Archive for October, 2009

The bicycle chain is a staple and  a standard for the bicycle. It has been nearly commoditised with its genericy and now, could it become obsolete? Don’t get me wrong there is something to be said about a quality chain but really, it is pretty boring. Isn’t there another choice?

The chain has evolved over the past few decades, it has become, stronger, lighter, narrower and longer lasting but really there has not been a major technological breakthrough since the early 80s.  Comparing something like suspension technology to that of the chain is like comparing a Large Hadron Collider with cavemen using tools… both had their 15 minutes of fame but one is slightly more impressive than the other.

I have recently been given the opportunity to try out a 2010 Norco Judan which is using the Gates Carbon Drive system. The idea of a 29er singlespeed bike using a belt is to say the least – a little bit of a foreign concept. I thru in the towel on hardtails the better part of a decade ago and thought I would never go back. Well, I am, and I am kind of excited about it. The idea of a singlespeed 29er entices me. It will be fast, it will be quiet, and it should be pretty much maintenance free – after all there isn’t really anything to go wrong.

I am a couple of rides into my testing so far and I must say, I am starting to like it. At first I was a little bit detered by the gear ratio. Some of those hills were a little intense for my liking and I was tempted to walk up a couple of steep bits. But, I pushed through and had a blast on the descents. The big wheels can seemingly roll over anything, the frame has the comfort of steel and the belt has been flawless. Only time will tell though if this is the new flavour for 2010. The belt is the first viable option to a traditional chain. There are a few limitations but only time will tell how far it will go.

More Updates Soon… What do you think of the belt? Good Idea? Bad Idea?

Dustan

This past weekend I strayed from the usual routine to try something a little different. Leaving my usual ride, a Fluid 1 in the stable, I swung a leg over a 2010 Judan. If you aren’t familiar with this bike it is a 29er singlespeed which uses a Gates Belt Drive. Now, I am not really one to do much in the land of 29ers or singlespeed but I figured it was worth a shot.

I took the bike out Saturday for an XC loop and got semi-used to the bike. The climbs were tough, but after all it is a singlespeed 29er. The true test though was on Sunday. I took off early Sunday morning to Maple Ridge BC where the Pumpkin Cross race was being held. The Pumpkin Cross is an annual event held just before Halloween where you will see a mix of hard core riders, costume wearing recreationalists and a few confused soles somewhere between the two. I like to consider myself as a confused sole as I was on a mountain bike, and riding singlespeed…

Anyway, I figured I would sandbag and go for Cat C as there was a bit of a disadvantage on the bike I had chosen. But… this was a pretty technical cource. With 5 dismount areas, being on a mountain bike meant that there was really only one. Staying on the bike would be a huge advantage in speed and energy conservation. On the downside though there was one downhill straight stretch where I could make a milkshake on my back with a cadence of 130+. Take the good with the bad and see where it takes you I guess.

Off the start line the pace was brisk, but not crazy. As the line settled into some wet grass switchbacks I found myself in about 10th place out of a field of 30. The mountain bike did have one other advantage that I had forgotten though. I was running a 29″ x 2.1″ tire, cornering was in my favour when on wet grass. I knocked off a few riders that were a little bit unnerved that my bike had passed them… I know I would have been… After the first ‘dismount’ zone I moved up into about 5th place, things were looking good. The second and third obstacles were back to back ups, then downs, I figured that this would be my area to really gain some time. I was the back of the lead group and decided to start the one way trip to the hurt locker. Standing and powering up the outside, I passed three, then as we approached the first up, I yelled ‘rider’ and hopped up. Through the two dismounts I had managed to spread a gap of about 30m. ‘Not bad’ I thought to myself…

The race turned out to be a little friskyer that originally planned which resulted in a 5 lap race instead of the expected 4. I was amazed with the Judan. There were only a few spots where I was undergeared and even less where I was overgeared. The belt worked flawless and the 29″ wheels rolled much faster than a traditional mountain bike. I am pretty sure that the bike was actually an advantage in these circumstances. I lead the pack through the fourth lap when I was finally caught by someone who seemed much fitter than myself. They were also on a traditional Cross Bike. I am going to blame the loss on fitness though, or lack-there-of… The Bike Reigns Supreme!

Looking at the dark, wet rides ahead I am starting to consider simplicity, the singlespeed works, no complicated parts, no mess, no fuss. Maybe I just found my new winter bike??? I am thinking though ahead to the next race… B Cat???

Dustan

P.S. Here are a few photos of the race. (not of the Judan, as I was riding it)

Photography is an area that has turned a leaf over the past decade through the advancement of digital technology. Photography used to be an art, an art that was exclusive to the truly talented photographer. Now there are two types of photographers out there. I like to categorize as ‘photographers’ and ‘people with camera’s’. Now before I dig any deeper into this, I would like to point out that I fit comfortably into the second category. I am a “person with a camera”

First off, I will date myself by admitting that the first camera I ever owned was digital. . . yes, it is sad but it is also true. Around 2001 I received the gift of a Kodak Easyshare camera with a whopping 2.1Megapixel resolution. I could enlarge a photo up to a massive 4″ by 6″ with only minor pixelation. Through a few more sub-par point-and -shoots I finally stepped up in 2006 and bought an SLR. Mind you this was a Canon AE-1 Program which was introduced in 1981, long before I was born . . . This was my first intro into what a camera could do. (using technology that was 25 years old). After many wasted rolls of film and several blurry, underexposed photos that made everyone dizzy, this past December I finally purchased a digital SLR. . . Ever since I have truly embraced being a “Person with a Camera”

Let me step back a bit and give you some more background info… My father has been a professional photographer for the past 35 years or so, therefor he knows a thing or two. He shoots mostly wildlife such as birds, plants, insects, mammals etc. and in my bias opinion he does a spectacular job. I remember back a while  getting some pointers on photography and he said, “in order to get an adequate depth of field you must shoot at a minimum of F-11″ . Well, you try taking a photo of a cyclist at F-11… Especially living in Vancouver where it rains all winter and you are stuck in a dense forest. Realistically you are lucky to be shooting at F5, never mind a minimum of F-11. Cycling is an area that is extremely difficult to take photos in and everyone with a camera is trying their hand at it.

There are some truly talented photographers out there such as Harookz, Ian Hylands, and Dan Barham. Among others, these guys can do things with light that I could never dream of accomplishing. To take a crisp, focused, well exposed image of a cyclist involves working in the worst of lighting, the fastest of speeds and the most remote of terrains, really there is nothing working in your favour…

Again, Photography is an art, to even grasp a fraction of what there is to know takes decades and still you are only scratching the surface. Props to those that are doing it, props to those who are trying but from one ‘person with a camera’ to another, remember there is a lot of room to learn and a lot of room to improve. I know I know very little, I can learn a lot. I want to learn as much as possible.

Mind you these are nothing but the ramblings of a ‘person with a camera’ and who am I to give advice about photography?

Dustan

a photo by "a person with a camera"

Love is a strong word that signifies not only an emotional bond but also deeper connection that goes beyond superficial attraction and companionship. Love is formed around a relationship that is intertwined at one’s roots and aligned with personal morals and ideals. Love is something that shapes character and evolves over time into a broad, all-encompassing connection. If I had to describe one thing that shaped my childhood, and guided me to where I am today I would describe my bike. If it wasn’t for my bike I would not be who I am, I would not be where I am and I would not be heading in my current direction. If it wasn’t for my bike I would not be me.

Growing up, I was fortunate enough to be a part of the Sprockids youth cycling club. This is a program founded in Western Canada that gets kids on bikes. In addition the kids are able to learn environmental responsibility, leadership skills and much more. It was because of this program that I started mountain biking and purchased my first mountain bike, a 1996 Norco Magnum. It was on this bike and through the Sprockids program that my love for two wheels took off. It was riding my bike that let me be as free as I wanted while learning the skills that would become so important later in life.

Through racing, coaching, teaching and working my high school career seemed only a necessary evil which separated me from the immense trail network that is found on the Sunshine Coast, a community just north of Vancouver. This is an area that breathes cycling. Mountain biking is at the foundation of the community and through this bond, some of the greatest mountain biking around can be found in the area. Finishing off grade some of the best riding around in my backyard, I found myself heading off to University cramming as many bikes into my cramped closet of a dorm room as possible and getting out riding whenever possible… Long story short, after four years of riding/school, I graduated University and set out into the big, scary ‘Real World’.

In the real world I was welcomed as a part of the Norco Family in Port Coquitlam BC. Through Norco there is little to do with my daily life that isn’t directly related to bikes and riding. With any luck at all a day at the office surrounded by bikes is followed by a pedal around the local trails. Honestly, I don’t know what I would do without a bike and frankly I hope I never have to find out. I have grown up on a bike, I have been raised by a community of cyclists and it is pretty rare to spend a day without throwing a leg over a bike. I love my bike!

Do you love your bike? Email why to: ilovemybike@norco.com

Dustan

Moab is second to none when it comes to epic all-mountain rides. The trails are made up of everything from massive rock expanses to desert conditions, and if you can get up high enough you may even find some alpine conditions. Moab, to say the least is a mountain biking Mecca. If you are going to head out Moab way, you should make sure to be, fit, well hydrated and fueled up. Moab to say the least is a pretty intense area to bring a bike You take this intensity then add a guide who has ridden here for the past 25 years. This turns the Moab intensity up from ‘hard’ to what the local trail maps consider to be ‘Dude’!

Day one of our adventures involved a Moab classic, the Poison Spider Mesa. This is a trail that wraps around the land formed by millions of years of water and wind erosion. Climbing up the ridge over countless drops, through deep gullies and grunting up steep climbs is rewarded by spectacular views of the surrounding canyon. Well worth the effort. This is the point in the ride where most stories would end, a tough climb, spectacular view then we head back down a fast descent. But. . . in our case this is where the legend of Steak Sauce comes into play.

As we crest the top of the final ascent. We lightly gasp for breath while the plateau becomes a realization. It is a great feeling to reach the top of an epic ride. But. . . between breaths I make out the unflustered voice of Steak Sauce, “Well, this is where most people think the trail ends.” Heck, that is what I was thinking. After all it had been a great ride up and we were all ready for some gravity fun. It turns out that a second trail called Portal winds further out into the desert up to a spectacular pillar that creates a gap in the landscape visible from miles around. This is a great place to stop for lunch and a well deserved break. After all we are about 4hrs into our ride. Post break and snack we continued on a slight climb before wrapping around the ridge and starting to descend. The trail Traverses a ridge is on a semi-exposed rock trail with a few steep chutes and rock drops. Things are getting fun again as the adrenalin starts pumping. This is where the sign shows up. . . It was a little steep. . .

After a quick aside to deal with the so called ‘danger zone’ we were soon enough back on the fast, rocky singletrack winding down towards the truck.

Most people that head to Moab think of Poison spider as a pretty epic 2-3 hr ride. Well, if you pour a little Steak Sauce on that and don’t mind a short stint on the pain train, then you get a 5hr test of endurance. It is definitely worth it though, seeing the portal and linking up the descent are some of the best experiences I have had on a bike. If you head out to the area, make the effort and go the extra mile.

On day seven of our Moab vacation we started off with a shuttle heading up, way up. We were shuttled all the way up to Geyser pass by Ryon from Chile Pepper Bike Shop where we were put into the hurt locker and climbed the final let to over 11000ft in an area called Burrow Pass. This left us gasping for air and itching to ride. This was high, really high and there was 7000ft of descending ahead. Can it really get any better than this?

The air was cool at a mere 3 degrees and ice lined the sides of passing creeks. At this elevation and temperature keeping dry is a bit of a big deal as the water is as cold as the descent is long. Starting off the descent we were in a sub-alpine terrain speckled with evergreens and icy rivers. Soon after we were descending through a vibrant yellow poplar forest shifting to a deep red as we continued on, the terrain in this area is so diverse and varying it makes for an experienced unparalleled. Starting off in Winter like conditions and ending in the desert, where else on the face of the earth can you do that in a single day? With close to seven hours of riding and over 7000ft of descending it is hard to argue that it wasn’t epic and we weren’t tired. The ride is huge and totally worth it. Pack your bags, pack lots of food and even more water then hit the trails. This descent is like no other. From 11000ft to 4000ft and 3 degrees all the way up to mid 30s the range on this ride is astonishing.

These two rides are two small fish in a very large sea of trails. I feel as if I have seen so much in but a week of riding yet I know that I have barely scratched the surface. Time to head home, get back to work and start planning a trip next year. After 7 days of relaxing vacation in Moab Utah, I am Exhausted!

Dustan