Titus Cycles is running 3 contests to give away some seriously sweet bikes to some seriously dedicated fans. They’re handing out a total of 4 bikes and here’s what you can do to earn yours:

1. Get a Titus tattoo. First you’ll need to come up with an original design and other Titus fans will have a chance to vote for their favorite. The winning designer will have to get the image permanently tattooed somewhere on their body to receive a 2010 Titus FTM Trail bike worth $5,170.

2. Have a Titus “spandex wedding.” This one may be the most difficult to pull off but Titus is asking a couple to complete their nuptials in matching Titus jerseys and have the ceremony taped (presumably to be posted online). I know I’d be up for this myself but convincing my other half would be the real challenge. The upside? Matching 2010 X Carbon bikes for the bride and groom.

3. Legally change your name to “Rockstar 29er.” I figure someone will get this done on a technicality (change your name on Monday, change it back on Tuesday) but it will still be fun to watch. The winner will get – you guessed it – a $6,265 2010 Titus Rockstar 29′er mountain bike.

The ad agency that came up with this promotion seems to be pretty stoked about such an innovative campaign but this whole thing (especially #3) sounds vaguely familiar. Oh yeah, that’s right – I offered to do this back in 2007. OK, so the offer was only to change my screen name but I think I used “Titus Racer X” as an example name at one point. Anyone else need a good MTB marketing idea?

Last week I got a sneak peek at Canada’s first indoor bike park, Joyride 150. When Bob_the_Builder found out I was going to Joyride 150 ahead of the official opening Dec 14th, he just had to come along. I dunno who was more stoked Bob or myself. On the drive up there I was trying to imagine exactly how big a 90,000 sq ft building is; needless to say, it’s large – very very large.

Walking into the facility you get a sense of the scope of the place. With the sounds of the finishing touches going on in the background, I was greeted by Leslie, one of the owners. A very nice person with a warm smile, Leslie was quick to excuse the bits of saw dust. After a little small talk about the place, we met up with two instrumental partners, Mike and Scott, both looking a bit tired, and for good reason. Both men, along with a few volunteers, were putting in 100 hour work weeks for the last 3 months to get Joyride ready for the grand opening.

Leslie took us on a tour from the entrance to the spinning classroom which is still under construction. The room is a nice size with 20 ft ceilings and room for about 30 riders. The height and shape of the room should provide good acoustics once the music is pumped in. After a quick visit of the spinning room, we really got a good look of the rest of the facility. Heading back into the front entrance we then started our main tour. The complex is divided into four main areas.

The first area, right across from the main counter, is the beginner section where you can practice your skills on various styles of skinnies and features that you will encounter at the park. The photo above on the left shows the practice rollers and skinnies. The photo above and right is the practice pump track which in itself is great. I have to say the quality of the build is absolutely top-notch. No expense was spared in making these ramps and skinnies smooth and flawless. Even up close you can’t feel the gaps in the wood.

After admiring the beautiful wood work and moving along, we passed the still unfinished advanced skinny area which promises to be something else with many elevated features. Across from that there are lockers and an area where folks can rest, eat, and talk shop. There’s also an advanced pump track with a massive corner. Leslie was mentioning that it would be perfect for two cross (hmmmm perhaps competitions could be just around the corner). Of course at this point BTB  had to ride the course and judging by his big smile I could safely say he loved it.

The cross country track (yes they have one of those too) is elevated and travels around the entire complex. From here we got a great view of the main progressive jump and trick area. I have to admit doing laps on the XC circuit will be fun because you get to see everything: the foam pit, the stunts, all of it. Can you imagine riding around and taking a look at everyone having fun, jumping, and ohh yeah, taking a tumble? Heck, even BTB got into flying into the foam pit and the jump area.

All kidding aside, Leslie was mentioning the thousands of possible lines that riders can take to make a flowing line. A few days prior to my visit there were some circuit riders visiting and commenting on the set up, all of them making the same comment of how flowy and complex Joyride can be. One even mentioned how it would take a very long time to master the Joyrides Vert park set up.

As we were walking around the XC course and having a wonderful chat with Leslie, saws busily cutting in the background, Leslie talked to us what folks should expect to pay for a visit. It will cost about $20-$30 per visit and they are also planning on setting up season passes (price is TBD). Once things start to move more smoothly they will be concentrating on discount packages with nearby hotels and a rental fleet of bikes for those who don’t want to bring in their own rig.

Joyride 150 is located just north of Toronto in Markham ON, and their closest intersection is McCowan and Highway 7. The location is pretty close to many hotels and shopping malls, for those who don’t know the area and are wondering what else is around.

Well folks, I have to say you need to add this place to your ride wishlist. Unfortunately for me, when I went with BTB I was still nursing my broken clavicle so I couldn’t ride – otherwise I think I would still be there. Expect Joyride 150 to be up and running Dec 14th and make your way over. If you build it, they will come – they built it, so get over there!

More info on the joyride150 website.

More details:

• beginner/sport/expert sections with skinnies, lines & features to test your skills and help you progress
• a foam pit (beginner & expert ramps) with a matching resi jump and box jump
• rhythms & jump lines (beg-exp)
• a BMX-style street park with quarter pipes (MASSIVE!), spines, rails, drop-ins, bowls etc.
• pump tracks (pump & dual race-style)
• cross-country loop with elevation (climbs), log-overs, features etc…sure to get your heart pumping and your legs burning!

Other park features:

• cozy lounge with fireplaces & free Wi-Fi hotspot
• concessions (snacks, drinks etc.)
• bike rentals (various bike types)
• bike storage
• private party room available for rent (corporate events, birthday parties, etc.)

Coming soon to the park:

• coaching services
• spin studio
• programs (skills workshops, day camps)
• races/competitions
• demo days/PK sessions

Pack your bags and get your tickets. This is a place to be when the snow is piling high!

The National Collegiate MTB Championships are being held this weekend at Northstar resort in Lake Tahoe and the men’s and women’s cross-country races are kicking things off today. Tomorrow it’s short track and mountain cross and on Sunday the long travel bikes make their appearance for the downhill race. This year’s race is being hosted by the University of Nevada Reno and any USA Cycling collegiate-eligible team is welcome to compete.

It’s sad to think we’re already at the end of the racing season here in the US as cool weather and shorter days approach. Want to delay the end of summer riding just a little longer? Check out the Week of the Dead, a Mexican adventure full of mountain biking, surfing, paddling, and drinking set at the Punta San Carlos resort in Baja, California. This resort sounds super sweet with its own 60 mile MTB trail system, private landing strip (for your jet!), and direct access to some killer waves. If you’re looking to blow some coin, this definitely sounds like a fun way to do it!

This week Lance Armstrong signed a 3-year deal to become spokesman for Michelob Ultra.  Here’s what the 1-time Leadville 100 MTB race winner had to say:

“I’m always making decisions that complement my active lifestyle, and this includes my beer choice when I want to enjoy a cold one with friends or when taking a break from training,” said Lance Armstrong.  “I’m excited about my association with Michelob ULTRA, a brand that supports cycling and running communities across the U.S. and is a favorite among active adults.”

Too bad the guys at New Belgium couldn’t afford a deal with Lance – it would have been great to see Armstrong pimping Fat Tire Beer. Oh well, maybe this means we’ll stop seeing so many annoying FRS ads with Lance asking “Tired of being tired?”. I’m just tired of that ad

A few mountain bike news bites to start the week.

Backyard bikepark. Over at ihatebikes.net the author is busy working on a backyard bike park and apparently things are getting pretty serious. Phase II involved using a backhoe / excavator to sculpt a sweet pump track in the woods and we’re anxiously awaiting pics of the next phase. If you’re looking for a somewhat more manageable project for a smaller backyard space, check out this article we posted a couple years ago about building a portable teeter totter or this forum thread about building a backyard skinny. DIY!

Rio Olympics: Mountain biking? So apparently Rio doesn’t have an established mountain bike trail to use for the 2016 Olympics at the moment so they’ll be building a “temporary” trail. Having been to Rio I can tell you there is super gnarly terrain all around the city so it shouldn’t be too much trouble to create a world class route. Downhill as an Olympic sport in 2016? This would be the place to debut it!

In other Olympic news, remember how we told you last week that Trek was really anxious to get the Chicago Olympics and how they helped scout some of the cycling venues (including MTB)? Well, it turns out that may have been a small part of the city’s losing bid:

The IOC praised Chicago’s compact venue plans along the downtown waterfront, and minimum travel time for athletes, but noted that the equestrian, shooting, road cycling and mountain biking venues were relatively far away.

New full HD camera from VHoldR announced. If you read the blog you already know the VHoldR is an amazing helmet camera and now the guys are one-upping themselves with a new full HD (1080p) wearable camera. The new Contour HD 1080 helmet camera has 5 video modes from full 1080p HD to high speed SD and is aimed at the “pro” market – you know, badass mountain bikers and video producers. Don’t worry though, pro doesn’t mean it’s that much more expensive: the “regular” Contour HD price will drop to $279 and the new “pro” Contour will be just $329. Look for the camera in time for the holiday shopping season.

Believe it or not there are things happening in the MTB world that have nothing to do with Interbike this week.

Chris Eatough is retiring. Yep, the man who won six straight 24 Hour Solo championships will call it quits after racing 24 Hours of Moab this month. Eatough has been a professional racer for 10 years and his retirement plans call for working for sponsor Trek doing product testing while offering coaching services on the side. The highly recommended movie 24 Solo features Eatough and his attempt at a 7th straight 24 Hour Solo title that takes place at the 1996 Olympic MTB course outside Atlanta. We’ll miss you Chris!

Trek working on Chicago Olympic bid. President Obama isn’t the only heavy hitter working to bring the Olympics to the Windy City in 2016 – Trek Bikes is doing a little lobbying and planning of its own. Chi-town’s Olympic plans call for cycling events to take place in and around Madison, WI including MTB events at the Tyrol Basin ski area which Trek officials helped scout for the committee. We’ll keep our fingers crossed!

10 day MTB stage race in the Himalaya. The Hercules Mountain Biking Himachal claims to be the third toughest mountain bike race in the world after Trans Alps and Trans Rockies but I’m not sure how official that claim is. Everything is tougher in a third world country where access to simple things like clean drinking water can be a challenge and the fact that only 12 of the 70 competitors are from outside India tells you something about the difficulty of this race.

The route is quite tough and passes through trails on lofty mountains and gurgling streams. The expedition will not only enable the participants to test their skill, strength and spirit but also enable them to enjoy the countryside beauty of the state.

Plus, any race that also bills itself as an “expedition” has gotta be a real challenge

Steve Peat. Photograph: Kathy Sessler / Santa Cruz Syndicate via Guardian.co.uk.

The LA Times just ran a two part article profiling mountain biker turned Tour de France dominator Levi Leipheimer. As you may recall there was some trash talk between Leipheimer and Lance Armstrong before the Leadville 100 this year but Levi crashed during the Tour de France and wasn’t able to compete. Here’s what Levi had to say to the LA Times about Lance and the Leadville 100:

“(The Leadville 100 is) basically a road race. It’s long and not that technical and it’s all above 10,000 feet. I think I need to challenge him (Lance Armstrong) to something more technical.”

That sounds like a throw down. Maybe these two should enter La Ruta to settle things once and for all

The Guardian published a profile of downhiller Steve Peat that’s a good read if you have some time. It seems Peat wants to dispel the myth that downhill mountain bikers are lazy because they rarely climb. Here’s what he had to say:

“You need to be fit to be a downhiller even though it looks as if you don’t do much work. You’re pedalling out of corners, pedalling into your line, the terrain is rough, the bikes are heavy so you need to train and be fit definitely. My bike comes in at around 37lbs and that’s on the lighter side.”

Finally, IMBA needs our help on several trail issues in Colorado including proposed changes at Apex Park in Golden (see this forum thread). There are also changes being proposed to wilderness and roadless areas in Colorado that could impact mountain bikers. Hit IMBA.com to see how you can help!

ITS – or as most people know them, Intense Tire System – recently debuted new tire updates for 2010. The 2010 Edge EXDX comes in two flavors once again – a 1-ply for all-mountain riding and a 2-ply for DH /FR. I got a chance to test the 26″ x 2.35″, single ply version ($50 MSRP) which tips the scale at about 935 grams. These tires are trail-rated for dry to soft surfaces and have a ramped and siped center tread with U-shaped side knobs.

Mounting these tires with a single tire iron on a set of Mavic Crossmax SX rims was a snap. I decided to run these tires with heavy-duty tubes and talcum powder since ITS doesn’t recommend using sealant. Filling the tires up to about 38psi front and 42 psi rear, I was off to the trails at Kelso where the conditions were mixed with both dry hard pack as well as softer sections with some mud spots.

The first bit of my ride I took some time to get used to the profile of the tire. On the ITS Edge, the tread is wider than the side wall which tends to give this tire sort of a “square” profile. This produced small amounts of squirm in flat corners, though in banked turns on berms they offered decent grip and a solid feel.

On rocky and gnarly trails with tons of roots, the Edge found its sweet spot, giving me a good sense of control. At 40psi these tires performed well but I found at lower pressures the tires started to squirm a bit too much.

Climbing and descending with the Edge was a pleasure and I found the tread design was optimal for these conditions. Starting to climb the tread got a firm hold in a variety of terrain conditions – rocks, hardpack, loam, branches and even sand. I found the tires to be just as versatile on the decent as well.

In terms of stopping power the ITS Edge comes out on top. If you’ve ever broken a bone or two on the trail you know how important stopping traction can be. Of course it’s up to you to hit the brakes but fortunately these tires won’t let you down.

All that traction can have its drawbacks: I found small serations on the knobs over just a short period of time. This may indicate a shorter tire life but more testing is needed to confirm.

All in all this is a good tire for those of us who have a long travel bike. If your terrain includes a variety of conditions this may be a good choice for you. And if you’re into climbing without slipping, this tire has your name on it!

My overall impressions:

7 out of 10 for climbing
7 out of 10 for rolling and efficiency
8 out of 10 for loose condidtion
7 out of 10 for hardpack
9 out of 10 for stopping in a straight line

Specs from ITS:

Size: 26″ x 2.35
Weight: 985 grams
Durometer: 55/60D Dual compound
Construction: 1 Ply 72 TPI Aramid Bead

Specialized is going to hook up “a handful” of lucky riders this year with free access to 2010 Stumpjumper FSR bikes and sponsored MTB trips to hot trail locations. All you gotta do is prove you’re master of the Facebook or Twitter (or singletracks.com) and you just might get the gig.

Of course you don’t technically get to keep your Stumpjumper FSR – you just get to ride it for a year at which time you can decide to purchase it at a discount (what are they going to do with a used bike otherwise?). No specifics on how many people will be chosen for the crew or how many sponsored MTB trips will be offered but I suppose you can’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

The whole idea of giving bloggers / social network influencers mountain bikes to talk about online isn’t really a new one. In fact I ran my own (unsuccessful) campaign in 2007 to change my singletracks screen name in return for a new mountain bike. No one took me up on my offer which included hundreds of thousands of ad impressions, blog posts, and photos but I guess mountain bike companies hadn’t heard of the internet at that point

If you want to be considered for the program we’d love to help you out. Draft up a post about why you think you’re a good fit for the crew (more details about what Specialized is looking for) and we’ll see about posting your story on the #1 mountain bike blog or our forums. Then send Specialized a link to your post on singletracks.com – how’s that for targeted advertising!

Via bikehugger and cyclelicio.us.

Buffalo Creek is probably my favorite mountain bike trail system in the world and the IMBA Trail Crew will be hitting the trails this weekend, August 13-16, to work and ride. The trails at Buffalo Creek are already some of the best XC trails in the country but they’re about to get some new “black diamond” level terrain. That’s right – steep rollers, drops, and wall rides inside the Pike National Forest!

Things kick off on Thursday, August 13 with a free Trailbuilding School session where participants will be trained as volunteer crew leaders. Trailbuilding school will take place at the American Mountaineering Center in Golden from 6:30-9:30pm.

On Saturday and Sunday work crews will start out at the Miller Gulch trailhead from 8:30-2:00. Word is that beer and food will be provided Saturday evening and camping at the trails is encouraged. And don’t forget to bring your bike for the group ride(s). More details at IMBA.com.

About a year and a half ago I wrote about mountain bikers’ carbon footprints (er, carbon tracks) and a press release from Performance Bike got me thinking about Green MTB once again. For most of us mountain biking wouldn’t be quite as appealing without beautiful, natural places to ride so we really have a vested interest in doing our part to protect the environment. Anyway, here’s a snippet from my first Green MTB post:

Assuming you drive an average of 15 miles each way to the trail and you go riding twice a week that’s more than 3,000 miles of driving per year just to ride your mountain bike! I personally don’t get to ride quite that often but when I do I generally take day trips of up to 100 miles from my home so 3,000 annual miles isn’t much of a stretch for me. Anyway, 3,000 miles of driving releases over 1 ton of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which you will promptly breathe back in when you finally get on the trail.

I went on to offer 3 tips for reducing carbon emissions associated with driving to trailheads and the good news is that the price of gas and IMBA’s Ride Center concept are helping with #1 and #3 respectively.

Performance Bike has identified another source of pollution associated with biking and it’s one I hadn’t thought of before: used inner tubes (and tires). It’s estimated that 14 tons of discarded bike tubes end up in landfills in the SF Bay Area alone each year – that’s a lot of used rubber! This weekend Performance is offering $5 gift cards to anyone who brings in old tubes to Bay Area stores where the tubes will be recycled and used in Alchemy Goods messenger bags and accessories. Unfortunately gel-filled and thorn resistant tubes can’t be recycled – just one more reason to go tubeless!

Performance Bike seems to be pretty committed to the environment in other ways as well and is offering $20 gift cards to Bay Area commuters to encourage biking to work. Back in 2006 Performance became the first national sports retailer to use 100% wind power for its stores. Nice.

Even if you aren’t in the Bay Area you can still find creative ways to re-use mountain bike tires and tubes. I use old tubes for chain stay guards and I’ve even seen MTB tires turned into bean bag chairs. The same properties that make rubber bad for the environment also make it super durable and almost infinitely reusable.

What are some other ways you’ve found to keep mountain biking green?

Daniel Hume, RIP. Photo from telegraph.co.uk.

Some sad news to report this week:

Daniel Hume, former pro mountain biker from the UK, was killed while on foot patrol in Afghanistan last week. Hume was ranked the #3 downhill rider in the United Kingdom at the age of 15 and in 2007 he joined the Royale Marines. It’s reassuring to know we have tough-as-nails mountain bikers like Hume protecting us overseas – he will truly be missed!

Rittner “Ritt” Lewis of Everson, WA died after crashing his mountain bike on a popular Telluride Ski Area MTB trail. Ritt died of head trauma even though he was weaing a helmet at the time. Just one more reminder that even with all the right protective gear mountain biking can still be dangerous. Hopefully his family can take some comfort in the fact that Ritt died doing something he loved.

Rest in peace.