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A VHS copy of the movie Stuart Little.
I wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that it’s the bottom bracket. While it’s easy to assume the bottom bracket, more often than not it’s either (1) your pedals, or (2) your seat. Seat is easy to rule out, just pedal around out of the saddle and if it still does it. If your riding clipless pedals, clean them good and put some chain lube on them, really get it in there and try it out. I swear most of the time its dirt/grit in the pedals or seat rails. Much easier/cheaper to problem check these than get all into the drive train. Good luck!
P.S. Another thought is that if you’re already going the distance to southern Missouri…why not go a little farther and venture to Northwest Arkansas in Bentonville area?? Better weather, MUCH more trails for any level (the Back 40 would be a great place for a beginner to break in a new bike/or Slaughter Pen trails) trails tend to dry quickly and downtown Bentonville is a great quaint place to hang for a few days with great restaurants, local brews, coffee shops, a world class museum and plenty of mountain bike community culture. It’s the mountain bike capital of the Midwest in my opinion.
I wouldn’t rule out Northwest Missouri in the Kansas City Area just due to snow possibilities, which as you can see in the “Five to Ride” article has a lot of great riding. I grew up in that part of the state and while snow is a possibility, most likely it will be OK. Average temps are probably in the high 30’s or 40’s but could be warmer and even in the 60’s if your lucky. Classic Midwest weather and wild temperature swings abound. I would pay more attention to just how recent any significant snow fall/rain has been and whether the trails will be dry.
Merry Christmas as well and Happy New Year to all…living in the moment is all too important but (like mountain biking) takes a great training of the mind that is no small task these days. I find such solace in hitting the trails but it is often so hard to shake off thoughts of work, deadlines, family struggles, etc…but with focus those thoughts tend to unravel as the trail unfolds before us. I typically tend to ride alone (and never with ear buds) which can leave an awful lot of headspace to deal with. Oddly, I’ve found that when I have a lot on my mind I tend to ride better (?!). Perhaps I find myself focusing even harder on the trail to push away life’s stresses and “Live in the Moment.” Scenery is key as well in righting yourself with nature and your place in this world, be it peaceful trees or ancient mountains. I often think of the quote in Kerouac’s “The Dharma Bums” while on his hike in the mountains…“to me a mountain is a buddha. Think of the patience, hundreds of thousands of years just sittin there bein’ perfectly silent and praying for all living creatures in that silence and just waitin for us to stop all our frettin and foolin.” I’ve been on so many rides during the highs and lows of life and taken in the lessons and metaphors of life that can be gained from mountain biking. Just yesterday I was on a VERY CHILLY ride but determined to hit the trail on account of my bike (my baby) having been out of commission for 2 months following a cracked rear triangle after backing into an unseen metal pole while on my bike rack. Even worse I had JUST arrived in Bentonville, AR for several days of a solo mountain bike trip. Anyway, after much time missed and dollars spent, I ended up reflecting yesterday on a lesson in being thankful for what you have (which can be lost in an instant) a working bike to do what I love, my health and an able body. It was also a huge monetary set back. I had built up my own dream machine as a mid-life gift to myself a couple years ago. Having the latest a greatest and trying to keep up with that is nothing when it can be taken away in a moment. What’s important are the simple things, simply being able to ride, riding whatever bike you got, being healthy, etc…even those mighty ancient mountains are impermanent. So what does that say about ourselves?! So, CHEERS to the coming New Year and to being able to do what you love and if you can do it with others you love…even better!! Happy New Year everyone!!!!
Hands down ride prep! With a wife and young kids, time is a RARE commodity in our house. In my wife’s mind I’m always gone “ALL afternoon” Despite my pleas that my actual ride/workout time is only a reasonable 1.5 hours on average (I agree with Midwestbiker that rides have to be at least 1.5 hours), even though it may take me 30 min to round everything up at times to go, 10-20 minutes to get to the trail, 10-15min to unload and prep before hitting the trail and God forbid if I ride with or run into friends to chat with for awhile (or have a couple post ride beers). Yeah, DEFINITELY ride prep!
Second is any mechanical problems that might arise to ruin the ride and all that prep…hitting that rock, root or drop just wrong and BAM! within a split moment your ride may be over and worse your next ride may be weeks and hundreds of dollars away! (My exact predicament right now)
I would HIGHLY recommend Crested Butte, CO. For one, great town to visit, park the car and ride all you want. The lower loops out past Peanut Lake (rideable right from town) are IMO the BEST beginner/intermediate trails I have ever been on. They are a blast to ride and the views are spectacular! Even though I ride all levels of trail, anytime I’m in CB I still hit these because they are just that great. There is also the infamous Trail 401 which is easily one the most jaw dropping beautiful high alpine trails anyone can do. It’s not technical, a few tight switch backs, but the climb up can be a lung buster. You can drive or shuttle to the trail head which would save some huffing and puffing up Gothic Road. There is also Elevation Park on Mt. Crested Butte which has all levels of trails and lift service (double check if they still run the lift past Labor Day). Otherwise there are still countless classic alpine trails of every level near CB. You can’t go wrong with CB!
Of all time, I’d probably have to say front suspension considering the vast majority of mountain bikes at least have a front suspension. I’ve been to the Mtn. Bike Museum and Hall of Fame when it was in Crested Butte and looking and several of the early designs and ideas was like something out of the days of the Wright Bros. I would also say that IMO the biggest innovation in the last 20 years are 29ers. From my observations as a mid-western mtn. biker before 29ers was that mountain biking was a VERY stale industry in terms of innovations and attracting new riders. Everybody I knew of were all into road riding and buying Trek road bikes to be like Lance Armstrong (my how things changed!). Then came 29ers, I was in love at first sight, and apparently ALOT of others were too. Suddenly, everybody seemed to be buying new 29er bikes, getting back into mtn biking or trying it for the first time. Even friends who knew nothing about mountain bikes were talking about 29ers and interested. Also, suddenly, the trails started getting MUCH busier with everyone trying out their new 29ers and talking/debating a lot about wheel size. Ever since, it seems like mtn. bike innovations have kept coming fast and furious and interest has skyrocketed. I think 29ers opened the door to how a major innovation could invigorate the industry and opened the door to (of course 27.5) and made the jump to fat bikes possible (IMO a close 2nd for best recent innovation). The down side is that I don’t feel like quite the outsider/rebel in cycling for riding dirt, our local trails are jam packed with way more mtn bikers year round. It’s kind of like watching your favorite underground band go mainstream and hit the big time. Still, I’m happy to see it and eagerly await the next latest and greatest innovation!
If your spending that much time in the area, you really need to figure in a few days camping and riding at Crested Butte. Not too far from Salida area.
For a late afternoon/evening ride…rice (brown), big time, and a lien protein usually chicken with some vegetables. For regular morning rides, especially in the warmer months, I blend up a smoothy with berries, bananas, protein powder and dark chocolate…rocket fuel for sure and leaves me feeling light and energized. Long days in the saddle…gluten free pancakes, plenty of butter, blueberries and maybe dark choc chips. The other good go-to…eggs, cheese on corn tortillas. Anything rice or corn based works/feels best. The WORST pre-ride food for me is any form of potatoes. Leaves me feeling full and sluggish for hours…but when fully digested, great energy.
In terms of Bentonville, AR you should definitely check out “The Back 40” in Blowing Springs (just north of Bentonville) for a lot of flow and short punchy climbs, make sure you include “The Ledges” section-it’s many’s favorite. You can also spend a day exploring Slaughter Pen which really put Bentonville on the map. As for the Upper Buffalo, not sure how familiar you are with Arkansas, but be aware it’s probably close to a 2 hour drive from Bentonville and in the middle of nowhere. I would expect windy mountain roads and no cell phone coverage. I had plans to ride it in April but the biblical rains scratched that. Fayetteville has Mt. Kessler and Mt. Sequoyah which are supposed to be great. Further away is another IMBA Epic The Womble which I’ve ridden several times and is a fantastic ride. The HW 27 Fishing Village is perfect to stay at. It’s on a lake, right at the trail head, very cheap cabins and Ron the owner will even shuttle you for a reasonable charge. Again, Upper Buffalo and Womble are far enough away that an overnight or two by the trail would be best. Good luck and have a great time!! NW Arkansas has truly become the Mtn. Bike Mecca of the Midwest!
