what's practical, what's truly needed?

Just reviewing some pics, noted this one, inspired this post:

 

  2010 Trek Session8, pretty much stock as hell, but for the RaceFace bar and fresh Nevegals.  1200$ used last year it ran me, and I have zero complaints.

  It not an up-to-date ride, heck no!  lol  26" wheels for god's sake, upper end Elixirs for brakes.  But it is in such good operating condition, which is my point.

  For a humble all-rounder of a mountain biker as myself, with the usual 'bike worth more than the car' lifestyle, this bike rocks!  As I said, it is in perfect operating condition, and suits ALL my needs, which include budgetary, very well.

  I'm blown away at the entry price for an enduro-type bike these days; right snug near to 3000 Canadian dollars.  Rocky Mountain starts at $3000.  Beauty bike but I suppose they've made a statement regards their market...?  Now, Norco has a pretty good selection (if I recall correctly you can get something decent at closer to $2500, check their site www.norco.com, look for their bike finder, very slick feature) but its still a steep chunk of change to let go.

  Maybe even worth it!  Our one rider aka Shoeback has a sweet Norco Range KillerB edition, I am jealous as heck.  Having ridden a Kona Process a while back, those 27.5 wheels sure roll nicely, and with the specified travel and geometry, an enduro bike is a good thing to have.

  Have we mentioned that the only differences between all-mountain bikes are the wheel size and frame angles?  As much as I would very much like to have a newer enduro (currently running a Norco LT, in excellent running condition, natch,) I'm not too stoked to incur debt for a bike.  Ya!    No.

  Conflicted?  Maybe a little bit... ha ha

  Run what you have, and maintain it.  I'm notorious for running vehicles for long periods of time based on sensitivity to how well they're running and getting that fixed asap.  Same with the bikes.  

  There comes a time when it's time to let it go, but I truly don't believe the newest item on the market that season is it.  I believe that replacing a bike once it's too small, needs too much work, or has become too dated in design (no one is seriously running the RockShox Mag21SL Ti, no matter how nice that fork is, for example) makes best fiscal sense, for the most of us.  In my honest opinion.

  

Asked for Advice

  Asked about a new bike by a parent yesterday at the local school league's cyclocross race:

 

....and here's my thinking for them at this moment.  Of course all deals are their own entity, who knows if you ever find the best deal EVAH next week, yeah right.

I'm liking this one;

  27.5 wheels, higher end parts, decent fork and frame, but not dual suspension at $1000 msrp.

Ay, comes the rub.  Upon further browsing Rocky Mountain's site, I fin to step up to a dually with 27.5 wheels starts at $3000msrp.  Wow.

Brodie doesn't even have a bike in this market.

Norco... now I'm stoked.

Dual suspensions using the better wheel choice with a price range more of the riding public can work within!  Tho duallys still start at 2000$, at least they don't start at 2900$.  There would be a compromise within parts spec tho... always with the give and take in this bike-buying game.

It's tough to find the right bike.  The thing about the fellow we're thinking about is a strong and keen who's bike is done (stick a fork in it).  It's way too small and so worn out that a new bike is hugely indicated, and he might yet grow from currently six foot...

So what budget?  As much as you can and shop well, I say.  Seems to me, finding the Norco bike finder, that a dually 27.5 bike is doable without jeopardizing college.

And I feel done with used unless you're willing to put some work in.  It's easy to get in over your head with the used bikes I reckon.

OK, that'll do for now.  Always glad to be a reference person for hardworking parents interested in spending their money well to keep their kids into the offroad biking.

A very solid day. The power of showing up.

Oh this poor guy!  But I bet he's stronger tomorrow morning...

It's so tough to show up and get the ---- hammered out of you; he did very well today, thought he was walking awful early in the day tho'... but he was there, the whole time.  More stops than usual, but thats to be expected.  Good on him to stick it out.  Pretty soon he'll be as fast as the presently fastest...

Lately I've been riding with some old-timers up-island... in another house of my life, I'm the new guy, getting hammered, and getting stronger.  Just sayin'.

My role here for the new fellow is to be quite patient and encouraging.  I successfully rallied the team around the guy, and I think that went well.  

We climbed 792m total today, and took about 3h45m to get to the start of the down part of the day's ride.  A nice challenging descent was had, and I have to hand it to him: he rode the descent well and thoughtfully.  All told we were biking for 4h45m, a very solid day.

Seriously!

  Having my program presented through the Recreation Department of Saanich presents a few challenges.  (Few!, as it seems to me Wheels in Motion is well appreciated, and what Stacey and I need Management is willing to provide...)  One challenge tho is keeping the Programmer above me in-the-loop on the hows and whys of Wheels.

  Checking up on Saanich's RecOnline listing for wheels, it seemed to me that Programmer had only posted one afternoon group, instead of two, and I was six/sevenths of the way to sending off a pissy letter when I discovered that the morning group was listed, only not in Youth, but School Age.

Was I glad to find that out when I did.  People find me rough enough around the edges as it is...

But what follows is the body of that letter, communicating the importance of having similarly skilled groups, together.  Some of by best and tactful typing here...

"Hi Xx!  Thanks for reaching out, there;

  First session went properly; Stacey and I were on site from 12:30 to 4:15 or so.  All paperwork's complete.  I did get a flat tire tho.  Any spares? 

  Thanks for getting those batteries, I have some radios that simply 'work', and all I need is batteries.  I see they're cheap batteries, so I'll be in touch when they're all dead.  I'm keeping an eye out for the old radios I got from Deanna; they don't work properly, and I'd like to get those back to Saanich.

   I see currently there's only one set (afternoons) of Wheels in Motion in the guide (RecOnline Spring 2015) from March 14th to June 27 (644858 and 644860).  Usually (as recently as last Fall) there's two different groups on Saturdays; morning learners, 9 to 11:30am (typically younger, much shorter rides at 2.5 hours) and afternoon riders, 1 to 4pm, who have usually started in the morning group, and are looking to up the pace (so, 3 hr rides, at quite a faster pace, with older riders.  We cover much more ground in the afternoon groups).  Giving the option to make up two different groups with their different needs (faster riders can get bored as they wait for the younger riders (who will notice, and try to hurry, which can be frustrating for them).  Also the ability to supervise two different 'energy' groups; the youngers would like the time to refine their technique under specific supervision, the olders would like to cover more ground, and put their skills to the sustained test.  Each of these groups we can keep a great eye upon; having two distinct groups within one group in a sport like this can lead to complications.

  The lack of two options here puts the program in an interesting position, regards the types of learning each age/skill set needs and what appears available to parents looking to register their child with an appropriate biking group. 

  Could you enter a second, morning from 9 to 11:30am, class code to appear online?  I'd really like to be able to direct the parents who are referred to me to an appropriate class to register their child.

  This class just starting is able to happen in short notice with the relationships I've cultivated with the riders' parents, who are completely keen to keep their child riding on Saturdays.  The participants Stacey and I are familiar with, and are able to ride well with each other due to a fortunate congruence of circumstance related to their ability.   Their parents seem satisfied with Stacey and I.  If anything this consistent group would make ideal seed for broader registration come the spring, with appropriate marketing.

  So Yes Please, run two groups."

we are elite, almost!

  It's difficult to make a decision like this, but Team Fish Operations aren't for everyone.  For example;

- the rider needs a knapsack that is able to carry a day's worth of gear, including jacket.
- also they'll need to show up with lunch water and snacks as preferred.
- correct clothing for the activity. 
- they need to always bring their helmet and gloves, and their bike needs to be in proper repair.  Brakes must be of good quality and condition.
- they'll need to cooperate with each other and myself.  'Play well with others', as they say.
- if a downhill day, other specialized.

  All of these have a cost requirement alone that prices it over soccer.  Not as high as hockey though...

  Doesn't end there either;

- Maintenance isn't cheap; new brake pads (parts and installation) can be $50 a wheel, so take care of those brakes.  A tune-up worth paying for is 60-70$, plus even minor parts so to have a bike in proper operating condition is to dedicate time and resource to it.  Plus the bike which is at a decent quality level (hydraulic disc brakes as a minimum standard, to demonstrate) costs likely no less than 1500$ new (and that's not a dual suspension, if you're taking hints.  More like 1500$ for a used bike a committed rider will be happy with, seriously).

- The Time Commitment.  To plan to ride as near to every Sunday in a year, is to dedicate a big chunk of time in a year out to do this one thing.  But what a year. A truly epic pile of riding.  Fitness.  Stories and characters.  Fun.  So, it has to flexible, but not so that blowing off the program comes easy.

- Communications.  This one isn't actually too bad but it really helps when messages are replied to through whatever means available.

  And then, getting the homework done in time that it's not looming Sunday evening.  You really have to want to come out.

Maps.

Ain't nothin' like a good old paper map.

Connection through Shared Experience; Typhoon HV

  Our ride on the 18th was quite the excursion; we fairly stormed the south face of Mt Quimper in the wind and drizzle, lunched in the drafty hut on top, and our descent (FM Radio) was very smooth and uneventful; we've got some good riders here.  AND THEN we pushed up to the top of a super-sweet and tender/fresh DH run... a very good day.  We're calling it Typhoon HV.

We climbed to the top of two mountains in quite varied weather.  Maybe a third of the climb (the way we go) is a long shove straight up a rock face.  It's steep and tough.  And we rode down skillfully with no incident.  To our advantage I believe; I can't see how we wouldn't be stronger at the end of the day.

  Ah the new guy; tough fellow.  It was hard for him, but the lead crew did a good job of waiting once in a while.  Newguy started playing some Android-platform driving game instead of looking out the window at the view he'd just earned.  (right back to the screen.... why on earth...)

  It was a hard climb for him.  He hasn't been riding for a while, so he was pretty knackered even halfway up the first time, but he won't take these rides for granted anytime soon.  He'll show up with bells on, full kit, and I have some spare stuff he'll be glad to have on hand for Sunday rides.

  Most of the Hardcore Team Fish Bikers have done this really irritating but rewarding climb.  It's just a pile of hard work but I tell you, I think I see the glint of recognition when we talk about this particular climb.  I think it might be a rite of passage.

I think that there's many benefits to this crazy idea of a good time (lunch with a view; downhill after lunch; exercise outside of a gym; fun outdoors activity as examples) and I think you grow personally by riding no matter what.

Please be prepared for the woods tho...

Alright, let's get this on...

   Been a pretty good year already, heck, ten or so with the Team Fish vision?  We reconned a sweet (tho broad for the most part) trail from just outside Langford to Sheilds Lake, and back.  (The week before we were in Duncan.)  Six hours from start to finish, including breaks; now that we know the route that time will come down, with no need to stop and refer to maps and such.  Difficult in duration; the intensity could have been higher, but don't get me wrong!, it was just fine, thank you very much.

  So much to say.  SO let's get this on.

  Getting people out for 'Team Fish' difficulty level riding is one of the toughest things about this project.  Consistent attendance is really one of the ways to get the most out of a program like Team Fiah; you make friends, with the connection that comes out of shared experience.  'Cherry pickers' as is said, don't let themselves be put in the situation where they might 'get it'; by only coming out on the easy, dry, perfect condition rides, they miss out on that shared experience... and the rest of the group knows.

  We're a Team, it's in the name.  This is best served by finding people who subscribe to the same brand of crazy, willing to get their homework out of the way so that they can spend their Sundays in the woods, having fun, keeping it safe, no matter what (within reason, but come on, really... don't be a dilettante).

  More about the things that make Team Fish rides hard to come out on in the next post.  It's not for everyone!

Thanks,    Alex