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Where do you ride/what kind of riding do you like to do?
DT Swiss is a good hub…On my aluminum frame bike, I recently upgraded to a wider set of DT Swiss aluminum rims from my stock wheelset and there is some stiffness improvement but it wasn’t a night and day difference….I am running wider tires on the new rims so it wasn’t a true apples to apples comparison…
Then…I got to demo a nice set of Reynolds carbon rims for a few days and rode a lot on them. The additional stiffness in the carbon rims was closer to a night and day comparison from my aluminum set. The rear wheel stiffness was appreciated especially when climbing. The front wheel stiffness actually took a little longer to get used to. I ended up taking a little air out of my fork after the changeover. I felt like my hands were getting more feedback with the carbon front rim.
The carbon rims definitely made my whole aluminum bike feel stiffer…closer to the feel of a full carbon bike. I got me thinking that an aluminum bike with carbon wheels is probably better/stiffer than a carbon bike with aluminum wheels; but that was just my impression at the time. My next wheelset will likely be carbon but I’m in no rush to put my relatively new aluminum wheelset in junk pile just yet either…..
Layer in a way so that you are cold (maybe uncomfortably cold) for the first 10-15 mins of the ride until your body warms up. If you start the ride comfortably warm, you will no doubt overheat. Freezing temps I usually wear a long sleeve baselayer and a fleece vest. The vest helps you stay warm if you sweat and get wet. Wet and cold = more cold. I usually start the ride with the vest mostly unzipped…if I start to get colder (maybe bc of sweat), I’ll zip the vest up to keep my core warm for the remainder of the ride. Tip: pack a pair of light glove liners and a scull liner as well. They weigh almost nothing, take up almost no space, but warming your fingers and head with even a thin extra layer can go a long way to warm your whole body if you do find yourself too cold. Once I started getting my layers right, winter riding became some of my favorite riding in snow or just dry, frozen ground conditions with lots of grip
Go for the fat bike! I really only ride mine in the snow…a few times I rode it on dry trails. I ride it the least of my bikes but I think I love it the most. If you get a full suspension or even front suspension you will find they are remarkably capable on dry trails as well…
Hell no….so much rock your feet will thank you anytime you need to walk off your bike….plus obviously easier to put your foot down if necessary….
I’m not sure you can get a new mountain bike from any respectable company that doesn’t have disc brakes…in case I am wrong you should def go for the disc brakes….otherwise I think putting your money into the best fork you can afford is good advice….
Bike more and get strong enough so you can keep a steady circular pedaling cadence while out of the saddle. Your legs need to be able to pedal while supporting almost your entire body weight because technical climbs usually involve un-weighting the front wheel to get over the obstacle so it doesn’t stop you in your tracks like you are describing. So while pedaling, it’s as if your body needs to be able to absorb the bike in the front and back as you roll over obstacles. The danger here is spinning out in the back and losing your momentum. So while pedaling and un-weighting the front wheel over obstacles as necessary, try to keep a steady pull on the handlebars towards your body which will use your body as a lever to apply downward pressure on your pedals (while pedaling) to keep the rear wheel planted.
Keep in mind, your air pressure in your tires and suspension can also have a big impact on your bikes ability to climb. If you are spinning out a lot in the back try lowering the air pressure in the tire. If your bike has a very soft rear suspension it may help with traction but can require a lot more strength and work to pedal a steep climb. For training, try starting your ride standing up for as long as you can to really work those muscles.
Also, I agree flat pedals will be better to help you develop good technique. Trying to get back up to Daniels Rd. this year….good stuff
I agree…I’d prefer to support the local shop…but with 4 bikes I buy a lot of parts and just can’t justify spending double at the LBS for all my parts (and having to wait longer…although with backup bikes I am usually less concerned about the wait) I just replaced a rear shimano xt brake…the LBS was going to charge over $70 more for the part! For that money I could have gotten the XTR online….it just doesn’t make sense and is why the shops don’t stock as much because they won’t be able to sustain expecting all their loyal customers to overpay for everything. And with all the aftermarket brands a local shop can’t even offer all options or expertise on parts they don’t distribute.
I also spend a LOT on service. I spend more on service than some spend on their bikes between repairs, building wheels, tubeless setups etc etc etc bc I don’t really do any of my own work. The LBS is better off having me as a good service customer than not a customer at all if I was to learn to do more repairs on my own (which I probably could figure out if I had to)…but I feel better having the pros do my work and for me that is the value of the LBS…
In general, I tend to buy the bigger parts online and the small parts (rotors, pads, chains, cables etc) at the LBS…..I also make a point of tipping my mechanics….
