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There are so many great bikes out there these days. The Fuel is on my short list for when I go back to full squish (its inevitable).
Interesting. I have been running a Nobby Nic rear and Hans Dampf front for over a year now with no issues. With 14 months on the front the mold casing center strip has not even wore off yet and I ride a lot. There is no shortage of rocks in my area but they are not abrasive.
I guess I will quit holding my breath for a new and improved 1 x 3 then. That is all I really use and I haul 27 other gear combinations around for nothing.:)
Congratulations! I am just a few years behind you but will be working for a while yet. I agree with the blog on Douthat State Park in Virginia. Also just across the valley from Douthat State Park is Longdale – North Mountain – one of my favorites with awesome views back towards the Blue Ridge. Also in West Virginia Props Run was listed. A short ways from that is Kennison Mountain trail, a classic beautiful trail through spruce forests and mountain top bogs.
Have Fun!
Ride higher, rockier trails that don’t get damaged. I also do trail maintenance on days that are just miserable.
Like Brian87 said, the sealant saves you from thorns. Stans is the most common, but there are other brands too. There is some maintenance as the sealant will dry out over time. I carry a tube (or two) also just in case the tire gets unseated from the rim.
We have a trail in town that was re-built to accommodate mountain bikes. Then the National Park Service changed their mind and decided that they would not allow bikes. A 6 mile urban loop trail with woop-de-doos and berms is a lot of temptation. As you might expect, it gets poached regularly. Last I heard it was a $75 fine if you get caught. I would guess a second time violation would be a lot higher fine.
Thought I would comment since I am a fairly recent convert to tubeless. My 26 inch bike is still tubed, but I went tubeless on my 29 inch hardtail. For me better traction and a softer ride were the main benefits from lowering air pressure. Thorn flats are common in my area and tubeless has pretty much eliminated that. Seems they are a little more maintenance but I don’t see me going back to tubes.
I feel your pain living in leafy Virginia. When I went from 26 to 29 that helped. When I had new wheels built for tubeless with extra wide rim that helped by putting more rubber on the ground. Truthfully though, is you live in a land of roots and rocks covered with leaves there is only so much you can do. I ride superhard in September and October, and then back off in November to catch up on all the chores I blew off for 2 months. After about a month the busy trails will be getting burnt in again. Heavy rains or a snow also help beat them down.
What Gar29 said. Start cheap and see if it is right for you. Hehe then open up your wallet like the rest of us do. 😆
2.2 Trail Kings came on my 29er El Mar. I have been very satisfied with them. They roll great and hook up well too. Width wise the 2.2s are huge, not a whole lot of difference in them and the 2.4s. I will probably try the 2.4 on front for my next tire. I got a year of use on the rear tire and a year and a half on the front tire and I ride a lot.
"TheFuzz1290" wroteThanks! I found a gravel/granite trail to ride today that a local SORBA branch stated was good to go today. There were a few iffy spots I just walked around, but 90% of the trail was great!
Thats what we do here in western Virginia, go for drier rockier trails and no damage is done. I would think your window of opportunity in Georgia is small on the lower muckier trails.
Very Nice! When you don’t have trails build them. 😃
Welcome aboard. A mountain bike will let you know your fitness in a hurry. 😆 Many of us that ride are "not as young as we used to be". I started at 46 and now at 57 am riding the best ever, although still I am usually in the sweep position. 😃 Its all about staying in shape and having fun. Plus the distance you can travel adds a huge adventure dividend.
A lot of my ride buddies are current or ex-motorcycle riders. They already had a good skill set and adapted to mountain biking quickly. I would guess your son will too. Have Fun!
I would guess this varies a lot depending on weather and soil type.
In western Virginia I ride 10-11 months out of the year. If it is wet we go to higher rockier trails. I don’t ride in deep snow or ice. I catch up on my chores when it is above 95°F, or below 30°F. Spring thaw in February usually sucks as does the leafy hell we have right now. 😆
Check the local bike shops for end of the year model sales. I picked up my Salsa El Mar last year for almost $500 off.
Not the best area for mountain biking. Some trails near the Horry county community college. For downhill there is the Clemson area (road trip). Palmetto Horse trail is to the south near Georgetown.
Slim pickens for MTB, but a growing greenway system to at least spin your wheels.
Having just spent a week in the Louisville area, I would be hard pressed to call it a mountain bike mecca. I saw a few roadies, but no MTBs the whole week. Granted I may have been on the wrong side of town and missed it being totally unfamiliar with the area.
Thanks for the video Ginny Tory. I hope they can pull this off. A perfect winter get away. And the cool factor alone of riding in an old mine is pretty high. 😀 Wow their light bill alone will be enormous. I would carry my usual 2 lights and maybe a third just in case the lights go out.
Seems like you had some mechanical issues the last time. Oh well, you just have to roll with it and do the best you can. 😆
Hope you had a good time. Not sure if I can make it there this year or not, running out of time. Have you had a chance to ride Splashdam yet, that is a pretty cool new trail that connects the Plantation trails and CVI trails (indirectly)?
Welcome aboard. Have Fun!
