A couple of weeks ago I wrote about completing my goal of riding 2,000 mountain bike miles in one year. If you are going to tackle a statistics-oriented goal such as this, tracking and logging all relevant stats is a step that sometimes seems insignificant–yet it is crucial!

There are numerous ways that you could track your statistics. You could record all of your miles in an Excel spreadsheet, or use one of the many websites dedicated to cycling statistics. But since this is Singletracks.com, I am going to walk you through how to use the Singletracks.com Ride Log to track your rides.

But before we really begin, it’s important to mention that you need to have a reliable bike computer or GPS to clock your mileage as you ride. I say this because during my first several years of riding, I just sort of guess-timated how many miles I had done based on maps, as well as rough estimates based on time. I was in for a nasty surprise when I finally got my first bike computer as a birthday present: rides that I had thought were 6-7 miles were only about 3 or 4. And rides I thought were 20+ miles turned out to be only about 16. When tracking mileage, nothing can substitute for a good bike computer or an accurate GPS unit.

I used a Garmin Forerunner 305 for the majority of 2011, and I love it.

Singletracks.com: Two Different Options

With a free membership on Singletracks, you have access to the basic features of the ride logger, and it is enough to track your statistics over the course of the year. But since I spend so much time on Singletracks, I decided to start shelling out the annual $20 fee for the advanced statistics logger a couple of years ago, and those bones have been well-spent! (Side note: access to the advanced statistics logger and the massive GPS trail map database is only $30 a year–a killer deal!)

How to Track Your Statistics

Method 1:

1. Go to the trail database, find the trail you rode, and click on the “Training Log” button.

2. Enter all of the pertinent information from your ride.

The basic statistics tracker only has one or two fields here, but the advanced version allows you to track all kinds of stats! I haven’t been very religious with all of the fields, but the ones I always fill in are equipment, distance traveled, and time taken. Logging distance traveled and time taken obviously allows the software to calculate your average speed, and recording what bike you rode every single ride helps you know exactly how many miles you have put on each rig. I find this field especially useful as I track the progress of bike reviews.

Method 2:

If you use a GPS unit when you ride, instead of manually entering the statistics into the form, you can simply upload a copy of your GPS track, and the software will fill in all of the statistics for you. To do this:

1. Click on “My Account” in the upper right of your screen.

2. Click on “GPS Data Manager” in the right-hand menu.

3. Click “Upload GPS Data,” click “Browse,” select the GPS track from your most recent ride, and then click “Update.”

In my experience, having your GPS files in the .gpx format works best.

4. Click on “edit route name,” select the name of the trail from the pull-down list of nearby trails, and click “Update.”

5. Make sure that “Mountain Biking” is selected under the “Activity” drop down.

6. Click “Send to ride log.”

Now, all of the statistics gathered by the GPS unit will automatically be filled into the form mentioned in step #2 of method #1 above. You may wish to add which bike you were riding under the “Equipment” menu, and add additional notes to the entry.

Finally,

Hit “Save Entry” and all the statistics from your ride will be saved in your Singletracks.com ride log for all eternity!

Analyzing Your Statistics

One of the biggest benefits of using the Singletracks.com Ride Log is the ability to analyze your statistics in many different ways. Here, I will give you just a small example of what sorts of analysis you can do.

I use my ride log to record every physical activity I do, whether it is mountain biking or not. Since the majority of my physical exertions are on the mountain bike, it makes sense for me to use the Singletracks.com logger. Conveniently, the ride log allows you to select which type of activity you just completed, thereby creating several different categories.

When you first open up the ride log from your account dashboard, it will show you your all-time statistics.This can be cool for sheer statistics geekery, but it doesn’t really help you track your progress in regards to a specific goal.

I find it most useful to analyze my statistics from a specific time period. To do this, click on the “Edit” button right next to the words “Custom Report.” Then, under the date range, select the range desired. As I was watching my mileage progress this past year, I was most interested in just stats from 2011, and this is how I identified them.

Once you have created a report, the software automatically spits out totals for each of your activities, and also creates a neat pie chart, showing which activities you have done the most over the set interval:

From here, you can click on an individual activity and analyze it in detail. If, for instance, I click on “MT Biking,” it brings up all of my rides from 2011, and an interesting bar graph in the upper right showing my speeds on recent rides:

You will notice that under the Speed Vs. Date chart, there is a button that says “Open in Excel.” Clicking that button will download a spreadsheet of all of the statistics for that activity over that period of time. In this example, it will download a spreadsheet of all of my mountain biking statistics from 2011. If you are at all familiar with Excel, you know that that software is basically the pinnacle of statistical analysis. While the Singletracks.com ride log software provides numerous ways to analyze your data online, if you want to analyze your data in a different ways and create various charts and graphs, the opportunity is open to you via this spreadsheet download.

Like I said, this is just the tip of the iceberg of the many ways that you can analyze your statistics. The “Custom Report” options hold the most potential for interesting analyses. There are also options for grouping by location, and for getting reports on specific equipment.

When it comes to tracking and analyzing your statistics on Singletracks, the sky, or more accurately, your imagination, is truly the limit!

Interested in signing up for the advanced Ride Log? Click on over to the Upgrade Page and upgrade your account now!

This is the third in a series of how-to articles detailing my 2012 DH bike build, the Santa Cruz V-10.

Trimming Brake Hoses

I tend to save the brake hoses until last, cutting them after the fittings are set at the correct angle and the exact position of the hose on the frame has been established. Cutting hoses is a one time deal. Once a hose is too short, you’re outta luck, so do it right the first time. Make sure all the lines are secure and that there are no kinks in the places where they have movement, such as at the head tube and suspension.

It’s also a good idea to trim the ends off cable ties as close to the connection as possible. Doing so leaves behind a smooth surface rather than a jagged edge which can catch on clothing, or worse, yourself. Use a sharp blade to carefully remove the excess off the cable tie.

So after all the brake lines are tied down, I get to the business of trimming the lines. Avid makes it very easy with some new tools that were introduced at Interbike this year. I used Avid’s pro bleed kit (along with extra compression fittings, nuts, and barbs) along with two cool new tools that make life way easier: the hand-held hose cutter and barb-end driver.

First, I established how much hose I needed to cut by removing the hose from the lever end and then marking the hose where I felt it needed to be cut. For the front wheel it is a simple matter of making sure that when the suspension is fully extended, the brake cable doesn’t tug or interfere with the other cables’ movements. For the rear brake, I made sure that when the steering is in full lock left or right, the hose did not pull.

On the XO brakes, an 11mm wrench and the supplied crowfoot (8mm) tool were used to remove the lines. After that, I simply cut the hose using the Avid hose cutter (leaving an amazingly clean cut) and then installed the new compression nut, compression fitting, and barb, in that order (not forgetting to toss on the boot first). The barb fitting tool made short work of installing the barb end. Once that was done, I then reinstalled the hose (for further details see this post). Finally, I bled the hoses. This video will help with that:

Once the hoses are bled, you can get to finishing off the bike and those little details such as cable stops and ties. I use the supplied Avid cable joints: they are durable and clean looking. Just be sure that you test spin the wheels to make sure the CPS hardware and calipers are lined up with the wheels. Finally, double check to make sure the front and rear wheels are buttoned up.

Stay tuned for my final Santa Cruz V-10 build article on dialing in the cockpit.

After installing the fork and headset on my new Santa Cruz V-10 build, it was time to install the drivetrain. I started off by adding a bit of grease to the bottom bracket cups. Following the well-illustrated SRAM guide, I placed the correct spacers for the Truvativ bottom bracket width and used a proper bottom bracket tool and a torque wrench to set everything up. The cups went into place with little fuss. Just remember to torque the cups down using a torque wrench.

The chain guide, also from SRAM (Truvativ), was next. Setting a chain guide for the first time can take a bit of work. The key is to align the guide pulley to the chain ring. This is accomplished using the included spacers, which fit between the ISCG tabs and the chain guide. Follow the directions from the manufacturer for further details: they are generally easy to follow with many small steps. The trick with the guide set-up is to make sure the angle you choose is as close to touching the rear suspension as you can get (unless you have an elevated rear chainstay). You can also align the taco (chain retention device that replaces the front derailleur) in an 11 – 12 o’clock position. Then install the crank, torque it down, and you’re mostly ready to go in front.

Rear Derailleur Installation

After attaching the shifter, the rear derailleur installation comes next, along with the cable routing. With the cable in hand, you want to have gentile bends in the line. No sharp kinks or excessive amounts of cable that can (and will) snag on stationary object (trees/bushes). On a DH bike you are limited in steering, so the length needed is shorter than most people think. A slight bulge in the cable at the derailleur and a gentle curve of cable at the shifter is about where you want to be in length. That is enough to keep the cable ends seated nicely in the shifter barrel, and the cable stop on the derailleur. Using a good quality cable is a great idea here: I used SRAM SlickWire cables, seeing that the bike uses a full-length housing that reduces the risk of  contamination from dirt and moisture. This is critical based on the environment that DH bikes operate in.

Setting the stops on the derailleur properly is key. SRAM wants the derailleur’s top pulley to be a half gear-width offset (towards the derailleur hanger side), on the high end. On the low end, set the derailleur so that the top cog on the cassette is in line with the idler pulleys on the derailleur. The new DH derailleur from SRAM can now have its “B” screw adjusted properly so that it is the correct tension and distance away from the cassette (a small issue with my previous set up on my Banshee). Once I set the limits, I installed the chain and shift cables (for further info on these check out our articles on Derailleur Adjustment and Chain Installation).

Coming soon: cockpit configuration and brake installation.

This is the first in a series of how-to articles based on my 2012 DH bike build, the Santa Cruz V-10.

Headset Installation

When it came time to select a headset, I decided to go with an AngleSet unit from Cane Creek to slacken the V-10 headtube angle by half a degree. Fortunately Cane Creek has great instructional videos on their website which made the process fairly simple. Before getting started, make sure to clean and inspect your frame and parts to verify that everything is ready to go. Use a proper headset press and line up the headset markings so the unit is centered on your frame; otherwise you’ll end up with wonky steering. Also pay attention to the direction of your AngleSet install: with the thick wall pointing forward you’ll decrease your headtube angle, while pointing the thin wall forward will increase your angle. Either way is acceptable, it just depends on your goal.

Seeing that this is somewhat difficult and requires tools you may not have, take it to a pro to do it for you (this should be an inexpensive procedure at most shops).

Installing a Fork

Fork installation is next. Again, if you’re not comfortable cutting a steering tube, or if you just don’t have the gear, be sure to visit a bike shop. For those of you who do have the gear (steering tube guide, lower race installation tool, hack saw, files and deburring tools), the procedure is pretty straightforward. Start off by installing the lower race with something like the Park CRS#1 setting tool. Once that is in place, the bearing and headset gimbal goes next.

Carefully feed the fork through the head tube (you have have the upper fork crown off for the moment). Then place the upper gimbal, bearing, and compression ring in, followed by the top bearing cover. Some people want a bit higher positioned bar, so follow the manufacturer’s recommendations as to how far you can space your upper and lower crowns (found in the installation guide of all forks). Install the upper crown, and place a mark indicating the top of the crown or where you want to cut – a minimum of 2mm above the top of the upper crown is usually recommended. Once you do choose to cut the steerer, use either a pipe cutter or a tool like the Park SG-6 saw guide and hack saw. Finish the cut by deburring it and then installing the star nut with a setting tool.

Now, reassemble the front end with spacers. Double check the work and check the steering once again. Make sure there is enough tension that the fork has no play, but doesn’t feel tight. Once you have the right tension on the bearings, tighten the upper crown down followed by each of the stanchion bolts. Cane Creek has specific instructions found on their website showing how to correctly install the AngleSet races and gimbals, so if you’re planing on using an Angleset headset, I highly advise that you watch that video before getting started.

Next up: Installing the drivetrain.

It happens to the best of us… if you ride enough, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll get saddle sores sooner or later. They’re uncomfortable, even painful, and they threaten to make every biking experience a nightmare, and in some cases they can keep you off your bike completely!

Simply put, they are the biker’s bane.

For those who don’t know, saddle sores come in 3 stages:

1. Skin abrasion.
2. “Folliculitis, which looks like small, reddish acne.”
3. Abscesses.

(Source)

I personally tend to catch them when they reach stage two, and I hope to high heaven that I never have to experience stage three! But the best defense is a good offense, and if you can prevent them and keep these sores to a minimum, then so much the better!

What sort of photos were you expecting?

Saddle Sore Prevention

1. Make sure your bike fit is correct
Team Judson says, “If your seat is too high, your hips rock on each pedal stroke and strum your soft tissue across the nose of the saddle. The result is irritated skin and a greater chance of infection.” Correct bike fit is a prerequisite for so many things related to excellent mountain biking that hopefully this is not an issue. If in doubt, see a professional fitter or your local bike shop.

2. Make sure you have a good saddle
The importance of having a high-quality saddle that fits your butt well cannot be understated! Of course, everyone prefers a different saddle because everyone’s butt is different. The key is to experiment, find a saddle that works well for you, and stick with it!

3. Ride a dualie
I personally had never had saddle sores… until this year. And this year is the first that I’ve spent most of my time riding hardtails. Coincidence? I think not. All of the jarring from the roots, rocks, and other trail obstacles is rough on your entire body, and particularly your taint. Riding a full suspension bike will drastically reduce the amount of rubbing taking place down there.

4. Choose a good chamois
Using a high-quality chamois will definitely improve your chances of avoiding the dreaded biker’s bane. Whatever you choose, make sure there are no seams in your chamois!

5. Keep clean
Try to always ride with a clean chamois. Re-using a dirty one will encourage growth of all sorts of nast-inducing bacteria. At the very least, make sure your chamois is dry. Riding with a pair of shorts that is still wet with yesterday’s sweat guarantees you’ll be rubbed raw!

6. Lube up
One of the best things you can do to reduce friction and avoid stage one (skin abrasion) is to lube up. There are expensive chamois creams available which are designed to provide maximum glide, but if you’re looking for a low-cost alternative, consider Vaseline.

7. Get clean when dirty
Try to get out of your riding shorts and get clean as soon as possible after a ride. Hanging out with your nether regions swimming in your own sweat is, again, an excellent breeding ground for bacteria. Even if you can’t shower immediately, at least make sure to change into dry clothes.

8. Ride less
Just kidding!

Saddle Sore Treatment

If you ride enough, you are bound to be afflicted with the Biker’s Bane at some point. While prevention is the best course of action, when the crotch-acne does strike, it’s crucial to know how to treat it properly.

1. Keep it clean
When you know for sure that you have saddle sores, doing all of the prevention steps mentioned above is infinitely more important! The last thing you want is for them to get any worse. Your main line of defense will be to keep your crotch as clean as a baby’s bottom (ok, cleanER than a baby’s bottom).

2. Medicate
Team Judson recommends that you “treat it with an over-the-counter acne gel containing 10% benzoyl peroxide. Perhaps even more effective is the topical prescription product called Emgel (erythromycin). If a sore is getting out of control, ask your doctor about a course of oral antibiotics.”

I would add that a simple triple antibiotic cream, if administered religiously, will also eliminate saddle sores. I haven’t personally tried any of the medications recommend by Team Judson, but maybe next time. (Please let there not be a next time!)

3. Ride a dualie
Yes, I know I already mentioned this under prevention. But if you’ve been riding a hardtail, switching over to a full suspension bike for a while can give your taint a much-needed break.

4. Stop riding
I was kidding when I mentioned this under “prevention,” but now I am dead serious. Taking a couple days off to heal up is much better than letting this progress to an even worse stage, which could possibly force you to take an even longer break from the bike. If you let the saddle sores get way, way out of control and they get seriously infected, you could even be facing surgery. Of course, that’s a worst-case scenario.

Conclusion

Saddle sores truly are one of the curses of our existence as bikers. I’ll spare you any more details about how uncomfortable they can be. But with the above prevention and treatment techniques, you can now do everything in your power to fight the bane and stay in the saddle as much as possible!

Do you have any tips or tricks to add to the lists above? Feel free to share them in the comments section below!

“What does mountain biking mean to you?”

This question is posed all the time in forums, blogs, videos, and magazines. It can be a tough question to answer because there are so many things that make mountain biking such a rewarding lifestyle. I know that for me, and for many of you, one of the most rewarding aspects of mountain biking is getting to enjoy some of the wilder, more unsullied places on the planet. There is something peaceful and pure in nature that speaks to us, that calms the spirit.

That blissful escape from the urban world is destroyed when you reach a scenic overlook only to find someone’s garbage lying on the ground.

Sometimes I hate people. This trail-side trash heap totally ruins the scenic beauty of this spot. Green Mountain, Blue Ridge, Georgia.

For me, this picture represents the beauty and grandeur of nature that I head out on the trail to find. Trail 401, Crested Butte, Colorado.

We can all help protect the majestic beauty of the mountains, forests, meadows, and deserts that we ride in by choosing to Leave No Trace.

LNT Mountain Biking

There are seven main principles of Leave No Trace outdoor ethics. In addition to just listing the main principles, I’ll add some of my thoughts on how it can be specifically applied to mountain biking:

1. “Plan Ahead and Prepare”

This is a good rule for any trip into the forest. Know where you’re going, what the area will be like, and pack everything you think you’ll need.

2. “Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces”

This is very important for mountain bikers! Ever heard the saying: “Keep singletrack single”? The trail is meant to be followed. If you don’t have the skills to ride a particular section of trail, don’t blaze your own trail around it. If you do it, someone else will follow your tire marks. Riding off the established trail accelerates erosion and degrades the purity of the singletrack experience.

Please, if you can’t handle the difficulty of a specific section of trail, just get off and walk.

3. “Dispose of Waste Properly”

Pack it in, pack it out. One of the things that inspired me to write this post in the first place was finding trash all over my local trail system after a recent race. Does it really take you that long to put your half-eaten gel packet back in your pocket? And if you can pack in an extra tube for when you get a flat tire, why can’t you pack your flat tube back out with you?

I picked up all of this trash in less than a quarter of a mile. Perhaps the water bottle was more “lost” instead of “tossed,” but the tube and sweat rag are unacceptable.

For other sorts of waste in the backcountry, I refer you to these directives from LNT.org:

• “Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.”
• “Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.”
• “To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.”

4. “Leave What You Find”

If you want to take something from a natural environment, please just take a picture. Leave whatever you’re photographing there for everyone else to enjoy too!

5. “Minimize Campfire Impacts”

This really only applies to mountain bikers who are bikepacking, but please try to use preexisting fire rings.

6. “Respect Wildlife”

These ideas really apply to everyone at all times, including mountain bikers.

7. “Be Considerate of Other Visitors”

This is especially important for the mountain biking community. Learning to yield the trail properly to other users goes a long way towards amiable interactions with other user groups and trail access in the future. In case you aren’t aware, the technical rules of yielding are as follows:

• Hikers yield to horses.
• Mountain bikers yield to horses.
• Mountain bikers yield to hikers.
• The downhill rider yields to the uphill rider.

As we’ve discussed in a recent forum thread, this last one doesn’t always make the most sense. But when in doubt, stick to these guidelines, and it can help alleviate stress for everyone.

It Only Takes One

It only takes one person to ruin the purity of nature for everyone else by leaving trash on the ground, carving their initials in a tree, or spreading dirty toilet paper across the forest floor.

On the other hand, sometimes it only takes one person to pick that piece of trash up to restore the woods to its former natural glory.

Don’t be the first person… be the second.

What are your thoughts on Leave No Trace MTB ethics?

Not everyone can afford the latest and greatest all the time. But if you find that you’re in need of a rebuild on your older 2005-2008 or 2009-2011 Fox 40 and want the best Fox has to offer, have I got news for you!  Fox was cool enough to contact me to see if I wanted to pimp someone’s 40 for them. One of my good riding buddies happened to have popped the diaphragm on his 2010 fork after one too many flat landings, making him the perfect candidate for an upgrade.

After considerable riding time, all Fox 40 forks start to lose plushness and exhibit increased stiction which affects sensitivity and increases harshness. This can be due to contamination of the fluids and minor loss of lube over time, not to mention the wear associated with thousands of cycles of compression and rebound. Needless to say, my buddy Chris was super stoked for the pimped out parts!

With an upgraded inverted cartridge, Chris is getting a host of improvements, the most obvious of which is the repositioning of the compression knobs (now on top). Internally the cartridge is more reliable which reduces the chance of bladder cap bending and bladder blow outs.

Performance-wise the new cartridge puts the weight of the oil and cartridge body on the top of the fork which reduces sprung weight. Because of the new placement of these parts, the bump force does not need to overcome that weight to start absorbing the actual bump. This improves fork sensitivity.

For this task the following FOX parts must be ordered:

2005-2008 40′s: 820-08-126-kit  Service Set: Inverted 40 RC2 05-08 Retro Cartridge Assy Complete
2009-2012 40′s: 820-08-092-kit Service Set: 2011 40 RC2 Cartridge Assy Complete ($450)
SKF 40 seals part# 803-00-616 Info to pass on below. ($35.00)
2005-2008 40′s: 208-03-056 Kashima Stanchion tubes x2 ($300 for a set of two)
2009-2012 4o’s:  208-03-056 Kashima Stanchion tubes x2 ($300 for a set of two)
Fox Float fluid

And here’s the tool list you’ll need for the job:

32mm 6pt socket
1.5,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,10mm Hex key set.
10mm deep socket
15mm open socket
7,12,15,16mm wrench
10-18mm cone wrenches (thin)
13,14mm crowfoot
Pick
Plastic hammer
Screwdriver
Torque wrench
Extensions
Graduated liquid container
20cc syringe
Cleaning solution
Micro towel

I would also highly recommend a flashlight and a repair stand to do the work on.

Start off the job by clearing out a work area and have all your supplies with you. Safety glasses would be a good idea, especially when dealing with fluids and cleaners.

First, remove the front wheel and brake. Carefully remove the 4 pinch bolts on the axle using a 5mm hex key. The caliper follows next with the same 5mm hex key; remove the cable guide using a 2.5mm hex key and re-mount the guide (it’s small and can easily be misplaced).

At this point there should be nothing attached to the lower assembly so it is safe to remove the stanchions from the upper and lower crowns. Loosen the six bolts that hold the upper and lower crown assembly to the stanchions using a 5mm hex key. Once they are all loose, slide the stanchions from the upper and lower crown. If you find them to be a bit snug, use a brake tool (those little plastic spacers that people usually discard) and tap them in the pinch space (trust me it works great). The stanchions should slide out very easily. Just remember to catch the two bumpers and more importantly, remember to put them back.

Now that the fork is removed, it needs a good cleaning before you go any further. You don’t want any contamination to enter the fork when working so a good cleaning product like Bike Super Wash from Finishline should do the trick. Use an old tooth brush and get into the hard-to-reach spots around the lower assembly to get all the grime that may have collected. After drying everything with a lint-free cloth, release any spring tension on the coil side by backing out the the pre-load.

Place the spring stanchion in your bike stand and make sure you’re not scratching anything (wrap the stanchion once with a cloth). Since you’re replacing both stanchions and the damper cartridge you only need the guts out of the spring side. Using the 32mm 6pt socket, remove the top cap (counter clockwise). Note how many spacers were placed directly under the top cap and use a pick to pull out the damper spring.

On the bottom of the fork use a 6pt 1omm socket and loosen the bolt that holds the plunger shaft about 3 threads, then give it a tap or two with a soft face hammer to loosen it up. Get ready to catch the 40ml of oil that will drain out from the fork lowers.

After the fluid drains, set the lowers aside and wipe down the bottom half of the spring side.Using a pick and small screwdriver (or second pick), carefully remove the spring clip that holds the plunger shaft assembly in place. I use the second screwdriver to pry the spring out of the groove while the pick rotates around moving the spring clip. Once it is off, save the plunger assembly and spring clip.

Place the new stanchion in the stand carefully (again wrapped with cloth or the packaging material that it came in) groove side up first. Install the plunger assembly and spring clip. The clip should go in easily – just carefully work it in with a circular motion using the pick as a guide. Turn the stanchion thread side up and install the spring and spacers (remembering the order in which they were removed). Then install the top adjuster assembly. Us a bit of Fox Float fluid on the O-ring to prevent it from binding. Torque down the top cap to 24 Nm and set aside for final assembly.

With the remainder of the fork (old damper cartridge and lowers), you now can place the damper side of the stanchion in the repair stand.

Remove the protective cover from the compression tuning knobs and remove them using a 2.5mm hex key. After that, use a 15mm deep socket to loosen the bottom nut.

With the nut loosened about 3 threads, reinstall the cover and tap that with a soft face hammer until the damper shaft comes loose (get ready to catch the fluid). There will be about 40ml of fluid in that space that will need to be caught before you can separate everything. Remove the nut fully and you’re done with the damper unit.

Clean up the fork lowers using a bike cleaning spray and remove any residue. Once clean you can now proceed by removing the seals and foam O-rings. I use a pry bar (basically a wide screwdriver) covered in cloth to protect the finish of the fork.

After a bit more cleaning I soak the O-rings in Float fluid and carefully place them in the fork, followed by the new low-friction seal. To install the seal I use a bottom bracket tool that happens to fit snugly around the seal without damaging the seal itself. The most important thing is to avoid bending or physically touching the seal lip and spring. You could even use a PVC tube of close diameter here. Whichever method you use, be sure the seals go in as straight as possible.

With the new damper cartridge, remove the top screw that holds the two compression adjusters, and set it aside temporarily (do not tip it over or that small detent ball in the photo above will drop out). Remove the lower cap and the red rebound knob using a 2.5mm hex key. Then apply a light coating of Fox Float fluid to the damper cartridge O-ring. Thread the cartridge into the new Kashima-coated stanchion all the way down (don’t worry about torque yet). Place the assembled unit in a bike stand (protecting the coating with a rag or packaging material), and use the 32mm 6pt socket to torque the cap to 24 Nm. Install the adjusters and single tapered bolt. The adjusters are indexed so be careful to match things up – the single tapered bolt uses 1.5 Nm max, so use caution.

At this point you should have two complete stanchions and a lower crown assembly with new seals. Install the damper cartridge on the right side (the arch of the fork is forward) and the spring side stanchion on the left. With both ends it is critical to carefully install each stanchion with a twisting motion, so that you do not fold the lip of the seal. A bit of Fox Float fluid on the seal itself and the stanchion will work great at eliminating any chance of the seal grabbing.

Once each one is in I temporarily place the bottom nuts in place until I can fix the whole unit on the bike. With a friend and those plastic brake shims installed, carefully reinstall the stanchions back into the fork crowns. Now remember to slide the frame bumpers on before sliding the stanchion into the upper fork crown. At this point you can also feed your cabling as well. Once you have the stanchions in place, remove the shims and line up the stanchions.

This is a good time to use a quality measuring tool to get both sides in place at the right heights. By adjusting the height you can also slightly adjust the steering angle. With a near-flush stanchion to the top crown you have a slightly shallower head angle for more stability at higher speeds. With 10mm of stanchions over the deck of the upper crown you have a steeper head angle which is better for tighter situations. Torque the bolts to 7.28 Nm and while you’re there, set the bumpers and double check the torque on the adjuster caps.

Turn the bike and fork upside down and fill each leg with 50ml of 10wt Fox green suspension fluid or equivalent. Then place the new washers supplied with the seals and torque the bottom nuts to 5.6Nm. Lastly, install the red rebound knob using a 2.5mm hex key.

With the bike upright, install your wheel and front brake. Remember to torque all the bolts and do a once-around check to make sure you didn’t miss anything.

Was all this work worth it? From the very first time we compressed the chamber we noticed a massive change in the fork. Talk about buttery. I personally hate using food as an analogy for bike performance but.. buttery smooth it is. My good buddy Chris ended up taking his bike literally from my shop at home to a Pennsylvania bike park within 24 hours.

Here’s what Chris has to say about the upgrades:

The test venue for the fork upgrade was Seven Springs Bike Park located just outside of Sommerset, Pennsylvannia.  (The park) has a diverse selection of trails from the ever so fun “Aline” type trail aka “007″ to faster rocky tech trails such as “EC” designed by top rider Eric Carter, to some pretty gnar trails such as “Frankenstein” which was littered with huge rock gardens and decent sized rock drops.

Before the first ride, the high and low speed compression knobs were set in the middle positions at 11 of 22 and 13 of 26 clicks respectively. I normally run with only two to three clicks of preload which is just enough to make sure the spring is not loose. Rebound to me is the hardest setting to get “dialed” as it should be fast for bashing through rocks without pack-up but slow enough to cushion big hits without bucking you off of your bike like a wild horse after landing something big.  The best starting point for rebound is in the center position (10 out of 20 clicks).

The first trail I rode was a perfect test for the fork which was a flowy trail called 007 with tons of jumps and big berms and even a few rock sections.   This trail was great for getting a feel for all aspects of the fork set-up.

During the first run of the day I totally forgot about the new fork by the end of the trail.  It felt so good that I got lost in the moment and joy of riding.  Once the utter awe of amazement wore off I took a few more runs down 007 paying more attention to the fork settings and honestly the fork was set up pretty bang on for the most part and there (were) only a few things to slightly adjust.

The high speed compression was set a bit soft with the bike slightly diving into the front travel a bit too much on rougher landings and drops. After a few more test runs I was confident (in) my observations and I cranked the high speed dampening up maybe 4-5 clicks which now was set at (14 out of 22). After getting the high speed compression set, adjusted, and tested out for a few runs I felt as if I could use an ever so slight increase in response from the rebound. 3 clicks faster seemed to do the trick (so now 13 out of 20 clicks towards fast rebound).  The low speed compression was pretty bang on in the center position. I tried adding a few clicks of dampening from the center, as well as taking a few clicks off but I really liked the feel of the fork with it set exactly in the center position (13 out of 26 clicks)

One thing I really liked about the 2012 fork parts compared with the 2010 (is) the revised damper cartridge. I find that I like to adjust my high and low speed compression far more often than my rebound. Riding at different places often times requires slightly different compression settings  depending upon the terrain.  On this version of the fork the high and low speed knobs are located right at the top of the stanchion which makes adjustment an ease.  The knobs are buttery smooth to turn and the clicks are very pronounced.

Thanks to the folks at FOX for sending up the parts for the modifications.

People frequently come to the Singletracks forums looking for guidance on mountain bike fork upgrades.

Will it fit my bike? Tapered headset? How much travel? Disc or V-brake compatible? QR, 15mm, 20mm thru-axle? How much should I spend? What brand? What on earth is a Terralogic?

These are all variables that can come up when selecting a replacement fork and this guide will attempt to make sense of it all.

Starting with what will fit on your bike is a great way to quickly narrow down the field. Here are several key measurements to consider.

Headset: there are basically three headsets commonly found on mountain bikes. Older bike models have what’s call a threaded headset with a ‘quill‘ type stem. A bike this old is not a good candidate for a fork upgrade, and a new bike would be a better investment. Among modern threadless headsets, there is the more common 1 1/8″ model, and the newer 1 1/2″ to 1 1/8″ tapered version. If you have a standard 1 1/8″ you cannot use a fork with a tapered steerer. If you have a tapered headset, you can use a fork with a standard steerer, via an adapter, but you will lose the extra stiffness for which the tapered setup was created.

Steerer length: Different bikes have different head tube lengths. If you get a fork that has had the steerer tube cut too short for your head tube, you are screwed. You can measure the outside length of your head tube as a shopping guide, or remove your current fork for a precise measurement. It’s ok to get one with a longer or even uncut steerer, as it is pretty easy to get it cut down to the right length.

Travel: Many people consider a fork upgrade because they want to increase their front travel. This is a very good idea, within reason. Bikes are designed with an overall geometry that takes the fork length and travel into account. Going too tall, say from 80mm to 140mm, will result in a bike that wanders while climbing, corners poorly, and just feels wrong overall. A good rule of thumb is to stick within 20-25 millimeters of what your bike came with. For example, I upgraded my Specialized Rockhopper from a stock 80mm fork to a 100mm replacement. I also upgraded my Giant Trance from 100mm to 120mm. In both cases the bikes continued to handle as designed, and I got the extra travel I wanted for my riding style. Whatever you do, just make sure it doesn’t end up looking like this:

Now that you’re looking at a bunch of forks that will fit your steed, it’s time to think about options.

Coil or Air: Once you get out of the entry level stuff, most modern forks are either coil sprung or have air chambers that act as a spring. Coils springs compress with a linear response, which makes them ideal for extremely long travel downhill forks. On the downside, coil forks are typically heavier, and they are more difficult to tune for individual rider weight. Air springs are generally lighter, and they are easily adjusted for different rider weights by changing the air pressure. But unlike a coil spring, air does not exhibit linear compression. When air is compressed, the spring rate increases and the fork essentially feels stiffer. A LOT of research and design has gone into mitigating this effect and modern air forks deal with it pretty well.

Rebound, Lockout, Compression, and Travel Adjustment: Rebound is an adjustment of how quickly the fork returns after it has been compressed. Rebound that is too fast can make the fork feel bouncy and harsh. If it is too slow, repeated bumps will make the fork “pack down” and eventually bottom out altogether. Adjustable rebound is a must-have feature.

A lockout adjustment allows the suspension fork to be set to a nearly rigid setting. This can be handy for long fireroad or paved sections. The adjuster for this is typically on the top of the fork leg or attached to a remote on the handlebars. This is also a pretty basic feature and if you’re upgrading, you should look for it (I have a remote lockout and I love it).

Forks that have a compression adjustment allow you to set a different spring rate for slow speed vs. high speed bumps. It can be a pain to get dialed in, but it makes for the ultimate in smooth riding when set up properly.

On some high end models the travel amount can be quickly changed with an external adjuster. This can help create the ultimate do-it-all bike by allowing you to drop the travel for XC and climbing, bring it up a bit for all day riding, or max it out for sustained downhill. This feature is awesome, but it comes with a high price tag.

Brakes: If you have, or intend to get, disc brakes, your new fork must have tabs for mounting the caliper. If you have and want to keep your V-brakes, you will need the posts for attaching those. For a while now forks have been shipping with both, but lately many models have dropped the V-brake posts altogether and are disc only.

Wheel Compatibility: This is fairly straightforward, but does bear keeping in mind while fork shopping. If you plan to keep your front wheel, make sure to get a fork with the matching axle configuration. If you’re upgrading the wheels and fork together, just pay attention to the specs of each.

Cost: A lot of research has gone into modern suspension forks, and it is reflected in the prices. It’s not hard to drop around $1,000 on a decent fork with the options mentioned above. If that is out of your price range, take a look at what you really need for options and then focus on the middle of the product lines from the major brands. A decent fork with air springs, rebound and lockout can be had in the $250 – $500 price range. These will be a bit heavier, and won’t have the coolest features like low-speed compression adjustment, remote lockout or adjustable travel, but they will work well and hopefully make a nice upgrade over the original you’re replacing. Another trick is to look on eBay or even at your LBS for a “new take-off” model. This is essentially a brand new fork that for whatever reason was swapped off of a new bike when the buyer took delivery. For example, my Fox F32 120 RL Remote retailed for about $900, but I got it as a new take-off for $300 from a bike shop!

Major Brands: Suspension fork manufacturers have  come and gone over the years. The major brands these days are Fox, Rockshox, Marzocchi, Manitou and Magura. Fox and Rockshox own most of the market due to the innovation of their designs and their build quality. Marzocchi builds excellent long travel models for downhill and freeride, but lately their low end models tend to be, well, low end. They also have a somewhat confusing model line-up where the same model name can have wildly different features and pricing. Manitou revamped their product line several years ago in order to simplify the available choices and incorporate updated designs and materials. They still don’t have the market share of Fox or Rockshox, but they’re a respectable brand that’s worth checking out. Magura manufactures XC, racing, and all mountain forks and is somewhat of a niche brand. They are well regarded among those who own them, and you can occasionally score a really good deal on a used one due to lack of brand recognition.

Terralogic: This is a suspension design originally developed jointly by Fox and Specialized that uses a special valve to detect what the trail surface is like and automatically lock out or open up as needed. Dgaddis recently tested one and you can read more about it here.

Hopefully this has given you some solid guidelines to help you decide what you need in an upgraded fork so you can zero in on the one that has the features you want at a price that fits your budget. Happy shopping!

Hi folks – in this article I am going to tell you how to install, set up, and adjust both 3×10 and 2×10 front derailleurs (though most of this will work for 9spd drivetrains as well). I will also cover the different types of front derailleurs including top clamp, bottom clamp, high direct mount, low direct mount and E-type.

The first step is to identify what type of front derailleur you have. You’re going to have to look at how the cable pulls, size the clamp diameter (or ID the type of direct mount), determine the cage length (short or long), and of course count the number of shifts (2 or 3). The photos below show the different types of front derailleurs.

Top clamp (left) & bottom clamp (right)

High direct mount (left) & low direct mount (right)

E-type

Establish the right front derailleur you need, make sure you have the correct fitting (is it E,E2,S1,S3), and if you’re upgrading to 3×10 or 2×10, make sure you have compatible gear (crank, front shifter).

The next step is to gather all the tools necessary along with the instructions from your manufacturer.

4mm, 5mm, 6mm Hex Keys
8mm, 10mm Hex Keys
Friction grease
Side cutter
Pliers
Cable housing cutter
Ruler / Vernier caliper
Bottom bracket tools (GXP, Octa link, 14mm,15mm extractors)
Torque wrench

Now it’s time to install the front derailleur. With a low direct mount model you’ll need to remove the crank to access the mounting points. E-type front derailleurs require you to remove the drive side crank bearing and replace one of the spacers with the mount plate. Bolt the E-type derailleur down with the single alignment bolt first, then torque the bearing cup back in place.

In setting the derailleur you have to keep three things in mind:

1. The spacing between the top of the large chain ring teeth and the lower edge of the derailleur cage should be 1-3mm (regardless of design).
2. Use friction grease to reduce the necessary torque on the clamp.
3. Tighten the clamp and make sure the cage is parallel with the chain ring.

Setting the gap with a 2×10 derailleur is pretty easy. Just align the set height and torque, keeping in mind that everything should stay parallel. The 3×10 set ups require you to either use a “pro alignment block” that comes with new Shimano front derailleurs or you can carefully move the cage to the middle ring position and check the gap, adjusting up or down as necessary. Torque the clamp down based on your manufacturer’s recommendation (usually 5 – 7Nm).

Now you can set the low (L) and high (H) settings. With the chain already installed you want to have a 0.5mm gap between the inner chain guide plate and the chain. If you don’t have a chain on, from the side of the small chainring to the inner chain guide plate you want a gap of 1.5mm (I usually prefer to do this with the chain installed). Turning the (L) screw counter-clockwise increases the gap while turning the screw clockwise decreases the gap. With the high gear we want the same spacing of 0.5mm between the chain and the inside of the outer plate. Use the (H) screw this time – a clockwise turn will decrease the gap.

With the derailleur physically set up, now you can continue with the rest of the installation.

Starting from the top, make sure the shifter is placed into low gear. For SRAM models, open up your shifter pod by loosening the single screw on the pod. For Shimano shifters there is a plastic cover which you remove (near the thumb shifter). In either case, simply install a new cable and give it a slight tug to make sure it is snug (saves time when tuning).

Above is a typical Shimano shifter. Below is the new X9 / X7.

Below is the XO with its cover removed. As you can see it’s pretty simple. One cover bolt.

Check out your cable housings and remove the housing caps to get a better look. If the ends look frayed it may be time to replace the cable housing as well. If you do decide to change the housing, use the existing pieces to match the lengths. Cutting shifter cable housing requires a proper cutter (not a side cutter as it squishes the housing and increases drag on the cable); try the Park CN-10 cutter. Using a proper cutter also ensures a nice clean, straight cut essential for proper shifting. Once the housing is all cut and installed with cable ends, feed the shifting cable through and down to your derailleur. Do not attach the cable at this point.

Once all the cables are routed and cable ends are on and double-checked for snugness, feed the cable to the front derailleur. Before attaching the cable to the derailleur, turn the cable tension adjuster all the way in (clockwise) and back it out 2 full turns (this is a perfect starting point). It is important to follow the routing correctly. If you purchased the derailleur new your instruction sheets should have clear diagrams showing the correct route. It is very, very, very important to get this right – I’ve seen too many installations where someone got the cable installed incorrectly and the index shifting just doesn’t work. What happens is that the incorrect amount of cable will be pulled. Below is an example of correct installations (Courtesy of SRAM):

Once you’ve figured out the correct route, tighten the cable with the pinch bolt. About 5-7Nm should ensure the cable doesn’t slip. The trick here is that there should be some slack in the cable.

Finally you’re ready to check out shifting performance. With 2X10 it is pretty easy to set up. If you have a stand to allow you to turn the cranks that’s great; if not, find a friend willing to hold the bike up for you for a few minutes. Crank the bike and shift up to the big ring. The shift should bring the chain up to the large ring almost instantly without grinding on the way up. If it takes too many crank strokes or just skips then you have to turn the adjuster knob on the shifter out (counter-clockwise) half a turn at a time until it shifts. Once it shifts up nicely, just make sure that when you’re in the smallest gears on the cassette the chain doesn’t rub on the inside of the outer cage.

With a 3×10 system we only care about centering the middle ring. The first and third rings are taken care of with the stops on the derailleur but the middle ring is aligned with cable tension and the index in the shifter. Again, shift from the small ring to the middle ring and see how it shifts – did it get to the middle ring in about one crank turn or did it skip? If it skipped and didn’t shift, add a bit more tension half a turn at a time (counter-clockwise). Now if it shifts too much, back it off a quarter turn (turn clockwise). You’re trying to get the cage positioned so that the middle gears shift perfectly without rubbing on the cage. On all bikes there will be a bit of rub on the extreme ends of your gear range. Below is a chart borrowed from Shimano that works great as a diagnostic chart.

After about a week or two of riding, especially with new cables, go back and recheck the spacing and torque on all the bolts. I hope this helps and if you have any questions, feel free to post a comment or a thread in our forums. Cheers folks!

Hopefully my recent post, One Is Enough, convinced some of you to give singlespeed mountain biking a try.  The nice thing about singlespeeding is you may be able to do it for cheap by converting a bike you already own for less than $30!   You could spend a lot more, but the basic conversion will get you rolling with only one gear and is perfect if you just want to try singlespeeding out.  Converting an old bike to SS is also a great way to breathe new life into it and finally get it out of the garage and onto the trails again.

After riding my SS to help with the One Is Enough article, BrianW decided to convert his old 1991 Trek 830 to a SS.  We did just the basic conversion on his bike, and that’s what this article will focus on.  Future upgrades are included at the end however if you want to do a proper full-on, bomb-proof conversion.

Yep, you can even convert a full suspension bike to SS – you just need a special tensioner.  I used the Yess ETR-V to convert my Anthem for my first taste of SS riding.  I liked it so much I eventually built up a dedicated 29er SS hardtail and retired the Anthem.

Parts You’ll Need

Spacer kit – get one that includes lots of different spacer sizes to fine tune the rear cog position to achieve a really straight chain line.  Some cheaper kits include only two spacers – I don’t recommend these.

Rear cog – if your hub has a steel freehub body (common on most lower end bikes), a cheap stamped cog will work, but if your hub has an aluminum freehub body you should get a dedicated SS cog with a wider base to prevent gouging the freehub body.

Tensioner – this will keep the chain nice and tight and keep it from falling off.  There is a slight chance you wont need it, but very very slight.  Go ahead and pick one up – you can always take it back if it turns out you don’t need it.

Chain – most SS rear cogs will not fit 9spd chains so you’ll need either a SS chain or an 8spd chain.  If you’re converting an older bike it may already have an 8spd chain on it so feel free to reuse that chain on your SS set up as long as it isn’t too worn.

Several companies offer SS conversion kits that include the spacers, cog, and tensioner which is easier and cheaper than buying the parts separately.

BrainW purchased an Origin8 SS conversion kit that included multiple spacers, two cogs, and a tensioner.

Quick note on gearing:  The gear ratio/combo you use is dependent on your fitness level and where you live. Someone in Denver, CO probably needs an easier gear than someone in Savannah, GA.  Ask around your area for recommendations.

Tools You’ll Need

Performing the conversion takes limited mechanical knowledge and only a few bicycle-specific tools.  These are tools every cyclist should own anyway as they’re required for basic maintenance/parts swapping.  This project is a good excuse to get the tools if you don’t already own them!

• Chain whip and lockring tool – used to remove the cassette from the rear wheel.
• Chain tool – you’ll need to shorten the chain to the correct size.
• Big adjustable wrench – used to turn the lockring tool.
• Various allen wrenches – used to remove the rear derailleur and shifters, install the tensioner, etc.

Step 1 – No More Shifty Bits

This is pretty basic so I’m not going to go into too much detail.  Just remove all of the parts you’ll no longer need:

• chain
• front derailleur
• rear derailleur
• front shifter
• rear shifter
• all shift cables and housing

Won’t need any of this crap any more.

Step 2 – Rear Cog Install and Alignment

Remove the rear wheel from the frame and the cassette from the hub.  Use the chain whip to hold the cassette in place and the lockring tool and adjustable wrench to remove the lock ring.  Once the cassette is off, it’s time to put the rear cog on and get your chain line straight.  You’ll want to use the spacer kit to get the rear cog aligned with the middle ring on the cranks – it’ll take a few tries to get it right.

Put the cog and spacers on the wheel where you think it might be close but don’t tighten the lockring down too tight.  Put the wheel into the frame and lay the chain across the cog and chainring.  Is it straight?  Probably not.  Remove the rear wheel, and move the cog/spacers around to get closer.  Repeat as necessary and once you’re happy with it, tighten the lockring down.  You probably can’t get it 100% perfect, but get as close as possible.  A straight chain will run smoother, wear much slower, and is less likely to come off the chainring.

Nice straight chain line.

Tip:  It’s hard to tell if the chain is straight just by eyeballing it.  None of the frame tubes will be parallel to the chain so it makes it hard to visualize.  Here’s what I do:  place a straight edge (I use a level) on the chainrings extending back towards the rear wheel.  If the chain is straight, it will stay the same distance from the straight edge all the way back.

A straight edge makes it easy to tell if your chain line is good or not.

Step 3 – Chain Length and Tensioner Install

We’re almost done!  Now it’s time to shorten the chain to the correct length.  Without the tensioner on the bike, wrap the chain around the middle chainring and rear cog.  Figure out where you need to remove the excess chain – you want the chain as short as possible – then put the remaining chain back together.  Chances are the chain will be a little too long and you’ll have some slack but that’s what the tensioner is for.  If you get lucky, the gear combo and chainstay length will work out perfectly and you wont need the tensioner.  But, this is rare.

The chain didn’t quite line up perfectly on BrianW’s bike so we had to use a tensioner.  When you shorten the chain be sure take it apart at the correct place, so you have a pair of outer links on one end and inner links on the other – can’t connect two sets of outer links!

Installing the tensioner is easiest if you remove the pulley wheel so you don’t have to fight the chain.  The tensioner should have a spring peg near the derailleur hanger mount – that peg should sit in the ‘hook’ of the derailleur hanger.  The pulley wheel is usually adjustable so you can set it up to match your chainline.

Looking through the wheel, you can see the spring peg sitting in the derailleur hanger hook.

Some tensioners are designed to push the chain down, some are designed to push the chain up, and some can work either way.  A tensioner that pushes up on the chain is desirable because it causes the chain to wrap around the rear cog better, so there’s more teeth engaging the chain and less chance of slip or dropping the chain.  However, a decent tensioner that pushes down on the chain will work okay too.

The Origin8 tensioner pushes down on the chain.  This bike is ready to ride!

Okay, you’re done!  Go ride and enjoy the simplicity of singlespeeding.

Go All Out

There are a few additional upgrades you can do to make your SS set-up better for long term use.

SS chainring – A dedicated SS chainring will not have any shift pins/ramps and will have taller and wider teeth than a ring designed for shifting.  The taller/wider teeth are stronger and engage the chain better for reduced chance of slipping and dropping the chain.

Wider SS cog – conversion kits all come with rear cogs that are stamped out of a flat piece of steel.  They are thin and under high load they can gouge into the cassette body on your hub, especially if it is a lightweight aluminum body.  True SS cogs are machined out of a large piece of metal and have a wider base to spread out the load to prevent messing up your expensive hubs.

SS chainring bolts – these shorter bolts will let you remove the big ring from your crank.  Less weight, more ground clearance, and no exposed teeth to cut into your leg in a crash.  And it looks nice and clean.

BrainW’s old bike is now ready to hit the trails once again!

In this blog post I am going to provide you with a step-by-step guide to creating your own custom guidebook for use out on the mountain bike trail using Singletracks.com.

Why create your own guidebook?

But first, why would you want to “create your own guidebook”?

There are at least 3 different reasons:

1. There isn’t a guidebook for the area you’re traveling to –  believe it or not, sometimes there just isn’t a guidebook for the exact area that you’re planning on visiting. And sometimes if there is, it really isn’t all that great. By doing your own work and creating a custom book via Singletracks, you can ensure that you will have great information when you need it.
2. The information in existing guidebooks is old – Many guidebooks out there today are honestly really outdated. Trails have been modified or closed, or more likely there are new and better trails that have been built since the guidebook was last updated. By using the Singletracks.com database, you are getting some of the most up-to-date information available.
3. Guidebooks cost money – Why shell out cash for a guidebook that might just be mediocre if you can create your own?

A step-by-step guide to creating your own guidebook:

1. Decide where you want to travel.

Sometimes this can be the hardest part. To get started, consult the list of the best mountain bike trails in the world.

Or, use the Google map and browse through different areas of the nation.

This process can be used for anywhere that Singletracks has trails listed. For the rest of this example, I am going to use Crested Butte, Colorado since that is where I am traveling next week now.

2. Hone in on the trails in your specific area.

Next, you want to limit the trails you are looking at to those in a specific region. If you’ve found one amazing trail and you want to explore nearby trails while you are in the area, click on the name of the city.

This will bring up a list of all the trails that have been marked as being in or near that same city.

Alternatively, if you know exactly what city you are wanting to visit, just type the city and state into the search box at the top of any page and it should pop up.

3. Broaden the area, if needed.

Are there not enough trails listed for that specific town? Hit the button that says “Trails Near _____” and the list will be enlarged to show trails in the surrounding area.

A few trails near Crested Butte:

You can further broaden or restrict the area using the drop down distance menu. [Note: these distances are given "as the crow flies" and may not reflect actual driving/riding distances.]

4. Read about the trails.

It’s a good idea even if you are using a published guidebook to research the trails before you visit so that you have an idea of exactly what you’d like to ride. When you do this on Singletracks, you can also decide which trails you’d like to include in your custom guidebook, and which you wouldn’t. Of course. you could just go ahead and include every trail in the region if you’d like!

 5. Print the trail.

To do so, click “More Actions,” then click “Print Trail.”

This will bring up a printable view of the trail.

Then just click “File” and then “Print,” or just press APPLE P or CTRL P to print the page.

6. Print the trail map.

To print the trail map (if available), you have to have a paid account. This is just one more reason to sign up! For only about $20 a year (the price of one decent guidebook), you get access to the thousands of trail maps available on Singletracks.com. It’s crazy cheap!

To do this, click on the “View Trail Map” link.

Then, click and drag the trail map to the tabs bar to open it by itself. (There are other ways to do this.)

Then just click “File” and then “Print,” or just press APPLE P or CTRL P to print the page.

7. Print the elevation profile, if desired.

Go back to the previous main trail map page.

Then, click and drag the elevation profile to the tabs bar to open it by itself. (There are other ways to do this.)

Then just click “File” and then “Print,” or just press APPLE P or CTRL P to print the page.

[Editor's note: each map page also has a "Printer-friendly" function that fits the map, elevation profile, and route notes on a single page.]

8. Repeat steps 5, 6, and 7 for as many trails as you want to include in your custom guidebook.

Use your printer at work or school to make quick work of all of these trails, and to save some money!

9. Staple.

The finished product:

10. Ride!

A good bike work stand makes cleaning, maintaining, and repairing your bike exponentially easier. Commercial models start at about $150 and a really good one can be as much as $275. But what if you could build a decent stand for a fraction of that? I decided to see if it could be done, and I am pleased to report that I now have a functioning work stand that cost me $60 in materials and 2 hours to build.

Here is everything you will need to do the same.

Tools

Electric or cordless drill
Drill bits: 1/4″ 3/16″ 1/8″ and a 7/8″ spade bit
Hand saw or Skil saw
7/16″ wrench and 7/16″ socket with ratchet (or nut driver)
Phillips screwdriver
Tape measure
Pencil
Sharpie pen
Gloves
Safety glasses

Parts

One 3/4″ Pony pipe clamp
One 3/4″ x 18″: pipe (threaded ends)
One 3/4″ x  60″ pipe (threaded ends)
One 3/4″ 90° elbow
One 3/4″ floor mount flange
One 24″ x 24″ x 3/4″ plywood square
Four 1/4″ x 1 1/2″ hex bolts
Four 1/4″ hex nuts
Four 1/4″ lock washers
Eight 1/4″ flat washers
Four #10 by 3/4″ sheet metal or wood screws (flat head)
Two wooden blocks, approximately 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ thick (cut from a 2×4)

Supplies

Two pieces of scrap foam or other padding material
Gorilla tape (1″ wide)
One refreshing beverage per hour of labor

Assembly Instructions

Step 1 – Position the flange near a corner of the plywood square, one inch from each edge. With a pencil, mark the four holes.

Step 2 – With the 1/4″ bit, drill two of the holes for the flange. Temporarily insert two of the bolts and the flange. This will allow you to accurately drill the other two holes.

Step 3 – Assemble the pipes and fittings. Join the short and long pipes with the elbow and attach the flange to the other end of the long pipe. Get them as tight as possible by hand.

Step 4 – Use the 7/8″ spade bit to countersink the underside of the holes you drilled in step 2. The countersink depth will need to be about 1/4″ and you can use the Sharpie to mark the depth right on the bit. When you have drilled all four, check them with a bolt and flat washer. If the bolt head protrudes at all, drill it a little deeper.

Step 5 – Install the four 1/4″ bolts with four of the flat washers up through the countersunk side of the holes. Carefully place the base on the floor so that the bolts don’t fall out and install the pipe assembly onto the top, over the protruding bolts. Install the hex nuts finger-tight and then use the leverage of the cross pipe and the anchor of the bolts to tighten the elbow and flange joints. Remove the hex nuts and reposition the pipe assembly as needed in order to have the cross pipe pointing at the opposite corner of the plywood. When it is tight and straight, install the remaining four flat washers, the four lock washers, and then the four hex nuts on the protruding bolts and over the flange. Use the wrench and socket to tighten them.

Step 6 – Install the Pony clamp according to the instructions on the package. The clutch piece slides on first and then the crank piece screws onto the threaded end of the pipe. There is a spring that can thread onto the pipe, but it isn’t necessary. Tighten it as much as you can, ending with the clamp jaws on the right side of the cross pipe when facing it head on. The cross pipe will probably tighten a little more during this step.

Step 7 – Adjust the clutch half of the clamp as needed so that the full reach of the clamp can be utilized. When it is adjusted properly, place the wooden blocks into the clamp jaws and tighten the clamp just enough to prevent them from falling out. Then use the 3/16″ bit to drill two holes through each half of the clamp and slightly into the block. Once through the metal, use the 1/8″ bit to drill a little deeper as a pilot hole for the #10 screws. Screw in all four of the #10 screws to hold the wooden blocks in place.

Step 8 – Trim the padding to roughly cover the face of each block and secure it with the Gorilla tape.

Step 9 – Clamp your bike in place by the seatpost and consume the remainder of your beverage while admiring your handiwork.

Enhancements

The stand will work okay as it is, but it’s not a bad idea to cut a vertical v-notch or circular impression into the face of each of the wooden blocks. This will help keep the seatpost from tilting while also not needing the clamp as tight. A v-notch can be cut with a miter saw, or a hole saw can be used to make a seatpost-sized vertical hole. Either way, you should still cover it with padding and Gorilla tape as described above.

Cut the bottom from a sturdy plastic jug and use a hose clamp to attach it to the vertical pipe for use as a small parts tray.

Observations

Everything I needed for this project was available at my local Home Depot for $59.85 with tax. I already had the foam, Gorilla tape and some wooden blocks, so figure a few dollars more if you need to purchase those. My materials list, with Home Depot stock numbers, is available here.

My bike weighs 27 lbs and it sits securely on the stand, but if I was planning to use it with a heavier bike, I would go with a 1″ vertical pipe and a 1″ to 3/4″ reducer elbow.

I used galvanized pipes and fittings, but black steel pipe will work just as well and is usually a few bucks cheaper.

I am very pleased with the outcome of my $60 investment and 2 hours of work. The stand is solid, the right height for working, and it’s light enough to move around easily. The one glaring disadvantage when compared to a commercial work stand like those from Park Tools is that you can’t rotate the bike around the axis of the support arm, but in light of the $200 I saved, I can live with that.

So get over to your local builders supply store, put your new stand together, and stop flipping your bike upside down on the ground to work on it!