Appropriating Mountain Biking

For those of us who have been mountain biking for over a decade, the paradigm shifts within the sport have been slow in coming but undeniable. Fifteen years ago, cross country athletes the likes of Thomas Frischknet, Juliana Furtado, John Tomac, Susan De Mattei, and Ned Overend were the heroes of the sport. They were brutally fast and got that way through dedication and sacrifice. Downhillers were around, with riders like Gred Herbold and Brian Lopes flying down mountains, but the sport was focused on cross country riders...the athletes. Today, the sport celebrates the guys (almost never women) who air the biggest, pull backflips, throw tailwhips, or ride skinnies twenty feet in the air.

The sport has shifted from Power Bars to Monster Energy Drink, from Crested Butte's 401 trail to Intrawest's Bike Parks, and from Yo Eddy' to Demo 8's. While the shift is undeniable, I have been left wondering what happened to the sport I grew up with. The only thing I can come up with, is the idea that mountain biking...actually riding up and down mountains is to hard for most people. That difficulty kept a substantial percentage of people from getting into the sport. Like having to skin up a mountain for 45 minutes that can be skied down in three, pedaling uphill wasn't enjoyable for the unfit. What were companies to do?

In an effort to grow the sport, and to increase their revenues, the industry began selling the adrenaline. Throw bikes on ski lifts and eliminate uphills. Pile bikes into pick-ups and drive to the tops of hills. Nevermind that the riders didn't have the requisite skills to make it down these trails, give them lots of suspension, push the forks way out, and drop the seat all the way down. Build up some jumps and work on "sessions" where riders take turns hitting those jumps and complementing each other's form. Like snowboarders on a hill, mountain bikers turn towards a "freeride" culture was in effect, a turn away from the athleticism that dominated the sport fifteen years ago. Increasingly complex bikes triple the price, requiring four times as much maintenance, and outdated every year keep both manufacturers and shops happy. Videos and photographs of the extreme sell way better than straining faces on long climbs, fueling one sided media representations of the sport. The shift towards a freeride mentality was, in effect, a win win for those looking to profit from mountain biking.

I ride local trails and the most common sight is a middle aged man pushing a six inch dual suspension bike up hills in body armor. Those who are riding, are crawling uphill in a grannygear talking to the rider next to them about the latest and greatest gear. I work in a local bike shop and see kids getting hard-ons for next year's downhill set-up (this year's now sucks). I hear in the news that the local ski area just got a permit to throw in a bike park next year. The average rider despises uphills and tolerates them only because they have no alternative.

Does this mean that mountain biking's "old-school" cross country orientation is somehow better than today's freeride" mindset?
Will the US market ever see mountain bikes marketed to athletes instead of all-mountain/freeriders?
Where does the sport go from here given it's present direction?

I for one see mountain biking following the ski industry's lead towards "resort" riding that overcomes land use conflicts and lets riders focus on descents. A fringe crowd will pedal up the surrounding countryside, but they will be far and few between...content with their solitude and the sound of their breathing as they pedal along.

The last month

The last month has found us enjoying all that Whatcom County and the surrounding area has to offer. While there has been riding, the high notes include hikes in the high country of the county ans a sea kayaking trip to Tofino, BC. Pictures can't do justice to either of the places but here's a couple.



High Pass Trail in Whatcom County








Sea Kayaking in Tofino





















Old growth trees in Tofino region on Meares Island











Tofino at sunset

Seatpost extraction

I had the opportunity to take a seized seapost out of a frame this week and the only good that can come out of such an operation is a reminder to grease/antisieze your seatposts. This one came out in about 10,000 pieces and took over three hours to extract.

A new fillet brazed 29er with a matching stem and fork

R.I.P. Cayenne

Losing a dog is about as bad as it gets. This one was with us for ten years and it's tough to let her go.

Route 542 is officially open to the top!

Well, I managed to get out on the road bike Wednesday night and found that the snow crews had managed to turn the last corner to the parking lot at Artist's Point. To say that there is still a lot of snow up there is an understatement.




























The last bend in the road has a wall of snow that must be 30 feet tall.














You can see a bike in the last picture for a little perspective. The good news is that the snow is melting off fast and the road is as much a river as it is pavement.



















The good news is that the road is open and the scenery is as good as ever. Be careful above the gate as the road is covered in gravel but get out there and ride it.

More brazing...this time a mountain fork

Making a rigid fork for a 29" mountain bike is always fun. The clear substance on the fork is a substance that lets the bronze attach itself to the steel and the fact that its clear means that my heat control was good. Too much heat and it burns up and turns black.