered to be one of the birthplaces of modern mountain biking. Despite its historic role, Marin has seen precious few opportunities for mountain biking open to the public in recent years.

Take Action! Tell California State Parks you support their decision to open Bill’s Trail to bicycles. The commentary period ends on June 26.

Located within the Mt. Tamaplais watershed in Samuel Taylor State Park, Bill’s Trail winds through native ferns, wildflowers and hazelnut trees. It averages a reasonable 7-percent grade, and its six switchbacks provide riders with multiple views of the surrounding landscapes. While it is expected that bike access on Bill’s Trail will be limited to alternate days at first, the parks department states that this stipulation will be open to further review.

California State Parks is expected to announce opportunities for bicycling on other nearby routes in upcoming months. The Diaz Ridge Trail, which runs through Mt. Tamalpais State Park and Golden Gate National Recreation Area property, is scheduled to receive a major reroute this summer. This project could produce shared-use singletrack joining State Parks and National Park Service properties.

A small number of local hiking and equestrian groups have vowed to fight against any new access for mountain biking in Marin County, despite plentiful evidence that well-designed trails can be successfully shared by various user groups, and that mountain biking is a sustainable, low-impact form of recreation. “I think that, broadly speaking, the community of trail users in Marin is ready for this,” says IMBA California Policy Advisor Tom Ward. “We have seen great success with our volunteer mountain bike patrol program there. Mountain bikers care deeply about protecting the gorgeous trails and natural areas in Marin, and we will continue working with like-minded groups.”

Bummed by the NASCAR rain delays this weekend? This might cheer you up: NASCAR drivers Andy Lally and Craig Stanton will be competing in 24 Hours of Big Bear (West Virginia) on mountain bikes June 13-14. Rounding out the team are two other experienced racecar (and bike) drivers - Mike Simon and Michael DeNino.

Obviously these guys are competitive and they’re backed by some serious sponsors including Blue Competition Cycles (look for an upcoming review of the Blue XC Carbon by yours truly). Each driver, er rider, will complete 4 laps during the race - no word on whether the drivers’ regular sponsors will get placement on the bikes and/or jerseys

Although it may sound odd for racecar drivers to be competing on mountain bikes the crossover between the two sports is actually more common than you might think. Last summer we wrote about US Olympic mountain biker Adam Craig and MTB race organizer Mark Corbett, both of whom are into rally car racing. There’s something about a need for speed that both mountain bikers and car drivers can appreciate!

This week there are several large MTB recalls involving suspension forks and frames:

Trek is recalling 16,000 mountain bikes due to faulty suspension forks that can become misaligned leading to a loss of wheel control. No one has been injured yet but the recall affects 2009 Trek 7300, 7300WSD, and 7500 bikes. The suspension forks are marked “Bontrager SPA” and are manufactured by a Taiwanese company called JD Components.

Cannondale is handling a similar recall, though far fewer bikes are affected (just 1,500). The recall includes the 2008 Cannondale Adventure 2, Adventure 3, Adventure 2 Feminine and Adventure 3 Feminine which also use the JD suspension forks (these forks are labeled “cannondale AT35 adventure trail”).

Finally, Norco is recalling 36,000 2007 Team DH, 2008 Team DH, Aline Park, Aline, Atomik, Shore 1,2,3, and 2009 Atomik (without gussets) MTB frames due to an issue that may cause the frame to crack and separate. One rider fractured a collar bone after a fall due to a cracked frame. And these ain’t cheap frames either - most of these bikes sold for between $2,000 and $7,000.

In all three cases manufacturing was completed in Taiwan which may raise some eyebrows within the industry. It’s also interesting to note that Cannondale and Trek are using the same manufacturer for suspension forks on their low end mountain bikes leaving very little differentiation (other than marketing) between manufacturers.

A sampler of MTB news from this week:

Bike rescue team rescues missing hikers: Yet another example of bikers helping hikers, this time in Manchester, NH. A group of 4 hikers became lost on Case Mountain this week during a thunderstorm and after alerting authorities of their situation via cell phone the bicycle rescue team found them within hours. Mountain bikes being used to help people? Who would’ve thought

Photo courtesy Pique newsmagazine | Whistler

Women are MTB’s fastest growing demographic: That’s good news, but what other demographics are we comparing? If we’re talking gender demographics it had to be men or women… At any rate, more and more women are discovering mountain biking every year and Whistler’s newsmagazine Pique has an in depth article about some of the women who put the men to shame at the MTB park. Good one to pass along to your wife or significant other…

Photo embed codes and contest updates: We’ve added an easy way for you to embed your singletracks MTB photos on forums or other websites using the “share” link found in the dashboard on photo pages. Just click, copy, and paste. For MTB photos, it’s time to kick the photobucket

The video contest is off to a strong start and it’s super close among the top contributors. There is still plenty of time left to get your video links in and don’t forget you also get points for rating or commenting on trail videos!

Yep, it’s official: Mountain bike season begins May 16. Whistler Blackcomb is opening the Whistler Mountain Bike Park next Saturday “on whatever trails are clear - or can be cleared - of snow.” Pique News Magazine tells us there’s some new stuff on tap for the 2009 season:

New additions planned this year include continued expansions into the Garbanzo Zone, including more intermediate level riding, a redesigned slopestyle in the Boneyard area, giant slalom and dual slalom courses at the base of the mountain, and new lesson and rental packages for all levels of riders.

Almost new this year are sections of Blue Velvet and Freight Train, as well as an improved No Joke trail - all three of which opened on the last weekend last season.

Through June 19 season passes are $435; after June 19 they’re $475 (cruel - less riding for more $$?). More details at WhistlerBike.com.

Lots of mountain biking news to share this morning.

Kona Naming Contest: A couple weeks ago we told you about the contest to name Kona’s new Magic Link all-mountain bike and one of our readers is a finalist in the contest! Denis suggested “Tanuki” which is “a Japanese raccoon like dog or badger with monster nuts” who, according to legend, is a master of shape shifting and disguise. Whatever, all we know is it sounds cool and we want to see Denis win. Head over to the Kona site and vote Tanuki up…

VHoldR Intros ContourHD Helmet Cam: The helmet cam market is heating up with the introduction of the world’s first HD helmet camera from VHoldR. The camera is said to capture 30 frames per second in full high-def quality or a rockin’ 60 frames per second in standard definition and sports a 135 degree wide angle lens to take in all the action. Pricing is reasonable too - just $299 - look for the Contour HD in stores and online starting next month!

Downhill Camp Held in Lousã, Portugal: This press release came to us in Portugese but the pictures speak a thousand (English) words. Ten riders attended the Team Berg Cycles camp April 8-11 and learned to tackle the toughest jumps and obstacles over dozens of  downhill runs. My favorite part of the camp: the riders trained using spinning bikes (see photo below). Most cross country riders view downhillers as too lazy to ride uphill but this camp shows it takes endurance no matter which direction you ride.