Anyone have anything they'd like to rant about?

[climberevan]

Pros are not running compact chainsets. You are correct that they are running 11-30 and even an 11-32 on big/steep mountain stages, but you will not find a 50/34 chainset on any of their bikes.
The odd rider (like a sprinter struggling to get over a mountain pass day) will request a sub-compact 52/36, but you will never see a 50/34.

Right--I was thinking about the mid-size one. 36/30 is actually a smaller gear than 34/28, though. They are prob using the mid-size cranks because they legitimately need a 52/11 since the leadouts are 40mph and THEN they start sprinting.

As Boissai points out, many of us are actually faster in the small gears. I suspect that many of you holdouts would find that to be the case as well, and I know your knees would appreciate it. It seems like the industry might be catering to out-of-shape people with the huge cassettes, but it helps the fast people too.

[skaredshtles]

<snip>
Most people would pine for lower and lower gears less if they spent some time in the weight room.

Fuck that shit. If I can't get in shape riding my bike, I don't want to get in shape.

I'm not gonna get in shape.

[Dantheman]

As Boissai points out, many of us are actually faster in the small gears. I suspect that many of you holdouts would find that to be the case as well, and I know your knees would appreciate it.

My knees are just fine and I seem to be the only guy around who doesn't mind climbing the P-Gulch road at Snowbird, so....

I'm mostly a holdout because the early versions of Eagle were all way out of my price range, the GX version has a reputation for being finicky, and the NX version is heavy AF. Now that XT/SLX is out and everyone, everyone, says it's awesome, I'm in for sure.

It seems like the industry might be catering to out-of-shape people with the huge cassettes, but it helps the fast people too.

You can be aerobically fit and still be weak and suffer for it when grades get really stout. Cassettes are clearly about maxed out, so don't expect much more help to come there. No one ever got stronger and was worse off for it.

[Dantheman]

Fuck that shit. If I can't get in shape riding my bike, I don't want to get in shape.

I'm not gonna get in shape.

"Most cyclists are not athletes...They want to ride their bikes, they want to talk about gears, they want to wear the colorful clothing and shave their legs...wear their helmets and talk about how many miles they ride. But they're not athletes because they won't train and all they want to do is ride their bikes. Athletes do what's necessary to prepare to [excel at] their sport, which most everybody else realizes that that involves things besides playing your sport. We've all grown up now, it's 2010, you have to be strong, you have to do stuff off of the bike, right? Cyclists won't do that...all they want to do is ride their bike and wear the clothes, so they're not really athletes."

QED

[zion zig zag]

QED

I believe in being well rounded but.....single sport weightlifter throwing stones at cyclists for not being athletes. Almost like irony.

[grinch]

I'd like to rant about handlebars. Specifically, sweep. With very few exceptions, most have at least 8 degree backsweep. I want less. The old Thomson DH bar (6 back, 4 up) is my all time favorite but it only came in 12mm rise, and they discontinued that version. The Renthal Fatbar V2 is the next best thing at 7/5 but even that is a rarity.

Am I just the only person who gives a shit?

Nope, thats why i like renthals. Wide shoulders without lanky arms. The renthals make my wrists the happiest so far. Ive just ordered a cromag fu40 on aluminium 31.8. Almost the sweep of my renthal but im losing the carbon and 35mm clamp for , hopefully, more added compliance and some more height to take some body weight off the front

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[Dantheman]

I believe in being well rounded but.....single sport weightlifter throwing stones at cyclists for not being athletes. Almost like irony.

Broken clock...twice a day...yada yada...

He's also clearly being more than a little facetious, though you can't deny it hits the mark for wide swathes of the two-wheeled demographic.

[EWG]

Well ok, I appreciate the well-thought out answers to my question. Imagine what this would have developed into on mtbr.

Some thoughts. I guess I get it for people riding long, steep, smooth fireroads and trails. But oh my god it takes forever and you go nowhere. I think I'd lose my mind. I'm going to fight it till I can't anymore.

x100 on lifting weights. x1000. Another method is this (I think I've mentioned this before) - Everyone in our riding crew of 12-14 was informally required to spend one year on a singlespeed when they hit a certain birthday. You do that for a year you will learn to turn slow and strong, and after that 20 gear inches will seem like heaven for a long, long time. I actually did my year on a crossbike with a 39-25 low. That's 40 gear inches or so. Yes, it hurts your knees badly in the beginning, but it's amazing what building strength will do to help knees out. They feel supernatural at the end of the year. Recommend. (Yes, cross bike in Moab on slickrock, and Monarch Crest, and Fruita. Yes, I crashed a lot at first. But in the immortal words of Monty Python when the dude claimed he was turned into a newt: "I got better.")

I don't know about you guys, but on anything that's not pavement smooth I top out at around 120 cadence. I miss the big ring sometimes. But I guess it's about patience, right? Learn to relax, I tell myself.

I believe in spinning for sure. But there's a place for mashing too - and that mashing and extra speed sure makes technical uphill climbs easier. There is a bunch of technical stuff I can no longer get up, and while my skill is not what it once was, I know the real reason - it's cause I'm weak now.

Skared - I'm not sure you can actually get in shape doing downhill repeats...just my opinion, man.

Bagtag that vertical wall of yours sounds miserable, and I like to climb. I'd much prefer to do any dirt road standing on a bigger gear with a cross bike than spinning on a dinner plate though. Either way, that's an impressive route.

VT - I have fond memories of the C'Ville hills. Steep as shit, but short. Beautiful roads.

I'm still not buying a dinner plate. I figure I might trade my 32 for a 30. But I'm gonna try to get in better shape before I strap a frisbee on my rear wheel. Might be doing the edge loop later on this summer. That might change my mind...

In any case, I'm not totally rescinding the rant, but I will drop it down to a disgruntlement.

[Boissal]

Now that XT/SLX is out and everyone, everyone, says it's awesome, I'm in for sure.

I'll sell you a brand new XT cassette in the box for $120 (what I paid shipped). Yes, it has all of its teeth.

[zion zig zag]

I'll sell you a brand new XT cassette in the box for $120 (what I paid shipped). Yes, it has all of its teeth.

I’m in if it has a 7-56 gear range.

[El Chupacabra]

I’m in if it has a 7-56 gear range.

How about adding one of these?

[muted]

I have no idea what gear ratio I have on my two bikes to reference what is going on here, but I don't understand what the big deal is no matter what the ratio is. In the 90s I had an easier gear than anyone in the back, no I don't remember what it was. I was able to climb shit no on else could except for some serious local athletes. It made things more fun. No one else climbed Blackmore that I knew of (I'm sure someone did), 99% racers walked the steep short pitch in the Hyalite Challenge, and I knew one other person who cleared Leverich when it was straight up and loose. I mean it used to be real loooooose....now it has switchbacks and is a dream. I was not the best most fit biker out there, but everyone else was too cool to have fun.

The only reason to weight-lift for biking is if you enjoy it. I'd rather be out of shape. I remember racing in MT everyone would have 500-1000 miles on the road in the cold rain before the first MTB race. For what, local bragging rights and a free tire if you podium?

[Dantheman]

I'll sell you a brand new XT cassette in the box for $120 (what I paid shipped). Yes, it has all of its teeth.

Tempting, but there's no reason to spend the money on the upgrade this year.

The only reason to weight-lift for biking is if you enjoy it. I'd rather be out of shape. I remember racing in MT everyone would have 500-1000 miles on the road in the cold rain before the first MTB race. For what, local bragging rights and a free tire if you podium?

I'll remember this the next time I put out an open invite to ride Ben Lomond and you bow out citing lack of fitness

There's a lot of reasons that reasonable amounts of lifting are incredibly beneficial and they go way beyond biking, but that's a discussion for a different thread.

[snowaddict91]

I'll remember this the next time I put out an open invite to ride Ben Lomond and you bow out citing lack of fitness

There's a lot of reasons that reasonable amounts of lifting are incredibly beneficial and they go way beyond biking, but that's a discussion for a different thread.

I was just telling the wife I can't put off doing this ride for another year.

I can't get into the gym though, even though I know it is holding me back.

[muted]

I'll remember this the next time I put out an open invite to ride Ben Lomond and you bow out citing lack of fitness

There's a lot of reasons that reasonable amounts of lifting are incredibly beneficial and they go way beyond biking, but that's a discussion for a different thread.

Ha! not saying you are wrong, that's a good point/burn, but the reason my fitness sucks goes way beyond that. But yeah, instead of typing on some dumb forum tonight I could be working out and making biking more enjoyable instead of whining about how I used to be in shape.

And I'm FINALLY pretty open to the idea of weightlifting this fall for ski season, even though it's stupid and boring, you just can't ski fast and land anything and avoid injuries out of shape. I can't get into shape the right way anymore: by skiing a lot. And I have read your points in another thread on how great weightlifting is when you get older, you have convinced me there. OK fine I guess I'm grudgingly saying you are right without saying it directly.

I hold the line at rollers though. #neveronce

[jamal]

The only reason to weight-lift for biking is if you enjoy it. I'd rather be out of shape. I remember racing in MT everyone would have 500-1000 miles on the road in the cold rain before the first MTB race. For what, local bragging rights and a free tire if you podium?

Hey now, I've never won a tire.

Jolanda Neff did have a funny comment about weight lifting in one of her new videos. Basically said she doesn't think it's necessary, and suspects her coach only makes her do it so she'll get some off the bike time.

I do have some basic weights at home and usually do a bit of lifting over the winter. This winter I was gone for 2 months and didn't do anything. Generally I'd say being stronger is never a bad thing, it also gives me something to do and helps to keep from getting fat.

[evdog]

Another method is this (I think I've mentioned this before) - Everyone in our riding crew of 12-14 was informally required to spend one year on a singlespeed when they hit a certain birthday. You do that for a year you will learn to turn slow and strong, and after that 20 gear inches will seem like heaven for a long, long time. I actually did my year on a crossbike with a 39-25 low. That's 40 gear inches or so. Yes, it hurts your knees badly in the beginning, but it's amazing what building strength will do to help knees out. They feel supernatural at the end of the year. Recommend.

The best riding shape I've ever been in was when I had a singlespeed. One of our local rides is a series of mesa tops and canyons with numerous ways to climb/descend between them that take 2-3 mins each to climb. The first few times on SS I felt like I was going to die. After riding there weekly for a few months I was sprinting up them no problem and recovering quickly. Made a huge difference doing longer and more technical climbs everywhere else. Once I find a FS I like for bikepacking the hardtail will be converted back to SS.

[toast2266]

Put me in the category of "rather be fat and slow than go to a gym."

I don't get how people can do that shit. But to each his own.

[Self Jupiter]

[evasive_MT]

Put me in the category of "rather be fat and slow than go to a gym."

I don't get how people can do that shit. But to each his own.

When I was in grad school, I spent about 2 hours a day in the gym. Can’t imagine doing that now.

[Dantheman]

When I was in grad school, I spent about 2 hours a day in the gym. Can’t imagine doing that now.

I'm talking about around 2 hours per week.

[gravitylover]

I can't even handle 2 hours a year in a gym. I'd rather mow the lawn when it's 94° and humid after it rained.

[EWG]

Get a squat rack, stick it in a spare bedroom or the garage. Done and done. No gym time. Lift for 15-20 minutes then beer. Twice a week. More for the beer part. Win a tire.

Easy.

[nest]

I was able to climb shit no on else could except for some serious local athletes. It made things more fun. No one else climbed Blackmore that I knew of (I'm sure someone did), 99% racers walked the steep short pitch in the Hyalite Challenge, and I knew one other person who cleared Leverich when it was straight up and loose. I mean it used to be real loooooose....now it has switchbacks and is a dream. I was not the best most fit biker out there, but everyone else was too cool to have fun.

?

You cleaned Blackmore?! Respect

[jm2e]

People naturally want to be in an exclusive group. And the best way to feel exclusive, and use it to increase your feelings of self worth is to spend as much time as possible making arguments supporting your superiority over the other, less deserving group. Eventually the comparison evolves into rationalizing why your group is entitled to more stuff and preferential treatment across the board.
This applies to religion, race, politics just as much as it does to cyclists.


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